Taking God Seriously

John 14:1--3

2011-11-29T09:04:00.000-08:00

"Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

In those final hours of the Lord's time on the earth, the disciples' hearts were troubled by the Master's mood of deepening gloom, as He spoke of leaving, of betrayal, of death. Then, turning a corner, He gives a clarion call to encouragement, through promises of: (1) personalized preparation, (2) personal return, and (3) perennial fellowship.

"I go to prepare a place for you." In the process of soothing their troubled hearts, the Lord assures them that He will see to the preparation of each one's heavenly dwelling place, personally. This is no angelic mission, no assignment for deceased saints... rather, the Son of God Himself promised to make ready each believer's everlasting abode, perfectly suiting each one's "forever home" to his or her individuality. Our bodies will have been changed, transformed from earthy shells housing our redeemed spirit as well as the blessed Holy Spirit, to glorified ones, freed from all effects of sin's curse. And the place our Lord has prepared will match our glorified body and personality perfectly, producing praise to His glorious Name!

"I will come again, and receive you to Myself." The enemy of our soul loves to whisper subtle suggestions such as, "It's been centuries... He's not coming back..." Still, we must constantly remember: Our Lord's own character is the fundamental basis for the certainty of His promises. Not one word of anything He ever said failed to come to pass, because each syllable was an expression of His infallible character. So, when He said, "I will come again," He will! In His perfect timing, He will return. And note: we who are His will be received to Himself-- (causing one old preacher to say that heaven won't be a place so much as a Person!). For, what would all the streets of gold, pearly gates, etc., be without the Lord Jesus there..? Gorgeous surroundings, maybe, but not heaven... not unless the Lord of glory is there!

"...that where I am, there you may be also." For the blood-bought child of God there could be no sweeter place to be in all this universe than near the Lord Jesus Christ. Simply to be in His presence will be overwhelmingly full of wonder and adoration. When He walked this sin-cursed earth, children were drawn to climb into His lap, women wept at His feet, others left everything simply to be near Him as He walked, taught, healed, and revealed the Father. Is it even possible to imagine the joy of fellowship we'll experience without sin's interference in the heavenlies, as we are "with Him, where He is," forever?

Come quickly, Lord Jesus! May the truth of Your return impact our daily behavior, causing us to live holier, better-prepared lives. O that You would find us faithful when You come! Deepen our desire to not be ashamed at Your appearing. May Your Spirit remind us often of these things, as we are so forgetful. Thank You for Your great compassion and patience with us.
In Your Name we plea,
Amen.

2011-08-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

"Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." (Psalm 62:8)

To whom else would we go? You have the words of eternal life. Far too often we seek solace from others, i.e., friends, loved ones, counselors, teachers, and fail to bring our sorrowful hearts to the One who knows us completely, who loves us unconditionally, and has promised to never leave nor forsake us.

Whom have I in heaven but You? and besides You I desire nothing on earth (Psalm 73:25)

How great is our need to be weaned from all other affections that compete with our Lord. How easily is His still, small voice drowned out by the clamoring noise of many well-meaning advisors, thinking they help, when what is really needed is to be still, and know that He is God!

And those who know Your Name will put their trust in You... (Psalm 9:10)

The better I know Him, the more I trust Him. Where the line is drawn, beyond which I will not go in faith, that is the extent to which I know Him. Faith increases by feeding upon His Word, thinking through the scenes presented in Scripture that demonstrate His unfailing faithfulness. Trust is strengthened when recalling His past acts in times of need, and realizing He never changes!

So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord... (Hosea 6:3)

To move beyond knowing things about Him... facts learned at church, or through book or sermon... the God Who would have us take Him seriously bids us know Him, pressing on to know Him ever more intimately.
Some wag asked, "If God seems far away, guess who moved?" True. It is always our sin that keeps us at a distance; keeps us from knowing Him more intimately. Fellowship must be restored by agreeing specifically to the sin the Holy Spirit points out, following through with repentance. Through such obedience do we learn Him whom to know is life to its fullest.

The Best is Yet To Come

2011-08-05T06:12:00.000-07:00

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.' " [John 11:25, 26]

There it is... the crux of Christianity. If Jesus is who He said He is, then the one who believes in Him (is changed by Him), will live (spiritually) even if that person dies (physically). And everyone who lives (spiritually) and is changed by the Lord Jesus will never die (experience spiritual separation from God in hell).
In I Thessalonians 4, Paul takes this truth and draws the implication that, because death has been defeated through the Lord Jesus' atoning death and resurrection, we as believers need not grieve as those who have no hope. Sorrow, yes... as without hope? No.
For though the experience of death itself may be grievous, and the emotional loss difficult, we are to be comforted that we will be with Him forever.
Our Lord gave His wonderful promise in John 14:2, 3 -- "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."
I share a story I was sent recently:

A young woman diagnosed with a terminal illness had been given a short time to live. As she was "getting her things in order" she contacted her pastor, and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.
She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what Scripture she would like read, and what outfit she had picked out to wear.
Everything was in order, and the pastor was preparing to leave, when suddenly the young woman remembered something very important to her!
"There's one more thing," she said excitedly.
"What's that?" the pastor asked.
"This is very important," the young woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The pastor stood looking at her, not knowing quite what to say.
"That surprises you, doesn't it?" she asked.
"Well, to be honest, I am puzzled by the request," said the pastor.
The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love, and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared away, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming... like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful and with substance!"
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork.. the best is yet to come.'
The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand... over and over the pastor heard the question: 'what's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled.
During his message he told the people of the conversation he had had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it meant to her. He told them how he could not stop thinking about the fork, and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you ever so gently that the best is yet to come.

Isaiah 30:18

2011-08-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

"Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him."

Such an amazing truth is this, that the sovereign Creator and LORD of the universe should wait longingly to be gracious to the likes of us! Such astonishing condescension, that He Who spoke everything into existence should set His heart on mortal worms such as us, actually longing to reveal His compassion towards us. And especially astounding, considering our sinful attitudes and actions committed every day we live! How can the LORD of justice look upon us with favor...?

Because His righteous wrath was poured out upon His Son when "He made Him who knew no sinto be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him", (II Cor. 5:21). As we are viewed by the Father as being in the Son, He sees us in the Lord Jesus' perfect righteousness, in His flawless keeping of the perfect Law, in His complete satisfaction of the Law's requirement for acceptance by God into His holy presence: absolute sinlessness. That is the Father's perspective on His children, as viewed through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The blessing comes for the one who learns to walk in the light of such unconditional acceptance; the longing for God characterizes the life of those who practice their position... who take seriously the fact that they can never earn nor deserve His favor, and rejoice in His grace by (1) deeply longing for His presence, and (2) speaking to others who need the Lord Jesus' salvation.

Psalm 42:11

2011-07-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

" 'Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.' "

Some of the most needed sermons we hear are the ones we preach to ourselves. When thoughts arise that are contrary to the Lord's will and Word, when our flesh rises up in rebellion against the Lord's discipline, or when our emotions flare out of control, then it is time to speak sternly to our spirit, even as the psalmist here exhorts himself to hope in God!

No matter how long we have walked with the Lord, no matter how mature we are in the faith, no one is immune to times of discouragement, doubt, or even despair... no one is exempt. Even one of the caliber of John the Baptist, of whom our Lord said among those born of women none was greater, reached a point where he sent two of his disciples to ask the Lord Jesus if He indeed was the Expected One, or should they look for someone else (Luke 7:19)! There is comfort in the fact that the Lord Jesus did not rebuke John for this lapse of faith. He knew John's situation, and He knew John's heart.
Come to think of it, He knows our situation and heart, as well, doesn't He. In truth, much of His work of sanctification is revealing our heart to us, granting the grace to confess the sin we see there, repent, and move on, becoming more and more conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus.

Father, teach us how to speak to our soul, as did the psalmist. Grant the wisdom from Your Word as well as Your Blessed Holy Spirit to teach Your truth to our heart when needed most. You know how easily our silly heart is deceived and swayed by the enemy and his cohort the world... deepen our determination, strengthen our resolve to declare aloud Your pure Word which never fails in the matter for which You send it! Praise to Your Name! I plea this in the risen Name of Your Sovereign Son, the Lord Jesus, Amen.

Luke 17:32

2011-07-18T12:20:00.000-07:00

"Remember Lot's wife."

Possible lessons:

*Our eyes follow our heart.
What our heart desires, our eyes will seek out. Although she was walking away, her heart still longed for Sodom and Gomorrah. Proverbs 4:23 comes to mind: "Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life." And how differently the story would have concluded had she obeyed v. 25: "Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you."

*Her curiosity was, in fact, rooted in distrust and unbelief, leading to disobedience.
With a response similar to Eve's in the garden of Eden, Lot's wife must have felt that God was withholding something from her; that there was no good reason why she shouldn't see the destruction of the cities for herself. Impugning the truthful character of both God and His angelic messenger (Genesis 19:17), she looked back, with the direst of results.
Only in eternity will we know what tragic and terrible spiritual (as well as physical) sequences and consequences resulted from our reluctance and refusal to take God seriously.

*Ignoring God's warnings of discipline results in certain punishment.
Both she and Lot had been shown great grace in multiple warnings: in verse 13, twice they are told by the angel that Sodom is to be destroyed. Again in verse 15 they are warned. In verse 16 their hands are seized, out of the Lord's compassion, and they are led outside the city. Still they do not want to go! God grants Lot's request to settle in Zoar, yet on the way there she felt she could not resist a backward look, despite all the warnings.

NOTE: neither she nor Lot had been told exactly what would happen if she looked back. Perishing as a pillar of salt had not been mentioned.

LESSON: when we sin, we cannot predict the severity of the result, either. Some among the Corinthian fellowship who took the Lord's supper unworthily found this to be so (I Corinthians 11:29, 30). We serve a thrice-holy God, Who does all His good pleasure as He sovereignly chooses.

"Father, as Your children we can easily take Your grace for granted, becoming comfortable with sin as we are lulled into complacency. Forgive such arrogance, Father, and warn us again by bringing Lot's wife to remembrance, to walk in a manner worthy of Your holiness. Cause us to trust You when You say, "No, wait." Cause us to faith You when You say, "I will provide. It will be enough." May we take You seriously in ALL You say.
In the Lord Jesus' Name I ask,
Amen."

A Prayer

2011-07-12T07:32:00.000-07:00

Father,
I would intercede for a choice sister in the faith as she ministers to her loved one through dreadful days and difficult nights. The enemy of her soul is no doubt doing all he can to discourage and dismay her heart-- I plea Your blessed Spirit would speak peace and assurance of love to her spirit incessantly, especially in the night hours, when needed most.
Strengthen her resolve in times of tiredness, Father, bolstered by Your Spirit's bringing promises from Your Word to her remembrance.
Be pleased to grant her wisdom & discernment in her use of time, balancing her various family responsibilities so that her heart is free of guilt, one of the enemy's choicest tools.
You've shown Yourself so faithful on her behalf times without number in the past, Father... plainly proving that Your power is perfected in weakness... minister Your grace afresh, I plea, in this time of protracted stress.
Beloved Lord, I would that You move in such a way that others would sense and be aware that it is You who are accomplishing this, and thereby gain the credit and glory! Bear witness to Yourself, through her actions, attitudes, and countenance, that You, and You alone, are the only true and living God!
May Your living reality be manifest through her simplest acts, resonating through her words, resulting in Your perfect will accomplished in her loved one's life.
All to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose Name I pray,
Amen.

II Corinthians 4:3, 4; I Cor. 2:14

2011-06-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." "But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised."

Ironic imagery that Paul uses to describe the spiritual condition of the lost, since he himself was struck blind as he approached Damascus. His sightless eyes mirrored the blindness of his soul. He had no idea who it was who had knocked him so forcefully to the dust.

Yet, before that momentous day, had anyone asked, he would have been greatly insulted at the very questioning of his spiritual understanding. Of course he was not spiritually blind! The very idea!! His Judaic credentials were impeccible, his academic accomplishments impressive. So it is with spiritual pride. "Every man's ways seems right in his own eyes."

Thus, the one who says, "I see just fine" has the least awareness that he is spiritually sightless, while the awakened one, the redeemed believer, needs daily ask that the Lord who knows the hearts of all would continually reveal his own heart to him (for indwelling sin blinds each of us to areas which need confession, repentance, and forsaking). Praise to the gracious Father for His blessed Spirit's revealing ministry!

Isaiah 55:10, 11

2011-06-02T08:38:00.000-07:00

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."

However many the times my heart returns to this powerful passage, its confident promise of assurance still sweetens my spirit with the reading. So much in this world starts well but ends badly, shows promise initially yet eventually accomplishes little or nothing, so that this declaration stands in stellar contrast: God's Word never fails. Never.
True, I may not see the results in my lifetime. Or the outcome may not be what I expected or desired. Yet such consequences do not nullify this promise in the slightest: His Word never fails. Never.
How could it be otherwise, really...? The One making the promise is all-knowing, all-powerful, and never changes. As Jeremiah so aptly prayed, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You" (32:17).
"Familiar and needed truths, Father, which I plea You would bring home to my heart afresh. Too often I lazily lapse into assuming truth about Your Word, rather than alertly wielding it in combat with the enemy of my soul. Forgive for ways I impugn Your character by unbelief in the power of Your Word, a reflection on Your power as Sovereign Creator. Call me again to a new awareness and commitment to You and Your unfailing Truth. In Your Son's Name I pray, Amen."

Wednesday Crucifixion by R.A. Torrey

2011-04-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

"Matthew reports the Lord Jesus as saying, “As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale (“sea monster,” RV marg.), so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (12:40). According to the commonly-accepted tradition of the church the Lord Jesus was crucified on Friday, dying at 3:00 p.m., or somewhere between 3:00 p.m. and sundown, and was raised from the dead very early in the morning of the following Sunday. Many readers of the Bible are puzzled to know how the interval between late Friday afternoon and early Sunday morning can be figured out to be three days and three nights. It seems rather to be two nights, one day and a very small portion of another day.

