For me to live is Christ; to die is gain. I know those are the words of Paul. But here is an illustration of those words. How do we prepare to die? We prepare by living in the presence of the Lord. Moses blesses the tribes of Israel. How could he do otherwise? He had spent the last 40 years living in the presence of the Lord. The character of the Lord was shining through him. Moses proceeds to the top of Mt. Pisgah. There the Lord gives him a virtual tour of the Promised Land. There Moses dies. There the Lord buried him. He is the only person in the Bible that it says that the Lord buried him. What an intimate picture! Do you suppose the spirit of Moses stood and watched while the Lord buried that old tabernacle? When the Lord was done, did He turn to Moses and say, “Come on, Mo, let’s go home?” But Moses already communicated with Him face to face. I think He already was home. Home was wherever the Lord was. It was just that Moses could now see His glory unrestrained. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
The view from approximately where Moses viewed the land:
PROVERBS 28
Yesterday, (written in 2010) I sat at dinner with a longtime friend. He mentioned how he was torn concerning the upcoming election. We have three candidates and none are that great of a choice. Obama is an abomination because of his ardent support of abortion and gay marriage. He did not feel that Romney could be trusted any farther than he could throw him. Paul wants to abandon Israel; that is indeed dangerous. Verse 28 says, “When the wicked gain pre-eminence, other men hide; but at their fall the just flourish.”
This chapter covers a number of proverbs that all deal with rulers, the law, the people and the relationships that exist between all of them. But how does this all relate to the glory of the Lord Jesus? The issue of history is, “How will humans respond to the rule and reign of God.” We have been in rebellion since Adam and Eve. The theme of the Bible is the restoration of the Kingdom of God. One day Jesus will return, and He will be the supreme ruler of all the earth. He will in practice and not just title be King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the one who will rule in righteousness. He will properly define the beginning of human life and destroy those who take it wrongfully. He will be trusted in all of his rulings. Providing good paying jobs won’t be a difficult task. As for the nation of Israel, Jerusalem will be His throne and the descendants of Israel will inhabit the land surrounding it. He will bring peace to the city of Jerusalem. How could He possibly bring peace to such a troubled area? He is the One full of all understanding. He will hate the covetousness that drives the instability of the land and this earth (verse 16). As the all-wise, all-powerful ruler, He will know how to eliminate it. He will have the power to eliminate it. Now that is glory that far exceeds an Obama, a Romney, or a Paul. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
JEREMIAH 23
This chapter makes me squirm a little. First, I am a pastor. Pastor is an English word for shepherd. Here the Lord is denouncing the shepherds of Israel. Second, my name is Chaffin. Although, linguistically the name has nothing to do with the chaff in wheat, it sure sounds like it. In the Bible what do they do with chaff? It is burned. God’s word is like a fire that burns away chaff (v. 28,29). Well, I guess that means I need to let Him burn away my name and replace it with His. May it be; Lord Jesus, burn away my name and replace it with Your own. May your name be exalted in my life, and may my name receive no glory.
What shall be my motivation to endure the burning away of my name for His?
23 “Am I a God near at hand,” says the LORD, “And not a God afar off? 24Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the LORD; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD.He is always near. His manifest presence (His known presence) is not always near, but He is always near. This knowledge should spur me to realize that in everything I say, do, think, feel or see, He is fully aware of it! You know, as a child, I would act differently when an adult, to whom I was accountable, was around. Why? It changed my motivation because I knew that I couldn’t get away with anything. As a pastor, what can I get away with? If I really understand that He is near, the answer is that I cannot get away with anything. The fact that I can never get away from the presence of the Lord dramatically changes my motivation. It does not matter where I am at; He still knows what I am doing, saying, thinking, feeling! I cannot get away with anything! Realizing that changes my motivation. Experiencing His manifest presence increases my potential live every moment in fellowship with Him. Oh to be like Brother Lawrence in practicing the presence of the Almighty. That is what He desires! Why do I not pursue it harder than I do? It is the one thing that is achievable that no one else can take away! Oh Lord, let me lay aside all things that I may pursue You with all of my heart! Burn away my name with your word that I may live and move and have my being only in Your name! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
ACTS 9:1-22
Wow! Wow! Wow! This is indeed one of the high spots of the glory of Christ in Scripture. Here is a deceived man, who hated Jesus. He was trying to stop anyone from speaking the glory of Christ. He participated in the murder of Stephen. He had put people in jail for loving Jesus. Now he is on a mission to kidnap and bring to Jerusalem anyone in Damascus who loved Jesus and spoke His glory. Why would Jesus just strike him dead? He, if anyone, deserved it. That would indeed have been glorious! But that isn't the way Jesus prefers to work. His love is irresistible. Saul needed some proof of the glory of Jesus. Jesus condescended to give it to him. Wow! Saul saw some of His glory. It destroyed his physical sight. It destroyed his spiritual life. It destroyed his soulish-self-confidence. Just a moment of the glory of Christ and Saul was instantly and forever changed. He didn't quite understand it mentally but he was forever changed. Jesus took him, renamed him Paul, restored his sight, re-birthed his spirit, and reinitiated his confidence. From that point on Paul could only speak of the glory of Christ. Lord, let me see Your glory! Indeed we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today! He uses our speech to draw others to Himself.
--Pastor John
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