August 31, 2010

1 Samuel 24

In my opinion this is one of the greatest acts of faith that David ever exhibited. Saul, who was seeking to kill David, was definitely within David’s ability to dispatch him. And David chooses not to have one of his men slit Saul’s throat. He wouldn’t have to do the dastardly deed himself. All he had to do was say the words, “Kill him,” and the deed would have been done. He probably was already in a part of the cave where he would not have to see or hear any part of the act. His nightmare of being the constant fugitive of the king would be over. Indeed he probably would be made king himself. Two little words was all it would take. No, he would not utter them. He would not allow his men to touch Saul. Why?

Yesterday we read where David’s was continually given information by the Lord on a need to know basis. David had learned to see the glory of the Lord in his awful situation. He had learned by experience that there is no safer place to be than to be where the Lord has told you to go. To harm someone anointed of the Lord would be to betray that experiential knowledge. To resort to his own means to accomplish a goal would be to reject the glory of the Lord to claim his own glory. He learned that we rally have no glory except when we permit the glory of the Lord to shine through us. ! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Nothing should demonstrate the glory of our Lord so clearly as communion. What do we see in communion? First, we see the sacrifice of His body and blood. He gave them for us! He purchased our pardon with His death. Second, we see His death inaugurated (but not completed) the New Covenant. What is the New Covenant? His Law will be written on our minds and hearts. He will be our God and we His people. We will know Him. Our iniquities and sins, He will remember no more. Third, we see His victory over sin and death in His resurrection. No one but Jesus has or will defeat sin and death. Of all the billions of beings in existence, only He alone defeated sin and death. Fourth, we see that He is coming again to receive us to Himself. This time He will come as King of kings and Lord of lords. He will not come as a suffering servant. His suffering accomplished our redemption. His ruling will accomplish our obedience. Fifth, we see His healing. His body was broken for our healing. Consequently, when we approach the table in an unworthy manner, sickness sometimes ensues. Conversely, sometimes we see healing. He is our redeeming, empowering, risen, coming, healing King! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 30, 2010

1 Samuel 23

I was watching a detective/comedy show yesterday. Three detectives were keeping secrets from their wannabe friend. Over the friend’s protests the detectives responses were, “This information is on a need to know basis, and you do not need to know.” Does the Lord ever give you the information you need to know? David needed to know some information. The Lord gave it to him. But there were other things the Lord could have done. He could have intervened for David in such a way that many of David’s troubles would not even have emerged. Why did He not intervene? Why did He only give such limited and specific answers such that David had to pursue them? Why? Why? Why? I guess that I am starting to sound like a little child. It is the glory of the Lord to let us find His glory in our pursuit of Him. He is worth pursuing. The Lord could have stopped all the misery that David was going through. But David would not have pursued Him then. And David would never know that God answers questions on a need to know basis. Also, we wouldn’t have a number of the Psalms that we have now. We find His glory only in our pursuit of Him. Lord, don’t let me give up! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

1 Corinthians 11:1-16

In most circles of our culture, if I were to say, “The head of woman is man,” then I would be scorned as some backward chauvinistic throw back of a previous generation. It would be as though I had said something very demeaning about women. Yet Christ does not object to us saying, “The head of Christ is God.” Is it demeaning to say that the head of Christ is God? I can hear some say, “But that is completely different. God is the Supreme being. It is not an equal rights issue here.” Oh really? Did God the Son not have the right to say, “No I do not desire to become flesh.” Did He not have the right to say, “No I will not die on a cross.” Is He not just as much God as is the Father? Indeed as we see elsewhere in Scripture, He is just as much deity as is God the Father. He could have called 10,000 angels to keep Him from dying. So it was not an issue of equal rights nor an issue of equal nature. It was something else.

Was it not an issue of love? Is it not that He loves the Father? When Jesus says to us, “If you love me, you will obey my commands,” is He not reflecting to us the very relationship He has with the Father. He loves the Father. So, He submits Himself to the Father, so that He might return us to the Father. Is it not also that He loves us? So, He submits Himself to the Father’s will so that He might rescue us from our sin and death. His submission to the Father does not demean Him or make Him any less in His deity. Rather, it increases His glory. Look what He has achieved because of His submission! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 29

1 Corinthians 10:19-33
“The earth is the Lord’s and all its fullness.” Paul quotes Psalm 24:1. He quotes it twice. It must be a significant thought, if he repeats it. The earth is full of beauty. He created it. The earth is also full of pain and suffering. Does that belong to Him as well? Well, yes. Does that mean He is the author of pain and suffering? He is the righteous judge. Pain and suffering are a result of His curse upon the earth because of the sin of Adam and Eve. We agreed with that sin and joined them when we became old enough to sin. So no, He is not the author of pain and suffering, He is the judge of it.
So where is the glory of Christ in this? As I walk through life, I am to be looking for His glory. My job is to reflect His glory. Anything that diminishes His glory, I should avoid. Anything that exalts His glory I should embrace. Whatever I do, do it to His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 28

1 Corinthians 10:1-18
When the Children of Israel came out of Egypt, the Lord not only provided miraculously for their exit but also for their sustenance as they traveled the desert He provided manna for bread, quail for meat and water via various miracles. Two of those miracles were occasions where water poured from a rock after Moses struck it. (If you remember the first time he was commanded to strike it, the second time he was commanded to speak to it but in disobedience, he struck it again.) Paul says that Rock was Christ. He is the Rock who brings us the water of life when He was struck down in His crucifixion but raised again, declaring us righteous before God. He is also the Rock who brings us ongoing, daily life as we kneel before Him yielding our lives to Him in reverence.
Throughout the Scripture “Rock” is used as a metaphor of Christ. “Rock” is used by the Psalmist as a place of safety and refuge, like Masada. Jesus refers to hearing and obeying His words to being like a person who builds his house on solid bedrock. Here the “Rock” is the source of pure living water that sustains our life. Jesus also refers to Himself as the manna that came down out of heaven. He is the source of our sustenance.
Paul says Jesus followed the Children of Israel. The Lord Jesus is our “Rock”. He follows us. He is always there. He is our place of refuge and safety. He is the bedrock upon which we can build. He is the source of pure living water that sustains us and is the source of sustenance. What comfort there is in that knowledge! What warning is also there! Paul kind of understates the case when he says with most of them God was not well pleased. Indeed, He was not well pleased with all the adults except Joshua and Caleb. They were His children. He met their needs. But because of their unbelief, they lived out their natural lives in the wilderness never experiencing the promised land for which they had been called out of Egypt.
We are often tempted to leave or ignore the source of our sustenance. That amounts to idolatry and immorality. But He constantly follows us. He is there ready to give us a way of escape from the temptation if we are willing to take it. We can bear it, because He is there. This blessed truth is part of the symbolism of communion. We drink of one cup together—the cup of the Lord Jesus Christ. He makes us holy through communion with Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 27, 2010

