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The Daily Manna
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11 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his
correction:
12 For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he
delighteth. Proverbs 3:11-12
There have been times when we all have been given cause to wonder about what God
is doing with us in our lives. I received a phone call yesterday from a lady
who is going through some very difficult times right now. There has to be a
difference between what the writer of this proverb is talking about and those
things that are merely the consequences of a misspent life. Actions do have
consequences and we all are paying in one way or another for those wrong actions
of our pasts. But, I believe what this proverb is saying is that there are
times when we so bent on making another mistake which will lead us away from the
Lord, He will take action on our part to prevent us from doing just that.
The words used here (chastening and correction) are meant to mean the same thing
as a loving parent or some other adult figure stepping in and preventing us from
injuring ourselves either physically, financially, or spiritually. So many
times the younger set resents the inference from the older set that they don't
realize that what they are doing today will result in great agony for them
tomorrow. I had rather be chastened by my loving Father in heaven today than to
face the result of a stupid move I have made later. There are so many times
that I "need to stand corrected" and accept that rather than to stubbornly
refuse to listen because my foolish pride gets in the way.
Over the years, in the absence of my own father, God has but good and godly men
in my path to help me to see just those things. I do not resent Him for having
done this, I thank Him for it. I remember an uncle who, when I would begin to
show signs of being frustrated and tired with the work, would say to me, "Now
little brother Paul, be ye not weary in well doing". I needed to hear those
words and I needed them from a man whom himself had experienced getting tired of
it all.
The Lord loves us and He has placed around us others who love us in Him. They
are there to help us and to encourage us and to help to keep us on the straight
and narrow way. Even as a pastor, there are those in the congregation that I
pastor that I know have and will continue to help me to stay on that way. I
rely on their prayers and their words and, even look forward to them. When God
fixes a wrong thing in my life, I praise Him for it. He has brought me safe
this far and will take me the rest of the way.
God bless and go and have a great day.
correction:
12 For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he
delighteth. Proverbs 3:11-12
There have been times when we all have been given cause to wonder about what God
is doing with us in our lives. I received a phone call yesterday from a lady
who is going through some very difficult times right now. There has to be a
difference between what the writer of this proverb is talking about and those
things that are merely the consequences of a misspent life. Actions do have
consequences and we all are paying in one way or another for those wrong actions
of our pasts. But, I believe what this proverb is saying is that there are
times when we so bent on making another mistake which will lead us away from the
Lord, He will take action on our part to prevent us from doing just that.
The words used here (chastening and correction) are meant to mean the same thing
as a loving parent or some other adult figure stepping in and preventing us from
injuring ourselves either physically, financially, or spiritually. So many
times the younger set resents the inference from the older set that they don't
realize that what they are doing today will result in great agony for them
tomorrow. I had rather be chastened by my loving Father in heaven today than to
face the result of a stupid move I have made later. There are so many times
that I "need to stand corrected" and accept that rather than to stubbornly
refuse to listen because my foolish pride gets in the way.
Over the years, in the absence of my own father, God has but good and godly men
in my path to help me to see just those things. I do not resent Him for having
done this, I thank Him for it. I remember an uncle who, when I would begin to
show signs of being frustrated and tired with the work, would say to me, "Now
little brother Paul, be ye not weary in well doing". I needed to hear those
words and I needed them from a man whom himself had experienced getting tired of
it all.
The Lord loves us and He has placed around us others who love us in Him. They
are there to help us and to encourage us and to help to keep us on the straight
and narrow way. Even as a pastor, there are those in the congregation that I
pastor that I know have and will continue to help me to stay on that way. I
rely on their prayers and their words and, even look forward to them. When God
fixes a wrong thing in my life, I praise Him for it. He has brought me safe
this far and will take me the rest of the way.
God bless and go and have a great day.
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know
understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my
commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words
of my mouth.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep
thee.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting
get understanding. Proverbs 4:1-7
I wonder, who do you think the wisest man or woman in the world is today? I
don't know the answer to that but I wonder if you think
you do? The wisest person, what would he or she be like? I only know one thing
for sure, it isn't me. There have been so many times that better results from
an action could have been achieved only if. Do you understand what I am saying?
I want to be wise and I want others to believe I am but I am not on too many
occasions.
Someone (a wise person) once said, "Hind sight is twenty-twenty". And, they
were right. I can look back and clearly see the mistakes that I have made and I
wonder why it is that I could not have seen them at the time I was making them?
That is the thing about true wisdom. True wisdom thinks things through and
looks a them from every possible angle before it acts. Stupidity just acts. I
admit some of the times to belonging in the stupidity department.
My father was not around for very long to give me good instructions and his
father was not all that forthcoming with it. My father was an abusive drunk so
I knew I didn't want to follow I his footsteps. Is that wisdom? Maybe so but
it was not to be wise that I made my choice not to follow him and his mistakes,
it was fear. So, it could be that fear is a component of wisdom. When I think
of the things that he did to make our life miserable I was afraid that I might
make the same mistakes (commit the same sins) and make my wife and my children's
lives miserable as well. I surely did not want that. So, it could be that
learning from the mistakes that others have made is a component of wisdom also.
I have heard my dad say, "Don't do as I do, do as I say". To a child who so
wants to be loved by its parents, emulation becomes a path to that goal. So, to
be like one's father in order to be loved by him is, to a child, one way to
achieve that goal. I don't know exactly where to take this or to take it
farther.
Wisdom is a gift or an acquired skill. To some it is a gift but to most of us
it an acquired skill learned by trial and error and quite often in the getting
of wisdom we make terrible mistakes that tend to follow us all of the way
through life. Sometimes these mistakes (sins) make us miserable and spiteful
and hateful which in and of themselves are huge acts of stupidity.
Here is where God enters the picture. He forgives and He gives us the wisdom to
forgive. To not only forgive others but to also forgive ourselves. I have been
a very stupid man. I use that term in a totally Biblical sense. To be stupid
to me means to act without consulting God or bringing God into the equation. I
have done this and I have paid the price for it. But, what of you? Is this not
true of all of us? Oh, how we suffer the consequence when we don't bring God
into the situation that calls not only for knowledge, but for wisdom. As far as
I am concerned, that is the greatest act of stupidity of all, that is, not to
bring God into the equation.
God bless and go and have a great day.
understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my
commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words
of my mouth.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep
thee.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting
get understanding. Proverbs 4:1-7
I wonder, who do you think the wisest man or woman in the world is today? I
don't know the answer to that but I wonder if you think
you do? The wisest person, what would he or she be like? I only know one thing
for sure, it isn't me. There have been so many times that better results from
an action could have been achieved only if. Do you understand what I am saying?
I want to be wise and I want others to believe I am but I am not on too many
occasions.
Someone (a wise person) once said, "Hind sight is twenty-twenty". And, they
were right. I can look back and clearly see the mistakes that I have made and I
wonder why it is that I could not have seen them at the time I was making them?
That is the thing about true wisdom. True wisdom thinks things through and
looks a them from every possible angle before it acts. Stupidity just acts. I
admit some of the times to belonging in the stupidity department.
My father was not around for very long to give me good instructions and his
father was not all that forthcoming with it. My father was an abusive drunk so
I knew I didn't want to follow I his footsteps. Is that wisdom? Maybe so but
it was not to be wise that I made my choice not to follow him and his mistakes,
it was fear. So, it could be that fear is a component of wisdom. When I think
of the things that he did to make our life miserable I was afraid that I might
make the same mistakes (commit the same sins) and make my wife and my children's
lives miserable as well. I surely did not want that. So, it could be that
learning from the mistakes that others have made is a component of wisdom also.
I have heard my dad say, "Don't do as I do, do as I say". To a child who so
wants to be loved by its parents, emulation becomes a path to that goal. So, to
be like one's father in order to be loved by him is, to a child, one way to
achieve that goal. I don't know exactly where to take this or to take it
farther.
