October 28, 2010

2 Kings 9

What a gruesome story. What are we to think of a God who condones this? Wait a minute! Is our God supposed to be just? Yes, of course! Is our God supposed to punish evil? Yes, of course! Then this event demonstrates the severity of the Justice of God. Did Jehoram and Jezebaal deserve to die? Absolutely! Jezebaal had murdered many of the prophets of the Lord and had sought to kill Elijah. She was a driving force at introducing and increasing Baal worship in Israel. Her son was walking in the same path. This incident is a great warning to us all that there is a “payday someday.” God will eventually bring about justice to every person. It either comes at the cross of Jesus, or we perish. Can we glory in His justice? Yes. I would rather glory in His mercy, but without His justice, there is no such thing as mercy. Even Jehu, the instrument of justice to Ahab’s house, is the recipient of justice because he oversteps his authority in administrating the Lord’s intent.

Did Hitler deserve to die? Most people would answer, “Yes.” Am I as deserving of death as is Hitler? Some people would answer, “No.” I would answer, “Yes.” Before I met Jesus, God would also have answered, “Yes.” But God carried out the penalty, which justice required, upon Jesus. Because I have received Jesus, the penalty is paid, and I have received mercy. So I will glory in God’s justice. He is just! But I am most thankful that Jesus took the just penalty for me. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

2 Timothy 2

While I was in college, I used to jog 6 miles every morning. The OSU cross-country course is a beautiful 3 mile course with gulleys and ponds. There is just something about watching the sun come up as you jog along the ridge of a gulley in the coolness of the morning. The birds are singing, and the rabbits sit there watching you as if they are wondering why the crazy human is in such a hurry. It was exhilarating.

One day while stretching out before my jog, a local pastor came jogging by on his morning workout. I thought to myself. "I will finish my stretching and catch up with him.” He was an old man (at least 35). “I shouldn't have any problem catching him." When I started, he was about 100 yards ahead of me. I took off on what I thought was a good pace. I wasn't gaining on him. I increased the pace. Finally after about 2.5 miles he was only about 20 yards ahead. I was tired; no, I was dying. But I couldn't let this old man beat me. I kept kicking. Just about the time I caught up with him nearing the end of the course, I got this tremendous snapping pain in the side of my left knee every time that I extended it forward. It felt like someone was stabbing me in the knee with each step. I had caught Him, but I couldn't go any further. Not much glory in this. I quit. He kept on jogging. Another round? I found out later that he used to run track for OSU and regularly ran marathons. The doctor told me that I should stay off my knee for a couple of weeks. I lost the discipline of jogging.

I've since tried to regain the discipline. It is not fun anymore. I weigh 40 pounds more. I am an "old man". I get tired of running very easy.

Sometimes I get tired of ministry. The variety of reasons, which confront me that explain why people don't want to follow Jesus or think they are following Jesus when they really are not, is sometimes overwhelming. I feel a responsibility to combat those reasons and to bring people to the Lordship of Jesus. When I don't see visible success, it is easy to lose motivation. Sometimes I get tired. Its like jogging. I get tired easy. And then every once-in-a-while something happens that is like someone spiritually stabbing you in the knee. I get tired.

What keeps me going? It is the glory of Jesus. His grace is overflowing. His salvation is an eternal weight of glory. He tired on the way to the cross. He had stabbing pain on the cross. He allows me the privilege of dying with Him. He allows me the privilege of enduring pain with Him. He allows me the privilege of living with Him. I never get tired of His glory. If I endure with Him, I will one day reign with Him. WOW! Say that again! If I endure with Him, I will one day reign with the King of Glory!!! But even if I am faithless, He will remain faithful because He cannot deny Himself! I've just gotta get my eyes off of the crud and back onto His glory!

I have named His name. It is not about me. It is about Him. What have I to do with any iniquity? I want to depart from it because my life is not about me! It is about the glory of His name. God forbid that I should shame His name because of my iniquity! I want His beauty to shine through me. I want His name to be spread abroad. He is the glorious King! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John