1 Samuel 19

When God has a plan, He makes even His enemies join in accomplishing the plan. This is the second time that the Spirit of the Lord has come upon Saul and caused Him to prophesy. However, the first time found in chapter 10, Saul had just been privately anointed as king by Samuel, and he willingly joined in the prophets. This time Saul is seeking to kill David, the Lord’s replacement for him as king. This time Saul is forced to prophesy. This time God makes him strip in order to prophesy. This does not mean that he was completely naked. It means that the Lord made him take off his royal robes, the sign of his kingly office. The Lord forced him to publicly recognize that he was no longer to be king. When he prophesied, I wonder what he said. Do you suppose it was related to the extent of the kingdom that David’s descendant, the Lord Jesus, would have? It must have been awfully hard for Saul to swallow. Can you make your enemies praise you? Jesus can, does and will. . Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

1 Corinthians 9

It seems that every minister has a group of people that examine his ministry and find it deficient in some manner. The clear implication here is that there was such a group in the church at Corinth. Apparently, there were some who did not think Paul qualified as an Apostle. After all, he did not take a salary from anyone but rather worked to meet his own needs. An Apostle wouldn't do that. He did not bring a wife with him. He didn't even have a wife. Surely an Apostle would have a wife and take her with him wherever he went. If he were such a great Apostle, where were all the rewards that should accompany the office? His reward? His reward was the people who followed Christ as a result of his preaching the Gospel. For that reason he did whatever it took to make himself more effective at bringing people to Jesus. How does this speak the glory of Jesus?

Would you or I give up the right to receive a salary just so that you or I might be more effective at preaching the Gospel? Would you or I give up the right to a spouse just so that you or I might be more effective at preaching the Gospel? Paul would and did because he had seen the glory of Christ. You and I may not see the glory of Christ visibly as did Paul, this side of death. But we can see His glory in the Scripture. We can see His glory as He works around us. As we focus on His glory, it gradually changes us so that we become willing to become all things for all people that we might save some. Because we understand that it is about His glory not our rights, and His glory is more precious than our rights. That is why we must focus on His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 26,

1 Corinthians 8
There is one God, the Father, of whom are all things and we are for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ through whom are all things, and through whom we live.
Through Jesus comes all things. He called into being the stars. He put them into motion. He designed the laws of physics & chemistry. He created the first cell. He created how the physical interacts with the spiritual. He designed how interpersonal relationships ought to work. He designed how I ought to relate to myself. He designed how I ought to relate to Himself.
Through Jesus we live. What are all the implications of that? I breathe because He enables it. But that is a shallow concept of life. He enables eternal life. What is eternal life? Is it just breathing forever? This is eternal life -- that we may know God and Jesus Christ, Whom He has sent. He enables me to know my Creator. May He grant me to know Him more! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 25, 2010

1 Samuel 17

As a sophomore in high school, I weighed 135 pounds. I was on the last string (6th) of our football team. The coach sometimes took the last string and used it as a scout team against the first string. We would run the defense and offense of the upcoming team in a scrimmage against our 1st string. One practice I was placed as a cornerback on the defense of the scout team. In this particular practice our first string offense was practicing a screen pass. This meant that our 1st string tackle, who weighed 235 and was all muscle, would be blocking me. Not only would he be blocking me, but he would have a running start. The first time that he hit me, I think that I was fully airborne for at least five yards. As I pulled myself back on my feet, the head coach looked at me and said, “I know he is big, but you’ve got to protect yourself, Chaffin.” I thought to myself, “Yeah, give me a loaded Smith and Wesson, and I’ll protect myself.” That was one time in my life when I felt that there was a literal giant whom I had to face in battle.

There are times in our lives when the enemy of our soul appears as a giant looming over us. He appears large, crafty, fierce and ready to consume us. Where is the glory of the Lord in those situations? The enemy seems to smear the reputation of God in our sight. Why does not the Lord do something for the glory of His Name? David recognized the situation. But he saw beyond the scene. He saw the glory of the Lord. He had faced lesser giants before. He had depended upon the Lord before. He knew the glory of the Lord was at stake. When no other champion would defend the glory of the Lord, David knew that the Lord would defend His own glory. Knowing the glory of the Lord, David could confidently boast,

I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46“This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel!



It wasn’t about who was the biggest, the strongest, the fiercest, the tallest, the smartest, or even the toughest. It was about the glory of the Lord. When it came to the glory of the Lord, Goliath never knew what hit him. When those times come in my life when the enemy looms over me, I have to find out what the Lord is doing for His glory in this situation. When I get on His side and work with Him. The enemy is the one who goes flying and He gets the glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

1 Corinthians 7:17-40

A small few have suggested from this passage that Paul is against marriage. Nothing could be further from the truth. Paul is for the glory of Christ. Knowing Jesus in His glory is far more fulfilling than the very best marriage relationship. And if you have one of those very best marriage relationships, you know that it is very fulfilling. But knowing Jesus in His glory is far more fulfilling! If you are one of those rare people who can truthfully say, "I have a very fulfilling marriage and I have a very fulfilling relationship with Jesus Christ," you know exactly what I mean here. Indeed, I do not believe that one's marriage can reach it fullest potential unless one first finds their fulfillment in Christ.Jesus. It is through knowing and experiencing our fulfillment in Him that enables us to give without expectation in return. The more things or people to whom we attach ourselves in this world, the more difficult it is to find our fulfillment in Christ. Paul's point is to be content in what condition you met Christ and find your fulfillment in Him first. Then as you are fulfilled through Him, if marriage is in the plan, that is good. If marriage is not in the plan, that is good--you are still fulfilled. It is the glory of Christ that He fulfill us, not the things or people, whom He gives to us. That is why speaking His glory to one another is so pivotal. It helps us focus on His glory. We cannot be fulfilled by His glory if we do not focus upon it. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 24, 2010

1 Sam 16

The Lord forever looks on the inward person of a man. As I sit in my office, our church building is being used as a polling place. Voting is and interesting process. I wish that we had a scope that could look into the hearts of our people running for office and truly reveal their heart. But even if we did, we would still have those who base their decisions on the outward appearance of a person. The 1960 TV debate between Nixon and Kennedy are considered a watershed event by political science pundits. Those who listened to the debate by radio thought that Nixon had won the debate. Those whose who viewed it by TV felt that Kennedy had won. Why the difference? Nixon did not have as good appearance on screen as did Kennedy. Man looks on the outward appearance. It is our nature. But it is God’s nature to look upon the heart. He sees in spite of our masks.

