Sunday, June 29, 2014

Penciled Prayers: A Debtor Forgiven Much

"A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."
(Luke 7:41-43)

All-too-often, Father, I see others owing You a debt greater than my own. I think of how great the forgiveness received by those other great sinners You have forgiven. In doing so, I lose sight; my perspective becomes skewed; the glass filled with the forgiveness I have received becomes opaque, clouded by my blurred spiritual vision. I think too highly of myself in such times because I fail to see the depth of the well of my own sin.

O how deep that well, Father. How slippery the walls of it, covered in the slimy moss of my self-righteousness. How dark the well's interior; the light penetrating only so far, with the bottom nowhere in sight. I drop the rock of my own perceived goodness into the well, fully expecting the sound of it hitting what I believe to be the shallow bottom to loudly ring. But I cannot hear it hit the bottom. The sound of the rock hitting the well's floor is swallowed, covered, muted by the depth of my own depravity. The debt I owe You is greater than I know and greater still than I often fail to admit.

I know I need to love You more, Lord Jesus. Is my love for You hindered by my failure to comprehend, to even try to comprehend, the incalculable debt I owe You because of my myriad sin against You? Is it that I look into the well of my sin and, not seeing the bottom, assume it is not as deep as it is? Do I fail to see, Lord, how deep Your love is for me, how vast it is beyond all measure, because I see myself like the man in the parable whose debt was not as great as the other man's? If so, Father, I am a fool. Please, forgive me.

Lord, please help me to comprehend the depth, the sinfulness of my sin. Shine the light of Your truth, the light of Your forgiveness, the light of Your love, the light of Your cross into the deep, deep well of my sinful and darkened heart. Show me the sinfulness of my sin until I comprehend, with a heart of flesh, that I have been forgiven much--much more than I will ever fully grasp this side of heaven. And let that understanding lead me to love You as deeply as Your forgiving light has penetrated the depths of my well of sin.

O Lord, I do thank You for Your forgiveness--a forgiveness You purchased for me, with Your own shed blood. Thank You for the propitiation You made on my behalf. Thank You for the imputed righteousness credited to my account--an account once graffitied in red ink, with column after column of accrued debt I could never repay. Thank You for canceling my debt, with all of its legal demands, when You nailed my sin--my sin--to the cross.

Who should love You more than me, Lord Jesus? Who should love You more than me--a great sinner who has a great Savior!

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom.

In Jesus' name; in the name of the God I love, I pray. Amen.

Cheyenne: A Product of American Evangelicalism

On yesterday's edition of Cross Encounters Radio, we began a new segment, which is nothing new. It's new for Cross Encounters Radio, but it's something I have done on every radio program in which I have been a part. It's called "phone fishing."

In order to pull this off, I needed a "fisherman" with a lot of experience--someone who knows the ropes. Enter my very good friend, Bart McCurdy. Bart and I have been friends or several years. When I joined the team at Living Waters to develop and lead the Ambassadors' Academy, Bart was the first person I chose to serve as a team leader. During that time, Bart and I co-hosted Ambassadors' Alliance Radio. We had a blast. Back in those days, Bart would hit the streets of Redding, CA, to find people to put on the phone, so I could share the gospel with them.

Yesterday, Bart ran into Cheyenee and her friends. Cheyenne (16) will be a junior during the coming school year. Cheyenne described herself as a "hippie" who used to be a Christian. She said she "got saved" when she was about 11-years-old. Feeling the loving peer pressure of her friends who brought her to church, Cheyenne prayed a prayer, asked Jesus into her heart, and was baptized. Sadly, like so many other young people in the world today, Cheyenne was misled (likely unintentionally) to believe that salvation is based on performing religious rituals instead of repenting of one's sin and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. She was led to believe that salvation is based on something she does for God, instead of something God does for people. At the tender age of 11, she was misled to believe that salvation is a synergistic effort between God and man instead of the monergistic effort of God alone.

Cheyenne was a false convert--a product of American Evangelicalism.

I spent almost an hour on the phone with Cheyenne. My policy, and therefore the policy of Cross Encounters Radio, is that "phone fishing" guests take priority over any other show segment. If a conversation with a "phone fishing" guest takes ten minutes, 20 minutes, or an hour, so be it. Sharing the gospel with the lost is priority one.

Cheyenne was a very respectful and pleasant young lady. Her photo certainly fits the sweet-sounding young lady I talked to on the phone. None of Cheyenne's points of view were outlandish--meaning: her questions and objectives were not silly attempts to dodge important moments of the conversation. She was thoughtful in both her comments and her responses to things I said. I really enjoyed talking to her.

My heart went out to Cheyenne as I shared the gospel with her and pleaded with her to repent and receive Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. I couldn't help but think of my three daughters as I talked to this young lady I may never see face-to-face.

I invite you, now, to be a fly on the wall as I engage Cheyenne in conversation. And please pray for her. Pray the Lord will do His most miraculous and gracious work: turning a heart of stone into a heart of flesh when He causes someone to be born-again.


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Penciled Prayers: Why Do You Call Me 'Lord, Lord?'

"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you" (Luke 6:46).

As I read this verse last night, I knew immediately You were talking to me. The rebuke was loud, stern, piercing, loving. I know, Lord, Your inquiry was rhetorical because You know my thoughts and the intentions of my heart. What I think, say, and do in secret is only hidden from man. Nothing is hidden from You, Lord.

Lord Jesus, You know why I say, even shout, "Lord, Lord," yet disobey You. It is because I do not love You as I should!

Please forgive me, Lord, for my disobedience. While grateful to know I face the discipline of a loving Father instead of a wrathful Judge, facing Your fatherly discipline is a crushing thought. O Father, You are good when You discipline me, just as You would have been good had You chosen to allow me to perish in my sinfulness instead of to save me from Your righteous wrath and judgment, for my sin against You is great.

