My times are in Thy hand

Those Who Are Rich, Part 11

2011-11-04T05:00:00.001-04:00

On the other hand, some balancing statements may be in order. Notice that Paul did NOT tell Timothy to actually take by force some of the money and other resources from those who were rich, but simply to command them to do something--it was the rich individual's responsibility to comply. Neither was he to command that such resources be shared constantly and indiscriminately. The instruction here is independent of political parties, social pressure, etc. Rather, it is applicable to all who currently have more than necessary for the basic needs of existence. Being godly and content will greatly assist with being ready to obey it, for as Paul wrote by inspiration of God's Spirit a few verses earlier:

I Timothy 6:6-10, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

Those Who Are Rich, Part 10

2011-11-03T05:00:00.001-04:00

"ready to distribute" -- only appears here in the New Testament, and literally means "good at imparting". Compound of a word that means "to give over" (translated as "give" in Ephesians 4:28, "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.") and another that means "well" (appears as "well done" in Matthew 25:21, 23). In other words, "to give over well". It refers to sharing in a good way. The ESV renders this as "generous".

"willing to communicate" -- again, only appears here in the New Testament. Literally means "communicative", and is from another word meaning "a sharer, associate, or partaker". For example, in Luke 5:10 it is used to describe those fishermen who were "partners" with Simon (Peter) and in 1 Corinthians 10:18 used of those who were "partakers" of the altar. The ESV renders this as "willing to share".

These verses remind us why Jesus said what He did as Paul related in Acts 20:33-35, "I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Those Who Are Rich, Part 9

2011-11-02T05:00:00.001-04:00

"that they be rich" -- to be or become prosperous, materially wealthy. Earlier in this chapter, verse 9 uses it to describe those who "would be rich"--in other words, those who want to become wealthy. In Revelation 18:3, 15, & 19 it describes merchants profiting from their transactions. In the passage we are considering, however, Paul is not referring to increasing material wealth. Rather, those who already have it are to use it to increase in something else--namely, good works.

"in good works" -- the Greek word translated as "works" is the same one as in the preceding phrase, "that they do good". However, the word translated as "good" here is a different one that properly means "beautiful". It emphasizes the valuable or virtuous qualities of that to which it is applied. For example, in Matthew 7:17-18, the former word for "good" refers to the tree being intrinsically good. The tree is good in and of itself, which is why it bears good fruit. However, this word for good describes the fruit itself, which may have a pleasing appearance and is nourishing when eaten. The point is that we are to habitually labor at doing that which is beneficial and pleasant.

Those Who Are Rich, Part 8

2011-11-01T05:00:00.002-04:00

That promised, enduring enjoyment in large measure may be found in what the next verse describes: making use of those good things for beneficial purposes.

"that they do good" -- literally, "to work good". It is a compound of two Greek words. One, meaning "good", refers to people who do good in Matthew 5:45, good gifts in Matthew 7:11, good trees in Matthew 7:17-18, and good ground in Luke 8:8, among many others. It is a general word with a broad range of subjects that tends to emphasize the intrinsic quality of what it describes. The other word, often translated as some form of "work", literally refers to toiling at some task or occupation. By implication, it often is used to denote specific deeds or a collection of actions. For example, it appears as "work" in John 4:34, "Jesus saith unto them, 'My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work.'" Taken together as a compound word, these two words emphasize both the long-term nature of obedience to this command and the comprehensiveness of its scope in all the opportunities and situations of life.

Galatians 6:10, "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."

Those Who Are Rich, Part 7

2011-10-31T05:00:00.003-04:00

1 Timothy 6:17-19, "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life."

For what purpose does God give all things? "To enjoy", or literally, "for full enjoyment". Far from being evil or unpleasant in and of themselves, the good gifts of life, food, clothing, money, etc. that God gives are to be enjoyed. The vanity of which Ecclesiastes (especially) speaks is due to the fleeting nature of this life, the misuse of these good gifts, and the consequences of sin that all too often prevent the enjoyment of them.

There is another kind of pleasure, but it is a counterfeit and only temporary. It is mentioned with respect to Moses in Hebrews 11:25, "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." The phrase "for a season" indicates that which is temporary, only for a time.

Those Who Are Rich, Part 6

2011-10-29T05:00:00.001-04:00

The goodness of God displayed in the good gifts He gives should motivate those who are rich to likewise give good gifts.

"giveth" -- literally, "to hold near", as in presenting or showing or bringing to someone.

"richly" -- simply means "copiously" or "abundantly". It is in God's nature to be lavishly generous. Most significant is the display of that generosity in providing salvation for us, as the translation "abundantly" reminds us in Titus 3:5-6, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour."
"all things" -- an inclusive description. This presupposes, of course, that the things given are good and legitimate. Compare James 1:17, where it is translated twice as "every", "Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

Those Who Are Rich, Part 5

2011-10-21T05:00:00.001-04:00

Instead of trusting in uncertain riches that may be unexpectedly consumed or stolen and which do nothing to address our spiritual needs or to affect our standing with God, we ought to trust in the living God Himself. To trust in uncertain riches is to make them into an idol, a vain and worthless false god. By contrast, Paul uses the phrase, "the living God", which is also used in Acts 14:14-17 to call idolaters to repent and worship the true God instead: "Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, and saying, 'Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He left not Himself without witness, in that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.'"
The living God has given us richly all things to enjoy. This passage from Acts reminds us that one reason He has done so is to testify of His existence and His attributes. It is out of His goodness that He does good, such as by sending rain from heaven, preparing fruitful seasons, and nourishing and gladdening our hearts.

Those Who Are Rich, Part 4

2011-10-20T05:00:00.002-04:00

Jesus also reminded us that there are no guarantees of long life and self-satisfaction even for the fabulously rich in Luke 12:15-21, "And he said unto them, 'Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.' And he spake a parable unto them, saying, 'The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, "What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?" And he said, "This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.'" But God said unto him, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.'"

The man's problem was not that he was rich per se, nor that he owned property, nor that it yielded a plentiful harvest. The problem was the attitude with which he regarded possessions and the intended actions he planned to take with them. The warning that our Lord gave was based on the fact that a man's life does not consisteth in the abundance of the things which he possesses. The term "consisteth" is a form of the word for "I exist". In other words, I cannot truthfully say, "I exist because I own so many things". Nor can I say, "I can only continue to exist if I have enough things." Wealth would not prolong that man's life, so it was pointless for him to hoard it for selfish purposes. He thought it would enable him to be lazy and celebrate, but it could not because his life was sustained by God, not by his goods.