Hmmm. . . that is both comforting and challenging at the same time. I can hide nothing from Him. Whatever is my motivation, He knows it. Even when I am not sure of my own motivation, He knows it. That is challenging. When everyone else mistakes my motivation, He knows it. That is comforting. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

1 Corinthians 7:1-16

The sex drive is a pervasive drive in humans. Contrary to what our culture would have us believe, it is more than just a physical sensation. It is tied into all levels of our being--spirit, soul and body. We tie our self esteem to it. When we give it cheaply or treat it cheaply, it wreaks havoc in our being. Yet the enemy of our souls would blind us to that, especially in the marriage relationship.

Where is the glory of Christ in this? The marriage bond ought to reflect the relationship we have with our Lord and it ought to reflect the relationship the church has with the Lord. When sexual affection is withheld from someone to whom you are not married, that is good. You are demonstrating that you are saving that affection for your spouse. It reflects as though you are purely devoted to our Lord Jesus Christ. When sexual affection is withheld from your spouse, that is bad. It reflects as though you were withholding affection from Jesus. Yet it is He who deserves all of our life's affection. When it is demanded from your spouse, it reflects as though you were demanding affection from Jesus. It is inappropriate to demand affection from anyone, much less the King of Glory.

Where is the glory of Christ in this? He can change this pervasive drive that has been warped by our own sin and our cultural decadence into a holy expression of love for our spouse. And it isn't even dependent on whether our spouse views it that way! He can make even the expression of our marital affections bring glory to Him! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 23, 2010

1 Sam 15

The Lord seems so stern at times. Utterly destroy everybody? Wow, that is tough! When Saul does not destroy everything and everybody, the Lord “regrets” having made him king and decides to remove him as king. Wow, that is stringent! But wait a minute; who were these Amalakites? They were the descendents of Esau’s grandson, Amalek. Esau despised the blessing of Abraham and demonstrated it by selling his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of porridge. Esau’s lack of respect for the Abrahamic blessing and the glory of God was passed on to his descendants and intensified by them. Consequently when Israel came out of Egypt. The Amalekites attacked them. The Lord swore that He would always be at war with them. Why? Because they would not respect the glory of the Lord.

Saul would not obey the Lord. Why? Look at verse 24. Saul says, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.“ Saul was more concerned about how the people viewed Him than he was concerned about the glory of the Lord. God is looking for men who are more concerned about His glory than about how people view them.

The Lord “regrets” making Saul king. That same word is used in Gen. 6:6 when He says that he was “sorry” that he had made man. He was pretty stern at that time also. He wiped out everyone on the earth except Noah and His family. What does that tell us about the glory of the Lord? It tells me that the glory of the Almighty is more important than anything else. I must seek His glory with all that I am. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

1 Corinthians 6

"WE will judge the world." Now, if I didn't understand the glory of Christ, that would be a most disturbing thought! Just, look at our judicial system now! Just look at our churches now! We will judge the world? How can one keep from throwing up his or her hands and crying out, "I don't think so?" ONLY by looking at the glory of Christ can we keep from that. What is His glory? He takes the wretched refuse of our sin and washes it clean with His blood. We were once fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, sodomites, thieves covetous, drunkards, revilers, and extortionists. But He washed us, made us holy and declared us righteous. If He can do that, and He has, He can change us so that eventually we will have the ability to righteously judge the world. Isn't He glorious? He can take our vileness and make us holy! He can take our foolishness and make us wise! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 22, 2010

1 Corinthians 5
The purity of our Lord is unassailable. It ought to be of His church. That is His goal—to present us to Himself a glorious bride without spot or blemish. That will happen when He returns. In the meantime we are to speak of His purity to one another. When that purity is obviously sullied we are to take measures to remove it. In this case the obvious was a man, who had his father’s wife. Such blatant immorality must be dealt with—for the purpose of bringing the person back to Jesus. Jesus is our purity, our Passover. Let us celebrate His purity with sincerity and truth. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 21, 2010

1 Corinthians 4
This is the glory of Christ: One day He will judge the motives of our hearts and each person’s praise will come to him from God. We can look at actions and try to determine whether that action was right or wrong. We have God’s law to use to evaluate that action. What we cannot determine is what motivated the person to that action. But Jesus can and does determine motives of the heart and will one day reveal them. He is indeed amazing in that He knows the motives of our hearts. Remember Jeremiah 17:9,10? “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.”
We are more than capable of self-deceit. Jesus cuts through all the trash of the twisted thinking of our hearts. If we let Him, He reveals our hearts to us, so that we might be changed. If we don’t let Him, He will reveal it to us on the day He comes. It is better to have it revealed now and to change than when He returns. Can we truthfully say to others, “I exhort you therefore, be imitators of me?” Jesus alone can cut through the trash of our hearts and change them. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 20. 2010

1 Samuel 12
While I was in Mongolia, I asked a Mongolian who was an expert in economics what Mongolia needed in order to develop economically. The answer surprised me in one way, but in another way, it did not surprise me. Without hesitating, this person replied, “Mongolia has all the resources that it needs to develop economically. What it needs is a government filled with people who will not allow corruption.” That comment could be applied equally well to many of the countries of this planet. Why has the USA been able to become one of the most prosperous countries the world has known? The USA has vast resources for sure, and that is part of it. But other countries, which have not developed, also have vast resources. One of the things that has kept the USA in a position to prosper is a history of a government which exists for the people as opposed to a people which exist for the government. How did this happen? I submit to you that it is the result of a strong Christian heritage. It is a heritage where leaders serve the people and not where the people serve the leaders.
Samuel is an old man. He has spent his life serving and judging his people. He feels that they have rejected him in order to have a king. He wants to make sure that he leaves without any blemish on his record. He asks them a series of questions. The questions all deal with his personal integrity as he has led them over his lifetime. The questions are there to elicit from them that he has not personally benefited by unjustly using his leadership powers over them. The answer was, “you have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from any man’s hand.” There is the glory of Jesus. He can take the cheating-corrupt-sinful heart of a man and change it. He can take us who would use our leadership to gain unjust advantage over the people we should be serving and make us into people who serve for the sake of serving. Now that is glory! If you do not think so, then look at the corruption found in many of the 3rd world countries. Much of their problem lies not in the lack of resources but rather in the corrupt heart of the leaders. Not so with our Jesus. He will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it pleases Him to make us His people. He will teach us the right way. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

