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By William Moss
Forward
Because
there are those among us who aspire, and because there is this
time and season, and because there is this God who beckons
to us from the heights, this book is written. In every age and
in every place where men aspire, there is that which withstands
them. Every time the sons of God appear before God, the Devil
comes also. In every place that grace is given, there is the law
to provide the counterpoint. When the times and seasons of God
bring forth the Manchild, there is the Dragon waiting. It is our
purpose to identify the dragon and to unmask the devil and to
warn the traveler.
There
is that which in every age opposes.
It
is fitting that we do not war against 'flesh and blood' for we
are, at the center, a spiritual people. It is not some secular
heaven that we aspire to but the very heart of God. And
because we do not simply set our sights on financial security
or a well-rounded religious experience or a reputation among the
brethren, we may well be numbered among the radicals of our generation.
But
we must, simply must, keep faith with those who have gone before
us, as well as those who may come after us.
And
we must keep faith with ourselves.
To
stop short is unthinkable.
But
rest assured, on the way we will meet that one who stands in the
gate and seeks to deny us entrance. In this age, that one is not
some will-of-the-wisp from the past but an identifiable entity
with a name and a character and a history Of mischief-making.
And, although his best work is done in the dark, he can be dragged
into the light.
He
can be called to account!
He
who has 'laid waste' can be laid waste himself for He who once
led 'captivity captive' is still in business.
And
so we say ...
The Dream
It
was a strange scene. On a stage suspended somewhere between
heaven and earth a young man was engaged in earnest dialogue,
first with one and then with another. The subject was religion
and what a man's duty was in this life and how he must finally
come to acknowledge God and His claim on his life.
The
young man seemed quite persuasive.
Some stopped to listen. Some
even to the point of agreement. These he took gently by
the hand and introduced them to the religious system he represented.
But
there was more to the scene than that. To be sure, there
was the young man. And, yes, he was attempting to proselyte
others. But (and this was the strange part) above him, much
like a director riding a broom above a sound stage, there hovered
an apparition.
I
say hovered because that is how it seemed.
I
say apparition because it did not have the distinctive features
one would associate with a flesh and blood creature.
No.
It was more like the genie who sprang from the lamp of Aladdin,
as illustrated in a child's book of fables.
Above,
floating, unreal, and yet, very real indeed. So real, in
fact, that it literally dominated the scene. So much so
that one finally became aware that it (the apparition) really
was the director and that all of those on the stage (including
our young man) were merely players. Only
as you grasped that fact were you able to ascertain the real situation
and the almost mechanical actions and reactions of the players
on the stage began to make sense.
Yes,
the young man's words were fervent. Yes, his manner was
sincere. But then you began to notice that which had been
hidden before, i.e. his heart wasn't in it. It was only
a role he was playing. Indeed, his actions were those of
a well-trained horse being put through his paces by the owner.
There were invisible strings attached to him and he was being
manipulated by the puppet-master who hovered above him.
As
the play continued it became apparent that the young man was not
satisfied with his role-playing. Indeed, on more than one
occasion, he moved toward the outer limits of the stage, as if
wanting somehow to escape the situation. But he was always
drawn back by the invisible strings.
And
then it happened.
The
young man not only reached the edge of the stage but suddenly
turned his back on the performance and began to walk away from
it. Just as suddenly, the Entity seemed to sense that his
power over the young man was diminished. His reaction was
immediate and terrible to behold. He screamed after the
young man.
"Look",
he cried, "look up there in the sky!"
The
young man looked.
All
he saw was a wispy white cloud against the blue of the sky.
"Look",
it cried again, "and know this. You will never know
your God except as a wispy intangible, a vaporous substance, like
that small cloud up there!"
At
that pronouncement, and without thinking, the young man spun on
his heels.
"Oh,
no", he cried, and the words seem to flow from his lips.
"Oh,
no! I will know Him. I will know my God. Beyond
the wispy intangibles of religion, I will know Him!"
Without
warning the words in his mouth, understandable to this point,
changed into that which was not
understandable. Different words. Strange sounding
words. Full-of-power words. They filled his tongue
and leaped the distance between him and the apparition.
As he continued his impassioned
speech, a strange thing occurred.
The
apparition vanished!
One
moment he was there, the next, poof, he was gone.
And, in his place, what appeared
to be a steel girder, upon which the young man set his feet.
Then
he knew.
He
was free. He was finally and at long last free!
Not only of the apparition but
of his former limitations.
Far below him, the earth and the
peoples of the earth. And he knew that he could step off
the girder and, with one giant stride, onto the surface of the
planet, now thousands of feet below him!
The
young man woke from his dream.
And
wondered.
And
inquired of his God.
And
his God gave understanding to him.
"What
is the name of the Entity", he asked, "who had such
power over me and my actions"?
The
Lord said, "his is a Jewish name".
"Yes",
the young man cried, "I know his is a Jewish name, but who
is he and what does he represent?"
The
answer came.
"He
is the Spirit of the Pharisee".
THE DISEASE
From
the beginning there has been that which has stood against the
purpose of God in man. It has been called by many names
and has fully earned it's reputation as the most cunning of adversaries.
For the purpose of this writing, I will refer to it as the Spirit
of the Pharisee and will liken it to an illness or disease.
Not the ordinary, garden variety disease, to be sure, but one
that is always and in every place deadly. Much like the
cancer in our modern time, it thrives in the dark, and, because
of that, it's work is the more effective.
Strangely
enough, it is not a disease that afflicts just anyone. Rather,
it is reserved for those among us who would be 'rich', those who
aspire to higher thoughts and whose commitment is beyond the ordinary.
It
was in the time of Jesus, who was called the Christ, that we were
afforded the clearer picture, the most elaborate display of the
disease in full flower.
Indeed,
it is as if we are present at the initiation rites of Pharisaism
and it is the Holy One himself who is instructing us and warning
us against the most dread disease, spiritual pride.
It
is that which takes hold of the ambitious and attaches itself
to the king.
At
first it does not appear to be more than an appropriate self-esteem.
But the cells divide and the tumor grows and the sickness spreads.
Until...
In
the secular world we are often made aware of what we refer to
as pride or self-confidence. As with arsenic, a small amount
can be quite beneficial. In psychiatry, a bolstering of
self-esteem is often the aim and a healthy regard for oneself
is regarded as essential to mental and emotional health.
Indeed, it is doubtful if any good has ever come to mankind through
the negative emotion.
