July 19

JUDGES 2
The Israelites served the Baals. Their hearts went after other gods. “How could they do such a thing?” we might ask. Yet are we any different. Is not the glory of the LORD so much greater than the Baals? Should this not be a no-brainer decision? Why would anyone leave the LORD for the Baals? Yet do we not do the same thing today? The glory of the LORD is dripping around us, yet we embrace the world instead of His glory. Why do I choose to spend more time establishing the comforts of my life rather than establishing the greatness of His Kingdom? When I do this, am I any different from the Israelites who pursued the Baals? Hmmm. . . I don’t know. Lord, let me be infected with Your glory and settle for nothing less!! “What can be done for an old heart like mine? Soften it up? With oil and wine? The oil is You - Your Spirit of love. Please wash me anew with the wine of Your blood.” Those lyrics by Keith Green speak so poignantly to this issue.
Funny thing, I googled some of those words to get the correct lyrics. The first website that I found that had those lyrics was one that was paid for by ads. The most conspicuous ad was one for a web site for “sexy Christian singles.” It was a simple vertical column ad that consisted mainly of a picture. No heads were in the picture. It was just a guy standing in front of a girl. She stands behind him with her arm around him, having pulled his t-shirt up and here palm flat on his stomach. His hand was reaching back to her thigh. If sex is supposed to be for a married couple, does this ad not strike anyone a little odd? If Christian singlehood is supposed to be for the purpose of building the kingdom of God, if the marriage bed is undefiled, isn’t seeking “sexy Christian singles” somewhat of an oxymoron? Are we imbibing of a god that is not really leading us to the glory of our true King? Are we pursuing Baals? At what point do I use business to build the Kingdom of God, and at what point has business become an idol? Oh, what can be done for an old heart like mine? Lord soften up my heart so that I can pursue your glory unhindered! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 18
I was dancing around with the money I had just counted. “Wow! Look at this! Eighty dollars!” I had been working and saving for it for a couple of years. That was a grand sum for an eleven-year-old in 1966. I was excited about my achievement. All of a sudden the atmosphere changed to one of fire and smoke as my dad angrily snapped, “You don’t even have enough for a down payment on a car!” To this day I am not sure why Dad was so angry about it, but I will never forget the negative electricity in the air. I can relate to the David’s statements about the anger of the Lord:

Then the earth shook and trembled;
The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With darkness under His feet.
And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
He flew upon the wings of the wind.
He made darkness His secret place;
His canopy around Him was dark waters
And thick clouds of the skies.
From the brightness before Him,
His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire

.
When Dad was angry, the whole room was filled, as it were, with “smoke and devouring fire.”
The glory of the Lord is that at times His anger is terrifying. Is it right for the Creator of the Universe to exhibit such anger? Let me ask you this, “If you were unjustly being pursued by a murderer who was hell bent on killing you, would you want a just God to be angry about the murderer’s intent?” I would. At what point should God cease being angry with sin? Is it just murder? Is it adultery? If I lust after a woman in my heart, but never do anything about it, is God still just in being angry with me? Is it lying? If I tell a lie in order to protect someone, is God still just in being angry with me? If I covet the world’s goods so that I dance around rejoicing in what I have earned, while my brother goes without, is God just in being angry with me? At what point. . . .
Lest you think that my concept of God is a Supreme Being who is always angry, consider the rest of the Psalm. The anger was against the murderer, Saul, who was pursuing David to kill him. Now look at it from David’s perspective. He is helpless before his earthly king who is hotly pursuing him to end his life.

He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the LORD was my support.
He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.

This Psalm drips with the mercies and lovingkindesses of the Lord. The glory of the Lord is that He does intervene in order to rescue us. If there were no anger against sin, would He intervene? So, is the intervention of God somewhat a function not only of His mercy but also of justice? “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” Lord thank you for your justice, and thank you for your mercy, and thank you that mercy triumphs over judgment! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

JEREMIAH 44
We enjoy singing I’m Trading My Sorrows, but when we get right down to it, do we really trade them? Sometimes our sorrows are actually our joys, and in reality, we hang on to them. At least that was true of the Israelite remnant that fled to Egypt. This passage is almost unbelievable. For all these years Jeremiah has been preaching to them to give up what they have in order to gain what cannot be taken away. Each step of the way from the death of Josiah through the reigns of Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah and finally the Governorship of Gedaliah, he has preached, “Return to the Lord.” Each time that the people rejected the message, their political, social and economic situation became worse. Now they are refugees in Egypt because they rejected the Word of the Lord. Even as refugees they still worship the queen of the heavens. When Jeremiah brings the Word of the Lord to them, one more time the women respond, “Since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine.” Not only is their focus on their creature comforts, but they are attributing their decrease in creature comforts to the revival of Josiah shortly before his death. Their sorrows were found in their creature comforts or lack thereof. They traced their history and observed that their economic decline began with Josiah’s revival and his subsequent death. They attribute their problems to his calling the nation to Yahweh and away from the queen of heaven.
So, were they ready to trade their sorrows for the joy of the Lord? No indeed, they were ready to blame their sorrows upon Him. It is interesting to me that this complaint came from the women. The worship of the Canaanite Queen of Heaven seems to have included in some cases ritual prostitution as a means of exciting the fertility of the queen of heaven in order to receive the blessing of the riches of the land. Oh the depths of self-deception! Matthew Henry has this to say of this problem:
Those creature-comforts and confidences that we promise ourselves most from may fail us as soon as those that we promise ourselves least from, for they are all what God makes them, not what we fancy them.
We don’t worship the queen of heaven, but do we worship our creature-comforts? Would we lay down our creature-comforts for the glory of God? A more poignant question is, “Do we lay down our creature-comforts for the glory of God?” I think one of the reasons that it is so vital for us to spend time everyday looking at the glory of God and sharing what we have found with someone else is because if we don’t, we will become just as deceived as the women of Judah. Our creature-comforts become more important than His glory. I find that if I don’t gaze upon His glory, I forget. When I forget, the creature-comforts become more enticing. He is a God that is more glorious than all the comforts of which I can dream, and I can dream a lot! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ACTS 21:18-40
Why was Paul so bold? Now don't get me wrong. There were many times when Paul had exhibited great boldness. There were also times when he listened to the voice of discretion and bowed out of a city where he was about to be mobbed. After all, discretion is often the better part of valor. What good would it do to make a stink in Jerusalem? He had been warned time and again that he was going to be jailed and mistreated in Jerusalem. He still comes.
Yes Paul's ministry was to the Gentile, of but Romans 10:1 reveals the true heart of Paul, "Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved." This apparently was one last effort to bring the Gospel to his brethren. He had always laid down his rights to live as he wanted in order to reach the people group he was trying to reach. Now it is one last ditch effort to reach those of his brethren in Jerusalem who had not yet come to see the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. James has a reasonable plan, "Do something publicly that will demonstrate that you have not completely rejected Moses and the law, but only rejected using the law as a means of gaining the righteousness of God." The plan seemed to back fire. Paul was mobbed. The commander of the Roman cohort had to lead his troops into the mob to rescue Paul. That must have infuriated the mob--unclean Romans once again entering their temple environs.
How does one see the glory of Christ in this? James and the church leaders "glorified God" when they heard Paul's report on how the Gentiles had embraced the gospel. Jesus is also glorified when we see how He so changed the heart of Paul. Paul's greatest adversaries on his missionary journeys had been the Jewish people. Yes, he had plenty opposition among the Gentiles, especially in Ephesus. But, for the most part, His opposition was from those Jewish people who hated his message. If I had been Paul, I would have avoided the Jewish people like the plague. But he loved his brethren. He desired their salvation. That heart attitude was from the Lord Jesus. That makes the Lord glorious! He changes hearts and can change even mine! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

