JUST ONE SIN

Moses served God so well and so faithfully. He endured so much from the nation that seemed to complain and rebel so often against God and against Moses. He endured even their threats to kill him when their anger reached its apex. Moses led this nation through the hot, dry desert for 40 long years yet God would not let him enter the Promised Land.
Because of just one sin! Moses failed to obey God and honour Him in front of the nation on one occasion. Israel was complaining once again - this time due to lack of water. God offered to provide water for them: Moses and Aaron needed to simply command a certain rock to produce water.
But Moses was angry (humanly speaking a very understandable reaction) and instead of speaking with God's authority, hit the rock with his staff twice saying, "Listen you rebels must we bring you water out of this rock?" The water came out but Moses had sinned. God told Moses that he had failed to trust and failed to honour God. (Numbers 20:1 - 12
Moses sin had disqualified him from leading the people into the long promised land. What a tragedy for one who had led so well, for so long. Why had Moses and Aaron both failed to reach the promised land?

"For both of you betrayed me with the Israelites at the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel there." Deuteronomy 32:51

We need to guard our ways and seek to obey at all times. We are always vulnerable to sin. And we never know, in spite of God's mercy and long-suffering, when one sin may bring terrible consequences.  We must trust and obey - all the time. God's holiness is to be demonstrated in us.

WHAT OR WHO?

God through Moses provided great preparation for the people of Israel before they entered the Promised Land. They were promised it would be a productive location, described in poetic language as "a land flowing with milk and honey."
Most important surely was the promise that it would be their very own land. After 400 years as slaves, and then 40 years as nomads in the desert, they would be enabled to conquer Palestine and it would become their home. Every tribe would have its own farmland, its owns villages and cities: a permanent home, their own place. A lot has been written in the last few decades about the importance of roots and importance of place; how place affects humans.
But one group were clearly told by God: Sorry you will not inherit any land. Every other group of Israelites will have property they can call their own. But not you. You are special, so you will not get the "what" that all your fellow Israelites will receive.
"The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites." Numbers 18:20
Stop and think about that. How did the Levites, descendants of Aaron feel about that promise? The promise: land of your own, to farm; property where you could build your own permanent house, had to appeal to them as enticing as it did to other Israelites. Yet God promised them something better. Not a what - not a land inheritance; but Who - God Himself.
There are many preachers and churches encouraging their people toward heresy today, even though they are orthodox in their confession of faith. They claim to believe the Bible. Yet they promise believers that God wants them to be rich; God wants them to have material prosperity; Christianity is a lot about what you can get if you will just "name it and claim it"; if you will just "speak the word"; if you just have enough faith. Sadly in many cities around the world, these churches are growing; attracting people by the promises of prosperity and wealth.
This heresy puts the focus on me instead of God; it puts the focus on things instead of relationship; it puts the emphasis on what can I get instead of the God I can know. It moves me toward selfishness and greed.
Yes, naturally I am attracted to what I can get. I'd like my own things: one of those, and three of those, and ten of those, and, and ---. I naturally love this world and all it attractively packages. I am attracted to the "what": "the cravings of sinful man; the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life."(I John 2:16) It is a never ending spiritual battle to reject loving the world and instead love God.
I suspect that at times certain Levites were tempted to envy their fellow Israelites who had much more to call their own; material things they could enjoy and could pass on to their children. Yet if they were at all in tune with God, those Levites would, as we must, turn back toward God and realize how special and privileged they were. God had chosen them and gave to them Himself.
And He has done the same for you! Don't fall to the ever present temptation of pursuing more things at the sacrifice of pursuing more of God Himself.

WOULDN'T IT BE NICE

What a privilege the infant nation of Israel enjoyed. Moses, their leader was allowed a highly unusual intimate relationship with the God of Israel. He was given directions and help as he met with God in a unique way.
Israel's main diet was provided miraculously every day during their 40 years in the desert. When their was no water supply God, through Moses would connect them to a new, custom made artesian well. Divine protection against enemies was guaranteed, as long as they were obedient.
What struck me today was how wonderfully and directly the OT people were led by God for 40 years. When you are considering a job change, a move to another city or country, when you face those major decisions of life, wouldn't it be nice to be led in the clear, obvious way God led them?

"Whenever the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel would break camp and follow it. And wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel would set up camp." Numbers 9:15-23

"Yes, Lord, I will go wherever your cloud, your fire lead me. But it is so hard sometimes to detect your cloud or your fire."

We are not OT believers. We are new covenant people and NT believers are called to live by faith. We are promised that if we give ourselves totally to God; if we refuse to conform to this world's values and morality; if cooperate with God in developing a transformed mind; then we will know "His good, pleasing and perfect will". (Romans 12:1, 2)

Not as easy as simply following Moses and the cloud of God, right? Yet this path, this life of faith encourages us to grow from the inside - out; to become more like Christ; to be holy as He is holy.

God is not so concerned that you are in the right place; He is very concerned that you are becoming the right person - the person He really wants you to become.

Wouldn't it be nice? Not to be led by a cloud and fire, but to be conformed to the image of Christ! That is our objective.

