Judges 13
The children of Israel again “did evil.” This is the seventh and last time these two words are used together in the book of Judges. Each time the words are used, they restore peace. The cycles are representative of us. We stray from the Lord. He brings us discipline. We repent. He delivers. We seem to do it over and over again. The judges in a small degree are representative of the Lord Jesus. He is the Great Judge. He is the Great Deliverer. Only He has none of the faults that these other judges had. Notice that through the cycles of the judges, each successive judge seems to have more faults than the previous judge. Each of the periods of peace brought about by the judge is successively shorter than the previous judge.
The Angel of the Lord appears three times in the Book of Judges. This last time He appears to the mother and then father of Samson. Gabriel appeared to Mary and then to Joseph. Jesus was called a Nazarene. Samson was to be a Nazirite. A Nazirite was to abstain from any grape products. He was to never cut his hair. And he was to never touch a dead thing or person. Unlike Samson, who lived according to his fleshly passions leading him to break each of the three nazarite vows, Jesus kept His vows. He came to do the will of the Father. He pursued that will to the point of death on the cross. Like Samson, the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him to deliver His people. In His death and resurrection we have peace with God. Lord, let me walk in Your peace and in Your victory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Rom 2
We all, whether Jew or Greek, are guilty before God. One day God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to the Gospel. I can hide those things about which I am ashamed from people. We all have them. Dirty little secrets about something we are or did long ago or maybe even just yesterday. They bring shame to us and we try to hide them. Oftentimes that shame leads in to even more shameful behavior. One day God will reveal them all by Jesus Christ.
How will He reveal them and judge them? The answer to that question is an indication of His glory. How will he reveal our secrets? He is God. He knows all things. He is able. Isn’t that amazing? This God-man knows everything about me. How will He judge everything He knows? He will judge it according to the Gospel. So many people envision that He will judge by putting all our works and secrets, good and bad in a scale the good on one side and the bad on the other side. But what kind of glory would that be for Him? It just reduces Him to a technician who properly operates a scale. Furthermore it is not even remotely related to the Gospel. It is the Gospel that Paul is revealing here in Romans.
It is the Gospel that brings Him glory. What is the Gospel? He died to pay the penalty for our sin. He rose to set us free from the power of sin. We must trust Him to receive the benefits of His death and resurrection. When He judges the secrets of our hearts it will be according to whether or not we have trusted in Him. If we have, then when He judges the secrets of our hearts, what will be revealed? His death and resurrection is what will be revealed. Then He will say to us, “You are perfect without spot and blemish. Enter into my joy.” If we have not trusted in Him, and he reveals the secrets of our hearts, what will be revealed? Our sin is what will be revealed. Then He will say, “Depart from me you worker of iniquity, I never knew you.”
He is not just a technician manipulating a scale. He is the King of kings who gave Himself for us. He is the Lord of lords who removes our sin by His self sacrifice. There is nothing that could give Him greater glory than judging those innocent who trust Him and guilty those who do not. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
July 29, 2010
Judges 12
God has over and over again been gracious to countries, including ours. Part of the definition of grace is that it is undeserved. The Lord used Jephthah to deliver Israel in spite of the way he lived his life or how he led the people. One would have expected the Ephraimites and Jephthah to have cooperated. Yet the Ephraimites were jealous and attacked. Jephthah retaliated. He was ruthless. When he had the upper hand and had subdued and scattered their army, he took the fords of Jordan and destroyed all Ephraimites seeking to return home. I am obviously not God, but I think I am correct in stating that genocide of the Ephraimite army was a bit excessive. But again, Jephthah was doing what was right in his own eyes. Why didn’t God rebuke or stop him? Jephthah had 30 sons and 30 daughters. Obviously, that does not square with the New Testament teaching of elders being the husband of one wife. Why didn’t God say something? It is the glory of God to use imperfect people to accomplish His plan. Jephthah and his followers were imperfect. Yet God still used them. That is grace.
The American Church today is a very pragmatic church. We usually do what is right in our own eyes. God still uses us. Sometimes it is the work of God. Sometimes it is the product of a well oiled machine. If it is the product of a well oiled machine, is that a work of God? If it is not a work of God, why does God allow it? Why doesn’t he rebuke us? Hmmmm. . . . maybe it is mercy. Maybe it is grace. Lord save me from doing what is right in my own eyes. Let me do only what is right in the light of your glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Romans 1
First and foremost in Paul's mind is Jesus Christ. How does he describe Him? Two ways:
born of the seed of David according to the flesh
and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
There we see it, the perfect balance of His natures. He is both perfect man and God! He is of the seed of David, that is, a direct descendant of King David. What is the standard by which we measure His being a descendant? It is the standard of flesh. He is man. There is no mistaking it. His genealogy could be traced directly from King David to both sets of Parents. But He is more than mere man. He is God. He did not become God but rather already was God when He added the nature of man to His person when He was conceived. But how would we know that He was more than mere man?
After all, He looked, smelled, felt, tasted and sounded like a man. He had all the proper organs and functions of a man. He was born like a man. He grew up like a man. If you told me that you were God before you were born and had added the nature of a man to your Person so that you could give your life a ransom for many, I would think one of three things: 1) You were trying desperately to be funny. 2) You were lying and really did not expect me to believe you. 3) You were insane. How would we know you were God? God would have to declare it. How did God declare that Jesus was God? Perhaps the angels at His birth would be a clue. Maybe the voice and the dove from heaven at His baptism was an indication. Or could it be on the Mount of Transfiguration when His clothes shone with light and Moses and Elijah appeared and the voice once again spoke. Or could it have been on the day of His triumphal entry when Jesus said, "Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” Yet, Paul chose none of these occasions. Paul says Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection. The standard for being measured a man is flesh. The standard for being measured as God is Holiness. Jesus met the standard. How do we know? His resurrection.
If Jesus had simply died and done nothing more, then all the other communications would have been meaningless. Why? Because He would have simply died the death of a mere man. The purpose of His death was to give His life a ransom for many. To pay the ransom He had to pay it in full. If He was mere man then He could only pay the eternal death for one man, because He was only one man. But if He were also eternal God, as a man, He could pay the eternal death for all men because He is eternal. He could then be raised back to life because the debt was paid! His resurrection declares to us that He is eternal God. He paid the debt of sin. He is separate from the rest of us. He is different. He is Holy. He is powerful enough to raise Himself from the dead, and because He raised Himself from the dead, He can raise you and me!
I don't care what bondage I am in. I don't care what bondage you are in. He has the power to raise us up according to the Spirit of holiness! I don't care what my circumstances are; He is greater than my circumstances! Look at what Paul says that His power is. The Gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead. When I look at the things that are made and try to consider the power that produced it and consider that the pre-incarnate Jesus spoke those things into existence, then I am awed by such power. But when I consider further still that the power of the resurrection power, which makes me holy, is even greater still, I am overwhelmed. Oh He is glorious! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor
God has over and over again been gracious to countries, including ours. Part of the definition of grace is that it is undeserved. The Lord used Jephthah to deliver Israel in spite of the way he lived his life or how he led the people. One would have expected the Ephraimites and Jephthah to have cooperated. Yet the Ephraimites were jealous and attacked. Jephthah retaliated. He was ruthless. When he had the upper hand and had subdued and scattered their army, he took the fords of Jordan and destroyed all Ephraimites seeking to return home. I am obviously not God, but I think I am correct in stating that genocide of the Ephraimite army was a bit excessive. But again, Jephthah was doing what was right in his own eyes. Why didn’t God rebuke or stop him? Jephthah had 30 sons and 30 daughters. Obviously, that does not square with the New Testament teaching of elders being the husband of one wife. Why didn’t God say something? It is the glory of God to use imperfect people to accomplish His plan. Jephthah and his followers were imperfect. Yet God still used them. That is grace.
The American Church today is a very pragmatic church. We usually do what is right in our own eyes. God still uses us. Sometimes it is the work of God. Sometimes it is the product of a well oiled machine. If it is the product of a well oiled machine, is that a work of God? If it is not a work of God, why does God allow it? Why doesn’t he rebuke us? Hmmmm. . . . maybe it is mercy. Maybe it is grace. Lord save me from doing what is right in my own eyes. Let me do only what is right in the light of your glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Romans 1
First and foremost in Paul's mind is Jesus Christ. How does he describe Him? Two ways:
born of the seed of David according to the flesh
and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
There we see it, the perfect balance of His natures. He is both perfect man and God! He is of the seed of David, that is, a direct descendant of King David. What is the standard by which we measure His being a descendant? It is the standard of flesh. He is man. There is no mistaking it. His genealogy could be traced directly from King David to both sets of Parents. But He is more than mere man. He is God. He did not become God but rather already was God when He added the nature of man to His person when He was conceived. But how would we know that He was more than mere man?
After all, He looked, smelled, felt, tasted and sounded like a man. He had all the proper organs and functions of a man. He was born like a man. He grew up like a man. If you told me that you were God before you were born and had added the nature of a man to your Person so that you could give your life a ransom for many, I would think one of three things: 1) You were trying desperately to be funny. 2) You were lying and really did not expect me to believe you. 3) You were insane. How would we know you were God? God would have to declare it. How did God declare that Jesus was God? Perhaps the angels at His birth would be a clue. Maybe the voice and the dove from heaven at His baptism was an indication. Or could it be on the Mount of Transfiguration when His clothes shone with light and Moses and Elijah appeared and the voice once again spoke. Or could it have been on the day of His triumphal entry when Jesus said, "Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” Yet, Paul chose none of these occasions. Paul says Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection. The standard for being measured a man is flesh. The standard for being measured as God is Holiness. Jesus met the standard. How do we know? His resurrection.
If Jesus had simply died and done nothing more, then all the other communications would have been meaningless. Why? Because He would have simply died the death of a mere man. The purpose of His death was to give His life a ransom for many. To pay the ransom He had to pay it in full. If He was mere man then He could only pay the eternal death for one man, because He was only one man. But if He were also eternal God, as a man, He could pay the eternal death for all men because He is eternal. He could then be raised back to life because the debt was paid! His resurrection declares to us that He is eternal God. He paid the debt of sin. He is separate from the rest of us. He is different. He is Holy. He is powerful enough to raise Himself from the dead, and because He raised Himself from the dead, He can raise you and me!
I don't care what bondage I am in. I don't care what bondage you are in. He has the power to raise us up according to the Spirit of holiness! I don't care what my circumstances are; He is greater than my circumstances! Look at what Paul says that His power is. The Gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead. When I look at the things that are made and try to consider the power that produced it and consider that the pre-incarnate Jesus spoke those things into existence, then I am awed by such power. But when I consider further still that the power of the resurrection power, which makes me holy, is even greater still, I am overwhelmed. Oh He is glorious! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
July 28, 2010
Judges 11
Have you ever stopped to consider the importance of a vow before the Lord? Vows are extremely important to the Lord. But does he expect us to keep a rash vow? Vows are a reflection of our character. They reflect faithfulness and truth. If we do not keep vows then it reflects upon how faithful and true we are. But what if we make a vow without understanding its implications? Does God expect us to keep it then? What if that vow, made without understanding its implications, would lead us, if we fulfilled it, to do something that is morally reprehensible? Is there a line where it is not morally reprehensible enough such that we do it anyway? When have we crossed that line? Why does the Lord care? He cares because He is faithful and true. He cares because He created us to reflect what He is like. Would He want us to do something morally reprehensible in order to carry out a vow made when we did not understand its implications?
Jepthah made a vow to sacrifice the first thing that he saw coming out of his house when he returned from battle if the Lord would make him victorious. The Lord made him victorious. His daughter was the first thing that he saw coming out of his house. Would the Lord expect such a morally reprehensible act to be carried out? Yet the Scripture remains silent on whether or not God wanted Jepthah’s daughter to be sacrificed. Or does it? Twice in the book it is recorded, “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” In Deuteronomy 12:8, Moses warns the people to not do what was right in their own eyes. Proverbs 12:15 says that the way of a fool is right in his own eyes. Did God want Jepthah to sacrifice his own daughter or give her over to permanent virginity? (Both interpretations are set forth.) I don’t think God wanted or demanded either option. So to argue which option that He wanted is rather pointless.
So what did God want? Here is a prime example of a man doing what was right in his own eyes instead of looking at the glory of the Lord. Yes, God wants us to keep our vows. It keeps us reflecting His justice, faithfulness and truth. But there come times when He wants us to reflect mercy and grace. Had Jepthah brought His dilemma to the Lord, I believe that the Lord would have given him an option that would have reflected justice, faithfulness, truth, mercy and grace all at the same time. After all, is that not what He has done for us in the Lord Jesus Christ? Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 28,
This is church planting at its most amazing. And it is so because Jesus designed it from beginning to end. He didn't stop the storm! I wonder if Paul asked him to stop it. He wrecked the ship! He did warn Paul that everything would be all right. He allowed a deadly viper to bite Paul! He prevented the bite from harming Paul. The father of the magistrate of the island lay sick and had dysentery. In those days people frequently died with dysentery. Paul prayed for him, and the Lord raised him up. Do you think anyone on the Island believed? I am sure that Paul left a young church behind.
Paul was delivered over to the captain of the guard. This is probably Afranius Burrus, who judged the cases for Nero. For two years Paul was under house arrest. Soldiers of the Praetorian Guard (the personal troops of Caesar) watched him constantly. He had a constant captive audience. Do you think Paul witnessed to them? I am sure he did. Do you think any of them gave their lives to Christ? I am sure a few did. The letter of Philippians was probably written from Rome. Philippi was a Roman colony in Macedonia. Listen to what Paul tells them in 1:12-14 (the word palace refers to the Praetorian):
But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
The leaders of the Jews came to him. He proclaimed Jesus to them. Some believed; others rejected the message. Paul concludes with quoting Isaiah on the obstinacies of His people and saying, "Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!" We began the book of Acts with Jesus telling His disciples that they would be witnesses to the ends of the earth. They were near a city on the outer reaches of the Roman Empire. Outside of a 200 mile radius, almost nobody had ever heard of Jesus. Less than the 30 years later, the Gospel has traveled to the very heart of the empire to Rome itself and is becoming embedded in Caesar's own guard. Tens of thousands, if not hundreds, have embraced Christ. The Gospel is spreading like wildfire! Why? Because His disciples are filled with His Holy Spirit and they speak the glories of Christ! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Have you ever stopped to consider the importance of a vow before the Lord? Vows are extremely important to the Lord. But does he expect us to keep a rash vow? Vows are a reflection of our character. They reflect faithfulness and truth. If we do not keep vows then it reflects upon how faithful and true we are. But what if we make a vow without understanding its implications? Does God expect us to keep it then? What if that vow, made without understanding its implications, would lead us, if we fulfilled it, to do something that is morally reprehensible? Is there a line where it is not morally reprehensible enough such that we do it anyway? When have we crossed that line? Why does the Lord care? He cares because He is faithful and true. He cares because He created us to reflect what He is like. Would He want us to do something morally reprehensible in order to carry out a vow made when we did not understand its implications?
Jepthah made a vow to sacrifice the first thing that he saw coming out of his house when he returned from battle if the Lord would make him victorious. The Lord made him victorious. His daughter was the first thing that he saw coming out of his house. Would the Lord expect such a morally reprehensible act to be carried out? Yet the Scripture remains silent on whether or not God wanted Jepthah’s daughter to be sacrificed. Or does it? Twice in the book it is recorded, “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” In Deuteronomy 12:8, Moses warns the people to not do what was right in their own eyes. Proverbs 12:15 says that the way of a fool is right in his own eyes. Did God want Jepthah to sacrifice his own daughter or give her over to permanent virginity? (Both interpretations are set forth.) I don’t think God wanted or demanded either option. So to argue which option that He wanted is rather pointless.
So what did God want? Here is a prime example of a man doing what was right in his own eyes instead of looking at the glory of the Lord. Yes, God wants us to keep our vows. It keeps us reflecting His justice, faithfulness and truth. But there come times when He wants us to reflect mercy and grace. Had Jepthah brought His dilemma to the Lord, I believe that the Lord would have given him an option that would have reflected justice, faithfulness, truth, mercy and grace all at the same time. After all, is that not what He has done for us in the Lord Jesus Christ? Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 28,
This is church planting at its most amazing. And it is so because Jesus designed it from beginning to end. He didn't stop the storm! I wonder if Paul asked him to stop it. He wrecked the ship! He did warn Paul that everything would be all right. He allowed a deadly viper to bite Paul! He prevented the bite from harming Paul. The father of the magistrate of the island lay sick and had dysentery. In those days people frequently died with dysentery. Paul prayed for him, and the Lord raised him up. Do you think anyone on the Island believed? I am sure that Paul left a young church behind.
