November 21

1 CHRONICLES 16
“Still church” it is the advertising slogan for one of the churches here in Stillwater. Obviously, both a play on the name, ‘Stillwater,’ and an attempt to attract people who don’t like the change in church culture that has occurred over the decades. If I went there here is what I would expect to find: men dressed in suits, women wearing dresses or skirts; songs sung out of a hymn book, a sermon that is somewhat emotional, an invitation to be saved or to join the church at the end of the sermon, a full blown Sunday School before the service, a bus ministry that picks up kids throughout the community to bring them to church, a highly entertaining children’s church, definitely an offering, maybe even a baptism or two during the service. In short I would expect to be transported back in time to a highly nostalgic feel of an evangelical church in the late 60’s early 70’s. It would be, “Still church.” One of the main points though would be the style of music. Admittedly the church is growing in numbers. It is attracting a number of people.
There is just something about the glory of the Lord that produces music. I love this:

4 And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD God of Israel: 5 Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, and Obed-Edom: Jeiel with stringed instruments and harps, but Asaph made music with cymbals; 6 Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests regularly blew the trumpets before the ark of the covenant of God.

Wow, they had quite the band going there, stringed instruments, harps, cymbals, trumpets and their voices. I wonder what it sounded like. But the point is not the music. The point is that because of the greatness of the glory of God a fresh creation of music flowed out of His presence. It wasn’t about the music or its style; it was about His glory. When we experience His glory, how can our hearts keep from singing? How can our feet keep from dancing? How can we keep from using instruments to increase His praise? How can we keep falling on our faces silent before Him? How can we keep from crying out that we are undone? How can we keep from crying out in ecstasy of the sheer pleasure of Him? His glory is infinite and ever different yet never changing.
Look who was part of this uproar in praise—Obed-Edom (v. 5 & 38 see the entry for November 19). Obed-Edom just can’t get enough of God’s glory. He is even recruiting others to join him:

37 So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister before the ark regularly, as every day’s work required; 38 and Obed-Edom with his sixty-eight brethren, including Obed-Edom the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, to be gatekeepers;

May his tribe ever increase! Obed-Edom with his sixty-eight brethren! I don’t think it means biological brothers; although, in their culture it was a possibility. The glory of the Lord is just too contagious. Not only has Obed-Edom become a ‘glory junkie’, but he has infected 68 other men so much that they are called his ‘brethren.’ They just have to have a fresh experience of His glory. When the glory comes, it flows in praise and music!
I had my first encounter with the glory of Jesus as an 8-year-old (1963) at the First Baptist Church of Glencoe, OK. I have encountered His glory time and again since then. Some of the highlights since then have been at Falls Creek, and during involvement with Campus Crusade for Christ in college, and during hard times of trust in seminary and early ministry, and during somewhat successful times of ministry in Southport, and during extremely stressful times of ministry. During all these times of highs and lows, God has allowed Himself to be found in His glory, if I sought Him. Consequently, I can feel quite nostalgic when I hear hymns being sung well with exuberance. I am motivated by the ‘Jesus music’ of the 70’s. I can be drawn into an emotional calm or high when I hear the worship music of the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s. Honestly, there are forms of modern Christian music that I do not think that I will ever connect with, but if it is just the music that moves me, then I have missed the glory. The music is our response to and flows out of the glory. It is not the glory itself. If I am dependent upon my encounter with Him to still be like it was in the 60’s, then I am on dangerous ground, for I am not dependent upon His glory. His glory is new and fresh, ever different but never changing, because that is who He is, infinite, omnipresent, omniscient, omnisapient, loving, just, merciful, gracious. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 141
How does being a person who is ‘safe to correct’ relate to the glory of the Lord? When I was a sophomore in college, I was involved in the central action group (CAG) of Campus Crusade for Christ. One of the things that the staff asked of us was that we each fill out a weekly ministry report and turn it in. On the report were various questions like, “The number of people with whom you shared the 4-Laws? . . . the Holy Spirit booklet? How many people came to your Bible Study/Action Group? What are you studying in that group? There were a few other questions but the one that always made me most uncomfortable was, “What are you reading in the Word in your Quiet Time?” One week during CAG, our campus director brought to our attention that many of us were not filling in the question as to what we were reading in the Word. He wanted to know why. My immediate response was, “Well that is a very personal thing between God and me.” Immediately one of the other staff members guffawed and said, “O come on! If we can’t share with one another on that level, then we really don’t have a discipling relationship at all!”
I was immediately angry and embarrassed, but I held my tongue. He went on to explain the importance of being open with each other about our relationship with the Lord. Later I began to think on it. He was right. If I cannot open up and share with those who are ‘righteous’, then it isn’t much of a relationship. If the truth were known, it wasn’t so much about my privacy as it was that I was really inconsistent in reading the word and did not want to admit it. Also, when I did read the Word, its words often seemed silent, and it became a check on my checklist of things to get done. I did not want to admit that to anyone else, especially those discipling me, lest I be seen as less spiritual. You know, for a while I really thought that the staff member who guffawed was arrogant, but eventually I came to see that it was a wound of love. The next year, he became the who was discipling me. The year after that, I met Laura. It was to him that I went for advice when I was seeking the Lord’s will about asking Laura to marry me. You know, he gave me a number of good questions to ask about our relationship that really helped me understand what the Lord wanted. He was trustable because he was righteous. A large part of my recognition that he was righteous was that I learned that he loved me. By that I mean that he genuinely wanted the best for me. For him to have held his tongue would not have been love. His correction was followed up with genuine interest in my life, in helping me grow in my relationship with him.
I have learned through this experience and a multitude of other experiences, how to determine whether a correction is from a person who is righteous and a person who is not. The unrighteous seek only to wound. The righteous seek to wound for the purpose of bringing healing. The righteous will continue to remain in the life of the one they wound in order to help them heal. The unrighteous wound and run, or wound and drive away the victim, or wound and kill the victim. As a possible victim, the Psalmist pleads with the Lord to protect him from the wounds of the unrighteous. He also pleads for the grace to receive the wounds of the righteous, “Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it.”
But how does that relate to the glory of the Lord? I do not think that I could possibly have the humility to allow someone else to correct me unless I knew that ultimately my life was in the hands of a great God who was shaping and directing my life through the wounds of others. I need the assurance that He is the sovereign God who is in control. When I have entered His courts to view His glory and allow my prayer to rise up before Him as incense, and when I have lifted up my hands before him in the evening sacrifice of praise, I am reminded of the greatness of His glory. I am reminded that I can trust Him in His sovereign directing of my life. You see, even in my being corrected, it is still all about His glory. The same is true for you. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ZECHARIAH 3
In this vision, Joshua the High Priest is standing before the Lord in filthy garments. Should it not have been unthinkable for a High Priest to do his mediatorial work in filthy garments? Such is the nature of sin that once we have wallowed in it awhile, we no longer are aware of its filthiness. And when we do become aware, we do not have the capability of removing it from us. But the glory of the Lord is such that He will not let His people remain in their sin. But He chooses to send forth His Branch, His Stone, for the purpose of removing the iniquity of the people. Both terms are ones used of the Lord Jesus Christ to describe Him. The Branch is also used in Zech 6:12; Isa 4:2; 11:1; Jer 23:5; 33:15. The Stone is also used in Gen 49:24; Ps 118:22; Isa 28:16; Mt 21:42; Acts 4:11; I Pet 2:6. Our Jesus is a life giving branch through Whom the sap of eternal life flows, quickening us from the dead! He gives us the life and ability to live righteous lives and enjoy life more abundantly! Our Jesus is the stone which the builders rejected upon whom we can be built as a living stone into His temple for His habitation. He is the firm foundation which brings stability and usefulness to our lives which will last for eternity and His glory.
It all begins on the day when He removes the iniquity of His people. Notice that He says that He will remove it in one day. He did! He removed it in one day at Calvary. And it is applied the day that I repent and believe!