1 Corinthians 3
Boy, talk about mixing metaphors! Paul really mixes them in this chapter. There is the metaphor of the newbirth in Christ and the lack of individual spiritual growth in the church of Corinth. There is the metaphor of a farmer seeking to produce a crop with the church being the crop. There is the metaphor of a builder building a temple. What is the point? The point is the temple of God that He is building, the crop that He is producing, the maturity that He is growing. It is all about Him. One day there is only one thing that will remain--that which pleases Him. The Lord Jesus employs men and women to assist Him in these tasks. However, we should not be enamored with those people, nor their methods, nor our own methods. We dare not boast in past accomplishments in building the church or in other's past accomplishments in building the church or in our methods that have seen success. Everything belongs to the Lord. If there is true eternal fruit to our works, it is only because he has given the increase. Therefore to boast in it is to attempt to steal His glory. Let us boast only in what He has done. It is immaterial through whom He has done it or through what method He has done it. That is why speaking His glory to one another is so important. It keeps us from trying to steal some glory for ourselves. When the church is finally finished and Jesus presents us to Himself as His pure spotless bride, there will be reward for us where we have assisted in the building of His bride. But in the light of the magnificence of His glory, I think we will probably present those rewards right back to Him and say, "We are unworthy servants; we have only done the work we should do.” Christ is the foundation of everything good that we are becoming. Christ is the substance of everything good of the structure we are becoming. Christ will destroy anything that we add that detracts from His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 19, 2010

August 19, 2010 1 Samuel 11

Grudges do not die naturally. That is why the Lord calls us to forgive. Well, the Ammonites had a 400-year grudge against the children of Israel. Their leader Nahash believed he was strong enough to have a good fight against Israel. So, he picked on Jabesh Gilead, a city two miles east of the Jordan River. Now, if you remember your reading in the Judges, Jabesh Gilead had refused to partake in the punishment of the tribe of Benjamin. Remember when the Levite entered into Gibeah of Benjamin? The men of the city wanted to ravish the Levite man. Instead he gave them his concubine. The result was that she died. So, the Levite cut her in pieces and sent a piece to every tribe in Israel. The Israelites were greatly offended, and after much warfare they succeeded in killing all but 600 men of Benjamin. Those 600 needed wives. Jabesh Gilead had refused to participate in the punishment of Gibeah and Benjamin, so the Israelites killed every one in Jabesh Gilead except 400 virgins. They gave the virgins to the 600 men so that the tribe might not disappear. I guess none of the virgins had difficulty finding a husband. Saul’s hometown was Gibeah. He was a Benjamite. One of his ancestors was one of those virgins that had been taken from Jabesh Gilead. Nahash was not only attacking an Israelite city, but it was an ancestral city of the king of Israel. Saul was enraged. Nahash had picked his target carefully. He had desired to draw Saul into a fight on his side of the Jordan. He thought he could satisfy his grudge against Israel. Obviously, it did not happen.

So where is the glory of the Lord Jesus in all this tragedy? Now that is a difficult question to answer. I would say that it is simply this. The Lord is able to deliver His beloved in spite of the wrath of man. Saul’s wrath is satisfied against the enemy on the outside. After the battle, some desired to continue their wrath on those who had criticized Saul before the battle. In one of Saul’s few shining moments, he said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has accomplished salvation in Israel.” Now there is the glory of the Lord! He provides salvation for His beloved. When His beloved receive it, they are to lay down their grudges. Samuel seizes the moment and calls the people back to Gilgal to renew the kingdom. It is time to let the grudges go. It is time to be unified as one people. The Lord Jesus is like that. He has accomplished a great victory against our enemy Satan. He has defeated him. He calls us now to unify underneath Him to renew the Kingdom. Because of His glory He calls us to let all grudges go. As we stand united under Him, He will crush the head of Satan underneath our feet. That is His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

1 Corinthians 2

One would think that the rulers of this age are pretty impressive. By virtue of his office, the President wields more power than any other ruler in history. The supposed wisdom of this age is fairly great too. Never have we seen so many universities and so much education made available to such a high percentage of people. But even with all our power and wisdom, war and poverty increases. Why? Ultimately, all our problems stem from one problem, sin. All the power and wisdom of this world cannot rid us of that problem. There is only one person who can rid us of that problem, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is bringing the wisdom and power of this world to nothing. Currently the power and wisdom of this world is orchestrated by spiritual rulers behind the scenes who are not human. Jesus is bringing them down. Jesus accomplished His victory when He let them crucify Him--there He won the victory over sin and death. Jesus is in the process of mopping up and claiming His victory now. Like an old western movie, our hero, the Lord Jesus Christ, silently came into town (planet earth). He destroyed the bad guys (Satan and his hosts). He has left to return later. In the meantime He expects His people (the good citizens) to spread the word of His victory. He did it all by Himself. We did not have a hand in His victory. The power and wisdom of this age is nothing compared to Jesus. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 18, 2010

1 Samuel 10

It is the glory of the Lord that He should use even our rebellion to accomplish His plan. The Nation had known no king for 400 years. Only the Lord had ruled over them through the various judges. It was the closest thing to a Theocracy that the world had seen since the Garden of Eden. But it was unacceptable to the people. The people were fickle and responded only to harsh discipline of the Lord whenever they sinned. Each cycle of sin, discipline, repentance, deliverance by a judge seemed to become worse with each cycle. The sin became deeper, the discipline more severe, the judge more ungodly. The people were tired of it. They looked around at the other nations and wanted the stability that they saw in the kings of other nations. They rejected the Lord as their King. They wanted a king with whom they could talk face to face. They wanted a king who was physical. So, they rejected the Almighty King for a king who was physical, a king who would do what was right in his own eyes.

Yet, the Lord allowed them to reject Him. In so doing, He set up a monarchy that would usher in the King of kings. While the King of kings has yet to rule upon His throne upon the earth, He someday will reign upon the earth. At that time every man will only do what is right in the eyes of the King of kings. Now that is glory! He takes our rebellion and turns it into something that brings Him praise. But be careful; we do not want to be one of those who rebel for He indeed disciplines them with a rod of iron. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

1Corinthians 1

You will hear this several times as we progress through 1 Corinthians. The church at Corinth was a divided church. There were many fights going on within the body. It was a powder keg with fuses lit from several different directions. Paul was trying to write to put out the fuses. Look how he addresses them at the beginning.

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

He calls this body of people, which is full of division and works of the flesh, sanctified. He says they are called to be saints. He begins with the truth of what God has declared to be true of us. We are holy. We are saints. He focuses on where we are going. This body of people, full of division, Paul calls holy. Then, he focuses on where we are. As he works through the first manifestation of their divisions in verses 10-29, he presents the cure in 30 & 31:

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."

Jesus is our sanctification. It is not our works. It is His life. We are declared holy by His life. It is grace, undeserved, unearned. Because of His life, we can have, right now, total peace with God. That is why Paul adds verse three. He is our sanctification. Because of that sanctification, Paul urges them/us to live it out. That is why daily seeing and speaking the glory of Christ is so important. As we see His glory, we see our failings. As we see His glory, we see His grace. As we see His glory, we see His peace. As we see His glory, we see where He is taking us. It ceases being our trying to make it happen and becomes totally what He does.