Paul was delivered over to the captain of the guard. This is probably Afranius Burrus, who judged the cases for Nero. For two years Paul was under house arrest. Soldiers of the Praetorian Guard (the personal troops of Caesar) watched him constantly. He had a constant captive audience. Do you think Paul witnessed to them? I am sure he did. Do you think any of them gave their lives to Christ? I am sure a few did. The letter of Philippians was probably written from Rome. Philippi was a Roman colony in Macedonia. Listen to what Paul tells them in 1:12-14 (the word palace refers to the Praetorian):
But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
The leaders of the Jews came to him. He proclaimed Jesus to them. Some believed; others rejected the message. Paul concludes with quoting Isaiah on the obstinacies of His people and saying, "Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!" We began the book of Acts with Jesus telling His disciples that they would be witnesses to the ends of the earth. They were near a city on the outer reaches of the Roman Empire. Outside of a 200 mile radius, almost nobody had ever heard of Jesus. Less than the 30 years later, the Gospel has traveled to the very heart of the empire to Rome itself and is becoming embedded in Caesar's own guard. Tens of thousands, if not hundreds, have embraced Christ. The Gospel is spreading like wildfire! Why? Because His disciples are filled with His Holy Spirit and they speak the glories of Christ! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
July 27, 2010
Judges 10
We are so fickle. We as people are constantly turning to other gods to meet our desires or needs. The Lord is a forgiving God, but there comes a time when He says, “No more. I will no longer forgive.” There is a line that is drawn somewhere. We cannot cross that line. If there were not a line, He would not be glorious. But there is a line, and we must be careful not to cross it or crowd it. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 27:27-44
Wow, 276 persons on this ship! That is a big ship. The soldiers' (plural) plan was to kill the prisoners, but the centurion prevented them. Do you suppose the whole unit was going home--all 100? FF Bruce suggests that Julius was a centurion assigned to oversee the shipping of grain to troops. That would explain the ship going from Alexandria to Rome and all of the presence of the grain. The details are not certain, but this is certain: 276 persons go down with the ship, and not one lost his life as the Lord promised. Now there is glory in that! The Lord took them through the shipwreck. He will take us through our storms as well. And if we permit Him, He will show His glory in the process. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
We are so fickle. We as people are constantly turning to other gods to meet our desires or needs. The Lord is a forgiving God, but there comes a time when He says, “No more. I will no longer forgive.” There is a line that is drawn somewhere. We cannot cross that line. If there were not a line, He would not be glorious. But there is a line, and we must be careful not to cross it or crowd it. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 27:27-44
Wow, 276 persons on this ship! That is a big ship. The soldiers' (plural) plan was to kill the prisoners, but the centurion prevented them. Do you suppose the whole unit was going home--all 100? FF Bruce suggests that Julius was a centurion assigned to oversee the shipping of grain to troops. That would explain the ship going from Alexandria to Rome and all of the presence of the grain. The details are not certain, but this is certain: 276 persons go down with the ship, and not one lost his life as the Lord promised. Now there is glory in that! The Lord took them through the shipwreck. He will take us through our storms as well. And if we permit Him, He will show His glory in the process. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Monday, July 26, 2010
July 26, 2010
Judges 9
Sometimes we look around and see all the evil and ask, “Why does God allow the evil to continue?” Judges is a prime example. Why did God allow the evil of the Israelites? Why did God allow Gideon to have multiple wives and children? Why did God allow Abimelech to kill 69 brothers? Why did God allow Abimelech to kill thousands of people of Shechem? Why? Why? Why? The answer is simple, if not too satisfying. God allowed it in order to demonstrate to us that evil eventually turns upon itself. Love builds up. Evil destroys. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 27:1-26
A regiment or cohort was made up of 600 men. A legion had 10 regiments or cohorts. At this time Caesarea had 5 regiments stationed in Caesarea (3,000 soldiers). I wonder why this centurion (a man in charge of 100 men) was chosen for the task of taking Paul to Rome. Do you suppose his tour of duty was up? Or maybe it was just one task among many, and he was expecting to return to Caesarea after delivering Paul? Whatever the case, he treated Paul kindly. He was probably pleased and anxious to be going home.
Paul had inside information on the weather. He knew the One who controls the weather. And apparently Jesus had given Paul some kind of insight (whether natural or supernatural, the Scripture does not say at this point) into the fate of voyage. But the centurion was anxious to get home, and the helmsman and owner of the boat thought they could make it before the winter weather became too foul. The storm came and was so severe for so long that everyone on the ship had given up, "all hope that we would be saved." Jesus controls the weather. In this case, He brought bad weather to reveal His glory. He revealed his plan to Paul and Paul stood before the ship's crew and occupants and spoke the glory of Christ. They would be saved but the ship would be run aground on a certain island. Even on the way to Caesar, God had plans for Paul to preach the gospel to this crew and the inhabitants of the island.
Can we stand in the midst of the storm and speak the glory of Christ and trust that our Lord controls the storm and we will be saved? When we are on His mission, we can. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Sometimes we look around and see all the evil and ask, “Why does God allow the evil to continue?” Judges is a prime example. Why did God allow the evil of the Israelites? Why did God allow Gideon to have multiple wives and children? Why did God allow Abimelech to kill 69 brothers? Why did God allow Abimelech to kill thousands of people of Shechem? Why? Why? Why? The answer is simple, if not too satisfying. God allowed it in order to demonstrate to us that evil eventually turns upon itself. Love builds up. Evil destroys. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 27:1-26
A regiment or cohort was made up of 600 men. A legion had 10 regiments or cohorts. At this time Caesarea had 5 regiments stationed in Caesarea (3,000 soldiers). I wonder why this centurion (a man in charge of 100 men) was chosen for the task of taking Paul to Rome. Do you suppose his tour of duty was up? Or maybe it was just one task among many, and he was expecting to return to Caesarea after delivering Paul? Whatever the case, he treated Paul kindly. He was probably pleased and anxious to be going home.
Paul had inside information on the weather. He knew the One who controls the weather. And apparently Jesus had given Paul some kind of insight (whether natural or supernatural, the Scripture does not say at this point) into the fate of voyage. But the centurion was anxious to get home, and the helmsman and owner of the boat thought they could make it before the winter weather became too foul. The storm came and was so severe for so long that everyone on the ship had given up, "all hope that we would be saved." Jesus controls the weather. In this case, He brought bad weather to reveal His glory. He revealed his plan to Paul and Paul stood before the ship's crew and occupants and spoke the glory of Christ. They would be saved but the ship would be run aground on a certain island. Even on the way to Caesar, God had plans for Paul to preach the gospel to this crew and the inhabitants of the island.
Can we stand in the midst of the storm and speak the glory of Christ and trust that our Lord controls the storm and we will be saved? When we are on His mission, we can. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
July 25, 2010
Acts 26
Paul didn’t mince any words with Agrippa. He stuck to the facts. He talked of how he had seen the glory of Christ on the road to Damascus. He spoke of the mission that Jesus had given him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. He closed it with the Scriptural fact that the glory of Christ was that he suffered, died and rose again. This fact of the glory of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the light, who brings life to the dark death around us.
I serve a risen Savior. He’s in the world today.
I know that He is living, whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy. I hear His voice of cheer.
And just the time I need Him, He’s always near.
He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along the narrow way!
He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart!
Agrippa II said, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." Why almost? The saddest statement about humans is that the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ can be eloquently and unmistakably laid out before us and we still prefer what we have over Him. We would say with Satan in Milton's Paradise Lost, "Better to rule in hell than serve in heaven."
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was foretold by the Scripture. It is the most attestable single fact of history. The power of the risen Christ continues to change lives today. It is the single most powerful force in cultural change in the world today. Why? Because it is the truth. And the truth sets people free! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Paul didn’t mince any words with Agrippa. He stuck to the facts. He talked of how he had seen the glory of Christ on the road to Damascus. He spoke of the mission that Jesus had given him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. He closed it with the Scriptural fact that the glory of Christ was that he suffered, died and rose again. This fact of the glory of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the light, who brings life to the dark death around us.
I serve a risen Savior. He’s in the world today.
I know that He is living, whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy. I hear His voice of cheer.
And just the time I need Him, He’s always near.
He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along the narrow way!
He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart!
Agrippa II said, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." Why almost? The saddest statement about humans is that the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ can be eloquently and unmistakably laid out before us and we still prefer what we have over Him. We would say with Satan in Milton's Paradise Lost, "Better to rule in hell than serve in heaven."
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was foretold by the Scripture. It is the most attestable single fact of history. The power of the risen Christ continues to change lives today. It is the single most powerful force in cultural change in the world today. Why? Because it is the truth. And the truth sets people free! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
July 24, 2010
Acts 25
First Lysias, then Felix, then Festus, then King Agrippa, Paul is beginning to rack up a veritable “Who’s Who” of people to whom he has given his defense. Every time the only thing that surfaces is that Paul believes in a certain dead man named Jesus whom Paul asserts to be alive. In this Jesus is glorified, when the only evil that people can speak of us it that we believe in the resurrection of Jesus. What was Paul guilty of? Healing the sick, raising the dead but His greatest crime was believing in the resurrection and preaching it. May His tribe increase! Soon Paul will have opportunity to speak the glory of Christ to Caesar. Who was this Agrippa? This Agrippa was the son of Herod Agrippa I and great-grandson of Herod the Great. Herod Agrippa I was the one who persecuted the Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 12:1–23) during his reign in Judea from A.D. 41 until his death in A.D. 44. You remember the guy. God struck him with worms because he did not give God glory. Agrippa 1 died. If I were Agrippa II, I think I would give Paul a serious hearing. Guess we’ll find out tomorrow. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
First Lysias, then Felix, then Festus, then King Agrippa, Paul is beginning to rack up a veritable “Who’s Who” of people to whom he has given his defense. Every time the only thing that surfaces is that Paul believes in a certain dead man named Jesus whom Paul asserts to be alive. In this Jesus is glorified, when the only evil that people can speak of us it that we believe in the resurrection of Jesus. What was Paul guilty of? Healing the sick, raising the dead but His greatest crime was believing in the resurrection and preaching it. May His tribe increase! Soon Paul will have opportunity to speak the glory of Christ to Caesar. Who was this Agrippa? This Agrippa was the son of Herod Agrippa I and great-grandson of Herod the Great. Herod Agrippa I was the one who persecuted the Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 12:1–23) during his reign in Judea from A.D. 41 until his death in A.D. 44. You remember the guy. God struck him with worms because he did not give God glory. Agrippa 1 died. If I were Agrippa II, I think I would give Paul a serious hearing. Guess we’ll find out tomorrow. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Friday, July 23, 2010
July 23, 2010
Judges 6
Do you ever think of the Lord as having a sense of humor? I do. I think it is part of His glory. Do my dogs laugh? I am not sure. Sometimes I think they understand humor. Sometimes I wonder. Is having the ability to laugh and tell jokes part of the Divine image reflected in us? I certainly think that the Lord is having a good time of teasing with Gideon here. I mean think about it! This is a horrible situation in which the Children of Israel and Gideon find themselves. Gideon is threshing his wheat crop by hiding it in a wine press so that no one will know that he has harvested his crop. How does the Lord address him? “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” The irony is lost on Gideon. Sometimes when things are really bad, we need a little humor in the situation to lighten things up. Sometimes when we are really down, we don’t get the humor. Gideon sees only the problem. He ignores the mighty-man-of-valor part; although, He is ready for an argument about the part of God being with him.
Have you ever been there? I have. He has been reduced to hiding in a wine press in order thresh his wheat. Wheat is normally threshed at a place where the wind blows, like a hilltop. As the grain was tossed into the air, the wind would carry away the lighter, unwanted parts of the wheat plant. This would make it easier to separate the grain kernel from the rest. Hence, an open space was more desirable, but open spaces, especially hill tops are easily seen and observed from a distance. Winepresses on the other hand would be protected from the wind so as not to blow impurities into the freshly squeezed grape juice. A wine press would be a perfect place to hide while threshing wheat. Been there? Your circumstances reduce you to hiding. God is with me? I don’t think so.
Gideon still senses that there is something divine about his visitor. So, he prepares a sacrifice. The sacrifice is miraculously consumed in fire. Gideon now has a greater problem. He complained openly in the face of God. He knows how the Lord responded to his ancestors when they complained. He knew that he was in trouble. How does God respond? “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” That is the glory of our Lord; even when we deserve death, He gives us opportunity to live. The Lord, lovingly, humorously and patiently brought Gideon to Himself. He does the same with us. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 24
Felix’s wife, Drusilla, was a Jewess. Through her, Felix must have had some kind of awareness of the standard of the Law of God. He was also a Gentile—the kind of person to whom the Lord had sent Paul. He was also the governor, a man exerting great influence in Israel. He was also crooked—looking for money from Paul to release him when he knew full well that there was not enough evidence to convict Paul. So, of what did Paul speak when he had his conversations with Felix? I think he spoke of the glory of Christ. “Wait a minute!” you say, “The Bible says they spoke of righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come.”
Do you remember what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit? He said, “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He . . . shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you.” (John 16:14) And a little earlier He said, “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment. Concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.” (John 16:8-11)
What was Paul discussing with Felix?
1. Righteousness—How do we know what righteousness is? Well certainly with a Jewish wife Felix had opportunity to explore the Jewish law. But since she had married a Gentile, it is clear that there was at least one aspect of the Law to which she did not hold—marrying a Gentile. Perhaps her Jewishness was only a cultural exterior and the righteousness of the Law was not all that important to her. How was he to know what righteousness was? There was Jewish Law, there was Roman law, there were a multitude of gods, religions, philosophies to study. The Greeks are famous for their various philosophies and gods. I am convinced that Paul spoke not only out of the Jewish Law but also of the person of Jesus Christ. The standard of righteousness that Jesus presents in the Sermon on the Mount is unattainable. It was Paul who wrote of Jesus to the Corinthians, while in Ephesus, probably not more than a year before this imprisonment, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The way we know righteousness is that the Holy Spirit convicts us of the righteousness of Christ.
2. Sin—No one likes to be convicted of sin. That is why we run from God. Sin is an indication of a lack of self-control. Everyone of us lacks self-control in at least one area of our life—some more than others. The good news of Jesus is that self-control can be obtained, when we believe, trust, in Him. Felix knew he lacked self-control and he did not want to trust in a dead man he had never met even if He was living again.
3. Judgment—Part of Felix’s job as a governor was serving as a judge. That is why he had met Paul. Paul spoke of judgment. I believe he spoke of the judgment of Christ. Jesus is the righteous judge in contrast to Felix who was looking for a bribe. Jesus is able to change lives so that self control is a possibility. Jesus has already judged Satan, the ruler of this world. All those who refuse to come under the protection of Jesus will fall under the judgment of Satan.
No wonder Felix became frightened! Paul had expounded the glories of Jesus’ righteousness, sin and judgment. Felix did not want to trust in Jesus. The clear implication was that unless he repented, he would fall under the judgment of the ruler of this world, Satan. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Do you ever think of the Lord as having a sense of humor? I do. I think it is part of His glory. Do my dogs laugh? I am not sure. Sometimes I think they understand humor. Sometimes I wonder. Is having the ability to laugh and tell jokes part of the Divine image reflected in us? I certainly think that the Lord is having a good time of teasing with Gideon here. I mean think about it! This is a horrible situation in which the Children of Israel and Gideon find themselves. Gideon is threshing his wheat crop by hiding it in a wine press so that no one will know that he has harvested his crop. How does the Lord address him? “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” The irony is lost on Gideon. Sometimes when things are really bad, we need a little humor in the situation to lighten things up. Sometimes when we are really down, we don’t get the humor. Gideon sees only the problem. He ignores the mighty-man-of-valor part; although, He is ready for an argument about the part of God being with him.
Have you ever been there? I have. He has been reduced to hiding in a wine press in order thresh his wheat. Wheat is normally threshed at a place where the wind blows, like a hilltop. As the grain was tossed into the air, the wind would carry away the lighter, unwanted parts of the wheat plant. This would make it easier to separate the grain kernel from the rest. Hence, an open space was more desirable, but open spaces, especially hill tops are easily seen and observed from a distance. Winepresses on the other hand would be protected from the wind so as not to blow impurities into the freshly squeezed grape juice. A wine press would be a perfect place to hide while threshing wheat. Been there? Your circumstances reduce you to hiding. God is with me? I don’t think so.
Gideon still senses that there is something divine about his visitor. So, he prepares a sacrifice. The sacrifice is miraculously consumed in fire. Gideon now has a greater problem. He complained openly in the face of God. He knows how the Lord responded to his ancestors when they complained. He knew that he was in trouble. How does God respond? “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” That is the glory of our Lord; even when we deserve death, He gives us opportunity to live. The Lord, lovingly, humorously and patiently brought Gideon to Himself. He does the same with us. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 24
Felix’s wife, Drusilla, was a Jewess. Through her, Felix must have had some kind of awareness of the standard of the Law of God. He was also a Gentile—the kind of person to whom the Lord had sent Paul. He was also the governor, a man exerting great influence in Israel. He was also crooked—looking for money from Paul to release him when he knew full well that there was not enough evidence to convict Paul. So, of what did Paul speak when he had his conversations with Felix? I think he spoke of the glory of Christ. “Wait a minute!” you say, “The Bible says they spoke of righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come.”
Do you remember what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit? He said, “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He . . . shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you.” (John 16:14) And a little earlier He said, “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment. Concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.” (John 16:8-11)
What was Paul discussing with Felix?
1. Righteousness—How do we know what righteousness is? Well certainly with a Jewish wife Felix had opportunity to explore the Jewish law. But since she had married a Gentile, it is clear that there was at least one aspect of the Law to which she did not hold—marrying a Gentile. Perhaps her Jewishness was only a cultural exterior and the righteousness of the Law was not all that important to her. How was he to know what righteousness was? There was Jewish Law, there was Roman law, there were a multitude of gods, religions, philosophies to study. The Greeks are famous for their various philosophies and gods. I am convinced that Paul spoke not only out of the Jewish Law but also of the person of Jesus Christ. The standard of righteousness that Jesus presents in the Sermon on the Mount is unattainable. It was Paul who wrote of Jesus to the Corinthians, while in Ephesus, probably not more than a year before this imprisonment, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The way we know righteousness is that the Holy Spirit convicts us of the righteousness of Christ.
2. Sin—No one likes to be convicted of sin. That is why we run from God. Sin is an indication of a lack of self-control. Everyone of us lacks self-control in at least one area of our life—some more than others. The good news of Jesus is that self-control can be obtained, when we believe, trust, in Him. Felix knew he lacked self-control and he did not want to trust in a dead man he had never met even if He was living again.
3. Judgment—Part of Felix’s job as a governor was serving as a judge. That is why he had met Paul. Paul spoke of judgment. I believe he spoke of the judgment of Christ. Jesus is the righteous judge in contrast to Felix who was looking for a bribe. Jesus is able to change lives so that self control is a possibility. Jesus has already judged Satan, the ruler of this world. All those who refuse to come under the protection of Jesus will fall under the judgment of Satan.
