Wendell started an "Israel Support" group to which I am a part. Each member chose a topic from a list on which to make a report. I chose, "Why Jews Are Hated." The following is my report. There was a lot of information on the internet so that is where I gleaned most of this. With all this information (and there was more, but too much to put in this time-limited report), I still don't understand how true believers, who have the love of God within them, and knowing Jesus Christ was a Jew, could hate them and be anti-Semitic. I thought this information may be of interest to you. This is in outline form to help in my presentation.
I. The Primary reason
A. Because they are God’s chosen people to serve Him, bear
the Savior and spread the Gospel.
1. Even though they rebelled against God, He has set them
aside until the times of the Gentiles is fulfilled
(Luke 21:24).
a. The nation of Israel will suffer persecution, killings
and defeat in war until the Lord Jesus Christ returns.
b. God has turned to the Gentiles to preach the Gospel to
the world, to provoke the Jews to jealousy (Romans
11:11).
c. Sadly, most Jews today are Christ-rejecting followers
of Judaism, but they are still God’s chosen people.
Being chosen doesn’t entitle them to special treatment,
or a guaranteed ticket to Heaven. Jesus taught
Nicodemus, “You must be born again to enter into the
kingdom of God” (John 3:1-7). There is only one plan
of salvation given by God to man, and it is the same
for Gentile and Jew alike (Acts 4:10-12, John 3:16-17).
God never promised to bless Israelites today who reject
and disobey Him (Deut. 28).
d. Satan nature is to hate and he hates God’s chosen,
because they are the object of God’s promise of the
Messiah (Savior) of the world (Gen.3:15; 12:3; &
throughout the prophecies of the Old and New Testaments).
He hates them because God loves them so much.
(1)Satan hates God and, therefore, all of God’s people
because they are the object of God’s love and eternal
promises. He supposes he can crush God’s plans. If
we have not been born again our old nature will be
predominate and we can easily hate.
(2) Because Satan hates God’s human creation, he tries to
deceive them by influencing them to think God’s chosen,
the Jewish people, are loved more than Gentiles. God
loves all men the same, with an unconditional love
(Romans 5:8; John 3:16); and that God respects the Jew
over the Gentile (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Gal.3:28).
II. The Jews are hated because of JEALOUSY. God has reached out to humanity through
the Jews. God could have chosen any other nation (Greeks, Romans, Germans,
Italians, etc.), but in His wisdom omniscience He chose the Israelites. If God had
chosen the Chinese to be the nation from which the Messiah would come, every other
nation would hate the Chinese. It is jealousy in the hearts of men that causes them to
hate God’s Chosen, the Jew.
A. People are jealous of the Jews because all the following came to mankind
through the nation of Israel:
1) The Messiah – Because of all the promises and blessings that came to the Jews
because of Jesus.
2) The Bible and The Ten Commandments brought the Law, and whether directly
or indirectly, they brought them guilt for their sins and made them aware they
were sinning, disobeying and displeasing God and they would pay the penalty for
that sin. The world hates the Jews because Israel gave the world a conscience
through the Law. They loved darkness rather than light (John 3:19; Isa.5:4).
3) God’s plan of redemption for mankind – God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah
55:8), and He is the omniscient, sovereign God and mankind’s rebellious heart
thinks God’s plan is too ‘simple,’ and are jealous because His plan came through
His chosen people, the Jews. It is God they world truly hates, because their
‘father’ is the deceiver, Satan, and has placed this jealousy and lies in their hearts.
4) Many people hate and are jealous of the Jews’ as a whole, because a small group
of elite Jews own and control the news media, Hollywood, the U.S. government,
the International Banking system and more and have great wealth and power; but
the Jewish people as a nation are not to blame.
III. Sad but true, Christians have often persecuted God’s people, mistakenly thinking they
were doing it for the cause of Christ. How tragic for both sides! For the Jews,
because they experienced unspeakable suffering and for Christians because they
invited curses in their own life and missed their chance to honor and love “the apple
of God’s eye” (Deuteronomy 32:10). Those who have persecuted Jews over the
centuries didn’t have the heart of God in the matter, after-all, Jesus was a Jew. To
the Jew hater this fact is abhorrent to them, but it is true. Could they be true
Christians and know the teachings of Jesus (Matt.22:39); or just be completely deceived
by Satan into believing the lies about the Jews? They certainly had not found the
“mind of Christ.”
A. Example in point – Martin Luther.
Martin Luther, who lived in the 16th century, restored a great truth to the Church – that salvation is by faith and not by works - yet he missed it entirely regarding the Jewish people. He wanted them annihilated and fueled persecution of Jews at that time. He was wrong but his influence down through the centuries following, sparked justification to men such as Hitler, who called himself ‘Christian,’ spewed his hatred in the Holocaust during World War II.
“So if men were inspired to despise God’s chosen people, who inspired them? Whose works are the works of hatred? Who comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10)? Satan and the powers of darkness are behind every act of anti-
Semitism. The word Semite is derived from the Hebrew word Shem, meaning Holy blessed name, referring to God Himself. Thus, to be anti-Semitic is to be anti-God! If the powers of darkness can get Christians to participate in anti-Semitic acts, they are all the happier. Unfortunately there are too many willing partners in kings, religious and political leaders and common men upon the earth. A Jew hater is a hater of God.”
“There have always been two ways to kill the Jews. First by killing the Jew when he refused forced conversion – Christian Crusaders; Inquisitions; Polish, Russian, Hungarian, English, French and Italian pogroms; North, Central and South American Inquisitions of the 1500s and 1800s; and the Nazi Holocaust.
