It's A Hallelujah Day!

Want to make this  a Hallelujah Day?

Make it your goal to please God today -- not to finish your "to do list" for the week...not to schedule more activities for the weekend --- but to, in every way, all day -- seek to please God!

Psalm 147:11 tells us: "The LORD delights in those who fear [hold in awe and adore] Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love."  Fearing Him and trusting in Him pleases Him. No matter the circumstances ...acknowledging that we know He is faithful pleases Him. Just as an earthly father delights in his children when they trust him.

Then it gets even better -- Look at Philippians 2:9. "For God is working in you giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." Not just the desire...but the POWER to do what pleases Him. He shows us what He wants us to do,  and then helps us do it! What an amazing God we have!

It's going to be a Hallelujah Day for sure!

Charles H. Spurgeon - What is Satan's Work?

                     

                       What is God's work?  what is Satan's work?

It is always the Holy Spirit's work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus.

But Satan's work is just the opposite; he is constantly trying to make us look at ourselves instead of Christ.

He insinuates, "Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you do not have the joy of His children; you have such a wavering hold on Jesus."


All these are thoughts about self, and we will never find comfort or assurance by looking within.

But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: He tells us that we are nothing, but that Christ is everything.

Remember, therefore, it is not your hold of Christ that saves you--it is Christ. It is not your joy in Christ that saves you--it is Christ; it is not even your faith in Christ, although that is the instrument--it is Christ's blood and merits.

Therefore, do not look so much to your hand with which you are grasping Christ; do not look to your hope, but to Jesus, the source of your hope; do not look to your faith, but to Jesus the founder and perfecter of your faith.


We will never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our deeds, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we are to overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by "looking to Jesus."

Keep your eye simply on Him; let His death, His sufferings, His merits, His glories, His intercession be fresh upon your mind. When you waken in the morning look to Him; when you lie down at night look to Him.

Do not let your hopes or fears come between you and Jesus; follow hard after Him, and He will never fail you.

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and

righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus'

name.

A day in the life of Jesus - John 9

A day in the life of Jesus, from The Gospel of John, chapter 9.

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth....he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes.

"Go," he told him, "Wash in the Pool of Siloam."

So the man went and washed, and came home seeing....

When his neighbors saw him they asked,

"How then were your eyes opened?"

He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed and then I could see."

The religious leaders questioned him. They told him:

"Give glory to God. We know this man is a sinner."

He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"



The angry religious leaders threw him out of the synagogue.

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

"Who is he?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."

Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."

Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshipped him.



This treasured story in the life of Christ is one of the only 7 miracles recorded by John, the beloved disciple.

Some thoughts:

1. After the man was healed, the text says he went "home seeing." He did not come back to talk to Jesus. So he had not seen Jesus. He simply referred to Christ as "the man they call Jesus."

2. We see a growth in the man's eyes of faith. Who Christ really was became clearer and clearer.

At first, he spoke of Jesus as "the man they call Jesus."

Then, in verse 17: "He is a prophet."

Finally, in verses 35-38, he asks, "Who is the Son of Man that I may believe in him?..."Lord I believe," and he worshipped him.

A man... a prophet...a God to worship...

From a man who had not seen to the God he worshipped - a progression of giant steps of faith mirrored in our own lives.

3. Why did Jesus come back to find him?

In verse 12 we are told the man did not know where Jesus was.

But Jesus knew right where he was!

Jesus had seen the blind man, had healed him and so that story would appear to be over!

But there was more. Jesus was not finished with the man. There was more to do! More healing! So he sought him out to complete the job - the real goal was not restoring the blind man's eyesight, but restoring the man's position with God - through faith in His Son!

Many years ago we had a trendy sentence we often used -- even had it put on tee-shirts!

PBPWMGINFWMY - Please be patient with me, God is not finished with me yet!

That's our story, too! God is not finished with us.

He is still working on us!

Being confident of this, that he began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

The Day of Jesus Christ! That's the Day we look for!

We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2


We shall see Him - really see Him - our eyesight will be perfect!

In the Presence of God - C S Lewis

Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good--above all, that we are better than someone else--I think we may be sure that we are being acted on, not by God, but by the devil.

The real test of being in the presence of God is that you either forget about yourself altogether, or see yourself as a small, dirty object.

It is better to forget about yourself altogether.



C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Is Forgetfulness a Sin?

 "The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle. They did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by His law. They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them" (Psalm 78:9-11).

The men of Ephraim (the northern tribes) adopted idolatry and rejected their true God. They were conquered by the Assyrians, deported, and sent into exile and servitude. Their problem? Spiritual forgetfulness!

We Christians can also suffer the consequences of forgetting God's faithfulness. Peter warns us about this...'Forgetting that we have been cleansed from our past sins' (2 Peter 1:9).

How could we forget? The massive sin problem that Christ took care of on the cross? 

But God can no more forget us than a nursing mother could forget her baby, Isaiah tells us. And even if she did, He never will! (Isaiah 49:15).

Remembering who He is and what He has done is the key to trusting God!

Lord,

I worry because I forget Your wisdom.

