October 8, 202

I recently had the opportunity to volunteer at a music festival. A number of bands played and then were critiqued by the adjudicators. The two men who did the adjudication were skilled musicians and university music professors. It was interesting to hear them explain to the various bands how they could improve as a group and even to hear improvement in the few minutes they worked with each group. One thing they repeatedly told each band was something I had never heard before. They told them to hum or sing the notes and compare their playing to their singing. I wondered why for the first few times until one of the adjudicators explained. “The goal of any musician is to sound like the human voice”. He pointed out that the greatest complement a musician can receive is to be told their playing sounded vocal. I couldn’t help but take note.

     No wonder then when God revealed how his new covenant people should worship it was using the only instrument created by Him, which every other instrument tries to be, the human voice. As God’s people leave behind the imperfect and embrace the perfect it only makes sense. We leave the imperfect and ineffective animal sacrifice for the perfect effective sacrifice of Christ Heb 10:1-12. We leave behind the imperfect music of mechanical instruments for the perfect fruit of men’s lips Heb 13:15.

     In this light it’s no wonder that Charles Spurgieon puts it as he does; “Praise the Lord with the harp. Israel was at school, and used childish things to help her to learn; but in these days when Jesus gives us spiritual food, one can make melody without strings and pipes. We do not need them. They would hinder rather than help our praise. Sing unto him. This is the sweetest and best music. No instrument like the human voice.” (Commentary on Psalms 42:4) “David appears to have had a peculiarly tender remembrance of the singing of the pilgrims, and assuredly it is the most delightful part of worship and that which comes nearest to the adoration of heaven. What a degradation to supplant the intelligent song of the whole congregation by the theatrical prettiness of a quartet, bellows, and pipes! We might as well pray by machinery as praise by it.” (Spurgeon preached to 20,000 people every Sunday for 20 years in the Metropolitan Baptist Tabernacle and never were mechanical instruments of music used in his services. When asked why, he quoted 1st Corinthians 14:15. “I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” He then declared: “I would as soon pray to God with machinery as to sing to God with machinery.” (Charles H. Spurgeon,)

     Thank God that he has blessed us with the ability to express our love and devotion with the beauty and simplicity of voices raised to heaven.

~ Kevin Cleary

 

October 1, 202

Kids have recently gone back to school, this time of year always makes me a little sad even though nothing substantial changes in my life.

     I can distinctly remember sitting in school during the last few weeks of June and thinking almost done. Maybe while looking out the window at the beautiful weather, or talking with my friends about an upcoming activity, I would say to myself; soon school will be over and I can enjoy a summer of fun and excitement. The longing for summer vacation to start was almost palpable in those hot classrooms.

     For my kids its kind of the same. They look forward to trips and sporting events, swimming and camping and bike riding. All of the things that they have been looking forward to since last September. 

     Another thing I remember is on that first morning waking up without having to get ready,

I would think summer will soon end. So while looking forward to all the fun and activity and even while doing it I would know that summer is not forever.

     As Christians we need to think back to those days when summer held so much longing and anticipation. Then remember that we are headed for the land of endless day. As I look back at the waiting I remember that I too am waiting. “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

     There are some differences that I want to think about just a little. 

     When we as Christians reach the end of our wait there will be no end. We will not be returning our summer vacation goes on into eternity. So as we look forward to the joys of eternity we must remember they never end.

     On the last day of school all of the busses were headed home. At the end of this world people will go to one of two destinations. “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” 

     Nothing we did in school; how well we listened, if we did our homework, what friends we made, mattered in regards to summer vacation. But the things we do in this life will affect where we go for eternity. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” The friends we have made (well friend) will also make a big difference. “Greater love has no one than this that someone lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

     If you are like me even though you haven’t been on vacation all summer this time of year still holds a bit of regret. When you get that good feeling of summer and fun remember that your true longing should be for the eternal joy of heaven.

     “There’s a land that is fairer than day, and by faith I can see it afar; For the Father waits over the way, to prepare us a dwelling place there” what a day it will be, when we meet on that beautiful shore.

~ Kevin Cleary

 

September 24, 202

     I have never spent any considerable time in a desert, but I must admit that the unique environment is rather intriguing. I have often thought it would be a fun adventure to hike, bike or camp for a few days in a desert. I would love to see those large saguaro cacti which I read somewhere can grow up to 60 feet tall. 

     In reading and watching about desert survival I have heard a few times that those large cacti have water inside. At one time I had envisioned cutting one down and getting a drink. The common notion that cacti have drinkable water inside is a myth. They do store water but it’s in a form that is not safe for drinking and in fact can cause illness. 

This raises an important principal. Sometimes it matters what we believe. Not always, for example if you believe the toilet paper should roll off the back of the role that is not life threatening (You shouldn’t be allowed in civilized society, but you won’t die). That’s probably not a great example but I’m sure you can think of many things where a mistaken belief isn’t harmful. 

     Sometimes however mistaken beliefs are very harmful. A few years ago a woman shot and killed her husband because they were under the impression that a phone book could stop a 9mm bullet. Needless to say it could not and did not. 

     These of course are physical examples but the physical world is not the only place where you can find mistaken beliefs that have very real and very harmful consequences. 

     I have met people who believed there was no God. I’ve met some who believed there was a God but not one to whom they were responsible. I have met people who believed there was a God but that he would save everyone. I have met people who believed that there was a God but that only the purely evil go to hell. I have known people who believed that the universe was God and they would become part of it at death. I have had young well-dressed men come to my door who believed they would someday be gods. 

     Then I have met people who believe in God, believe in Jesus, believe in the Bible but who don’t take it seriously or study it carefully. They may believe that God elected the saved and lost before creation. They may believe that mental affirmation of God’s existence is all that is needed to be in a right relationship. They may believe that we must perform meritorious deeds which will ingratiate us to God. 

