December 12, 2010

2 Chronicles 13

Sometimes we can pursue the glory of the Lord for the wrong reasons. Abijah is an example. The Chronicles, written under priestly influence, does not give us the insight into Abijah’s true character. He appears here to be a valiant warrior for the Lord. However, in comparison to 1 Kings 15, we find that Abijah was described by the Lord as having committed all the sins of his father and not being committed to that Lord as was David. He only reigns 3 years. The implication is that he was wicked, and God took him. Even his name belies him in the book of Kings. There he is called Abijam, which means, “My father is Yam.” Yam was a Canaanite sea god. So what is the point? I must be careful. I can appear to everyone (as Abijah does here) as though I am quite godly, and I can still be ungodly inside. I can say the right things and even be rescued by the Lord. And yet, my heart can be miles from wanting the glory of the Lord to shine through me. I guess it is the glory of the Lord to condescend and sometimes even aid those who speak the right words yet whose heart is miles from Him. Let me be careful. Lord, bind my wandering heart to Thee! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Revelation 3

One summer I spent on a project with Campus Crusade for Christ. Each week we did an evangelistic outreach together (all 60 of us). Toward the end of the summer it came my week to head up the project. Like a well oiled machine we swang into action. It was a big time disaster. Nothing went right. We came close to getting kicked out of the camp ground in which we were ministering. In evaluating what went wrong, one of the brothers said, “Jesus’ words, ‘Abide in Me and I in you for apart from me You can do nothing.’ Keep coming into my mind.” I think he was right. We had become accustomed to doing it a certain way. We were dependent on our tool not our Lord.

Like those in Sardis we are often powerless. Oh we may have all the right traditions. We may have a perfect past. But our trust is in programs or in the structures of past accomplishments not in the Spirit of God. Jesus reveals Himself as the One with the seven Spirits of God. The rest of the Scripture teaches that there is only One Spirit of God. What is going on here? Seven is the number of completion and perfection. I think the image being presented here is that He is the One with complete and perfect power. Those who would depend upon programs or past structures will eventually find them to be disasters. Only He has complete power.

To those who are faithful to keep their eyes upon His glory, like the church in Philadelphia, He opens doors that no man can shut and closes doors that no man can open. That doesn’t sound like dependence on fixed program to me. Those who are fixed upon Him who is the beginning of Creation can never be satisfied with routine. Lukewarmness just won’t cut it. They have to have the Creator and nothing less. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John