Spiritual Insights from The Chronicles of Narnia

There are many spiritual truths and insights throughout The Chronicles of Narnia books.  On occasion, I will seek to post some of them on by blog.  Here is the first one!  (Let me say that I have just recently begun to read through the books and have been amazed at the rich spiritual truths that are in them.  Unfortunately I will not have the time to explain all the characters and happenings in these post and encourage you to read them when you are able.)

In this example, Lucy has met Aslan for the first time after being away from Narnia for a while.  To Lucy, Aslan appears bigger and she says as much to him.  Aslan lets her know that he has not grown, but every year Lucy grows she will find Aslan bigger.

Here is the spiritual insight I took from this.  Think about your walk with the Lord.  As you experience life's difficulties and joys, you draw nearer to Him.  As you study your Bible and listen to sermons, your knowledge of Him grows.  You soon find that your understanding of the Lord has grown so much that in your eyes He has gotten so much larger in what He has done and can do for you!  But the truth is, the Lord hasn't gained capacity to help you - He's had that all along.  The Lord hasn't suddenly become omniscient or sovereign, He has always been those things.  But your understanding of Him has grown so that you see Him larger!  

I hope I have been able to capture a spiritual truth that is a blessing to you!  

Mini Bible Study on Prayer

Here's a mini Bible study on prayer. 

Read Jonah 2:1 and Jonah 2:7. Now answer these questions:

• Where was Jonah when he prayed? (verse 1)
• Where did Jonah's prayer go? (verse 7)
• Who heard Jonah's prayer? (verse 7) 

Now compare Jonah 2:7 with Psalm 11:4, 2 Chronicles 30:27, and Habakkuk 2:20 and then answer these questions:

• What comfort can you get from these verses?
• What encouragement can you get from these verses?
• How can you apply this to your life today?

BSCNC Proposes Increase in CP Giving

As a Southern Baptist, and especially as a Southern Baptist in North Carolina, I was very excited to read that the Executive Committee of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC) has proposed increasing the percentage of funds sent to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) through the Cooperative Program.  The proposal would increase BSCNC Cooperative Program giving from 37% to 40%!

Messengers to the BSCNC will vote to approve this increase when they meet November 2-3 in Greensboro this year.  My prayer is the proposal will be approved and if I have the honor of going as a messenger I will vote for it.

The Cooperative Program (CP) is the driving force behind Southern Baptist missions.  As churches give to the CP, they join together to fund missionaries here in the United States and around the world.  One church alone could not fund as many missionaries as many churches working together can!  The CP also keeps missionaries on the field and not traveling from church to church to raise the funds they would need to be on the field.  CP giving also funds Great Commission work here in North Carolina through local Baptist Associations and the BSCNC.

Religious Liberty

Open your Bible to Hezekiah 7:14 and you will read the well-known and oft quoted verse, “Heaven helps those who help themselves.” Ok, the fact of the matter is that verse, although often quoted, is not in the Bible. The book of Hezekiah is not in the Bible either, in case you were wondering! My point is, no matter how hard you look in the Bible you will not find that quote despite the popular belief that it is a biblical quote.

There is a similar belief about the well-known and oft quoted phrase, “the separation of church and state.” Popular belief is that this phrase is in the Constitution. The fact of the matter is the phrase is not in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. (Maybe it’s in Hezekiah 7:15!)

While he was President, Thomas Jefferson received a letter from the Danbury Baptist Association in Connecticut. They wrote their letter on October 7, 1801 (ten years after the First Amendment had been ratified) because of their concern with Connecticut’s history of a state church. Historically, Connecticut’s official state church had taken action against Connecticut Baptists such as taxation and imprisonment. As an example of the persecution the Connecticut Baptists had suffered, the following happened in 1744: “…fourteen persons were arrested for holding a Baptist meeting, . . . tried, fined, and driven on foot through a deep mud (in February) to New London, a distance of twenty-five miles, and thrust into prison, without fire, food, or beds, where they remained, enduring dreadful sufferings, for several weeks." (The Baptists Encyclopedia, 1881)