The solution of this apparent difficulty proposed by many commentators is that “a day and a night” is simply another way of saying “a day,” and that the ancient Jews reckoned a fraction of a day as a whole day, so they say there was a part of Friday (a very small part), or a day and a night; all of Saturday, another day, or a day and a night; part of Sunday (a very small part), another day, or a day and a night. There are many persons for whom this solution does not altogether satisfy, and the writer confesses it does not satisfy him at all. It seems to him to be a makeshift, a very weak makeshift. Is there any solution that is altogether satisfactory? There is.
The first fact to be noticed in the proper solution is that the Bible nowhere says or implies that Jesus was crucified and died on Friday. It is said that the Lord Jesus was crucified on “the day before the Sabbath” (Mark 15:42). As the Jewish weekly Sabbath came on Saturday, beginning at sunset the evening before, the conclusion is naturally drawn that as the Lord Jesus was crucified the day before the Sabbath He must have been crucified on Friday. But it is a well-known fact, to which the Bible bears abundant testimony, that the Jews had other Sabbaths beside the weekly Sabbath (which fell on Saturday). The first day of Passover week, no matter upon what day of the week it came, was always a Sabbath (Exodus 12:16; Leviticus 23:7; Numbers 28:16–18). The question therefore arises whether the Sabbath that followed Christ’s crucifixion was the weekly Sabbath (Saturday) or the Passover Sabbath, falling on the 15th of Nisan, which came that year on Thursday. Now the Bible does not leave us to speculate in regard to which Sabbath is meant in this instance, for John tells us in so many words, in John 19:14, that the day on which the Lord Jesus was tried and crucified was the preparation of the Passover ” (RV), that is, it was not the day before the weekly Sabbath (Friday) but it was the day before the Passover Sabbath, which came that year on Thursday. That is to say, the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified was Wednesday. John makes this as clear as day.
The gospel of John was written later than the other gospels, and scholars have for a long time noticed that in various places there was an evident intention to correct false impressions that one might get from reading the other gospels. One of these false impressions was that the Lord Jesus ate the Passover with His disciples at the regular time of the Passover. To correct this false impression John clearly states that He ate it the evening before, and that He himself died on the cross at the very moment the Passover lambs were being slain “between the two evenings” on the 14th of Nisan (Exodus 12:6, Hebrew; cf. RV marg.). God’s real Paschal Lamb, the Lord Jesus, of whom all other Paschal lambs offered through the centuries were only types, was therefore slain at the very time appointed of God.
Everything about the Passover lamb was fulfilled in the Lord Jesus. (1) He was the Lamb without blemish and without spot (Exodus 12:5). (2) He was chosen on the 10th of Nisan (Exodus 12:3), for it was on the tenth day of the month, the preceding Saturday, that the triumphal entry into Jerusalem was made, since they came from Jericho to Bethany six days before the Passover (John 12:1 —that would be six days before Thursday, which would be Friday); and it was on the next day that entry into Jerusalem was made (John 12:12 ff.), that is, on Saturday, the 10th of Nisan. It was also on this same day that Judas went to the chief priests and offered to betray the Lord Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:6–16; Mark 14:3–11). As it was after the supper in the house of Simon the leper, and as the supper occurred late on Friday, that is, after sunset, or early on Saturday, “after” the supper would necessarily be on the 10th of Nisan. This being the price set on Him by the chief priests, it was the buying or taking to them of a lamb which according to law must occur on the 10th of Nisan. Furthermore, they put the exact value on the lamb that Old Testament prophecy predicted (Matthew 26:15; cf. Zechariah 11:12). (3) Not a bone of Him was broken when He was killed (John 19:36; cf. Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12; Psalm 34:20). (4) And He was killed on the 14th of Nisan "between the evenings", just before the beginning of the 15th of Nisan at sundown (Exodus 12:6, RV marg.).
If we take just exactly what the Bible says, that the Lord Jesus was slain before the Passover Sabbath, the type is marvelously fulfilled in every detail; but if we accept the traditional theory that the Lord Jesus was crucified on Friday, the type fails at many points.
Furthermore, if we accept the traditional view that the Lord Jesus was crucified on Friday and ate the Passover on the regular day of the Passover, then the journey from Jericho to Bethany, which occurred six days before the Passover (John 12:1), would fall on a Saturday, that is, the Jewish Sabbath. Such a journey on the Jewish Sabbath would be contrary to the Jewish law. Of course it was impossible for the Lord Jesus to take such a journey on the Jewish Sabbath. In reality His triumphal entry into Jerusalem was on the Jewish Sabbath, Saturday. This was altogether possible, for the Bible elsewhere tells us that Bethany was a Sabbath day’s journey from Jerusalem (Acts 1:12; cf. Luke 24:50).
It has been figured out by the astronomers that in the year 30 A.D., which is the commonly-accepted year of the crucifixion of our Lord, the Passover was kept on Thursday, April 6, the moon being full that day. The chronologists who have supposed that the crucifixion took place on Friday have been greatly perplexed by this fact: that in the year 30 A.D., the Passover occurred on Thursday. One writer in seeking a solution of the difficulty suggests that the crucifixion may have been in the year 33 A.D., for although the full moon was on a Thursday that year also, yet as it was within two and half hours of Friday, he thinks that perhaps the Jews may have kept it that day. But when we accept exactly what the Bible says, namely, that the Lord Jesus was not crucified on the Passover day but on “the preparation of the Passover,” and that He was to be three days and three nights in the grave, and as “the preparation of the Passover” that year would be Wednesday and His resurrection early on the first day of the week, this allows exactly three days and three nights in the grave.

To sum it all up, the Lord Jesus died about sunset on Wednesday. Seventy-two hours later, exactly three days and three nights, at the beginning of the first day of the week (Saturday at sunset), He arose again from the grave. When the women visited the tomb just before dawn the next morning, they found the grave already empty. So we are not driven to any such makeshift solution as that any small portion of a day is reckoned as a whole day and night, but we find that the statement of the Lord Jesus was literally true. Three days and three nights His body was dead and lay in the sepulcher. While His body lay dead, He Himself, being quickened in the spirit (1 Peter 3:18), went into the heart of the earth and preached to the spirits which were in prison (I Peter 3:19). This supposed difficulty solves itself, as do so many other difficulties in the Bible, when we take the Bible as meaning exactly what it says. It is sometimes objected against the view here advanced that the two on the way to Emmaus early on the first day of the week (that is, Sunday) said to the Lord Jesus in speaking of the crucifixion and events accompanying it, “Besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done” (Luke 24:21); and it is said that if the crucifixion took place on Wednesday, Sunday would be the fourth day since these things were done. But the answer is very simple. These things were done just as Thursday was beginning at sunset on Wednesday. They were therefore completed on Thursday, and the first day since Thursday would be Friday, the second day since Thursday would be Saturday, and “the third day since” Thursday would be Sunday, the first day of the week. So the supposed objection in reality supports the theory. On the other hand, if the crucifixion took place on Friday, by no manner of reckoning could Sunday be made “the third day since” these things were done.
There are many passages in Scripture that support the theory advanced above and make it necessary to believe that the Lord Jesus died late on Wednesday. Some of them are as follows: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). “This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days” (Matthew 26:61). “Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself” (Matthew 27:40). “Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, “After three days I will rise again” (Matthew 27:63). “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be killed, and after three days rise again” (Mark 8:31). “They shall kill Him, and when He is killed, after three days He shall rise again” (Mark 9:31, RV). “They shall scourge Him, and shall kill Him, and after three days He shall rise again” (Mark 10:34, RV) “Destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands” (Mark 4:58, RV). “Ah, thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself!” (Mark 15:29). “Besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done” (Luke 24:21). “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days? But He spake of the temple of His body. When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said” (John 2:19–22).

There is absolutely nothing in favor of Friday crucifixion, but everything in the Scripture is perfectly harmonized by Wednesday crucifixion. It is remarkable how many prophetical and typical passages of the Old Testament are fulfilled and how many seeming discrepancies in the gospel narratives are straightened out when we once come to understand that Jesus died on Wednesday and not on Friday."

The Origin of Suicidal Thoughts

2011-03-21T05:08:00.000-07:00

"After the morsel, Satan then entered into him" (John 13:27) "(Judas) went away and hanged himself," (Matthew 27:5).

The Lord Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly." (John 10:10) The mission of the enemy, Satan, is to steal, kill, and destroy. All thoughts of suicide, therefore, are from the pit of hell. Anywhere, anytime anyone entertains the thought of killing him- or herself, it is a certainty that the origin of that suggestion is NOT from God, the Author of life.

True, dire difficulties and seemingly insurmountable situations will face us, prompting the enticement to "end it all." The deeper the grief, the more intense the loss, the greater the temptation to consider "the easy way out."

For one who takes God seriously, His sovereignty must be settled, without reservation. To not only acknowledge, but to embrace the absolute rule of God over one's life, is to experience a release and peace incomparable. So much striving and churning in our hearts stems from having never really settled the issue of His sovereignty in creation, in salvation, in all aspects of life. Yet when the heart is melted before His majesty, when the knee is bent in submission to His Lordship without limitations, then come what may... the enemy's fiery darts of self-destruction can be extinguished.

Revelation 2:10

2011-03-17T06:15:00.000-07:00

"Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."

'A 17-year-old girl in Somalia who converted to Christianity from Islam has been shot to death in an apparent 'honor killing.' Nurta Mohamed Farah, who fled her village to live with relatives after her parents tortured her for leaving Islam, died 25 November 2010 after two men believed to be relatives shot her in the chest and head with a pistol.

Sources said her parents beat her severely for leaving Islam. They shackled her to a tree by day and kept her in a small, dark room at night since May, 2010, when they learned she had embraced Christ. They also forced her to take medication for mental illness, thinking she had gone crazy. But the drugs could not sway her from her faith. Nor could the twice-weekly recitations of the Qur'an, which many Somalis believe cure the sick, especially the mentally ill.'

---Compiled from reports filed by Compass Direct News.

The Mighty One

2011-01-31T15:11:00.000-08:00

Father,
Choice and sacred moments, these, to muse upon Your majesty and grandeur! High and lifted up, and greatly exalted are You, with the angelic host praising You in antiphonal awe: "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!" O Father, bring home to my harried heart the truth of Your might, nourishing it afresh with Your Word:

" 'Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?' 'Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You' " (Jeremiah 32:27,17).

"Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand," (Isaiah 41:10).

How easily distracted this deceitful heart, staring at circumstances instead of gazing at You, my God. Such unspeakable peace when Your Spirit of might and power permeates my perspective, focusing on Your sufficiency, pondering Your promises, and rejoicing in Your perfect faithfulness and love!
Thank You for such a transforming, warming work on this otherwise cold and hardened heart, for showing Yourself so very strong O mighty Lord.
In Your risen Son's Name, I pray,
Amen.

2011-01-30T06:12:00.000-08:00

"For this I have been born, and for this I have come into this world, to testify to the truth." (John 18:37)

He who was the truth, told the truth. Unsparingly. Unblinkingly. Every word, without equivocation, exaggeration, or embellishment. He never had to retract a single statement He ever made. He never "misspoke." With absolute awareness and understanding of every possible implication and contingency, He flawlessly poured out truth concerning eternity past, the present unseen realm, as well as future certainties.

He never said "too much," or "too little." He never lapsed into verbal miscues. Every word He uttered was like an apple of gold in a setting of silver, timed perfectly. True, what He said often astounded His hearers, and His wisdom amazed, for the Father's perspective runs counter to ours (Isaiah 55:8,9). Consequently, He was misunderstood, misinterpreted, and eventually maligned. Still, regardless of response, He spoke the truth, in love, even as we as His disciples are to do (Ephesians 4:15).

May God grant grace and boldness to speak His truth in season and out of season, sensitive to His blessed Spirit's urging, leaving the results to Him.

Genesis 3:1

2011-01-28T09:14:00.000-08:00

"...has God said...?"

Astounding the audacity of a seemingly-innocent question, including: the Sovereign's authority was challenged; the veracity of the Almighty was doubted; the character of the Creator was impugned; the promises of the Faithful One were suddenly suspect. In the very act of questioning, the most crucial ingredient of man's relationship to his Maker was destroyed: trust. It is here that the dichotomy between the world system and the Christian world view is vividly apparent: the world trusts only the seen, the tangible, the measurable, whereas the one who walks by faith trusts the unseen One Who has never failed to keep all His good Word. The world considers it clever and sophisticated to question everything, mock taking God seriously, and to live only for this life, whereas the one whose life has been changed by the Lord Jesus knows in his spirit that His Word is true, His promises sure, and this world but a prelude to eternity in glory. Has God said? Yes!

Genesis 3:1

2011-01-27T11:46:00.000-08:00

"...has God said...?"

This spirit of questioning was uttered from a heart of rejection and led to acts of rebellion. Long before he possessed the form of the serpent there in the garden, Satan had led a third of the angelic host in revolt against the Lord God in His heavenly rule. His inveterate hatred has never wavered, never lost intensity of purpose: steal God's worship, and hinder His worshippers' knowledge of Him.
How? Often through casting doubt on God's character and Word by a spirit of questioning, rather than acceptance by faith. Saturating the world's system is this spirit of discontent, fueled by refusal to submit to God's sovereign rule over all. Indeed, such submission is viewed as intellectual suicide, and disdained.
Yet for those who take God seriously, James 4:7,8a, are precious: "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."

Your Treasured Word

2011-01-14T07:51:00.000-08:00

"Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You." (Psalm 119:11)

When first His love ravished my heart, I poured over the pages of His love letters hours at a time... couldn't get enough of the precious promises, newly-made just to me. The assurance of His love, the certainty of His salvation, the amazement at His grace, all enthralled my soul with ever-deepening desire to please and serve Him throughout my days.

O how I treasured His Word! How deeply the roots of His truth sank their nourishment deeply into the eager soil of my soul. Watered by the blessed Spirit's ministry of remembrance, matured by the blustry winds of life's testings, Your faithful Word has born the fruit of righteousness. When sickened by sin's deceitfulness, when overcome by the Accuser's skillful use of guilt, wondrous would be the way the blessed Holy Spirit would use the treasured Word to remind me of my Lord's loving acceptance, unfailing forgiveness, and unchanging nature.

Thank You for Your blessed Book, O gracious Father... for the times without number that You have led me to just the right promise, or to the exact precept I most deeply needed from Your treasury of truth. Such past faithfulness gives resolve to seek Your will and ways all the more diligently. Praise to Your Name for Your strengthening grace, using Your Word to encourage my heart, that I may not sin against You!

Psalm 5:3

2010-12-05T15:27:00.000-08:00

"In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice... in the morning, I will order my prayer to You, and eagerly watch."

Thank You for the morning, Father.. for the refreshing effect of sleep.. for the protection You provide through the night, when we are most vulnerable...
Praise to Your Name that You never sleep, nor slumber... that we are always before You...
Amazing that You would commit Yourself to such as us.... providing Your Book filled with promises, as trustworthy as Your Name and character..
providing Your very presence in the Person of the Holy Spirit... expressing Himself through producing fruit by grace...
through bringing to our remembrance the things the Lord Jesus said...
through bearing witness with our spirit that we are Yours..
through faithful, needed conviction of sin...
through promptings in our inner man that speak to our spirit for direction and leading...
through speaking peace to our hearts...
through confirming by conversation with others Your will from Your Word...
and all because of the Lord Jesus, and His sinless death and blood atonement for satisfying Your just and righteous anger against sinners!

Father, grant that this would be a day in which our eyes are fixed upon You... for when we focus on ourselves and our walk, it leads to either despair or pride.
Forgive for ways we compare ourselves with others... for there, again, we are given to either introspection or self-satisfaction.. neither of which is pleasing to You. Only as our thoughts are filled with contemplations of You, Your blessed Word, Your faithful character, ways, and will, will our perspective be pleasing and our lives usable.
Forgive, too, for the love of ease that fills our days... we see so little sacrifice, know so little of the heaviness of heart You have for this lost world...
No one better than You knows the prayerlessness of our hearts... our thoughts so easily taken from You, and placed on the seen, the incidental, the transitory, the temporal, the inconsequential, the worldly.
Do a work of restoration, Father, that can be explained in no other way than that You did it.
Be pleased to call us back to Yourself... to the days when our love for You was fresh, clean, joyous, enamoured with You, yearning to know You, to tell others how wonderful You truly are.
You know perfectly how desperately we need a personal awakening... and how deeply our decadent nation needs awakening... instill in our hearts afresh... grant the desire anew... to pay the price of godliness, to become usable again, and used for Your glory....
and please move us from fine-sounding words and phrases, to actual obedience.
In the Lord Jesus' Name,
Amen.

2010-10-22T04:55:00.000-07:00

Father,
When words are worthless, smothered by overwhelming grief, You are enough.

