Gems from the Heart

God is "Love"

2012-02-14T10:08:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day--a time when modern society talks about love. Everywhere one looks there are hearts, heart shaped candies and boxes of candies. Decorations everywhere in red and white and shaped as hearts, with "I Love You' on balloons, clothing, cards, etc.

There is a love that goes way beyond this human love, and that is God's love. I can't explain it, but I would like to tell about it. When we say ‘God is Love’ this is not giving a definition of God. To say, "God is Love," means that this is an Attribute of God, a fact about Him just as the facts that He is Good, Holy, and Faithful. His love had no beginning and will have no end. He loves as much at one moment as He does another, because as God He does not change. Because He is God and without limits, His love has no limits.

We cannot really define "Love’, but we know about love by how it is revealed to the one that is loved. I Corinthians 13 is a chapter given entirely to an attempt to define love. Specifically: Love is patient, love is kind; not envious; not boastful or haughty; Love is not self-seeking or resentful. Love never fails. Love is uncaused and undeserved.

Love shows itself by how it takes pleasure in what is loved, and God enjoys and loves us as His own creation. John 3:16 states that God loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die for us. And here is a wonderful thing about God’s love; when we become His children, nothing can separate us from that love. Paul states in Romans 8:38 and 39 (from the Amplified Version)

"For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life,

nor angels, nor principalities, nor things impending or threatening;

nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us

from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

There is so much to learn about God’s Love; it is so vast and we can never understand it, any more than understanding God. Ephesians 2:4-5 gives a small view of how God expresses His love to us:

"But God—so rich is He is His mercy! Because of and in order to

satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us,

Even when we were dead (slain) by (our own) shortcomings and trespasses,

He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ;

[He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life

with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace

(His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved

(delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation).

The love of God is measureless, and we cannot be separated from it! Praise God!

From The Holy Bible (Amplified Version)

The Knowledge of the Holy

by A.W.Tozer
The heart of CC

The Little Foxes

2012-01-16T14:24:00.000-08:00

Am I the only one, or have others noticed how its the little things that can set off anger, cause frustrations, erode marriages?

I find I can handle big things pretty well. Perhaps because I know I need God’s presence, His guidance with me. When my husband had Cancer Surgery, I was calm. When the doctor came in and told me his findings, I was still calm. When my sister was dying of Cancer, I felt I needed to be strong, as I was now the family ‘matriarch’. But give me a few little trials, a stubbed toe, a burned meal, a leaky faucet, a bunch of ‘little foxes’ and I may fly apart.

In Song of Solomon 2:15 it says: "catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vine…" Perhaps this is what it is speaking of in this verse. Give me some big problems, I willingly take them to the Father and lay them at His feet. But the everyday little nuisances, I often think ‘I can do it myself’. Then I get stuck in the mire, or as the verse says, I have had my vines spoiled.

My Prayer: O Lord, may we not forget, You are not only the God of the big things, the storms, and the bends in the road, but You are the God of the everyday nuisances, the little frets that come on ordinary days. Forgive me, Lord, and I give You now my day with its little trials and ‘little foxes’ and lay them at Your feet. You are such a great and awesome God, yet You care for my smallest needs. Thank You, Father, You are so good. Amen

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

Some comforting words from God's Word, to start our New Year. These are from The Message,
Psalm 91:1-13.

"God, you're my refuge.
        I trust in you and I'm safe!"
That's right--he rescues you from hidden traps,
        shields you from deadly hazards.
His huge outstretched arms protect you--
        under them you're perfectly safe;
        His arms fend off all harm.
Fear nothing--not wild wolves in the night,
        not flying arrows in the day,
Not disease that prowls through the darkness,
        not disaster that erupts at high noon.
Even though others succumb all around,
        drop like flies right and left,
         no harm will even graze you.
You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance,
         watch the wicked turn into corpses.
Yes, because God's your refusge,
         the High God your very own home,
Evil can't get close to you,
         harm can't get through the door.
He ordered his angels
         to guard you wherever you go.
If you stumble, they'll catch you;
         their job is to keep you from falling.
You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes,
        and kick young lions and serpents from the path.

The Gift of God

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

"Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.." (II Corinthians 9:15)

God’s ‘unspeakable’ gift to us was His Son, Jesus. Of Himself, Jesus said, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water." (John 4:10)

Because of God’s wonderful gift, we can have other gifts such as a ‘gift of a relationship with God’. John 1:12 states that all who receive Him, those who believe in His name, He gives the right to be called the sons and daughters of God.

He also gives the ‘gift of His Grace’. Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by Grace you have been saved…" We have received the ‘gift of Eternal Life’, as according to Romans 6:23 "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

One reason I think of God’s gift as being unspeakable, and perhaps part of Paul’s thinking in II Corinthians 9:15, is that it is greater than we can grasp with our finite minds. Jesus is God, 2^nd person in the Trinity, totally God. Yet in order to become the propitiation for man’s sin, He had to take on a human body. In doing so He had to become a human being. Now we have something beyond our imagination, something incredible, beyond words, unspeakable. He was still God, just as though He had never been man; yet He was man as though He had never been God.

And He did this as a gift to each of us. "For God so loved the world that He gave (this Unspeakable Gift) His only begotten son, that whosoever believes on Him will have eternal life." (John 3:16)

So at this Christmas season as we open our gifts from those we love, let us remember the most indescribable, most unspeakably amazing gift of all, ours just for the taking. This gift is Jesus, all wrapped up in love!

Tea Cups

2011-11-18T18:05:00.000-08:00

In my china cabinet I have several lovely china teacups. One of these I bought in Halifax, Nova Scotia some 25 years ago. Another one I bought in England at about that same time. The rest of them were given to me by my Aunt, who came from Scotland as a young woman, so I think they would be at least 85 years old.

They mostly just sit in my cabinet gathering dust, but a few years ago I used them every week for awhile. It was after I had retired, and during the day I was home alone most of the time. As I had my devotions one day, I was impressed with the well known verse from Revelation 3:20 that states Jesus said He would come in and ‘sup’ with me; so I decided to provide a place for this. I would set out a couple of my special teacups, fill them with coffee or tea and imagine my Lord sitting with me, to ‘sup’ with me. It was very easy to just tell Him my heart as we had our ‘tea party’.

This brings to mind ‘cups’ that our Savior mentioned in the Scripture. The first one, which stands out to me, was in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before He was crucified. He prayed "O Father if it be possible, let this ‘cup’ pass away from me." I have read different thoughts on this; some say He was afraid of the physical part. I do not believe it was physical at all. I believe it was my sin and your sin that He knew He would bear. He was not to just carry it as a load, He would drink this ‘cup’ of sin, and it would become a part of Him. He knew it was at this point of time when sin and God would clash, and God would have to turn away from His Son. Oh, what a bitter cup!

Jesus accepted that first ‘cup’, and now He can offer us a ‘cup’, the cup of communion as He says "this is my blood which was shed for you, drink ye all of it." Are you ready to drink of that cup? Am I ready to accept what He did on Calvary and give Him my life, and my all? Are you?

When we have given Him our life, we will then be able to do as He asks in Matthew 10:42: "whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is my disciple, surely I declare to you he shall not lose his reward."

I may have some lovely bone china teacups, probably valuable only to me, but He provides the blessings to fill my spiritual cup, to last for all eternity.

"Fill my cup, Lord,

I lift it up, Lord!

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;

Bread of heaven,

Feed me till I want no more—

Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

(By Richard Blanchard)

A Worm to a Butterfly

2011-10-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

"Strip yourselves of your former nature (put off and discard your old unrenewed self) which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion: And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind (having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude), And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God’s image, (Godlike) in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24 (Amplified)
For years I had the prayer that God would take me, this worm of a human being, and turn me into a butterfly. Make me what Ephesians 4:24 states, "created in God’s image, in true righteousness and holiness." Then as I began studying God’s Word, I realized, I already am a butterfly. The day I accepted Christ as my Savior, I became a new being. Isaiah 61:3 tells me, He took my ashes and gave me beauty. In Isaiah 61:10 it states "(You) clothed me with garments of salvation, (You) have wrapped me in a robe of righteousness…as a bride adorned with her jewels." II Corinthians 5:17 says, "if any person is in Christ he is a new creation." And in Colossians 3:10 (amplified) "And have clothed yourself with the new spiritual self, which is renewed and remolded into...knowledge after the image of Him who created it."

Wow! I already am a beautiful new creation in God’s sight! I have a new spiritual self! And someday I shall even have a new body, a glorified body, and one like Christ’s glorified body. David is one who realized this when he stated in Psalm 17:15 "I shall be satisfied when I wake in thy likeness." Paul tells us in Philippians 3:21 "(Lord Jesus Christ) shall change our lowly body that it may be fashioned like his glorious body…"

You see, I am already a butterfly, what more could I ask for. My soul is a new creation, and soon, my body will be also.

"Like developing butterflies,

We are to shed the cocoon

Of our sinful nature that we might

Emerge into the beauty of Christ."

(Unknown)

Thank you, Lord, for taking this worm and making me into a butterfly! Amen

*From the heart of CC

Hands

2011-10-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago, I was looking at my hands. They now have many brown spots, that we call age spots. (Maybe they are sort of like the rings on the tree, the more rings, the older it is; with hands, the more spots, the older the person.) The skin itself is beginning to get that transparent look, and when pinched up, it stays up. I remember as children when my siblings and I would do that to my grandmothers' hands, and we would laugh and giggle.
But these hands haven't always been this way. There was a time very long ago when they were much smaller, chubby and dimpled, and they would reach up and grab the big hand of my father or mother and feel safe. Even when my children were small, these hands were smooth, slender, the skin tight, and there were no spots. They would reach down and grab the small hand of my son or daughter to keep them safe. These hands would throw a ball, color a picture, or wipe a tear. But time brings about changes, and the young become the old. Just as the dark hair turns white, so the hands change and begin to show their age.

As I sit here musing over my hands, I am reminded of another pair of hands, the hands of our Savior. He used his hands to touch the blind, the sick, the dead; bringing healing and life. It was His hands that were nailed to the cross in my stead. It is His hands, His precious hands that hold me. He has said "He holds me in the palm of his hand" and "No man can pluck me out of His hand". Jn 10:28. Thank you , Jesus, for your blessed hands.

Common Sense

2011-09-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Recently I received an e-mail about an OBIT of the late Mr. Common Sense. I will give some of it here so you can get the gist of it:

     "Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. …He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; Life isn’t always fair; and maybe it was my fault….. His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. i.e. A 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student. It declined further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or aspirin to a student, but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
      Common sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses…Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
       Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. "

Just what is Common Sense that it could so easily slip away and so few notice?
Webster’s Dictionary definition is: "Ordinary good sense or sound practical judgment."

Here is what the Bible says about it, found in Jeremiah 10:23: "…It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps." To me this is saying it is just not in us to have sound practical judgment or ‘Common Sense’. Proverbs 16:3 gives us instructions on how to have this "Common Sense" however: "Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." So when one stays close to the Lord, He will help our thoughts to be as with ‘Common Sense.’ If we will stay tuned in to the Lord, we will hear a word behind us say ‘this is the way, walk in it’. (Isaiah 30:21).

Our Lord will guide our steps, direct our path, protect us from harm when we establish our thoughts on Him, and he will give us ordinary good sense known as "Common Sense".

*Webster New World Dictionary
*From the heart of CC

Intervention

2011-09-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

I just can not seem to stay away. When God gives me a thought I love to write it down, and then as I look it over I think "I must share this"; so what better way than to put it in a 'blog'. I am also changing the name to "Gens from the Heart". Or maybe later I will think about something else, like "Gems from the Word". After all, the gems I find are found in God's Word, and then he speaks them to my heart.

Recently I came across a new thought on the word "Intercession". The verse is from Hebrews 7:25 (KJV):

"Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him,

seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them."

The word for 'intercession' in the Greek is 'intugehano'. This word 'intugehano' actually means 'intervention'. In the verse in Hebrews where it says Jesus is in heaven 'interceding' for us, he is actually 'intervening' for us. He is coming between my sin and the Holy Father.

Our Father in Heaven cannot look on sin, yet he can look at me because He sees me perfect because Jesus 'intervened' for me. He sees the perfection of Jesus, the Holy and perfect Son, because Jesus intervened and took the fall. Because of Jesus, God the Father now looks beyond my faults, beyond my sin, and sees the one who 'intervened' now sitting at His right hand 'interceding' for this unworthy sinner who is saved by Grace. What a God!

Bloggy Break

2011-08-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

After nearly 4 years of blogging, either daily or once a week, I have decided it is time to take a "bloggy break". I have been rereading comments received over these past years, and pray for each one of you. I look forward to seeing you in Glory some day soon!

Z is for 'Zion'

2011-08-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Unless one of my readers knows of a "Z" name for God, I have been unable to find one. The word Zion however, has a very Biblical meaning. In Psalm 87 it states the Lord loves the gates of Zion, and calls it the City of God’.
The word Zion occurs over 150 times in the Bible and is referred to both as the ‘city of God’ and the ‘city of David’.

The name Zion originally referred to an ancient Jebusite fortress, and after David captured this stronghold, it was called the ‘city of David’. In II Samuel 5:7 it says "Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David."

In the New Testament the name Zion is given a spiritual meaning as God’s spiritual kingdom, the heavenly Jerusalem. In Hebrews 12:22 it says "But ye are come unto Mount Zion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem…". When the term "Mount Zion" is used, it usually is referring to the heavenly Zion as in Rev. 14:1 "And I looked and lo, a Lamb (Jesus) stood on Mount Zion…".

So it is, as the Bible progresses, the word Zion transitions from referring primarily to the physical city of Jerusalem, to the more spiritual context of our future home, the heavenly Jerusalem.

I can think of no better way to end our trip through the alphabet, praising our Adonai, our Immanuel, our Rock, bowing before our Yahweh, than to look forward to the day when we shall march through the gates of Zion; that beautiful city of God.

"We’re marching to Zion,

Beautiful, beautiful Zion,

We’re marching upward to Zion,

The beautiful City of God."

-----By Robert Lowry

Y is for Yahweh

2011-08-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia on the Internet, the word ‘Yahweh’ is transcribed into Roman letters as YHWH. This form of four letters is known as the Tetragrammation. The most likely meaning of the name may be "He brings Into Existence Whatever Exists".

Yay! They got it right! Our God does bring into existence whatever exists. All things are made by Him!

The Bible (which I believe to be the true and inspired Word of God) describes ‘Yahweh’ as the One True God. God said "I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of Egypt, where you lived as slaves. You shall have no other gods to rival me." Yahweh demanded the roll of the one true God in the hearts and the minds of Israel. "Hear Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one: and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your might." As Christians, we believe Jesus is the human incarnation of Yahweh.

Yahweh (Yah-ve) is sometimes referred to as Jehovah, with the primary meaning of "self-existent one". The ‘tetragrammation’ of YHWH, was considered too sacred to be spoken aloud, so other names were used for names that would be uttered. To add vowel points to YHWH, it makes it sound like ‘Yehova’, and thus the later word of Jehovah, meaning "My Lord."

To the name Jehovah, we see various names added to reveal His character. For example, when God provided the ram in the thicket for Abraham, he came to know God as Jehovah-Jireh, (He will Provide). When God revealed himself to David as the Shepherd, David called Him Jehovah-Rohi, the Lord our shepherd. We discussed ‘Nissi’ as our ‘N’ word a few weeks ago, giving the name Jehovah-Nissi; the Lord is my banner. This shows that Jehovah is the Lord, and the added name helps us understand ‘Who He is’.

We need to spend time praising God simply for who He is by using His various names:

He is Jehovah-elyon—"The Lord most High"

He is Jehovah-shalom—The Lord our peace"

He is my Yahweh, my Jehovah, The King of Glory! (Psalm 24:7)

X is for Xristo

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

The X we often see used as Xmas, is actually the Greek symbol for ‘Chi’, ‘Christo, or ‘Xristo’. In early times it was actually used for Christ Himself.

The exact origin of X for Christ is difficult to pinpoint. Some have said it began in the first century AD, when symbols were readily used. Some Bible scholars feel it was later, around the 13^th century along with Christian abbreviations and symbols used in the middle ages. It is also believed that early Christians put an X symbol above their doors to identify themselves to other believers and yet keeping their faith secret.

When the Gutenberg printing press was invented in 1436, each letter was individually set by placing a block in a strip. Typesetting was tedious and expensive, so in order to save time and money one short cut was using an X for Christ when printing the bible.

This letter used in place of Christ had a long Christian history until more recent years when the history of it has faded or not been passed on; therefore it has now become misunderstood. Many Christians feel by using X as in Xmas, they are leaving Christ out, but it is actually the same word, by using Greek symbols.

Other uses for the ‘X’ for ‘Chris’ are Xtina, for the name ‘Christina’; Xtal for ‘crystal’. Florists use it as in ‘Xant’ for ‘Chrysanthemum’.

So next time you hear the word Xmas, instead of being upset, share a bit of Christian history and your knowledge of Greek letters and symbols.

My Prayer: Lord, as a child of God, with power and wisdom from You, help me not to be so quick to find fault with expressions and words I do not understand. Help me rather, to show discernment and study to show myself approved unto God, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Amen

W is for Word

2011-08-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of John’s Gospel, John refers to Jesus as the ‘Logos’ (LO-gos), the Word. He is using the Greek term of logos for the One that created the universe by speaking it into existence (by the ‘breath of His mouth’. Psalm 33:6)
The Scofield Bible’s notes on the Greek word of "logos" is that it means a thought or concept, and the expression of utterance of a thought. As a designation of Christ, Logos shows that in Him are embodied all the treasures of the divine wisdom, the collective thought of God, and that He is from eternity. As "the Word" or ‘logos’ everything about Jesus speaks to us of God—his teaching, miracles, suffering, death and resurrection. It is Jesus voice as "The Word" that calls us.

John goes on to say in verse 14 that the Word was made flesh and made his dwelling among us". In the Greek, "made his dwelling" is linked to the word for ‘tent’ or ‘tabernacle’. Jesus, as the Word made flesh, became a man, or like his brothers, to dwell (tabernacle) among us and through Him we could perceive God’s glory. He is the Word calling out to us, healing our spiritual deafness and bringing us back to God.

We are to respond to Jesus, The Word, with both faith and faithfulness, reproducing Christ’s life so that Word may become one with us.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men."

…. John 1:1-4
My prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the Only Word, made flesh, and speaking your love to us in this dark world. Give me ears to hear your word, and a heart to do your will. Make me eager and able to proclaim your word in season and out, confident in your life-giving power and in your enduring love. Amen

V is for Vine

2011-07-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

In John 15:1, Jesus says of Himself, "I am the Vine". The vine of the grape is the trunk that brings sap up from the roots into the branches. The sap must be allowed to flow freely into the branch in order to produce fruit. The vine gives its life to the branch by the branch staying attached to the vine.
A good crop of grapes does not just happen. A good vineyard has a dedicated "vinedresser" whom in the case of a child of God, is God the Father. Each branch is important to the vinedresser, to bring forth the finest crop possible.

If a branch is left to itself it straggles over rocks and handy tree trunks. Or it may fall to the ground and creep along in the dirt and mud. The vinedresser will come along, clean off the branch, prune it where needed, and tie it close to the vine. Soon the branch is thriving again. The branch must remain totally dependent on the vine, close to it, pruned here, pruned there, in order to bring forth much fruit.

Jesus said He is the true Vine. His followers, me included, are the branches. We are created for a living relationship with the Vine, (Jesus), and the Vine, (Jesus), gives His life to the branch.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit He prunes that it may bear more fruit. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit…By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit."

John 15:1-2, 5,8

U is for 'Unspeakable Gift'

2011-07-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

The word ‘unspeakable’ does not mean to not talk about something, but that that something is so wonderful, there are no words to explain it. God’s special gift to us is ‘unspeakable’; it is amazing; it is beyond our comprehension. This gift is Jesus, all wrapped up in love.