CREATIVE CREATOR

We are in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a few days. Yesterday we visited a large mall and since we are on a holiday had time to relax and observe. At one point I commented to Jan that there is an amazing variety of human faces, even though in another sense all humans look much alike. The variation of in human faces can often be measured only in mm, yet we notice this difference easily.
Then today we visited the KL Bird Park, set in a large park, only minutes by car from downtown. It is  advertised as the World's Largest free-flight Walk in Aviary. Huge netting soaring 10 to 25 meters high (by my estimate) spreads over much of the 21 acres that are home to over 3,000 birds of all kinds. Some of the birds are in large cages, many are free to fly and walk, roaming the park among hundreds of humans.  
What a wonder to walk among these birds many of whom have become fully comfortable with humans. I've seen hundreds of egrets in Florida and elsewhere, but never stood less than half a meter away to study one. We walked among dozens of peacocks, storks, herons, etc. In the cages were a variety of parrots, ostriches, emus, hornbills, etc. Since all are tropical or semi-tropical birds, the colours and variety are outstanding.
We were once again filled with awe and wonder at how our Creator God has built into our world such amazing variety.
Everyone who visits this marvellous park can enjoy the huge variety of size and shape, call and colours. But we are able to lift our thoughts and worship to the Creator. We join again with the psalmist who in thinking about the world around us and about humans, could not contain himself but explodes in praise and worship.
"O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth." Psalm 8:1, 9

READING LEVITICUS

I am not much of a speed reader, but a number of chapters in Leviticus cause me to read quite quickly. Part of God's wisdom for His people under the Old Covenant, the direct or not so direct relevance for the 21st century believer is not apparent.
I suspect some of you may never read parts of the Old Testament like Leviticus. Why not simply read the easier parts, like Genesis and the Psalms. Well there are a number of reasons I won't go into in this short blog. One obvious one is that all of Scripture is inspired. Another is that the entire OT was the Scripture our Lord Jesus used on earth.
However I will simply say "because by skipping large chunks of the Bible you deprive yourself." I thought of this yesterday after reading (very quickly) a number of chapters in Leviticus, I "came up for air" at the end of chapter 16.
So many sacrifices of different kinds. So many regulations. So many holy days. So many sheep, goats, bulls, birds slaughtered. So much blood spilled and used to mark out people and items as holy. So much  necessary to satisfy a Holy God who is offended by sin.
"Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins." Leviticus 16:30
I read these words and I rejoiced for ancient Jews. Rejoiced that God made a way for people back then. And rejoiced again that you and I live on this side of the Incarnation and the Cross. Rejoiced that our perfect Saviour could become the One sacrifice, for all people, for all time. Rejoiced that I could recall the wonderful passages of Hebrews that build so strongly upon chapters like these in Leviticus.
Why read a book like Leviticus? It should help you understand and appreciate the book of Hebrews. It should help you deepen your worship of our Great Saviour.

WE ARE ONE

To start the year at HIF, we are spending 5 Sundays in Romans 12. What a great chapter providing teaching that is so relevant to living the life of a disciple of Jesus. Today I was preaching from Romans 12:3 -8. One point stressed in this passage is the importance of seeing ourselves within the Body of Christ; this Body which is a unit yet very diverse.
"For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." 12:4,5
I hope you are learning to rejoice in the fact that the body is both unified and diverse. Some people allow the diversity to irritate them. They really want everyone to enjoy the same kind of preaching and worship music; to have full agreement on spiritual gifts; to be united on the role of women; to agree on everything. So they usually draw a circle that is only as big as their comfort level allows. And in so doing they miss the richness of diversity Christ allows in His Body.
In an international church we cannot escape the diversity of the Body. Today our worship singing was led by a visiting Australian pastor who frequently travels internationally. Yesterday he led a seminar on worship for about 20 of our musicians. As we chatted for a few moments it was evident that he comes from a strongly charismatic circle of churches, while as I mentioned to him in just one sentence my background is different. We agreed that focusing on the main things allows believers like us to stay unified in the church; to worship and to serve together.
I mentioned to him that I don't know the denominational background of most of our people at HIF. We want them to love Jesus and to study and respond to the Word. Backgrounds are very secondary.
Our visiting Australian leader had an HIF worship band today consisting of two men from the Philippines, two Americans and two Nigerians - not sure of their church backgrounds but they sing and play well. The one giving announcements, the one praying - and Oh yes, me, the one preaching, were all from Canada.
All of us are one in Christ. All of us belong to His Body, the Church. You, wherever you are, whatever your church background and nationality, you are part of this great worldwide Body. How wonderful to know that by faith, we all belong to Him, and therefore belong to each other.
It was fun to talk with a visitor from Toronto today, who recalled hearing me preach a few times when I was a pastor there. She has served with World Vision in Indonesia and now is in Laos. Both of us far from Toronto, but connected in this great unity: One Body. One Lord. One Church.
How much fun it is to belong to a Body with such diversity. How amazing that we all belong to Him!

COMING AND GOING

I was warned by people that International Churches are constantly changing. Our recent congregational survey proved this reality: we discovered that 57% of our people had been at HIF for less than two years. (We'd love to report that this was because of many new believers, but it is mostly because of believers moving in and out of Hanoi.)
Of course it is one thing to talk about percentages or even about congregations changing. It is another thing as you regularly say personal "hellos" and "goodbyes" to a variety of folks. For example: in the past 8 days we have said goodbye to a wonderful single woman from Taiwan who plans to return home for a few weeks and then move to Cuba to study Spanish. We have also said goodbye to a medical couple from Australia. They will return home for a few weeks and then move to Montreal for at least two years on a post doctoral fellowship. These very active Christians will really be missed.
On the other hand we have welcomed two new couples: one from the USA, one from Japan and the USA. We will hope they integrate well (and quickly) to both the country and to our church family.
Given the number of transitions that take place, this kind of International Church does not depend much on long term church members. We really must depend on God who never changes and of course He never says "goodbye." We rely on His knowledge of the future as we make plans and commitments for a congregation that we know will be 50% different two years from now!
It is kind of like "living by faith.":) A great way to live for churches as well as for individuals.