Wisdom is a gift or an acquired skill. To some it is a gift but to most of us
it an acquired skill learned by trial and error and quite often in the getting
of wisdom we make terrible mistakes that tend to follow us all of the way
through life. Sometimes these mistakes (sins) make us miserable and spiteful
and hateful which in and of themselves are huge acts of stupidity.
Here is where God enters the picture. He forgives and He gives us the wisdom to
forgive. To not only forgive others but to also forgive ourselves. I have been
a very stupid man. I use that term in a totally Biblical sense. To be stupid
to me means to act without consulting God or bringing God into the equation. I
have done this and I have paid the price for it. But, what of you? Is this not
true of all of us? Oh, how we suffer the consequence when we don't bring God
into the situation that calls not only for knowledge, but for wisdom. As far as
I am concerned, that is the greatest act of stupidity of all, that is, not to
bring God into the equation.
God bless and go and have a great day.
28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
Proverbs 6:28-34
What are the three most powerful appetites of man?* Power, influence, and, sex.* One might thing that food and drink would be at the top of the list but that is not so, at least not based on my observation of man over the years.* Any person who runs for political office is seeking power and influence.* There is a reason for this and normally it is that this person believes that he or she can better decided for the masses what is best for them than someone else.* It is that or just the attraction to the power that goes with the office.* Rarely, now and then, one runs for an office to serve rather than to be served but, again, I say that this is a rare person.
Influence is a huge draw also.* One may not have the popularity with the general public to be able to win an office but that same person may have the attention of the person or persons who just did.* In this way they can direct the thinking of the elected man or woman in a direction that gives them power through influence.*
Of course, now, we come to sex.* The average person is well aware of their sexual being.* It is an enormous and potent something that lies just beneath the surface and that influences the thinking of man and woman alike.* I know I have to be careful here but what I am attempting to say is that this human appetite has created such havoc with even the best of people down through the years.
In today's Scripture there is the scenario of a man committing adultery with a woman.* Adultery is one man having a sexual encounter with a woman.* Both the man and the woman are married but not to each the other.* Neither of them have any right to have this encounter but they do it anyway knowing full well how very wrong it is in the eyes of God.*
In our society, a very lose society, today, there seems to be no acknowledgement of what judgment that God has put upon this sin.* For that matter, it does* not appear that we give much acknowledgement to God's judgment on sin at all.* After all, every one is doing it and that justifies it, does it not?
Think back with me for a moment today with the scene that God observed back in Genesis.* The whole of the human race had become so sin-saturated that a preacher of righteousness named Noah could not penetrate with his preaching the head nor the heart of the sinner.* God wept over His loss of fellowship with the race of man and decided to destroy them rather than to continue to appease them.* God gave up on them.* Is God about to do that with us?* I believe there is still time for us to come back to the Lord but I also believe that that time is nearly run out.
In this forum, I don't have the space to elaborate much on the destructiveness of sins run amok or human appetites domination of our lives.* Let me just say that there is a day of judgment coming and who will look into the face of God at that time and say to Him, "Who are You to judge me!"* I think we all know the answer to that one.
God bless and go and have a great day.
29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
Proverbs 6:28-34
What are the three most powerful appetites of man?* Power, influence, and, sex.* One might thing that food and drink would be at the top of the list but that is not so, at least not based on my observation of man over the years.* Any person who runs for political office is seeking power and influence.* There is a reason for this and normally it is that this person believes that he or she can better decided for the masses what is best for them than someone else.* It is that or just the attraction to the power that goes with the office.* Rarely, now and then, one runs for an office to serve rather than to be served but, again, I say that this is a rare person.
Influence is a huge draw also.* One may not have the popularity with the general public to be able to win an office but that same person may have the attention of the person or persons who just did.* In this way they can direct the thinking of the elected man or woman in a direction that gives them power through influence.*
Of course, now, we come to sex.* The average person is well aware of their sexual being.* It is an enormous and potent something that lies just beneath the surface and that influences the thinking of man and woman alike.* I know I have to be careful here but what I am attempting to say is that this human appetite has created such havoc with even the best of people down through the years.
In today's Scripture there is the scenario of a man committing adultery with a woman.* Adultery is one man having a sexual encounter with a woman.* Both the man and the woman are married but not to each the other.* Neither of them have any right to have this encounter but they do it anyway knowing full well how very wrong it is in the eyes of God.*
In our society, a very lose society, today, there seems to be no acknowledgement of what judgment that God has put upon this sin.* For that matter, it does* not appear that we give much acknowledgement to God's judgment on sin at all.* After all, every one is doing it and that justifies it, does it not?
Think back with me for a moment today with the scene that God observed back in Genesis.* The whole of the human race had become so sin-saturated that a preacher of righteousness named Noah could not penetrate with his preaching the head nor the heart of the sinner.* God wept over His loss of fellowship with the race of man and decided to destroy them rather than to continue to appease them.* God gave up on them.* Is God about to do that with us?* I believe there is still time for us to come back to the Lord but I also believe that that time is nearly run out.
In this forum, I don't have the space to elaborate much on the destructiveness of sins run amok or human appetites domination of our lives.* Let me just say that there is a day of judgment coming and who will look into the face of God at that time and say to Him, "Who are You to judge me!"* I think we all know the answer to that one.
God bless and go and have a great day.
Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the
doors.
4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding
heart. Proverbs 8:1-5
One of the hardest things to do for any of us is to take another person's
advice. We think that we know best for ourselves and that
we should be capable of working things our for ourselves. Such is not the case
but that does not stop from thinking that way.
I recall my boyhood years and teenage years when there were so many voices of
wisdom speaking to me from a lot of different directions. There was my mom and
my aunts and my uncles and there was the many different evangelists and
preachers and teachers of the gospel. It was not until after I was saved that I
began to give the value to these voices that they deserved.
I remember an incident at my Aunt Lizzy Chapin's house one day. I don't recall
exactly how old I was but it could not have been more than four or five. I
needed my shoes tied and I asked her to tie them for me. I will never forget
what she said and, to you it may seem small, but she looked at me and said, "It
is about time you learned to tie them for yourself!" What she was saying to me
was that I was no longer a baby but a little boy that needed to learn to do for
himself the things I should not be bothering others with. That is a lesson that
has stuck with me since that time. To this day I am reluctant to call upon
others to do a thing
that I am capable of doing myself.
The reason I tell you this is that it has been my experience that wisdom does
not come in torrents, it comes small drops and bits and pieces. I have words of
wisdom from the humblest of sources and from "high places". I recall President
John F. Kennedy and the words he spoke they echo in my mind today. They were so
true then and should be held as a high ideal today. What were those words?
"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your
country!" Today, more people are seeking something from their country than are
willing to do something for the country.
I am a simple man and don't have much to offer to the conversation whatever that
conversation is except when it comes to matters of faith. It seems to me that
people have lost any understanding of the faith once delivered to the saints.
That faith, by the way, is to be found in readable form in a book, a blessed
book, called the Bible. In and on the pages of the Bible is to be found the
wisdom of God and of Christ and if you will expose your mind and heart to it,
the Holy Spirit will explain it to you. It is so sad today that so many have
reduced their faith to a doctrine or two and never get to the real meat of the
matter. The real meat of the matter is that Christ came to die for you and that
you need to have enough wisdom to accept the price He paid for you to be
redeemed. So many still believe that if they do the right thing that right
thing will saved them. In other words, their faith is still in themselves and
not in Christ. He and He alone redeems the lost. Nothing you can do will
change or alter that fact. Doing the right things is a good thing but not a one
of those right things on your part will save you. You must give yourself up and
surrender to Christ and take up your assigned cross and follow Him. Anything
short of that will leave you a sinner-a lost sinner.