No wonder Felix became frightened! Paul had expounded the glories of Jesus’ righteousness, sin and judgment. Felix did not want to trust in Jesus. The clear implication was that unless he repented, he would fall under the judgment of the ruler of this world, Satan. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
July 22, 2010
Acts 23:16-35
Life is full of the mundane and occasionally intrigues. Certainly Paul's life was. Do you ever stop to think that the Lord sometimes controls even the intrigue going on around us? The Council leaders had plotted to kill Paul. They had already done it with Jesus, James the brother of John, and had tried it with Peter, but the Lord foiled it. Now, they are trying it with Paul. But as we saw yesterday, the Lord was not done with Paul yet. He still had an appointment to keep with Caesar. How was Paul going to get from a Jerusalem prison to Rome? And once in Rome, how would he ever get an audience with Caesar? This intrigue sets in motion a series of events the gets Paul a free boat ride to Caesar. God uses Paul's nephew to unveil the plot. Paul's sister did not come--probably because it would have been too obvious. Perhaps she did not even know about the plot. The Scripture says the commander took the boy by the hand and went aside. That tells me he was fairly young, probably not teen-aged years yet--at least, I wouldn't take a teen-aged boy by the hand. But the boy comes by himself and gives a fairly eloquent report. The Scripture calls him a young man. He must have had his bar mitzvah already. He was probably around 12. Was Paul's sister's son a believer? Or was he just looking after his family? Since Paul had been quite influential before he met Jesus, it is quite likely that his sister was married to someone of an influential rank. Perhaps her husband sat on the council, or at least still had friends or acquaintances who sat on the council. Whatever the case may be, the Lord used his enemies to get Paul a ticket to see Caesar. Not first class accommodations but, they will do. This is kind of mundane. Yet, our Lord works in it. If we look, He is working in the mundane around us. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Life is full of the mundane and occasionally intrigues. Certainly Paul's life was. Do you ever stop to think that the Lord sometimes controls even the intrigue going on around us? The Council leaders had plotted to kill Paul. They had already done it with Jesus, James the brother of John, and had tried it with Peter, but the Lord foiled it. Now, they are trying it with Paul. But as we saw yesterday, the Lord was not done with Paul yet. He still had an appointment to keep with Caesar. How was Paul going to get from a Jerusalem prison to Rome? And once in Rome, how would he ever get an audience with Caesar? This intrigue sets in motion a series of events the gets Paul a free boat ride to Caesar. God uses Paul's nephew to unveil the plot. Paul's sister did not come--probably because it would have been too obvious. Perhaps she did not even know about the plot. The Scripture says the commander took the boy by the hand and went aside. That tells me he was fairly young, probably not teen-aged years yet--at least, I wouldn't take a teen-aged boy by the hand. But the boy comes by himself and gives a fairly eloquent report. The Scripture calls him a young man. He must have had his bar mitzvah already. He was probably around 12. Was Paul's sister's son a believer? Or was he just looking after his family? Since Paul had been quite influential before he met Jesus, it is quite likely that his sister was married to someone of an influential rank. Perhaps her husband sat on the council, or at least still had friends or acquaintances who sat on the council. Whatever the case may be, the Lord used his enemies to get Paul a ticket to see Caesar. Not first class accommodations but, they will do. This is kind of mundane. Yet, our Lord works in it. If we look, He is working in the mundane around us. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
July 21, 2010
Acts 23:1-15
Perhaps this was why Paul wanted to come to Jerusalem. He wanted just one chance to preach to the Council leaders. Now he has it. Perhaps it wasn't quite as he imagined it in his mind. Perhaps he thought it would be a little more amiable rather than under the careful watch of the Roman Commander. He gets one sentence out and is commanded to be struck by one of them. Paul, always alert to the demands of the law, recognizes the unlawfulness of the command and curses the person for disobeying the law. At which point he is reprimanded for speaking evil of the High Priest. The High Priest must not have been in his clerical robes, for Paul did not recognize him as such. He's done it now. Open mouth insert foot. Is there a way out of this? He uses a Scripture verse and makes an apology. Paul skillfully recognizes that he can use party alliances to proclaim the glory of Jesus. So, he speaks of the resurrection. Immediately, the council splits into an old feud concerning the resurrection. But rather than gaining an opportunity to expound on the resurrection of Jesus, the council degenerates into chaos. The Roman commander is forced to once again to rescue Paul from the clutches of the religious leaders.
It didn't go well to say the least. He didn't really get his opportunity to preach Jesus. Were it not for his Roman citizenship, the Roman commander would probably not have rescued him. Oh well, now there is more time to sit in a cell and think about the problem. I am sure he needed some really strong encouragement. His planned mission trip to Spain is now indefinitely on hold. His need for encouragement is now so strong that the Lord does something that He very rarely does--even for apostles. I mean, the Lord has never personally stood by my bed at night to cheer me up. But then, I've never been in jail for preaching the gospel either. Where do we see the glory of the Lord in this? When we are trying desperately to advance His cause, when we are in our deepest pit, when we have made a mess of things, He is with us. Not only is He with us but He will still accomplish His purpose when we have messed it up. Paul got his desire to bear witness to the council. And now, the Lord is about to give him (a couple of years down the road) an audience with Caesar himself and along the way he will be able to witness to many influential rulers and soldiers, who will in turn spread the gospel as they go. May each one of us be able to open our mouths and insert our feet with such effectiveness! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Perhaps this was why Paul wanted to come to Jerusalem. He wanted just one chance to preach to the Council leaders. Now he has it. Perhaps it wasn't quite as he imagined it in his mind. Perhaps he thought it would be a little more amiable rather than under the careful watch of the Roman Commander. He gets one sentence out and is commanded to be struck by one of them. Paul, always alert to the demands of the law, recognizes the unlawfulness of the command and curses the person for disobeying the law. At which point he is reprimanded for speaking evil of the High Priest. The High Priest must not have been in his clerical robes, for Paul did not recognize him as such. He's done it now. Open mouth insert foot. Is there a way out of this? He uses a Scripture verse and makes an apology. Paul skillfully recognizes that he can use party alliances to proclaim the glory of Jesus. So, he speaks of the resurrection. Immediately, the council splits into an old feud concerning the resurrection. But rather than gaining an opportunity to expound on the resurrection of Jesus, the council degenerates into chaos. The Roman commander is forced to once again to rescue Paul from the clutches of the religious leaders.
It didn't go well to say the least. He didn't really get his opportunity to preach Jesus. Were it not for his Roman citizenship, the Roman commander would probably not have rescued him. Oh well, now there is more time to sit in a cell and think about the problem. I am sure he needed some really strong encouragement. His planned mission trip to Spain is now indefinitely on hold. His need for encouragement is now so strong that the Lord does something that He very rarely does--even for apostles. I mean, the Lord has never personally stood by my bed at night to cheer me up. But then, I've never been in jail for preaching the gospel either. Where do we see the glory of the Lord in this? When we are trying desperately to advance His cause, when we are in our deepest pit, when we have made a mess of things, He is with us. Not only is He with us but He will still accomplish His purpose when we have messed it up. Paul got his desire to bear witness to the council. And now, the Lord is about to give him (a couple of years down the road) an audience with Caesar himself and along the way he will be able to witness to many influential rulers and soldiers, who will in turn spread the gospel as they go. May each one of us be able to open our mouths and insert our feet with such effectiveness! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
July 20, 2010
Judges 3
“Carpe Diem!” “Seize the Day!” Was Ehud simply a daring and courageous opportunist? Or, was he so enamored with the glory of God that he saw God in the opportunity? Perhaps it is something like this to which Jesus referred in Matthew 11:12. There are classically two ways to interpret Jesus’ statement. I am not quite sure which one is correct. The one that I tend to shy away from interprets it as Jesus saying, “The kingdom is pressing forward vigorously, and the vigorous seize it eagerly[1] Whether or not that is what Jesus meant in Matt 11, I am convinced that that was Ehud philosophy. He was more than a courageous opportunist. He was enamored with Who God is. As a result, he seized the day. As a vigorous man, he seized the Kingdom eagerly. Like Ehud, do I eagerly look for opportunities to advance the Kingdom of God? If I am honest with myself, I have to reply, “Not as often as I should.” But I find that when I have been gazing at the glory of God, the opportunities present themselves more frequently and I am more eager to seize them. His glory compels me! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 22
One would think that the best way to validate one's message would be through miracles. The Lord Jesus had done many of them through Paul. Remember at Ephesus, even the handkerchiefs and aprons that came from Paul, brought healing to the sick, diseased and demon possessed. Why couldn't Paul have performed some miracles in Jerusalem to validate his message? One reason is that the rulers of Jerusalem had seen the miracles of Jesus and the apostles. They still didn't believe. A second reason is that the greatest miracle of all is a changed life not a healed body. Jesus gains more glory from our changed lives than from our healed bodies. I've met people who have testified of God's healing power upon their bodies, but then they turn their backs to Him when it comes to living the life. The greatest miracle of all is a changed life. Paul speaks the greatest glory he knows to the crowd, his changed life. They listened until he began to include the Gentiles. Some people will just never believe. Unbelief does not change the glory of Christ. Unbelief only diminishes the unbeliever's ability to see the glory. I use the word unbeliever broadly here to include even those who are born again. Sometimes we need help from others to believe. We need them to speak to us of His glory in their life. Sometimes they need us to speak to them of His glory in our life. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
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[1] New Geneva Study Bible. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1995, S. Mt 11:23
“Carpe Diem!” “Seize the Day!” Was Ehud simply a daring and courageous opportunist? Or, was he so enamored with the glory of God that he saw God in the opportunity? Perhaps it is something like this to which Jesus referred in Matthew 11:12. There are classically two ways to interpret Jesus’ statement. I am not quite sure which one is correct. The one that I tend to shy away from interprets it as Jesus saying, “The kingdom is pressing forward vigorously, and the vigorous seize it eagerly[1] Whether or not that is what Jesus meant in Matt 11, I am convinced that that was Ehud philosophy. He was more than a courageous opportunist. He was enamored with Who God is. As a result, he seized the day. As a vigorous man, he seized the Kingdom eagerly. Like Ehud, do I eagerly look for opportunities to advance the Kingdom of God? If I am honest with myself, I have to reply, “Not as often as I should.” But I find that when I have been gazing at the glory of God, the opportunities present themselves more frequently and I am more eager to seize them. His glory compels me! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 22
One would think that the best way to validate one's message would be through miracles. The Lord Jesus had done many of them through Paul. Remember at Ephesus, even the handkerchiefs and aprons that came from Paul, brought healing to the sick, diseased and demon possessed. Why couldn't Paul have performed some miracles in Jerusalem to validate his message? One reason is that the rulers of Jerusalem had seen the miracles of Jesus and the apostles. They still didn't believe. A second reason is that the greatest miracle of all is a changed life not a healed body. Jesus gains more glory from our changed lives than from our healed bodies. I've met people who have testified of God's healing power upon their bodies, but then they turn their backs to Him when it comes to living the life. The greatest miracle of all is a changed life. Paul speaks the greatest glory he knows to the crowd, his changed life. They listened until he began to include the Gentiles. Some people will just never believe. Unbelief does not change the glory of Christ. Unbelief only diminishes the unbeliever's ability to see the glory. I use the word unbeliever broadly here to include even those who are born again. Sometimes we need help from others to believe. We need them to speak to us of His glory in their life. Sometimes they need us to speak to them of His glory in our life. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] New Geneva Study Bible. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1995, S. Mt 11:23
Monday, July 19, 2010
July 19, 2010
Judges 2
The Israelites served the Baals. Their hearts went after other gods. “How could they do such a thing?” we might ask. Yet are we any different. Is not the glory of the Lord so much greater than the Baals? Should this not be a no-brainer decision? Why would anyone leave the Lord for the Baals? Yet do we not do the same thing today? The glory of the Lord is dripping around us, yet we embrace the world instead of His glory. Why do I choose to spend more time establishing the comforts of my life rather than establishing the greatness of His Kingdom? When I do this, am I any different from the Israelites who pursued the Baals? Hmmm. . . I don’t know. Lord, let me be infected with Your glory and settle for nothing less!! “What can be done for an old heart like mine? Soften it up? With oil and wine? The oil is You - Your Spirit of love. Please wash me anew with the wine of Your blood.” Those lyrics by Keith Green speak so poignantly to this issue.
Funny thing, I googled some of those words to get the correct lyrics. The first website that I found that had those lyrics was one that was paid for by ads. The most conspicuous ad was one for a web site for “sexy Christian singles.” It was a simple vertical column ad that consisted mainly of a picture. No heads were in the picture. It was just a guy standing in front of a girl. She stands behind him with her arm around him, having pulled his t-shirt up and here palm flat on his stomach. His hand was reaching back to her thigh. If sex is supposed to be for a married couple, does this ad not strike anyone a little odd? If Christian singlehood is supposed to be for the purpose of building the kingdom of God, if the marriage bed is undefiled, isn’t seeking “sexy Christian singles” somewhat of an oxymoron? Are we imbibing of a god that is not really leading us to the glory of our true King? Are we pursuing Baals? At what point do I use business to build the Kingdom of God, and at what point has business become an idol? Oh, what can be done for an old heart like mine? Lord soften up my heart so that I can pursue your glory unhindered! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 21:18-40
Why was Paul so bold? Now don't get me wrong. There were many times when Paul had exhibited great boldness. There were also times when he listened to the voice of discretion and bowed out of a city where he was about to be mobbed. After all, discretion is often the better part of valor. What good would it do to make a stink in Jerusalem? He had been warned time and again that he was going to be jailed and mistreated in Jerusalem. He still comes.
Yes Paul's ministry was to the Gentile, of but Romans 10:1 reveals the true heart of Paul, "Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved." This apparently was one last effort to bring the Gospel to his brethren. He had always laid down his rights to live as he wanted in order to reach the people group he was trying to reach. Now it is one last ditch effort to reach those of his brethren in Jerusalem who had not yet come to see the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. James has a reasonable plan, "Do something publicly that will demonstrate that you have not completely rejected Moses and the law, but only rejected using the law as a means of gaining the righteousness of God." The plan seemed to back fire. Paul was mobbed. The commander of the Roman cohort had to lead his troops into the mob to rescue Paul. That must have infuriated the mob--unclean Romans once again entering their temple environs.
How does one see the glory of Christ in this? James and the church leaders "glorified God" when they heard Paul's report on how the Gentiles had embraced the gospel. Jesus is also glorified when we see how He so changed the heart of Paul. Paul's greatest adversaries on his missionary journeys had been the Jewish people. Yes, he had plenty opposition among the Gentiles, especially in Ephesus. But, for the most part, His opposition was from those Jewish people who hated his message. If I had been Paul, I would have avoided the Jewish people like the plague. But he loved his brethren. He desired their salvation. That heart attitude was from the Lord Jesus. That makes the Lord glorious! He changes hearts and can change even mine! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
The Israelites served the Baals. Their hearts went after other gods. “How could they do such a thing?” we might ask. Yet are we any different. Is not the glory of the Lord so much greater than the Baals? Should this not be a no-brainer decision? Why would anyone leave the Lord for the Baals? Yet do we not do the same thing today? The glory of the Lord is dripping around us, yet we embrace the world instead of His glory. Why do I choose to spend more time establishing the comforts of my life rather than establishing the greatness of His Kingdom? When I do this, am I any different from the Israelites who pursued the Baals? Hmmm. . . I don’t know. Lord, let me be infected with Your glory and settle for nothing less!! “What can be done for an old heart like mine? Soften it up? With oil and wine? The oil is You - Your Spirit of love. Please wash me anew with the wine of Your blood.” Those lyrics by Keith Green speak so poignantly to this issue.
Funny thing, I googled some of those words to get the correct lyrics. The first website that I found that had those lyrics was one that was paid for by ads. The most conspicuous ad was one for a web site for “sexy Christian singles.” It was a simple vertical column ad that consisted mainly of a picture. No heads were in the picture. It was just a guy standing in front of a girl. She stands behind him with her arm around him, having pulled his t-shirt up and here palm flat on his stomach. His hand was reaching back to her thigh. If sex is supposed to be for a married couple, does this ad not strike anyone a little odd? If Christian singlehood is supposed to be for the purpose of building the kingdom of God, if the marriage bed is undefiled, isn’t seeking “sexy Christian singles” somewhat of an oxymoron? Are we imbibing of a god that is not really leading us to the glory of our true King? Are we pursuing Baals? At what point do I use business to build the Kingdom of God, and at what point has business become an idol? Oh, what can be done for an old heart like mine? Lord soften up my heart so that I can pursue your glory unhindered! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 21:18-40
Why was Paul so bold? Now don't get me wrong. There were many times when Paul had exhibited great boldness. There were also times when he listened to the voice of discretion and bowed out of a city where he was about to be mobbed. After all, discretion is often the better part of valor. What good would it do to make a stink in Jerusalem? He had been warned time and again that he was going to be jailed and mistreated in Jerusalem. He still comes.
Yes Paul's ministry was to the Gentile, of but Romans 10:1 reveals the true heart of Paul, "Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved." This apparently was one last effort to bring the Gospel to his brethren. He had always laid down his rights to live as he wanted in order to reach the people group he was trying to reach. Now it is one last ditch effort to reach those of his brethren in Jerusalem who had not yet come to see the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. James has a reasonable plan, "Do something publicly that will demonstrate that you have not completely rejected Moses and the law, but only rejected using the law as a means of gaining the righteousness of God." The plan seemed to back fire. Paul was mobbed. The commander of the Roman cohort had to lead his troops into the mob to rescue Paul. That must have infuriated the mob--unclean Romans once again entering their temple environs.
