August 14

1 SAMUEL 4
He is called the One who dwells between the Cherubim. The Cherubim are the proclaimers of the holiness of God. The Israelites thought that surely if they put the Ark of the Covenant out in front that the Lord would fight for them. They were trying to manipulate God in to doing what they wanted Him to do. God will not be manipulated. He is after all, the holy God. His holiness will not be manipulated. How often do we try to manipulate God? What was the result? It was their utter defeat. Eli’s grandson was born prematurely under duress as the new mother gave birth she named the child, “Ichabod,” which means, “the glory has departed.” Has the glory departed from us? If it has maybe it is because we try to manipulate the Lord into doing what we want, rather than praying for and claiming what He wants. He is after all the Holy God. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 44
He knows the secrets of my Heart. The very things that I do not wish anyone else to know about, He already knows. Consequently, He seems to leave me as sheep for the slaughter. What do I do? This Awesome God, who is holy and just, knows the secrets of my heart even when I cannot discern them. The Psalmist knows that. He is painfully aware that he and the nation are guilty and deserving of the invading nation that is so cruelly oppressing them. He knows that we are like sheep being led to the slaughter. But he also knows the great mercy of our Lord, so he calls upon the Lord to awaken out of His slumber and deliver!
Paul knows of the great love of the Lord. In the middle of waxing eloquent concerning the love of the Lord in Romans 8, he asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Then, Paul quotes this verse stating that for His sake we are killed all day long and led like sheep for the slaughter. Strange kind of love? Actually no! Love that is the greatest is revealed only under the greatest stresses. What stress is greater than death? What stress is greater than apparently meaningless death? He knows the dark secrets of my heart and loves me still. He ever works to remove the evil secrets and reveal His greatest love toward me and perfect my greatest love toward Him. That necessarily involves the death of my flesh. It is not a pleasurable thing, but it is necessary. It is not His hate that promotes it, rather it is His love. That is glorious. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

EZEKIEL 13

ROMANS 14
I am free to eat whatever I want. I am free to wear whatever I want. I am free to minister however I want. There is only one law that governs these things: “Do I love like Jesus loves?” His love controlled His actions. So it ought to control my actions. Does what I eat or wear or how I minister cause others to sin? If it does, then the law of love requires me to evaluate those actions to see if there is an alternative way.
One day He will evaluate all our actions. The guide He will use is whether or not our actions were motivated by His love. He will be the judge. We will bow before Him and declare Him Lord of all. What was not of love will be covered by His blood. What was of love will increase His glory and He will reward us for His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 13

1 SAMUEL 3
Why should God, who created a universe so expansive that we will never be able to explore it all, care to communicate with His creation, with us? Yet, He does communicate with us. Sometimes He communicates more often than other times. When Samuel was a boy, “the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.” Why was the word of the LORD rare? In this case it was because of the wickedness of the priests, Eli and his sons. God’s usual means of communication is through a holy vessel. So, He raised up Samuel, and Samuel was not even a Levite. You know the Lord wants to communicate with and through us. The God who created this vast expansive universe, the God who is holy, the God who is all powerful desires to communicate with us. His desire to communicate with us indicates His love for us. Why does He love us? Because love is just who He is. Isn’t that something? Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 43
Sometimes when you experience the rejection of a group of people, it feels like God has also rejected you. When you have been accused of motivations you did not have, of lack of production that really is not your responsibility, or even production that is ignored, you just want to scream out, “This is unjust! I did not have that motivation. That was not my responsibility! I did not cause that! I did produce this! Why can’t you see that!” In short, you want to be vindicated. You want God to stand up and declare the truth.
In four other Psalms the Psalmist cries out, “Vindicate me!” David had reason to scream that. He was steadfastly loyal to Saul. For his victories over the Philistines on Saul’s behalf, he was hunted as a criminal. Everyone was told that he was in rebellion against Saul. I am sure that he wanted to scream out:
But it was I who killed Goliath! I am the one sang and played the harp and lyre and lute and brought a soothing spirit to Saul. I have led Israel’s armies into battle and killed thousands of Israel’s enemies. I have brought increased security to Saul’s regime. I am Jonathan’s (Saul’s oldest son) best friend. I killed 200 Philistines in order to purchase Michal (Saul’s daughter) as my wife. I am Saul’s son-in-law! I have had opportunity to kill Saul with impunity. What do I need to do to demonstrate the loyalties of my motivations? What else can I do that shows I fulfill my responsibilities to Saul? What more do I need to produce to show that I am loyal?
In such situations only God can vindicate.
David felt rejected by the nation. He felt cast off by God. He asks for light and truth from God. Light enables us to see our surroundings. In the darkness of his downcast soul, David needed spiritual light to see the reality of his situation. He needed God’s truth to illuminate the emotional and mental darkness around him. He needed that light and truth to lead him into the very presence of God for it is in the presence of our Shepherd King that our downcast soul is set upright again. His presence gives us exceeding great joy. In His presence it doesn’t matter what our evil nation thinks; there is only One opinion that counts. That is His glory. When we experience the light and truth of His glory, everything else melts in His light. That is why seeing His light and truth and glory on a daily basis is so important. Only there are we truly vindicated. Only there can we find true joy and hope. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