     I’m sure you have met many of the same people I have. 

     The troubling thing about all of this is that someday their beliefs will matter. Someday they could be like me going to get a drink from a cactus only to discover that I should have brought a water bottle. In fact, were I to set out into the desert without learning this it could be fatal. I should also add that this is not difficult information to find. 

     Someday all men will enter eternity. My prayer is that before that day they have heard what Peter said to those who learned the good news about God’s plan of redemption through Christ “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.””
     Beliefs have consequences lets be the kind of people who check our beliefs in the light of scripture and help others to do the same.

~ Kevin Cleary

 

September 17, 202

I don’t want to make people feel bad about themselves and most other people don’t either. That common human sentiment has a place, it’s good that people feel compassionate. However, compassion can be misconstrued such that it becomes cruelty and even active harm. Every parent wants their kids to feel good and happy and confident. But every parent also knows that affirming every whim of a child will lead to serious harm. No matter how badly your 5 year old cries and begs to drive the car they just can’t be allowed. Even though they may be deeply upset, may get mad at you may yell and cry and call you names. Loving them means placing restrictions on their behaviour and teaching them to feel bad when they violate those restrictions. It is good that they feel remorse, shame and guilt for bad behaviour. 

It’s important to understand that God has given humans the capacity to feel for a reason and that includes negative feelings. Yes, some people can be more prone to negative feelings than others, some can even have misplaced negative feelings. That does not indicate that those feelings were a mistake on God’s part. It does indicate that our consciences need to be informed by truth. 

     Many societal institutions, especially in the humanities, psychology and social work have adopted the position that no one should experience any kind of guilt or negative feeling. This is often discussed in terms of stigma. Stigma describes the societal negative feelings of guilt and shame associated with certain activities. While it’s true that this sometimes causes people to avoid getting help in an effort to hide the things they are ashamed of. It’s also true that this keeps many people from engaging in them at all. The most common examples today are drug abuse and sexuality. The sexual revolution promoted the idea that any sexual appetite is normal and should be satisfied. That, people shouldn’t feel guilty about sexual activity outside of marriage between a man and a woman. However this kind of behaviour hurts individuals and hurts society. People don’t like this they want to do whatever feels good and never have to deal with consequences. This is not how the world works and the stigma attached to sexual misbehaviour while not stopping the problem certainly limited it. People should feel bad about bad harmful behaviour it’s a God given protection. 

     Now a similar thing has happened with drug use and even crime. There is a vested effort to remove the stigma from behaviour that needs to be stigmatized. Drug use is extremely harmful, and people should feel ashamed of doing it. Our policies aimed at removing stigma and creating “safe” ways to use drugs are a lie. Imagine if Russian Roulette became popular but we were worried because sometimes people were using guns with malfunctioning safeties, so we started giving them free guns which were manufactured to better standards. 

     God warns that those who don’t know how to blush, don’t know how to feel ashamed of bad behaviour, will fall Jer 6:15. We are witnessing that fall in all our major cities. What’s worse we are complicit because we are facilitating the means of people’s destruction. It is notable that since the new stigma free initiatives have taken hold death from overdose, crime, and homelessness have not improved but in fact have become much worse. Almost like what anyone with a shred of common sense would have predicted. 

     If we are wise (which we aren’t) we will relearn how to blush, and perhaps limit some of the damage of sin simply by being honest enough to call it sin. That is the compassionate thing to do.

~ Kevin Cleary

 

September 10, 202

Are you are good driver? By what metric do you measure that? What skill do you have that you could share with someone? If you were trying to help someone becoming good at it too how would you help them? 

     Is it knowing a lot about that thing? 

     In our imaginary scenario would you want to give them this history and background? Is that important for the skill you are wanting to develop? Would you want them to know the first person whoever did this and why? Perhaps you would tell them about developments over time and how we came to the point we are at today. For example, hockey sticks when I was a kid were wood not carbon fibre. However, knowing this detail adds very little to your ability to play hockey. 

     There are some things that would be necessary to know  like the basic rules or steps. However, you may know all the rules of the road and not be a very good driver. You could know all the rules of a sport and be in a similar situation. I don’t think I every broke any rules when I played baseball but that did not mean that I was good at it. In fact I can tell you that I was not. 

Rather we might suggest that knowing the rules is more like a basic necessity to do many things; sports or driving as mentioned above. If you own a firearm or even if you just want to shoot one at a target, there are many safety rules you need to know and follow. However even when you follow all those rules you may still miss. Similar rules plus a few more related to seasons and legal harvesting are important for hunting. Again, you may be very safe, and totally compliant with all the rules but you may not be a good hunter. 

     One point must be emphasized before we move on. Knowing some things and following certain rules is necessary. For example following rules won’t make you good at basketball but if you don’t know and follow the rules you don’t know if you’re playing basketball at all. 

     I’m sure by this point many of you know the answer. It’s practice. Good, thoughtful practice is what you need to get good at something. The things we practice become part of us. For a good player, shooter, driver, the skills needed to do well become second nature. I have often been in cars with people who signal even turns in parking lots. Why? It’s not because they think it’s needed it’s because signalling has become a natural part of turning the car. This brings us to a critical point. The Bible has rules to be followed, there is no question about that. Knowing them and following them is important. However, we sometimes make the mistake of thinking that following rules it what makes us good Christians. The problem is we can follow lots of rules while never really putting our faith into practice. If we want to be like God his word, his values, his priorities need to become second nature. We need to spend time, talking, praying, loving, studying, encouraging, sharing, helping. That these stop being things that we do and become who we are. Scripture can and must inform our faith II Tim 3:15-17, but it can’t put it into practice for us. 

~ Kevin Cleary