Into the Sea of Forgetfulness

Further than East is from the West,
Much further than North to South;
Into the Sea of Forgetfulness,
The Lord my sins did cast…

Oh happy day, Oh Day of Days;
My Accuser no long taunts!
Oil and water never did mix,
But Justice and Mercy kissed…

The Cross of Christ on which He died
Has long suffered corruption and decay,
But my Redeemer lives, has paid for my sins;
I trust in Him each day…

The Sea of Forgetfulness wide extends,
Its mysterious depths so vast;
Glory to God in the Highest!
He has buried my sins in my past…

Scripture references:

“He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities and cast our sins into the depths of the sea.” – Micah 7:19

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” – Psalm 103:12

A heart like Jesus'

Lord, give me a heart like Jesus’

To seek and save the lost

By bringing them to Calvary,

To the foot of the Cross…

Their burdens will fall

As they surrender all!

Give me a heart like Jesus’...

Lord, give me a heart like Jesus’

To lift the downtrodden and weak;

A heart of compassion and mercy,

A heart that for sinners weeps…

Lord, give me a heart like Jesus’

Who was moved by the multitudes;

Like a  lost flock of sheep

A shepherd they needed

So the Good Shepherd followed them all…

Lord, give me a heart like Jesus’

Who, perspiring in the garden, prayed;

Great drops of blood from His tired brow fell

As on Him the world’s sins were laid…

Lord, give me a heart like Jesus’

As on Calvary’s Cross He hung;

God’s Love displayed to the Universe

While the death knell of sin He rung…

The Secret to Contentment Part 4-A Learned Behaviour

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have it all, yet never find true happiness? Scripture is fraught with examples and wise lessons on how being physically rich in the wares and treasures of this world makes it even harder to find entrance into the Kingdom of God. Since the Kingdom of God begins in our hearts, if our hearts are full of restless striving for worldly treasures, one can clearly see the problem! Jesus Himself said that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matt 19:24) The love of money is the root of all evil, and those who possess such greed will never experience true contentment. It is not impossible for rich people to enter into Heaven; it’s just a lot harder! (1 Tim 6:10)

True contentment comes from recognizing the value of the eternal and unsearchable riches of God’s grace. After all, your heart is where your treasure lies (Matt 6:19-21). Those who practice the art of contentment make it look easy! However, contentment is a behaviour that often comes by way of learning some hard life lessons. I must confess, I myself only started experiencing contentment after the year 2008 which to me was one of the worst years of my life! It took  spending my first stint in hospital, escaping unscathed from two car accidents (one from a horse and trailer truck which would have demolished my poor Tazz had it not been for the hand of God), having one cell phone destroyed from liquid damage and another stolen, together with a season of unemployment and depression to teach me contentment. Yet despite this, I consider it one of the most valuable gifts I have been given – the ability to treasure and savour each passing moment of life, valuing it for the precious gift of God it really is.

The Apostle Paul states in Phil 4:11-13: “…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” From this, we can clearly see that contentment exists in the heart of one who is totally surrendered to God and who gives up his own willful passions, plans and desires placing them subject to the Will of God. In this he takes up his cross and follows the Master, and in denying himself he finds true contentment (Matt 16:24-26). Contentment is a learned behaviour. It is when everything is stripped away from us that we learn that we really don’t need that much to survive after all! God will take care of you; if you make His business your priority, He will make your business His priority. (Is 33:6,16)

The Loneliness of God

Have you ever been lonely? To be lonely is to be misunderstood, to have experienced something that you long to share with others only to be shunned. One can feel lonely despite being surrounded by the crowds. Did you know that Jesus felt lonely too?