Down at the cross where my Savior died,
Down where for cleansing from sin I cried,
There to my sin was the blood applied;
Glory to His name!
Oh, precious fact, when my Savior died,
Not only sin's debt was satisfied;
Life's flowing fountain was opened wide!
Glory to His name!
--Elisha Hoffman

Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

JAMES 3
Jesus is able to use His tongue rightly. That is part of His glory. The press used to love to jump on President Bush because of his misspeaks. They loved to denigrate and belittle him over the slip of the tongue. Some of their clamor was because Mr. Bush did slip with the tongue, but most of it was just political maneuvering of the press. The religious leaders for Jesus' day were the same way. They looked for ways to trip Him in His speech. Yet, they never found it.
The masses marveled at the way He taught. He taught as one having authority, not as the scribes. Once the leaders sent soldiers to arrest Him, having come back empty handed, the leaders asked, "Why didn't you arrest Him?" Their honest reply was, "No man ever spoke like He did." When He was before the leaders in His trials, He controlled the conversation. His tongue is as a sharp sword cutting in between fantasy and reality. His words are true and just. They promote holiness and love. They divide only when men and women cling to their self-righteousness. They condemn only when He is rejected. They bring a sword only when the holiness of God is called into question. They are pure. His words seek to gently bring peace by revealing holiness and sin and then offering mercy and grace. Those who have received that mercy from His lips seek first to extend it to others, because they have come to see the greatness of His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

November 20

1 CHRONICLES 15
“13God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.” Does that strike you as an odd statement? It does me at first. It conjures up in my mind that God is in some kind of box (like the ark), and finally He can’t take it anymore so he lashes out at those around the box and then returns to His box.
This is a statement of Scripture. The doctrine of inerrancy tells us that David really did say this, but our doctrine of hermeneutics will tell us how it should be interpreted. God did kill Uzzah because he touched the ark. Uzzah touched the ark because David and others had not consulted the Lord about how the ark should be transported. If they had consulted the Lord, Uzzah would probably have never died in the transport of the ark. But what bothers me about the statement is the phrase “broke out.”
It almost implies that David thought that the Lord could be contained in a box. It is interesting to note that in the parallel passages in 2 Samuel that it is after this incident that David determines that he must build a magnificent house for the Lord. What was the Lord’s response? 2 Sam 7:5f, “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6“For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle.” As you read that passage, the flow is that God is saying, “I don’t need a tent to dwell in. I am bigger than that.” Solomon caught the Lord’s drift. When he dedicated the temple, he said, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!” God cannot be contained in anything and we have difficulty remembering that.
But do I not mentally put God in a box. He is supposed to act in this religious manner. He is supposed to do this when I do that. He should always act according to my parameters. Hmmm. . . maybe that is part of why our Christianity is so weak. We expect God to work according to our parameters rather than consulting Him about the proper order. After all, the infinite God might have a better idea about how to do what needs to be done--each time it is done. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 140
Early teen-aged-years are a very volatile time in life. In my experience it was a time filled with pride filled remarks, both giving and receiving. The insecurity of growing up and not really knowing who one is leads to some very proud comments on one’s own part and against others. Most early teens mask their insecurities with proud statements or statements of sarcasm toward others. I had one or two acquaintances who never grew out of that. I saw one at our 20th year high school reunion. His first comment at the reunion toward me was very negative. I hadn’t even had a chance to greet or offend him, before it was out of his mouth. He had become a pretty successful surgeon. I guess what Matthew Henry says about this Psalm aptly described him, “Proud men, when they prosper, are made prouder, grow more impudent against God and insolent against his people . . . ”* Although I noted the sarcasm, I just ignored it. I figured that he just hadn’t grown up. My best friend from high school was standing there, heard the comment, and came to my rescue with a retort that made our acquaintance know that his comment was out of line.
So how does the glory of God fit into this? The wicked advance themselves by tearing others down. For one who knows who he is in relation to the glory of God, the evaluation of others, no matter how successful they are, is of little importance. Even if that evaluation is able to bring harm to one’s life, it matters little because what really matters is the evaluation of the Almighty God. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:3–4:

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord

.
He is the Almighty God and will safely bring us into His presence. Not so with the wicked. They will have many challenges to face in the presence of the Holy God. I am confident that the Lord will handle it justly and well. So when others slander me out of their own insecurities, it is best for me to do as the Psalmist has done, and let the Lord take care of it. After all, He is the judge, and that is His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
*Henry, M. (1996). Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Ps 140:8–13). Peabody: Hendrickson.