Second is through corrupt doctrine:
a. Through forced indoctrination to cause Jews to assimilate into the local
national culture and to abandon the old God-given ways once they come to
Yeshua (Jesus).
b. With strong teachings against keep the Lord’s Sabbath, His Torah, His Holy
Instructions, calling them bondages, His Holy seasons, the Lord’s holidays of
Leviticus 23; His dietary and nutritional laws; against the Talmud and writings
of the fathers.”
“After 4,000 years later and still people get upset because we eat in a unique manner. We do not eat certain things because God instructed us not to eat any unclean animal. It is simple obedience. For that reason, millions of our people have been killed during all these years. When we come to see our blessed Messiah, Yeshua, the first thing we are asked by some in the churches is, ‘Now that you know Jesus Christ, why do you insist on following all the Old Testament commandments?’ How interesting that no one ever thought to ask, ‘What would have happened if all Jews had assimilated 2000 years ago?’ Would there be any Israel to return to in the end of days?” (by Haim Levi)
Born-again Gentiles are also called “GOD’S PEOPLE” (Gal.3:7-9,14,16,18 and 29).
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Oh, The Wonder Of It All
“Blessed be the LORD GOD, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things!”
(Psalm 72:18)
Everything God does is wondrous! He is perfect, magnanimous, holy, loving and wondrous in all His ways! He cannot do any less than perfect. He is Yahweh – the Sovereign God – omniscient, omnipresent andomnipotent. If I am his redeemed and adopted child, how can I do anything less than say with David in Psalm 34:1, “His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” If I don’t feel like praising Him, Satan is oppressing me or I have let some sin get between myself and the Savior. Sin causes a disconnect between me and Jesus (Who should be my focus). It could be sins of the “flesh” or of the “spirit.” Sin brings darkness, depression, guilt and fear. But when I am walking in the Light, close to Him, all I want to do or say is to praise Him for the wondrous things He has done and is doing.
Electricity is a wonderful thing; it is also a puzzling thing. If it is captured and channeled its power can run huge turbines or light small lamps; but it must be connected to the source before it will work. I can’t define it, other than to say it is natural energy. Webster defines it as, “A fundament entity of nature consisting of negative and positive kinds composed respectively of electrons and protons and possibly electrons and positrons observable in the attractions and repulsions of bodies electrified by friction and in natural phenomena (as in lightening or in the aurora borealis) and usually utilized in the form of electrical current.” (I like my definition better. )
Electricity is a wonderful thing when it is channeled and controlled properly; but it is very dangerous if you are standing in an open field or under a tree in a lightening storm. People and animals have been seriously injured or even killed when they are struck by lightening or when they are using electrical current improperly. The same is true of God’s power – it is wondrous; but unless we are “plugged in” to His power we can do nothing. God has a plan and purpose for us; He has given us gifts, but if we are not vitally connected to His love we are like a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal (I Cor.13:1). We are doing nothing more than ‘making noise.’ Our efforts must all be “through Christ Who strengthens me” (Phil.4:13). God is wondrous in all of His ways!
O, The Wonder Of It All!
(George Beverly Shea)
There's the wonder of sunset at evening,
The wonder as sunrise I see;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is the wonder the God loves me.
Chorus:
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.
There's the wonder of springtime and harvest,
The sky, the stars, the sun;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is the wonder that's only begun.
(Psalm 72:18)
Everything God does is wondrous! He is perfect, magnanimous, holy, loving and wondrous in all His ways! He cannot do any less than perfect. He is Yahweh – the Sovereign God – omniscient, omnipresent andomnipotent. If I am his redeemed and adopted child, how can I do anything less than say with David in Psalm 34:1, “His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” If I don’t feel like praising Him, Satan is oppressing me or I have let some sin get between myself and the Savior. Sin causes a disconnect between me and Jesus (Who should be my focus). It could be sins of the “flesh” or of the “spirit.” Sin brings darkness, depression, guilt and fear. But when I am walking in the Light, close to Him, all I want to do or say is to praise Him for the wondrous things He has done and is doing.
Electricity is a wonderful thing; it is also a puzzling thing. If it is captured and channeled its power can run huge turbines or light small lamps; but it must be connected to the source before it will work. I can’t define it, other than to say it is natural energy. Webster defines it as, “A fundament entity of nature consisting of negative and positive kinds composed respectively of electrons and protons and possibly electrons and positrons observable in the attractions and repulsions of bodies electrified by friction and in natural phenomena (as in lightening or in the aurora borealis) and usually utilized in the form of electrical current.” (I like my definition better. )
Electricity is a wonderful thing when it is channeled and controlled properly; but it is very dangerous if you are standing in an open field or under a tree in a lightening storm. People and animals have been seriously injured or even killed when they are struck by lightening or when they are using electrical current improperly. The same is true of God’s power – it is wondrous; but unless we are “plugged in” to His power we can do nothing. God has a plan and purpose for us; He has given us gifts, but if we are not vitally connected to His love we are like a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal (I Cor.13:1). We are doing nothing more than ‘making noise.’ Our efforts must all be “through Christ Who strengthens me” (Phil.4:13). God is wondrous in all of His ways!
O, The Wonder Of It All!
(George Beverly Shea)
There's the wonder of sunset at evening,
The wonder as sunrise I see;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is the wonder the God loves me.
Chorus:
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.