When there is no strength to move, You say simply, "Look to Me." And Your Spirit graciously brings You before my heart's vision, bringing peace beyond comprehension, and You are enough.

Forgive, Father, for ways I seek sufficiency in places, people, and things. Some may afford happiness for a season, but none satisfies, only You do that. Grant repentance to this covetous heart, weaning it from wanting the world's mirages. Grant discernment to see through the veneer of promised provision, the smiling sneer of the enemy who hates my soul. Grant contentment, Father, complete satisfaction with You, simply You.

In Your Son's Name I plea,
Amen.

Timing Is Everything

2010-08-06T08:43:00.000-07:00

"Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, 'You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me.' So they were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come." John 7:28--30

In the First Century.
From Josephus it appears that in the first century before the destruction of the Temple a number of Messiahs arose promising relief from the Roman yoke, and finding ready followers. Josephus speaks of them thus: "Another body of wicked men also sprung up, cleaner in their hands, but more wicked in their intentions, who destroyedthe peace of the city no less than did these murderers [the Sicarii]. For they were deceivers and deluders of the people, and, under pretense of divine illumination, were for innovations and changes, and prevailed on the multitude to act like madmen, and went before them in the wilderness, pretending that God would there show them signs of liberty" (Josephus, "B. J." ii. 13, §; 4; idem, "Ant." xx. 8, §; 6). Matt. xxiv. 24, warning against "false Christs and false prophets," gives testimony to the same effect. Thus about 44, Josephus reports, a certain impostor, Theudas, who claimed to be a prophet, appeared and urged the people to follow him with their belongings to the Jordan, which he would divide for them. According to Acts v. 36 (which seems to refer to a different date), he secured about 400 followers. Cuspius Fadus sent a troop of horsemen after him and his band, slew many of them, and took captive others, together with their leader, beheading the latter ("Ant." xx. 5, § 1).
Another, an Egyptian, is said to have gathered together 30,000 adherents, whom he summoned to the Mount of Olives, opposite Jerusalem, promising that at his command the walls of Jerusalem would fall down, and that he and his followers would enter and possess themselves of the city. But Felix, the procurator (c. 55-60), met the throng with his soldiery. The prophet escaped, but those with him were killed or taken, and the multitude dispersed (ib. xx. 8, § 6; "B. J." ii. 13, § 5; see also Acts xxi. 38). Another, whom Josephus styles an impostor, promised the people "deliverance and freedom from their miseries" if they would follow him to the wilderness. Both leader and followers were killed by the troops of Festus, the procurator (60-62; "Ant." xx. 8, § 10). Even when Jerusalem was already in process of destruction by the Romans, a prophet, according to Josephus suborned by the defenders to keep the people from deserting announced that God commanded them to come to the Temple, there to receive miraculous signs of their deliverance. Those who came met death in the flames ("B. J." vi. 5, § 3). (taken from http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com)

One of Satan's most adroit strategies for disguising his working (and thereby deceiving folk from recognizing the truth) is duplication. Unable to silence the declarations of the Lord Jesus, he sought to trivialize them by having numerous "messiahs" making similar claims. Bereft of spiritual discernment, the gullible multitudes drifted from one to another, confused, desperate for relief from Roman domination.

Amid this morass of disillusionment, the Lord Jesus proclaimed repeatedly that He had been sent from the Father. A study of how often He made this statement reveals how important it was to Him that the people understand and embrace it. For, however some interpreters have tried to lesssen its impact by saying He was only claiming the role of a great Prophet, those who sought to take His life understood very clearly what He meant: "I am the Messiah, God in human form!"

But note! Although they had access (He was within their grasp), opportunity (no Roman soldiers on the scene) and means (plenty of stones as well as men), there was no execution. Try as they might (and you know they did!), He remained unharmed.

Of the many explanations possible, John tells us it was a matter of timing (!) For, walking in the absolute center of the Father's will, as He always did, the Lord Jesus not only did what the Father willed, and where at all times, but when, as well. And in the providential sovereignty of the Father's plan, He would not be killed prematurely, or in any other way than crucifixion. Why? In order that the Scripture be fulfilled (John 19:24, 25, 28, 36, 37). His every word, work, attitude, and impulse was supremely submitted to the authority of Scripture.

Praise to His Name, such a Savior!

Isaiah 55:8, 9

2010-07-07T06:58:00.000-07:00

" 'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,' declares the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.' "

"A needed reminder, Father, for the times of frustration when our schedules clash and my patience runs thin because I sense such urgency, while You seem only vaguely involved. Or when I have become spiritually lethargic and insensitive, and suddenly find You dramatically intervening, showing Yourself strong on my behalf. In such moments I am awed afresh at Your aseity, keenly conscious of being a creature in the presence of my uncreated Creator. Worship wells up in my grateful heart, all the while covering my mouth like Job, stunned by the holiness of Your presence. Yearning soars! O to worship You as You are truly worthy.... to declare Your greatness as You deserve... wouldn't that be something! Won't that be something! To join the numberless chorus of the elect in the heavenlies, endlessly praising You for Your transcendent thoughts and fathomless ways! Yes, O Righteous Judge of all the earth, You do right!"

Genesis 7:16, 21, 22

2010-05-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

"...the LORD closed (the door) behind him. All flesh that moved on the earth perished, birds and cattle and beasts and every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth, and all mankind; of all that was on the dry land, all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died."

One of the most popular stories in all of Scripture, so often geared primarily toward children, with bright and colorful images of the animals, Noah, and the boat, "Noah's Ark" is generally presented as a happy tale. Actually, it is one of the most horrific accounts of divine judgment in the entire Bible. How so?

For one thing, there is the magnitude of the Lord's poured-out wrath. "All flesh that moved on the earth...birds and cattle and beasts and every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth and all mankind." Never before, nor since, had the living God displayed His anger on such a scale. Worldwide in scope, utterly thorough in completeness, the waters rose above the highest mountain peaks, sparing nothing nor anyone in their relentless rising. For, as far as the eye could see there were only floating bodies, terrible stench, and rain, for five months. As stern as Noah's prior pronouncements no doubt were, as he warned his mocking neighbors and others about the destruction to come, likely even he couldn't fully grasp the enormity of the deluge until it hit!

Another aspect of the account is the method God determined to use. In contrast to the striking destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire & brimstone, or the sudden confounding of languages at the Tower of Babel, or the various plagues against the Egyptians, the use of water in the Flood was a slow process. Even though water was used in the slaying of Pharaoh's army by the rushing waters of the Red Sea, it was a death quickly done. Not so the Flood, with its incessant rains inch-by-inch eliminating every place upon which to stand, and breathe.

Finally, there were the terrible memories Noah and his family reflected upon for the rest of their lives... the seemingly-endless hours of shrieks, calls for aid, pleas for help, cries for mercy that they could not answer... the pounding of fists on the outside of the ark, as desperate, frantic neighbors sought entrance for their children, if not for themselves... to no avail. The only door had been closed, and by the LORD Himself.

Possible lessons?
*The only true & living God is utterly holy, and hates sin, seriously.

*There is grace with our God, even amid judgment. He didn't have to preserve anyone from the waters' certainty, but He did.

*Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, like the ark, is the only hope of refuge from judgment (Acts 4:12).

*The rainbow reflects His promise to never again destroy the earth by flood (9:11, 15), but His hatred of sin will again result in earth's destruction, this time by fire (II Peter 3:10, 11; Revelation 20:9; 21:1).

Hebrews 12:1

2010-05-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us"

The writer makes a distinction between "every encumbrance" that needs to be laid aside, and "the sin" that so easily entangles us. Both are obstacles, hinderances to running the race the Lord has set before us, yet one is characterized not as sin, but rather an impediment.

Those athletes running competitively in ancient times wore little or nothing during the race, minimizing any restriction to their movement clothing might impose. Their single-minded intensity in the athletic realm is held up as a challenge to us in the spiritual marathon that is our Christian walk. We, too, are to put off whatever the Holy Spirit reveals has become a drag upon our stride. A colorful leader I knew years ago phrased it: "I needed to get the junk out of my life!"
The "junk" we need to lay aside is often morally neutral in itself, and no spiritual hinderance for others, but has become an encumbrance in our heart and must be expunged. The temptation is always there to look around and question why we are not allowed to experience what others are free to enjoy, but Romans 14:12 must prevail--- "So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God." However innocuous my encumbrance may seem to someone else, however little need they may see for my getting it out of my life, however misunderstood I may be, the unchanging and unchangeable truth remains:
"Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (II Corinthians 5:9, 10)

Romans 11:5,6

2010-05-17T20:10:00.000-07:00

"In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."

Insidious. adj. "operating or proceeding in an inconspicuous or seemingly harmless way but actually with grave effect"-- Random House Dictionary, 2010.

Insidious comes to mind whenever considering systems of theology that speak of grace in terms other than the biblical usage, characterizing it as a means of meriting favor (salvation). Various cults, such as Christian Science, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc. teach such heterodoxy, a "gospel" which is not good news at all.
These groups' popularity speaks to the natural tendency in lost folk to believe that surely some good works will help earn a spot in heaven. Still, these cults' influence is not as insidious, nor as pervasive, as the consummate organized "works-'grace' " theological system today: Roman Catholicism.

With its sacramental system inherently works-based, the entire theological structure is skewed, because the foundation is faulty. What is this foundational fault which 'proceeds in an inconspicuous or seemingly harmless way but actually (has) grave effect'?
AUTHORITY. By asserting that its authority (Church Tradition) is on an equal plane (superior, actually) with Scripture, the Roman Catholic theology of "salvation-by-sacramental-obedience" subverts the true biblical meaning of grace.
For, to add any effort whatsoever to the freeness of the genuine Gospel's grace of Scripture is to invite such questions as, "How much effort is enough? How many good works does it take to know you have salvation? Where is the joy of salvation's assurance, especially at death, if one is depending on works for acceptance?"

The implications are enormous, important, and of eternal consequence. Why? People act on what they believe. And those who teach them are promised by God a stricter judgment (James 3:1). Those who teach the systems of works-salvation in all their insidious forms will have much to answer for, when before the King (Romans 14:12).

Hebrews 12:11

2010-05-03T11:34:00.000-07:00

"All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness."

Recently, in a Bible class, someone raised the question of whether or not the Father punishes His children. I see in Scripture that we are disciplined by the Father, but are discipline and punishment the same thing?

Random House Dictionary defines punishment thus:
–noun
1. the act of punishing.
2. the fact of being punished, as for an offense or fault.
3. a penalty inflicted for an offense, fault, etc.
4. severe handling or treatment.

For discipline, more is involved, according to the same source:
–noun
1. training to act in accordance with rules; drill: military discipline.
2. activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training: A daily stint at the typewriter is excellent discipline for a writer.
3. punishment inflicted by way of correction and training.
4. the rigor or training effect of experience, adversity, etc.: the harsh discipline of poverty.
5. behavior in accord with rules of conduct; behavior and order maintained by training and control: good discipline in an army.
6. a set or system of rules and regulations.
7. Ecclesiastical. the system of government regulating the practice of a church as distinguished from its doctrine.
8. an instrument of punishment, esp. a whip or scourge, used in the practice of self-mortification or as an instrument of chastisement in certain religious communities.
9. a branch of instruction or learning: the disciplines of history and economics.

Although the terms are here used interchangeably, there is in Scripture distinction made. Punishment is seen most graphically displayed in judgment against the wicked, although God also dealt with His people Israel severely for their idolatrous ways throughout the Old Testament. Yet even amid His wrathful pronouncements and harsh measures, there remained covenantal commitment, not given any of the other nations. Only to His chosen people was His holy outrage an expression of zealous love, whereas toward Israel's enemies His judgment was purely punitive.

At the cross the Lord Jesus took upon Himself the complete wrath and judgment of God against the sin of His own, so that we are no longer under condemnation with its fear of punishment. Yes, we experience His discipline (which can certainly feel like punishment, true), but its eventual peaceful fruit of righteousness is unknown to a punished world.

Romans 13:1--4

2010-04-20T03:53:00.000-07:00

"Father,
I plea for those who serve in positions and places of danger this day... especially in our nation's military and law enforcement. Grant enhanced alertness and awareness of the enemy, whether law-breaker or one sworn to destroy our nation. Speak to the heart of our soldiers and peace officers, whether a word of warning, instruction, assurance, urgency, strengthening, or calming, as the immediate situation requires for the right to prevail.
Speak peace to the hearts of believing families, encouraging them by Your Spirit's use of promises in Your Word, that they may sense Your nearness when needed most. I plea Your perfect will to be accomplished in the lives of those who do not know You as Lord and Savior, Jesus, that You would sovereignly use the dangers and difficulties to draw Your own to Yourself.
May Your name be magnified and glorified through the lives and experiences of those who serve in these self-sacrificing ways, Father, that we may live in peace in this land.
In Your blessed Son's Name,
Amen."

Matthew 11:28--30

2010-03-08T07:23:00.000-08:00

"Thank You, Father, for drawing my thoughts from myself (where they dwell far too long and often) and wooing them to Yourself. Your softening Spirit soothes as He brings to my remembrance refreshing words of the Lord Jesus... "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

How refreshing is Your rest, restoring my soul with Your peace that passes all understanding... taking the fretting that so easily entangles my heart, the worries that encumber my walk, and the fearings that drain my days of joy... these are replaced with tranquil confidence in Your sovereign control, the assurance that You know, and that is enough.

Thank You for calling me again to come to You, and for forgiving my foolishness in staying away... for the flesh's yoke is unrelenting, and sin's burden is brutal. Only in You, blessed Lord, does my soul find rest."

John 21:20--22

2010-02-19T06:28:00.000-08:00

"Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, 'Lord, who is the one who betrays You?' So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, 'Lord, and what about this man?' Jesus said to him, 'If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!' "

Peter was indulging in many Christians' favorite indoor sport: comparison. Having been given a hard word from the Lord concerning the kind of death he would face, Peter immediately wanted to know about John's future. "After all", many would say, "it's only natural that he would want to know that while he had the Lord there to ask."

Our Lord, however, knows far better than we the dangerous distraction that fleshly comparison causes, the subtle pride that motivates it, and the havoc it can wreak among His children. Self-pity, envy, bitterness, and arrogance are but a few of the fruit the seed of comparison produces.

Like Peter, we must be sternly reminded that our Lord's plan for others is not for our eyes to see nor evaluate, but hidden within His sovereignty. There will come a time when there will be no one around with whom to compare (Romans 14:12), so we need now to fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2), eagerly seeking His will and way!

Luke 16:24--26

2010-02-05T13:29:00.000-08:00

"And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.' "

As flippantly as the world tries to trivialize the biblical portrayal of hell, its reality resonates deeply, still. The horrific images refuse dismissal, and mankind knows instinctively the words don't begin to fully describe the unceasing, unspeakable torture there.

In the present story, the Lord Jesus recounts three miseries of hell: (a) an unstoppable flame which produces unquenchable thirst [v. 24]; (b) everlasting memories of lost opportunities feed a guilty conscience [v. 25]; and (c) a fixed, unchangeable chasm separates the soul from God and everything good [v. 26].

The first, the physical agony, elicits a cry for mercy from the rich man's lips. Even but a drop of water would be infinitely better than the choking thirst the flame continuously causes. Surely father Abraham would heed his plea, and provide a moment's respite. But no. For, as a man on the rack will confess to anything, so in such terrible pain the rich man could seem piteous, when actually he is unrepentant still. Hell is totally punitive, never remedial. No one improves there.

