January 14, 2012
“Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20)
This is an election year here in the United States. To be able to vote you must be a citizen of the U.S. I am thankful I live in a country where the citizens are free to vote on whomever they want in office. But I am more thankful that I have dual citizenship – my earthly is in the U.S. but my spiritual citizenship is in Heaven. I am here on earth for a little while but soon I will be going to my Heavenly home where the King (Jesus) is waiting for me, and others who have made a decision to become a citizen of that Heavenly Kingdom.
To be a citizen of the U.S. you simply have to be born here, or you can be a naturalized citizen by meeting the requirements set forth by the U.S. government. Some of these requirements are: learning the English language; being legally admitted into the U.S.; passing a test on the history and government of the U.S.; living in the U.S. for a specified time; and signing a pledge of allegiance to the U.S. and its flag and for what it stands.
Whether being born a citizen of the U.S. or being naturalized, it really doesn’t change how we are as a person, but by being born-again into the kingdom of God (the spiritual kingdom) we become a “new creation, old things are passed away and all things become new (II Corinthians 5:27). Wow! We are not the same spiritually as we were before, we are new! Everything is new – even the world looks different. Our being a citizen of the U.S. doesn’t change our eternal destiny; but by becoming a citizen of Heaven we know our eternal destiny – to forever be with the Lord! In being a citizen of the U.S. we may have been born to poor, common parents, but being born-again we are adopted into the family of God and become a “child of the King” – and the King is our Father, and our name is written on the palm of His hand (Isaiah 49:16), and in His Book of Remembrance (Malachi 3:16). This book must be the citizenship roll of Heaven.
I had no choice in my U.S. citizenship – I was born here, but in becoming a citizen of Heaven I had a conscious choice and by choosing Jesus I was born-again. This is a spiritual birth made possible by the shed blood Of Jesus Christ on the cross; and my acceptance of His sacrifice for my sins; and by my believing in His death, burial, resurrection and ascension and He now lives and sits on the right hand of the Father in Heaven, where someday we will rule and reign with Him. By believing and trusting in Jesus Christ as our only Savior, we are “born-again” and instantly become a citizen of Heaven, although we are still living in the U.S. “we are eagerly waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ to come and take us to that Heavenly Kingdom where we'll live forever with Him.”
Oh, what a Savior! Oh, what a Kingdom! Oh, what a citizenship!
When We All Get To Heaven
Eliza E. Hewitt
Sing the wondrous love of Jesus; sing His mercy and His grace;
In the mansions bright and blessed He’ll prepare for us a place.
Let us then be true and faithful, trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of him in glory will the toils of life repay.
Onward to the prize before us! Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open – we shall tread the streets of gold.
When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Advent - "X" - "X Marks the Spot"
December 23, 2011
“So the shepherds went with haste and by searching found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16).
The phrase, “X” marks the spot,” has been around a long time, and many are the claims to its origin. The earliest newspaper photography used an “X” to mark the scene of the crime. “X” is marked by pirates in the place where treasure had been found. “X” marked the spot in navigation searches. Also “X” is a gene expression having to do with the “X” chromosome. So you see “X” is an important directional pointer.
Although a literal “X” is not used, a figurative “X” marks many spots of Biblical importance in the life of Jesus. We’ll start with Bethlehem; this is the spot of Joseph’s and Mary’s city of registration, as told in Luke 2:3.
The shepherds were in the fields watching over their flocks by night; that was the spot to be on that night (Luke 2:17).
The highest heavens and on earth are the spots where the angels glorified God concerning Jesus the Messiah’s birth. Was that concert just for the shepherds or did anyone else hear? The shepherds were in the right spot at the right time! (Luke 2:13-14).
The place of Jesus’ birth and where the shepherds found the baby Jesus was the manger – a simple feeding trough for the farmer’s cattle (Luke 2:12).
Mary’s heart was a spot of purity and praise and a place of pondering all these marvelous things (Luke 1:46-55 & Luke 2:19). It was not clear where they stayed until the time of Jesus’ circumcision and to present Him to the Lord, and the time for Mary’s purification, but the spot for these rituals were in the temple in Jerusalem(Luke 2:21). What a holy place that was!
Jerusalem and the temple were important spots throughout the life of Jesus. As already mentioned, it was the place of His dedication, to present Him to the Lord, along with the place they gave their sacrifices for the birth of their Son (Luke 2:22-24). Also it was in the temple in Jerusalem that Simeon, a righteous and devout man, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, was waiting for the coming of the promised Consolation of Israel, Israel’s Salvation and Light to the Gentiles, and when Jesus was brought into the temple, Simeon took Him up in His arms and praised God for letting him see their Messiah; and he blessed Mary and Joseph (Luke 2:25-35). Also, it was in the temple that a widow prophetess came at the same hour. She had not gone out of the temple enclosure for eighty four years but stayed worshipping, praying and fasting. She gave thanks to God and told everyone who was looking for their Redeemer (vs.36-38). What a spot to be!
Nazareth, their home, became a spot where Jesus learned obedience and He grew physically, in wisdom, in understanding and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:51).