July 18

JUDGES 1
Not long ago I had a man walk into my office. He clearly had sin problems. He ardently proclaimed that he believed in Jesus as his Lord and Savior, but could not gain victory over sin. Demons seemed to be hovering all around him. He was ensnared in the power of alcohol and sexual lusts. He had a religious spirit that convinced him that he knew what the Scripture taught and that he was doing it, but he just could not get free.
Understanding the typology of the conquest of the land is crucial to understanding its relationship to our own walk with the Lord in relation to gaining victory over sin in our lives and seeing His glory lived out in us. It is the glory of God to break the power and bondage of sin in our lives. As Joshua led the armies of Israel to break the backs of the Canaanite kings in the promised land from South to North, so also our Joshua, Jesus, broke the back of the power and bondage of sin in our lives on the cross and in His resurrection. Sin has lost its grip on me. However, after the central powers of the kings in the land of Canaan were broken, it was still up to each tribe to claim their area and mop up the resistance by driving the former inhabitants out of the land. In the same way, Jesus leaves it up to us to recognize the victory blow which He has given to the enemy, and resting in that victory, we are to drive out those entities in our lives which might give rise to sin regaining its power over us. It is a masterful tandem work of the Sovereignty of God and the free will of man.
Simply put the man who walked into my office did not walk into my office looking for deliverance but enablement. He was not willing to do what it took receive the victory blow which Jesus has already delivered, nor was he willing to do what it took to drive out those entities which still held sway over Him. He was like the Israelites who would not drive out the inhabitants even when they became strong. They would rather keep them in the land and make a profit off of them by receiving tribute! How much am I like that? What is going on in my life right now over which I cannot gain victory? His glory is seen more brightly when I embrace His victory blow, and resting in His victory, I die to the flesh which drives out that which would enslave me. There is only one way of dealing with my own flesh—kill it! Then His glory is seen! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 17
Laura and I have a friend who has lived in poverty most of her life. She told Laura the other day that she is convinced that the Lord does not love her. She equates God’s love with adequate food and being able to pay the bills. She has given up on God. Hmmm. . .
What if all in the space of one year you lost your job, your house, your spouse? That happened to my cousin. He is currently in a mental institution. Furthermore, what if you were listed as public enemy #1 so that all the law enforcement officials were looking for you? What if you were reduced to hunting and gathering (poaching) as your only means of eating? Would you feel that the loving kindness of God was upon you? What if your only companions were those disgruntled with government, the political and economic rejects of the country? What if many others spoke ill of you saying that you deserve the harsh circumstances that the Lord has placed you in? Would you feel that God was just? Would you need some kind of vindication? All of these things had happened to David. It is the context of this Psalm. David had lost his job as one of Saul’s top military leaders. He had lost Michal, his wife, Saul’s daughter. He was forced to flee for his life from his house. Saul had his army searching for him to kill him. The only companions David had were the unwanted of the land. His only means of eating was off of the land. He had no flocks, herds, lands or crops. All of this was simply because God had chosen David to be the next king. He lived in this fashion for probably a decade.
Does this sound like loving kindness of God to you? How would you handle this adversity? David asks this, “Show me Your marvelous lovingkindess by Your right hand. . . Keep me as the apple of Your eye. . . As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” Can we be satisfied with just that when everything is going wrong? David was. He had tasted and seen the glory of the Lord. For that reason he could be satisfied when He awoke in the likeness of the Lord. That loving kindness really cannot be described. It can only be experienced. It is better than any physical comfort. I am convinced that He lets those who wait upon Him experience it. We just cannot give up on waiting. He is worth the wait and the poverty. He is too rich! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