EZEKIEL 12
I can remember it being done to me; I remember doing it with my children; now I hear my children doing it with my grandchildren. “I am going to count to three. If you don’t . . . , then you are going to . . .” Why do we always have to count to three? I mean why don’t they just obey at first command? Well nobody obeys until they believe it is the last resort. That is human nature. We are sinners. The parent wants to give the child a chance to change his/her mind. That is called repentance. Why does the parent give that chance? The parent’s desire is for obedience not punishment. Now I know that there are child raising “experts” who claim that is weak parenting, and they might have a good point. But I would point out that it is a technique that God uses with us. Hear what He says to the nation through Ezekiel in verse 28, “None of My words will be postponed any more, but the word which I speak will be done.” He has told them several times through Ezekiel, Jeremiah and other prophets what He was about to do. He has counted to three, and Israel does not repent. Does He hate Israel? No He loves them and wants them to pursue Him and know Him. God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Why? Because of His great love. Now that is glory! But one day His patience does come to an end, and discipline or justice is served. Now that also is glory, but not the kind that I want to experience! Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ROMANS 13
The glory of Christ is seen in our obedience to our leaders. Paul wrote this when Nero was emperor. He was such a wicked man to submit to. But Jesus submitted to those who crucified Him. Our submission to our leaders reveals Christ’s glory to those around us. Only a passion for His glory can motivate us to this. Without this passion it is as though we are asleep. Without this passion it is as though we are walking in darkness. Without this passion we fall into the lusts of the flesh. We must put on this passion. We must put on Jesus! His glory is foremost! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 12

1 SAMUEL 2
“I smile at my enemies.” Only one who knows that he is completely surrounded by One who keeps him safe can truly say that. Usually when I am in the presence of an enemy I can feel the tension rising from my toes to my head. Smiling is almost impossible; unless it is performed as a psychological tool against my enemy. I don’t think the smiling in this context is performed as a psychological tool. It is the smile of one who knows she is secure in the care of the Almighty. When I force myself to come to the point where I recognize the care that He gives me, I too am able to smile at my enemies.
Hannah also recognizes that the Lord is her rock. In their culture a great rock could refer to at least two things. One was that a rock was a stable foundation for building upon. The other was a place of refuge to flee from an advancing army. If you have seen the movie Masada or have studied the historical battle, then you understand the significance of the Lord being our rock as in being a place of refuge. In the Jewish rebellion against the Roman empire in 70 A.D., Masada was the last hold out of the Jews against the Romans. It took the a 3 year siege and the engineering of a massive ramp for the Romans to eventually breach the walls of Masada. Stone Mountain, Georgia is the largest piece of exposed Granite in North America, perhaps the world. If it were on all sides as its face is, then it would be a rock that is impregnable to any ancient army. The Lord is our rock. When we are in his care, we are safe. Nothing can defeat us. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 42
It was my first five-mile hike in Boy Scouts. About nine o’clock on Saturday morning they transported us five-miles outside of town and dropped us off. We began the summer morning walk back home. About half-way through many of the guys had already finished off their canteens of water. Thirst was beginning to prevail in the group. About three-fourths of the way home, we came to the ruins of an old farm house. The foundations were still there but the walls were long gone. Sticking up out of the ground was the old hand pump. One of the thirstiest of us ran to it to see if he could get some water. Surprisingly, it worked. We huddled around it vying for our turn at drinking at the well to satisfy our thirst.
Anyone who had traveled from Jerusalem to the Jordan and then north to Mount Hermon was accustomed to the desert of the wilderness of Judea. It had to be descended through on the way to Jericho. Were it not for the River Jordan which is fed year-round by the snow melt of Mt. Hermon, it would indeed be a desolate place. In the fifteen mile trek, it would be sufficient time to become severely dehydrated, yet water is abundant for the traveler in Jerusalem and at the Jordan.
The Psalmist longs for the Lord like one of those times when passing through the wilderness with insufficient water on the route. He is experiencing a spiritual and relational drought. Three times He says that his soul is ‘cast down’. A sheep that is cast down is one that has somehow managed to roll over on its back and because of weight and body structure it is unable get up again. If someone does not intervene it will lay there and die. He remembers many waterfalls of the Jordan River coming down from Mt. Hermon and Hill Mizar. He remembers times when it seemed the presence of the Lord was so abundant and refreshing, but those times are long gone. It seems that everyone around him gives verbal reminders of the lack of God’s presence. He uses this imagery to remind himself to hope in that same kind of return to the refreshing presence of God. Sometimes we just need to remind ourselves of the glory of God. Sometimes we just get cast down and can’t get up. In those times in particular we must focus on what the written word says of the glory of God. We have to remind ourselves of the abundance of His refreshing when His manifest presence is come. We have to remember His glory, for it is His glory which brings us hope. We are on a hike. The sources of refreshment are sporadic, but occasionally we come across an old hand pump that reaches down into the depths of God’s aquifer. His presence is an Oasis in the Wilderness. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