How does one see the glory of Christ in this? James and the church leaders "glorified God" when they heard Paul's report on how the Gentiles had embraced the gospel. Jesus is also glorified when we see how He so changed the heart of Paul. Paul's greatest adversaries on his missionary journeys had been the Jewish people. Yes, he had plenty opposition among the Gentiles, especially in Ephesus. But, for the most part, His opposition was from those Jewish people who hated his message. If I had been Paul, I would have avoided the Jewish people like the plague. But he loved his brethren. He desired their salvation. That heart attitude was from the Lord Jesus. That makes the Lord glorious! He changes hearts and can change even mine! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
July 18, 2010
Acts 21:1-17
The will of the Lord is sometimes ambiguous to us, not to Him, but to us. Paul already testified in 20:23 that the Holy Spirit had told him that chains and tribulation awaited Him. In Tyre the disciples told him through the Spirit not to go to Jerusalem. In Caesarea Agabus the prophet told Paul that the Holy Spirit said that He would be bound in Jerusalem. Did the Lord Jesus Christ want him to go to Jerusalem? It seems ambiguous to me. Was what the Holy Spirit telling Paul just a warning of what would happen and wanted to happen or was it a warning that Paul shouldn’t go to Jerusalem or this would happen to him? Jesus had given the job of going to the Gentiles to Paul. Paul had told the Romans that he desired to go to Spain with the gospel. Why is he headed to Jerusalem? His job isn’t to reach Jews of Jerusalem. So where’s the glory in all this?
If this was what the Lord wanted Paul to do, then His glory is seen in Paul’s clear willingness to endure chains for the glory of the Lord. If this is not what the Lord wanted Paul to do, then His glory is seen in that the Lord took Paul’s obstinacies and still used them for His glory. Some church historians think that Paul made it to Spain after his first imprisonment in Rome. So should I be worried about ambiguity in the will of the Lord? Well, if I miss the will of the Lord, He will make it work out anyway. It may mean a lot of hardship for me. But He will work it out. He is glorified. If I properly discern the will of the Lord, I glorify Him and I may miss some self-imposed hardships. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
The will of the Lord is sometimes ambiguous to us, not to Him, but to us. Paul already testified in 20:23 that the Holy Spirit had told him that chains and tribulation awaited Him. In Tyre the disciples told him through the Spirit not to go to Jerusalem. In Caesarea Agabus the prophet told Paul that the Holy Spirit said that He would be bound in Jerusalem. Did the Lord Jesus Christ want him to go to Jerusalem? It seems ambiguous to me. Was what the Holy Spirit telling Paul just a warning of what would happen and wanted to happen or was it a warning that Paul shouldn’t go to Jerusalem or this would happen to him? Jesus had given the job of going to the Gentiles to Paul. Paul had told the Romans that he desired to go to Spain with the gospel. Why is he headed to Jerusalem? His job isn’t to reach Jews of Jerusalem. So where’s the glory in all this?
If this was what the Lord wanted Paul to do, then His glory is seen in Paul’s clear willingness to endure chains for the glory of the Lord. If this is not what the Lord wanted Paul to do, then His glory is seen in that the Lord took Paul’s obstinacies and still used them for His glory. Some church historians think that Paul made it to Spain after his first imprisonment in Rome. So should I be worried about ambiguity in the will of the Lord? Well, if I miss the will of the Lord, He will make it work out anyway. It may mean a lot of hardship for me. But He will work it out. He is glorified. If I properly discern the will of the Lord, I glorify Him and I may miss some self-imposed hardships. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Saturday, July 17, 2010
July 17, 2010
July 17, 2010 Joshua 24
It is part of His glory to give. He gave the Israelites a land for which they did not labor, and cities which they did not build, and they dwelt in them; they ate of vineyards and olive groves which they did not plant. He has given me righteousness which I did not earn, a name which I do not deserve and love which is beyond imagination. What have the gods of this world given me? They have given me lies, deceptions, false promises, broken hopes. Which God should I serve? Shouldn’t that be a no-brainer? I will serve my King who gives so magnificently and loves so wondrously. That is my King! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 20:17-38
I see the glory of Christ in the life of Paul that he recounts to the Ephesian elders. The Lord Jesus Christ took a man, who believed that he could obtain the righteousness of the law by doing it, who believed that Jesus was a liar and who believed that all followers of Jesus must be stopped—if necessary by imprisonment or death. The Lord Jesus Christ took that man and totally changed him. In seeing the glory of Christ Paul
Loved Jesus preeminently.
Served Jesus humbly. (19)
Proclaimed Jesus passionately. (20,21,27)
Followed the call of the Holy Spirit exclusively. (23,24)
Challenged others to follow the same call. (28-32)
Earned his living to serve Jesus selflessly. (33-35)
Prayed for others constantly. (36-37)
How could this happen? Only because of the great glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
It is part of His glory to give. He gave the Israelites a land for which they did not labor, and cities which they did not build, and they dwelt in them; they ate of vineyards and olive groves which they did not plant. He has given me righteousness which I did not earn, a name which I do not deserve and love which is beyond imagination. What have the gods of this world given me? They have given me lies, deceptions, false promises, broken hopes. Which God should I serve? Shouldn’t that be a no-brainer? I will serve my King who gives so magnificently and loves so wondrously. That is my King! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 20:17-38
I see the glory of Christ in the life of Paul that he recounts to the Ephesian elders. The Lord Jesus Christ took a man, who believed that he could obtain the righteousness of the law by doing it, who believed that Jesus was a liar and who believed that all followers of Jesus must be stopped—if necessary by imprisonment or death. The Lord Jesus Christ took that man and totally changed him. In seeing the glory of Christ Paul
Loved Jesus preeminently.
Served Jesus humbly. (19)
Proclaimed Jesus passionately. (20,21,27)
Followed the call of the Holy Spirit exclusively. (23,24)
Challenged others to follow the same call. (28-32)
Earned his living to serve Jesus selflessly. (33-35)
Prayed for others constantly. (36-37)
How could this happen? Only because of the great glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
July 16, 2010
Acts 20:1-16
Paul’s traveling group at this point has increased to 8 in addition to himself, Silas and Luke, almost as large as the discipleship group of Jesus.
It was Sunday evening in Troas. They were gathered together to break bread in the upper room of the house. Paul ‘prolonged his message until midnight.’ (Man! And some people say I speak too long.) As Paul ‘kept on talking,’ a young man was overcome by sleep, fell out of the window sill and died on the pavement below.
Wasn’t the glory of the Lord enough to keep him awake? Couldn’t Paul have said everything that needed to be said in 20 minutes? Shouldn’t the boy have been prevented from sitting in the window sill? Shouldn’t there have been some kind of rail on the window to prevent the boy from falling out? They are all questions that would have been asked now-a-days. There surely would have been angry feelings from the family toward Paul. Most likely there would be a lawsuit.
There was sorrow expressed. They were troubled. But the glory of the Lord was present. The glory of the Lord is often present in the midst of trouble. Paul embraced the boy. He was brought back to life with no damage done to him. They went back inside. Paul talked until daylight. They broke bread together again. They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted. What comforted them, just that the boy was alive? The boy would die again. He might be an old man, but he would die again. What comforted them? They had seen, heard and experienced a foretaste of the glory of Jesus. For those who know Jesus, even death is not victorious. We don’t die until He is ready for us to die. And when we die, we know there is a resurrection awaiting us. That is all because of our glorious Lord! Such knowledge reorients our lives and provides great comfort as we live them and experience the hardships around us. We must focus on His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Paul’s traveling group at this point has increased to 8 in addition to himself, Silas and Luke, almost as large as the discipleship group of Jesus.
It was Sunday evening in Troas. They were gathered together to break bread in the upper room of the house. Paul ‘prolonged his message until midnight.’ (Man! And some people say I speak too long.) As Paul ‘kept on talking,’ a young man was overcome by sleep, fell out of the window sill and died on the pavement below.
Wasn’t the glory of the Lord enough to keep him awake? Couldn’t Paul have said everything that needed to be said in 20 minutes? Shouldn’t the boy have been prevented from sitting in the window sill? Shouldn’t there have been some kind of rail on the window to prevent the boy from falling out? They are all questions that would have been asked now-a-days. There surely would have been angry feelings from the family toward Paul. Most likely there would be a lawsuit.
There was sorrow expressed. They were troubled. But the glory of the Lord was present. The glory of the Lord is often present in the midst of trouble. Paul embraced the boy. He was brought back to life with no damage done to him. They went back inside. Paul talked until daylight. They broke bread together again. They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted. What comforted them, just that the boy was alive? The boy would die again. He might be an old man, but he would die again. What comforted them? They had seen, heard and experienced a foretaste of the glory of Jesus. For those who know Jesus, even death is not victorious. We don’t die until He is ready for us to die. And when we die, we know there is a resurrection awaiting us. That is all because of our glorious Lord! Such knowledge reorients our lives and provides great comfort as we live them and experience the hardships around us. We must focus on His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
July 15, 2010
Acts 19:21-41
“Follow the money.” It’s a familiar saying in our culture. If you really want to know what and why things are happening, just follow the money. It has always been true, even in Ephesus. Diana brought in a great trade in the sale of idols. And you know that people are serious about a different God when they burn the books of their old gods in order to follow this new God and the value of the books is in the category of millions of dollars. Demetrius the silversmith was worried. His income was drastically cut as a result of this new God that Paul had been proclaiming. It didn’t matter that the sick were healed and that people were set free from their demonic bondage. All that mattered to Demetrius was the money. Follow the money. The glory of Jesus was irrelevant to him.
Sad to say we are often like Demetrius. When push comes to shove, the glory of Jesus just isn't as important as the money. That is why Paul prayed for the Ephesians that they would see the riches of the glory of His (Jesus) inheritance in the saints (Eph. 1:18). When we understand the value of His glory and that that value is greatest when He changes lives, then the value of money loses its appeal. No longer is it 'follow the money' but it becomes, 'follow the glory'. His glory is great, especially when it changes your life. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
“Follow the money.” It’s a familiar saying in our culture. If you really want to know what and why things are happening, just follow the money. It has always been true, even in Ephesus. Diana brought in a great trade in the sale of idols. And you know that people are serious about a different God when they burn the books of their old gods in order to follow this new God and the value of the books is in the category of millions of dollars. Demetrius the silversmith was worried. His income was drastically cut as a result of this new God that Paul had been proclaiming. It didn’t matter that the sick were healed and that people were set free from their demonic bondage. All that mattered to Demetrius was the money. Follow the money. The glory of Jesus was irrelevant to him.
Sad to say we are often like Demetrius. When push comes to shove, the glory of Jesus just isn't as important as the money. That is why Paul prayed for the Ephesians that they would see the riches of the glory of His (Jesus) inheritance in the saints (Eph. 1:18). When we understand the value of His glory and that that value is greatest when He changes lives, then the value of money loses its appeal. No longer is it 'follow the money' but it becomes, 'follow the glory'. His glory is great, especially when it changes your life. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Thursday, July 15, 2010
July 14, 2010
Joshua 20-21
In the words of Drs. Hinson & Kroll, “For the sinner, to be found in the city of refuge was to be found in the only place of salvation. The correspondence between these cities and the Lord Jesus is striking.” I am guilty of breaking the law. I am worth of execution because of my sin. Yet I have fled to the city of refuge, found only in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him I am safe for he is both the executioner and the city of refuge. He has received me and I am safe in Him.
The Lord gave them rest on all sides. 44The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass. TLet us be diligent to enter into His rest.
11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbeliefd. 12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged 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. 13Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 19:1-20
Ephesus, the Roman center of power for Asia, was indeed quite a religious city. The temple of Diana (or Artemis as the Greeks would say) was there. The Ephesians wanted an impressive temple for her. So, they built a structure that was a replica of the Parthenon found on the Acropolis of Athens. But they made it much larger! Its foundation still stands today. It was 425' long and 220' wide and contained 127 pillars to support the roof and its colonnade was 60' high. Diana was the mother goddess of the earth. As happens in many areas where pagan religions abound, the city was also filled with much cultic activity. Within the city was a strong contingent of Jews. Even within that contingent was a strong contingent of people who had traveled back to the Holy Land, heard the preaching of John the Baptist and were baptized by him signifying their preparing themselves for the coming of the Messiah.
How would the glory of our Lord outshine the glory of such a religious establishment? The Lord doesn't deviate from the principles that He has established in the church thus far. His glory is going to shine through His people as they speak His glory and do His works. For three months Paul spoke the message in the synagogue. Twelve men from the disciples of John believed the message and turned to Jesus. Then the rest of the synagogue hardened their heart toward the message. Paul remained in that city 2 more years preaching the message of Jesus. The way it is written here it seems to imply that after the message was rejected by the Jews that Paul began doing the glorious works of Jesus. Seven unbelieving sons of a Jewish chief priest sought to use the name of Jesus to work the same works. The glory of the Lord will not be compromised. Their exorcism worked -- to their own detriment, for they did not have the authority and protection of the Lord. Their failure increased the glory of our Lord. The result? Many left their magic and occult to follow Jesus. The glory of the Lord was so evident to them that the burned their books. They didn't sell them. They burned them. They needed no profit from their past acts of darkness. All that was important to them was the glory of Jesus.
How much money are we talking here? 50,000 pieces of silver. Assuming that the piece of silver referred to here is the drachma, this would equal 50,000 days wages. Now that would be a different figure in different areas. Assume in our area that a days wage for a laborer is $80. That would equal about $4,000,000. That's a lot of money! Why not sell it and give it to the poor or for building a temple to Jesus or something else? Isn't this a waste? They needed no profit from their past acts of darkness. All that was important to them was the glory of Jesus. Selling the books would allow others to be enslaved by the powers of darkness. Selling the books would continue to give the enemy a foothold in the lives of others. They needed a clean break from the past and they needed to not provide a door for others to go where they went. This was a way to proclaim the glory of Jesus. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
In the words of Drs. Hinson & Kroll, “For the sinner, to be found in the city of refuge was to be found in the only place of salvation. The correspondence between these cities and the Lord Jesus is striking.” I am guilty of breaking the law. I am worth of execution because of my sin. Yet I have fled to the city of refuge, found only in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him I am safe for he is both the executioner and the city of refuge. He has received me and I am safe in Him.
The Lord gave them rest on all sides. 44The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass. TLet us be diligent to enter into His rest.
11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbeliefd. 12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged 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. 13Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 19:1-20
Ephesus, the Roman center of power for Asia, was indeed quite a religious city. The temple of Diana (or Artemis as the Greeks would say) was there. The Ephesians wanted an impressive temple for her. So, they built a structure that was a replica of the Parthenon found on the Acropolis of Athens. But they made it much larger! Its foundation still stands today. It was 425' long and 220' wide and contained 127 pillars to support the roof and its colonnade was 60' high. Diana was the mother goddess of the earth. As happens in many areas where pagan religions abound, the city was also filled with much cultic activity. Within the city was a strong contingent of Jews. Even within that contingent was a strong contingent of people who had traveled back to the Holy Land, heard the preaching of John the Baptist and were baptized by him signifying their preparing themselves for the coming of the Messiah.
How would the glory of our Lord outshine the glory of such a religious establishment? The Lord doesn't deviate from the principles that He has established in the church thus far. His glory is going to shine through His people as they speak His glory and do His works. For three months Paul spoke the message in the synagogue. Twelve men from the disciples of John believed the message and turned to Jesus. Then the rest of the synagogue hardened their heart toward the message. Paul remained in that city 2 more years preaching the message of Jesus. The way it is written here it seems to imply that after the message was rejected by the Jews that Paul began doing the glorious works of Jesus. Seven unbelieving sons of a Jewish chief priest sought to use the name of Jesus to work the same works. The glory of the Lord will not be compromised. Their exorcism worked -- to their own detriment, for they did not have the authority and protection of the Lord. Their failure increased the glory of our Lord. The result? Many left their magic and occult to follow Jesus. The glory of the Lord was so evident to them that the burned their books. They didn't sell them. They burned them. They needed no profit from their past acts of darkness. All that was important to them was the glory of Jesus.
How much money are we talking here? 50,000 pieces of silver. Assuming that the piece of silver referred to here is the drachma, this would equal 50,000 days wages. Now that would be a different figure in different areas. Assume in our area that a days wage for a laborer is $80. That would equal about $4,000,000. That's a lot of money! Why not sell it and give it to the poor or for building a temple to Jesus or something else? Isn't this a waste? They needed no profit from their past acts of darkness. All that was important to them was the glory of Jesus. Selling the books would allow others to be enslaved by the powers of darkness. Selling the books would continue to give the enemy a foothold in the lives of others. They needed a clean break from the past and they needed to not provide a door for others to go where they went. This was a way to proclaim the glory of Jesus. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
July 13, 2010
Acts 18
Why did the Lord appear to Paul in the night by a vision to encourage him to not be afraid? He must have been very afraid. Remember, he had been stoned and left for dead in Lystra on his first journey. He had been jailed in Philippi. He had been run out of town in a number of various other towns. He had been laughed out of town in Athens. His opposition has followed him to Corinth. I think I'd be afraid and intimidated also. Apparently it was so bad for Paul that he needed the personal encouragement from the Lord. Our Lord knows just what we need and when we need it. He always gives it just at the appropriate time.
We also find this story concerning Apollos, an eloquent man mighty in Scriptures. The Lord adds him to the company of those who are planting and encouraging churches. What was his giftedness? He vigorously refuted those who denied Jesus as the Messiah. He also showed from Scripture that Jesus is the Christ. Now there is Paul, Silas and Timothy; Barnabas and John Mark, Aquilla, Priscilla and Apollos. Our Lord continued to safeguard and raise up people to make disciples of all ethnic groups. He continues to do so today, for His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Joshua 18-19
Go, walk through the land, survey it, and come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh. The Lord allotted to them a possession. It was their privilege to walk through it and obtain it for themselves. In so doing, they would be fulfilling the glory of the Lord. We find that even Joshua received a possession. He claimed it and built Timnath Serah. Does the Lord have a possession for us? Is it to be surveyed and claimed? Is it to be done for His glory? Obviously the answer to the last question is, “Yes.” The answer to all the questions is, “Yes.” We have a spiritual possession which the Lord has set aside for us. He expects us to claim it and use it for His glory. It consists of many things and people. It includes our families, our talents, our spiritual gifts, our natural gifts, our finances, our desires, our needs, our neighborhoods. Have we every surveyed them? Do we even know what is available? When we know what is available do we know what it means to claim them for His glory? When we claim them for His glory do we know what it means to build them for His glory?