JEREMIAH 43
You can run, but you can’t hide! It is an old saying, but true. Johanan and others did not like the Word from the Lord, which they received in Jerusalem from Jeremiah. So they ran and forced Jeremiah to come with them. They ran to Egypt. Egypt was arguably one of the world’s greatest powers at the time. Surely Nebuchadnezzar could not touch them there. You can run, but you cannot hide! The Lord sent word through Jeremiah that Nebuchadnezzar was coming! Right from the very spot where Jeremiah gave the word, Nebuchadnezzar would set up camp! Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary says:
Josephus tells us that in his twenty-third year, Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt, slew the Pharaoh, set up another, and carried the Jewish remnant to Babylon (Antiq. x, ix. 7). A fragmentary inscription, now in the British Museum, records that Nebuchadnezzar actually invaded Egypt in 568 B.C. when Amasis (570–526 B.C.) was Pharaoh. Amasis seems to have heeded the warning and thereafter remained on good terms with the Babylonians.
It is the glory of the Lord that we can run, but we cannot hide! So, why do we run? It is nothing but pride that keeps us running. Lord, enable me to lay down my pride and embrace Your Word. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ACTS 21:1-17
The will of the Lord is sometimes ambiguous to us, not to Him, but to us. Paul already testified in 20:23 that the Holy Spirit had told him that chains and tribulation awaited Him. In Tyre the disciples told him through the Spirit not to go to Jerusalem. In Caesarea Agabus the prophet told Paul that the Holy Spirit said that He would be bound in Jerusalem. Did the Lord Jesus Christ want him to go to Jerusalem? It seems ambiguous to me. Was what the Holy Spirit telling Paul just a warning of what would happen and wanted to happen or was it a warning that Paul shouldn’t go to Jerusalem or this would happen to him? Jesus had given the job of going to the Gentiles to Paul. Paul had told the Romans that he desired to go to Spain with the gospel. Why is he headed to Jerusalem? His job isn’t to reach Jews of Jerusalem. So where’s the glory in all this?
If this was what the Lord wanted Paul to do, then His glory is seen in Paul’s clear willingness to endure chains for the glory of the Lord. If this is not what the Lord wanted Paul to do, then His glory is seen in that the Lord took Paul’s obstinacies and still used them for His glory. Some church historians think that Paul made it to Spain after his first imprisonment in Rome. So should I be worried about ambiguity in the will of the Lord? Well, if I miss the will of the Lord, He will make it work out anyway. It may mean a lot of hardship for me. But He will work it out. He is glorified. If I properly discern the will of the Lord, I glorify Him and I may miss some self-imposed hardships. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

July 17

JOSHUA 24
It is part of His glory to give. He gave the Israelites a land for which they did not labor, and cities which they did not build, and they dwelt in them; they ate of vineyards and olive groves which they did not plant. He has given me righteousness which I did not earn, a name which I do not deserve and love which is beyond imagination. What have the gods of this world given me? They have given me lies, deceptions, false promises, broken hopes. Which God should I serve? Shouldn’t that be a no-brainer? I will serve my King who gives so magnificently and loves so wondrously. That is my King! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 16
It was the week of the last game of my senior year in high school. Bill Platt (at that time the radio voice of the OSU Cowboys and the Stillwater Pioneers) had made a habit of doing an interview with 2 seniors per week before the game. Being one of the least talented seniors and not having played very much, I was the last choice. He asked me a question that I will never forget. "Have you enjoyed your experience of football at Stillwater High School? Will you miss it?” I knew what he was driving at. I had very little playing time during the games. I started three games during my years there. They were the first two home games and the last home game of my senior year. During the first two games the coach removed me from playing because of my inability to perform. The last game I played very well, much to everyone’s surprise, but that was the game yet to come. Mr. Platt was nicely asking, “Why put yourself through all the pain of practice if you rarely get to play in a game?” I enjoy playing. Even now I do not watch much football. I’d rather be playing. It pleases me to participate, not to watch. I am a pleasure freak. I want nothing more than to be pleased. Then why do I do things that I do not enjoy? I was willing to put up with the conditioning drills, wind sprints, sled driving and other things because I enjoyed the competition with the other guys. I enjoyed the challenge. I don’t remember exactly how I answered Mr. Platt. But I do remember his summary. He said, “It’s kind of like my Army experience. I am glad I did it, but I am glad it is over.” Basically it is that I will endure a present pain for a future pleasure. I enjoy playing not watching.
The Psalmist says, “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Do I believe that? How much pain will I put up with right now if I know that it will lead to a future pleasure? It is interesting that on the day of Pentecost, Peter quotes this Psalm and applies it to Jesus, “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” Paul also quotes it in his sermons in the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch recorded in Acts 13. Jesus endured the cross in order to receive pleasures in the presence of His Father with us. That is part of His glory. He endured horrible wrath in order that He might have the joy of exquisite pleasure which it would produce. He calls us to die with Him so that we might be raised with Him. Are we willing to endure horrible pain in order that we might have the joy of His exquisite pleasure? When we are, we are giving testimony of His great glory. Exquisite pleasure is found in His presence. We can participate in His life, not just watch or be told about it. But death to self must come first. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

JEREMIAH 42
A friend of mine recently left town. He ran away from his problems. It is a life-long pattern that he has had. He is 54, so the pattern is pretty ingrained. He just feels that a change of location is the answer to the problems. The problem with running is that eventually we encounter a similar problem. So we end up running again.
“Is there any Word from the Lord?” Zedekiah is long deported to Babylon (maybe as much as 5 years), but those remaining in Jerusalem still follow his habit of asking but not obeying. After Gedaliah’s unfortunate demise, and Johanan’s rescue of the people, he represents them in seeking instruction about what to do. The Lord graciously gives them assurance about staying, but He also sees through the ruse of their asking. The Lord calls them hypocrites. They asked but not with a view to obedience. Normally when we ask without a view to obedience, the Lord does not answer at all. The classic New Testament passage on the subject is James 1:5-7. James tells us to ask for wisdom in faith. Faith is not believing God will answer, but faith is trusting in such a way that when the answer comes we obey. He says that one who doubts is double minded. In other words, he weighs God’s answer against human wisdom and the does the one which seems most pleasing. What a perfect description of Joahanan and his people!
So where is the glory of the Lord Jesus in all of this? Even when we waffle in our obedience He offers mercy! Look at verse 11 & 12:
Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid; do not be afraid of him,’ says the LORD, ‘for I am with you, to save you and deliver you from his hand. And I will show you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and cause you to return to your own land.’
It is so easy to run from our problems. If we have to run, it ought to be toward the mercy of the Lord, not away from it! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ACTS 20:17-38
I see the glory of Christ in the life of Paul that he recounts to the Ephesian elders. The Lord Jesus Christ took a man, who believed that he could obtain the righteousness of the law by doing it, who believed that Jesus was a liar and who believed that all followers of Jesus must be stopped—if necessary by imprisonment or death. The Lord Jesus Christ took that man and totally changed him. In seeing the glory of Christ Paul
1. Loved Jesus preeminently.
2. Served Jesus humbly. (19)
3. Proclaimed Jesus passionately. (20,21,27)
4. Followed the call of the Holy Spirit exclusively. (23,24)
5. Challenged others to follow the same call. (28-32)
6. Earned his living to serve Jesus selflessly. (33-35)
7. Prayed for others constantly. (36-37)
How could this happen? Only because of the great glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