I thank You, Lord,, for adopting me as a son instead of leaving me a spiritually orphaned child of wrath. Thank You, Father, for saving me from You by drawing me to You, through the gift of repentance and the gift of faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ.

But how thankful am I in those times I do not do what You tell me in Your Word? How disgraceful, how hypocritical for me to call You '"Lord" and then not do what You say? How hollow my words must ring in Your ears, Lord, when I call You "Master," I say I love to be Your "slave, yet walk in disobedience? Wretched man that I am! And yet You love me. Thank You, Lord. Thank You for Your forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

Holy Spirit, help me to live in obedience to the commands of my Lord. And help me to do so motivated by love for Christ and love for people. I want to obey You, Lord.

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Wisdom and Holiness through Affliction

"When it goes badly with the godly, yet God deals well with them because, while he is inflicting evil upon them, he is doing them good. That which the text renders, 'Thou hast dealt well with thy servants,' in the Hebrew reads, 'Thou hast done good to thy servant.' 'It is good for me that I have bee afflicted' (Psalms 119:71): David does not say, 'It is good for me that I have been in prosperity,' but 'that I have been afflicted.' God does his people good by affliction in two ways:

"1. The godly grow wiser. Affliction is a school of light. Vexatio dat intellectum (trouble gives understanding). It discovers pride, earthliness, unmortified passion, which they could not have believed was in their hearts. 'If they be . . . holden in chords of affliction, then he sheweth them . . . their transgression' (Job 36:8-9). Affliction cures the eyesight.

"2. Affliction promotes holiness. The more the diamond is cut, the more it sparkles" 'That we might be parktakers of his holiness (Hebrews 12:10). When prosperity makes grace rust, God scours us with affliction. The godly are thankful for their sufferings. God by the wholesome discipline of the cross makes them more humble, more conformed to Christ's image. The sharp frost of affliction bring on the spring flowers of grace. Now if God, while he is chastising, is doing us good, then surely he deals well with us" (Thomas Watson, The Great Gain of Godliness, p. 157).

Gracious Father, You are good in every respect. There is nothing about your being, your nature, your character, your will, your acts that is not good. Whether the rain irrigates or floods the ground, You are good for allowing the rain to fall. Whether a gentle breeze or a tornado, You are good for allowing the wind to blow. Whether to warm a home or to scorch the land, You are good for allowing the fire to burn. In sickness and in health, in prosperity or want, in times of joy or times of sorrow, everything You allow to happen in my life is good.

Lord, You have afflicted me many times in my Christian life. And there have been times when I have complained about the affliction. In doing so, I have said, "You are not good to me, Lord." How egregious! How blasphemous my sin! Oh, Lord! Please forgive me. Every time You have afflicted me, You have loved me. You have treated me well. Every time You allow affliction to fall upon me You have done so to either discipline me as a son or to test me as a servant. How good of You to do so, Lord!

I am not as wise as I should be. I am not as holy as I should be, which says to me there is yet more affliction to come my way. For I believe, by faith and according to Your Word, that when You allow me to be afflicted you increase my wisdom and You further sanctify me, making me holy. It is a fearful thing to pray for affliction. In fact, I am afraid to do so, even though You have not given me a spirit of fear, but a spirit of love, power, and self--control. Might I ask instead, Father, that you give me the wisdom, discernment, faith, love, hope, strength, and courage to endure any future affliction You may allow to befall me? Do I lack faith, Father, in praying this way. I pray not!

Holy Spirit, embolden, equip, and empower me to withstand whatever afflictions may come. Help me to continue to lift up the name of King Jesus in the midst of every storm of life. It pleased the Father to afflict His Son, to crush Him, to turn His back on Him, to look upon Him as if He were sin. So great an affliction I will never experience. So great an affliction I will never be asked to endure. Can I not withstand every affliction for the glory of the one who was so greatly afflicted on my behalf? Holy Spirit, help me to endure to the end!

Thank You, Father, for loving me so much that You would allow affliction in my life in order to conform me to the image of Your Son. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Oh, the Mischief of Thoughts!

"Oh, the mischief of thoughts! A man may deny God in his thoughts: 'The fool hath said in his heart there is no God' (Psalm 14:1). He may commit adultery in his thoughts: 'Whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart' (Matthew 5:28). A man may murder another in his thoughts: 'Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer' (1 John 3:15). O Tremble at sinful thoughts. We startle at gross sin, but we are not troubled so much for sinful thoughts. Know firstly, that sin may be committed in the thoughts, though it never blossom into outward act: 'The thought of foolishness is sin' (Proverbs 24:9)" (Thomas Watson, The Great Gain of Godliness, p. 81).

O Lord, how complicated, beautiful, and dangerous a computer it is. If the heart is deceitful above all else, what of the mind? The mind: the place of wrestling for the conscience, where I make excuses for and justify my sin, where I suppress the truth with my unrighteousness, where I can be so very double-minded. The mind: where any and all evil within me swirls and becomes a cauldron of sinful contemplation and planning. Lord, so often I find myself shaking off sinful thoughts as a boxer shakes off a blow to the temple, or a football player shakes of the ringing of his ears after a violent, helmet-to-helmet collision.

And how easy it is for me, Father, to brush off the sinfulness of my thoughts when I shake off the thoughts themselves. O Lord, that I would be as startled by my sinful thoughts as I am by an angry word uttered or by an inappropriate second glance, or by even a prideful posture.

Please come, Holy Spirit; renew my mind as you create in me a clean heart. Help me, Holy Spirit, to take every thought captive, for the glory of God. Help me to dwell on the things above and not the sinful musing of my yet-to-be fully sanctified mind. Fill my mind with Your Word, O God. Sanctify me in truth; Your Word is truth!