God’s ‘unspeakable’ gift to us was His Son, Jesus. Of Himself, Jesus said, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water." (John 4:10)

Because of God’s wonderful gift, we can have other gifts such as a ‘gift of a relationship with God’. John 1:12 states that all who receive Him, those who believe in His name, He gives the right to be called the sons and daughters of God.

He also gives the ‘gift of His Grace’. Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by Grace you have been saved…" We have received the ‘gift of Eternal Life’, as according to Romans 6:23 "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

One reason I think of God’s gift as being unspeakable, and perhaps part of Paul’s thinking in II Corinthians 9:15, is that it is greater than we can grasp with our finite minds. Jesus was God, 2^nd person in the Trinity, totally God. Yet in order to become the propitiation for man’s sin, He had to take on a human body. In doing so He had to become a human being. Now we have something beyond our imagination, something incredible, beyond words, unspeakable. He was still God, just as though He had never been man; yet He was man as though He had never been God.

And He did this as a gift to each of us. "For God so loved the world that He gave (this Unspeakable Gift) His only begotten son, that whosoever believes on Him will have eternal life." (John 3:16)

So accept His ‘Unspeakable Gift’. He paid the price so that all you have to do is take the gift He offers. Jesus is the Unspeakable Gift!!

T is for Teacher

2011-07-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

In New Testament times, the role of the teacher was well defined. Jesus role was that of what was called in the Greek, "didaskalos", meaning ‘teacher’ or master, and it fell within the parameters of the Rabbi.    In Matthew 5:1 and Luke 5:3 it mentions that Jesus ‘sat’ while He taught. This was the way the contemporary teachers of that day did their teaching and He often appeared at the synagogues where He would do His teaching.

The disciples are compared to students, and they often referred to Jesus as ‘Master’ or ‘Teacher’. When Jesus appeared to Mary in the garden after His resurrection, she called Him "Rabboni", which is a form of ‘Rabbi’ meaning ‘teacher.

Jesus as a teacher, was to bring man closer to the kingdom of God. He was the ‘ultimate’ of teachers, since He was personally One with God. In His words: "I and my Father are one." (John 10:13)

Jesus is our "Rabboni", our "Master", and our "Teacher". Yet He is a humble teacher. In John 13:13 he washed the disciples feet and said "You call Me the Teacher (Master) and the Lord, and you are right in doing so…(vs.14) If I then have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet…" He taught by example.
                                                          He was the ‘ultimate’ Teacher.

Even after Jesus had returned to Heaven, His instruction was the basis of the teaching in the epistles and the rest of the New Testament. The role of teaching, even today, is a gift given by the Holy Spirit and this teaching and preaching is all based on the instruction of Jesus and the witness of His resurrection.
                                                          He was the ‘ultimate’ Teacher.

Jesus, the Teacher, gave this command to His disciples is Matthew 28: 19,20, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.

                                                    He is our awesome, ‘ultimate’ Teacher.

S is for Shepherd

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

To think of Jesus as our Shepherd is one of the most tender images given to us. Our Lord compares Himself to a Shepherd all throughout the Scriptures. This reminds us of our dependency on Him, as well as His watchful, protecting care.

Shepherding was a very important occupation in ancient Palestine, so the people of that day understood the metaphors of sheep and shepherd. A shepherd is responsible for the physical survival and well being of the flock, and sheep are known to be an animal totally dependent on the shepherd. The shepherd is the one to find them pastures, and it is said they need to have still waters, so the shepherd also finds them quiet streams or watering holes. David, having been a shepherd knew this when he wrote Psalm 23:3: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside the still waters.”

Without a shepherd to carefully watch over the flock, the sheep scatter and become easy prey for wild animals and thieves. A good shepherd will defend his flock with his own life. In John 10:11 Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

The shepherd’s life was a nomad’s life, and he spent many lonely hours entertaining himself by talking to his sheep. In this way the sheep came to know the shepherd’s voice. Therefore when the sheep mixed with other flocks, such as at the watering holes, they had no difficulty separating the animals, for each animal knew its shepherd’s voice. In John 10:4 Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice and follow me.”

The shepherd counted his sheep each morning and evening and would call each one by name. In John 10:3 it states: “…and the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.”

“He tends his flock like a shepherd
He gathers the lambs in his arms
And carries them close to his heart;
He gently leads those that have young.”
……Isaiah 40:11

My prayer: Gentle Shepherd, with you as my Shepherd, I shall not want for any good thing. You lead me in pastures green, and you restore my soul. Help me to listen for your voice, and follow you all the days of my life. And when I reach the end of my way on earth, you will go with me through the valley of the shadow of death, and receive me to yourself in Glory. You are my Shepherd-King, and I praise you! Amen

R is for Rock

2011-06-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

‘Rock’ is used throughout the Scriptures both in actuality and figurative. When the Israelites were making their trek through the wilderness, the rock was used on more than one occasion to quench their thirst. Caves in the rocks were used for refuge; our Lord’s burial was carved out of a rock in the Garden.

In the Figurative sense, the hardness of the rock gives the image of one whose mind is set. As examples, Isaiah 50:7 says: “…therefore have I set my face like a ‘flint’ (stone), and I know that I shall not be ashamed.” In Jeremiah 5:3: “…They have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.” Another figurative way is to show God’s power by the shattering of the rock in Jeremiah 23:29: “Is not my word like a fire? Saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”

The enduring quality of the Rock makes it an apt name for Yahweh (God) as it depicts permanence and stability. God is a mighty Rock who protects and saves. In Deuteronomy 32:4 Moses states: “He is the Rock, his work is perfect…” In I Samuel 2:2 in Hannah’s prayer she says: “There is none holy like the Lord; for there is none beside thee, neither is there any Rock like our God.”

In the New Testament, in Romans 9:33 and I Peter 2:8 Christ is called the ‘stumbling stone and Rock of offense.” He is also referred to this in Isaiah 8:14 as “a rock that will make them fall.” Jesus was the Rock over which the Jewish people would stumble and reject, yet He would become the capstone (Matthew 21:42) and the Cornerstone for the foundation of the Church. Jesus Christ came to be our Rock-Messiah, in which we can rest, believe and be saved. David said in Psalm 18:1,2: “I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my Rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my Rock, in Whom I take refuge.” Throughout the Bible it says God is the Rock and that Jesus is the Rock. Therefore, we know that Jesus is God Incarnate, and He is our Rock

“You are the Rock and there is no other
A tower of strength, You are my shelter
Lord, You are my hope eternal
You are the Rock that is higher than I

Lead me to the Rock, lead me to the Rock
Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I,
--By Paul Baloche

Q is for Quickening Spirit

2011-06-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

In I Corinthians 15:45 we read in the King James Version that “…the first Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a Quickening Spirit…” Since Jesus Christ is the second or last Adam, it would be a name given to Him.

Let us take a look at both words ‘Quickening’ and ‘Spirit’ and find the true meaning behind this name.

Quickening means
1) To give life, make alive.
2) It is to cause to live, to restore life.
3) A pregnant woman is said to feel a ‘quickening’ when she first feels life in her womb.
4) It is used as a metaphor of seeds being quickened into life, as with germinating.

For the word Spirit:
1) Refers to Spirit (of God)
2) Spirit (of Christ)
3) Spirit (of truth)
4) Holy Spirit, third Person of the Trinity

When we put the two words together, we have Jesus as the Quickening Spirit, as He quickens us ‘alive’ by taking us from death to life spiritually. Jesus, by His life saving power can spiritually arouse, invigorate and restore the life within us. We are dead in our sin, but the Lord, as a Quickening Spirit gives life, gives joy, and gives inner peace.

The Lord desires to make each of us alive unto Him. He desires to fill us with His Spirit, that we will experience the quickening of the Holy Spirit working within us. Jesus is the one who gives life, the Quickener, and He gives it by the power of the Holy Spirit. One writer has said that: “the Holy Spirit is the medium through which the Mediator, Jesus Christ, mediates.”

The Amplified Version of I Cor 15:45 reads: “…the first Adam became a living being (an individual personality); the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit (restoring the dead to life).

My Prayer: Father, thank You for sending Jesus, our Quickening Spirit, who breathes life into us through the Holy Spirit. I pray each one reading this will be blessed, quickened and filled with the fullness of You, our living God. I pray this with thanksgiving in the wonderful name of Your precious Son, Jesus Christ, our Quickening Spirit. Amen

P is for Paraklete

2011-06-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

According to ‘Wikipedia’, the word Paraklete means “advocate or helper”. In the Greek it is the word for “comforter”. It is spelled as “parakletos”, meaning coming along side.

In the New Testament we find in I John 2:1 it is speaking of Jesus Himself as the Paraklete. In John 14 Jesus says that He will send another comforter—“another Paraklete”. From Him saying ‘another’ it would indicate Jesus was already our Paraklete, and he would be sending another to take His place when He returned to the Father. The notes from the Scofield Bible explains further by saying Christ is the Christians ‘Paraklete’ with the Father and pleads the believer’s cause with God when that Christian sins.

The Holy Spirit is the Christians indwelling “Paraklete” to help each one, and to make intercession to the Father for us. Romans 8:26 states “The Spirit also helps our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we should.” He is the Spirit of Truth, teaching the believer and guiding him into the truth, convicting of sin, righteousness and judgement.

God the heavenly Father has come alongside through the Person of the Holy Spirit. He has put His everlasting arms around us and gives us strength and comfort, through our “parakletos” the Holy Spirit.

“When we think we can’t go one more step
           When the race becomes painful beyond endurance
                    When our hearts feel heavy,
                             When our mind’s become dull,
                                      When our spirits are burned out
                                             We have the “Parakletos” who comes along side us.”
From Anne Graham Lotz book: “Just Give me Jesus”

O is for Omego

2011-06-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Omega is the last or the 24th letter of the Greek alphabet. The word is in two parts: “O” and “mega”, with the term “Meaga” actually meaning “great”. The name itself originated in the Byzantine Period or Medieval Greek Period.

The word “Omega” is usually used to indicate the last or the eventual boundary or finish of a group. It is often used with “Alpha” which is the beginning and the first letter of the Greek alphabet. In the Bible, Jesus Christ used this to describe Himself as the “Alpha and Omega”; or the start and the finish, beginning and the end.

In Revelation 21:6 Christ said, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega…” He was signifying that something had been completed.

When we think of Christ’s words that He is the ‘Alpha and Omega’, He is saying that He was here from the very start of all things, and will be at the very end of life, as we know it. He was the one who initiated creation, and He will be here to usher us into our eternal home.

Several aspects come to mind that shows how Jesus Christ is the Omega. One is that He is the final revelation of God. To explain, look at John 1:18. “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.” Another verse from John 12:45: “When a man looks at me, he sees the One who sent me.” In II Cor. 4:6 it says: “God…made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Christ.” Until this time the Jewish people were too awed by God to even say His name. Now in the person of Jesus—The Omega—He gave His final revelation.

Another aspect of Jesus as ‘Omega’ is that with Jesus we have the completion of the bridge once again being opened for man to be able to reach God. Jesus finished the plan on the Cross when He said, “it is finished.” He was not stating that He was dying, but stating that by dying He had now accomplished what He had come to do, pay the penalty for sin. He also put an end to the law when He died. Romans 10:4 says: “Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”

Jesus, as ‘Omega’ is bringing all things to an end. History is moving toward the finish line. Since the Cross, we are now living in ‘the last days’ as it says in Mark 1:15: “The time has come.” Acts 2:17 states “In these last days…”; and in Hebrews 1:2 “but in these last days he has spoken through His Son.” We now are living “in these last days” at the “end of the ages”. Time will be no more, and we will move into eternity. God’s time has come because Jesus Christ, the Omega has come.

We already mentioned that Jesus is the final revelation of God. Another aspect is that Jesus is the final ultimate manifestation of the Glory of God. In the New Testament we learn that there is no revelation of the Glory of God beyond Jesus. John 1:14 states “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His Glory, the Glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of Grace and truth.” John 12:28 says “Father, glorify Your name…I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” And then in John 17:1 we read: “Father, the time has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.”

We must live with the knowledge that all-human history and all of God’s purposes move toward Jesus Christ, and is brought to its ultimate goal in and by Jesus. He is our Omega, The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. So be it!

N is for Nissi

2011-05-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

When put together with the name of Jehovah, it means, “The Lord is my Banner”, Jehovah-Nissi. Moses was the first to use this name in Exodus 17 when the Israelites were fighting the Amelikites. As long as Moses held his arms high, the Israelites were winning. After the battle ended, he built his alter called “The Lord is my banner” as he knew the victory belonged to God.

We also have warfare going on within our hearts, the war of the Spirit against the flesh. In Galatians 5:17 it states: “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh”. And in Vs. 18 “But if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” Just as Moses held high his arms as a banner to the Lord, thus giving victory to the Israelites over the Amelikites, so we hold to the control of the Spirit and we will have victory over the flesh.

Another portion that speaks to me of Jehovah-Nissi is in Song of Solomon. This book typifies God’s love for Israel in the Old Testament, and it reminds us of Jesus’ relationship with the church in the New Testament. In chapter 2 verse 4 from the Amplified Version, it says “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love (for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner over my head when I was near him). “

Jehovah-Nissi is descriptive of God’s covering. He protects, encourages, and is proud of us. God’s banner is behind us, and over us. He leads us with the banner of His love.

We can walk in victory today because we know Jehovah-Nissi can bring salvation and freedom and eternal life. We go out with joy, raising the banner high, and we are led forth with peace. (Isaiah 55:12)

M is for Majesty

2011-05-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Though Majesty is more of a descriptive word than a title, it is used to describe our Lord’s worth and authority above all that is and was and is to come. He is my Majesty. He is Your Majesty. He has all wisdom. He is King of all kings, and Lord of all lords.
According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, Majesty is a noun. It is 1) the dignity or power of a sovereign. 2) It is sovereign power. The title is used in speaking to or of a sovereign, and is preceded by “Your’ or by ‘His or Her’.

In Job 37:22, Job said that with God is awe-inspiring Majesty. David wrote whole Psalms to the Majesty of God (See Psalm 93). In II Peter 1:16 Peter said he had been an eyewitness of His Majesty. He had been there at the ‘Transfiguration’. He had been there when Jesus rose from the dead, and he had seen him ascend into heaven. He had first hand knowledge of His Majesty.

Writers and songwriters down through the years have sought to express the Majesty of our God. Stu Garrard/Martin Smith have written:

“Majesty, Majesty
Your grace has found me just as I am
Empty handed, but alive in Your hands.
Majesty, Majesty
Forever I am changed by Your love
In the presence of Your Majesty.”

Bill and Gloria Gaither have given us this familiar chorus, one I love hearing sung b y a large choir or congregation. I cannot help but join in with:

“Majesty, Worship His Majesty
Unto Jesus be all glory, honor and praise!
Majesty, Kingdom, Authority
Flows from His throne
Unto His own
His anthem raise.

So exalt, lift up on high
The name of Jesus.
Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus the King.

Majesty, worship His Majesty
Jesus who died, now glorified
King of all kings.”

AMEN, MAJESTY!

L is for Lamb

2011-05-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

When Jesus came to earth the 1st time, He came to be a sacrifice. He came as a Lamb for sinners slain. John the Baptist introduced Him as the “Lamb of God”. One cannot really understand this title without having some knowledge of the practice of animal sacrifice in the Bible.

The sacrificial system provided a way for God’s people to approach Him even though they had sinned. Those who were offering sacrifices understood the animal was a symbol of themselves and their desire to offer their own lives to God. This sacrificial system of the Scripture represents God’s way of instructing man what it means to approach a holy God.

To the Jewish people the lamb represented innocence and gentleness. According to the Mosaic Law, the lamb sacrificed must be a male, without blemish, firstborn of the flock. Isaiah likened our Savior, Jesus, to the lamb of sacrifice when he wrote in Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter and a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” The lamb is a symbol of meekness, humility and a willingness to submit to the will of the master. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God; He is male, sinless and without blemish. He is willing to submit to His fathers will.

In Revelation we have the ‘lamb’ mentioned 29 times. Here the ‘Lamb who was slain’ now lives and reigns victorious.

Rev. 7:17 “For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd; and He will guide them to the springs of the waters of life; and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Rev 17:14 “…and the Lamb will triumph over them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings…”

Rev. 19:7 “let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb has come.”

When the Lamb comes the 2nd time, those who have been covered by His blood by accepting Christ as their sacrifice, will be kept safe. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (the Lamb of God) that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

K is for KING

2011-05-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

“Behold a king shall reign in righteousness” (Isaiah 32:1). For years the Jewish people longed for their coming ‘king’ to restore them as a nation to their freedom and former glory. This King would be their Messiah, and in thinking Jesus might be their Messiah, they called Him “Son of David”. They thought their messianic king, the righteous one to come from the line of David, was among them. He even rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, a sign of both peace and humility.

They were right in all ways except the timing. At His 1st coming, He came as a sacrifice; but one day He will be revealed as the greatest of all kings. Then He will not come on a donkey, but it says in Rev. 19:11 “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.” Then going to verse 16 it states: “on His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

The following is an article called “My King Is…” by Dr. S.M. Lockridge. When I read it I felt my excitement and praise build until at the end I was also shouting, “That’s my King! AMEN!” Read it and Praise our King!

“The Bible says my King is a seven-way king…He’s the King of the Jews; that’s a racial king…He’s the King of Israel; that’s a national King…He’s the King of Righteousness…He’s the King of the Ages…He’s the King of Heaven…He’s the King of Glory…He’s the King of kings, and He’s the Lord of lords. That’s my King. Well…I wonder, do you know Him?

David said, “The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings. He’s enduringly strong…He’s entirely sincere…He’s eternally steadfast…He’s immortally graceful…He’s imperially powerful…He’s impartially merciful…Do you know Him?

He’s the greatest phenomenon that ever crossed the horizon of this world. He’s God’s Son…He’s a sinner’s Savior…He’s the centerpiece of civilization…He stands in the solitude of Himself…He’s august…He’s unique…He’s unparalleled…He’s unprecedented…He’s the loftiest idea in literature…He’s the highest personality in philosophy…He’s the supreme problem in highest criticism…He’s the fundamental doctrine of true theology…He’s the cardinal necessity for spiritual religion…He’s the miracle of the age…He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him…He’s the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Savior…I wonder if you know Him today?

He supplies strength for the weak…He’s available for the tempted and the tried…He sympathizes and He saves…He strengthens and sustains…He guards and He guides…He heals the sick…He cleanses lepers…He forgives sinners…He discharges debtors...He delivers captives…He defends the feeble…He blesses the young…He serves the unfortunate…He regards the aged…He rewards the diligent…and He beautifies the meek…I wonder if you know Him?

Well, my King…is the King…He’s the key to knowledge…He’s the wellspring to wisdom…He’s the doorway of deliverance…He’s the pathway of peace…He’s the roadway of righteousness…He’s the highway of holiness…He’s the gateway of glory…Do you know Him?

Well…His office is manifold…His promise is sure…His light is matchless…His goodness is limitless…His mercy is everlasting…His love never changes…His word is enough…His grace is sufficient…His reign is righteous…and His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you, but He’s indescribable…He’s incomprehensible…He’s invincible…He’s irresistible.

Well, you can’t get Him out of your mind…You can’t get Him off of your hand…You can’t out live Him, and you can’t live without Him…The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him…Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him…The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree…Herod couldn’t kill Him…Death couldn’t handle Him, and the grave couldn’t hold Him. Yes!!! that’s my King, that’s my King!

Father…"Thine is the Kingdom…and the Power…and the Glory…Forever"…and ever, and ever, and ever, and ever. How long is that? And ever…and ever…and when you get through with all the forevers, then…AMEN!…AMEN! "

J is for Jesus

2011-05-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

The name Jesus was the personal name given to our Lord and Christ. When the angel told Joseph it was OK to take Mary to be his wife because the babe she carried was a miracle of God and from the Holy Spirit, he was told to call the baby ‘Jesus’, because He would save His people from their sins.