The “X” that marked the spots for Jesus teaching were in many places: in the mountains (Matt.5:1-7:29), the temple (Matt.26:55), and wherever He had anyone who would listen (Luke 13:22). After the resurrection He taught the apostles on a mountain in Galilee to which He had directed them to go (Matt.28:16-20). The Hillsides and rooms of lodging became Jesus’ sanctuaries for Prayer. They were spots of solitude – on the mountains (Luke 6:12, in the wilderness (Luke 5:16). Gethsemane was not only a place of prayer but an infamous spot of betrayal by Judas (Matthew 26:36-57). The cross was even a spot for prayer for His executioners (Luke 23:34).
Oh, the wonderful Cross – it was a spotof suffering and death but also a place of salvation, redemption and mercy (Matt. 27:27-54). Then after Jesus’ death they took Him to that spot in the borrowed tomb where they gently laid Him (Matt.27:57-60. The guards thought they had closed the door of the tomb with a stone, but that stone that covered the door was rolled away and the spot where He lay was empty (Matt.27:62-28:6). Because that spot was empty we can know that we will live again! The empty tomb brought hope (Matt. 28:1-10).
After the resurrection, wherever Jesus went became spots of comfort – to Mary at the tomb, to the two on the road to Emmaus, to the eleven apostles at the dining table (Mark 16:9-15) Bethany – what a fitting and blessed spot for Jesus Christ’s ascension. Bethany was where Jesus had raised Lazarus, His friend, from the dead. It was where He had spent many warm and wonderful times with His friends, Lazarus, Mary and Martha. It was at this spot where the finale of this glorious drama unfolded - the ascension. Now again in the presence of the apostles and others, He blessed them and was taken up into heaven (Luke 24:50-51).
We will never be in the same spots, with the same people, but we must remember three of these important spots: the first is the manger with the virgin birth; the second spot is the cross, which took His life on this earth – He died for us. The third is the empty tomb - He's alive! If we trust in these two facts of faith, then “X” will mark the spot for us in heaven forever.
“At the cross where I first saw the Light and the burden of my soul passed away.
It was there by faith I received my sight and now I am happy all the day.”
(Ralph E. Hudson)
“So the shepherds went with haste and by searching found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16).
The phrase, “X” marks the spot,” has been around a long time, and many are the claims to its origin. The earliest newspaper photography used an “X” to mark the scene of the crime. “X” is marked by pirates in the place where treasure had been found. “X” marked the spot in navigation searches. Also “X” is a gene expression having to do with the “X” chromosome. So you see “X” is an important directional pointer.
Although a literal “X” is not used, a figurative “X” marks many spots of Biblical importance in the life of Jesus. We’ll start with Bethlehem; this is the spot of Joseph’s and Mary’s city of registration, as told in Luke 2:3.
The shepherds were in the fields watching over their flocks by night; that was the spot to be on that night (Luke 2:17).
The highest heavens and on earth are the spots where the angels glorified God concerning Jesus the Messiah’s birth. Was that concert just for the shepherds or did anyone else hear? The shepherds were in the right spot at the right time! (Luke 2:13-14).
The place of Jesus’ birth and where the shepherds found the baby Jesus was the manger – a simple feeding trough for the farmer’s cattle (Luke 2:12).
Mary’s heart was a spot of purity and praise and a place of pondering all these marvelous things (Luke 1:46-55 & Luke 2:19). It was not clear where they stayed until the time of Jesus’ circumcision and to present Him to the Lord, and the time for Mary’s purification, but the spot for these rituals were in the temple in Jerusalem(Luke 2:21). What a holy place that was!
Jerusalem and the temple were important spots throughout the life of Jesus. As already mentioned, it was the place of His dedication, to present Him to the Lord, along with the place they gave their sacrifices for the birth of their Son (Luke 2:22-24). Also it was in the temple in Jerusalem that Simeon, a righteous and devout man, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, was waiting for the coming of the promised Consolation of Israel, Israel’s Salvation and Light to the Gentiles, and when Jesus was brought into the temple, Simeon took Him up in His arms and praised God for letting him see their Messiah; and he blessed Mary and Joseph (Luke 2:25-35). Also, it was in the temple that a widow prophetess came at the same hour. She had not gone out of the temple enclosure for eighty four years but stayed worshipping, praying and fasting. She gave thanks to God and told everyone who was looking for their Redeemer (vs.36-38). What a spot to be!
Nazareth, their home, became a spot where Jesus learned obedience and He grew physically, in wisdom, in understanding and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:51).
The “X” that marked the spots for Jesus teaching were in many places: in the mountains (Matt.5:1-7:29), the temple (Matt.26:55), and wherever He had anyone who would listen (Luke 13:22). After the resurrection He taught the apostles on a mountain in Galilee to which He had directed them to go (Matt.28:16-20). The Hillsides and rooms of lodging became Jesus’ sanctuaries for Prayer. They were spots of solitude – on the mountains (Luke 6:12, in the wilderness (Luke 5:16). Gethsemane was not only a place of prayer but an infamous spot of betrayal by Judas (Matthew 26:36-57). The cross was even a spot for prayer for His executioners (Luke 23:34).
Oh, the wonderful Cross – it was a spotof suffering and death but also a place of salvation, redemption and mercy (Matt. 27:27-54). Then after Jesus’ death they took Him to that spot in the borrowed tomb where they gently laid Him (Matt.27:57-60. The guards thought they had closed the door of the tomb with a stone, but that stone that covered the door was rolled away and the spot where He lay was empty (Matt.27:62-28:6). Because that spot was empty we can know that we will live again! The empty tomb brought hope (Matt. 28:1-10).