July 16

JOSHUA 23
When he was sixteen, my grandfather, George Washington Chaffin left home near Pratt, Kansas and headed west for Liberal, Kansas. He left with a buckboard and a dog. When he arrived in Liberal, he still had the buckboard, but not the dog. Apparently the dog caused some problems for which he did not survive. I cannot imagine leaving home for good at 16. That must have taken a lot of courage. When I was 17, my older brother dropped me off at Market Hall in Dallas for registration at Explo ’72, and said, “I’ll see you in a week.” There were some problems with registration on my own. I had questions concerning lodging and transportation. But the Lord provided, in spite of my fears, and gave me three great roommates from Boston. When I was 19, I boarded a flight for Atlantic City, New Jersey. My final destination was Ocean City, New Jersey. All I had was an address and a phone number. Landing in Atlantic City, I had no idea where Ocean City was, nor how to get there. The Lord provided a limousine driver who was a Christian. It cost me almost all I had, $10.00. He should have been paid more, but he was willing to do it for $10.00. It was kind-of scary until I was situated in my room and had a job. The Lord provided a job the very next morning. At 25, I remember quitting my job in Stillwater, OK and leaving for seminary in Portland, Oregon. As I pulled on the highway with my wife, 10-month-old, my dog & U-haul trailer, I remember thinking, “What in the world am I doing?” But the Lord provided all along. And all along He seemed to provide in ways that made me realize that it was His provision not mine. Sometimes what I did required courage. Other times I did what I had to do because I had no choice. Courage had nothing to do with it. But usually, when I had no choice, It was because of an earlier choice which I had made. The earlier choice was made with the courage that God would provide in whatever situation may arise, if I stepped out now in faith. What produced the courage? I believe it was seeing the glory of God, in His provision for me earlier in life, which led to progressively larger steps.
When Joshua was 85 years old, God told him that he was old and advanced in age (13:1; 14:10). He had just finished 5 years of battle campaigns. Through his leadership they had broken the backs of the Canaanite resistance. It is not clear how old Joshua is when he makes this farewell speech to Israel’s leadership. In tomorrow’s passage, he addresses the whole nation. So what is the theme of his speech to the leadership? In verse 6 he tells them, “Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses.” That seems to be Joshua’s life verse. The command is given to him by Moses before he died. Five times in the first chapter, Joshua is commanded to be courageous. Thereafter, he gives the command to others.
Many times it takes more courage to be a leader than to be a follower. A leader not only makes decisions for himself, but he also makes them for the good of the corporate body which he leads. A leader holds the well-being of the people who follow him in his hands. That is a really scary thought, and no true leader takes it lightly. Dictators do not care, but leaders find it burdensome, especially when one considers that one must give an accounting to the Lord for the way one has led. Only with eyes set on the glory of Jesus can one have the courage to do what must truly be done to follow Him. He ever goes before us leading the way. He demonstrates how it is done. He empowers us to do as He lives within us.
At 85 years of age Joshua had lived 72% of his life. (He was 110 when he died.) If I live to the average age of my grandparents and parents (mom is still living and turns 91 next week), then I have lived 62.59% of my life. Joshua lived his most challenging time as a leader from 80-85 years of age, or during the 72%-77% of age of his total life span. If I remain, perhaps some of my greatest challenges lie ahead. Much courage will still be required of me. How can I face the future? Only by remaining steadfastly focused upon the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the commander of the Lord’s armies who meets me/us to prepare us for battle in invading enemy territory. He empowers us and leads us from victory to victory as He led Joshua. May I and you continue to hold fast to love the Lord God. May we see Him fight for us as He did for Joshua! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 15
“Can I come over to your house?” I heard that a few times when I was a kid. Usually I was delighted with the prospect of a friend coming over. However, I remember one occasion when a friend came over. It was fun at first, but for some reason he kept purposely doing things that he knew would irritate me. I would tell him to quit, but he would ignore it. Finally, I had enough. I told him to get out of my house and go home. We still played together, but not at my house. Who can come to my house? Those who don’t purposely do things to irritate me may come.
Who may dwell in the tabernacle of the Lord? This Psalm is basically a list of what it means to walk uprightly. Those who walk uprightly may go to God’s house. The problem is that, as we saw in Psalm 14, none of us does any good. We all walk not-uprightly. (Would that be downrightly, or upwrongly?) We all at one point or another purposely do things that irritate the Lord. Usually those irritations are directed at other people. Once again we are reminded of the wonderful mercy of our Lord. Although we do not deserve to go to His house, He cleans up our walk. His grace changes it from a downright walk to an upright walk. By His power we can become people that He enjoys dwelling in His house. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