Back in Jesus day, “Jesus” was a common name. To distinguish our Lord from others of that name, He was referred to as Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus son of Joseph, Jesus the Nazarene. And later on in Scripture He was refered to as “Jesus Christ” as though Christ were the surname.

In the Greek, the word is “Iesous” (yay-sous) equivalent of the Hebrew “Yeshua”, translated to Joshua in English. The name Joshua is the oldest name containing Yahweh, a name for God so sacred it was considered too holy to pronounce. Both the name of “Jesus” and “Joshua” mean “Yahweh is help” or “Yahweh is salvation”.

Yahweh is God’s personal name in the Old Testament, and Jesus is the personal name of our Redeemer, Christ, in the New Testament. With “Yahweh is salvation”, we have Jesus as Yahweh come to earth. Jesus Himself said that if you have seen Him, you have seen the Father (John 14:9). So no longer is God a distant God, but through Jesus He is God becoming one with us, God reaching out in mercy, God nailed to the Cross, and God rising from the grave to show us the way of life. Jesus, is the name above all names, glorious Savior, blessed Redeemer.

Therefore also God highly exalted Him,

And bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

That at the name of Jesus Every knee shall bow,

of those who are in heaven, and on earth and under the earth,

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

(Philippians 2:9-11)

In closing from a poem written by my mother, called “A Name”:

“When my heart feels empty and longing

And there’s a void that will not be filled,

And there’s an ache that is truly suffering

And a pain that cannot be stilled,

There’s a Name that I love to whisper

For that Name brings contentment and peace.

The name is the name of my Jesus

Whose love for me never can cease.”

Yes, there is something about that Name—Jesus.

The Curse and the GLORY of the Cross

2011-04-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

In Bible days the act of nailing or binding a person to a cross or tree was considered the cruelest and most shameful method of capital punishment. Anyone hanging on a tree according to Deuteronomy 21:23 is cursed by God. Because of the stigma and curse on anyone ‘hanged on a tree’ the idea of a crucified savior was foolishness to the Greeks and a stumbling block to the Jews (I Corinthians 1:23). Yet Jesus willingly took the curse and humiliation of the law and as Galatians 3:13 tells us “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.” Thus He became the means of freeing people from the curse of Sin.

Jesus did not just ‘die’ in our place—He became a “Curse” of the worst kind, for you and for me. He received the total rejection by the Father so that we could be “accepted” in the beloved. He bore the utter darkness died alone as the Father had to turn His back on His beloved and only Begotten Son, so that we would not have to die alone.

“Because Jesus Christ did what God wanted Him to do, we are all purified from the sin by the offering that he made of His own body once and for all. Every Jewish priest performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times; but these sacrifices can never take away sins. Christ however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective forever, and then He sat down at the right side of God. There He now waits until God puts His enemies as a footstool under his feet. With one sacrifice, then, He has made perfect forever those who are purified from sin”. (Hebrews 10:10-14 –The Good News New Testament).

The work of the Cross was to atone for the sin of the world, our sin. Atonement itself is life changing. Yet redemption is free through the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. All who accept His payment for their redemption become new creatures in Christ. This is the GLORY OF THE CROSS! Lives are altered and redirected by it!

But we cannot leave our Savior on the Cross. On the third day He rose, triumphant over sin, hell and death! Death has lost and Life has won! He lives, our Savior lives!

Have a Glorious Resurrection Day knowing we serve a Risen Savior! Praise God, He lives!!

I is for Immanuel

2011-04-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

In Matthew 1:23 it states “they shall call His name Immanuel, which, being interpreted, is God with us.” Why, you may ask, was Jesus not called Immanuel as His given name? My notes in my Scofield Bible say that ‘according to Hebrew usage, the name does not represent a title, but a characterization. It shows that He really was “God with us”. It also shows that the diety of Christ, our anointed one, was emphasized at the very beginning of the New Testament.

The word “Immanuel” consists of two Hebrew words: ‘El’, meaning God and ‘Immanu’, meaning “With us”. It is pronounced ‘ih-MAN-yoo-el’, and is used only three times in Scripture; the first appears in Isaiah 7:14, with prophetic words spoken by Isaiah about 700 years before Christ. It is used again in Isaiah 8:8, and then in our verse of Matthew 1:23, which is quoting from Isaiah. Matthew is applying it to the child to be born of Mary, the virgin betrothed to Joseph. In Jesus, God would become a man that He could save the world and bring man back to God. Through Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, would redeem and restore this relationship between man and God.

David tell us how God is with us as our ‘Immanuel’ in Psalm 139:7-10:

“If I go up to the heavens, you are there,
If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
If I settle on the far side of the sea,
Even there Your hand will guide me,
Your right hand will hold me fast.”

How can we lose? What do we fear? Immanuel, God is with me.

A 4th century prayer known as St. Patrick’s Breastplate, says:
“Christ be beside me, Christ be before me,
Christ be behind me, King of my heart;
Christ be within me, Christ be below me
Christ be above me, never to part.”

‘Immanuel’, God with us.
He is our God
He is truly with us!

H is for High Priest

2011-04-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

The role of the priest is to bring the people to God. In the Israelite Nation, the priesthood consisted of three groups: The High Priest, the ordinary priests and the Levites. The High Priest was the only one authorized to enter the most Holy Place, and that only 3 times a year.

In the New Testament, Jesus is identified as our High Priest. He paid the sacrifice once for all, and now He is the One who faithfully bears us into God’s presence.

As our great High Priest, it is Jesus perfect offering that has won for us complete forgiveness. In Hebrews 5 it tells us that in the office of the high priest of the Israelites, he not only offered sacrifices for the people, but also for himself because he is also a weak human. But Christ, the anointed one of God, became our High Priest as He had already given Himself as the ultimate sacrifice.

There are several ways in which Jesus meets all the requirements needed to be a High Priest. First of all, He has a human body. Hebrews 2:17 (NIV) states “For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest…” He was human just as though he had never been God, but He was also totally God as though He had never been human.

The second reason is that being human He could also sympathize with we ignorant sinners. In Hebrews 4:15 (NIV) it states “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet without sin.”

The third reason is that He was ordained of God. In Hebrews 5:4 it states “no one takes this honor upon himself, he must be ordained of God…” God the Father chose his eternal Son to be our eternal High Priest.

A fourth way Jesus earned the right to become the High Priest was through His suffering. Isaiah 50: 5-7 prophetically portrays Christ: “I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting…” In the Garden of Gethsemane, our Lord experienced intense agony to the point of sweating blood. He was not agonizing over his coming physical death, (many people experienced physical death by crucifixion), but it was the fact that he was about to die for the sin of the world. He, who knew no sin, would become the worst sinner as he bore the sin of the whole world. He was about to suffer what is called ‘the second death’ and to be forsaken by His Father. He knew about suffering!

We needed to have a perfect High Priest, and Jesus was perfect, as He perfectly obeyed the Father. He then became the perfect mediator as well as a perfect victim on our behalf. He alone is qualified to be our Perfect High Priest. Christ became the source of our eternal salvation. Jesus only is the ‘well of salvation’ to which all must come and drink. Jesus is the Eternal High Priest, because His sacrifice, given once for all, obtained eternal redemption.

The Eternal Son
                   Gives us Eternal salvation,
                                          In which we can be eternally secure.
                                                               He is our Perfect and Eternal High Priest!

G is for Gate

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

We take the word Gate from Jesus claim in John 10:7: "I am the Door for the sheep." Several translations use the term ‘Gate’ for ‘Door’, and since we already did a name for D, we shall use the name ‘Gate’.

You may be asking "How can Jesus be called a 'Gate’?" A good way to explain how this term can be applied to our Lord is by taking a look back to the Shepherds of the Bible times. It was, and perhaps still is, a common thing for the shepherd to place his sheep into a sheepfold for the night for safety. Then instead of closing a gate, the shepherd himself would lie down in the doorway making himself as a human door. Should anything try to get to the sheep, it would first have to go through the shepherd.

Do you see the significance here? The first time I read about this I felt excited, awed, and thankful all at once! What a beautiful picture of my Lord’s protection. No matter what comes my way, be it sickness, poverty, injury, death, it must go through my Shepherd first. Jesus is the Gate; nothing gets by Him that is not allowed.

Anyone who tried to get in any other way than through the ‘Gate’ will be called a thief (see John 10:1) In verse 9 of John 10, it tells us that Jesus is the ‘Gate’ and that anyone who does go through this ‘Gate’ will be safe.

Here are some excepts from John 10 from "The Message" translation: "If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the Gate, you know he is up to no good…I am the Gate for the sheep…All those others are up to no good…I am the Gate. (Repeated twice for emphasis). Anyone who goes through me will be cared for…"

There is no other way or name under heaven, given among men, whereby we can come to the Father, other that through the Gate, Jesus.

F is for Father

2011-03-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

When Jesus was teaching the disciples to pray, He said to begin this way: "Our Father in Heaven." (Matthew 6:9) In the same chapter, verse 31 and 32, He tells us not to worry about what we eat or drink or wear because: "your heavenly Father knows that you need them."

The Hebrew word of 'Ab', or Aramaic 'Abba' means Daddy or Papa. This eventually came to mean "dear father". A few years ago I heard a very strong Christian, a church leader, begin her prayer with "Dear Daddy". I felt very uncomfortable with this, totally against the way I had been brought up and feeling this was being disrespectful. Yet, in Scripture we are told that through faith we may each one of us call Him "Abba" which as we said in English is "daddy".

Three places in the New Testament, God the Father is referred to as "Abba". Mark 14:36 when Jesus was pouring out His heart to the Father, sweating drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane, His cry was to "Abba". The verse says "Abba, Father" or "Father, my Father". To put it even plainer as to the Hebrew and Aramaic interpretation, He was saying "Daddy, my very own daddy."

In Romans 8:14, 15 it is telling us that the believer is a 'son' (or daughter) of God, and we can cry "Abba, Father'. Then in Galations 4:6 it says we have the Spirit of Jesus to confirm that we are sons and daughters, by crying out for us "Abba, Father".

How can we have such a close association with God that we can call Him Father, or Daddy? We become God's children by placing our trust in Jesus Christ as Lord. God receives us into His family and our sins are forgiven. When our 'Daddy' looks at us, He sees us as a pure and forgiven child because of what Jesus did on Calvary.

I may never feel the freedom to actually talk to God as my "Daddy" (He will always be thought of as 'Father' or 'Abba, Father' by me), but I will never criticize anyone who feels this freedom to do so. Our God is a loving compassionate Father, and because of Jesus going to the Cross and paying the debt of sin, we who have put our trust in Him, Jesus, now have the freedom to enter the Throne Room of God and cry out to Him "Abba, Father".

My Prayer: Father, my Father, I thank You for the gift of becoming Your child. I thank You for being my refuge and providing all my needs. May I always glorify You and may others see me as Your child. I would like to hear "she has her Father's eyes", and may my eyes be a reflection of your love and image. Amen

E is for Elohim

2011-03-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

In Genesis 1:1 it states: "In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth." The word ‘Elohim’ (e-lo-HEEM) is the plural of El (or possibly Eloah) and is the first name for God given in the Bible. He is God, our Creator, and the Creator of all.

The name Elohim is used more than 2500 times in the Hebrew Bible, and it is used 32 times in the very first chapter of Genesis. The fact that it is a plural word is not because it indicates many gods, but to emphasize the majesty of the one true God. It also indicates the trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One God in Three Persons.

This ancient name for God shows God is mighty with creative powers, as well as having total authority and sovereignty. Jesus of course, knew this name, and used a form of it when on the Cross, calling His Father "Eloi, Eloi…" (My God, My God)

Our God, Elohim, is creator of all heaven and earth, night and day, seas and land, animals and man. David gave praise to this and to the unchangeable nature of God in Psalm 102:25-27a:

"In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,
And the heavens are the works of Your hands.
They will perish, but You remain,
They will all wear out like a garment,
Like clothing You will change them
And they will be discarded.
But You remain the same."

Elohim, My God, You are the Mighty One who made everything out of nothing by the breath of your mouth. Help me to know You more and more as my very own Creator, who made me and placed me on earth for a reason. I will magnify Your name forever. Amen

D is for Deliverer

2011-03-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

In the New World Dictionary, the #1 explanation of what ‘deliver’ or deliverer means: "to set free or save from evil, danger, or restraint; liberate (delivered from bondage.)." In Romans 11:26 Paul wrote "And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob". Matthew 6:13 in the Lord’s Prayer states: "…but Deliver us from evil…" A favorite of mine is Psalm 18:2 "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust."

From these verses we see that it was in God’s plan to be our Deliverer. To help understand the word even better, we need to take a short look at the past. The whole history of the Jewish people is really a dramatic one. They have had a history of suffering, slavery, and pain. In Egypt they were in slavery, so in the desert, and even after they conquered Palestine. The very small period of independence was during the time of David and Solomon. After the death of Solomon, the kingdom was divided into two parts, Judea in the south and Israel to the North. In about 600 BC Jerusalem was destroyed and the people carried into captivity. Israel and Judea were wiped out as a political power and did not rise again until 1947. All the time those two kingdoms were looking for a Deliverer.

All of the history of humanity has been a struggle, and humanity as a whole has been looking for an ideal, for a Deliverer. No man is going to meet the needs of humanity, save one, and He is the one the prophets spoke about who would crush the seed of the serpent. These prophets were to prepare the way to the only Deliverer, and that is Jesus Christ. Jesus was sent to earth to give Himself for the sins of all mankind, to rescue us from the power of the present evil age—a world ruled by Satan and filled with cruelty, temptation, tragedy and deception. Jesus came to be the Deliverer.

Jesus is our Deliverer if we will put our trust in Him, accept that He paid the price and let Him into our hearts. This doesn’t immediately remove us from this world of sin, but we are no longer enslaved to it; we are delivered from the power of sin with Jesus life in us. Then when we die, we know that we will be delivered from Satan’s clutches and be with the Lord Jesus, our Deliverer, in heaven for eternity.

My Deliverer
You rescued me
From all that held me captive
My Deliverer
You set me free
Now I’m alive and can live
So every moment I will give you praise
My Deliverer!
--Mandisa

C is for Christ

2011-03-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Most of us are familiar with the name "Christ", usually used as part of the personal name of Jesus Christ. Even the non-believer is heard to use it as an expletive. How it came to be that, I have never understood other than another way of Satan endeavoring to turn man’s thoughts away from Christ as our Redeemer.

According the Wikipedia, the Greek word of "khristos" means "anointed one", and is a translation of the Hebrew word "Masiah" translated into English as Messiah. Both the words of Christ and Messiah mean, "anointed one". In the Old Testament when the promised one, the Messiah to come, was referred to, He was referred to as "The anointed one". The New Testament identified Jesus as Christ, the "Anointed One" 530 times. Jesus was not anointed with oil, but He was anointed with the Holy Spirit at His baptism.

In Biblical times oil was used for many things. It was also used for sacred purposes such as Israel’s high priests when taking that office. Some of Israel’s kings, especially from the line of David, were anointed by pouring the oil on the head in a circle to form a crown.

In Luke 9:20 Jesus asked Peter "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered "You are ‘The Christ of God’. In Matthew 16:16 he was quoted as saying "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God". He was admitting that Jesus was the Messiah, the Anointed One from God.

Acts 2:36 states "Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ (our anointed one)."

Hymns of Praise then let us sing
Unto Christ, our heavenly King
Who endured the Cross and grave
Sinners to redeem and save.

Christ, God’s ‘Anointed One’ finished the job He came to do. Halleluia, what a Saviour! Amen

B is for Bridegroom

2011-02-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

Among the titles for God is the one used often for Christ, that of Bridegroom. The description of the Bridegroom is actually used 14 times in the New Testament. The Church is called the ‘bride of Christ’, and therefore as the Bride, is spiritually united with Christ, the Bridegroom.

When I was a young girl, my friends and I would often discuss what we wanted in a husband, in our bridegroom. Of course we wanted him to be handsome and rich, definitely rich! It would be nice if he was an important person, maybe president of the country. He should be a good person, and be a faithful husband.
How do all these fantasies of the perfect husband compare to Christ as the perfect Bridegroom? One book of the Old Testament I enjoy reading when comparing Jesus to the Bridegroom, is the Song of Solomon. He is said to be fair and ruddy, his appearance is excellent, stately and majestic. Our bridegroom, Jesus, will be the desire of all nations, one of beauty and majesty.
As to our Bridegrooms riches, they are infinite. He is heir of all things, and as His bride, we will be ‘jointheirs’ with Christ.

Will our Bridegroom be Important? Yes, He is the Son of the Most High God, Prince of Kings of the earth. He is equal to the Father, and Ruler of the Universe. Human language has no way of describing His glory—it is beyond words. It is through Him we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28).

Jesus love passes all understanding. We are told His compassion’s are new every morning. His mercy and loving-kindness endures forever (Psalm 136). He loved His Bride so much He paid the price of sin and died in her place. He is willing to cover His bride with His own righteousness. He rejoices over the bride, and delights in her. Now, if that’s not ‘love’, what is!?

Will He be faithful? Truth and Faithfulness are Attributes of the nature of our Bridegroom. He will never change, which is another Attribute—Immutability. He is as faithful now as He ever will be or has been. He is ALL Faithful.
Christ will soon come to claim the bride, and we will reign with the Bridegroom for eternity. In the book of Revelation we read about our new home, the New Jerusalem. In John 14:2 He said He is preparing this home for us now.

"Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
And give Him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come
And His bride has made herself ready,
Fine linen, bright and clean
Was given her to wear." Rev. 19:6-9
　
I for one can hardly wait to join my Bridegroom at that Celebration Banquet, our Wedding Feast. In Revelation 22:17 we are told "The Holy Spirit and the bride (true believers) say, Come!" and vs. 21 "Yes, come Lord Jesus!" Your Bride is waiting.

A is for Adonai

2011-02-21T06:00:00.001-08:00

"Your NAME is like perfume poured out." S of S 1:3
"O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your NAME in all the earth!" Psalm 8:1
"The NAME of the Lord is a strong tower…" Proverbs 18:10
What is in a name? There have been many names used for God down through the ages, and many of these are used because of the meaning behind the name. For the next few months I am going to go through the alphabet, thinking about a different name for God each week, and writing a brief, though hopefully enlightening synopsis of that name. It is my sincere thought that as Christians, we must continually be learning and growing in the Lord, so what better way than to learn about Him through His names.

To begin this exercise, I have chosen the name of Adonai. I have heard this name from time to time, but never did know the meaning behind it. There are other ‘A’ names that come to mind, such as Almighty, Alpha, and Anointed One, but I love saying the word "Adonai" pronounced (A-do-NAI). It catches my heart some way.

Adonai is the Hebrew name for ‘My Lord’. It is used in the Hebrew reading as a substitute for the name YHWH, Yahweh (Yah-ve) or Jehovah, with the primary meaning of "self-existant one". YHWH is called a ‘Tetragrammation’, using the 4 consonants of the Hebrew name for God. YHWH was considered too sacred to be spoken aloud, so the word ‘Adonai’ (Lord) is substituted for the name in utterance. The vowels of Adonai or Elohim (God) are inserted in the Hebrew texts so that the modern reconstruction of YHWH is Yahweh or Jehovah.

The first part of the word "Adon", means "steward administrator, master or Lord." By adding the "ai" this intensifies the meaning to mean the Lord of all, or Supreme Lord. Therefore, by using the title Adonai, we are emphasizing that God is sovereign, giving Him Lordship. It also places us in the role of servant, that is servant to our Lord, our Adonai.

The chorus to a song sung by Avalon:

Adonai, I lift up my heart and I cry
My Adonai.
You are the maker of each moment
Father of my hope and freedom,
Oh, my Adonai.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

2011-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

When we think of Jesus, we know He had a human body so we have no difficulty in thinking of Him as a person. But to think of the Holy Spirit as a Spirit, and still a person is a bit harder for us to do. So we often hear it asked: Who is the Holy Spirit? What does He do? Where is He?