Too many are dying every day without Christ. God help us to understand-to have
the wisdom to understand-nothing short of Christ will ever suffice for our
eternal salvation.
God bless and go and have a great day.
2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the
doors.
4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding
heart. Proverbs 8:1-5
One of the hardest things to do for any of us is to take another person's
advice. We think that we know best for ourselves and that
we should be capable of working things our for ourselves. Such is not the case
but that does not stop from thinking that way.
I recall my boyhood years and teenage years when there were so many voices of
wisdom speaking to me from a lot of different directions. There was my mom and
my aunts and my uncles and there was the many different evangelists and
preachers and teachers of the gospel. It was not until after I was saved that I
began to give the value to these voices that they deserved.
I remember an incident at my Aunt Lizzy Chapin's house one day. I don't recall
exactly how old I was but it could not have been more than four or five. I
needed my shoes tied and I asked her to tie them for me. I will never forget
what she said and, to you it may seem small, but she looked at me and said, "It
is about time you learned to tie them for yourself!" What she was saying to me
was that I was no longer a baby but a little boy that needed to learn to do for
himself the things I should not be bothering others with. That is a lesson that
has stuck with me since that time. To this day I am reluctant to call upon
others to do a thing
that I am capable of doing myself.
The reason I tell you this is that it has been my experience that wisdom does
not come in torrents, it comes small drops and bits and pieces. I have words of
wisdom from the humblest of sources and from "high places". I recall President
John F. Kennedy and the words he spoke they echo in my mind today. They were so
true then and should be held as a high ideal today. What were those words?
"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your
country!" Today, more people are seeking something from their country than are
willing to do something for the country.
I am a simple man and don't have much to offer to the conversation whatever that
conversation is except when it comes to matters of faith. It seems to me that
people have lost any understanding of the faith once delivered to the saints.
That faith, by the way, is to be found in readable form in a book, a blessed
book, called the Bible. In and on the pages of the Bible is to be found the
wisdom of God and of Christ and if you will expose your mind and heart to it,
the Holy Spirit will explain it to you. It is so sad today that so many have
reduced their faith to a doctrine or two and never get to the real meat of the
matter. The real meat of the matter is that Christ came to die for you and that
you need to have enough wisdom to accept the price He paid for you to be
redeemed. So many still believe that if they do the right thing that right
thing will saved them. In other words, their faith is still in themselves and
not in Christ. He and He alone redeems the lost. Nothing you can do will
change or alter that fact. Doing the right things is a good thing but not a one
of those right things on your part will save you. You must give yourself up and
surrender to Christ and take up your assigned cross and follow Him. Anything
short of that will leave you a sinner-a lost sinner.
Too many are dying every day without Christ. God help us to understand-to have
the wisdom to understand-nothing short of Christ will ever suffice for our
eternal salvation.
God bless and go and have a great day.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way,
and the froward mouth, do I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Proverbs 8:13-17
One has to wonder if anyone fears God anymore? To fear God is to take notice of
Him and His preferences. He hates evil. Pretty simplistic, isn't it? Evil is
detestable in the eyes of the Lord God of heaven. And, yet, we don't see it the
same way and, for that matter, can stand right along side of it and not be
bothered by it at all. The church used to teach against evil but these days it
is quite comfortable with it and even cozy with those who create opportunities
to participate in it.
I have been accused of being way too radical and, even a fanatic. A fanatic is
a person that is an extremist. Where Christ is concerned, I will gladly accept
that label. I will never understand those who want to go to heaven and dwell
eternally with a God who hates evil and, yet, who want to live as close to evil
as they can while in this life.
We used to preach against "demon rum" and how that it was poison to the body.
We used to preach against smoking and how that it was
also poison to the system. Nowadays, the church not only condones the use of
these things (in moderation, of course) but condones them nevertheless and even
brings them into its fellowships. We have our celebrations and bring the use of
intoxicants into them.
Contrary to popular opinion, Christ did not make an intoxicating beverage out of
water. I have heard that argument but it does not hold water. What Christ made
was new wine which was the best new wine anyone had ever tasted. No one would
ever have gotten the least bit intoxicated by the wine He made out of this
water. I could make my case for that and would if you wish.
For the purpose of this Manna I simply want to say that over the past 40 to 50
years I have noted that the church has forsaken the teachings of holiness in
order to keep or to grow their crowds. Our music is irreverent, our dress
reflects an attitude toward God that says that we no longer believe in modesty.
There are times that I just want to throw my hands up in despair and be done
with it all and if that is true of me I have to wonder what God is thinking.
I try to hold the line and I know there are others doing the same but it gets
more difficult all the time. There is so much hate on the part of the world for
the church and for its Christ and God and that makes it way into our mindset.
People come to church expecting the church to accommodate their notions of right
and wrong and forget that is not the function of the church at all. If you say
the wrong thing, out the door they go in a huff. Our congregations shrink in
size because the lure of the world is greater than the call of the Lord. How
sad. How so very sad.
God bless and go and have a great day.
and the froward mouth, do I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Proverbs 8:13-17
One has to wonder if anyone fears God anymore? To fear God is to take notice of
Him and His preferences. He hates evil. Pretty simplistic, isn't it? Evil is
detestable in the eyes of the Lord God of heaven. And, yet, we don't see it the
same way and, for that matter, can stand right along side of it and not be
bothered by it at all. The church used to teach against evil but these days it
is quite comfortable with it and even cozy with those who create opportunities
to participate in it.
I have been accused of being way too radical and, even a fanatic. A fanatic is
a person that is an extremist. Where Christ is concerned, I will gladly accept
that label. I will never understand those who want to go to heaven and dwell
eternally with a God who hates evil and, yet, who want to live as close to evil
as they can while in this life.
We used to preach against "demon rum" and how that it was poison to the body.
We used to preach against smoking and how that it was
also poison to the system. Nowadays, the church not only condones the use of
these things (in moderation, of course) but condones them nevertheless and even
brings them into its fellowships. We have our celebrations and bring the use of
intoxicants into them.
Contrary to popular opinion, Christ did not make an intoxicating beverage out of
water. I have heard that argument but it does not hold water. What Christ made
was new wine which was the best new wine anyone had ever tasted. No one would
ever have gotten the least bit intoxicated by the wine He made out of this
water. I could make my case for that and would if you wish.
For the purpose of this Manna I simply want to say that over the past 40 to 50
years I have noted that the church has forsaken the teachings of holiness in
order to keep or to grow their crowds. Our music is irreverent, our dress
reflects an attitude toward God that says that we no longer believe in modesty.
There are times that I just want to throw my hands up in despair and be done
with it all and if that is true of me I have to wonder what God is thinking.
I try to hold the line and I know there are others doing the same but it gets
more difficult all the time. There is so much hate on the part of the world for
the church and for its Christ and God and that makes it way into our mindset.
People come to church expecting the church to accommodate their notions of right
and wrong and forget that is not the function of the church at all. If you say
the wrong thing, out the door they go in a huff. Our congregations shrink in
size because the lure of the world is greater than the call of the Lord. How
sad. How so very sad.
God bless and go and have a great day.
22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains
abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part
of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the
face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of
the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his
commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing always before him; Prov. 8:22-30
I was just thinking that these words apply to every word spoken by Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I AM!" He was with God according to John 1:1
as the WORD and the WORD is God. I sure hate to speak of God as a past tense
for He is the ever-present I AM. What is wisdom to Him is everlasting wisdom
and truth and nothing can improve on it.
For the next couple of weeks we are going to be focusing our attention on the
coming of the WORD of God to Jerusalem and how those that lived there missed the
day of their visitation. Of course, the WORD is Christ.
Yesterday we focused on what Christ focused on just prior to heading out to
Jerusalem. He focused on what was true about His person. When He asked His
disciples what others were saying about Him, who He was, they told Him they were
saying that He was John the Baptist or one of the prophets of old re-incarnated.
