Psalms 106:10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
There is the kind of hate that we receive from people because of their vindictive spirit. We have wronged them and they are hurt. They do not know how to suffer themselves to be defrauded. They do not know how to take wrong (1 Corinthians 6:7).
There is also the hate of people who are just plain hateful. They are self-righteous and contentious. They do not like anything that does not project their personal views and opinions. This is close to the hate of religious people who, in their zealous misguided efforts to obey the Lord’s injunction to hate evil (Psalms 97:10), look at people in a critical way, hating them for their weaknesses instead of directing their hatred towards sin and love them with the love of Jesus Christ who sees beyond our weaknesses.
There is also political and ethnic hatred where we are hated because we belong to a different race or culture. People persecute and ostracize us because we are not part of their cultural clique. We see this happen throughout world history, a history that is rich in religious and cultural wars, and even cases of ethnic cleansing. Christian kids are also targeted by the “cool cats” of this generation, put aside as “uncool” because they do not want to yield to evil peer pressure.
On the other hand, the child of God, regardless of his cultural or social background, from the moment he is saved, incurs the hate of the very enemy of God. From the moment we invite Jesus to live in us, we represent everything Satan hates. From birth control to abortion, war, car accidents, ethnic cleansing, bad company, the devil will use everything in his arsenal of evil to physically kill as many Christians as he can, or even more so, killing them spiritually by rendering them useless by leading them to live a life in compromise of their Christian values.
We need to be aware of the devices of the evil one who as a roaring lion walks about seeking to devour us (1 Peter 5:8), but most of all we need to be aware of the One who from the beginning redeems us from the hands of him that hates us.
Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
'Be strong, be strong and be strengthened!'
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
THE ONE AND ONLY ONE
Psalms 106:9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.
When the Children sat on the shore of Nueba Beach on the eastern arm of the Red Sea, they were not going to the Promised Land. To go from Goshen to Canaan, they did not need to cross the Red Sea. They were going to Mt Sinai, in Arabia (Galatians 4:25), to do exactly what Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had to do before they could inherit the promises of God. The Children of Israel were coming out their familiar world and surroundings, to go to a place where they could hear God and God alone. They accepted to be put in a position of total surrender and dependence.
God does not take second place, nor even does He take His rank among the myriad of other choices that compete for our attention. When He wants to bless us, He wants to eliminate all the other ‘competitors’; He wants to be the One and the only One. God led the Children of Israel on that path because he wanted them to cut off their bridges behind them; to put the sea, the desert and thereby the possibility of return between them and Egypt (Exodus 13:17-18). On their way to that Mountain in the land of Median, they were going to hear from God.
When we are on our way to hear from Him, God will hear the news from afar off that His child is coming to Him. He will anxiously wait on the top of the nearest hill expecting at any time to see the silhouette of His beloved child. God will send His armies like a cloud to escort the returning prodigal. They will stand between His son and his pursuing enemy; they will be light to show him the way and blindness to his enemies (Exodus 14:19-20); they will make for him a pathway through the sea to show him the way; they will take off the wheels from the chariot of his pursuers and drown them into the sea (Exodus 14:25). God will also send His servants ahead in the wilderness to provide food and water for His beloved child (Exodus 16:15; 17:6).
There are times in our lives when God seems to let everything fail around us; times when we are back to square one, back to the drawing board of listening to Him and trying to find His will. Let us not fear these times. Let us not fear loosing control of our own destiny; let us not fear God getting into the ‘driver’s seat’ of our lives telling us to take a nap in the back of the car and let Him drive. Rather let us enjoy being carried on the wings of the wind of His will in utter dependence to Him. Patiently sit at the foot of the Mount, waiting for His Word (let us not, in our impatience carve the golden calf of our own will (Exodus 32:1-4)). If during these times we wait for Him, He will give us the Word that will change and redirect our lives in the way we should live to enjoy the Land of His Promises.
Heb 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
When the Children sat on the shore of Nueba Beach on the eastern arm of the Red Sea, they were not going to the Promised Land. To go from Goshen to Canaan, they did not need to cross the Red Sea. They were going to Mt Sinai, in Arabia (Galatians 4:25), to do exactly what Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had to do before they could inherit the promises of God. The Children of Israel were coming out their familiar world and surroundings, to go to a place where they could hear God and God alone. They accepted to be put in a position of total surrender and dependence.
God does not take second place, nor even does He take His rank among the myriad of other choices that compete for our attention. When He wants to bless us, He wants to eliminate all the other ‘competitors’; He wants to be the One and the only One. God led the Children of Israel on that path because he wanted them to cut off their bridges behind them; to put the sea, the desert and thereby the possibility of return between them and Egypt (Exodus 13:17-18). On their way to that Mountain in the land of Median, they were going to hear from God.
When we are on our way to hear from Him, God will hear the news from afar off that His child is coming to Him. He will anxiously wait on the top of the nearest hill expecting at any time to see the silhouette of His beloved child. God will send His armies like a cloud to escort the returning prodigal. They will stand between His son and his pursuing enemy; they will be light to show him the way and blindness to his enemies (Exodus 14:19-20); they will make for him a pathway through the sea to show him the way; they will take off the wheels from the chariot of his pursuers and drown them into the sea (Exodus 14:25). God will also send His servants ahead in the wilderness to provide food and water for His beloved child (Exodus 16:15; 17:6).
There are times in our lives when God seems to let everything fail around us; times when we are back to square one, back to the drawing board of listening to Him and trying to find His will. Let us not fear these times. Let us not fear loosing control of our own destiny; let us not fear God getting into the ‘driver’s seat’ of our lives telling us to take a nap in the back of the car and let Him drive. Rather let us enjoy being carried on the wings of the wind of His will in utter dependence to Him. Patiently sit at the foot of the Mount, waiting for His Word (let us not, in our impatience carve the golden calf of our own will (Exodus 32:1-4)). If during these times we wait for Him, He will give us the Word that will change and redirect our lives in the way we should live to enjoy the Land of His Promises.
Heb 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Friday, July 27, 2007
HE SAVES US FOR HIS NAMES’ SAKE
Psalms 106:7-8 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. (8) Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.
It is not until children grow up and have a turn in the role of parenthood that they are able to truly appreciate what their parents have done for them. We, as parents, know the anguish, tears, desperate prayers and long night watches spent at the bedside of a sick child. We are accustomed with the worries and concerns that plague us as our dear one is suddenly faced with the brand new issues of teenage hood. We are familiar with the dilemma of not being able to afford to give a child something very important to them, and have been faced with the deep sacrifices required to secure their future. Most of all, when all is said and done, we also know the scorn, criticism and ungratefulness of the young ‘buck’ who like the proverbial prodigal son, proudly leaves the family den to show us ‘how it should be done’. He then squanders our love and care on what does not profit, only to come back years later with his tail between his legs’ begging for cash to get him out of a ‘pickle’ and to get a chance to a new start. Taking the issue down one more knot, only a parent, no matter what the child has done, will continue to love, care, show concern and mercy to a child, even through a microphone behind the glass of a prison’s visiting room, or during visits at a recovery center.
When the prodigal son returned home, his father told the older son, “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine” (Luke 15:31). The older brother was now the sole inheritor of the father’s wealth. The younger brother had lost all except one thing: the love of his Father; he was still welcome at the father’s table, as a son. This story is the analogy that Jesus gave to describe God’s relationship with those of the household of God. This story is to show us the love He has for us, as a parent.
Not only He loves us, but also He seems to care about His sample to us as a parent. When a parent abandons his child just because he is bad, this parent might be looked down upon by others. So God, that he might make his mighty power to be known (Psalms 106:8) saves us. That is the miracle of His loving grace and power that He saves us, once we return unto Him.
1 Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
It is not until children grow up and have a turn in the role of parenthood that they are able to truly appreciate what their parents have done for them. We, as parents, know the anguish, tears, desperate prayers and long night watches spent at the bedside of a sick child. We are accustomed with the worries and concerns that plague us as our dear one is suddenly faced with the brand new issues of teenage hood. We are familiar with the dilemma of not being able to afford to give a child something very important to them, and have been faced with the deep sacrifices required to secure their future. Most of all, when all is said and done, we also know the scorn, criticism and ungratefulness of the young ‘buck’ who like the proverbial prodigal son, proudly leaves the family den to show us ‘how it should be done’. He then squanders our love and care on what does not profit, only to come back years later with his tail between his legs’ begging for cash to get him out of a ‘pickle’ and to get a chance to a new start. Taking the issue down one more knot, only a parent, no matter what the child has done, will continue to love, care, show concern and mercy to a child, even through a microphone behind the glass of a prison’s visiting room, or during visits at a recovery center.
When the prodigal son returned home, his father told the older son, “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine” (Luke 15:31). The older brother was now the sole inheritor of the father’s wealth. The younger brother had lost all except one thing: the love of his Father; he was still welcome at the father’s table, as a son. This story is the analogy that Jesus gave to describe God’s relationship with those of the household of God. This story is to show us the love He has for us, as a parent.
Not only He loves us, but also He seems to care about His sample to us as a parent. When a parent abandons his child just because he is bad, this parent might be looked down upon by others. So God, that he might make his mighty power to be known (Psalms 106:8) saves us. That is the miracle of His loving grace and power that He saves us, once we return unto Him.
1 Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
JESUS, THE ATONEMENT OF THE NATIONS
Psalms 106:6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
A nation is blessed or punished according to the acts of its king. When a king is godly, makes wise choices according to God’s spirit, God blesses the nation with increase, wisdom, the favor of its neighbors, internal peace, security and an overall sense of growth towards righteousness and virtue. This is a spiritual principle and new righteous empires have often grown out of the ashes of their decadent, indulgent and wicked predecessors. In turn, when this new empire also backslides from the virtue that earned it God’s blessing, it also becomes the prey of its more righteous conqueror.
This generation is proud and does not like to admit to faults and sins; it justifies itself to its own conscience with ‘conditions’, and ‘syndromes’, but healing and forgiveness can only come after full admission of error. David, a man of God not unaffected by human passions, knew how to eventually humble himself before God and endorse not just his own sins, but also the sins of his ancestors and that of the nation. Like Moses, he was a true mediator of the people, and God blessed the country when under his rule.
Oh that God may give us kings, rulers who refuse to pride themselves on the arm of the flesh; who know not only to seek God about their own sin, but to also acknowledge the sins of their fathers and of their nation; kings who have the spirit of atonement for their people, who seek God’s blessing fro them even at their own hurt; then and only then, will we again draw God’s blessing upon our land.
When the world will have come to the end of its own unraveling, when its economy, politics and diplomacy will arrive at the impasse of all impasses, when it will have pushed itself into a corner, Jesus the Messiah, the king of glory who atones for the sins of all nations, the One who even has not sinned atones by taking on our sins, will make a triumphal entry on the world’s scene (Revelations 19:11). He will show of us how we have sinned in our pride show us the example of a true king.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
A nation is blessed or punished according to the acts of its king. When a king is godly, makes wise choices according to God’s spirit, God blesses the nation with increase, wisdom, the favor of its neighbors, internal peace, security and an overall sense of growth towards righteousness and virtue. This is a spiritual principle and new righteous empires have often grown out of the ashes of their decadent, indulgent and wicked predecessors. In turn, when this new empire also backslides from the virtue that earned it God’s blessing, it also becomes the prey of its more righteous conqueror.
This generation is proud and does not like to admit to faults and sins; it justifies itself to its own conscience with ‘conditions’, and ‘syndromes’, but healing and forgiveness can only come after full admission of error. David, a man of God not unaffected by human passions, knew how to eventually humble himself before God and endorse not just his own sins, but also the sins of his ancestors and that of the nation. Like Moses, he was a true mediator of the people, and God blessed the country when under his rule.
Oh that God may give us kings, rulers who refuse to pride themselves on the arm of the flesh; who know not only to seek God about their own sin, but to also acknowledge the sins of their fathers and of their nation; kings who have the spirit of atonement for their people, who seek God’s blessing fro them even at their own hurt; then and only then, will we again draw God’s blessing upon our land.
When the world will have come to the end of its own unraveling, when its economy, politics and diplomacy will arrive at the impasse of all impasses, when it will have pushed itself into a corner, Jesus the Messiah, the king of glory who atones for the sins of all nations, the One who even has not sinned atones by taking on our sins, will make a triumphal entry on the world’s scene (Revelations 19:11). He will show of us how we have sinned in our pride show us the example of a true king.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
JESUS, THE EARNEST OF THE GOOD THINGS TO COME
Psalms 106:5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.
This expression of longing is introduced to us by David’s supplication for salvation in the preceding verse: Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation. David calls salvation: the favour that God bears to His people.
Our lives are often complicated; it is sometimes hard to make sense of things. Many of us grope in such darkness that we do not even see even one full step ahead of us. We do not understand the injustices, the sicknesses, the sufferings, the conflicts between people and between countries where more often than not, innocent young soldiers and civilians pay the price of political debacle and confusion.
Let us now for an instant turn our eyes and look to the promises David anticipated. He was hungry for salvation because he wanted to see the good of God’s chosen. He wanted to rejoice in the gladness of the nation of God and be a partaker of the glory with God’s inheritance. David knew that the promises of God made to His people were first to be fulfilled through the coming Messiah; that through salvation, he would see goodness and rejoicing with God’s people of all the earth.
So no matter how dark is the night for the child of God in this realm, we have the promise of a glorious dawn at the edge of eternity; of a time when the promises made to the fathers will be fulfilled in the children; of the time when Jesus Christ will reign supreme. He will then teach each of us His Words that tell us how the world should have been run and how to solve problems and differences maturely. He will also teach us that wealth is in the ability to give and not to take; that power is in the ability to command virtue in ourselves, not in the in the control of others, and that God’s love is the motivating principle by which all of creation was designed (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25).
In the meantime, God has given us an advance on these things: He gave us the earnest of the spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22); so even if today we have very little control in the way the world is being run, we can already look to the spirit of God to bring peace to our lives and to that of those around us.
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
This expression of longing is introduced to us by David’s supplication for salvation in the preceding verse: Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation. David calls salvation: the favour that God bears to His people.
Our lives are often complicated; it is sometimes hard to make sense of things. Many of us grope in such darkness that we do not even see even one full step ahead of us. We do not understand the injustices, the sicknesses, the sufferings, the conflicts between people and between countries where more often than not, innocent young soldiers and civilians pay the price of political debacle and confusion.
Let us now for an instant turn our eyes and look to the promises David anticipated. He was hungry for salvation because he wanted to see the good of God’s chosen. He wanted to rejoice in the gladness of the nation of God and be a partaker of the glory with God’s inheritance. David knew that the promises of God made to His people were first to be fulfilled through the coming Messiah; that through salvation, he would see goodness and rejoicing with God’s people of all the earth.
So no matter how dark is the night for the child of God in this realm, we have the promise of a glorious dawn at the edge of eternity; of a time when the promises made to the fathers will be fulfilled in the children; of the time when Jesus Christ will reign supreme. He will then teach each of us His Words that tell us how the world should have been run and how to solve problems and differences maturely. He will also teach us that wealth is in the ability to give and not to take; that power is in the ability to command virtue in ourselves, not in the in the control of others, and that God’s love is the motivating principle by which all of creation was designed (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25).
In the meantime, God has given us an advance on these things: He gave us the earnest of the spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22); so even if today we have very little control in the way the world is being run, we can already look to the spirit of God to bring peace to our lives and to that of those around us.
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
YASHUA, THE BODY FROM THE SHADOWS
Psalms 106:4-5 Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation; That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.
This man, this great King of Israel, this commander in chief of the armies of the Lord, was a great statesman, as well as a great prophet. He was a Hebrew descendant from the Hebrew *Abraham (Genesis 14:13); an Israelite after Jacob the son of Isaac (Genesis 32:28); a Jew from the tribe of Judah, the fourth son of Jacob through Leah, his wife (Genesis 29:35). David was under the covering of the levitical religious system, and yet, yet he asked God to visit him with the salvation which was to come through Jesus Christ, his descendant one thousand years later.