First of all, Who is The Holy Spirit? In Anne Graham Lotz’ book "Just Give me Jesus", she states that He is "another Jesus". When Jesus told His disciples another would be sent after He was gone, He said it was another just like Himself: He is exactly like Jesus, the Spirit of Jesus. In John 14:16 Jesus told them the Father would send "another counselor". In the Amplified Version it gives six other descriptions: Comforter, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and He Stands by. Can you imagine this? You have someone in your life to meet all these needs.

Another aspect of "Who the Spirit is", is that He is a person. Though He is a Spirit, He is a personality. He is co-equal, co-existent and co-eternal with God the Father, and Jesus the Son.

What the Spirit is NOT, regardless of our human imagery, He is NOT a ‘dove’, or a ‘flame of fire’, or an ‘experience’ or an ‘it’, or a ‘ghost.’ He is a spirit-person. He has a mind, intellect, and a will. Being one with the Father and Son, they have one will and work together in everything.

Where is the Holy Spirit now? Since that day of Pentecost over 2000 years ago, the Holy Spirit has dwelt within any person who has invited Jesus to come in. Anyone who has put their faith and trust in Jesus, accepting the sacrifice which He made at Calvary’s Cross, the Holy Spirit will make His residence in that life. The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to His children. He is a permanent resident in the lives of each believer. He will never leave us or forsake us.

What does the Holy Spirit do? His main purpose for man is to reveal the Truth of God. He also convicts us of sin. The Holy Spirit gives power. At creation it says in Genesis 1 that He hovered over the ‘face of the deep’. He hovers over our minds to help us understand the truths of God. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power that dwells within each believer. This same power that hung the stars in place now resides in every believer.

The Nicene Creed, which I have quoted from before, also pays tribute to the Holy Spirit as being Himself God and equal to the Father and Son:

I believe in the Holy Spirit
The Lord and giver of life,
Which proceedeth from the Father and the Son,
Who with the Father and Son together
Is worshipped and glorified.

Who is Jesus?

2011-02-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

As we said last week, we get to know God through Jesus, and what He did for us. Jesus is unique, revealed in His conception and miraculous birth from a virgin. He was sinless, and His powerful teachings have been carried down through the ages.

In Isaiah, 700 years before Christ was born, Isaiah wrote in 7:14 "Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name, Emmanuel." Unique? Yes! Never in the history of the earth had this happened before or since Jesus birth, let alone to be predicted centuries before it came about.

He was sinless. II Cor 5:21 states Christ, who knew no sin, became sin for us; and in I John 3:5 we read "and in Him is no sin." I like to read the description of a scene in heaven, which John describes for us in Revelation 5. There was a scroll, which could only be opened by one worthy, one who was sinless and victorious. No one in heaven or earth was worthy until in verse 5 it says, "see, the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Jesus) the Root of David, has won. He can open the scroll…" He alone was the perfect Lamb and the Son of God, Jesus. He was the ‘lamb without blemish’ from I Peter 1:19.

Jesus gave many sermons while He lived among men. The most well known is probably the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5. He gave over 60 recorded parables listed in the four Gospels. Because of what John said in John 21:25, we know there was so much more: "And there are also many other things which Jesus did. If they should be all recorded one by one (in detail) I suppose that even the world itself could not contain (have room for) the books that would be written."

What about Jesus as God and how He fits into eternity past? In Colossians 1:17 it says, "Christ existed before all things…" He said of Himself in John 8:58 "Before Abraham was born, ‘I Am’…" "I AM" is a name for God, so He is saying He is God. In John 5:18 He claims equality with God.

When Christ was on earth He did not hesitate to use the plural form when speaking of Himself, the Father, and the Spirit. John 10:30 states "We will come unto Him, and make our abode with him." And again "I and my Father are one." Jesus has always existed, and He will live forever! He is eternal.
Over 1600 years ago church fathers wrote the "Nicene Creed" which condenses the teaching of the New Testament as to the Son as one with the Father:

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ
The only-begotten Son of God,
Begotten of Him before all ages,
God of God, Light of Light,
Very God of Very God,
Begotten, not made,
Being of one substance with the Father,
By whom all things are made.

There is so much here we do not understand, as to think about God we must use our human-thoughts, and words, in trying to explain our Creator. So I leave you with this very brief description of Who Is Jesus. But this one thing I do know: I know He is my Savior, my Redeemer, I adore Him, I love Him, and that’s enough for me! So be it!

What is God Like?

2011-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

The question is often asked, "what is God like?" The Bible simply states that GOD IS. The Bible itself does not argue the point. The first words in Genesis are "In the beginning—God." This is not God’s beginning, this is man’s beginning. This is the beginning of Creation and time. God always has been; He always will be! His eternal existence is powerfully expressed in two words: God IS. Look at Hebrews 11:6 (NASB) "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that HE IS…"

‘God Is’ can also be translated ‘God Exists’. God exists before time, He will exist forever. Now, I am very finite. I cannot think much before ‘time’. I always come to a wall, or beginning. But God always existed. Here is where faith accepts what we cannot understand.

God is incomprehensible, so why should I say that if I cannot understand it that it cannot be so. Here is what A.W.Tozer says about it: "When we try to imagine what God is like we must of necessity use that-which-is-not-God as the raw material for our minds to work on. Hence, whatever we visualize God to be, He is not, for we have constructed our image out of that which He has made and what He has made is not God. If we insist upon trying to imagine Him, we end with an idol made not with hands but with thoughts; and an idol of the mind is as offensive to God as an idol of the hand."

How then can we know God? The Bible says simply "through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Matthew 11:27). Jesus said of Himself in John 14:9: "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father…"

God in His love, however, has declared certain things to be true about Himself. These are called Attributes, which I wrote about in 2009, October through December. To name a few: Love, Goodness, Faithfulness, Justice, Omnipresence, Omniscience, and Omnipotent. Because He is God, He is all of each one of these. He is not more of one or less of another, but all, of all of His Attributes.

Sovereign Father, heavenly King,
Thee we now presume to sing;
Glad thine Attributes confess,
Glorious all, and numberless.
--By Charles Wesley

Prayer: Oh Lord, Our Almighty God, Help us to realize that you are beyond our understanding. You are such a great and awesome God. How can we ever know the fullness of who You are? Open our eyes to see new truths as we worship and Praise you.
In Jesus’ name, Amen

Inspiration from the Psalms III

2011-01-24T06:00:00.001-08:00

Psalm 136

Many receive blessings from reading the Psalms. I have been going through them as my Old Testament reading on my journey through the Bible once again. It has taken me several months, as sometimes I reread a Psalm for several days; or I will take a verse and ponder it and look up Scripture that links to it. I am truly inspired by the Psalms.

I felt especially thrilled when I read Psalm 136 a few days ago. Oh yes, I read it before, probably several times, but suddenly I saw it. There are 26 verses in the Psalm, and all 26 of them end with the phrase "for His mercy and loving-kindness endures forever."

I am not gifted with the ability to put my thoughts into verse as my Mother was, and which I have shared, but I do enjoy delving into words and meanings. So first we are going to look at "Mercy".

Mercy is an Attribute of God, which means it is one of His characteristics, and a fact about God. Because He is God, Mercy to God is not a temporary mood to be turned on when God has a good day. As an Attribute, Mercy has always been, from eternity past and throughout eternity future. It will never be more or less because it is infinite. So God’s ‘mercies’ will be always the same. When we think God’s not as merciful to us, it only means that man’s unbelief is keeping man from experiencing God’s mercy. God’s mercy does not change. In God’s mercy He provided a way of salvation, but we have a responsibility to believe, accept His mercy that is available to us through Jesus Christ. God’s mercies are forever.

God tells us over and over that He is merciful in both the Old and New Testaments, but the Old Testament has 4 times as much to say about it, and a lot of this is through the Psalms.

Next we have His "Loving-Kindness". Another one of God’s Attributes, or true a fact of God’s character, is Goodness or Kindness. It is this divine goodness that disposes Him to be kind, tenderhearted and take pleasure in His people. A.W. Tozer states that "the goodness of God is the drive behind all the blessings He daily bestows upon us".

A saint who lived 600 years ago, wrote on "The Revelations of Divine Love", in which she lists some of the blessings God has given in our behalf. After each blessing listed, she adds "of His goodness", very much as the Psalmist does in Psalm 136 by adding "His loving-kindness" after each blessing and verse.

As an Attribute of God, Divine goodness is self-caused, infinite, perfect and eternal. And because God is unchanging, He never varies in the intensity of His loving-kindness.

Prayer:
O Lord, How can we thank you enough for your mercy and loving kindness, which reaches down to, our deepest needs? It gives us beauty for ashes, and joy for mourning, and it changes our heaviness into a garment of praise! We bless and magnify thy mercy and loving-kindness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Inspiration From the Psalms II

2011-01-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I used a poem my mother had written, inspired by a Psalm. This week I am giving another of her poems inspired by Psalm 130:1: "Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord."

At a time when a loved one is taken from us through death, we feel we can not sink any lower in our grief; Or when we see our sin for what it is, we cry out with Paul: "O wretched man that I am!" (Romans 7:24) and we sink into the pit of despair. Yet our Lord sees us; He will reach down to our deepest needs and literally bring us up out of the depth of despair or sorrow. He reaches down to our deepest needs, and draws us up, placing us on the solid rock, and that Rock is Jesus:

Out of the depths of sorrow,
The midnight of despair,
I cried unto thee, my Savior,
And found Thee waiting there.
Oh, joy in the midst of darkness,
Oh, peace I can not understand,
For He reaches the depths of my sorrow
And holds me by my hand.

Out of the depths of sinning,
All hopeless, lost, undone,
I cried unto Thee, my Savior,
And there the victory won.
My heart is weak and wayward,
My soul is wounded and sore,
But He reaches the depth of my greatest need,
Restores His joy once more.

Out of the depths of suffering,
The darkness of physical pain,
When weakness and need engulfed me,
I cried unto Thee again.
Oh, help in the midst of weakness,
Oh, courage He doth impart,
For He reaches the depth of my suffering,
Pours healing into my heart.

Into the depths of sorrow
My Savior went for me;
Into the depths for sinners
He went to make me free;
Into the depths of suffering
He went for me indeed;
And He went that I might not cry in vain
Out of my depths of need.

---Written by Marjorie S. Paton

Self-Control

2011-01-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

Our very last ‘fruit of the Spirit’ is called "Self-Control", or may be referred to as ‘temperance’. When we have our whole life under the control of the Holy Spirit, then we will display ‘self-control’. This is the mastery we must continually strive for.

As I read the papers, watch the news on TV and look around at our present generation, it would seem we have no concept of self-control. Here are examples of what I mean: rise in credit card bankruptcies, rise in divorces, mini-riots, road rage, sexual promiscuity, as well as all sorts of addictions. We have lost the concept of ‘temperance’, which is listed in the Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22,23. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, self-control."

The Bible tells us of several areas where ‘self-control’ needs to be applied:
1. Self-control of what I do and how I behave. Paul was fearful of being disqualified due to out of control fleshly desires. In I Corinthians 9:27 he spoke of controlling his body as an athlete must do: "but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself will be cast away".
2. Self-control is needed over what we say. Did you know that over 150 times the Bible speaks about the tongue? It likens it to a fire, and in Ephesians 4:25, 29 it tells us to not let any corrupt communication come from the mouth.
3. We should have self-control over our feelings. This is against today’s culture where we are told that if we want something, or it feels good, it can’t be wrong. In Proverbs 25:28 wise Solomon said that he that had no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
4. We need self-control over our thoughts. The mind is where it all begins. If a person’s thoughts can be controlled, the person can be controlled. This is the premise behind ‘brain-washing’. In II Corinthians 10:5 it says we must "cast down imaginations and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

Temperance is not simply self-control at all, it is Spirit-control; and here are some simple steps to help us tap in to this power of the Holy Spirit. First we need to identify the problem areas. Find the weak spot. Second, we need to confess any sin to God. Thirdly, we need to make ourselves accountable. Find a prayer partner to help with accountability. Ecc. 4:12 states "two are better than one." And last, we must ‘die’ to our desires. Crucify self every day. Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20) and it must be every day. II Corinthians 4:16 says the inner man is renewed every day.

In closing, here is what Max Lucado says about letting the spiritual reign supreme:
"I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I refuse to let what will rot rule even today! I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be fattened only by love. I will be impassioned only by faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control!!"

Meekness

2011-01-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, self-control; " (Galatians 5:22,23)

This week our Fruit of the Spirit for discussion is Meekness, often referred to as "Humility’; and true meekness is a humility coupled with strength.

Again we go to Jesus as our example. In Matthew 11:29 Jesus says of Himself "…I am meek and lowly (humble) in heart...". Moses is the only other person in the Bible who is referred to as ‘humble. In Numbers 12:3 it states: "Now the man Moses was very meek (gentle, kind, and humble) above all the men who were upon the face of the earth." Both Jesus and Moses were very strong men, physically and spiritually.

Humility can be characterized by the absence of pride. Humility is being able to understand that God can work through others, or even that others may get the glory for something you did, in order to accomplish His will. An example of what I mean here comes from my father. His occupation for many years had been taking the sermon preached by a well-known radio minister, and rewriting it to put it in book form. He also would write articles and books on certain subjects that would be published in the name of the better known minister. Someone asked my father one time if it bothered him to have what he wrote being published and glory given to another person. He simple smiled, pointing heavenward and said "Oh no. You see, I know who keeps the books." He was just willing to be used in any way that God’s work would be the most effective.

True meekness is humility learning to be submissive to the sovereign will of God. True humility is able to love, and love is the very first fruit listed. True love is a humble love as that person is ‘other-directed’, always wanting to serve. True humility will want to encourage others, and enjoys seeing others succeed.
As we allow the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit of humility in us, we learn to forget ourselves. We will be able to say as John the Baptist did in John 3:30: "He must increase; but I must decrease."

True Humility will be able to say:

"Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted.
Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard;
Not I, but Christ, in every look and action,
Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word.
--Unknown

Faithfulness

2010-12-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

Lamentations 3:22 "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end: they are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness."
Hebrews 10:23: "For He is faithful that promised."

Picking up where we left off a couple of weeks ago, we were considering the Fruit of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5:22, 23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…". The fruit (or grape as we have referred to each of them) for this week is Faith, or Faithfulness. We use the word ‘faith’ to signify our confidence in God; the term ‘faithful’ is used to describe a person who is trustworthy. Some other characteristics of a person we call faithful would be reliable, loyal, dependable, one who keeps promises.

Jesus is our example of faithfulness. He promised not to leave His friends as orphans, and the Holy Spirit came, coming to each of us who are His children. He said "because I live, you shall live also." (John 14:19) and we have eternal life. In Hebrews 3:2 it states "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever". Jesus is dependable.

Faithfulness is one of God’s attributes, and it is an attribute He shares with us through the Holy Spirit. The book of Psalms is filled with thanksgiving of God’s faithfulness. We can manifest this Faithfulness also in each of our lives, as it is a ‘fruit of the Spirit.’

"Happy the man whose hopes rely
On Israel’s God; He made the sky,
And earth, and seas, with all their train,
His truth forever stands secure;
He saves the oppressed, He feeds the poor,
And none shall find His promise vain."
--Isaac Watts

"Great is Thy Faithfulness."

God's Indescribable Gift

2010-12-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

II Corinthians 9:15 "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."
This being the week of Christmas, I have decided to put my blogs on the "Fruit of the Spirit" on hold and blog on God’s unspeakable, amazing, beyond our comprehension, gift. This gift was Jesus, all wrapped up in love.

God’s ultimate gift to us was His Son, Jesus. Of Himself, Jesus said "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water." (John 4:10)

Because of God’s wonderful gift, we can have other gifts such as the ‘gift of a relationship’. John 1:12 states that all who receive Him, those who believe in His name, He gives the right to be called the sons and daughters of God.

He also gives the ‘gift of His Grace’. Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by Grace you have been saved…" We have received the ‘gift of Eternal Life’, as according to Romans 6:23 "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

One reason I think of God’s gift as ‘indescribable’ and perhaps part of Paul’s thinking in II Corinthians 9:15, is that it is greater than we can grasp with our finite minds. Jesus was God, 2nd person in the Trinity, totally God. Yet in order to become the propitiation for man’s sin, He had to take on a human body. In doing so He had to become a human being. Now we have something beyond our imagination, something incredible, indescribable. He was still God, just as though He had never been man; yet He was man as though He had never been God.

And He did this as a gift to each of us. "For God so loved the world that He gave (this indescribable gift) His only begotten son, that whosoever believes on Him will have eternal life." (John 3:16)

So at this Christmas Season, as we open all our wonderful, no doubt expensive gifts, remember the most unspeakable gift of all, ours for the taking. This Gift is Jesus!!

Goodness

2010-12-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Goodness is the last of the three ‘action’ words found in our ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ from Galatians 5:22, which indicates we are functioning. Jesus told His servant "well done, good and faithful servant." His servant was working and producing. Jesus said a good tree would produce good fruit, and so will we when we acquire the ‘grape’, the fruit of goodness.

Psalm 23 states "surely Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life" Goodness is one of God’s attributes, yet it could also be said to be the total of God’s attributes. By this I mean it reveals His incomparable righteousness, holiness and perfect divine character.

God shares some of His attributes with us and one of these that He does share is "Goodness". As His children we should conduct ourselves in such a way that God’s goodness is easily seen, and allow the Holy Spirit to develop this character in us.

A.W.Tozer states "the goodness of God is the drive behind all the blessings He daily bestows upon us." It is God’s Divine goodness that causes Him to be kind, and as an attribute, it is self-caused, infinite, perfect and eternal.

Before my faith’s enlightened eyes
Make all thy gracious goodness pass.
Thy goodness is the sign I prize;
O might I see thy smiling face:
Thy nature in my soul proclaim.
Reveal Thy love, Thy glorious name!
---Charles Wesley

"O Taste and see that the Lord is good!" (Psalm 34:8)

Kindness

2010-12-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

The second of the fruits (or ‘grapes’ as we are referring to them) in the category of Action, is ‘kindness’. In the King James Version of Galatians 5:22, it is referred to as ‘gentleness’. Gentleness is an aspect of kindness, but it does not adequately describe what the word ‘kindness’ fully implies.

In I Corinthians 13:4, Paul writes "Love suffers long", showing that love is patient. This is followed by "and is kind", showing that love and kindness work together. When an act is done in love it will show kindness. Or one could say if kindness is not shown no act is truly done in love.

To show acts of kindness does not cost money. It may cost in time and energy, but sometimes not even that. Maybe just a smile would be in order—how much time will that take? Have you ever noticed how many smiles you can bring by smiling as you pass people on the street or in the store? Or maybe just a word of encouragement, or a visit or a phone call. One never knows to what depths a simple act of kindness showing God’s love can go. It can even have a ripple effect in touching lives, where one little kindness will keep on spreading. It is a way of sowing seeds that can only bear good fruit.

God loves us and shows it through kindness. He asks us to do this also, as we learn to manifest the ‘Fruit of the Spirit’.

Patience

2010-11-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Another name for Patience is ‘long-suffering’, an old English word which is more picturesque than ‘patience’. This is the first of the three ‘grapes’ under the category of ‘Action’, found in our ‘Fruit of the Spirit’. These three action words are ‘patience, kindness; and goodness’, and are ways of reaching outward to others.

Patience is the will to endure and put up with others without complaining. Patience also is a quality of God, which we can appreciate, as He has been so patient with us. An example of Jesus patience with His disciples would be as He tried to get them to understand ‘faith’. He never gave up even when it seemed they just didn’t ‘get it’.

Romans 15:5 says: "Now may the God who gives the power of patient endurance…" So we know that our power to have patience comes from God, through the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:3 Paul says that hardship produces patience; and in 12:12 he says to be steadfast and patient in suffering.