Joshua built a city for the glory of God. It was called Timnath Serah. It was in the mountains of Ephraim southwest of Shechem. This is the same place as Timnath Heres. The Nelson Electronic Dictionary says, “Some scholars suggest that the consonants for Heres (hrs) were deliberately written backwards as Serah (srh) as a reminder of these pagan worship practices.” How about that? Joshua took a place that was filled with pagan worship, surveyed it, claimed it for the glory of God, rebuilt it and reversed its name, all for the glory of God! Is that not a picture of what we should be about? Should not all that God has given us be surveyed, claimed and rebuilt for the glory of our King? Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Why did the Lord appear to Paul in the night by a vision to encourage him to not be afraid? He must have been very afraid. Remember, he had been stoned and left for dead in Lystra on his first journey. He had been jailed in Philippi. He had been run out of town in a number of various other towns. He had been laughed out of town in Athens. His opposition has followed him to Corinth. I think I'd be afraid and intimidated also. Apparently it was so bad for Paul that he needed the personal encouragement from the Lord. Our Lord knows just what we need and when we need it. He always gives it just at the appropriate time.
We also find this story concerning Apollos, an eloquent man mighty in Scriptures. The Lord adds him to the company of those who are planting and encouraging churches. What was his giftedness? He vigorously refuted those who denied Jesus as the Messiah. He also showed from Scripture that Jesus is the Christ. Now there is Paul, Silas and Timothy; Barnabas and John Mark, Aquilla, Priscilla and Apollos. Our Lord continued to safeguard and raise up people to make disciples of all ethnic groups. He continues to do so today, for His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Joshua 18-19
Go, walk through the land, survey it, and come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh. The Lord allotted to them a possession. It was their privilege to walk through it and obtain it for themselves. In so doing, they would be fulfilling the glory of the Lord. We find that even Joshua received a possession. He claimed it and built Timnath Serah. Does the Lord have a possession for us? Is it to be surveyed and claimed? Is it to be done for His glory? Obviously the answer to the last question is, “Yes.” The answer to all the questions is, “Yes.” We have a spiritual possession which the Lord has set aside for us. He expects us to claim it and use it for His glory. It consists of many things and people. It includes our families, our talents, our spiritual gifts, our natural gifts, our finances, our desires, our needs, our neighborhoods. Have we every surveyed them? Do we even know what is available? When we know what is available do we know what it means to claim them for His glory? When we claim them for His glory do we know what it means to build them for His glory?
Joshua built a city for the glory of God. It was called Timnath Serah. It was in the mountains of Ephraim southwest of Shechem. This is the same place as Timnath Heres. The Nelson Electronic Dictionary says, “Some scholars suggest that the consonants for Heres (hrs) were deliberately written backwards as Serah (srh) as a reminder of these pagan worship practices.” How about that? Joshua took a place that was filled with pagan worship, surveyed it, claimed it for the glory of God, rebuilt it and reversed its name, all for the glory of God! Is that not a picture of what we should be about? Should not all that God has given us be surveyed, claimed and rebuilt for the glory of our King? Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
July 12, 2010
Acts 17:16-34
Paul starts from a common point of reference with the Athenians and moves to the specific glory of Jesus. What is that common point? Don Richardson explores that in his book, Eternity In Their Hearts. Richardson delves into Athenian history, recorded some by the poet that Paul quotes. He reveals that centuries earlier, Athens had experienced a plague that could not be checked by any of their gods. After sacrificing to the One true God who made heaven and earth, who’s name they did not know, the plague was checked. The monument that Paul saw was an altar to that God. Paul uses that common point of reference to reveal that Jesus is the Man sent from the Unknown God to reveal how we might find Him. Paul stresses the resurrection of Jesus as and assurance of the authority of Jesus and establishing Him as judge of all.
That is just like the glory of our Lord. He uses something in centuries past that He did to demonstrate His love for a certain people and then connects it with the present. Our Lord is our creator, lover, healer, savior and judge. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Joshua 16-17
It had been a long dry spell in a hot Oklahoma summer. My older brother and I went for a bicycle ride down the county section line roads. He was 5 years my senior, and his legs were a lot more powerful than mine. We came to a valley on the road. The dry weather and constant travel on the road had turned the valley road into fine loose sand a couple of inches deep. My bike went a few feet and then my tires seemed to be engulfed in the sand. Try as I might, I could not make my pedals turn. Without any forward momentum, I had to dismount my bike. I was still pointed downhill. If I could not overcome the hold of the sand going downhill, what would happen when I had to ascend out of the valley? Why didn’t my brother slow down? He was still mounted and already going up the hill. I was becoming fearful that I would be left behind. I began to call for help. He waited to get to the top of the hill before he turned and answered my call. No he wouldn’t return to help me. “You can do it!” was his only reply. I was really frustrated. I was just barely big enough to ride the bike. It was extremely heavy. It was impossible to push through the sand. Even if it got it through the sand, without any momentum, I would have to push it all the way up the hill. I begged and complained. But he wouldn’t come back to help. Now I was fighting tears of frustration. All he would do was say, “Do it yourself.” He did not help me. Obviously, I am no longer in the valley. Yes, I made it home with the bicycle, and no, he did not help me. He just kept telling me that I had to do it.
The tribe of Manasseh could not drive out the people in the valley of Jezreel. The Canaanites had chariots of iron, a military technology that the Israelites did not posses. Mountain living is nice, but it takes a lot more land per person to make a living there. And it is a lot more difficult. They complained to Joshua. It is not enough room! Give us more! There wasn’t any more room. The Lord had given them all that they needed. “Do it yourself!” was essentially Joshua’s reply. Where is the glory of the Lord in this? I believe that His glory is visible and available at all times. However, there are times when He simply says, “Trust me; you can do it; do it yourself.” It is to His glory to strengthen us. So He leaves us in situations to strengthen us or to show us our hearts. If we keep our eyes upon Him, we need only to trust and put one foot in front of the other. Sometimes it is through tears of frustration. But He is waiting for us on the other side of the valley of depression. Finally the dawn breaks and his glory is seen. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Paul starts from a common point of reference with the Athenians and moves to the specific glory of Jesus. What is that common point? Don Richardson explores that in his book, Eternity In Their Hearts. Richardson delves into Athenian history, recorded some by the poet that Paul quotes. He reveals that centuries earlier, Athens had experienced a plague that could not be checked by any of their gods. After sacrificing to the One true God who made heaven and earth, who’s name they did not know, the plague was checked. The monument that Paul saw was an altar to that God. Paul uses that common point of reference to reveal that Jesus is the Man sent from the Unknown God to reveal how we might find Him. Paul stresses the resurrection of Jesus as and assurance of the authority of Jesus and establishing Him as judge of all.
That is just like the glory of our Lord. He uses something in centuries past that He did to demonstrate His love for a certain people and then connects it with the present. Our Lord is our creator, lover, healer, savior and judge. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Joshua 16-17
It had been a long dry spell in a hot Oklahoma summer. My older brother and I went for a bicycle ride down the county section line roads. He was 5 years my senior, and his legs were a lot more powerful than mine. We came to a valley on the road. The dry weather and constant travel on the road had turned the valley road into fine loose sand a couple of inches deep. My bike went a few feet and then my tires seemed to be engulfed in the sand. Try as I might, I could not make my pedals turn. Without any forward momentum, I had to dismount my bike. I was still pointed downhill. If I could not overcome the hold of the sand going downhill, what would happen when I had to ascend out of the valley? Why didn’t my brother slow down? He was still mounted and already going up the hill. I was becoming fearful that I would be left behind. I began to call for help. He waited to get to the top of the hill before he turned and answered my call. No he wouldn’t return to help me. “You can do it!” was his only reply. I was really frustrated. I was just barely big enough to ride the bike. It was extremely heavy. It was impossible to push through the sand. Even if it got it through the sand, without any momentum, I would have to push it all the way up the hill. I begged and complained. But he wouldn’t come back to help. Now I was fighting tears of frustration. All he would do was say, “Do it yourself.” He did not help me. Obviously, I am no longer in the valley. Yes, I made it home with the bicycle, and no, he did not help me. He just kept telling me that I had to do it.
The tribe of Manasseh could not drive out the people in the valley of Jezreel. The Canaanites had chariots of iron, a military technology that the Israelites did not posses. Mountain living is nice, but it takes a lot more land per person to make a living there. And it is a lot more difficult. They complained to Joshua. It is not enough room! Give us more! There wasn’t any more room. The Lord had given them all that they needed. “Do it yourself!” was essentially Joshua’s reply. Where is the glory of the Lord in this? I believe that His glory is visible and available at all times. However, there are times when He simply says, “Trust me; you can do it; do it yourself.” It is to His glory to strengthen us. So He leaves us in situations to strengthen us or to show us our hearts. If we keep our eyes upon Him, we need only to trust and put one foot in front of the other. Sometimes it is through tears of frustration. But He is waiting for us on the other side of the valley of depression. Finally the dawn breaks and his glory is seen. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
July 11, 2010
Acts 17:1-17
When Paul preached, what did he preach? I think it is summarized in verse 3, "explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ." It is a simple message, a true message and not difficult to grasp. Yet at the same time it is impossible to grasp. This simple message speaks of the glory of Christ. This simple message had such a life changing message upon people in Palestine, Asia Minor and Macedonia that when Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica, their enemies cried out in a frustrated rage, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too." Can speaking the glory of Christ be that powerful? In can and will be. We are just too afraid to speak it. Or we really haven’t seen it. Or we speak of things related to the glory of Christ but not the essence of His Glory. The King of Creation, the King of Glory, became flesh for the express purpose of being the substitute for our sin. He died in our place. He defeated death and thereby that sin, by rising from the dead. He ever lives to intercede for us. If we repent and believe in Him, we can know God. It is a simple glorious message that has and will turn the world upside down. Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Joshua 14-15
Yesterday, on the way back to MIU, a man was approaching me from the opposite direction on the footpath. Seeing me, he reached down and picked up a huge rock with one hand. He then crouched holding the rock out and looking at me as if he were going to hit me with the rock. I was quite startled. I wasn’t sure what to do. The only way around him was to walk up a mound to the right of him. I am 55 years old. It is not a time in my life when I want to start acting like Nicolas Cage or Harrison Ford. But then, I have never been able to back down from a challenger, even when I knew I would be defeated. My options seemed to be: 1) to be fearful and back down 2) to fight or 3) to trust the Lord to protect me and see if I could just walk around him. Option one is just not in my character. Option two is stupid. If the man were a better fighter than I, I would only get beaten, and he would get what he wanted anyway. If I were a better fighter than he, I would only beat him, and there is a strong likelihood that there would be some severe and unpleasant spiritual and legal repercussions for me. That only left option three. I made the decision to move forward and unaggressively walk up the mound. I guess he realized that I was not going to be intimidated by his stance. By the time I was even with him, I had the higher ground. He set the rock down and went on his way after I passed. I think it was the glory of the Lord that protected me. What if he had attacked as I passed by? I honestly do not know what I would have done or how it would have turned out. But this one thing I know, God would ultimately have been glorified.
Caleb is 85 years old. He was forty years old when they left Egypt. He was chosen to represent Judah when the spies were selected to spy out the land. He and Joshua alone brought back a good report because they knew the glory of the Lord. But the Lord promised him that for his faithfulness he would receive the land upon which his feet had walked. After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and 5 years of fighting in the campaigns to break the back of the Canaanites, Caleb reports, “I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day.” Caleb knew it was the glory of the Lord that sustained him. That gave him the faith to say, “Give me this mountain!” May his tribe increase! What mountain is there in my our your life that for the glory of God, we need to face? His glory is more than sufficient! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
When Paul preached, what did he preach? I think it is summarized in verse 3, "explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ." It is a simple message, a true message and not difficult to grasp. Yet at the same time it is impossible to grasp. This simple message speaks of the glory of Christ. This simple message had such a life changing message upon people in Palestine, Asia Minor and Macedonia that when Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica, their enemies cried out in a frustrated rage, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too." Can speaking the glory of Christ be that powerful? In can and will be. We are just too afraid to speak it. Or we really haven’t seen it. Or we speak of things related to the glory of Christ but not the essence of His Glory. The King of Creation, the King of Glory, became flesh for the express purpose of being the substitute for our sin. He died in our place. He defeated death and thereby that sin, by rising from the dead. He ever lives to intercede for us. If we repent and believe in Him, we can know God. It is a simple glorious message that has and will turn the world upside down. Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Joshua 14-15
Yesterday, on the way back to MIU, a man was approaching me from the opposite direction on the footpath. Seeing me, he reached down and picked up a huge rock with one hand. He then crouched holding the rock out and looking at me as if he were going to hit me with the rock. I was quite startled. I wasn’t sure what to do. The only way around him was to walk up a mound to the right of him. I am 55 years old. It is not a time in my life when I want to start acting like Nicolas Cage or Harrison Ford. But then, I have never been able to back down from a challenger, even when I knew I would be defeated. My options seemed to be: 1) to be fearful and back down 2) to fight or 3) to trust the Lord to protect me and see if I could just walk around him. Option one is just not in my character. Option two is stupid. If the man were a better fighter than I, I would only get beaten, and he would get what he wanted anyway. If I were a better fighter than he, I would only beat him, and there is a strong likelihood that there would be some severe and unpleasant spiritual and legal repercussions for me. That only left option three. I made the decision to move forward and unaggressively walk up the mound. I guess he realized that I was not going to be intimidated by his stance. By the time I was even with him, I had the higher ground. He set the rock down and went on his way after I passed. I think it was the glory of the Lord that protected me. What if he had attacked as I passed by? I honestly do not know what I would have done or how it would have turned out. But this one thing I know, God would ultimately have been glorified.
Caleb is 85 years old. He was forty years old when they left Egypt. He was chosen to represent Judah when the spies were selected to spy out the land. He and Joshua alone brought back a good report because they knew the glory of the Lord. But the Lord promised him that for his faithfulness he would receive the land upon which his feet had walked. After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and 5 years of fighting in the campaigns to break the back of the Canaanites, Caleb reports, “I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day.” Caleb knew it was the glory of the Lord that sustained him. That gave him the faith to say, “Give me this mountain!” May his tribe increase! What mountain is there in my our your life that for the glory of God, we need to face? His glory is more than sufficient! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Friday, July 9, 2010
July 10, 2010
July 10, 2010 Joshua 12,13
“Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the Lord said to him: “You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed.” How old was he? Well, let’s see. He was 110 years old when he died (Joshua 24:29). We are not too sure how old he was when he left Egypt. We normally associate him with Caleb because they spied out the land together. Caleb was forty when they left Egypt, and from Caleb’s conversation, we can assume that the conquest lasted five years (Joshua 14:7-12). I wouldn’t think that Joshua was any younger than Caleb. Indeed, I think he was older. So Joshua is at least 85 at this point. I suspect that he is much closer to 110. Joshua has much to reflect upon the glory of the Lord during those years.
He was with Moses when they left Egypt. The first mention of him is in Exodus 17 when Moses makes him general of the army when they fight that famous battle against Amalek. He saw the glory of the Lord in the midst of the battle. It was clear that when Moses raised his hands, they won. When Moses lowered his hands, they lost. Joshua knew that it was the glory of the Lord that produced his victory.
Joshua went with Moses when he went up on the mountain of God to receive the law (Exodus 24:13-18). He was nearby when the fiery finger of God inscribed the law upon the stone tablets. He alone dwelt next to the cloud on the mountain and experienced the thunders and lightings of the presence of the glory of the Almighty God as Moses entered the cloud for forty days and forty nights. As they returned, it was Joshua who remarked that there was a sound of war in the camp (Exodus 32:17). He was unaware of the apostasy that occurred in the valley below. While it was Moses with whom God spoke face to face as with a friend, it was Joshua who refused to leave the tabernacle where the glory of God dwelt (Exodus 33:11).
It was Joshua that was jealous for the glory of Moses when men were prophesying in the camp. But Moses corrected his thought relating to the glory of the Lord, saying, “I wish the Lord would give his Spirit to all his people so everyone could be a prophet (Numbers 13:29).” It was Joshua who was selected among his tribe to be one of the twelve spies sent into the land. Only he and Caleb brought a positive report because they knew the glory of the Lord. When they rebuked the people, they took up stones to kill him. It was then that the glory of the Lord appeared and prevented any harm to him (Numbers 14:6-10).
It was Joshua who led them across the Jordan. It was Joshua who met the commander of the Lord’s army. It was Joshua who led them in the renewal of the covenant signs. It was Joshua who led them around Jericho. It was Joshua who led them against Ai. It was Joshua who stumbled in making the treaty with Gibeon. It was Joshua who had seen the mighty victories against the Canaanite kings. What a legacy! My how he had seen the glory of the Lord! When you and I die, will we with Joshua be able to say, “I have seen the glory of the Lord in my life, and this how I have seen it. . . !" God forgive me for being satisfied with lesser things. Let me thirst and crave nothing less than the glory of God. Let not my life be mediocre! Let it only be saturated and dripping with the glory of God. May people see not me but the glory of God! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 16:22-40
Have you ever been a prisoner? We all have been at one time or another. Maybe not in a conventional prison. But, we have been prisoners trapped in the confines or consequences or our own sin. Jesus is the ultimate liberator because He makes us free from the very bars that we have built.