No
'worm of the dust' painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel or
sailed his craft over uncharted waters. No shrinking violet
tacks his thesis to the church door nor inferior person takes
to the air at Kittyhawk. Britannia rules the waves, not
simply because she has many ships, but also because she believes
in herself, in her institutions, in her destiny.
Self-esteem!
A
feeling of self-worth!
A
pride that has not degenerated into arrogance!
How
comely, indeed. How refreshing. How needful!
Would to God that all of His people drank from that well and supped
at that table. But there is another side to the coin and
a down-side to the mountain. It is the perversion of the
ideal. It is the overdose, the too-much of a good thing.
It is that which contorts and twists and wrests the concept of
self-worth into monstrous shapes, alien principle. It
is the net that is spread for the feet of all who aspire.
Everyone
who has ever served in a capacity that sets him 'above' his fellows
knows of it. Every Private First Class, every second Lieutenant.
Every Justice of the Peace, every Clergyman. Perhaps it
would be fitting to add especially every Clergyman. Of course
we speak of the Destroyer. A Spirit which has destroyed,
continues to destroy, and will always destroy, for such is it's
nature. Especially is it sent to withstand those who, in
every age, would ascend that 'Holy Hill' of the Lord.
Among
the things that God hates the most, this is the biggie!
Right up there with the lying tongue
is the proud look. Indeed, in Proverbs 8, Evil itself is
defined as "pride and arrogancy" and the "forward
mouth do I hate" is a declaration of God himself. Again,
in Proverbs 14, "in the mouth of the foolish is the rod of
pride". Isaiah pronounces "woe on the crown of
pride" and Jeremiah speaks of it as a deceiver... "The
pride of your heart has deceived you."
But
it is not sufficient for us to quote to you the appropriate scriptures.
We are all more or less aware of
them. We know of the warnings issued throughout the Book.
None Of us are ignorant of the fact that when and if it (pride)
is fully developed in any of us, that assorted woes and calamities
are surely on their way. Pride does, indeed, "go before
destruction" and a "haughty spirit before a fall".
But
the disease does not appear full blown. That is at once
our joy and our opportunity. It was only after the 'son
of the morning' became awakened to his great power and considerable
beauty that 'sin' (ambition) was found in him.
Then,
and only then, did he seek to ascend and was moved to challenge
the sovereignty of God.
The
Pharisee was a unique individual. Unique
in the sense that the widow with the two mites was unique.
And the fallen woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears
was unique. God knows he was not the first proud man, no more
than the widow was the first to offer from her meager store toward
the upkeep of the house of God.
No.
They
were unique because in them the various elements of man were brought
together, codified, crystallized. Now and forever after,
we who follow after will be able to understand the principle.
In the widow we see, as long as life endures, the spirit of true
giving. In the Pharisee, the spirit of religious bigotry
and spiritual pride. They have given substance to the form.
Thank
you, God, for the Pharisee.
In
him and through him and because of him, you have made manifest
that which has been hidden from us before. In his thoughts, actions,
and attitude, we are brought face to face with ourselves.
As you manifested that which was Christlike in us all, he brought
to light that which was (and is) Anti-Christ in us all.
Now
we know and are without excuse. As your Spirit remains with us
long after the events of the gospel narrative have come and gone,
so his spirit remains with us, whispering to us, seducing us,
delivering us into judgment, again and again and again.
Thank
you, God, for the Pharisee!
Someone has to play straight-man
for You.
Someone has to set You up for the
punch line!
Of
course, the ancient sect is long gone from us. And even
if it did continue it is doubtful if any would openly avow themselves
a member. Of the Catholic tradition? Yes. Baptist,
Methodist, and even Pentecostal? Yes, but not Pharisee.
Why? For a very simple reason. The name is come to
mean something quite different to us than it did to those alive
in the time of the Son of Man. In that day, to the majority
of the people, the Pharisee was a man or group of men who took
their religion quite seriously, indeed, more seriously than the
ordinary Jew. Their zeal was legendary, their commitment
and dedication to the last 'revealed' word from their God (the
law of Moses) unsurpassed by any. The Apostle himself bearing
witness to them, their attention to detail, and their 'righteousness'
as defined by that law. They were the 'separated' ones.
Today,
of course, we have a different perspective. Today the name
is taken to mean one who is intolerant, bigoted, proud and arrogant.
One who is pleased to find out (and quick to point out) that he
is 'different' from the ordinary folk who inhabit this planet
with him.
The
Pharisee who went up to the temple to pray, although only a parable
that Jesus told, is a perfect example. It is recorded for
us in Luke 18. Jesus, speaking to "certain that trusted
in themselves that they were righteous" and "despised
others", told this parable to them: "Two men went
into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee and the other a Publican.
The Pharisee stood and prayed with himself, God, I thank you,
that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers,
or even as this Publican. I fast twice in the week, I give
tithes of all I possess."
Now
the "Publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much
as his eyes. toward heaven, but smote his breast, saying God,
be merciful to me, a sinner." When we go beyond the words,
it gets a bit sticky.
For
what that certain Pharisee said in that parable that Jesus gave,
is what their descendants have been saying (or thinking) and the
attitude itself is familiar (painfully so) to the most of us.
It is the attitude that suggests that we religious types are inherently
'better' than our neighbors. Oh, God, I'm so glad I don't
puff on them cigarettes, or hanker after corn squeezin's and am
content with this one wife you have given me. I'm also glad,
by the way that you have seen fit to make me a bit more moral,
a bit more law-abiding, and a whole lot more 'spiritual' than
the Publican over there. I know he is praying at the same
altar as I am, but God, we both know that there is a distinction
to be made, even between those who worship at the same altar.
Yes,
there was a distinction to be made, and Jesus made it. The
rascally (in the eyes of the Pharisee) Publican went down to his
house justified rather than the self-righteous Pharisee.
Now
it is obvious that Jesus was not saying that our friend, the Pharisee,
would be better off, spiritually speaking, if he extorted a little
money, cheated on his taxes, or dragged his neighbor's wife off
to the bushes.
No.
What
He was saying, however, was that this man (the Pharisee) knew
nothing of the grace of God, trusted much too much in his ability
to 'keep' the law of Moses, was a self-righteous prig and that
a goody-two-shoes was going to have a most difficult time entering
into the kingdom!
You're
sick, man! A lot sicker than that Publican fellow you are
looking down your nose at!
In
describing the disease in detail, there is a chapter in one of
the New Testament writings that lays it all out for us.