How superstitious of a people that were supposed to know better. Jesus was not
the re-incarnation of anyone, He was the incarnation of God, Himself. Jesus was
not just a God, He was the one and only God there ever was and ever will be. He
came to speak as God not merely for God. Now, please, think about this deeply.
God did not send a substitute to die for our sins. He came to do this Himself
in the only way that He could. He came incarnated in a body of human flesh.
God, as a spirit, could not die. He has life in Himself and there is no way
that He can die except that He take on our nature to die to convert us to His
nature, that is, His eternal nature. In Christ we live and will live forever.
By and through Christ we put on the everlasting, enduring nature of God.
Through Christ we have eternal life. That is true and nothing will change that
but before we can have eternal life we must enter into Christ to become holy as
He is holy. Heaven is a holy place and sin cannot ever enter there. So, if you
do not enter into Christ and allow His saving and sanctifying grace to wash you
free of sin, you will not go there. Jesus told the Jews that they would do the
will of their father (Satan) and that they would die in their sin and that where
He was going they could not come. They did not understand what He was talking
about because the WORD and wisdom of God went completely over their heads just
as it does so many today.
God's WORD of wisdom and truth came in the person of Jesus Christ. He is wisdom
and truth and anything short of Him is lacking in wisdom and truth. For all of
the roadblocks that Satan throws in our path to prevent us from that truth and
His wisdom, we can still get to it if we want it badly enough.
God bless and go and have a great day.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains
abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part
of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the
face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of
the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his
commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing always before him; Prov. 8:22-30
I was just thinking that these words apply to every word spoken by Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I AM!" He was with God according to John 1:1
as the WORD and the WORD is God. I sure hate to speak of God as a past tense
for He is the ever-present I AM. What is wisdom to Him is everlasting wisdom
and truth and nothing can improve on it.
For the next couple of weeks we are going to be focusing our attention on the
coming of the WORD of God to Jerusalem and how those that lived there missed the
day of their visitation. Of course, the WORD is Christ.
Yesterday we focused on what Christ focused on just prior to heading out to
Jerusalem. He focused on what was true about His person. When He asked His
disciples what others were saying about Him, who He was, they told Him they were
saying that He was John the Baptist or one of the prophets of old re-incarnated.
How superstitious of a people that were supposed to know better. Jesus was not
the re-incarnation of anyone, He was the incarnation of God, Himself. Jesus was
not just a God, He was the one and only God there ever was and ever will be. He
came to speak as God not merely for God. Now, please, think about this deeply.
God did not send a substitute to die for our sins. He came to do this Himself
in the only way that He could. He came incarnated in a body of human flesh.
God, as a spirit, could not die. He has life in Himself and there is no way
that He can die except that He take on our nature to die to convert us to His
nature, that is, His eternal nature. In Christ we live and will live forever.
By and through Christ we put on the everlasting, enduring nature of God.
Through Christ we have eternal life. That is true and nothing will change that
but before we can have eternal life we must enter into Christ to become holy as
He is holy. Heaven is a holy place and sin cannot ever enter there. So, if you
do not enter into Christ and allow His saving and sanctifying grace to wash you
free of sin, you will not go there. Jesus told the Jews that they would do the
will of their father (Satan) and that they would die in their sin and that where
He was going they could not come. They did not understand what He was talking
about because the WORD and wisdom of God went completely over their heads just
as it does so many today.
God's WORD of wisdom and truth came in the person of Jesus Christ. He is wisdom
and truth and anything short of Him is lacking in wisdom and truth. For all of
the roadblocks that Satan throws in our path to prevent us from that truth and
His wisdom, we can still get to it if we want it badly enough.
God bless and go and have a great day.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.* John 14:1-6
The way to the cross led to Jerusalem.* This coming Sunday, Christians all over the world will be celebrating with Palm branches and song, the coming of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem.* It was on that day nearly 2000 years ago that Jesus came down the hill that led into the front gate to Jerusalem and entered the city in the midst of accolades from the multitudes.* Even at that moment, Jesus knew that these very same people would be crying for His death by the end of the week.* Knowing all of this ahead of time, Jesus cautioned His disciples not to let these events trouble them but, rather, to believe in Him eve as they believed in God.*
A point needs to be made here.* I attempted to make it Sunday to the church I pastor.* Jesus is Christ.* Now, to you and I this means that He is Messiah.* He is that but what does that mean?* I am not merely speaking of His being the anointed one, I am saying that He is the One who is self-anointed, He is God.
No man could ever die for our sins, neither yours or mine.* No natural man born by natural means would have the quality of life to give it for the sins of himself let alone for the sins of others.* Through the veins of Christ flowed blood untainted by the sin of Adam and in that blood was the life of God.*
I have said this before and I want to stress it again.* "Life is in the blood".* This is why a person cannot live without blood.* It is not merely a fluid that flows through the body, that fluid contains all of the nutrients that the body needs to exists.* It also does something else.* It carries away the impurities that the body cannot condone.* The blood of a person feeds them and it cleanses them.* The pure blood of Jesus not only supplies life to the church of God it purges the church of God of sin.* Jesus is God and He had life in Himself.
Think on this as you move through your day today.* Jesus said to His disciples and to the unbelieving Jews, "I lay my life down and I will take it up again."* Jesus did not only volunteer to die, He promised that He would restore Himself to life again.* How could He be sure of that?* He is God.* He told those that sought to silence His voice that they could do that for three days but on that third day He would rise up from death and never die again.*
God demonstrated through Christ Jesus His power over life and death.* All the matters of life and all of the fears of death are resolved in Jesus Christ.* Thus, He says to you and I today, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid, believe in God-believe in Me."* It is ok to be troubled but not cast down.* Christ has led the way and all we need to do is to trust and follow Him to where He is taking us.
God bless and go and have a great day.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.* John 14:1-6
The way to the cross led to Jerusalem.* This coming Sunday, Christians all over the world will be celebrating with Palm branches and song, the coming of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem.* It was on that day nearly 2000 years ago that Jesus came down the hill that led into the front gate to Jerusalem and entered the city in the midst of accolades from the multitudes.* Even at that moment, Jesus knew that these very same people would be crying for His death by the end of the week.* Knowing all of this ahead of time, Jesus cautioned His disciples not to let these events trouble them but, rather, to believe in Him eve as they believed in God.*
A point needs to be made here.* I attempted to make it Sunday to the church I pastor.* Jesus is Christ.* Now, to you and I this means that He is Messiah.* He is that but what does that mean?* I am not merely speaking of His being the anointed one, I am saying that He is the One who is self-anointed, He is God.
No man could ever die for our sins, neither yours or mine.* No natural man born by natural means would have the quality of life to give it for the sins of himself let alone for the sins of others.* Through the veins of Christ flowed blood untainted by the sin of Adam and in that blood was the life of God.*
I have said this before and I want to stress it again.* "Life is in the blood".* This is why a person cannot live without blood.* It is not merely a fluid that flows through the body, that fluid contains all of the nutrients that the body needs to exists.* It also does something else.* It carries away the impurities that the body cannot condone.* The blood of a person feeds them and it cleanses them.* The pure blood of Jesus not only supplies life to the church of God it purges the church of God of sin.* Jesus is God and He had life in Himself.
Think on this as you move through your day today.* Jesus said to His disciples and to the unbelieving Jews, "I lay my life down and I will take it up again."* Jesus did not only volunteer to die, He promised that He would restore Himself to life again.* How could He be sure of that?* He is God.* He told those that sought to silence His voice that they could do that for three days but on that third day He would rise up from death and never die again.*
God demonstrated through Christ Jesus His power over life and death.* All the matters of life and all of the fears of death are resolved in Jesus Christ.* Thus, He says to you and I today, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid, believe in God-believe in Me."* It is ok to be troubled but not cast down.* Christ has led the way and all we need to do is to trust and follow Him to where He is taking us.