There is mental anguish as well, with memories and conscience accusing the hell-enslaved one, reminding him of all the days filled with lost moments, lost to eternity, never to be given again for repentance and salvation. This indeed is a worm that never dies, a guilt that never relents, a yearning for the escape of sleep or unconsciousness, but there is none.... ever.

Finally there is emotional angst, unutterable despair, as the great chasm is revealed. The lost one sees and senses the separation from God, and feels it intensely. Impassable, irreversible, the great gulf is an unending reminder of the lost soul's confinement for eternity. Though within earshot and eyesight, the rich man could not move one inch toward heaven, to somehow improve his situation. The chasm removed any hope of help he might have had.

May the Lord burn this passage into the hearts of believers, adding urgency for seeing opportunities to share the gospel with lost folk; and should one who reads here be unsaved, may you look to Jesus, and live!

John 21:15

2009-11-26T05:54:00.000-08:00

"So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?'..."

What a moment. The Master Teacher asking a seemingly-simple question, in order to gently but convictingly reveal Peter's heart to himself.

[The world urges that each one of us should 'know thyself.' However, the Scriptures are clear that the heart is more deceitful than all else, and is desperately sick (Jeremiah 17:9). Taking God seriously, then, involves distrusting our heart's inclinations in living by feelings, and instead acting on His Word by faith.]

The Lord was testing Peter's commitment, his depth of love for fishing compared to the love he professed to have for his Master. Repeating the probing grieved Peter, for it seemed to reflect dissatisfaction with his response. Memories of his recent denials of the Lord were still fresh, adding to his insecurity. Nervous or not, Peter's faith once declared so boldly (Mt. 16:16) needed to be regained, motivated at its core by the self-denying love the Lord Jesus gives and requires.

Judges 16:20

2009-10-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

"She said, 'The Philistines are upon you, Samson!' And he awoke from his sleep and said, 'I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.' But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him."

Over time and through many opportunities to repent, Samson had slowly but surely slipped into a spiritual stupor. With each link in this chain of sin welded by his sensuality, he had gradually become so unusable that he forfeited the Lord's blessing and empowering. Long before he would lose his eyes physically, he had lost his spiritual sight, his sensitivity to the Lord's activity, his usability in His kingdom work.

There is great warning here. Let him who thinks he stands, take heed that he does not fall (I Cor. 10:12). No one, however spiritually mature, is incapable of falling as did Samson. To think otherwise is to act the fool.

Prayerful Contemplations

2009-10-28T19:13:00.000-07:00

"Blessed Father,
Grant grace that I may muse upon You as You are worthy, for a few choice moments here in the cool of the day. I plea Your Spirit's filling work, softening this heart so easily hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Too, may the blood of Your sinless Son do a cleansing work, restoring our broken fellowship and healing my defiled conscience, I pray.
Enormous is the need I sense for repentance, that faithful confrontation Your blessed Spirit initiates just when needed the most...forcing the wayward believer to face the fact that drifting has occurred.
Such discipline is sorrowful, even as Heb. 12:11 declares, yet well worth the peaceful fruit of righteousness after Your chastening is done.
Praise to Your Name, Father, for Your faithful love and holy dealings with Your children!
In the Lord Jesus' Name,
Amen."

II Chronicles 20:12

2009-10-21T05:42:00.000-07:00

"O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You."

In the face of a massed enemy army and its imminent attack, Jehoshaphat was afraid (v. 3). Yet he refused to give in to it, turning his attention to seek the LORD and proclaiming a fast throughout the land. Principle: When things are dire, reduce distractions & focus on Him.

By his own admission, neither Jehoshaphat nor his people knew what to do... but as spiritual leader he knew Who did! With a rare humility for one in kingly robes, he acknowledged publicly in prayer their utter dependence upon the LORD. And God glorified His Name by granting Judah a victory accomplished solely by His doing. The result? Surrounding nations heard of it, and feared the God of Israel (v.29).

I John 2:15--17

2009-08-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

"Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; But the one who does the will of God abides forever."

Satan, the one empowering the world system, the hater of God & deceiver of men, has a two-fold purpose: to steal God's worship, and to hinder our knowledge of Him. The three tools he has at his disposal (by the Father's sovereign permission) are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

John the apostle here exposes one of the enemy's strongest strategies to keep blinded men from understanding the truth: make the world system seem permanent.

Through the continual shouting at his senses, the relentless fear of death and the unknown, as well as the prideful rationalization of his supposed basic goodness, the devil lulls the lost one into believing that what he sees is all there is, and will last forever. Ironically, although there is physical sight, he is actually spiritually blind (II Corinthians 4:3,4).

Yet it is not to the blinded unbeliever that John is writing (!). No, his words of warning are to those who are "not to be ignorant of his (the devil's) schemes" (II Cor. 2:11). That the Holy Spirit of God should even compel the apostle to pen these lines implies that the power the world system wields is formidable. As Peter also warns, we must be continually vigilant, soberly alert, lest we be devoured by this lion-like foe (I Peter 5:8,9).

O Father,
Greater are You in me than he who is in the world! Praise to Your Name he is a defeated foe, crushed at the cross, and I rejoice in the victory the Lord Jesus won there as He took my place on the tree. Teach me afresh, Father, to walk in this truth, stand in it, immovable, refusing to impugn the character of my blessed Savior by yielding to Satan's intimidation. By Your blessed Holy Spirit, Father, teach me the wearing of the armor, that I may be usable for Your glory in the spiritual warfare that never ceases.
I ask in the Lord Jesus' Name,
Amen.

John 6:63--66

2009-08-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

" 'It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.' For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. And He was saying, 'For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.' As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore."

On the heels of miraculous ministries where food was multiplied, healings were causing great excitement, and His fame spread like wildfire, the Lord Jesus reveals His utter resistance to the deceitful lure of popularity.

He always and only cared for the will of His Father, period. His was an unnerving lack of concern for so much that everyone else valued so dearly. He alone understood perfectly that the flesh profits nothing, and so He lived with nothing to lose, with a fearless spiritual boldness. In the face of intensifying hatred from the religious leaders, and increasing disappointment from the multitudes, He unflinchingly spoke every word the Father gave Him to deliver (John 17:8).

Interesting that, when the disciples withdrew and walked with Him no more, there is no record of His following after them, pleading for them to return. As far as we know, He let them go. He would not "water down" the message to increase its appeal. Neither should we.

Prayerful Longings

2009-07-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

"Father,
A deep yearning abides, for a restored awareness of who You are,
a sensing again Your nearness, Your enabling presence;
Yes, Your blessed presence, so very reassuring, as You speak peace to this troubled heart.

How gentle, yet insistent, is Your Spirit of holiness, knowing my frame, mindful that I am but dust; Your perfect, thorough searching of this drifting heart, revealing the sin You hate in such a way that makes me hate it, too.

Lead on to repentance, faithful Urger,
refusing anything less than Your rightful place of preeminence in my soul,
enthroned without peer, in a love-ravished heart of holiness You've restored!"

For AYoung Married Couple Just Starting Out

2009-06-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

"Father, Your Name be praised for engineering circumstances in bringing them together, in revealing Your will that they marry, and showing such grace and favor to sustain them to this day (Prov. 27:1). Thank You, too, for the privilege of seeking Your face on their behalf, for Your blessed Spirit's transcendance of distance in accomplishing Your will. For, who can stay Your hand, or thwart Your sovereign movement high King of Heaven? Praise to Your holy Name!

From this the beginning of their marital days, Father, cause them to determine to have You first in their every decision, Your Word determining their course and priorities. As deep as is their love for each other, Father, may it pale compared to their love for You and Your truth. May they settle it now to obey Your Word through whatever life may bring, in order to bring honor to You.

Through Your Word, Father, speak powerfully to his heart, convicting and convincing him to be a man after Your own heart. May he be a man of steel and velvet, walking daily filled by and with Your Spirit, sensitive to Your still, small voice, eager to act upon what he hears. May Your Word and wisdom sink roots deep into the soil of his soul, that he may not drift away from You in the trying times to come. May You always be his first love, that she may rest securely as his second.

Speak to her heart as well, Father, that, as enraptured as she is with him, You will always be her soul's preeminent desire, wisely aware that only You can fulfill her strongest longings, meeting her deepest needs. May You continually whet her appetite for Your Word by the sweet stirring work of Your blessed Spirit, that her life may be a fragrant aroma of the knowledge of You in every place. And should You grant them children, gracious Father, may they be nurtured and admonished by Your faithful Word, according to Your perfect will, as Your Holy Spirit reveals the Lord Jesus in all His saving power.

May theirs be a winsome home of consistent witness to Your goodness & grace. Be pleased to honor Your Name through their daily habits, furnishings, lifestyle, conversations, attitudes, and laughter. Be their distinctive, O Father, that all will see Jesus in them, and be drawn to Him. May they be ever teachable, in humility always ready to acknowledge fault to one another, graciously forgiving when wronged, being more & more conformed to the image of Your dear Son.

And when it comes time to bid this life farewell, may they have no regrets, nothing of which to be ashamed, nothing undone, eager to see You in all Your glory! All praise and credit to You, great God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for bringing to pass the joining of these two in matrimony for a brief time before eternity... may Your smile be upon them to the uttermost!

In the Lord Jesus' Name I pray,

Amen."

Hebrews 4:13 ; Proverb 5:21

2009-06-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

"And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." "For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He watches all his paths."

He is living, His knowledge is absolute, and there is no place His gaze does not penetrate.

"Oh Father, You know, and You see, and You are not mocked. No one sins without consequences, without loss. The most "hidden" (though there is no such thing with You) of sins still mean fellowship with You is broken, and conscience is defiled. Joy evaporates with the loss of Your smile. When Your blessed Spirit is grieved, days are tasteless and nights seem unending.
How deeply needed is Your work of grace and restoration! So comforting to know You know this redeemed heart, fickle though it often behaves. You see, and through the Lord Jesus promise hope. Praise to Your Name, such hope is never misplaced, when set upon Your precious promises.
In Your Son's Name I rejoice,
Amen."

Isaiah 55:2

2009-06-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

"Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And delight yourself in abundance."

What a question our Lord poses to His people! Is it not a haunting thing that He asks it not to a money-squandering world, but to the people who are called by His own Name (!)? We who should know better, we whose priorities should reflect His change upon our hearts-- yet how often we still spend for that which may bring happiness, but does not satisfy.
Since money is more a matter of emotion than finance (Matt. 6:21), often we don't want to hear what the Father would say about something we are wanting to buy. In such a state, it is imperative that we ask Him for the grace to "play it either way," willing to do with or without it. He will honor such a posture. He delights to do so, giving us a testimony to His faithful provision-- more than we expected.

To Your Name, and Yours alone, Father, be the praise, honor, and glory for times without number that You have fulfilled Your promises perfectly! Not one need of any of Your children has ever failed to be met, according to the riches of Your grace in Christ Jesus. Be pleased to deepen our desire to listen for Your still, small voice when the impatience of the flesh is the strongest. May the things we buy reflect well on You who sent Your Son to purchase us at such great cost at the cross!
In the Lord Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Ephesians 5:20

2009-04-17T20:17:00.000-07:00

Incessantly thankful, Father? Gratitude, regardless? Not only "in all things," but "for" them, as well? Yes, for so You have commanded, sovereign Love, knowing the needed and encouraging changes thanksgiving works in this sin-scarred heart of mine. For, when I thank You: *faith is exercised that You are good, and do good, regardless of what I'm experiencing. *my thoughts are taken from myself, and placed where they belong... upon You. *You are obeyed,and the Holy Spirit within me is pleased. *my attitude is transformed, thereby encouraging other believers to do likewise. *a lost and watching world sees the distinctive difference You make in a believer's life. *life is put in proper perspective...under Your sovereign supervision!

A Frequently-Needed Memory

2009-04-10T05:58:00.000-07:00

I left the chapel service seeking a place to weep. The speaker's story of his own seminary days had touched me deeply. With less than half an hour after chapel ended before his next class would begin, daily he would race over to his dorm, running up the flights of stairs, burst through his door and slide on his knees to his prayer spot --- all in order to spend a few choice moments in his Savior's presence.
Such eager zeal flew in the face of my drifting walk with the Master... especially since I, too, had known such intensity in time past. Yet, gradually, cherishing time with Him, more than anyone else (or doing anything else), had eased out of my heart.
Now repentance, restoration, and resolve were needed. Most of all, to fall in love with my Lord afresh... and thereby regain the joy of being in His presence supremely.

Our Lord's Answered Prayer

2009-03-24T05:08:00.000-07:00

Amid Charles Haddon Spurgeon's Morning & Evening devotionals, I found this one especially edifying, based on John 17:24--

O DEATH! why dost thou touch the tree beneath whose spreading branches weariness hath rest? Why dost thou snatch away the excellent of the earth, in whom is all our delight? If thou must use thine axe, use it upon the trees which yield no fruit; thou mightst be thanked then. But why wilt thou fell the goodly cedars of Lebanon? Oh, stay thine axe, and spare the righteous. But no, it must not be; death smites the goodliest of our friends; the most generous, the most prayerful, the most holy, the most devoted must die. And why? It is through Jesus’ prevailing prayer—“Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.” It is that which bears them on eagle’s wings to heaven. Every time a believer mounts from this earth to paradise, it is an answer to Christ’s prayer. A good old divine remarks, “Many times Jesus and His people pull against one another in prayer. You bend your knee in prayer and say ‘Father, I will that Thy saints be with me where I am;’ Christ says, ‘Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.’” Thus the disciple is at cross-purposes with his Lord. The soul cannot be in both places: the beloved one cannot be with Christ and with you too. Now, which pleader shall win the day? If you had your choice; if the King should step from His throne, and say, “Here are two supplicants praying in opposition to one another; which shall be answered?” Oh! I am sure, though it were agony, you would start from your feet, and say, “Jesus, not my will, but Thine be done.” You would give up your prayer for your loved one’s life, if you could realize the thoughts that Christ is praying in the opposite direction—“Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.” Lord, Thou shalt have them. By faith we let them go.

Warnings

2009-03-06T08:35:00.000-08:00

Regrets: hauntings of guilt wistfully mixed with wondering "what might have been." Second guessings slip so easily into self-pity, pleasing self and the flesh, taking sides against God's sovereignty. Strengthened by complaining, self-pity bleeds into bitterness, urging anger on in its relentless rebellion. Allowed time to linger, and sinking roots deep into the soul's soil, bitterness produces fruit most devastating: a seared conscience, broken fellowship, and spiritual blight.

"Grant grace, Father, to heighten our sensitivity to sin's subtlety, to our enemy's strategies of erosion. Strengthen our resolve to walk in Your Spirit, to hide Your Word in our heart that we may not sin against You, and to put on the armor You've so graciously provided. Restore our awareness of the warfare, and what is at stake, eternally. Be pleased to deepen our love for You, to cherish You, to please You in all things.
In the Lord Jesus' Name,
Amen."

Isaiah 41:10

2009-03-03T08:11:00.000-08:00

"Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

At the core of cowardice is unbelief, the refusal to faith God. Fear focuses on self and circumstances, rather than looking to our Lord and His unfailing sufficiency.

Why so many commands in Scripture to refuse fear?

