Lord's Supper - John Stott

Thoughts from John Stott:

During the meal in the upper room Jesus took bread, broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19).

These are immensely significant words and actions, for they tell us Jesus's own view of his death.

Three truths stand out:

1. The first is the centrality of his death. Jesus was giving his own instructions for his memorial service. They were to eat bread and drink wine in memory of him. Moreover, the bread would stand not for his living body but for his body given for them and the wine for his blood shed for them. In other words, death would speak from both the elements.
 So it was by his death that he wished to be remembered.

2. The second truth we learn from the Lord's supper concerns the purpose of Jesus's death. According to Matthew, the cup stood for "my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matt 26:28).

This is the truly fantastic claim that through the shedding of his blood in death God would establish the new covenant promised through Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31), one of whose greatest promises was the forgiveness of sins.

3. The third truth taught by the Lord's Supper concerns the need for us to appropriate personally the benefits of Jesus's death.

For in the drama of the upper room the disciples were not spectators only but participants. Jesus not only broke the bread but gave it to them to eat. Similarly, he not only poured the wine, but gave it to them to drink.

Just so, it was not enough for Christ to die; we have to make the blessings of his death our own. The eating and the drinking were, and still are, a vividly acted parable of receiving Christ as our crucified Savior and of feeding on him in our hearts by faith.

The Lord's Supper, as instituted by Jesus, was evidently not meant to be a slightly sentimental "forget me not" service; it was rather a drama rich in spiritual significance.

Remember Linus and His Blanket?

                                         Remembering Linus

Remember Linus and his blue blanket?  

Probably Linus, from Peanuts, is best known for that blanket. He carries it everywhere. He doesn't even seem to be embarrassed that he needs it for security and comfort. To calm his fears.

His sister, Lucy, is embarrassed and especially dislikes it. She buries it, makes it into a kite, and tries to get rid of it on various occasions. Even Linus himself, on various occasions, seems to think he is too dependent on it and lets it go from  from time to time, but he always retrieves it.

But then we come to that wonderful movie, A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Remember when a frustrated Charlie Brown asks, "Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?"

Linus, with his security blanket, steps center stage and quotes the angel's message to the shepherds that holy night outside Bethlehem.

              Fear not. I bring you good news of great joy...

Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you;

 He is Christ the Lord.

You will find Him in a manger....

When he comes to "Fear not," Linus drops his blanket...permanently!

I like to remember that those words were spoken to the shepherds...A Savior has been born to you...not to mankind in general, but to you...and you can find Him.

Individuals, like the shepherds, like Linus, and like you and me.

And He is our Savior and we need never be afraid again! 

I have some security blankets  I need to get rid of. Maybe I should make today Christmas!

My Heart - Christ's Home - C S Lewis

Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.

But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to?

The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of--throwing out a new wing here, putting in an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.

         From Mere Christianity, by C. S. Lewis

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  Ephesians 3:14-16

....that Christ would settle down and be at home in your hearts...(Weymouth)

Two familiar events

Moses and the Israelites come near the Promised Land

Moses sent 12 spies into Canaan to check out the area, to measure the enemy and gauge its power.

It was a reconnaissance mission. It's recorded for us in the Old Testament book of Numbers, chapter 13.

Ten of the returning spies were overwhelmed at the strength and stature of the Canaanites.

They reported that the land was indeed good and capable of producing much food. It was a land "flowing with milk and honey," as the LORD had said.

But, they said, "We cannot attack those people...they are stronger than we are. All the people we saw there are of great size."

The Canaanites appeared to be giants when compared to the Israelites, who seemed to shrink to mere grasshoppers.

The other two spies, Joshua and Caleb, said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can do it."

What was the difference?

Had they seen different things?

Both groups saw the land and both groups saw the giants.

But the ten focused on the giants in the land and lost sight of God's powerful Presence and His promises of victory.

They did not really see the kingdom God promised them. Fear and doubt clouded their vision.

All they could see were the giants.

Joshua and Caleb kept their eyes on God, and it was the Canaanites who seemed to shrink in size.

The giants got smaller and God loomed larger.

They really saw the kingdom God promised them.

So there they all stood - on the edge of the Promised Land.

Should they believe God and move forward, or trust their own eyes and give up?


Jesus talks to Nicodemus - Seeing and Entering

Hundreds of years later the Son of God Himself came to earth, in the body of a human being.

One night a leader named Nicodemus came to Him saying, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."

(The conversation is recorded for us in the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 3.)