Jesus had just finished feeding 5000 people, excluding woman and children. He had the crowds following Him, but He knew they were following Him for the wrong reason. In John 6:26-27, Jesus displays the true intent of the people. They followed him for the loaves and the fish, the physical food for their mortal bodies. Jesus, by feeding the 5000, was not just trying to teach them a lesson about faith but also about the truth of Him being the Bread of Heaven. He longed for them to hunger and thirst for righteousness, for He promised that He would fill that desire yet none seemed to understand His message.  (Matt 5:6)

Jesus described Himself as the Bread of Heaven, saying that whoever ate of His body and drank of His blood would taste everlasting life and share in His eternal Kingdom. The people misunderstood His message and, thinking He spoke of cannibalism, some walked with Him no more.

In exasperation, He looked at the twelve men before Him. Even among them, He knew that there was a traitor. In a feeling of utter loneliness, He uttered these words in verse 67: “Will ye also go away?”

Jesus knew that a lonely road lay ahead of Him. God who created the Universe, who owned all the silver and the gold and the cattle on the thousand hills and who doesn’t need anything from man, felt lonely. So the Bible tells us that He emptied Heaven so He could fill it. He gave His only begotten Son to the world to walk the lonely way of the Cross.  He gave one Son in order to bring many sons to glory. (Heb 2:10)

Today, the world has largely forsaken God. Some who profess His Name merely utter it in vain. The Bible says that when we who have known God choose to forsake His ways, it’s like we’re crucifying Jesus all over again and putting Him to an open shame. God made us so He could share His love with us. Heaven will be restored when the loneliness of God meets the loneliness of man, and loneliness will forever be banished in the Heavens and Earth made new.  Surrender to Jesus today-it’s the first step to not being lonely anymore. What will your decision be? He is asking you today: "Will you also go away?"

Scripture refs: Read John 6, Heb 4:15-16, Matt 5:6, Heb 2:10, Heb 6:4-6

"From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?"- John 6:66-67

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."-Matt 5:6

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."- Heb 4:15-16

"For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation [Jesus] perfect through sufferings."-Heb 2:10

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."-Heb 6:4-6

A "Crossless" Christianity?

The Apostle Paul described life as a marathon. Sometimes, what makes it even more grueling to most people is the discouragement and lack of appreciation one experiences along the way. This message is for those times when you feel that nothing you do is good enough or even matters. I wrote it specially for a friend of mine who was feeling discouraged, but it can be applied to everyone! Read it when you’re feeling down. It goes as follows:

“Christ stood as the most unappreciated and rejected character in the history of the world. He saw the cross looming before Him (Luk 9:31), but also knew that the number of those who would reject Him were like the sand of the seashore (Rev 20:8-9). However, He also saw that His sacrifice would bring many sons to glory (Heb 2:10). Christianity is a package deal, and no matter how much we try to throw the cross of self-denial, pain and rejection out of the package, we cannot succeed. True disciples are called to carry the cross daily. Jesus said: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” (Matt 16:24)

Each of us has a different cross to bear, but know one thing-Christ’s cross was the heaviest cross for He bore the sins, shame and rejection of the whole world (2 Cor 5:21, John 11:50-52). Sometimes life is not about finding out what WE want, its being still in His presence and listening to His voice telling us what He wants from us-where He wants us to go, what He has planned for us to accomplish and who He wants us to become. Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, embraced the will of His Father though it cost Him His life. You may be assigned thankless tasks in life, but do them without complaining, for the glory of God. John the Baptist, as his ministry faded into obscurity, said: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” This world has put a lot of emphasis on “finding yourself” when really, what we should be focusing on is returning to the God who fashioned us in His likeness and desires a relationship with each and every one of us.

Work not for the appreciation of men, for it is better to seek the praise of God than men. Men’s praise is empty flattery, while God does not lie. The sweetest words you will hear one day will be said by Christ the Master Himself, when He says of you: “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter ye into the joy that was prepared for you before the foundation of the world.” (Matt 25:21-34)

Remember in your time of trials, and indecision: Jesus loves you and has the perfect plan for your life. Don’t fight it-just surrender to Him. Walk in the dust of Your Rabbi, and do not put your trust in mere mortal men.”