ZECHARIAH 2
Labor day weekend of 2007, I was mowing my lawn. I went under a large bush pushing the lawn mower. A branch caught on the handle of the mower and flipped back and cut the cornea of my eye. That was about 8:00 in the evening. By 3:00 in the morning I was in excruciating pain. I never knew that such a little injury could cause such great pain. It gave me a new appreciation for the phrase, “touching the apple of the eye.” I ended up in the emergency room because of the pain.
In his vision, Zechariah continues on in the theme of chapter one and quotes the Lord speaking of His people as saying, “5 For I,’ says the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst. . . . He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.” When His people are cleansed, His glory is seen in the midst of His people. He calls His people the apple of His eye. When they are pained, it pains Him. I take away two significant things from this: 1) He wants to display His glory in our midst (assuming I am part of the people of God. 2) When we are pained, it causes Him pain as well. Is the pain as excruciating to Him as it is to us? Probably more so. Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

JAMES 2
This chapter is full of the justice of Jesus. Have you ever noticed how we tend to make one sin greater than another? If we don't break the 'great ones,' the implication is that we are really 'tight' with Jesus. Today I was sharing the Gospel with a man. He stated at least twice, maybe 3 times, that his worst habit was smoking. He'd quit drinking. I began to share the Gospel with him. I shared Romans 3:23, "All have sinned. . ." We talked about the 10 commandments. I pointed out a few--taking the Lord's name in vain, breaking the Sabbath, stealing, murder, adultery, coveting. By his own admission, he had broken them all.
James says that if you've broken one, you are guilty of all. We tend to look down on those who have a problem with the ones with which we don't have a problem. Not Jesus. He sees the one with which we have a problem and He says, "You are guilty." That is bad news. There is good news. He says that if we will repent of what we are guilty, then He will forgive all.
When we have received that mercy, it is incumbent upon us to give mercy to others. No, we may not have sinned as they, but we have sinned. We are just as guilty. As rich Americans it is to judge some of the poor among us and say, "You are being judged by God because of your misuse of your resources," or to look at the rich and say, "You are being blessed by God because of the good use of resources. In both cases our judgment may or may not be true. But what is true is that if either of them have sinned and if we do not speak to that sin for the purpose that they may receive forgiveness, then we have judged in error. We must show mercy & speak to both when sin is clear, so that both may receive of the wonderful grace of our Lord. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

November 19

1 CHRONICLES 13-14
“Let us bring the ark of our God back to us for we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul.” That is a long time. Saul had died a minimum of 7 years prior to this point. It was possibly well over 10 years. This is bound to be a momentous occasion. With great pomp David plans on doing this, yet he failed to search the Scriptures regarding how the ark should be transported. David’s mindless mistake cost Uzzah his life. Do I ever approach the Lord without thinking it through? He bids me come boldly before the throne, but there is a protocol. It is only by the blood of the Lamb that I may enter. There was only one gate into the Tabernacle. It led by the altar of sacrifice. Do I appreciate what it cost Him for me to enter? Or do I just cavalierly waltz in expecting the Holy Almighty to bow at my presence?
Uzzah’s death angered David. He abandoned the whole project and left the ark in the home of Obed-Edom a Gittite, a man from Gath. Gath was the Philistine city from which came Goliath and his brothers. Wouldn’t you be a little reluctant to receive the ark after this event? I would. He was probably a member of David’s bodyguard, so he was a good obedient soldier and received it.
Yet the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all in his house. Who do you suppose was the first to notice the blessing that Obed-Edom received. How did they note it? When the author of life takes up residence in your house, do you not believe that it would make a difference? I suspect that Obed’s house became brimming with life. How great is that? It forever changed him. The same name is used in 15:24&25; 16:5,38; 26:4-8,15. I believe they are the same. He so fell in love with the glory of God that he gave up his military career and permanently pursued the glory of God serving as a doorkeeper/gatekeeper/musician. How cool is that? He could no longer live without the glory of God. Both Psalm 81 & 84 are written to be played on an instrument of Gath. I think this is in memory of Obed-Edom. It is Psalm 84:10 which says:
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
That was Obed-Edom. He so encountered the presence of the Glory of the Lord that it changed his whole life. He went from a military man to a man of the cloth. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 139
She looked kind of frumpy. At forty-seven-years-old, she certainly was not the kind of woman that you would expect to see on the cover of any beauty magazine. She was 50-75 pounds overweight. She wore no visible make-up and did not shape her eyebrows; they were rather thick. Her hair was kind of Medusa looking. Her dress was plain. Britain’s Got Talent host asked her what she hoped to accomplish by coming on the program. She replied, “I have hopes of becoming a professional singer.” Immediately, snickers appeared on the face of each panelist. Her name was Susan Boyles, and she sang I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables. After the first line, the camera angle switched to the panelists. The astonishment was clear upon their faces. Boyles gave a flawless performance, turned and began to march off the stage. The crowd and two of the panelists rose to their feet in a standing ovation. Clearly they had misjudged Ms. Boyles.
We all long to have someone of significance know everything there is to know about us and still desire us and think that we are wonderful. Our great God and Savior is that person. He knows all there is about us. He has studied us completely. Nothing is hidden from His sight. He knows our thoughts and our words before we know them. His Spirit is ever with us, and like Jonah we cannot get away from Him. He knows even the agony of the inhabitants of those in hell. He knows where dark things sleep in the depths of the sea and in the sordid depths of our minds and souls. He knit us together in our mother’s womb. In light of all this knowledge, David asks the Lord to search him and reveal any wicked way. Indeed God does have this kind of knowledge about our lives. For those of us who are born again, not only does He know everything that there is to know about us, but He also is delighted with us. Like the panelists with Susan Boyles, He jumps to his feet in feeling His pleasure in us. There is a difference with us though. Ms. Boyles walked away from the stage still looking frumpy, nothing had changed about who she was before or after her encounter with Britain’s Got Talent. We step back from our encounter with the Creator forever changed for the better. We become new creatures when we meet Him. He purifies us of the things He doesn’t like and gives us the things He does like. He gives a flawless performance in changing us and then stands back and applauds us, His work. Such knowledge for us is difficult to attain, but it should motivate us to step back and return the applause to the One who changed us. That is His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ZECHARIAH 1
It was an early April snow, very unusual for Oklahoma. The storm dumped 6-8 inches on us overnight. For northern states that have the equipment to remove snow, it would have been nothing. But for us, it is safer to just call off school for the day and let it melt. It would all be gone in a day anyway. With school out, our neighborhood decided to have a snowball fight with the guys from a nearby neighborhood. I was one of the youngest in the group. I think that I was in the 7th grade. I was able to sneak up on a guy two years older than I, and I nailed him. He wasn’t about to take that from a squirt like me. So he began his revenge. I was getting hammered terribly, but then my brother, a senior in High School, saw my plight. He came to the rescue. Boy did he come to the rescue! I almost felt sorry for the guy who was pummeling me. It kind of ended the snowball fight. Now, my brother and I once in a while would have a disagreement (usually I was the aggressor), but I had never seen anger like that out of him! He was zealous for me.
The Lord says,

