He can even make tents reflect His glory! The Gospel is told even in how he instructed them to build the tabernacle. The layers of the tabernacle progress from symbols of the darkness of sin and death, to the red ram’s wool expressing the vicarious atonement of Christ, to the removal of the darkness, and finally to the golden glory of God. He even makes architecture to praise Him! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
PSALM 74
Sometimes it feels like the anger of the Lord is billowing up like smoke against us. The Psalmist certainly felt that way. It is common for wolves and coyotes to seek to kill the sheep, but not the shepherd. Yet apparently the Lord has allowed a nation to attack the temple and burn its doors. Therefore, Asaph attributes this act to the Lord. There are a few times when the temple was burned by an enemy. Perhaps it was during the reign of Rehoboam when Shishak Pharaoh of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and plundered the temple. Perhaps it is in reference to the exile of Nebuchadnezzar. Perhaps it was some other time. Whichever era it was, it is time of soul searching. It was time of loss, terror and pain.
“Have respect to the covenant; For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.” Asaph knows that the Lord is able to deliver. So, it is a matter of “why hasn’t the Lord delivered yet”? It appears that the Lord has chosen not to deliver. So Asaph appeals to the covenant. Also, Three times in this Psalm he asks the Lord to remember: 1) His congregation (v2); 2) The enemy has blasphemed the name of the Lord (v.18); 3) The reproach of the foolish man. It is an appeal from Asaph to the glory of God. How does it reflect upon God’s glory when His people suffer? Asaph’s perspective is that it demeans God’s glory; therefore, He appeals to the covenant asking God to intervene for the sake of the covenant.
From a New Testament perspective, we are called to share in the New Covenant, which implies a sharing in His suffering. Our suffering can magnify His glory as the world sees us willing to suffer for His name and the sake of His righteousness. On the other hand, if our suffering is the result of the discipline of God for our own foolishness, then our suffering demonstrates the justice of God. Sometimes the dark haunts of cruelty extend even into our own being resulting in foolish behavior which God must discipline in order to remove it from our lives for His glory. Arise O God and plead your cause! Glorify Your name! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
ECCLESIASTES 1
I sat and watched the sunrise over the Arbuckle Mountains in southern Oklahoma. It was summer at a youth encampment, and I was young. We had risen early to climb the mountain side to watch the sun come up and to contemplate the glory of God. It was indeed glorious. The newness of the morning was comparable to the freshness that I was experiencing in knowing God. There was something fresh and new of Him there.
Once again it was morning; I had walked to the beach to watch the sun come up. It was the end of the summer which I had spent on a CCC project in Ocean City, NJ. I reflected on the glory of God as the sun punched its red rays through the broken clouds on the horizon. God had shown Himself mighty over the last few months, but what would He be doing over the next year? It would be my second collegiate year. I looked forward to the fresh power that I expected Him to display. I wondered what awaited; what would be new?
I sat in the jetliner over the Atlantic. Heading west we were traveling just a little slower than the rotation speed of the earth. The sunrise lasted over an hour. The red glow and rays were eerily reminding us of the glory of God. I reflected a bit on what God was doing in Senegal. He was one by one setting people free from a life of sin. I thought about the new life and new energy that He had pumped into tired believers and a tired church. His freshness was incredible.
At least 2,190,000 sunrises and sunsets have transpired since God sent this earth turning upon its axis at the creation. About mid-way through those days God moved upon Solomon to pen these words: “The sun also rises, and the sun goes down.” In this book of Ecclesiastes, the phrase, “Under the sun.” represents all of the activities of man done apart from God. They are wearisome. Nothing really new transpires. We are without meaning and hope. It is a burdensome exercise to try to figure it out under the sun. It cannot be done. It is a great affliction. Yet, day after day men and women try to make sense out of life apart from submission to the Creator. It is an affliction upon our souls from which we can find no relief! It cannot be done. It hasn’t happened in 2,190,000 sunrises. It will not happen in 2,190,000 more.
You may say, “Well now that is a pretty pessimistic attitude about life.” On the contrary, it is most optimistic! It should drive us to a different viewpoint. It should drive us to change our minds. It should drive us to the Creator for each sunrise gives us new opportunity to submit before His throne in the activities live and of the day. Every once-in-a-while I like to get up with the sun and wait upon Him. In communion with Him, I find my place. In communion with Him, I find fresh meaning and purpose for life. His mercies are new every morning. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
MARK 14:27-52
I tend to remember things that are unusual in my life. When my brother Bill, 5 years older than me, was in college, he used to preach youth revivals in Baptist churches in Oklahoma. He developed a team to help him. I was part of that team. One of the things that we did with some regularity is that we would get together at the church and pray. Usually our prayer meetings were at night when no one else was around. We would sit, kneel or lay prostrate on the sanctuary floor, usually in the dark, and pour our hearts out before the Lord. I remember those meetings with fondness because I always seemed to sense the presence of the Lord there. However, one February night we seemed to be struggling in our prayer. One of the members rebuked the enemy in the Name of the Lord, commanding the enemy to leave. Just as he did that a gigantic gust of wind swept by the church and the Sanctuary doors flung upon and shut. It was unusual to say the least. Those prayer meetings are part of what the Lord used to bring many to Christ.
Some have said that everything Jesus did, He did by prayer. I agree. As a matter of fact, I would say that Jesus’ whole life was really one continuous prayer meeting. Gethsemane was the dénouement of that prayer meeting. In His communion with God, He looked into the cup that He was about to drink. It was full of every vileness that man has ever committed or ever will. And there the battle was won. He chose to drink of the cup. How He needed some to watch and pray with Him! But alas, the disciples were just like me. They fell asleep on the job.
Peter had professed that all might stumble but he would die for Jesus. He missed the frailty of his own flesh. But Jesus knew his frailty. That is the glory of Jesus! He knows our frailty and loves us the same. He knew Peter would fall asleep praying and He loved him the same. He knew that without the communion with God, Peter would be powerless. But He loved him the same. He knew that Peter would deny Him not once but three times. But He loved him the same. Are we powerless? It is probably a lack of prayer. Should that keep us from prayer? No! He loves us and is always calling us to Himself. That is the glory of our Lord. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
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