JEREMIAH 41
Where is the glory of the Lord in this swine pit of murder and intrigue? Matthew Henry has this to say concerning the swine pit:
It is hard to say which is more astonishing, God’s permitting or men’s perpetrating such villanies as here we find committed. . . . But God permitted it for the completing of the ruin of an unhumbled people, and the filling up of the measure of their judgments, who had filled up the measure of their iniquities. Let it inspire us with an indignation at the wickedness of men and an awe of God’s righteousness.
After all the judgment through the Babylonians, Gedaliah does not take time to seek the Lord concerning aligning with Ishmael, even though he has been warned by Johanan. Johanan knew of Ishmael’s intrigue, yet he and his fighting force did not remain to protect his governor, but conveniently left allowing Ishmael to destroy his master. The men of Samaria, Shechem and Shiloh arrive bringing gifts for the house of the Lord, but the house of the Lord has been destroyed. Jerusalem is gone and they are bringing it to Mizpah. The law was clear that sacrifice should only be made at the place where the Lord had set His name. That place was Jerusalem, not Mizpah. This was typical for the northern kingdom. Once the captives of Ishmael were rescued, Johanan was bent on going back to Egypt like his forebears 800 years before him. I think Matthew Henry has something here. Indeed they after all of this are still unhumbled people. Lord, let me walk humbly before You! Let me stand in awe of Your righteousness. Let me not walk in my own designs! Help Lord for I am week, and I need Your mighty power to change me! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ACTS 20:1-16
Paul’s traveling group at this point has increased to 8 in addition to himself, Silas and Luke, almost as large as the discipleship group of Jesus.
It was Sunday evening in Troas. They were gathered together to break bread in the upper room of the house. Paul ‘prolonged his message until midnight.’ (Man! And some people say I speak too long.) As Paul ‘kept on talking,’ a young man was overcome by sleep, fell out of the window sill and died on the pavement below.
Wasn’t the glory of the Lord enough to keep him awake? Couldn’t Paul have said everything that needed to be said in 20 minutes? Shouldn’t the boy have been prevented from sitting in the window sill? Shouldn’t there have been some kind of rail on the window to prevent the boy from falling out? They are all questions that would have been asked now-a-days. There surely would have been angry feelings from the family toward Paul. Most likely there would be a lawsuit.
There was sorrow expressed. They were troubled. But the glory of the Lord was present. The glory of the Lord is often present in the midst of trouble. Paul embraced the boy. He was brought back to life with no damage done to him. They went back inside. Paul talked until daylight. They broke bread together again. They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted. What comforted them, just that the boy was alive? The boy would die again. He might be an old man, but he would die again. What comforted them? They had seen, heard and experienced a foretaste of the glory of Jesus. For those who know Jesus, even death is not victorious. We don’t die until He is ready for us to die. And when we die, we know there is a resurrection awaiting us. That is all because of our glorious Lord! Such knowledge reorients our lives and provides great comfort as we live them and experience the hardships around us. We must focus on His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

July 15

JOSHUA 22
As I write, I am 58 years old. I have five children. My oldest son is 33; he has 3 children. My second son will turn 31 in September; he has one living child. My third son is 28; he is unmarried. My daughter is 24; she is unmarried. My fourth son is 14. Obviously, I am not done raising the youngest, and I have just begun with grandkids. One of my greatest desires for them is that they would see and participate in the glory of the Lord on a daily basis. I am convinced that if anyone can truly reflect upon and yield to His glory on a daily basis, then the other things in life will somehow fall into place. How do I pass on the passion to see and experience His glory? Most people are very successful at passing on their traditions, but do they really pass on the ability to seek Him? Observing traditional worship and daily seeing His glory are two entirely different animals. I am not sure that I have really mastered the art of daily seeing His glory; my heart is just too unruly. How do I pass it on to my kids, grandkids and great-grandkids?
The 2.5 tribes who claimed the land east of the Jordan were concerned about passing on the right to see the glory of the Lord. After all, the Lord had told them that the nation should build only one altar. It should be located with the tabernacle. The purpose was for the children of Israel to bring their sacrifices there, where they would be taught by the priests. It was meant to keep purity of the faith. The tabernacle was the only place where the glory of God would dwell. The eastern tribes were concerned that future generations might prevent their descendants from seeing the glory of God at the tabernacle. So, they built an altar at the Jordan. The altar was to be a reminder that they also had a right to share in the experiencing the glory of God by worshipping at the tabernacle.
In Deuteronomy 13:12-18 it is recorded that God instructed the Children of Israel that if any of their people should build an altar to entice people to seek other gods, those people should be put to death. You can imagine what turmoil into which the nation was cast when the other tribes discovered that the eastern tribes had built an unauthorized altar. The nation was on the verge of a civil war. The eastern tribes quickly explained themselves. The explanation was very pleasing to the western tribes, and they left in peace.
How do I build an altar so that my kids, grandkids and great-grandkids will see the glory of the Lord? I think part of it is reading the Scripture daily with them and asking about the glory of the Lord. They are bombarded constantly by other media all day long. They need to participate a little each day with me in seeking Him. As they grow older, they need to learn to do it on their own. It is not just about traditional worship forms at church; although, those things might be needed. It is about their experiencing authentic worship with me and with others as they grow up. Maybe this book will help. Maybe you need to write your own book or songs that you can pass on to your kids. Maybe I need to challenge them to write their own books and songs. All I know is that when one has truly seen the glory of God, one will be drawn into him. Who can resist Him? Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 14
There are times when it seems that everyone is against me. David seems to look around and see no one but sinners. In Romans 3:10-12 Paul quotes some of the first 3 verses of this Psalm in order. On the one hand, David sees God looking down and seeing no one but sinners. On the other hand, he sees God looking down on a generation of righteous people. It is as if there is a divide in the culture. Then David expresses a desire that the captivity of the people would be restored. It seems as if there is a generational divide. When did David’s people ever experience a captivity? I would think that it was in the time when he fled from Absalom to the eastern side of the Jordan. It would have seemed to David at that time that everyone was against him.
Where is the glory of God in all of this? When I think that I am drowning in a sea of wicked people, like David I can cry out, “O, that salvation would come out of Zion!” We can have that certainty that salvation is coming. When it comes, salvation is from Him! It brings Him glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