In Corinth, there were some who liked the way Apollos did things. There were some who liked the way Paul did things. There were some who liked the way Peter did things. Was Christ divided? No! But, everyone was acting like it. Paul was telling them, "It is time to get your focus back on Christ! He is our righteousness and sanctification and redemption." What glory there is in that! What freedom there is in that! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 17, 2010

Romans 16
Jesus is the secret of the gospel. He was hidden in the pages of the Scripture from Gen. 3:15
"And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”
until the opening pages of the New Testament. It is all about Him. He is prefigured in Noah's Ark, Isaac, Joshua, Joseph and David. Leviticus is all about Him. The Psalms are replete with His death and rule. The prophets spoke of Him, especially Isaiah 53. Our faith in Him brings us into obedience to Him. Because of this, we are to avoid those who cause divisions, those who draw us away from Him, those who put our attention on things other than the Lord Jesus. That is why we need to learn to speak His glory to one another. When He is the center of attention, then His glory is the center of attention. His glory leaves no room for competition. Gazing upon His glory leads us into obedience to Him.
As the secret of the gospel, He is the one who is redeeming and healing this cosmic rebellion against God. He is crushing the head of Satan under our feet. He is our peace with God. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 16, 2010

Romans 15:14-33
It is the glory of Christ to use us to take the Gospel to those who have never heard and to minister to those who know Him. On July 18 (Acts 21:1-17), we investigated the ambiguity of discerning the will of the Lord. In 30-33 Paul begs them to strive with Him in prayer to be delivered from those in Judea so that by the will of God he might come to them and be refreshed by them. The Lord delivered Him. He visited the Romans. He exalted the Glory of Christ on the way. However, it was through much hardship. God did accomplish what He wanted in Paul. And it is possible that Paul eventually made it to Spain (after visiting Rome). Luke did not record 100% of Paul's missionary activities (evidenced by Paul's mention of visiting Illyricum v.19).
Perhaps sometimes in our lives there is more than one way to accomplish the will of the Lord. Maybe that is part of His glory. He partners with us to accomplish His will, while He remains absolutely sovereign and we remain free to choose. How do I logically explain that? I am not sure that I can. I guess that is why we have so many opinions and explanations on the topic and why He is God and we are not. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 15, 2010

Romans 15:1-13
It is inevitable that, as we live together in the body of Christ on this side of heaven, that someone, who is one of our brothers or sisters in the body, will reproach us unjustly and they will believe that it is just. What do we do? We seek His glory. It is the glory of Christ that He bore the reproaches of those who reproached His Father. In the midst of that situation, as we seek His glory, He gives to us the patience and comfort through the Scriptures to enable us to bear those reproaches just as He did, so that we can with one mind glorify Christ, even with those who reproach us. Does this mean we do not speak what we believe to be the truth? No! But rather, we speak it in love, always looking for the Glory of Christ. Therefore when we are reproached, we have the ability to receive one another. Paul did it all the time in the Gentile/Jew issue.
He recognizes how important hope, joy and peace are in being able to unjustly bear the reproach of our brothers and sisters. It only comes through the power of the Holy Spirit. Consequently, Paul prays for us that we might be filled with them. Are you filled with them? If not, or if you need more, why not ask? It is the Glory of Christ to give those to us, so that, we might reflect His glory to others. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 14, 2010

1 Samuel 4

He is called the One who dwells between the Cherubim. The Cherubim are the proclaimers of the holiness of God. The Israelites thought that surely if they put the Ark of the Covenant out in front that the Lord would fight for them. They were trying to manipulate God in to doing what they wanted Him to do. God will not be manipulated. He is after all, the holy God. His holiness will not be manipulated. How often do we try to manipulate God? What was the result? It was their utter defeat. Eli’s grandson was born prematurely under duress as the new mother gave birth she named the child, “Ichabod,” which means, “the glory has departed.” Has the glory departed from us? If it has maybe it is because we try to manipulate the Lord into doing what we want, rather than praying for and claiming what He wants. He is after all the Holy God. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Romans 14

I am free to eat whatever I want. I am free to wear whatever I want. I am free to minister however I want. There is only one law that governs these things: “Do I love like Jesus loves?” His love controlled His actions. So it ought to control my actions. Does what I eat or wear or how I minister cause others to sin? If it does, then the law of love requires me to evaluate those actions to see if there is an alternative way.

One day He will evaluate all our actions. The guide He will use is whether or not our actions were motivated by His love. He will be the judge. We will bow before Him and declare Him Lord of all. What was not of love will be covered by His blood. What was of love will increase His glory and He will reward us for His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 13, 2010

1 Samuel 3
Why should God, who created a universe so expansive that we will never be able to explore it all, care to communicate with His creation, with us? Yet, He does communicate with us. Sometimes He communicates more often than other times. When Samuel was a boy, “the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.” Why was the word of the LORD rare? In this case it was because of the wickedness of the priests, Eli and his sons. God’s usual means of communication is through a holy vessel. So, He raised up Samuel and Samuel was not even a Levite. You know the Lord wants to communicate with and through us. Isn’t that something? Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

Romans 13
The glory of Christ is seen in our obedience to our leaders. Paul wrote this when Nero was emperor. He was such a wicked man to submit to. But Jesus submitted to those who crucified Him. Our submission to our leaders reveals Christ’s glory to those around us. Only a passion for His glory can motivate us to this. Without this passion it is as though we are asleep. Without this passion it is as though we are walking in darkness. Without this passion we fall into the lusts of the flesh. We must put on this passion. We must put on Jesus! His glory is foremost! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 12, 2010

1 Samuel 2
“I smile at my enemies.” Only one who knows that he is completely surrounded by One who keeps him safe can truly say that. Usually when I am in the presence of an enemy I can feel the tension rising from my toes to my head. Smiling is almost impossible; unless it is performed as a psychological tool against my enemy. I don’t think the smiling in this context is performed as a psychological tool. It is the smile of one who knows she is secure in the care of the Almighty. When I force myself to come to the point where I recognize the care that He gives me, I too am able to smile at my enemies.
Hannah also recognizes that the Lord is her rock. In their culture a great rock could refer to at least two things. One was that a rock was a stable foundation for building upon. The other was a place of refuge to flee from an advancing army. If you have seen the movie Masada or have studied the historical battle, then you understand the significance of the Lord being our rock as in being a place of refuge. In the Jewish rebellion against the Roman empire in 70 A.D., Masada was the last hold out of the Jews against the Romans. It took the a 3 year siege and the engineering of a massive ramp for the Romans to eventually breach the walls of Masada. Stone Mountain, Georgia is the largest piece of exposed Granite in North America, perhaps the world. If it were on all sides as its face is, then it would be a rock that is impregnable to any ancient army. The Lord is our rock. When we are in his care, we are safe. Nothing can defeat us. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