The chapter is 23 and the writing is Matthew's.
Now
it may be that the apostle Matthew recorded the clashes between
Jesus and the Pharisees more faithfully than the others.
Or perhaps it was simply that he, being a Publican himself, was
more attuned to the nuances. At any rate, Matthew 23 is
one woe piled on top of another.
Woe!
Woe! Woe!
Accusation,
charge, put-down, exposure. After that particular 'sermon',
doesn't surprise me in the least that they "went about to
kill him". No Pharisee worth his salt would have been
able to sit through a tirade like that without is face gathering
just a wee bit of 'darkness'. Just give a listen:
"They
(the Pharisees) bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne and
lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move
them with one of their fingers."
and:
"All
of their works they do to be seen of men."
"They
love the upper most rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the
synagogues."
"and
to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi, i.e. teacher or master."
(Shame on those terrible folks, right?)
Now
here come the woes, here come the woes!
"Woe
unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut
up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves,
neither suffer you them that are entering to go in."
"Woe
unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour
widow's houses, and for a pretense make long prayers . . ."
"Woe
unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you compass
land and sea about to make one proselyte, and when he is made,
you make him twofold more the child of hell than you yourselves."
(So much for missionary out-reach).
"Woe
unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay
tithe of mint and anise and cummin (down to and including the
very least of your crops) but you have omitted the weightier matters
of the law, (such as) judgment, mercy, and faith: . . ."
"You
blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel."
(Oh,
my. That is a low blow.)
"Woe
unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you make clean
the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within are full
of extortion and excess. You blind Pharisee, cleanse first
that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of
them may be clean also."
(We do seem to have a problem with
that one, don't we?)
"Woe
unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like
whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but
are within full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within
are full of hypocrisy and iniquity." (Oh, me. That's
all. Just, oh, me!)
"Woe
unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs
of the prophets (the dead ones, that is) and garnish the sepulchers
of the righteous (the departed righteous, that is). And
say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have
been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets."
There
is something especially tragic in this assumption. I'm sure
the Pharisees were sincere. I do not for a moment think
that they thought themselves capable of doing such terrible things
as slaying Abel or stoning Zechariah.
But
what they failed to understand, even as we do, was that neither
they nor we are dealing with a flesh and blood situation, but
rather with a Spirit.
And
they who are dominated by and subject to that Spirit WILL find
themselves 'slaying Abel' and 'stoning Zechariah', i.e. the modern
day equivalent. That is why Jesus could predict that when
He sent to that generation (or this one) "prophets, and wise
men, and scribes" that they would indeed 'kill and crucify'
some of them and others "scourge in your synagogues, and
persecute them from city to city: . ."
The King
In ancient Israel, there
lived a young man of the tribe of Benjamin. He was a typical
young Israelite, kind, considerate, and obedient to his father,
Kish. He also was a very striking young man, physically
tall and robust, 'head and shoulders' above his peers. He
was also blessed with a becoming modesty. One day this young
man, Saul by name, happened upon a circumstance that changed his
life forever. While searching for donkeys that had strayed,
he turned aside to inquire of a certain Seer. When he did,
much to his surprise, the Seer fastened his eyes on him and declared,
"Is it not because the Lord has anointed you to be the captain
over his inheritance?"
Well,
that was not something a young Benjamite heard everyday and the
shock of the pronouncement was evident in the young man's reply.
"Am I not a Benjamite, one of the smallest of the tribes
of Israel? And is not my family the least of all the families
within that tribe? Wherefore (in the light of this) do you
speak such things to me?"
Or,
are you sure you've got the right party?
Of
course the word of the prophet stood (as it always does) in spite
of the reaction of the young man. Saul was chosen, he was
anointed, he did serve as king over Israel.
But
that is by no means the end of the story.
No.
Follow
the young man, if you will, from his humble beginnings to his
greatest triumphs (and there were many of them) and you will begin
to notice that soon after his coronation, something happened to
the lad, something terrible. For he who had slain his 'thousands'
met up with something that he couldn't slay, something deep within
himself that he could not overcome.
His
rejection by God is one of the most moving acts in the entire
drama of God.
For
this was not an alien king or a pagan prince. This was a
man chosen of God out from the household of God. It was
God himself who had made the appointment and the prophet of God
who had poured the oil of anointing on his head. It was
the people of God who had hailed him as King. And it was
from God that the young king had received the courage and wisdom
to rule over his house.
It
was also God, the very same God, who deposed him.
The
story of Saul the King is not a pleasant one either to read about
or to reflect upon. Most of us will hurry past this particular
example. After all, are we not of the 'David' company?
What
then do we have to do with Saul?
But
Saul is a friend and the story of Saul is not simply the story
of a young man thrust into a position of authority before he was
able to handle it responsibly. No. Saul is the story of
Everyman and is relevant still, especially to those of us who
have had the words spoken over us and the wine poured on our heads.
For Saul, like us, did not initiate the contact with his God.
He was singled out. He was chosen. And he did not
aspire to the throne. He was elevated to it. Further, it
is a story of a man who did well (for a season) and glorified
his God (for a time) but who forgot, or never understood in the
first place, that power is a corrupter and applause a heady wine!
Now
some maintain that God's arm was twisted a bit by the demands
of Israel for a king to rule over them. But nowhere does
it indicate that God could not have simply said no. No.
The fact is that God chose to do what He did, and He chose the
lad through whom to do it.
Saul
was a chosen vessel unto his God.
And
he was a chosen vessel who made all the right moves, at first.
Indeed, in the beginning, the proposition did not appeal to him
at all. When they came around to fetch him for the installation
ceremony, they couldn't even find him. The scriptures tell
us that he had hidden himself "among the stuff." (Doesn't
appear as if he was exactly lusting after the position, does it?)
After
he was finally located and persuaded to accept the mantle of leadership,
it is also recorded that he behaved himself admirably and acquitted
himself with honor, both before the people of God and against
the enemies of the people of God.
It
was not until later, after his first real triumph, and after he
had savored the 'perks' of kingship for a season, that he found
himself on the wrong side of a dispute with the same fellow (Samuel)
who had anointed him to be king in the first place. This
time the meeting was not so cordial nor the occasion as joyful.
This time the prophet had a different message for him.