My loving Lord knows how powerfully the enemy wields this weapon against my soul. Through His multiple admonitions He is calling Satan's bluff, revealing time and again the truth that He in me is INDEED greater than he who is in the world! (I John 4:4)

Ephesians 2:8b,9

2009-03-03T07:42:00.000-08:00

"that (salvation) [is] not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast."

Before salvation, man worships at the altar of himself, deciding what is good or bad, true or false by his own sense of right and wrong. However consistently he may or may not live up to his own standard, there is yet the desperate hope that God will accept his attempts at goodness as sufficient for entrance into heaven in the end.
After all, he reasons, nobody's perfect. And God's in the forgiving business. Besides, everyone will eventually get to heaven anyway, right?
What is missed in this vain thinking is the eternal seriousness of sin's consequences in the light of God's absolute holiness.
Not comprehending (much less experiencing) God's perfect holiness, man simply ignores it, preferring to focus on a warped perception of His love, for hope. But this is whistling in the wind. For God is not mocked; neither does His holiness change.
Whatever man may wish, prefer, hope, or speculate, there is salvation in no one but the Lord Jesus Christ. He, and He alone, satisfied by His sinless life and atoning death the righteous requirement of God's holiness affronted. No human deeds, however noble, could possibly earn or deserve the salvation provided freely by the Lord Jesus. To even try is to insult His grace.

Isaiah 49:15,16

2009-02-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

"Can a woman forget her nursing child, and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me."

Thank You, Father, for this needed Word. Regardless of feelings of being forsaken, of times when life just seems long, and when You seem distant, You have not forgotten.

My soul's enemy stresses my insignificance... You remind me that You remember.

The world cynically snears, and implies in a thousand ways that worth is wrapped up in power and paper... You know eternally better, that to be remembered by You is of infinitely more value than anything creaturely.

Praise to Your holy Name, my gracious Father! Who can truly express adequate gratitude for being remembered kindly by the omnipotent Creator of the universe? And possible only through the salvation given by Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, praise to His Name!

Amen.

Genesis 3:10

2008-12-31T12:27:00.000-08:00

"The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground."

Confronted by God's absolute awareness of all things, Cain was in shock. What he wanted to accomplish in solitude was in fact enacted coram Deo "before God." All things are! (Hebrews 4:13) As his parents, Adam and Eve, discovered as well, there is no successful hiding from the living God. Humanity has been attempting it down to the present day, to no avail. And the blood of victims has been crying to Him who hears, without ceasing.
In particular I am thinking of more than fifty million victims, since the early 1970's, deliberately-taken lives, whose blood continually cries out to God. What America has done in secret will be made known in judgment. God is not mocked (Galatians 6:7). Should the Freedom of Choice Act become law, nullifying all restrictions on abortion in America, this land will be storing up wrath for itself in terrible ways. The righteous Judge of all the earth will do right. He will act on behalf of the innocents.

"Father, it is only by Your great mercy and compassion, for the
sake of the remnant, that You have stayed Your hand thus far.
Our nation is so ripe for judgment, and Your church is so ripe
for Your woodshed. Forgive for Your children's dissatisfaction
with You, and what You provide. Forgive our greed. Call us
back to simplicity, to knowing You are enough.
Grieve our hearts over the killing, the ongoing killing... may we
never "get over" it.
In the Lord Jesus' Name,
Amen."

Proverb 23:7a

2008-12-27T04:37:00.000-08:00

"...as (a man) thinks within himself, so he is."

A.W. Tozer had it right when he said, “What comes to mind when you think of God is the most important thing about you.”

There is no more serious business in all this life than to think of God aright. For, to the extent that our concept of who He is varies from the truth, we are guilty of idolatry.

To think unworthy thoughts of God is to impugn His righteous character, besmirch His holy Name, and call into question His flawless faithfulness. It comes as no surprise when a lost and spiritually-blind world doubts the goodness of their Creator, but it is unutterably grievous to the LORD when His own blood-bought children do so. And how do unworthy thoughts manifest themselves?

Most often in our speech, since our mouth speaks from that which fills our heart (Luke 6:45). Unworthy thoughts produce unclean speech (Ephesians 4:29; 5:4). In the former we lose our joy of worship, in the latter our testimony among men.

Philippians 4:8 is vital, if we are to be restored in thought and speech. May the Holy Spirit increase our desire and determination to think on our God worthily.

Ephesians 5:16

2008-12-09T09:20:00.000-08:00

"making the most of your time, because the days are evil."

It's eerie to feel days slipping away, to be keenly aware of time's passing... knowing all the while the seconds can't be slowed, the minutes called back, nor the hours retrieved.
What to do? Listen. "Incline your ear, and come to Me. Listen, that you may live."

Jeremiah 32:17

2008-12-09T09:03:00.000-08:00

" 'Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.' "

Interesting is the irony that, in this age when each one does what is right in his own eyes, the Lord providentially incorporates each one's most minute maneuverings into His sovereign design.
Without outward coercion, without violation of individual integrity, and without the slightest miscarriage of justice nor love, the living God fulfills His every purpose, proceeding precisely as He has declared in His Word to do, all in perfect consistency of character.
Only One who sees the end from the beginning, before Whom all things are open and laid bare, could there exist such supreme coordination of immeasurable complexities!

Psalm 103:1--5

2008-11-23T19:13:00.000-08:00

"Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit; Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle."

Of the distinctives that mark the believer's life which can cause a watching world to sit up and take notice, attitude and perspective surely rank near the top. And of the passages of Scripture used by the Lord to warm our hearts, and elicit our adoring worship, this is among the choicest. It is a self-sermon, preached by David to his own soul, in which he exhorts himself to hold nothing back in praising the LORD. And notice a key shift he makes in this process of praise: he moves from the general to the specific-- from general adoration of His holy character, David contemplates specific gracious acts the LORD has accomplished on his soul's behalf. By so doing, intensity is added to his praise, his perspective is transformed more deeply than had he stayed general in his praise, and his attitude becomes worshipful in the process.
As we meditate on specifics represented by each of these phrases, we too will experience such change, to the praise of His Name!

Psalm 9:10

2008-11-21T15:29:00.000-08:00

"And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You."

From the very first tempting of Eve by the serpent, with his seemingly innocent question, "Indeed, has God said....?" (Gen. 3:1), doubting God's goodness has permeated mankind's spirit. Sin's effects, such as misery, disease, death, and destruction have caused some to reject His existence, while others question His character in causing/allowing such to occur. Such blame makes it plain they do not know Him.

To others, however, He has revealed Himself through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, renewing their mind as He quickens their spirit, giving the ability to know Him, spiritually. From that moment of salvation onward, the unrelenting goal of the believer is to know Him, ever more intimately.

For, to know Him is to love Him. To know Him is to speak of Him artlessly, without thought of others' scornful response. To know Him dearly is to find Him more precious than any other relationship. And, yes, to know Him is to trust Him, finding Him flawlessly faithful, wonderfully worthy of waiting upon for wisely-timed responses.

"Remind me, too, Father, of this verse in times of feeling forsaken... for You have promised here to never forsake Your seeking ones. Sometimes I'm not even aware I'm pursuing You, but Your blessed Holy Spirit quietly urges me into Your presence, to find grace to help in time of need. How deeply I know You is Your gracious doing; how little I trust is my own. Thank You for not being through with me, yet.
In the Name of Your risen, sovereign Son, I pray,
Amen."

John 11:43---46

2008-11-02T06:20:00.000-08:00

"Lazarus, Come out!" It was a command from the sovereign Son of God, and compliance was instantaneous. There in the inky blackness of the sealed tomb, Lazarus' pulse was restored, his awareness returned, and suddenly light invaded his space as trembling hands loosened his wrappings! As he emerged alive from that place of death, some rejoiced. Some rejected. But no one remained the same. The Lord of life did not leave that option open, and He still doesn't today.

He either is who He said He is, or He isn't. His claim to being the one and only avenue of access to the heavenly Father (John 14:6) is either true, or it isn't. He leaves no room for a third choice, for to not decide is a decision in itself: it is a thinly-disguised rejection, which bears the same consequences as outright denial.

Does it matter? Is it all that important? Many say "no" today. God says, "he who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life." (I John 5:12).

Will we take Him seriously?

II Chronicles 20:6

2008-10-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

"And he said,'O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not Ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You.'"

Notice God's place in the universe, His position over all authorities, and His power that cannot ultimately be thwarted.

As gifted as king Jehoshaphat was administratively and politically, it was his personal godliness and spiritual leadership that most inspired and encouraged his people. Here we find him verbally reminding all Judah (v. 13) of the greatness and sufficiency of the living God. He begins by focusing on the LORD's sovereign place in the universe. In stark contrast to the deities worshiped by the sons of Ammon and Moab (v. 10), Jehoshaphat affirms that there is only one God who is preimminent in the heavens: the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

In the immediacy of the situation (v. 11), where armies have amassed against him, Jehoshaphat next speaks of God's superiority of position over all the nations' kingdoms on earth. The families need to know that God is not indifferent to their vulnerability. He knows they are outnumbered, and feel helpless (v. 12). The king wisely directs their attention to Him Who is their Hope.

Finally, Jehoshaphat speaks of the power and might that are God's, against which no one can stand. Citing the ways the LORD showed Himself so strong on Israel's behalf in driving out the hostile nations before Abraham in his journeying, the king compells his hearers to faith God's power to act on their behalf again.

Father, when situations become overwhelming, bring this scene to mind afresh. Use it to shift our focus from the seen to the unseen, from creatures to You, the Creator. Bid us muse anew on the truth that You are GOD, supreme in place, position, and power, sovereign over all that is.
In the Lord Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Romans 11:33

2008-10-29T07:42:00.000-07:00

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!"

Interesting is the irony that, in this age when each one does what is right in his own eyes, the Lord providentially incorporates each one's most minute maneuverings into His sovereign design.
Without outward coercion, without violation of individual integrity, and without the slightest miscarriage of justice or love, the living God fulfills His every promise, proceeding to do precisely as He has declared in His Word all that He has said He will do.
Only One who sees the end from the beginning, before Whom all things are open and laid bare, could there exist such supreme coordination of immeasurable complexities.

Praise to Your Name, Father, that You are as great in Your minuteness are You are in Your magnitude! Nothing escapes Your notice, absolutely nothing. To think upon Your omniscience always brings me to my knees, instantly aware of my finitude, my short-sightedness, seeing so little of life's gigantic panorama. Call me afresh to seek Your face moment-by-moment, knowing Your perspective is my greatest need for living wisely.
In Your Son's Name, I plea,
Amen.

Haggai 2:8

2008-10-28T18:35:00.000-07:00

"'The silver is mine, and the gold is mine," declares the Lord of hosts.'

The statements, the promises, the declarations of Scripture present the absolute truth by which we know the mind of God. And in the process of revealing His heart, the Lord also counters the lies of the enemy, the devil. America has embraced the lie that silver and gold is hers, with so many making and spending as much as possible by whatever means in order to please him- or herself to the fullest. Greed is applauded as praiseworthy ambition, seen as absolutely essential for successful business dealings. Self reigns supreme, garnering more and more silver, more and more gold, little realizing that life does not consist of possessions (Luke 12:15).

Exceedingly grievous to the Holy Spirit is the fact that this spirit of greed is also found within the body of Christ, His church. The spirit of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5), who motivated them to lie to the Holy Spirit still works in some assemblies today. Oh, for more churches of the Macedonian sort (II Cor. 8), who, though financially struggling (v.2), gave liberally to the work of their own accord (v.3); stemming from having first given themselves to the Lord (v.5). They understood that giving went beyond the silver and gold, straight to the yielded heart. May we, as well.

Isaiah 64:4

2008-10-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

"For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him."

Implied within the commands, exhortations, and promises found throughout the Word to wait upon the Lord is the truth that His ways & thoughts are not like our ways & thoughts (Isaiah 55:8,9). This includes His clock, as well.

As everything about our God is perfect, so is His timing. And when we ask for His will to be done, we are praying for His schedule as well as His direction! For, the "when" of His will is every bit as needed as the "where" and "what." How, then, do we keep our impatience in check when His answer is "wait?"
Several thoughts come to mind:

*Read & re-read biblical accounts of times when God acted in behalf of waiting saints. Elijah praying down fire from heaven is only one among many Old Testament instances, while the church praying fervently for Peter's release in Acts 12:5 ff. is an excellent New Testament account.

*Reflect upon the times the Lord has shown Himself strong on your behalf previously. This self-encouragement is enhanced by keeping a spiritual diary, recording ways He has faithfully kept His word, without fail.

*Rehearse the truth, aloud if necessary. Praying the Word back to the Father, pointedly emphasizing the promises He has made related to waiting, fixes our focus where it belongs: on Him, rather than circumstances.

You are the one and only true and living God, Father. There is no God but You. All else and others are created beings, powerful but finite, many mightier than man, yet immeasurably inferior to You their Creator. You, uniquely in Your triune Godhead, are preeminent in the universe, absolutely sovereign, utterly unlimited in Your wisdom and understanding. Acknowledging Your omniscience, increase our willingness to wait upon You, learning how to wait upon You during those times when it pleases You to teach us afresh Your transcendent timing.
In the Name of the Lord Jesus we pray,
Amen.

II Chronicles 20:6

2008-10-08T19:37:00.000-07:00

"and He said, 'O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You.'"

Whether faced with military foes as was Jehoshaphat, or militant woes in the form of spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies as are believers today, prayer must ever and always be our first response and our God's sovereignty our first reflection.

Scripture is replete with passage after passage which speak of God's sovereign supremacy, and we must memorize and meditate upon them, filling our thoughts with them, encouraged, uplifted, rehearsing the truth that His eternal purposes can never be thwarted.

I recall Psalm 103:19, "The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all."

Daniel 4:35 also comes to mind, "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, 'What have You done?'"

Oh Father,
In these times when politics and economies are viewed as so very powerful, wreaking havoc in the lives of so many, call Your children to a fresh awareness of Your sovereign might, Your limitless awareness, Your absolute control over the affairs of men. Nothing is hidden from Your sight, but all things are open and laid bare before Your eyes. Be pleased to have Your perfect will accomplished in this wicked land for the sake of the remnant. Whether to the praise of Your justice or the praise of Your grace, Your Name be praised! May the Name of the Lord Jesus be given great glory as You see fit. Teach us how to rest in Your sovereignty, confident in Your providential care, regardless of circumstances and externals. May such distinctive peace prove a winsome lure for lost souls hungering for spiritual relief.
In Your Son's Name,
Amen.

Isaiah 49:15, 16

2008-09-19T04:47:00.000-07:00

"Can a woman forget her nursing child, and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me."

These verses are God's response to Israel's cry that He had forgotten her. In spite of the myriad of promises He had made to the contrary, and proved by countless acts of might and provision (such as all that was involved in the Exodus), Israel would still insist He had forgotten her, that she was no longer "the apple of His eye." Amazing. Or is it...?

Have we not been promised, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you," (Hebrews 13:5)? Did our Lord not promise "I am with you always, even to the end of the age," (Matthew 28:20)?

Yet, how often we, too, yield to feelings of abandonment, listening to the lie of the enemy of our soul as he whispers that we've been left adrift to fend for ourselves in this maze of decisions called life. The cry can rise up in our spirit, like Israel's, "He has forgotten."