EZEKIEL 11
“You’re as cold as ice; you’re much too willing to sacrifice our love.” So go the lyrics to the song which the internet tells me was written by a group called Foreigner. Here the Lord compares the heart of Judah to stone. Indeed, they do have a heart of stone. As He continues to withdraw his presence from them, He stops to tell them,
I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
When will He give them a new heart? When they have put away their abominations, He will give them new heart. What are their abominations? Their trust in other gods, their seeking of other gods, the creation of their own hands are their gods.
My heart is also prone to become hard. I am too quick to worship the work of my own hands and to worship my own desires. It makes my heart grow cold and hard as stone.

My eyes are dry
My faith is old
My heart is hard
My prayers are cold
And I know how I ought to be
Alive to You and dead to me
But 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
Keith Green

It is His glory to soften our hearts if we let Him. It is His glory to wash us anew with the wine of His Blood, if we repent. It is His glory to fill us with His Spirit, if we yield. Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ROMANS 12
The Glory of Christ is seen in our transformed minds. The world’s mindset is that one makes decisions and does actions in such a manner so that one promotes one’s own good. But the glory of Christ is such that as He changes us, we see the strengths He has given us. We use those strengths to promote the good of others, even those who are evil, but especially those of the household of faith. What a difference that is from the world’s mindset! But that is what Jesus did! Not only did He do it but He enables us to do it! Not that is glorious! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 11

1 SAMUEL 1
When living in Glencoe in grade school, going to Stillwater was an exciting thing, especially if I could talk my parents into letting me go to the movie. One Saturday my mom and our next door neighbor’s mom decided to go shopping in Stillwater. My sister and neighbor girl found out, and they talked mom into letting them go to the movie while the moms shopped. I found out, and of course I talked my way into going as well. A matinee was showing at the Aggie, The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao. In those days they did not clear the theater after each showing. And of course I did not sit with my sister and her friend. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, 2½ times. Finally, my sister tapped me on the shoulder and said, “It’s time to go.”
On the way out she asked, “Were you scared?”
“Of course not,” I replied, “why would I be scared?”
“Didn’t you know that we left you behind?” Apparently the old adage, “Out of sight, out of mind,” applied here. They had driven within a mile of Glencoe before they remembered that they had forgotten to get me out of the theater. Frantically, they turned around, and as quickly as possible drove the 15 mile trip back to Stillwater. They had forgotten me, and I never knew it or felt it.
Have you ever felt that you have been forgotten by God? Does God forget? Our text says that God remembered Hannah. If God is all knowing, how can He ever forget anything? Yet, Jeremiah 31:34 says that part of the New Covenant is that He will remember our sin no more. The word ‘remember’ has a meaning which includes to call to mind. God never forgets. He is God. He knows everything. By definition He has the ability to call to mind anything. When God remembers, it is not referring to an ability; it is referring to a decision. He chose to bring to mind Hannah’s request and grant it. Hannah had felt forgotten. She wasn’t forgotten, but it felt like it. But God called her back to mind at the appropriate time. He chooses to forget the sin of those who have been placed under the blood of Jesus. He sees the blood covering and chooses not to peek under the covers to see what is there. He has the ability to bring it to mind, but He does not bring it to mind. He never forgets us, rather He is always mindful of us in planning what is best for His glory and for us. Yet He chooses to not call to mind our sin. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 41
Can the Lord reach into my soul and heal me when I feel that I have been betrayed? This Psalm searches some of the limits of that question. David begins by blessing the one who considers the poor. Why would he do that? Often times David had fled those whom he had trusted. Often his flight was so sudden that he could not plan. He fled Saul without even a sword in his hand to defend himself against foes or predators. He had to depend upon the priest to give him the sword of Goliath. He fled Absalom without having made adequate provision for his army. He had to depend upon Barzillai for some of those provisions. Later David was betrayed by Sheba the son of Bichri. This time he called upon general Amasa to put down the rebellion. Amasa drug his feet taking his sweet time to assemble the troops. Joab had to sweep in and pick up the slack. David was familiar with betrayal which left him vulnerable and poor. He was grateful for those who helped him. Therefore, he blessed them.
Many of those times, those betrayals came from those who were closest to him. It was then that he experienced the greatest deprivation. It wasn’t just the economic deprivation; it was also emotional wasting. Jesus was no stranger to this kind of deprivation. As a matter of fact the New Testament writers quote verse 9 in reference to Judas. Jesus was also poor. The only thing of value that He owned was literally the cloak which He wore. This man in poverty had 12 close associates that traveled with Him for the majority of his ministry, about 3 years. One of those associates traded Him in for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave. Jesus, knowing full well what Judas was about to do, extended friendship to him right up unto the very end.
That is the glory of Jesus. He knows our betrayal. But He extends the offer of friendship to us right up until the very end. I can turn from my betrayal and receive His forgiveness, or I can reject it and receive His wrath. When I receive His forgiveness, He expects me to extend the same forgiveness to the poor, because we also were poor. Some will lift up their heel against us, but what else should we expect? If they treated our Lord and Master that way, then we should expect nothing less from some of them. How do you keep motivated? You focus on His glory when He did it. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