I am zealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with great zeal. I am exceeding angry with the nations at ease; for I was a little angry, and they helped—but with evil intent. Therefore thus says the Lord: I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; My house shall be built in it.

The Lord was indeed a little angry with His people, Judah. He used other nations to kick them out of the land. But as His tool of disciplining His children, they had evil intent. The result? The Lord was very angry. My brother might get angry with me, but you’d better not mess with me. The Lord gets angry with the disobedience of His children, but you had better not mess with His children! That is part of His glory. Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

JAMES 1
Where is Jesus in this chapter? First He permits us to fall into trials for the testing of our faith. He does what? To my simple mind that does not sound like much glory! Why can’t He just keep the trial away? To my simple mind that would seem like more glory. But if we did not experience the trial, we would never know His power to change us through the trial. And He wants us to become perfect like Him. How was He perfected as a Man? Remember Hebrews? He learned obedience, even to the point of death upon a cross. As we go through trials, He is making us like Himself. We are going through trials that He Himself has endured. Jesus, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross despising the shame. We endure the trials, perhaps despising the shame, because of the joy set before us.
What does Jesus give us as we endure the trials with joy? He gives us patience, wisdom and the crown of life. It is gracious of Him to do this because we ought to endure those things without reward. Yet He freely gives us reward. He knows the temptations that we have been through; He experienced the full intensity of all our temptations through His life. In every temptation that Jesus experienced, Satan tempted Him to its fullest strength. Jesus wrestled with the temptation to turn from the Father’s cup of suffering when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane. Having gone through all temptations Himself, He leads us through our trials by His word of truth. He does that so that we might be the firstfruits of His creatures.
If He leads us through by His word of truth, then how important it is that we become hearers and doers of His word! What precious gifts He has given us in His word! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

November 18

1 CHRONICLES 11-12
These two chapters are filled with the exploits of the mighty men of David. What impresses me the most about these chapters is really 13:16-18:

16Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold. 17And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look and bring judgment.” 18Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the captains, and he said:

“We are yours, O David;
We are on your side, O son of Jesse!
Peace, peace to you,
And peace to your helpers!
For your God helps you.”
So David received them, and made them captains of the troop.

Why did they come to David? They knew that only he could set them free, and they dearly wanted freedom. Why do we come to the Lord Jesus Christ? We come because only He can set us free from our sin and death. His glory is greater than that of David. Is He not worthy of our saying to Him:

“We are yours, O Jesus, son of David;
We are on your side, O son of Jesse!
Peace, peace to you,
And peace to your helpers!
For your God helps you.”

Do we really mean “we are yours?” What would happen in our lives if we really meant that? At the very least, He receives us and makes us captains in his troop. He does it all for His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 138
I remember being in the second grade, sitting in my room and thinking, “What if everything around me isn’t really what it seems. What if I am actually on some sort of stage and everyone around me is some sort of actor? What if there are some kinds of beings out there that are just enjoying me perform, and everyone else is an actor? What if everything that happens to me is to provide some kind of entertainment for those beings?” Well, I knew you thought I was kind of strange. Yes, I occasionally have some really weird thoughts. Maybe I watched too much Twilight Zone as a kid.
Consider this first verse from Psalm 138, “I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You.” But I thought David believed in only one God! Certainly the word ‘gods’ here is translated from ‘elohim’, which is regularly used for God and is plural. The word can mean rulers, judges, divine ones, angels, or gods. When used of the One True God, it is a plural of majesty, an intensive singular. It allows for the Trinity, but doesn’t necessarily demand it. Elsewhere in the Psalms David teaches that all the other gods are mere idols, statues, the work of men’s hands, non-entities. So just what does David mean by this?
In 1 Corinthians 8:4–6 Paul says:

4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

Later in 1 Corinthians 10:19–20 Paul continues saying:

19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.