"Father, You never give a promise for nothing, and Your promised presence is such a needed one, especially in the night times when loneliness and fear intensify. Forgive for times we interpret your silence as indifference. Rather let us see such times as faith-stretching. Grant grace to faith You in Your unseen Presence, and love You for it. Use Your precious and magnificent promises to increase our anticipation for the time when we'll see You face to face, in all Your glory. Be pleased to fill the waiting with Yourself!
In the Name of Your Son, the Lord Jesus, I pray,
Amen."

Psalm 5:3

2008-09-17T04:48:00.000-07:00

"In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch."

Again Your blessed Spirit speaks these words to my heart, familiar as they are, reviving my desire to seek Your face before all others. It's the eagerness that brings tears to my spirit, for far too often do I think of a thousand others more eagerly than You.

Then the questions come: where has gone my eagerness for You? Why have my watching and seeking lost the eager yearning that once thrilled the mornings with You?

I needn't look long nor far. Sin is ever and always the answer. I plea and trust Your spiritual surgery, Father, as You so precisely wield the knife of discipline. Your chastening is never excessive, though severe. And the peaceful fruit of righteousness is worth it all (Hebrews 12:11).

Praise to Your faithful Name for Your restoring work! Be pleased to receive great glory through the eager watching of Your children, as they order their praying to You, morning by morning, in grateful adoration!
Through the Name of Your dear Son, our only Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ,
Amen.

Micah 4:5

2008-08-27T19:44:00.000-07:00

"Though all the peoples walk each in the name of his god, as for us, we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever."

Everyone, without exception, serves a god. Technically there are no atheists, for even the one who says he/she does not believe there is a god worships (attributes ultimate worth to) someone or something, even if it's him- or herself. Consequently, everyone daily decides, not whether to worship a god or not, but which being will receive his/her worship: the living God of all that is, or a substitute.
We as believers must constantly be on guard lest even one of the multitudes of worldly substitute deities subtly slips onto the throne of our hearts, displacing the name of the LORD our God. The enemy of our soul would have us assume it cannot happen. Yet the One who knows the true depths of our deceitful heart warns, "Therefore, let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall."

Repentance

2008-08-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

Recently I came across an outline related to repentance that proved helpful.
Repentance: A Three-Fold Process of Change
1. Our MIND Changes
Agreeing with God about the truth. As long as we offer excuses, we
have not yet repented. We must come to the point of echoing David's
cry in Psalm 51:3,4.

2. Our HEART Changes
We must have a broken heart before the Father, grieving over what
our sin has done to Him. David expressed this truth in Psalm 51:17.

3. Our WILL & ACTIONS Change
Repentance requires a turning away from sin, a change of lifestyle,
the ridding of any idol from the heart, tearing down any stronghold,
and removing ourselves from tempting situations.
When we begin to live life as God intends, we have repented.
Philippians 2:13.

The Danger of Drifting

2008-08-10T05:59:00.000-07:00

It was a Monday morning years ago, and I was enjoying the relaxed atmosphere of fellowshipping with about 20 other pastors in a room provided at a local bank for this weekly meeting. With all the seriousness and load of Sunday behind us for yet another week, Monday morning was a choice time for rest and enjoyment of fellow ministers' company.
Still, it wasn't all punch and cookies, especially during the time of prayer requests and the intercession that followed. This particular session started typically, with mention made of financial need, upcoming revival services, and concerns for various ministries in the community. And then, after a minute or so of silence, one man started quietly, "The Lord has been convicting me recently about a sensitive issue in my life." He continued, "He has shown me that I love to preach about Him more than I love Him."
No one said a thing, nor moved an inch. It was one of those moments when the convicting impact of a truth is so stout that there's nothing to be said. Each of us knew it to be so in his heart, as well, and asked the Lord to increase our love for Him.

Idolatry is a sin so subtle. The leaving of our first Love begins with gentle drifting, leading to replacing Him with look-alikes that our deceived hearts don't even perceive as substitutes. Eventually, we embrace them, and, unless we repent, must endure His rod of chastening, (Heb. 12:11).

Father, may Your blessed Holy Spirit grant daily diligence in refusing to even begin to stray from Your presence and fellowship. Increase our fear of sinning against You, and strengthen our resolve to repent when we do. Reveal the idols we've allowed to receive the worship You alone deserve, and grant the grace needed to tear them from our hearts.
In the Lord Jesus' Name,
Amen.

I Can't Imagine

2008-08-04T11:02:00.000-07:00

Father,
With the ever-deepening decadence of these days
I must trust the truth that You are in control.
From what little I see my spirit is dismayed, as
Your Word is maligned, Your people mocked,
Your Name held in contempt.
I cannot begin to imagine what You see in Your
absolute awareness; to even try prompts
amazement at Your patience,
praise for Your grace,
and gratitude for Your mercy.

Malachi 3:6

2008-07-31T13:06:00.000-07:00

Father,

Amid the flow of seamless days, incessantly melding one into another, change is everywhere, save with You.

Time is replete with comings and goings, living and dying, continuous movement on the way to eternity, ceaseless ebb and flow, but not You.

All that is seen is temporal, while the unseen is eternal; praise to Your immutable Name that you transcend that which is viewed, that which is mutable.

For, what would happen if You could actually change...?

What would come of all the wonderful promises You've made in Your Word--- they could no longer be claimed nor trusted.

How could your children depend upon Your Word at all--- for, if You could change, so could Your Word, and we would never know which parts to believe and which parts to reject or ignore.

Our praying would lose all confidence, hope, & joyful certainty--- for it would no longer be grounded in Your constancy of character, if You could change.

Would we speak eagerly to others of their need to be saved if the Savior was not trustworthy? If the essence of His character could vascillate in the slightest?

And how would we know for sure that our King will return to gather His own to Himself, Father, if Your Name and Word were not expressions of Your unchangable nature?

Praise to Your faithful Name, Father, that You cannot change and remain who You are. Grant grace that we may think of You as You truly are, and serve You in a manner worthy of Your immutable Name.

In the Lord Jesus' Name, I pray,
Amen.

I Corinthians 10:13

2008-07-18T06:09:00.000-07:00

"(a) No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and (b) God is faithful, (c) who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation (d) will provide the way of escape also, so that (e) you will be able to endure it."

Each statement in this verse counters a lie of the world system, instigated by the father of lies.
(a) Satan would have each of us feel that my temptation is uniquely mine, distinctly difficult, common to no one else. The more isolated and alone, the more abandoned he can convince me I am, the more I will look inward rather than upward.
(b) Any time we sin, the enemy uses it to question God's faithfulness. He relishes casting aspersions on the Lord's character by planting seeds of doubt and blame in our hearts as to His goodness.
(c) He whispers that we are not capable of resisting, because God will allow more than we can endure. No, in Christ we can do all things!
(d) The devil would convince us there is no escape, no alternative. We must sin. Our flesh gleefully agrees. The Holy Spirit says, "No, keep asking, keep seeking, and you will find the way of escape."
(e) Satan would have us believe we cannot endure his temptations. Yet the One who is Truth declares that we can. He who cannot lie, whose promises have never failed, whose provision is all-sufficient, is true to His Word.
Thus, when the Christian sins, it is not from any lack of power or provision on the part of the living God. It is not an evidence of any character deficiency on His part in the slightest. Rather, the responsibility is upon the believer to cooperate with, and yield to the resident Holy Spirit within, depending upon His power for the defeating of the evil one.
May we grow ever more discerning in seeing through the enemy's lies, learning to counter them with the truth of Scripture!

Luke 10:38-42

2008-07-17T06:10:00.000-07:00

"But the Lord answered and said to her,'Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her,' " (Luke 10:42).
As the ultimate hostess, Martha was going to make sure everything was perfect for the Lord during His visit to her home. And her sister, Mary, had been in the kitchen as well, for Martha remarks that she "left me" (v. 40). Mary wasn't shirking the necessary preparations of a good hostess, but when the Master arrived all else became secondary. The Lord commended her priority of love-- His presence and teaching had first place in her heart.
Many today consider worry a virtue, a sign of concientious concern that is commendable. In point of fact it is veiled unbelief, replacing prayer, and used by the enemy to keep us staring at circumstances instead of gazing at God.

Father, cause me to yearn again for the place Mary chose... seated at the Savior's feet, eagerly listening, willing to not only hear, but obey with a grateful heart. Forgive for times I succumb to the tyranny of the urgent, when the truly important slips away. Teach me again to invest my time, not merely spend it. I, too, would choose the good part, and thank You for Your gracious Word.
In the Lord Jesus' blessed Name I pray, Amen.

Our Enemy & His Lies

2008-07-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

"Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." --- the Lord Jesus, speaking of Satan (John 8:44)
From the time of his expulsion from the heavenlies, taking a third of the angels with him, Satan has sought to steal God's worship, and hinder mankind's knowledge of Him. Adroitly employing the three tools listed in I John 2:16, the father of lies continually deceives humanity into thinking heaven can be attained (earned or deserved) on the basis of good deeds. This is "the lie" that is at the heart of every world religion, and many of the cults, where man is reaching up to God, rather than God reaching down to man in grace.
And the Bible was given in order to counter Satan's lies. The teachings of Scripture, by their very declarations, expose the spirit of the world system that is the devil's domain. It requires little imagination, then, to grasp why the enemy of our soul hates the Word with an unceasing resolve.
Those whose lives are dedicated to translating the Word into languages which have not had the Bible in that tongue previously are shiny targets for intense spiritual warfare, as a result of Satan's hatred for the Word. May we intercede for them faithfully.
"Father, protect them even in this hour. Grant them perseverance in the difficult times, when faced with much opposition. May their families be encouraged, also, sensing Your nearness in the lonely times. Be pleased to sovereignly superintend the translating of Your blessed Word for Your perfect plans and purposes. In the Lord Jesus' Name, Amen."

No Third Option

2008-06-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

Had the privilege of standing in my home church's pulpit recently, and declare the truth of God's Word. At one point I rehearsed again a life principle that I've shared through the years every chance I get:

when it comes to authority related to spiritual truths, everyone is staking his/her eternal destiny on one of two bases--- revelation or speculation.

In other words, when considering such questions as, "What happened before I was born?", and, "What will occur after I die?", and, "Is there a heaven, and, if so, how can I go there when I die?", there are only two options upon which we all depend for our answers: a supernaturally-revealed answer we accept, or our best guess.

A classic example is creation vs. evolution to explain the origin of the physical universe. Although perhaps the evolutionist would hotly contend that he is not speculating, in point of fact he was not there to witness the beginning. The creationist insists that, although he, too, wasn't present the moment it all occurred, his basis of authority is the supernatural revealing of the origin of our universe by the One Who was: the unchanging, living God Who created it all ex nihilo, from nothing. How revealed? By His breathed-out Word, the Scriptures.

Thus, the evolutionist places faith in implications (speculation) drawn from observable evidence, whereas the creationist places faith in the trustworthy Word of the One Who, transcending time and space, reveals that He is the Creator of it all.

For My Pastor

2008-05-26T11:56:00.000-07:00

"Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment," (James 3:1).

Thank You, Father, for calling up from years gone by needed memories of the incessant press that is the pastorate, used now by Your blessed Spirit to deepen my pleading for the one who stands to declare Your truth weekly.

With all the voices that vie for his attention, strengthen his resolve to hear and heed Yours first, always. Cause him to ever obey Your command of Isaiah 55:3, "Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live;" May his strong, bold voice declare in public what Your still, small voice has whispered in private. Even as was the habit of his Master (Mk. 1:35) may You have his ear each day before anyone else does.

With days so brief and eternity in the balance, be pleased to grant him wisdom and great discernment, Father. Our enemy is so subtle as he skillfully substitutes the urgent for the truly important, deceiving us into acting as if the seen is eternal. Guard him from such pitfalls, I plea. May he redeem his time, numbering his days so that he may present to You a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12).

Teach him to rest, both physically, and in You, Father. May he continue to be usable spiritually, as well as physically. I still vividly recall reading of young Robert Murray M'Cheyne, the 29-yr.-old Scottish minister, who, as he lay dying, said, "God gave me a horse and a message; I have killed the horse, I can no longer deliver the message."

And I would plea Your Holy Spirit's filling and anointing work upon him, Father. May the Lord Jesus be his all-in-all, his great Love, his choicest Friend about whom he cannot help but speak. Too, be his winsomeness in presenting the Savior. May there be a Spirit-produced magnetism about his life and countenance that draws folk to You.

Remind him of Your provided armor, Father, that he may stand firm.
Speak to his heart about hiding Your Word in his heart, that he may wield the sword of Your Word with great effect. Cause his life to count for Your kingdom, according to Your perfect will. May the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart be pleasing and acceptable in Your sight.
In the Name of Your sovereign Son, I pray,
Amen.

It's true!

2008-05-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

"...If it were not so, I would have told you..." (John 14:2b)

With the cross only hours away, the Lord Jesus focused more and more quality time on His men, rather than the multitudes. Having told them of His leaving (13:33), He speaks peace to their troubled hearts (14:1), and reveals His plans to prepare a place for them to be with Him.
And in the process of promising heavenly dwellings, He adds a wonderful assurance: "if it were not so, I would have told you."
There must have been something in the disciples' expressions that prompted the Master to include this emphatic word of encouragement. And He knew what it was: fear of the unknown.
Why this lack of trust, especially in the light of the Lord's past faithfulness?
Primarily because we think God is like us. Although He has told us it is not so (Isaiah 55:8, 9), we still insist upon picturing Him in our image. People have lied to us, people have made promises they couldn't keep, as well as made fantastic claims concerning the future that did not come to pass.
How subtlely our enemy takes such disappointments and transfers them onto our perspective of the Lord. How much, then, like those disciples in the upper room, do we need to hear again our Master's assurance---- "if it were not so, I would have told you."

Brief Thought

2008-04-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

There is coolness for my soul in the stillness of Your voice. The night's heat is replete with turmoil, yet time with You restores the peace my weary spirit cherishes.

No wonder the world, my flesh, and the one who hates my soul so oppose quiet times of meeting with You. For it is here, unlike any other place for any other purpose, that Your power is perfected in weakness; that Your presence is expressed with memorable impact, so that who You are is all that matters, and what You provide is enough.

Thinking It Through

2008-04-25T13:04:00.000-07:00

Isn't it a shame that so many of God's children are ashamed of Him in His sovereignty? Speak of His love, and the reception is warm and welcoming; preach on His power, and there is grateful awe; mention His mercy, and praise is raised to the heavens!

Yet present God in His absolute sovereignty, in His eternal determination of the destinations of men, His kingly right to exercise justice in the damnation of many as well as grace in the salvation of some, and the response can be quite different..... and telling.

Upon my referring to Romans 9:13 during the course of a conversation concerning God's sovereignty, the angry reply was, "I don't think that ought to be in there!" (Stunned as I was, I couldn't decide which was more grievous: the impugning of God's character, or the implying that Scripture was fallible).

Yet, the more I've mused upon it, I've come to believe they are inseparably linked--- questioning the trustworthiness of the Scriptures is to cast doubt upon the integrity of the sovereign God who inspired them.

And that really is a shame...

Non-Negotiables

2008-04-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

The stability of a believer's life, especially in times of adversity, is immeasurably strengthened by settling forever two key issues:

(a) All Scripture, every bit of it, is God's flawless Word; and,

(b) God is absolutely sovereign, period.

So many concerns used by the enemy to cause so many Christians such consternation would melt into resolution if/when God's sovereignty is unquestioned and His Word is trusted as true.