Those Who Are Rich, Part 3

2011-10-19T05:00:00.000-04:00

"highminded" -- literally, "to be lofty in mind", haughty in demeanor, thought, and action. Albert Barnes notes that haughtiness is for the rich

"One of the evils to which they are particularly exposed. The idea is, that they should not value themselves on account of their wealth, or look down with pride and arrogance on their inferiors. They should not suppose that they are any better people or any nearer heaven, because they are wealthy. Property really makes no distinction in the great things that pertain to character and salvation, It does not necessarily make one wise, or learned, or great, or good. In all these things, the man who has not wealth may be vastly the superior of him who has; and for so slight and unimportant a distinction as gold can confer, no man should be proud."

"uncertain riches" -- literally, "the uncertainty of riches". Here Paul echoes Proverbs 23:4-5 (NKJV), "Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven." How clearly many in the U.S. have been reminded of the fleeting nature of prosperity over the past three years!

Those Who Are Rich, Part 2

2011-10-18T05:00:00.001-04:00

A simple answer came to mind soon after hearing Rush's question: "Because God said to!" Consider this passage:

1 Timothy 6:17-19, "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life."
"Charge" -- appears about 30 times in the New Testament. Translated as as some form of "command" the majority of those cases, some form of "charge" several times, and as "declare" once. This is a sober, authoritative declaration of the recipient's duty.

"them that are rich" -- simply refers to those who have an abundance of money and material resources. These are the especial targets of this command, but it shouldn't be limited to those who have large bank accounts for most of their lives. At any stage of our lives, the Lord could see fit to entrust us with more wealth than most for a time. That being the case, no matter how short or long that season might be, we too must heed this instruction.

Those Who Are Rich, Part 1

2011-10-17T05:00:00.001-04:00

One of my coworkers occasionally listens to Rush Limbaugh's radio program. Several days ago I overheard a few moments of it while Rush mentioned the idea that those who were successful and wealthy had an obligation to "give back" in some way (I think it was in connection with looking back on the life of Steve Jobs). He asked, "Why should they?" and went on to claim that the ostensible benefits brought by their invention or business itself was sufficient as their gift to society.

Is that a valid claim? Was inventing the light bulb (among other things) good enough for Thomas Edison? Was implementing the assembly line and producing an inexpensive car the limit of what Henry Ford could or should have done?
Did these men and others like them have any other obligations or considerations to fulfill? Is it valid for those who have much to keep it for themselves? Should they consider doing anything else with it?

O Thou Who Gavest Power to Love

2011-07-17T05:00:00.004-04:00

O Thou who gavest power to love
That we might fix our hearts on Thee,
Preparing us for joys above
By that which here on earth we see:

Thy Spirit trains our souls to know
The growing purpose of Thy will,
And gives to love the power to show
That purpose growing larger still;

Larger, as love to reverent eyes
Makes manifest another soul,
And shows to life a richer prize,
A clearer course, a nobler goal.

Lord, grant Thy servants who implore
Thy blessing on the hearts they blend,
That from that union evermore
New joys may blossom to the end.

Make what is best in each combine
To purge all earthly dross away,
To strengthen, purify, refine,
To beautify each coming day.

So may they hand in hand advance
Along life’s path from troubles free;
Brave to meet adverse circumstance
Because their love points up to Thee.

~ Mandell Creighton

O Perfect Love

2011-07-16T13:30:00.001-04:00

O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,
Lowly we kneel in prayer before Thy throne,
That theirs may be the love which knows no ending,
Whom Thou forevermore dost join in one.

O perfect Life, be Thou their full assurance,
Of tender charity and steadfast faith,
Of patient hope and quiet, brave endurance,
With childlike trust that fears nor pain nor death.

Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;
Grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,
And to life’s day the glorious unknown morrow
That dawns upon eternal love and life.

Hear us, O Father, gracious and forgiving,
Through Jesus Christ, Thy coeternal Word,
Who, with the Holy Ghost, by all things living
Now and to endless ages art adored.

~ Dorothy F. Gurney

Glorifying God, Part 47h

2011-07-11T05:00:00.001-04:00

2 Corinthians 3:13-17, "And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which was abolished: but their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

The "great plainness of speech" which concluded the verse immediately prior to this section is contrasted with the veiled face of Moses. To see the Old Testament account that forms the background of this New Testament passage, let's look at Exodus 34:28-35,

"And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And He wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while He talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai. And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with Him."

At first it may seem that Moses covered his face because the people were afraid of him. However, notice that Moses called them to himself and talked to them even before covering his face, and that later in the passage it is recorded that the people saw his shining face on subsequent occasions while he told them what God had commanded. Only after he was done talking did he put the veil back on. Paul points to the real reason in the 2 Corinthians passage: the glory was fading.

All Men Living Are but Mortal

2011-07-10T08:33:00.001-04:00

All men living are but mortal,
Yea, all flesh must fade as grass;
Only through death’s gloomy portal
To eternal life we pass.
This frail body here must perish
Ere the heav’nly love joys it cherish,
Ere it gain the free reward
For the ransomed of the Lord.

Therefore, when my God doth choose it,
Willingly I’ll yield my life
Nor will grieve that I should lose it,
For with sorrows it was rife.
In my dear Redeemer’s merit
Peace hath found my troubled spirit,
And in death my comfort this:
Jesus’ death my source of bliss.

Jesus for my sake descended
My salvation to obtain;
Death and hell for me are ended,
Peace and hope are now my gain;
Yea, with joy I leave earth’s sadness
For the home of heav’nly gladness,
Where I shall forever see
God, the Holy Trinity.

There is joy beyond our telling,
Where so many saints have gone;
Thousands, thousands, there are dwelling,
Worshiping before the throne,
There the seraphim are shining,
Evermore in chorus joining:
Holy, holy, holy Lord!
Triune God, for aye adored!