I resent because I forget Your mercy.

I envy because I forget Your beauty.

I sin because I forget Your holiness.

I fear because I forget Your sovereignty.

You always remember me. Help me to always remember You.

Amen

Daniel - How did God Show His love for Him?

What God said to Daniel --

    I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, 'My Lord, what will the outcome of all this be?'

    He replied, 'Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand....

    As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest and then at the end of the days you will rise up to receive your allotted inheritance.' 

Daniel 12:9-13

How many times have I read this passage? Dozens?  - maybe a hundred times in my life. But this week I keep re-reading these gracious words. 

How God must have loved Daniel! And how confident Daniel was of His love for him! After revealing so much of the future of mankind and God's Kingdom to Daniel - Daniel knew more than anyone else about what was going to transpire - 'Daniel, go on with your life...you will rest and at the end of your days you will receive your reward.....well done!'

 

Now look at this!

It is really fascinating to compare these words to Daniel at the end of his revelation of things to come with those words spoken by the angel to John the author of the Book of Revelation at the end of the visions given to him. Look at  the Book of Revelation written by John hundreds of years later.Turn to the last chapter (22) and see verses 8-11 -- see how the angel repeated similar words to him at the end of his revelation to John? 

  "I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things....Then he [the angel] told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong, let him who is vile continue to be vile, let him who does right continue to do right, and let him who is holy continue to be holy."

To Daniel: These words are rolled up and sealed until the end of time

To John hundreds of years later: Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book because the time is near....

Yes, I am coming soon!

Amen, come Lord Jesus!

 

The Greatest Miracle - There's Room at the Cross

 When thinking about the miracles of Creation, a dear friend sent me this text: "His splendor, power, and majesty are truly awesome. But it is His love that brings me to my knees. It is incomprehensible to my human mind, but it is what keeps me from complete despair."

  Yes! His Creation surrounds us, bringing us joy everynhour, but the sight of that middle cross on that hill we call Calvary brings us to our knees in humble, tearful gratitude.

  Remember how God describes Creation in the Book of Job? He tells us that the angels sang and shouted for joy! They cheered Him on -- eagerly awaiting each new scene -- waterfalls cascading down glorious mountains! A sunset! A butterfly! A giraffe! Encore again! Each act more spectacular that the one before. Then  a man...and a woman!

  "You did all this for them?" they must have wondered in amazement.  

  Then the cross...You're doing this for them?  "No angels in the sky can fully bear that sight, but downward bends their burning eyes at mysteries so bright."

   The angels' applause and joy turns to tears and horror-- "You're doing this for them?"

  Yes, He did it for us - for you and for me!

  Come back to the cross this morning...revisit what He did there...Yes! For us!

  Or is this your first trip? There's room. Though millions have come, there's still room for one...for you!

  Come to the cross...right now!

What Is A Doxology?

What Is A Doxology?

 The word 'doxology' comes from 2 Greek words: 'dox', which means 'glory', and 'lolgia', which means 'speech.' Literal translation, then, is 'glory speech' or 'glorious speech.' 

   

  It is a short, formal statement of praise, glory, and thanksgiving to God, spoken or sung.

  Its traditional roots go back to the Jewish synagogues where often it was used to begin or conclude a worship service.

  Many doxologies are found in the Psalms, and Paul ended some of his letters in the New Testament with these short statements of praise.

  And Jude, the brother of Jesus, concludes his letter with an often-quoted, and very beautiful, doxology. We find this one in verses 24 and 25 in his book in the New Testament:

           To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to 

            present you before His glorious presence, without 

            fault and with great joy -- to the only God our Savior

            be glory, majesty, power and authority, through

            Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forever.

            Amen

  Today we often sing, in many churches,  what we refer to as "The Doxology" or "The Great Doxology":

           Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

           Praise Him, His creatures here below!

           Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts!

           Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!    

  An English cleric, Thomas Ken, (1637-1711), worded this one and the tune attached to it was found in a hymnal, called a Psalter,  dated 1551.

  So as we sing this Doxology today we are joining a large choir of brothers and sisters, from all over the world, singing praises to our God for the last 350 years!  

  I think that pleases Him!

  And find more in Revelation -- so we will continue this practice forever!

  And that will always please Him!

That Great Day - Who Can Imagine?

I'm still imagining that glorious day when we stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and He presents crowns to us for our humble obedient pilgrimage here on earth in His service.

But who can think about crowns without thinking about the crown He had on His head while on the cross -- the crown He chose to wear while dying in unspeakable pain -- the crown of cruelty and mockery that the soldiers purposely "twisted together and set on His head." They spit on Him, abused and tortured Him and then they led Him away to  crucify Him (Matthew 27). 

Jesus suffered all the pain for our sin so that we wouldn't have to. He endured the agony of the abandonment of His Father so that we would never have to. He wore the mockery of His crown so that He could give us glorious crowns of celestial beauty.

Who can imagine it?

"No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight, but downward bends his burning eyes at mysteries so bright."

Jesus wore the crown of despicable horror so we could have a crown of glory? 

(He did that for us?)