In reply, Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless He is born again."

A few moments later, Jesus said, "No one can enter the Kingdom of God unless He is born again."

So we can't even see the Kingdom of God unless we are born again with God's spirit.

And certainly we can't enter that Kingdom, if we can't even see it!


Seeing and Entering -
Or Not Seeing and Not Entering


So there stood the 12 spies, along with Moses and all of the Jews who had left Egypt -- most of them could not see the kingdom of God's promise right before their eyes!

They were blinded by doubt and lack of faith. They didn't want to trust God.

But Joshua and Caleb could see the kingdom before them, and they were allowed to enter.

The rest refused to see and so they could not enter.

Crevice with a View - Charles Spurgeon

God's great design in all His work is the manifestation of His own glory. Any aim less than this would be unworthy of Himself.

But how shall the glory of God be manifested in such fallen creatures as we are?
Man's eye is not single in its focus; he always has a side glance toward his own glory, has too high an estimate of his own powers and so is not qualified to behold the glory of the Lord.


It is clear then that self must stand out of the way, that there may be room for God to be exalted.

And this is the reason why He often brings His people into straits and difficulties, that, being made conscious of their own folly and weakness, they may be fitted to behold the majesty of God when He comes to work their deliverance.

He whose life is one even and smooth path will see but little of the glory of God, for he has few occasions for self-emptying and hence but little fitness for being filled with the revelation of God.

They who navigate little streams and shallow creeks shall know but little of the God of tempests; but they who are doing "business on the great waters" see "His wondrous works in the deep."*

Among the huge waves of bereavement, poverty, temptation, and reproach we learn the power of Jehovah, because we find the littleness of man.

Thank God, then, if you have been led  by a rough road. It is this that has given you your experience of God's greatness and loving-kindness. Your troubles have enriched you with a wealth of knowledge to be gained through no other means.

Your trials have been the crevice of the rock in which Jehovah has set you, as He did His servant Moses, that you might behold His glory as it passed by.

Praise God that you have not been left to the darkness and ignorance that continued prosperity might have involved, but in the great fight of affliction you have been qualified for the outshining of His glory in His wonderful dealings with you.

                   --- Charles  Spurgeon, Morning and Evening

Then the LORD said, "There is a place near Me where you may stand on a rock. When My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove My hand and you will see my back; but My face must not be seen."  Exodus 33:21-23
                                 

*Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the LORD, His wonderful deeds in the deeps. For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves, they mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths.

In their peril their courage melted away, they reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wit's end. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper, the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it became calm, and He guided them to their desired haven.   Psalm 107:23-30

Lyrical praises and thanks to God

Love these words!

The words can be sung to the traditional Welsh lullaby melody "All Through the Night".

For the fruit of all creation
Thanks be to God
Gifts bestowed on every nation
Thanks be to God
For the plowing, sowing, reaping
Silent growth while we are sleeping
Future needs of earth's safekeeping
Thanks be to God!

In the just reward of labor
God's will is done
In the help we give our neighbor
God's will is done
In our worldwide task of caring
For the hungry and despairing
In the harvests we are sharing
God's will is done!

For the harvests of the Spirit
Thanks be to God
For the good we all inherit
Thanks be to God
For the wonders that surround us
For the truths that still confound us
Most of all that love has found us
Thanks be to God!

(Note: how many times do we thank God that He has given us

so many deep "truths that still confound us" - luring us ever deeper into His Word as He continually reveals more about Himself to us?

The adventures of searching out His Word -- new every day!)

MOST OF ALL THAT LOVE HAS FOUND US!!!

The Miracle of Creation - Another clue given to us by our Creator Savior

             

               What important body part are babies born without?

Strangely enough, scientists tell us, babies are born without kneecaps.

In place of the bony kneecaps we adults have, babies are born with a tough piece of cartilage.

Why?  those who believe in our Creator God have the answer:

(1) The flexibility of the cartilage makes the birth process much easier for mother and child, and

(2) The softer, more pliable cartilage also makes it easier for the baby to learn to walk.

So God designed His human creatures to start out with no kneecaps.

Between the ages of 2 and 6 years, however, the cartilage slowly turns to bone and becomes the patella, or kneecaps that adults have.

So it was all part of His original Design from the very beginning.

You created my inmost being; 

You knit me together in my mother's womb.

 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

-- Psalm 119:14

Men go abroad to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.

                                             -- Saint Augustine

We need to stop and wonder...to marvel...at the way we were specially designed and created....