Unlike today, ancient Hebrews knew that God had a Son who would one day come to Jerusalem and redeem them from the curse of the original sin (Genesis 3). As Moses told children of Israel about the Messiah’s future physical arrival on the world scene, he also told them that one day a prophet would come and that they were to listen to him (Deuteronomy 18:15). The prophet Isaiah told us that this ‘servant’ would be the lamb that would take upon himself the sin of the people (Isaiah 53).
Before Jesus came, the sins of the people were redeemed by the sacrifice of an innocent animal. The blood of this animal was sprinkled on the altar of the Ark of the Covenant. The blood of Jesus, the sinless Son of God, is the last innocent blood shed for the sins of mankind. Man loves temples, buildings, rituals and ceremonies. It is a tendency for him to look back at these ancient days with nostalgia. He seems to always want to recreate a religion based on the elements of temples, priesthood, and rituals; but for the born-again child of God, there is no more need of this type, for Jesus Christ, is the anti-type. He is the temple, the Ark, the altar, the sacrifice, the blood, and the high priest all together in one. He is also the Sabbath of our rest, the kosher meat of the Word and the waters of purification. The Jerusalem of our peace is the New Jerusalem to come, the tabernacle of God that will come to dwell on the earth, the restored tabernacle of David (Acts 15:16; Revelations 21-22).
Let us therefore not dwell in the religious elementary school of shadows, types and pictures, but with full faith endorse the diploma of graduation of spiritual salvation, for the worship of a spiritual God in our hearts.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
*Abram is called “the Hebrew”, either from his passing over or coming beyond the river Euphrates, from Ur in Chaldea into Canaan. The Hebrew word “Hebrew” is “ivree, from the Hebrew verb, “laavor” meaning “to go over”. According to the Talmudists Ur of the Chaldees was called עיברא זעירא, "little Ibra".
This man, this great King of Israel, this commander in chief of the armies of the Lord, was a great statesman, as well as a great prophet. He was a Hebrew descendant from the Hebrew *Abraham (Genesis 14:13); an Israelite after Jacob the son of Isaac (Genesis 32:28); a Jew from the tribe of Judah, the fourth son of Jacob through Leah, his wife (Genesis 29:35). David was under the covering of the levitical religious system, and yet, yet he asked God to visit him with the salvation which was to come through Jesus Christ, his descendant one thousand years later.
Unlike today, ancient Hebrews knew that God had a Son who would one day come to Jerusalem and redeem them from the curse of the original sin (Genesis 3). As Moses told children of Israel about the Messiah’s future physical arrival on the world scene, he also told them that one day a prophet would come and that they were to listen to him (Deuteronomy 18:15). The prophet Isaiah told us that this ‘servant’ would be the lamb that would take upon himself the sin of the people (Isaiah 53).
Before Jesus came, the sins of the people were redeemed by the sacrifice of an innocent animal. The blood of this animal was sprinkled on the altar of the Ark of the Covenant. The blood of Jesus, the sinless Son of God, is the last innocent blood shed for the sins of mankind. Man loves temples, buildings, rituals and ceremonies. It is a tendency for him to look back at these ancient days with nostalgia. He seems to always want to recreate a religion based on the elements of temples, priesthood, and rituals; but for the born-again child of God, there is no more need of this type, for Jesus Christ, is the anti-type. He is the temple, the Ark, the altar, the sacrifice, the blood, and the high priest all together in one. He is also the Sabbath of our rest, the kosher meat of the Word and the waters of purification. The Jerusalem of our peace is the New Jerusalem to come, the tabernacle of God that will come to dwell on the earth, the restored tabernacle of David (Acts 15:16; Revelations 21-22).
Let us therefore not dwell in the religious elementary school of shadows, types and pictures, but with full faith endorse the diploma of graduation of spiritual salvation, for the worship of a spiritual God in our hearts.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
*Abram is called “the Hebrew”, either from his passing over or coming beyond the river Euphrates, from Ur in Chaldea into Canaan. The Hebrew word “Hebrew” is “ivree, from the Hebrew verb, “laavor” meaning “to go over”. According to the Talmudists Ur of the Chaldees was called עיברא זעירא, "little Ibra".
Monday, July 23, 2007
JESUS, THE ALTAR THAT SANCTIFIES THE GIFT
Psalms 106:3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.
What praise, what beatitude, what truth!
At the end of the long road of life, we take stock of our existence. If we are honest in our assessment, we see that whenever we followed God, whenever we kept His judgments and did His righteousness, we were blessed. We also realize that whenever we stubbornly clung to our own ways pushing to fulfill our personal desires, we created our own doom. We therefore come to the conclusion that if we had done things God’s way all the time, we also would have been blessed all the time; but we didn’t. We didn’t because our human nature is such that it fights against the ways of God (Romans 7:18-23).
What then? If the very nature of which I am made keeps me from the very blessedness God intended for me, what good is it for me? Is the above scripture the teasing of a God who satirically enjoys setting before His children ‘cookies’ that are impossible to reach? Maybe this statement is to blame for the present attitude of a world which decides to indulge in pleasures today because ‘tomorrow we die’. After all, what good is it to put forth the effort if it is impossible?
Yes; it is impossible; but the things which are impossible with men are possible with God (Luke 18:27). The end of man’s strength, is the beginning of God’s opportunity. In the prophetic statement of the text above, David saw the living Messiah; the one who would take upon Himself the sin of the world; the embodiment of the perpetual levitical atonement blood of sacrifice; the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
How many of us whose hearts have been sprinkled (Exodus 12:7) by the blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ still, subconsciously, define righteousness through our own ‘works’ and attitudes? A lifetime may not be enough for us to grasp the fullness of His mercy.
Don’t we remember what Jesus taught us, that it is the altar that sanctifies the gift, not the gift the altar (Matthew 23:19). Jesus is the altar, the lamb and the shed blood. Let us now lay ourselves on the altar of His person, to be healed by His broken body (Luke 22:19) and by His stripes of righteousness (Isaiah 53:5); to be forgiven by His shed blood of atonement (Matthew 26:28). Let us give up all personal attempts at righteousness, knowing that His blood, and His blood alone is able to make us walk in God’s judgment, doing His righteousness all the time.
Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
What praise, what beatitude, what truth!
At the end of the long road of life, we take stock of our existence. If we are honest in our assessment, we see that whenever we followed God, whenever we kept His judgments and did His righteousness, we were blessed. We also realize that whenever we stubbornly clung to our own ways pushing to fulfill our personal desires, we created our own doom. We therefore come to the conclusion that if we had done things God’s way all the time, we also would have been blessed all the time; but we didn’t. We didn’t because our human nature is such that it fights against the ways of God (Romans 7:18-23).
What then? If the very nature of which I am made keeps me from the very blessedness God intended for me, what good is it for me? Is the above scripture the teasing of a God who satirically enjoys setting before His children ‘cookies’ that are impossible to reach? Maybe this statement is to blame for the present attitude of a world which decides to indulge in pleasures today because ‘tomorrow we die’. After all, what good is it to put forth the effort if it is impossible?
Yes; it is impossible; but the things which are impossible with men are possible with God (Luke 18:27). The end of man’s strength, is the beginning of God’s opportunity. In the prophetic statement of the text above, David saw the living Messiah; the one who would take upon Himself the sin of the world; the embodiment of the perpetual levitical atonement blood of sacrifice; the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
How many of us whose hearts have been sprinkled (Exodus 12:7) by the blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ still, subconsciously, define righteousness through our own ‘works’ and attitudes? A lifetime may not be enough for us to grasp the fullness of His mercy.
Don’t we remember what Jesus taught us, that it is the altar that sanctifies the gift, not the gift the altar (Matthew 23:19). Jesus is the altar, the lamb and the shed blood. Let us now lay ourselves on the altar of His person, to be healed by His broken body (Luke 22:19) and by His stripes of righteousness (Isaiah 53:5); to be forgiven by His shed blood of atonement (Matthew 26:28). Let us give up all personal attempts at righteousness, knowing that His blood, and His blood alone is able to make us walk in God’s judgment, doing His righteousness all the time.
Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
THE SURE PROMISES OF GOD
July 22, 2006
Psalms 106:1-2 Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can shew forth all his praise?
King David ordered the liturgy of the Temple worship. His songs were, and are still used for praise in Jewish worship. The sentence in the above text is written in the imperative. This is a command for the whole congregation to praise the Lord. It is not only the duty of the priests and choirs to praise the Lord but the whole congregation was probed to worship God and acknowledge the greatness of His mighty acts.
In any text, book, movie, story, documentary, it is easy to remain at the surface of the story line, and miss the essentials of the message. When talking about God’s mighty acts, we may imagine the creation of the universe in six days (Genesis 1); the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21); people strengthened, healed, resurrected (Hebrews 11), and the coming down of the final new Jerusalem (Revelations 21-22).; but what are these mighty acts that David conveys in his song of praise to the Lord?
The song starts and ends with Praise ye the Lord, the English translation for the Hebrew praise: Hallelujah. The space in between the two praises is filled with the mournful accounts of Israel’s willful disobediences to God. This psalm tells us of God’s mercy towards His flock, His people, His children, His wife, and His church even in spite of their rebellious defiance. This song reminds us that even though the fathers have sinned, the children inherit the promise. This song assures us that God’s promises are not conditional, that like the one made to Abraham (Genesis 15:4-6), they hold their weight in gold; that they will be fulfilled, no matter what you or I can do.
These are the unutterable mighty acts of God for who can equate with His patience, with the mercy He shows? We are so quick to go after revenge, justice and retaliation, but God, while never compromising righteousness, finds a way, even at His own cost, to fulfill His promises of mercy. May Jesus Christ, the Son of God through whom the promises are fulfilled be praised forever.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Psalms 106:1-2 Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can shew forth all his praise?
King David ordered the liturgy of the Temple worship. His songs were, and are still used for praise in Jewish worship. The sentence in the above text is written in the imperative. This is a command for the whole congregation to praise the Lord. It is not only the duty of the priests and choirs to praise the Lord but the whole congregation was probed to worship God and acknowledge the greatness of His mighty acts.
In any text, book, movie, story, documentary, it is easy to remain at the surface of the story line, and miss the essentials of the message. When talking about God’s mighty acts, we may imagine the creation of the universe in six days (Genesis 1); the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21); people strengthened, healed, resurrected (Hebrews 11), and the coming down of the final new Jerusalem (Revelations 21-22).; but what are these mighty acts that David conveys in his song of praise to the Lord?
The song starts and ends with Praise ye the Lord, the English translation for the Hebrew praise: Hallelujah. The space in between the two praises is filled with the mournful accounts of Israel’s willful disobediences to God. This psalm tells us of God’s mercy towards His flock, His people, His children, His wife, and His church even in spite of their rebellious defiance. This song reminds us that even though the fathers have sinned, the children inherit the promise. This song assures us that God’s promises are not conditional, that like the one made to Abraham (Genesis 15:4-6), they hold their weight in gold; that they will be fulfilled, no matter what you or I can do.
These are the unutterable mighty acts of God for who can equate with His patience, with the mercy He shows? We are so quick to go after revenge, justice and retaliation, but God, while never compromising righteousness, finds a way, even at His own cost, to fulfill His promises of mercy. May Jesus Christ, the Son of God through whom the promises are fulfilled be praised forever.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
PRAISE HIM WITH CLEAN HANDS
Psalms 103:20-22 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. (21) Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. (22) Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.
Is someone ‘good’ just because they believe in the virtue of goodness? Is someone clean just because they believe cleanliness is right? Is someone honest just because they acquiesce that honesty is a good thing? Is someone a Christian just because he attends a church?
What would we think of a child who praises his parents up and down, claims to acknowledge and agree with their wisdom in decision-making, confesses desire to emulate them and yet, in his daily behavior, does everything contrary to their bidding. That child would certainly be viewed as a hypocrite and a liar wouldn’t he?
It is a sad thing today that while praising their Father in Heaven, God’s children everywhere rob, lie, kill; rely on the arm of flesh rather than that of God; worship God that they fashioned according to their own ways, and are more attentive to the traditions of man than to the commandment of the God almighty that they claim created them (Matthew 15:3). By our example, we, who are supposed to be the custodians of the faith imparted to us, have sadly been the biggest enemies of its propagation. The apostle Paul severely rebuked the Roman church for such behavior, and told then that the name of God was blasphemed among the unbelievers because of their hypocritical sample (Romans 2:17-24).
That is why Jesus Christ told us that the heart of the law of God was justice and mercy (Matthew 23:23); obedience not sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22); and that if we have ought against our ‘brother’, He would rather that we leave aside our sacrificial service to Him and reconcile with him first (Matthew 5:23-24).
Let us now seriously and honestly ponder these things. Let us raise unto God praises cleaned from malice and envy; let us offer a service purified from our owns works of disobedience; let us match our walk with our talk.
Romans 2:13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Is someone ‘good’ just because they believe in the virtue of goodness? Is someone clean just because they believe cleanliness is right? Is someone honest just because they acquiesce that honesty is a good thing? Is someone a Christian just because he attends a church?
What would we think of a child who praises his parents up and down, claims to acknowledge and agree with their wisdom in decision-making, confesses desire to emulate them and yet, in his daily behavior, does everything contrary to their bidding. That child would certainly be viewed as a hypocrite and a liar wouldn’t he?
It is a sad thing today that while praising their Father in Heaven, God’s children everywhere rob, lie, kill; rely on the arm of flesh rather than that of God; worship God that they fashioned according to their own ways, and are more attentive to the traditions of man than to the commandment of the God almighty that they claim created them (Matthew 15:3). By our example, we, who are supposed to be the custodians of the faith imparted to us, have sadly been the biggest enemies of its propagation. The apostle Paul severely rebuked the Roman church for such behavior, and told then that the name of God was blasphemed among the unbelievers because of their hypocritical sample (Romans 2:17-24).
That is why Jesus Christ told us that the heart of the law of God was justice and mercy (Matthew 23:23); obedience not sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22); and that if we have ought against our ‘brother’, He would rather that we leave aside our sacrificial service to Him and reconcile with him first (Matthew 5:23-24).
Let us now seriously and honestly ponder these things. Let us raise unto God praises cleaned from malice and envy; let us offer a service purified from our owns works of disobedience; let us match our walk with our talk.
Romans 2:13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Friday, July 20, 2007
HE WILL MAKE ALL THINGS RIGHT
Psalms 103:19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
Looking at the increasing freak weather events, at the insanity of escalating wars, the plague of rampant urban crime, and at the mounting seismologic instability, the conditions of the earth today could be described with these words from the second verse of the first chapter in the Bible book of Genesis: the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: confusion. The consolation of every God-fearing human being on the globe is that The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. That He will some day soon come to the earth, separate the light from the darkness and bring order out of the confusion of six thousand years of man’s rule (Genesis 1). By the sovereignty of His own spirit, He will to calm the ‘sea’ of religious, political and natural instability (Mathew 8:26) and establish His loving rule over all of mankind (Revelations 19:15).
Our personal lives can at times also feel like a tangled mass of confusion, and this consolation offered us concerning the world of tomorrow can be very small for many of us when it comes to the hope needed to overcome today’s problems. The good news is that the Lord reigns also in the lives and hearts of His subjects. He does not force Himself on us, but He reigns as a loving ruler who endeavors to win the loyalty of His people.
As we watch our ships returned with broken sails; as we hopelessly stare at the tangled mess of our own plans; as we ponder upon the confusion of our personal lives, let us honestly (Luke 8:15) in spirit and in truth (John 4:23), look to the One who reigns over us all and yield, surrender our hearts to Him. He will separate the light form the darkness, the truth from the lies, the chaff from the wheat, the true hope from the false dream.
1 Corinthians 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Looking at the increasing freak weather events, at the insanity of escalating wars, the plague of rampant urban crime, and at the mounting seismologic instability, the conditions of the earth today could be described with these words from the second verse of the first chapter in the Bible book of Genesis: the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: confusion. The consolation of every God-fearing human being on the globe is that The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. That He will some day soon come to the earth, separate the light from the darkness and bring order out of the confusion of six thousand years of man’s rule (Genesis 1). By the sovereignty of His own spirit, He will to calm the ‘sea’ of religious, political and natural instability (Mathew 8:26) and establish His loving rule over all of mankind (Revelations 19:15).