It
seems our young king had been exposed to and had contracted one
of the most deadly diseases of all, self-importance. Not
content with playing his assigned role, that of king over Israel,
he purposely and deliberately insinuated himself into the priestly
office. The amazing thing was that he didn't seem to consider
the event noteworthy. It was only after Samuel came and
spoke to him as he did that he began to grasp the fact the he,
even though he was king, still must answer to his God for his
actions.
"You
have done foolishly," the prophet told the king, You have
not kept the commandments of your God. If you should have, the
Lord would have established your kingdom upon Israel forever.
But now your kingdom shall not continue..."
I
do wish I could summon a bit of outrage. The man obviously did
wrong. He deserved what he got. Case closed.
But
the case isn't closed, is it?
You
who have been apprehended in this day, you know, don't you? All
of you have been thrust onto the stage of God's doing at this
present time, you are aware, aren't you? Saul was not the first
nor the last 'king' to abuse his Power of Office.
No.
The
Spirit of 'pride and arrogancy' is still very much with us.
First the Blade...
The
young man was not really much of a preacher, as preachers go.
No fruit for the inspectors, no crowds surrounding him when he
spoke, no disciples hanging on every word. What he was sure
of was that he had been 'called' and that from his youth.
But there did not seem to be a niche for him to fill. No one calling
for his services and few interested in his views.
Perhaps
it was because he never had been all that comfortable with the
fire-and-brimstone approach to ministry. And not having
that 'mark', could not buy or sell in the religious marketplace.
Or, perhaps, it was simply that he had never said or done anything
noteworthy.
At
any rate, he was not highly regarded in the small congregation.
But
one day, by the providence of God, he was appointed as one of
four youth ministers who,
at the discretion of the pastor, would speak during a special
meeting of the local assembly.
In
the meantime, some very startling things began to happen to the
young man.
He
received a pamphlet in the mail, read it, and was strangely moved
by the words contained in it. Indeed, it proved to be a
catalyst for an awakening in his spirit. While he didn't understanding
exactly what was taking place, he was aware that, whatever it
was, it was both frightening and exhilarating at the same time.
Take
the bible, for instance. It did not contain the same meanings
'before' as 'afterward'. New thoughts and concepts began
to form in his mind; thoughts and concepts that were not comparable
with the conventional and the traditional.
Indeed,
some appeared quite unorthodox and he did not feel as if he dared
speak of them to any. And yet he found he could not contain
them and so, finally, sought out a sympathetic ear. But the strange
sounds of revelation were not standard fare, and he did not share
them with just anyone.
The
time finally arrived for the special meeting. Of the four
who had been selected, our young man was, indeed, the ugly duckling.
One of the young men was the brother of a quite famous 'healing'
evangelist. Another was the son of a well-regarded, old-time
minister of the gospel. The third was a paragon of virtue,
a beautiful young man, an accomplished speaker, complete with
lovely young bride.
The
contrast was considerable.
Our
young friend had no such credentials.
When
the time came for him to speak, however, something happened to
him. Something incredible and hard to be understood.
His words were not halting or lame, as one might imagine, seeing
as how he was a novice. No, indeed. There was no nervousness
in his manner, nor hint of fear. It was as if someone or something
was producing thoughts and presenting ideas and illustrations
that he personally had no knowledge of.
The
flow continued.
Finally,
after an hour or so, the gruff old pastor tapped him on the shoulder
and said, "You can't preach it all in one night".
After
the meeting many things occurred.
Some
blessed. Some cursed. And some simply wondered.
But
our young friend was not a non-entity any longer.
He was taken account of.
He had been noticed.
He was not hidden 'among the stuff'
any longer.
Another King
Pride
is a rich man's disease.
And
if King Saul made the point, King Nebuchadnezzar drove it home.
I'm sure you remember him. He ruled over the kingdom of
Babylon for many years. What happened to him while doing
so is a fascinating and revealing story.
Unlike
some who have picked a fight with God's people, he came out a
winner.
Or,
at least, in the short run. He came up against Judah during
the reign of Jehoikim, besieged the city of Jerusalem and, eventually,
prevailed against it. Having done so, he took certain of
the young men of Judah back to Babylon with him. Among the
which were Daniel, as well as Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego.
(Does sound a bit like a rock band, doesn't it?)
But
it wasn't. It was a group of youngsters, chosen from among the
captives to serve the great king, Nebuchadnezzar. As it
turned out, they did not fit in too well in Babylonian society.
Especially did they not like the part about having to bow down
to an alien god. Indeed, they refused to do so, giving us
that marvelous story of the fiery furnace and of the Fourth Man
who appeared to them there.
In
the process, our friend Nebuchadnezzar learned a bit about power
and the exercise of it, and who was really in charge of fiery
furnaces, etc. Indeed, if you listened closely to what he
had to say immediately after the experience, you might even get
the idea that he had been converted into a true believer because
of it. Just give a listen to a very shook-up monarch:
"Nebuchadnezzar,
the king, unto all the people, nations, and languages, that dwell
in all the earth; peace be multiplied to you. I thought
it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God has wrought
toward me. How great are His signs! And how mighty
are His wonders! His kingdom is from generation to generation."
Now
I would think that quite a tribute from a fellow who, only a short
time before, had set up his own 'golden image' and threatened
everyone with extinction who didn't bow down to it! But
sometimes (you may have noticed) a scared-into conversion lasts
only as long as the scare does.
And
so it was with our friend.
Soon
after his little scare (and his very eloquent speech) he was lying
on his couch when he began to experience certain strange sensations
having to do with a dream. In the dream, he saw a great
tree. Not particularly frightening in and of itself but
there must have been something very scary about the dream, at
least to the king, for the scriptures tell us that he was indeed
frightened and called for Daniel to interpret the dream for him
if he could. Well, Daniel could and he did, unlike the magician
and soothsayers of the royal court. And this be the interpretation
of the dream that Daniel gave to the great king Nebuchadnezzar:
"The
tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached
unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; whose
leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and it was meat
for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose
branches the fowls of the air have their habitation; it is you,
oh, king, you are grown and become strong: for your greatness
is grown, and reaches unto heaven, and your dominion to the end
of the earth."
Wow!
That's
you, king. That's what your dream means. You've grown
up (isn't that nice?) and you have become strong. And your
greatness now reaches unto heaven itself!
Wow,
again!
Not
to mention your dominion to the ends of the earth.
(My, my. That Daniel can interpret
my dreams anytime).
Well,
almost anytime. It appears that the message continued:
P.S.