The Tongue - A Weapon

 

                                                 When is the Tongue a Weapon?

From James, Chapter 3:

"The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider how a great forest is set in fire by a small spark. The tongue is also a fire...it corrupts the whole body...no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who have been made in Christ's likeness. My brothers and sisters, this should not be."

Lord, You caution us in Your Word to be careful with our tongue. It is a small but powerful tool. It can be a dangerous weapon! Our words can harm, wound, discourage people around us who are made in Your image.

We are surrounded by people who want to damage others -- social media, TV, speakers and ranters, all pouncing on others and  causing chaos.

It is all around us. They distort truth and spread malicious lies.

Help us to discern truth in the midst of all the hateful rhetoric.

But also help us model a different way of communication -- Your way. Make our words speak the truth in love, thoughtful and kind, and full of Your grace and mercy -- like You speak to us.

As You have been to us, help us to be to others.

We want to bless the world with Your beauty. Help us be different from the world around us! Where there is hate, help us bring love.

And praise and gratitude  to You for hearing our prayers.

Amen

What is Special Revelation? - J I Packer

The Bible teaches about two different kinds of revelation.

There is the revelation in nature, which is usually called general
revelation, and there is a more specific revelation, revealed, not in nature, but in Scripture, which is usually called special revelation.

What is Special Revelation?

J. I Packer talks about special revelation, occurring the three phases:

First, there is revelation in history.

God is a God who acts.

This truth, perhaps more than any other, clearly distinguishes Christianity from other religions of the world.

Christianity is not, as Eastern religions would say of themselves, essentially a discipline by which we direct our thoughts and so order our lives that we progress in the direction of truth and eventually merge with the Eternal.

Christianity is not so much a way of life as it is the intervention of God in history.

We read in Genesis that God "created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).

"God created man" (Genesis 1:27).

God called Abraham to create a special nation through whom a Deliverer would come.

God acted in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ, to die and rise again for our salvation.


Second, there is revelation in writing.

We can see at once how essential this is. Because when we speak or write, as I just have, about the revelation of God in history  --  about God's creating the heavens and the earth, creating man, calling Abraham, and eventually sending Jesus Christ to die for our sin --  we want to ask, But how do we know that God has done these things?

We know through the Bible God has given us.

First, God acts. Secondly, He reveals Himself in inspired writing that we might understand what He has done.


Third, there is revelation to the individual mind and heart.

This is the work of God's Holy Spirit by which our minds are opened to understand and receive what has been written.

As a result, we are changed so that the Bible's teaching becomes no longer merely an academic thing but the actual point at which we hear God speaking.

But again, notice the centrality of the Bible.

We talk about the revelation of God in history, in writing, and in the personal illumination of the mind by the Holy Spirit.

But the Bible is at the center of the process.

The only way we know about God's acts in history is through the Bible, and the only point at which we hear the voice of God speaking to us personally is , again, through the Bible.

The whole process of God's work is centered in the record of it in God's Word, the Bible.

How Does A Miracle Start?

I'm reading again in The Chumash (Stone Edition) -- The Jewish commentary on the Pentateuch of the Old Testament -- and found this great idea:

You shall make a Menorah of pure gold, hammered out shall the Menorah be made, its base, its shafts, its cups, its buds and its blossoms shall be hammered from it. Six branches shall emerge from its sides, three branches of the Menorah from its one side and three branches from its second side, three cups engraved like almonds on the one branch...the buds and branches shall be on one piece...(Exodus 25)
~~~~~~~


I am intrigued with the idea of how a miracle begins, at least as it is explained in The Chumash (Jewish commentary on the Pentateuch). The article begins with the construction of the Menorah for the tabernacle.
The text says that God's instructions for making the Menorah included that all its shapes and forms had to be made from one gold ingot: nothing could be made separately and then attached. It all had to be made of one piece. How could this be done? Hebrew tradition says that Moses could not visualize this and so God showed him a Menorah of fire. But Moses still despaired of being able to make it properly, and so God instructed him to "throw an ingot into a fire -- and then the completed Menorah emerged."

They base this on the idea that the Hebrew wording starts you shall make, and then the wording changes to shall be made.

So, the commentary reasons, Moses, once God showed him how to make the Menorah, actually began the process of crafting it, but then God assisted him. So when the ingot was cast into the fire as part of the normal work of crafting it, the work was completed miraculously by God.

This is so interesting. But the really great part is the rest of the paragraph:

This is how God typically performs miracles. First Man must do what he can, and then God comes to his aid. Similarly, at the time of the Splitting of the Sea, God commanded Moses to split the waters by raising his staff and it was only after Moses had done so that God performed the awesome miracle. In Egypt and throughout the years in the Wilderness, Moses performed acts that resulted in miracles; clearly only God makes miracles, but He wants man to initiate them


I am thinking about this now. It is such a simple idea: God wants us to initiate His miracles.....Jesus told the family and friends of Lazarus, "Take away the stone," and then he told Lazarus to emerge, alive, from his burial tomb.

Some men brought the paralyzed man to Jesus, and Jesus healed him.

The woman touched the hem of His garment.

"We only have five loaves of bread and two fish," the disciples said to Jesus. "Bring them here to Me," He said.

"Strike the rock," God told Moses.

"Choose some men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands" Moses told Joshua. And "Aaron and Hur held his hands up--one on one side, on the other--so that his hands remained steady until sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekites with the sword."

It's a simple concept -- God wants us to initiate the action and then He finishes, or completes it, in a way that is miraculous to us.


Of course nothing God does is miraculous to Him.

Another thought -- it must have something to do with obedience, too. We must eagerly obey God's command to get the benefit of the miracle.

Just more amazing thoughts to ponder on our Journey.....from the ancient rabbis! 

.

The God of it All - Clearly Butterflies

A Closer Look ....

The first spring we lived in Brazoria I was surprised to find about a dozen monarch caterpillars -- and about a dozen chrysalises-- out in our garden. I was disturbed because several of the little chrysalises were on very unstable surfaces, like the leaves of a petunia plant! I rescued 6 of them and put them in our carport, tucked safely in a box and secured the fragile leaves to a strong twig.

I also put in the box a couple of the caterpillars -- so I could watch them. I haven't seen this great demonstration of God's Power and Glory since I was in elementary school in Mr. Horton's class.

It was breathtaking -- I watched one of the caterpillars hang upside down, forming a letter "J."
The next day I found him shivering and twisting around, splitting the skin, and then all his yellow and black seemed to dissolve into a smooth greenish sheath. It looked soft and "mushy."

(I read somewhere that this is the stage often called the pupa stage because it is similar to the way an infant is wrapped in swaddling clothes -- and pupa is Latin for "doll.")

There he hung for 10-12 days. The chrysalis hardened into a beautiful jade-green case that reminded me of an elf's magic emerald lantern.

Transparency...

Then the case became transparent and I could see the orange and black wings taking shape inside. I could everything happening -- right before my eyes! I almost forgot what it looked like before -- I was seeing what it was becoming!

There were so many miracles happening at once: God silently transforming the caterpillar into a butterfly inside that little protective case --the case becoming transparent so I could observe it -- and the miracle of me, with physical eyes -- being able to witness it! And with a voice that could proclaim praises to the God of it All..

When the butterflies began to emerge they seem crumpled, damp and weak, probably completely exhausted by the struggle to get out of the tiny cage and take flight. After a few moments their wings appeared to be dry and in their proper shape; they had the strength needed to pursue their lives and they begin to fly away to their own adventures.

Some Assembly Required....

I have read that before the butterfly can fly off, its feeding tube, or proboscis, must be actually assembled. This is a hollow tube the butterfly needs to suck nectar, and when the butterfly first hatches, the two parts forming the proboscis are not yet interlocked, and so he must join those pieces together himself before he can fly off! What a marvel!

There were so many symbols there in front of me. The image of our own death and resurrection.
And how God creates a lowly, but colorful caterpillar, and then transforms it into something even more beautiful.

