As well-meaning as these teachers were, their attitude bordered on the kind of legalism that the apostle Paul battled among the early Jewish Christians:

Galatians 2:16 – Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law. (NLT)

In the Old Testament, the separation between man and God was kept in place by an array of Levitical laws and ordinances. The various offerings made to God were spelled out in strict detail. No one except the high priest had access to the Holy of Holies, and even that was restricted to only once a year. For the ordinary person, direct access to God was not possible.

Leviticus 16:2 – The Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron your brother he must not come at all times into the Holy of Holies within the veil before the mercy seat upon the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat." (AMP)

But the moment Jesus died on Calvary, the blessed change came about.

Matthew 27:50-51a – And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. (NKJV)

The old law was done away with; sacrifice was no longer necessary, for Jesus had paid the supreme sacrifice. All the things hidden behind the veil were now open to view. God's mercy seat and God's glory shone out. Man was granted free access to God at any time, not only at seasonal ceremonies. There would be no more shedding of blood, for Jesus had shed His own for the world. The gates of paradise were open to all who believe that "Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." (1 Peter 3:18 NKJV)

But even today, we still find Christians who, in their zeal to please God, are making illegal for Christians many activities that they in their wisdom deem sinful: dancing, going to the movies, and drinking alcoholic drinks, for example. That is called legalism. Back in the early fifties, my sister gave up her graduation prom and special prom dress because dancing was worldly, and people who danced were sinners. Such sentiments are still prevalent today. We hear people say, "You can't be a Christian if you keep painting your face with lipstick." "Christians do not go to church in slacks." "If you want to please God, you will give up eating meat …" and so on. And all the time, Jesus is saying, "Come unto me and I will give you rest." His invitation has no restrictions because He is meek and lowly of heart and all He wants is to give us rest for our souls, so that we can worship His Father.

Prayer: Thank You, heavenly Father, for Your Word that assures us that through Jesus' sacrifice alone, we "have access by one Spirit to the Father", and we "are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" (Ephesians 2:18-19 NKJV). Amen.

Romans 12:2 – And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (KJV)

Jack Patrick was just one of the usual tough, uncouth, young boys of our rough neighbourhood. Like the rest of us, he had a command of bad language and his share of bad habits. But Jesus found him and the change was quite evident. He became a different person.

The war had just ended and surplus Harley Davidson motorbikes went on sale for a mere forty-five pounds. Jack bought one, but the throttle grip on the right handlebar was too loose to accelerate the motor. One of the local denizens came to light with the suggestion that a short length of bicycle tube be threaded over the handle. The piece of tube proved very difficult to shift over the Harley's handle. But Jack persevered and the job was done. However, the grease that was applied to make the tubing slide, split the tube along its seam, and it peeled off and fell onto the ground. The Jack of by-gone days would have spent prolonged moments in a volley of maledictions, but instead, he lifted his face to the heavens and sang, "Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul!" This was to the amazement of many onlookers. "Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." (1 John 3:1b KJV)

How patient we should be with everyone around us, since we do not know the changes that God knows of. Should we not wait and see how our youth might surprise us? It is God who directs. I shall ever treasure the elation of seeing my students mature through the years to take up their responsibilities in later years.

Prayer: Gracious Father, keep ever fresh in our minds the wondrous thought that You have a perfect plan for all Your sons and daughters. May we never forget that all living souls, be they ever so righteous or vile, are Your work in progress. Amen.

In chapter sixteen of his book, The Power of Prayer, Andrew Murray deals with a subject that I am sure many people find difficult to deal with. It is the age-old problem of answers to prayer. So often we hear the complaint, "I prayed hard for God to heal my mother but she is still sick!" And our natural tendency is to sympathize and offer some encouragement. What the person needed but did not have is what a host of people do not have, and that is an understanding of all that prayer entails. The parable of the unjust judge and the plaintive woman requires much more than a cursory reading. The benighted woman did not know whether the judge would eventually weary of her "continual coming" and avenge her. The widow kept up her pleas until she was avenged, but she lacked any deeper knowledge of the judge.

Andrew Murray brings the matter into sharper focus. He suggests that when answers to our prayers do not come at once, we should "combine quiet patience and joyful confidence in our persevering prayer". The widow had perseverance and kept on asking, but the elements of patience, faith, trust, and praise, were noticeably absent. Even at the height of his torment, poor Job could still say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." (Job 13:15a KJV) The widow would not be patient and kept on hounding the judge. She had obviously lost trust and was far from praising him. But in our dealings with God, we do well to keep in mind the law of gradual growth — everything grows gradually. Scripture exhorts us to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18 KJV) Slowly but surely, we must get to know better the God with whom we are dealing. He often waits and longs for our training in faith, trust, patience, and praise to be complete before, in His infinite wisdom, He grants our petition.