In James 1:4 it states "let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." We will receive patience when we rely on God alone. Even Paul had to learn this when he reached the end of his endurance with his ‘thorn’. God told him that His (God’s) Grace was sufficient. We need no one else but God through His Holy Spirit, and when we reach the point of relying entirely on Him, patience comes.

"And he said unto me, My Grace is sufficient for thee;
for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
(II Corinthians 12:9)

Peace

2010-11-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

Peace—what is peace? In the dictionary it states that the peace is an undisturbed state of mind; absence of mental conflict, serenity. A true Peace, however, can only come as a gift from God and is made possible through the death of Jesus Christ. Philippians 4:7 states this peace passes all understanding, or as it says in the Amplified Version, it "transcends all understanding".

Peace as an attitude of the heart is given to us through the Holy Spirit. It is included as a ‘grape’ in our "Fruit of the Spirit". You have probably heard the saying that "ignorance is bliss." The peace we have in Jesus is not a peace caused by ignorance. It is a peace that comes even when we know life is hard, and everything seems to be collapsing around us. God’s peace is like a tree planted near a stream, where the roots go deep to receive underground water. Then when the storms come, the wind blows, the tree stands firm, and will have green leaves even in a drought.

When Jesus was preparing to leave His disciples and return to heaven, He told them He was going to leave His peace with them. "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you…" (John 14:27).

Jesus is called the "Prince of Peace" and in Luke 16:33 Jesus says "in Me you may have peace". Isaiah 26:3 states "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee." (KJV)

When I make Peace WITH God, then I will have the Peace OF God,
and I will be AT Peace.

Joy

2010-11-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Joy which comes to us as a result of the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ is much more than happiness. I always think of happiness or being happy as due to the happenings around us; but with joy, we can be joyful even when our heart is breaking.

Jesus said in John 15:11 that He wants His ‘joy’ to be in us; and in Nehemiah 8:10 "The Joy of the Lord is our strength."

Joy also is an ‘Attitude’ of the heart. When circumstances are tough, our happiness will cease, but we can still have joy. Our relationship with God is the foundation of our joy, it can be unending. Paul states in Philippians 4:4 (Amplified Version): "Rejoice in the Lord always (delight, gladden yourselves in Him); again I say, Rejoice!"

In I Peter 1:8 Peter says that the Joy for the Christian should be: "Without having seen Him, you love Him, though you do not (even) now see Him, you believe in Him and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious joy!"

When we have the "Fruit of the Spirit", we will retain an attitude of Joy. Praise God!

Love

2010-11-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

We often hear about the "fruits" of the Spirit, but did you know it is not ‘fruits’, but the "fruit" of the Spirit. The more we become like Christ, letting the Holy Spirit mold us and melt us, we will begin to demonstrate the Spirit’s ‘fruit’. This fruit comes with several manifestations; it is like a cluster of grapes, the fruit of the vine. For the next few weeks I am going to look at each ‘grape’ and how they fit to make a whole fruit, a healthy, Christ-like Child of God.

The Spirit Himself produces wonderful results in our lives as we obey Him. There are 9 qualities that are the natural product of the Holy Spirit, and these are listed in Galatians 5:22,23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self control.

As we look at each of these qualities, or ‘grapes’, that makes up the Fruit of the Spirit, we see they could be put into three categories: Attitude, Action and Application. The three under ‘Attitude’: are love, joy, and peace. Love, being the first one would make it appear to be the most important one. Even though love is an ‘attitude’, it is also an action word. Jesus is our example, as He ‘loved’. When Jesus described ‘love’ in action, He said "Greater love has no one that this, that one lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

Here is what Paul had to say about love, from I Corinthians 13: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not ‘love’, I become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not ‘love’, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not ‘love,’ it profiteth me nothing." And then in verse 13 he says: "And now abideth faith, hope, and ‘love’, these three; but the greatest of these is ‘love.’

An Attribute of God is ‘Love’. And because He is God, He is "All Love" just as he is ALL of any one of His attributes. God cannot be some of anything; He is ALL of each one of His attributes. The Holy Spirit, then, is ‘All Love’ and will produce ‘love’ in God’s children. God shares some of His attributes with us, and Love is one of these. This love which God shares with us is called ‘agape’ in the Greek. It is a God-given love and other believers in Christ will recognize us by our love.

"By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another."
(John 13:35)

The Little Foxes

2010-11-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one, or have others noticed how it's the little things that can set off anger, cause frustrations, erode marriages?

I find I can handle big things pretty well. Perhaps because I know I need God’s presence, His guidance with me. When my husband had Cancer Surgery, I was calm. When the doctor came in and told me his findings, I was still calm. When my sister was dying of Cancer, I felt I needed to be strong, as I was now the family ‘matriarch’. But give me a few little trials, a stubbed toe, a burned meal, a leaky faucet, a bunch of ‘little foxes’ and I may fly apart.

In Song of Solomon 2:15 it says: "catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vine…" Perhaps this is what it is speaking of in this verse. Give me some big problems, I willingly take them to the Father and lay them at His feet. But the everyday little nuisances, I often think ‘I can do it myself’. Then I get stuck in the mire, or as the verse says, I have had my vine spoiled.

My Prayer: O Lord, may we not forget, You are not only the God of the big things, the storms, and the bends in the road, but You are the God of the everyday nuisances, the little frets that come on ordinary days. Forgive me, Lord, and I give You now my day with its little trials and ‘little foxes’ and lay them at Your feet. You are such a great and awesome God, yet You care for my smallest needs. Thank You, Father, You are so good. Amen
　

Teacups

2010-10-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

In my china cabinet I have several lovely china teacups. One of these I bought in Halifax, Nova Scotia some 25 years ago. Another one I bought in England at about that same time. The rest of them were given to me by my Aunt, who came from Scotland as a young woman, so I think they would be at least 75 years old.

They mostly just sit in my cabinet gathering dust, but a few years ago I used them every week for awhile. It was after I had retired, and during the day I was home alone most of the time. As I had my devotions one day, I was impressed with the well known verse from Revelation 3:20 that states Jesus said He would come in and ‘sup’ with me; so I decided to provide a place for this. I would set out a couple of my special teacups, fill them with coffee or tea and imagine my Lord sitting with me, to ‘sup’ with me. It was very easy to just tell Him my heart as we had our ‘tea party’.

This brings to mind ‘cups’ that our Savior mentioned in the Scripture. The first one, which stands out to me, was in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before He was crucified. He prayed "O Father if it be possible, let this ‘cup’ pass away from me." I have read different thoughts on this; some say He was afraid of the physical part. I do not believe it was physical at all. I believe it was my sin and your sin that He knew He would bear. He was not to just carry it as a load, He would drink this ‘cup’ of sin, and it would become a part of Him. He knew it was at this point of time when sin and God would clash, and God would have to turn away from His Son. Oh, what a bitter cup!

Jesus accepted that first ‘cup’, and now He can offer us a ‘cup’, the cup of communion as He says "this is my blood which was shed for you, drink ye all of it." Are you ready to drink of that cup? Am I ready to accept what He did on Calvary and give Him my life, and my all? Are you?

When we have given Him our life, we will then be able to do as He asks in Matthew 10:42: "whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is my disciple, surely I declare to you he shall not lose his reward."

I may have some lovely bone china teacups, probably valuable only to me, but

He provides the blessings to fill my spiritual cup, to last for all eternity.
"Fill my cup, Lord,
I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more—
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
(By Richard Blanchard)

Favorite Parts of the Bible

2010-10-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

I was once asked what my favorite part of the Bible was. It is difficult to pick out a favorite section of the Bible. I have gone through it chapter by chapter, every day for the past several years, and each time I go through it again, I glean something new from the most unexpected areas.

These past few weeks I have been reading I Chronicles. In I Chronicles we learn about David’s life, but there are many chapters listing genealogies, names of warriors, and musicians, and tabernacle workers and all listing whose sons they were. This can get very boring, but right in the middle of all the ‘sons of’ may be a gem. Chapter 4 is an example that shows lists of names, and suddenly 2 verses about a fellow named Jabez, whom the Lord blessed.

Then after plodding through more lists of names, and sons of so and so, in chapter 26: 5 it says: ‘Peullethai the eighth; for God blessed him." Then on it goes listing more names. I had to stop and think about this. At first I thought the person it was speaking of was this Peullethai, but as I reread it, and noticed the punctuation, I realized the one being blessed was in verse 4, Obed-Edom. Obed-Edom had been faithful to God in caring for the Ark when it had been dropped off back in 2 Samuel. Peullathai was one of Obed-edom’s sons, so was blessed, also, because his father had been faithful. This can be a lesson to us as parents. If we are faithful, our children will be blessed as well. Verse seven even mentions the grandchildren.

Elsewhere in this same book are words of David, sounding very much like a Psalm. Some examples are I Chron. 16: 8-10: O give thanks to the Lord, call on His name…Sing to Him, sing praises to Him…Glory in His Holy name." And in verses 31-34 of chapter 16 we have all nature singing: "Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice…Let the sea roar…let the fields rejoice. then shall the trees of the wood sing out for joy before the Lord…O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving kindness endure forever."

All this from what I thought was the very ‘boring’ book of I Chronicles. I once read that 'you may look lightly upon a Scripture and see nothing; meditate upon it often; there you shall see a light, like the light of the sun.' This must be what it means, as I have found that the more I read the Scriptures, the more nuggets I find and the more light comes through.

Another thing I have found with the Old Testament, it shows us the most base of human nature. God’s chosen nation did despicable things, turning away from God time after time. And then the Old Testament ends nearly 400 years before Christ is born. It would almost seem as though God had turned away from man, was just washing His hands of the whole human race.

But, as the New Testament begins, a baby is born just as predicted in the Old Testament. And as it tells in Isaiah, the baby became the Passover Lamb, and instead of God washing His hands of mankind, His Son paid the price of all the sin handed down through all these generations, that man can be washed in the blood of that Lamb. What a picture of Grace the New Testament gives. And without the Old Testament, we may not see the clear picture of Grace.
　

The Persecuted

2010-10-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks we have been looking at a Beatitude a week, from Matthew 5. The last of these eight Beatitudes on persecution is given a double blessing. "Blessed are the persecuted for the sake of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven". Then Jesus enlarged upon this by saying "Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me."

Some people think that if we are children of God, we should not have problems. If we do have problems then we aren’t praying right. But Jesus said, "the slave is not above his master." Did Jesus have problems? He had no place to really call home; He was badgered and made fun of everywhere He went. He also said, "If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you…" John 15:20. So we will be treated as they treated Jesus, and in the end He was hung on a Cross. When we are able to say, "Not I-but Christ", and "not my will but thine be done." Then we will no doubt be persecuted in some way.

Paul states in II Corinthians 12:20 that he took pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake. He felt Christ was worth the cost. Down through the centuries, up until and including our modern day, we have martyrs and those who have suffered for their faith because they knew Christ was worth it. They also knew there would be a day of reward when this life is over. Again, from Paul in II Timothy 4:7, he says: "in the future there is laid up for me the Crown of Righteousness…which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who loved His appearing."

Christ was persecuted, and we are blessed when we are willing to also be persecuted. To give a principle for this Beatitude, it would seem to be that of being identified with Christ. We share in His sufferings. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I but Christ lives in me…" (Galatians 2:20)

My Prayer:
O Lord, to suffer is something no one likes to think about, yet you have made it clear that if we "suffer with you we shall also reign with you." We know that a faithful witness is going to suffer. You suffered so for me, how can I do less than give of myself to you as a living sacrifice. Paul says he counts "all things but rubbish that he might gain Christ." I would do the same. You, Lord, are worth the cost.
In Jesus Precious Name, Amen

The Peacemaker

2010-10-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

The seventh of the eight Beatitudes is talking about being a "Peacemaker." "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." In Webster’s Dictionary it states a peacemaker is "a person who makes peace, as by settling the disagreements or quarrels of others." In the Roget’s Thesaurus, it calls a peacemaker an ‘intercessor, interceder, mediator."

If we want to have a principle for this Beatitude, it would seem to be that of ‘reconciling’. When we are reconcilers we are showing that we are ‘sons of God’, and then we are like Jesus, with a family resemblance.

As a ‘peacemaker,’ Jesus is our peacemaker with God the Father. I Timothy 2:5 states there is "one mediator between God and man, the man, Christ Jesus." Jesus took on Himself the body of a man, and paid the price of sin on Mt. Calvary. Now according to Mark 16:19 He is seated at the right hand of the Father. When we accept Him as our substitute, He stands as our mediator, interceding for us, and the Father sees us as He sees His Son, pure and joint heirs with Christ.

We also will find ourselves in a position of being a peacemaker in our every day lives. It may be with brothers and sisters in Christ, of a different denomination, or it may be a different culture. As long as Christ’s diety, humanity, and keeping Christ as the central figure, is not compromised, we can be peacemakers, and can have fellowship with others through our submission to Christ.

Here is what Paul tells us about Jesus, our Peacemaker- example:
"And (He designed) to reconcile to God both (Jew and Gentile united) in a single body by means of His Cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bring the feud to an end.
"For it is through Him that we both (Jew or Gentile-far off or near) now have an introduction (access) by one (Holy) Spirit to the Father (so that we are able to approach Him.) (Ephesians 2:16,18 Amplified)

My Prayer:
O Lord, Help me to not put on airs or be judgmental, but to submit wholly to You, accepting all our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ, no matter their creed or ethnic group or culture. In You all barriers have been removed and You are our bond of unity and harmony. We are all fellow heirs, members of the same body, and share in the same promise of You through our acceptance of the Gospel. Thank You for showing me how to be a peacemaker. Amen

The Pure

2010-09-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

The second Beatitude of the last four, (so actually the sixth one in Christ’s sermon) is "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." This is what it says in the amplified version: "Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous—possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!"

In the Old Testament, in Psalm 24, David asks the question in verse 3: "…who shall stand in His (God’s) Holy Place?" And he answers it with (verse 4) "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted himself up to falsehood or to what is false, nor sworn deceitfully."

How can we, mere human beings have a pure heart? The principle for being pure would seem to be giving one’s heart wholly to God! Even then it makes one wonder how it is possible.

In I Kings 11:4 it states David’s heart was "wholly devoted to the Lord his God." We know from reading all about the life of David that he did not always act pure. He had committed murder as well as adultery, yet it says he had a ‘wholly devoted heart’. As we think about David’s life, however, we see that he always had a song. When he was a shepherd boy, he sang; running from his enemies, he had a song. When he sinned, he wrote the most beautiful and heartbroken hymn of repentance (see Psalm 51). So, he sinned, yet in his heart he was praiseworthy. No man or woman will have a totally "pure" performance, but when we give the Lord our God our heart, He sees us as "pure".

When we are pure, the way we treat others will come from our love for God. The way the sixth Beatitude reads in The Message helps to explain this. "You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world." And not only will we see God in the outside world, but also the outside world will see God in us. He is not looking for a perfect performance, but He does look for a heart wholly devoted to Him.

A.W. Tozer tells us how to have our minds "wholly on the Lord". It is "by faith and obedience, by constant meditation on the holiness of God, by loving righteousness and hating iniquity, by a growing acquaintance with the Spirit of holiness." Proverbs 23:26 states "my son (daughter), give me your heart and let your eyes observe and delight in my ways."

My daily prayer is that I will have a heart wholly devoted to the Lord; He will see me as "pure", and others will see Jesus in me.

The Merciful

2010-09-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks we have looked at the first four Beatitudes as found in Matthew 5. Each of these has shown us we have a "need". Each of them is all about what we need, and that need is for God and others.

The last four Beatitudes also have something in common, and that is, how we are to show Christ to the world through Christ-like qualities, by going beyond ourselves and reaching out to others.

The first Christ-like quality is to be "merciful". In Christ’s sermon He said, "Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy." This is an interesting remark in that we can’t really ‘give’ mercy or be merciful unless we have received that mercy through Grace from God. Then, we in turn are to reach out to others by showing mercy, and God in turn will bless us and show us mercy. It has the principle here of ‘reciprocity." (my spell checker even took this word!). He gives us mercy through salvation, we show mercy to others, and He gives us blessings.

To show mercy is to be merciful and show compassion. Jesus showed compassion in His healings. He showed compassion when it says He bore the ‘infirmities’ of the weak in Matthew 8:17. He showed compassion at Lazarus’ tomb when it says He wept. He shared in the feelings of Mary and Martha even though He knew what He was about to do. It was Jesus compassion and merciful spirit that was so forgiving and from the Cross He said "Father forgive them."

To be merciful is to learn from Jesus example and what He has done for us, and have compassion and be forgiving to others, even those who wrong us.

My Prayer (part of a prayer by A.W.Tozer in "The Knowledge of the Holy"):
"Holy Father...How can we thank thee enough for thy mercy which comes down to the lowest part of our need to give us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and for the spirit of heaviness a garment of praise? We bless and magnify thy mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord." May I too, show mercy as Your ambassador in this world. In Jesus name, Amen

Those Who Hunger and Thirst

2010-09-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Jesus said "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied. Only Jesus can satisfy. Psalm 42:1 states "As the deer pants for the water brook, so my soul pants for you." Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4 that whoever drank the water that He would give would never thirst. A person who is thirsty craves water; a soul thirsty for God craves or yearns for Him.

Jesus also likens Himself to giving us food for our souls. In John 6:35 He says "I am the Bread of life, He who comes to me will never be hungry…" Psalm 107:9 states "He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness." The hunger of our souls and the thirst for more can only be satisfied in Jesus.

The principle we find here is that of ‘yearning’. We are yearning for righteousness, and since Christ is our righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6) we are desiring and yearning for Christ Himself.

I would like to quote a part of a prayer by A.W. Tozer; it fits the longing and yearning of my own soul: "O God, the Triune God, I want to want thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be more thirsty still. Show me thy glory I pray thee, that so I may know thee indeed." Just give me Jesus, and I will be satisfied. Amen

The Meek

2010-09-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

In Matthew 5:5 we read "Blessed are the Meek for they shall inherit the earth." A true meekness is humility coupled with strength. The principle that is behind the blessing of meekness would be submission. We have learned that the poor in spirit are submissive to God. To be ‘meek’ is to be first submissive to God, but then we are to be submissive to our leaders, our spouse and to others in the family of God. In other words, we are to be submissive to each other.

In the New Testament, we have only one person who is called "meek" and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Of Himself He says He is "meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29). In the Old Testament, Moses was the only person with this distinction. In Numbers 12:3 it states "Now the man Moses was very meek (gentle, kind and humble) above all men on the face of the earth" (Amplified Version). Neither one of these men were weak; not in their character and not in their physical being; yet they were meek in their submission to God.

The opposite of meekness would be arrogance. Jesus was never arrogant. And Moses was said to be more humble than any man.

When we admit we need God and others, we will be showing meekness. This is not weakness but submitting to God’s strength. Paul said "When I am weak, then am I strong" (II Cor. 12:10). The Amplified says it this way: "…for when I am weak (in human strength), then am I (truly) strong (able, powerful in divine strength)." And why? Because he was submitting to God’s strength.

My Prayer: O Lord, my desire is to know You better, to go deeper into Your Word and deeper into submission to You. You have said that my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I say with Paul "I will glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ will rest on me". Meekness is truly having the Mind of Christ. Amen

Those Who Mourn

2010-08-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

According to Webster’s Dictionary, "mourn" means: ‘ To feel sorrow, grieve.’ Jesus words were: "Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted". The principle of this beatitude is brokenness. A broken person will be open to God’s will.

What does a ‘mourner’ need? He needs to be comforted. In II Corinthians 1:3,4 we read that God is the Father of Comfort. Verse 4 from the Amplified Version reads: "Who comforts (consoles and encourages) us in every trouble (calamity and affliction), so that we may also be able to comfort (console and encourage) those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

When we desire to become more spiritual, brokenness is the key to a deeper work and understanding of God. He uses this as a means of taking us deeper into our need for Him, it teaches, and purifies and brings us into a deeper relationship with Him.