And also, about the chrysalis becoming transparent. I had never thought about it before -- but isn't that what happens to us....when we first come to Jesus He wraps us in a cocoon of safety and begins changing us into His image.

Then one day, as He is forming His image in us, we become transparent, and those around us don't just see us -- they begin to see the new creature we are becoming -- they begin to see Jesus in us -- and then one day He calls us up and away on His wings of love and we are changed permanently and completely.

I think it's the transparency that teaches me the most now that I am older. When Tyndale translated the New Testament in the 1530's, he used the word "clarify" in John 17, instead of "glorify". I love that idea. We can't truly "glorify" God until we are so transparent that others see God forming His Son in us.

I am told that the word "metamorphosis" is the same word used to describe the "Transfiguration of Jesus" on the mountain when He was with Peter, James and John. And that in Romans 12:2 when we are told to "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds," that "transform", is the Greek word metamorphosis.

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
                 2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV

And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him and reflect His glory even more.
                  2 Corinthians 3:18 NLV

Can others see it happening in us?

A Perfect Prayer - Daniel

                                       What is a "Perfect Prayer"?



I was looking for a "perfect prayer."

There are so many.

Peter, when fearing for his life, prayed, "Lord, save me!" 

That's "practically perfect in every way," as Mary Poppins would say.

It is short (the shortest in the entire Bible), to the point, and directed to the Lord Himself, who alone could take care of the problem.

Here's another one:

Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;

wisdom and power are His.

He changes times and seasons;

He sets up kings and deposes them.

He gives wisdom to the wise and

knowledge to the discerning.

He reveals deep and hidden things;

He knows what lies in darkness,

and light dwells with Him.

I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers:

You have given me wisdom and power,

You have made known to me what we asked of You,

You have made known to us the dream of the king.

                                         --Daniel 2:20-23

Daniel and all the wise men of Babylon had been told if they couldn't, not  just interpret, but actually relate Nebuchadnezzar's dream to him, they would be killed.

Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah [Shadrack, Meshak and Abednego].

He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven.   -- Daniel 2:17-19

What we learn from Daniel's grateful prayer - recorded in Daniel 2:20-23 (see above):

1. He starts with praise - passionate words giving glory to God for all He has done "for ever and ever."
For His wisdom and power, His control over nature, His control over mankind and its rulers.

2. Then he acknowledges that God gives wisdom and knowledge to His people, and He reveals deep and hidden things. God is not tight-fisted - He is generous and gracious.

3. Then Daniel gets personal and thanks God for giving him wisdom and power -- gifts that belong to God Himself. "Wisdom and power are His" Daniel had said at the beginning of the prayer.

4. Then Daniel gets specific: "You have made known to us what we asked of You, You have made known to us the dream of the king."

Daniel's heart is overflowing with praise and gratitude. He begins praising God for His great power and majesty, and His kindness. Then he thanks Him for answering his specific prayer.




From praising God for His universal sovereign greatness, and then thanking and praising Him for His goodness to Daniel personally.

That's why this is an example of a perfect prayer.


Note: I am amazed at how many times the words revealer, and reveal (or made known) occurs in Daniel 2. It's about 10 times in that chapter. And always God is the revealer.

A Tree Replanted in Eden

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

or stand in the way of the sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers.

Not so the wicked!

They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment,

 nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish.

-- Psalm 1 (NIV)

Here is Psalm 1 from The Message:

How well God must like you--you don't hang out at Sin Saloon,

you don't slink along Dead-End Road,

you don't go to Smart-Mouth College.

Instead, you thrill to God's Word,

you chew on scripture day and night.

You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month,

never dropping a leaf, always in blossom.

You're not at all like the wicked, who are mere windblown dust--

without defense in court, unfit company for innocent people.

God charts the road you take.

The road they take is Skid Row.

Now we can look at Revelation 22 to see the future --

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life,

as clear as crustal,

flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.

 On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit,

yielding its fruit every month.

And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

What God Wants Us To Do - C S Lewis

                                      

                                     What Does God Want Us To Do? By C S Lewis

"You must always believe that God is separate from the world and that some of the things we see in it are contrary to His will. 

Confronted with a cancer or a slum, the Pantheist can say, 'If you could only see it from the divine  point of view, you would realize that this is also God.'

The Christian replies, 'Don't talk damned nonsense.'

For Christianity is a fighting religion. It thinks God made the world -- that space and time, heat and cold, and all the colors and tastes, and all the animals and vegetables, are things that God 'made up out of His own head' as a man makes up a story.

But it also thinks that a great many things are gone wrong with the world, and that God insists, and insists very loudly, on our putting them right again."