After the resurrection, wherever Jesus went became spots of comfort – to Mary at the tomb, to the two on the road to Emmaus, to the eleven apostles at the dining table (Mark 16:9-15) Bethany – what a fitting and blessed spot for Jesus Christ’s ascension. Bethany was where Jesus had raised Lazarus, His friend, from the dead. It was where He had spent many warm and wonderful times with His friends, Lazarus, Mary and Martha. It was at this spot where the finale of this glorious drama unfolded - the ascension. Now again in the presence of the apostles and others, He blessed them and was taken up into heaven (Luke 24:50-51).
We will never be in the same spots, with the same people, but we must remember three of these important spots: the first is the manger with the virgin birth; the second spot is the cross, which took His life on this earth – He died for us. The third is the empty tomb - He's alive! If we trust in these two facts of faith, then “X” will mark the spot for us in heaven forever.
“At the cross where I first saw the Light and the burden of my soul passed away.
It was there by faith I received my sight and now I am happy all the day.”
(Ralph E. Hudson)
Advent - "W" - "Why Did Jesus Come?"
December 22, 2011
“We have seen and know positively that the Son of God has actually come to this world and has given us understanding and come to know better and more clearly Him Who is true; and we are in Him Who is true – in His Son, Jesus Christ the Messiah. This Man is the true God and Life eternal” (I John 5:20).
A common question to a curious mind is, “WHY?” Many of the young and old, educated and uneducated are just as inquisitive about the known and unknown. I have always been a very inquisitive person, wanting to know the whys and wherefores to all kinds of things; "why," for things I don’t understand the reason or purpose; and "how" and "where" for more information.
Our "whys' about the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and about spiritual things, are to satisfy our spiritual need to "know" God and His ways. I am sure people from time immemorial have asked the questions, Why do we need a Savior? - and Why did the Father choose Jesus of Nazareth to be our Savior? - and “Why did Jesus come?” God’s Word gives us the answers.
In Mark 10:45, Jesus came to teach us by example how to serve and be a servant.
He came to “Destroy the works of the devil.” (I John 3:8) He also came to fulfill the Father’s plan for us to be adopted into the Family of God (Ephesians 1:5).
Also Christ came to introduce us to the Holy Spirit Who was to be the “downpayment” of our inheritance and our acquiring complete possession of our redemption (Ephesians 1:14).
Another reason for Jesus’ coming, was to have the unity of all things to be consummated in Him, both things in heaven and things on the earth; and for God’s grace to be poured out on us in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6-10).
Isaiah 42:6-7 says that Jesus came to fulfill the promise for a covenant to the people of Israel and for a light to the Gentiles.
Jesus came to give us life abundantly (John 10:10), and He was born to save sinners(I Timothy 1:15). Jesus said that He had come to show us the Father because He and the Father are one (John 14:9). He came to do the Father’s work (John 5:36) - to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness from the prison (Isaiah 42:7).
Jesus Christ came to satisfy the Father’s need for a pure and holy sacrifice for the people He had created and loved and wanted to call His own (I John 4:10). He came to make it possible that whosoever would believe in Him would be saved (John 3:16).
Why does God love us so much that He sent His own unique Son to bring reconciliation between God and man and to do all these things for us that we’ve mentioned? We probably will never know the answer to those questions, we just accept the fact that God does love us with an everlasting, unconditional love, and bask in His mercy and grace.
Why?
John M. Moore
Why did they nail Him to Calvary’s tree? Why? Tell me why was He there?
Jesus the Helper, the Healer, the Friend – Why? Tell me why was He there br />Why should He love me, a sinner undone? Why? Tell me, why should He care?
I do not merit the love He has shown – Why? Tell me, why should He care?
Why should I linger afar from His love? Why? Tell me, why should I fear?
Somehow I know I should venture and prove – Why? Tell me, why should I fear?
All my iniquities on Him were laid – He nailed them all to the tree;
Jesus the debt of my sin fully paid – He paid the ransom for me.
“We have seen and know positively that the Son of God has actually come to this world and has given us understanding and come to know better and more clearly Him Who is true; and we are in Him Who is true – in His Son, Jesus Christ the Messiah. This Man is the true God and Life eternal” (I John 5:20).
A common question to a curious mind is, “WHY?” Many of the young and old, educated and uneducated are just as inquisitive about the known and unknown. I have always been a very inquisitive person, wanting to know the whys and wherefores to all kinds of things; "why," for things I don’t understand the reason or purpose; and "how" and "where" for more information.
Our "whys' about the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and about spiritual things, are to satisfy our spiritual need to "know" God and His ways. I am sure people from time immemorial have asked the questions, Why do we need a Savior? - and Why did the Father choose Jesus of Nazareth to be our Savior? - and “Why did Jesus come?” God’s Word gives us the answers.
In Mark 10:45, Jesus came to teach us by example how to serve and be a servant.
He came to “Destroy the works of the devil.” (I John 3:8) He also came to fulfill the Father’s plan for us to be adopted into the Family of God (Ephesians 1:5).