Our personal lives can at times also feel like a tangled mass of confusion, and this consolation offered us concerning the world of tomorrow can be very small for many of us when it comes to the hope needed to overcome today’s problems. The good news is that the Lord reigns also in the lives and hearts of His subjects. He does not force Himself on us, but He reigns as a loving ruler who endeavors to win the loyalty of His people.
As we watch our ships returned with broken sails; as we hopelessly stare at the tangled mess of our own plans; as we ponder upon the confusion of our personal lives, let us honestly (Luke 8:15) in spirit and in truth (John 4:23), look to the One who reigns over us all and yield, surrender our hearts to Him. He will separate the light form the darkness, the truth from the lies, the chaff from the wheat, the true hope from the false dream.
1 Corinthians 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
THE ROAD MAP TO PEACE
Psalms 103:17-18 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; (18) To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
After pondering the vanity and futility of the days of man (Psalms 103:15-16), let us wonder at the Lord’s perpetual mercy and righteousness. How is it that the intelligent man of today cannot see that without the eternal God that created him his life is doomed to emptiness? The temporal tabernacle of our flesh (2 Corinthians 5:1) incases a soul that is hungry for eternity. To withhold the spirit of God from its eternal destiny and force it to live within the narrow confines of human flesh, is denying the wings of an eagle the freedom of the mountain’s mighty wind by forcing it to live in a cage (John 3:8).
The world stands on the verge of blowing itself to pieces. Many lives are daily shattered by the evils of wars-- religious wars. All sides claim to have an edge on God, but who truly fears Him and His righteousness? Who keeps His covenant and remembers His commandments to do them? They have religiously thrown their silver and their gold at the altar of man’ justice and vengeance, and their political priests have built them the golden calf of enmity with God (Exodus 32:2-4). The Words of God’s covenant of peace tells us, ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it (Numbers 35:33). So much blood has been shed, but Jesus Christ has enough ‘blood’ to cleanse the land.
Come now, all humanity; come arm in arm and heart to heart. Come to the only Rock that pours forth the only ‘holy water’ of peace. Come now to the great gates of Zion, come to pay your respects to the One, the only one who has written in His blood the covenant of peace for the world. Come and let Him write in your heart His commandments of love and true righteousness. Let dropping tears of repentance replace missiles; the pricks of a convicted heart replace vengeance, and pure white snow cover offenses.
1 Corinthians 6:7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
After pondering the vanity and futility of the days of man (Psalms 103:15-16), let us wonder at the Lord’s perpetual mercy and righteousness. How is it that the intelligent man of today cannot see that without the eternal God that created him his life is doomed to emptiness? The temporal tabernacle of our flesh (2 Corinthians 5:1) incases a soul that is hungry for eternity. To withhold the spirit of God from its eternal destiny and force it to live within the narrow confines of human flesh, is denying the wings of an eagle the freedom of the mountain’s mighty wind by forcing it to live in a cage (John 3:8).
The world stands on the verge of blowing itself to pieces. Many lives are daily shattered by the evils of wars-- religious wars. All sides claim to have an edge on God, but who truly fears Him and His righteousness? Who keeps His covenant and remembers His commandments to do them? They have religiously thrown their silver and their gold at the altar of man’ justice and vengeance, and their political priests have built them the golden calf of enmity with God (Exodus 32:2-4). The Words of God’s covenant of peace tells us, ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it (Numbers 35:33). So much blood has been shed, but Jesus Christ has enough ‘blood’ to cleanse the land.
Come now, all humanity; come arm in arm and heart to heart. Come to the only Rock that pours forth the only ‘holy water’ of peace. Come now to the great gates of Zion, come to pay your respects to the One, the only one who has written in His blood the covenant of peace for the world. Come and let Him write in your heart His commandments of love and true righteousness. Let dropping tears of repentance replace missiles; the pricks of a convicted heart replace vengeance, and pure white snow cover offenses.
1 Corinthians 6:7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
TOMORROW, A FADING FLOWER.
Psalms 103:15-16 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. (16) For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
My friend, Marshall, refurbished old computers that he would donate to schools and ministries. I sent many of these machines abroad to fledgling computer training centers in poorer countries. Marshall had turned his garage into a computer parts warehouse as well as into a workshop where he taught teenagers how to build and maintain computers. What a passion he had for this project! A couple of years later he passed away, and his grown sons emptied the garage and sent it all to the dump. They felt they could finally dispose of this ‘junk’ they felt their father had wasted his time with.
Such a spirit of vanity and uselessness prevails today. A man works his whole life to build an empire, or even a good reputation for his family, but he has no guarantee that his children will take over after him. He can’t be sure that they will not obliterate his hard work after he’s gone. All this generation is left with is the mentality of ‘let’s eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die’, and with very little or no care for future generations. There was a time when a man knew that by his own hard work, he could leave a farm, a company, an inheritance to his children They were thankful and careful to carry on the family business or farm after the father died, even unto their own children. This hope existed in spite of the knowledge that tragedy or the simple passing of time could in a moment dry the flower of the finest of hopes. What is then a man to do to escape this sense of uselessness and emptiness?
Jesus warned us of this when He said, “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life…. (John 6:27). He also gave us this parable, The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened (Matthew 13:33). Only what is done for Jesus Christ in this life will resist the corruption of time and the devaluation of the currency of human values. What ever is done for the Kingdom of God will even use time to augment its own worth.
Let us today honestly take stock of the quantum of our life. How much of it is the ‘perishing ’ part, and how much the ‘enduring’ part (John 6:27). Let us make sure to leave behind us an uncorruptaible spiritual inheritance of enduring eternal souls won for His eternal heavenly Kingdom.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
My friend, Marshall, refurbished old computers that he would donate to schools and ministries. I sent many of these machines abroad to fledgling computer training centers in poorer countries. Marshall had turned his garage into a computer parts warehouse as well as into a workshop where he taught teenagers how to build and maintain computers. What a passion he had for this project! A couple of years later he passed away, and his grown sons emptied the garage and sent it all to the dump. They felt they could finally dispose of this ‘junk’ they felt their father had wasted his time with.
Such a spirit of vanity and uselessness prevails today. A man works his whole life to build an empire, or even a good reputation for his family, but he has no guarantee that his children will take over after him. He can’t be sure that they will not obliterate his hard work after he’s gone. All this generation is left with is the mentality of ‘let’s eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die’, and with very little or no care for future generations. There was a time when a man knew that by his own hard work, he could leave a farm, a company, an inheritance to his children They were thankful and careful to carry on the family business or farm after the father died, even unto their own children. This hope existed in spite of the knowledge that tragedy or the simple passing of time could in a moment dry the flower of the finest of hopes. What is then a man to do to escape this sense of uselessness and emptiness?
Jesus warned us of this when He said, “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life…. (John 6:27). He also gave us this parable, The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened (Matthew 13:33). Only what is done for Jesus Christ in this life will resist the corruption of time and the devaluation of the currency of human values. What ever is done for the Kingdom of God will even use time to augment its own worth.
Let us today honestly take stock of the quantum of our life. How much of it is the ‘perishing ’ part, and how much the ‘enduring’ part (John 6:27). Let us make sure to leave behind us an uncorruptaible spiritual inheritance of enduring eternal souls won for His eternal heavenly Kingdom.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
THE GOD WHOSE SON WAS SPEARED
Psalms 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
In the movie “End of the Spear”, we are introduced to a young Waodani convert, Dayumae. At a young age, she took refuge with foreigners to flee the revenge killings that plagued her tribe. The Waodanis were a primitive people who lived in the Amazon forest of Ecuador. Their social mentality brought them into such a cycle of revenge and retaliation that spearing wars with neighboring tribes nearly brought them to a point of self-annihilation. Life expectancy was so low, no one ever had grandchildren; everyone had at least one close family member who had been speared. It is when they received the Gospel of the God who didn’t want them to kill that they were able to keep their first generation of grandfathers.
In the movie, we are shown how Dayumae was instrumental to this change of behavior. The message she brought was: “God has a Son. God’s Son came on earth to tell us that God doesn’t want us to kill. People speared Him because of this message, but He did not spear back. He did it so that those who speared Him could live well and in peace.” This God could understand the Waodanis; He also had a relative, a son who was ‘speared’.
God’s empathy for our frame is not born out of false or emotional pity. He understands our losses; He also lost a Son, who was tortured and killed for the ransom price of our redemption. His Son voluntarily yielded Himself to everyday things we go through on earth as human beings, as well as to the cruel and painful death of the sinner so He could represent us to the Father--so He could be a worthy and empathic high-priest to us (Hebrews 4:15).
Yes, we have a God who is emotional like we are. He is capable of anger (Exodus 4:14); of repentance (Exodus 32:14); of wrath (Exodus 15:7); of pity (Psalms 103:13); of hate (Proverb 6:16); of empathy (Psalms 103:14); and of hurt (Jeremiah 8:21).
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
In the movie “End of the Spear”, we are introduced to a young Waodani convert, Dayumae. At a young age, she took refuge with foreigners to flee the revenge killings that plagued her tribe. The Waodanis were a primitive people who lived in the Amazon forest of Ecuador. Their social mentality brought them into such a cycle of revenge and retaliation that spearing wars with neighboring tribes nearly brought them to a point of self-annihilation. Life expectancy was so low, no one ever had grandchildren; everyone had at least one close family member who had been speared. It is when they received the Gospel of the God who didn’t want them to kill that they were able to keep their first generation of grandfathers.
In the movie, we are shown how Dayumae was instrumental to this change of behavior. The message she brought was: “God has a Son. God’s Son came on earth to tell us that God doesn’t want us to kill. People speared Him because of this message, but He did not spear back. He did it so that those who speared Him could live well and in peace.” This God could understand the Waodanis; He also had a relative, a son who was ‘speared’.
God’s empathy for our frame is not born out of false or emotional pity. He understands our losses; He also lost a Son, who was tortured and killed for the ransom price of our redemption. His Son voluntarily yielded Himself to everyday things we go through on earth as human beings, as well as to the cruel and painful death of the sinner so He could represent us to the Father--so He could be a worthy and empathic high-priest to us (Hebrews 4:15).
Yes, we have a God who is emotional like we are. He is capable of anger (Exodus 4:14); of repentance (Exodus 32:14); of wrath (Exodus 15:7); of pity (Psalms 103:13); of hate (Proverb 6:16); of empathy (Psalms 103:14); and of hurt (Jeremiah 8:21).
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Monday, July 16, 2007
THE FATHER’S LOVE
Psalms 103:13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
Oh, how these divine words reflect the expression of our Father’s true love for us. These words should chase any doubt that He truly loves us.
I am a father. Some of my children who have left the nest to live their destiny seem to have forgotten the instructions of godly principles and virtues taught to them when they were younger. I hope the best for them; even if it comes by the way of hard knocks that will lead them back to the paths of the Lord. Often, things have got to get worse before they get better.
Did my children heed all my instructions? No. Did they walk according to my hopes and wishes? No. But are they still my sons? Yes. Am I proud of them? Yes. Do I still love them, pray for them? Yes. Will I be there for them in their day of trouble? Yes. Will it be my joy and comfort even to the point of tears when they finally yield their souls to the God of all spirits? Yes.
To all fathers here I write, to all of us for whom parenthood has left ashes in the teeth, and bitterness in the heart. Do we wonder about the final fate of our wandering children? This I say: if we, who are evil, are capable of grace, care and mercy towards our offspring, how much God, who is perfect, should be capable of the same towards us all, yet without compromising truth and righteousness (Matthew 7:11). Also this I want to ask: can anyone, can any physical or spiritual powers rob God of one of His children? Nay, my friend nay. (John 10:28).
In our pride, we like to have things under our control; we feel that unless we hold in our hands the regulating of the life of people around us, things will fail. Let us now remember this; that as our children leave the family home, as they fly away from under the protection of our wings, they go under the wings and control of Him who has a much greater vantage point and perspective on their lives than we could ever dream to have. He is the Alpha and the Omega; He sees their lives from beginning to end. Who are we then to argue with the lesson plans that He choses for them?
Luke 15:22-24 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: (23) And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: (24) For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Oh, how these divine words reflect the expression of our Father’s true love for us. These words should chase any doubt that He truly loves us.
I am a father. Some of my children who have left the nest to live their destiny seem to have forgotten the instructions of godly principles and virtues taught to them when they were younger. I hope the best for them; even if it comes by the way of hard knocks that will lead them back to the paths of the Lord. Often, things have got to get worse before they get better.
Did my children heed all my instructions? No. Did they walk according to my hopes and wishes? No. But are they still my sons? Yes. Am I proud of them? Yes. Do I still love them, pray for them? Yes. Will I be there for them in their day of trouble? Yes. Will it be my joy and comfort even to the point of tears when they finally yield their souls to the God of all spirits? Yes.
To all fathers here I write, to all of us for whom parenthood has left ashes in the teeth, and bitterness in the heart. Do we wonder about the final fate of our wandering children? This I say: if we, who are evil, are capable of grace, care and mercy towards our offspring, how much God, who is perfect, should be capable of the same towards us all, yet without compromising truth and righteousness (Matthew 7:11). Also this I want to ask: can anyone, can any physical or spiritual powers rob God of one of His children? Nay, my friend nay. (John 10:28).
In our pride, we like to have things under our control; we feel that unless we hold in our hands the regulating of the life of people around us, things will fail. Let us now remember this; that as our children leave the family home, as they fly away from under the protection of our wings, they go under the wings and control of Him who has a much greater vantage point and perspective on their lives than we could ever dream to have. He is the Alpha and the Omega; He sees their lives from beginning to end. Who are we then to argue with the lesson plans that He choses for them?
Luke 15:22-24 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: (23) And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: (24) For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
SLAVES OR SERVANTS?
Psalms 103:11-12 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. (12) As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
We humans often offend each other. We hold grudges and want restitution. We demand the humiliation of the offender. Ironically, though we walk self-righteously toward those who offend us, we are not blameless ourselves. Mercy is a bridge we all need to cross; to ‘blow it up’ for others only works to our own disadvantage.
The distance between and earth and between East and West are the most extensive dimensions we can think of. Our finite and limited human mind can only speculate about their notions. God, the creator of the heavens, of the earth, and of the whole universe, knows these dimensions. He also knows that they are out of the realm of our human comprehension, and He uses them to tell us that His mercy towards us is grander than anything we can imagine. He can’t put a price on it; it cost His Son to give it to us, and who can price a life? All He asks for in return is that we fear Him: that we recognize Him as God, and that we reverence and give due respect to His commandments and His will in our lives. Who could refuse a God like that? Man tries to live by justice; but only God has the power to give true mercy.
It is ironic that man often refuses the free mercy of God, but will willingly accepts the costly ‘free’ offers of the devil. It is pride that makes us refuse what is freely given to us. We want to work for it, earn it, to deserve it, because it gives us an edge of control. The ultimate irony of that is that the industrial world is a society where the system of lending and interest, people accept to be lured into unnecessary indulgences which forever enslaves them to financial institutions, but yet in pride, refuse to be indebted to God and accept His free gift of mercy. They prefer to be the slaves of the world, than the voluntary servants of God.
We should not be afraid to throw ourselves at God’s mercy, to indebt ourselves to Him in respect and reverence. It only costs the yielding of our lives, only to receive the resurrected life of His Son in return.
Matthew 13:45-46 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: (46) Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
We humans often offend each other. We hold grudges and want restitution. We demand the humiliation of the offender. Ironically, though we walk self-righteously toward those who offend us, we are not blameless ourselves. Mercy is a bridge we all need to cross; to ‘blow it up’ for others only works to our own disadvantage.
The distance between and earth and between East and West are the most extensive dimensions we can think of. Our finite and limited human mind can only speculate about their notions. God, the creator of the heavens, of the earth, and of the whole universe, knows these dimensions. He also knows that they are out of the realm of our human comprehension, and He uses them to tell us that His mercy towards us is grander than anything we can imagine. He can’t put a price on it; it cost His Son to give it to us, and who can price a life? All He asks for in return is that we fear Him: that we recognize Him as God, and that we reverence and give due respect to His commandments and His will in our lives. Who could refuse a God like that? Man tries to live by justice; but only God has the power to give true mercy.