In Jesus' name, I pray that I would never again have a wayward, mischievous thought. Oh, how much sin would I avoid committing if my mind swam continuously in refreshing waters of righteousness, godliness, and holiness. Please Lord, for your own glory, hear and answer my prayers, and let not my prayers be hindered by the very thing through my prayers I ask You to expel in my life. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Once a Child of Wrath

"To love and to be propitious are not convertible terms. Even in the human sphere, the unique object of love may at the same time be the unique object of holy wrath and displeasure. It is the denial of God's holiness in relation to sin, as the contradiction of what He is and demands, not to recognize that sin must evoke His wrath. And just as sin belongs to persons, so the wrath rests upon the persons who are the agents of sin. Those whom God loved with invincible love were the children of wrath as Paul expressly says (Eph. 2:3). It is to this fact that the propitiation made by Christ is directed. Those whom God loved were the children of His wrath. This truth enhances the marvel of His love; and if we deny it or tone it down, we have eviscerated the greatness of His love. The doctrine of the propitiation is precisely this: God loved the objects of His wrath so much that He gave His own Son to the end that He by His blood should make provision for the removal of this wrath. It was Christ's to deal with the wrath so that those loved would no longer by the objects of wrath, and love would achieve its aim of making the children of wrath the children of God's good pleasure" (Andrew Murray, an excerpt from The Atonement, reprinted in Free Grace Broadcaster, Issue #227, p. 30-31).

To the Holy One filled with both wrath and love: thank You for allowing Your one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to become sin on my behalf and fully absorb Your wrath due me, for my myriad sin against You.

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that left Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom.

Oh, Father: once I was a child of wrath. Your holy anger against my sin destined me for destruction. But You, from eternity past, determined destruction would not be my end. You would apply Your Son's propitiation to my account. You would eliminate the eternal debt I owe You, allowing it instead to be paid through the sacrificial, sinless death of Your glorious Spotless Lamb.

It is now the early morning hours of what Christ followers call "Good Friday." That Friday, 2,000 years ago, was good because it was the day when it pleased You, Father, to crush Your Son. While darkness fell upon the land now drenched with Your Son's blood, that Friday was a good day because Your son declared, "It is finished!" You nailed my debt to the cross of Your Son, with all of its legal demands. My sins have been remitted through the only means possible; for without the shedding of blood--Your Son's perfect, precious, priceless, and pure blood--there would be no forgiveness for me or anyone else. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Once a child of wrath, I am now one of Your beloved children, Father--not because of anything I have ever done in righteousness, but because of Your mercy. And Your mercy and grace were so perfectly made possible through the propitiation of Your Son, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank You, Father, for adopting me into Your holy family.

Thank You, Father, for loving me--a depraved and wicked man once, but never again, the object of Your wrath. Thank You, Father, for accepting Your Son's propitiation, for accepting His sacrificial death on the cross as sufficient payment for the removal of the sin of a wretched man like me.

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom.

I cannot, Father. I cannot give a sufficient answer to the ultimate "why" question. Why should I gain from the reward of Your Son? I do not know. But this, Father, I know with all my heart. The wounds in Your Son's hands, feet, and side; the wounds created by the skull-piercing crown of thorns paid my ransom.

I love You, Lord Jesus. Father, I love You. Holy Spirit I love You. Spirit of God, please help me to focus as much time and attention as I can tomorrow to remembering my Lord's death. Holy Spirit, help me to remember my Lord's death every day of my life. Help me to remember His death until He comes.

In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

The Wondrous Blood of Christ

"It was the blood that was of infinite merit and value in the sight of God. It was not the blood of one who was nothing more than a singularly holy man, but of one Who was God's own 'Fellow,' very God of very God (Zec. 13:7). It was not the blood of one who died involuntarily, as a martyr for truth, but of one Who voluntarily undertook to be the Substitute and Proxy for mankind, to bear their sins and carry their iniquities. It made atonement for man's transgressions; it paid man's enormous debt to God; it provided a way of righteous reconciliation between sinful man and his holy Maker; it made a road from heaven to earth, by which God could come down to man and show mercy; it made a road from earth to heaven by which man could draw near to God and yet not feel afraid. Without it, there could have been no remission of sin. Through it, a fountain has been formed wherein sinners can wash and be clean to all eternity (Rom. 3:26)

"This wondrous blood of Christ applied to your conscience can cleanse you from all sin. It matters nothing what your sins may have been: 'Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool' (Isa. 1:18). From sins of youth and sins of age, from sins of ignorance and since of knowledge, from sins of open profligacy and sins of secret vice, from sins against law and since against Gospel, from sins of head, heart, tongue, thought, and imagination, from sins against each and all of the Ten Commandments--from all these the blood of Christ can set us free. To this end was it appointed; for this cause was it shed; for this purpose, it is still a fountain open to all mankind. That thing which you cannot do for yourself can be done in a moment by this precious fountain. YOU CAN HAVE ALL YOUR SINS CLEANSED AWAY" (J.C. Ryle, Old Paths: Being Plain Statements of Some of the Weightier Matters of Christianity, printed in Issue 227 of Free Grace Broadcaster, p. 18).

Lord Jesus, very God and very God: thank You for shedding Your holy, innocent, and priceless blood for a vile sinner like me. Had You not humbled Yourself to take on human flesh, had You not yet further humbled Yourself to endure the cross, shed Your blood, and die there would be no hope for me. Only death, judgment, and eternal punishment in hell would be my lot and my just desserts for a life of rebellion against You. But because You shed Your blood, Your wondrous, efficacious, atoning blood I am filled with hope eternal. Because of the precious flow that has made me white as snow, I am forgiven! There is no other fount so pure, so clean, so holy that can wash me clean. Nothing but Your blood, Lord Jesus.