Who can even imagine a God like that?

He Became Like Us!

   John 1:14 tells us that "the Word became flesh and lived among us." The God of the universe - of everything - left His glorious throne in heaven and moved into our neighborhood. Why? He wanted to be with us.

 There's an extraordinary story about a man injured in a horrific fire. While attempting to save his parents, his face was horribly burned and permanently, hideously disfigured. He kept his face covered and would not let anyone see him, including his wife. When she went to a plastic surgeon for help, he assured her that he could restore her husband's face. But she wasn't there to restore his face, she wanted her face disfigured so she could share his pain.

It's the way God feels about us - He took our face, our disfigurement, our sin. He became like us to show us how far He would go to be with the ones He loved. He would rather die than live without us. And so He did.

                                    * * * * * * * * * *

"He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected...we held Him in low esteem. Surely He took our pain and bore our suffering...He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities.

The punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed...He poured out His life unto death..."

   -- From Isaiah 53

P.S. He did that for US? Yes, He did that for us!

The Great Exchange

This is the mystery of the riches of divine grace for sinners:

For by a wonderful exchange our sins are now not ours, but Christ's,

And Christ's righteousness is not Christ's, but ours.

  -- Martin Luther

This is what it means to be  Christian: God takes our filthy garbage -- all our sin -- destroys it forever -- all of it -- and gives us -- in exchange -- the gift of His righteousness so we can live with Him forever.

What an incredible exchange! Greatest deal ever in the whole universe! An old garbage bag traded in for a treasure chest of unspeakable riches!

He did it on the cross.

Christ says, "I love you, I forgive you. Let's move on!"

Looks like He would rather die than live without us...

God's Masterpiece

 "For we are God's handiwork [masterpiece], created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10).

Certainly one of the most amazing verses in scripture! We are saved by grace, not by our good works -- but we are saved so we can do God's good works and glorify Him!

We are here for a reason. So we can do the  service He designed specifically for us to do and bring glory to Him.

(Remember the Westminster Catechism -- Q: What is the chief end of man? A: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever)

Otherwise He would have just beamed us up immediately the moment He saved us!

(Sort of like what happened to the repentant thief on the cross! Wow...imagine the relief...from the torture of the cross to the unspeakable splendor of paradise! In an instant! "Today you will be with Me in paradise").

Though, I admit, there are times being beamed up immediately sounds like  good option!

Who Wants a Tin Can Without a Can Opener?

                                      Who Wants A Tin Can Without a Can Opener?

We  can always count on God's timing. It's perfect, down to the last second accurate.

In Ephesians 2:10 He tells us that "We are God's handiwork [masterpiece], created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Not only did He prepare the tasks He wanted us to do, but He also prepared us to be able to do the tasks!

We read in 2 Timothy 2:16-17, that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

His timing is perfect! When the task is ready for us we are ready for the task!

Our human timing is not so great. I remember reading that Napoleon Bonaparte, in the 1790's, discovered that food, when heated, could be preserved for long periods of time and still retain flavor if kept safely in a secure container.

I don't know how he discovered that - but he talked about it - he didn't realize that by killing the bacteria and applying a sealed vacuum it was kept from recontamination - he just knew it kept food longer and preserved more of its taste.

A British inventor in 1810, applied this study to his own work, and created the world's first canned goods. But his 'cans' were wrought iron and so thick they had to be opened with a hammer and chisel!

It wasn't till 50 years later that an American inventor, with thinner steel cans, invented an actual can opener that had a blade that could puncture a can and saw the lid off!  And it wasn't until 1870 that a rotary can opener  appeared on the market that could actually be used by home consumers.  A huge advancement in food consumption!

But it took 60 years for the practical, operational can opener to be invented so those marvelous cans of food could be opened!

I am thankful for the variety of food tin cans made possible. And how the ideas of "canning" food right at home changed our diets forever. But I am also thankful we can get into them without a hammer and chisel! 

Nothings compares to God's perfect timing in all He does.

He has a job He wants us to do. And He has already prepared us to do it!

What I Need Today

 James 1:20 -19-- "You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires."

So simple! So easy to understand! So hard to do!

Anger does not fix anything...and God wants us to fix things!

There is ample reason to get angry these days. Much of what we feel we call "righteous indignation."

I have found that much of what we call "righteous indignation" isn't! It's pride and empty ''virtue signaling' -- showy and self-serving.

The righteousness God desires is not produced by our anger. It takes intentional actions of calm resolution and persevering determination. It takes planning, organizing, stubbornness and relentless energy.

Since we are the ones who messed up God's perfect creation, it only makes sense that we fix the problems in front of us!

What's on your list of things to fix?

[P.S. I also need the first parts of that verse, "quick to listen and slow to speak."]

This Only Do I Seek

Psalm 27:4  -- "One thing I ask of the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD."

David's supreme priority is to 'gaze upon the beauty of the LORD.'

Gazing is not a one-time glimpse,  but a steady sustained focus.

David finds God Himself beautiful, not just a bestower of gifts.

'This only do I seek,' says David.   