Now couple that with what Paul says in Ephesians 2:7 “That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” To whom is He showing those riches? Well, read a little further in Ephesians 3:10, “To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.”
So, what does David mean by ‘the gods?’ He could mean the mighty rulers with whom he is constantly engaged in battle. He could mean the angels. He could mean the spiritual principalities and powers ruling in the heavenly places. Maybe he means all of them. I really don’t know. But I do know that when you fuse this Psalm with the theology revealed through Paul, there is a very real sense that we all have become actors on a stage. In this play in which we are unwittingly participants, God is seeking to reveal the various aspects of His wisdom, not just to us, but also to a spiritual audience. Perhaps David was well aware of the spiritual battle raging in the universe. Perhaps he was aware that he was a player on stage observed by more than this physical world.
What is it that he wants to praise or magnify? Well, look at verse 2, “I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.” What does it mean that God has magnified His word above His name? Psalm 8:1 informs us, “O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!” The glory of our Lord is majestically proclaimed throughout the earth through His creative acts. Everywhere we look, His creative power is displayed in glory around us. It is a constant sermon of the greatness of His name, particularly the judgment aspects of His Name. The beauty of the creation constantly proclaims His mighty power. But, as beautiful as is His work of creation, the creation itself screams, “We have been cursed!” Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, lightning, droughts, famines, floods, diseases etc. all constantly scream at us, “We have been cursed!” They tell us that something is wrong, and we have been damned! Who is this God who creates such beautiful things but slams us with judgment? Ahh! That is where the exaltation of His Word above His name comes into play.
His Word is He Who came from eternity past; through Whom He made all things; without Whom nothing was made that has been made; without Whom there is not light or life; without Whom there is only judgment. His Word brought us grace and truth. Moses’ law explained the judgment of a righteous God upon His creation, but His Word triumphs over His judgment, for He has made His Word judge of all things. His Word has shown us that God has not just performed this great act of creation, judged us and left. His Word has entered His creation and become the atoning sacrifice for our sin. This Word He has exalted above every name that is named. This Word is Jesus!
He will not leave us in the judgment of the sin of our past. He calls us out of that sin. He enables us to walk free of that sin. As 2 Peter 1:3–4 says:

3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

So David agrees with Peter when he says, “8 The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.” I am on a stage acting out the marvels of His grace. I am playing to an audience around me upon this earth, in the heavenly places and even to God Himself! In order to give me a perfect performance, He is working in me to accomplish perfection. Praise the Lord! Mercy has triumphed over judgment! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

HAGGAI 2
We drove by the house to see what it looked like. My brother and I had not been there since January 1962. It was now May 1973. Eleven years had passed. I was 6 when we moved. I had just turned 18. What in my memory had loomed as a gigantic house now appeared small and unimpressive. It probably had around 800—1,000 square feet on the first floor and less on the second floor. It did have a full unfinished basement. My memories were much larger than the reality. It was kind of disappointing.
The old men of Zerubbabel’s party wept when the foundation of the temple was laid because it did not meet up to the memory of the glory of the previous temple. They did not have the silver and gold needed to adorn this smaller one as the former one was adorned. What is the use in trying if you can’t do it well? They slipped into neutral for 18 years. God asks them, “Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing?”
Do we do the same thing? Perhaps we experienced a time in the past, when we were enjoying the blessing of God in the building of His temple, the church. (See yesterday’s meditation. I am not talking about a physical building.) Something went wrong, the blessing of God seemed to be removed. The glory of the former is greater than the glory of now. Discouragement sets in. The church shifts into neutral. But God calls us to answer His questions. He instructs us to cease thinking about former glory and fix our eyes on Him and obey Him. The principle is that if we will bring our lives into line with His instruction, then He will use us to build a living temple suitable to fill with His glory. It matters not how much silver and gold we have because He owns it all. He supplies what is needed. He instructs us to, “Be strong, all you people . . .and work; for I am with you.” But it is very important to work His work, not the work of the memory of our past. It is a work that must be done in holiness for the unclean will defile the clean, but clean does not clean the unclean. Personal and corporate holiness is a requirement. So we put away the unclean and receive His cleansing. We place ourselves in a blessable position. Mark Barnard calls it a blessing point.
Many times we live in the past trying to recreate the former times. But the Lord wants to fill His temple with His glory and He wants to build it through us in new and fresh ways. For when He does it in the new way, everyone recognizes it as His work. But there are old principles that He never changes. He does not use an unclean vessel, and He chooses to use people completely consecrated to Him who want only His glory to be seen. Henry Varley, a British revivalist, once said to D.L. Moody, “Moody, the world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to him.” Years later Moody told Mr. Varley:
Those were the words sent to my soul, through you, from the Living God. As I crossed the wide Atlantic, the boards of the deck of the vessel were engraved with them, and when I reached Chicago, the very paving stones seemed marked with ‘Moody, the world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to him.’ Under the power of those words I have come back to England, and I felt that I must not let more time pass until I let you know how God had used your words to my inmost soul.
When Zerubbabel and Joshua rallied the people to repent and return to the Lord, to receive His cleansing, to once again begin the work of building the temple, they placed themselves at a blessing point. They were at a point that God wanted to bless them because He could then display His glory and not have it obscured by them. Oh Lord, help me, help us to place ourselves in a blessing point to receive Your cleansing so that we might be empowered to do the work which You have called us to do, so that You may display Your glory for the world to see! Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

HEBREWS 13
The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. When I consider who He is and have completely grasped that thought, then I am able to continue on in a holy life. Even though a brother in the Lord hates me, I can love him because the Lord is my helper. Even though He calls me to entertain a total stranger, I can do it because I might be entertaining Him. Even if I have a spouse that is not perfect, I can lover her or respect him because He will do it in me. Even though everybody around me has better 'stuff', I can be content because He is always with me. Jesus helped the saints in the past. Jesus has helped me in the past. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. I can trust Him. When I focus on His glory, I am satisfied with His grace. I don't need anything else.
Jesus is the One who suffered outside the city gates for me. He is the great Shepherd of me, who through His own body and blood cut a covenant. The end result of that covenant is that I will be made complete in every good work to do His will. He is faithful to the end. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John