I know I am cleansed from all my sin, not because of anything I have done, but because of the mercy shown my by God the Father, which was manifested when He crushed His own Son, You my Lord, under the weight of His wrath. Father, thank You for allowing Your Son to be my Substitute. Thank You, Father, for receiving the priceless payment made by Your Son, my Lord--a payment I could never pay. Thank You, Father, for allowing Your Son's sacrifice to suffice to mark my ledger of sin "PAID IN FULL!" Thank you, Almighty God, for being just and the justifier of one so wicked as myself. Thank You for receiving Your Son, my Savior, in my place. Lord Jesus, thank You for justifying me through your perfectly meritorious sacrifice, by taking on the wrath I deserved and clothing me in Your righteousness. I am white as snow because You dripped drops of scarlet life.

Holy Spirit, please remind me every moment of every day what price Christ paid for me. Remind me every moment of every day what debt Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross canceled on my behalf. Fill me with such thankfulness that I would feel as though I would burst if I not tell at least one lost soul every day about the wondrous blood of Christ. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Dare Not Go Near the Border of Sin

"Christ did sometimes go among the wicked; not that he approve of their sins, but as a physician goes among the diseased to heal them, so Christ intended to work a cure upon them (Mark 2:17). It was their conversion he aimed at.

"Though Jesus Christ did sometimes converse with sinners, yet he could receive no infection by them; his divine nature was a sufficient antidote against the contagion of sin. As the sun cannot be defiled with the thick vapours which are exhaled from the earth, and fly into the middle region, so the black vapours of sin could not defile the Sun of righteousness. Christ was of such spotless purity that he had no receptibility of evil. But the case is otherwise with us; we have a stock of corruption within. Therefore it is dangerous to incorporate with the wicked, lest we be defiled.

"Such as revere the divine majesty dare not go near the borders of sin. Those who went near the fiery furnace, though he did not go into it, were burned (Dan. 3:22)" (Thomas Watson, The Great Gain of Godliness, p.40).

Lord God my Redeemer: blessed be the Creator of heaven and earth--the One who causes the sun, the earth, and the moon to align to form an eclipse, allowing me to look to the heavens with the ability to observe and wonder (abilities you have given me), so that I can declare Your glory. The heavens declare Your glory, Lord, and the sky above proclaims Your handiwork.

Oh Father, thank You for sending Your Son to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus, thank You for humbling Yourself and taking on human flesh. Thank You for bringing upon Yourself such great humility, allowing Yourself to be nailed to a tree. Thank You for dying, for shedding Your blood to wash away my sins. While in Your humanness there was nothing about Your physical form to cause mankind to look upon You with awe, You now sit at the right hand of power. You are now robed in majesty--divine majesty. It is with reverence for Your divine majesty that I come to You and seek Your help.

Keep me from the borders of sin!

It's too easy, Lord. It's too easy to move across the border from holiness to sinfulness. It's too easy to cross from godliness into sinfulness. Lord, please help me to loathe even the borders of sin.

Tomorrow, Lord, like almost every other day of my life, I will be surrounded by those who hate You. I will be in the uncomfortable company of young men and women who drink iniquity like water, who love the world and the things of the world, whose lives are governed by the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of possessions. Some will taunt and bait. Others will blaspheme and mock. Still others will insist they are my brothers or sisters while joining the throng of unbelievers, whose garments are polluted by the flesh, trying to stop the preaching of Your gospel.

Holy Spirit, please help me, even if completely surrounded, not to even go near the borders of in. Help me not to revile when revile. Help me not to respond in kind. Help me to answer their lack of control with godly meekness. Help me to respond to hate with love. I cannot succeed with out You. I cannot grow in my sanctification without You. I cannot stay outside the borders of sin without You.

Lord God Almighty, as hard as it is to stay away from the borders of sin when sinfulness dances about me, when wickedness hides not in the shadows but flaunts itself in the open, it is just as hard when the sound of a dropping pin can be heard. When I fail to take every thought captive for Your glory, when I fail to dwell on things above, even far quieter times can be fraught with the danger of crossing the borders of sin. Oh Lord, renew my mind. Cleanse my heart and mind of every wicked thought, every evil plan, every vengeful scheme, every "I'll show you" response when wronged.

Father, I want to converse with sinners, just as my Lord did. But protect me from any and every spiritual infection they may carry. Holy Spirit, please inoculate me from the pestilence of depravity and unrepentance. I know how dangerous it is to incorporate with the wicked--how easily the defilement of their hearts and minds can spread to my own, with the open wounds of pride and arrogance in my spirit allowing blood from their sin-stained hearts to mingle with the new spiritual platelets of the new man. No! Please help me to be holy as You are holy. Help me to be in the world, but not of the world.

Lord Jesus, allow me to be further conformed to Your image. Like You, Lord, I want to walk among and converse with the spiritually dead so that I can offer them their only hope, the only cure, the gospel. Like You, Lord Jesus, may my only aim be the conversion of their souls. Oh, may my heart break for them as I plead with them to repent and believe the gospel.

I love You, Lord Jesus. And may I show my love for You by not so much as even daring to go near the borders of sin. In Your name, I pray, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Limp Not

"Reproaches for Christ are ensigns of honour, badges of adoption (1 Peter 4:14), the high honours of accusations, says Chrysostom. Let Christians bind these as a crown about their head. Better have men reproach you for being good, than have God damn you for being wicked. Be not laughed out of your religion. If a lame man laugh at you for walking upright, will you therefore limp" (Thomas Watson, The Great Gain of Godliness, p.11).

All-Powerful Sovereign, the lifter of my head, to you be all honor, praise, and glory forever and ever. Repentance fills my heart as I read these words of the Puritan divine--repentance for the many times I have not seen the reproaches of men, saved and unsaved, as more than reproaches. Forgive me, Lord, for the times when I have feared looking at the reproaches of others as ensigns of honour and badges of adoption--fearing that my recognition of such reproaches, for what they really are, would be seen by men as arrogance, attention-seeking, and self-assigned martyrdom. Forgive me, Father, for allowing the errant thoughts of others about me to rob me of the joy of who I am in You and the ways You are choosing to complete Your work in me.

