Exodus 35
What makes you willing to sacrifice? For Jesus it was the joy set before Him. For that joy He was willing to die the most grueling death creation has ever known. What makes you willing to sacrifice? I submit to you that the most motivating motivation is to experience the glory of God. When the Lord gave instructions for the building of the tabernacle, He asked for gifts for building material. What was the stipulation for the giving? The gifts had to come from those who had a willing heart. The stipulation is repeated twice. The call was for building materials to build the tabernacle and related tools and garments. It was for the place where the physical manifestation of the presence of God was to dwell. The people gave more than willingly. Why? They gave because they had spent the last nine months observing the glory of God. They wanted it to continue. Once you have tasted of the glory of God, nothing else will do. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 2:1-24
When my grandma turned 90 she sent me a little note that said, "The preacher was by the other day. He said at my age I should be thinking about the here after. I told him, ‘I do think about the here after. I am constantly going into a room and thinking, “Now what was it that I am here after.”'" Not long after that she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. So, there is a little bit of bitter irony in her joke. She died at the age of 104. I am in my mid-50’s and I am already thinking about the here after--in both senses. I am constantly forgetting where I laid something down. Sometimes I will find things in the most surprising places, such as where they are supposed to be. The disturbing thing is that I've usually already accused one of the kids or Laura of having done something with them, only to find out they are where they should be. Although, a couple of days ago I needed to use my drill. A few years ago I opened my drill bit case, and lo and behold there was the chuck key to Brice's drill press. Now, that was surprising because Brice and his drill press were in Ft. Hood, Texas. Also, there were copper drill shavings in the drill bit case. Brice was drilling copper the last time that he used his press. It wasn’t my fault! Now that is surprising!
The glory of the Lord is often found in surprising places. But His glory always has the same message. It is the message of war and peace. The message is that God is at war against sin. That is not a popular message in our culture. However, it is none-the-less true. Those who would minimize it do so at the peril of finding true peace. The other part of that message is that God has done everything to provide peace with those who have sinned. (And in case you have not heard--that is all of us!) That peace is found only in the Messiah, the Christ. So at His birth where would you expect to find the birth announcement sent from heaven that the Christ was born? I would expect it in the temple where He is worshiped!
It did not happen there. It was on a lonely hillside near Bethlehem. Alfred Edersheim thinks it was at Migdal Eder. Jewish tradition seemed to hint that the Messiah's birth was to be revealed from the Migdal Eder, or 'tower of the flock'. The flocks which pastured there, were destined for Temple-sacrifices and accordingly, the shepherds, who watched over them, were not ordinary shepherds. So, it may be a surprise to us but not to Jewish tradition that the glory of the Messiah was first revealed to the shepherds who watched the flocks destined for sacrificial service. The announcement of the birth of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world was first given to the shepherds, not the priests. This Lamb brings peace with God to all who will trust Him. Why did it not happen in the temple?
The glory of God continues to be found in surprising places. Where would you expect to find it today? It should be in the church. Ephesians 3:21 says, "To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Alas that is often not true. I recently read a testimony book by Randy Meuhlman called The Quest for Glory. It was Randy's struggle with legalism that led him through pendulum swings in spiritual growth and in his relationship with the Lord and the organized church. The one constant in His testimony is God's pursuing love for him. When he finally grasped that, it healed him and to some degree his relationship with the organized church. You see, He finally found peace in His war with God. His peace was found not in performance but in the person of Jesus the Christ.
Why isn't the glory of God found too often in church by some people? Probably partly the same reason it was not found in the temple at Jesus' birth. Anytime we organize to worship, we are liable to fall into the trap of thinking, "If I do it this way, God will show up." It is never about, "How we do it." It is always about Jesus. When the focus is on Jesus and not on the trappings, He reveals Himself to us. That is a hard focus to maintain. So, it often surprises us when He shows up. Where did I leave Jesus? Oh yeah, I always find Him right where He should be, the center of my focus, when I am seeking Him with all my heart. Now, why was I blaming someone else for misplacing Him? Isn't He beautiful? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
March 23, 2010
Exodus 34
Yesterday we saw that the Lord promised to place Moses in the cleft of a rock. There He would cover him until His front side had passed then Moses could see the back side of His glory. As He passed, the Lord proclaimed:
The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7“keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.
Today we see that Moses once again climbed the fiery mountain taking with him two fresh tablets of stone for the others had been shattered. The Lord kept His promise. While the New Testament does not explicitly say that the rock is a type of Christ, it does say, “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” I think we can safely say that the cleft in the rock is a type of Christ. Moses climbs into the cleft with the stone tablets. The stone tablets would soon have the writing of God upon them delineating the Ten Commandments. They would be commandments which every one of us have broken every commandment. There in the rock the ‘hand’ of God covered Moses until the justice of God had passed. Then Lord proclaimed His mercy, grace and compassion. Jesus is our place of safety from the wrath and justice of God. He is our place of refuge to receive mercy, grace and compassion.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee; let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side which flowed, be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labors of my hands can fulfill thy law's commands; could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone; thou must save, and thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling; naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace; foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath, when mine eyes shall close in death, when I soar to worlds unknown, see thee on thy judgment throne, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.