There's the wonder of springtime and harvest,
The sky, the stars, the sun;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is the wonder that's only begun.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Separating the Precious From The Vile (Jer.15:19)
“I resolve to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ the Messiah and Him crucified.” I Cor.2:2
There are only a few temporal things I have inherited, and those things were a second-hand inheritance (I inherited because my mother had inherited them). As a child, 10-12 years of age, I remember my mother inherited some money from the estate of two maiden aunts who were doctors and had no children of their own on to whom they could pass their inheritance. So the nieces and nephews became the recipients of their legacy. I don’t know how much Mother received but being the unselfish person she was, she asked each of the children, still at home (probably six), what special one thing they would like to have.
Mother was a single, uneducated woman who worked at a laundry to care for her many children, so she had many needs on which she could have spent her inheritance and no one would have faulted her. But because of her complete selflessness she wanted her children to have a special desire of their heart they otherwise would probably never have, regardless if she had her desires and needs met (she knew Jesus would meet her needs). I remember my sister, Maxine, who was the sibling just older than I, wanted a pair of shoe skates. I don’t remember what the other children’s requests were, but they were similar in money value. As I had thought about the possibility of my receiving something I prized and desired that I probably would not ever have the possibility of getting (at least until I was old enough to buy it myself), there was only one thing I greatly desired – a piano. Not realizing the great cost, compared to the other children’s requested gifts, I boldly came to my mother who had offered this, what seemed to me as an unthinkable, ‘priceless’ gift, and I asked for a piano.
When Papa lived at home and we had moved from the farm into town, we lived in a big house on the other side of town, and we owned a big player piano – with the scrolls. Mother loved classical music so that is what most of the music was on our scrolls. Since I was preschool I learned to love music and could pick out the melody with my right hand, I just “banged” with my left. When I was a little older (maybe six or seven) a lady at our church noticed I could play the melody of the hymns we sang with my right hand and she took an interest in me and taught me how to play chords to go with the melody of the right hand, so was the beginning of my two-handed “playing by ear.” I never got to take lessons but when I was in high school and then college, I learned the notes and a few terms of music theory from being in choir and taking voice lessons. Since then the Lord has caused me to “hear” the combination of notes and chords, etc. I can’t explain it but I know the Lord gave me this gift, then He opened doors of opportunity for me to learn more and more about music (mostly hymns).
I have told all of this to say, my mother recognized my “gift” and wanted me to have a piano. For whatever reason I don't remember, we had to leave the player piano at our “big house” when we moved, she got me my requested piano. It was an old upright but nice, and it was my most treasured possession. I spent many hours just playing my piano and worshipping in song. Although a different piano from that old upright so many years ago, my present piano is my most treasured material belonging. It is just a temporal thing and not to be compared to my eternal treasure of “knowing Jesus, the Messiah,” and being intimately acquainted with Him; to have Him walk and talk with me daily. He cares about my cares and joys and His Holy Spirit fills me with Himself and gives me the power to overcome every trial and temptation Satan may throw my way.
What a ‘precious’ gift.
Besides the precious treasure of “knowing” Jesus and have His Spirit live within me He has given me the greatest treasure – eternal life – and will some day come to take me home to be with Him forever! Because of this knowledge we, as believers, must focus on separating the “precious from the vile” (Jer.15:19). The ‘precious’ things are the eternal things; the ‘vile’ things are the temporal things. These ‘vile’ things may be attitudes (doubts, unbelief,etc.), selfishness and sins of any kind. The word ‘precious’ in the Hebrew means, “valuable, to be prized;” the word “vile” means “worthless.” Although there are many temporal ‘things’ we treasure here and now, we must focus on the most ‘precious’ (the eternal) things. Psalm 116:15 tell us that the death of His saints are 'precious' to the Lord.
If my house were to catch on fire, what would be the most ‘precious’ things I would try to rescue on my way out? Of course my family would come first. Next, I guess would be my albums of pictures of our family and friends. But even these things will “pass away” - the silver fish can eat them, water damage can destroy those images on paper, age can dim those portraits of memories and times gone by. I would like to rescue my Bibles in which I have made notes and markings I would not like to lose, but they too can be destroyed, so those books I can hold in my hand can also pass away. But the Word of God will never pass away. Though heaven and earth may pass away, God’s Word will never pass away (Matt.24:35).
I read a story by E. MacLelland that told of a newly saved man who was sitting on the porch reading his Bible. A friend passing by stopped and asked, “Tom, what are you reading?” “Oh,” said Tom, “I’m reading my legacy, and I’m so happy to see all to which I am an heir.” “Who died?” asked the friend. The young believer replied, “The one who died was my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and now His inheritance is mine!”
If we are His children, then we are His heirs also, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (sharing his inheritance with Him), only we are to share His suffering if we are to share His glory (Rom.8:17)! We must focus on those things that will not pass away; those things that will not wear out, rust or decay; all of those “things” are the ‘precious’ we are to separate from the ‘vile.’ All the things of this earth, become ‘vile’ (or worthless) in comparison to knowing Jesus and the eternal life He has promised us; and the fellowship of the Godhead, and the spiritual gifts of the Holy spirit He has given us here and now.
Here are some ‘precious’ things that are in our inheritance package on which we should be focusing:
1) Godly wisdom (Prov.8:11);
2) God’s Word – Truth (Mark 13:31);
3) Godly counsel (Ps. 16:6,7);
4) fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore (Ps. 16:11);
5) righteousness, peace and vindication from opposition (Isa.54:17;
6) the conqueror’s crown (I Pet. 5:4);
7) the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7);
8) eternal life (Heb.1:14);
9) forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18);
10) the Holy Spirit(Eph.1:13-14)
11) our death (Ps.116:15)
All the states in the United States say there are hundreds of thousands of dollars of inherited money which have never been claimed. The money is just waiting for the one with the right to claim it. If we are children of God, we have the right to claim all that is our Father’s. Most of us are living immeasurably below the privileges of a “child of God.” Have you claimed your inheritance? Are you separating the 'precious' from the 'vile'?