It is ironic that man often refuses the free mercy of God, but will willingly accepts the costly ‘free’ offers of the devil. It is pride that makes us refuse what is freely given to us. We want to work for it, earn it, to deserve it, because it gives us an edge of control. The ultimate irony of that is that the industrial world is a society where the system of lending and interest, people accept to be lured into unnecessary indulgences which forever enslaves them to financial institutions, but yet in pride, refuse to be indebted to God and accept His free gift of mercy. They prefer to be the slaves of the world, than the voluntary servants of God.
We should not be afraid to throw ourselves at God’s mercy, to indebt ourselves to Him in respect and reverence. It only costs the yielding of our lives, only to receive the resurrected life of His Son in return.
Matthew 13:45-46 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: (46) Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
GOD’S CLASSROOM
Psalms 103:7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
When God wants to teach His ways to someone, it is an act of His election: God chooses the vessel, and He writes the lesson plan. With the children of Israel, Moses had the privilege of being taught the fullness of God’s ways. He had the leading role in the main act of their history. Like an expectant mother, Moses suffered the apprehension of pregnancy, the pains of labor, the joy of deliverance, and the strenuous work of raising the child to full maturity. Like a mother he pleaded with God’s mercy for them when they disobeyed; he exhorted them daily to follow the commandments of the Lord (Numbers 14).
Moses was the epitome of the true missionary. He saw the plight of the people from afar and he allowed God to break his heart. He felt the need of the situation (Exodus 2:11-12). He left his lofty station as prince of Egypt to become a member of the nation of slaves (Hebrews 11:24-27), and yielded himself to forty years of training in the wilderness as a shepherd (Exodus 3:1). He had to learn to become the instrument of God, solely dependant on Him, not on his own strength. He dedicated his entire life to his mission, until the day he died; when he passed it on to the person he had trained to take over (Deuteronomy 34:7-9).
We want to be shown God’s ways, but He instructs us in unexpected ways. God does not usually teach us in a classroom set up with books, expounding theoretical lectures and discourses. On-the-job lessons are His way, and our life is the tool of the trade. If we men, and yes I am talking to men, would know the teachings of God, if we would know the great wisdom of His ways with us, we would do well to stop our feverish activities once in a while, take a sabbatical rest and reflect on our lives, and that of the flock God has entrusted us with, the life of our spouses and of our children.
Like Moses, let us go to the place of isolation on Mt. Horeb (Exodus 3); take off our shoes and listen to Him; there yield our life for an instrument of His peace. Like Mary, let us forego the serving; let us sit at Jesus’ feet and learn from the Word of divine grace (Luke 10:41-42). Quiet, in the presence of the Lord, we will learn the wisdom of ages; we will receive the ‘law’ that will take us, as well as our flocks to the promised Land.
Isaiah 30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
When God wants to teach His ways to someone, it is an act of His election: God chooses the vessel, and He writes the lesson plan. With the children of Israel, Moses had the privilege of being taught the fullness of God’s ways. He had the leading role in the main act of their history. Like an expectant mother, Moses suffered the apprehension of pregnancy, the pains of labor, the joy of deliverance, and the strenuous work of raising the child to full maturity. Like a mother he pleaded with God’s mercy for them when they disobeyed; he exhorted them daily to follow the commandments of the Lord (Numbers 14).
Moses was the epitome of the true missionary. He saw the plight of the people from afar and he allowed God to break his heart. He felt the need of the situation (Exodus 2:11-12). He left his lofty station as prince of Egypt to become a member of the nation of slaves (Hebrews 11:24-27), and yielded himself to forty years of training in the wilderness as a shepherd (Exodus 3:1). He had to learn to become the instrument of God, solely dependant on Him, not on his own strength. He dedicated his entire life to his mission, until the day he died; when he passed it on to the person he had trained to take over (Deuteronomy 34:7-9).
We want to be shown God’s ways, but He instructs us in unexpected ways. God does not usually teach us in a classroom set up with books, expounding theoretical lectures and discourses. On-the-job lessons are His way, and our life is the tool of the trade. If we men, and yes I am talking to men, would know the teachings of God, if we would know the great wisdom of His ways with us, we would do well to stop our feverish activities once in a while, take a sabbatical rest and reflect on our lives, and that of the flock God has entrusted us with, the life of our spouses and of our children.
Like Moses, let us go to the place of isolation on Mt. Horeb (Exodus 3); take off our shoes and listen to Him; there yield our life for an instrument of His peace. Like Mary, let us forego the serving; let us sit at Jesus’ feet and learn from the Word of divine grace (Luke 10:41-42). Quiet, in the presence of the Lord, we will learn the wisdom of ages; we will receive the ‘law’ that will take us, as well as our flocks to the promised Land.
Isaiah 30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
JESUS’ RIGHTEOUS GOVERNMENT
Psalms 103:6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
Mankind had tried to govern itself for six thousand years. Kingdoms, empires, rulers, philosophies and modes of governments have come and gone and yet, never has there been a time when the whole earth was ruled in peace, with happiness and plenty for all. There may have been societies who’ve accomplished a certain level of harmony, but it has always been at the price of oppression of a ethnic, social, or economic minority.
Only in the Bible can we find the basic social structure by which man should be governed; it instructs us on godly economics, justice and righteousness. The irony is that instead of learning from the One who created us all, we are all too busy trying to ‘reinvent the wheel.’ God’s chosen form of government is not decided majority rule, and neither is the office of being God available to public election.
Only Jesus the Messiah will succeed in ruling the world as it should be run. When He returns to live with us here on earth, He will teach us all how the world should have been governed; then and only then, will the planet be ruled without social and economic injustice. The poor will have enough and the rich not too much. The magistrate will rule under God without respect of persons. Justice will be rendered and issues will be resolved in a wise and mature way without the use of force.
As for today, if we claim to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus the Christ, we may do well to take the time to review our earthly social behavior with the Word of God. Let there be no mistake: our salvation is by grace, but every one of our words, every one of our actions, will be weighed and reckoned with. We will be made to eat our own words and to see the fruits of our selfish, conceited actions and poor judgment (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). Judgment does begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17).
Psalms 9:16 The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.
Mankind had tried to govern itself for six thousand years. Kingdoms, empires, rulers, philosophies and modes of governments have come and gone and yet, never has there been a time when the whole earth was ruled in peace, with happiness and plenty for all. There may have been societies who’ve accomplished a certain level of harmony, but it has always been at the price of oppression of a ethnic, social, or economic minority.
Only in the Bible can we find the basic social structure by which man should be governed; it instructs us on godly economics, justice and righteousness. The irony is that instead of learning from the One who created us all, we are all too busy trying to ‘reinvent the wheel.’ God’s chosen form of government is not decided majority rule, and neither is the office of being God available to public election.
Only Jesus the Messiah will succeed in ruling the world as it should be run. When He returns to live with us here on earth, He will teach us all how the world should have been governed; then and only then, will the planet be ruled without social and economic injustice. The poor will have enough and the rich not too much. The magistrate will rule under God without respect of persons. Justice will be rendered and issues will be resolved in a wise and mature way without the use of force.
As for today, if we claim to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus the Christ, we may do well to take the time to review our earthly social behavior with the Word of God. Let there be no mistake: our salvation is by grace, but every one of our words, every one of our actions, will be weighed and reckoned with. We will be made to eat our own words and to see the fruits of our selfish, conceited actions and poor judgment (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). Judgment does begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17).
Psalms 9:16 The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
THE FOOD THAT SATISFIES
Psalms 103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
There is a difference between being satiated and being satisfied. One can be satiated without being satisfied. The elements of the world fill us up with junk food, but only the LORD satisfies our soul with good things.
It is easy to understand the difference between junk food that just fills and the healthy food that satisfies. After many hours of hard physical work, my energy level is low; I need food to sustain me. I stop working and I eat a healthy meal of protein, carbohydrates and fiber. I might even contribute to healthy digestion with a catnap. After eating healthy food and resting, my body is strengthened, I feel renewed, and I can work again. But if instead I fill myself with high sugar junk food that seem to cut the hunger but do not really fill me with the nutrients that I need, even though I eat, I do not really restore my body. After a while of such lifestyle, my body is negatively affected, I might even become sick.
On the contrary, when the LORD feeds us, we are truly filled. When we feed on His healthy diet, we become truly satisfied. The dainties of the world do not tempt us; they lose their tempting power over us; they mean nothing to us because our heart is truly full. It is the same as with a husband who is well cared for by his wife will be less tempted to look elsewhere for satisfaction. At a youth outreach, my wife was asked why she didn’t do marijuana; she answered, “Because it brings me down,” she said, “with the Spirit of the Lord, I’m already high.”
When we are satisfied with the things of the LORD, we don’t grope in darkness and confusion; we have a clear vision, understanding, and perspective of the positive, and of the negative elements of his life. Things may sadden us at times, but depression has no grip on us. How could one walk in the Light and not see his way? (Psalms 25:12-14)
It is important that we be honest with ourselves. Let us diagnose our spiritual health by asking our souls the questions that matter. Let us ask, like King David, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? (Psalms 42:5) It is normal for the one who does not partake of heavenly food to be hungry, but does it make sense that one who claims to partake of the Father’s table still be confused, in the dark, and hungry for the junk food of the world?
John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
There is a difference between being satiated and being satisfied. One can be satiated without being satisfied. The elements of the world fill us up with junk food, but only the LORD satisfies our soul with good things.
It is easy to understand the difference between junk food that just fills and the healthy food that satisfies. After many hours of hard physical work, my energy level is low; I need food to sustain me. I stop working and I eat a healthy meal of protein, carbohydrates and fiber. I might even contribute to healthy digestion with a catnap. After eating healthy food and resting, my body is strengthened, I feel renewed, and I can work again. But if instead I fill myself with high sugar junk food that seem to cut the hunger but do not really fill me with the nutrients that I need, even though I eat, I do not really restore my body. After a while of such lifestyle, my body is negatively affected, I might even become sick.
On the contrary, when the LORD feeds us, we are truly filled. When we feed on His healthy diet, we become truly satisfied. The dainties of the world do not tempt us; they lose their tempting power over us; they mean nothing to us because our heart is truly full. It is the same as with a husband who is well cared for by his wife will be less tempted to look elsewhere for satisfaction. At a youth outreach, my wife was asked why she didn’t do marijuana; she answered, “Because it brings me down,” she said, “with the Spirit of the Lord, I’m already high.”
When we are satisfied with the things of the LORD, we don’t grope in darkness and confusion; we have a clear vision, understanding, and perspective of the positive, and of the negative elements of his life. Things may sadden us at times, but depression has no grip on us. How could one walk in the Light and not see his way? (Psalms 25:12-14)
It is important that we be honest with ourselves. Let us diagnose our spiritual health by asking our souls the questions that matter. Let us ask, like King David, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? (Psalms 42:5) It is normal for the one who does not partake of heavenly food to be hungry, but does it make sense that one who claims to partake of the Father’s table still be confused, in the dark, and hungry for the junk food of the world?
John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Monday, July 09, 2007
GOD’S GREATEST GIFTS
Psalms 103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Sometimes we get so sidetracked from the main issues. We assume that God does not answer some of our prayers so we doubt His love for us. We often approach our relationship with Him like a job application. We examine the pros and cons of the contract; we evaluate the benefits, and are ready to sue if things don’t go according to our expectations. Some of us also act like the ungrateful children of this generation. They have parents who are able to provide them with basic food, shelter, clothing and education, but they are not happy unless they have the trendy latest fads and fashion in clothing, styles and gadgets. One day we will realize that even if Jesus didn’t give us anything else, like our parents, he gave us the most important things: life and protection.
From the moment of conception, human beings exist in the shadow of physical death, at the mercy of the carrying mother. Later, they are born so helpless that it seems all odds are against them. Good parents adopt a lifestyle that provides shelter and protection for the new life and for the child that is to come. They live with constant watchful care and concern for their child, and this continues long into the child’s adulthood.
Similarly, since the original sin (Genesis 3) our spiritual life is doomed to spiritual death (Romans 6:23), to live a life separated from God, and to spend eternity in the lake of fire (Revelations 20:15). God, our heavenly Father, watches over us and protects and shelters us. He has provided His Son, Jesus-Christ, to willingly and mercifully pay the “wages of sin” (Romans 6:23). We are now free from death, the condemnation of sin, and able to enjoy life in God’s presence while on earth, and after life, in God’s heavenly city, New Jerusalem, for ever. This is God’s main gift to us, and even if He would give us nothing else, this is the best deal ever offered on this side of the universe.
Oh, that we would realize the value of this sacrifice conceived in the depth of the heart of the love of God for us. Let us not whine anymore but be thankful for this crown of mercy that redeems us from inevitable death.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (56) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sometimes we get so sidetracked from the main issues. We assume that God does not answer some of our prayers so we doubt His love for us. We often approach our relationship with Him like a job application. We examine the pros and cons of the contract; we evaluate the benefits, and are ready to sue if things don’t go according to our expectations. Some of us also act like the ungrateful children of this generation. They have parents who are able to provide them with basic food, shelter, clothing and education, but they are not happy unless they have the trendy latest fads and fashion in clothing, styles and gadgets. One day we will realize that even if Jesus didn’t give us anything else, like our parents, he gave us the most important things: life and protection.
From the moment of conception, human beings exist in the shadow of physical death, at the mercy of the carrying mother. Later, they are born so helpless that it seems all odds are against them. Good parents adopt a lifestyle that provides shelter and protection for the new life and for the child that is to come. They live with constant watchful care and concern for their child, and this continues long into the child’s adulthood.
Similarly, since the original sin (Genesis 3) our spiritual life is doomed to spiritual death (Romans 6:23), to live a life separated from God, and to spend eternity in the lake of fire (Revelations 20:15). God, our heavenly Father, watches over us and protects and shelters us. He has provided His Son, Jesus-Christ, to willingly and mercifully pay the “wages of sin” (Romans 6:23). We are now free from death, the condemnation of sin, and able to enjoy life in God’s presence while on earth, and after life, in God’s heavenly city, New Jerusalem, for ever. This is God’s main gift to us, and even if He would give us nothing else, this is the best deal ever offered on this side of the universe.
Oh, that we would realize the value of this sacrifice conceived in the depth of the heart of the love of God for us. Let us not whine anymore but be thankful for this crown of mercy that redeems us from inevitable death.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (56) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
JESUS, OUR WINDSHIELD WIPERS
Psalms 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
A little girl once made a comment on Jesus forgiving our sins. She said, “We are like in a car in the rain; the rain keeps obstructing the view on the windshield, but Jesus is like the windshield wipers that keep clearing it up.”
Most of the time we play the game of righteousness with ourselves. We feel that we are not so bad, or at least not as bad as others, and we are pretty pleased with our own spiritual standing. We then end up feeling pretty comfortable which leads us to pride; and when we get proud, like the proverbial whale, we blow; and when we blow, again like the whale, we get harpooned. At that moment, we realize that we are not all that good after all, and our hurt deflated pride takes us down to the abyss of discouragement.
It is good for us when we feel spiritually comfortable to be reminded of our earthly frame. The Lord often uses the people who know us best such as close friends, spouses, and teenage children to remind us of the fact that we are “but dust”.
When our hurt pride feels the rain of condemnation and when despair blurs our vision, it is time to turn on the ‘windshield-wipers’. If the rain gets heavier, we turn them on to the next speed. We may need to be more careful in our driving, to slow down in order to avoid hydroplaning; hopefully, our tires are sound and sturdy, sticking to the road.
No matter how much rain falls on us during life’s travels, if we are honest with ourselves and acknowledge our weaknesses to God, we can flip the switch and turn on Jesus, His perpetual windshield wipers, and they will clear our vision.
1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world
A little girl once made a comment on Jesus forgiving our sins. She said, “We are like in a car in the rain; the rain keeps obstructing the view on the windshield, but Jesus is like the windshield wipers that keep clearing it up.”