Patriarchs of sacred story
And the prophets there are found;
The apostles, too, in glory
On twelve seats are there enthroned,
All the saints that have ascended
Age on age, through time extended,
There in blissful concert sing
Hallelujahs to their King.

O Jerusalem, how glorious
Dost thou shine, thou city fair!
Lo, I hear the tone victorious
Ever sweetly sounding there.
Oh, the bliss that there surprises!
Lo, the sun of morn now rises,
And the breaking day I see
That shall never end for me.

Yea, I see what here was told me,
See that wondrous glory shine,
Feel the spotless robes enfold me,
Know a golden crown is mine,
Thus before the throne so glorious
Now I stand a soul victorious,
Gazing on that joy for aye
That shall never pass away.

~ Johann G. Albinus

Praise

2011-07-09T07:25:00.000-04:00

Psalm 9:1, "To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David. I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works."

"With a holy resolution the songster begins his hymn; I will praise thee O Lord. It sometimes needs all our determination to face the foe and bless the Lord in the teeth of his enemies; vowing that whoever else may be silent we will bless his name; here, however, the overthrow of the foe is viewed as complete, and the song flows with sacred fulness of delight. It is our duty to praise the Lord; let us perform it as a privilege. Observe that David's praise is all given to the Lord. Praise is to be offered to God alone; we may be grateful to the intermediate agent, but our thanks must have long wings and mount aloft to heaven. With my whole heart. Half heart is no heart. I will show forth. There is true praise in the thankful telling forth to others of our heavenly Father's dealings with us; this is one of the themes upon which the godly should speak often to one another, and it will not be casting pearls before swine if we make even the ungodly hear of the loving-kindness of the Lord to us. All thy marvellous works. Gratitude for one mercy refreshes the memory as to thousands of others. One silver link in the chain draws up a long series of tender remembrances. Here is eternal work for us, for there can be no end to the showing forth of all his deeds of love. If we consider our own sinfulness and nothingness, we must feel that every work of preservation, forgiveness, conversion, deliverance, sanctification, &c., which the Lord has wrought for us, or in us is a marvellous work. Even in heaven, divine loving-kindness will doubtless be as much a theme of surprise as of rapture."

~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Treasury of David

Great Source of Unexhausted Good

2011-07-03T08:12:00.000-04:00

Great Source of unexhausted good,
Who givest us health and friends and food
And peace and calm content;
Like fragrant incense, to the skies,
Let songs of grateful praises rise
For all Thy blessings lent.

Through all the dangers of the day,
Thy providence attends our way,
To guard us and to guide;
Thy grace directs our wandering will,
And warns us, lest seducing ill
Allure our souls aside.

To Thee our lives, our all, we owe,
Our peace and sweetest joys below,
And brightest hopes above;
Then let our lives, and all that’s ours,
Our souls, and all our active powers,
Be sacred to Thy love.

~ From the Exeter Collection

"A Greater Than _______ is Here", Part 1

2011-06-30T05:00:00.000-04:00

Recently the Bible reading calendar which many in my church are using took us through the opening chapters of 1 Kings and of Revelation at the same time. An interesting juxtaposition stood out this time through. As I thought back to the closing chapters of 1 Chronicles regarding the reign of David and saw again the record concerning the reign of his son Solomon, a comparison and contrast developed between their kingship and that of the King of kings. What each of them represented or achieved or were in the human realm in which they lived and ruled is as nothing compared to the perfection of Jesus the Christ. So it was with the priests and prophets of the Old Testament as well. As Jesus said of Himself in Matthew 12:41-42, "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here."

This series will attempt to show the comparisons and contrasts between those imperfect mortals and Jesus, the perfect Prophet, Priest, and King.

Glorifying God, Part 47g

2011-06-29T05:00:00.002-04:00

Since it was so certain, such a clear, expectant confidence that this hope is ours, Paul could use such frank, open, bold language to describe it. What hope is that? It is the completed exchange (in position) and confident expectation (in prospect) and current enjoyment (in practice) of the life and righteousness God has provided for through the service of the Spirit. All that God had prepared from eternity past to accomplish His provision and offer of salvation is summarized in these two ministrations. The one condemns us by showing us that we fall utterly short of God's glory. The other cheers us by offering us hope and life and righteousness and transformation because of the One who always measured up. The one was a fleeting glimpse that could not impart glory. The other is a permanent transformation of the inner man that will be completed through physical death (or Rapture for some) when we are called to enter God's glorious presence for eternity, at which time our lowly body will also be tranformed.

Romans 10:4, "For Christ is the end [termination point, goal, conclusion] of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

Glorifying God, Part 47f

2011-06-28T05:00:00.001-04:00

The first ministration was as if it had no glory when compared to the second in one aspect: duration. The term "exceed" in the phrase "exceed in glory" in verse 9 is "to superabound, to be in excess" or to cause to be that state. It speaks of abundance, overflow, or even leftovers. The word translated by "that excelleth" in verse 10 means "to throw beyond [the usual mark]" or "to surpass". Four out of the five times it appears in the New Testament it is translated with some form of "exceed", and the other by the word "passeth".

Why did the second surpass the first in such a superabundant way? It was (and is) permanent. It will remain in effect. It also, as verse 3 of this chapter informs us, is "written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."

The physical face of Moses, the cloud and darkness and thunder and lightning, Mt. Sinai itself, yes, even the ceremonial aspects of the law itself, were not to remain permanently. They were for a specific purpose for a specific time. They were the shadows, the types, the previews, of the better things to come.

Glorifying God, Part 47e

2011-06-27T05:00:00.001-04:00

2 Corinthians 3:7-12, "But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech."

With what did God replace the ministration of death? With the ministration of the Spirit, also called the ministration of righteousness. In this case, the term "spirit" refers to God the Holy Spirit, for we see in verse 17, "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

The ministry of condemnation was glorious because it showed the holy, righteous glory of God through the commands of His law and because of the temporary display of glory on Mt. Sinai and on Moses' face. The ministration of righteousness, which provided the justification that we need and that could never be provided through the law itself (because we could never keep it), was (and still is) even more glorious.

My Soul, Thy Great Creator Praise

2011-06-26T07:19:00.000-04:00

My soul, thy great creator praise:
When clothed in His celestial rays,
He in full majesty appears,
And, like a robe, His glory wears.