There is just one small thing. Like that tree in your dream,
you're in for chopping down and "they shall drive you from
men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field, and
they will make you to eat grass like an ox and they will wet you
with the dew of heaven, and seven times will pass over you, till
you know (come to understand) THAT THE MOST HIGH RULES IN THE
KINGDOM OF MEN, AND GIVES IT TO WHOMSOEVER HE WILL."
(I
think I have changed my mind about hiring Daniel after all).
Great
King Nebuchadnezzar, the strong and powerful one.
All systems are go.
You have greatness and you have
dominion.
Greatness that reaches unto heaven
itself.
And dominion to "the ends
of the earth".
One
small problem. Something your advisors either didn't understand
or failed to mention to you. Something you haven't grasped
as yet, even with a of your greatness.
Something elemental.
Something basic.
Which is:
The Most High not only rules the
heavens, but also the earth!
And
where power and dominion are the issues, they belong, to Him (as
the Psalmist writes), and He distributes them as He will!
As You yourself have only recently declared:
\"His (God's) kingdom is an
everlasting kingdom, and His dominion from generation to generation."
Perhaps
you should run that tape again!
But
you will understand, oh great king Nebuchadnezzar. You will
know the mercies of God and His infinite grace will lead you to
a place of repentance. Then your "kingdom will be sure
unto you, AFTER YOU SHALL HAVE KNOWN THAT THE HEAVENS DO RULE"!
Oh,
my!
After
. .
Well,
a year passed, as years are wont to do, and the king kind of forgot
about the dream and the interpretation of it. I say that
he forgot, indeed he must have, because one day he "walked
in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon and said, is not this
great Babylon that 'I' have built for the house of 'my' kingdom,
by the might of 'my' power, and for the honor of 'my' majesty?"
Oh,
boy. Even I know that to be a no-no.
Sure
enough, "while the word was in the king's mouth, there fell
a voice from heaven saying, Oh, king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it
is spoken; the kingdom is departed from you, and they shall drive
you from men, etc. . until you know (come to a settled, now and
forever conclusion) that the Most High rules (not only in the
heavens but also) in the kingdom of men, and gives it (the dominion,
the power, the authority) TO WHOMSOEVER HE WILL."
And
so it was.
The
same hour, the judgment fell.
The great king was driven into
the fields.
His body became wet with the dew
of heaven.
His hair grew until it resembled
the feathers of an eagle.
And his fingernails like the claws
of a bird.
The days passed.
And
then, even as it had been spoken:
"At
the end of the days, I Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven,
my understanding returned to me,
and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him that
lives forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and
His Kingdom is from generation to generation. And
all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He
does according to His own
will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth:
and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, what have You done?"
Oh,
yeah!
"At
the last time (don't you just love happy endings?) my reason returned
to me: and my counselors and my lords sought unto me: and I was
established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to
me. Now I, Nebuhadezzar,
praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all those works
are truth, and His ways judgment: and (I just learned this) THOSE
THAT WALK IN PRIDE HE IS ABLE TO ABASE."
Oh, my!
"...those
that walk in pride He is able to abase.."
Then the Ear...
Our
young friend still did not have a following but was invited, on
occasion, to speak to various groups of believers. And he still
was not much of an 'ensample' to the flock, being by this time
alienated from the church of his youth, as well as the wife of
his youth.
But
he was given favor with the pastor of a certain denominational
group and did recognize that the favor was indeed 'given', seeing
as how he and the pastor did not share the same doctrinal positions.
Nor, of course, did the majority of the members of the group,
over whose objections the pastor invited the young minister to
share his pulpit with him on a certain Sunday evening.
Well,
to say there was a bit of tension in the air in that certain sanctuary
on that certain night, would be to understate the case.
The pastor, by this time having second (and even third) thoughts
as to the wisdom of inviting the young man in the first place,
was under considerable strain. And, as the to young man
rose to speak, the pressure on him mounted. So much so that
he, seated in the front row, suddenly dropped to his knees in
silent, howbeit fervent prayer.
The
young minister, upon seeing this, became aware of a very fundamental
problem. Which soon resolved itself into a very basic question,
i.e. would he even be able to continue?
And
then the strangest thing of all.
Before
he could think or evaluate a proper course of action (should there
be one) the young man suddenly dropped his head. But, instead
of praying, began to speak loudly and clearly... "you
binding spirit," he cried, "Jesus you know and Paul
you know, and you know me! In the name of Jesus Christ,
leave this place!"
How's
that for a lead-in to a sermon?
Well,
whatever it was, it worked. With a sheepish look on his
face, the pastor got up off his knees and sat back down on his
bench.
And
the young man did preach!
And the audience did react!
And strange and unusual events
did accompany the preaching of the Word that night!
The
effects on the fellowship were immediate. Within a month
the pastor was forced to resign, with approximately one-half of
the congregation leaving with him.
And,
of course, the young minister who had been the catalyst for the
move continued with them. They met in homes until they were
able to find a more permanent place to worship. And they
did prosper in their spirits, the pain of their departure mitigated
by new and thrilling insights that were given them. Needless
to say, they were dependent to a great extent on their new friend
and advisor, who seemed to know more about what was actually happening
to them than they themselves.
And
so it went. Doctrines changed and new understandings were
given. And, always, the young man who had been their instrument
for change. After many days, and not a few difficulities,
a new sanctuary was built and new alliances formed.
In
the forefront, the young minister.
In
counsel and convention, the young man.
Of
course, the pastor was still the nominal head of the church but
deferred to the young minister in matters of spiritual statecraft
and revelation from the Spirit. It was a strange and exciting
time for all. And especially for the young prophet who had,
at last, come into his own.
He
was a leader!
People respected his opinion and
sought his counsel!
How sweet the taste and grand the
feeling!
And then . .
There
was nothing unusual about that particular night. True, there
was a special meeting underway and visiting ministers would be
occupying the pulpit, but they had been there for some time.
Besides the which, the young man himself had invited them and
few would presume to question his judgement in such matters.
There
were some, however, who were troubled by what one of the visiting
ministers had said the night before. Coming early to church,
they took their young leader aside and inquired as to his views
on the matter. Of course, a leader must lead, and so the
young man gave them his thoughts and offered his advices.
Seemingly
satisfied, the members went on into the sanctuary to prepare
themselves for the evening service.
But
the young man was not satisfied. Something began to trouble
him. It was the thought that he might just not have been
100% correct in his answer to the group. Did he really,
deep down, 'know' that what he had told them was true?