JEREMIAH 40
Forty years ago I was between my Freshman and Sophomore years in college. I was still a youth living in Ocean City, NJ, for the summer. I had a number of people in those days that believed in me and felt that the Lord had “significant” ministry for me, and they communicated it to me. It has been a long haul, not as burdensome as Jeremiah’s ministry, but a long haul. I had two long-term pastorates in small churches, and I am currently serving a third one. Statistically one might not describe these ministries as significant. Neither of the former churches ever averaged over 90 people in Sunday morning attendance for a year. Neither of the previous churches exists anymore. They were both closed after I left. Statistically, would you describe them as significant ministries? I am 59 now. What’s going on here?
It had been a long haul. Jeremiah was called by the Lord into ministry as a youth in the 13th year of Josiah’s reign (about 627 B.C.). Jerusalem had now been destroyed (586 B.C.). It has been 40-41 years that Jeremiah has been in the saddle. From a fleshly standpoint, Jeremiah’s ministry has not been very flashy. His ministry was to tear down the existing government and spiritual climate in order to plant a new and holy one. Because of the nature of his ministry, the Lord did not allow him to marry. His preaching was considered to be seditious. He was often jailed and mistreated for speaking God’s word to the nation. Many times Jeremiah wanted to resign his appointment from the Lord, but the Lord’s word was like fire in his bones. He had only a handful of friends who looked out for him. While other prophets had been killed, Jeremiah survived because the Lord raised up those friends to look out for him. His word came true on every detail. Jerusalem is now rubble, not fit to live in. Her princes, talented and/or wealthy people are now either dead or in exile. It had indeed been a long haul. After 40 years of on target ministry, Jeremiah could indeed have said, “I told you so.” He does not record such a statement.
The Babylonian king appoints a Jewish governor. He selects Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan. Why him? Notice who Gedaliah’s father was, Ahikam. In chapter 26 it is Ahikam’s intervention that saves Jeremiah’s life. The king of Babylon’s political and military intelligence was sufficient to know what Jeremiah had prophesied concerning him and to know who had supported Jeremiah. The appointment of Gedaliah as governor was the hand of the Lord’s favor for Ahikam’s righteous act using the hand of the Babylonian king. Yes, God is controlling individual lives even in the midst of orchestrating international events. Now that is sovereignty! Obviously, Gedaliah did not use good wisdom in deciding whom to trust, but at least he was given opportunity to trust the Lord to plant a new government in God’s kingdom.
Yes, it had been a long haul. Jeremiah must be at least in his fifties by now. Things never seem to have been too pleasant for him, yet everything he has said or done has come to pass as the Lord instructed him. Had I the ability to go to Jeremiah right after his calling as a youth and to tell him what the nature of his life would be like, would I tell him, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life?” It is somewhat a matter of perspective. We learn of God’s love for Israel through Jeremiah. But what kind of strange love is this that destroys the nation He loves? His love demands holiness and purity and only destruction could bring it. We learn of God’s plan for Israel through Jeremiah. But what kind of plan is it that completely destroys the nation in order to remake it? What kind of love and plan is it that takes the object of its affection and imprisons and deprives it in order to make it thrive? If I could go to Jeremiah when he was a youth, would I speak about God’s wonderful love and plan? Oh, indeed I would, but I would make sure it was communicated from the right perspective.
I don’t think God necessarily defines significance in terms of statistics or numbers. Rather He defines significance in terms of His glory! Jeremiah now is considered one of the greatest prophets, he won no awards in his day. The glory of the Lord explodes through his ministry! We truly learn about faithfulness, love, successful plans etc. through him. We learn that the important thing is the glory of God, not our own. Has my life been significant? Maybe not in the world’s sight. I cannot give you any good statistics of numbers. But I know that there is a significant crisis pregnancy center in South Oklahoma City because the Lord raised one up through the church while I pastored there. Hundreds of lives have been significantly changed for the glory of God because of the ministry of that cpc. I know that the Lord raised up a Christian school through the ministry of the congregation in Southport. I know that many children have been significantly directed toward the glory Lord Jesus Christ because of the ministry of that school. Also, I know that the Lord changed a few lives for His glory in those churches while we were there. These will forever be testimonies of His glory. When we get to heaven, I don’t think anyone will ask about what the average attendance of our church was, but I do believe that all creation will want to hear about how His glory was displayed. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ACTS 19:21-41
“Follow the money.” It’s a familiar saying in our culture. If you really want to know what and why things are happening, just follow the money. It has always been true, even in Ephesus. Diana brought in a great trade in the sale of idols. And you know that people are serious about a different God when they burn the books of their old gods in order to follow this new God and the value of the books is in the category of millions of dollars. Demetrius the silversmith was worried. His income was drastically cut as a result of this new God that Paul had been proclaiming. It didn’t matter that the sick were healed and that people were set free from their demonic bondage. All that mattered to Demetrius was the money. Follow the money. The glory of Jesus was irrelevant to him.
Sad to say we are often like Demetrius. When push comes to shove, the glory of Jesus just isn't as important as the money. That is why Paul prayed for the Ephesians that they would see the riches of the glory of His (Jesus) inheritance in the saints (Eph. 1:18). When we understand the value of His glory and that that value is greatest when He changes lives, then the value of money loses its appeal. No longer is it 'follow the money' but it becomes, 'follow the glory'. His glory is great, especially when it changes your life. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