What I Missed at Christmas

                                                         What I Missed at Christmas

It feels so strange. Christmas only a few weeks away, but it feels like it was months ago!

Now I remember what I missed this year!

I never heard the Hallelujah Chorus! I never heard any of The Messiah!

Feels like I missed the best part of the season!

Our ancestors were right to celebrate both comings of Christ at Christmas -- not only His appearance in disguise as a baby born at Bethlehem,  but also His victorious return in the future to reign in power and glory as King of Kings!

I am focusing on the Hallelujah Chorus right now - I have the words playing on my phone and also Alexa to give a sort of stereo affect -- Sing with me --

"Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

The Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ!

And He shall reign forever and ever!

King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

And He shall reign forever and ever!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!"

Now I feel like we've truly celebrated Christmas....but nothing like we will in the future when we see it all happen with our own blessed eyes! 

Hallelujah!

So you want to be King?

It surprises me how easily some people are distracted from regularly reading God's Word -- His eternal and up-to-date Message to us, His children.

Instead of reading the Bible as a part of their daily walk with the Lord, they stumble through the day without that divine comfort and source of wisdom.

Not just many of us "regular" people, but also the "shakers and movers" of our world. 

What wise counsel they are missing!

In Deuteronomy 17:18-19 God cautions the future kings of Israel:

When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees.

Notice the precise nature of these commands:

1. The King was to personally copy the Scriptures by hand. He was to personally copy and study the Word, not depend on advisers, no matter how experienced, to decide issues.

"Your statues are my delight; they are my counselors," we read in Psalm 119:24.

When you copy a text by hand, you are learning it. Making note of every word and the components of every phrase.

He was not to instruct a scribe to make his copy!

2. He was to keep a copy with him. Close at hand. So that he could refer to it throughout the day as he faced important decisions.

3. He was to read it daily. Not often. Not when he remembered to, but "all the days of his life." That means every day. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11 who "examined the Scriptures every day," we need God's Word constantly, just like rest, and food and water. It gives us strength and guidance for victory.

4. Studying his Bible would teach him to revere (honor) the LORD. This is life-changing information -- we learn to revere and honor God through reading His Word - which of us does not yearn to honor Him more? Well, that's how we learn to do it!

James tells us "do not merely listen to the word...do what it says.." and that is "how we achieve the righteous life that God desires" (James 1:22, 19).

So to achieve the righteous life that God desires -- we read (and obey) His Word! So profoundly simple!


"I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word" a famous King once explained (Psalm 119:15-16)

Meditating on God's holy standards - considering (pondering) His ways - not neglecting His Word - that's revering and honoring God!

5. He was to follow carefully the words of the law. That law he copied, and kept close and read daily -- he was also to obey it.

"I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me." Psalm 119:102

"If you love Me, you will obey Me," Jesus said to His disciples often (cf. John 14:15, etc.)


All these commands to earthly kings also apply to us.

The King was to obey God in every matter. The same applies to us. We are even more special than kings. We are called "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God" (1 Peter 2:9).

Aren't we right now in preparation to be rulers? The Scriptures tell us that someday we will reign with Him in His Kingdom.

Shouldn't we, right now, begin doing what God commands His kings to do?

Engraved on His Hands - Charles Spurgeon

      Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands...
                                               Isaiah 49:16

No doubt part of the wonder that is concentrated in the word "behold" is on account of the contrast with the unbelieving lament in the proceeding sentence: "Zion said, 'The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.'"

How amazed the divine mind seems to be at the wicked unbelief! What can be more astonishing than the unfounded doubts and fears of God's favored people?

The Lord's loving word of rebuke should make us blush.

He cries, "How can I have forgotten you when I have engraved you on the palms of My hands? How dare you doubt My constant remembrance when the memorial is carved upon my own flesh?"


O unbelief, what a strange marvel you are! We do not know what to wonder at most -- the faithfulness of God or the unbelief of His people.

He keeps His promise a thousand times, and yet the next trial makes us doubt Him.

He never fails. He is never a dry well. He is never a setting sun, a passing meteor, or a melting vapor, and yet we are as continually troubled with anxieties, molested with suspicions and disturbed with fears as if our God were a mirage of the desert.

"Behold" is a word intended to stir up our admiration.

Here, indeed, we have a theme for marveling. Heaven and earth may well be astonished that rebels should obtain such a closeness to the heart of infinite love as to be written on the palms of His hands.

"I have engraved you." It does not say, "your name."  The name is there, but that is not all: I have engraved you.

Consider the depth of this!  "I have engraved your person, your image, your circumstances, your sins, your temptations, your weakness, your wants, your works; I have engraved you - everything about you, all that concerns you - I have put all of this together here."