There are only a few temporal things I have inherited, and those things were a second-hand inheritance (I inherited because my mother had inherited them). As a child, 10-12 years of age, I remember my mother inherited some money from the estate of two maiden aunts who were doctors and had no children of their own on to whom they could pass their inheritance. So the nieces and nephews became the recipients of their legacy. I don’t know how much Mother received but being the unselfish person she was, she asked each of the children, still at home (probably six), what special one thing they would like to have.
Mother was a single, uneducated woman who worked at a laundry to care for her many children, so she had many needs on which she could have spent her inheritance and no one would have faulted her. But because of her complete selflessness she wanted her children to have a special desire of their heart they otherwise would probably never have, regardless if she had her desires and needs met (she knew Jesus would meet her needs). I remember my sister, Maxine, who was the sibling just older than I, wanted a pair of shoe skates. I don’t remember what the other children’s requests were, but they were similar in money value. As I had thought about the possibility of my receiving something I prized and desired that I probably would not ever have the possibility of getting (at least until I was old enough to buy it myself), there was only one thing I greatly desired – a piano. Not realizing the great cost, compared to the other children’s requested gifts, I boldly came to my mother who had offered this, what seemed to me as an unthinkable, ‘priceless’ gift, and I asked for a piano.
When Papa lived at home and we had moved from the farm into town, we lived in a big house on the other side of town, and we owned a big player piano – with the scrolls. Mother loved classical music so that is what most of the music was on our scrolls. Since I was preschool I learned to love music and could pick out the melody with my right hand, I just “banged” with my left. When I was a little older (maybe six or seven) a lady at our church noticed I could play the melody of the hymns we sang with my right hand and she took an interest in me and taught me how to play chords to go with the melody of the right hand, so was the beginning of my two-handed “playing by ear.” I never got to take lessons but when I was in high school and then college, I learned the notes and a few terms of music theory from being in choir and taking voice lessons. Since then the Lord has caused me to “hear” the combination of notes and chords, etc. I can’t explain it but I know the Lord gave me this gift, then He opened doors of opportunity for me to learn more and more about music (mostly hymns).
I have told all of this to say, my mother recognized my “gift” and wanted me to have a piano. For whatever reason I don't remember, we had to leave the player piano at our “big house” when we moved, she got me my requested piano. It was an old upright but nice, and it was my most treasured possession. I spent many hours just playing my piano and worshipping in song. Although a different piano from that old upright so many years ago, my present piano is my most treasured material belonging. It is just a temporal thing and not to be compared to my eternal treasure of “knowing Jesus, the Messiah,” and being intimately acquainted with Him; to have Him walk and talk with me daily. He cares about my cares and joys and His Holy Spirit fills me with Himself and gives me the power to overcome every trial and temptation Satan may throw my way.
What a ‘precious’ gift.
Besides the precious treasure of “knowing” Jesus and have His Spirit live within me He has given me the greatest treasure – eternal life – and will some day come to take me home to be with Him forever! Because of this knowledge we, as believers, must focus on separating the “precious from the vile” (Jer.15:19). The ‘precious’ things are the eternal things; the ‘vile’ things are the temporal things. These ‘vile’ things may be attitudes (doubts, unbelief,etc.), selfishness and sins of any kind. The word ‘precious’ in the Hebrew means, “valuable, to be prized;” the word “vile” means “worthless.” Although there are many temporal ‘things’ we treasure here and now, we must focus on the most ‘precious’ (the eternal) things. Psalm 116:15 tell us that the death of His saints are 'precious' to the Lord.
If my house were to catch on fire, what would be the most ‘precious’ things I would try to rescue on my way out? Of course my family would come first. Next, I guess would be my albums of pictures of our family and friends. But even these things will “pass away” - the silver fish can eat them, water damage can destroy those images on paper, age can dim those portraits of memories and times gone by. I would like to rescue my Bibles in which I have made notes and markings I would not like to lose, but they too can be destroyed, so those books I can hold in my hand can also pass away. But the Word of God will never pass away. Though heaven and earth may pass away, God’s Word will never pass away (Matt.24:35).
I read a story by E. MacLelland that told of a newly saved man who was sitting on the porch reading his Bible. A friend passing by stopped and asked, “Tom, what are you reading?” “Oh,” said Tom, “I’m reading my legacy, and I’m so happy to see all to which I am an heir.” “Who died?” asked the friend. The young believer replied, “The one who died was my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and now His inheritance is mine!”
If we are His children, then we are His heirs also, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (sharing his inheritance with Him), only we are to share His suffering if we are to share His glory (Rom.8:17)! We must focus on those things that will not pass away; those things that will not wear out, rust or decay; all of those “things” are the ‘precious’ we are to separate from the ‘vile.’ All the things of this earth, become ‘vile’ (or worthless) in comparison to knowing Jesus and the eternal life He has promised us; and the fellowship of the Godhead, and the spiritual gifts of the Holy spirit He has given us here and now.
Here are some ‘precious’ things that are in our inheritance package on which we should be focusing:
1) Godly wisdom (Prov.8:11);
2) God’s Word – Truth (Mark 13:31);
3) Godly counsel (Ps. 16:6,7);
4) fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore (Ps. 16:11);
5) righteousness, peace and vindication from opposition (Isa.54:17;
6) the conqueror’s crown (I Pet. 5:4);
7) the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7);
8) eternal life (Heb.1:14);
9) forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18);
10) the Holy Spirit(Eph.1:13-14)
11) our death (Ps.116:15)
All the states in the United States say there are hundreds of thousands of dollars of inherited money which have never been claimed. The money is just waiting for the one with the right to claim it. If we are children of God, we have the right to claim all that is our Father’s. Most of us are living immeasurably below the privileges of a “child of God.” Have you claimed your inheritance? Are you separating the 'precious' from the 'vile'?
