Zechariah 8: 21 - 23

''The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying 'Let us go at once to entreat the favour of the Lord and to seeks the Lord of Hosts; I myself am going' Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favour of the Lord. The says the Lord of Hosts: in those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying let us go with, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.' '' Zechariah 8: 21 - 23

I found this passage particularly poingnant and relevant as have continued my reading of Jonathan Edwards on Revival. Often it is said in criticism of religious experience, that peoples religious affections are defunct and not genuine because they appear to be under the influence of the emotion, actions and words of other religious believers around them. Indeed I have tended towards criticism in this area myself being in various religious meetings where wailing, crying, laughing and shouting at first begun by one person, then becomes unusually common place and contagious.

This stance towards religious affection seems to prevail often in more conservative streams of Christianity. Edwards, much the patriach of modern conservative and reformed theology, does well to assert that we should not be to quick to jump to criticism in this area of religious experience. He does this by primarily by reminding us that the purpose of words is not the words themselves, but in fact the meaning and ideas that they convey. Indeed often our ideas can be consumed and become blurred by the words we use to describe them; it would much easier if we could convey them experientially. Edwards writes, 'There is a language in actions; and in some cases, much more clear and convincing than words. It is therefore no argument against the goodness of the effect, that persons are greatly affected by seeing others.'

Indeed this texts exhorts us to be believers who are wonderfully contagious in the example that we set to others around us. That as we live out our lives we are to exude something of the aroma of Christ in the actions that we perform, that points unbelieving people towards God. How amazing would be if the text in Zechariah here became reality for us in our own lives, that the people around us who do not know the light of Christ, cling to our very clothing saying 'Let us go with you because we have heard that God is with you.'

Edwards on Revival

I was struck by this passage as I read Jonathan Edwards on Revival...

''Many, while their minds have been filled with spiritual delights, have as it were forgot there food; their bodily appetite has failed, while their minds have been entertained with meat to eat that others knew not of. The light and comfort which some of them enjoy, give a new relish to their common blessings, and cause all things about them to appear as it were beautiful, sweet and pleasant. All things abroad, the sun, moon and stars and clouds and sky, the heavens and earth, appear as It were with a divine glory and sweetness upon them. Though this joy include in it a delightful sense of the safety of their own states, yet frequently, in times of their highest spiritual entertainment, this seems not to be the chief object of their fixed thoughts and meditation. The supreme attention of their minds is the glorious excellencies of God and Christ; and there is very often a ravishing sense of God’s love accompanying a sense of excellency. They rejoice in a sense of the faithfulness of God’s promises, as they respect the future eternal enjoyment of him.''

How I pray that I would be so astonished by the things of God that I would forget the times that I normally do things, that I would no longer be plagued by routine as I seek not to leave the presence of God himself. How I pray that I would see the trivial and ordinary no longer as ordinary, but as sweet and beautiful and blessed and touched by the very hand of God. How I pray that I would have the mind to comprehend, and the eyes to see all of creation bearing witness to the glory of God and speaking of his manifold wisdom and splendor.

I pray all these things be so, until that day when I stand face to face with God. Until that day when I can do nothing to escape nor lose sight of the excellency and beauty of God in all his radiance, and live to worship him.

Why bother learning stuff?

Whilst reading the Bible and working my way through my reading plan I was struck by a poignant verse which Paul writes of in Philippians 1:9 - 10, it reads...''And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ''.

This year I have begun my study of Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology and I have successfully navigated my way into Chapter 13, which as far as I can remember is around 220 pages into the main body of the text. This has proved an rewarding task but arduous at the same time. Frequently I have asked myself, amongst all the other books and sermons and commentaries, why bother at all? Paul here puts the pursuit of knowledge in a wonderful frame of understanding. You learn that your joy made abound and be made complete, that you may experience joy and delight and gladness in the knowledge of your salvation and the things of God.

What further can be said of this short passage? Well firstly I would say that this passgae demands of us close scrutiny of ourselves...we must ask the question, why am I learning this, why I am pursuig this? It seems to me so often people learn for the sake of learning, especially in the field of theology and philosophy. Do we learn to to feel clever and appear more intelligent than the person next to us? Do we learn that we can prove prove people wrong and win arguments? Do we learn that we can manipulate people with our knowledge and influence them towards our way of thinking? We must keep our perspective firmly fixed on what Paul writes here, wto be filled with joy.

Secondly I believe it calls us to take a seriously the study of theology and to let that study fuel us in our worship and praise. We should be able to share in with the words of the Psalmist when he says...'The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul...the rules of the Lord are true...more to be desired than gold even much fine gold; sweeter also the honey and drippings of the honeycomb.' Do you truly value the words of Christ like that of sweet honey, do you long to devour and savour the words of God like a hungry man longs to devour a good meal at the end of a hard days work ?

All things new...

Revelation 21:5

Revelation 21:5 describes God as the one who sits on the throne making 'all things new.' In what ways does He do this?

1. We become a new creation in Christ Jesus, through regeneration. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come.'

2. By the renewing life of the Spirit within us, each and every day. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says, ' Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.'

3. Jesus Christ our atoning sacrifice and advocate to the Father. Hebrews 10:19 - 20 says this 'Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us throughby the curtain, that is, through his flesh.'

4. The eversurpassing glory of the new covenant. 2 Corinthians 3:7 - 9 reminds us 'Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.

5. The final day of restoration where all the curses of the earth are lifted. Revelation 21:1 -2 'Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.'

Praise God, the one who makes all things new!

Grace like rain

These last few days I have been locked in battle with the words and teaching of Martin Lloyd-Jones on the topic of Baptism in the Spirit. His writing style has taken me a little while to grow accustomed to, but I have grown to appreciate his use of illustration, anecdote and testimony. These serve well in breaking his usual theological onsluaght and relentless barrage of scripture upon scripture.

Before I share one of his illustrations, which I am infact using to demonstrate a completlely different point to it's original meaning, I would also take this point you towards Adrian Warnock's site, who I do believe is running a tribute to Martin Lloyd-Jones, rather aptly named 'MLJ Mondays.' Here is one of these illustrations...

''Imagine yourself walking along a country road and there may be a slight drizzle, but because you haven't got an overcoat you go on walking through this drizzle and eventually you get thoroughly wet; but it has taken some time because it is only a slight drizzle. But then you could be walking along that same road at another time and suddenly there is a cloud burst and you are soaking wet in a manner of seconds. It is a raining in both cases, but there is a great difference between a gentle drizzle, which you scarcely observe, and a sudden cloud burst which comes down on you.''

Next time that you are out in the rain and you find yourself in a similar situation, as each drops proceeds to roll down your brow, and your hair is heavy under the tiny weight of each droplet, why not let it prompt you in worship. As you savour each small drop offer praise to the great God who like floods of rain, freely lavishes upon you unmerited grace afresh each morning. Ponder the merciful saviour who does not let the flames of your own sin consume you, but extinguishes the fire of your own rebellion with a deluge of unrestrained and immeasurable mercy.

If this is not your experience, then why not let it stir something in your soul. Cry out, 'Father astound me with your love, captivate my heart with your grace, flood my heart and mind with light that I might catch a glimpse of your mercy.'