The heav’ns for His curtains spread,
The unfathomed deep He makes His bed.
Clouds are His chariot when He flies
On wingèd storms across the skies.

Angels, whom His own breath inspires,
His ministers, are flaming fires;
And swift as thought their armies move
To bear His vengeance or His love.

The world’s foundations by His hand
Are poised, and shall for ever stand;
He binds the ocean in His chain,
Lest it should drown the earth again.

When earth was covered by the flood,
Which high above the mountains stood,
He thundered, and the ocean fled,
Confined to its appointed bed.

The swelling billows know their bound,
And in their channels walk their round;
Yet thence conveyed by secret veins
They spring on hills and drench the plains.

He bids the crystal fountains flow,
And cheer the valleys as they go;
Tame heifers there their thirst allay,
And for the stream wild asses bray.

From pleasant trees which shade the brink,
The lark and linnet light to drink;
Their songs the lark and linnet raise
And chide our silence in His praise.

God from His cloudy cistern pours
On the parched earth enriching showers;
The grove, the garden, and the field,
A thousand joyful blessings yield.

He makes the grassy food arise,
And gives the cattle large supplies;
With herbs for man of various power,
To nourish nature or to cure.

What noble fruit the vines produce!
The olive yields in shining juice;
Our hearts are cheered with generous wine,
With inward joy our faces shine.

O bless His name, ye Britons, fed,
With nature’s chief supporter, bread;
While bread your vital strength imparts,
Serve Him with vigor in your hearts.

Behold the stately cedar stands,
Raised in the forest by His hands:
Birds to the boughs for shelter fly
And build their nests secure on high.

To craggy hills ascends the goat;
And at the airy mountain’s foot
The feebler creatures make their cell;
He gives them wisdom where to dwell.

He sets the sun his circling race,
Appoints the moon to change her face;
And when thick darkness veils the day,
Calls out wild beasts to hunt their prey.

Fierce lions lead their young abroad,
And roaring ask their meat from God;
But when the morning beams arise,
The savage beast to covert flies.

Then man to daily labor goes;
The night was made for his repose:
Sleep is Thy gift; that sweet relief
From tiresome toil and wasting grief.

How strange Thy works! How great Thy skill!
And every land Thy riches fill:
Thy wisdom round the world we see,
This spacious earth is full of Thee.

Nor less Thy glories in the deep,
Where fish in millions swim and creep,
With wondrous motions, swift or slow,
Still wandering in the paths below.

There ships divide their watery way,
And flocks of scaly monsters play;
There dwells the huge Leviathan,
And foams and sports in spite of man.

Vast are Thy works, almighty Lord,
All nature rests upon Thy Word,
And the whole race of creatures stands,
Waiting their portion from Thy hands.

While each receives his different food,
Their cheerful looks pronounce it good;
Eagles and bears, and whales and worms,
Rejoice and praise in different forms.

But when Thy face is hid, they mourn,
And dying to their dust return;
Both man and beast their souls resign,
Life, breath, and spirit, all is Thine.

Yet Thou canst breathe on dust again,
And fill the world with beasts and men;
A word of Thy creating breath
Repairs the wastes of time and death.

His works, the wonders of His might,
Are honored with His own delight:
How awful are His glorious ways!
The Lord is dreadful in His praise.

The earth stands trembling at Thy stroke,
And at Thy touch the mountains smoke;
Yet humble souls may see Thy face,
And tell their wants to sovereign grace.

In Thee my hopes and wishes meet,
And make my meditations sweet:
Thy praises shall my breath employ,
Till it expire in endless joy.

While haughty sinners die accursed
Their glory buried with their dust,
I, to my God, my heavenly king,
Immortal hallelujahs sing.

~ Isaac Watts

Glorifying God, Part 47e

2011-06-24T21:10:00.002-04:00

The phrase "which was to be done away" translates a word meaning, "to be or render entirely idle". The idea seems to be that something is made useless or void or ineffective. For example, it appears as "none effect" in Romans 4:14, "For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect." It is translated as "void" in Romans 3:31, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." In 1 Corinthians 13:11 it is translated as "put away": "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

So the glory associated with the giving of the law through the visible manifestations of God's presence and the glow on the face of Moses were temporary. They were not intended to always be in effect. Why? One reason is given in the rest of the passage from 2 Corinthians. God intended to replace that glory with something even more glorious.

Glorifying God, Part 47d

2011-06-23T05:00:00.002-04:00

The ministration of death was glorious because it had been caused to be glorious. That glory, not the glory of God's nature or of the law itself, was what was temporary and was passing away. As the human mediator/representative chosen by God to convey His law to His people, Moses had this glory associated with him to the extent that it was evident upon his countenance. It was a temporary glory, as a careful reading of the rest of the 2 Corinthians passage will make plain.

Even so, the Israelites could not gaze intently on the face of Moses because it reflected that glory. The same term appears more than a dozen other places, and describes an intense look at something that has captured the attention of the one seeing. For example, Luke 4:20, "And He closed the book, and He gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him." or Acts 23:1, "And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, 'Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.'"

Take Heed

2011-06-22T05:59:00.000-04:00

"Let us now pause a while, and lament Solomon's fall; and we must justly stand and wonder at it.

1. How strange, (1) That Solomon, in his old age, should be ensared with fleshly lusts, youthful lusts. (2) That so wise a man as Solomon was, so famed for a quick understanding and sound judgment, should suffer himself to be made such a fool of by these foolish women. (3) That one who had so often and so plainly warned others of the danger of the love of [such] women should himself be so wretchedly bewitched with it; it is easier to see a mischief, and to show it to others, than to shun it ourselves. (4) That so good a man, so zealous for the worship of God, should do these sinful things.

2. What shall we say to all this? (1) Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. We see how weak we are of ourselves, without the grace of God; let us therefore live in a constant dependence on that grace. (2) See the danger of a prosperous condition, and how hard it is to overcome the temptations of it. Solomon, like Jeshurun, waxed fat and then kicked. (3) See what need those have to stand upon their guard who have made a great profession of religion, and shown themselves forward and zealous in devotion, because the devil will set upon them most violently, and, if they misbehave, the reproach is the greater. It is the evening that commends the day; let us therefore fear, lest, having run well, we seem to come short."