Friday, May 6, 2011
From The Mire and Into The Choir
A Story of Deliverance
“He drew me up also out of a horrible pit (of tumult and of destruction) out of the miry clay (froth and slime), and set my feet upon a rock, steadying my steps and established my goings. And He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many shall see it, and fear (revere and worship), and shall put their trust and confident reliance in the LORD” (Psalms 40:2-3 (Amp.).
What a conversion! What marvelous Grace! O what Love! David was certainly a poetic orator and writer. He was so ready and quick to praise God for His goodness, mercy and love. In the first verse of this fortieth chapter David waited patiently and expectantly for God to hear his cry.
Then upon hearing David’s cry, the LORD reached down into the “pit” of David’s life and marvelously “drew him out of his tumult and destruction; out of the froth and slime of the miry clay in that pit; and He set his feet upon a rock, steadying his steps and established the way he should go” (v.2).
For an added blessing, the LORD put a new song in David’s mouth; it was a song of praise to David’s GOD, JEHOVAH. David continues to muse over his deliverance, “Many shall see and worship and put their trust and confident reliance in the Lord” (v.3).
David continues in verse 4, “Fortunate and to be envied is the man who makes the Lord his refuge and trust, and turns not to the proud or to followers or false gods.”
David praises his God, “Many are the wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us; no one can compare with You; if I should declare and speak of them, they are too many to be numbered” (v.5). David continues his praise in verse six, “You have given me the capacity to hear and obey Your law, a more valuable service than burnt offerings and sin offerings which you do not require.” David then blesses the Lord, “I delight to do Your will, O my God; yes, Your law is within my heart” (v.8).
George Hall compiled these verses so succinctly, “Out of the mire, and into the choir” aptly describes the spiritual change which takes place when we are saved. It is entirely of God’s grace, and is ours in our Lord Jesus Christ. What joyful songs of praise should fill our hearts and mouths, in appreciation of our great deliverance!”
HE LIFTED ME
Charles H. Gabriel
In loving-kindness Jesus came, My soul in mercy to reclaim,
And from the depths of sin and shame, Thru grace He lifted me.
He called me long before I heard, Before my sinful heart was stirred,
But when I took Him at His word, Forgiv’n He lifted me.
His brow was pierced with many a thorn, His hands by cruel nails were torn,
When from my guilt and grief, forlorn, In love He lifted me.
Now on a higher plane I dwell, And with my soul I know ‘tis well;
Yet how or why, I cannot tell, He should have lifted me.
From sinking sand He lifted me, With tender hand He lifted me;
From shades of night to plains of light, O praise His name, He lifted me!
“He drew me up also out of a horrible pit (of tumult and of destruction) out of the miry clay (froth and slime), and set my feet upon a rock, steadying my steps and established my goings. And He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many shall see it, and fear (revere and worship), and shall put their trust and confident reliance in the LORD” (Psalms 40:2-3 (Amp.).
What a conversion! What marvelous Grace! O what Love! David was certainly a poetic orator and writer. He was so ready and quick to praise God for His goodness, mercy and love. In the first verse of this fortieth chapter David waited patiently and expectantly for God to hear his cry.
Then upon hearing David’s cry, the LORD reached down into the “pit” of David’s life and marvelously “drew him out of his tumult and destruction; out of the froth and slime of the miry clay in that pit; and He set his feet upon a rock, steadying his steps and established the way he should go” (v.2).
For an added blessing, the LORD put a new song in David’s mouth; it was a song of praise to David’s GOD, JEHOVAH. David continues to muse over his deliverance, “Many shall see and worship and put their trust and confident reliance in the Lord” (v.3).
David continues in verse 4, “Fortunate and to be envied is the man who makes the Lord his refuge and trust, and turns not to the proud or to followers or false gods.”
David praises his God, “Many are the wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us; no one can compare with You; if I should declare and speak of them, they are too many to be numbered” (v.5). David continues his praise in verse six, “You have given me the capacity to hear and obey Your law, a more valuable service than burnt offerings and sin offerings which you do not require.” David then blesses the Lord, “I delight to do Your will, O my God; yes, Your law is within my heart” (v.8).
George Hall compiled these verses so succinctly, “Out of the mire, and into the choir” aptly describes the spiritual change which takes place when we are saved. It is entirely of God’s grace, and is ours in our Lord Jesus Christ. What joyful songs of praise should fill our hearts and mouths, in appreciation of our great deliverance!”
HE LIFTED ME
Charles H. Gabriel
In loving-kindness Jesus came, My soul in mercy to reclaim,
And from the depths of sin and shame, Thru grace He lifted me.
He called me long before I heard, Before my sinful heart was stirred,
But when I took Him at His word, Forgiv’n He lifted me.
His brow was pierced with many a thorn, His hands by cruel nails were torn,
When from my guilt and grief, forlorn, In love He lifted me.
Now on a higher plane I dwell, And with my soul I know ‘tis well;
Yet how or why, I cannot tell, He should have lifted me.
From sinking sand He lifted me, With tender hand He lifted me;
From shades of night to plains of light, O praise His name, He lifted me!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
The Perfect Will Of God
“Not my will, but Yours be done.”