November 17

1 CHRONICLES 9-10
My backyard neighbor diagonally from me in 1976/77 was the organizer of the 1977 National Collegiate Power-lifting Championships hosted in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He talked me into trying to compete in the championships. So, he became my mentor as he taught me how to train for the novice division of the championship. I began the rigors of trying to develop my skinny body. Several times he took me to the local power-lifting club meetings. I have never felt so out of place in all of my life. These guys had muscles on their muscles. Men often make jokes about women being vain in their make-up and clothing, but I have never met anyone so vain as the bodybuilders in this club. It was obvious when I walked in that I was not one of them. Their attitudes exuded exclusivity. I never fitted in. I never had the muscle definition or the strength that was needed. I was out of place.
What’s the point? I was out of place; I never fit in. In verse two of chapter nine, the Nethinim are mentioned. Who are the Nethinim? The word literally means ‘the givers’. They were the temple servants. For what were servants needed in the temple? If you can imagine all the sacrifices that were going on, someone needed to find and cut wood. With all the blood being shed, someone needed to haul water to the temple to clean it all up. With all the priests washing themselves in the great sea, someone needed to haul water to replenish it. The Nethinim did it. Who were they? They were Gentiles, who had become part of Israel. They were probably descendents of the Gibeonites. In the beginning they were forced servants. But eventually, they served out of choice. The Psalmist said, “I’d rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” They were out of place, but they found a place even if it was hauling wood and water. But they were near the glory!
I was out of place in my trespasses and sin. I was alien to the family of God. But my Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice in my place. Yes there are others who have more spiritual muscle than I, but who cares? Yes there are others with more talent and accolades than I, but who cares? I am privileged to just be a servant of His because now I can be near His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 137
In Psalm 135 we learned that God treasured His people, Jacob, Israel. In Psalm 137 His treasured people are in exile. This Psalm is written in the depths of despair by an exile. What had the exiles experienced? Their whole land was invaded. City after city was sacked and destroyed. Refugees, probably by the thousands fled to Jerusalem, the capital, for protection. The city was laid under siege for more than a year. Running out of food and strength, the king tried to make a break for it. It was unsuccessful. The city wall was breached. Many were raped, killed and pillaged. In ancient wars, it was not uncommon for even babies to be purposely killed. Many were taken on a 900 mile (500 as the crow flies) forced march to live the rest of their lives in in exile. Only the poor of the land were left in the land. I am sure that many were thinking, “If this is God treasuring us, I’d hate to see what He does to His enemies.”
In their day, the fate of the city was considered to be tied up in whether or not your god was stronger than the god of the invading army. The captors demanded songs of their captors in order to rub the noses of their captors in what they supposed to be the fact that their god was stronger than the captive’s god. How can you sing a song of praise to a god who is either impotent or does not treasure you? And so, this is the position in which the captives found themselves. How could they be anywhere but in the depths of despair?
This is where faith must step in. Faith is not a Pollyanna approach to life that colors the darkest of circumstances in rosy color hues. It recognizes the dark circumstances, but it refuses to believe the enemy’s lie that they are not treasured by God or that God is impotent. It looks beyond attendant circumstances. It trusts that God does indeed possess a reason for leading one through the horrible circumstances, and that reason is ultimately for my good and His glory. In the midst of those circumstances we must continually refuse the taunts of the enemy’s lies that he forces into our minds. We must take those thoughts captive by the power of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must tear down the strongholds of those taunts. He has given us weapons that are indeed powerful for tearing down those strongholds, but we must tear them down! That does not mean that He will change the circumstances. It means that He will change our mindset as we cooperate with Him! The exiles probably died in Babylon. Some of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren returned to rebuild Jerusalem and see better circumstances, but for the most part, they died in Babylon.
Did God treasure the exiles? Yes He did, but He was seeking to cure them and their seed of their idolatry, and he was somewhat successful! Israel has had little problem with literal idolatry since then. The things that I treasure, I want to keep them clean and pure. He was seeking to make them clean and pure. In His goodness He designs circumstances of our lives to cure us of our spiritual idolatry. In the midst of those circumstances we must not allow ourselves to succumb to the lies of the enemy, but we must look beyond the circumstance to what He is trying to accomplish. Even when we do not know specifically what He is working to accomplish, we must cling to the truth that it is for our purification for the praise of the glory of His grace. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

HAGGAI 1
“Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody care?” Maybe you recognize the lyrics from the classic rock song by Chicago. Do you know what time it is? The people of Haggai’s day didn’t. They were part of the first return to Jerusalem from their exile in Mesopotamia. About 50,000 of them had arrived about 538 B.C. under Zerubbabel’s civil leadership and Joshua’s priestly leadership. Their purpose was to rebuild the temple. They laid the foundation, became discouraged and quit. Haggai comes along about 520 B.C., about 18 years later. They were not even working on the temple. Haggai exhorts them that it is past time to finish and complete the temple, the house of God. For the Old Testament saints, it was the place where God’s glory dwelt! Instead of building the glory of the Lord they built their own houses. Their commitment to their own dwelling had become greater than their commitment to the dwelling of the Lord! It was past time to build the temple of the Lord.
Now God is not against us building houses, but He is against us making our houses more important than His house. That is exactly what they had done. As He puts it, “My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.” What a picture of the American Church! Does anyone really know what time it is? For the New Testament believer, it is not physical buildings in which the glory of Jesus dwells. His glory is found in the building of His body, the spiritual house of the Lord Jesus Christ! Peter put it this way,

