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Dreaming…

Jn 5; Ps 126-128 “Dreaming…”

ImageThe invalid of John 5 must have thought he was dreaming as he obediently picked up his mat and walked to the Temple. How could this be? Who healed me? Entering the Temple full of awe and surprise whom does he meet but the ‘religious police’ of his day; the Pharisees. Upon hearing of his healing they did not stop to celebrate with him but rather began to question him. Who would tell you to do this “on the Sabbath?” Caught off guard by this barrage, we wonder what his thoughts were; why the Pharisees would not stop to give praise to God for this marvelous healing. Answering as best he could he continues on. It is then that as he walked to worship with his mind filled with thoughts, questions and wonderment that John tells us that the healer appears from out of nowhere. There is only one statement to the man and no return dialog. In vs 15 the man reveals to the Pharisees that it was indeed Jesus. Why did he go back to the Pharisees, these religious naysayers? Could it be that the truth of Prov 29:25 fit in here? 29:25 “The fear of people becomes a snare”? We may never know.

Yes truly the man seemed to be in a fog, so unable to understand what has just transpired. So too, the early Israelites after being freed by Cyrus command from the Babylonian captivity, find themselves in much this same frame of mind, filled with awe, filled with surprise, filled with wonder as they return to Jerusalem. Ps 126:1 “When the Lord restored the well-being of Zion, we thought we were dreaming.” Seventy years of captivity have come and gone. We are really here even though we thought this could not happen in our lifetime! We are in the midst of Jerusalem shouting for joy, laughing loudly and the naysayers are not raining on our parade but giving God praise: “The Lord has accomplished great things for these people.” What a change of heart!

The ‘religious police,’ the naysayers of Jesus’ day, will always be with us. But, also there will be others who, when they see God at work, will have to stop and give God praise. Recognizing that this could only happen because of God’s grace we too need to stop and give God praise.  The psalmist in these three psalms gives wise principles. It is truly a choice on our part. We can choose to return to the naysayers or we can choose to join the chorus and give God the praise!  These psalms, although written to the Jew, are as practically applicable to us today as they were then.

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  1. Give praise to God first and foremost: 126:3 The Lord did indeed accomplish great things for us.
  2. Recognize that apart from God no good thing comes to pass: 127:1 If the Lord does not build a house, then those who build it work in vain. If the Lord does not guard a city, then the watchman stands guard in vain.
  3. Fear the Lord in all holiness and reverence: 128:4 Yes indeed, the man who fears the Lord will be blessed in this way.
  4. Seek God’s blessing upon others: 128:5 May the Lord bless you from Zion, that you might see Jerusalem prosper all the days of your life,
  5. With restoration comes a responsibility to live a righteous life. Blessed with God’s provision of healing seek to abide by what Jesus told the healed invalid: “Look, you have become well. Don’t sin any more, lest anything worse happen to you.”  

Did the invalid follow these principles? We must wait until eternity to find out. In the meantime, we are left with a choice. We can follow these principles today or we can join the naysayer’s camp. What will we choose to do?

 

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A Life Hanging in the Balance….

ImageWe have all had the experience of a pastor preaching and it seems like everyone around us fades away and we stand alone in the crowd. It is as if the Holy Lord God Almighty is peering at us alone and then He asks: Do you want to be saved—healed from your sins? That is the picture we see in John 5. Jesus has a divine appointment in Jerusalem, not for a feast but for a person’s heart. He does not have to go to the pool of Siloam where the invalids lay but he purposes to go there because there lay a man who has been in this invalid condition for over 38 yrs. And so as he so often does, his heart seeks out that one that needs his grace, his love, his tenderness…and then the question is asked—

Do you want to become well? If that were me I think I would not be hesitant to answer: “YES!!” But, listen to this man’s response. Sigh…. “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. While I am trying to get into the water, someone else goes down there before me.” He totally ignores the question just like many do today. Sir, I cannot be saved because of thus and so. When I get someone to come alongside me and take me to the church, to the prayer meeting then and perhaps then…. Jesus then ignores his response and moves aside the cobwebs of blameshifting and pity. “Stand up! Pick up your mat and walk.” His grace is sufficient and is the healing agent that ignores our past and our present because he has a work of grace for our future. His grace must be completed for one reason: that we sin no more but live holy lives in service for him.