Paul and Silas were in prison. It was a literal prison. They were there unjustly. They could have been bitter. They could have allowed emotional walls to go up that would have enslaved them against the jailer and the people of Philippi. But they knew too much about the glory of their king. Indeed, Paul had been left for dead and Jesus raised him up. Paul had encouraged others that through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom of God. They knew that in every town that they entered, tribulation and maybe death awaited them there. Why did they still go? Because they knew that in every town they entered, the glory of their king needed to be revealed.
They had received many stripes and were placed in the securest cell with their feet in stocks. But they chose to focus on the glory of their king. That focus on the glory made all the difference in the world. You know, whenever I focus on the glory of my King, I cannot help but sing. So too, they could not help but sing. Picture this: Many stripes--that means that their back was beaten until the skin broke in multiple places. You know they had to be experiencing physical pain. They were In a prison with no knowledge of if or when release would come. You know they had to be experiencing emotional pain. Feet in stocks. If your back is bruised and bloodied and your feet are stationary in stocks, how can you possibly lie down? It is midnight. I am sure they have been in the stocks for some hours now. Now they begin singing. Why? Because of the glory of their King. It has nothing to do with their remarkable character, which they had. It has all to do with their remarkable King. Choosing to focus on Him made all the difference in the world. They could have been prisoners in a second cell, an emotional one. But they chose to focus on the glory. A Roman family embraced that glory because Paul and Silas made the choice to focus upon it. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
“Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the Lord said to him: “You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed.” How old was he? Well, let’s see. He was 110 years old when he died (Joshua 24:29). We are not too sure how old he was when he left Egypt. We normally associate him with Caleb because they spied out the land together. Caleb was forty when they left Egypt, and from Caleb’s conversation, we can assume that the conquest lasted five years (Joshua 14:7-12). I wouldn’t think that Joshua was any younger than Caleb. Indeed, I think he was older. So Joshua is at least 85 at this point. I suspect that he is much closer to 110. Joshua has much to reflect upon the glory of the Lord during those years.
He was with Moses when they left Egypt. The first mention of him is in Exodus 17 when Moses makes him general of the army when they fight that famous battle against Amalek. He saw the glory of the Lord in the midst of the battle. It was clear that when Moses raised his hands, they won. When Moses lowered his hands, they lost. Joshua knew that it was the glory of the Lord that produced his victory.
Joshua went with Moses when he went up on the mountain of God to receive the law (Exodus 24:13-18). He was nearby when the fiery finger of God inscribed the law upon the stone tablets. He alone dwelt next to the cloud on the mountain and experienced the thunders and lightings of the presence of the glory of the Almighty God as Moses entered the cloud for forty days and forty nights. As they returned, it was Joshua who remarked that there was a sound of war in the camp (Exodus 32:17). He was unaware of the apostasy that occurred in the valley below. While it was Moses with whom God spoke face to face as with a friend, it was Joshua who refused to leave the tabernacle where the glory of God dwelt (Exodus 33:11).
It was Joshua that was jealous for the glory of Moses when men were prophesying in the camp. But Moses corrected his thought relating to the glory of the Lord, saying, “I wish the Lord would give his Spirit to all his people so everyone could be a prophet (Numbers 13:29).” It was Joshua who was selected among his tribe to be one of the twelve spies sent into the land. Only he and Caleb brought a positive report because they knew the glory of the Lord. When they rebuked the people, they took up stones to kill him. It was then that the glory of the Lord appeared and prevented any harm to him (Numbers 14:6-10).
It was Joshua who led them across the Jordan. It was Joshua who met the commander of the Lord’s army. It was Joshua who led them in the renewal of the covenant signs. It was Joshua who led them around Jericho. It was Joshua who led them against Ai. It was Joshua who stumbled in making the treaty with Gibeon. It was Joshua who had seen the mighty victories against the Canaanite kings. What a legacy! My how he had seen the glory of the Lord! When you and I die, will we with Joshua be able to say, “I have seen the glory of the Lord in my life, and this how I have seen it. . . !" God forgive me for being satisfied with lesser things. Let me thirst and crave nothing less than the glory of God. Let not my life be mediocre! Let it only be saturated and dripping with the glory of God. May people see not me but the glory of God! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 16:22-40
Have you ever been a prisoner? We all have been at one time or another. Maybe not in a conventional prison. But, we have been prisoners trapped in the confines or consequences or our own sin. Jesus is the ultimate liberator because He makes us free from the very bars that we have built.
Paul and Silas were in prison. It was a literal prison. They were there unjustly. They could have been bitter. They could have allowed emotional walls to go up that would have enslaved them against the jailer and the people of Philippi. But they knew too much about the glory of their king. Indeed, Paul had been left for dead and Jesus raised him up. Paul had encouraged others that through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom of God. They knew that in every town that they entered, tribulation and maybe death awaited them there. Why did they still go? Because they knew that in every town they entered, the glory of their king needed to be revealed.
They had received many stripes and were placed in the securest cell with their feet in stocks. But they chose to focus on the glory of their king. That focus on the glory made all the difference in the world. You know, whenever I focus on the glory of my King, I cannot help but sing. So too, they could not help but sing. Picture this: Many stripes--that means that their back was beaten until the skin broke in multiple places. You know they had to be experiencing physical pain. They were In a prison with no knowledge of if or when release would come. You know they had to be experiencing emotional pain. Feet in stocks. If your back is bruised and bloodied and your feet are stationary in stocks, how can you possibly lie down? It is midnight. I am sure they have been in the stocks for some hours now. Now they begin singing. Why? Because of the glory of their King. It has nothing to do with their remarkable character, which they had. It has all to do with their remarkable King. Choosing to focus on Him made all the difference in the world. They could have been prisoners in a second cell, an emotional one. But they chose to focus on the glory. A Roman family embraced that glory because Paul and Silas made the choice to focus upon it. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Thursday, July 8, 2010
July 9,2010
Joshua 11
Five times in this chapter the word “commanded” is used to describe how Joshua completed the destruction of the kings of Canaan in obedience to the Lord. If, as we said before, Joshua’s conquest of Canaan is a type of our battle over the flesh after our conversion, then observe how important is obedience to the command of the Spirit of the Lord. Yes, the Christian life is the exchanged life for the life of Christ. We can never let loose of that truth. However, in the midst of that exchange there is a call to obedience. When we lay hold of the life of Christ and in His power learn to put to death the deeds of the flesh, as Joshua, we enter into rest. The Christian life becomes one of rest. Lord I present my life today to You. What You desire to accomplish through me, I yield. I take your Life as my own. As You direct me, I choose to obey. I will consider myself dead to the deeds of the flesh as it seeks to raise its ugly head. Thank you for Your great Life. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts16:1-21
Time Out!!! What's going on here? We've just had this big fight in Antioch that necessitated a special trip to Jerusalem on which the council decided. The decision required two envoys to be sent back with Paul and Barnabas to validate their report. The issue was over circumcision--was it required in order to become part of the people of God. And now Paul is taking one of his associates and circumcising him in order that he might accompany him. Isn't that a classic example of saying one thing and doing another? Ah, but here again is the glory of our Lord. The issue was the requirement to become part of the people of God not the voluntarily laying down of one's rights in order to share the Gospel with them. That makes all the difference in the world.
Would I be willing to do that to share the Gospel with others? I can hear Timothy now, "Paul, you want me to do what so that I may be able to share the gospel with people who do that? But its not a requirement. This is getting awfully personal!"
I can also hear Paul's response, "Yes, but unless you do it, they won't engage in any kind of relationship with you. They will consider you unclean. In short, they will not listen to you."
Timothy was willing. For the glory of the Lord Jesus, he laid down his right not to be cut on. He allowed circumcision, while at the same time helping deliver the decree which said it was not necessary. Our Lord's glory is really awesome. He can change the heart of someone to that point of commitment all because of His glory. The Lord changes hearts!
The Lord establishes two things that seem contradictory. Outward keeping of the law is not necessary to be one of His children. He calls his children to voluntarily acts of laying down their rights related to the outward keeping of the law in order to promote His glory. Having established these things for the church-Jew and Gentile alike-, the Lord redirects Paul's ministry geographically and for the time being, mostly toward Gentiles in the Roman city of Philippi.
Our Lord changes hearts. He doesn't just lay down the law, He changes hearts. Do we get it? He loves us so much that He doesn't beat us into submission like some brute animal. But He uses our circumstances and His glory to change our hearts. Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Five times in this chapter the word “commanded” is used to describe how Joshua completed the destruction of the kings of Canaan in obedience to the Lord. If, as we said before, Joshua’s conquest of Canaan is a type of our battle over the flesh after our conversion, then observe how important is obedience to the command of the Spirit of the Lord. Yes, the Christian life is the exchanged life for the life of Christ. We can never let loose of that truth. However, in the midst of that exchange there is a call to obedience. When we lay hold of the life of Christ and in His power learn to put to death the deeds of the flesh, as Joshua, we enter into rest. The Christian life becomes one of rest. Lord I present my life today to You. What You desire to accomplish through me, I yield. I take your Life as my own. As You direct me, I choose to obey. I will consider myself dead to the deeds of the flesh as it seeks to raise its ugly head. Thank you for Your great Life. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts16:1-21
Time Out!!! What's going on here? We've just had this big fight in Antioch that necessitated a special trip to Jerusalem on which the council decided. The decision required two envoys to be sent back with Paul and Barnabas to validate their report. The issue was over circumcision--was it required in order to become part of the people of God. And now Paul is taking one of his associates and circumcising him in order that he might accompany him. Isn't that a classic example of saying one thing and doing another? Ah, but here again is the glory of our Lord. The issue was the requirement to become part of the people of God not the voluntarily laying down of one's rights in order to share the Gospel with them. That makes all the difference in the world.
Would I be willing to do that to share the Gospel with others? I can hear Timothy now, "Paul, you want me to do what so that I may be able to share the gospel with people who do that? But its not a requirement. This is getting awfully personal!"
I can also hear Paul's response, "Yes, but unless you do it, they won't engage in any kind of relationship with you. They will consider you unclean. In short, they will not listen to you."
Timothy was willing. For the glory of the Lord Jesus, he laid down his right not to be cut on. He allowed circumcision, while at the same time helping deliver the decree which said it was not necessary. Our Lord's glory is really awesome. He can change the heart of someone to that point of commitment all because of His glory. The Lord changes hearts!
The Lord establishes two things that seem contradictory. Outward keeping of the law is not necessary to be one of His children. He calls his children to voluntarily acts of laying down their rights related to the outward keeping of the law in order to promote His glory. Having established these things for the church-Jew and Gentile alike-, the Lord redirects Paul's ministry geographically and for the time being, mostly toward Gentiles in the Roman city of Philippi.
Our Lord changes hearts. He doesn't just lay down the law, He changes hearts. Do we get it? He loves us so much that He doesn't beat us into submission like some brute animal. But He uses our circumstances and His glory to change our hearts. Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
July 8, 2010
Joshua 10
Every once in a while I get an old e-mail hoax forwarded to me. It usually has something to do with how NASA scientists have mathematically proven that there is a day missing in time. The e-mail usually associates the day with Joshua’s battle where the Sun stood still and with Isaiah”s miracle of the sun going backward. Without being a scientist, I know that NASA scientists could not have mathematically proven this. But I won’t bore you with the details. Although, it is interesting to consider how this miracle could possibly have taken place. After all, the laws of motion seem to indicate that if the Lord all-of-a-sudden stopped the earth, then everything not attached to the surface would have kept traveling and, relatively speaking, have been hurled eastward and perhaps off of the planet. There have been a few suggestions as to how the Lord may have arranged this mechanically without devastating the earth with massive tidal waves. Personally, while I find this interesting, I ultimately don’t care. After all, if my God is big enough to speak the universe into existence with all of its galactic and planetary motions, then He is able to stop the rotation of one little planet for one day and start it again and control all the laws of motion without doing harm to it. I mean, that is the point, isn’t it? He is after all, God. Do I have to be able to analyze it to believe it? I don’t think so. Sometimes we just need to let God be God, rather than trying to analyze everything.
In his book Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain compares and contrasts two views of the river. One view is when he was a boy, and the river just awed him on a daily basis. The other view is after he had become a river boat pilot. He had so analyzed the river and knew it so well that it no longer held any wonder for him. Do I sometimes I approach the glory of my Lord in the same way? Do I have to use my western analytical mind so much that I cease to be truly awed by His glory? Can I not just sit back and be awed by the God of the Universe, who will enter time and space and reorder it, if need be, just to provide for my need and glorify Himself? Granted, making the sun stand still is probably a once-in-a-creation event, but still it causes me to reflect that our Lord is able to reorder all the daily events combining His sovereign design with the billions of free will decisions of His creatures in order to reveal His glory. From time to time He enters time and space and does something to order those events so that I know He did it. Wow! Now there is something that I just have to let awe me! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 15:22-41
It feels like dissension could never bring glory to Jesus. And it is probably true that Jesus prefers that His glory be increased through routes other than dissension. But, even people who are normally Spirit-filled sometimes miss the mark and sin. The dissension at Antioch brought the landmark decision from the "home" church in Jerusalem. James writing for the majority (actually among the apostles it was probably unanimous) phrased it as, "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us." Dissension led to a unanimous decision, which led to a blessing upon the Gentile church.
The dissension now healed, Paul and Barnabas return their attention on planting churches among the Gentiles. Woops, dissension arises again. Barnabas wants to take his nephew John Mark with them again. Paul is dead set against it. After all John Mark had revealed that he didn't have what it takes in Perga of Pamphylia--he deserted them and went home. Barnabas ever the 'Son of Encouragement' insists John Mark has repented and is ready for the task. The dissension is too strong. Barnabas departs to go a different direction with John Mark and Paul chooses Silas who accompanied them from the Jerusalem Council. How can this dissension glorify Jesus? In the long run, there are now two missionary teams instead of one and John Mark is restored. At the end of Paul's life he requests the ministry of John Mark.
Did the dissension bring glory to the Lord? What came out of the dissension brought glory to the Lord. That is just like our Lord. He takes what we make bad and if we trust Him, He will bring glory to Himself. Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Every once in a while I get an old e-mail hoax forwarded to me. It usually has something to do with how NASA scientists have mathematically proven that there is a day missing in time. The e-mail usually associates the day with Joshua’s battle where the Sun stood still and with Isaiah”s miracle of the sun going backward. Without being a scientist, I know that NASA scientists could not have mathematically proven this. But I won’t bore you with the details. Although, it is interesting to consider how this miracle could possibly have taken place. After all, the laws of motion seem to indicate that if the Lord all-of-a-sudden stopped the earth, then everything not attached to the surface would have kept traveling and, relatively speaking, have been hurled eastward and perhaps off of the planet. There have been a few suggestions as to how the Lord may have arranged this mechanically without devastating the earth with massive tidal waves. Personally, while I find this interesting, I ultimately don’t care. After all, if my God is big enough to speak the universe into existence with all of its galactic and planetary motions, then He is able to stop the rotation of one little planet for one day and start it again and control all the laws of motion without doing harm to it. I mean, that is the point, isn’t it? He is after all, God. Do I have to be able to analyze it to believe it? I don’t think so. Sometimes we just need to let God be God, rather than trying to analyze everything.
In his book Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain compares and contrasts two views of the river. One view is when he was a boy, and the river just awed him on a daily basis. The other view is after he had become a river boat pilot. He had so analyzed the river and knew it so well that it no longer held any wonder for him. Do I sometimes I approach the glory of my Lord in the same way? Do I have to use my western analytical mind so much that I cease to be truly awed by His glory? Can I not just sit back and be awed by the God of the Universe, who will enter time and space and reorder it, if need be, just to provide for my need and glorify Himself? Granted, making the sun stand still is probably a once-in-a-creation event, but still it causes me to reflect that our Lord is able to reorder all the daily events combining His sovereign design with the billions of free will decisions of His creatures in order to reveal His glory. From time to time He enters time and space and does something to order those events so that I know He did it. Wow! Now there is something that I just have to let awe me! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 15:22-41
It feels like dissension could never bring glory to Jesus. And it is probably true that Jesus prefers that His glory be increased through routes other than dissension. But, even people who are normally Spirit-filled sometimes miss the mark and sin. The dissension at Antioch brought the landmark decision from the "home" church in Jerusalem. James writing for the majority (actually among the apostles it was probably unanimous) phrased it as, "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us." Dissension led to a unanimous decision, which led to a blessing upon the Gentile church.
The dissension now healed, Paul and Barnabas return their attention on planting churches among the Gentiles. Woops, dissension arises again. Barnabas wants to take his nephew John Mark with them again. Paul is dead set against it. After all John Mark had revealed that he didn't have what it takes in Perga of Pamphylia--he deserted them and went home. Barnabas ever the 'Son of Encouragement' insists John Mark has repented and is ready for the task. The dissension is too strong. Barnabas departs to go a different direction with John Mark and Paul chooses Silas who accompanied them from the Jerusalem Council. How can this dissension glorify Jesus? In the long run, there are now two missionary teams instead of one and John Mark is restored. At the end of Paul's life he requests the ministry of John Mark.
Did the dissension bring glory to the Lord? What came out of the dissension brought glory to the Lord. That is just like our Lord. He takes what we make bad and if we trust Him, He will bring glory to Himself. Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
July 7, 2010
Joshua 9
Many liberal theologians speak negatively of the Old Testament as a “bloody religion.” They speak this in reference to the sacrificial system, but more negatively they speak of it in reference to command of the Lord to kill the inhabitants of Canaan and other similar commands. They (liberal theologians) seem to leave you with the impression that the Canaanites were innocent people who did not deserve to be killed or kicked out of the land. But consider this, many of the Canaanites practiced child sacrifice. Also, consider what the Lord told Abraham in Genesis 15:15-16: “Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” If you don’t know, the Amorites are one of the seven ethnic groups that lived in Canaan. By the time that the Israelites were delivered from Egypt their immorality had advanced to the point that they deserved to be kicked out of the land.