The essence of discipleship-take up your cross and follow the Master!

Scripture refs: Luke 9:31, Rev 20:8-9, Heb 2:10, Matt 16:24, 2 Cor 5:21, John 11:50-52, Matt 25:21-34

Run to the Redeemer

When life pelts you with problems

And all around you dances darkness;

When you’re not sure you can carry on…

Run to the Redeemer!

His arms are open wide;

He’s a tower of refuge to those seeking to hide

He said: “Come to me all who labour,

Lay your burdens aside;

I will give you rest and respite.”

When you’re in distress with nowhere to run,

Alone and afraid as friendships fade

When you’re not sure you can carry on…

Run to the Redeemer!

His arms are open wide;

He’s a tower of refuge to those seeking to hide

He said: “Come to me all who labour,

Lay your burdens aside;

I will give you rest and respite.”

When your heart fails for fear,

And deadly doubt clouds your mind;

When you’re not sure you can carry on…

Run to the Redeemer!

His arms are open wide;

He’s a tower of refuge to those seeking to hide

He said: “Come to me all who labour,

Lay your burdens aside;

I will give you rest and respite.”

When the world seems to reject you

And testing trials assail you,

Remember Jesus will never forsake you;

He’s right there by your side

Man of sorrows acquainted with grief,

He’ll turn your cross into triumph

And give you relief!

So just run to the Redeemer!

His arms are open wide;

He’s a tower of refuge to those seeking to hide

He said: “Come to me all who labour,

Lay your burdens aside;

I will give you rest and respite.

Child, I will give you rest and respite.”

This poem/hymn was inspired by the words of Prov 18:10-"The Name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous runneth into it, and is safe."

Finding Glory in the Cross of Shame

As Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, the tears rolled down his face. The prophecies of Is 53 must have flashed through His mind and the frail garb of His humanity shuddered at the thought of the brutal death that soon awaited Him, but mostly the weight of sin that He would have to bear and the resulting separation from His Father. He faced the greatest trial of His life on earth and He faced it alone.

Every person on this earth faces trials on a daily basis. Jesus has not promised us a life of ease but He has promised to be with us “even unto the end of the world.”  In John 16:33, our Lord warned us that in this world we would have trouble, but in His mind as far He was concerned He had conquered the world even before the Cross! He did not say “I will overcome the world.” He said “I have [past tense] overcome the world”!

As followers of Christ, we are called to “take up our crosses” and follow Him (Matt 16:24). Sometimes it feels like we don’t choose our crosses, but rather they choose us. However, God has promised that He would not let any trial befall us that we are not able to bear (1 Cor 10:13). It stands to reason therefore, that the stronger in God you become, the greater your trials will be.

Even those who do not believe in God face trials! The difference is that we have our forerunner, Jesus Christ, who has shown us how to conduct ourselves in the face of looming trials with confidence, grace and strength. Living in the shadow of the cross of uncertainty is not easy, but Jesus Christ has given us the Holy Spirit who is our Comforter and “in all these things, we are more than conquerors because of Him who loved us and gave His life for us.”

Many of our trials are not as serious as that which Jesus faced. The uncertainty of tomorrow is not as serious as the knowing certainty that tomorrow brings only suffering and a cruel death. We sometimes struggle to sleep before a big exam, but can you imagine how Christ felt the night before His crucifixion! We think that working under conditions of looming retrenchment is cruel; what about living your whole life knowing that you were born to die for a race of humanity that would largely reject you? Christ still faces pain and anguish when people who know the truth about Him willingly backslide and fall back into sin because that basically means they think nothing of the cruel death He  suffered and the price He paid to save them (Heb 6:6). Tomorrow, in all likelihood, I will have the gift of freedom. My hands and feet will not be nailed to a cross. Therefore, I have much to thank God for! My trials at this moment are lighter than those of Christ and His persecuted church.