--Rev. Augustus Montague Toplady
But the glory of God does not stop with just the dispensation of mercy, grace and compassion. Notice at the end of the chapter that after another 40 days on the fiery mountain with God, Moses’ skin glows with the glory of God. What’s more, we not only receive mercy, but as we gaze upon His glory, we are made like Him, even more than Moses. As the word says in 2 Cor. 3:18: All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit. Wow, we receive mercy, grace and compassion, and then we have opportunity to be transformed into His image. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Luke 1:57-80
"Dawn take you all and be stone with you." I'd have to look it up, but I think those were the words of Gandalf in The Hobbit. The occasion was that Bilbo and the dwarves had been captured by some trolls. Gandalf's problem was to rescue them all without them being injured. Gandalf's magic would work if the he could keep them outside until the first ray of light shone upon them. Gandalf managed to use ventriloquism to keep the trolls arguing among themselves until morning light. The dwarves and Bilbo were able to listen to the argument as to the best way to cook dwarves and hobbit. Encouraging, huh? The trolls argued right up unto the dawn. Then Gandalf pronounced the words, and the trolls turned to stone. Isn't that an interesting metaphor?
Zacharias speaks so much of the glory of the Lord. He prophesies about John preparing the way for the Lord. He speaks of the Lord as being the Dayspring or dawn from on high. We are those who sit in darkness. You ever feel like the powers of darkness were just sitting around arguing over the best way to cook you? Jesus is the dawn. When He comes our enemies turn to stone. He brings light and life. What is my problem anyway? The Dayspring is coming. I may be in the stinking hands of the powers of darkness now, but the Dayspring is coming. I may be listening to the conversation of the various ways that I might be cooked, but the Dayspring is coming. His glory turns my darkness to stone. I have light in which I may walk. He is my Dayspring. He is our Dayspring. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Yesterday we saw that the Lord promised to place Moses in the cleft of a rock. There He would cover him until His front side had passed then Moses could see the back side of His glory. As He passed, the Lord proclaimed:
The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7“keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.
Today we see that Moses once again climbed the fiery mountain taking with him two fresh tablets of stone for the others had been shattered. The Lord kept His promise. While the New Testament does not explicitly say that the rock is a type of Christ, it does say, “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” I think we can safely say that the cleft in the rock is a type of Christ. Moses climbs into the cleft with the stone tablets. The stone tablets would soon have the writing of God upon them delineating the Ten Commandments. They would be commandments which every one of us have broken every commandment. There in the rock the ‘hand’ of God covered Moses until the justice of God had passed. Then Lord proclaimed His mercy, grace and compassion. Jesus is our place of safety from the wrath and justice of God. He is our place of refuge to receive mercy, grace and compassion.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee; let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side which flowed, be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labors of my hands can fulfill thy law's commands; could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone; thou must save, and thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling; naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace; foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath, when mine eyes shall close in death, when I soar to worlds unknown, see thee on thy judgment throne, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.
--Rev. Augustus Montague Toplady
But the glory of God does not stop with just the dispensation of mercy, grace and compassion. Notice at the end of the chapter that after another 40 days on the fiery mountain with God, Moses’ skin glows with the glory of God. What’s more, we not only receive mercy, but as we gaze upon His glory, we are made like Him, even more than Moses. As the word says in 2 Cor. 3:18: All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit. Wow, we receive mercy, grace and compassion, and then we have opportunity to be transformed into His image. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Luke 1:57-80
"Dawn take you all and be stone with you." I'd have to look it up, but I think those were the words of Gandalf in The Hobbit. The occasion was that Bilbo and the dwarves had been captured by some trolls. Gandalf's problem was to rescue them all without them being injured. Gandalf's magic would work if the he could keep them outside until the first ray of light shone upon them. Gandalf managed to use ventriloquism to keep the trolls arguing among themselves until morning light. The dwarves and Bilbo were able to listen to the argument as to the best way to cook dwarves and hobbit. Encouraging, huh? The trolls argued right up unto the dawn. Then Gandalf pronounced the words, and the trolls turned to stone. Isn't that an interesting metaphor?
Zacharias speaks so much of the glory of the Lord. He prophesies about John preparing the way for the Lord. He speaks of the Lord as being the Dayspring or dawn from on high. We are those who sit in darkness. You ever feel like the powers of darkness were just sitting around arguing over the best way to cook you? Jesus is the dawn. When He comes our enemies turn to stone. He brings light and life. What is my problem anyway? The Dayspring is coming. I may be in the stinking hands of the powers of darkness now, but the Dayspring is coming. I may be listening to the conversation of the various ways that I might be cooked, but the Dayspring is coming. His glory turns my darkness to stone. I have light in which I may walk. He is my Dayspring. He is our Dayspring. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Monday, March 22, 2010
March 22, 2010
Exodus 33
“Go to your room and wait there for me.” I don’t remember the infraction, but I remember being frustrated enough that I needed to cool down a bit and think through the discipline for this infraction. The Children of Israel had committed a grave sin. The Lord told them to remove their ornaments while He considered what to do with them. It was an excellent time for them to think through their sin and to consider what they needed to do to pursue Him. Moses swings into action.