God’s will is perfect. His perfect will was set for each of us before He created our universe. His will is has been planned individually for every person who has lived and will live. Unless we relinquish our will to His perfect will we will never experience the fulfillment and abundant life He has planned for us. Living in His perfect will doesn’t mean we won’t experience troubles, temptations and tribulations, but His plan is to use these to sculpt His perfect likeness into our lives. As we continue to trust the Father through every experience, good or bad, our faith is grown and we experience the joy of “all things working out for our good (Rom.8:28).
In Jeremiah 29:11 God was speaking to those in captivity in Babylon, but it also applies to us (II Tim.3:16,17). God has plans for us for good and not for evil if we “seek Him with all our heart” (Jer. 29:13). This “seeking” must first involve our commitment to Him as Lord of our lives. Then we will find the joy, peace and fulfillment for which all of us are looking. Yielding our wills (plans, hopes and dreams) to the Father is the beginning of ‘knowing’ His perfect will for us. Proverds16:3 says, “Roll your works upon the Lord (commit and trust them wholly to Him). He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and so shall your plans be established and succeed.” One of Billy Graham’s daughters, Anne Graham Lotz, put it this way, “When we yield our lives to Jesus, we want what He wants more than what we want.”
If Jesus was so yielded to the Father’s will to pray this prayer in Luke 22:42, how can I be foolish enough to think I know what is best for my life (Prov.12:15)?
My prayer: “Father, I will commit my will to Your will so You will bring Your perfect will to pass in my life” (Ps.37:5 (Amp).
HAVE THINE OWN WAY
Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.
You are the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Your will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
God’s will is perfect. His perfect will was set for each of us before He created our universe. His will is has been planned individually for every person who has lived and will live. Unless we relinquish our will to His perfect will we will never experience the fulfillment and abundant life He has planned for us. Living in His perfect will doesn’t mean we won’t experience troubles, temptations and tribulations, but His plan is to use these to sculpt His perfect likeness into our lives. As we continue to trust the Father through every experience, good or bad, our faith is grown and we experience the joy of “all things working out for our good (Rom.8:28).
In Jeremiah 29:11 God was speaking to those in captivity in Babylon, but it also applies to us (II Tim.3:16,17). God has plans for us for good and not for evil if we “seek Him with all our heart” (Jer. 29:13). This “seeking” must first involve our commitment to Him as Lord of our lives. Then we will find the joy, peace and fulfillment for which all of us are looking. Yielding our wills (plans, hopes and dreams) to the Father is the beginning of ‘knowing’ His perfect will for us. Proverds16:3 says, “Roll your works upon the Lord (commit and trust them wholly to Him). He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and so shall your plans be established and succeed.” One of Billy Graham’s daughters, Anne Graham Lotz, put it this way, “When we yield our lives to Jesus, we want what He wants more than what we want.”
If Jesus was so yielded to the Father’s will to pray this prayer in Luke 22:42, how can I be foolish enough to think I know what is best for my life (Prov.12:15)?
My prayer: “Father, I will commit my will to Your will so You will bring Your perfect will to pass in my life” (Ps.37:5 (Amp).
HAVE THINE OWN WAY
Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.
You are the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Your will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
The Second Greatest Commandment
You Shall Love Your Neighbor As Yourself
Matthew 22:39
One day when Jesus was teaching, the Pharisees gathered together to ask Him a question they thought they could use to ‘stump’ Him. One of the Pharisee layers asked, “What is the greatest and most important commandment in the law?” Jesus not only answered with the first commandment from the Ten Commandments but elaborated on it. To love God with all our hearts (Who is easy to love) we must also ‘love our neighbor in the same way we love ourselves’ – this is the hard part. It is hard because our neighbor may not love us back. We love ourselves a lot, we put ourselves first, when we are hungry and thirsty we feed ourselves and satiate our thirst. When we hurt we seek comfort; when we are sick we do all within our power to get healing. When we are lonely we seek companionship. Whatever our need, spirit, soul or body, we go to any length to fulfill our need.
Do I love my neighbor (who may not be easy to love) in the same way as I love myself? Maybe a better question is, “Can I love my neighbor just like I do myself?” The answer is, “No.” It is an impossible task to love my neighbor without first loving the Lord my God with all my heart, soul and intellect. It is only with God’s indwelling love can I love others (even myself). Love is a choice so it is only with His indwelling love can I want to choose to love others.
The next question is, “What is this kind of love?” The Greek word for this kind of love is, ‘agapao,’ and means “to love in a moral or social sense.” This kind of love is “a deliberate assent of the will and intellect,” – I choose to love. I choose to forgive my neighbor who has wronged me. I choose to return to my neighbor good for the evil he has done to me. I choose to give to my needy neighbor from my supply. I choose to comfort my neighbor who is hurting. I choose to try to understand my neighbor’s situation, and ask myself, “How would I want them to treat me if I were in their situation?” and react to them as I would have them react to me; and how would Jesus react? This is living out the “Golden Rule” (Matt. 17:12).
Then the Pharisee lawyer trying to acquit himself of reproach asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus gave him the best definition of who our neighbor is in the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan’ in Luke 10:30-37. This is the story of a traveling man who was attacked by robbers, who stripped him of his clothes and belongings, beat him and left him half dead, unconcernedly. Then by coincidence a preacher was going along that road, and when he saw the wounded man, he passed by on the other side, unconcernedly.
Next a Levite, a very religious and educated man who was responsible for keeping the
tabernacle and temple and activities that went on there. He too saw the injured man and passed by on the other side. But when a Samaritan, as he traveled along came to where the wounded man was, saw him and was moved with pity and sympathy for him. And he went to him and dressed his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine. Then he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And the next day he took out two day’s wages and gave them to the inn keeper, saying, “Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I myself will repay you when I return.”