Another problem with the so-called innocence of the Canaanites is that many assume that the Canaanites were given no warning or option. But listen to what the Gibeonites said,
“Because your servants were clearly told that the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
Clearly they had been warned and had the options of pleading for mercy or fleeing the land. This is a picture of our need in salvation. We stand wholly destitute in front of a Holy God in need of mercy. We have no option but plead for mercy for salvation. We cannot flee the land for where can we flee from God? We have been warned. All of creation points to fact that we have offended a Holy God. All of Scripture points to the fact that we have offended a Holy God. If we will not yield to the revelation of nature and the revelation of Scripture, there is no remedy. There is no mercy. He is a just God.
But praise be to the name of the Lord Jesus, we can call out to the Father for mercy, and He freely gives it to us in Christ. We need not and cannot resort to deception. We simply become aware of our need. We repent and believe. Then His mercy and grace are applied to us. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 15:1-21
2,000 years of tradition from Abraham & Moses is hard to break. As a pastor I am aware that even 20 years of tradition is hard to break. How do you break a tradition and mindset that represents over 50,000 people and 2,000 years of passing from generation to generation? Only our glorious Lord could do such a thing. The tradition was that the Gentiles could not be part of God's people unless they were circumcised as were the Jews. For 2,000 years circumcision had been the sign that your family was part of God's covenant people. It is the glory of our Lord to change it without causing a split in the congregation. He did it in such a way that it could not be refuted. First, he sent the Holy Spirit upon the Jews at Pentecost with visible and audible evidence to demonstrate that they knew the Lord. Then, He converted Saul with the purpose of making him a light to the Gentiles. Then. He gave Cornelius, a Gentile, and Peter, the leading Jew, simultaneous visions. Then, He poured the Holy Spirit out upon Cornelius & household just as he had done for the Jews at Pentecost. Then, He sent a mighty movement among the Gentiles in Antioch and Asia Minor raising up Paul (Saul) to plant churches of converts in city after city. Now the rub starts. Do these new coverts have to be circumcised or do they not? 2,000 years of tradition says they do. Paul and Barnabas say absolutely not! What do we do? Take it to the top! The case is laid out. Peter speaks. Paul & Barnabas speak. James the apparent head of the church in Jerusalem speaks. He confirms not only the experience of Peter & Paul but he quotes the Scripture in support of the Gentiles coming to God through Jesus without needing circumcision. God usually works that way. We may have experiences that we deem valid. But if it is from God, our experience never contradicts God's Word. Sometimes His word is a little confusing to us, but as James says, "Known to God from eternity are all His works." That is His glory. If we could always figure out His works, it wouldn't be all that glorious, would it? At times his ways are strange to us because He is the Creator and we are the Creature. Its kind of like the title of the song Intimate Stranger. On the one hand we have great intimacy with Him because of His blood. On the other hand He is the Eternal God. We cannot figure Him out. His ways are strange to ours. Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Many liberal theologians speak negatively of the Old Testament as a “bloody religion.” They speak this in reference to the sacrificial system, but more negatively they speak of it in reference to command of the Lord to kill the inhabitants of Canaan and other similar commands. They (liberal theologians) seem to leave you with the impression that the Canaanites were innocent people who did not deserve to be killed or kicked out of the land. But consider this, many of the Canaanites practiced child sacrifice. Also, consider what the Lord told Abraham in Genesis 15:15-16: “Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” If you don’t know, the Amorites are one of the seven ethnic groups that lived in Canaan. By the time that the Israelites were delivered from Egypt their immorality had advanced to the point that they deserved to be kicked out of the land.
Another problem with the so-called innocence of the Canaanites is that many assume that the Canaanites were given no warning or option. But listen to what the Gibeonites said,
“Because your servants were clearly told that the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
Clearly they had been warned and had the options of pleading for mercy or fleeing the land. This is a picture of our need in salvation. We stand wholly destitute in front of a Holy God in need of mercy. We have no option but plead for mercy for salvation. We cannot flee the land for where can we flee from God? We have been warned. All of creation points to fact that we have offended a Holy God. All of Scripture points to the fact that we have offended a Holy God. If we will not yield to the revelation of nature and the revelation of Scripture, there is no remedy. There is no mercy. He is a just God.
But praise be to the name of the Lord Jesus, we can call out to the Father for mercy, and He freely gives it to us in Christ. We need not and cannot resort to deception. We simply become aware of our need. We repent and believe. Then His mercy and grace are applied to us. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 15:1-21
2,000 years of tradition from Abraham & Moses is hard to break. As a pastor I am aware that even 20 years of tradition is hard to break. How do you break a tradition and mindset that represents over 50,000 people and 2,000 years of passing from generation to generation? Only our glorious Lord could do such a thing. The tradition was that the Gentiles could not be part of God's people unless they were circumcised as were the Jews. For 2,000 years circumcision had been the sign that your family was part of God's covenant people. It is the glory of our Lord to change it without causing a split in the congregation. He did it in such a way that it could not be refuted. First, he sent the Holy Spirit upon the Jews at Pentecost with visible and audible evidence to demonstrate that they knew the Lord. Then, He converted Saul with the purpose of making him a light to the Gentiles. Then. He gave Cornelius, a Gentile, and Peter, the leading Jew, simultaneous visions. Then, He poured the Holy Spirit out upon Cornelius & household just as he had done for the Jews at Pentecost. Then, He sent a mighty movement among the Gentiles in Antioch and Asia Minor raising up Paul (Saul) to plant churches of converts in city after city. Now the rub starts. Do these new coverts have to be circumcised or do they not? 2,000 years of tradition says they do. Paul and Barnabas say absolutely not! What do we do? Take it to the top! The case is laid out. Peter speaks. Paul & Barnabas speak. James the apparent head of the church in Jerusalem speaks. He confirms not only the experience of Peter & Paul but he quotes the Scripture in support of the Gentiles coming to God through Jesus without needing circumcision. God usually works that way. We may have experiences that we deem valid. But if it is from God, our experience never contradicts God's Word. Sometimes His word is a little confusing to us, but as James says, "Known to God from eternity are all His works." That is His glory. If we could always figure out His works, it wouldn't be all that glorious, would it? At times his ways are strange to us because He is the Creator and we are the Creature. Its kind of like the title of the song Intimate Stranger. On the one hand we have great intimacy with Him because of His blood. On the other hand He is the Eternal God. We cannot figure Him out. His ways are strange to ours. Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Monday, July 5, 2010
July 6, 2010
Joshua 8
“According to the commandment of the Lord you shall do.” As communicated in earlier meditations, the killing of people is no longer part of God’s plan for His people. So what do we do with this? The conquest of Canaan is a type of spiritual warfare that we experience now. How do we deal with the enemy of our spiritual flesh? We kill it, thoroughly and completely according to the commandment of the Lord. When we do this, He leads us in victory. He leads us into the valley of Shechem between Mt. Gerazim and Mt. Ebal where we see the provision that Jesus has for us. There the cursings and the blessings of the law are fulfilled in Jesus, and as we are in Him, they are fulfilled in us. This is His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 14
The glory of Jesus is never without witness. He is the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them. He is good all the time. He regularly sends rain from heaven and fruitful seasons. He fills our hearts with food and gladness. Yet on special occasions He performs signs and wonders, different from His daily acts of goodness. These acts thrill our souls. Perhaps you are one or have known someone who was miraculously healed by the Lord or had some mighty act done for you. Are these any less glorious than the daily things He does for us? If you really stop to think about it, no they aren't. They are just not as frequent.
In the midst of the mighty acts, Satan is always working. In the ones we see every day, he deceives us into believing that they are mundane and not glorious. In the infrequent ones, he stirs up opposition to rip our sails and cease our momentum. So it is with Paul. He is stoned and left for dead. You can be sure Satan, the world and the flesh were all behind that. But the Lord's glory will not be hidden. Jesus raised up Paul. Having been stoned and left for dead, Paul encourages the believers in Derbe with these words, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."
Jesus is indeed glorified when He does infrequent mighty acts through us. However, which is easier, to follow a leader who is winning battle after battle with very little casualties, or to follow a leader who says you must constantly be a casualty through your lifetime before you may share in His glory? I think we would all prefer the former and avoid the latter. And yet, if that leader is so loved by His subjects that they would constantly be casualties for the sake of His glory, which leader is more glorious? I think the love and loyalty of the latter would make the glory of that leader more precious. That is what Jesus is doing in this passage and in our lives. But it is difficult to follow Him if we focus on the pain and not upon His glory. Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
“According to the commandment of the Lord you shall do.” As communicated in earlier meditations, the killing of people is no longer part of God’s plan for His people. So what do we do with this? The conquest of Canaan is a type of spiritual warfare that we experience now. How do we deal with the enemy of our spiritual flesh? We kill it, thoroughly and completely according to the commandment of the Lord. When we do this, He leads us in victory. He leads us into the valley of Shechem between Mt. Gerazim and Mt. Ebal where we see the provision that Jesus has for us. There the cursings and the blessings of the law are fulfilled in Jesus, and as we are in Him, they are fulfilled in us. This is His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 14
The glory of Jesus is never without witness. He is the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them. He is good all the time. He regularly sends rain from heaven and fruitful seasons. He fills our hearts with food and gladness. Yet on special occasions He performs signs and wonders, different from His daily acts of goodness. These acts thrill our souls. Perhaps you are one or have known someone who was miraculously healed by the Lord or had some mighty act done for you. Are these any less glorious than the daily things He does for us? If you really stop to think about it, no they aren't. They are just not as frequent.
In the midst of the mighty acts, Satan is always working. In the ones we see every day, he deceives us into believing that they are mundane and not glorious. In the infrequent ones, he stirs up opposition to rip our sails and cease our momentum. So it is with Paul. He is stoned and left for dead. You can be sure Satan, the world and the flesh were all behind that. But the Lord's glory will not be hidden. Jesus raised up Paul. Having been stoned and left for dead, Paul encourages the believers in Derbe with these words, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."
Jesus is indeed glorified when He does infrequent mighty acts through us. However, which is easier, to follow a leader who is winning battle after battle with very little casualties, or to follow a leader who says you must constantly be a casualty through your lifetime before you may share in His glory? I think we would all prefer the former and avoid the latter. And yet, if that leader is so loved by His subjects that they would constantly be casualties for the sake of His glory, which leader is more glorious? I think the love and loyalty of the latter would make the glory of that leader more precious. That is what Jesus is doing in this passage and in our lives. But it is difficult to follow Him if we focus on the pain and not upon His glory. Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Sunday, July 4, 2010
July 5, 2010
Joshua 7
The Lord was fiercely angry with Israel because of Achan’s sin. Is that glory? To my American mindset, it does not sound fair. That is what independence is all about in America. It is the right of the individual. One of my students turned in an solution argument paragraph dealing with crime. As an example of how to deal with crime she cited China, which does not mess with criminals. If you are caught in a wrong, you are severely dealt with. Now I am not suggesting that we emulate China’s justice system; however, I do think that some other cultures have a better understanding of corporate guilt than we do. I also think that some other cultures have a better understanding of justice than we do. Achan’s sin was the county’s sin. It was right that God was angry with it. It violated the truth that God was the sole source of provision for their need. He was rightly offended. And His anger was fierce. I am glad that God is fiercely angry with sin. If he were not, there would be no justice.
There is a unique command that Joshua gives Achan, “Give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” Achan does it. He is punished. God is glorified in his confession and in his punishment. I don’t quite get it, but I believe God is glorified in it! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 13:36-52
The glory of Jesus is that He defeated sin on the cross and death in His resurrection. That seems to be the essence of Paul's messages whether his audience is Jew or Gentile. That message still overwhelms me when I take the time to focus on it. The eternal, holy God, the Creator of all things, became sin on my behalf and died on my behalf and rose again on my behalf. Why don't more people see that glory? In Antioch of Pisidia Paul was light of the glory of Jesus to both Jew and Gentle. That light received a mixed reception. When a bright light shines brightly in the presence of a totally blind person and blind person does not see it, it is not the fault of the light. The problem lies with the blind person. They lack the receptors to see the light. The glory of Jesus is that He breaks through our inability and enables us to see. Herein lies the mystery of the sovereignty of God, which frankly I have neither ability to comprehend or explain. People can't believe because they won't and won't believe because they can't. God breaks the cycle for some by appointing them to eternal life. In breaking that cycle He commands us to speak His glory to all. As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are enabled to speak light into darkness and He shines, making us lights for salvation to the ends of the earth. Are you filled with His Spirit? Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
The Lord was fiercely angry with Israel because of Achan’s sin. Is that glory? To my American mindset, it does not sound fair. That is what independence is all about in America. It is the right of the individual. One of my students turned in an solution argument paragraph dealing with crime. As an example of how to deal with crime she cited China, which does not mess with criminals. If you are caught in a wrong, you are severely dealt with. Now I am not suggesting that we emulate China’s justice system; however, I do think that some other cultures have a better understanding of corporate guilt than we do. I also think that some other cultures have a better understanding of justice than we do. Achan’s sin was the county’s sin. It was right that God was angry with it. It violated the truth that God was the sole source of provision for their need. He was rightly offended. And His anger was fierce. I am glad that God is fiercely angry with sin. If he were not, there would be no justice.
There is a unique command that Joshua gives Achan, “Give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” Achan does it. He is punished. God is glorified in his confession and in his punishment. I don’t quite get it, but I believe God is glorified in it! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 13:36-52
The glory of Jesus is that He defeated sin on the cross and death in His resurrection. That seems to be the essence of Paul's messages whether his audience is Jew or Gentile. That message still overwhelms me when I take the time to focus on it. The eternal, holy God, the Creator of all things, became sin on my behalf and died on my behalf and rose again on my behalf. Why don't more people see that glory? In Antioch of Pisidia Paul was light of the glory of Jesus to both Jew and Gentle. That light received a mixed reception. When a bright light shines brightly in the presence of a totally blind person and blind person does not see it, it is not the fault of the light. The problem lies with the blind person. They lack the receptors to see the light. The glory of Jesus is that He breaks through our inability and enables us to see. Herein lies the mystery of the sovereignty of God, which frankly I have neither ability to comprehend or explain. People can't believe because they won't and won't believe because they can't. God breaks the cycle for some by appointing them to eternal life. In breaking that cycle He commands us to speak His glory to all. As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are enabled to speak light into darkness and He shines, making us lights for salvation to the ends of the earth. Are you filled with His Spirit? Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
July 4, 2010
Joshua 6
The Lord needs no army to destroy a city. Then why does He make them fight? Is it the glory of the Lord to kill? Is it the glory of the Lord to have His people kill? Joshua’s mission to kill or drive out all the Canaanites is probably one of the most difficult aspects of Scripture to explain. I think that the answer lies in the simplicity of justice. If God is just, then injustice must be punished. That is the nature of justice. With that in mind if justice is served we all should die. So the surprise should be not that He should command that any should die, but that He should show mercy on anyone. How can He be just and show mercy? Only if justice is satisfied can mercy be shown. He can only show me mercy if I die. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Mercy and justice are seen in the same city of Jericho. The harlot and her family received mercy. The rest of the city received justice. Why did the harlot receive mercy? She received mercy because she chose to trust in Yahweh. How did she know to trust in Yahweh? She knew of Him before the spies came. She knew how He had aided Israel from Egypt to the crossing of the Jordan. One can only assume that the rest of the city was aware of the same stories. Would they not have had the same opportunity as she had? Could they not also have called out for mercy? They could, but they did not. The result was that we see both in this city. Sometimes people are the instruments of God’s mercy and justice. We had better be sure that we go no further than what He has assigned with our mercy or justice.
It was the ark that led the way of His justice. The ark was presence of God. My how powerful is His presence! His presence destroys the power of our enemy. That is why we must grasp the glory of His presence every day. It is His glory that destroys the power of the enemy in us. But He expects us participate with Him in putting to death the deeds of the body. In so doing we live. This passage reveals to me His glory in giving me victory over the deeds of the flesh. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 13:1-35
It was the glory of the Lord to establish a strong Gentile church in Antioch. Saul and Barnabas, Jews, were major tools in the Lord’s hands to build up this church. It had been communicated earlier to Saul and confirmed through the church that God had raised up Saul to minister specifically to the Gentiles. Saul had now gone through years of re-training. It was time for him to embark on His journey.
The Holy Spirit spoke to the prophets and teachers in the Church in Antioch. Jesus usually works by calling someone to a task and then confirming it through the church leadership. Why should it be glory for our Lord to work such a way? We are so full of ego that to get two people to agree about anything is truly amazing. Throw into the mix the fact that Satan is ever seeking to destroy the work of God, then you have a recipe for constant infighting. The Antioch church had a good thing going here. It was large, growing and experiencing peace. Why ruin it by taking away its two key leaders? But the Holy Spirit spoke to the leadership, not just Saul and Barnabas. It was clear that it was time for Saul and Barnabas to begin the work for which God had raised them up. It is the glory of the Lord to call someone to ministry and confirm it through the leadership. From this point on, Saul is called Paul.