Moses knew how to make significant requests of God. In Exodus 3 he asked, “What is Your name?” Here he requests, “Show me Your way.” Then he follows up with, “Please show me your glory.” But consider the progression of events here. Moses goes daily to the tabernacle of meeting. The people come out of their tents to watch him go by. The cloud descends into the tent when Moses enters. He speaks face-to-face (obviously a figure of speech) with Moses as a with a friend. Wow, can you imagine sitting down and talking with the Creator of the Universe as with a friend? Such intimacy! In the midst of that intimacy, Moses makes his first request, “Show me Your way!” There is no forthright explanation given. Instead the Lord simply promises His presence. In all the uncertainties of life we would like to know the way to navigate through them, but He only promises His presence. But what a promise that is considering the circumstances. No resolution had ever been given for the discipline of their action in chapter 32. When earnestly sought for by Moses, only one promise is given, “My Presence shall go with you, and I shall give you rest.”
Moses couldn’t let it go at that, “Please, show me Your glory!” What? Moses, you were up on the mountain of fire with Him! Moses, the cloud descends into the tent every time you enter in the tent. Moses, you are talking with Him face to face as a friend with a friend! Moses, he has already promised you His presence! What is going on? The final disposition of what God is going to do with the disobedient people has not yet been handed down. Moses wanted to see His glory. Did he want God to dispense glorious judgment on this wayward people? What did he want?
The Lord favorably answers Moses’ request. He will show His glory, but not all of it. If the glory of His justice were revealed, it would destroy Moses and the people. He will show him His compassion. He will place him the cleft of a rock (more on the rock tomorrow), and when the front part of His glory passes by, He will let him see the back part of His glory and proclaim compassion and grace. The disposition is being handed down. It is the compassion and grace of the Lord. God’s glory is awesomely revealed in His grace. The Lord sends us to our room to wait, not necessarily so that He can cool down, but so that we can reflect upon our need of compassion and grace and pursue Him for it. As we will see later in the Pentateuch, His longsuffering eventually reaches an end, but in the mean time, we should pursue the latter part of His glory, His compassion and grace. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 1:39-56
Ever noticed how women often times seem to be more spiritually sensitive in their spirits than men? Here are at least two cases anyway. Elizabeth feels her miracle baby leap in her womb at the greeting of Mary and she immediately knows it is a leap of joy because John, through the Holy Spirit, knows the mother of Jesus has entered the room. Now how did she know that? Was it just her spiritual sensitivity? Well, certainly that was a part of it.
I mean after all there are cases of men like Lot. Three Angels come to rescue him from certain destruction and they have to almost literally drag him out of town or he would have died. Well, considering his wife and daughters, maybe he isn't too good of an example. Of course there was Barak who wouldn't go into battle unless the prophetess Deborah went with him. Then there is Gideon, who was hiding in a wine press threshing wheat when the Angel of the Lord appeared to Him. The Angel says, "The Lord is with you O mighty man of valor!" Gideon is almost sarcastic with the Angel and before he can really trust the Lord, the Lord must perform 4 different miracles! Then there is Boaz. Talk about slow. No wonder he was so old and never married. Fortunately for him Naomi sensed where God was leading.
As I begin to think about the Scriptural examples, maybe it isn't so much an issue of Elizabeth and Mary being spiritually sensitive (though I think that was definitely a part of it), as it was the tremendous grace of our Lord. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit communicated what she needed to know. This was a one time only event in the history of the human race and God is making sure that everyone gets the right message.
Then Mary having heard all this is overcome with joy that there is at least one other person on this earth who independently knows that what is happening to her is of God. No she did not dream the visitation of the angel. It isn't a desperate psychotic episode that she has thought up to subconsciously explain what is happening in her life. Some one else has had an independent revelation that confirms what she is going through. This is a God thing. Isn't that glorious? The Lord has met her need and confirmed what He is doing! Mary breaks into one of history's most beautiful songs of praise.
I believe that the Lord is constantly doing mighty things for us. His mercies are new every morning, but in order to receive mercy, we must first be in a position where we need it. He does scatter the proud, but they first must have something to be proud about. He does exalt the lowly, but they have to be low first. He does fill the hungry, but if we were not helplessly hungry, we would not recognize that He has helped us. The circumstances help us to see the glory. It is just that we are too often caught up in focusing on our circumstances rather than His glory. It is impossible to be spiritually sensitive when we are focused on our circumstances. God is meeting my need. If I did not have the need, then I would never know that He meets them. Spiritual sensitivity requires recognition of need. That is why we need to meditate on His glory and share it with others. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
“Go to your room and wait there for me.” I don’t remember the infraction, but I remember being frustrated enough that I needed to cool down a bit and think through the discipline for this infraction. The Children of Israel had committed a grave sin. The Lord told them to remove their ornaments while He considered what to do with them. It was an excellent time for them to think through their sin and to consider what they needed to do to pursue Him. Moses swings into action.
Moses knew how to make significant requests of God. In Exodus 3 he asked, “What is Your name?” Here he requests, “Show me Your way.” Then he follows up with, “Please show me your glory.” But consider the progression of events here. Moses goes daily to the tabernacle of meeting. The people come out of their tents to watch him go by. The cloud descends into the tent when Moses enters. He speaks face-to-face (obviously a figure of speech) with Moses as a with a friend. Wow, can you imagine sitting down and talking with the Creator of the Universe as with a friend? Such intimacy! In the midst of that intimacy, Moses makes his first request, “Show me Your way!” There is no forthright explanation given. Instead the Lord simply promises His presence. In all the uncertainties of life we would like to know the way to navigate through them, but He only promises His presence. But what a promise that is considering the circumstances. No resolution had ever been given for the discipline of their action in chapter 32. When earnestly sought for by Moses, only one promise is given, “My Presence shall go with you, and I shall give you rest.”