And then as the first act reaches its climax we read: (Now that day was a Sabbath.) Why does John tell us this bit of information? It is so that we realize and acknowledge that the day is of little importance, the man’s life and eternity hangs in the balance. It is now or never. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath and “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.” Today Beloved Friend, there is someone who needs to hear the message of salvation; it is now or never. Tomorrow may never come and this person may stand before the Father just as defiled as this paralyzed man. He could not attend worship, he could not beg on the streets, he could not (you fill in the blank).

What divine appointment is God planning for you today? Are you ready to share it with someone who is pitifully laying amongst the crowd waiting to hear “Do you want to become saved?” Beware of listening to their pitiful blameshifting but push forward to tell them the good news. They are waiting for someone, you or I, to pull them aside out of the crowd and ask: Do you know Jesus? If you were to die today where would you spend eternity? Be bold! Be brave! You and I have the message to bring them new life. We can bring them to the Savior and proclaim the message of salvation. Will we do it?

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The Glory of the Lord!

ImageIn  John 1 the Apostle John  writes: We saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth. Yesterday we noted that Philip said to Nathanael, “Come and See.” “When God gives us eyes to see the glory of Jesus—his beauty and greatness and worth—that seeing is the laser beam, as it were, along which great grace streams into our lives. Grace to love. Grace to rejoice. Grace to live forevermore.” [Piper] As we now move to view the first miracle we read again: 2:11 “Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.”

The two incidents in this chapter, the water turned into wine and the cleansing of the Temple, point to the power and majesty and glory of Jesus that He chose to reveal at opportune moments for one reason: that they may see and recognize He is the prophesied Messiah, the glorious Son of God. Jesus is as JB noted: the Chosen One of God. He has been made manifest that we may see our depravity when we stand in his presence and desire and seek his holiness and righteousness. Come and See the Chosen One who took what was deficient and provided the ample. Come and See the Chosen One who took the defiled Temple and cleansed it for worship. Both are pictures of what he does for each of us personally. We who are deficient in our own capacity he fills with the new wine of his grace and provides us with his love and righteousness. Our temple is defiled but he cleanses it with his blood making us fit for heaven.

To the unbelieving he answers with a riddle/parable: “I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand,” but with those whose heart and eyes see and believe, he shares his glory. The religious leaders see with their physical eyes but are spiritually blind to the Savior. Instead they seek more miraculous signs. Jesus responds “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.” He did not say “I will destroy” but said  ““You” destroy”” thus prophesying of his death and resurrection. The contrast could not be more black and white. The religious leaders come and see but remain in their darkness while the people who are only bystanders come and see and their hearts and eyes are opened and believe.

There is another nugget of beauty hidden in this chapter which we might just readily pass over but it is the same word used three different times: “believed.” The word has the idea of entrusting, put faith in, conviction and trust, saving faith. When his glory was revealed to the religious leaders they sought a sign. When his glory was revealed to the disciples and the temple bystanders, they believed/trusted in/put their faith in him. Matthew uses the idea of the eye is the lamp of the body. If the eye, like the window into our soul, is covered with grime, our view is distorted, but if our eye is clear we can see what is revealed clearly. Where has Jesus revealed or made manifest to you what was previously unknown but now is clearly revealed, that is his glory, and how will you respond?  Jesus shared his glory with those whose hearts and eyes were open and ready.

Is your heart and eye open and ready this day to receive his glory?Image

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October 31st. Pumpkins, Halloween, ghosts, goblins or???

ImageI wanted to post this ahead for any who will be thinking about Halloween.

It seems that our world is head over heels in love with Halloween to the point of whole big box stores with all kinds of paraphernalia to be purchased for all ages. I can remember dressing up as a painter’s man using some of my dad’s painter’s garb. Carrying paint pails and paint brushes, my sister and I won first place and the prize was a silver dollar. What has happened to creativity? Halloween has become big business and the merchants are using their “trick or treat” to drain our pocketbooks and fill theirs. But, what is noticed more than that is the death culture it is promoting with the ghouls and goblins dripping with blood. Today public schools spend the month of October in preparation for the party centered around Halloween, costumes, candy and spooky music! The next day at school the children arrive on sugar load and teaching children is as if they were hanging from the chandeliers! I garner that trick or treating is fun and I must admit I love doling out the candy to the little ones as they come knocking. But, I also have to ask what about the spiritual significance of this day? Have we become so enamored with Halloween that we have forgotten about what really happened in 1517 on this date?