~ Matthew Henry's Commentary In One Volume, Page 377

Look, Ye Saints! The Sight is Glorious

2011-06-19T08:07:00.000-04:00

Look, ye saints! the sight is glorious:
See the Man of Sorrows now;
From the fight returned victorious,
Every knee to Him shall bow;
Crown Him, crown Him,
Crown Him, crown Him,
Crowns become the Victor’s brow,
Crowns become the Victor’s brow.

Crown the Savior! angels, crown Him;
Rich the trophies Jesus brings;
In the seat of power enthrone Him,
While the vault of heaven rings;
Crown Him, crown Him,
Crown Him, crown Him,
Crown the Savior King of kings,
Crown the Savior King of kings.

Sinners in derision scorned Him,
Mocking thus the Savior’s claim;
Saints and angels crowd around Him,
Own His title, praise His name;
Crown Him, crown Him,
Crown Him, crown Him,
Spread abroad the Victor’s fame,
Spread abroad the Victor’s fame.

Hark, those bursts of acclamation!
Hark, those loud triumphant chords!
Jesus takes the highest station;
O what joy the sight affords!
Crown Him, crown Him,
Crown Him, crown Him,
King of kings and Lord of lords!
King of kings and Lord of lords!

~ Thomas Kelly

Glorifying God, Part 47c

2011-06-15T05:19:00.000-04:00

The ministration of death to which verse 7 refers is limited by the next phrase to that which was "written and engraven in stones". That is, the law of God summarized in the 10 Commandments that revealed His moral will toward Himself and toward our fellow man. The term "was glorious" is not merely a description of its condition, but also an indication of action. In other words, the giving of the law was "caused to be" or "became" glorious.

What was passing away? The glory. The glory of what? Certainly not the glory of God's nature, the attributes to which His law pointed! Neither was it the glorious display of the law itself as a holy, just, and good reflection of that nature. Rather, it was the visible glory which God displayed and associated with the giving of the law.

Romans 7:7-12, "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, 'Thou shalt not covet.' But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good."

Glorifying God, Part 47b

2011-06-14T05:00:00.000-04:00

"When Paul says that the letter kills, he is speaking of the ministry of the law. The law condemns all who fail to keep its holy precepts. 'By the law is the knowledge of sin' (Rom. 3:20). 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them' (Gal. 3:10). God never intended the law to be the means of giving life. Rather it was designed to bring the knowledge of sin and to convict of sin. The New Covenant is here called spirit. It represents the spiritual fulfillment of the types and shadows of the Old Covenant. What the law demanded but could never produce is now effected by the gospel."

~ William MacDonald, Believer's Bible Commentary, page 1829

Glorifying God, Part 47a

2011-06-13T05:00:00.000-04:00

2 Corinthians 3:7-12, "But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech."

The word for "ministration" in Greek is a form of the word for "deacon", and refers to giving attendance, service, or aid. Yet unlike what we might expect of service rendered, it was a ministration of death. Why? As Marvin Vincent puts it in his Word Studies, "The law meant death to the sinner." Moses was God's servant in this particular instance by relaying to them the law which God had communicated to him.

The Lord Will Provide

2011-06-12T08:21:00.000-04:00

In some way or other the Lord will provide;
It may not be my way,
It may not be thy way;
And yet, in His own way,
The Lord will provide.

Refrain

Then, we’ll trust in the Lord,
And He will pro-vide;
Yes, we’ll trust in the Lord,
And He will pro-vide.

At some time or other the Lord will provide;
It may not be my time,
It may not be thy time;
And yet, in His own time,
The Lord will provide.

Refrain

Despond then no longer; the Lord will provide;
And this be the token—
No word He hath spoken
Was ever yet broken:
The Lord will provide.

Refrain

March on then right boldly; the sea shall divide,
The pathway made glorious,
With shoutings victorious
We’ll join in the chorus,
The Lord will provide.

Refrain

~Martha A. Cook

Humble Yourself, Part 2

2011-06-11T05:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we saw that we are commanded to humble ourselves before God, making Him the object of our trust. Why does Peter then continue with the instruction to cast all our care upon Him? It is because He cares for us. That fact is an indication of God's good and generous nature--He delights to concern Himself with us. Is that not a source of great wonder, that He who made the world and all that is in it desires that each of us (as it were) throws all our distracting concerns that clamor for our attention and resources onto His infinitely broad capacity to carry them? To do so is not only an act of obedience, but it is also a way to obey the command in the preceding verse. How is that? To humble myself also involves the recognition that I am not able to bear these things myself as well as the recognition that He is able. To turn to the Lord and tell Him about my problems is not to tell Him something that He doesn't know, but it is to remind me of something I need to know.

Proverbs 16:3, "Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established."

Humble Yourself

2011-06-10T20:22:00.000-04:00

1 Peter 5:5-7, "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."

Perhaps recalling when Jesus, the Lord of glory, donned the attire and picked up the basin of a slave to wash the feet of His selfish and proud disciples, Peter instructs us to "be clothed with humility". At first Peter had not understood such self-denial, but it seems that now he did. The warning given is that God resists, or sets Himself against like an army or a determined foe, the one who is proud. Yet He gives grace to the humble--those who recognize their true status as creatures made to be dependent and further weakened by sin.

The word for "humble yourself" is literally, "to depress" or "to bring low". It requires renouncing self-trust and transferring that trust to God, who will elevate you at the proper time, when it is fitting to do so.

Baited and Trapped

2011-06-08T05:00:00.000-04:00

James 1:12-17, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

Lust often traps us by baiting the hook with good things--twisting the good gifts from God so as to disguise the bitter consequences of their misuse.

What You Know

2011-06-07T05:40:00.000-04:00

Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

Last night I overheard part of a sermon by Warren Wiersbe in which he emphasized that it isn't that we feel or see that all things work together for good, but that we know all things work together for good. That is vital to remember when facing particularly difficult or painful challenges. Why can we know it is so? Because of the good, loving, generous, unchanging nature of our God.

The Voice of Authority

2011-06-06T05:00:00.001-04:00

Revelation 1:15, "...and His voice as the sound of many waters."

Ezekiel 43:2, "And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and His voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with His glory."