Too many times, Lord, I have limped away as the spiritually lame and lost man laughs at me for walking upright in my faith. To many times such limping was accompanied by angry words toward my lame assailant. Too many times I have felt anger toward the myriad spiritually lame and dead before me instead of pitying them for the helpless depraved that they are. O, for more of the mind and heart of Christ!

Help me, Lord, to limp not in any spiritual endeavor. Holy Spirit, please strengthen me so that I never again am "laughed out" of Christ-likeness by those who seek to malign You, by attacking me. Help me to wear ensigns of honour and badges of adoption with far greater humility than I have at this moment. Help me to see the "high honours of accusations" through the lens of your suffering and death on the Cross, Lord Jesus. Help me to always remember that I have not, nor ever will, suffer to the point of shedding blood in anguish for souls and propitiation for their sins.

Lord Jesus, I want to walk upright with the straight spine of Christ-likeness. I want to so honor and glorify You that You would count me worthy to suffer for Your name. Allow me, for Your glory alone, to bear ever reproach because of Your name as a splendid crown. May the words, "limp not" be ever-present reminders of how I should respond to ever sinful rebuke, every false accusation, every hateful scoff, every malignant smirk and jeer. For you, Lord Jesus, never limped away. You endured the cross. You defeated sin and death. And You reign victorious forever an ever. In Your most glorious and splendid name, I pray. Amen.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Swim Against the Common Stream

"Let us recollect that the saving of souls from death honours Jesus, for there is no saving souls except through his blood. As for you and for me, what can we do in saving a soul from death? Of ourselves nothing, any more than that pen which lies upon the table could write Pilgrim's Progress; yet let a Bunyan grasp the pen, and the matchless work is written. So you and I can do nothing to convert souls till God's eternal Spirit takes us in hand but then he can do wonders by us, and get to himself glory by us, while it shall be joy enough to us to known that Jesus is honoured, and the Spirit magnified. Nobody talks to Homer's pen, no one has encased it in gold, or published its illustrious achievements; nor do we wish for honour among men: it will be enough for us to have been the pen in the Saviour's hand with which he has written the covenant of grace upon the fleshy tablets of human hearts. This is golden wages for a man who really loves his Master; Jesus is glorified, sinners are saved" (Counsel for Christian Workers" (Charles Spurgeon, Counsel for Christian Workers, p. 106).

Lord God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, please allow me to be a pen in your hand, to write Your glorious gospel on the hearts of men and women around the world. I do not seek to be encased in gold, to have others, either now or days long in the future, publish my achievements. Help me to embrace obscurity to such an extent that I would cease to seek the honor of men. Let it suffice, in both my heart and mind, to be used as Your instrument of gospel communication.

Father, forgive me for the times I have sought to be a partaker in Your glory, knowing I've had not a hand, not even a finger in the salvation of anyone. Salvation belongs to You, O God. I can do nothing, in and of myself, to convert a single soul. But to be used by You, to be allowed to watch as You let the ink of Your Son's precious blood flow from the well of the cross, to the tip of the quill that is my preaching of His cross, and to then write both the wrath and the glories of His cross onto the heart of another human being, by way of the pen of preaching--O Lord that is more than enough for me!

Holy Spirit, sanctify me in the Truth, Thy Word, which is Truth; so change my heart and mind that my joy will always and forever by found in knowing that my Lord and Savior is honored and that You, Spirit of God, are magnified. May the golden wages I seek be the salvation of the souls of others and to hear you one-day say, "Well done." In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Golden Wages

"Let us recollect that the saving of souls from death honours Jesus, for there is no saving souls except through his blood. As for you and for me, what can we do in saving a soul from death? Of ourselves nothing, any more than that pen which lies upon the table could write Pilgrim's Progress; yet let a Bunyan grasp the pen, and the matchless work is written. So you and I can do nothing to convert souls till God's eternal Spirit takes us in hand but then he can do wonders by us, and get to himself glory by us, while it shall be joy enough to us to known that Jesus is honoured, and the Spirit magnified. Nobody talks to Homer's pen, no one has encased it in gold, or published its illustrious achievements; nor do we wish for honour among men: it will be enough for us to have been the pen in the Saviour's hand with which he has written the covenant of grace upon the fleshy tablets of human hearts. This is golden wages for a man who really loves his Master; Jesus is glorified, sinners are saved" (Counsel for Christian Workers" (Charles Spurgeon, Counsel for Christian Workers, p. 106).

Lord God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, please allow me to be a pen in your hand, to write Your glorious gospel on the hearts of men and women around the world. I do not seek to be encased in gold, to have others, either now or days long in the future, publish my achievements. Help me to embrace obscurity to such an extent that I would cease to seek the honor of men. Let it suffice, in both my heart and mind, to be used as Your instrument of gospel communication.

Father, forgive me for the times I have sought to be a partaker in Your glory, knowing I've had not a hand, not even a finger in the salvation of anyone. Salvation belongs to You, O God. I can do nothing, in and of myself, to convert a single soul. But to be used by You, to be allowed to watch as You let the ink of Your Son's precious blood flow from the well of the cross, to the tip of the quill that is my preaching of His cross, and to then write both the wrath and the glories of His cross onto the heart of another human being, by way of the pen of preaching--O Lord that is more than enough for me!

Holy Spirit, sanctify me in the Truth, Thy Word, which is Truth; so change my heart and mind that my joy will always and forever by found in knowing that my Lord and Savior is honored and that You, Spirit of God, are magnified. May the golden wages I seek be the salvation of the souls of others and to hear you one-day say, "Well done." In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Arrest in Scotland: For Righteousness' Sake

"Such fresh advances took place in spite of much opposition and danger. Rowland and Williams were not the only ones to suffer at the hands of persecutors. Morgan Hughes, one of the exhorters, was imprisoned in Cardigan jail, ostensibly on a charge of vagrancy, but in reality it was on account of his Methodist activities [including open-air preaching]. The month of March was a particularly testing one for the Methodists until his release was secured. They worked vigorously for this, consulting Whitefield, influential landowners, and attorneys. Rowland was advised to seek legal advice from a sympathetic magistrate. Harris and others spent the a 'night in the suburbs of heaven' with Hughes 'in the place of his confinement' at Cardigan. Marmaduke Gwynne, particularly, proved a tower of strength in the affair, enlisting the help of his nephew John Lloyd of Peterwell (Lampeter), and telling Rowland 'to bring some witnesses with him to Cardigan Sessions, and to indict the person who abused him.'