It
was all well and good to be a leader but could not one be a 'blind'
leader as well? Surely a spiritual guide bore a great responsibility
toward those he led. And so he thought and so he pondered
and so he inquired of his God throughout the service that night.
And, when the altar call was given, he knelt with the others.
But they, after a season, returned to their seats. He remained.
Soon it was time for dismissal, but not for the young minister.
He did not stir.
Suddenly,
he did. He got up from the altar but, instead of returning
to his seat, proceeded out of the rear exit and into the field
beyond.
When
some of the members finally went to look for him, they came upon
a very strange sight indeed. There in the dark, sitting
on the ground, was their leader. With his hands upraised
toward heaven and tears streaming down his face, he seemed to
be praying. When they got closer, however, they discovered
that he wasn't praying but singing softly a strange little chorus
they had never heard before.
Ah,
the great leader.
The Moses who had led them out
of their personal Egypt.
Sitting
on the ground, singing softly through his tears . .
"Oh, Lord, take me on your
knee,
And teach me, Lord, of thee,
For I am but a child!"
Still Another King
I
do not mean to pick on the kings, as such. It's just that
they provide us with the clearest picture. They symbolize
the ultimate position of power on the earth. And they are
used, throughout the scriptures, to indicate and to illustrate
the simple fact that the Most High is not all that keen about
sharing His glory with another.
It
really isn't whether a man is a king or not. It's just that
a man must always keep in mind that he is 'there' (whatever position
of power or authority he is privileged to occupy) by the grace
of God and serves at the pleasure of the Most High, who truly
does rule "in the kingdom of men, and gives it (the position
of power) to whomsoever he will."
For
it is only when and as a man assumes the attitude that he really
is an extraordinary individual and that God is pretty fortunate
to have him on his team, that the water becomes muddied and the
feelings become personal.
Now
you will notice that King Nebuchadnezzar did not say that the
Most High ruled only in the kingdoms of Judah or Israel, but "in
the kingdoms of men". He himself being the king of
Babylon, certainly qualifying as one of the kingdoms of men.
As was the one we read of in the New Testament.
Another
time, another place, another king.
Herod
Agrippa.
The
great king who ruled in the land of Palestine immediately after
the death of the Son of Man.
Peter
had a bit of trouble with him.
James had a lot of trouble with
him.
But Peter was delivered out of
his hands by the intervention of the angel of the Lord.
Herod
did not like that very much.
But
he did like the ovation he received one day when the folks from
Tyre and Sidon came to pay homage to him. "And, upon
a set day, Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne,
and made an oration to them. And the people gave a shout
(must have been some speech) saying, it is the voice of a god,
and not of a man."
Now
I do not pretend to know whether those who came to visit the great
king that particular day were sincere in their tribute or not.
What I do understand from the scriptures is that the effect on
the king was terminal.
"Immediately,
the angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not give God the
glory: and he was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost."
Another
time, another place, another king.
Who
did not understand that the disease of 'pride-of-station' is not
a 'taketwo-asprins-and-call-me-in-the-morning' kind of illness.
Often, as in this case, it is fatal.
"...it
is the voice of a god, and not of a man..."
Of
course, it was not the first time such sentiments had been uttered,
nor would it be the last. We religious types are always
deifying our authority figures. We follow them into the
desert. We leave our wives and/or husbands for them.
We sacrifice our children to them. We bow down to them in
matters of judgment. We even sell the family farm in order to
purchase shares in their dream. We quite literally entrust our
souls into their keeping.
For
..."it is the voice of a god, and not of a man..."
But
a man is a man, for all that.
Whether he be king or counselor,
Sunday School teacher, prophet, pastor, or pope.
A
man is a man, for all that.
Sometimes,
of course, we kings and counselors, etc. tend to forget that simple
fact. Sometimes we fail to appreciate the distinction between
a god and a man. Sometimes the lines become blurred.
One
day in Lystra, our friend Paul and his companion, Barnabas, were
faced with the same temptation Herod faced, i.e. elevation to
instant godhood by their admirers. The difference being,
that whereas the king had only given a grand speech, they did
something a bit more dramatic. They told a man who had been
crippled from his mother's womb to "STAND UPRIGHT ON YOUR
FEET!". . which he promptly did. . and walked . . and leaped
for joy!
How's
that for god-stuff?
Sure
enough (as audiences sometimes will) the ones who were witness
to the miracle wanted to make gods of them both. The began
to cry out, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness
of men." They even offered them god-names as Jupiter and
Mercurius, and the priest brought oxen and garlands to sacrifice
to them. Yep. The boys could have done quite well
for themselves in that part of the country.
But
Paul, thank God, wasn't having any. He and Barnabas were not comfortable
with such carryings-on. Indeed, Paul, unlike Herod (and possibly
most of us) became quite agitated. He and Barnabas rent
their clothes, ran in among the people, and cried ..."Sirs,
why do you these things? We also are men like passions with you..."
"We
also are men..."
Not gods, but men!
Yes,
Herod Agrippa, you were a king, perhaps even a great king in your
own right, but you should have known better than to receive that
kind of tribute:
"...it
is the voice of a god, and not of a man..."
No.
You were a man, just like the rest of us.
But we do thank you, Herod Agrippa.
You didn't die in vain.
You speak to us across the years.
And we who are always seeking 'honor
of men' thank you.
Your attitude warns us.
Your example instructs us.
...After That, the Full Corn In the Ear
Our
young friend had a problem. The problem was that he was a 'religious'
man.
A
problem he shared with thousands of his contemporaries who had
been, as the scripture has it, "born under the law".
As a consequence, his behavioral patterns were those established
by and under that system. He had never, for instance, come to
the Romans Seven experience. And, as a result, he had little or
no comprehension of that 'other law' that the Apostle discovered
to be at work in his members.
He
was familiar with the moral law, the ordinances, and the commandments
but he knew little of that which, taking occasion by that commandment,
might very well give a religious man fits. But he would learn.
And His education would continue. As he was soon to discover.
For
one day, strolling peacefully down a certain street in a certain
city, he heard a voice. Not an audible voice, to be sure, (or
was it?) but one as clear and bringing a message to him so plain
as if one standing next to him had asked for the time of day.
The message was simplicity itself:
"You
have come up wrong!"
Simple,
straightforward, not to mention startling.
"You
have come up wrong!"
Now
our young friend had 'answered the call' some years before. And
he had 'preached and teached' and had kept himself from the world'
(or, at least, had given it his best shot). And it was not as
if there was no fruit. There had been. Indeed, many called him
blessed.