Also Christ came to introduce us to the Holy Spirit Who was to be the “downpayment” of our inheritance and our acquiring complete possession of our redemption (Ephesians 1:14).
Another reason for Jesus’ coming, was to have the unity of all things to be consummated in Him, both things in heaven and things on the earth; and for God’s grace to be poured out on us in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6-10).
Isaiah 42:6-7 says that Jesus came to fulfill the promise for a covenant to the people of Israel and for a light to the Gentiles.
Jesus came to give us life abundantly (John 10:10), and He was born to save sinners(I Timothy 1:15). Jesus said that He had come to show us the Father because He and the Father are one (John 14:9). He came to do the Father’s work (John 5:36) - to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness from the prison (Isaiah 42:7).
Jesus Christ came to satisfy the Father’s need for a pure and holy sacrifice for the people He had created and loved and wanted to call His own (I John 4:10). He came to make it possible that whosoever would believe in Him would be saved (John 3:16).
Why does God love us so much that He sent His own unique Son to bring reconciliation between God and man and to do all these things for us that we’ve mentioned? We probably will never know the answer to those questions, we just accept the fact that God does love us with an everlasting, unconditional love, and bask in His mercy and grace.
Why?
John M. Moore
Why did they nail Him to Calvary’s tree? Why? Tell me why was He there?
Jesus the Helper, the Healer, the Friend – Why? Tell me why was He there br />Why should He love me, a sinner undone? Why? Tell me, why should He care?
I do not merit the love He has shown – Why? Tell me, why should He care?
Why should I linger afar from His love? Why? Tell me, why should I fear?
Somehow I know I should venture and prove – Why? Tell me, why should I fear?
All my iniquities on Him were laid – He nailed them all to the tree;
Jesus the debt of my sin fully paid – He paid the ransom for me.
Always Is Forever
January 12, 2012
“Always be joyful. Always keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ.” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)
What is it we don’t understand about the word “always?” There are exceptions nearly to everything but to a few words there are no exceptions, and “always” is one of those words. Webster’s very definition of this word shows there are no exceptions: “the whole, only, at all times, invariably, forever, without exception.”
Because today's scripture says “always” be joyful – it means what it says – there is never a situation in which we should not be joyful. How can we be joyful in what we consider a bad situation? We must remember that the Almighty God is in charge and is there ready to help in the direst situation and has a reason for permitting your situation to happen.
Again we are told to always keep on praying no matter what happens. Matthew 7:7 says to “ask and keep on asking.” It isn’t that God doesn’t know our situation, but His time may not be our time that we want Him to act. He wants us to “wait” on Him in trust. Nor is it that He is not able to help – He is the Almighty God and He promises that we can do all things through Him Who strengthens us (Phil.4:13). Or it may be that we have unconfessed sin in our lives and God “will” not hear us (Psalm 66:18). Sin breaks our fellowship with God. Pray the prayer of confession for all your known sins, then His ears will be open to hear you and we can come in confidence before Him bringing our petitions.
Next, our text verse says, “No matter what happens, always be thankful.” Grumbling is sin (remember the Children of Israel in the wilderness?). We may have to have an attitude change, but we must if we want our prayers heard and answered; “for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
Be Still My Soul
Katharina von Schlegel
Be still, my soul – the Lord is on your side! Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide – in every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul – your best, your heavenly friend thru stormy ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul – your God does undertake to guide the future as He has the past;
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake – all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul – the waves and winds still know His voice Who ruled them while He lived below.
Be still, my soul – the hour is hastening on when we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul – when change and tears are past, all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
“Always be joyful. Always keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ.” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)
What is it we don’t understand about the word “always?” There are exceptions nearly to everything but to a few words there are no exceptions, and “always” is one of those words. Webster’s very definition of this word shows there are no exceptions: “the whole, only, at all times, invariably, forever, without exception.”
Because today's scripture says “always” be joyful – it means what it says – there is never a situation in which we should not be joyful. How can we be joyful in what we consider a bad situation? We must remember that the Almighty God is in charge and is there ready to help in the direst situation and has a reason for permitting your situation to happen.
Again we are told to always keep on praying no matter what happens. Matthew 7:7 says to “ask and keep on asking.” It isn’t that God doesn’t know our situation, but His time may not be our time that we want Him to act. He wants us to “wait” on Him in trust. Nor is it that He is not able to help – He is the Almighty God and He promises that we can do all things through Him Who strengthens us (Phil.4:13). Or it may be that we have unconfessed sin in our lives and God “will” not hear us (Psalm 66:18). Sin breaks our fellowship with God. Pray the prayer of confession for all your known sins, then His ears will be open to hear you and we can come in confidence before Him bringing our petitions.
Next, our text verse says, “No matter what happens, always be thankful.” Grumbling is sin (remember the Children of Israel in the wilderness?). We may have to have an attitude change, but we must if we want our prayers heard and answered; “for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
Be Still My Soul
Katharina von Schlegel
Be still, my soul – the Lord is on your side! Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide – in every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul – your best, your heavenly friend thru stormy ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul – your God does undertake to guide the future as He has the past;
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake – all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul – the waves and winds still know His voice Who ruled them while He lived below.