To the extent either of these positions is compromised is exactly how much access Satan is given for sowing seeds of unbelief--- questioning God's goodness, doubting His power, mocking His promises, and staying man-centered. While these qualities characterize a believer's life, the blessed Holy Spirit is quenched and grieved, and the Savior's Name is reproached.

Father, it is a deep mystery why You are allowing the wheat of your elect and the tares of the lost who look saved to dwell together in this age. As the days darken, may the children of light shine unashamedly. As the cost to claim Your cause increases, let it be paid gladly. For, anything You would ever ask of Your children pales in comparison to what You have given in Your Son, the Lord Jesus!

Putting On the Armor

2008-04-21T18:41:00.000-07:00

May my rebellious thoughts be taken captive now, Father, to Your obedience, brought into submission by the blessed Holy Spirit, centered upon the Savior, protected by the helmet of salvation. The enemy of my soul is a master of distraction, caring nothing for what he uses, so long as he keeps my thoughts away from You. Thank You for the sword of Your Word, by which I can be neither ignorant of his schemes, nor defeated by his designs. Teach me to wield it with great effect, Father, bringing verses to mind when most needed. Cover my heart with the breastplate of righteousness, too, that it may be shielded in holiness. For, it is more deceitful than all else, and is desperately sick (Jer. 17:9). You know my need to be protected by Your truth in the tenderest areas of my life; thus, I would ask that my loins be girded with Truth. And be pleased to restore a sensitivity to those around me, Father, by having my feet shod with the preparation of the gospel, so that wherever I travel today, I may be usable for sharing a word of good news concerning the Savior.
In His Name I ask,
Amen.

O Father

2008-04-08T18:24:00.000-07:00

Father,
I would plea for prayer. Far too often I rush into Your presence, and then find myself talking at You instead of with You. Forgive such arrogance. I would sit at Your feet now, as Mary did (Lk. 10:39, 42), listening to You, learning You, loving being loved by You. In such stillness You satisfy the waiting heart with Your sufficiency. Yes, in the quiet I sense afresh what too often I let slip away: You are my soul's deepest satisfaction.
I would come closer, Father, for I have drifted from You. It's both a comfort and conviction that You never change. For, if our fellowship is broken, it is on my side. If our communion is disrupted, it's my doing. If sin is in the camp, it is mine. And I am keenly aware I can hide nothing from Your holy gaze (Hebrews 4:12). There really is no such thing as secret sin, in the light of Your knowledge. So, I plea Your restoring, Your healing work, whereby repentance is granted, fellowship regained, joy returned, and Your Name glorified.
Thank You, Father. Be pleased now to anoint this day with Your Holy Spirit's unction, having Your perfect will in the lives of Your children as You see fit.
In the Name of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray,
Amen.

The Focus Fear Can't Stand

2008-04-07T04:59:00.000-07:00

"'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'" (Isaiah 41:10)

What strong commands of encouragement from our God! He who knows our distracted hearts better than anyone, and the nameless fears that rob us of rest and joy, bids us fix our focus where peace of mind and spirit are restored: upon Himself and His provision.

*His Presence "I am with you" When the downcast disciples were so demoralized because their Master had told them He was leaving them, going where they could not follow, they were experiencing the sense of abandonment. Few feelings are more devastating. Little wonder that the Lord comforted them time and again with words of His return to receive them to Himself, that they would be where He was. Someone has well said that heaven is not so much a place as it is a Person. And wherever we sense His presence, His nearness transforms that place into a heavenly one.

*His Person "I am your God" In times we are afraid, we tend to look in every direction except the right one: inward, leading to self-absorption; downward, leading to despair; at the circumstances, increasing our anxiety; at other's situations, prompting comparison, leading to self-pity, anger, or envy; at imagined solutions, leading to inaction, procrastination, and unbelief. All such idols are illusions, tools of the enemy to keep us from giving our full attention to the living God. "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10) When that is obeyed, fear cannot abide.

*His Power "I will strengthen you.... help you.... uphold you...." For the one who knows His presence and Person, there is no need to persuade or convince concerning His power. Jeremiah was one such individual. He knew his God in presence as well as character, and states confidently, "Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, " (Jer. 32:17).

Forgive, Father, for how often I take my eyes from You, distracted by the lusts that the enemy of my soul tantalizingly places before me. Forgive, too, for the directions to which I look for help & wisdom when I should look to You, the only true and living God. You know the rest my agitated heart so desperately desires, and the fear that haunts my nights. Restore, Father, the determination to seek You, You alone, Your will, Your way, beyond any and all other.
In the Lord Jesus' Name,
Amen.

An Awakening, Father, Please

2008-03-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

Oh, the burden You've placed on the hearts of so many, Father, for our land, our leaders! I cannot begin to imagine what You see in Your omniscience, knowing the depth of America's spiritual decline, all the while smugly thinking, 'all is well.'
Only You could possibly know how ripe we are for judgment, how deserving of Your holy wrath, spared only by Your amazing faithfulness to the remnant and to the promises in Your blessed Word. Praise to Your unchanging Name! For if Your nature were mutable we would be instantly consumed.

I plea for an awakening, Father, a work of spiritual vitality that can be explained in no other way than that You did it... for the restoring of believers who have drifted, who have left their first love, as well as for the quickening of lost souls from spiritual death.
The sweeping work You've done in the past, in lands such as Wales, Ireland, and yes, even here in America, be pleased to do again! For You Who created the heavens and the earth by Your outstretched hand, nothing is too difficult! Nothing is impossible!
Call us to prayer.
Call us to repentance.
Cause the fire to fall in a spiritual outpouring of power!
Call the country back to Yourself.
Bid us return to our roots as a nation whose God is the LORD.
Turn the hearts of the fathers to their children.
Do a purifying work by Your Holy Spirit's sweeping across our land!

In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I plea, Father,

Amen.

Evening Gratitude

2008-01-06T20:03:00.000-08:00

As the time for sleep approaches, Father, I would think upon Your faithfulness through my days, and thank You. Only in eternity will I fully see the constancy of Your care, the protection You so precisely provided, and Your timing of all my circumstances within Your sovereign providence.

I get misty-eyed recalling the numerous moments when I neared tragedy and death, seeing in my memory how unmistakably You intervened. They each rise up in my recollections, bearing silent testimony to the ways You've shown Yourself strong on my behalf. Whether car crashes, near-drownings, or falling unconscious in the hallway, You've made Your loving protection so very plain.

Thank You for bringing them to mind. May Your blessed Spirit use these remembrances to:

deepen my desire to walk in a manner worthy of Your calling;

speak more freely of Your gracious nature to those who do not know You;

refuse the urge to complain or murmur in adversity;

meet each morning with declarations of Your goodness;

close each day with greater gratitude for your grace.

Ephesians: All of Grace (1:18, 19)

2008-01-04T12:48:00.000-08:00

"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might"

* After telling the Ephesians that he never ceased praying for them (v.17), Paul breaks out in prayer for them! What a natural sequence this was for him--- moving from a discussion of prayer straight into intercession. May our praying likewise come as naturally!

*Here Paul specifically asks for three aspects of spiritual awareness: he asked the Father that they would come to understand (1) the hope of His calling; (2) the rich inheritance He gives His own; and, (3) the enormity of His power resident within each one of His children.

*First, the calling. Unlike our everyday use and assumption regarding hope, in the Scriptural use of the term there is a certainty involved. We say we hope something will happen (or not happen), and feel assured by past experience which way it will turn out. But we lack the element of certainty. The Bible, however, speaks of the Christian's hope as a settled, immutable issue, having no possibility of failure. Why? The omnipotent and sovereign God of the universe has declared it to be so!
Therefore, we can know that we know we are His. Some would label such confidence arrogance--- the Lord knows it to be grateful belief, taking Him at His infallible Word.

*Secondly, the inheritance. The Lord Jesus said, "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also," (John 14:2,3). Though it is possible to be 'so heavenly-minded as to be of no earthly good', Christians are to think much of our heavenly inheritance. The Lord who has prepared a place for His own would have us meditate longingly upon the time when we will be where He is.

*Thirdly, the power. Paul states the principle autobiographically in II Corinthians 12:9,10 -- the Lord's power is most plainly seen through usable, weakened, and tried vessels. As a thoroughly normal human, Paul took no masochistic delight in the physical adversities to which he was subjected. What caused him the gratitude, endurance, and even rejoicing through the torturous times was the evident power God displayed. Pain increased Paul's dependence on the mighty One. When he could find comfort in no one else, he found Him faithful.

Father, forgive for the ways we chafe against the very tools You use to conform us into the image of Your Son. Increase our trust in Your infinite wisdom, believing You for the loving God that You are.
In Your Son's Name,
Amen.

The Word and Warfare

2007-12-31T10:08:00.000-08:00

The Holy Spirit is like our General in this war, and the sharper the soldier, with readied weapons, the more powerfully He will be able to use us, with greater damage to the Enemy of our soul.

Of the weapons He has provided for doing battle, the sword of the Word and prayer are the ones for offense. The rest of the armor parts are for protection, for defense, but the Scriptures are to be wielded in attack, often through prayer.

Among the various ways and means that the spiritual soldier can gain and maintain a state of readiness, sword continually sharpened, memorization of the Word is the best.

Psalm 119:11 provides the most basic, foundational motive for memorizing the Scriptures --- “Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.” As Charles Spurgeon noted astutely, it is the best thing in the best place for the best purpose.

As a seasoned Seminary professor I admired once said, “It is amazing the affinity the Holy Spirit has for a trained mind.” In context he was encouraging Seminary training, but there is needed application related to Scripture memory, as well.

The more of the Bible that is lovingly stored away by the Christian soldier, the greater the ammunition available to the blessed Spirit for warfare.

And He is so faithful to bring to one’s remembrance a pertinent verse, or even part of one, at the exact time it is needed most. It would be grievous to know how many times we have succumbed to temptations, or acted un-biblically, or made foolish decisions simply because we didn’t know the Word.

Like Elisha’s servant in II Kings 6:17, may the Holy Spirit open our eyes to see the ongoing warfare that is happening in the spiritual realms even at this moment. Would that He would impress upon us the urgency of having un-rusted swords, by hiding His Word in our hearts for use at any given moment!

Morning Plea

2007-12-31T07:50:00.000-08:00

Thank You for the morning, Father.. for the refreshing effect of sleep.. for the protection You provide through the night, when we are most vulnerable...

Praise to Your Name that You never sleep, nor slumber... that we are always before You...

Amazing that You would commit Yourself to such as us.... providing Your Book filled with promises, as trustworthy as Your Name and character..

providing Your very presence in the Person of the Holy Spirit... expressing Himself through producing fruit by grace...

through bringing to our remembrance the things the Lord Jesus said...

through bearing witness with our spirit that we are Yours..

through faithful, needed conviction of sin...

through promptings in our inner man that speak to our spirit for direction and leading...

through speaking peace to our hearts...

through confirming by conversation with others Your will from Your Word...

and all because of the Lord Jesus, and His sinless death and blood atonement for satisfying Your just and righteous anger against sinners!

Selah (Pause & Ponder)

2007-12-31T07:38:00.000-08:00

Father, grant that this would be a day in which our eyes are fixed upon You... for when we focus on ourselves and our walk, it leads to either despair or pride.

Forgive for ways we compare ourselves with others... for there, again, we are given to either introspection or self-satisfaction.. neither of which is pleasing to You. Only as our thoughts are filled with contemplations of You, Your blessed Word, Your faithful character, will, and ways, will our perspective be pleasing and our lives usable.

Forgive, too, for the love of ease that fills our days... we see so little sacrifice, know so little of the heaviness of heart You have for this lost world...

No one better than You knows the prayerlessness of our hearts... our thoughts so easily taken from You, and placed on the seen, the incidental, the transitory, the temporal, the inconsequential, the worldly.

Do a work of restoration, Father, that can be explained in no other way than that You did it.

Be pleased to call us back to Yourself... to the days when our love for You was fresh, clean, joyous, thrilled with You, yearning to know You, to tell others how wonderful You truly are!

You know perfectly how desperately we need a personal awakening... and how deeply our decadent nation needs awakening... instill in our hearts afresh... grant the desire anew... to pay the price of godliness, to become usable again, and used for Your glory....

and please move us from fine-sounding words and phrases, to actual obedience.

In the Lord Jesus' Name,

Amen.

The Impact of Absence

2007-12-13T15:57:00.000-08:00

As presence, so absence has an impact.

Perhaps it's precisely because of the power of presence that the impact of absence is so keenly felt. And no other time of the year heightens the awareness of this truth as does Christmas.

Touted by the world as the ultimate time of year when families are to gather intact, and experience a closeness unknown at any other time, any deviances from those expectations are seen as regrettable. So, with such unreasonable expectations, and with so many marriages and homes being devastated by divorce and unfaithfulness, Christmas becomes an occasion for cynicism and melancholy.

Is there an absence here? Yes. The impact of ignoring the One whose presence is at the very heart of Christmas takes a terrible toll. Only as the Lord Jesus is looked to for salvation, and only as He is centralized in the celebrations at this time of year, will peace of mind and spirit be possible.

However intensely the world tries to trivialize this truth, Jesus IS the Reason for the Season.

In His Presence

2007-12-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

There is such power in presence!

I recall when the soldiers sought to arrest the Lord Jesus in the Garden, on the night of His betrayal…. And, upon being told that He indeed was the one they sought, “they drew back and fell to the ground,” (John 18:6).
What a sight that must have been! Battle-hardened soldiers, nerves steeled by the atrocities of war, and they are stumbling to the ground, retreating from the presence of a young, unarmed Rabbi. How can this be explained...?

It was a demonstration of deity. The Lord Jesus had said, "I am He." He had proclaimed The Name. Even as in the Old Testament encounter and conversation with reluctant Moses, The Name gave assurance of God's presence (Exodus 3:14). [By the way, Moses, too, found his way to the ground, when brought into His presence].

Such a challenge are these encounters with the living God to the theoretical acknowledgement of His presence in the experience of too many believers. When will we move from vague, mental agreement with the doctrine of His omnipresence, to actually encountering Him...?

May He shake us to the core of our being by His powerful presence!

Thanksgiving Thoughts

2007-11-22T09:16:00.000-08:00

Who could possibly deserve our life-long, soul-felt thanks more than the One who laid His life down in abject sacrifice for worms such as us...?

"He was despised, rejected, and like one from whom men hide their face... He was despised and we esteemed Him not..."

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

The greater one's sense of sin, the holiness and wrath of holy God, and the eternality of sin's punishment, the greater the gratitude for Jesus' sacrifice.

Astonishing is the inexplicable love that He would show toward hardened enemies, intent in rebellion, shaking tiny fists in the face of almighty God.

Some are dismayed that He has not elected all for salvation... I am amazed that He set His heart upon any!

So much of the blame-shifting of man, in faulting God for his lostness, stems from underestimating the heinousness of sin in the light of God's holiness. We are so comfortable with sin, so accustomed to its velvet vice-grip, its subtle strangulation, we easily forget His perfect righteousness.

At the foot of the cross, we again see what our sin cost the Son of God... and sense afresh the awesome holiness of the living God.

Thank You, Lord Jesus. Thank You, Thank You, blessed Lord, for doing what we could never have done for ourselves, being dead in our transgression and sin. Praise to your Name for such condescension, such compassion, such submission to Your Father's will.

Ephesians: All of Grace (1:17)

2007-11-19T19:33:00.000-08:00

"...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him."