Most of the time we play the game of righteousness with ourselves. We feel that we are not so bad, or at least not as bad as others, and we are pretty pleased with our own spiritual standing. We then end up feeling pretty comfortable which leads us to pride; and when we get proud, like the proverbial whale, we blow; and when we blow, again like the whale, we get harpooned. At that moment, we realize that we are not all that good after all, and our hurt deflated pride takes us down to the abyss of discouragement.
It is good for us when we feel spiritually comfortable to be reminded of our earthly frame. The Lord often uses the people who know us best such as close friends, spouses, and teenage children to remind us of the fact that we are “but dust”.
When our hurt pride feels the rain of condemnation and when despair blurs our vision, it is time to turn on the ‘windshield-wipers’. If the rain gets heavier, we turn them on to the next speed. We may need to be more careful in our driving, to slow down in order to avoid hydroplaning; hopefully, our tires are sound and sturdy, sticking to the road.
No matter how much rain falls on us during life’s travels, if we are honest with ourselves and acknowledge our weaknesses to God, we can flip the switch and turn on Jesus, His perpetual windshield wipers, and they will clear our vision.
1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world
Saturday, July 07, 2007
PRAISE HIM IN WORDS AND DEEDS
Psalms 103:1-2 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. (2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
“In Tewin churchyard, a short distance from King's Cross Station, in England, stands a great four-trunked tree growing out of a grave. Its presence there has given rise to much speculation among the residents of that section. The grave from which it grows is that of Lady Anne Grimston.
Is the tree a monument to a woman's disbelief or did it happen to grow there merely by chance? Nobody knows. Lady Anne Grimston did not believe in life after death. When she lay dying in her palatial home, she said to a friend, "I shall live again as surely as a tree will grow from my body." She was buried in a marble tomb. The grave was marked by a large marble slab, and surrounded by an iron railing. Years later the marble slab was found to be moved a little. Then it cracked, and through the crack a small tree grew. The tree continued to grow, tilting the stone and breaking the marble masonry until today it has surrounded the tomb with its roots, and has torn the railing out of the ground with its massive trunks. The tree at Lady Anne Grimston's grave is one of the largest in England.
Was it mere chance that caused the tree to grow there? Perhaps God the Almighty took her challenge. “ (Author unknown)
A tree is such a wonderful example of praise; no matter the obstacle in its way, it will lift its branches to the skies to praise and give glory to the LORD that made it.
Let the world praise the wicked, I will praise you, because you are Holy. Let the world murmur and gripe, I will bless You. Let the world glory in its own works, I will remember Your benefits. Let the world praise his own name, I will praise Your Holy Name. Not with my lips only or with the vanity of gaudy words. Not with the pretense of showy works; but with my soul. With my soul, the conjunction of my body with the spirit of life in me that you have given me (Genesis 2:7), will I praise You; with the fullness of my words and of my actions.
In all that we do, in all that we go through, may we never forget that the main purpose of our existence is to please God (Revelations 4:11), and that to praise Him is the sign that we have faith in Him.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: (18) Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Psalms 103:1-2 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. (2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
“In Tewin churchyard, a short distance from King's Cross Station, in England, stands a great four-trunked tree growing out of a grave. Its presence there has given rise to much speculation among the residents of that section. The grave from which it grows is that of Lady Anne Grimston.
Is the tree a monument to a woman's disbelief or did it happen to grow there merely by chance? Nobody knows. Lady Anne Grimston did not believe in life after death. When she lay dying in her palatial home, she said to a friend, "I shall live again as surely as a tree will grow from my body." She was buried in a marble tomb. The grave was marked by a large marble slab, and surrounded by an iron railing. Years later the marble slab was found to be moved a little. Then it cracked, and through the crack a small tree grew. The tree continued to grow, tilting the stone and breaking the marble masonry until today it has surrounded the tomb with its roots, and has torn the railing out of the ground with its massive trunks. The tree at Lady Anne Grimston's grave is one of the largest in England.
Was it mere chance that caused the tree to grow there? Perhaps God the Almighty took her challenge. “ (Author unknown)
A tree is such a wonderful example of praise; no matter the obstacle in its way, it will lift its branches to the skies to praise and give glory to the LORD that made it.
Let the world praise the wicked, I will praise you, because you are Holy. Let the world murmur and gripe, I will bless You. Let the world glory in its own works, I will remember Your benefits. Let the world praise his own name, I will praise Your Holy Name. Not with my lips only or with the vanity of gaudy words. Not with the pretense of showy works; but with my soul. With my soul, the conjunction of my body with the spirit of life in me that you have given me (Genesis 2:7), will I praise You; with the fullness of my words and of my actions.
In all that we do, in all that we go through, may we never forget that the main purpose of our existence is to please God (Revelations 4:11), and that to praise Him is the sign that we have faith in Him.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: (18) Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Friday, July 06, 2007
THE PILGRIM’S TRUST
Psalms 84:12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
No matter where this road of life takes us, if our trust is the Lord, we are blessed. Evil beasts may assail us; enemies may conquer us; in spite of it all, if our trust is the Lord, we are blessed. When the road of pilgrimage grows weary and long; when it looks like we may even have lost our way, if our trust is the Lord, we are blessed. When we feel strong, when we feel weak; even when faced with impossibility, if our trust is the Lord, we are blessed.
The blessing of the Lord is not prejudiced; it does not discriminate; it doesn’t play the hypocritical games of man. Will it go to the well attired? Will it favor those who make show of attendance in the congregation?
Man rests on the strength of his arms, but the blessing of the Lord in upon those who trust in Him.
Man relies on the brilliance of his mind, but the blessing of the Lord is upon those who trust in Him
Man feels secure in the possession of wealth, but the blessing of the Lord is upon those who trust in Him.
Man trusts his own virtue, but the blessing of the Lord is upon those who trust in Him.
God blesses the kind of faith that when there is a choice, a decision, or an alternative, great faith still chooses to trust the Lord in spite of other possibilities.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Psalms 84:12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
No matter where this road of life takes us, if our trust is the Lord, we are blessed. Evil beasts may assail us; enemies may conquer us; in spite of it all, if our trust is the Lord, we are blessed. When the road of pilgrimage grows weary and long; when it looks like we may even have lost our way, if our trust is the Lord, we are blessed. When we feel strong, when we feel weak; even when faced with impossibility, if our trust is the Lord, we are blessed.
The blessing of the Lord is not prejudiced; it does not discriminate; it doesn’t play the hypocritical games of man. Will it go to the well attired? Will it favor those who make show of attendance in the congregation?
Man rests on the strength of his arms, but the blessing of the Lord in upon those who trust in Him.
Man relies on the brilliance of his mind, but the blessing of the Lord is upon those who trust in Him
Man feels secure in the possession of wealth, but the blessing of the Lord is upon those who trust in Him.
Man trusts his own virtue, but the blessing of the Lord is upon those who trust in Him.
God blesses the kind of faith that when there is a choice, a decision, or an alternative, great faith still chooses to trust the Lord in spite of other possibilities.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
GRACE FOR THE WAY
Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
As earthly pilgrims we are in dire need of the light of the sun. Without the light, we would be groping in the dark and cold would also overtake us. As pilgrims, a shield to ward off dangerous enemies is also imperative. Without it, we are at the mercy of would-be assassins.
A sun for light and warmth; a shield for protection; such is the Lord for the pilgrim on their journey to New Jerusalem. Our way through the world is spiritually dark, cold and unfriendly. We need the ‘sun’ of God to show us the way and to keep us warm. We need God’s shield of protection to “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16), to protect us against the “adversary the devil” who “as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1Pe 5:8)
Is the way hard, long and strenuous? Do we grow weary in your pilgrimage? In our longing and yearning, do we dream of the day when we will be home in the safe haven of the spiritual home of our soul? Beloved, we must remember the words God gave to the great pilgrim of all times, the apostle Paul, My grace is sufficient for thee;( 2 Corinthians 12:9. The grace He gives us in spite of our failing soul glorifies His Name.
Our pilgrimage to new Jerusalem may require the denying of our soul (Matthew 16:24). It may leave us uncertain of shelter (Matthew 8:20). It may lead us into combat with the ungodly (Hebrews 11:34), and even in mortal danger. But may we always remember the promise He gave to all the pilgrims en route to their Heavenly Home, no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly (Psalms 84:11).
Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
As earthly pilgrims we are in dire need of the light of the sun. Without the light, we would be groping in the dark and cold would also overtake us. As pilgrims, a shield to ward off dangerous enemies is also imperative. Without it, we are at the mercy of would-be assassins.
A sun for light and warmth; a shield for protection; such is the Lord for the pilgrim on their journey to New Jerusalem. Our way through the world is spiritually dark, cold and unfriendly. We need the ‘sun’ of God to show us the way and to keep us warm. We need God’s shield of protection to “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16), to protect us against the “adversary the devil” who “as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1Pe 5:8)
Is the way hard, long and strenuous? Do we grow weary in your pilgrimage? In our longing and yearning, do we dream of the day when we will be home in the safe haven of the spiritual home of our soul? Beloved, we must remember the words God gave to the great pilgrim of all times, the apostle Paul, My grace is sufficient for thee;( 2 Corinthians 12:9. The grace He gives us in spite of our failing soul glorifies His Name.
Our pilgrimage to new Jerusalem may require the denying of our soul (Matthew 16:24). It may leave us uncertain of shelter (Matthew 8:20). It may lead us into combat with the ungodly (Hebrews 11:34), and even in mortal danger. But may we always remember the promise He gave to all the pilgrims en route to their Heavenly Home, no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly (Psalms 84:11).
Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
FOR A DAY IN YOUR COURTS OH, LORD
Psalms 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
God’s favorite test with us seems to be on loyalty. At one time or another in our lives, His Spirit takes us to a place of decision; a decision that reflects the quantum sum of our strength, or of our weakness. At that moment, we are asked to choose between God and personal interests. The choice may be between settling for the good versus striving for the best; or between temporal, instant gratification, versus eternal future happiness. One thing is certain, it is usually a choice that involves personal sacrifice.
When the Lord brings us to that place, He lays out a path that leads to a promised land. This prospect gives us the necessary incentive to climb the hill of ‘difficulty’, to cross the desert of ‘hardship’, and to conquer the evil beasts of ‘impossibility, failure and doubt’. Normally, we cower at the sight of these giants on the road of service. We naturally prefer the path of ease by the river of ‘Go With the Flow’, and we settle for the easily reached and leave our dreams unfulfilled.
When Caleb arrived in Canaan, he and Joshua were the oldest men among the Children of Israel, the only ones remaining from the generation that left Egypt. Caleb was eighty five years old when he said, “…behold, … I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims (giants) were there, … if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said. (Joshua 14:10-12). The narration of the story tells us that, “Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb… because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. (Joshua 14:140. This mountain was the mountain range of Judea where king David was to reign from for 40 years, where the Temple was built, where Jesus was crucified, and where He will return (Zecheriah 14:4).
It is a hard road climb to the Temple of the Lord on top of the mountains. It is a steep road to the place of usefulness where we are part of His everlasting plan. The climb may required us to leave everything behind. Like Jacob, we may arrive crippled by the fight (Genesis 32:25) but oh, what a sight, what a glory when we arrive.
One day in the place of the Lord on the mountain of His Temple is beyond compare with every a life of ease in the valley has to offer.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Psalms 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
God’s favorite test with us seems to be on loyalty. At one time or another in our lives, His Spirit takes us to a place of decision; a decision that reflects the quantum sum of our strength, or of our weakness. At that moment, we are asked to choose between God and personal interests. The choice may be between settling for the good versus striving for the best; or between temporal, instant gratification, versus eternal future happiness. One thing is certain, it is usually a choice that involves personal sacrifice.
When the Lord brings us to that place, He lays out a path that leads to a promised land. This prospect gives us the necessary incentive to climb the hill of ‘difficulty’, to cross the desert of ‘hardship’, and to conquer the evil beasts of ‘impossibility, failure and doubt’. Normally, we cower at the sight of these giants on the road of service. We naturally prefer the path of ease by the river of ‘Go With the Flow’, and we settle for the easily reached and leave our dreams unfulfilled.
When Caleb arrived in Canaan, he and Joshua were the oldest men among the Children of Israel, the only ones remaining from the generation that left Egypt. Caleb was eighty five years old when he said, “…behold, … I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims (giants) were there, … if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said. (Joshua 14:10-12). The narration of the story tells us that, “Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb… because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. (Joshua 14:140. This mountain was the mountain range of Judea where king David was to reign from for 40 years, where the Temple was built, where Jesus was crucified, and where He will return (Zecheriah 14:4).
It is a hard road climb to the Temple of the Lord on top of the mountains. It is a steep road to the place of usefulness where we are part of His everlasting plan. The climb may required us to leave everything behind. Like Jacob, we may arrive crippled by the fight (Genesis 32:25) but oh, what a sight, what a glory when we arrive.
One day in the place of the Lord on the mountain of His Temple is beyond compare with every a life of ease in the valley has to offer.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
THE BRIGHT HEALING HYSSOP
Psalms 84:9 Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.
There is a place in our life where the stains of dirt overcome the white of purity; where the blotch of wickedness overpowers the beauty of virtue. What is to be done in such a place?
For millennia, Professor Kent B. Good, a humanist scientist, has tried to find a scrubbing solution that will clean blotchy stains from the human soul. Relentlessly each day, he entered his laboratory. He went to the cabinet of ‘self-reliance’ and used all its chemistries.
He first prepared a liquid solution, a mix made of ‘religion’, ‘human piety’. He diluted it all in ‘lie’. He added to it at least two scouring ingredients such as self-appointed ‘good works’ and ‘bargain sacrifices’. The final potion was mixed into a creamy paste in a special blender activated by ‘human effort’. He took the paste, and using the applicator of ‘vain prayers’, he applied it on the soul of his students, poor unsuspecting soul laden with condemnation, and waited for time to do its work. But lo, the paste hardened into a rigid cast of legalistic formalism merely instituting control of movement. The symptoms were gone, but the disease continued its rotting work, though unsuspected, on the inside. Such is the fate of all those who rely on themselves for righteousness.
Let us now hear the Words of the Master, the Creator of our soul. He has the ‘antidote’ for the diseases sin brought upon us. He owns the cleansing *Hyssop (Leviticus 14:49-56) that cures by purifying on the inside. We must apply the hyssop cream of repentance on the bright spots and leprous scabs of sin. We also must shield them with the blood his Anointed the Lord Jesus-Christ, and its brightness will overshadow all stains. He says, Come now, and let us reason together . . . though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18), and, I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more (Jeremiah 31:34).
It is vain to try to prove ourselves to God through our own efforts. He knows our frame that we are but dust (Psalms 103:14). We must call on to him to only “behold” the “shield” and the “face” of his Anointed, and the imperfections of our human nature will be cleared in His sight.
*The ancient used to use hyssop for cleaning and the curing of diseases, the levitical laws also advise its use for purification (Lev 14),. For more information on hyssop go to
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
There is a place in our life where the stains of dirt overcome the white of purity; where the blotch of wickedness overpowers the beauty of virtue. What is to be done in such a place?
For millennia, Professor Kent B. Good, a humanist scientist, has tried to find a scrubbing solution that will clean blotchy stains from the human soul. Relentlessly each day, he entered his laboratory. He went to the cabinet of ‘self-reliance’ and used all its chemistries.
He first prepared a liquid solution, a mix made of ‘religion’, ‘human piety’. He diluted it all in ‘lie’. He added to it at least two scouring ingredients such as self-appointed ‘good works’ and ‘bargain sacrifices’. The final potion was mixed into a creamy paste in a special blender activated by ‘human effort’. He took the paste, and using the applicator of ‘vain prayers’, he applied it on the soul of his students, poor unsuspecting soul laden with condemnation, and waited for time to do its work. But lo, the paste hardened into a rigid cast of legalistic formalism merely instituting control of movement. The symptoms were gone, but the disease continued its rotting work, though unsuspected, on the inside. Such is the fate of all those who rely on themselves for righteousness.
Let us now hear the Words of the Master, the Creator of our soul. He has the ‘antidote’ for the diseases sin brought upon us. He owns the cleansing *Hyssop (Leviticus 14:49-56) that cures by purifying on the inside. We must apply the hyssop cream of repentance on the bright spots and leprous scabs of sin. We also must shield them with the blood his Anointed the Lord Jesus-Christ, and its brightness will overshadow all stains. He says, Come now, and let us reason together . . . though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18), and, I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more (Jeremiah 31:34).