EZEKIEL 10
The lights faded in the rearview mirror as we departed from Ocean City. I paused within my mind and reflected. It marked the end of a wonderful summer adventure with 60 other collegiate members of Campus Crusade for Christ. We had prayed, studied the Word, evangelized, fellowshipped and obeyed the Lord together for the last three months. I still remember many of their names and think about them from time to time. It was a great summer! As I viewed the fading lights and paused, I mourned that it was over.
Standing at the airline gate, I watched her walk down the causeway to board the jet to Philadelphia. The tears were flowing down her beautiful cheeks as she boarded the plane to go home. I had never become so close to someone before. Each step she took seemed to step upon my heart. She had become my sunshine, and now she was taking it away. I didn’t know where the relationship would go from here, but I knew that already I missed her. Standing there, I did not realize that less than a year later she would be my wife.
I could relate experience after experience similar to these, when I have had to turn my back on a chapter of life and remove myself from it. It is always a time for pausing to remember and reflect on where I have been and where I am going. It is always a time to stand still and ponder where I have been and where I am going from here.

4Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and paused over the threshold of the temple; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’s glory. . . . 18Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. 19 And the cherubim lifted their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight. When they went out, the wheels were beside them; and they stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

The glory is departing so that He may judge and destroy the city. Yet even as He does so in the fierceness of His anger, He pauses; He stands still. I believe that He was mourning the relationship that could have been if only Judah had only trusted and obeyed. Think of that! Our awesome, all powerful, magnificent God mourns and misses the lost relationship with us. In the midst of His glory is intense desire that He has for us to repent and turn to Him. Knowing what He is about to do to Jerusalem, He pauses and stands and mourns. Judah is unfit to be His ‘bride’. She is little more than a whore. But what He is about to do is designed to cure her of that. What can we say of His church? His judgments and disciplines are made to cure us of our whoredom, so that we might become His pure and spotless bride. Had my time in Ocean City not been so wonderful, I do not think I would have paused for a moment. I would have been glad to leave town. Had the girl walking down the causeway not been so wonderful, I would not have given her the time to take her to the airport, much less stand and feel her footsteps crunch my heart. How much greater is He that he loves us and disciplines us so that He might draw us to Himself. Now that is glory! Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ROMANS 11:19-36
Consider the goodness & severity of God. Yesterday, I wrote my meditation on the glory of God while sitting on the floor of the front corridor of the Mexico City airport. To make a long story short, we missed our flight and were forced to wait another day. We didn't really have much option but to spend it in the airport corridor. We included Laura, Beth, Liam(age 6), and Mandy (a friend). At least we were together; but 24 hours in an airport corridor wasn't too exciting, especially with a 6 year old.
While I was writing my meditation, a Mexican walked up to me and said, "Excuse me, but I am an evangelical Christian. I was wondering why you are here?" I explained and then he said, "I live about 10 minutes from here. Why don't you come home and spend the night with me. I am not a rich man but you are welcome in my home."
Honestly, I thought it was a scam at first. But he told me that he rarely heard the voice of the Lord, but he was convinced that the Lord told him to take us home. His family was there with him. He called a neighbor, who was a brother in Christ, to come help transport us and our luggage to their home. His family and his neighbors gave us beds and cots to sleep on, fed us dinner and breakfast and then took us back to the airport this morning.
When he first said that the Lord told him to take us home, I was overwhelmed with the goodness of God and had to fight back the tears. Sitting around his table, he shared with us what the Lord had been doing in his church in the last year. His home church met in his neighbor's home every Friday evening. There were about 30 of them. God had performed miraculous healings among them. Most of them had just met the Lord in the last year. Their larger church, which met on Sunday mornings, could trace its origin back to the revival in Wales in 1904.
This morning I read this passage, "Consider the goodness & severity of the Lord." Now, I realize this is a whole different context from my situation, but as I considered the goodness of the Lord, I was once again overwhelmed. I shared this with the brother at the Breakfast table and told him, "God has used you to show me His goodness."
He replied, "My pastor has a saying, 'When God wants to hold us, He always sends a brother. We are his arms.'"
Laura replied, "You have been God's arms to us."
I hope I never forget that. That is the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in action-His goodness and severity. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 10