Romans 12
The Glory of Christ is seen in our transformed minds. The world’s mindset is that one makes decisions and does actions in such a manner so that one promotes one’s own good. But the glory of Christ is such that as He changes us, we see the strengths He has given us. We use those strengths to promote the good of others, even those who are evil, but especially those of the household of faith. What a difference that is from the world’s mindset! But that is what Jesus did! Not only did He do it but He enables us to do it! Not that is glorious! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 11, 2010

1 Samuel 1
When living in Glencoe in grade school, going to Stillwater was an exciting thing, especially if I could talk my parents into letting me go to the movie. One Saturday my mom and our next door neighbor’s mom decided to go shopping in Stillwater. My sister and neighbor girl found out, and they talked mom into letting them go to the movie while the moms shopped. I found out, and of course I talked my way into going as well. A matinee was showing at the Aggie, The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao. In those days they did not clear the theater after each showing. And of course I did not sit with my sister and her friend. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, 2½ times. Finally, my sister tapped me on the shoulder and said, “It’s time to go.”

On the way out she asked, “Were you scared?”

“Of course not,” I replied, “why would I be scared?”

“Didn’t you know that we left you behind?” Apparently the old adage, “Out of sight, out of mind,” applied here. They had driven within a mile of Glencoe before they remembered that they had forgotten to get me out of the theater. Frantically, they turned around, and as quickly as possible drove the 15 mile trip back to Stillwater. They had forgotten me, and I never knew it or felt it.

Have you ever felt that you have been forgotten by God? Does God forget? Our text says that God remembered Hannah. If God is all knowing, how can He ever forget anything? Yet, Jeremiah 31:34 says that part of the New Covenant is that He will remember our sin no more. The word ‘remember’ has a meaning which includes to call to mind. God never forgets. He is God. He knows everything. By definition He has the ability to call to mind anything. When God remembers, it is not referring to an ability; it is referring to a decision. He chose to bring to mind Hannah’s request and grant it. Hannah had felt forgotten. She wasn’t forgotten, but it felt like it. But God called her back to mind at the appropriate time. He chooses to forget the sin of those who have been placed under the blood of Jesus. He sees the blood covering and chooses not to peek under the covers to see what is there. He has the ability to bring it to mind, but He does not bring it to mind. He never forgets us, rather He is always mindful of us in planning what is best for His glory and for us. Yet He chooses to not call to mind our sin. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

August 11, 2005 Romans 11:19-36

Consider the goodness & severity of God. Yesterday, I wrote my meditation on the glory of God while sitting on the floor of the front corridor of the Mexico City airport. To make a long story short, we missed our flight and were forced to wait another day. We didn't really have much option but to spend it in the airport corridor. We included Laura, Beth, Liam (age 6), and Mandy (a friend). At least we were together; but 24 hours in an airport corridor wasn't too exciting, especially with a 6 year old.

While I was writing my meditation, a Mexican walked up to me and said, "Excuse me, but I am an evangelical Christian. I was wondering why you are here?" I explained and then he said, "I live about 10 minutes from here. Why don't you come home and spend the night with me. I am not a rich man but you are welcome in my home."

Honestly, I thought it was a scam at first. But he told me that he rarely heard the voice of the Lord, but he was convinced that the Lord told him to take us home. His family was there with him. He called a neighbor, who was a brother in Christ, to come help transport us and our luggage to their home. His family and his neighbors gave us beds and cots to sleep on, fed us dinner and breakfast and then took us back to the airport this morning.

When he first said that the Lord told him to take us home, I was overwhelmed with the goodness of God and had to fight back the tears. Sitting around his table, he shared with us what the Lord had been doing in his church in the last year. His home church met in his neighbor's home every Friday evening. There were about 30 of them. God had performed miraculous healings among them. Most of them had just met the Lord in the last year. Their larger church, which met on Sunday mornings, could trace its origin back to the revival in Wales in 1904.

This morning I read this passage, "Consider the goodness & severity of the Lord." Now, I realize this is a whole different context from my situation, but as I considered the goodness of the Lord, I was once again overwhelmed. I shared this with the brother at the Breakfast table and told him, "God has used you to show me His goodness."

He replied, "My pastor has a saying, 'When God wants to hold us, He always sends a brother. We are his arms.'"

Laura replied, "You have been God's arms to us."

I hope I never forget that. That is the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in action. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 10, 2010

Ruth 3 & 4
Boaz is a type of Christ as our Kinsman Redeemer. As such, think of this statement by Naomi concerning Boaz to Ruth, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.“ How many times have I missed out on a blessing of the Lord because I was not willing to sit still and let Jesus conclude a matter? I was too busy conniving and twisting an outcome to the position which I thought would provide me with the best result. Ruth could have told Naomi, “No, I think if he really loved me, we would have gone to the priest right away to get married. I think that I will go talk to this nearest relative myself.” Instead she waited to see the outcome. She waited for Boaz’s heart to be completely revealed in his action and his timing. If I want to see the glory of my Lord Jesus, I need to do the same thing. I need to rest in the promise of what the Scriptures say concerning Him, do what He commands, listen to His instruction and wait for His results. He will produce that which brings the greatest glory to His Father, which ultimately includes my best.

Jesus is my Kinsman Redeemer. A Kinsman Redeemer had to have the following requirements:
1. He had to be the nearest relative.
2. He had to have the means to redeem.
3. He had to have the desire to redeem.
There was a kinsman who was a nearer relative than Boaz. He had the means to redeem her, but he did not have the desire to redeem her. Jesus became our near relative by becoming human. Sheep, goats, oxen, doves were not close enough. Our redeemer had to be human. Jesus had the means to redeem us for not only was he perfect human through the virgin birth, but He was also God. He had the ability bear in moment the eternal punishment for our sin and defeat it by rising again on the third day. Jesus had the desire to redeem us for He did not deem equality with God a thing to be hung on to convulsively, but emptied Himself by adding to His person the nature of a man humbling Himself even to the point of death on a cross. He did that for us that we might be His bride. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

Romans 11:1-18

To be really honest, I don’t completely understand how the sovereign will of God and the free will of man work together. And I think a lot of people who try to explain it are really just blowing smoke. But this I know, there are plenty of passages that clearly teach that man has choice. Choice seems to imply a free will. Then there are passages like Romans 9-11 that clearly teach the sovereignty of God. Paul doesn’t seem to attempt to reconcile the two together. He simply presents them both as true. The sovereignty of God displays His glory.