Which of these three, do you think, proved himself neighbor to him who fell among robbers? And the lawyer answered, “The one who showed pity and mercy to him.” And Jesus said to him “Go and do likewise.”
Jesus was speaking to us as well. When He comes in His glory and sits on the throne of glory, all the nations will stand before Him and He will separate all the people as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats. The sheep will stand on His right hand and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come you favored of God, receive the kingdom prepared for you. For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me with help and ministering care; I was in prison and you came to see Me.
Then the just and upright will answer Him, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave You drink? And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and clothed You? And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?” And the King will reply to them, “Truly, I tell you, in as far as you did it to one of the least (in the estimation of men) of these my brethren you have done it unto me.”
Then He will say to those at His left hand, “Be gone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!” Then He began to explain why they were cursed instead of being blessed like those on His right. The scenario of the ‘goats’
was the opposite of the ‘sheep.’ “I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least of these (in the estimation of men) you failed to do it for Me.”
This detailed definition of ‘neighbor’ given to us all, Jesus clearly shows that ‘loving’ the least of these (in the estimation of men) is ‘loving’ Him.
Lord, help me to love my neighbor as you love.
Matthew 22:39
One day when Jesus was teaching, the Pharisees gathered together to ask Him a question they thought they could use to ‘stump’ Him. One of the Pharisee layers asked, “What is the greatest and most important commandment in the law?” Jesus not only answered with the first commandment from the Ten Commandments but elaborated on it. To love God with all our hearts (Who is easy to love) we must also ‘love our neighbor in the same way we love ourselves’ – this is the hard part. It is hard because our neighbor may not love us back. We love ourselves a lot, we put ourselves first, when we are hungry and thirsty we feed ourselves and satiate our thirst. When we hurt we seek comfort; when we are sick we do all within our power to get healing. When we are lonely we seek companionship. Whatever our need, spirit, soul or body, we go to any length to fulfill our need.
Do I love my neighbor (who may not be easy to love) in the same way as I love myself? Maybe a better question is, “Can I love my neighbor just like I do myself?” The answer is, “No.” It is an impossible task to love my neighbor without first loving the Lord my God with all my heart, soul and intellect. It is only with God’s indwelling love can I love others (even myself). Love is a choice so it is only with His indwelling love can I want to choose to love others.
The next question is, “What is this kind of love?” The Greek word for this kind of love is, ‘agapao,’ and means “to love in a moral or social sense.” This kind of love is “a deliberate assent of the will and intellect,” – I choose to love. I choose to forgive my neighbor who has wronged me. I choose to return to my neighbor good for the evil he has done to me. I choose to give to my needy neighbor from my supply. I choose to comfort my neighbor who is hurting. I choose to try to understand my neighbor’s situation, and ask myself, “How would I want them to treat me if I were in their situation?” and react to them as I would have them react to me; and how would Jesus react? This is living out the “Golden Rule” (Matt. 17:12).
Then the Pharisee lawyer trying to acquit himself of reproach asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus gave him the best definition of who our neighbor is in the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan’ in Luke 10:30-37. This is the story of a traveling man who was attacked by robbers, who stripped him of his clothes and belongings, beat him and left him half dead, unconcernedly. Then by coincidence a preacher was going along that road, and when he saw the wounded man, he passed by on the other side, unconcernedly.
Next a Levite, a very religious and educated man who was responsible for keeping the
tabernacle and temple and activities that went on there. He too saw the injured man and passed by on the other side. But when a Samaritan, as he traveled along came to where the wounded man was, saw him and was moved with pity and sympathy for him. And he went to him and dressed his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine. Then he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And the next day he took out two day’s wages and gave them to the inn keeper, saying, “Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I myself will repay you when I return.”
Which of these three, do you think, proved himself neighbor to him who fell among robbers? And the lawyer answered, “The one who showed pity and mercy to him.” And Jesus said to him “Go and do likewise.”
Jesus was speaking to us as well. When He comes in His glory and sits on the throne of glory, all the nations will stand before Him and He will separate all the people as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats. The sheep will stand on His right hand and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come you favored of God, receive the kingdom prepared for you. For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me with help and ministering care; I was in prison and you came to see Me.
Then the just and upright will answer Him, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave You drink? And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and clothed You? And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?” And the King will reply to them, “Truly, I tell you, in as far as you did it to one of the least (in the estimation of men) of these my brethren you have done it unto me.”
Then He will say to those at His left hand, “Be gone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!” Then He began to explain why they were cursed instead of being blessed like those on His right. The scenario of the ‘goats’
was the opposite of the ‘sheep.’ “I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least of these (in the estimation of men) you failed to do it for Me.”
This detailed definition of ‘neighbor’ given to us all, Jesus clearly shows that ‘loving’ the least of these (in the estimation of men) is ‘loving’ Him.
Lord, help me to love my neighbor as you love.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Complete Satisfaction
“Satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!”
(Psalm 90:14)
Upon contemplating our move to Texas as young parents of three, we went by the way of Wendell’s parents in Arkansas to leave our two older children, Melody and Mark. Wendell and I took our youngest, Jennifer, with us as we went down to Marshall, Texas, to look for a place to live before moving the entire household down to Marshall, Texas. It was the first time to leave any of our children, for any length of time, away from us, even with grandparents. We had planned to take a couple days in Texas looking for a house and then back to Oklahoma to pack before going to retrieve our children in Arkansas.