RUTH 3-4
Boaz is a type of Christ as our Kinsman Redeemer. As such, think of this statement by Naomi concerning Boaz to Ruth, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.“ How many times have I missed out on a blessing of the Lord because I was not willing to sit still and let Jesus conclude a matter? I was too busy conniving and twisting an outcome to the position which I thought would provide me with the best result. Ruth could have told Naomi, “No, I think if he really loved me, we would have gone to the priest right away to get married. I think that I will go talk to this nearest relative myself.” Instead she waited to see the outcome. She waited for Boaz’s heart to be completely revealed in his action and his timing. If I want to see the glory of my Lord Jesus, I need to do the same thing. I need to rest in the promise of what the Scriptures say concerning Him, do what He commands, listen to His instruction and wait for His results. He will produce that which brings the greatest glory to His Father, which ultimately includes my best.
Jesus is my Kinsman Redeemer. A Kinsman Redeemer had to have the following requirements:

1. He had to be the nearest relative.
2. He had to have the means to redeem.
3. He had to have the desire to redeem.

There was a kinsman who was a nearer relative than Boaz. He had the means to redeem her, but he did not have the desire to redeem her. Jesus became our near relative by becoming human. Sheep, goats, oxen, doves were not close enough. Our redeemer had to be human. Jesus had the means to redeem us for not only was he perfect human through the virgin birth, but He was also God. He had the ability bear in moment the eternal punishment for our sin and defeat it by rising again on the third day. Jesus had the desire to redeem us for He did not deem equality with God a thing to be hung on to convulsively, but emptied Himself by adding to His person the nature of a man humbling Himself even to the point of death on a cross. He did that for us that we might be His bride. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 40
Yesterday, I was thinking of my wife. She is so sweet. I cannot believe she puts up with me. So on the way home I bought her one of her favorite chocolate bars and put it under her pillow with a note. She probably doesn’t believe it when I say that I think of her constantly. I guess my actions don’t reflect to her that I think of her constantly, but I do. Did you ever stop to think that the Lord thinks of you constantly?

5Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered. . . 17 But I am poor and needy; Yet the LORD thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.

If the Lord thinks on me constantly, the next question is, “Are those good thoughts?” I am dreadfully aware of some of my sins and imperfections. Those could be motivation for the Lord to be angry with me all the time. Now that is cause for alarm! But tucked away between verse 5 & 17 are verses 6-8:

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said,
“Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”

The concept that God’s first desire wasn’t sacrifice and offering is found in 1 Sam. 15:22; Ps. 51:16; Is. 1:11; Jer. 6:20; 7:22, 23; Amos 5:22; Mic. 6:6–8. Then why did He command sacrifice and offering? Why does the book of Leviticus focus upon it? Why do major portions of Exodus and Deuteronomy focus upon it? What God really wants from us is to love Him. What I really want from my wife is for her to love me. Loving God is displayed by doing His will. When I do not love Him and obey Him, justice kicks in. His justice demands death for sin. His love demands mercy for sin. His justice and mercy are displayed when His Son chose to become flesh, live a perfect life in love and submission to the Father, die as a substitute for us on the cross, rise again on the third day being victorious over sin and death. He came as our substitute to enable us also to do the will of the Father.
Hebrews 10:5-9 makes it absolutely clear that the purpose of Jesus’ coming was to do the Father’s will. He gave Himself to purify us of our sin. If we are pure of sin, His thoughts toward us are only pleasant. He purified us so that we could do His will. Now we who were unrighteous can proclaim His righteousness! His thoughts toward us, because of His will for us can now be continual thoughts of promoting our righteousness! Wow! He thinks continually of me, and it is good! Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

EZEKIEL 9
In the previous chapter we saw a number of abominations that the people had brought into the temple rather than seeking the glory of the Lord. In this chapter the Lord marks those who had bemoaned the fact that the abominations had been allowed into the temple. The others were killed. The glory, which once dwelt only in the holy of holies, now begins to move to the threshold. The Lord is removing His manifest presence from the temple and from the city in order that He might destroy the city. These abominations had been in the temple for years, yet no one had noticed that the glory of the Lord had been over shadowed. Outwardly, the abominations had all the religious trappings, but they were merely the works of mans hands. Yet few really noticed or objected to the difference.
Fast forward 2600 years. Has the church replaced the glory of the Lord with the work of our own hands? Tough question. When the Lord removes His presence, do we really notice or object to the difference? All that I know is that if His presence leaves, I do not want to stay. Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john