If we cannot deal with the light afflictions of today, how will we deal with facing death for the sake of our faith? Remember, Jesus Christ was “the man of sorrows, acquainted with grief” but He is our victorious Saviour who found “joy in the cross”!

"Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."-Heb 12:2

"Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared. Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered."-Heb 5:7-8

 Scripture refs: Heb 5:7, Matt 26:37-45, Is 53, Heb 4:15, Heb 12:2

It might not seem like it right now, but Jesus IS coming back!

One day during a grade seven math lesson, my teacher caught me drawing a picture. I was drawing a cross with the words, “ JESUS SAVES,” on it. My teacher was clearly annoyed and told me that Jesus is strong enough to carry the cross so I should spend more time concentrating on my maths and stop wasting my time drawing pictures.

When Jesus was crucified, two thieves were crucified simultaneously on either side of His cross. One of them mocked Him, but the other chose to believe in Him even though the situation looked hopeless. It must have been difficult for the thief to put his trust and belief in a man, who it seemed, was suffering the same fate as him. The Bible does not give us the thief’s history or background and we are not sure if he was familiar with any of the prophecies concerning Jesus. He probably hadn’t had the benefit of hearing Jesus’ predictions regarding his death and resurrection, yet this man still chose to believe in him. As Jesus hung on the cross, blood dripping over His face and body, not looking the part of a powerful Saviour, this man chose to place his trust in Him. Jesus was so touched by his reverence that He assured him that he would one day be with Him in His kingdom.

How sweet those words must have been to the ears of the repentant thief! Indeed, those are the very words that all of us long to hear today. However, after hearing those words, can you imagine how the man must have felt when he saw Jesus die? Indeed, the Bible records for us that Jesus was the first of the three men to die. The soldiers did not need to break his legs to hasten His death because He was already dead. This means that the repentant thief had to go through the trauma of having His hopes dashed as He saw Jesus die next to him. He must have passed the time between Christ’s death and his own demise wondering if what He had said could possibly be true. He must have suffered immense emotional and spiritual trauma, besides the physical pain of the crucifixion.

Today, we are all sinners before God. Some of us may choose to mock God and live our own way, while others choose to believe in Jesus our Saviour and repent and live our lives His way. We make this decision at a moment in time that is usually a crossroads or turning point in our lives. However, what happens between the time of our repentance and acceptance of Christ as Saviour and His second coming? For many, it has been and still is, a long wait. We can hear the mocking taunts of those who refuse to believe. They say He is never coming back; if He was, He should have been back by now.

We can either choose to surrender to unbelief or we can believe in the one who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. God is not a man that He should lie. The signs preceding Christ’s return are becoming more and more marked. Soon we will be able to say with gladness: “This is our King; long have we waited for Him.” Don’t give up hope. Jesus IS coming back! Don’t surrender your eternal destiny by believing the lies of satan.

"There will come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying : "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." (2 Pet 3:3-4)

"The Lord is NOT slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Pet 3:9)

Scripture refs: Luke 23:39-46; John 19:31-34; 2 Pet 3:3-10 

Jesus DIED so you could live!

Let’s just imagine that you did something wrong and the consequence for that action was to be beaten to within an inch of your life. Suddenly, a stranger (or a family member if it’s a stretch for you to believe a stranger would do this) stands up and randomly volunteers to take your punishment instead so that you would not have to suffer. How would you treat this person after it was all over? How careful would you be not to commit the same act again, knowing that it cost someone else needless pain? How much respect would you have for that person and how much would you pay him before you considered the debt repaid?

Well, while you’re pondering on these thoughts, here are the cold, hard facts. Barabbas, who deserved to die for his crimes, was released and Jesus took his place. What did he do with the second chance afforded him? The Bible is not clear on this, but we must remember that Barabbas represents us; what are we doing with the second chance at life that Jesus has afforded us by his atoning, redeeming death? We think of Barabbas as a vile man who was too easily pardoned because of Pilate’s cowardice and corruption, but who are we? Jesus died for the sins of the whole world! (1 John 2:2) We are not the heroes or the judges in this great conflict between Christ and satan! That title belongs to Christ alone.