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

He is the chief cornerstone and we lay the foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God, of doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. Are we more committed to the building of His body, His spiritual temple, than we are to our houses?
I spend a lot of time working on my house. The average American spends 30 years of his work life working to pay for his house, not to mention the hours of upkeep. For those who do not buy, they spend hours working to pay their rent. When I come to the end of my life, will I have spent more time working on my house or the Lord’s house? Is that not an indicator of where my priorities lie? Again, God is not against us building houses, He knows that we need good shelter. Do I really know what time it is? Do I have an over emphasis on my house? Why is this an issue? It is all about where God’s glory dwells. He does not dwell primarily in my house but rather in His church. He has gifted you and me to build up His temple for His glory to dwell. Am I exercising that gift to His glory? Those gifts are interdependent upon each other. When I do not pursue the exercise of my gift, the body suffers. When I control someone else’s gift, the body suffers. Let us pursue the building up of the body in love, submitting to one another in the fear of God! Does anyone really know what time it is? It is time to glorify the Lord! Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

HEBREWS 12
We have seen how there are so many people who have gone before us who have had faith in this glorious Lord of ours. He has enabled them to trust Him in the midst of insurmountable odds. He is the author of their faith. In other words He is the One who brought their faith into existence. He is the One who gave it direction. He is the One who brought it to a glorious conclusion. He is the Finisher of their faith! So also with us, we may think we are solely responsible for our faith in Him, but no beloved, He is the one who began that work of faith in us. He began it by being worthy of our trust! He will bring it to a glorious conclusion. He will finish it. It will not go undone.
So in the meantime, the time between when our faith began and when it is brought to a conclusion, it is so appropriate to fix our thoughts, our eyes, our everything upon Him. In doing so, we will be able to resist sin, even to the point of bloodshed. He will bring discipline into our lives to aid us in that process. Discipline is not fun, but it is necessary. When I played football in high school, there were many practices when we thought the coach was trying to kill us with the rigors of exercise that he made us go through. But it was those horrible rigors of exercise that made us better football players. Even so His discipline is for the purpose of making us more like Himself.
His discipline is to burn away all that is not beautiful in His sight. He is a consuming fire. His fire destroys the ugly but enhances the beautiful. Let Him shake our world. Let everything that cannot stand fall! When He is done, only the beautiful remains. I want to be part of what remains. That happens as I keep my eyes fixed upon Him in the midst of the fire and the quake. In the midst of all that, I receive glimpses of His glory. His beauty sustains us! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

November 16

1 Chronicles 7-8
Driving, or should I say parking, on the outer loop of Atlanta’s freeway system, the interchange was jammed. Six lanes were going north and there was no movement. Six lanes were going south, and there was no movement. It took me about an hour to get out of the interchange. I was overwhelmed with the huge number of people in the city. I have no love for cities. I would go there to minister if the Lord made it clear, but I need clear direction. I get overwhelmed by the masses of people. There are just too many individuals. I cannot take it all in!
Hmm. . . what can one say about genealogies? Why does God put these in the Bible? What do I care about whose son was who? Maybe that is part of the point. Because I am finite, I cannot appreciate the tedious genealogies. But God is not finite. Because he is infinite, He can truly value each individual that is mentioned. So, these genealogies teach us that our infinite God really does care about us as finite individuals. They teach me that I am important to Him. That is pretty amazing. The God who created the masses of people is not overwhelmed by the masses. He still can relate to each of us an individual. He is not overwhelmed. Wow! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

Psalm 136
If you asked me to tell you what are the most striking attributes of our Lord’s glory, what would I tell you? Would I concentrate on the riches of His goodness? Would I emphasize that of all the gods, which I have worshipped, He alone exceeds or excels above all the others in His love for me? Would I talk about the great wonders he has performed in His provision for me? Would I talk about the beauties of the heavens that can now be even more fully seen through the Hubble telescope? Would I talk about the fantastic nuclear furnace which He created and placed a mere 150 million kilometers from us? Its radiant heat provides more than abundant energy to sustain our lives. Or could I refer to the reflective and gravitational power of the moon which he put in motion around us? Oh but then, I could become really personal and talk about the things which He has done in order to deliver me out of the bondage of sin. I could speak of the comfort of His leadership as He guides me through the wilderness, where I have often become stranded because of my sin. Would I talk about the wonderful relationships that He has given me, my wife, my children, my grandchildren, my church family, my friends? Would I speak of the marvelous way that He takes care of me financially? Would I speak of the way that He is my health? Yes I would, but with each one, I would echo with the Psalmist, “His mercy endures forever.” His mercy is greater than all those. Those are just icing on the cake! Thank You, Lord! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ZEPHANIAH 3
Some years ago Laura’s mother was nearing her death. She was in the ICU at the hospital. That morning I read in my quiet time Zephaniah 1-3. I was struck by the iniquity of Judah and the promised judgment of the Lord, but then the Lord shifts gears and talks about how he would bring Judah back into the land in belief. Verse 17 says,

The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

That concept of the Lord of the Universe singing over us is really amazing to me. What tenderness, what love, what compassion is expressed in that act! I spent much time meditating on the fact that the God of the Universe would rejoice and sing over us. Later in the morning we went to visit Laura’s mother at the hospital.
As we sat there quietly next to her bed, Mrs. Mummery commented to Laura, “That is beautiful music you are singing; did John write it?”
Laura responded, “Mom, we are not singing. What do you hear?”
“Oh it is beautiful music! Did John write it?”
“Mom, tell me about the music you hear.”
“Oh it is beautiful! It is all about Jesus and God. Did John write it?”
Mrs. Mummery had never heard any of the songs I have written, nor am I aware that she knew if I had ever written a song. It was one of those rare moments where God clearly had spoken. I pulled out the Gideon Bible found in the hospital room and explained what I had read that morning and then read Zephaniah 3:17. Laura and I needed that encouragement from the Lord. Later that afternoon Mrs. Mummery stepped into eternity with the God of the Universe singing over her. Isn’t He incredible? Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