Jesus is sovereign. He said, “All authority in heaven and earth is given unto me.” He controls to whom He gives grace. He has grafted us, who believe, into His family. He did it to provoke those, who wouldn’t believe to jealousy. God allowed the Israelites to reject Him so that He might reconcile the world. The glory of Jesus is seen in His sovereignty! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 9, 2010

August 9, 2010 Ruth 2

Boaz proclaimed, “The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” The Moabites were relatives and arch enemies of the Israelites. The book of Ruth took place in the time of the Judges. There were times during the Judges when the Moabites treated the Israelites severely. Moabites were not friends of the Israelites. In the law of Moses the Moabites were banned from the assembly of the Lord up to the 10th generation. Even the Lord’s enemies may receive refuge under the wings of the Lord if they will return to Him with all their heart. I am so glad that He has given me refuge! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Romans 10 August 2005

Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. – Whoever calls on the name. God indeed has a standard of righteousness. As I write this I am in Mexico. Their standards and methods of construction are very different from ours. Even with the difference I see that within their systems, they do not seem to have inspectors that demand a certain code enforcement as we have here. Consequently when one buys a house it is a “buyer beware” situation. The house you buy may not meet the necessary quality to last a lifetime(s). I am thankful for standards in the U.S. and building inspectors. It insures that my house is safe and will last a lifetime—if I take care of it.

God’s law insures that His holiness remains holy. His law demands perfection from us. Try as I may I cannot attain to His standard of perfection. I’ve already missed the standard. That’s where His mercy comes in. Jesus is the end of the law in two ways:

The law was designed to show us our need of righteousness. The law forces us to see that we have no righteousness. Once the law shows us our need of a Savior it has completed its task—in that sense Christ is the end of the law. Just as a path from one place to another ends when you get to the destination, so also, the law takes us from thinking we are holy, to Christ—we see a need of a savior.
When Christ comes it is no longer my trying to meet a standard but resting in His already having met it—even in me. The law does not cease. It is still there. But Jesus fulfills it in me! Isn’t that wonderful?
Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 8, 2010

Romans 9:16-33
I went through elementary school in a small town. We had less than 200 students in the whole school system 1st-12th grade. Consequently there was a much greater connection of the community with the school system. In the community was an older gentleman named Mr. Hesser. We all called him the candy man. He would show up about once a month and give every child in the grade school a piece of candy. It was a thrill to see him coming. Our outer classroom walls were almost all windows. You could count on the first child to see him to call out, "The Candy Man!" General squeals of delight would then erupt.
Sometimes the pieces of candy were all the same for every child and sometimes there was a variety in what he gave. There was never any argument over somebody else getting a different kind of candy. We all knew that he was giving to each of us out of his own goodness. Just because someone else got something different from him was not a cause of complaint against him. Once or twice a couple of children might exchange with each other what they received from him. But we were all grateful for what we had received. The teacher made sure we all sang out in chorus as he left, "Thank you, Mr. Hesser!" He delighted in giving. None of us had done anything for him making us deserving of the candy. He gave because he delighted in giving. To my knowledge, he had no grandchildren or great grand children in the school. He just delighted in giving. To this day I have never done anything for Mr. Hesser that made me deserving of the candy I received. My receiving was all rooted in his giving.
The first time that I was in the class room when Mr. Hesser came, I refused to receive the candy. I was in second grade. I had been taught to never take candy from a stranger. My teacher came over and said, "It’s alright, John. He's not a stranger. You can take the candy. Your mother won't be upset." Then I received it.
The Lord Jesus is sovereign in His giving. There is nothing in us that compels Him to give. He could condemn us all to death, and He would be just in so doing, for we have truly sinned against Him. And our sin is worthy of death. But He desires rather to give us mercy. He is rich in mercy. He delights in pouring it upon us. It is all about Him. He delights in making us part of His family. Many are those who will not receive His gift. He is righteous in pouring His wrath upon them. They act as though mercy is unneeded. Whether then, He gives mercy or He gives wrath, He is righteous in what He does. Our response to Him should be to simply cling to Him in faith. Whoever clings to Him in faith will never be put to shame. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 7, 2010

Judges 21

Verse 15 says, “And the people grieved for Benjamin, because the Lord had made a void in the tribes of Israel.” Can this be? Was it the Lord who made the void in Israel? Ultimately, the Lord allowed it. Does that mean He did it? The Lord allowed Adam and Eve to sin. Does that mean He did it? He could have made them where they had no choice to obey, but He did not. Does that mean He made them sin? Ultimately, He allowed it and had the power to not let them do it. Does that mean He did it? How far do we press responsibility? The people grieved because they thought the Lord was responsible.

Was He responsible? Was he the one who killed all the people? No He was not. Did He tell them to kill all the men of Benjamin? Well, yes He did. We looked at that issue yesterday. Did He tell them to kill all the men of Jabesh Gilead? No, He did not. I think at this point the people are overstepping their bounds. The chapter and the book ends with this thesis statement, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” He is trying to teach us to do only what is right in His eyes and not our own eyes. The Book of Judges is what happens when we resort to our own wisdom. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Romans 9:1-15

Paul reveals two things of interest to me of the glory of Christ in verse 5.

He is over all! Wait a minute Paul. He is over all? You’ve experienced prisons, beatings, hardships and sicknesses and you say He is over all? Paul has seen enough of the glory of Christ that He knows Christ is over all. He feels no need to explain the hardships or the rejection of Israel. He is content to rest in Christ’s sovereignty. Let come what may, which he cannot avoid; Christ will make good out of the bad. He is content to let God be God. God will have compassion on whom He will have compassion and mercy on whom He will have mercy.
He is the eternally blessed God! The adverse or positive effects of our temporal state do not effect the state of God’s blessedness. My state of blessedness always seems to be rising and falling with the condition of the circumstances of my life. Not so with God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is eternal. Being eternal, that which is true of His nature yesterday is true of His nature today. That which is true of His nature today is true of His nature tomorrow. That which is true of His nature yesterday, today and tomorrow is true of His nature forever. He is blessed. Jesus is happy. Jesus is joyful. Do you ever view Him that way? I think some people view Him as some kind of Cosmic Grouch. Perhaps they are thinking of His justice and wrath when they think that. Indeed, He is a God of wrath. But because of His blood we are not destined for wrath. We know His joy. He is eternally blessed!
Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 6, 2010

Judges 20

There is justice in the instance when there seems to be no justice. This has to be among the grossest stories told in the Bible. There was no king in those days to execute justice. The tribe of Benjamin refused to bring forth justice for the concubine. I say justice for the concubine because the husband certainly was not righteous. So God brought forth justice. The Lord defeated Benjamin before Israel. Yes justice was served. There was no mercy. As a whole, the tribe protected the evil rapists and murderers. As a whole, the tribe was almost destroyed because of its unwillingness to execute justice. What would have happened had the tribe been willing to execute justice and the guilty men repentantly begged for mercy?