Moses couldn’t let it go at that, “Please, show me Your glory!” What? Moses, you were up on the mountain of fire with Him! Moses, the cloud descends into the tent every time you enter in the tent. Moses, you are talking with Him face to face as a friend with a friend! Moses, he has already promised you His presence! What is going on? The final disposition of what God is going to do with the disobedient people has not yet been handed down. Moses wanted to see His glory. Did he want God to dispense glorious judgment on this wayward people? What did he want?
The Lord favorably answers Moses’ request. He will show His glory, but not all of it. If the glory of His justice were revealed, it would destroy Moses and the people. He will show him His compassion. He will place him the cleft of a rock (more on the rock tomorrow), and when the front part of His glory passes by, He will let him see the back part of His glory and proclaim compassion and grace. The disposition is being handed down. It is the compassion and grace of the Lord. God’s glory is awesomely revealed in His grace. The Lord sends us to our room to wait, not necessarily so that He can cool down, but so that we can reflect upon our need of compassion and grace and pursue Him for it. As we will see later in the Pentateuch, His longsuffering eventually reaches an end, but in the mean time, we should pursue the latter part of His glory, His compassion and grace. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 1:39-56
Ever noticed how women often times seem to be more spiritually sensitive in their spirits than men? Here are at least two cases anyway. Elizabeth feels her miracle baby leap in her womb at the greeting of Mary and she immediately knows it is a leap of joy because John, through the Holy Spirit, knows the mother of Jesus has entered the room. Now how did she know that? Was it just her spiritual sensitivity? Well, certainly that was a part of it.
I mean after all there are cases of men like Lot. Three Angels come to rescue him from certain destruction and they have to almost literally drag him out of town or he would have died. Well, considering his wife and daughters, maybe he isn't too good of an example. Of course there was Barak who wouldn't go into battle unless the prophetess Deborah went with him. Then there is Gideon, who was hiding in a wine press threshing wheat when the Angel of the Lord appeared to Him. The Angel says, "The Lord is with you O mighty man of valor!" Gideon is almost sarcastic with the Angel and before he can really trust the Lord, the Lord must perform 4 different miracles! Then there is Boaz. Talk about slow. No wonder he was so old and never married. Fortunately for him Naomi sensed where God was leading.
As I begin to think about the Scriptural examples, maybe it isn't so much an issue of Elizabeth and Mary being spiritually sensitive (though I think that was definitely a part of it), as it was the tremendous grace of our Lord. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit communicated what she needed to know. This was a one time only event in the history of the human race and God is making sure that everyone gets the right message.
Then Mary having heard all this is overcome with joy that there is at least one other person on this earth who independently knows that what is happening to her is of God. No she did not dream the visitation of the angel. It isn't a desperate psychotic episode that she has thought up to subconsciously explain what is happening in her life. Some one else has had an independent revelation that confirms what she is going through. This is a God thing. Isn't that glorious? The Lord has met her need and confirmed what He is doing! Mary breaks into one of history's most beautiful songs of praise.
I believe that the Lord is constantly doing mighty things for us. His mercies are new every morning, but in order to receive mercy, we must first be in a position where we need it. He does scatter the proud, but they first must have something to be proud about. He does exalt the lowly, but they have to be low first. He does fill the hungry, but if we were not helplessly hungry, we would not recognize that He has helped us. The circumstances help us to see the glory. It is just that we are too often caught up in focusing on our circumstances rather than His glory. It is impossible to be spiritually sensitive when we are focused on our circumstances. God is meeting my need. If I did not have the need, then I would never know that He meets them. Spiritual sensitivity requires recognition of need. That is why we need to meditate on His glory and share it with others. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Sunday, March 21, 2010
March 21, 2010
Exodus 32
When my oldest sons were little, this chapter was one of their favorite readings of the Scripture. It is the ultimate in passing the buck. Here the Children of Israel have time and time again been miraculously saved by the Lord; and they have experienced a number of theophanies. They themselves were able to view a magnificent appearance of God on Mt. Sinai from which Moses and Joshua were invited to come meet with the Lord on the mountain top. Moses and Joshua were gone no more than 40 days and Israel begins to worry, “What has this all consuming fire done with Moses and Joshua? They are gone; we know not where. We are fearful of entering the presence of this God lest our fate end like theirs. What do we do?” Their solution was to make an image that would represent God. It would be safe. It was somewhat like what they experienced in Egypt. After all, the Egyptians had their bull god. Why not a calf god to represent the Lord? When Moses asks something to the effect of, “Aaron, what were you thinking?” He gets this ridiculous answer, “I threw the gold in the furnace and out came this calf!” My boys would roar with laughter at the lame excuse. Even at 7, 5 & 3, they recognized how incredulous was the response.
What is it about us as humans that we so quickly forget or cannot even grasp the greatness of the glory of the Lord? While not under pressure, we laugh at the Israelites for their fickle behavior. But let us get under pressure and we also, like the Israelites, begin to crack. Forty days is a long time to go without seeing His glory. We are designed by God to live in the presence of His glory. His glory is at times frightening. At times it is comforting. It is always amazing. Yet, we can never remember. That is why it is so incumbent upon us to seek His glory daily. As the deer pants for the water, so our souls long after Him—even if we do not recognize it. Nothing satisfies like His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 1:26-38
I never cease to marvel at what God did in Mary. She sat in a different type of shadow. It was still a shadow of light. Here is a girl who is a virgin and who is willing to bear the insults of the community in order to be obedient to God, and she does it joyfully. But of greater import than Mary's attitude is what God created within her womb in that shadow. Using Mary's chromosomes, God adds special chromosomes to prepare a body for the God-Man.