ROMANS 11:1-18
To be really honest, I don’t completely understand how the sovereign will of God and the free will of man work together. And I think a lot of people who try to explain it are really just blowing smoke. But this I know, there are plenty of passages that clearly teach that man has choice. Choice seems to imply a free will. Then there are passages like Romans 9-11 that clearly teach the sovereignty of God. Paul doesn’t seem to attempt to reconcile the two together. He simply presents them both as true. The sovereignty of God displays His glory.
Jesus is sovereign. He said, “All authority in heaven and earth is given unto me.” He controls to whom He gives grace. He has grafted us, who believe, into His family. He did it to provoke those, who wouldn’t believe to jealousy. God allowed the Israelites to reject Him so that He might reconcile the world. The glory of Jesus is seen in His sovereignty! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 9

RUTH 2
Boaz proclaimed, “The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” The Moabites were relatives and arch enemies of the Israelites. The book of Ruth took place in the time of the Judges. There were times during the Judges when the Moabites treated the Israelites severely. Moabites were not friends of the Israelites. In the law of Moses the Moabites were banned from the assembly of the Lord up to the 10th generation. Even the Lord’s enemies may receive refuge under the wings of the Lord if they will return to Him with all their heart. I am so glad that He has given me refuge! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 39
I still think I am young. Walking around Israel with my son makes me realize that I am getting toward the end of my life. He has much more stamina than I, or maybe I am much more out of shape, or maybe it is both. I pass mirrors, and I see an older man, and then I realize the older man is me. Where did the time go? My children were just born yesterday, but now they have children. How did that happen? Do the math. My oldest is now 32. Biologically, he is almost old enough to be a grandfather. That makes me biologically old enough to almost be a great-grandfather—unlikely but possible. How did the time slip away? Okay I am 57. If the average life span is 76, and I live just an average life, then I have finished 75% of my life. I am beginning the back stretch, if I get to finish it. “LORD, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.”
Fifty-seven is starting to get to be a long life, certainly well past the middle. To the Lord it is just a vapor. Vapors last for just a little time. He is from eternity. So what is the glory in that? To Him He sees me lying in a crib when I was born, playing marbles with my friends at recess in school, learning the ropes of a new school in junior high, trying to tame the awkwardness of high school, overcoming the challenges of college, rejoicing in finding a wonderful woman, struggling to provide for kids, now growing old. What have I done with my life? Life is just a vapor. What will last? Only that which brings glory to Him. What will the last quarter produce? Lord, let it be a fountain of glory for You! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

EZEKIEL 8
One like fire appears to Ezekiel. Fire is normally a symbol judgment or purification. Obviously from the visions that follow, here it is a symbol of both. The judgment about to be poured out upon Jerusalem is designed to bring about a purification of the nation from idolatry. The nation had come to think that the Lord did not see their situation. They had ceased what little trust they had in Him. They had turned to other gods, fertility gods of the nations surrounding them, gods whom they thought would increase their security, their wealth, their livelihood. They knowingly erected these gods even in the temple where the glory of God had been designed to dwell.
Oh Lord, keep me from pursuing gods which I think will increase my security, my wealth, my livelihood, my glory! Help me to pursue only Your Glory, Your wealth, Your life, Your security. Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ROMANS 10
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. – Whoever calls on the name. God indeed has a standard of righteousness. As I write this I am in Mexico. Their standards and methods of construction are very different from ours. Even with the difference I see that within their systems, they do not seem to have inspectors that demand a certain code enforcement as we have here. Consequently when one buys a house it is a “buyer beware” situation. The house you buy may not meet the necessary quality to last a lifetime(s). I am thankful for standards in the U.S. and building inspectors. It insures that my house is safe and will last a lifetime—if I take care of it.
God’s law insures that His holiness remains holy. His law demands perfection from us. Try as I may I cannot attain to His standard of perfection. I’ve already missed the standard. That’s where His mercy comes in. Jesus is the end of the law in two ways:

1. The law was designed to show us our need of righteousness. The law forces us to see that we have no righteousness. Once the law shows us our need of a Savior it has completed its task—in that sense Christ is the end of the law. Just as a path from one place to another ends when you get to the destination, so also, the law takes us from thinking we are holy to Christ—we see a need of a savior.
2. When Christ comes it is no longer my trying to meet a standard but resting in His already having met it—even in me. The law does not cease. It is still there. But Jesus fulfills it in me!

