It had been a long dry spell in a hot Oklahoma summer. My older brother and I went for a bicycle ride down the county section line roads. He was 5 years my senior, and his legs were a lot more powerful than mine. We came to a valley on the road. The dry weather and constant travel on the road had turned the valley road into fine loose sand a couple of inches deep. My bike went a few feet and then my tires seemed to be engulfed in the sand. Try as I might, I could not make my pedals turn. Without any forward momentum, I had to dismount my bike. I was still pointed downhill. If I could not overcome the hold of the sand going downhill, what would happen when I had to ascend out of the valley? Why didn’t my brother slow down? He was still mounted and already going up the hill. I was becoming fearful that I would be left behind. I began to call for help. He waited to get to the top of the hill before he turned and answered my call. No he wouldn’t return to help me. “You can do it!” was his only reply. I was really frustrated. I was just barely big enough to ride the bike. It was extremely heavy. It was impossible to push through the sand. Even if it got it through the sand, without any momentum, I would have to push it all the way up the hill. I begged and complained. But he wouldn’t come back to help. Now I was fighting tears of frustration. All he would do was say, “Do it yourself.” He did not help me. Obviously, I am no longer in the valley. Yes, I made it home with the bicycle, and no, he did not help me. He just kept telling me that I had to do it.
The tribe of Manasseh could not drive out the people in the valley of Jezreel. The Canaanites had chariots of iron, a military technology that the Israelites did not posses. Mountain living is nice, but it takes a lot more land per person to make a living there. And it is a lot more difficult. They complained to Joshua. It is not enough room! Give us more! There wasn’t any more room. The Lord had given them all that they needed. “Do it yourself!” was essentially Joshua’s reply. Where is the glory of the Lord in this? I believe that His glory is visible and available at all times. However, there are times when He simply says, “Trust me; you can do it; do it yourself.” It is to His glory to strengthen us. So He leaves us in situations to strengthen us or to show us our hearts. If we keep our eyes upon Him, we need only to trust and put one foot in front of the other. Sometimes it is through tears of frustration. But He is waiting for us on the other side of the valley of depression. Finally the dawn breaks and his glory is seen. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
PSALM 11
We have once again entered a political season. It seems that we never leave the political season. I remember from past political seasons much criticism of the President, whether Republican or Democrat, for spending too much time out of the office. The criticism was that he was campaigning and not running the country. In all cases there was probably some truth on both sides of the fence. The point was that the President was not in his office doing his job. Does God have an office?
“The Lord is in His holy temple.” Well, where else would He be? Why do we need to be told that? We need to be told because we think and act like He is not. A king would be in His court for several reasons: 1) to receive worship (honor from others), 2) to reveal, establish and administrate justice, mercy and grace, 3) to transact the business of the kingdom, 4) interact with his subjects. God is in His temple for the same reasons.
There are times when we feel like He is not in His office. There are times when we feel like He no longer reveals, establishes or administrates justice, mercy or grace. David was in one of those times when he penned this Psalm. Was it when he was being hunted by Saul? Or perhaps it was in Absalom’s rebellion. Whatever the case, he had a sense that the foundations of righteousness and justice had been obliterated. What was he to do? There was no one to whom He could run. It appeared helpless. He purposely slows down and reminds himself, “The Lord is in His holy temple.” He reminds himself that the Lord is, loves and administers righteousness. There are times when we must slow ourselves down and remind ourselves of the very same thing.
We have an advantage over David. He had to go to the tabernacle to seek the presence of God, which he did on one occasion. Today we, the people of God, are his temple. The Lord is in His temple in heaven, but He is also in His temple on earth, the people of God. He is among us to reveal, establish and administrate justice, mercy and grace. Let us NEVER forget that! He seeks to do that in us! That is His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
JEREMIAH 37
“Is there a word from the Lord?” What a question! It is a question that we all have! It is a kind of a haunting question. Why would Zedekiah ask such a thing secretly of Jeremiah? I think that deep down inside, Zedekiah knew that Jeremiah was right. Deep down inside he knew that Jeremiah spoke for the Lord. But his throne was more important than anything else. Hoping against hope, he hoped that the Lord would forgive him and permanently send Nebuchadnezzar away. His political supporters were such that if he surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar, he would lose their support and his throne. If Nebuchadnezzar returned, they would be crushed. The only chance for him was some kind of miracle of God. He hoped God would change His mind.
It is the glory of God that His character never changes. The Lord gave Jeremiah the strength to speak the unpopular truth to Zedekiah, “You will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.” Not only that but Jeremiah boldly pointed out Zedekiah’s own waffling spirit. And then he asked to not be sent back to the dungeon. How could Jeremiah be so strong? He knew the glory of the Lord. The glory of the Lord was more important than where Jeremiah lived. Jeremiah could have eased his own suffering by coming in line with the false prophets. But the Glory of the Lord was too important to him. Is the glory of the Lord more important than my own comfort? Hmmmm. . . Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
ACTS 17:16-34
Paul starts from a common point of reference with the Athenians and moves to the specific glory of Jesus. What is that common point? Don Richardson explores that in his book, Eternity In Their Hearts. Richardson delves into Athenian history, recorded some by the poet that Paul quotes. He reveals that centuries earlier, Athens had experienced a plague that could not be checked by any of their gods. After sacrificing to the One true God who made heaven and earth, who’s name they did not know, the plague was checked. The monument that Paul saw was an altar to that God. Paul uses that common point of reference to reveal that Jesus is the Man sent from the Unknown God to reveal how we might find Him. Paul stresses the resurrection of Jesus as and assurance of the authority of Jesus and establishing Him as judge of all.
That is just like the glory of our Lord. He uses something in centuries past that He did to demonstrate His love for a certain people and then connects it with the present. Our Lord is our creator, lover, healer, savior and judge. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
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