Father, I know there is only one thing I need in life and I choose to want You above all else. I want to see and sense Your beautiful holiness  and love You for Yourself alone. I want  David's prayer to be my prayer, my gracious, kind Father.

"Give unto the LORD the glory due His Name. Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness" Psalm. 29:2

Don't Think Less of Yourself!

 

                                        Don't Think Less of  Yourself!

Thinking about humility this morning. Praying about it, to be more accurate.

Paul tells us in Romans 12:3 -- "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think."

And we have Christ's supreme example of taking a servant's role continually.

So are we supposed to sit around counting our faults, listing our failures, considering how we don't (ever) measure up to what Christ wants?

I turn to C.S. Lewis who says the key is "not to think less of yourself, but to think of yourself less"!

Pretty smart, right?

We should stop thinking of ourselves so much! Keep our focus on Jesus. His beautiful holiness, His humility, concentrate on Him. Just stop thinking so much about ourselves, good or bad.

I think this is good advice! Just think of ourselves less and Him more!

So How Should We Live?

 

Just a reminder of how we should live these days --

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to prove what God's will is -- His good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2)

   Paul wrote this to the Christians in Rome about 2000 years ago! (Remember the old saying, "The more things change, the more they remain the same''? Perfect example!)

  What happens when the Spirit renews our mind? We can see Christ as who He really is, in all His perfect beauty, and also see ourselves as we really are -- broken and hopeless and helpless -- in dire need of a Savior!

  But that is good news! It rids us of our pride and arrogance -- it throws us back on the mercy and grace of God. 

All of life becomes centered in God - charged and energized by His presence. And we begin to focus on Jesus. 

As we do that the Spirit renews our thinking and our behavior and we start to become like Him. He will actually transform us into the image of Jesus. We will know and obey His will... all of our life activities will become acts of worship!

And His love will overflow fro our lives into the lives of others...and we will help bring God's Kingdom to earth, as Jesus prayed."Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven..."

Maybe we should give it a try -  starting right now!

Be Reconciled to God

 

                                                           Be Reconciled to God!

He told us to do it, and He did all the work!

 Paul wrote to his friends in Corinth, "Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: 'We implore you, on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God'" (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Then he said, "For He made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

So that's how God Himself arranged for us to be reconciled to Him! He took the punishment His holiness required, paid our debt  for us - and gave us His favor! All we do is thank Him and praise Him!

Father, You have done it all. You  my took my sin and paid the penalty. You tore open the veil that kept me from You. You allow me to come to You --  I  can approach You ANYTIME!

You will never let go of me! How could I forget that? Forgive me, Father, for forgetting that sometimes. You are standing right here beside me -- eager to be my  Friend and Helper. You will never let go of me. How could I forget that?

Forgive me, Father, for letting distractions cloud my thinking. My greatest joy in life is knowing and loving You. All else is 'trivial pursuit.'

Hold me close today and help me remember how much You love me, my abba Father. 

Amen!

Working For God or With God?

 

Here's what Max Lucado says about it --

   "It's a wonderful day indeed when we stop working for God and begin working with God.

For years I viewed God as a compassionate CEO and my role as a loyal sales representative. He had His office and I had my territory. I could contact Him as much as I wanted. He was always just a phone or fax away. He encouraged me and supported me. 

Then I read 2 Corinthians 6:1 -- We are 'God's fellow workers.'

Fellow workers? Co-laborers?  God and I working together?

Imagine the paradigm shift this truth creates. Rather than report to God, we work with God. Rather than checking in with Him and then leave, we check in with Him and then follow. 

We are always in the presence of God. We never leave church. There is never a non-sacred moment. 

His presence never diminishes. Our awareness of His presence may falter, but the reality of His presence never changes." 

   From Just Like Jesus, Chapter 5, by Max Lucado

Each day, not "What do I have on my schedule today?"

But, "God, what we are doing today?"

That's because we are working with God now, not for God!

Zechariah Prays and God Works!

Zechariah Prays...


When Zechariah went into the temple to perform his term of service, "the whole multitude of the people were praying outside" (Luke 1).

What were they praying? What the Jews always prayed for....salvation from our enemies...and from the hand of all who hate us.....that God would remember to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.....

Did they realize God was at work? Maybe veiled from their eyes, but that for the last 500 years He had been preparing the world for the coming Messiah.

But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, that we might receive the full rights as sons (Galatians 4:4-5).

Or as in the King James Version..."in the fullness of time..."

God sent His Son, that we might be called the children of God (I John 3:1).

At the exact right moment, God intervened in history and sent to us His Son so that we, too, could become children of God!


God is at work.....


From the destruction of the temple in 586 BC, through the Babylonian captivity, through the return from exile, through the oppressions of the Persians, Greeks and Romans, God was busy at work, preparing His people and the world for His great rescue mission.

Look at some of the things that God did during those 500 years, preparing the world for His Visitation:

   1. The Greek culture had saturated the known civilized  world and its language was spoken throughout all the kingdoms. A common language makes communication so much easier!