But,
according to the voice, he still had not been properly 'brung-up'
and was in for a bit of re-education.
Sure
enough, within a very short time, he found himself plunged into
a living nightmare. The hell that religious man fears more than
any other. The one that brought our friend Paul to the very brink
of despair. ."Oh, wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver
me from the body of this death?"
Yep,
that one. The hell of human frailty.
The
place where the hedge is removed.
And
so it was. From one place to another he was driven. Moral weaknesses
that he had, as the poet says, "thought were gone, served
him notice that they lingered on". He felt lost. That which
had served to make him 'different', i.e. his Christian character,
dissolved before his very eyes.
This
was being brought up right?
The
years passed. The last noble (?) impulse died. He
did that which he hated and was unable to accomplish that which
he would.
Now,
it was not as if the young man had no understanding of the grace
of God.
He
had. Indeed, he had not only heard of it but had received
revelation concerning it. But that was then and this was
now. That was when the inspired thought flowed freely and
the birds sang and the sun shone. This was now, with the
tongues ceasing, the prophecies failing, and the moral man being
stripped of his credentials.
But,
amazingly, something else was occurring. Out of death, ever
so slowly, life appeared. And from the distant corridors
of his soul, a faint sound. It was, as he discovered later,
the first stirrings of that 'better hope' based on those 'better'
promises.
Now
the young man was not ignorant of the fact that he was at fault,
if fault there was. Like David before him, he had made his
own 'bed in hell'. Oh, he might well charge God with something,
abandonment, for instance, but he knew instinctively that it would
be foolish to do so. It was his lips that were doing the
lying and his feet going in the 'way of the transgressor'.
He
knew it would be wrong (and fruitless) to charge God.
What
he didn't know, however, was that after he had done gone and done
it, i.e. made his own bed in hell, that God would be with him
still, even there. This he discovered, joyfully.
All
in all, it was an incredible experience.
Now
one might assume all sorts of things about such an experience.
One assumption might very well be that the young man simply 'back-slid'
due to some flaw in his character and, as a result, wound up in
the pig-pen of immorality. Another, seeing as it had been,
in a sense, foretold to him, might be that the experience had
been designed as a form of shock therapy, an antidote to the
religious nature. In that event, one would further assume
that the Great Physician would know what He was about and had
prescribed an appropriate remedy.
Which
would surely, in the case of our young pharisee, lessen the grip
of pride and self-importance. Again, surely, as painful
and intense as the experience had been, the final result would
be to crush the proud spirit and genuine humility would emerge.
Surely!
Except
that it didn't turn out to be quite that simple.
Our
young friend, in spite of everything that had happened to him,
remained a rich man. He had heard things that others hadn't.
He had seen things that others hadn't seen. He 'had' things,
valuable things, that other men did not have, and that the bottom
line description of a rich man.
As
for revelations, he still, in spite, of his present circumstance,
thought of himself as being in a different (higher) place than
others. My, my. That third heaven was (and is) such
an interesting place.
And
so the experience continued. There he was, in the midst
of moral collapse, still a rich man, and a proud man. Of
course he did not think of himself as either. He had retained
the power to hide himself 'from his own flesh'.
But
then it happened, again. . .
Because
there was little call for his particular brand of ministry, the
young man was reduced to secular employment. Finding himself
working in the supply department of a certain insurance company,
he also found himself supervising the work loads of his two assistants.
One of the assistants was a young man who might very well be called
a 'gentile' indeed, i.e. he was not in the least a religious man.
He appeared to be one of those individuals who could care less
about such matters as God, or whether or not there was one, etc.
Indeed, he was forever recounting his sexual exploits, and his
world was deduced, or so it seemed, from the variety of sensual
pleasures he could extract from it.
The
other assistant was older, and he did care less. Indeed,
he was quite religious. In his briefcase, along with his
lunch, he carried a large edition of the King James Version of
the Bible. Although he was not a minister in any formal
sense, he seemed to enjoy the prestige that accrues, in certain
social settings, to a preacher-man.
This,
you may be sure, our young friend noticed. But the Jew and
the Samaritan still don't walk together and there is still a gulf
fixed between the Pharisee and the Publican (at least in the mind
of the Pharisee). Just so he does his work, he thought within
himself.
What
he couldn't know, of course, was that it was a set-up! . . This
religious fellow with his cheaply made briefcase and his King
James Version.
But
it was.
It was, indeed.
It
was a time bomb delivered by angels, set to go off in the face
of our young rich man. Sure enough, one day it happened
. . KA . . BLOO . . IE . . !
There
were three in the office that day. Our young friend, his
religious assistant, and a female employee of the company who
had stopped by for supplies.
While
she was there, our young man engaged her in conversation, a religious
conversation, to be sure. For, although he was far from
what he thought a good Christian should be, he simply could not
refrain from talking about that which was still the most important
part of his life.
And
so they talked, our young friend and the young lady. He
had just finished interpreting a certain phrase found in the scriptures
to the lady. But the religious fellow with the King James
has been listening also, and, God help him, made the following
remark......
"I
don't think that is what that scripture means."
Oh,
my!
He
kneweth not what he dideth.
For
at that moment, the shock waves from that simple disagreement
went out, washed over the mind and emotions of the young man,
and all hell broke loose!
Suddenly,
and without warning, his face contorted, he screamed at the man
with the briefcase, "DO YOU DARE TO TEACH .. ME?"
Oh,
my.
A
look of horror swept over the face of the young lady. Upon
seeing that, our young friend realized instantly what had happened,
and he knew it wasn't simply a display of ill-temper or evidence
on his part of bad manners. No. It was the cock crowing.
It was the prophet saying, "You are the man."
A
terrible sadness came over him. Here we was, emotionally
bankrupt, the moral ground slipping away from under his feet,
and yet he was still, spiritually-speaking, a rich man, still
subject to that special spirit of pride and arrogance that stalks
the rich man. Indeed, it was more than simply a vulnerability.
It was a giving over to, a subjection to, as if another spirit
had gained access to his faculties and was able to manifest at
will.
What
other spirit? Not just any spirit, to be sure, but that
special one.
And
then he remembered.
Another time and another place.
Jesus
had just finished healing a man who had been blind "from
his mothers womb". And the man, as one might expect,
was overjoyed. His friends rejoiced with him, and his parents,
everyone (it appears) except the Pharisees. They were a
bit skeptical, to say the least, and began to question the act
that he had been blind in the first place. Being assured
by the healed man's parents that he had indeed been born blind
and that something extraordinary had happened to him, they finally
called for the man himself so as to examine him more closely.