Paul is opposed by an emissary of Satan at Paphos. The hand of the Lord blinds the opposition. The result is that the proconsul believes. The Lord is glorified. In Perga, Pamphylia the going gets rough and John Mark abandons them. In the synagogue of Perga, Paul addresses the synagogue. After a brief recitation of the history of the “Son of David”, he declares that Jesus is that Son as is demonstrated in His resurrection as foretold by David in the Psalms. It is the glory of the Lord to have enigmatically foretold what He would do a thousand years before He did it. Paul needed those preparatory years before and after his conversion to see it. And now, God is unfolding the glory of the Lord Jesus through him. Indeed we have a glorious King! Speak his glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
The Lord needs no army to destroy a city. Then why does He make them fight? Is it the glory of the Lord to kill? Is it the glory of the Lord to have His people kill? Joshua’s mission to kill or drive out all the Canaanites is probably one of the most difficult aspects of Scripture to explain. I think that the answer lies in the simplicity of justice. If God is just, then injustice must be punished. That is the nature of justice. With that in mind if justice is served we all should die. So the surprise should be not that He should command that any should die, but that He should show mercy on anyone. How can He be just and show mercy? Only if justice is satisfied can mercy be shown. He can only show me mercy if I die. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Mercy and justice are seen in the same city of Jericho. The harlot and her family received mercy. The rest of the city received justice. Why did the harlot receive mercy? She received mercy because she chose to trust in Yahweh. How did she know to trust in Yahweh? She knew of Him before the spies came. She knew how He had aided Israel from Egypt to the crossing of the Jordan. One can only assume that the rest of the city was aware of the same stories. Would they not have had the same opportunity as she had? Could they not also have called out for mercy? They could, but they did not. The result was that we see both in this city. Sometimes people are the instruments of God’s mercy and justice. We had better be sure that we go no further than what He has assigned with our mercy or justice.
It was the ark that led the way of His justice. The ark was presence of God. My how powerful is His presence! His presence destroys the power of our enemy. That is why we must grasp the glory of His presence every day. It is His glory that destroys the power of the enemy in us. But He expects us participate with Him in putting to death the deeds of the body. In so doing we live. This passage reveals to me His glory in giving me victory over the deeds of the flesh. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 13:1-35
It was the glory of the Lord to establish a strong Gentile church in Antioch. Saul and Barnabas, Jews, were major tools in the Lord’s hands to build up this church. It had been communicated earlier to Saul and confirmed through the church that God had raised up Saul to minister specifically to the Gentiles. Saul had now gone through years of re-training. It was time for him to embark on His journey.
The Holy Spirit spoke to the prophets and teachers in the Church in Antioch. Jesus usually works by calling someone to a task and then confirming it through the church leadership. Why should it be glory for our Lord to work such a way? We are so full of ego that to get two people to agree about anything is truly amazing. Throw into the mix the fact that Satan is ever seeking to destroy the work of God, then you have a recipe for constant infighting. The Antioch church had a good thing going here. It was large, growing and experiencing peace. Why ruin it by taking away its two key leaders? But the Holy Spirit spoke to the leadership, not just Saul and Barnabas. It was clear that it was time for Saul and Barnabas to begin the work for which God had raised them up. It is the glory of the Lord to call someone to ministry and confirm it through the leadership. From this point on, Saul is called Paul.
Paul is opposed by an emissary of Satan at Paphos. The hand of the Lord blinds the opposition. The result is that the proconsul believes. The Lord is glorified. In Perga, Pamphylia the going gets rough and John Mark abandons them. In the synagogue of Perga, Paul addresses the synagogue. After a brief recitation of the history of the “Son of David”, he declares that Jesus is that Son as is demonstrated in His resurrection as foretold by David in the Psalms. It is the glory of the Lord to have enigmatically foretold what He would do a thousand years before He did it. Paul needed those preparatory years before and after his conversion to see it. And now, God is unfolding the glory of the Lord Jesus through him. Indeed we have a glorious King! Speak his glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Friday, July 2, 2010
July 3, 2010
Joshua 5
As Jesse and I have walked around the neighborhoods here, I have noticed a number of round concrete manhole type things protruding out of the ground next to the street. Occasionally the cover will be slid to the side. At first I thought that they were just utility manholes or storm sewer access holes. But then as we walked by one of them, a distinct outhouse smell wafted out and there was an overwhelming increase in the number of flies. My thought was, “If we were walking in the dark and did not see the opening, one could possibly stumble into the hole.” Now there is a nasty thought. One would become a reproach to all who came near. I thought of a National Geographic article that I read a number of years ago concerning the untouchables, the Dalit, in India who are used as human sewer line cleaners. They would indeed be revolting, a reproach to all.
Remember the event in Exodus 4?
4And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. 25Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” 26So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision.
Apparently, Moses’ wife, not being an Israelite, did not understand the practice. I would assume that she opposed Moses in the practice, and giving in to her, Moses did not circumcise his sons. The Lord was angry with him because he did not obey. Circumcision was given to the Israelites as a sign of their special relationship with the Lord. By not practicing it, it was like saying that he did not want his sons to be part of that special relationship. That was unacceptable! It was so unacceptable that the Lord sought to kill Moses probably by some sort of illness. He had become a reproach to God. Zipporah finally saw the importance of circumcision to the Lord. Moses was unable to perform the act. So, she performed it. As she did so, the Lord restored Moses.
The Israelites had not practiced the covenant sign of circumcision since they had left Egypt. Why? Maybe it had to do with the lack of water; maybe it had to do with their constant travel. Certainly it was disobedience. By not performing the sign, they had rejected their special relationship with the Lord. They had become a reproach. They were revolting in the presence of God. Now they have miraculously been delivered into the land promised to Abraham. They have crossed the Jordan in the spring (flood stage). They want to renew the covenant. They begin with circumcision. God rolled away their reproach. He made them clean. Gigal, by the way, means, “rolled away.”
Then they celebrated the Passover, another sign of the covenant. Then they ate of the fruit of the Promised Land. Then the manna ceased. Then the Commander of the army of the Lord appears to them. They were then ready to possess the land.
I was walking on my dark path. I stumbled into sin. The result was that I was covered with the stench of sin. I became a reproach to my Lord. I had no way to remove the stench which seeped from every pore. But Jesus came. He washed me in His own blood. I became whiter than snow. He clothed me in clean garments. He perfumed me with His own fragrance. I am now acceptable in the presence of God. I am now equipped to battle against the spiritual forces of darkness who seek to enslave me once again to the yoke of sin. This is all true because of what Jesus has done. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 12
From a human perspective, it was a dark day for the glory of our Lord. James the brother of John had been put to the sword. And then Peter was arrested. One would be tempted to roll over and play dead. However, verse 5 has a very important little word, ‘but’ and then follows the clause, ‘prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.’ As a result of the death in the last outbreak of persecution, the Lord accomplished the salvation of Saul. What would he do this time? The church knew that the glory of the Lord was on the line, as well as Peter’s life. They went to prayer.
God never seems to work in the same way in similar situations. He always seems to do a new solution for each problem. He dispatched an angel. The angel set him free. Do you ever notice we often don’t believe the answer to our own prayers? When Peter showed up at the prayer meeting, held on his behalf, they didn’t believe he was at the door. On the one hand, we shouldn’t be amazed when He does things like that. On the other hand, that’s part of what makes it glory—it’s amazing.
God still wasn’t finished with just setting Peter free. Herod wasn’t done either. He had the guards put to death. I sure wouldn’t want to have been a guard back then. Note what happened when he took what should have been God’s glory. He was eaten by worms and died. What an awful way to go. God is jealous of His own glory and the glory of His Son. Surely we need to speak much and often of the glory of Jesus. Indeed we have a glorious King! Speak his glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
As Jesse and I have walked around the neighborhoods here, I have noticed a number of round concrete manhole type things protruding out of the ground next to the street. Occasionally the cover will be slid to the side. At first I thought that they were just utility manholes or storm sewer access holes. But then as we walked by one of them, a distinct outhouse smell wafted out and there was an overwhelming increase in the number of flies. My thought was, “If we were walking in the dark and did not see the opening, one could possibly stumble into the hole.” Now there is a nasty thought. One would become a reproach to all who came near. I thought of a National Geographic article that I read a number of years ago concerning the untouchables, the Dalit, in India who are used as human sewer line cleaners. They would indeed be revolting, a reproach to all.
Remember the event in Exodus 4?
4And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. 25Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” 26So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision.
Apparently, Moses’ wife, not being an Israelite, did not understand the practice. I would assume that she opposed Moses in the practice, and giving in to her, Moses did not circumcise his sons. The Lord was angry with him because he did not obey. Circumcision was given to the Israelites as a sign of their special relationship with the Lord. By not practicing it, it was like saying that he did not want his sons to be part of that special relationship. That was unacceptable! It was so unacceptable that the Lord sought to kill Moses probably by some sort of illness. He had become a reproach to God. Zipporah finally saw the importance of circumcision to the Lord. Moses was unable to perform the act. So, she performed it. As she did so, the Lord restored Moses.
The Israelites had not practiced the covenant sign of circumcision since they had left Egypt. Why? Maybe it had to do with the lack of water; maybe it had to do with their constant travel. Certainly it was disobedience. By not performing the sign, they had rejected their special relationship with the Lord. They had become a reproach. They were revolting in the presence of God. Now they have miraculously been delivered into the land promised to Abraham. They have crossed the Jordan in the spring (flood stage). They want to renew the covenant. They begin with circumcision. God rolled away their reproach. He made them clean. Gigal, by the way, means, “rolled away.”
Then they celebrated the Passover, another sign of the covenant. Then they ate of the fruit of the Promised Land. Then the manna ceased. Then the Commander of the army of the Lord appears to them. They were then ready to possess the land.
I was walking on my dark path. I stumbled into sin. The result was that I was covered with the stench of sin. I became a reproach to my Lord. I had no way to remove the stench which seeped from every pore. But Jesus came. He washed me in His own blood. I became whiter than snow. He clothed me in clean garments. He perfumed me with His own fragrance. I am now acceptable in the presence of God. I am now equipped to battle against the spiritual forces of darkness who seek to enslave me once again to the yoke of sin. This is all true because of what Jesus has done. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 12
From a human perspective, it was a dark day for the glory of our Lord. James the brother of John had been put to the sword. And then Peter was arrested. One would be tempted to roll over and play dead. However, verse 5 has a very important little word, ‘but’ and then follows the clause, ‘prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.’ As a result of the death in the last outbreak of persecution, the Lord accomplished the salvation of Saul. What would he do this time? The church knew that the glory of the Lord was on the line, as well as Peter’s life. They went to prayer.
God never seems to work in the same way in similar situations. He always seems to do a new solution for each problem. He dispatched an angel. The angel set him free. Do you ever notice we often don’t believe the answer to our own prayers? When Peter showed up at the prayer meeting, held on his behalf, they didn’t believe he was at the door. On the one hand, we shouldn’t be amazed when He does things like that. On the other hand, that’s part of what makes it glory—it’s amazing.
God still wasn’t finished with just setting Peter free. Herod wasn’t done either. He had the guards put to death. I sure wouldn’t want to have been a guard back then. Note what happened when he took what should have been God’s glory. He was eaten by worms and died. What an awful way to go. God is jealous of His own glory and the glory of His Son. Surely we need to speak much and often of the glory of Jesus. Indeed we have a glorious King! Speak his glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Thursday, July 1, 2010
July 2, 2010
Joshua 4
“Heap of Birds,” now there is an unusual name. That was the last name of a guest lecturer that the OSU art department had on campus. I wonder, “What is the significance of that name?” “What is the glory behind it?” Here at the crossing at Gilgal Israel created a heap of stones. There intentionally was glory behind it. It was to be a reminder to generations to come of how the Lord caused them to cross the Jordan on dry ground. It was a memorial not only for Israel’s generations but also for all the peoples of the earth. It has significance even for me for I am one of those who in the flesh are not part of the descendants of Israel. It speaks to me of the miraculous provision of the Lord. It speaks for all ethnic groups for here is a heap of stones that speaks to an event transcends the cultural biases of all ethnic groups. It is simple and clear, “The Lord delivers His people.” Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 11:1-30
Well ministry to the Gentiles isn't secure yet. There are still tens of thousands back in Jerusalem, who did not see the vision of either Peter or Paul. Yes they had probably heard about Paul's conversion and commission by now. But, they probably chalked it up to the ravings of a madman, especially since Paul had left the area and had been gone for over three years now. They hadn't heard about Peter's vision or Cornelius' vision, or about the evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at Cornelius' conversion. All they knew was that Peter had entered the house of a Gentile! And, gasp, he ate with them. This goes against 1400 years of tradition on how God had worked with the Children of Israel!
It’s a good thing Peter was backed against the wall (see yesterday's comments). He would have caved otherwise. But it is the glory of our Lord to demonstrate His desire so that for all times it might be demonstrated that it is not about tradition. It is about His glory. It is His glory to bring people of all culture and subcultures to make them one, to bring people of one generation and another generation to make them one. It is His glory to change them so that they cease complaining about their brothers and sisters who are different. The church today has much to learn from this. Anyway, as I was saying, Peter was backed against the wall. He was being called on the carpet for breaking tradition. All that He could do was recount what the Lord had done. None of what had happened had been of his initiative. Having heard the story, most of the cooler heads in the group saw the Lord was in it. The church approved the ministry to the Gentiles. The glory of Jesus has prevailed. 1400 years of tradition is broken. Now that indeed is amazing.
But publicly announcing the possibility of breaking tradition and actually doing it are two different things. Almost everyone is still afraid to do it. But there were some men (funny, they're un-named) who grew up in Cyprus and Phoenicia (they grew up playing with Gentiles) who took bold steps. Horror of horrors they spoke the glory of Christ to Gentiles in Antioch (a long way away from Jerusalem). And the glory of God fell upon them, the hand of the Lord was with them. Barnabas, ever the son of encouragement, put 2+2 together. He traveled all the way to Tarsus, found Paul who had been commissioned to go to the Gentiles and brought him to Antioch to begin teaching the Gentiles about Jesus. Somebody finally got it right.
After a year of ministry, the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ was so great among the Gentiles of Antioch that the non-believing Gentiles began to call the believers, "Christians," which means little Christ or of Christ. The glory of Christ was so great upon them that others recognized Christ in them. O that Jesus would do that in us!
God has a sense of irony. He warned and sent a famine to Judea. Apparently many of the Jewish believers in Judea were in dire straights. And the Jerusalem church was too impoverished to help each other. How did God provide for them? He used the Gentile believers of Antioch to send relief. Those people, with whom the Jews would not eat because their tradition said it would make them unclean, God sent by their hands food for the Jewish believers to eat. And He used Saul/Paul of all people to deliver it. That is ironic. That is also glorious. Our Lord breaks down barriers that divide people! In the words of Randy Matthews, who was rejected by the church for his contemporary music, "It took a carpenter to tear down my walls, it took a stronger hand than mine." Jesus is glorious in the way He tears down walls. Indeed we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
“Heap of Birds,” now there is an unusual name. That was the last name of a guest lecturer that the OSU art department had on campus. I wonder, “What is the significance of that name?” “What is the glory behind it?” Here at the crossing at Gilgal Israel created a heap of stones. There intentionally was glory behind it. It was to be a reminder to generations to come of how the Lord caused them to cross the Jordan on dry ground. It was a memorial not only for Israel’s generations but also for all the peoples of the earth. It has significance even for me for I am one of those who in the flesh are not part of the descendants of Israel. It speaks to me of the miraculous provision of the Lord. It speaks for all ethnic groups for here is a heap of stones that speaks to an event transcends the cultural biases of all ethnic groups. It is simple and clear, “The Lord delivers His people.” Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 11:1-30
Well ministry to the Gentiles isn't secure yet. There are still tens of thousands back in Jerusalem, who did not see the vision of either Peter or Paul. Yes they had probably heard about Paul's conversion and commission by now. But, they probably chalked it up to the ravings of a madman, especially since Paul had left the area and had been gone for over three years now. They hadn't heard about Peter's vision or Cornelius' vision, or about the evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at Cornelius' conversion. All they knew was that Peter had entered the house of a Gentile! And, gasp, he ate with them. This goes against 1400 years of tradition on how God had worked with the Children of Israel!
It’s a good thing Peter was backed against the wall (see yesterday's comments). He would have caved otherwise. But it is the glory of our Lord to demonstrate His desire so that for all times it might be demonstrated that it is not about tradition. It is about His glory. It is His glory to bring people of all culture and subcultures to make them one, to bring people of one generation and another generation to make them one. It is His glory to change them so that they cease complaining about their brothers and sisters who are different. The church today has much to learn from this. Anyway, as I was saying, Peter was backed against the wall. He was being called on the carpet for breaking tradition. All that He could do was recount what the Lord had done. None of what had happened had been of his initiative. Having heard the story, most of the cooler heads in the group saw the Lord was in it. The church approved the ministry to the Gentiles. The glory of Jesus has prevailed. 1400 years of tradition is broken. Now that indeed is amazing.
But publicly announcing the possibility of breaking tradition and actually doing it are two different things. Almost everyone is still afraid to do it. But there were some men (funny, they're un-named) who grew up in Cyprus and Phoenicia (they grew up playing with Gentiles) who took bold steps. Horror of horrors they spoke the glory of Christ to Gentiles in Antioch (a long way away from Jerusalem). And the glory of God fell upon them, the hand of the Lord was with them. Barnabas, ever the son of encouragement, put 2+2 together. He traveled all the way to Tarsus, found Paul who had been commissioned to go to the Gentiles and brought him to Antioch to begin teaching the Gentiles about Jesus. Somebody finally got it right.
After a year of ministry, the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ was so great among the Gentiles of Antioch that the non-believing Gentiles began to call the believers, "Christians," which means little Christ or of Christ. The glory of Christ was so great upon them that others recognized Christ in them. O that Jesus would do that in us!
God has a sense of irony. He warned and sent a famine to Judea. Apparently many of the Jewish believers in Judea were in dire straights. And the Jerusalem church was too impoverished to help each other. How did God provide for them? He used the Gentile believers of Antioch to send relief. Those people, with whom the Jews would not eat because their tradition said it would make them unclean, God sent by their hands food for the Jewish believers to eat. And He used Saul/Paul of all people to deliver it. That is ironic. That is also glorious. Our Lord breaks down barriers that divide people! In the words of Randy Matthews, who was rejected by the church for his contemporary music, "It took a carpenter to tear down my walls, it took a stronger hand than mine." Jesus is glorious in the way He tears down walls. Indeed we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
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