July 14

DEUTERONOMY 19
The dispensation of justice in this world is a difficult thing. We are all aware of folk stories of the Hatfields and McCoys. Generally it runs that one family begins to feel wronged by the other family, so they retaliate. The retaliation is a little bit stronger than the original offense in order to communicate to the other that they should not be messed with. Gradually or suddenly the retaliations explode until the acts toward each other are indeed horrendous. History is full of examples of this cycle as one nation rises up against another. Palestinian and Israeli confrontations are ones that are constantly in the news now. What really surprises me is that the media vociferously attacks Israel as an aggressor, when often (not always) Israel’s damage upon the aggressors is less than the Palestinians and is more surgical in hitting a military target than the Palestinians, and almost always in response to a Palestinian aggression. This passage addresses justice. Justice is a balance of the scale where moral acts are equal. Justice requires equality. The terms ‘life for life’, ‘eye for an eye,’ and ‘tooth for a tooth,’ are examples of equality. For justice to be dispensed, it must not be more than or less than the equivalent act. Under the rule of law, justice must be equal. Israel was to be a country under the rule of law. They were to be sure that as such, justice was equal.
Jesus refers to verse 21 in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:38,39, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. As followers of Jesus, we are to understand that justice was carried out upon our sin but not upon us. In as much as He Himself bore our sins upon Himself, “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed.”-1 Peter 2:24. Justice was carried out, but it was carried out upon Him in our place. We who have repented and believed in Him have received mercy not justice. Because we have received mercy, we likewise are to extend mercy to others. In so doing we reflect His glory in our lives. His mercy endures forever. May it also do so through us! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 13
I have a friend who recently felt like he was cheated out of $15.00 in an undisclosed set up fee from someone else who is also a friend of mine. He called the one up and complained. Whether he meant to or not, he came across as “yelling and screaming” on the phone. It all escalated. Both friends are currently in difficult situations. Both felt unjustly used by the other. I told the one friend that he was within his rights to complain about the $15.00 dollars, but the manner in which he did it was wrong, and he owed the other an apology. You can imagine how that went. He is obsessed with his rights and the $15.00. He is convinced that he did not yell and scream at the other. Yet I cannot understand how the other friend can be so upset if he did not in some fashion raise his voice. Anyway it is a big enough deal between them both that they are emotionally stressed out over $15.00. What’s going on here?
What is going on here in Psalm 13? On the one hand, the Psalmist seems to be in the depths of despair. The enemy seems to have surrounded him. He has daily sorrow. He is genuinely afraid of dying. On the other hand, he concludes, “The Lord has dealt bountifully with me.” What made the difference? Three statements separate the two outlooks.
The first statement is that he will trust in the mercy of the Lord. The word that is here translated as ‘mercy’ refers to the abundant loving kindnesses of God’s eternal nature. It may also have reference to the covenant relationship with Yahweh. As David looks at his situation, he makes the choice to take his focus off of his situation and put it on the eternal character of God. He knows how God is, and he is willing to wait upon the appearance of those loving kindnesses.
The second statement is that he will rejoice in the Lord’s salvation. He makes a willful choice to rejoice. He is on the verge of dying and he makes a choice to rejoice! May his tribe ever increase! How I need to learn to rejoice in the midst of dramatic struggle, especially facing death.
The third statement is that he will sing to the Lord. Nothing lifts the spirit like singing to the Lord. Remember the Dallas Holms song?

When you’re up against a struggle that shatters all your dreams,
And your hopes are cruelly crushed by Satan’s manifested schemes,
And you feel the urge within you to submit to earthly fears,
Don’t let the faith you’re standing in, seem to disappear.
Praise the Lord! He can work through those who praise Him.
Praise the Lord! Our God inhabits praises.
Praise the Lord! The chains that seek to bind you,
Serve only to remind you they fall powerless behind you when you praise Him!

That is the glory of our Lord! Our measly $15.00, $15,000.00, $15,000,000.00, $15,000,000,000.00 or even $15,000,000,000,000.00 is nothing compared to His glory! We can let it go. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

JEREMIAH 39
“Is there any Word from the Lord?” Zedekiah’s question still echoes down through the ages to us. Two days ago we read the question, when Zedekiah secretly inquired of Jeremiah. There was a word, but it was not what Zedekiah wanted to hear. That Word came true. Zedekiah’s eyes were put out. The last thing he saw was the execution of his sons in front of him. He was put in chains and hauled off to Babylon. He lived the rest of his life with that vision in his mind and with the knowledge that according to the word of the Lord, it could have been different. In sharp juxtaposition Jeremiah and Ebed-Melech are rewarded with their lives. It is the glory of the Lord that He ALWAYS keeps his Word. For Jeremiah and Ebed-Melech, it is what C.S. Lewis called, “A severe mercy.” For Zedekiah it was judgment. It could have been different, but Zedekiah would not receive it. The result is that we see the severe mercy of the Lord and the severe judgment of the Lord. Lord, enable me to hear your word and do it! I receive your mercy. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ACTS 19:1-20
Ephesus, the Roman center of power for Asia, was indeed quite a religious city. The temple of Diana (or Artemis as the Greeks would say) was there. The Ephesians wanted an impressive temple for her. So, they built a structure that was a replica of the Parthenon found on the Acropolis of Athens. But they made it much larger! Its foundation still stands today. It was 425' long and 220' wide and contained 127 pillars to support the roof and its colonnade was 60' high. Diana was the mother goddess of the earth. As happens in many areas where pagan religions abound, the city was also filled with much occultic activity. Within the city was a strong contingent of Jews. Even within that contingent was a strong contingent of people who had traveled back to the Holy Land, heard the preaching of John the Baptist and were baptized by him signifying their preparing themselves for the coming of the Messiah.
How would the glory of our Lord outshine the glory of such a religious establishment? The Lord doesn't deviate from the principles that He has established in the church thus far. His glory is going to shine through His people as they speak His glory and do His works. For three months Paul spoke the message in the synagogue. Twelve men from the disciples of John believed the message and turned to Jesus. Then the rest of the synagogue hardened their heart toward the message. Paul remained in that city 2 more years preaching the message of Jesus. The way it is written here it seems to imply that after the message was rejected by the Jews that Paul began doing the glorious works of Jesus. Seven unbelieving sons of a Jewish chief priest sought to use the name of Jesus to work the same works. The glory of the Lord will not be compromised. Their exorcism worked -- to their own detriment, for they did not have the authority and protection of the Lord. Their failure increased the glory of our Lord. The result? Many left their magic and occult to follow Jesus. The glory of the Lord was so evident to them that the burned their books. They didn't sell them. They burned them. They needed no profit from their past acts of darkness. All that was important to them was the glory of Jesus.
How much money are we talking here? 50,000 pieces of silver. Assuming that the piece of silver referred to here is the drachma, this would equal 50,000 days wages. Now that would be a different figure in different areas. Assume in our area that a days wage for a laborer is $80. That would equal about $4,000,000. That's a lot of money! Why not sell it and give it to the poor or for building a temple to Jesus or something else? Isn't this a waste? They needed no profit from their past acts of darkness. All that was important to them was the glory of Jesus. Selling the books would allow others to be enslaved by the powers of darkness. Selling the books would continue to give the enemy a foothold in the lives of others. They needed a clean break from the past and they needed to not provide a door for others to go where they went. This was a way to proclaim the glory of Jesus. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

