One of the saddest experiences of my life was the first funeral that I was asked to perform. It was the funeral of the mother of a man whose little girls had attended our VBS. They had no church home. So when his mother passed away, he had no one to turn to but me. I had never met the woman before and had only met him on a couple of occasions. Before the funeral I met with him to try to learn about the life of his mother. He could not come up with one good memory concerning his mother. The best that I could ascertain, she did not know the Lord. The man had siblings but they refused to come to the funeral. It was a graveside funeral. It rained. He, his wife and two daughters and myself were the only ones that showed up. No tears were shed. What happens when we radically reject the glory of the Lord? Ask Jehoram. He died from his intestines gradually falling out day-by-day. When he died, it was to, “no one’s sorrow.” He wasn’t even buried with the other kings of Jerusalem. How does this show the glory of the Lord? It only shows the ultimate result of not pursuing Him. His glory is that which changes us from a life like Jehoram’s to one that is worth living. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
PROVERBS 18
I remember my sister relating a story that happened to a friend of hers. Her friend was coming out of a building in a city. It was evening and she was alone. It was summer, so the windows in her car were down. As she was starting her car, a man walked up and reached through her window and grabbed her wrist. Obviously she was terrified. Almost instinctively she called out, “Jesus!”-not as a curse word but as a prayer. The expression on the man’s instantly changed from menace to fear. He let go of her wrist, turned and ran. “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” The name of the Lord is always a place of safety in the long haul. Granted, sometimes the Lord does not deliver His saints in such a manner. Just look at the high number of martyrs not only throughout the centuries, but especially today. But even in those cases, in the long haul, he brings His loved ones safely home to his presence.
Contrast this with the person who trusts elsewhere for their protection. In America, where might that be? America was the wealthiest society that world had ever seen. Oh there were other societies that were wealthier, but none had wealth spread as much across the board of the populace as the USA until a few decades ago. The last three decades has seen a dramatic increase in the USA between the wealthy and the impoverished. The divide has grown greater while the middle class has been shrinking. The number of people with “golden parachutes” has steadily grown. To share the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ with the wealthy and see a corresponding response of repentance and belief is very rare. Why? It is because the rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own esteem. He has been ensnared by the glory of riches. He sees no need for the glory of the Lord.
Such pride! The minor prophets had much about which to warn the wealthy. Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty—so it is with the wealthy and their wealth. But in the long haul of things, before honor is humility. Nothing has been more dramatically demonstrated than that. It was made clear in the Lord Jesus Christ. He had the riches of heaven. He was constantly adored by all the creatures in heaven. He had a perfect relationship with God the Father. Yet He gave up that position to become a servant. As a servant, He became our sin on our behalf and endured the wrath of the Father. On the cross He thought Himself forsaken and smitten of God. Dying on the cross, He was buried and rose again the third day. God the Father has now exalted Him to His right hand on high and given Him a name above every other name that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! His name is a strong tower. When we run into it, we are saved. Oh, there may be a few crosses on the way, but in the long haul, we are saved. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
REVELATION 9
Somehow the justice and judgment of the Lamb is intermingled with the prayers of the saints. It is when the censer, which was used to bring the prayers of the saints to God, is thrown to the earth that the trumpets of judgment begin to blow. When the sixth trumpet sounds, a voice speaks from the golden altar which is before God. It is upon the golden altar that the prayers of the saints are offered and rise up before God. The voice from the golden altar commands the release of the 4 angels. The people of the Lamb are participating with Him in His judgment of those who will not repent. It is the glory of the Lamb that they should work with Him from heaven to bring just retribution to those who will not repent. It is not our place to gain vengeance now. Now is the time to pray and intercede. The time that we participate with Him in judgment will be after we have died. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
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