Will you ever say again that your God has forsaken you when He has engraved you on His own palms?

Bride Waiting at the Altar - John Stott

He who testified to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. -- Revelation 22:21     

   

John picks up the vivid imagery of betrothal and marriage at the end of Revelation. Already he has made allusion to the coming wedding. He tells us he has heard the redeemed multitude singing their hallelujahs because "The wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready" (Rev. 19:7). Indeed, "fine linen, bright and clean" has been given her to wear (19:8).
Already, too, the interpreting angel has said to John, "Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb" (19:9). And John has also described the New Jerusalem as "coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband" (21:2, 9).

But where is He? He is nowhere to be seen! It is not for the bride to fetch her bridegroom; it is for the bridegroom to go and fetch his bride. She has made herself ready. She is dressed and bejeweled. Now she can do no more than wait for him to appear--except she takes the liberty of expressing her longing for him: "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!'" (22:17)

For the supreme ministry of the Holy spirit is to bear witness to Christ, and the supreme desire of the bride is to welcome her bridegroom.

It is thus that the Book of Revelation ends. It leaves the church waiting, hoping, expecting, longing--the bride eagerly looking for her bridegroom, crying out for him, clinging to his threefold promise that he is coming soon, and encouraged by others who echo her call: "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."

Meanwhile, she is confident that his grace will be sufficient for her (v. 21) until the eternal wedding feast begins and she is united to her bridegroom forever.

   --- From John Stott

More about baby birds....

I ran across these verses in Deuteronomy:

                When you come across a bird's nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground,
                and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with
                the young. You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may
                go well with you and you may have a long life.
                                          Deuteronomy 22:6-7

Why are these verses in the Bible? If there is, as I believe, no "filler" in God's Word -- if, as I believe, every Word from Him is important...then what is the importance of this?

I turned back to the Chumash (the Jewish commentary).

Here are some thoughts from the venerable Rabbis....

1. It is referring to an ownerless bird - not someone's poultry from their farm
2. The oldest commentaries say that the Torah forbad  taking an ownerless bird while sitting on the nest of eggs or young because it is cruel to do so.  

 Here's the exact wording in the Chumash:

 "The Torah forbids one to take an ownerless mother bird when it is sitting on its eggs or young. One must send away the mother bird --  even many times if it keeps returning to the nest -- and only then is one permitted to take the eggs or young....the reason for this commandment, as the prohibition against slaughtering a mother animal and its young on the same day (Leviticus 22:28) is because it is cruel to do so, especially since animals instinctively love their young and suffer when they see them slaughtered or taken away...Another reason is to symbolize that people should avoid doing things that will destroy a species, for to slaughter mother and children on the same day is akin to mass extermination.....these commandments are meant to inculcate compassion in people...that people should accustom themselves to act mercifully."

I am so touched by these thoughts from the ancient Jews.

The reference to Leviticus 22:28 is when God told the Jews "do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day."


Another thought from the Chumash....the Rabbis said that God would honor obedience to this simple commandment, that involved no financial loss, and so it demonstrated how much He would honor obedience in areas that caused hardship.

If we would obey God in small areas it showed that our hearts are yearning to be obedient in all areas.

The next verses in the passage from Deuteronomy talk about being responsible human beings, not only within nature, but within our communities, with each other. Verse 8 says that the Jews were to build a fence or other form of barrier around his roof, to keep people, who often entertained visitors on the flat roofs of their houses in the Holy Land, from falling off the roofs. Modern Jews use this verse to require them to build protection around their pools, or tall stairways that need railings.

The earlier verses in the Deuteronomy passage  talk about an ox, or sheep or goat that has strayed. They are to be returned to their brother. If the owner lived too far away, or perhaps was unknown, the finder was to keep the animal safe and fed until the owner came to claim it. He was to do that for any lost items -- even a garment.

 [And Jesus talked about a lost coin, a lost sheep, a lost boy .Just because the item is lost doesn't mean it changes owners!  Finders keepers, losers weepers is not God's description of holiness.]

And you were to help your neighbor, whose ox or donkey had fallen, get the struggling animal to his feet.

The Torah says, "Do not hide yourself" from these everyday situations. Our NIV says, "Do not ignore it."

So God is deeply concerned with all details of our lives. He is watchful that we care for His creation. That we care for the endangered species around us. That we not treat carelessly the animal world nor our great natural resources that have come to us from the bounty of God.

And that we are watchful of the welfare of our neighbors -- helping them whenever we can. We must not 'hide oursevles' or ignore problems we can help fix!

What a wonderfully caring God we worship!