It is vain to try to prove ourselves to God through our own efforts. He knows our frame that we are but dust (Psalms 103:14). We must call on to him to only “behold” the “shield” and the “face” of his Anointed, and the imperfections of our human nature will be cleared in His sight.
*The ancient used to use hyssop for cleaning and the curing of diseases, the levitical laws also advise its use for purification (Lev 14),. For more information on hyssop go to
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Friday, June 15, 2007
PATIENCE
Psalms 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Isn’t it written in the Holy Book, in the stories of old? Let’s sit now. Let’s take the time to meditate and ponder on God’s ways as expounded in His acts of old. Let’s take notice and learn that He always comes through for His children. . . at the last minute. He does so on purpose because He wants us to learn patience. But oh, how we squirm while we wait on God; and worst of all, in our self-righteous lack of patience, we accuse Him of not caring about us because He seems not to answer our prayers.
In this generation, the name of the game is ‘speed’. The faster it goes, the faster we want it to go. Waiting is considered an infringement of our rights. We want to be ‘tended to’ right away. It is sad though when we are that way with God. This is the generation of instant gratification. This generation says, “I want to be happy, and I want to be happy now.” I want it, and I want it now.” “I want to know it, and I want to know it now.” But happiness only comes to us when we take the time to let ourselves be broken into appreciation of the real satisfaction of the heart. Gain only comes by allowing time for investments to grow into earnings. Knowledge only comes through having the patience to learn.
May we learn to have the faith of the importunate woman who, by her patient importunity, so annoyed the wicked judge that he rendered justice unto her (Luke18:1-7). May we learn to pray patiently, knowing that God knows what’s best for us. May we always remember that God’s delays are not denials.
Luke 18:1-7 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; (2) Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: (3) And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. (4) And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; (5) Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. (6) And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. (7) And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Romans 5:3-5 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; (4) And patience, experience; and experience, hope: (5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Isn’t it written in the Holy Book, in the stories of old? Let’s sit now. Let’s take the time to meditate and ponder on God’s ways as expounded in His acts of old. Let’s take notice and learn that He always comes through for His children. . . at the last minute. He does so on purpose because He wants us to learn patience. But oh, how we squirm while we wait on God; and worst of all, in our self-righteous lack of patience, we accuse Him of not caring about us because He seems not to answer our prayers.
In this generation, the name of the game is ‘speed’. The faster it goes, the faster we want it to go. Waiting is considered an infringement of our rights. We want to be ‘tended to’ right away. It is sad though when we are that way with God. This is the generation of instant gratification. This generation says, “I want to be happy, and I want to be happy now.” I want it, and I want it now.” “I want to know it, and I want to know it now.” But happiness only comes to us when we take the time to let ourselves be broken into appreciation of the real satisfaction of the heart. Gain only comes by allowing time for investments to grow into earnings. Knowledge only comes through having the patience to learn.
May we learn to have the faith of the importunate woman who, by her patient importunity, so annoyed the wicked judge that he rendered justice unto her (Luke18:1-7). May we learn to pray patiently, knowing that God knows what’s best for us. May we always remember that God’s delays are not denials.
Luke 18:1-7 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; (2) Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: (3) And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. (4) And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; (5) Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. (6) And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. (7) And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Romans 5:3-5 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; (4) And patience, experience; and experience, hope: (5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
THE VICTORY’S ALREADY WON, PREPARE FOR THE PARTY.
Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
In the conclusion of this psalm lies a resolution for a believer’s life.
A host of the wicked enemies may come upon us to eat up our flesh, yet we have the assurance of the protection of His pavilion. No matter what ‘life’ may throw at us; no matter what the enemy may use to intimidate us, always we must remember God’s modus operandi for His children, . . . in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. . . mine head (shall)be lifted up above mine enemies round about me. . . Psalms 27:5, 6. We have the assurance of the security promised in the secret place of His tabernacle, and there is no doubt that when the time of judgment arrives, our heads shall be lifted up above that of the enemies of God (Daniel 7:14,18).
Oh Lord, I want to thank you that you won the victory (1 John 3:8). I can now look at the future without fear, with the certainty that the battle will lead to victory and to the unconditional surrender of the enemy. It is not a question of if; only a question of when.
We must anticipate the victory, even plan for the party; make preparations towards it (Revelations 19:9), and thanks to our wonderful Lord, we have reservations for it. Let’s shout, sing and blow the *shofar, for His redeeming blood has won the victory for me and for humanity. There is no stopping us now. Every fall is a fall upward and every trial is an instruction to bring us closer to Him. May meditation on these thoughts strengthen our faith and courage--that the victory is already won.
I see a soldier. I see a soldier wounded, lying on the ground. Blood pours from his gashing wounds. He is in pain; he is in terrible suffering while his enemies stand by him sneering, about to give him their final blow. Suddenly, the Son of God appears from the sky,” Stand back, leave him!” He says, “My blood paid for his life, you have no right nor authority over him, he is Mine.” Oh, what a comfort; what a relief to know that the victory doesn’t depend upon us, but upon the Son of God crucified on Calvary.
* Shofar: a Jewish trumpet made out of ram’s horn
Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
In the conclusion of this psalm lies a resolution for a believer’s life.
A host of the wicked enemies may come upon us to eat up our flesh, yet we have the assurance of the protection of His pavilion. No matter what ‘life’ may throw at us; no matter what the enemy may use to intimidate us, always we must remember God’s modus operandi for His children, . . . in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. . . mine head (shall)be lifted up above mine enemies round about me. . . Psalms 27:5, 6. We have the assurance of the security promised in the secret place of His tabernacle, and there is no doubt that when the time of judgment arrives, our heads shall be lifted up above that of the enemies of God (Daniel 7:14,18).
Oh Lord, I want to thank you that you won the victory (1 John 3:8). I can now look at the future without fear, with the certainty that the battle will lead to victory and to the unconditional surrender of the enemy. It is not a question of if; only a question of when.
We must anticipate the victory, even plan for the party; make preparations towards it (Revelations 19:9), and thanks to our wonderful Lord, we have reservations for it. Let’s shout, sing and blow the *shofar, for His redeeming blood has won the victory for me and for humanity. There is no stopping us now. Every fall is a fall upward and every trial is an instruction to bring us closer to Him. May meditation on these thoughts strengthen our faith and courage--that the victory is already won.
I see a soldier. I see a soldier wounded, lying on the ground. Blood pours from his gashing wounds. He is in pain; he is in terrible suffering while his enemies stand by him sneering, about to give him their final blow. Suddenly, the Son of God appears from the sky,” Stand back, leave him!” He says, “My blood paid for his life, you have no right nor authority over him, he is Mine.” Oh, what a comfort; what a relief to know that the victory doesn’t depend upon us, but upon the Son of God crucified on Calvary.
* Shofar: a Jewish trumpet made out of ram’s horn
Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
THE FOUNDATION OF TRUE FAITH
Psalms 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
What is it that gives courage to the laboring missionary? What is the element that gives the believer the substance to fight daily the good fight of faith? How do we explain Christians-- both the past and contemporary-- who, without hesitation put their lives on the line for the Lord and the Word of the Gospel? What is it that keeps people from spiritually ‘fainting’ or, giving up and cracking under insurmountable spiritual strain or pressure?
To find the answers to these questions, we need to turn our ears from carnal wisdom; we need to hear the Words of celestial truth. Faith, in its early stages, is like a love relationship. It is as easy to say, “I fell in love”, as to proclaim, “I believe”. Time and conflict though, have the nasty habit of testing both love relationships and faith. So, what makes the difference between a “fainting” love or a “fainting” faith? What quantifies the caliber of their foundation?
Here are some things to ponder. Is the proclaimed ‘love’, ‘belief’, or ‘faith’ emotion-based? Are they solely driven by human passion? Is the substance of their existence founded on physical gratification? Or is it a ‘love’, ‘belief’, and ‘faith’ that is true and alive of its own without having to lean on the shaky props of feelings and that stands tall without the stilts of personal gratification?
Faith and true relationships need to be built on the certainty of the foundation of the Word of God. We need to lead our life and service for the Lord according to His unfailing will. This is the secret of not ‘fainting”, when we “believe”, and ‘know’ that it is God’s will that we will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
What is it that gives courage to the laboring missionary? What is the element that gives the believer the substance to fight daily the good fight of faith? How do we explain Christians-- both the past and contemporary-- who, without hesitation put their lives on the line for the Lord and the Word of the Gospel? What is it that keeps people from spiritually ‘fainting’ or, giving up and cracking under insurmountable spiritual strain or pressure?
To find the answers to these questions, we need to turn our ears from carnal wisdom; we need to hear the Words of celestial truth. Faith, in its early stages, is like a love relationship. It is as easy to say, “I fell in love”, as to proclaim, “I believe”. Time and conflict though, have the nasty habit of testing both love relationships and faith. So, what makes the difference between a “fainting” love or a “fainting” faith? What quantifies the caliber of their foundation?
Here are some things to ponder. Is the proclaimed ‘love’, ‘belief’, or ‘faith’ emotion-based? Are they solely driven by human passion? Is the substance of their existence founded on physical gratification? Or is it a ‘love’, ‘belief’, and ‘faith’ that is true and alive of its own without having to lean on the shaky props of feelings and that stands tall without the stilts of personal gratification?
Faith and true relationships need to be built on the certainty of the foundation of the Word of God. We need to lead our life and service for the Lord according to His unfailing will. This is the secret of not ‘fainting”, when we “believe”, and ‘know’ that it is God’s will that we will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
KNOW NOTHING BUT HIM
Psalms 27:11-12 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. (12) Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
A good teacher friend of mine often challenges her students with the question, “Are you teachable?”
Each day, we need to ask ourselves that same question. Am I teachable? Is it easy for the LORD to lead and guide me? Am I a ‘problem student’ to Him? Would I love to have me as a student?
The problem that I think the LORD faces in teaching us is that He leads us in a “plain path”. Our flesh, our carnal mind, likes to pride itself in the complicated, the smart, the gaudy; but the path of the LORD is usually plain, simple, self-effacing; even humble by its low simplicity.
God’s greatest military heroes were asked to do some of the most ridiculous things, but when they obeyed, they won His battles. Who ever heard of winning a war when outnumbered one to a thousand, by breaking pots, hiding torches, and blowing trumpets and screaming your head off in the middle of the night? But that’s just what Gideon did (Judges 7:20). And who would have been crazy enough to obey God when He said that in order to conquer one of the most impregnable cities of their day, they should walk around it seven times with the Ark of the Covenant, and again, blow their trumpets and scream their heads off? And yet, that’ s just what Joshua did (Joshua 6:20).
The apostle Paul was one of the smartest men alive in the first century C.E. It would be easy to conclude that his success in winning the intellectual and wisdom hungry Greeks was the fruits of his personal intellectual prowess, but to make sure that God and God alone would get the glory, he determined to put his carnal wisdom aside in favor of projecting the simple power of the Holy Spirit. He said, For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified 1Corinthians 2:2.
So it is, that when we allow God to lead us in His “plain path”, He delivers us from our enemies, helps us win the victories, and the testimony of false witnesses cannot even touch our soul.
1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
A good teacher friend of mine often challenges her students with the question, “Are you teachable?”
Each day, we need to ask ourselves that same question. Am I teachable? Is it easy for the LORD to lead and guide me? Am I a ‘problem student’ to Him? Would I love to have me as a student?
The problem that I think the LORD faces in teaching us is that He leads us in a “plain path”. Our flesh, our carnal mind, likes to pride itself in the complicated, the smart, the gaudy; but the path of the LORD is usually plain, simple, self-effacing; even humble by its low simplicity.
God’s greatest military heroes were asked to do some of the most ridiculous things, but when they obeyed, they won His battles. Who ever heard of winning a war when outnumbered one to a thousand, by breaking pots, hiding torches, and blowing trumpets and screaming your head off in the middle of the night? But that’s just what Gideon did (Judges 7:20). And who would have been crazy enough to obey God when He said that in order to conquer one of the most impregnable cities of their day, they should walk around it seven times with the Ark of the Covenant, and again, blow their trumpets and scream their heads off? And yet, that’ s just what Joshua did (Joshua 6:20).
The apostle Paul was one of the smartest men alive in the first century C.E. It would be easy to conclude that his success in winning the intellectual and wisdom hungry Greeks was the fruits of his personal intellectual prowess, but to make sure that God and God alone would get the glory, he determined to put his carnal wisdom aside in favor of projecting the simple power of the Holy Spirit. He said, For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified 1Corinthians 2:2.
So it is, that when we allow God to lead us in His “plain path”, He delivers us from our enemies, helps us win the victories, and the testimony of false witnesses cannot even touch our soul.
1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
Monday, June 11, 2007
THE ANCHOR, THE FOUNDATION, THE ROCK
Psalms 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
We live in a generation where many are ‘forsaken’ by their mother and/or father. People are forsaken because their conception was due to the heat of a thoughtless moment of passion; to a marriage built on the shaky foundation of human emotion; to a lack of commitment to make this marriage work. People are also forsaken due to attention to the cares of life, to parents who devote more time to their career or financial advancement than to their children. They are also forsaken due to sickness, death, accidents, religious bigotry and persecution.
It is a sad and lonely thing to grow up in the world with the knowledge that those who are called parents, those who are meant to be our trainers and mentors, do not have enough virtue to keep the roof of their family together. That they do not have enough roots in their own lives to keep the foundation of our life strong and sound. This fosters in our life a cynical negative precedent about love, sexual relationships, marriage, as well as a shaky sense of family. Where do we then turn to? Where do we find our security and emotional stability?
We can rest assured. The physical roots of our life may be as shaky as a reed in a stormy wind; the bedrock of our existence may be like the rolling sand of a desert storm; the foundation of our house may resemble mud washed away by a furious river; there is tree that hold its ground stronger than the mighty oak. There is rock surer than any bedrock on which you can build your house. When life offers no one on whom to rest our weary, discouraged and forsaken soul, we can come to Jesus, the sure Foundation (Luke 6:48), the infallible Anchor of the soul (Hebrews 6:18-20), and find refuge from the beatings of the stormy weather. In Him we can find the place where our heart can rest at peace, anchored in the safe harbor of His love.
Luke 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Hebrews 6:18-20 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: (19) Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; (20) Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
We live in a generation where many are ‘forsaken’ by their mother and/or father. People are forsaken because their conception was due to the heat of a thoughtless moment of passion; to a marriage built on the shaky foundation of human emotion; to a lack of commitment to make this marriage work. People are also forsaken due to attention to the cares of life, to parents who devote more time to their career or financial advancement than to their children. They are also forsaken due to sickness, death, accidents, religious bigotry and persecution.
It is a sad and lonely thing to grow up in the world with the knowledge that those who are called parents, those who are meant to be our trainers and mentors, do not have enough virtue to keep the roof of their family together. That they do not have enough roots in their own lives to keep the foundation of our life strong and sound. This fosters in our life a cynical negative precedent about love, sexual relationships, marriage, as well as a shaky sense of family. Where do we then turn to? Where do we find our security and emotional stability?
We can rest assured. The physical roots of our life may be as shaky as a reed in a stormy wind; the bedrock of our existence may be like the rolling sand of a desert storm; the foundation of our house may resemble mud washed away by a furious river; there is tree that hold its ground stronger than the mighty oak. There is rock surer than any bedrock on which you can build your house. When life offers no one on whom to rest our weary, discouraged and forsaken soul, we can come to Jesus, the sure Foundation (Luke 6:48), the infallible Anchor of the soul (Hebrews 6:18-20), and find refuge from the beatings of the stormy weather. In Him we can find the place where our heart can rest at peace, anchored in the safe harbor of His love.
Luke 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Hebrews 6:18-20 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: (19) Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; (20) Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
HIS MERCIES ARE NEW EVERY MORNING
Psalms 27:9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
A child may disobey and be naughty at times. He may incur his parent’s displeasure, their anger, their wrath; he may even sometimes sadden them. Yet he knows that no matter what, his parents will continue to care for him, to shelter, dress, feed and love him. He knows that his parents will also eventually get over their anger and forgive him; that his place is forever secure in their hearts.
