April 3

LEVITICUS 6
I recently went on a campout with the families of my 4-H Outdoor Adventure Club. One of our lessons was on campfires. Our campout provided the youth a time to apply what they learned in building a campfire. Our fuel for the fire was a little damp from recent rains, so we did not accomplish our goal of starting a fire with one match. However, each campsite was able to accomplish getting their fire going. We kept the fire burning until late at night. At my campsite, I was the first one out of the tent in the morning. I decided to start a fire using the coals from the fire from the last night. It was very easy. The coals, although they looked dead, were still very hot. No matches were needed. All I needed was some dry tender and smaller sticks and soon I had a roaring fire going again. If properly tended, a fire is very easy to keep going.
Here in the midst of the instruction on burnt offerings, the priests are commanded, “A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.” Fire is a symbol of purity, passion and presence of God. If we are now a tabernacle of God, what does the fire, which never goes out, symbolize? The context within the passage is concluding instruction concerning trespass offering. These are offerings for sins that were intentional. The continual fire was representative of our continual need for forgiveness of sin. The writer of Hebrews tells us that these sacrifices are a picture of Jesus who is our High Priest, Heb. 8:3-5, and our sacrifice, 10:5-12. He is a priest who ever lives to make intercession for us. He never lets the fire go out! But the question remains, “Do I avail myself of His ministry?” Do I regularly return to the fire that He ever keeps burning? It is to His glory that He keeps it burning. After all, He died and rose that He might accomplish just that. The coals of His fire never grow cold. I remember a line from The Man from Snowy River, “A fire can be a hard to find in the mountains, but you’re welcome at my fire anytime.” A fire that provides for the forgiveness and removal of our sin can only be found one place. It is the glory of the Lord that He tends that fire and He welcomes us to come. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 93
He is clothed in majesty. I once had a coffee table book that displayed photographs of the kings of Africa. We have all seen TV pictures of royal events such as the marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles. We have seen movies that display the royal glory of past kings and queens. But I like Matthew Henry’s comparison of the majesty of earthly kings compared to how God clothes Himself in majesty, “The majesty of earthly princes, compared with God’s terrible majesty, is but like the glimmerings of a glow-worm compared with the brightness of the sun when he goes forth in his strength.” What difference does it make that He has such glory?
When I am secure in His majesty, my circumstance is irrelevant. Ever been in a flood? I lived in Southport, NC when the eye of Hurricane Floyd went over us. The next week a Tropical depression went over us and dropped even more water than Floyd dropped upon us. We had floods! Our community was cut off from the rest of the world for days. For weeks I had to follow a twisted path to find streets that were not washed out in order to get out of my neighborhood. What difference does it make? His majesty rules even in the floods of life! When they rise up, He delivers! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

SONG OF SONGS 8
The Shulamite is delighted that they are now on their way home in her beloved shepherd’s arms. She desires to kiss him, it is culturally inappropriate at this point. Her reference to wishing that he were his brother is so that she would not be despised at showing inappropriate affection. She gives one last charge to the daughters of Jerusalem to not to try to tempt her back to Solomon. In verse 5a we see Solomon’s cry of disgust as he realizes that he is losing the Shulamite to this simple shepherd of the wilderness. In verses 6-7 we hear her request of her shepherd to be faithful to her forever. Her love for Him has become like an unquenchable flame. As they continue home she reminisces of when younger her older brothers set some parameters upon her for her moral purity. She now concludes, “I am a wall.” She has remained morally pure even under the strongest wooing of Solomon the King! Solomon has a thousand vineyards with other women to enjoy them. She has but one vineyard which she will enjoy with her beloved shepherd. Back at home as she prepares for her wedding night, she hears her beloved shepherd out in the garden speaking with his companions. She calls him back in. Come quickly!
So where is the glory of the Lord Jesus in this? Is His glory so wonderful to us that we would endure all the temptations of this world for Him? Indeed, to be wooed by Solomon the “richest and wisest” man on earth at the time would have been very tempting. She could have lived a life of ease, comfort and pleasure. She could have lived a life with servants constantly waiting upon her. She would have passed through life with no cares. But the love of her shepherd was far more wonderful. Do we view Jesus this way? I am reminded of the song I’d Rather Have Jesus. The lyrics were written by Rhea F. Miller and the tune written by George Beverly Shea.

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand.

Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway,
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame,
I’d rather be true to His holy name.

He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out of the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs,
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead.

That is the glory of my Jesus. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

LUKE 7:31-50
I think we often play mental games with whether we love God more than other people. In our own minds we come up with all kinds of ways to measure that love. Usually it involves things like, “Do I commit adultery either physically or mentally?” If not then I must love God more than those who do. “Do I give 1%, 10% or 90% of my income to God?” If I give 1%, then I must love God more than those who give 0. If I give 10% then I must love God more than those who give 1%. If I give 90%, then I must love God more than those who give 10%. Somehow we equate how much we love God with how good we are. There is a bit of truth to that for Jesus did say, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” However, that is twisted when we start trying to compare ourselves to others on the basis of the good things we do or bad things we don’t do.
Simon the Pharisee had a problem with that. Jesus was at Simon’s house for a meal. What better way to show your love for someone than to invite them into your home for a meal. Simon did that. Somehow a sinful woman gained access to the house during the meal. With tears of repentance, she washed Jesus’ feet, dried them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with costly oil. Simon was offended that Jesus would permit such a sinful woman to touch Him. Hmmm, giving a meal or kissing feet. . . which do you think shows the greater love?
Between the two, Simon and the woman, the woman is the one who really understood the glory of Jesus. You see the glory of Jesus is revealed in His great forgiveness of our great sin. The woman understood that and received the forgiveness that Jesus offered. The result was an overwhelming joy that she could participate in His glory. Simon thought that the glory of God was increased because he sinned less than the woman. Non-sense! Can you ever imagine the Great God of Glory saying, “Oh thank you so much! You have increased My Glory by sinning less than others! I am so grateful that you have done this for me!” God’s glory is not changed by our obedience. Maybe the ability of other people to see his glory is changed by our obedience. What we really need to do is to learn to bask in the greatness of His forgiveness. As we do, we are changed. Sin decreases in proportion to our focus on His glory—because we love Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john