God bless and go and have a great day.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth
ye know him, and have seen him.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not
known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou
then, Shew us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words
that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me,
he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me
for the very works' sake. John 14:7-11
It is a comforting fact to know. Jesus and God are one and the same. God is
Father. God is Son. God is Holy Spirit. This known as the trinity or God in
His three revelations of Himself. It is, at least for me, one of the more
difficult things to explain but easy to believe. I get it but it is hard to
help others to see it and like so many other things concerning God and His
kingdom, this too has to come by the Holy Spirit Who leads us into all truth.
Jesus said, "If you had known Me, you should have known My Father also..." He
has said elsewhere, "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father for My Father
and I are One."
I can understand the confusion and it would have been as difficult for me as it
was for Thomas and the unbelieving Jews. If any man today were to try to
persuade me that He is God, I would find that claim to be preposterous. Yet,
that is exactly what Christ claimed. Even though He knew it He also knew it was
almost too much for anyone else to come to know. This is why He exercises so
much patience with His disciples who had been with Him for so long yet found His
claim of oneness with God to be an exaggeration.
Many today still don't believe it and do not accept it.
Philip said, "Show us the Father and we will be satisfied". Jesus had spent
three years with them showing, demonstrating, and teaching them about God and
everything that He taught that was true of God was true of Himself. The "words"
and the "works" that He did should have been enough but they weren't because man
always wants more.
Today, ask yourself what you believe is true about Jesus. Was He merely a good
man going about doing good works? Is a man of mythology? Were the stories that
the disciples told about Him mere concoctions? Did He actually turn pure water
into the purest of wines ever sipped by the lips of man? Did He actually cast
out the demons, heal the sick, raise the dead? If you disbelieve these things,
ask yourself the question, why didn't the Jews attempt to persuade the people
that He was a fraud who only had His disciples tell these things to perpetrate a
lie? They could not do that because these things were not only witnessed to by
His disciples, they were witnessed to by many who hated Him. No one could deny
the powers of Christ they only attacked His message and accused Him of blaspheme
and sedition against the Roman government. They said that He lied about being
God and worked to establish a kingdom not to be ruled by Rome. Jesus did not
lie. He is God and He did establish a kingdom that no human powers can rule.
He is God who is King of His kingdom both here on the earth and in the heavens
above. This is Who He is and no one can overthrow Him no matter how hard they
try. Rest on these facts today and...
God bless and go and have a great day.
ye know him, and have seen him.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not
known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou
then, Shew us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words
that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me,
he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me
for the very works' sake. John 14:7-11
It is a comforting fact to know. Jesus and God are one and the same. God is
Father. God is Son. God is Holy Spirit. This known as the trinity or God in
His three revelations of Himself. It is, at least for me, one of the more
difficult things to explain but easy to believe. I get it but it is hard to
help others to see it and like so many other things concerning God and His
kingdom, this too has to come by the Holy Spirit Who leads us into all truth.
Jesus said, "If you had known Me, you should have known My Father also..." He
has said elsewhere, "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father for My Father
and I are One."
I can understand the confusion and it would have been as difficult for me as it
was for Thomas and the unbelieving Jews. If any man today were to try to
persuade me that He is God, I would find that claim to be preposterous. Yet,
that is exactly what Christ claimed. Even though He knew it He also knew it was
almost too much for anyone else to come to know. This is why He exercises so
much patience with His disciples who had been with Him for so long yet found His
claim of oneness with God to be an exaggeration.
Many today still don't believe it and do not accept it.
Philip said, "Show us the Father and we will be satisfied". Jesus had spent
three years with them showing, demonstrating, and teaching them about God and
everything that He taught that was true of God was true of Himself. The "words"
and the "works" that He did should have been enough but they weren't because man
always wants more.
Today, ask yourself what you believe is true about Jesus. Was He merely a good
man going about doing good works? Is a man of mythology? Were the stories that
the disciples told about Him mere concoctions? Did He actually turn pure water
into the purest of wines ever sipped by the lips of man? Did He actually cast
out the demons, heal the sick, raise the dead? If you disbelieve these things,
ask yourself the question, why didn't the Jews attempt to persuade the people
that He was a fraud who only had His disciples tell these things to perpetrate a
lie? They could not do that because these things were not only witnessed to by
His disciples, they were witnessed to by many who hated Him. No one could deny
the powers of Christ they only attacked His message and accused Him of blaspheme
and sedition against the Roman government. They said that He lied about being
God and worked to establish a kingdom not to be ruled by Rome. Jesus did not
lie. He is God and He did establish a kingdom that no human powers can rule.
He is God who is King of His kingdom both here on the earth and in the heavens
above. This is Who He is and no one can overthrow Him no matter how hard they
try. Rest on these facts today and...
God bless and go and have a great day.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do
shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my
Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may
be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. John 14:12-14
Here are three marvelous verses from the Gospel of John and for that matter from
all of the Bible. Jesus is talking about our level
of personal faith. "Those that believe in Me", He says, "the works that I do
shall they do as well; and even greater works than those I have done they shall
do; because I go to the Father." That's the first part of this wonderful
promise of Christ to those that believe in Him. The second part is this,
"Whatever you ask in My name, I will do so that the Father may be glorified in
the Son and if you shall ask anything in My name, I will do it".
Understand that this is not for just them in their time, it is for the church
for all time. I want it to be understood that Jesus is not saying that the
church will set the agenda for the present and future ministry of Christ, what
He is saying is that the church will be blessed to participate in it. We are
never put in a position to give God orders but we are invited to seek His will
and to move the will of God forward and in the doing of that we will see great
things done on a greater scale than Jesus ever did them. Jesus told His
disciples that they would receive the Holy Spirit and that they would be His
witnesses there in Jerusalem and out into Judea and down into Samaria and over
the world. And, indeed, the church has been all of this. Anywhere you travel
in this world today, the believers in Christ have already been there and the
Gospel has been preached and souls have been saved and the church is to be
found. If they have not been there yet, they will get there soon and the word
of God will be published to every nation in the world. In these places, Christ
has been preached and lifted up and He has drawn man to Himself. He said, "If I
be lifted up, I will draw all men unto Myself" and when given the opportunity to
do that, people from all around the world are drawn to Him by the Holy Spirit.
I have to ask the question then, are we lifting up Jesus Christ to the world, or
that part of it, where we live? I hear a lot of people say that they invited
family and friends and neighbors to church but I wonder how many of them have
ever invited these same people to come to Christ? There is a difference. We
can be way too proud of our church and not proud enough of Christ. Let us,
during this season of the year when we celebrated the resurrection of Christ,
invite the world to come and see the empty tomb and to come to Christ for
salvation. Let us lift Him up as the way, the truth, and the life, and, the
only means whereby anyone can come to God. That would be refreshing for the
world and refresh the church.
God bless and go and have a great day.
shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my
Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may
be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. John 14:12-14
Here are three marvelous verses from the Gospel of John and for that matter from
all of the Bible. Jesus is talking about our level
of personal faith. "Those that believe in Me", He says, "the works that I do
shall they do as well; and even greater works than those I have done they shall
do; because I go to the Father." That's the first part of this wonderful
promise of Christ to those that believe in Him. The second part is this,
"Whatever you ask in My name, I will do so that the Father may be glorified in
the Son and if you shall ask anything in My name, I will do it".