They
asked him exactly how it was that he could see.
He
told them.
The
Nazarene had gone through a certain ritual, the effects of which
had somehow caused his eyes to be opened. His testimony
did not set well with the Pharisees. They counseled him
to give "God the glory", rather than the man Jesus,
as it was evident to them that he (Jesus) was a sinner.
The man answered them with that classic line, "Whether he
be sinner or no, I know not, but this I know, whereas I was blind,
now I see!
The
words of his testimony were bad enough, seeing as how the man
Jesus was in their eyes both a heretic and a sinner, but the next
statement the once-blind man made was intolerable to them.
"If
this man (Jesus) was not of God, he could do nothing."
That
was simply too much. A testimony is one thing, but attempting
to instruct the instructors is something else again. The
theological field was theirs, and theirs alone. Scornfully,
"They answered and said to him, you were altogether born
in sins, and do you (dare to) teach us?"
That
spirit.
That particular spirit.
The same insolent manner.
The identical attitude. Almost the same, exact words.
"Do
you (dare or presume to) teach us?"
And
so our friend discovered the hard way that the Spirit of the Pharisee
is still very much alive and well and still manifesting on the
earth plane.
We Three Kings
Saul,
the great king and chosen of God, who didn't understand that being
chosen of God does not immunize one from the effects of the disease.
"...but
now your kingdom shall not continue..."
Nebuchadnezzar,
the great king of Babylon, who did not know that pride and self-importance
would not be tolerated, even in the "kingdom of men".
And he who sets himself against the Great God of Heaven will be
called to account, whether he be friend or foe, Israelite or Babylonian.
Until all the earth comes to understand that "the Most High
rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it (the kingdom) to whomsoever
He will."
Nebuchadnezzar
... judged, chastened, restored.
And
Herod Agrippa, who was careful to cultivate the Jews, but who
failed to consider the God of the Jews. And His attitude
toward earthly kings whose favorite pronouns were I and 'my'.
The
decree: Lights out for Herod Agrippa.
One
lost his kingdom.
One lost his kingdom but was restored,
after he got the message.
One lost his life.
THE CURE
Sometimes
the treatment is radical, often requires surgery, always it is
a process. But, by the grace of God and increased knowledge,
the disease can be arrested and the cancer cured.
There
was a time it was not so. There was a time when you got
it, you'd had it.
Set
your house in order, make sure you left the silver to Aunt Ida,
and close the blinds. Thank God and research, it isn't that
way any longer.
The
one pre-requisite, catch it in time. Examine yourself.
Note any suspicious lumps or unexplained weaknesses. And,
for God's sake and your own, if you find that you just may have
contracted the dread disease, immediately (if not sooner) place
yourself in the hands of Someone who knows what they're about.
It
is not mandatory that we catch up with this killer. And it isn't
as if medical science has progressed to this certain point and/or
the skills of the physicians have increased all that much.
No. It is simply that knowledge has increased. He who controls
the flow of human understanding, whether secular or spiritual,
has turned the valve to the on-position.
It
is that simple.
And
so it is with we who follow after. It is not written in
stone that we of this generation will overcome that which has,
heretofore, overcome us. It is not that we have come to
some golden age, wherein all of the mysteries have been opened
to us and last-word revelation burst upon us. No. We take
too much on ourselves if we think so. No. We are simply
come to a place, by the grace of God, that understanding has been
delivered to us.
It
is the time. It is the season.
It
is not as if we have accomplished some great thing that no one
else has ever accomplished. It is not as if we are a special
breed of cat, a kind of spiritual superrace.
No!
No! No!
If
we persist in the thinking of such thoughts, we will all die like
men.
But
there is a cure.
Thank
God, there is a cure.
By The Grace Of God
"...other foundation can
no man lay..."
Someone
has said that every revival begins in Romans. I cannot speak
for everyone, but I am aware of the one which is continually going
on in me. And, as far as I am concerned, the man was right.
The moment I fail to remember that this great salvation has been
ministered to me "by grace through faith", I take a
tumble. I begin to fret and stew and to think of all of
those things I 'oughta' do, and to condemn myself for all of those
other things that I do that I 'oughta' not do.
I
get back on the treadmill of religion!
But
when Paul whispers to me or Martin Luther raises up again in my
thoughts, I revive. My arms that have withered, my head
that has drooped, my feeble knees receive new strength.
It is all right again between me and He "with whom my soul
has to do".
"If
the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?"
is a question David poses in the 11th Psalm. The answer
is simple:
Build
them again!
Grab
the shovels, create new forms, and order the concrete!
For this house cannot be built,
I repeat, this house cannot be built on any other foundation.
Whether you live near the sea or in the deepest valley or on the
highest of mountains, YOU CAN'T GET 'THERE' FROM 'HERE' EXCEPT
BY THE GRACE OF GOD.
Basic
stuff!
Kindergarten
curriculum!
I
know.
But
it is the first principle to be thrown overboard when the ship
encounters heavy seas.
And
so, you righteous, what will you do? My advice is to remember
the former days. And no matter how many times the foundations
have been destroyed, lay them again and again and again.
Don't let any man take your crown. Don't let any contractor
sell you on the idea he has a better blueprint. Don't let
any supplier sell you inferior materials. For this is a
structure that reaches unto heaven itself. This thing has
to be solid!
It
is so simple, this amazing grace of God, or was, until we religionists
got our hands on it.
A
simple matter.
A matter of the Sovereignty of
God.
A matter of "it is not of
him that runs, but of God who shows mercy."
And of a hope sure and an inheritance
certain.
Of 'unmerited' favor.
What the Baptist folk think of
as Eternal Security.
Or, they held an election one day;
God voted for me, and I won"!
Or, "man never climbs, but
always is lifted".
A simple matter.
Or, it was.
Now
it is complicated, obfuscated, not to mention expropriated by
some who insist on their right to parcel it out to a deserving
few, that is, as long as they remain deserving. A plague
on their house (and ours) they, (or we), anyone who would turn
the grace of God into a subtle form of law or legalism.
From such, as soon as it is possible for you to do so, turn away!
But
the foundations, because they most assuredly have been torn down,
require a bit of time to be built up again. A bit of sweat,
a bit of tears, a bit of time.
Experience
is still the best teacher. Revelat |