"Rowland, Harris and many other Methodists prepared to attend the trial and prayed much for the outcome. On March 27, 1743, Harris called at Llangeitho on the way to the Magistrates Court. There he heard a sermon from Rowland on Isaiah 32:2, 'And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.' It was a timely reminder of God's protection of His people in the face of dangers;
'He showed of the new creature, how it has God for a house about him, and Christ for a Robe, and the Spirit dwelling in him. He showed how the new creature is made and fed by God's Breath . . . Sin is like the devil's breath, and this wind may blow off for a little the cloak, and the wind too sometimes shakes the earth; but it can't move its foundation . . . He showed how the justification is still safe; the house of sanctification may be shaken; and the new creature, let Satan tempt as he will, can't sin, can't yield; for our grace, faith, love, humility, etc., is God's Breath on our souls, and this, being born of, or proceeding from God, can't turn against God again, though the flesh yields . . . Have filial fear in all places, but flee slavish fear . . . Christ is the peace of the soul - He is the food - He is the Physician and protection of the soul.'
Fortified from a measure of assurance from that message, Rowland and Harris proceeded to Cardigan, Harris 'seeing the tenderness and wisdom of the Lord in managing us and our sufferings together.' In court the prosecutor was stopped, and Harris, responding in 'the Christian spirit,' offered to drop counter charges, 'only let them pay the expenses'" (Evans, Eifion. "Daniel Rowland: And the Great Evangelical Awakening in Wales." Edinburgh, Scotland: Banner of Truth Trust, 1985, pp. 219-20).
I am indebted to brothers in Christ like Pastor Jon Speed, Pastor Steve Lawson, Jeff Rose, Chris Sippley, Robert Gray, and others who have fostered in me an ever-growing love for church history, especially that history that chronicles the march through time of open-air preaching. While the Word of God is the authority, the grid through which I run all matters regarding faith and practice, I have also learned much from the lives of men of God who left this world hundreds of years ago. Daniel Rowland of 18th century Wales was such a man.

Arrest and Exoneration

On January 8, 2014, in Dundee, Scotland, I was arrested immediately after open-air preaching. The charges: breach of peace with an aggravation of homophobic hate speech. I was released on my own recognizance, after signing a promise to return to Scotland, to stand trial for the indicated charges.

On June 16, 2014, the Procurator Fiscal's Office (Scotland's equivalent to the District Attorney's Office), went before the Sheriff of Dundee (the local magistrate) and petitioned for a dismissal of all the charges against me. The Sheriff subsequently dismissed the charges. The reason the Procurator Fiscal sought the dismissal of charges is that their office, more than six months after my arrest, finally viewed the audio/video that has been in their possession since the time of my arrest. They discovered what I have maintained all along. I did not make the statements I was accused of making. In fact, the Procurator Fiscal deemed that nothing I said during a lengthy open-air sermon constituted a breach of peace or homophobic hate speech.

By God's sovereign grace and mercy, and according to His sovereign will, I have been exonerated.

Christians Divided

I am very grateful for the outpouring of support I have received from the Body of Christ, in the United States, Scotland, and around the world. It has been a blessing to me and my family. The support has far-outweighed the negative comments I have received from brothers and sisters in Christ. There are Christians who believe I was wrong to preach on the streets of Dundee, Scotland. They believe my preaching hurt Christians in Scotland. There are Christians who believe I was wrong to agree to return to Scotland, to stand trial. They believe returning to Scotland to stand trial will hurt Christians in Scotland. And, most recently, there are Christians who believe I am wrong regarding my decision not to sue or file a complaint against Police Scotland and the Procurator Fiscal's Office. They believe not pursuing a civil suit and formal complaints against those responsible for my arrest and attempted prosecution will hurt Christians in Scotland.

I believe I have made the right decision. My conscience is clear.

I believe my decision is the right one--not because it seems to be the most popular decision among Christians who have taken an interest in the situation. Frankly, I have no way of knowing which decision has the most support among Christians. In fact, considering who has publicly and privately said I'm right or said I'm wrong, as well as the silence of some of the people I would expect to hear from, my gut tells me that among the people I know and who know me (especially open-air preachers) the decision I have made is unpopular. This is not the first time I find myself in the minority.

I believe my decision is the right one because I believe it is consistent with Jesus' teaching regarding how Christians should respond when persecuted, and how Christians should treat their persecutors.

Some have put forth arguments, which indicate I should file a lawsuit in order to keep Scotland's governing authorities from treating Christians in the future the way I and others have been treated. This is part of the argument that states the unintended consequence of not filing a lawsuit will be that Christians will continue to be persecuted by Scotland's governing authorities.

What Does Scripture Say?

In addition to praying and seeking the counsel of my pastors and the Cross Encounters Ministries Advisory Board, I have also searched the Scriptures for whatever I could find that even remotely addresses the issue of Christians entering into lawsuits against non-Christians, when Christians are persecuted as a result of publicly following Jesus Christ and proclaiming the gospel (Scripture is explicitly clear regarding Christians suing other Christians; see 1 Corinthians 6:1-8).