Isn’t that wonderful?
Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

August 8

RUTH 1
I remember being told by a friend in college that she felt that God had great things in store for me in my life. Wow! How does ones respond to a statement like that? What expectations does that set up? How does one measure fruitfulness on an eternal scale? When I finally made it through seminary at the age of 30, I took my first pastorate. I was there 9.5 years. A few years after I left, the church closed. To be honest some of the seeds which brought its closure were there before I became pastor. Yet I still feel this responsibility for its demise, for I could never remove those seeds. I was in North Carolina for 13.33 years. As I write six years later, the church I left in NC is now closed. The seeds which led to this point were sown while I was there. I was unable to remove those seeds. It remains to be seen what will happen with the church. The church of which I am now pastor has experienced a numerical decline since the time I became its pastor. The seeds of its downward slump were there before I became pastor, but I have been unable to remove those seeds. It remains to be seen what will happen with this church. How does one measure fruitfulness on an eternal scale? All three churches had/have much promise of fruitfulness, has it happened?
This couple bore names which were once full of promise. Elimelech means my God is king, and Naomi means pleasantness. What greater confidence would one need than to have the Almighty as your king and a wife who was pleasant? They were Ephrathites, a nickname for Bethlehem. Ephratha means fruitful. They lived in the fruitful community of Bethlehem, which means house of bread. Yes, they began their life together with much promise. Apparently, their children were not too healthy at birth, for they named their first son, Mahlon, which means sickly, and their second son, Chilion, which means wasting or pining away. Ironic is it not that they had to leave Bethlehem for Moab, which typically is dryer, because of famine? There was no bread in the house of bread. No fruit in the land of fruitfulness. Their original hope of promise appeared to be vanishing. They decided to move to a pagan land—Moab, on the other side of the Dead Sea. If they moved when the boys were 12 or 13, then the boys died at 22 or 23—ten years later and shortly after being married. Elimelech also died. Naomi’s promises of a fruitful life all appeared to be voided. She had no relatives in Moab to help support her. To remain in Moab would be to remain defenseless and penniless. In her culture there would be little she could do to support herself unless she married a pagan or resorted to prostitution. At her age, neither option would be very profitable. Yes, the promises seemed to have dissipated.
But she had found a true friend in Ruth, for her name means ‘friendship.’ Orpah, whose name means, ‘Gazelle,’ returned to her home when released by her mother-in-law. Bounding away like a gazelle, she returned to her family and her gods, where we presume she found a second husband and lived a full life. But Ruth would not let Naomi go. She apparently had seen in Naomi something that she did not find in Moab. She desired Naomi’s God and Naomi’s friendship. She desired them so much that she was willing to risk moving back to Bethlehem where there was no guarantee of acceptance or provision, only a name. In the house of bread she would always be the ‘Moabitess’, the outsider. Ruth gives Naomi a promise of friendship that is so wonderfully and poetically expressed that it is still used in many marriage vows even today. Ruth lived up to the promise of her name. She saw in Naomi a little of the glory of Yahweh. That glory was worth the risk of a wasted life.
Have we seen the glory of Yahweh? Would we risk our whole lives on one toss of the dice as did Ruth? Would we risk it because we have tasted of His glory? Apparently for Ruth, that one taste of glory was enough to risk it all. In a house of bread and fruitfulness where we have no bread or fruit, would we remain faithful to the Lord? Naomi did. It left the majority of her life empty and bitter. Mara means bitter. She was returning home empty. Or was she really empty? She still had His glory. And as Yogi Berra is famous for saying, “It ain’t over until the fat lady sings.” Do you feel empty and bitter? How do you measure fruitfulness on an eternal scale? Keep your eyes on His glory! No life is wasted which is spent focused on the glory of the Lord! He will take your bitterness and make something beautiful out of it, which will increase His kingdom and His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

For a picture go to: http://genesistochroniclespictures.blogspot.com/ “Boaz’s Field”

PSALM 38
I do not know that I have ever experienced this kind of depression. I mean, look at what David says, “There is no soundness in my flesh. . . my iniquities have gone over my head. . .my wounds are foul and festering. . . My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague, And my relatives stand afar off. . . I am like a deaf man who does not hear.” When did David ever experience this? Did this all literally happen, or in his depression does he just feel this way? Certainly when he sinned with Bathsheba and against Uriah, he would have felt the weight of his iniquities. But what wounds did he have. He had stayed home from war. That is what placed him in trouble with Bathsheba. When was he deserted by friends and family? Even when being chased by Saul, his cousins and the discontent of Israel joined and supported him. He had 600 men following him. When pursued by his son Absalom, he was still supported by his old guard who delivered him from Absalom.
When we are in depression, we frequently amplify our pain and make it greater than it is. I remember a time when I was attacked by those I was shepherding. It is hard to think straight when depressed. It was only a third of those, whom I was shepherding, that attacked, but it felt like everybody. If you have lived any amount of time, you probably know exactly what I am talking about. How do we triumph in those circumstances? David has the key: “In You, O LORD, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God.” When our hope is in Him, He makes the worst of circumstances tolerable because of His great presence. We will slop through the situation, but He will eventually come to us. In the midst of the attack He communicates His love for us. That communication is worth all the depression and pain. The smile of the Creator upon us creates inestimable joy. May the Lord make haste to us in our need. That is where we see His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