Here’s my dilemma. I will bet you 9 out of ten do not know that Oct 31st is not only Halloween but there is a significant historical event that we as Christians should know about and even celebrate. Yet sadly many, and that was me as well, have no idea about the significance of what else Oct 31st represents. For as many years as I had been a believing Christian, the church I attended never once mentioned this date and its spiritual significance. In fact like many churches today it was all about Harvest Parties, all about “fun.” We never even mentioned that something so significant happened that we should stop and take note. It was not until I was privileged to teach in a Reformed Christian Day School that I was awakened to what this day symbolized for me as a Protestant. What an awakening I was about to experience which would forever alter my view of this day!  Familiar with All Saints Day? I never heard of it but in passing and never knew the significance of that date. Did you know that it was the date on which the Reformation began? Let me give you a mini history lesson.  It all began on Oct 31, 1517 when one young German monk named Martin Luther in great boldness and courage nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenburg Castle door. After years as a monk searching for his peace and digesting the book of Romans, he had come to the conclusion that only through faith is one justified. He could not be quiet when the Holy Spirit had so altered his thinking and his heart. Why did I not know about this?  

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I began to question my own church hierarchy but came up against a blank slate. Why was this a new idea to me? Why didn’t my church celebrate this day? When I began to question I was politely told that we did not discuss this, but why? Once again it seemed that denominations were the leading divisive tool that the enemy had used to keep us in the dark. I was not satisfied and so went searching on my own. What I found was not only revealing but life altering.  I found that this young German Monk, chose All Saints Day, Oct 31, 1517 to step out from his clerical collar and with great courage challenge the sale of indulgences to earn salvation. What Martin had learned in his quest for truth was this: salvation is a gift not to be purchased or sold. Not only did he learn that but he also learned that his church, his very denomination was selling indulgences to gain this coveted salvation. Yet in the first chapter of Romans he also learned this: 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes,” Martin could not be silent. He gathered his courage and wrote about this transformation that had changed his life forever! So emboldened he stepped up and told the world this marvelous news: the just shall live by faith not by works!

The question then before me is this: why am I not as bold as Martin Luther? Why am I not using this opportunity to tell the world of this marvelous news that I too have found?  Is that not a significant opportunity to share the gospel with those who do not know? So although Halloween trick or treat is a fun activity there is something far more significant that we should be talking and sharing about. Are we telling the world?

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So as a parent, grandparent or even a school aged child how might this day be celebrated?  Here’s some ideas I found cruising through the web: http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/SpecialDays/Reformation/ReformersWordSearch.pdf 

Have a Reformation Day Faire: http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/SpecialDays/Reformation/activities.html#anchor58776

Sing  “A Mighty Fortress is our God” written by Martin Luther: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/m/i/g/mightyfo.htm

Print out this picture for little ones to color as you explain this day: http://www.teacherhelp.org/images/Martin%20Luther.pdf

Excellent ideas for teaching about this special day; activities, books etc.

http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/SpecialDays/Reformation/#anchor22952

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May I Pray for YOU??? (1John 5)

ImageYesterday I received an email from a “buddy” who is struggling. How my heart goes out to this person! 1John really spoke to my heart today about the confidence I have in Christ to boldly approach the throne of God for this person.

May I have the privilege of doing the same for you?

Here’s why I believe so strongly in this power. Prayer is the concrete demonstration of my love for others. To not utilize this power is to quench the Spirit, to grieve the Spirit! “OUCH”!!!!!

It seems that today many are not overcomers in regards to sin. How can  I walk with them and encourage them? John has the answer in vs 14-17. I can pray over others that they be kept from sin or removed from that sin. John reminds me that “whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.”

 The question before me today is this: how committed am I to obedience and prayer for others? John has reminded us over and over, he who says he is born of God loves one another and that means the closest brother or sister to you. Cain asked “ Am I my brother’s guardian?” and the answer is yes, I am my brother’s keeper because I am the beloved, the called, the chosen, the daughter of the very Son of God—I am born again. I have a conquering power that resides within  me and that is the Holy Spirit. Drawing upon that power I have thus the confidence to come boldly before the throne of God seeking the face of God for the sin that will grant life and pardon to the one who is caught in the web of deceit by the enemy of their souls. Heb 4:16 Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help. In addition, I have the indwelling presence of The Witness who will pray for me when I feel so burdened that  I cannot draw from my inner being even the words to pray. Rom 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.

Thus the practical application for me this day is this: not only to love my brother/sister but to also obey through prayer to bring them to the very throne of God! This is my everyday challenge. What is yours?

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Anointed Ones Abide! (1John 2)

ImageThey say opposites attract but is that really true? We usually use the standards of how we are attracted by one’s physical appearance, by their status, by their education. We oppose those who are different than us.  But, Jesus said we will attract others not by how they look, by how much money they have in the bank etc. but by a character quality and that quality is love for one another. In fact it was so important that on his last night after the Judas left, Jesus gave this commandment:  “I give you a new commandment – to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples – if you have love for one another.”