   2. The Old Testament canon was organized and, in its entirety, translated from Hebrew into Greek, making its message accessible to all. (Translation was known as the Septuagint, completed around 270 BC, commonly called the LXX. It was written particularly to accommodate the dispersed Jews who were by then speaking Greek as their usual language.)

   3. God used the destruction of the temple in 586 BC and the exile of the Jews to Babylon to create a synagogue structure, a model for local congregations of the coming Church. People learned to worship God without the temple. 

   4. God purified Israel from idolatry and mixing with other religions. After the destruction and fall of Jerusalem, Jews never again embraced other "gods." They were cleansed.

Not only that, as monotheism became permanently central to Israel it became the foundation of Christian thought and all of western civilization.

   5. The dispersion of the Jewish people throughout the Greek/Roman empire provided a mission base by which Paul could carry the gospel to small Jewish communities throughout the world.  Because of the synagogues and scattered groups of Jews, Paul could organize his vast mission trips and begin the spread of the gospel.

   6. Because of their strict belief in monotheism, Christ's claims to be God led to the priests delivering Him up to be crucified, which, of course, was the central issue of God's rescue plan!

   7. The Greek culture unified the world, and the Roman Empire with its vast system of roads (used initially for military conquest and control) united the world in a way never before in world history. It was convenient for the gospel to flow from nation to nation, and there was easy access to all areas of the empire.  That made the spread of the gospel possible.


God worked His plan through the suffering of His people....

God was busy at work, weaving a extraordinary historical tapestry. But it all worked through the suffering of Israel. Without the Babylonian captivity, there would have no coming of the Messiah, no cross, no Christianity, and no civilization today as we know it.




In Psalm 137 we read about the sorrow of the Jewish people in captivity in Babylon:

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept

when we remembered Zion.

There on the poplars we hung our harps,

for there our captors demanded songs of joy;

They said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

How can we sing the songs of the LORD

while in a foreign land?

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, 

may my right hand forget its skill

May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth,

if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.

Five hundred years before Christ as born, the Jews were praying that they be saved from their enemies and that Jerusalem be restored to them.

Now, here, in Luke's account, while Zechariah was in the temple praising God for His revealed redemption, his family and friends were outside having a prayer meeting.

And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshippers are praying outside...

(Luke 1:10).

They prayed. God worked. The Messiah arrived...

"in the fullness of time."

Our God is always at work. 

Our Best Option? Adoption!

Romans 8:23

   "We ourselves groan inwardly as we wait patiently for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies." 

Thoughts from Charles Spurgeon --

  "Even in this world, saints are God's children, but the only way people will discover this is by certain moral characteristics.

The adoption is not displayed; the children are not yet openly declared. Among Romans a private adoption might be kept secret for a time, but later there would be a public adoption, when the child was brought before the authorities, its old clothes removed, and the father would give new clothing suitable for its new status in life.

We are not yet clothed in the apparel of heaven's royal family; we are still wearing in the flesh and blood just what we wear as children of Adam.

Can't you imagine that a child taken from the lowest ranks in society and adopted by a Roman senator, would say to himself, 'I long for the day when I shall be publicly adopted, Then I shall discard these poor clothes and dress in clothes that depict my senatorial rank.'  Glad for what he has already received, but he still yearns for the fulness of what has been promised him.

So it is with us today; we are waiting until we can put on our fine clothes and are declared as the children of God for all to see. We are young nobles who have not yet worn our crowns. We are young brides, and the marriage day has not arrived."

The Angel Waiting at the Tomb

"The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He is risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay, then go quickly and tell His disciples...'"

   The angel was there, watching over the tomb (probably waiting for the women to arrive), as the angels had been watching at His birth, and attending Him when being confronted by Satan in the wilderness, and countless other times during His life on earth.

   How gently he reminded the women that Jesus had told them about His resurrection before He was crucified. He didn't scold them, just kindly reminded them.

   The angel knew why they were there. Then he asked them to look for themselves...to know for certain.....how thoughtful he is to them. He could tell how much they loved Him.

   But then, he gave them their task....."Go quickly and tell..."

   That's what he is telling us...'It's true! He is risen...as He said...now go and tell! Right now! Don't waste a moment! They are waiting!'

   There is a sense of urgency. What is your priority today?

How to Not Forget

 Psalm 103:1-2 --

 "Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits"... 

David, in talking to himself, reminds himself not to forget all the LORD has done for him....I do this, too, and probably you do, too....when things seem overwhelming, or just confusing, I  remind myself of all God has done for me already, and how He has promised to always be there to help me and defend me.

"Hey," I say to myself, "you can get through this. You have God to help. His Spirit is giving you wisdom and divine revelation. You are strong and you will figure this out. Remember the 'joy of the Lord is your strength!" and things like that. I can boost myself up and point myself in the right direction. Help myself focus on what is happening and Who is there to guide me.

Talking to ourselves is usually very helpful. David apparently thought so, too. He seemed to talk to himself quite a lot in the Psalms. Always positive, encouraging advice!

"Forget not all His benefits..." The best way to not forget is to remember! That's a brilliant observation, right?