In interceding for the Ephesian believers, Paul prayed for two things: (a) wisdom, and (b) knowledge of God. We could do no better than to pray the same for one another.

Wisdom, true wisdom, is the ability to view life from God's vantage point. This is possible only for the one who has been changed by the Lord Jesus Christ, who has the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16), enabled by the Spirit of God in spiritual discernment. As with every facet of the Christian life, the Bible is the key tool in gaining and maturing in godly wisdom. While reliance only upon observing circumstances can cause one to wonder as to the Lord's perspective, His Word reveals His will in no uncertain terms. The one who lives wisely, lives within the parameters of Scripture.

Closely akin to the prayer for wisdom is Paul's requesting the Lord to grant revelation in knowing Him. Paul clearly understood that, for anyone to know God He must reveal who He is. In this issue of learning the Lord of the universe I'm reminded again of the life principle: If it isn't revelation, it's speculation. God does not want His children to guess who He is. And in the inspiring, protecting, and preserving of His Word He has graciously provided the flawless disclosure of Himself. If we would please Him, then we would increase consistently in our knowledge of Him and our love for Him, by learning Him through His blessed Book.

Selah (Pause & Consider)

2007-11-13T05:07:00.000-08:00

"Oh, Father... Praise to Your Name for the faithfulness You show in preserving and protecting my life. I'll know only in heaven the multitude of ways that You've shown Yourself strong on my behalf. When I reflect on the number of times through my years that You providentially engineered circumstances, ensuring my safety when in such danger, I'm touched afresh with Your compassion and care.

Forgive for times when I complain (even if only inwardly), chafing in my spirit at what You've allowed in my life.... call again to mind the precious and magnificent promises You've so generously made (and have unfailingly kept!).

Forgive for times I take You for granted, times I fail to thank and praise You, times I presume upon You... allowing You to slip from my attention. You are so faithful to call me back, bidding me taste again the sweetness of Your fellowship, the joy of Your smile, the deep security Your Spirit gives in confirming I'm Yours.

In the Lord Jesus' Name,
Amen."

Needed Reminder

2007-11-03T14:21:00.000-07:00

"In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch," (Psalm 5:3).

*Prayer permeated David's experiencing of God, and here he touches on the "when", the "what", and the "how" of his praying.

(a) When: in the morning.

Starting in the sixth grade I learned to play the B flat Clarinet, and became skilled to the point that I went to college on a music scholarship. By the time I went to Seminary, I hadn't played it in several years, but had strong memories of all the concerts, etc. in which I had had a part. When a brother who was discipling me at Seminary asked about my prayer life, I quickly pointed out that I was a "night" person, unable to follow the Lord's example in Mark 1:35. His response was a penetrating question: Back when you played the clarinet, did you warm up before the concert, or afterwards?
No doubt he noted my wince, and said, "The discipline is not in getting up in the morning, it's in going to bed the night before."

(b) What: You will hear my voice, I will order my prayer to You.

Being up in the morning is but the beginning. The enemy of our soul knows that prayer is the place of power. He cares not what is used, i.e., fatigue, distractions, family, etc., as long as he can keep us from praying. We must ask the Lord to increase our wanting Him, to deepen our desire for time with Him, and put on the provided armor of Ephesians 6.

(c) How: eagerly.

No one enrolled David in a prayer workshop, requiring him to keep a quiet time notebook, or preached guilt-producing sermons on prayer, or called him to account for how many hours he spent in prayer.
His attitude was that of one who is in love. No outer coercion was required... his inner love for God resulted in eager seeking. So too, when our hearts are in love with the Lord who bids us come to Him, we say, "Yes, yes, and evermore, yes!"

Selah (Pause, & Consider)

2007-10-31T04:12:00.000-07:00

Praise to Your Name, Father, for another day in which to live, and move, and have my being... You have established Your throne in the heavens, and Your sovereignty rules over all, and throughout this day I plea You'll draw my thoughts to Yourself and Your sovereign supervision, continually.

Thank You for Your promised presence.... Your changeless Word... Your absolute faithfulness and constancy... Your trustworthy promises...

I would plea Your Spirit's filling work, now... and the cleansing that only Your Son's blood can accomplish, so that my thoughts this day would be taken captive to Your obedience, lifted continuously in praise to my only Hope and Redeemer.

Grant grace, Father, to guard my thoughts from despair, knowing that despair in all its forms is from the pit. Remind me, blessed Holy Spirit: it is ALWAYS too soon to despair. And that to fear is to slander every promise in Your Word...
In the Lord Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Ephesians: All of Grace (1:11-14)

2007-10-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

"In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory," (Ephesians 1:11---14).

*By His sovereign initiative, and according to His preordained plan, the omnipotent God of all that is willed that His elect ones would inherit eternal life through salvation in His Son.

Such inheritance is to the praise of His glory, being granted totally from all eternity by His uncoercible love.

Is this promised inheritance secure? Considering that a promise is only as valid as the one making it, yes! For it is the Creator of the universe, the One whose mere word spoke everything into existence, who so promises our prepared place with Him throughout the eons.

Who's pledge would be more dependable?

And should we doubt the bare giving of His word, He deigns to take up personal residence within His own in the Person of the blessed Holy Spirit!

"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him," (Romans 8:15, 16).

So the presence, ministry, urging, gifting, comforting, convicting ministries of the Holy Spirit within us confirms the truth that He resides therein... and particularly in His taking the Word and applying it as we need it the most.

And He is given as a down payment, a guarantee of things to come. As the Lord Jesus put it so beautifully, "If it were not so, I would have told you."

How utterly gracious of our Lord to give such reassurance to His men, and by extension to us!

As life's ebbing becomes more and more keenly felt, and the energies of younger years increasingly wane, these assurances of Scripture become all the more cherished, as does the One who promised them.

Ephesians: All of Grace (1:8b-9a)

2007-10-28T12:05:00.000-07:00

"...In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will.."

*In matters eternal,if it isn't revealed it's concealed. It's either revelation or speculation. Had God determined to withhold inspiration of His Word, we would not know His heart, His provisions or His prohibitions. We would be left to guess what happened before we were born, and what will transpire after we are gone.

Such speculation is exactly what the non-Christian engages in, since he "does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised," (I Corinthians 2:14). Notice the distinction between "does not accept" (refusal), and "cannot understand" (inability). Apart from the regenerating and revealing work of the Holy Spirit, there is no spiritual discernment, no comprehending God's workings, wills, and ways.

*For the redeemed one, however, God graciously makes known His perspective (wisdom), and understanding (insight). By the faithful ministry of the resident Holy Spirit, the Christian is able to appraise the spiritual dimensions of life, thereby experiencing a God-awareness unknown to lost humanity.

Ephesians: All of Grace (1:7c, 8a)

2007-10-21T13:33:00.000-07:00

"... according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us."

*God is totally other-oriented, generous beyond measure. The lavishing of His favor is according to the riches of His grace. What an amazing difference between out of and according to! Were Bill Gates, the Microsoft billionaire, to give me a sum out of his wealth, it could range from a penny to almost all he has. But if he were to give according to his financial capabilities, I'd be an instant millionaire, at least. He would be parting with a sum in proportion to his store.
The spiritual application is mind-boggling. The infinitely-great Creator of all that is, the One Who spoke everything into existence, and sustains it all by His omnipotence, has seen fit in the giving of His Son to show His elect favor in salvation according to the riches of His grace! Who can fathom a proportion of infinite riches? Who can truly grasp such giving? And to then consider the recipients of such lavishing...!
Reminds me of II Samuel 9:7,8, where the crippled son of Jonathan, Mephibosheth, is shown favor by King David. "Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father, Jonathan, and will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul; and you shall eat at my table regularly," said the king. Mephibosheth, lame in both feet, with no claim on the king's favor, prostrates himself, and says, "What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?"
So says the Christian to the God of the universe... once spiritually dead, totally incapable of anything spiritually pleasing to Him, and yet is lavished with forgiveness according to the riches of His grace in Christ Jesus!
No wonder it's called amazing grace.

Ephesians: All of Grace (1:7b)

2007-10-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

"...the forgiveness of our trespasses..."

*I recall a story I came across years ago, where a group of Christian men went camping. As they sat around the fire that night, the conversation turned to spiritual things. One posed, "What is the most beautiful word in the Bible?" One said, "grace", another, "love"... and another, "hope." There was some reflective silence, until one of the group whose past was filled with much rebellion and sin said with tear-filled eyes, "For me, the most precious word in all the Bible is 'forgiven.'
Though painful, it is a wondrous work that the Holy Spirit of God does when He reveals to someone his sin. Since our hearts are more deceitful than all else (Jeremiah17:9), and desperately sick, how else could we understand that we have transgressed God's standard of holiness, unless the Spirit reveals the truth?
When He does confront one with the enormity of his sin and the deserved consequences that will ensue, there is great grief and inner turmoil. It is the cry of Isaiah catching a glimpse of God's absolute holiness: "Woe is me, for I am ruined!" (Isaiah 6:5).
The more intense this awareness of sin, the deeper the relief and gratitude for the forgiveness given by the Lord Jesus. The greater the agreement with the Spirit that we have sinned, and sinned mightily, the more precious are verses such as: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, " (Romans 8:1), and "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness," (I John 1:9).
And the word "forgiven" is so cherished by the believer because of what it cost the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary.

Ephesians: All of grace (1:7a)

2007-09-30T14:34:00.000-07:00

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace"

*I remember getting into the car with Mom, wondering where we were going, and being told that she had some stamps she wanted to use. In those pre-teen years I didn't know what a redemption store was, much less what S & H Green Stamps signified. It would be years before I understood that the stamp redemption store, and the ubiquitous pawn shop are the two best secular examples of the basic meaning of 'redemption.' The word means to buy back, to release from bondage, and, in the days of the Roman Empire when the book of Ephesians was written, redemption was illustrated in the process of buying a slave, and then giving him/her complete freedom.
The spiritual application is strong.
Praise to His Name, the Lord Jesus paid with His sinless life the ransom God required for the freeing of elect sinners from sin's bondage!
In contrast to the world's definition of freedom (doing what you want, when you want, and how you want to do it), genuine freedom is the ability to do what you ought. Only the blood-bought believer has this spiritual ability to do that which is pleasing to God (Hebrews 11:6). This freedom is our calling (Galatians 5:1), grace-given and irrevocable (Romans 11:29).
So let the redeemed of the LORD say so! (Psalm 107:2)

All of Grace: Eph. 1:6

2007-09-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

"to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved"

*A dictionary definition of truism is succincted stated as 'an obvious truth'. And surely there are few, if any,more widely-accepted ones than this: God helps those who help themselves. It epitomizes the world's perspective. It so naturally fits and expresses humanity's common sensical stance on life in general, and religion in particular, that to question it one might as well go ahead and cast doubt on breathing as beneficial to life.

In stark contrast to this false assumption stands the biblical truth of salvation by grace. Diametrically opposed to the notion that somehow we can spiritually help ourselves, and thus deserve God's help, Scripture declares that the non-Christian is spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1), and all his efforts to please God are worthless (Romans 3:10-12). The one who has been changed by the Lord Jesus, however, has been placed "in the Beloved," and is viewed by God with the same love as He has for His Son. Such love must be of grace, for it could never be earned nor deserved. Who could force the hand of almighty God to unwillingly love?

Ephesians: All of Grace (1:5)

2007-09-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

"In love He predestined us..."

* In spiritual matters of an eternal nature, describing activities which occurred before we were born, as well as what will transpire after we are gone, the Bible is the Christian's objective source of revelation. And in all such matters, we have but two choices: revelation or speculation. Had God decided to conceal the truths we have in Scripture, we would be left to guess regarding His nature and character, His interaction with our world, and His will toward us. Praise to His Name for breathing out His Word by His blessed Spirit, revealing His heart of justice and mercy!
Of course, those who reject His revelation seem enamored with their speculations... one of which de-personalizes God as a cosmic Force. Only the Lord knows how widespread this erroneous perception has become, especially with the popularity of the Star Wars movies. A holiness-hating society embraces an impersonal Entity which (not who) has no Son, no cross, no resurrection, because man really has no sin (!). And, best of all, no judgment or hell. No wonder it's so popular!

But I serve no Force, but a loving Father! He (not it) predestined me to salvation, not out of brute sovereign power, but in love. In fact, it was "according to the kind intention of His will." I might have guessed that was the case, but how gracious He is to reveal this truth, sinking deep in my soul the security and spiritual safety that comes from embracing such love. Reminds me of that old saying, "the world didn't give it to me, and the world can't take it away." Praise, praise to His Name!

Ephesians: All of Grace (1:4b)

2007-08-21T04:56:00.000-07:00

"...that we would be holy and blameless before Him."

* The basic meaning of "holy" is 'set apart', for a particular purpose. When, in eternity past, God set His heart on a multitude no one can number, His purpose was that they be set apart, distinct, to live in a manner worthy of His calling.
Humbled that He should graciously see fit to plan, and then procure, our salvation through the giving of His Son, we are to live holy lives that reflect His holiness (I Peter 1:15-- 17).

In truth, His Name is at stake in our lives.

A watching world instinctively knows that God is holy (Romans 1:19), and looks to see if ones who claim association with Him reflect His character. Do we? Do we avoid every appearance of evil (I Thessalonians 5:22)? Do we have a critical spirit of complaining and/or disputing (Philippians 2:14, 15)? Is our speech continually wholesome, clean, and encouraging (Ephesians 4:29)? The key to a consistent, holy and blameless life is found in the renewing of our minds, which then produces a transformed life (Romans 12:2). And no finer tool for renewing our minds can be found than Scripture, memorized and meditated upon.

Ephesians: All of Grace (1:4)

2007-08-20T04:36:00.000-07:00

"just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him."

* Whether as a kid being picked to play on a baseball team, or the high schooler who gets the part in a production, or the adult who is asked to join the firm, we as people want to be wanted. And, for the most part, when we are selected for something it's based on something: skill, appearance, wealth, reputation, etc.
So when we read that God chose His own for Himself, by Himself (the word "chose" here implies it), the emphasis is on His sovereign prerogative. He is God.
Too, when we consider when this choosing took place ('before the foundation of the world'), any contribution by which we could have influenced His choice is eliminated. We were not on the scene to have a say.
Many feel uncomfortable, if not downright angry with such truth. Pride produces resistance to God's sovereign decisions. Distrust does, too.
Yet, for those who have learned to trust Him, who have found Him infinitely faithful, there is rest in His goodness. I love Psalm 9:10, "And those who know Your name will put their trust in You." We don't trust Him more, because we don't know Him very well. The better we know Him, the more faithful we find Him to be.

Ephesians: All of Grace (1:3)

2007-08-18T06:27:00.000-07:00

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ."

* Paul begins this lengthy section (vv. 3--14) on God's master plan for the salvation of His own by praising the Father. "Blessed" and 'eulogy' share the same Greek word, and involve declaring the goodness of someone through commendation and praise. That is the essence of worship, to proclaim the "worth-ship," the worth of someone. And, if Isaiah 6 is any indication, the declaring of God's worth is going on all the time, as the heavenly host continuously voice His worthiness through adoration.
Do we do the same? Or is there someone, some thing, or some situation for which we refuse to praise Him? If we say, "I just can't," yet God has said we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, then what we are really saying is, "I just won't." It isn't about ability, but obedience.