I never ask for justice for myself from God. If God gave me justice outside of Christ, He would kill me. Instead, I ask for his unfailing loving kindness. He gives it abundantly. His justice has been abundantly shown in my case as well. He poured it out upon Jesus upon the cross. Now that is glory, only glory that He should have. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Romans 8:22-39

I long for the day when my body is redeemed—no more muscle aches, intestinal cramps, headaches, fevers, pulled muscles, broken bones, arthritis, back pain, toothaches. But more than the physical pain, I long for the day when I will be conformed to His image. Indeed, the whole creation longs for that day. Until that day we live in a foreign land. C.S. Lewis called it living behind enemy lines. As we live in enemy territory, He takes every work of the enemy and causes it to eventually work together for us for our good, namely to conform us to His image. There is no work of the enemy that can separate us from His love. His love for us is His motivation to conform us to His image. His glory is seen in each circumstance of our lives that we dislike or like, because He is using them to conform us into His image! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 5, 2010

Romans 8:1-21
We saw a few days ago that Jesus Christ is the eternal judge. Have you ever had to go before a judge knowing you were guilty? Maybe it was a traffic ticket, or something worse. There wouldn’t be much hope in that, would there? We all constantly stand before the eternal judge, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are guilty. He knows our sin. We cannot hide it or give a decent excuse. But we, who walk in Jesus, have this promise: There is now no condemnation for those who walk according to the Law of the Spirit. NOW there is no condemnation, not in the future but now! We stand before the eternal judge, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He does not condemn us! Not only that but He has sent His Spirit to live in us and lead us! His Spirit is a foretaste of the glorious liberty we have in Him! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 4, 2010

Romans 7
We were born married to the Law. To be married to grace is spiritual adultery. It would be wrong to be united to another. Ah, but through Jesus, we died to the law. It no longer has a claim upon us. I am free to be married to grace. I can be free from sin and death through Jesus. Now I can live a righteous life, not in order to become righteous but because He declares me righteous and lives in me to empower me to be what He has declared me to be. That makes Him glorious. What I could not do and cannot do, He does! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 3, 2010

Judges 17

“Now I know that the Lord will be good to me, since I have a Levite as a priest.” How does the New Testament put it, “1But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2For men will be . . . 5having a form of godliness but denying its power.” What could be more pious our godly in appearance than using your own money to hire your own personal priest? Wow God! Look what I am doing for You! Can we get a little Quid Pro Quo going here? Maybe a little tit for tat? I have done this; surely You will be good to me. Sounds ridiculous does it not? In 2006 Time Magazine had as its cover story, “Does God want you to be Rich?” It was an expose on prosperity teachers of many mega churches in the USA. I wonder if their mindset is any different than Micah’s.

What do we think of the glory of God when we operate in such a fashion? The man is not condemned. Or is he? Snuggled in the midst of this story is the theme statement of Judges, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” It is not that everyone did what was right in the eyes of a Glorious God. Micah’s problem was that his eyes were fixed upon His own glory. Does God want to give good things to His children? Certainly, that is part of His glory. But the primary good which He wants to give us is Himself. It does not come as a Quid Pro Quo agreement. It comes as a demand on His part, “Lose your life.” Then He gives us His. That is not a Quid Pro Quo relationship; we get the greater end of the deal. It is an exchange of our life for His life. Worldly riches are a small thing in comparison. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Romans 6

What is the glory of Jesus? He allows and yes, even desires, that you and I should be identified with Him! He, being eternal, causes us to be identified with that human part of Him that was crucified 2,000 years ago and that was raised from the dead 3 days later. Because He died, we died. Because He lives, we live. Because He lives and walks in righteousness, we should live and walk in righteousness. We are no longer slaves to sin. We are slaves of God because of His gift to us. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 2, 2010

Aug 2, 2010 Judges 16

Samson loved a woman. Sally Jesse Raphael used to say on her late night radio talk show, “It doesn’t matter who you love as long as you love.” Is that correct? Samson, as a deliverer of the people of God, should have loved a woman within the covenant. This Philistine woman never gave even pretense of loving Yahweh. She loved Dagon, the Philistine god. She loved money. When offered a great sum of money to entice Samson to discover the secret of his strength, she had no qualms about misleading him. Because of his love for her, Samson had no qualms about eventually telling her the secret of his strength. I guess he thought that he would always have his strength. Temptation is always like that. He gave in to her pestering. He lost his God-given strength. He should have guarded his heart as to with whom he allowed himself to love.

Having been humiliated by the Philistines, they began to give praise to their god, Dagon. They denigrated the only true God, Yahweh. The Lord is very protective of His glory. Yes, Samson had royally blown it. Yet the Lord is protective of His glory. He answered Samson’s final request. As a result Samson destroyed more Philistines in death than in life. Not only that but it was in the temple of their god Dagon. Hmmm. . . . The Lord seeks to exalt His glory in us. Would it be better to cooperate with Him in life, or let it be accomplished in death? I choose life. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Romans 5
Peace is a scarce commodity in our world. Terrorists capture the headlines almost everyday. Even in the USA where we live in relative safety, peace eludes many. In our homes of luxurious comfort, we still fight with one another. We still verbally attack, accuse and defend.

Why? Because we are not at peace with ourselves. Why are we not at peace with ourselves? We suffer from condemnation. Deep inside we know an ugly secret, “There is something that makes us unlovely.” We live without hope that the ugliness will ever be taken away. In actuality that ugly secret is there because we are at war with God.

That is what makes Jesus so glorious. Through His death a peace treaty has been called. His blood is the provision of the peace treaty. His blood bought the peace. It is paid for by Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John

August 1, 2010

Romans 4
Wow, the righteousness of Jesus is imputed to me, simply because I put my trust in Him who raised Jesus from the dead! What does imputed mean? It means that someone else’s actions are counted to be legally true of me. Adam’s sin in the Garden was imputed to me. Jesus’ death for my sin was imputed to me! Jesus’ righteousness is imputed to me!
Have you ever wanted Bill Gates entire fortune to be imputed to you? That is poverty! Jesus shares His righteousness with all those who will truly trust Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

July 31, 2010

Romans 3
The law makes the Lord Jesus even more glorious. The Law shows us the depth of our sin. Without the Law we would be unaware of the depravity of our sin. We wouldn’t know that we were unrighteous before a Righteous God. When we look at the Law, we realize that we could never live up to the standard of righteousness that it demands. It teaches us of our inability to satisfy the Law’s demands—no one can do it.
But Jesus give us His righteousness. He can do that justly because 1) he completely fulfills the righteous demands of the law and 2) He took upon Himself the penalty of the law that was due toward us. What grace He loves to lavish upon us! He demonstrates that the law was good and so is He! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John