Thinking about that old song, "Count Your Blessings" again. What good advice!

     "When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed.

     When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost

     Count your many blessings, name them one by one

     And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

        Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

        Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

        Count your many blessings, every doubt with fly

        And you will be singing as the days go by!"

Get out that big journal and make a list - what's first?

Start now...and you will be singing as the day goes by....

A

The Tongue - Not Just 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

It All Comes With Jesus - Immanuel!

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

(Hebrews 4:16)

Where else could we go in time of need? His Throne is the only place we can receive mercy because He is the only One who can extend it to us. With open, empty hands we approach Him and He fills them to overflowing with His mercy and His grace.

Mercy is when we don't get what we deserve. We deserve judgment, but we get mercy. It's a full pardon for all we have done that shows our disobedience and rejection of God.

Grace is when we get even more than mercy -- we get the added bonus of Christ's righteousness being credited to us.

So mercy is when we don't get what we deserve. And grace is when we do get what we don't deserve.

It's the ultimate exchange. We get rid of our dirty, sinful clothing and replace it with the perfect spotless new garments of Christ's righteousness.

There is no better deal in the universe. It's the most drastic, and certainly most important, makeover ever!

Everything in our life is reversed. Everything is turned upside down.

We approach the Throne, which should be the Throne of Judgment for us, where we should receive His just punishment for our sins and failures. But because we come dressed in the righteousness of His Son, our Redeemer, God is able to be kind and gracious to us, without in any way trivializing His requirement for perfect holiness.
He welcomes us as we approach Him.

The Cross took care of all of it!

So this is the picture we have as we approach the Throne. He is there waiting for us -- eagerly desiring to bless us. A throne is the symbol of authority. And God's Throne is where He commands His goodness to fall upon us.

We so approach with grateful hearts, in confidence, knowing He has already extended the scepter -- not like an early king's scepter -- His scepter is shaped like a cross -- and we approach as children to their loving Father.
 Remember what it was like to fun full speed, laughing joyfully, into your father's arms?

Is there a more joyous place in the universe? I don't know of one.

Neither did the Psalmist.

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

(Psalm 16:11)

There's a sign over the gate to Disneyland reminding us that we are entering "The Happiest Place on Earth." And it is a very happy place!

But that happiness pales when compared to the joy we find at the eternal Throne of God.

Sometimes we get carried away with comparing the various words associated with joy.
We define "happiness" one way, and "joy" another way.

The Psalmist approached it differently:

But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.

(Psalm 68:3)

Look at those words: be glad, rejoice, be happy, joyful -- four different words, and they all result from being in God's presence.

The Psalmist who write those words was King David, the one who sang and danced in the procession that brought the Ark of God's Presence into Jerusalem.

He was joyfully celebrating and dancing before God. It wasn't planned. It was a spontaneous reaction to just being close to God. And that's the kind of joy available to us! Today! Right now! At this precise moment! Just grab it!

Satan's Strategy of Attack

 

The very fact that you are under attack must mean you're on the right side, accomplishing important kingdom work that annoys and frustrates Satan. 

Notice someone else who struggled with his attacks: Read Romans 7:14-25. See how the Apostle Paul describes it -- "I do not understand," "It is sin living in me...", "I do not do the things I want...I see another law working in my body...what a miserable man I am..."   

He is writing in the present tense, describing a struggle at the present time. This means the Apostle Paul battled sin while he was writing a book in the Bible!

Can you think of a more strategic time for Satan to attack?

Grace Notes

A Glimpse of Grace
           .....from an unexpected place....

"Because of the love that was between this man and me, My Lord King Arthur and his noble knights now lie dead. Therefore, Sir Lancelot, I now repent; and I would enter the kingdom of heaven through the grace of the passion of our Lord Jesu: for many are now in heaven who were on earth as sinful as we."
(Words of Lady Guinevere)
                 
--from Le Morte D'Arthur [The Death of King Arthur], by Sir Mallory, published in 1485





From Jerry Bridges, written in 2008. "Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace." We are never 'beyond the need' or 'beyond the reach.'




From Philip Yancy, written 2007. "There is nothing you can do to make God love you more. And there is nothing you can do to make Him love you less."

What Does It Mean to Open a Bible?

 From David Platt in his book "Radical" --

"God has chosen in His matchless grace to give us a revelation of Himself in His Word.

It is the only Book that He has promised to bless by His Spirit to transform you and me into the image of Jesus Christ. It is the only Book that He has promised to use to bring our hearts, our minds, and our lives into alignment with Him.

I'm not saying that God has not used or blessed other books throughout Christian history, but there is only one Book that He has perfectly inspired by His Spirit for the accomplishment of His purpose.

When you or I open the Bible, we are beholding the very words of God -- words that have supernatural power to redeem, renew, refresh, and restore our lives to what He created them to be.

If we want to know the glory of God, if we want to experience the beauty of God, and if we want to be used by the hand of God, then we must live in the Word of God."

[supernatural power to restore us to what He created us to be....]