"What is more impressive than the roar of Niagara in full spate or a vast crowd in full throat? Such is the voice of Christ, inescapable, authoritative, commanding all men and nations. The same voice that once uttered the sweet invitation 'Come unto Me' now resounds like the roar of a mighty cataract. As that loud, reverberating voice fell on John's ear, it was like the mighty waves that pounded Patmos's rocky shores--symbolic of the terribleness of the voice with which He will rebuke and sentence His foes within the church and without. There is a unique finality in the voice of Christ, for no word He spoke ever needed to be recalled. H. B. Swete remarks that the voice of God is not confined to one note. It can be terrible as the surge of the sea, or it can be the voice of gentle stillness, majestic in rebuke or tender in comfort. This is the voice of perfect authority."

~ J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Maturity, page 87

Tell It Over Again

2011-06-05T05:00:00.003-04:00

It is new, it is new every moment,
Half its marvels have never been told;
This glad message of hope and redemption,
This sweet Gospel that never grows old.

Refrain

Tell it over and over,
Tell it over again;
Tell of mercy and love and salvation,
Till all earth shall reply, Amen!

’Tis a message of bounty and mercy,
Full of heart-throbs of love from the throne;
They who quaff at its fountain of promise
Make the glories of Heaven their own.

Refrain

It has balm for the wounds of life’s battle,
For the great Healer left it below;
And it tells how the heart, sin makes crimson,
Grows, by faith in His blood, white as snow.

Refrain

Happy souls, happy souls that receive it,
They have only to learn and believe;
Just to turn from earth-idols to Jesus,
Keep His word, and salvation receive.

Refrain

~ A. Rosalthe Carey

It is Finished!

2011-06-04T05:00:00.002-04:00

"Of all mankind, Jesus alone at the close of life could say, 'It is finished!' Early in His ministry He had claimed, 'My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work' (John 4:34). At the close of His ministry He claimed, 'I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do' (John 17:4). He alone could review His whole life approvingly, conscious that in every detail His Father's will had been faithfully carried out. He had done what the first Adam had failed to do--He had kept the law of God perfectly, and so obtained a righteousness that is now available for all who believe in Him.

Compare our Lord's triumphant 'Tetelestai' with the great Cecil Rhodes's cry of frustration as he lay dying: 'So much to do, so little done.' Christ entertained no regrets, for no ground for regret existed."

~ J. Oswald Sanders, The Incomparable Christ, pages 289-290

Great Treasure

2011-06-03T05:55:00.000-04:00

Psalm 119:162 (NKJV), "I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure."

This and similar statements in the Psalms provide an important check of my motives and attitudes. Is this my response to God's Word? It is greater and more valuable than any earthly treasure. Do I regard it as such? Do I "brighten up", becoming "glad" and more "cheerful", because of God's Word?

Comprehensive Study

2011-06-02T05:48:00.000-04:00

"We are too easily satisfied with enjoying isolated texts. The shock and stimulus which a single text can give is very valuable, but a whole book of Scripture can give a far more powerful shock, if we read it from beginning to end and try to grasp its message as a whole. From this we may advance to groups of books. Sometimes we might take a single subject and go through the whole Bible to find out what is taught on it. And why should we not at last make the attempt to grasp all that the Bible has to teach, for faith on the one hand and for conduct on the other?"

~ James Stalker, Imago Christi, page 107

A Contrast

2011-06-01T06:39:00.000-04:00

Revelation 1:12-17, "And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:"

"The nail-pierced hand, strong enough to uphold the universe, was gentle enough to comfort and impart strength to a prostrate, humbled worshiper."

~ J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Maturity, page 89

Glorifying God, Part 46

2011-05-31T05:00:00.001-04:00

2 Corinthians 3:5-6, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."

Paul and the other apostles were made sufficient by God's enabling power to be ministers, servants, or attendants of the new covenant. It was not of their own "natural" abilities or resources, but a specific action by God. This sufficiency was for the freshness of the new covenant with its spiritual impact and ramifications, not merely the external written commands of the old covenant. The old covenant could not produce life. It could only produce death, because it did not have the ability to impart power to obey it and could only provide condemnation to those who failed to keep it. Yet the ones who through faith and patience inherited the promises realized that God promised to provide the new covenant even in passages of the old covenant.

Do Not Be Sluggish

2011-05-30T05:00:00.002-04:00

Hebrews 6:10-12 (ESV), "For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for His name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

The term for "unjust" here is used 11 other times in the New Testament, nearly all of them referring to those who are not saved. It is a compound word of a negating particle and a word for what is right and consistent with justice, especially when it is self-evident. Why would God be unjust if He failed to take note of our work and love for Him? Because that would be contrary to His merciful, kind, and generous nature. It would also be contrary to His stated promise of reward (for example, Matthew 10:41-42 and Luke 6:35). Paul exhorted slaves to obey their masters in the fear of God and work in a hearty manner because, as he wrote in Colossians 3:24, "Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." The phrase "to show" means "to indicate", especially by action. Our participation is required in that we should possess and exercise "diligence"--referring to haste, eagerness, and earnestness--in maintaining this hope. Those who exercised faith and patience until they inherited the promises are our examples.

Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven

2011-05-29T05:00:00.000-04:00

Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore His praises sing:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.

Praise Him for His grace and favor
To our fathers in distress.
Praise Him still the same as ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Glorious in His faithfulness.

Fatherlike He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He knows.
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Widely yet His mercy flows.

Frail as summer’s flower we flourish,
Blows the wind and it is gone;
But while mortals rise and perish
Our God lives unchanging on,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the high eternal One!

Angels, help us to adore Him;
Ye behold Him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before Him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace.

~ Henry F. Lyte

Update

2011-05-28T08:07:00.000-04:00

Praising the Lord for a remarkable week! Early this week I found out what day--June 1st--that I'm scheduled to transfer from being employed through a staffing agency to being a direct employee of the firm where I work. Thursday morning I found out that my new pay rate will be at least 20% higher! Then I arrived home Thursday afternoon to find an e-mail telling me to log-in to check for my PE exam results. When I did so, I found that I had passed. Now I know I won't have to go through all that studying again! There are two other exams specifically for structural engineers, but Ohio currently does not require them to be passed before practicing structural engineering.