His name is to be Jesus, which is the Greek transliteration for the Hebrew Joshua. Joshua means, "Yahweh saves," or, "Yahweh is salvation." He is the promised fulfillment of Genesis 3:15 and 12:3. He will be the very Son of God. Yes we are all sons of God in the sense that we are created by Him. We who have received Him are sons of God in the sense that we are adopted into His family. But He is the very Son of God, the Son of the Highest. He accomplished this salvation in His first coming in His death, resurrection and ascension.
He is the Son of David. As such, He fulfills the promise of 2 Samuel 7:12,13,16. But He has not ruled on earth upon the throne of His father, David. He will accomplish that when He returns, His second coming. You know the Shiite Muslims believe that they can hasten the second coming of the 12th imam, the "Mahdi," by creating chaos on earth. What contrast that is to our King. We can hasten His coming by preaching the good news of His death, burial and resurrection can bring new life and new order to people's lives. I like sitting in the shadow of that light. It is so different from the shadow of death that is in the rest of the world. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
When my oldest sons were little, this chapter was one of their favorite readings of the Scripture. It is the ultimate in passing the buck. Here the Children of Israel have time and time again been miraculously saved by the Lord; and they have experienced a number of theophanies. They themselves were able to view a magnificent appearance of God on Mt. Sinai from which Moses and Joshua were invited to come meet with the Lord on the mountain top. Moses and Joshua were gone no more than 40 days and Israel begins to worry, “What has this all consuming fire done with Moses and Joshua? They are gone; we know not where. We are fearful of entering the presence of this God lest our fate end like theirs. What do we do?” Their solution was to make an image that would represent God. It would be safe. It was somewhat like what they experienced in Egypt. After all, the Egyptians had their bull god. Why not a calf god to represent the Lord? When Moses asks something to the effect of, “Aaron, what were you thinking?” He gets this ridiculous answer, “I threw the gold in the furnace and out came this calf!” My boys would roar with laughter at the lame excuse. Even at 7, 5 & 3, they recognized how incredulous was the response.
What is it about us as humans that we so quickly forget or cannot even grasp the greatness of the glory of the Lord? While not under pressure, we laugh at the Israelites for their fickle behavior. But let us get under pressure and we also, like the Israelites, begin to crack. Forty days is a long time to go without seeing His glory. We are designed by God to live in the presence of His glory. His glory is at times frightening. At times it is comforting. It is always amazing. Yet, we can never remember. That is why it is so incumbent upon us to seek His glory daily. As the deer pants for the water, so our souls long after Him—even if we do not recognize it. Nothing satisfies like His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Luke 1:26-38
I never cease to marvel at what God did in Mary. She sat in a different type of shadow. It was still a shadow of light. Here is a girl who is a virgin and who is willing to bear the insults of the community in order to be obedient to God, and she does it joyfully. But of greater import than Mary's attitude is what God created within her womb in that shadow. Using Mary's chromosomes, God adds special chromosomes to prepare a body for the God-Man.
His name is to be Jesus, which is the Greek transliteration for the Hebrew Joshua. Joshua means, "Yahweh saves," or, "Yahweh is salvation." He is the promised fulfillment of Genesis 3:15 and 12:3. He will be the very Son of God. Yes we are all sons of God in the sense that we are created by Him. We who have received Him are sons of God in the sense that we are adopted into His family. But He is the very Son of God, the Son of the Highest. He accomplished this salvation in His first coming in His death, resurrection and ascension.
He is the Son of David. As such, He fulfills the promise of 2 Samuel 7:12,13,16. But He has not ruled on earth upon the throne of His father, David. He will accomplish that when He returns, His second coming. You know the Shiite Muslims believe that they can hasten the second coming of the 12th imam, the "Mahdi," by creating chaos on earth. What contrast that is to our King. We can hasten His coming by preaching the good news of His death, burial and resurrection can bring new life and new order to people's lives. I like sitting in the shadow of that light. It is so different from the shadow of death that is in the rest of the world. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
March 20,2010
Luke 1:1-25
Have you ever lived in someone else's shadow? Most of us think we have, whether it really happened or not. My brother Bill is five years older than me. When he was in college, he used to preach lots of weekend youth revivals at various churches throughout northern Oklahoma. I greatly enjoyed tagging along. I became well known as 'Bill's little brother.' Hey, that was good! Bill was an excellent preacher and we had a lot of fun sharing the gospel with people. We frequently would find out where the young people hung out, go there, share the Gospel with them and invite them to the youth revival service. I remember when this guy, who seemed to be the leader of the teens to whom we were talking, said that if Bill could beat him at arm wrestling, he would come to the revival service. Bill turned to me and whispered, "You'd better pray."--The guy had huge biceps. Well, to everyone's surprise Bill beat him. The guy reneged on his promise, claiming Bill cheated. He was just too embarrassed that this skinny guy (Bill) beat him. I guess he was too proud and too spiritually insensitive to know that he wasn't wrestling with just a skinny guy. But some of those young people did come. I believe Bill had become known in our church circles for doing mighty exploits for God. It was fun being in his shadow.