Be still, my soul – the hour is hastening on when we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul – when change and tears are past, all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Hide and Seek
January 11, 2012
“You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart, I will be found by you, says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 29:13-14)
Remember the childhood game, “Hide and Seek?” As a child, in the summertime the neighborhood children would all collect at my house late in the evening and sometimes even after dark to play outdoor games. I remember “Kick the Can”, “Piggy Wants a Signal,” “Annie Over,” “Red Rover,” and my favorite was “Hide and Seek.” With all the violence in the world and with the big competitor, TV, I don’t see children playing outside very much anymore, and certainly not after dark. But, what fond memories those were!
Everyone knows the concept of Hide and Seek, where one person is “It” and he closes his eyes and counts to a specified number, while all the rest hide. Depending on the thoroughness of hunting and the speed at which “It” can run, the first one “found” will be “It” the next time, after all the others are found. The most fun is when you can hide so well no one can find you, or you can run so fast that “It” cannot out-run you to “home.” There is not a perfect spiritual analogy to the “Hide and Seek” game because God is not hiding – He is right in plain sight. It is people’s sin that blinds them so they cannot see Him. People are the ones trying to hide in their sins, both secret and public, and they don’t know it is God Who is seeking them. They have a dissatisfaction, a longing for something they know not what. Augustine put it this way, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” Someone else said, “Our lives have a God-shaped void which only God can fill and satisfy.” The Truth is that man cannot be satisfied with the things of this world to fill the longing in his heart – neither fame, fortune, sex, success, happiness nor accomplishment - only until we “find” Jesus will we be satisfied and find rest. Jesus was “It” when He came searching from heaven. He searched for man with “Love.”
His purpose for seeking for us when we were so lost was to show us His love (Luke 19:10). He did this best when He took our place on that cross, died and went to sit on the right hand of God the Father to continue to seek us with His love by interceding there for us. He left His Holy Spirit to continue to seek us with His wooing love. He is the One who makes us dissatisfied with all our earthly searches. He causes us to be hungry and thirsty for God, when we are unwilling to “seek” Him. The Holy Spirit’s wooing is like the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” The solution to this dilemma is to give the horse a cake of salt and let him lick it for a while, then his will is changed and he will run to the water to satisfy his thirst. The Holy Spirit is the cake of salt and Jesus is the water (living water).
As Luke 19:10 puts it so succinctly, “The Son of Man (Jesus) came to seek and save that which was lost.” Jesus was “It” first, and then He left His Holy Spirit to cause us to become so thirsty for Him that we become the seeker – seeking Truth, Love and Fulfillment. In our seeking the Holy Spirit brings “the cake of salt” into our lives by convicting us of our sins and through the dissatisfaction with our lives; by the loving life of a Christian lived before us; and revealing the love and Truth of the scriptures to us. All bring a great longing for the “real thing” – (real love, truth, success, riches and values in life). He pleads with us to "Seek the Lord while He may be found." We must be like the horse to begin running and seeking for the only One Who can satisfy our thirst and fill the void in our lives.
In our text scripture, God is telling us a Truth: “You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart, I will be found by you.” Half-hearted seeking will not be successful. The only way we will find the sumum bonum (the supreme good from which all others are derived – Jesus, the Living Water), is to “Seek” Him with all your heart. When we find Him all our seeking and striving for the elusive will be gone. We will be completely satisfied because we have found the One Who is the “All-in-All.”
“Seek first of all His kingdom and His righteousness then all these other things will be given to you besides.” (Matthew 6:33)
“You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart, I will be found by you, says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 29:13-14)
Remember the childhood game, “Hide and Seek?” As a child, in the summertime the neighborhood children would all collect at my house late in the evening and sometimes even after dark to play outdoor games. I remember “Kick the Can”, “Piggy Wants a Signal,” “Annie Over,” “Red Rover,” and my favorite was “Hide and Seek.” With all the violence in the world and with the big competitor, TV, I don’t see children playing outside very much anymore, and certainly not after dark. But, what fond memories those were!
Everyone knows the concept of Hide and Seek, where one person is “It” and he closes his eyes and counts to a specified number, while all the rest hide. Depending on the thoroughness of hunting and the speed at which “It” can run, the first one “found” will be “It” the next time, after all the others are found. The most fun is when you can hide so well no one can find you, or you can run so fast that “It” cannot out-run you to “home.” There is not a perfect spiritual analogy to the “Hide and Seek” game because God is not hiding – He is right in plain sight. It is people’s sin that blinds them so they cannot see Him. People are the ones trying to hide in their sins, both secret and public, and they don’t know it is God Who is seeking them. They have a dissatisfaction, a longing for something they know not what. Augustine put it this way, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” Someone else said, “Our lives have a God-shaped void which only God can fill and satisfy.” The Truth is that man cannot be satisfied with the things of this world to fill the longing in his heart – neither fame, fortune, sex, success, happiness nor accomplishment - only until we “find” Jesus will we be satisfied and find rest. Jesus was “It” when He came searching from heaven. He searched for man with “Love.”