July 13

JOSHUA 18-19
Go, walk through the land, survey it, and come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh. The Lord allotted to them a possession. It was their privilege to walk through it and obtain it for themselves. In so doing, they would be fulfilling the glory of the Lord. We find that even Joshua received a possession. He claimed it and built Timnath Serah. Does the Lord have a possession for us? Is it to be surveyed and claimed? Is it to be done for His glory? Obviously the answer to the last question is, “Yes.” The answer to all the questions is, “Yes.” We have a spiritual possession which the Lord has set aside for us. He expects us to claim it and use it for His glory. It consists of many things and people. It includes our families, our talents, our spiritual gifts, our natural gifts, our finances, our desires, our needs, our neighborhoods. Have we every surveyed them? Do we even know what is available? When we know what is available do we know what it means to claim them for His glory? When we claim them for His glory do we know what it means to build them for His glory?
Joshua built a city for the glory of God. It was called Timnath Serah. It was in the mountains of Ephraim southwest of Shechem. This is the same place as Timnath Heres. The Nelson Electronic Dictionary says, “Some scholars suggest that the consonants for Heres (hrs) were deliberately written backwards as Serah (srh) as a reminder of these pagan worship practices.” How about that? Joshua took a place that was filled with pagan worship, surveyed it, claimed it for the glory of God, rebuilt it and reversed its name, all for the glory of God! Is that not a picture of what we should be about? Should not all that God has given us be surveyed, claimed and rebuilt for the glory of our King? Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 12
A friend of mine was just in my office. He is constantly flattering me. I presume he does it because he thinks that I will help him more if he flatters me all the time. I hope he is incorrect. I hope that what I do is done because it is what Jesus would have me do. Sometimes I just want to tell him to shut up, but that would be rude. Maybe I should tell him that the Psalmist asks the Lord to cut off all flattering lips. Now that evokes a gross mental picture. Flattering lips mix truth with exaggeration in order to manipulate the one being flattered into action that the flatterer desires.
The words of the Lord are pure words. What does that mean? I was looking at some of the cross references for this. Consider these verses:
2 Samuel 22:31 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
Psalm 18:31 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
Psalm 19:8b The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
Pure and proven refer to the refiner’s fire. The refiner brings the metal to its melting point where the different metals or impurities separate. He is then able separate them and gain only the metal desired. Pure words are not mixed with any false meaning. The Lord does not exaggerate His words in order to manipulate us into doing what He desires. Yes, He occasionally uses the figure of speech called hyperbole, but He does not do it to manipulate us into obeying Him. He commands us.
It is interesting to me that the pure words of our Lord become a shield to us if we trust Him. Shield from what? They protect me from walking in a path of wickedness. His words tell me that He has loved me with an everlasting love. That tells me that I am valuable in His sight and motivates me to seek Him. His words also tell me that He is a jealous God and won’t forever strive with my sin and foolishness. That tells me that I do have sin and foolishness, and I had better not mess with it. His words tell me what that sin is. If I trust and listen, His words protect me from a path of foolishness and sin then end of which is waste and death. Thank You, Lord, that your words are pure. Enable me to listen to Your words and trust in You. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

JEREMIAH 38
In Matthew 10:39 Jesus says, “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Zedekiah is an interesting case study in this principle in life. Zedekiah desperately wanted to remain king. He wanted that more than obedience to the Lord. He had a choice, hang on to what he wanted, or let go and submit to the king of Babylon. If he were to let go, the Lord promised him life. If not, well we will soon see what happened to Zedekiah. Ultimately, he hung on to his life and lost it.
As I write, I have a friend who is struggling with this same issue. We worked with him to get him to a point where he was almost on his own feet again. Then, in a desperate attempt to provide his own companionship, he lost most of the headway that he had made. You see, he wasn’t willing to lose his life. Now he is struggling with the depression over another failure and again waffling with losing his own life. Do we not do the same thing? Our choices are just more culturally acceptable than his were. It is the glory of the Lord that He should enable us to lose our lives in HIM! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ACTS 18
Why did the Lord appear to Paul in the night by a vision to encourage him to not be afraid? He must have been very afraid. Remember, he had been stoned and left for dead in Lystra on his first journey. He had been jailed in Philippi. He had been run out of town in a number of various other towns. He had been laughed out of town in Athens. His opposition has followed him to Corinth. I think I'd be afraid and intimidated also. Apparently it was so bad for Paul that he needed the personal encouragement from the Lord. Our Lord knows just what we need and when we need it. He always gives it just at the appropriate time.
We also find this story concerning Apollos, an eloquent man mighty in Scriptures. The Lord adds him to the company of those who are planting and encouraging churches. What was his giftedness? He vigorously refuted those who denied Jesus as the Messiah. He also showed from Scripture that Jesus is the Christ. Now there is Paul, Silas and Timothy; Barnabas and John Mark, Aquilla, Priscilla and Apollos. Our Lord continued to safeguard and raise up people to make disciples of all ethnic groups. He continues to do so today, for His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John