Bro Mike says he is himself a "tree hugger" in the sense that he recognizes that God has put us "in charge of" His vast creation. We are to be careful, thoughtful stewards of the bountiful world we live in.

From the words of our Redeemer Savior:

         Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.
                Luke 12


And from my childhood, the Westminster Catechism:


Question 11. What are God's works of providence?
Answer: God's works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all of his creatures, and all their actions.
(Psalm 145:17, Psalm 104:24, Hebrews 1:3, Nehemiah 9:6, Ephesians 1:19-22, and Psalm 36:6.)

Keeping the main thing the main thing....

 Last week I read one of Chuck Colson 's articles. It was disturbing. He talked about a Canadian high school teacher who was getting ready to start a class in Ethics. He decided jump start his study with a true story and gauge the class reaction.


The story was about a young Muslim girl married to a Taliban member. He was abusive and she tried to leave. Her family, along with his, cut off her nose and her ears and left her to die on the desert. Question: was this right or wrong?


Imagine his dismay when they couldn't decide. Finally the consensus seemed to be that it would be wrong here, but was acceptable there.


Is this what happens when we take the Ten Commandments and other indicators of absolute right and wrong out of our schools? Now it is all just a matter of opinion - too bad, young girl - you, and all others like you,  are doomed by relativists. (She somehow survived - she crawled a ways and someone found her and took her to an American hospital. She still lives).


Christians are so blessed. We know what God considers right and wrong. We do not have to waste time and effort debating it.


I notice, though, how hard it seems to be for most Christians to articulate exactly what they believe about their faith.


A favorite study material is the Heidelberg Catechism. It was written in the 1560's (next year is the 450th anniversary of its publication!)

There are 129 questions, divided into 52 sections, one for each "Lord's Day," so the Christians could study one section at their regular services each week.

The first section is called The Misery of Man.


Question 1: What is thy only comfort in life and death?
Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, (a) am not my own, (b) but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; (c) who with His precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and (d) delivered me from the power of the devil; (e) and so preserves me (f) that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; (g) yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, (h) and therefore by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, (i) and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto Him (j).

(a) Romans 14:7-8, (b) 1 Corinthians 6:19, (c) 1 Corinthians 3:23 and Titus 2:14, (d) 1 Peter 1:18, 1 John 1:7, 1 John 2:2, 12, (e) Hebrews 2:14, 1 John 3:8, John 8:34,-36,  (f) John 6:39, John 10:28, 1 Peter 1:5, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, (g) Matthew 10:29-31, Luke 21:18, Romans 8:28, (i) 2 Corinthians 2:20-22, 2 Corinthians 5:5, Ephesians 1:13-14, Romans 8:16, (j) Romans 8:14, 1 John 3:3.



When I was a child we began our study for church membership with the Westminster Catechism; it is not quite as old as the Heidelberg --it was  written in the 1640's. In the 1670's the Baptist published their own catechism which is largely based on the Westminster.


They are all sound, beautifully written, and lift up the sovereignty of God, and His holiness and His love. But since I grew up with the Westminster document, I remember it best.

Its first question is:     What is the chief end of man?
And the famous answer is:     Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.


I notice that the Heidelberg starts with what comfort God has given us. How comforting those words are!


I remember reading about John Newton in his declining years. He had lost much of his memory, and realized it. He confided to someone. "I don't remember many of the things I ought. But I remember two things: (1) I am a great sinner, and (2) Jesus is a great Savior."


He remembered the most important thing. Nothing else really matters. We are great sinners and Jesus is a great Savior.

It's keeping the main thing as the main thing!

Stay Sober

A story......

This story is about a man who imagined himself to be quite spiritual. He was talking with a more mature friend, and he asked his friend to pray for him that he might be humble. "Pray for me that I might be nothing," he said

.

His friend wisely replied,, "You are nothing, brother, take it by faith."

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose
the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.
I Corinthians 1:27-29

On the Other Hand....

These words from Ray Stedman:

Ray Stedman said that every morning when he got up he tried to remind himself of three things:

First, I am made in the image of God. I am not an animal and I don't have to behave like an animal. I have an ability within me, given to me by God himself, to respond and relate to God. Therefore I can behave as a man and not as a beast.

Second, I am filled with the Spirit of God. The most amazing thing has happened! Though I do not deserve it in the least degree, I have the power of God himself at work within me. I have become, in some sense, the bearer of God, and God himself is willing to be at work in me through the problems and pressures I go through this day.

Third, I am part of the plan of God. God is working out all things to a great and final purpose in the earth, and I am part of it. What I do today has purpose and significance and meaning. This is not a meaningless day I am going through. Even the smallest incident, the most apparently insignificant word or relationship, is involved in his great plan. Therefore all of it has meaning and purpose.

And so.....

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly that you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment.... Romans 12:3