People who become agitated because their prayers have not been answered should take stock of themselves by answering some of these pertinent questions:

• How well are you acquainted with God to make requests of Him?
• When last did you worship or praise Him in church, home, or elsewhere?
• Did you expect an instant miracle or allow God to decide?
• Do you consider yourself one of God's own elect? (Luke 18:7 KJV)

Prayer: Father of all grace, love, and power, enroll us in Your School of Prayer and teach us how to pray. Give us grace to take Your yoke upon us and learn of You to be meek and lowly of heart, patient and pure, like You. Amen.

Psalm 119:105 – Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (KJV)

In the movie The Hanging Tree, three men working an alluvial claim find no gold until a terrible storm knocks over a huge tree near to their site. In the hole left by the fallen tree and among its exposed roots, to their delight, they find nuggets caught up over the years, enough to keep them wealthy for life. Diggers call such a find a "glory hole".

All Christians should have their own such claim to mine every day. It is called by several different names, such as the Inner Chamber, the Quiet Time, the Place Apart, and the Morning Watch, to name but a few. It is that essential place where we meet with God on a one-to-one basis for prayer and sacred reading. And it is the most undisappointing claim, for more often than not, one strikes a glory hole. This is what William Cowper meant:

Sometimes a light surprises the Christian while he sings;
It is the Lord who rises with healing in His wings;
When comforts are declining, He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining, to cheer it after rain.

The "surprise" might come from the passages of Scripture, or from one of the edifying Dailies or devotional books, or even the hymns that play softly as one reads. Suddenly, some great truth, or some wonderful reassurance, or some clear explanation appears on the page. Those are the purest nuggets for me "when comforts are declining" and I need "a season of clear shining" to cheer me on my way.

But devotional reading, like panning for alluvial gold, requires careful attention. It is not for speed readers who often boast of the many times they have read through the Bible. Each line one reads deserves to be comprehended and studied carefully, or the nuggets might be overlooked. For example, the first two chapters of Habakkuk might easily tempt one to read a bit faster, but suddenly, the last verse of chapter 2 is reassuring:

Habakkuk 2:20 – But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. (KJV)

It is a prelude to a prayer in Chapter 3 which is "set to wild enthusiasm and triumphal music." The entire chapter is a summary of the wonderful work of God, culminating in joyous anticipation of the future and one of the most reassuring passages in Scripture:

Habakkuk 3:17-19 – Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. (KJV)

It is well worth a careful read. How joyfully ought such an assurance send us through the day!

My mother had a sign on the lid of a shoe box and pinned up in the kitchen. It read in bold letters:

Edwin Hodder sums it up in his hymn Thy Word is like a garden, Lord:

Thy Word is like a deep, deep mine; and jewels rich and rare
Are hidden in its mighty depths for every searcher there.

Prayer: Gracious Father, grant us the grace to begin and end each day of our lives in loving fellowship with You. Give us divine discipline so to order our daily doings and necessities that nothing might encroach upon the times we devote to You each day. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

But a "Come on! Get in! The water's lovely!" disturbed my reverie, and I plunged right in and enjoyed myself, but not as much as I had imagined I would during breakfast. The march back to the hotel was a sombre one for me. All I could think of was the lot of those caregivers: no leisurely breakfasts when duties to the patient had to be done as they were done yesterday and will be for all the tomorrows — that plus the long catalogue of all the rest of their activities.

But you say, "What about the poor handicapped patients? Should not some of our concern be directed towards them?" And my reply is, "Yes, I do care for them and pity them, but by praying for their caregivers, I am indirectly praying for them also." And when I see someone caring for a disabled person, I go to him or her and say, "I want you to know that I and many people pray for you each day, because we pray for all caregivers." I have a reminder on the bookmark of one of the devotional books that I read each day, lest I forget.

We have all our daily tasks to pursue. We have problems to solve and livings to earn. What can we do?

When the father in Scripture told Jesus of his ailing son, Jesus said, "Bring him to me." (Mark 9:19b NKJV)

And that is the solution to our usual problem of not having enough time. Take the caregivers to Jesus. If a hundred people each spent only two minutes a day taking caregivers to Jesus, imagine the blessing that He would pour out on them. And gradually, the Spirit will make plain the things to pray for. Caregivers need to be endued with strength, health, patience, long-suffering, endless hope, and freedom from mood swings and despair, to mention but a few. They and we need to look forward to the time in glory:

Isaiah 35:5-6a – Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. (NKJV)

Prayer: Great Healer of all diseases and maladies, give us grace to remember each day to pray for those who take care of our disabled friends. Ever give them all that they require to be good and perfect doers of the work You have given them. May they never forget that You, O Father, are no man's debtor and that their reward is secure. Amen.