We may see such breakings in a Christian that will lead to bitterness, but if we desire to be more spiritual, God will turn the trials into blessings. He is seeking to help us learn to depend on Him, see our need for God, and bless us in doing this.

My Prayer: Oh Lord, I desire to have the mind of Christ. If it takes brokenness for me to learn this, then I accept it as a means of teaching me new insights and new blessings from Your Hand. You are my Comfort and my Joy. Amen

Poor in Spirit

2010-08-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

I think just about everyone has heard of the Sermon on the Mount…even the non-believer. This sermon, found in Matthew 5, is begun with 8 blessings called beatitudes. These beatitudes are actually principles for us to follow in learning how to please God.

For the next few weeks I plan to look at one of the beatitudes each week and see how it can be applied to each of us. The first four are related to each other in that they show our dependence on God and our need for God. The last 4 Beatitudes are related to each other by showing us as ‘giving’ to others.

The first Beatitude in Matthew 5:3 is "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The Amplified Version gives it this way: "Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous—with life—joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!" The poverty spoken of here is spiritual. Without God we are totally helpless.

Until one realizes he or she is poor in spirit, one can not repent; but to repent is to be poor in spirit. It is then that one realizes redemption depends on God alone.

Even after we have repented and received salvation, we are poor, in that we still have a tendency to sin. We have to realize that even as a believer we can do nothing unless we depend on God. If we want to live a spiritual life and a righteous life, we must realize how helpless we are on our own, and depend completely on the Lord.

Being ‘poor in spirit’ is our first step in helping us become a spiritual being. When we are poor in spirit, things of the spirit will become more important to us than the material world.

The poor in spirit know they need God.

My Prayer: Dear Lord, You say the ‘poor in spirit’ is blessed as he is the one who is humble before You. He is the one who realizes that he is nothing in himself, and yet in You he has everything. Here is my heart, Lord. I bow humbly before You; I know that without You I can do nothing. I offer You my worship and my praise. Amen

Inspiration From the Psalms

2010-08-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

So many Psalms have spoken to God’s children’s hearts down through the ages. The Children of Israel sang them; they were sung by the early Church in the First Century AD. We don’t know the tunes from those long ago days, but many have put them into song in recent years, or been inspired to create new verse from some of them.

My mother was blessed with the ability to write both words inspired by the Psalms, and some she put to music, either the Psalm as written in the Bible, or her own inspired words from the Psalm. The following is one she wrote from Psalm 121:1 & 2 entitled
"I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes":

"I will lift up mine eyes to the hills,"
The mighty ageless mountains.
The towering rocks,
The wooded hills,
The streamlets tumbling down the rills;
The rushing falls,
The lakes serene,
The mighty peaks that I have seen.

"I will flee as a bird to the hills,"
My anguished heart once said.
In them find joy
Where troubles cease,
Amongst the hills there’s surely peace.
But lo, there was no peace of mind,
No ease from sorrow could I find.

Then a question clear I heard,
"From whence shall my help come?"
From towering rocks?
From wooded hills?
From streamlets rushing down the rills?
I pondered long,
And dark my way—
Till God revealed Himself one day.

Yea, my help cometh from the LORD,
The ONE who made the mountains.
His Mighty Word,
His loving Hand
Did make these hills on which I stand.
In HIM alone I now can see
Is perfect peace and VICTORY.
-- By Marjorie S. Paton

Praise to God

2010-08-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Why should we praise God?
Psalm 63:3 answers this question: "Because Your loving kindness is better than life, my lips will praise you." In II Samuel 22:4 is says "I call on the Lord, who is Worthy to be praised…" In Psalm 48:1 "Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised…" Psalm 65:1 states it like it is: "…praise is due and fitting to You, O God, in Zion…" From these verses we read that He is great, He is Worthy, He is an awesome God and it is His due.

By Praising God we will keep our focus on the Him; Praise is a way of helping us to obey God’s commands. You cannot refuse His commands, and praise Him at the same time. It just doesn’t work.

How are we to Praise God?
The answer to this question is found in Psalm 138:1 "I will praise thee with my whole heart…." Psalm 34:1 says that His Praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 63:3 states that we will praise Him with our lips. Psalm 103:33 states that we should ‘sing’ praises to God. We who are children of God should praise Him with our whole heart; we should praise him continually with our lips and with singing.

When should we praise God?
In I Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul tells us to be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, as this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. We should praise Him in the midst of trials, and it will help us to see our trials as friends (James 1:2-4). Psalm 72:15 and 119:164 both say that we should praise Him "all day long." Psalm 63: 4 states the "I will bless You while I live, I will lift up my hands in your name." In Psalm 84:4 we find that "they will be singing Your praises all the day". Psalm 113:3 says that we should praise Him "from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised." We never stop praising the Lord!

My Prayer: O Lord, I praise You that You are in control of my life. I praise You whatever befalls me. I accept and trust Your working in my life. I will praise You in everything and continually, for this is my "Sacrifice of Prayer." Amen

The Word of God

2010-08-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Besides being my Prayer Partner (as last week’s blog pointed out), the Holy Spirit is also the ‘Spirit of the Word’. It is the Holy Spirit who will cause the Word to become a joy to our hearts and help us to understand it. In order to have a healthy spiritual life one must take in the Word of God as well as prayer, each and every day.

Jesus loved the Word and treasured it in His heart. He used it for victory over Satan when in the wilderness. He had a habit of going to the synagogue every Sabbath and reading from the Scripture, see Luke 4:16. When He was but a youth He sat among the teachers, both hearing them and asking questions of them. Luke 2:47 states that all that heard him were amazed at his understanding and answers. He even quoted from the Word while on the Cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (See Psalm 22:1)

In Isaiah 55:10-11 we read: "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater. So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." We must feed upon God’s Word to give us strength and life, each and every day.

My Prayer: Your Word, Lord, gives light to my path, so I need to use it every day. When I am in doubt, I go to Your Word; when I need comfort, I go to Your Word. When I want to hear You speak to me, I go to Your Word. But still my heart longs, yea yearns, to actually sit at Your feet and hear the timbre of Your voice, the ‘love-words’ you will speak to me. It will be like the oil on the head, to run down over my garments, speaking peace and love to my soul. Your "mouth is full of sweetness" (Song of Solomon 5:16) Your Word is like a refreshing spring rain. Amen

My Prayer Partner

2010-07-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Holy Spirit was given to us when Jesus went back into Heaven. Jesus told His disciples that He would not leave them as orphans, but the Father would send them ‘another’ counselor to be with them forever. (John 14:18) Anne Graham Lotz calls Him "Another Jesus" because He is just like Jesus, only without a human body.

The Holy Spirit is so many things to us. He is our counselor, our comforter; He is our Helper, our advocate, and our strengthener, helping us to grow. The Holy Spirit is the "Spirit of Prayer". In Zech. 12:10 He is called "The Spirit of grace and supplications."

He is our Intercessor, and thereby He is our Prayer Partner. "The Spirit…makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:27).
I personally do not know how to pray, but from this verse I see that I am not alone in my praying. God knew I would be this way, and in His all-wise love He stooped to meet my helplessness by giving me and each of His children the Holy Spirit Himself to pray for us. With the help of our Prayer Partner, this Sweet Holy Spirit, we can with confidence lay our desires and heart-needs before God.

In every prayer we bring before God, we have the Triune God, the whole Trinity, taking part. We have God the Father who hears our prayers; the Son, our Lord Jesus in whose name we pray; and we have the Holy Spirit who prays in us and for us, and presents our prayers to the Father according to His Will. This Holy Spirit, our own special Prayer Partner, will lead us in our prayers to teach us to be intercessors who cry to Him day and night.

Father, Help me to know and reverence my Prayer Partner, this Sweet Holy ‘Spirit of Prayer!’ In Jesus name I pray, Amen

Do You Hear Me?

2010-07-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Do You hear me?
Do You see me?
Have you ever asked this of God? I think David felt this way on occasion. In Psalm 55:1 he pleads with God, "listen to my prayer, O God, and hide not Yourself from my supplications." And in Psalm 61, verse one, it sounds as though he is pleading "Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer."

There was a time when I thought of God’s knowing me about the way a speaker knows the person in the back row of a large auditorium full of people. Yes, I was in the crowd, I was in the door, but I was only one of the masses. Of course this also gave me reason to feel that if I did something not becoming a child of God, no one knew. Wow! Was this ever putting God into a box! I was bringing Him down to our very human level.

When Jesus Christ came to earth some 2000 years ago, and ultimately gave His life on Calvary’s Cross to pay the wages of sin, He tore away the veil separating God and man. We are now one with God if we have accepted Christ as our Savior. He states in John 17:21 "That they all may be one, (just) as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, and they also may be one in Us…" and in verse 23 "I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one…"

Ephesians 3:17 makes it very clear that Christ dwells within me. From the Amplified version we read "May Christ through your faith (actually) dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts!"

And read what it says in Colossians 2:9 & 10 (again from the amplified): "For in Him the whole fullness of diety (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form (giving complete expression of the divine nature). And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life (in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,--and reach full spiritual stature.)"

So I ask again, "do You hear me? Do You see me?" And the answer is "of course

my child, behold, I am with you always, as we are one."

"He knows my name,
He knows my every thought,
He sees each tear that falls
And hears me when I call!"
(Words by Tommy Walker)

Thank You Father, for hearing me, seeing me, and knowing all about me. You are so Good! Amen

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

2010-07-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the past few years I have been reading the Bible, verse by verse, chapter by chapter; a chapter from the Old Testament along with a chapter from the New Testament each day. I seem to get through the New Testament two times, for each time through the Old Testament. It’s amazing what nuggets I find, even in the Old Testament, that I haven’t seen previously. I also vary my reading by using different versions each time. This time through the New Testament I have decided to use The Message, which is the New Testament in contemporary language, compiled by Eugene H. Peterson. Right away, in Matthew 6, I was thrilled by the plainness, everyday language of Jesus talking about our God-Worship. I have decided that for this week I will just copy verses 25 through 34 as it is written in this very down-to-earth language.

"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

"Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."

Wow! Could anyone say it better? That’s Jesus talking in our everyday, simple language. Don’t Worry, be happy! God is in Control!!!
　
　
　
　
　

A Worm to a Butterfly

2010-07-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Wow! I already am a beautiful new creation in God’s sight! I have a new spiritual self! And someday I shall even have a new body, a glorified body, and one like Christ’s glorified body. David is one who realized this when he stated in Psalm 17:15 "I shall be satisfied when I wake in thy likeness." Paul tells us in Philippians 3:21 "(Lord Jesus Christ) shall change our lowly body that it may be fashioned like his glorious body…"

You see, I am already a butterfly, what more could I ask for. My soul is a new creation, and soon my body will be also.

"Like developing butterflies,
We are to shed the cocoon
Of our sinful nature that we might
Emerge into the beauty of Christ."
(Unknown)

Thank you, Lord, for taking this worm and making me into a butterfly! Amen

I Do Not Understand

2010-06-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

I do not understand why Jesus had to come to earth to die that I might have life. Why couldn’t God have found an easier way to give us salvation? I do not understand why God’s children on earth suffer pain, and persecution. I cannot understand why I must constantly battle with Satan and his helpers. I have often said things like "why did God allow this" or "if God loves me why did such and such happen?" Job 42:3 gives Job’s answer: "Therefore I have rashly uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know."

You’ve no doubt seen the quote: "We make plans and Life happens." And here is another one that I just recently heard: "If you want to make God laugh, just tell Him your plans." Proverbs 16:9 states "A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure." And in Proverbs 20:24: "Man’s steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way?" We have no idea what the future holds for us, and God does, so why not trust Him, instead of telling Him we don’t understand so we’d rather do it ourselves.

Here is what God’s Word tells us about understanding the ways of God from Isaiah 55:8,9: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." "As the heavens are higher than the earth" Wow! That is a big spread. So what makes me think I can know what God’s reasons are? In Psalm 139:6 it says "Your infinite knowledge is too wonderful for me: it is high above me. I cannot reach it."
　
I may not understand the workings of the Lord, but this one thing I do know: "our light affliction which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen." 2 Cor. 4:17, 18

My Prayer: No, Lord, I do not understand why You had to suffer and die that I might have life; or why we suffer in this life. You could have put a hedge around all Your children, but we would then become weak; we would not have learned how to use Your armor. You say in I Peter 4:13 that our suffering is working for us and will make us rejoice even more when we see Your glory. David said that before he was afflicted, he went astray. I know that all that comes my way is allowed for my good, and I pray I will not waste the trials You allow for me. I also know that nothing touches me that has not gone through You first. You have a design for me, and though I may not understand it, You will use it for my good. You said in John 13:7 "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this." Thank you Lord for all You do for me, even if I do not understand it now. Amen

Can We Really Know God?

2010-06-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Can we as mere mortals, really have knowledge of God? Back in ancient times the Children of Israel would not even say His name, Yahweh; they felt it an irreverence to be on such friendly terms as to call Him by name.

But Jesus changed all of that when He died on the Cross in our place, and rose from the grave so that we might have life everlasting. He wants us to know God. Here is what He told His disciples: "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15)

With the thought I am writing of today, I am not thinking of finding out what God is like (we covered that a few months ago when I discussed some of God’s attributes). My concern today is that we have some knowledge of thinking rightly about God in our personal association. Jesus says that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father, and we are in Him. If we are so close to God as being one with Him, we should not be afraid of Him. In John 17 verses 20 through 26 Jesus is praying for each of us to know we are loved by God.

In I Corinthians 2 it is made clear that we have been given the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself (God) to us. I like the way verse 10 is written in "The Message" translation: "But you’ve seen and heard it because God by His Spirit has brought it all out into the open for you."

To get to know God, however, we must spend time with Him. You don’t get to know someone if you never speak to him or her. This only comes by being often and long with Him, reading the Word, praying. By doing this we learn to trust His dealings with us. Prayer is not coming to God to ask for favors, it is fellowship with Him until He actually has possession of us. When we actually ‘know’ our God, we will not even ask why, or ask about dark days, or ask for petty material things. We will just know God will bring all out according to His will. In John 14:1 Jesus says "Do not let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe and adhere to and trust in and rely on God;"

My Prayer: O Lord, I know of no greater pleasure than to be called Your friend, and to know that I have the Spirit within me to make known to me the things of the Father. May I be open to the Spirit, eager to learn, ready to receive all there is for me. With Paul, "I bow my knees"; yea, I even fall on my face before the Father, asking for an anointing of knowledge from the Spirit, and to know the love of Christ as a fire in my soul. Amen

A quote: "the Christian life is knowing God in a personal love-relationship"

CROWNS

2010-06-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Man makes a lifetime of running around, trying to lay up for himself riches. Psalm 39:6 states: "…every man walks about like a shadow, he heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them."

In Proverbs 27:24 it states "Riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations." Wow! That is a truism. I have just been reading II Kings and very seldom did a kingdom go from father to son, to son. Someone, maybe a Captain of the Guard, or an outside villain would have a ‘coup’ and kill the king, then take over the throne.

We may never receive a crown while here on earth. Some of us may never receive any kind of reward or medal for accomplishments or great leadership; but the Bible says there is a ‘crown’ waiting for each of God’s children when we get to Heaven. Paul states in II Timothy 4:8 "Henceforth there is laid up for me the "Crown of Righteousness" which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, will award to me and recompense me on that day—and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and yearned for and welcomed His appearing." So here we have a "Crown of Righteousness".

Another Crown we will receive is the "Crown of Life". James 1:12 says "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the "Crown of Life" which the Lord hath promised to them that love him."

In I Thess. 2:19 we hear about the "Crown of Rejoicing." In the KJV it is Crown of Rejoicing, and in the Amplified Version from which I have been studying lately, it is called "a Victor’s wreath of excellent triumph when we stand in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming."

Here is one I am really looking forward to, found in I Peter 5:4 (KJV): "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a "Crown of Glory" that fadeth not away…"

The only reason we are able to even claim such crowns is because of the crown our Savior wore while here on earth, namely, the "Crown of Thorns". Matthew 27:29 states: "they plaited a ‘crown of thorns’, they put it on His head."
When I was in Israel we were shown the kind of thorny bush from which they took the branches to make the crown. The thorns were an inch, to an inch and a half long. These they twisted together and put on His head, no doubt forcing it down so the thorns pierced his skin.

When I think of the crown Jesus wore, knowing it was part of the curse He took for me, so that someday I can stand before Him wearing my "Crown of Righteousness", I feel so humbled, so very unworthy. How can anyone refuse to accept Him, knowing what He did for each of us.

My Prayer: The Crowns You give Your children, Lord, are incorruptible, they will last forever and ever. And these Crowns are mine only because of what you did on Calvary. I have done nothing to deserve them. You are so good! You are the Life in me! You are my All and my Salvation. Holy Lord, You are my treasure and it is at Your feet where I will lay down my heart and my crown! Amen
　

What is 'Faith'?

2010-06-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

The definition of Faith from Webster's Dictionary is: "(a) unquestionable belief that does not require proof or evidence. (b) Complete trust, confidence, or reliance." Not too many of us can say that we even have this kind of Faith.

The following are some examples of Faith from the Bible.
1. Matthew 9:22 tells of the woman who touched Jesus garment, and He said, "thy faith hath made thee well."
2. Also in Matthew 9, verse 29, two blind men followed Jesus and He touched their eyes and said "according to your faith be it unto you."
3. Matthew 17:20 tells us that all we need is 'faith as a grain of mustard seed' to remove mountains, or the huge difficulties in our lives.
4. Mark 9:24 tells the story of the father whose son had been possessed by an evil spirit. The father cried to Jesus "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief."
5. Hebrews 11:6 says "without faith it is impossible to please Him."

As Christians, we seem to get the idea that if we have enough faith, we will be rewarded, and if things don't work out we didn't have enough faith. (i.e. a friend dying of cancer and having friends tell her she would be healed if she had more faith.) I know I have felt this way, and I have wept and prayed for more faith, saying "Lord, my faith is so weak, help me to have more faith, help my unbelief."

Some time ago I was reading the biography of Hudson Taylor, the founder of the China Inland Mission. He was a great man of God who gave his life to Christ for China, and to help in sending others to China. He was what we call "literally "living by faith." His Mission (CIM) also 'lived by faith'. Yet he never felt he had enough 'faith'. The more he would see the grace of Jesus, the more his helplessness increased. He felt he was burdened by the sin of unbelief in not being able to have faith enough for joy in the Lord. One day he received a letter from a fellow missionary who had been struggling with this same question. The missionary, John McCarthy, wrote of his struggling and what he had been learning. In short, he said he had found how to have his faith increased--by thinking of all that Jesus is and all He is for us, His life, His death, His work, He Himself as revealed to us in the Word, to be the subject of constant thoughts. Not a striving to have faith...but a looking off to the Faithful One seems all we need; and resting in the Loved One entirely, for time and for eternity. As Mr. Taylor read this he says he saw it all! Not by striving after faith, but by resting on the Faithful One. If we believe not, he still abides faithful. Jesus has said "I will never leave thee."

This sounded like what I, myself, was looking for, but I still found myself struggling with this simple insight. I thought, "well that was good for Hudson Taylor and John McCarthy, they were both great men of God, and were so learned in the Scripture. I asked: "Lord, how do I have this faith? How do I feel this rest in You?" One morning during my devotions as I was reading and praying and, yes, weeping over this very question, the Lord seemed to give me a flash of a vision, (if I may call it such) but it was just enough for me to understand. I like to write down thoughts and insights that come to me, and this is what I wrote that morning:
"Dear Faithful Lord--It suddenly came to me! I have been trying for
weeks to grasp Hudson Taylor's insight of not struggling with "Faith" but to rest on the Faithful one. Just this morning as I was praying, I saw myself
lean over on Jesus and His arms went around me and I felt Peace. Now I
know, Lord, what he meant! Oh Jesus, thank you! Now I know--I who am
weak in my faith--have only to lean on and rest on You--the ever-faithful
one. This means literally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, just lean on
Jesus." Andrew Murray puts it this way: "Faith will find its strength..in the
changeless faithfulness and love of Christ." Amen

And I have proven this to be the key for me, when I am troubled or find I am fearful or doubting, I just visualize myself leaning over on Jesus--He is then between me and the problem, and I have peace.