Now I need to send $50 to the state board to get my registration, to fill out a bunch of benefits-related paperwork, and to seek the Lord's wisdom and help to be a good steward of these blessings.

Inconveniences, Part 7

2011-05-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

"When life's experiences appear to be turning out differently from what we had hoped, we can look past the disappointment or suffering to our loving Savior. Financial loss, health problems, difficulties in rearing children, marital conflict, career changes, and even the death of someone very dear should not embitter the Christian against his God. Although the experiences themselves may seem adverse, God is so concerned about His ultimate purpose for us that He allows disappointment and suffering to afflict us.

Romans 8:28 is incomplete, however, without verse twenty-nine. It is unfortunate that many believers can quote verse twenty-eight from memory but have no clue about the significance of the next verse. We can have confidence that good will emerge from bad circumstances because our sovereign God uses all of life's experiences to produce His character in us. 'For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son' (v. 29). This is the goal of the entire Christian life. We will never reach this exalted position in this life, but God is in the process of moving us in that direction."

~ Randy Jaeggli, More Like the Master, page 8

Inconveniences, Part 6

2011-05-26T05:00:00.002-04:00

Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

"This sentence, interpreted in its context, can bring unlimited comfort and cheer to the Christian in time of testing. With Paul it was a matter of profound conviction: 'And we know that all things work together for good.' No room for question here. He had unwavering confidence in the overruling providence of his God. He believed that 'God makes everything turn out for the best' (Scholefield). For him this conviction rendered complaining unthinkable since every event of life was either planned or permitted by God. It made possible of achievement his counsel of perfection, 'In everything give thanks.' It turned sighing into singing. It was a practical embracing of this truth which enabled him and his companion to sing at midnight even when plans seemed to miscarry and they were immured in a dungeon with bleeding backs. To him it mattered little whether physical conditions were propitious so long as he knew he loved God and was called according to His purpose."

~ J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Maturity, page 11

Inconveniences, Part 5

2011-05-25T05:00:00.001-04:00

The evangelistic potential of believing such truth is one motivation to embrace it. The impetus it gives toward obeying the commands to "rejoice always" and "in everything give thanks" is another. This is the case for more than just weather-related occurrences, however. What of so many other things, many of them otherwise inconsequential, that nevertheless may furnish ample opportunity for irritation, frustration, or disgust?

They furnish a source of rejoicing and praise--certainly not because they are good and right and pleasant in and of themselves, but because they are being used for a good purpose. That purpose is to make us conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). God is good and does what is good (Psalm 119:68), even when we do not understand how or why. Trust His unchanging nature and believe that He is overruling even what is evil to produce a beneficial result!

Inconveniences, Part 4

2011-05-24T05:00:00.000-04:00

Having considered for what purpose God does these things, what is to be our response? How are we to participate in His purposes for them? Since one purpose for which God causes rain, thunder, lightning, cold, ice, snow, etc. is so that "all men may know His work", here are two ideas:

Become thoroughly convinced of the truth of this passage yourself. Believe God's Word regarding His power and authority. Recognize both His transcendence and immanence in the awe-inspiring approach of a thunderstorm or the silent beauty of falling snow.
Speak of this truth to others. Respond differently than the pagans around you to the inconveniences or dangers of certain weather patterns or events.

Rest

2011-05-23T05:00:00.001-04:00

"For the great mass of the world's workers the principal opportunity of rest is the Sabbath. Jesus threw His shield over this institution, maintaining that it was made for man, and therefore none had the right to take it from him. In His day those who tried to take it away were the Pharisees, who converted it from a day of sacred delight into a day set with thorns to wound the conscience. This danger is not yet past; but in our day the attack comes more from the other side--from the Sadducees rather than the Pharisees. The movements against the Sabbath originate at present almost entirely with the idle rich, who naturally, after spending six days in a round of pleasure and dissipation, have no taste for a day of quietness, when they might have to look within and face themselves. If they obeyed the first part of the fourth commandments, 'Six days shalt thou labour,' they would have more comprehension of the second. They generally profess, indeed, to be acting in the interest of the poor; but they take the name of the poor in vain, for the poor know better. They know that, wherever the sacredness of the Sabbath is overridden, the poor man has seven days to toil instead of six...

It is, however, a problem always requiring fresh consideration, as the conditions of life change, how to observe the Sabbath. The day of rest is not rightly spent unless it is a delight to man as well as holiness to the Lord. But surely the best security for reaping all the fruits it was intended to yield is to spend it in the spirit and the company of Him after whom it is called the Lord's Day."

~ James Stalker, Imago Christi, pages 119-120

(While Sunday is not the same thing as the Sabbath Day and therefore the term should not be used for Sunday, the word "sabbath" means "an intermission" and also forms the basis of the Hebrew word for "rest". Though the term itself may be less than helpful, the principle remains.)

O Thou Who Dwell'st on High

2011-05-22T05:00:00.007-04:00

O Thou who dwell’st on high,
’Mid burning seraphs bright,
Pavilioned in the azure sky,
Robed with celestial light:
Permit us to draw near,
And worship and adore;
Redeemed from sin and guilt and fear,
Thy blessing we implore.

Thou high and holy Lord,
Before whom seraphs fall
With faces veiled and spirits awed,
And Thee thrice holy call:
We fall before Thy feet,
Unworthy to draw near,
E’en though before Thy mercy seat
Thou call’st us to appear.

Hear Thou the prayer we bring;
Regard Thy children’s need;
Accept the hymns of praise we sing,
And to our vows give heed.
We seek Thee in Thy Son,
Who died our souls to save—
The crucified but risen One,
Triumphant o’er the grave.

Through Him, our great high priest
Before the heav’nly throne,
We seek redemption’s power and peace—
Peace to the world unknown;
Seeking, we find Thee near
To bless with every grace
And make us meet, when Thou appear,
To see Thee face to face.

~ Wilson T. Hogue

Systematic Idolatry

2011-05-21T05:00:00.008-04:00

"In their quest to determine what is true about God, systematic theologians have gone beyond the explicit statements of Scripture to arrive at implicit (and sometimes speculative) conclusions. Although there is nothing wrong with the application of human logic and sanctified imagination in Bible study, the results have historically tended to produce a series of logical proofs somewhat reminiscent of high school geometry class. That's the way theology is sometimes presented--as just theorems about God. It seems that many people have not been content to accept the plain statements of Scripture about what God is like."