Hebrews 11:20-40
Jesus is the One who blessed Jacob and Esau, even though they both held Him in contempt. It was because Jesus allowed Jacob to wrestle with Him that Jacob learned to worship and bless others rather than to trip them up. It was because of Jesus that Joseph was able to remain faithful even when encountering tremendous hardship. It was because of Jesus that the mother of Moses could hide him and see him raised in Pharaoh’s household. It was because of Jesus that Moses could choose affliction with the people of God rather than the pleasure of Pharaoh’s household. It was Jesus who delivered the nation of Israel from the bondage of Egypt and across the Red Sea. It was Jesus who made the walls of Jericho fall after the people of God encircled it 7 days. It was Jesus who turned Rahab, the harlot, into a woman of faith and purity and one of His own ancestors. It was Jesus who delivered the judges, David and the Prophets. It is because of the glory of Jesus that many have endured affliction, destitution, torment. They all do this because they see, through the eyes of faith, Jesus. Focusing on His glory is so key in our motivation. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

November 15

1 Chronicles 5-6
1 Chronicles 5:2 (NKJV)2yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s. Hmmm. . . The Birthright belonged to Reuben as the firstborn. But he was disqualified because he dishonored his father. Simeon and Levi were next in line, but Judah prevailed. Perhaps Simeon and Levi were disqualified because of their murder of the men of Shechem. At any rate, Judah prevailed and the right to rule and the line of the Messiah shifted to him. Joseph got the double portion through Ephraim and Manasseh, his sons, but the blessing to the whole world went through Judah. Reuben profaned the name of the Lord with his unbridled lust. Simeon and Levi profaned the name of the Lord with their unbridled revenge. Judah prevailed by his intercession before Joseph for the life of his brother Benjamin and his father Israel. Judah offered his own life in exchange for Benjamin. He was willing to lay it all on the line for his brother’s and his father’s sake. That is exactly what Jesus did for us and for His Father. Lord, let me be the type of man who will lay it all on the line for the sake of others, so that your glory could shine to its brightest degree. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

Psalm 135
I’ve heard it said that we know more about what is outside the atmosphere of the earth than we know about what lies beneath the surface of our oceans. It has been easier to build crafts that can enter a vacuum than to build crafts that can take us to the depths where the weight of water pops ordinary vessels like a pimple. We have all probably seen TV shows of the excursions of people who have gone to the depths to find and explore the wreckage of the Titanic, or to explore the depths of the Marianas Trench the deepest spot in the oceans seven miles below the surface. In order to accomplish these feats we have had to engineer special submarines that cannot be crushed at those depths. To exit those special vehicles in a wet suit would immediately crush the human body. We cannot do as we please.
Contrast that with space. We can hurl ourselves to the moon and come back safely. During the ride, we can jump outside the vehicle in a special space suit and make repairs. It is almost as if we could do as we please in space. Is it not interesting that we can figure out how to live in deep space, but not how to live in the depths of the sea. Yet that is an illusion. In space we have a limited amount of time before we must return. In space we are one careless mistake away from death. We really don’t do what we please, but we have a little more liberty than the depths of the sea.
Often times portions of Psalms are repeated in other Psalms. We find this Psalm to be very similar to Psalm 115. However, I noted one difference. Psalm 115:3 says, “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.” Psalm 135:5–6 says, “For I know that the LORD is great, And our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places.” He knows what kind of life exists in the heat vents of the Marianas Trench. He knows the vacuum of space. He does what He pleases in either case. He created the water whose weight crushes the people in the depths of the sea. He created the vacuum that sucks the life of man in space. Neither extreme has any effect upon Him for He is life. He does not possess it as if someone or something could ever take it away. He is life itself. He needs neither oxygen, pressure or lack of pressure. He lives independently of all things, because He is life! Take away oxygen, water, pressure, food and we die, but He does not! Without those things He still does as He pleases.
So what difference does that make to me? This God who does as He pleases has declared that those who trust in His Son are His special treasure! He simultaneously judges His people and has compassion upon them. There is nothing in this life that threatens me that threatens Him. He designs all things that come into my life to cause me to look to Him and understand who He is. When I see what I presume to be bad in my life, I can rest assured that he is doing it to draw me to Himself, and that is good! He does what He pleases under pressure and in a vacuum. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ZEPHANIAH 2
Yesterday we looked at Zephaniah’s denunciation of the nation of Judah who were at fault because they were complacent concerning what they thought the Lord might do in their nation. Today the prophet turns his attention to the surrounding nations as he looks to the day of judgment of the day of the Lord. Even in the midst of announcing the coming judgment He warns them to, “Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.” (Zephaniah, by the way, means hidden of the Lord or darkness of the Lord.) This is the glory of the Lord that we should meekly uphold justice seeking righteousness and humility. The anger of the Lord is reserved for those who do not do so. In the midst of His anger as it falls upon those around us, we can find refuge by hiding in Him. This is the glory of the Lord! Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

Hebrews 11:1-19
Faith is the substance of things hope for, the evidence of things not seen. How can we have faith? It is because of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is in Him that our faith is placed. He is the one who framed the worlds. It is He who gives us His righteousness when we place our trust in him. When we come to death's edge, it is He who will bid us welcome as we step on the other shore. It is in Him that we are pleasing to God. It is in Him that we are protected from the wrath of a Holy God as it is poured out against sin. It is by Him that we look for a city whose builder and maker is God. We may die, not having received all of the promises He has given us, but we know that because of Him all the promises will be fulfilled on the other side. It is because of Him that we desire the heavenly country. Because of Him the Father is not ashamed for us to call Him our God. It is because of Him that we have assurance that He will raise us up. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john