God's Right Man for the Right Job

Wisdom from C S Lewis

   "We have in our day started getting the whole picture up-side down. Starting with the doctrine that every individual is of 'infinite value,' we then picture God as a kind of employment agency whose business it is to find suitable careers for all of us, square holes for square pegs. 

In fact, however, the value of the individual does not lie in him. He is capable of receiving value. He receives it by union with Christ.

There is no question of finding for him a place in the living temple which will do justice to his inherent value. The place was there first. The man was created for it. He will not be truly himself until he is there."

Ephesians 2:10 --"For we are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

 

How Does God Help Us?

 Can we do what God wants us to do if He helps us?

Yes, but how does He help us?

"We mean God is putting into us a bit of Himself, so to speak. He lends us a little of His reasoning powers and that is how we think. He puts a little of His love into us and that is how we love one another. 

When you teach a child writing, you hold its hand while it forms the letters; that is, it forms the letters because you are forming them. We love and reason because God loves and reasons through us and holds our hand while we do it."

    --- From Mere Christianity by C S Lewis

What we learn from Acts 1:1-11

The Book of Acts is in the New Testament. It could be named "The Acts of the Apostles" or "The Acts of the Christians in the Early Church" or even "The Acts of the Holy Spirit."

But no matter what the preferred title of the Book, it is an historical account of what happened in the 40 or so years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The author, Luke, also the author of the Gospel of Luke, investigated thoroughly all the events of those beginning years of the Church. Often he was an eye-witness.

In the Gospel of Luke, we read, in the first verses, that he wrote his account to assure "most excellent Theophilus" so that he could "know the certainty of the things" he had "been taught" about the life and teachings of Jesus.

Now again in Acts, Luke refers to Theophilus and introduces his second work, the account of the early Church.

These documents were written on scrolls, and generally ran no longer than 35 feet in length.
Scrolls longer than that would be too bulky to carry around. (The Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John would be about 35 feet in length on scrolls.)

So Luke divided his research for Theophilus into two scrolls - first, the Gospel of Luke centered in the earthly life and ministry of Jesus, and second, the genesis and early days of the new Church.

Here's how Acts begins:



     In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus
began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.

     After His suffering He showed Himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive.

     He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the Kingdom of God.

     On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised, which you have heard Me speak about.

     "For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

     So when they met together, they asked Him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

     He said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

     After He said this, He was taken up into the sky before their very eyes, and a cloud hid them from their sight.

     They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.

     "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven will come back the same way you have seen Him go into heaven."
                     --- Acts 1:1-11


1. Who was "most excellent Theophilus"? We have no other references to this man. He was an official or person of importance of some kind. Perhaps he was a new Christian, or maybe he was a seeker, considering the claims of Jesus Christ, but unsure of what he was being told.

Luke wanted to re-assure him of the truths he was hearing. Maybe he was a convert of Luke.

In either case, he was someone like many of us.

2. Christ appeared on earth for 40 days after His resurrection and then ascended to heaven, telling His disciples to wait in Jerusalem to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which would empower them to be witnesses for the good news "to the ends of the earth."

We know from other New Testament scriptures that Christ appeared personally to over 500 people. And we know that He appeared to "believers," His followers, not to "unbelievers." He didn't go to Pilate or Herod, which would certainly make a compelling narrative.

But it was not His intention to parade Himself in a bitter "I told you so" and "now you will be sorry" act of revenge. He revealed Himself to those who trusted Him and in Him.

He always displayed humility, not arrogance.

3. We see that the disciples still did not "get it." They still associated the Kingdom of God with an earthly restoration of the nation of Israel, the expulsion of Rome, and, probably, their own lofty positions of authority in the "Cabinet." 

But they finally "got it." A few days later.


4. The phrase Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth is a brief outline of the Book of Acts.

The first 7 chapters of the Book concentrate on the Church in Jerusalem.

Chapters 8 - 12 show the Church moving into Judea and Samaria.

Chapters 13 - 28 give the account of the Church expanding throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.

5. This same Jesus who was taken from you into heaven - I read great compassion in this statement.
The angels knew it was a heart-wrenching experience for the disciples to see Christ leave. He wasn't lost - He was taken from them.

But He didn't just disappear either - He went to heaven and they knew from His comments in the Upper Room before His crucifixion, that He was going to prepare a place for them to come and be with Him forever.

The messengers brought comfort and encouragement to them with their words - Yes, He was taken from you - but He was taken to heaven - as He told you!
And He will come back!


Luke tells Theophilus that Christianity is a religion based on historical facts. Even the fact of the resurrection was witnessed by hundreds of people.

So the resurrection in a fact.

That fact proves the deity of Christ.

The divine Christ must speak the truth, because God is truthful and must speak truthfully.

So we can trust everything God says in the Bible because He taught that it was the Word of God.

And that includes the fact that He will be

coming back to earth in the same

manner in which He left.

But that date is determined by God the Father.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
 (Revelation 22:20)

Even Little Children

"LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth. You have set Your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants, You have established a stronghold against Your enemies, to silence foes and the avenger." (Psalm 8:1-2) 

We often don't take spiritual warfare seriously enough. Dare we underestimate the devil's hatred for our Lord and for His followers?