It is the same with the Lord even though we hurt Him so much through our disobediences and sins. We certainly also must make Him angry and sad through our selfishness, pride and lack of love for each other. Our sins must feel to Him as if we were to stir the nails in His hands and feet, or turn the spear in His side, carelessly creating more pain for Him. Yet no matter what, we have the assurance of His grace, that He doesn’t reward us according to our iniquity (Psalms 103:10), and that His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22,23). We can call on Him to forgive us, He will answer us and not “put us away” in anger.
In our imperfect world, there are no perfect relationships. Natural affections between parents and children, husbands and wives are not always so ‘natural’ anymore, and it is all the more so the more we approach the time of the retuning of our Lord (2 Timothy 3:1-5). But God has ordained it to be so, so that our hearts would yearn for Him, from whom perfect love emanates.
So no matter what we have done. No matter what is the sin in our heart, we should never be afraid to turn around and ask for His mercy. We assuredly can call upon Him and plead. We can remind Him of His past help and of His promises, for His mercies are new every morning.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Lamentations 3:22-23 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. (23) They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
A child may disobey and be naughty at times. He may incur his parent’s displeasure, their anger, their wrath; he may even sometimes sadden them. Yet he knows that no matter what, his parents will continue to care for him, to shelter, dress, feed and love him. He knows that his parents will also eventually get over their anger and forgive him; that his place is forever secure in their hearts.
It is the same with the Lord even though we hurt Him so much through our disobediences and sins. We certainly also must make Him angry and sad through our selfishness, pride and lack of love for each other. Our sins must feel to Him as if we were to stir the nails in His hands and feet, or turn the spear in His side, carelessly creating more pain for Him. Yet no matter what, we have the assurance of His grace, that He doesn’t reward us according to our iniquity (Psalms 103:10), and that His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22,23). We can call on Him to forgive us, He will answer us and not “put us away” in anger.
In our imperfect world, there are no perfect relationships. Natural affections between parents and children, husbands and wives are not always so ‘natural’ anymore, and it is all the more so the more we approach the time of the retuning of our Lord (2 Timothy 3:1-5). But God has ordained it to be so, so that our hearts would yearn for Him, from whom perfect love emanates.
So no matter what we have done. No matter what is the sin in our heart, we should never be afraid to turn around and ask for His mercy. We assuredly can call upon Him and plead. We can remind Him of His past help and of His promises, for His mercies are new every morning.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Lamentations 3:22-23 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. (23) They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
A LESSON FROM THE GARDEN
Psalms 27:7-8 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. (8) When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
In the morning, flowers and plants open their hearts up towards the light and warmth of the sun. They know, in their natural way that their ‘prayers’ will be answered if, and only if they turn themselves to “seek the face” of the sun. Both their color and their scent are tuned to their need for sun and pollination.
Is our need, expressed by the ‘cry of our voice’ in sincere and honest prayer to God worth less than that of a mere flower, which withers at the end of every season? Is it worth less than that of the grass which fades away (Isaih 40:8)? And tell me now: how do we like for one to make a request to us while at the same time looking away at the ground, or at the people passing by, rather than at your face? Wouldn’t you feel that your friend only came to you because he needed something, but that he didn’t really appreciate the time spent in your presence and fellowship?
Let’s hear this lesson from the garden now. Let’s hear this lesson from the flowers of the fields, from the grass in the meadow. Let’s hear this lesson imbedded in the humanity that God has created as a great teacher of His principles.
In answer to the psalmist’s prayer, the Lord said, seek ye my face (ye=plural “you”. The Lord made a corporate request, David answered on personal level.) How many times do we pray to the Lord, looking ‘away’, for the answer? Or how many times do we pray to the Lord, like the Pharisees of old, looking ‘away’ in consciousness of the people around us (Matthew 6:5)? The Lord said, “Seek ye my face.”
Oh, that we would seek the face of God. Like Moses’, it would shine with the glory of His presence (Exodus 34:29); it would reflect a faith and a confidence more sure than the seeing of the eye, than the hearing of the ear (2 Peter 1:19). For how can we worry, how can we fret when we look at the Lord face to face in the secret temple of our heart?
The Lord’s basic answer to all of our prayers is: Seek ye My face.
Isaiah 55:1-3,6 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (2) Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. (3) Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
(6) Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
In the morning, flowers and plants open their hearts up towards the light and warmth of the sun. They know, in their natural way that their ‘prayers’ will be answered if, and only if they turn themselves to “seek the face” of the sun. Both their color and their scent are tuned to their need for sun and pollination.
Is our need, expressed by the ‘cry of our voice’ in sincere and honest prayer to God worth less than that of a mere flower, which withers at the end of every season? Is it worth less than that of the grass which fades away (Isaih 40:8)? And tell me now: how do we like for one to make a request to us while at the same time looking away at the ground, or at the people passing by, rather than at your face? Wouldn’t you feel that your friend only came to you because he needed something, but that he didn’t really appreciate the time spent in your presence and fellowship?
Let’s hear this lesson from the garden now. Let’s hear this lesson from the flowers of the fields, from the grass in the meadow. Let’s hear this lesson imbedded in the humanity that God has created as a great teacher of His principles.
In answer to the psalmist’s prayer, the Lord said, seek ye my face (ye=plural “you”. The Lord made a corporate request, David answered on personal level.) How many times do we pray to the Lord, looking ‘away’, for the answer? Or how many times do we pray to the Lord, like the Pharisees of old, looking ‘away’ in consciousness of the people around us (Matthew 6:5)? The Lord said, “Seek ye my face.”
Oh, that we would seek the face of God. Like Moses’, it would shine with the glory of His presence (Exodus 34:29); it would reflect a faith and a confidence more sure than the seeing of the eye, than the hearing of the ear (2 Peter 1:19). For how can we worry, how can we fret when we look at the Lord face to face in the secret temple of our heart?
The Lord’s basic answer to all of our prayers is: Seek ye My face.
Isaiah 55:1-3,6 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (2) Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. (3) Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
(6) Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Friday, June 08, 2007
FIGHT HIS BATTLE HIS WAYS
Psalms 27:6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
When Noah came out of the ark, he celebrated the victory that God saved him from the fate of an ungodly world by offering a sacrifice unto the Lord (Genesis 8:20). When Moses saw Pharaoh’s armies drown in the Red Sea where he had successfully led the children of Israel as on dry land, he celebrated victory by offering a song of praise unto the Lord (Exodus 15:1-21).
The soldier who fights in the Lord’s battles claims no glory of his own for the victory. The cause of the war is ordained by the Lord (1 Samuel15:2-3). Those fighting are carefully chosen at His command and discernment (Judges 7:5-6). The plan of attack is given by the Word of God (Joshua 6). The fighting is conducted according to His plan of attack. Therefore, the victorious outcome is obviously attributed to the Lord. There is no doubt about it in anyone’s mind. Moses, Joshua, Gideon, and many others fought the battle of the Lord in unconventional ways that looked like foolishness to the carnal mind of men, especially from a strategic point of view. Yet, they won; and in their own eyes, as well as in the eyes of the people, the only one who could get the glory, and praise for victory in this sort of battle, was God.
So let your battles be the Lord’s battle; battle for His righteous cause. Let’s take the time to pray and listen; to get our plans of attack from Him. Let’s listen and obey Him, and do whatever He says to do; fight the war according to His plans no matter what it is. And when all is done, most important of all, let’s praise Him for the victory.
If He purposed the cause; if He proposed the plans; fif He fought the battle and if He won the victory; who else should be praised?
Psalms 33:16-22 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. (17) An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. (18) Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; (19) To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. (20) Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. (21) For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. (22) Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
When Noah came out of the ark, he celebrated the victory that God saved him from the fate of an ungodly world by offering a sacrifice unto the Lord (Genesis 8:20). When Moses saw Pharaoh’s armies drown in the Red Sea where he had successfully led the children of Israel as on dry land, he celebrated victory by offering a song of praise unto the Lord (Exodus 15:1-21).
The soldier who fights in the Lord’s battles claims no glory of his own for the victory. The cause of the war is ordained by the Lord (1 Samuel15:2-3). Those fighting are carefully chosen at His command and discernment (Judges 7:5-6). The plan of attack is given by the Word of God (Joshua 6). The fighting is conducted according to His plan of attack. Therefore, the victorious outcome is obviously attributed to the Lord. There is no doubt about it in anyone’s mind. Moses, Joshua, Gideon, and many others fought the battle of the Lord in unconventional ways that looked like foolishness to the carnal mind of men, especially from a strategic point of view. Yet, they won; and in their own eyes, as well as in the eyes of the people, the only one who could get the glory, and praise for victory in this sort of battle, was God.
So let your battles be the Lord’s battle; battle for His righteous cause. Let’s take the time to pray and listen; to get our plans of attack from Him. Let’s listen and obey Him, and do whatever He says to do; fight the war according to His plans no matter what it is. And when all is done, most important of all, let’s praise Him for the victory.
If He purposed the cause; if He proposed the plans; fif He fought the battle and if He won the victory; who else should be praised?
Psalms 33:16-22 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. (17) An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. (18) Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; (19) To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. (20) Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. (21) For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. (22) Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
THE HEART OF HIS PROTECTION
Psalms 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
The ungodly, the ‘worldling’, has to rely upon himself for his safety and protection. He lives by his own means. He establishes his own righteousness. He is his own kingdom, with its own god: himself. He therefore has to provide for his own security and protection; he has to use locks and security guards of all sorts. His house is so guarder that it becomes his own prison.
With the child of God, it is different. With one who delights to do God’s will and whose righteousness is in God’s Law (Psalms 40:8), with one whose perpetual desire is to live close to God, God, the great Commander in Chief of the host of heaven is his protection.
In old-times warfare, the royal pavilion was situated in the middle of the army’s camp. Day and night, guards rotated shifts to protect it; there was no safer place in the whole camp. In the case of Israel, priests also protected the tabernacle of the Lord with their own lives. They would die to keep the impure from entering the Holy of Holies, and some did lose their lives keeping the Ark from falling into the hands of foreign invaders.
More important than anything else, the highest protection we need is that of the salvation of our soul redeemed by the King himself. Once the King has purchased our soul, there is no way possible that the enemy can own it again. He guards it with His own life.
So when we long for peace from the constant warfare that seems to plague our soul. When we yearn for the safety from the unceasing onslaught of the enemy upon our spirit? Let us not emulate the ways of the ungodly who has to provide for his own safety. Let us remember that staying close to our Lord, our dwelling in His house, our reveling in His beauty (Psalms 27:4) is our never failing protection.
Linguistic note:
The word translated as ‘rock” in our English Bibles is not always the same word in the Hebrew text. In this text, the word “rock” is the Hebrew “tsur”. “Tsur” is the same word for rock used in the following verses: Exodus 17:6; 33:21; Deut 8:15; 32:4; 32:13, 15,18, 31,37; and many others referring Jesus and salvation.
The ungodly, the ‘worldling’, has to rely upon himself for his safety and protection. He lives by his own means. He establishes his own righteousness. He is his own kingdom, with its own god: himself. He therefore has to provide for his own security and protection; he has to use locks and security guards of all sorts. His house is so guarder that it becomes his own prison.
With the child of God, it is different. With one who delights to do God’s will and whose righteousness is in God’s Law (Psalms 40:8), with one whose perpetual desire is to live close to God, God, the great Commander in Chief of the host of heaven is his protection.
In old-times warfare, the royal pavilion was situated in the middle of the army’s camp. Day and night, guards rotated shifts to protect it; there was no safer place in the whole camp. In the case of Israel, priests also protected the tabernacle of the Lord with their own lives. They would die to keep the impure from entering the Holy of Holies, and some did lose their lives keeping the Ark from falling into the hands of foreign invaders.
More important than anything else, the highest protection we need is that of the salvation of our soul redeemed by the King himself. Once the King has purchased our soul, there is no way possible that the enemy can own it again. He guards it with His own life.
So when we long for peace from the constant warfare that seems to plague our soul. When we yearn for the safety from the unceasing onslaught of the enemy upon our spirit? Let us not emulate the ways of the ungodly who has to provide for his own safety. Let us remember that staying close to our Lord, our dwelling in His house, our reveling in His beauty (Psalms 27:4) is our never failing protection.
Linguistic note:
The word translated as ‘rock” in our English Bibles is not always the same word in the Hebrew text. In this text, the word “rock” is the Hebrew “tsur”. “Tsur” is the same word for rock used in the following verses: Exodus 17:6; 33:21; Deut 8:15; 32:4; 32:13, 15,18, 31,37; and many others referring Jesus and salvation.
THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
Psalms 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
“I may be the king of a vast empire. I may own great treasures. My strength is so that all my enemies fear me. My place on earth is secure and comfortable. Yet, all these are as nothing to me; all these are as “husks” (Luke 15:16) to me.
Any day, Lord, any day I will give up the things that I treasure, the things that make me feel secure and comfortable if they meant to be away from Your presence and out of Your will. Above the wealth and riches that the world has to offer, I choose you. Above the comfort and securities of the flesh I choose you.
And I thank You that I do not have to go to Jerusalem, to Mt Gerizim (John 4:21), nor even to Rome; that I do not have to go anywhere to dwell in Your house and behold Your face. I thank you that you have set the foundations of your house in my heart; that the earnest of your beauty, you have imbedded within the confines of my spirit. Any time, any time I want, I can enter in your presence: I can see the Shekina glory, and behold your magnificence. And that Lord is worth more than all the gold and silver of the world. It is the pearl of great price.
Matthew 13:44-46 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. (45) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: (46) Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
“I may be the king of a vast empire. I may own great treasures. My strength is so that all my enemies fear me. My place on earth is secure and comfortable. Yet, all these are as nothing to me; all these are as “husks” (Luke 15:16) to me.
Any day, Lord, any day I will give up the things that I treasure, the things that make me feel secure and comfortable if they meant to be away from Your presence and out of Your will. Above the wealth and riches that the world has to offer, I choose you. Above the comfort and securities of the flesh I choose you.
And I thank You that I do not have to go to Jerusalem, to Mt Gerizim (John 4:21), nor even to Rome; that I do not have to go anywhere to dwell in Your house and behold Your face. I thank you that you have set the foundations of your house in my heart; that the earnest of your beauty, you have imbedded within the confines of my spirit. Any time, any time I want, I can enter in your presence: I can see the Shekina glory, and behold your magnificence. And that Lord is worth more than all the gold and silver of the world. It is the pearl of great price.
Matthew 13:44-46 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. (45) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: (46) Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
THE CONFIDENCE OF FAITH
Psalms 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
This statement follows the declaration in preceding verse. David had faith in his calling and unction. This faith created in him the assurance that no one could arise against him without incurring God’s wrath; that no one could really touch him without touching the apple of God’s eyes (Deuteronomy 32:10) In his trouble, David found took faith and courage in reviewing the history of the children of Israel, in knowing that no one ever touched them without receiving due retribution from God.
Would today the ungodly crowd attack the virtuous? Would the armies of the wicked strengthen themselves against God’s people? Does the sounds of approaching drums of war pound the horizon? Does fear settle at the thought of the coming days when wicked evil forces will seem to have won and conquered the world, even the godly?
This we should do. Look in the Holy Book and read the stories of old. See how God always protects His children. Reaffirm to our soul that the wicked always gets full retribution. When we have done these things, we should follow the advice given to us by Peter. Peter was a man who suffered much internal persecution battling his own doubts, fear and confusion, and in the end, he also suffered much external persecution, which ended in crucified upside down. He said, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” (2 Peter 1:10).
The man who has the assurance of the calling of God cannot fail. How can one with the confidence that he has been chosen and elected to sit with Christ at the right hand of the Father, fear the armies of the ungodly (John 14:3)?
Psalms 37:35-40 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. (36) Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. (37) Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. (38) But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. (39) But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. (40) And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
This statement follows the declaration in preceding verse. David had faith in his calling and unction. This faith created in him the assurance that no one could arise against him without incurring God’s wrath; that no one could really touch him without touching the apple of God’s eyes (Deuteronomy 32:10) In his trouble, David found took faith and courage in reviewing the history of the children of Israel, in knowing that no one ever touched them without receiving due retribution from God.