Here are 25 passages I found, primarily based on word searches, that speak either directly or indirectly to court proceedings, including lawsuits:

Exodus 18:16
Exodus 20:16
Exodus 21:22
Exodus 23:1-3
Exodus 23:6
Leviticus 19:15
Deuteronomy 1:15-18
Deuteronomy 5:20
Deuteronomy 17:8-13
Deuteronomy 18:16
Deuteronomy 25:1
2 Samuel 14:1-20
2 Samuel 15:1-4
1 Kings 3:16-27
2 Kings 6:26-29
Job 9:32-35
Proverbs 25:7-10
Proverbs 29:9
Isaiah 29:20-21
Amos 2:7
Amos 5:7-12
Hosea 10:4
Matthew 5:25-26
Matthew 5:40
James 2:5-7

None of the above passages in any way support the idea of a Christian suing individuals or governing authorities, as a result of persecution experienced at the hands of individuals or governing authorities.

In addition to the above, Jesus had this to say in the Sermon on the Mount:
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:10-12).
And:
"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers,[i] what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:43-48.
And let us not forget how Jesus handled Himself when he endured a wrongful arrest (Matthew 26:47-56) and not one, but several illegitimate prosecutions (Matthew 26:57-27:31), as well as an unlawful, murderous execution (Matthew 27:32-56). Remember what Jesus said to Pilate?
"He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, 'Where are you from?' But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to him, 'You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?' Jesus answered him, 'You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin" (John 19:9-11).
Jesus Came to Die

Some may be quick to object, saying, "You can't compare the trials and execution of Jesus to your case in Scotland. After all, Jesus came to die. He came to endure everything, including death on the cross so that sinners could be saved."

Of course, that is true. However, I can turn to how Jesus handled the greatest persecution ever faced by a human being who was, in His case, fully-God and fully Man, without sin. I can draw wisdom and discernment as to how I should behave in my trial of momentary light affliction, from the One who behaved perfectly in a time of affliction that no mere man like me will ever experience. While my trial in Scotland is nothing when compared to Jesus' trial in Jerusalem, I believe the best course of action for me is to behave like Jesus--to be conformed to His image (Romans 8:29) as I respond to those in Scotland's government who have persecuted me.

Yes, Jesus came to die. And what has He given me to do? What honor, privilege, and dare I say right has Jesus given to me?
"And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me'" (Luke 9:23).
I, like many of you reading this, share the apostle Paul's sentiments about living for Christ.
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
Jesus has given me the right to die--to die to self and, if He requires, to die for Him.

My Civil Rights Are Not My Primary Concern

No, I am not suffering from some sort of martyrdom complex. I didn't try to get arrested. I didn't want to be arrested. I didn't like spending 30 hours in jail. I didn't enjoy the specter of having my passport confiscated, forcing me to remain in Scotland for six months, until the case was settled or I stood trial. I didn't enjoy the specter of facing a sentence of a fine or up to five years in prison. I didn't like telling my daughter and future son-in-law that if I had to go back to trial and was found guilty and sentenced to prison that I wanted them to go on with their wedding without me. And there has never once been a time in my 29-year marriage when I took pleasure in seeing a tear fall onto my wife's cheek.

But if all of the above were to have taken place, I hope I would have done my best (only succeeding with the Holy Spirit's help) to consider it all joy (James 1:2-4), understanding that the Lord would enable me and my family to endure whatever hardships came our way (1 Corinthians 10:13). I hope my faith (Romans 1:17; Hebrews 11:6) would be such that I would have prayed (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and tried to face the trial (James 1:12) while always remembering that to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21), that the momentary light affliction The Lord had for me would be used by Him to prepare me for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Corinthians 4:17).

I simply cannot put my civil rights, which ebb and flow on the waves of mankind's sinful whims and the godless agendas of secular societies, above my obligation to Christ to die to self, to deny myself, take up my cross daily, and follow Him.

Paul's Example

Some godly, learned, faithful, Christian men have turned to the apostle Paul to support their position that I should sue Scotland Police and the Procurator Fiscal's office. Acts 16:35-40 and Acts 22:22-30 are the passages to which those who disagree with my decision turn. In both of these passages, Paul is as bold as a lion, asserts his Roman citizenship, and challenges the injustices perpetrated upon him by the governing authorities.

Here are the two scenes. First, Paul in Philippi:
"But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, 'Let those men go.' And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, 'The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.' But Paul said to them, 'They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.' The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed" (Acts 16:35-40).
And, Paul in Jerusalem:
"Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, 'Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.' And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, 'Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?' When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, 'What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.' So the tribune came and said to him, 'Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?' And he said, 'Yes.' The tribune answered, 'I bought this citizenship for a large sum.' Paul said, 'But I am a citizen by birth.' So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him."

"But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them" (Acts 22:22-30).
While I am unworthy to untie the apostle Paul's sandals, there are some similarities between Paul's situations in Philippi and Jerusalem, and my situation in Scotland. Paul was persecuted for his faith in Christ and his teaching. Paul was wrongly accused and arrested. Paul challenged the governing authorities for his mistreatment. And...

Paul did not sue the governing authorities.

Neither of these dramatic and historic instances can be used to justify a Christian suing a secular governing authority for overstepped its legal authority in an effort to persecute the Christian.

Paul questioned the legality of what was happening to him. So did I. Paul would demand his day in court. So did I. Paul appealed to Caesar. The charges against me were dismissed, so there was no reason for me to appeal to a higher court.

Paul did not sue the Roman government for damages. He did not sue in an effort to set a favorable legal precedence. He did not sue to hold the Roman government accountable. He did not sue to hit the Roman government where it counted--in the government's deep pocket, which carried a very big wallet. He did not sue hoping that, as a result, other Christians could avoid persecution in the future. Paul didn't do any of these things. And neither will I.

I cannot sue Police Scotland and the Procurator Fiscal while insisting, with any integrity, that I love my enemies. Maybe someone else can reconcile the two activities in his heart and mind, but I can't. My conscience will not allow it. And believe me; I've tried.