His purpose for seeking for us when we were so lost was to show us His love (Luke 19:10). He did this best when He took our place on that cross, died and went to sit on the right hand of God the Father to continue to seek us with His love by interceding there for us. He left His Holy Spirit to continue to seek us with His wooing love. He is the One who makes us dissatisfied with all our earthly searches. He causes us to be hungry and thirsty for God, when we are unwilling to “seek” Him. The Holy Spirit’s wooing is like the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” The solution to this dilemma is to give the horse a cake of salt and let him lick it for a while, then his will is changed and he will run to the water to satisfy his thirst. The Holy Spirit is the cake of salt and Jesus is the water (living water).
As Luke 19:10 puts it so succinctly, “The Son of Man (Jesus) came to seek and save that which was lost.” Jesus was “It” first, and then He left His Holy Spirit to cause us to become so thirsty for Him that we become the seeker – seeking Truth, Love and Fulfillment. In our seeking the Holy Spirit brings “the cake of salt” into our lives by convicting us of our sins and through the dissatisfaction with our lives; by the loving life of a Christian lived before us; and revealing the love and Truth of the scriptures to us. All bring a great longing for the “real thing” – (real love, truth, success, riches and values in life). He pleads with us to "Seek the Lord while He may be found." We must be like the horse to begin running and seeking for the only One Who can satisfy our thirst and fill the void in our lives.
In our text scripture, God is telling us a Truth: “You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart, I will be found by you.” Half-hearted seeking will not be successful. The only way we will find the sumum bonum (the supreme good from which all others are derived – Jesus, the Living Water), is to “Seek” Him with all your heart. When we find Him all our seeking and striving for the elusive will be gone. We will be completely satisfied because we have found the One Who is the “All-in-All.”
“Seek first of all His kingdom and His righteousness then all these other things will be given to you besides.” (Matthew 6:33)
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Advent -"V"-"Victory in Jesus" December 21, 2011
December 21, 2011
“For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith.” (I John 5:4)
They say that more people, even Christians, deal with chronic depression more than any other emotional problem. But Christians have more to be "up" about than any people in the world. How can this be? But for reasons of clinical depression, many are just ignorant of who they are in Christ and that Satan has come to steal their peace and sense of well being by feeding into their minds condemnation over past sins, fearful thoughts of the future and a strong sense of self- consciousness rather than God consciousness. Satan wins the battle of the mind when we listen to his accusing and doubtful thoughts instead of putting in our hearts what God has said about us, His children. We must learn to look at ourselves, and our circumstances, and our world like God sees them. He looks at us with eyes of love, and those eyes He sees victory over Satan.
Jesus was born into this world in the worst circumstances possible, except for the fact that He was loved and wanted by His parents. As He grew physically, He also grew strong in the knowledge of Who He was. He knew He had a purpose in this life and lived every day to reach His victorious goal. Satan tried to make Him fall and be led aside from His purpose by tempting Him in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-10). But Jesus was victorious over all of them because He knew Who He was (the Son of God); He recognized His enemy’s tactics (deceit and appealing to His flesh – pride) and He defeated His enemy with the Word of God.
Christ had His greatest victory at the cross when He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). His purpose for coming to earth was finished; the plan of our salvation was finished – He was victorious over sin, the grave and hell!
By trusting in God’s Word we can be victorious in all our temptations. If we obey His commandments God has made us the “head and not the tail, above and not beneath,” (Deut.28:13). If we trust in Him and His strength, He will cause us to “run through a troop and jump over a wall” (II Samuel 22:30). “We can do all things through Christ Who gives us the strength” (Phil.4:13). Christ is our strength and courage and enables us to be victorious in all things. He leads us to triumph in all things (II Cor.2:14).
One of Jesus’ names is, Jehovah-Nissi, which means His banner of victory is over us. As long as we march to His drumbeat and step in His steps, we cannot fail, we too will always have victory in Jesus! Our final victory will be when we stand before Him without spot or wrinkle, with clean hands and a pure heart – all because of our victorious Jesus! There will be no more depression, no more temptations to overcome, no more heartaches or tears – just victory!
When it seems we cannot go on; we feel defeated, discouraged and depressed; we don’t know which way to turn; we feel like we are in a night of blackness – that is the time to turn to the light. Jesus is the Light; He is our hope; He is the answer. Only in Him there is victory! “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Ps. 30:5b).
Jesus is the good news Isaiah talks about in chapter sixty one. The good news is that Jesus has come to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to the physical and spiritual captives and the opening of the prison of the eyes to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of His favor and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn. To grant joy instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a heavy, burdened and failing spirit. We will be called “oaks of righteousness,” the victory of the Lord.
“Then Came The Morning”
Bill Gaither
Then came the morning, shadows vanished away before the sun,
Death had lost and life had won, for morning had come.
“For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith.” (I John 5:4)
They say that more people, even Christians, deal with chronic depression more than any other emotional problem. But Christians have more to be "up" about than any people in the world. How can this be? But for reasons of clinical depression, many are just ignorant of who they are in Christ and that Satan has come to steal their peace and sense of well being by feeding into their minds condemnation over past sins, fearful thoughts of the future and a strong sense of self- consciousness rather than God consciousness. Satan wins the battle of the mind when we listen to his accusing and doubtful thoughts instead of putting in our hearts what God has said about us, His children. We must learn to look at ourselves, and our circumstances, and our world like God sees them. He looks at us with eyes of love, and those eyes He sees victory over Satan.
