June 2

DEUTERONOMY 6
Love is a many splendored thing. Wasn’t that the name of a song, or movie, or TV show? Whatever, it is indeed a true statement, if not extremely corny. Some friends and I were at breakfast this morning. One friend mentioned about another friend as to how devoted he is to his wife. He was right. We all talked about the good things our friend does for his wife. One commented that he didn’t think he had it in him to be that loving. Well, if the truth were known, none of us has it in us to be that loving. It takes a decision to trust Jesus for it. But when true love exists, it motivates us to do all kinds of things. How do we know that our friend is loving toward his wife? We know it by the things that he does for her.
How do we know that God loves us? How did Israel know that God loved them? Well, he gave them freedom they did not fight for, land they did not earn, houses they did not build, furniture they did not craft, wells they did not dig, orchards and vineyards they did not plant. How do I know that God loves me? He loved me so much that He gave His only begotten Son so that I would not perish. In this is love, not that I loved God, but that He loved me and sent His Son to be the propitiation for my sins. But God demonstrates His own love toward me, in that while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. No greater love has anyone had for me than this that He lay down his life for me and called me his friend.
How does anyone else know that I love God? Is it not by what I do? Is it not in my obedience? Some strive to make a big deal out of obedience. But when they do are they not missing the point? Yes, we are to obey, but if I truly loved God, would I not obey? Is it possible to obey and not love? So, if I do not obey, then does it not stand to reason that my love is not strong enough to produce obedience? So, I am in a terrible fix! I am commanded to love Him, who has given me everything, yet my obedience, even my desire for obedience, displays that my strength to love falls woefully short. What shall I do? Will His awesome love span the distant void created by my pathetic attempts to love Him? Somehow I think that if He laid aside all in order to die for me, then His love will span the void as long as I will trust in, cling to and rely upon Him. That is His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PROVERBS 2
Really, it never ceases to amaze me. I occasionally have people who will call up the church for help because they are stranded on a long trip. Often they are moving because they did not have a job in one city, but ‘heard’ that there was employment in another. Often they left knowing they did not have enough money to make it to the next city, not very wise. Sometimes I want to scream, “What were you thinking?" When I left Stillwater, OK to Portland, for seminary, I had spent 2.5 years saving enough money to make the trip. I left without the promise of a job or knowing anyone, or having a place to move into. After one month I still had no job and I was out of money. Wise? Well I was going at what I believed to be His calling. Many would say it was not wise, but He was a shield to me. He kept us safe on our trip there. He kept us safe during our sojourn in Portland, and preserved our way while there. I know from experience and from His word, “He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints.” That is His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ISAIAH 63
Wrath and anger, none of us likes to be the recipient of it, but a lot of us enjoy releasing it when we feel it. There is something that feels good about the release of anger. Indeed, some have defined depression as anger turned inward. Why does the release of anger feel good? Anger and wrath are the expected emotions of a transgression against what is right. If I am not angered when I am forced to see the flow of human trafficking, especially with the sexual abuse of children, then there is something genuinely wrong. Anger is a good emotion when it vented properly for the right reasons. It is destructive when vented improperly of for the wrong reasons.
I recently watched a DVD entitled Remember Nhu. I don’t think anyone reading what I am writing now could watch the video and not be angry against the sex slave trade in this world. If it doesn’t make you angry, then you have no sense of righteousness. Many of us rail against the image of an angry-wrathful God, but unless God becomes angry against sin, then He is not a holy God. Deep down inside we all know that there has to be a pay day someday for sin. This passage in Isaiah reveals that just side of God. The passage is very similar to Revelation 19. Our God is coming as a Deliverer! He is fiercely trampling and destroying all those who violate His righteousness. Our heart rejoice in the execution of His justice! But be careful! Which side are we on?
In the midst of the description of His wrath in Isaiah 63, the prophet cries out:

I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD
And the praises of the LORD,
According to all that the LORD has bestowed on us,
And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies,
According to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses. . . .
And the Angel of His Presence saved them;
In His love and in His pity He redeemed them;
And He bore them and carried them
All the days of old. . . .
He who brought them up out of the sea . . .
To make for Himself an everlasting name,
So You lead Your people,
To make Yourself a glorious name.

It is only in the midst of anger and wrath do we truly understand the meaning of mercy and salvation. So also in Revelation 19, the coming of the wrathful Lamb and King of Kings is in the midst of the marriage supper of the Lamb. Only in the context of justice do we understand the meaning of mercy. This is our Lord! He is in the process of making a glorious name for Himself! We have the option of receiving either His mercy or His justice. I want His mercy. Mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

JOHN 13:1-20
Note in this passage that Jesus knew:

1. that His hour to die had come,
2. that the devil had put it into Judas' heart to betray Him.
3. that the Father had given Him all things
4. that He had come from God
5. that He was going to God

John makes it clear that Jesus loved His own to the very end. The clear implication of John is that Jesus' acts in the next 24 hours are all deliberate acts in the full knowledge of what was about to happen and were motivated by love. I conclude at least three things 1) Jesus knew all the circumstances of the situations into which He entered. 2) Jesus still loved Judas 3) Jesus is secure in who He is and what He possesses.
I see some clear implications for me. He knows all the circumstances of the situations into which I enter. Nothing happens to me of which He does not already have full knowledge. I can do nothing, good or evil, of which He does not already have full knowledge. He loves me still. He is secure in spite of who I am and what I possess. Jesus loves me. This I know. He serves me in spite of who I am and what I have done. He has washed my feet. He calls me to be as He is. He calls me to do as He does. What a glorious Lord! The Lord Jesus is indeed glorious. Speak His glory to someone else today.
--Pastor John