Zacharias and Elizabeth lived in a shadow most of their lives. Except their shadow was simply obscurity. Zacharias was part of what the more influential priests might have referred to as an 'idiot priest.' But in the sight of the One that really counts, they were considered 'righteous.' They were old and childless. In their culture being childless usually carried with it the thought that you were being punished by God for some sin. Being childless was a reproach among the people. But sometimes being what people consider to be a reproach is really just God working in you, developing His character in you, and preparing you for a way in which He will show His glory in a greater way.
Finally, when he was old and had lived in the shadow so long that it was hard for him to believe God would ever do anything different with him, God brought Zacharias into the light of His glory. God gave Elizabeth the ability to conceive a child by Zacharias. Not only that but God promised that that child would be the promised forerunner of the Messiah. Can you imagine everyone's surprise when after 5 months of hiding Elizabeth came out into public and lo and behold, "She is expecting!" What does she say, "The Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people." She is now in a shadow of light. She is content to live in the shadow of the Almighty.
It was fun being in Bill's shadow. But you know what? It is more fun walking in the shadow of the Almighty. I may or may not be ever known has having done great exploits for God. But what is more important to me is that I can sit in the Shadow of the Almighty! It is a shadow of light! He is the One that really counts. As I focus on His glory, He does that for which He created me. Whether anyone else recognizes that is immaterial. He is the One that counts. The same is true for you also. That is why it is so important to see His glory and speak it to others. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Have you ever lived in someone else's shadow? Most of us think we have, whether it really happened or not. My brother Bill is five years older than me. When he was in college, he used to preach lots of weekend youth revivals at various churches throughout northern Oklahoma. I greatly enjoyed tagging along. I became well known as 'Bill's little brother.' Hey, that was good! Bill was an excellent preacher and we had a lot of fun sharing the gospel with people. We frequently would find out where the young people hung out, go there, share the Gospel with them and invite them to the youth revival service. I remember when this guy, who seemed to be the leader of the teens to whom we were talking, said that if Bill could beat him at arm wrestling, he would come to the revival service. Bill turned to me and whispered, "You'd better pray."--The guy had huge biceps. Well, to everyone's surprise Bill beat him. The guy reneged on his promise, claiming Bill cheated. He was just too embarrassed that this skinny guy (Bill) beat him. I guess he was too proud and too spiritually insensitive to know that he wasn't wrestling with just a skinny guy. But some of those young people did come. I believe Bill had become known in our church circles for doing mighty exploits for God. It was fun being in his shadow.
Zacharias and Elizabeth lived in a shadow most of their lives. Except their shadow was simply obscurity. Zacharias was part of what the more influential priests might have referred to as an 'idiot priest.' But in the sight of the One that really counts, they were considered 'righteous.' They were old and childless. In their culture being childless usually carried with it the thought that you were being punished by God for some sin. Being childless was a reproach among the people. But sometimes being what people consider to be a reproach is really just God working in you, developing His character in you, and preparing you for a way in which He will show His glory in a greater way.
Finally, when he was old and had lived in the shadow so long that it was hard for him to believe God would ever do anything different with him, God brought Zacharias into the light of His glory. God gave Elizabeth the ability to conceive a child by Zacharias. Not only that but God promised that that child would be the promised forerunner of the Messiah. Can you imagine everyone's surprise when after 5 months of hiding Elizabeth came out into public and lo and behold, "She is expecting!" What does she say, "The Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people." She is now in a shadow of light. She is content to live in the shadow of the Almighty.
It was fun being in Bill's shadow. But you know what? It is more fun walking in the shadow of the Almighty. I may or may not be ever known has having done great exploits for God. But what is more important to me is that I can sit in the Shadow of the Almighty! It is a shadow of light! He is the One that really counts. As I focus on His glory, He does that for which He created me. Whether anyone else recognizes that is immaterial. He is the One that counts. The same is true for you also. That is why it is so important to see His glory and speak it to others. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Friday, March 19, 2010
March 19, 2010
Exodus 30
My Uncle Ross was a very outgoing man. He had a charisma about him that made you want to be around him. For a number of terms he was a state legislator. As a legislator, the thing he enjoyed most was being able to help his constituents with their problems. Whenever I was around him, he always welcomed me and always exhibited and interest in my life. He would frequently say, “Come see me some time.” Laura and I took him up on his offer one weekend. We came and visited him and Aunt Charlene (Charlie). They made us feel royally welcomed. It was great to meet with him and her.
Twice in this chapter, verses 6 & 36, the Lord repeats a similar message related to the altar of incense and the mercy seat:
6“And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you. 36“And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you.
The incense and its fragrant smell represents the prayers of the saints before the Lord. The burning of incense is made possible by the golden altar which represents the deity and humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Creator of the Universe has made it possible to meet with Him! The glory of that meeting is far greater than meeting with any human. He makes that meeting possible through prayer. Prayer is possible because of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we choose to meet with him, He communicates with us giving us His designs for our lives. From those designs we may ask, and He fulfills them all. Like my uncle who delighted in being able to help his constituents with their problems, He delights in helping His people fulfill His designs for their lives and our problems getting there. He does it at the place of prayer, His mercy seat. The Mercy Seat represents the death of the Lord Jesus Christ in our place. His blood is applied to us and we are forgiven. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Mark 16
We were trying to make the drive from Philadelphia to Oklahoma in one long drive. I drove through Indianapolis. I then relinquished the wheel to Laura, because I was too tired to drive. It was in the middle of the night and cold. I awoke to the sensation of spinning, Laura’s scream and the sight of snow coming over the windshield. My first thought was, “Lord, I’m coming home.” We ended up embedded in a deep snow bank. We had hit black ice on the highway. The Lord’s hand had certainly been upon us. Laura said that when we began spinning we were between two semi trailers. The car seemed to steer itself, and the trucks missed us and kept on going. The snow cushioned our sudden stop and there was no visible damage to the car.