Yesterday, John told us that God is Light. Today he bridges that concept to say that if we know and have experienced God’s Light illuminating our being we will be marked by three qualities: love, abiding, anointing. Each of those qualities marks the believers/followers of Jesus.  How then do we know if we are loving, abiding, and are anointed and what are the warning signals that we are not? That is the question he poses. First John addresses the children, having just become a new born believer; the fathers; that is we are seasoned, mature; or we are young men; we are in between, not yet fully mature but no longer children. Where are you? Where am I?

First we know Jesus, who is our Advocate. Because we have a propensity to sin, we run to him when we sin and know that if we confess our sin he is faithful and just to forgive us. We have chosen to keep his commandments, we walk in the same manner as he did and we love one another; that is our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Secondly, we are more aware of the enemy’s strategies and now because we are anointed by the indwelling Holy Spirit we should be able to detect his entrance. To help us, John offers three avenues the enemy uses which are no different than he used in the Garden and with Jesus in his temptation. First is the problem of the world: our flesh; that is our perceived wants. Secondly our eyes are our perceived views. Lastly is our pride of life or how we perceive our status.  John says DO NOT love these three for if we do then we should doubt our walk  with God for these are not from the Father. Here’s how you can tell. When one of those perceived enemy attacks comes do you flee (1Tim 6:11, 2Tim 2:22) or stay? Do you deny (Rom  6:12-13, 8:13) or accept? Do you resist (1Pt 5:9) or conform?

Thirdly, as a believer you have the indwelling Holy Spirit to assist you in abiding. Abiding is our intimate relationship with Jesus, our Advocate and Blessed Redeemer/Savior. It has the essence of how we respond to Jesus and His commandments. We allow Him to fill our minds, direct our wills, and transform our affections. Jesus takes up residence within us through the Holy Spirit as He promised. As our intimate teacher the Holy Spirit (John 14:26, 16:13) will bring thoughts to our mind, direct our steps if we are yielding, and will give us understanding.

Blessed Beloved Ones, remain steadfast, immovable, always abounding lest you be led astray. Test the spirits to know if they are of God or not. Check and see if you are abiding, loving, anointed. Abide anointed ones for you are blessed beyond measure.

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God is LIGHT!!! (1John 1)

ImageEach morning it seems that the darkness wants to claim this world but God’s clock and His timing say “sun arise!” There really is something marvelous about that initial sunrise with its glimmer of light that dispels the darkness. First the birds begin to chirp welcoming us to a new day, then the first rays, then the beauty of the clouds emerge as the stars slip into the sky to wait for their later appearance. Finally the sun itself touches our world. As the sun creeps up over the horizon more of God’s creation is revealed and it is marvelous to behold. What  must it have been like for the Apostle John as he heard, saw, beheld, and touched the very Light of God in Jesus? A sunrise can never compare to the beauty of our Savior but each day as we experience the welcoming light of day we are using the same adjectives John used in his painting his picture for us: hear, see, behold, touch. John is so emphatic that he paints this picture three times! And this is why he is writing to us, that we may not miss this marvelous image.

From that image John moves to his message which he has heard from Jesus himself: God is light and in Him there is no darkness. This reminds us of the verse in Rev 22:5 “Night will be no more, and they will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.” Even in the northern most part of our globe where there are places with many hours of light in the summer months, there is at least a portion of darkness, but here in Revelation John tells us that there will never be darkness! NEVER! 

From that beautiful image, John paints three contrasting statements beginning with “if.”

  1. If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in darkness we lie to ourselves. BUT, if we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship. That must be what heaven must be like, full of illuminating light 24/7. Not one drop of darkness for darkness represents sin and sin and God cannot co-exist.
  2. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves; the truth is not in us. BUT, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. If we had no sin there would be no need for the sacrifice of Christ but since there is sin within us we need cleansing and it is His blood that is the cleansing agent.
  3. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar. Did you notice that first we lie to ourselves and then to God? What does God say about lying? He hates it! Prov 6 says God hates a lying tongue and a false witness. This is one of those “OUCH!” statements.