It was this historical background that prompted the Danbury Baptist Association to write to President Jefferson concerning their fears of a state or even a federal church. They wrote in part, “Our sentiments are uniformly on the side of religious liberty: that Religion is at all times and places a matter between God and individuals, that no man ought to suffer in name, person, or effects on account of his religious opinions, [and] that the legitimate power of civil government extends no further than to punish the man who works ill to his neighbor. But sir, our constitution of government is not specific. Our ancient charter, together with the laws made coincident therewith, were adapted as the basis of our government at the time of our revolution. And such has been our laws and usages, and such still are, [so] that Religion is considered as the first object of Legislation, and therefore what religious privileges we enjoy (as a minor part of the State) we enjoy as favors granted, and not as inalienable rights. And these favors we receive at the expense of such degrading acknowledgments, as are inconsistent with the rights of freemen. It is not to be wondered at therefore, if those who seek after power and gain, under the pretense of government and Religion, should reproach their fellow men, [or] should reproach their Chief Magistrate, as an enemy of religion, law, and good order, because he will not, dares not, assume the prerogative of Jehovah and make laws to govern the Kingdom of Christ.”

Jefferson responded on January 1, 1802 and his letter stated, “Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature would "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.” And there you have it, the phrase “separation of church and state.”

Even more interesting is Jefferson’s original draft of his letter. The original draft, which was not sent, showed Jefferson clearly stating that as President he would not preside as leader over a state church. Jefferson wrote, “I have refrained from prescribing even those occasional performances of devotion, practiced indeed by the Executive of another nation as the legal head of its church, but subject here [in America], as religious exercises only to the voluntary regulations and discipline of each respective sect…” In other words, the President of the United States is not a religious leader or head of a state church.

I hope this has put the “separation of church and state” phrase in its proper perspective. It is not in the Constitution or Declaration of Independence. It was merely one phrase in a letter from President Jefferson trying to assure a group of Connecticut Baptists that the US would not have a state church.

After These Things...

If you were to read 2 Chronicles 29 through 31 you would read of the great revival in the southern kingdom of Israel that King Hezekiah brought about.  He cleaned out and reinstated worship in the temple, he reinstated the offerings and worship in the temple, and he held a Passover feast that hadn't been held in a long time.  The Bible commends him in 2 Chronicles 31:20-21 where it says, "Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered."  Notice that Hezekiah obeyed God's word, he did what was right and faithful before God, and he sought God with all his heart.

The very next verse is what I want us to focus on.  The next verse is 2 Chronicles 32:1 and it says, "After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them for himself."  Did you notice that?  AFTER all the good things Hezekiah did outlined in chapters 29-31, AFTER he sought God and obeyed Him with all his heart, he comes under attack.

Has that ever happened to you?  You are serving the Lord with all your heart and He is blessing you and your work for Him.  Or maybe you're spending time with Him in Bible reading and prayer.  Things are going great and then WHAM - you wake up under attack!  You find yourself reeling and fighting and wondering how things could have gotten so bad so fast.  You wonder if God has taken His hand of blessing off you, you wonder if you should go on or raise the white flag of surrender?

How did Hezekiah respond?  He responded spiritually.  2 Chronicles 32:2-8 shows that Hezekiah shored up his defenses and encourage his soldiers with confidence in God (vv 7-8).  In verse 20 he and the prophet Isaiah pray to God for His divine intervention.  Verses 21 and 22 show us God answered their prayers and saved the people from attack.  Beyond doubt Hezekiah's faith was strengthened through this attack as he saw God act on his behalf in a mighty way.

Are you under attack?  Take courage and put your confidence in the Lord, enlist the counsel and prayers of others, and let the Lord fight the battle for you!  I hope this is a blessing and encouragement to you this week!

Mini Bible Study

Read and compare the following verses: John 1:14 and James 2:1.

• What do these verses have in common?
• What spiritual truth are they teaching?
• How can you apply this truth to your life today?

Mini Bible Study

Read and compare 2 Chronicles 36:14-17 with 2 Peter 3:9-10.

• What do these verses have in common?
• What spiritual truth are they teaching?
• How can you apply this truth to your life today?