I pushed the door open. It was difficult with snow packed around it. I heard a tremendous hissing sound and steam was billowing out from under the hood of the car. Popping the hood, I was greeted with the sight of snow packed around the engine. The hissing and steam was the snow melting against the hot engine. My first thought was, “Oh no, the sudden cooling has cracked the block.” But a little inspection seemed to indicate everything was okay. And the car started again. My next problem was that I was royally stuck in the snow. What had saved us from injury now seemed to encase us next to the road. Who would get me out of this snow bank?
It was early Sunday morning and the women were approaching the tomb. Jesus was dead, or so they thought. They were coming with spices to anoint His body. Their thought was, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” The thought must have loomed heavy upon their spirits. One second century manuscript of Mark has written in the margin that it was a stone that needed 20 men to move. Certainly it is true that the stone was so large that the three women knew they could not move it by themselves. To their surprise, when they arrived, the stone was already rolled away! Entering into the tomb, angels informed them that Jesus was risen and that they needed to go tell the disciples.
Can you imagine the flood of emotions--first fear, then amazement, then perplexity, but eventually joy? They were encased in the coldness of death, wondering who would move the stone so they could make the whole situation smell better. But the glory of our Lord is such that He liberates us from the stench of death. He moves gigantic stones to set us free. We don’t need more men to move them, we need Him. We don’t need more spices to hide the stench, we need Him. He sets us free that we may tell others of His glory. If we don’t first acknowledge our desperate situation, we can’t be set free to tell others.
Am I stuck in a snow bank? Is there a stone I can’t roll away? He can do all things—He conquered death! That’s His glory. His death saved us from death, but He rose again to set us free from the encasement of death. Oh by the way, I wasn’t in the snow bank more than 5 minutes when an Indiana Highway Patrolman drove up. He pulled out a shovel, dug us out of the snow and helped push me back up onto the highway. Before he left to help someone else, he said, “There is ice from here through Illinois. Get off at the next exit and find some shelter.” We did. Jesus rescues us from being encased in sin, death and other problems. He gives us new life and tells us to walk in it and share His glory with others. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
My Uncle Ross was a very outgoing man. He had a charisma about him that made you want to be around him. For a number of terms he was a state legislator. As a legislator, the thing he enjoyed most was being able to help his constituents with their problems. Whenever I was around him, he always welcomed me and always exhibited and interest in my life. He would frequently say, “Come see me some time.” Laura and I took him up on his offer one weekend. We came and visited him and Aunt Charlene (Charlie). They made us feel royally welcomed. It was great to meet with him and her.
Twice in this chapter, verses 6 & 36, the Lord repeats a similar message related to the altar of incense and the mercy seat:
6“And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you. 36“And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you.
The incense and its fragrant smell represents the prayers of the saints before the Lord. The burning of incense is made possible by the golden altar which represents the deity and humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Creator of the Universe has made it possible to meet with Him! The glory of that meeting is far greater than meeting with any human. He makes that meeting possible through prayer. Prayer is possible because of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we choose to meet with him, He communicates with us giving us His designs for our lives. From those designs we may ask, and He fulfills them all. Like my uncle who delighted in being able to help his constituents with their problems, He delights in helping His people fulfill His designs for their lives and our problems getting there. He does it at the place of prayer, His mercy seat. The Mercy Seat represents the death of the Lord Jesus Christ in our place. His blood is applied to us and we are forgiven. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Mark 16
We were trying to make the drive from Philadelphia to Oklahoma in one long drive. I drove through Indianapolis. I then relinquished the wheel to Laura, because I was too tired to drive. It was in the middle of the night and cold. I awoke to the sensation of spinning, Laura’s scream and the sight of snow coming over the windshield. My first thought was, “Lord, I’m coming home.” We ended up embedded in a deep snow bank. We had hit black ice on the highway. The Lord’s hand had certainly been upon us. Laura said that when we began spinning we were between two semi trailers. The car seemed to steer itself, and the trucks missed us and kept on going. The snow cushioned our sudden stop and there was no visible damage to the car.
I pushed the door open. It was difficult with snow packed around it. I heard a tremendous hissing sound and steam was billowing out from under the hood of the car. Popping the hood, I was greeted with the sight of snow packed around the engine. The hissing and steam was the snow melting against the hot engine. My first thought was, “Oh no, the sudden cooling has cracked the block.” But a little inspection seemed to indicate everything was okay. And the car started again. My next problem was that I was royally stuck in the snow. What had saved us from injury now seemed to encase us next to the road. Who would get me out of this snow bank?