EZEKIEL 7
Is there beauty in justice? If one turned to pop culture, one would definitely get the answer, “Yes.” Last night I watched the most recent True Grit. If you haven’t seen it or read it, it is about a 14-year-old girl on a journey to bring the murderer of her father to justice. Although she hired a U.S. Marshall to help her, ultimately she becomes the executioner with the aid of the Marshal and a Texas Ranger. Part of the ‘fun’ of the movie is that she obtains the justice which she so deeply desires. Everyone wants the ‘bad guys’ to be brought to justice. Even one of the ending scenes where she meets an old Frank James who rudely refuses to stand in her presence, she tells him, “Keep your seat, Trash.” She has a way of demanding and getting justice. We all have a sense of a time past when we did not get justice, and we want justice served. We also think that the ‘bad guys’ are much worse than we are; therefore, they deserve our retribution. There is beauty in justice; we sense it innately. The problem lies in that we never think it should be applied to us for we think we are never at fault.
Are not the people of Jerusalem a people just like us? Indeed they are. Maybe that is why many liberals like to use the justice of God, found in this passage, to make a supposed difference between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. The doom of Jerusalem is proclaimed to the exiles. Retribution in coming! We don’t like that message. It is not beautiful; it is painful. How can that be part of love? But if God is love and just at the same time, then the justice must somehow also be love. That is the beauty of the cross. It is both Divine justice and love in one beautiful act, or is it an ugly act? I’m uncomfortable with the destruction of Jerusalem in such a violent manner, but they had it coming.
I am uncomfortable with the cross, but I had it coming. Fortunately for me, I had a substitute. Fortunately for me, when I identify with the cross, justice is served against me. Fortunately for me, my substitute bore the justice due me. Fortunately for me, my substitute overcame the death that the executioner exacted upon Him. Fortunately for me, I live because my substitute lives. The cross is beautiful because of what it produced. The destruction of Jerusalem is beautiful because of what it produced. Is there beauty in justice? Yes. My Lord is beautiful. Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ROMANS 9:16-33
I went through elementary school in a small town. We had less than 200 students in the whole school system 1st-12th grade. Consequently there was a much greater connection of the community with the school system. In the community was an older gentleman named Mr. Hesser. We all called him the candy man. He would show up about once a month and give every child in the grade school a piece of candy. It was a thrill to see him coming. Our outer classroom walls were almost all windows. You could count on the first child to see him to call out, "The Candy Man!" General squeals of delight would then erupt.
Sometimes the pieces of candy were all the same for every child and sometimes there was a variety in what he gave. There was never any argument over somebody else getting a different kind of candy. We all knew that he was giving to each of us out of his own goodness. Just because someone else got something different from him was not a cause of complaint against him. Once or twice a couple of children might exchange with each other what they received from him. But we were all grateful for what we had received. The teacher made sure we all sang out in chorus as he left, "Thank you, Mr. Hesser!" He delighted in giving. None of us had done anything for him making us deserving of the candy. He gave because he delighted in giving. To my knowledge, he had no grandchildren or great grand children in the school. He just delighted in giving. To this day I have never done anything for Mr. Hesser that made me deserving of the candy I received. My receiving was all rooted in his giving.
The first time that I was in the class room when Mr. Hesser came, I refused to receive the candy. I was in second grade. I had been taught to never take candy from a stranger. My teacher came over and said, "It’s alright, John. He's not a stranger. You can take the candy. Your mother won't be upset." Then I received it.
The Lord Jesus is sovereign in His giving. There is nothing in us that compels Him to give. He could condemn us all to death, and He would be just in so doing, for we have truly sinned against Him. And our sin is worthy of death. But He desires rather to give us mercy. He is rich in mercy. He delights in pouring it upon us. It is all about Him. He delights in making us part of His family. Many are those who will not receive His gift. He is righteous in pouring His wrath upon them. They act as though mercy is unneeded. Whether then, He gives mercy or He gives wrath, He is righteous in what He does. Our response to Him should be to simply cling to Him in faith. Whoever clings to Him in faith will never be put to shame. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John