When I was a boy, most churches still had two services on Sunday. An hour before the evening service, which was usually of an evangelistic nature, the members of the Open Air Band would gather in one of their designated spots to conduct a service for shut-ins and to invite others to the service.

We had a loud-speaker set, which consisted of an amplifier and a microphone run off a large car battery. Besides that, we had a fold-up foot-pump organ, which my father usually played. After a few rousing hymns and one or two testimonies, the younger ones got to say a text into the microphone. The thrill of hearing one's voice resounding over walls and balconies was one that lasted the entire week. This apparatus was in a homemade box with handles at each end. It was as heavy as lead to lug to the boot of the leader's car. The Open Air Band drew many converts by their efforts.

Psalm 19:4a – Their sound has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. (NLV)

What did the prophets and the evangelists of old do? They had no means of projecting their voices over entire suburbs. When Jonah finally got to preach to Nineveh, the people repented, but he must have had a stentorian voice. Certainly there were acoustic valleys and special amphitheatres, but not very many of them. Speaking to five thousand people must have required much shouting on Jesus' part. One can well imagine the bouts of laryngitis the apostles and disciples must have suffered, but the gospel was heard and heeded. Much later, John Wesley once had to preach standing on his father's gravestone in order to be heard. Some evangelists gave out the Word from the saddles of their horses. Blessed were those who had natural, strong vocal chords.

All the actual methods of amplification used before the advent of electronics have not been explored extensively yet, but God had other ways and the Word was spread.

Isaiah 55:11 – So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (KJV)

The Word of God will be heard, be it through secreted radios or television sets, travelling evangelists, or the distribution of tracts and Bibles. Many people cannot or will not attend church services, but they cannot escape the sound of the gospel of salvation. Nor will we ever know the extent to which God's Holy Spirit works in the hearts of men and women, be they ever so hard-hearted. People say that the devil is always busy but so is the Spirit of God.

2 Timothy 4:2 – Be ready to spread the word whether or not the time is right. Point out errors, warn people, and encourage them. Be very patient when you teach. (GWT)

What does the spreading of the word, the gospel message of salvation, require of today's Christian? To be sure, the odds are stacked against us with sports arenas crowded with fans and Sundays becoming run days for dozens of causes. But God deliberately places each one of us within a sphere of influence where we can reach people for Him. Let us pray for boldness to take advantage of all opportunities presented to us. Let's ask God to speak for us where we cannot get through.

Prayer: Gracious Father, we praise You for the ways that You have provided for the glorious gospel of salvation to reach far and wide. Grant us the grace to do our part in letting Your Word go forth. Amen.

The lamps that gave light to Solomon's temple were fashioned by Hiram, a master craftsman who worked in gold and silver. He made the lamps of purest gold. Each lamp was fed with a steady flow of the finest grade of oil, which ran down through golden tubes to the lamps that were never to go out in the temple. The priests kept the wicks carefully trimmed to prevent any unpleasant malodour of burning.

The only oil that was considered good enough had to be the best olive oil from the Mount of Olives. "Neither petroleum, nor the produce of fish, or that extracted from nuts would be accepted." (C.H. Spurgeon) Jesus favoured the Mount of Olives. It was to this mountain, on the night He was betrayed, that Jesus went, and prayed three times. It might well be said that He embarked on the first stage of His crucifixion there, for there He endured the first agonies of being crushed and drained like the olives in the press on that sacred mountain, as He prayed to His Father and poured out His anguish and sorrow in drops of sweat and blood as a painful prelude to the sufferings He was destined to endure on the cross. That outpouring is the only oil meet for our lamps to glow with incandescent radiance.

What makes us shine all the brighter is to remember His lonely agony for us. The disciples slept through all of it, but they remembered all too well later on when — for many of them — execution would be the next morning.

Like those of Hiram's making, our spiritual lamps are also fed constantly through golden tubes from ever-full reservoirs: our constant prayers both in and outside of the "secret place"; our regular study of God's Word; the reading of edifying authors; our meeting together in one of the candelabra of God, namely the churches; our duties for others; and the fruit of the Spirit that we display — all these keep the oil of Olivet feeding down into our lives, giving guiding illumination to those lost in sin and degradation. According to today's verses, when we let our lights shine, others will see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

Jesus chose to ascend to heaven from the Mount of Olives. May we have that sacred mountain in our hearts on the day that we are called to glory.

Prayer: Gracious Father, who lives with light, grant that the sacred oil of Olivet may keep our lamps bright for the salvation of the world. May we ever walk in Your light, for then, no darkness can overtake us. Amen.