Since Satan was cast out of heaven, his mission has been to ruin everything and everyone the Lord loves.

But we have weapons and we can take heart. Even little children can defeat the devil when they speak or sing words of praise to God. The evil one is dispelled and defeated when our hearts, homes, and sanctuaries are praise-filled.

As all of us participate in worship, study and obey His Word, and dedicate ourselves to prayer and praise, we can 'silence the voice of the foe and the avenger.'

Have praise-filled commands ready to shout at Satan whenever he appears.

And we have powerful custom-made armor to wear to "stand against the schemes of the devil." Described in Ephesians 6.

And remember how Jesus defeated Satan? By quoting scripture. And then we are told, 'the devil left Him.' 

Read about it in Matthew 4: "And Jesus said to him, 'Be gone, Satan, for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.'"

And 'the devil left Him.'

We always succeed when we imitate our Savior!

The Scientist and the Theologian

Where did the scientist find the theologian? 

What's the end of the story?

Robert Jastrow's nightmare:

Robert Jastrow was a famous and highly influential astronomer and physicist. He was the founder and director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies. He was a self-described and proclaimed agnostic, and sometimes atheist. He died in 2008. But before he died he wrote this:

    "For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He had scaled the mountain of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the highest rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries."

"Tetelestai" - It Is Finished!

 "Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, 'I am thirsty.' A jar of wine vinegar was there, and so they soaked a sponge in it, and put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant and lifted it to Jesus's lips. When He had received the drink Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." (John 19)

The Greek word translated as 'it is finished' in our English Bibles is 'tetelestai,' a word of various usages.

On many ancient invoices (from the time of Christ) we find that word verifying that the bill had been 'Paid in full - no balance due.' Today we often pay a bill and our receipt is stamped "Paid in full." Same idea: The debt has been fully satisficed.

Other ancient documents (military) we have found show the word is also used to announce that the army has had victory! 'The war is over --  We have won!' A cry of rejoicing!  'Victory is ours!'

Also it can mean a task or assignment has been completed;  we have records of servants reporting back to their masters that they had finished their assignment. 'Tetelestai' -- The job was complete!

Also, an artist, when finally completing their masterpiece, used the word to indicate their work was finished --  there was nothing more to be added. (Sort of like God pronouncing His creation 'Good'!)

Another use of the word relates to a prisoner who has finished his sentence. 'Tetelestai' on his certificate meant: 'no other penalty or punishment required.'

Tetelestai is the present tense, meaning the action was completed in the past, but the results continue into the present and into the future.

All of these meanings have significance for us! 

Just look at what Jesus was telling us  -- with His last breath!

                               *************

"It is finished," was His cry! Hallelujah! What a Savior!

He Knows Us By Name

 In the Old Testament we find many examples of God's grace and patience.

Reading Exodus 32 and 33 this morning. Moses is up on the mountain talking with God. The Hebrews, recently freed from slavery in Egypt, are waiting for him. They get impatient and decided to just stop waiting for him and talk Aaron into making a god for them, a golden calf, reminding them of the false religions they had in Egypt.

(Making your own god is never a good idea! I know from experience. You probably do, too!)

"You know how prone these people are to evil," Aaron reminds Moses.

God tells Moses He will reject the people for their sin.

But Moses intercedes and reminds God that they were chosen to be His special treasure, a people through whom all the world will be blessed. And that God had told Moses, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with Me.' "If You are pleased with me teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You. Remember this nation is Your people."

God listens to Moses and agrees to forgive and accompany them to the Promised Land. Moses had said, "I don't want to go with them unless You go with us."

Then, "The LORD replied, 'My presence will go with you and I will give you rest.'"

What a sacred moment. God tells him 'I will be with you. I know you. I am pleased with you. I know you by name. Just take a deep breath and relax. I will not leave you.'

We know from the New Testament that He knows us by name, too. He is our Good Shepherd. And we recognize His voice and follow Him and He will always be with us. Always.

Just relax. Take a deep breath. He's with us.

What Should We Be Doing Now? C S Lewis

 

How should we be living in these difficult days as we wait for Jesus to come back?

C S Lewis reminds us that some, or many, of the things we see in the world today are contrary to God's will. He says: "Christianity is a fighting religion. It thinks God made the world -- that space and time, heat and cold, colors and taste, animals and vegetables, are things He created. But it also thinks that a great many things have gone wrong with the world He made and He insists, and insists very loudly, that we put them right again! (From "Mere Christianity").

Then again, in the Narnian Chronicles, after the evil witch has entered Narnia, Aslan, the great Lion, gathers the Narnians around and says, "But do not be cast down. Evil will come of that evil, and I will see to it that the worst falls on Myself. In the meantime, let us make this a merry world. And as Adam's race has done the harm, Adam's race will help heal it."

Looks like that's how we live in these ungodly times -- we start putting things right again! Looks like quite a task for us! But the worst, by far, fell on Jesus!

We want to work now and then hear Him say to us, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

Maranatha, Lord Jesus!