Understand that this is not for just them in their time, it is for the church
for all time. I want it to be understood that Jesus is not saying that the
church will set the agenda for the present and future ministry of Christ, what
He is saying is that the church will be blessed to participate in it. We are
never put in a position to give God orders but we are invited to seek His will
and to move the will of God forward and in the doing of that we will see great
things done on a greater scale than Jesus ever did them. Jesus told His
disciples that they would receive the Holy Spirit and that they would be His
witnesses there in Jerusalem and out into Judea and down into Samaria and over
the world. And, indeed, the church has been all of this. Anywhere you travel
in this world today, the believers in Christ have already been there and the
Gospel has been preached and souls have been saved and the church is to be
found. If they have not been there yet, they will get there soon and the word
of God will be published to every nation in the world. In these places, Christ
has been preached and lifted up and He has drawn man to Himself. He said, "If I
be lifted up, I will draw all men unto Myself" and when given the opportunity to
do that, people from all around the world are drawn to Him by the Holy Spirit.
I have to ask the question then, are we lifting up Jesus Christ to the world, or
that part of it, where we live? I hear a lot of people say that they invited
family and friends and neighbors to church but I wonder how many of them have
ever invited these same people to come to Christ? There is a difference. We
can be way too proud of our church and not proud enough of Christ. Let us,
during this season of the year when we celebrated the resurrection of Christ,
invite the world to come and see the empty tomb and to come to Christ for
salvation. Let us lift Him up as the way, the truth, and the life, and, the
only means whereby anyone can come to God. That would be refreshing for the
world and refresh the church.
God bless and go and have a great day.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he
may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him
not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall
be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. John 14:16-18
We are not alone-ever. Jesus made several commitments to His followers just
prior to His death on the cross and one of the most comforting promises He made
was this one. "I will pray the Father and He will give you another
Comforter-One that will abide with you FOREVER." This Comforter, in the words
of Jesus, is for the believer only and He is the Spirit of truth. The world
cannot receive Him and the world cannot see Him or know Him because the world is
blind to Him. But, He lives with and even in the believer's life. The emphasis
here is on the fact that Jesus is saying to His disciples that He is leaving
them to return to the Father from Whom He came but that He is coming back to
them in a different way than He had been with them for the past three years.
He is coming in the power of His Holy Spirit and that way, He will never leave
them again.
The same author of this book called John wrote another book called Revelation.
Some call it the Revelation of John but I chose to call it the Revelation of
Jesus Christ. At the very beginning of this wonderful book, John writes, "I was
in the Spirit of the Lord on the Lord's day". More than almost any time in his
life, John appreciated the Spirit of Christ on this day. He was exiled to the
Isle of Patmos and there he spent many lonely days and nights because of His
testimony concerning Christ. That very witness was by the Spirit and the power
to share it was because of the Spirit.
Have you ever wondered what John meant by the words "in the Spirit of the Lord"?
Why then more than at any other time? John existed in the Spirit of the Lord at
all times but at this particular time the presence of that Spirit was
overwhelming to him. Now is the promise of His friend and Savior more real than
ever. John needed a friend and Jesus was that friend and came to John in this
most powerful way there on that island just off of the coast of Italy. Jesus
promised that He would not forsake him and John knows this better on this day
than ever before.
Have you ever needed the Spirit of Christ in this manner? "When the going gets
tough", someone has said, "the tough get going".
That may be true but sometimes there is no where to go until the Holy Spirit
provides the way of escape. John needed that escape from this island and the
Lord provided it. Oh, he didn't physically leave the island that day but he was
able to escape into the environs of heaven itself and to see the wonderful
things that he wrote to us about and those things are recorded in this book.
What a glorious Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. He is the Spirit of holiness
and without Him holiness cannot be lived.
When one asks you, "Do you have the Holy Spirit", you can answer in all
assuredness that you do if you are saved. Christ made that promise to us and He
has kept it, praise the Lord.
God bless and go and have a great day.
may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him
not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall
be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. John 14:16-18
We are not alone-ever. Jesus made several commitments to His followers just
prior to His death on the cross and one of the most comforting promises He made
was this one. "I will pray the Father and He will give you another
Comforter-One that will abide with you FOREVER." This Comforter, in the words
of Jesus, is for the believer only and He is the Spirit of truth. The world
cannot receive Him and the world cannot see Him or know Him because the world is
blind to Him. But, He lives with and even in the believer's life. The emphasis
here is on the fact that Jesus is saying to His disciples that He is leaving
them to return to the Father from Whom He came but that He is coming back to
them in a different way than He had been with them for the past three years.
He is coming in the power of His Holy Spirit and that way, He will never leave
them again.
The same author of this book called John wrote another book called Revelation.
Some call it the Revelation of John but I chose to call it the Revelation of
Jesus Christ. At the very beginning of this wonderful book, John writes, "I was
in the Spirit of the Lord on the Lord's day". More than almost any time in his
life, John appreciated the Spirit of Christ on this day. He was exiled to the
Isle of Patmos and there he spent many lonely days and nights because of His
testimony concerning Christ. That very witness was by the Spirit and the power
to share it was because of the Spirit.
Have you ever wondered what John meant by the words "in the Spirit of the Lord"?
Why then more than at any other time? John existed in the Spirit of the Lord at
all times but at this particular time the presence of that Spirit was
overwhelming to him. Now is the promise of His friend and Savior more real than
ever. John needed a friend and Jesus was that friend and came to John in this
most powerful way there on that island just off of the coast of Italy. Jesus
promised that He would not forsake him and John knows this better on this day
than ever before.
Have you ever needed the Spirit of Christ in this manner? "When the going gets
tough", someone has said, "the tough get going".
That may be true but sometimes there is no where to go until the Holy Spirit
provides the way of escape. John needed that escape from this island and the
Lord provided it. Oh, he didn't physically leave the island that day but he was
able to escape into the environs of heaven itself and to see the wonderful
things that he wrote to us about and those things are recorded in this book.
What a glorious Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. He is the Spirit of holiness
and without Him holiness cannot be lived.
When one asks you, "Do you have the Holy Spirit", you can answer in all
assuredness that you do if you are saved. Christ made that promise to us and He
has kept it, praise the Lord.
God bless and go and have a great day.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I
live, ye shall live also. John 14:19
Just a quick meditation this morning. I must be at a surgery center for a young
man from the church early today. I just thought about what Jesus said to His
disciples in this verse. It is a part of the "I am going away for awhile but I
will be back for you" passage found in the 14th chapter of John which also
includes the 15th and 16th chapters. Jesus wants them to know that even though
He will not physically be with them any more in His present bodily form, He is
not deserting them altogether. He promises them (and us) that He will never
forsake us nor ever leave us to fight our battles alone. At this time of their
experience with Christ, this is very important to the disciples. In a few hours
they will be more than tempted to return to their lives as they were before they
ever met Christ. He will be dead and buried and they will have lost every
reason to continue the ministry and mission of Christ because, without Him they
would not know how.
Christ only leaves for three days and these people are in a panic. On the third
day He returns to them and for 40 days He comforts and encourages them to
continue the fight for the souls of mankind. He and His church are continuing
that fight to this very day.
Last night we watched "The Passion" which was a modern day version of what
happened to Christ nearly two thousand years ago. It was interesting to see it
presented that way but the interest that the people of New Orleans took in the
story was even more interesting. We think that there is little or no interest
in the death and resurrection of Christ these days but that is not true.
People still believe or want to believe in that resurrection but it is hard
because of all of the "ground clutter" their lives are surrounded with. The
world will never see Jesus again as the world but every eye shall behold Him in
the end of time. Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is
indeed the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
I leave you with that this morning and pray that it will be your meditation
throughout the day. We are not losing because our Lord is no loser.
God bless and go and have a great day.
live, ye shall live also. John 14:19
Just a quick meditation this morning. I must be at a surgery center for a young
man from the church early today. I just thought about what Jesus said to His
disciples in this verse. It is a part of the "I am going away for awhile but I
will be back for you" passage found in the 14th chapter of John which also
includes the 15th and 16th chapters. Jesus wants them to know that even though
He will not physically be with them any more in His present bodily form, He is
not deserting them altogether. He promises them (and us) that He will never
forsake us nor ever leave us to fight our battles alone. At this time of their
experience with Christ, this is very important to the disciples. In a few hours
they will be more than tempted to return to their lives as they were before they
ever met Christ. He will be dead and buried and they will have lost every
reason to continue the ministry and mission of Christ because, without Him they
would not know how.
