One of the most incredible experiences which I have ever had that was related to the glory of the Lord came as a result of the privilege of being the pastor of a godly woman. I received a phone call from the hospital relaying to me that if I wanted to see her before she passed into the presence of the Lord, then I should come immediately to the hospital. Upon arrival I found the room full of loved ones. From her bed she went around the room blessing each person there encouraging each one to fulfill what God had created them for. When she was done, the nursing staff asked everyone except her husband, two adult children and myself to exit. We spent the time praying and singing hymns of praise until Jesus came to get her. As her breathing seemed to be coming to an end, we began to sense and incredible unseen presence of the glory of God. It was so strong that I literally kept looking around expecting to see some kind of physical manifestation of the Lord Jesus in the room. He was there. I could not see Him, but He was there. I could feel Him. It was simply incredible.
It was time for David to exit this life, and he knew it. In those moments, what was on his mind? Oh of course there were the items of unfinished business with Joab, Barzillai and Shemei, but what was first out of David’s mouth was this charge to Solomon, “Prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies.” David wanted Solomon to experience the glory of the Lord, not a glory produced by man, but a glory that came by walking with Him. That was the first important thing on his mind as he exited. Oh that the glory of God would rest on me in the same way, in order that others might be drawn to Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
The plaque above my head says, “King David’s Tomb” and lists the times when it is open. It is written in English and Hebrew. While it is debatable whether David was really ever buried there, it is interesting that the building next door is the church of the upper room commemorating where Jesus celebrated the Last Supper and where Peter preached the Pentecost sermon. In His sermon Peter says:
The patriarch David. . . is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. --Acts 2:29-32
Psalm 91
A lot of legends have developed around this Psalm. One is about a 91st Infantry Brigade of the U.S. Expeditionary Army in WWI. The Brigade reportedly read this Psalm together every morning during WWI, and is reported to have had no casualties. A brief check on the internet reveals to story to be bogus, in as much as there was no 91st AEF in WWI. However, there are a number of individual stories of God’s provision for soldiers who claimed this Psalm for themselves. Here is a link to one of them: http://www.cantonrep.com/newsnow/x1446674109/WW-II-Then-and-Now-Invaded-from-the-sky
Here is a an actual incident, which I know to be true. My son spent 15 months in Iraq at Taji with the 7th Cavalry, Nov., 2006-Jan., 2008. He was a Chaplain’s Assistant. Since chaplains are forbidden to use firearms, anytime they went outside the wire, the assistant became the chaplain’s body guard. My wife daily prayed for many things for my son. One of them was that the Lord would protect the seat of the Humvee in which my son would ride. On one occasion my son and the chaplain were scheduled to go outside of the wire. At the last moment, the Chaplain decided not to go. By necessity my son would not go either. So a group of four other soldiers were assigned to the Humvee. During the excursion, the Humvee, in which my son would have been riding, hit an IED. Three of the soldiers were instantly killed. The fourth, a female army journalist, who was riding in what would have been my son’s seat, was thrown from the Humvee. Her only major injury was a sprained ankle. She is reputed to have said that it was like hands came under me and set me down on the ground. Hmm. . . I don’t know the theology behind why God allowed the three other soldiers to die, but of this I am convinced, God protected that seat in which my son would have sat. In His time and at His discretion, He saves some who are in battle. It is His glory to do so.
So should I be encouraged to go into battle? Well, we have to do what we have to do, but let us be careful not to tempt God. Satan quoted verses 11 & 12 to Jesus in tempting Him to jump from the pinnacle of the temple. What was Jesus’ response? He quoted Deuteronomy 6:16, “You shall not tempt the LORD your God.” No, we never force God to show His glory, but we should be ever mindful that it is at time His desire to show us his glory by delivering us from the situation. If He chooses not to show us His glory by delivering us, His glory is revealed by our willingness to lay our lives on the line on His behalf. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Daniel 12
Assurance of Eternal Life, Daniel had it. The man in the linen told him to, “Go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.” Of course the end of the days is what was referred to in verse 2, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.” His Lord is faithful. My Lord is faithful. He does what He promises. Daniel could relax, an old man full of days. Because his Lord is faithful, he could look forward to rising again as a young man. Like Daniel, I am clinging to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is faithful. What a joy to know that I may relax because of His glory. Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Ephesians 3
Its another one of those chapters that is just overflowing with the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. The first thing I see to which Paul refers is the unsearchable riches of Christ. Would you like to have the riches of Bill Gates? To be honest, I never have pondered it too much. My quick response would be, "Oh, of course!" Yet, I submit to you that Bill Gates is a pauper, yes even a worm, compared to Jesus. It's not even as close as comparing Fort Knox to my son's piggy bank.
My grandfather bought a 60 acre farm when he retired. Then he leased some of the land that was adjacent to his 60 acres in order to increase his herd. I have many fond memories searching all over those lands exploring God's creation as a child. A decade ago I returned to show my children my playgrounds when visiting Grandma and Grandpa. It took all day to search those grounds and we still did not see all that was to be searched.
Jesus' glory is like that. Only you would have to add all the lands of the earth. Then you would have to explore everything under the water. Then you would have to explore the interior of the earth. But still you would only have barely begun. Once you thoroughly searched the earth, then you could begin with the moon, then the planets, then asteroids and comets. When our solar system was finished, you would have just finished one of billions of solar systems in our galaxy. When you finished our galaxy, you could begin one of the other billions of galaxies which each contain billions of stars. Oh did we include black holes--whatever they are--or the giant gas clouds of the galaxy.
Jesus created all things. Nothing exists that He did not create. Surely the glory of the creator is greater than the created thing. He accomplished God's eternal purpose for the creation. He accomplished it in us. He names the whole earth. To name something implies your authority over that thing. This same Christ desires to dwell in us through His Holy Spirit by faith. Forget Bill Gates' riches! He is a pauper! I want the Lord Jesus Christ! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
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