I've thought about this for six months. And I think it is safe to say that I have likely thought and prayed about this particular decision, regarding my specific situation, more than anyone else. No one bothered by my decision, no one who has expressed their opinion that I have made the wrong decision, has offered anything by way of justification for a lawsuit that I haven't already considered. I wanted to sue. I wanted to make the Scottish government pay for this miscarriage of justice. I wanted my lawsuit to pave the way for more freedom of speech for Christians, in Scotland. I wanted to file and win a lawsuit to make Scottish police officers on the street think twice before harassing another open-air preacher. There was only one problem.

In order to achieve all of the before-mentioned, seemingly noble goals, I would have to set aside loving my enemy so I could strike back at my enemy. I would have to find some way to convince myself that this is what Jesus and the apostles would do, while knowing the Scriptures show that neither Jesus nor the apostles ever filed a lawsuit against the governing authorities to achieve either the before-mentioned goals, or any others. Again, I just can't do it. My conscience won't allow it.

Doing the Least Expected

Sometimes the best tactic is to do what the enemy least expects.

Law enforcement agencies around the world expect lawsuits from the citizenry. In fact, many law enforcement agencies will settle complaints out of court, going so far as paying off complainants, even if their internal investigations determine the department is not liable for damages, knowing that an out of court settlement will cost the department less than going to trial and winning a favorable verdict. It's cheaper to settle than to fight and win.

Police Scotland likely expects me to file a lawsuit. The Procurator Fiscal's office likely expects me to file a lawsuit. Scotland's governing bodies may even expect me to file a lawsuit. The Scottish people probably expect me to file a lawsuit. Americans likely expect me to file a lawsuit. Why? The world is a litigious place. The world says, "Eye for an eye, so long as it's not my eye." The world says, "Touch me and I'll sue!" The world says, "If you make me suffer, I'm going to make you suffer worse."

Many in the world would see the implementation of the following standard, especially in response to a wrong suffered, as out of the ordinary, outside the box, unexpected, perplexing, and, if they think about it long enough, maybe just a bit endearing. Others, including some Christians, would see the implementation of the following standard as weak. The bottom line: implementing the following standard when suffering persecution at the hands of those who hate Jesus Christ and those who follow Him is biblical. No other explanation is necessary.
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

"Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

"So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:4-13).
And:
"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' To the contrary, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:14-21).
And:
"Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, 'He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!' The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, 'If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!' There was also an inscription over him, 'This is the King of the Jews.'

"One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, 'Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!' But the other rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.' And he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' And he said to him, 'Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise'" (Luke 23:32-43).
I've decided to do the least expected. I've decided to love God by loving my neighbor, in this situation, by not suing Scotland Police and the Procurator Fiscal's office. And I'm going to do it for righteousness' sake.

For Righteousness' Sake

I was arrested on January 8, 2014, in Dundee, Scotland, for righteousness' sake. And I have decided not to sue Police Scotland or the Procurator Fiscal's office for the sake of righteousness--not my righteousness, but the righteousness of Jesus Christ and His gospel.

Theologian John Gill explains in his commentary on Matthew 5:10.
"Blessed are they which are persecuted,.... Not for any crimes they have done, for unrighteousness and iniquity, as murderers, thieves, and evildoers, but for righteousness sake: on account of their righteous and godly conversation, which brings upon them the hatred and enmity of the men of the world: for saints, by living righteously, separate themselves from them, and profess themselves not to belong to them; their religious life sets a brand upon, and distinguishes other persons; yea, it reproves and condemns their wicked lives and practices; and this fills them with wrath against them, and puts them on persecuting them: or by 'righteousness' may be meant, a righteous cause, the cause of Christ and his Gospel; for by making a profession of Christ, showing a concern for his interest, and by engaging in a vindication of his person and truths, saints expose themselves to the rage and persecution of men: and particularly, they are persecuted for preaching, maintaining, or embracing, the doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Christ; because it is not of man, nor agreeable to the carnal reason of man; it is opposite to the way of justification, which men naturally receive; it excludes boasting, and is contrary to their carnal and selfish principles: persecution is either verbal with the tongue, by cruel mockings and reproachful language; or real, by deeds, such as confiscation of goods, banishment, imprisonment of body, and innumerable sorts of death: the latter seems here more especially designed, and both are expressed in the following verse; and yet the saints, though thus used, or rather abused, are happy."
How can I be happy in the midst of persecution or in its aftermath if my thoughts are on seeking damages for the persecution endured? And to what extent would I bring a reproach upon my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, if I say with my actions, "I am willing to die for Christ, but it will cost you if you persecute me."

It has been made abundantly clear to me that there are those, among whom are people I respect and admire, who, even after reading this, may still disagree with me. They will continue to assert I have made the wrong decision. There will be those Christians who have filed lawsuits against governing authorities who will insist I have made the wrong decision. They will cite the positive verdict in their own case as proof positive it was and is the right thing to do.

While I will assert that pragmatism is not the best foundation upon which to build one's orthopraxy, and while in this specific situation I will assert that the ends do not justify the means, at the same time I will not condemn my Christian brethren who have entered civil courtrooms seeking redress for wrongs suffered at the hands of governing authorities. I cannot and will not say my Christian brethren who have sued governing authorities have sinned by suing governing authorities for persecutions suffered. To make such an assertion would require me to know the motives of my Christian brethren with whom I disagree and deem those motives sinful. I am utterly incapable, and thankfully so, of having such infallible insights and the responsibilities that go with them.

I have written this article to explain my decision, not to condemn those who may disagree--especially those who have made the difficult decision to pursue redress in civil courts. But as for me, instead of filing a lawsuit against those who persecuted me, I am going to return to Scotland to serve again as one of King Jesus' heralds. I am going back to Scotland to speak the truth in love--to call the people of Scotland to repent and believe the gospel. If I am arrested again, let it be for righteousness' sake. And for the sake of Christ's righteousness, may I love my enemies more than I love myself.

In Jesus' name, amen.