It was early Sunday morning and the women were approaching the tomb. Jesus was dead, or so they thought. They were coming with spices to anoint His body. Their thought was, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” The thought must have loomed heavy upon their spirits. One second century manuscript of Mark has written in the margin that it was a stone that needed 20 men to move. Certainly it is true that the stone was so large that the three women knew they could not move it by themselves. To their surprise, when they arrived, the stone was already rolled away! Entering into the tomb, angels informed them that Jesus was risen and that they needed to go tell the disciples.
Can you imagine the flood of emotions--first fear, then amazement, then perplexity, but eventually joy? They were encased in the coldness of death, wondering who would move the stone so they could make the whole situation smell better. But the glory of our Lord is such that He liberates us from the stench of death. He moves gigantic stones to set us free. We don’t need more men to move them, we need Him. We don’t need more spices to hide the stench, we need Him. He sets us free that we may tell others of His glory. If we don’t first acknowledge our desperate situation, we can’t be set free to tell others.
Am I stuck in a snow bank? Is there a stone I can’t roll away? He can do all things—He conquered death! That’s His glory. His death saved us from death, but He rose again to set us free from the encasement of death. Oh by the way, I wasn’t in the snow bank more than 5 minutes when an Indiana Highway Patrolman drove up. He pulled out a shovel, dug us out of the snow and helped push me back up onto the highway. Before he left to help someone else, he said, “There is ice from here through Illinois. Get off at the next exit and find some shelter.” We did. Jesus rescues us from being encased in sin, death and other problems. He gives us new life and tells us to walk in it and share His glory with others. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
March 18, 2010
Mark 15:26-47
Remember the pictures, Where's Waldo? Some people like me enjoyed spending a few minutes every once in a while looking for Waldo. In the midst of this massive and intricate cartoon the artist would draw Waldo. Waldo always wore the same clothes. If I remember right, he had this distinctive, colorful, striped hat and shirt. He was always so well blended in with the crowd that sometimes he was difficult to find.
Where is the glory of the King? Here, the King is on a cross. He doesn't much look like a king. Pilate ordered the inscription to insult the Jews. But it was true. He is the King. The ruler of the strongest army of the Universe could have destroyed the earth with a word and set Himself free. He doesn't look much like the King on the cross. Like Waldo, He is blending in with the clowns around Him. Can you see Him? He's the One in the middle of the three naked ones on the cross.
From noon until 3:00 p.m. a curious thing happened. There was darkness over the whole land. How could that happen? It is mid-day. The sun is at its brightest. No clouds are recorded but it was dark. This was significant. The clowns cannot see but the creation can. Oh, wait, He is giving a royal pronouncement. "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?" The King of the Universe hadn't just blended in with the clowns, the sinners, He had become one. Where is the King? That's Him on the cross. He has become sin on my behalf. I put Him there. He went there for me--and you--and the other clowns that surrounded Him and have lived from Adam until the end of time. Do you recognize Him? Boy did He blend in well! The veil of the temple tore from the top to the bottom. God's glory will come rushing out! His glory will destroy us! But wait. Nothing happened. We did not die! Why? Because the King became one of us, He died in our place. The glory of God is not longer lethal to us who are in Him.
Then there was the Roman Centurion. Of all the people who recognized the King, how did he see Him? He had watched this man. He had probably heard of His teaching in the temple during the week. He had observed the trial. He probably supervised the beating in Pilate's hall. He watched him die. No man dies like that man died. Creation turned black when that man died. This Man forgave in the midst of agony. The earth quaked when He quit breathing. He saw through the disguise. He saw the glory of God. Do you see it? Where is the King? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Remember the pictures, Where's Waldo? Some people like me enjoyed spending a few minutes every once in a while looking for Waldo. In the midst of this massive and intricate cartoon the artist would draw Waldo. Waldo always wore the same clothes. If I remember right, he had this distinctive, colorful, striped hat and shirt. He was always so well blended in with the crowd that sometimes he was difficult to find.
Where is the glory of the King? Here, the King is on a cross. He doesn't much look like a king. Pilate ordered the inscription to insult the Jews. But it was true. He is the King. The ruler of the strongest army of the Universe could have destroyed the earth with a word and set Himself free. He doesn't look much like the King on the cross. Like Waldo, He is blending in with the clowns around Him. Can you see Him? He's the One in the middle of the three naked ones on the cross.
From noon until 3:00 p.m. a curious thing happened. There was darkness over the whole land. How could that happen? It is mid-day. The sun is at its brightest. No clouds are recorded but it was dark. This was significant. The clowns cannot see but the creation can. Oh, wait, He is giving a royal pronouncement. "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?" The King of the Universe hadn't just blended in with the clowns, the sinners, He had become one. Where is the King? That's Him on the cross. He has become sin on my behalf. I put Him there. He went there for me--and you--and the other clowns that surrounded Him and have lived from Adam until the end of time. Do you recognize Him? Boy did He blend in well! The veil of the temple tore from the top to the bottom. God's glory will come rushing out! His glory will destroy us! But wait. Nothing happened. We did not die! Why? Because the King became one of us, He died in our place. The glory of God is not longer lethal to us who are in Him.
Then there was the Roman Centurion. Of all the people who recognized the King, how did he see Him? He had watched this man. He had probably heard of His teaching in the temple during the week. He had observed the trial. He probably supervised the beating in Pilate's hall. He watched him die. No man dies like that man died. Creation turned black when that man died. This Man forgave in the midst of agony. The earth quaked when He quit breathing. He saw through the disguise. He saw the glory of God. Do you see it? Where is the King? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
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