Christ only leaves for three days and these people are in a panic. On the third
day He returns to them and for 40 days He comforts and encourages them to
continue the fight for the souls of mankind. He and His church are continuing
that fight to this very day.
Last night we watched "The Passion" which was a modern day version of what
happened to Christ nearly two thousand years ago. It was interesting to see it
presented that way but the interest that the people of New Orleans took in the
story was even more interesting. We think that there is little or no interest
in the death and resurrection of Christ these days but that is not true.
People still believe or want to believe in that resurrection but it is hard
because of all of the "ground clutter" their lives are surrounded with. The
world will never see Jesus again as the world but every eye shall behold Him in
the end of time. Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is
indeed the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
I leave you with that this morning and pray that it will be your meditation
throughout the day. We are not losing because our Lord is no loser.
God bless and go and have a great day.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26
The "Comforter". What a beautiful word that describes best Who the Holy Spirit
is and what His ministry in us is meant to be. The Holy Ghost (Sprit) is the
Holy Pneuma. He is the "breath" of God into the nostrils of the church.
Without Him, the church is life-less just as Adam would have remained if God had
not stooped over him and stooped down upon him and breathed the breath of life
into him. It was not until God had done this that Adam became a living soul.
Until God had done that he was just a lifeless form born out of the mind of the
Creator.
The church is lifeless without the Holy Spirit. It is constantly my prayer that
the Holy Spirit will breathe life into the church and give life to the services
we share every time we meet. The Holy Ghost is the inspiration by which every
true preacher and teacher of the gospel of the kingdom of God speaks. We dare
not stand before a class or before a congregation and speak in our own wisdom
and intellect. I am sure that there are many who do. Many of these folks write
books and lead seminars and teach others how to sway their audiences but I
prefer by far, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of Christ for in Him is all of
the wisdom and knowledge of Christ.
So many people have read the books that these people write and are swayed to
believe the things they say. Now, let me stress here that not all writers of
books are just spouting their own notions. Many write books that are inspired
to be written by the Holy Spirit or at least they write what the Holy Spirit
blesses them to write. The whole of the Bible was written by those who were
inspired to write what they did by the Holy Spirit. What this means is that God
breathed into them the words they wrote. They did not dare to write their
personal opinions but only those that were God's truth. This should be the goal
of anyone who speaks in behalf of God whether in written or spoken form.
The Holy Spirit has the truth and is willing to pass it on to those who are
sincerely seeking it. If one is only trying to get the Bible to prove their
personal beliefs, they will not succeed. There are some things that we can
disagree upon but only until the Holy Spirit sets us straight and once He has,
we will come to agreement. Why? Because He is the Author of truth and never
the author of confusion. Where there is confusion, the Holy Spirit is being
muted and is not being allowed to speak the truth.
I thank Jesus Christ everyday for His Holy Spirit which the Father has sent to
His church. He is my peace, my joy, my strength, and my comfort at all times.
God bless and go and have a great day.
name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26
The "Comforter". What a beautiful word that describes best Who the Holy Spirit
is and what His ministry in us is meant to be. The Holy Ghost (Sprit) is the
Holy Pneuma. He is the "breath" of God into the nostrils of the church.
Without Him, the church is life-less just as Adam would have remained if God had
not stooped over him and stooped down upon him and breathed the breath of life
into him. It was not until God had done this that Adam became a living soul.
Until God had done that he was just a lifeless form born out of the mind of the
Creator.
The church is lifeless without the Holy Spirit. It is constantly my prayer that
the Holy Spirit will breathe life into the church and give life to the services
we share every time we meet. The Holy Ghost is the inspiration by which every
true preacher and teacher of the gospel of the kingdom of God speaks. We dare
not stand before a class or before a congregation and speak in our own wisdom
and intellect. I am sure that there are many who do. Many of these folks write
books and lead seminars and teach others how to sway their audiences but I
prefer by far, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of Christ for in Him is all of
the wisdom and knowledge of Christ.
So many people have read the books that these people write and are swayed to
believe the things they say. Now, let me stress here that not all writers of
books are just spouting their own notions. Many write books that are inspired
to be written by the Holy Spirit or at least they write what the Holy Spirit
blesses them to write. The whole of the Bible was written by those who were
inspired to write what they did by the Holy Spirit. What this means is that God
breathed into them the words they wrote. They did not dare to write their
personal opinions but only those that were God's truth. This should be the goal
of anyone who speaks in behalf of God whether in written or spoken form.
The Holy Spirit has the truth and is willing to pass it on to those who are
sincerely seeking it. If one is only trying to get the Bible to prove their
personal beliefs, they will not succeed. There are some things that we can
disagree upon but only until the Holy Spirit sets us straight and once He has,
we will come to agreement. Why? Because He is the Author of truth and never
the author of confusion. Where there is confusion, the Holy Spirit is being
muted and is not being allowed to speak the truth.
I thank Jesus Christ everyday for His Holy Spirit which the Father has sent to
His church. He is my peace, my joy, my strength, and my comfort at all times.
God bless and go and have a great day.
|
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world:
thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have
received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have
believed that thou didst send me.
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given
me; for they are thine.
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to
thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me,
that they may be one, as we are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou
gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that
the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they
might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are
not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou
shouldest keep them from the evil. John 17:6-15
Nothing reveals the nature of Jesus Christ any better than this prayer that can
be read in John 17. You should read it in its entirety and more than just read
it, you should study it. In this prayer, Jesus is talking to His Father in
heaven and saying to Him, "I have done all that I can do which is all that you
sent Me to do and now it is time for Me to come back home to you." It is the
prayer of Christ that defines His divinity more clearly than nearly anything
else He says or does. There is one more thing left for Him to do before He can
go home to the Father and that is, He must suffer through the next day and die
on the cross.
I am always amazed at this no matter how many times I read about it or hear
about it. We know that Jesus the man is the "son of man" which means that He is
fully man and can feel pain in His earthly body and pain in His heart just as
any other man can feel these things. He is not immune to feeling the highs and
lows of His emotions. We also know that Jesus the man is fully God. He carries
with Him throughout all of His life the burden to seek out and to save that
which was lost. He is the Lamb of God that came to save the world from sin.
Can you imagine for one minute what that burden must have been like? We feel it
to some degree because, as Christians, we are given the same mandate but
Christ's entire life was consumed by it. In the garden He sweat drops of blood
over it. Jesus Christ did not fear death as some suppose He did. No! No! No!
Jesus feared for our lives. Would His death change anything? Would His bearing
our sins to the cross change the way we live? Evidently for some it did and
still does but, for others, not at all.
As we come to the day we celebrate Easter, those that truly understand the
battle that Christ fought for us do not celebrate a day, we celebrate His life.
We appreciate His death but we celebrate His life. He is alive now. He died on
the cross for me. I take that very personally and it is of no value to you
until you take it personally also. How could I ever repay Him for what He did
and continues to do daily for me. The only way that I can is to love Him and
serve Him no matter what anyone else does. That, I intend to do.
Do you take what Christ did personally? I certainly pray so.
God bless and go and have a great day.
thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have
received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have
believed that thou didst send me.
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given
me; for they are thine.
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to
thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me,
that they may be one, as we are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou
gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that
the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they
might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are
not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou
shouldest keep them from the evil. John 17:6-15
Nothing reveals the nature of Jesus Christ any better than this prayer that can
be read in John 17. You should read it in its entirety and more than just read
it, you should study it. In this prayer, Jesus is talking to His Father in
heaven and saying to Him, "I have done all that I can do which is all that you
sent Me to do and now it is time for Me to come back home to you." It is the
prayer of Christ that defines His divinity more clearly than nearly anything
else He says or does. There is one more thing left for Him to do before He can
go home to the Father and that is, He must suffer through the next day and die
on the cross.