Jesus was born into this world in the worst circumstances possible, except for the fact that He was loved and wanted by His parents. As He grew physically, He also grew strong in the knowledge of Who He was. He knew He had a purpose in this life and lived every day to reach His victorious goal. Satan tried to make Him fall and be led aside from His purpose by tempting Him in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-10). But Jesus was victorious over all of them because He knew Who He was (the Son of God); He recognized His enemy’s tactics (deceit and appealing to His flesh – pride) and He defeated His enemy with the Word of God.
Christ had His greatest victory at the cross when He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). His purpose for coming to earth was finished; the plan of our salvation was finished – He was victorious over sin, the grave and hell!
By trusting in God’s Word we can be victorious in all our temptations. If we obey His commandments God has made us the “head and not the tail, above and not beneath,” (Deut.28:13). If we trust in Him and His strength, He will cause us to “run through a troop and jump over a wall” (II Samuel 22:30). “We can do all things through Christ Who gives us the strength” (Phil.4:13). Christ is our strength and courage and enables us to be victorious in all things. He leads us to triumph in all things (II Cor.2:14).
One of Jesus’ names is, Jehovah-Nissi, which means His banner of victory is over us. As long as we march to His drumbeat and step in His steps, we cannot fail, we too will always have victory in Jesus! Our final victory will be when we stand before Him without spot or wrinkle, with clean hands and a pure heart – all because of our victorious Jesus! There will be no more depression, no more temptations to overcome, no more heartaches or tears – just victory!
When it seems we cannot go on; we feel defeated, discouraged and depressed; we don’t know which way to turn; we feel like we are in a night of blackness – that is the time to turn to the light. Jesus is the Light; He is our hope; He is the answer. Only in Him there is victory! “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Ps. 30:5b).
Jesus is the good news Isaiah talks about in chapter sixty one. The good news is that Jesus has come to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to the physical and spiritual captives and the opening of the prison of the eyes to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of His favor and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn. To grant joy instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a heavy, burdened and failing spirit. We will be called “oaks of righteousness,” the victory of the Lord.
“Then Came The Morning”
Bill Gaither
Then came the morning, shadows vanished away before the sun,
Death had lost and life had won, for morning had come.
When Will Jesus Hear Us?
April 25, 2011
“Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry.” (Psalm 88:2)
In this Psalm David is crying out to God to be heard. We all, saint or sinner, cry out to the only God Who can hear us and Who can answer. The Heavens sometimes seem like brass and we wonder, “Does God hear me?” When do we know that God does hear us?
In II Chronicles 7:14, God is speaking to His people (that includes us if we are His adopted child), telling us “If we will humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and repent of our wicked ways, then He will hear us and heal our land.” These are very hard words for us to receive, that is why God starts off His list of requirements for Him to hear our prayers with “humble yourself.” Our pride and self righteousness and self-sufficiency are very offensive and grievous to God. When we will not acknowledge these sins and “regard (perceive) them in our heart,” and then confess them, He will not hear us (Ps.66:18). We must bow our hearts and come under subjection to His holiness and righteousness, then acknowledge and confess our sinfulness – this is humility.
Next, God says to “pray.” In Hebrew the word “pray” means to make supplication (to ask specifically, earnestly and humbly). I am afraid a lot of our prayers are those general, dutiful, and sometimes even flippant and selfish requests we quickly shoot up to God to appease our “need to pray.” I acknowledge that those quick prayers sent up when in trouble, throughout the day or night, are received if they come from an earnest and humble heart and prayed with specificity. God sees and knows our hearts and motives for asking.
The next requirement for God to hear our prayer in this II Chronicles scripture, is to “seek My face (crave and require of necessity (Amp.).” The Hebrew for “seek” in this passage is “to search out by any method in worship or prayer.” (See:Jer.29:13). In this Jeremiah passage God is saying, “You will find me when you search me with all your heart.” This “seeking” is not a haphazard, off the cuff or ‘when I get the time’ searching. It is an intense searching out God “by any method in worship or prayer.” How long has it been since we have sought the “face of God” for answers regarding any situation in our lives? It is this kind of “seeking” that gets the ‘ear of God.’ Remember, He sees and knows our hearts.
The last requirement for God to hear us that is mentioned in II Chronicles 7:14 is that we must “turn from our wicked ways.” The first line of this verse says, “If My people who are called by My name (that includes all believers) will…..” God is not talking to the entire world but only to those who name the name of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, so when He says we must “turn from our wicked way” He is talking to us. We don’t like to think of ourselves as ‘wicked’ but the Hebrew meaning of the word, “wicked,” in this passage means we are acting in a way that is (“bad” (as in physically, socially or morally)?
Are we acting badly physically toward anyone? Are we being abusive by neglectful or overt actions? Love does not knowingly hurt. When we have it in our hand (our resources) to help our neighbor – do we? Until we act in love physically toward others God will not hear us (I Cor.13:6-7; Matt.7:12).
Are we acting badly socially toward anyone? Do we do whatever it takes to get ahead to our desired goal, even if it takes ‘stepping on’ someone else to get there? Love never takes advantage or ‘uses’ another. Love prefers one another (Rom.12:10). Until we act in love socially toward others God will not hear us (I Cor.13:4-7).