If you could respect a person for life because they took some punishment for you that did not result in death, why then do we not respect Jesus Christ our Lord  who gave His sinless life and every last drop of blood in the quest for our redemption and salvation? Why do we trample underfoot and regard lightly the fact He carried a heavy cross up that hill after being scourged to within an inch of His life, had nails rammed through His hands and feet, a spear in His side and only vinegar to drink as He suffered and died in our stead? Why do we regard lightly the fact that He faced eternal separation from His Father so we could be adopted into the family of God?

The very thought of our Lord on the cross should be enough to keep us away from evil habits and practices. Heb 6:6 says that we crucify Jesus afresh and put Him to an open shame when we continue in our sins after having personally experienced knowing God and His grace. Every time we commit the same sin again, we basically say to Jesus,” I am sorry, but Your suffering and death was not enough, and still is not enough to save me. My instant gratification is more important at this point, than Your suffering.” Think about this the next time you are tempted to do something that is contrary to God’s Law. It is a strong motivator to live a life pleasing to God, because it’s the least we can do considering that He has done so much for us.

Scripture readings: Heb 6:6, John 15:13, 1 John 3:16

Greater Love Hath No Man...

“Greater love hath no man than this, than a man lay down his life for his friends”. (John 15:13) These were some of the many words Jesus spoke as he instructed his disciples on the meaning of the kind of love he expected them to have for God and their fellowman.

The beauty of the Gospel is demonstrated in these words and we can clearly see that Jesus never asks us to travel a road that he has not travelled Himself. As the good shepherd (John 10), He does not drive us forward relentlessly, but rather he leads the way while calling our names and gently expects us to follow in His footsteps. Just as Jesus sacrificed all for us on the cross, so we are called to be living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to Him and consecrated for the service of mankind. (Rom 12:1)

Each of us has a place and a role to fulfill in this big tapestry that is life. We are all linked together by a common need-the need to love and to be loved and the need for a Saviour to rescue us from our sins. In Jesus, we find all this and more!

I only really began to understand the true import of Christ’s words while reading a book about the Underground Church in Russia. In countries like these, God’s people face terrible persecution and yet they still love God and their persecutors with all their hearts! Compared to the trials they face, which include being beaten, starved to death and tortured, we are privileged possessors of a religious liberty that we all too often take for granted.

We bicker and fight about church politics, office politics and things that could be easily resolved if we all worked as a team for God. While we cannot resolve the smallest matters among our brethren, others suffer gruesome trials for their faith that we cannot even begin to understand, and yet they face them with a dignity and grace that only Christ can impart!

We need to learn the true meaning of what it means to be a hero, because Jesus is calling us to be heroes in the midst of adversity, shining for Him like lights in this dark world. He is our ultimate hero, and we must daily become more like Him.

I often wonder how strong my faith in God is. Will I give up if I face terrible trials like these precious people of God, or will I be able to stand up for my faith and totally surrender my life to God? Our greatest fear should not be the trials and persecutions that may or may not await us, but rather the possibility that we will disappoint Christ because in the weakness of our flesh, we will fail to stand for Him.

Jesus asks a compelling question in Luke 18:8: “When the Son of Man cometh, will He find faith on the earth?” Will Jesus find His faithful bride or will we have lost ourselves in fighting, trivialities and “playing church” and in so doing, lose our salvation? We cannot let the wickedness of men take away the love of God from our hearts for them. It is only through God’s love in our hearts that we can conquer and change the world!

"For God so LOVED the world that He GAVE His only-begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believes in Him SHOULD NOT PERISH but have EVERLASTING LIFE." -John 3:16

 Other Scripture Refs:1 John 3:15, John 15:13