This to me is FAITH.

Breastplate of Righteousness

2010-05-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

The New World Dictionary of American English gives two meanings for the word "Breastplate". (1) It is a piece of armor for the breast and (2) In ancient times, an embroidered cloth worn on the breast of the Jewish High Priest. It was set with 12 jewels representing the 12 tribes of Israel.

We have a ‘breastplate’ and this one is of Righteousness. When we speak of the Breastplate of Righteousness, we are saying that the Lord is our Righteousness. "Righteousness" is one of His attributes, He is ‘All Righteous’ and when we receive Christ as Savior He clothes us in His righteousness. Part of our complete armor, found in Ephesians 6:14 is the Breastplate of Righteousness (or as in the Amplified it is called the Breastplate of Integrity.) In I Thess. 5:8 it is called the Breastplate of faith and love.

Not only does this covering of Righteousness protect us from Satan’s fiery darts, but when the Father looks at us, He sees us as Righteous. He sees us covered with the Righteousness of His Son. Then we can stand before the Father and truly say "Search me O God, and know my heart…" Psalm 139:23.

Prayer: Lord, when I became your child, I received your covering of Righteousness. I am covered by You with a Breastplate of Righteousness and thereby protected from the darts of Satan. Thank You for preserving me in Your Righteousness. Amen

The Two-Edged Sword

2010-05-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

"...these are the words of Him who has and wields the sharp two-edged sword." In Revelation 2:12 Christ discribes Himself as the one who has the sharp sword with two edges. The Sword is the Word of God with power to convict all men and to convert all who believe on Him.

Jesus Christ is the Living Word of God who made the heavens and the earth from absolutely nothing. He spoke and they came into being. John 1:1 states "In the beginning was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This same Word divides between those who are born from above and those who are not.

The Written Word is the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God that we can use as our weapon against Satan and all his principalities and powers against whom we wrestle.

In Hebrews 4:12 the author writes "the Word of God is quick, and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

Prayer: There are answers to everything "under the sun" in your Word, dear Lord. Your Word is right and true. Your truth and mercy still endures. Your Word have I hidden in my heart so that I might not sin, and I will be faithful to You. Use Your Word through me to draw lost souls to you, I pray in Jesus name. Amen

My Shield

2010-05-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

In the New World Dictionary of American English, the word ‘shield’ is: "a flat, usually broad, piece of metal, wood, etc., carried in the hand or worn on the forearm to ward off blows or missiles." It is also: "any person or thing that guards, protects, or defends."

God told Abraham, the one who was to become the father of the race of Israel, that he should not fear because "I am thy shield" (Genesis 15:1). David called God his shield in many of the Psalms. Here are just a few examples:
Psalm 3:3: "But You, O Lord are a ‘shield’ to me...".
Psalm 28:7 he says the Lord is his "strength and shield".
And in Psalm 33:20: "He is our help and our shield."
Paul says to "take up the Shield of Faith…"

The Lord, as our Shield, is both our shield to ward off the fiery missiles of Satan, and also He stands guard, He protects, and defends. He comes between each of His children and all of life, no matter what is happening. It may be the scorn given you by someone, or a group; it may be something very tragic happening in one’s life; it may be an illness or death of a loved one. It may even be a wrong choice, or a sin, yet He is still there to guard and protect. We may feel our faith is too weak, but He, as our Shield, is the Faithful one, and He never leaves us. Whatever it is, He is our Shield.

Prayer: O Lord, you are my strong shield for everything. You will help me through your Holy Spirit, to be an ‘overcomer’ as I learn with confidence that nothing can harm me when I have Your protective Shield of Faith around me. You are my Shield now, and will be until I am with You in Glory. Amen

Spiritual Armor (Part II)

2010-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last week we talked about the Belt of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, and your feet fitted with the Gospel of Peace.

The rest of the armor is found in Ephesians 6:16 and 17: "In addition to all this, take up the Shield of Faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God."

In the Amplified version it says: "lift up over all the (covering) shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked one." What a word picture this gives us. The wicked one, or Satan, is always trying to catch us. He not only throws darts, but they are life threatening fiery missiles. We must cloth ourselves with the life saving faith, which is our shield.

The next item is a Helmet. Helmets are worn for many reasons, in fact in many cases it is the law, such as construction sites, riding bikes, skateboards, even roller skates. Soldiers in the war zones wear helmets; the reason is of course to protect the head. Salvation is our Helmet, protecting us from a lost eternity and assuring us of our Hope for the future.

The last mentioned, by no means being the least, is the Sword of the Spirit. This is self-explanatory as it says it is The Word of God. The best place for the Word is to be hidden in one’s heart. In Psalm 119:11 it says, "the Word of God hidden in my heart that I might not sin against God." It is God’s Word that will cause Satan to turn and run. In the front of my Bible given to me when I was a little girl, is written "Sin will keep you from this book, but this book will keep you from sin."

The Sword of the Spirit is our weapon of defense, and our weapon of choice. "I will not forget your Word" (Psalm 119:16)

Prayer: Thank You for providing me with Armor, Lord, that I may stand against the wiles and schemes of the devil. You give me all I need; I must just use it. Amen

Spiritual Armor (Part I)

2010-05-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Paul has been telling his Ephesus believers about the battle all believers are in, that of fighting against principalities and powers of the darkness of this world. But he encourages them by telling them that God gives us Spiritual armor to put on, all we have to do is put it on.

So to continue in Ephesians 6, Paul says in verse 14 and 15 that we are to "stand firm with the Belt of Truth buckled around your waist, with the Breastplate of Righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace." This is quoted from the New International Version. To read it in the Amplified Version: "Stand therefore (hold your ground), having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God. And having shod your feet in preparation (to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news) of the Gospel of Peace."

Paul is telling us just what a good soldier of Jesus Christ needs to wear. First of all, it is important to have a belt. Belts can be used for many things, but one, and probably the most common use, is to hold ones clothing together and keep it from falling. Our spiritual belt is called the "Belt of Truth". In Jude 24 it says "Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling…" The Holy Spirit, also known as the ‘Spirit of Truth’ is given to us to keep us from falling.

Next we have the Breastplate of Righteousness. This is a protection for our heart and vital organs. It is like a ‘bullet proof vest’ used today to protect from bullets. Should a bullet strike, one will be bruised, but not broken. In Isaiah 61:10 we are told that "He has covered me with the robe of righteousness…" When the Father looks at us and sees us covered in the robe or Breastplate of Righteousness, He knows we are protected and whole, and yes, Holy.

Verse 15 states our feet should be shod in readiness to go; readiness to carry the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, to others. In Isaiah 52:7 it says, "how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tiding, who publishes peace…"

My Prayer: O my Lord! With my mind stayed on You I am covered with Your truth, Your righteousness and Your Peace. Thank you for helping me to stand firm. Amen

Preparing for Battle

2010-04-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

In Ephesians 6: 10, 11, Paul tells us that we need to prepare for a battle. We are warriors in a battle, and we are to be strong. Paul says: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." In the amplified version it gives more detail: "In conclusion, be strong in the Lord (be empowered through your union with Him); draw your strength from Him (that strength which His boundless might provides). Put on God’s whole armor (the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies), that you may be able successfully to stand up against (all) the strategies and the deceits of the devil."

We are at war, a battle every day. Though it is unseen by our human sight, it is a very real battle. In verse 12 (again from the Amplified version) Paul says: "For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood (contending only with physical opponents), but against the despotisms, against the powers, against (the master spirits who are) the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere."

If we are in such a great battle, how are we going to stand against the forces we cannot even see? As it said in verse 11, we are to put on God's whole armor, which He supplies us with. And then in verse 13 he tells us again: "Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day (of danger), and having done all (the crisis demands), to stand (firmly in your place)." We are given spiritual armor with which we can stand firm and fight against these evil powers that would like to destroy us. He has not left us helpless, but He has left us with a responsibility, and that is that we must pick up each piece of armor and make use of it. For the next few weeks I will go through each piece of this armor to help us know just how to use it and put it on.

My Prayer: David told Goliath: "…I come against you in the name of the Lord…" (I Samuel 17:45). Your name, Oh Lord, is above all names! Your Glory is above all the earth! Without You I am nothing, but with You I can do all things. With You, nothing is impossible! Satan may have his schemes and lies, but You have conquered Satan. You have crushed his head. Your armor will cover me. Psalm 27:1 states: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life…" I have confidence in You! I will wear Your armor! Amen

My Lord Is ...?

2010-04-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

In Matthew 22:42 Jesus asked, "What do you think of Christ? In Matthew 16:15 He asked His disciples "Who do You say that I am?"

What does the Bible say about ‘who our Lord is?’ In Psalm 24 He is called the King of Glory. Verse 10 states "Who is (He then) this King of Glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of Glory, Selah…" When He returns to set up His kingdom on earth, His name is written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (Revelation 19:16).

II Samuel 22:2, 3 says "The Lord is our rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer…He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower and my refuge, my Savior." According to Psalm 28:7 He is my strength, and my shield. Psalm 59:9, He is my defense. Psalm 23, a familiar Psalm to many, the Lord is called ‘my Shepherd’. Also in I Peter 2:25 He is referred to as our Shepherd as well as our Bishop. Hebrews 7 and 8 calls Him our High Priest. Hebrews 8:1 "We have such a High Priest, One who is seated at the right hand of the majestic (God) in heaven."

Some nights when I have difficulty going to sleep, instead of counting sheep, I go through the alphabet using names describing my Lord. Not only does it help me fall asleep, but when I wake up, He is the first on my mind.

My Prayer: Lord, I love saying names for You. Throughout Scripture there are so many different names to describe You. You are my beloved and the One Whom my soul loves. You are worthy to be praised! You are precious to me, my Chief Cornerstone. Worthy are You O Lord, to receive Power, and Glory. You are all things; You created all things, and yet Your desire is to me. You know my name!! You know my every thought!! O Lord, How Great You are! Amen

Jeremiah 33

2010-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Young people of today will not remember this, but when I was very young, telephone numbers had an exchange name, followed by the number. You are no doubt familiar with the song from the 1940’s entitled Pennsylvania 6-5000. This is a good example of what I am talking about. In small towns, one gave the phone number to a ‘telephone operator’ instead of dialing it. All this reminiscing is said in order to explain a quote we used to say about the Bible verse Jeremiah 33:3. We called this God’s telephone number; Jeremiah 3-3-3. Here’s why—it says "Call to me and I will answer you…" The Lord tells us to call on Him, and He promises to answer. He doesn’t say he will give us the answer we desire, every parent knows this is not wise; but He does promise to answer.

The previous verse, verse 2, states "Thus says the Lord Who made (the earth), the Lord Who formed it to establish it—the Lord is His name." Then he goes on to say "Call on me". To me this is a Wow! The maker of heaven and earth is telling us to just "call" on Him, just pick up the phone, just connect to Him, and He will answer.

There are other promises in this first part of Jeremiah 33 that have grabbed at my heart. I realize the Lord was speaking to the Israelites, but I feel these verses are given to us to show what a gracious God we have. We, too, have angered and saddened our Lord. In verse 5 he says "…I have hidden My face from this city because of all their wickedness:" But then our gracious Lord says "Behold I will lay upon it health and healing, and I will cure them and will reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth." Our Lord will ‘heal’ us from our sins; He will cure us and give us peace.

Verse 8 states "I will cleanse them from all the guilt and iniquity…and I will forgive all their guilt and iniquities by which they have sinned and rebelled against Me." All we have to do is call upon Him and He will ‘forgive’.

Verse 11 sounds to me like our "Sacrifice of Praise". "…the voices of those who sing as they bring sacrifices of thanksgiving into the house of the Lord. Give praise and thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good:"

Verses 15-17 talks about our Messiah, our Righteousness. Here are some excerpts…"at that time will I cause a righteous Branch (the Messiah) to grow up to David…" "The Lord is Our Righteousness (our Rightness, our Justice)."

To summarize the blessings I found in Jeremiah 33:1-17:
1. Just Call and God will answer
2. He will cure and give peace
3. He forgives our iniquities
4. We give our "Sacrifice of Praise"
5. The Messiah is our Righteousness
　
　
　

What Happens to My Sin?

2010-04-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

A couple of Sundays ago, we sang the song "At the Cross". The words are:
"At the Cross, at the Cross
Where I first saw the light
And the burden of my heart rolled away…"

In the book entitled "Pilgrim’s Progress’ by John Bunyan, is the story of Christian, leaving his home in the City of Destruction. On the back of Christian was his heavy load of sin and causing much grief. His journey was to find relief of his load on his way to the Celestial City. Eventually he came to a place where the road was fenced on either side with a wall, called ‘salvation’. Up this road he ran encumbered by the load on his back. He came to a place where there stood the Cross, and a little below in the bottom a Sepulchre. When Christian reached the Cross, his burden came loose and fell off his shoulders, tumbling till it came to the sepulchre where it fell in, and was seen no more. It was the sight of the Cross that eased his Burden. It is at the Cross where through repentance and trust in the one who paid our ransom, we receive life. Where does our sin go when we come to Christ’s Cross? How can we know it is really cast away?

Micah 7:19 states "…you will cast all our sins into the depth of the sea."
Psalm 103:12 tells us that "As far as the East is from the West so far has He removed our transgressions from us."
In Jeremiah 31:34 we are told "…for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
Also, in Isaiah 43:25 God says He is the one who blots out and cancels our transgressions. And in Isaiah 44:22 He says they are blotted out like a thick cloud.
In Peter’s message at Pentecost, he tells the crowd listening "So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return (to God) that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean…" (Acts 3:19 Amplified). These verses are only a few of the verses showing that our sins are gone. Some days when I am grousing about my past, and ask God again to forgive me, I can just imagine He is saying "What sin, my child? I have already forgotten!!."

Why did He do this! Go back to Isaiah 43:25b. He says "For my own sake…" Wow!! He wants us to be clean and pure…For His Own Sake! We are His children, so for His sake He forgets all about our past, all about our sins. What a gracious, merciful God!

He Satisfies

2010-03-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

In our world today people are always trying to be satisfied. They feel if they could make more money, they would be satisfied. Or maybe a larger home would make them happier, more satisfied. Another person may even think a different spouse would make a difference. Man (humans) never seem to be satisfied.

The Bible states in Psalm 107:9 that "He (God) satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness." Jeremiah 31:14 states "My people shall be satisfied with My goodness' says the Lord."

"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for you..." (Psalm 41:1). The Lord is as important to our lives as water is for any living things. When we are thirsty we crave water; when our soul is 'dry' we need our Lord. Psalm 36:8 states "They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them to drink from the river of Your pleasures."

I am reminded of the story we call "The woman at the Well." Jesus told this Samaritan woman that He could give her living water. In John 4:14 He states "Whoever takes a drink of the water I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty anymore." That to me sounds very satisfying. In chapter 6 of John, verse 35 Jesus says, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry..." That just seems as satisfied as one could be!

My prayer: O Lord, I long to be this satisfied. I long to feast upon You in Your Word. Help me to be filled by You and be abundantly satisfied. You alone, dear Lord, are food and water to my soul. You alone are the one whom my soul loves and longs for. "I have tasted that the Lord is gracious" (I Peter 2:3). Amen

Lift Up Your Hearts and Praise!

2010-03-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones; praise is becoming to the upright." (Psalm 33:1 NASB) Go on down to verse 3 and it states "...play skillfully with a shout of joy."

These verses really stood out for me recently. I was raised in a Christian home, and my father was a minister. Yet, when it came to showing our 'praise' in church, it was frowned on to speak out with a "Hallelujah", or to raise our hands, or even move our bodies to the music. We were very sedate and formal.

This verse says, "it is fitting for the upright to 'praise' Him." (By 'praise' I mean a showing of enthusiasm!) We are also told in I Timothy 2:8 to 'lift up holy hands', and in Psalm 141:2 the lifting up of the hands is the evening offering. We must lift up our hearts, and to be even more Scriptural, we should even lift up our hands.

This is hard for me to do, but I love seeing others do it. Their eyes may be closed and their hands raised, and I feel there is a certain beauty and glow when one worships in this way.

One song we sing occasionally in our church is called "Clap de hands, stomp de feet". I found these words in Ezekiel 6:11 where God told the people to get excited--show emotion: "Clap your hand, stamp your foot!" Up until a few years ago I even felt awkward clapping my hands in church following a special.

My Prayer: O Lord, this is how I am, and I may never change, but Lord, inside I holler and shout and Praise Your Holy name! I am lifting up my heart, and my hands, in response to You. Amen

Thankful in Everything!

2010-03-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Paul told us in Ephesians 5:20 that we should "always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father." How can we do this? How can one be thankful for possibly losing a job? Having a sick child? Wrecking one's car? Or even being homeless?

Corrie ten Boom was a young Dutch woman during the time of the Nazi Holocaust. She and her family had been hiding Jews in their home when the Nazi's picked up the whole family, throwing them into Ravensbruck, a concentration camp in Germany. Here is what she had to say about being 'thankful in everything'.

"Conditions in our barracks in the concentration camp at Ravensbruck were terrible. When we first arrived, I told Betsie I could not bear the lice that lived in our filthy blankets and mattresses. She replied, "You must thank God for everything, even the lice."

Betsie was right. Because of the bugs which infested our barrack, the women guards and officers kept their distance, and we were able to hold our Bible studies without fear. God has a use for the vermin, after all!

Sometimes what we see as a curse one day becomes a blessing the next day. How much more simple it would be if we would learn to thank God for everything instead of using our own judgment."

Corrie's Prayer: "Lord, I need a miracle by Your Holy Spirit to thank You for my problem of today. Thank You that You are willing to make me willing."

My Prayer: What a blessing Corrie ten Boom became to the world, Lord; and what lessons she has taught us! She learned to know You best in the barracks of a concentration camp. She learned to thank You for her solitary conditions at first, then her lice infested conditions, and even when her dear sister died from starvation and illness, she thanked You. Oh Lord, forgive me for ever complaining. Thank You for each day You give me. I give thanks with a grateful heart. Amen

All Things!

2010-03-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

I love reading the little book "31 Days of Praise" by Ruth Myers. If one doesn't know how to praise, this book will open up the path for you. It will help you verbalize your own feelings. Often when I have read it I think "that sounds just like my thoughts". It just causes my heart to be enlarged, as with joy I give God the praise that is His due. So for my blog this week, I am going to give you the Prayer that she prays on Day 24. It shows how our Lord can use "all things" to work out His perfect will. This prayer is a paraphrasing of certain verses from the Word, which I will list at the end. Any Italics you see will be my own adds.

"Thank You, my loving and sovereign God, that my failures and mistakes and sins are part of the "all things" You work together for good...as well as my tensions and stresses, my hostile and anxious feelings, my regrets, my trips into shame and self-blame--and the specific things that trigger them. I praise You that "all things," including these, can contribute to my spiritual growth and my experience of You...When my heart is overwhelmed, I'm more aware of my need to cry to You...to take refuge in You...to rely on You.

I rejoice that these things keep reminding me to depend on You with all my heart...that they prompt me to trust in Your love, Your forgiveness, Your power, Your sufficiency, Your ability to overrule, and Your transforming presence within me. Thank You for the ways that my shortcomings and failures, and illnesses of the flesh bring pressure on me to open myself to You more fully, and the way they let You show me deep and hidden needs: grief's and hurts that I've never poured out before You, that I've never exposed to Your healing touch, and sins that I've never faced and acknowledged, I give them all to you, My Jesus.
How grateful I am for Your constant cleansing as I confess each sin You make me aware of, and then turn back to You as my Lord. I praise You that I'm free from condemnation simply because Christ died for me and rose again...that it doesn't depend on how well I live. (This is a Wow!)