Although it had only been a few days since we had seen each other, Mark became very dissatisfied and crying for us. Not only did the children get homesick but, “Mama” (I) got lonesome to see our two missing ‘chicks.’ To try to satisfy the homesick child Granny Jones gave Mark a big piece of cheese to eat, which she knew was his favorite snack. The cheese helped, for the moment, but it wasn’t long before the fussing began again. It so happened, that about that time, in the midst of our packing, we called to talk with our children, whom I was missing terribly. And after hearing Mark’s distraught crying for us we decided to leave our packing and go to Granny’s to bring Melody and Mark back to be with us. After calling right back to let Granny know of our decision and relaying this message to Mark, his crying stopped, a smile appeared and he responded to Granny with a smile, “Now I am completely satisfied.” All he needed to be satisfied was to know he was going to get to be with his mommy and daddy again, soon.
As a young child, then teenager and then an adult, I too found the only thing that “satisfied” me was to talk with my “Father” and read His love letters to me and all His promises. He tells me and shows me how much He loves me, and all His wonderful promises to me about how He will never leave me nor forsake me; about how he will provide for my every need; and especially about the home He is preparing for me with Him in heaven. I have been and will always be ”homesick” for my home He is preparing for me in heaven. I want to see His face and hear from His lips His words of love. After reading about and believing all this love and all these promises, I am “satisfied.” But I won’t be “completely satisfied” until I will be home in heaven with Jesus, my Lord, Savior and Friend.
In the story of the prodigal son who chose to take his inheritance; left his home and foolishly spent his inheritance. He ended up in a pigpen eating pig food. Then he came to his right mind and decided to go home to his Father. The things of this world never satisfy the spiritual longings of the heart, but in his Father’s house he was “completely satisfied” (Luke 15:11-32).
Just as our child who was separated from his parents could never be “completely satisfied” (even with a piece of cheese) until he was with his mother and father and hear their voices and feel their touch, we can never be “completely satisfied” until we come home to the Father. I will be “satisfied” only if I live close to Jesus as long as the Father leaves me here on this earth, because “In Your presence there is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11)!
SATISFIED
Clara Teare
All my life long I had panted for a draught from some cool spring,
That I hoped would quench the burning of the thirst I felt within.
Feeding on the husks around me, till my strength was almost gone,
Longed my soul for something better, only still to hunger on.
Poor I was, and sought for riches, something that would satisfy,
But the dust I gathered round me only mocked my soul’s sad cry.
Well of water, ever springing, Bread of life, so rich and free,
Untold wealth that never faileth, My redeemer is to me .
Hallelujah! I have found Him Whom my soul so long has craved!
Jesus satisfies my longings; through His blood I now am saved.
(Psalm 90:14)
Upon contemplating our move to Texas as young parents of three, we went by the way of Wendell’s parents in Arkansas to leave our two older children, Melody and Mark. Wendell and I took our youngest, Jennifer, with us as we went down to Marshall, Texas, to look for a place to live before moving the entire household down to Marshall, Texas. It was the first time to leave any of our children, for any length of time, away from us, even with grandparents. We had planned to take a couple days in Texas looking for a house and then back to Oklahoma to pack before going to retrieve our children in Arkansas.
Although it had only been a few days since we had seen each other, Mark became very dissatisfied and crying for us. Not only did the children get homesick but, “Mama” (I) got lonesome to see our two missing ‘chicks.’ To try to satisfy the homesick child Granny Jones gave Mark a big piece of cheese to eat, which she knew was his favorite snack. The cheese helped, for the moment, but it wasn’t long before the fussing began again. It so happened, that about that time, in the midst of our packing, we called to talk with our children, whom I was missing terribly. And after hearing Mark’s distraught crying for us we decided to leave our packing and go to Granny’s to bring Melody and Mark back to be with us. After calling right back to let Granny know of our decision and relaying this message to Mark, his crying stopped, a smile appeared and he responded to Granny with a smile, “Now I am completely satisfied.” All he needed to be satisfied was to know he was going to get to be with his mommy and daddy again, soon.
As a young child, then teenager and then an adult, I too found the only thing that “satisfied” me was to talk with my “Father” and read His love letters to me and all His promises. He tells me and shows me how much He loves me, and all His wonderful promises to me about how He will never leave me nor forsake me; about how he will provide for my every need; and especially about the home He is preparing for me with Him in heaven. I have been and will always be ”homesick” for my home He is preparing for me in heaven. I want to see His face and hear from His lips His words of love. After reading about and believing all this love and all these promises, I am “satisfied.” But I won’t be “completely satisfied” until I will be home in heaven with Jesus, my Lord, Savior and Friend.
In the story of the prodigal son who chose to take his inheritance; left his home and foolishly spent his inheritance. He ended up in a pigpen eating pig food. Then he came to his right mind and decided to go home to his Father. The things of this world never satisfy the spiritual longings of the heart, but in his Father’s house he was “completely satisfied” (Luke 15:11-32).
Just as our child who was separated from his parents could never be “completely satisfied” (even with a piece of cheese) until he was with his mother and father and hear their voices and feel their touch, we can never be “completely satisfied” until we come home to the Father. I will be “satisfied” only if I live close to Jesus as long as the Father leaves me here on this earth, because “In Your presence there is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11)!
SATISFIED
Clara Teare
All my life long I had panted for a draught from some cool spring,
That I hoped would quench the burning of the thirst I felt within.
Feeding on the husks around me, till my strength was almost gone,
Longed my soul for something better, only still to hunger on.
Poor I was, and sought for riches, something that would satisfy,
But the dust I gathered round me only mocked my soul’s sad cry.
Well of water, ever springing, Bread of life, so rich and free,
Untold wealth that never faileth, My redeemer is to me .
Hallelujah! I have found Him Whom my soul so long has craved!
Jesus satisfies my longings; through His blood I now am saved.
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