Would today the ungodly crowd attack the virtuous? Would the armies of the wicked strengthen themselves against God’s people? Does the sounds of approaching drums of war pound the horizon? Does fear settle at the thought of the coming days when wicked evil forces will seem to have won and conquered the world, even the godly?
This we should do. Look in the Holy Book and read the stories of old. See how God always protects His children. Reaffirm to our soul that the wicked always gets full retribution. When we have done these things, we should follow the advice given to us by Peter. Peter was a man who suffered much internal persecution battling his own doubts, fear and confusion, and in the end, he also suffered much external persecution, which ended in crucified upside down. He said, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” (2 Peter 1:10).
The man who has the assurance of the calling of God cannot fail. How can one with the confidence that he has been chosen and elected to sit with Christ at the right hand of the Father, fear the armies of the ungodly (John 14:3)?
Psalms 37:35-40 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. (36) Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. (37) Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. (38) But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. (39) But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. (40) And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
Monday, June 04, 2007
WELL DONE
Psalms 27:2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
“Now I begin to be a disciple. I care for nothing of visible or invisible things so that I may but win Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the companies of wild beasts, let the breaking of bones and tearing of limbs, let the grinding of the whole body, and all the malice of the devil come upon me; be it so, only may I win Jesus.”
“I am the wheat of Christ: I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beast that I may be found pure bread.” Ignatius; upon his martyrdom. About 110 A.D.
Many of us are aware that Christianity faces perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1) Even today, the flames of Christian persecutions remain unabated; it is estimated that there is more Christian persecution in the world today than there was during the Roman Empire.
The Bible also tells us of a time when the world will be led by a devil-man ruler who will put in place a global economic system that will disfavor all those who do not give him the loyalty that they should only reserve for God. Some look with fear at the time when God will judge the world for such a blasphemy; so much so that terms such “apocalypse; Armageddon” have become associated with horror and havoc.
But if we are one of God’s people, we should look upon this time with joyful anticipation. This will be the time when God’s people will be victorious and vindicated (Daniel 11:32); the final ecstatic climax of the victory of the Lord against the devil and his bands. Yes some of us will fall, but it will only be for a better resurrection (Hebrews 11:35). We may stumble and fall, but we shall rise up again, while the enemy stumbles to an eternal death.
So today, even today, when we feel our moral stands ridiculed by the mocking world; when we resist the temptation to compromise and be indifferent to the spiritual fight at hand. Today, when we struggle in our upward climb towards virtue and godliness; we know that it is not in vain. We know that in the end, we will be with those standing in front of our Lord and Savior receiving an eternal crown of glory, and hearing those precious words: “Well done,… enter thou into the joy of thy Lord (Matthew 25:21,23)”
Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
“Now I begin to be a disciple. I care for nothing of visible or invisible things so that I may but win Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the companies of wild beasts, let the breaking of bones and tearing of limbs, let the grinding of the whole body, and all the malice of the devil come upon me; be it so, only may I win Jesus.”
“I am the wheat of Christ: I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beast that I may be found pure bread.” Ignatius; upon his martyrdom. About 110 A.D.
Many of us are aware that Christianity faces perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1) Even today, the flames of Christian persecutions remain unabated; it is estimated that there is more Christian persecution in the world today than there was during the Roman Empire.
The Bible also tells us of a time when the world will be led by a devil-man ruler who will put in place a global economic system that will disfavor all those who do not give him the loyalty that they should only reserve for God. Some look with fear at the time when God will judge the world for such a blasphemy; so much so that terms such “apocalypse; Armageddon” have become associated with horror and havoc.
But if we are one of God’s people, we should look upon this time with joyful anticipation. This will be the time when God’s people will be victorious and vindicated (Daniel 11:32); the final ecstatic climax of the victory of the Lord against the devil and his bands. Yes some of us will fall, but it will only be for a better resurrection (Hebrews 11:35). We may stumble and fall, but we shall rise up again, while the enemy stumbles to an eternal death.
So today, even today, when we feel our moral stands ridiculed by the mocking world; when we resist the temptation to compromise and be indifferent to the spiritual fight at hand. Today, when we struggle in our upward climb towards virtue and godliness; we know that it is not in vain. We know that in the end, we will be with those standing in front of our Lord and Savior receiving an eternal crown of glory, and hearing those precious words: “Well done,… enter thou into the joy of thy Lord (Matthew 25:21,23)”
Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
GOD IS LIGHT
Psalms 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The apostle John said, For we know that God is light. (1 John 1:5). Light, like God, exists for every one of us; even for the ‘blind’ man. He knows that it is there; he feels its warmth; people tell him about the colors it creates. He may learn about it in books written in Braille; he may even become an expert in the matter of light, but to merely know about light doesn’t help him see his way, so he gropes in the dark in fear of falling. The Lord himself must be our Light so we can walk in surety, be enlightened from the darkness of sin, and not fall in the pits of the enemies.
The apostle John also said, light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:5) Let it not be so that when the Light shines upon our soul, we snuff it under a bushel of excuses. Let it not be so that when light exposes error in our heart, we crucify it with nails of self-justification. We surely can understand a child who is afraid of the dark, but the real tragedy of life, is when grown men are afraid of the Light!
Oh, God of light and wonders; enlighten my soul that it gropes no more in darkness. Help me not hang on to the oppressing darkness of doubt and fear, but help me bathe unafraid in the warm soothing light of your arms.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
The apostle John said, For we know that God is light. (1 John 1:5). Light, like God, exists for every one of us; even for the ‘blind’ man. He knows that it is there; he feels its warmth; people tell him about the colors it creates. He may learn about it in books written in Braille; he may even become an expert in the matter of light, but to merely know about light doesn’t help him see his way, so he gropes in the dark in fear of falling. The Lord himself must be our Light so we can walk in surety, be enlightened from the darkness of sin, and not fall in the pits of the enemies.
The apostle John also said, light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:5) Let it not be so that when the Light shines upon our soul, we snuff it under a bushel of excuses. Let it not be so that when light exposes error in our heart, we crucify it with nails of self-justification. We surely can understand a child who is afraid of the dark, but the real tragedy of life, is when grown men are afraid of the Light!
Oh, God of light and wonders; enlighten my soul that it gropes no more in darkness. Help me not hang on to the oppressing darkness of doubt and fear, but help me bathe unafraid in the warm soothing light of your arms.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
HE COMES TO US
Psalms 119:176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.
All the religions in the world can be categorized in two slots. Those where we love God, seek Him by doing things to earn His acceptance; and those where God loves us, and he seeks us by doing things to bring us closer to Him. Really, this is the one main point of difference between the all the religions in the world.
Jesus knows our mortal frame and our sinful state. He is aware of the sins we know, as well as of the ones we don’t know. His love for us is not based in a reality ignoring infatuation; it is in a true knowledge of the death sentence passed to us due to our sin.
Let’s now take a look at the daily scene in a local tribunal. Here is this man in the defendant’s chair. He has the earmarks of streets life. He has stolen, murdered, raped, and worst, he is unrepentant. He looks, feels and acts like the lowest of the low. His soul is disgust; it resembles that of a beast. Through the media, he is already condemned in the low court of public opinions. The prosecutor has stacked up the accusations against him; for sure, not even the jury will show any compassion. He is condemned even before the trial begins.
Maybe we think, “This surely is not me”. Is it so according to God? In the divine mind is it really not us? In His eyes, aren’t we also the thief, the murderer, the rapist? The one whose sin will only be satisfied with the death sentence (Romans 6;23)?
But Jesus, our defense attorney, has faith in us. Maybe the world has lost faith in us. We may even have lost faith in ourselves; but Jesus has faith in us and seeks and redeems us. Somehow, He knows how to eventually reach down deep into our soul, and through His Holy Spirit, bring that conviction that provokes the repentance needed for true full regeneration. Not only that, but He has also paid the price of our iniquity with His own blood, to give the Law its due.
Isn’t it splendid that we have the Lord who can see through the sin that so “easily besets us” (Hebrews 12:1)? Who can see within us the deep yearning of our human soul for His Commandments? Isn’t it wonderful that even when we have stopped seeking, even when the fog of error has so enveloped us, that He still seeks for us at his own cost?
Matthew 18:10-14 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. (11) For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. (12) How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? (13) And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. (14) Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
Luke 15:1-10 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. (2) And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. (3) And he spake this parable unto them, saying, (4) What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? (5) And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. (6) And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. (7) I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (8) Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? (9) And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. (10) Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
All the religions in the world can be categorized in two slots. Those where we love God, seek Him by doing things to earn His acceptance; and those where God loves us, and he seeks us by doing things to bring us closer to Him. Really, this is the one main point of difference between the all the religions in the world.
Jesus knows our mortal frame and our sinful state. He is aware of the sins we know, as well as of the ones we don’t know. His love for us is not based in a reality ignoring infatuation; it is in a true knowledge of the death sentence passed to us due to our sin.
Let’s now take a look at the daily scene in a local tribunal. Here is this man in the defendant’s chair. He has the earmarks of streets life. He has stolen, murdered, raped, and worst, he is unrepentant. He looks, feels and acts like the lowest of the low. His soul is disgust; it resembles that of a beast. Through the media, he is already condemned in the low court of public opinions. The prosecutor has stacked up the accusations against him; for sure, not even the jury will show any compassion. He is condemned even before the trial begins.
Maybe we think, “This surely is not me”. Is it so according to God? In the divine mind is it really not us? In His eyes, aren’t we also the thief, the murderer, the rapist? The one whose sin will only be satisfied with the death sentence (Romans 6;23)?
But Jesus, our defense attorney, has faith in us. Maybe the world has lost faith in us. We may even have lost faith in ourselves; but Jesus has faith in us and seeks and redeems us. Somehow, He knows how to eventually reach down deep into our soul, and through His Holy Spirit, bring that conviction that provokes the repentance needed for true full regeneration. Not only that, but He has also paid the price of our iniquity with His own blood, to give the Law its due.
Isn’t it splendid that we have the Lord who can see through the sin that so “easily besets us” (Hebrews 12:1)? Who can see within us the deep yearning of our human soul for His Commandments? Isn’t it wonderful that even when we have stopped seeking, even when the fog of error has so enveloped us, that He still seeks for us at his own cost?
Matthew 18:10-14 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. (11) For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. (12) How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? (13) And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. (14) Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
Luke 15:1-10 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. (2) And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. (3) And he spake this parable unto them, saying, (4) What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? (5) And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. (6) And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. (7) I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (8) Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? (9) And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. (10) Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Friday, June 01, 2007
HE OWNS US
Psalms 119:175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.
Why should we want God to let out souls live? Why should we expect salvation from Him? Why should He refresh our souls with the waters of life? for us in the end to just go our own way? Is it for us to ‘steal’ it from Him so we can pursue our own futile activities? Is it our ‘just desserts’ so we can squander it according to our own lusts?
No my friend;
The purpose of healing is to praise God
The purpose of living is to praise God
The purpose of winning is to praise God
The purpose of loving is to praise God
If the Almighty is to give me life, life is therefore not mine to decide what I will do with it. It belongs to the One who gave it to me, and it is to be used for His glory and His praise alone. To use it for any other purposes would be piracy.
Let therefore each word that I speak be a praise to God. Let each breath that I breathe tell of His gift of life. Let each step that I take be for His glory, and let each fight that I fight be for the glorification and edification of His kingdom. Let each victory that I win be through Him, by Him, and for Him. Let each emotion in my heart be led, and restrained by the desire of Him. Let each desire of my soul reflect His absolute will, and let each of the thoughts that fill my days and my nights be directed towards Him, my Lord and my King.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Why should we want God to let out souls live? Why should we expect salvation from Him? Why should He refresh our souls with the waters of life? for us in the end to just go our own way? Is it for us to ‘steal’ it from Him so we can pursue our own futile activities? Is it our ‘just desserts’ so we can squander it according to our own lusts?
No my friend;
The purpose of healing is to praise God
The purpose of living is to praise God
The purpose of winning is to praise God
The purpose of loving is to praise God
If the Almighty is to give me life, life is therefore not mine to decide what I will do with it. It belongs to the One who gave it to me, and it is to be used for His glory and His praise alone. To use it for any other purposes would be piracy.
Let therefore each word that I speak be a praise to God. Let each breath that I breathe tell of His gift of life. Let each step that I take be for His glory, and let each fight that I fight be for the glorification and edification of His kingdom. Let each victory that I win be through Him, by Him, and for Him. Let each emotion in my heart be led, and restrained by the desire of Him. Let each desire of my soul reflect His absolute will, and let each of the thoughts that fill my days and my nights be directed towards Him, my Lord and my King.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
THE EARNESTS OF THE WEDDING
Psalms 119:174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
As the knight on a quest, as the pilgrim on his way to a Holy place, the Saint of God, the true *“ecclesia” who has had a **“metanoia”, longs for the end of the journey.
Through the Holy Spirit, we today only have the earnest of what we will be (Ephesians 1:13-14); an insignificant foretaste compared to the glories that shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). But we want more. The heart of man will never be fully satisfied until he is totally reunited with his creator and his God.
* Ekklesia: Greek word used for: Church; the literal translation is: meaning: the called out ones.
**Metanoia: Greek word for: Repentance; the literal translation is: U-turn; revolution.
The written Law of God, His Words in the form of scripture, is the closest material thing we have of Him. They are like the letter from a distant lover. We put them under our pillow and at time when we feel lonely, or when we want to feel His presence we take them out. We bring them close to our bosom, we smell their scent, we know the text by heart but we read them over and over for they bring us closer to the one we love.
We are a bride which has been betrothed. In Jewish culture, a betrothal was so strong that to break it was similar to a divorce. We have been betrothed to a husband who gave us the earnest of His love and care until the day He comes to take us into His kingdom. On that day, the trumpet will sound, and the sign of our Beloved will appear in the sky (Matthew 24:29-31). As a mighty knight, He will come down from the heavens riding upon a white stallion. He will come and finally rapture His bride away from the dragon who would otherwise swallow her. We will then be taken to His kingdom, the Kingdom of our salvation, where He will wipe away our tears, where we will no more hunger nor thirst, and where neither the sun nor the moon will afflict us anymore (Revelations 14:14-16; 19:11-17; 7:17; 7:16;Psalms 121:6). Praise the Lord.
Ezekiel 16:8-14 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. (9) Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. (10) I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. (11) I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. (12) And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. (13) Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. (14) And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.
As the knight on a quest, as the pilgrim on his way to a Holy place, the Saint of God, the true *“ecclesia” who has had a **“metanoia”, longs for the end of the journey.
Through the Holy Spirit, we today only have the earnest of what we will be (Ephesians 1:13-14); an insignificant foretaste compared to the glories that shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). But we want more. The heart of man will never be fully satisfied until he is totally reunited with his creator and his God.
* Ekklesia: Greek word used for: Church; the literal translation is: meaning: the called out ones.
**Metanoia: Greek word for: Repentance; the literal translation is: U-turn; revolution.
The written Law of God, His Words in the form of scripture, is the closest material thing we have of Him. They are like the letter from a distant lover. We put them under our pillow and at time when we feel lonely, or when we want to feel His presence we take them out. We bring them close to our bosom, we smell their scent, we know the text by heart but we read them over and over for they bring us closer to the one we love.
We are a bride which has been betrothed. In Jewish culture, a betrothal was so strong that to break it was similar to a divorce. We have been betrothed to a husband who gave us the earnest of His love and care until the day He comes to take us into His kingdom. On that day, the trumpet will sound, and the sign of our Beloved will appear in the sky (Matthew 24:29-31). As a mighty knight, He will come down from the heavens riding upon a white stallion. He will come and finally rapture His bride away from the dragon who would otherwise swallow her. We will then be taken to His kingdom, the Kingdom of our salvation, where He will wipe away our tears, where we will no more hunger nor thirst, and where neither the sun nor the moon will afflict us anymore (Revelations 14:14-16; 19:11-17; 7:17; 7:16;Psalms 121:6). Praise the Lord.
Ezekiel 16:8-14 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. (9) Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. (10) I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. (11) I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. (12) And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. (13) Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. (14) And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.
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