I am always amazed at this no matter how many times I read about it or hear
about it. We know that Jesus the man is the "son of man" which means that He is
fully man and can feel pain in His earthly body and pain in His heart just as
any other man can feel these things. He is not immune to feeling the highs and
lows of His emotions. We also know that Jesus the man is fully God. He carries
with Him throughout all of His life the burden to seek out and to save that
which was lost. He is the Lamb of God that came to save the world from sin.
Can you imagine for one minute what that burden must have been like? We feel it
to some degree because, as Christians, we are given the same mandate but
Christ's entire life was consumed by it. In the garden He sweat drops of blood
over it. Jesus Christ did not fear death as some suppose He did. No! No! No!
Jesus feared for our lives. Would His death change anything? Would His bearing
our sins to the cross change the way we live? Evidently for some it did and
still does but, for others, not at all.
As we come to the day we celebrate Easter, those that truly understand the
battle that Christ fought for us do not celebrate a day, we celebrate His life.
We appreciate His death but we celebrate His life. He is alive now. He died on
the cross for me. I take that very personally and it is of no value to you
until you take it personally also. How could I ever repay Him for what He did
and continues to do daily for me. The only way that I can is to love Him and
serve Him no matter what anyone else does. That, I intend to do.
Do you take what Christ did personally? I certainly pray so.
God bless and go and have a great day.
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he
suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all
them that obey him;
10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. Hebrews 5:8-10
Sharon and I have taken a few days to get away. We are in Gatlinsburg, TN. I
am not sure what to do here but we will find enough to keep us busy for a few
days. Pray for us that this little trip helps us to get better and be better.
We both are so tired.
AS it was with Christ, so is it with us. We need to be perfected in Christ.
Christ is the Author of eternal salvation but before He could be that, He had to
learn obedience to the Father in Heaven. What we often forget is that Jesus was
just as much the son of man as He was and is the Son of God. He had a human
side to Himself that had to be brought into subjection to the God that reigned
within. There was the ability to feel pain and sorrow and joy and peace. He
could feel everything that we feel and concern Himself with everything that
concerns us. He had family and even as He hung on the cross He concerned
Himself with them and especially His mother. We concern ourselves with the
things of God but the things of this life are a concern to us. There is nothing
wrong with this as long as we prioritize them in a manner that is pleasing to
God. May God help us all to learn how to do that.
God bless and go and have a great day.
suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all
them that obey him;
10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. Hebrews 5:8-10
Sharon and I have taken a few days to get away. We are in Gatlinsburg, TN. I
am not sure what to do here but we will find enough to keep us busy for a few
days. Pray for us that this little trip helps us to get better and be better.
We both are so tired.
AS it was with Christ, so is it with us. We need to be perfected in Christ.
Christ is the Author of eternal salvation but before He could be that, He had to
learn obedience to the Father in Heaven. What we often forget is that Jesus was
just as much the son of man as He was and is the Son of God. He had a human
side to Himself that had to be brought into subjection to the God that reigned
within. There was the ability to feel pain and sorrow and joy and peace. He
could feel everything that we feel and concern Himself with everything that
concerns us. He had family and even as He hung on the cross He concerned
Himself with them and especially His mother. We concern ourselves with the
things of God but the things of this life are a concern to us. There is nothing
wrong with this as long as we prioritize them in a manner that is pleasing to
God. May God help us all to learn how to do that.
God bless and go and have a great day.
|
|
19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS
OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20 This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was
crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and
Latin.
21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the
Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. John 19:19-22
Pilate, in an attempt to soothe his own conscience and to further agitate the
Jews had an inscription written and nailed to the cross above Jesus' head. It
read, "Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews". One reason for this was that
Pilate saw in Jesus more nobility than he had seen in any other Jew he had come
across. There was this nobility in Christ, you know, and it seems strange to me
that Pilate was the one to take note of it. If there ever was a man of Jewish
descent that deserved to be king, it was Jesus. Pilate had been around
aristocracy enough to know what it looked like and Jesus was it.
At the time that Jesus was crucified another man claimed to be king of the Jews.
This notice posted over the head of Christ as He hung on the cross would have
been an agitation to him as well. His name is Herod. He was never king of the
Jews in the sense that Christ is. It is certain that the throne was not his by
any legal claim to it for he was not in the blood line of David. Christ Jesus
was a "son of David" and a rightful heir to the throne and was announced to be
Israel's King from the very moment of His birth
and for that reason the Herod at that time sought to kill Him. This current
Herod was amused by Jesus but never took His claim to be the rightful King of
the Jews seriously. Now, his arch-enemy proclaims that the King of the Jews is
Jesus of Nazareth. Pilate by doing this has achieved a couple of things. He
has killed the one Person that Herod could not kill and he has killed the real
King of the Jews so that the Jews could never claim to have any other king than
Caesar in reality. This is what the proclaimed as the cried for Christ's
crucifixion and now it is true because Pilate made sure of it. Later they
realized the mistake they had made and went to Pilate and asked him to change
the inscription but he refused. Pilate knew exactly the effect this would have
on any observer of this event. Finally, the rightful heir to the throne of
David is dead and there will be no other to take His place
ever. What Pilate did not take into consideration was the resurrection of
Christ. He is King and He is the eternal King of the Kingdom of God forever.
Never will He be deposed from the throne that is His rightful and righteous
inheritance. All of the Apostles and the followers of Christ know this. He is
not going to be King, He is the King of the Jews. He was then, He is now, and
He will be forever.
God bless and go and have a great day.
OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20 This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was
crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and
Latin.
21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the
Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. John 19:19-22
Pilate, in an attempt to soothe his own conscience and to further agitate the
Jews had an inscription written and nailed to the cross above Jesus' head. It
read, "Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews". One reason for this was that
Pilate saw in Jesus more nobility than he had seen in any other Jew he had come
across. There was this nobility in Christ, you know, and it seems strange to me
that Pilate was the one to take note of it. If there ever was a man of Jewish
descent that deserved to be king, it was Jesus. Pilate had been around
aristocracy enough to know what it looked like and Jesus was it.
At the time that Jesus was crucified another man claimed to be king of the Jews.
This notice posted over the head of Christ as He hung on the cross would have
been an agitation to him as well. His name is Herod. He was never king of the
Jews in the sense that Christ is. It is certain that the throne was not his by
any legal claim to it for he was not in the blood line of David. Christ Jesus
was a "son of David" and a rightful heir to the throne and was announced to be
Israel's King from the very moment of His birth
and for that reason the Herod at that time sought to kill Him. This current
Herod was amused by Jesus but never took His claim to be the rightful King of
the Jews seriously. Now, his arch-enemy proclaims that the King of the Jews is
Jesus of Nazareth. Pilate by doing this has achieved a couple of things. He
has killed the one Person that Herod could not kill and he has killed the real
King of the Jews so that the Jews could never claim to have any other king than
Caesar in reality. This is what the proclaimed as the cried for Christ's
crucifixion and now it is true because Pilate made sure of it. Later they
realized the mistake they had made and went to Pilate and asked him to change
the inscription but he refused. Pilate knew exactly the effect this would have
on any observer of this event. Finally, the rightful heir to the throne of
David is dead and there will be no other to take His place
ever. What Pilate did not take into consideration was the resurrection of
Christ. He is King and He is the eternal King of the Kingdom of God forever.
Never will He be deposed from the throne that is His rightful and righteous
inheritance. All of the Apostles and the followers of Christ know this. He is
not going to be King, He is the King of the Jews. He was then, He is now, and
He will be forever.
God bless and go and have a great day.
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