Are we acting morally ‘bad’ toward anyone? Are we dishonest, with even a penny - with the cashier, with the neighbors belongings (even his wife or husband), with our income tax, etc? Are we murderers? Do we kill another’s influence or reputation with our tongue? Do we hold a grudge toward anyone? Do we hate anyone? God called “anyone who hated his brother a murderer and the love of God was not in him.” (I Jn.3:15). God is love and anyone who is in Christ can and must walk in love. Love is a choice! Acting in any other way, except in love, toward others is ‘immoral’. Until we act in love morally toward others God will not hear us (I Cor.13:5).
So until we come to God asking for help: 1) humbly, 2) with specific prayers, 3) seeking with our whole heart and, 4) repenting of our wicked ways, only “then will He hear us, forgive us and heal our land (us and all with which we are concerned”). Any failure to hear us and answer us is certainly not on His part – (guess whose--?). We must remember that after coming to Him with “clean hands and a pure heart” that God always answers our prayers – but His answer isn’t always “Yes” or “No,” it could be “Wait.”
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men’s heats and minds (a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy), yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end” (Eccl.3:11 - Amp.).
“Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry.” (Psalm 88:2)
In this Psalm David is crying out to God to be heard. We all, saint or sinner, cry out to the only God Who can hear us and Who can answer. The Heavens sometimes seem like brass and we wonder, “Does God hear me?” When do we know that God does hear us?
In II Chronicles 7:14, God is speaking to His people (that includes us if we are His adopted child), telling us “If we will humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and repent of our wicked ways, then He will hear us and heal our land.” These are very hard words for us to receive, that is why God starts off His list of requirements for Him to hear our prayers with “humble yourself.” Our pride and self righteousness and self-sufficiency are very offensive and grievous to God. When we will not acknowledge these sins and “regard (perceive) them in our heart,” and then confess them, He will not hear us (Ps.66:18). We must bow our hearts and come under subjection to His holiness and righteousness, then acknowledge and confess our sinfulness – this is humility.
Next, God says to “pray.” In Hebrew the word “pray” means to make supplication (to ask specifically, earnestly and humbly). I am afraid a lot of our prayers are those general, dutiful, and sometimes even flippant and selfish requests we quickly shoot up to God to appease our “need to pray.” I acknowledge that those quick prayers sent up when in trouble, throughout the day or night, are received if they come from an earnest and humble heart and prayed with specificity. God sees and knows our hearts and motives for asking.
The next requirement for God to hear our prayer in this II Chronicles scripture, is to “seek My face (crave and require of necessity (Amp.).” The Hebrew for “seek” in this passage is “to search out by any method in worship or prayer.” (See:Jer.29:13). In this Jeremiah passage God is saying, “You will find me when you search me with all your heart.” This “seeking” is not a haphazard, off the cuff or ‘when I get the time’ searching. It is an intense searching out God “by any method in worship or prayer.” How long has it been since we have sought the “face of God” for answers regarding any situation in our lives? It is this kind of “seeking” that gets the ‘ear of God.’ Remember, He sees and knows our hearts.
The last requirement for God to hear us that is mentioned in II Chronicles 7:14 is that we must “turn from our wicked ways.” The first line of this verse says, “If My people who are called by My name (that includes all believers) will…..” God is not talking to the entire world but only to those who name the name of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, so when He says we must “turn from our wicked way” He is talking to us. We don’t like to think of ourselves as ‘wicked’ but the Hebrew meaning of the word, “wicked,” in this passage means we are acting in a way that is (“bad” (as in physically, socially or morally)?
Are we acting badly physically toward anyone? Are we being abusive by neglectful or overt actions? Love does not knowingly hurt. When we have it in our hand (our resources) to help our neighbor – do we? Until we act in love physically toward others God will not hear us (I Cor.13:6-7; Matt.7:12).
Are we acting badly socially toward anyone? Do we do whatever it takes to get ahead to our desired goal, even if it takes ‘stepping on’ someone else to get there? Love never takes advantage or ‘uses’ another. Love prefers one another (Rom.12:10). Until we act in love socially toward others God will not hear us (I Cor.13:4-7).
Are we acting morally ‘bad’ toward anyone? Are we dishonest, with even a penny - with the cashier, with the neighbors belongings (even his wife or husband), with our income tax, etc? Are we murderers? Do we kill another’s influence or reputation with our tongue? Do we hold a grudge toward anyone? Do we hate anyone? God called “anyone who hated his brother a murderer and the love of God was not in him.” (I Jn.3:15). God is love and anyone who is in Christ can and must walk in love. Love is a choice! Acting in any other way, except in love, toward others is ‘immoral’. Until we act in love morally toward others God will not hear us (I Cor.13:5).
So until we come to God asking for help: 1) humbly, 2) with specific prayers, 3) seeking with our whole heart and, 4) repenting of our wicked ways, only “then will He hear us, forgive us and heal our land (us and all with which we are concerned”). Any failure to hear us and answer us is certainly not on His part – (guess whose--?). We must remember that after coming to Him with “clean hands and a pure heart” that God always answers our prayers – but His answer isn’t always “Yes” or “No,” it could be “Wait.”
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men’s heats and minds (a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy), yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end” (Eccl.3:11 - Amp.).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)