I praise You for how You use my sins and failures to humble me, and for how this opens me to the inflow of Your Grace (unmerited favor)--amazing Grace, that enables me to hold my head high, not in pride but in humble gratitude for Your undeserved, unchanging love and total cleansing!"

Par. 1 Romans 8:28,29; Psalm 61:2
Par. 2 Proverbs 3:5; Psalm 37:5; 2 Cor. 3:18; I John 1:9
Par. 3 I Peter 5:5; Romans 5:5 (LB)

Can we Lose our Salvation?

2010-03-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

There are some dear christian folk that feel that if we sin, to where we walk away from the Lord, we will lose our Salvation. I have been giving some thought to this, as the reasoning given seems fallible, but I have a hard time accepting it.
First, here are some verses that to me shows this is a permanent event. Salvation is not an on-again, off-again situation.

John 10:28 from the Amplified Version reads "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages (to all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed). And no one is able to snatch (them) out of the Father's hands."
II Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified) "Therefore if any person is (engrafted) in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old has passed away."
Romans 8:38, 39 (Amplified) "For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death or life; nor angels, nor principalities; nor things impending or threatening or things to come, nor powers, nor heights, nor depth, nor anything else in all Creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

There are more, such as the well know John 3:16, where it tells us that "whoever believes in Him shall not perish by have eternal life." It doesn't say eternal life as long as you stay close to me, or give any other conditions. It is 'if you believe you have eternal life'!

A well known writer of today, Beth Moore, has this to say of when she 'fell away'. "I was a young child when I received Christ, and yet I have sinned and failed miserably in my life...every horrible sin I have ever committed has been with the Holy Spirit intact; I was as saved as could be."

A couple of analogies: one being that a child is born into a family. For some reason when the child grows up he leaves home and decides to have no more to do with his past or upbringing. The child and parents never see each other, seldom even know what the other is doing, yet he is still their child. There is no fellowship, no communication, but still there is the fact he is their child. A Biblical example of this is found in Luke 15 with the parable of "The Prodigal Son".

Another analogy is found in Matthew 18:12 and Luke 15, where the shepherd has 100 sheep. One decides to go its own way, wanders off, is lost; but the shepherd does not say, "that is not my sheep anymore". Instead he goes out and finds His sheep. That is His sheep, and He cares and brings it back.

I do not know if everyone we see who has made a profession and then seemingly forgets about God is in this category. Some people will acquiesce to what they are told, but never really accept Jesus as their master and Lord. Even the demons knew who Jesus was, but they did not have Salvation. We must leave this to our Lord who knows the heart.

As for myself, I was like Beth Moore said she was, and I dragged the Holy Spirit along with me. O how it must have grieved Him! This is part of what broke my heart and brought me back to the Savior. That and the fact that it was Jesus precious hands and feet that were pierced for me. It should have been my hands, it should have been my feet, but He took the fall, and gave His all for me.

Thank You Father, that even when I was away from You, You never left me. You have promised to never leave me, and I am held in the palm of Your hand. Amen

The Mind of Christ

2010-02-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

I have often prayed that I would have "The Mind of Christ". This is a deep desire of mine. In II Corinthians 3:18 it states "But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory just as from the Lord, the Spirit." I am to be transformed into the same image! And in Philippians 2:5 it says "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus". So it is telling me that I am able to have a 'mind like His' as well.

What is this 'mind of Christ?' How will I know if I have it? To answer these questions I have jotted down some adjectives to show how one will know they have the 'mind of Christ.

First of all, he will become "alive". He will feel alive and be joyful. In John 10:10 Jesus says: "I came that they might have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)." Romans 8:6 states: "But the mind of the (Holy ) Spirit is Life and Peace (both now and forever)."

Another adjective is "peaceful". Using the same verse of Romans 8:6, we underscore the word 'peace'. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus tells us to come to Him and He will cause 'rest'. In John 14:27 Jesus states He leaves us "His Peace".

Yet another word for the mind of Christ is "Single-minded". Jesus came to earth for the specific reason of doing the Father's will, and to go to the Cross to pay the penalty of sin. In John 17:4 He says in His prayer, "I have glorified You down here on the earth completing the work that You gave Me to do." In Luke 9:51 it shows Jesus had one goal, as it states: "He steadfastly and determinedly set His face to go to Jerusalem."

Jesus was always "lowly". We are told the true spirit of Jesus in Philippians 2:3: "...in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others better than and superior to himself (thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves)."

To have the 'mind of Christ' one must be "pure" as it talks about in Titus 1:15. "To the pure (in heart and conscience) all things are pure..." This should become my natural state, with my mind and imaginations on Him.

One who has the mind of Christ will be 'sensitive and responsive' to the things of God. In Luke 24:45 it says: "Then He (thoroughly) opened up their minds to understand the Scripture." And in Luke 11:1 the disciples desired to know more and asked Jesus to teach them to pray. We should be desirous of having Him continually renewing our minds as we seek to be more like Him.

So, to have the "Mind of Christ" we will be:
1. Alive, joyful
2 Peaceful
3. Single-minded
4. Lowly, humble
5. Pure
6. Responsive to Christ
He was our perfect example for life!

*All Scriptures quoted from Amplified Version of the Holy Bible

AMEN

2010-02-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

The word, Amen, itself, expresses affirmation, equivalent to "so be it". It is also used at the end of a prayer, giving affirmation, and you will find it at the end of many Psalms. David often closed his Psalm with "Amen".

In the New Testament, we find in I Corinthians 14:16 that it is evident that the early church was expected to respond with the spoken "Amen". This is a tradition carried even into our modern day churches.

In Revelation the statement is made "these things saith The Amen." This is using the Hebrew word meaning fixed, truth, or unchangeable. In this verse, used with the article "the" it is another descriptive title of our Lord Jesus, the Son of God.

My Prayer:
You, O Lord, are the Great Amen. Revelation 3:14 calls You "the Amen, the faithful and true Witness..." You are the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. When I say "Amen" I am adding my agreement to what has been said, my way of saying, "may it be so". This is my prayer, may it be done. When David ends the Psalm 72 with a double Amen, he is adding an exclamation! You, the Blessed Lord God, are the "Amen", and to this I add, "Amen, so be it, Your name is glorious forever!"

YOURS IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE GLORY FOREVER

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

Words fail me in describing this phrase of praise to our God. What better way to enlarge upon it than to draw from Scripture.

David says his Praise in Psalm 8:9 with "O Lord our Lord, how excellent (Majestic and glorious) is your name in all the earth." In Psalm 148:13 it states:
"...praise and exalt the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted and supreme! His Glory and Majesty are above earth and heaven." In Psalm 93:1&2 we read "The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty. Your throne is established of old, You are from everlasting..."

Revelation 4:11 talks about the members in heaven, falling prostrate and crying "Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and dominion, for You created all things..." And in Revelation 5:12 we see John the Revelator hearing ten thousand times ten thousand angels saying "Deserving is the Lamb, who was sacrificed, to receive all the power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and majesty and blessing!"

And then from I Chronicles 29:11 from where these words are taken: "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominions, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all."

My Prayer:
O My Lord, You are Majesty! Even Job could only stand in awe when he realized Your Power. You, who made the oceans also made the dew drop. In John 18 You tell Pilate Your Kingdom is not of this world, and in Psalm 93, Your throne is established of old. Your Glory is from everlasting to everlasting. Yet, You tell me Your kingdom is within me (Luke 17:20), and the power of the Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave is within me! Romans 8 gives the promise that I will share in Your Glory. So Lord, Your kingdom, and power and glory which is forever, is also mine forever! The Lord reigns! Hallelujah! Blessed be the name of the Lord! Amen

DO NOT LEAD US INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE

2010-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

In the Amplified Version for Matthew 6:13, it states: "And lead (bring) us not into temptation..." The Message translation reads: "...keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil." God has already provided us with an aid to help us keep from temptation; He has given us the Holy Spirit.

Charles Spurgeon likens this to 'an anchor'. This anchor will help hold us fast when we are heading for the rocks or drifting with every wind of life that comes along. Our own sinful natures are against us when trials come our way; and when the evil one begins throwing his darts of temptations, and trials of the world attack, we must be sure our anchor is deep.

At times our old sinful nature may want to pull us back to where we started. Life may seem too hard and we feel it will be easier to drift backward than to keep fighting forward. When we have our anchor deep we will remain peaceful and at rest and not drift when storms come and temptations assail us.

If we are drifting on our own, the evil one will also try to pull us back, so we must call to the Lord to save us from drifting, save us from the evil one.

From the words of Priscilla Owens:

"We have an anchor that keeps the soul

Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,

Fastened to the Rock which cannot move

Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour's love."

My Prayer:

The answer, Lord, is in James 1:13,14 where it says: "each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed." I don't believe we can even say 'the devil made me do it.' It happens when we turn our gaze from You. As Peter began to sink when he looked around, so we will slip into temptation when we dally with the world and fail to drop our anchor deep. Deliver me from self and Satan, Lord! Keep me focused on You! "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you O Lord, my Redeemer!" Keep my feet on the Rock! Just give me Jesus! Amen

FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS

2010-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some verses showing us how important it is that we forgive others. In Colossians 3:13 we are told to "be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as Christ forgave you." If for no other reason, we should be forgiving because Christ forgave us. How often? Matthew 18:22 states "seventy times seven". If one could even count the times, by the time one reaches 490, it would have become a "Holy Habit" to forgive.

In Matthew 18 our Lord gives His disciples the example of a master forgiving his servant a great debt. The servant in turn was unwilling to forgive a fellow servant and had him thrown in prison. The master was then angry and said that he had forgiven the servant so he in turn should have had mercy on his fellow servant.

Ephesians 4:32 states we should be "forgiving...as God in Christ forgave you."
Mark 11:25 shows how a forgiving spirit is required. From The Message translation it reads: "If you have anything against someone, forgive--only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean."

We see from Scripture, forgiving others is not a suggestion, but it is required.

My Prayer: Lord, I used to puzzle over this. How can I forgive so that You will forgive me? I am the sinner with the inability to do good. Then I realized You are talking to Your children, to me, a joint heir of Christ. If I cannot forgive, then I do not have 'the mind of Christ.' If I do not forgive, then there is a rift between You and me. I have lost my fellowship. As it states in Colossians 3:13 "even as Christ forgave you." You forgave me all, and have looked beyond my fault. How can I do less then to forgive also? The Spirit is in me; I am in Christ, Christ is in the Father. We are one, it is our nature! Amen

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD

2010-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

When the Children of Israel were in the wilderness, they had no means of getting food. God sent them 'manna', bread from Heaven. When Elijah was by the brook Cherith, God sent him bread morning and night, along with meat, to sustain him. When Jesus fed the multitudes, He used bread with the fish. Bread is a very important component to our daily lives. It has nourishment with vitamins and minerals.

Yet, in Deuteronomy 8:3 it says "man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord." God cares for our bodies, and we should thank Him each time we are blessed with our daily food, but more so, we must feed on the "bread of Heaven." The true bread of God is Jesus who comes down from heaven to give us life. We feed on Him by spending time in God's Word every day. I love the Song "Fill My Cup Lord" by Wanda Jackson, and in the chorus it says "Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more--"

My Prayer:
Lord, Just as we need our "daily bread", which is food for the body, so we also need our daily food for the soul from Your Word. I am finding that I must meditate on You and Your Word daily as You are the bread from Heaven who gives life to the soul. When You give Your children a job to do, You provide for the body also, as with the Israelites, or Your prophets, or the widow and the oil. You are the "Bread of Heaven" and I pray to be filled up with You! Just give me Jesus! Amen

YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

2010-01-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

When we pray, our petitions should always be according to God's divine will. And just what is the will of God?

In II Peter 3:9, we are told what it is NOT. He is NOT willing to have any man perish. In Romans it says that "the wages of sin is death", and that "all have sinned". To prevent our having to pay the wages of sin, Jesus took the form of man and died in our place for our sins. If a man perishes it is because the free gift held out to him was not taken. John 6:40 states: "And this is the will of Him that sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes on Him, may have everlasting life..."

In the Old Testament it is stressed several times that God's will is for us to love Him, and to serve Him with all our heart and with all our soul. (Deut. 10:12; Deut 6:5; Micah 6:8)

When we pray we should accept in advance the will of God, knowing it would always be what is right. I John 2:17 states "The world is passing away and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."

Someone has said "Knowing God's Will is relatively simple--doing God's will is where we struggle."

My Prayer:
Lord, I feel I wasted a lot of years because I did not understand your will. I thought to do Your will was to go to a foreign field, or do something spectacular. Since I have been reading my Bible over and over, and spending time with You each day, I find that that may have come for me in time. But first I needed to learn what Your WILL is, as found in Deuteronomy 10:12: "...to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart." And in Matthew 22:37 Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your mind." This is Your greatest will for me and the rest will fall into place. I ask forgiveness for not finding it sooner. When I act upon this, then I will love others and seek to reflect You in all I do. May I glorify You, my Savior and my God. Amen

YOUR KINGDOM COME

2010-01-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

For the past few days I have been pondering the 'Kingdom of God', and wondering how to put this in a few short sentences.

The actual Kingdom of God is wherever God reigns in absolute authority. God's Kingdom covers both time and eternity. For this time, the time we call the 'Age of Grace', He says in Luke 17:21 that the 'kingdom of God is in you." God reigns within each of His children through the Holy Spirit.

While we are still in 'time' God is going to set up His Kingdom on earth for a thousand years with Christ ruling the world. This is where we will find peace on earth, and the lion will lie down with the lamb.

God's Kingdom is not of this world. Jesus said this in John 18:36. In I Corinthians 6 Paul says the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God; but when we were sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God, we inherit the Kingdom for all eternity.

My Prayer:
Lord, Someday there will actually be your Kingdom on earth, where you are the King, and for this time the whole of earth waits. During this age of 'Grace', Luke 17:21 tells me Your Kingdom is within me and the hearts of every believer. I know from Ephesians, that the "Fullness of God" is within me, so I have the whole of the Godhead within me. The Spirit is in me, I am in Christ, Christ is in the Father, I am one with You! I am Your kingdom! Reign in me, O King eternal! Amen

HALLOWED BE THY NAME

2009-12-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

As we continue thinking about 'The Lord's Prayer, after addressing our Father, we should then praise Him. In the Psalms we have excellent examples of how to begin a prayer with praise and worship. In Psalm 8 it begins with "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is your name in all the earth!" Psalm 19 states "The heavens declare the Glory of God"; and in Psalm 27: "The Lord is my Light and my salvation." Psalm 33 begins with "Rejoice in the Lord", and Psalm 103 begins with "Bless the Lord, O my soul". And on it goes throughout the Psalms.

In our Lord's Prayer we cry out to His Holiness: "Hallowed be thy Name!" The word 'hallowed' means 'Holy' and 'Holy' means pure loving nature of God with the absence of evil. Holy is the way God is. He is holy with an infinite, beyond our imagination, fullness of purity. We in our finite beings know nothing like His divine holiness.

Yet it is to His holy name we are taught to pray. He is our Father, and His Name is complete Holiness. In Exodus 15:11 Moses and the Israelites say, "who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" In Revelation 4:8 the Seraphim sang, "Holy holy, holy, Lord God Almighty."

My Prayer to my Holy Father:
There is none like You, O my Lord! When I think of Your holiness and I see myself in the light of Your holiness, I cry "O woe is me!", as did Isaiah; and as Job: "I abhor myself." You are Holy and full of Glory! Yet you are mindful of me! Through the blood of Jesus I can come boldly into Your throne room, entering into the Holy of Holies to praise You and worship You and to seek Your face. You are majesty! I could search through all eternity and find no one like you! You are holy, holy, holy! There is none like You! 'Hallowed be thy Name' Amen

Our Father Who is in Heaven---

2009-12-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

For the next few weeks over the Christmas Season and the New Year's Holidays, we will discuss the prayer our Lord taught His disciples. It is better known as "The Lord's Prayer." This well known prayer is found in Matthew 6:9-13.

Jesus told his disciples that they should pray like this: "Our Father Who is in heaven...". In John 20:17, he referred to His Father as "My Father and your Father", showing that He was not only the Father of Jesus, but also of His disciples and followers and even including me. In Romans 8:15 & 16 Paul says that "...you have received the Spirit of adoption (the Spirit producing sonship) in (the bliss of) which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father! The Spirit Himself (thus) testifies together with our own spirit, (assuring us) that we are children of God." This is quoted from the Amplified translation, giving some added meaning to the verses.

My prayer to my Father: Father, Father, my very own Father! You are Holy! Hallowed and Holy is Your name! And You have accepted me as Your child, a joint heir with Christ. This is all so very incomprehensible to me. Because I am unable to believe this in my finite state, You have given me Your Spirit to give witness to my spirit, and He assures me I am Your child. You are the Living God and You are my Father. Therefore I can cry out to You 'Father, my Father Who is in Heaven!" Amen

GOD IS OMNIPRESENT

2009-12-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Again we have an attribute of God beginning with the prefix 'omni'. Omni gives a universality to the word, a completeness, all inclusive. The word 'present' means right here, close, next to.

God says of Himself in Jeremiah 23:24: "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" He is present in all places.

We have already learned that God is infinite, He is limitless. Therefore we cannot limit His presence. He surrounds and fills all that exists. Hildebart of Lavardin wrote "God is over all things, under all things, outside of all things, within but not enclosed; without but not excluded, above but not raised up, below but not depressed; wholly above presiding; wholly beneath, sustaining, wholly within, filling.

David understood the omnipresence of God as he stated in Psalm 139, "...if I ascend into heaven thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." (vs.7-10)

The thought of the omnipresence of our God should bring the believer a real joy. Perhaps this is what Paul meant when he said "sorrowful yet always rejoicing." Even though the going is rough, the believer will have comfort and therefore a joy knowing our God is present. It is as a child may cry out in pain, even when sheltered in the comfort of its mother's arms. We still may suffer, yet we know we are not alone. God is ever present with us. This precious thought should calm troubled hearts and speak peace to our souls.

1. Truth for Today online: God is Everywhere Present
2. Knowledge of the Holy by A.W.Tozer
3. The heart of CC

GOD IS OMNISCIENT

2009-12-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Of the two words making up the word 'omniscient', we have 'omni' which means "all", and the word 'sciens' which refers to knowing, and also gives us our word in English for 'science'. By putting these two words together we have the word 'omniscient' meaning infinite knowledge, or knowing all things. This can only refer to God, as He only knows all things. He alone possesses perfect knowledge and therefore has no need to learn.

To give some understanding to our Almighty God, we can give the negatives approach by saying what He is not. In the case of omniscience, we would say God has never learned, and He cannot learn. In other attributes, we can say He suffers no change, He cannot lie, He had no beginning, He needs no help, He has no limitations.

God knows all: all thoughts, all creatures, all secrets, all things visible and invisible in heaven and earth. He knows no one thing better than another, but all things equally.

This all knowing, Almighty God, knew each one of us before He created time. He knows all about each of us, our thoughts, our secrets, our infirmities. He is never surprised or amazed.

This fact that God knows each one through and through should cause man to fear God, since He knows all our hidden sins and thoughts. David stated "whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?...If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day." (Psalm 139:7,11,12)

Our Father in heaven knows our frame that it is dust. Jesus took on a human body, and felt the same pain and sorrow we do. His knowledge of us is even more than the fact that He is all knowing, He actually has experienced it and has compassion. Whatever comes our way, or happens to us, God knows all about it and cares for each of us as no one else can.

1. Websters New World Dictionary
2. The Holy Bible
3. The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W.Tozer
4. From the heart of CC