Is it not astonishing that Solomon could have such an accurate view of the realities of life and yet have been so wayward at times? Listen to what he says, “But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth?” Certainly part of Solomon’s thinking was in reference to space. Even in dedicating the temple, he said, “Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!” How can the glory of God be contained to a temple? It cannot! But it partially can be seen there. The glory of the Lord overflowed the temple. It was to here that Solomon called out to the Lord saying, “Now therefore, Arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, And let Your saints rejoice in goodness.” He recognized that God could dwell with men if the right steps were taken. He calls upon the Lord to do so.
However, as the writer of Hebrews tells us, these were only shadows of things to come in Jesus. His temple is now His people. He no longer dwells with us but in us. No longer are a select few priests, but now we are all priests. No longer do we grope for Him in darkness, but we are able to enter His light. Listen to how Peter put it in 1 Peter 2: 5,9:
5you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. . . 9But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Is it not astonishing that we can understand this concept and yet be so wayward at times? We have opportunity for the living God to let His glory shine in and through us. Do we call out to Him saying, “Arise O LORD God, to Your resting place?” Do we yield control to Him, so that He may do that. Why don’t we? Maybe if we did, we would see His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
PROVERBS 6
A Christian friend of mine is currently writing a blog on “body talk.” Several weeks ago he warned those who were reading his blog that they might be offended by his blog in the upcoming weeks because he was going to talk bluntly about sexuality as it relates to God. He said that some might consider it “bawdy” talk. From his quotes, it is obvious that he is drawing from the works of Pope John Paul II on the theology of the body. The Pope apparently developed the theology over a period of years in a period of weekly talks which he gave in response to the degeneration of marriage in the church and in our cultures. One of the main points that my friend is making is that our parents Adam and Eve were created in the image of God. As such, our sexuality was originally very good. It reflected the image of God. While I am not sure how to take some of his ‘bawdy’ talk, I would agree with the one point that our sexuality should reflect His image.
The proverbs are filled with body talk. Today’s chapter is no exception. “Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul.” My generation really pushed the idea of ‘free sex’, sex without commitment. It hasn’t worked. It has destroyed lives. It is destroying our culture. Why? If our sexuality is such a wonderful thing (and it is) what is it about sexual promiscuity that ruins people? It is precisely because our sexuality reflects the image and glory of God that promiscuity and adultery destroy lives. It is precisely because our sexuality reflects the relationship between Christ and the Church that promiscuity and adultery destroy lives.
There is no greater love that exists than what exists between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is a passionate, eternal, joy-filled love that is abundant between them, the One God. There is no greater or intense love than that. That love expressed itself in the creation of Man, male and female, in His image. Our passion for and commitment to our spouses is to reflect God’s passion for and commitment to Himself and His passion for and commitment to us. When we walk away from that passion, we are walking away from displaying and declaring His glory, His passion, His commitment. We have essentially slapped the eternal God in the face. We have declared that He is not passionate toward us. We have displayed that He is not committed to us.
When God destroyed the earth in Noah’s flood, His stated reason was, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”(Gen. 6:3) Additionally when the flood was over, He gave Noah a rationale for capital punishment, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.”(Gen. 9:6) The major problem with violence toward man (male and female) is that it is striking at the image of God! It is degrading His glory! The major problem with sexual promiscuity or adultery is that it is striking at the image of God! It is degrading His glory! In so doing, it destroys your own soul.
Laura and I just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary. What a joy to know that we can look each other in the eye and say, “I am just as passionate about you; I am just as committed to you, as on that Saturday afternoon on June 4, 1977, when we looked each other in the eye and sang,
‘With this ring I thee wed, and I give to you my life. Mine is yours; yours is mine, and we can live that way forever. With this kiss we will seal that we now are man and wife. Two in one, one in two, that’s the way it’s got to be.’” (song from the Pat Terry Group)One of the joys of that 35 year accomplishment is that it reflects God’s glory, not ours. He is the One who empowered us. Our doing was to trust Him for the empowerment, but His is the glory!
But what if one has spoiled one’s life by being promiscuous or by committing adultery? Isn’t it interesting that this book of Proverbs was written by a man that was one of the biggest adulterers of all time (700 wives and 300 concubines)? What’s up with that? It is the glory of our Lord to restore those who repent and believe, no matter how badly they have screwed up. He brings forgiveness and redemption for those who repent and believe! He can restore the marred image! He can make our lives once again reflect His passion and commitment! Wow! What glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
MALACHI 4
Do you enjoy promises? Of course you do. Promises are the basis of good relationships. Thirty-four and a half years ago, I made a promise to Laura and she to me. Those promises have been the bed rock of our marriage. Yes, you guessed it. They were our wedding vows. Those promises have made our marriage work. Why? Because we both honored them. We can trust each other even during trying times. She honors my name. Because she honors my name, it is my delight to do everything that I can to demonstrate my love for her. Part of the wedding vows, which I regularly include in my wedding ceremonies, includes the following vow that the groom gives to the bride:
I (Groom’s name) take you, (Bride’s name), as my wedded wife; to love you with all my heart's affection; to give you all my earthly possessions; to give you all the honor of my name; and to share with you the grace of my God.
Malachi 4 is a promise to “those who fear My Name.” He promises to be the sun of righteousness, who has healing in His wings. The healing extends to hurting relationships, especially to turn fathers back to children. He heals families. Trust Him for yours. Now that is glory! Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
1 JOHN 5
I remember in 5th grade U.S. History reading about the Spanish explorers and conquistadors. Ponce de Leon was the first to traverse the Florida peninsula and what is now southeast United States. In addition to many other purposes he was searching for the Fount of Youth. Apparently he had heard some witness of the Fount of Youth existing somewhere in the jungles or everglades of Florida. He and his men overcame much opposition in order to accomplish their purposes. Some of their purposes were accomplished. But obviously he never found the Fount of Youth. Apparently the witness was false.
The glory of our Lord is such that He is Life. He is the water and the blood that brings life. Can you imagine what it would be like if Ponce de Leon had found the Fount of Youth. Think of it. We would be perpetually young. You may be thinking, "Wow that would be great to feel like I did when I was 18." But can you think what it would be like to be perpetually young, if we remained as we are now? We would be perpetually at war, perpetually selfish, perpetually not understanding righteousness, perpetually in sin. Now in contrast, when Jesus brings us life, He brings the ability to truly love. He brings the ability to overcome the sin of this world. He brings the ability to live righteously. He brings the right to become His child. As His child we gain the ability to not sin. That is the eternal life in which I want to participate. The sort that Ponce de Leon and the rest of the world is looking for is not really life. It is eternal death. Death that goes on forever and ever. Jesus is the true God and eternal life. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
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