God’s light has shined in our hearts, are we allowing it to shine forth as a new sunrise?  [2Cor 4]  Even though we live and move in darkness, is the Lord our light? [Micah 7:8]  

 

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Shrink Wrapped by the Father for Jesus! [Book of Jude]

ImageOften we have packages we want to ship or packages are shipped to us in what we have come to know as “shrink wrapping.” Polymer plastic is wrapped around a fragile object and then heat is applied so that the plastic conforms to the image. The NET Bible translates: 1:1 From Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, wrapped in the love of God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. Immediately the image of shrinking wrapping came to mind! As a manufacturer applies heat the heat shrinking process begins and the plastic film being used then conforms to the image. How like God to “shrink wrap” me so I can be protected from the elements of this world. His shrink wrapping consists not of plastic but His love and the Holy Spirit’s power. How protective is the Father’s Love!

Jude reminds his readers that they are Beloved of the Father, they are kept in His love. This is a reminder that the Holy Spirit is given to me to keep me, protect me. His protection is lost when wI grieve or quench His power. That is why I must be earnestly seeking to be filled each and every day.  It is the prayer of Jude that I know that the Father has lavished, note that this is past tense, His mercy, peace and love upon these believers and this applies to me as well. And all of this happens inside that shrink wrapping! Do you feel special yet Beloved? I feel so wonderfully protected, how about you, do you feel protected?

But Jude also wants those who are the beloved to contend earnestly for the faith that has been entrusted to them. Paul said much the same to Timothy: “Compete well for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confession for in the presence of many witnesses.” [1Tim 6]

From there Jude builds his message to them with several important reminders:

  1. Build yourselves up on your most holy faith
  2. Keep yourselves in God’s love
  3. Have mercy upon the doubters, save others, snatch them from the grasp of the evil one
  4. Remember is only Jesus that can keep you from stumbling. Only He can make you stand holy and unblemished in His presence with great joy.

As you ponder this very short and powerful letter, contend earnestly, warmly, zealously, with great eagerness. Think about being shrink wrapped in the Father’s love and praise Him for His love and care.

 

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Am I Wise? Prov 24

ImageI like to think I am wise because of the many years under my belt, but Proverbs always checks my stride to show areas where I am faltering. Prov 24 is one of those chapters!

I hold in my  hands the most marvelous treasure of all, God’s Word. Hidden within are the jewels of wisdom that God will refine so that I will shine as His light in a dark world. The book of Proverbs  is God’s treasure box which is filled with His gems which if read, pondered, and applied are the gems God uses to fill my crown that shows I am His child of royal standing. 1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Proverbs Gleanings: Image

Vs 1, 7, 8, 19 Observe those who are unrighteous, listen to how they converse. Their lips reveal that upon which they dwell in their thoughts. They lack restraint where judicial matters are concerned, are schemers and scoffers. They are the people who belong to the “loose lips” club; avoid them. Am I avoiding them or encouraging them in their foolish ways by listening to them?

Vs 11-12 Today the news is filled with horror of human trafficking, genocide, infanticide and more. We shudder but are we assisting to help alleviate the problem or are we ignoring it?  During WWII many knew but did nothing. “We have a responsibility to help such people. If we claim ignorance of their condition as a reason for not helping them, we need to remember that God knows the true condition of our heart and will requite us accordingly. We are responsible to rescue those who are in mortal danger. This includes warning and teaching those who are hastening to destruction.” [Toy] What am I doing? I am involved in a “holy huddle” Bible Study but on Thursdays I enter the halls of a local elementary school and share the Good News with children who are often unchurched. What are you doing?

Vs 13-14 Just as honey is nourishing to the physical body, so wisdom is the honey for the soul. If we neglect feeding the body it begins to decline, if we neglect reading, meditating and applying the principles in the Word of God our spiritual body declines. “OUCH”!!!

Vs 17-18, 23-26, 28-29 O you who say you are wise, when I see your “works” what do I discern? If I rejoice over an enemy’s stumbling what does that say about my heart and spiritual attitude? If I am prejudiced what does that say about my understanding of  the truth that we are all made in the image of God?  If I hide my light under a bushel and do not share the gospel when God provides a divine opportunity what does it say about what I know and believe about the message of salvation? When I bear false witness what does it say about my understanding of God’s moral law which Jesus obeyed?  

Vs. 30-34/6:6-11 Observe your daily work.  Remember the parable about the ant and the grasshopper and I need to  ask myself: Are you more like the ant that was diligent to prepare for winter or more like the grasshopper who slept in the heat of summer but went begging for food in the winter? I am either diligent or I am a sluggard. Principle: “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.” [2Thess 3]

Wise thoughts to glean and determine my steps. Pro 16:9 A person plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps.

What is God teaching you? Image

crown image: credit firstcovers.com

 

 

 

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