~ Randy Jaeggli, More Like the Master, page 6

Thus, God is conceived of and presented as something that He is not. Idolatry consists not only of worshipping other gods (the first commandment), but also of misrepresenting the one true and living God (the second commandment).

Inconveniences, Part 3

2011-05-20T05:00:00.000-04:00

At times God uses weather to seal up or prevent or restrain man's normal outdoor activity. For what purpose does God do this? The answer is in the next phrase: "that all men may know His work". It is, at least in part, a way to get our attention and make us stop to think. The context uses several direct terms to describe how God is responsible for the various weather patterns and events we observe around the world. It is undeniably within His sphere of authority and power. He is personally involved, for it is His voice, His command, His breath (in metaphorical if not literal terms) that produce such awesome effects.

Later in this passage we see a three-fold (though not likely exhaustive) purpose statement: a certain weather event may be for correction (signifying judgment, chastening, or an indication of rulership), for His land, or for mercy. Joshua 10:11 provides an example of correction in which God executed many Canaanite soldiers with hailstones. 1 Kings 18 provides an example of how God sent rain to His land after a long drought, as well as of mercy to the idolatrous people of the northern kingdom.

Inconveniences, Part 2

2011-05-19T05:00:00.001-04:00

Job 37:1-14 (NKJV), "At this also my heart trembles, and leaps from its place. Hear attentively the thunder of His voice, and the rumbling that comes from His mouth. He sends it forth under the whole heaven, His lightning to the ends of the earth. After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, and He does not restrain them when His voice is heard. God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. For He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth'; likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength. He seals the hand of every man, that all men may know His work. The beasts go into dens, and remain in their lairs. From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds of the north. By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen. Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds; He scatters His bright clouds. And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, that they may do whatever He commands them on the face of the whole earth. He causes it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy. Listen to this, O Job; stand still and consider the wondrous works of God."

I have posted about this passage before with respect to snow. This time, however, I wanted to focus on verse 7, "He seals the hand of every man, that all men may know His work." The verse immediately prior ends with the phrase, "the heavy rain of His strength" and the verse immediately following describes how "The beasts go into dens, and remain in their lairs". We see, therefore, that the context talks about taking shelter from the more severe forms of weather. So with this verse. The idea of "sealing" is closing up, often referring to an actual signet-style seal applied to wax on a rolled-up document or some other closed object. The more severe the weather is, the more likely we (and the animals) are likely to respond to it by seeking shelter and remaining shut up in it until the storm is past.

Inconveniences, Part 1

2011-05-18T05:00:00.004-04:00

Yesterday morning when I tried to leave for work, my car was dead--not even the lights worked--so I had to borrow Dad's car. After I got home this afternoon I started trying to figure out what the problem was. Praise the Lord, He enabled me to find the likely cause within a few minutes, the replacement part was only a little more than six dollars, and my car is currently running with the old part still installed. (I'm going to carry the new one with me at least until I have better weather and more time to change it.)

In a related vein, while I was at work yesterday some remarks by co-workers bemoaning the large amount of rain this area has received over the past month and a half made me start thinking about my response to various aspects of everyday life. Weather is an easy topic of conversation, and an all too easy one to complain about! When I get tired of the rain, I might resist the urge to complain by remembering accounts of areas currently stricken with drought--I'll take rain storms over dust storms, thank you. I might come up with reasons, valid (at least it isn't ice), trivial (I don't need to wash my car now), or goofy (it lets me test my windshield wipers), to convince myself that it isn't that bad after all. However, those reasons do not go far enough. Do not the pagans do the same?

Glorifying God, Part 45

2011-05-17T05:00:00.001-04:00

We have observed that God's glory was displayed in His Son during His incarnate ministry, and that there will be a future time when His glory will be displayed to all those then living. But what about here and now? How is He displaying His glory in this age? The next few posts will explore part of the answer.

2 Corinthians 3:5-6, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."

Here Paul echoes with different words the same truth he pointed out in 1 Corinthians chapter 1. There we discover that God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, the weak things to confound the mighty, and the insignificant and despised things to bring to nothing the things that exist. What was the reason given there? Verse 29: "That no flesh should glory in His presence." The parallel continues in verse 30, in which we are told that "of Him [God] are ye in Christ Jesus, who of [by or because of] God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption". In other words, these qualities and benefits and actions are sourced in God, not in ourselves. The means by which they are made available to us in Christ Jesus Himself.

Behold the Man

2011-05-16T05:00:00.001-04:00

"Jesus was not only a man, He was a manly man--the crown and glory of humanity. Scant justice has been done to the Master by the many artists who have attempted to interpret Him on canvas. He has far more frequently been represented as womanly and weak than as masculine and manly."

So wrote J. Oswald Sanders on page 117 of The Incomparable Christ. Sanders goes on to list these ways (among others) in which the manliness of Christ can be seen:

"Jesus knew more of peril than most, and yet when faced with it He never evinced the slightest timidity or fear."

"He is a strong man who will voluntarily speak words that must inevitably bring on him dire and painful consequences."

"In the many tours recorded in the gospels...it is estimated that He traveled on foot about two thousand five hundred miles during the three years, and we need not conclude that every journey was recorded."

"Ponder the strain imposed on His physique by the constant demands of the crowds milling around Him."

"It is often more easy to speak than to keep silence."

"Mark the flashing of His eye, the resolute step as He advances with uplifted whip of cords and begins to oust the rapacious traffickers (John 2:13-17)."

"Not even once did Jesus betray the slightest semblance of lack of self control. Strong though His emotions were, He always held them on a taut leash."

"He displayed no unmanly shrinking from suffering."

Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace

2011-05-15T05:00:00.003-04:00

Come, ye who from your hearts believe
That Jesus answers prayer,
Come boldly to a throne of grace
And claim His promise there,
That, if His love in us abide
And we in Him are one,
Whatever in His name we ask
It surely will be done.

Refrain

Come lovingly and trustingly,
Take Jesus at His Word,
For He has said, the prayer of faith
Was never yet unheard.

If in the fountain filled with blood
Our sins are washed away
Come boldly to a throne of grace,
Rejoicing that we may
Come boldly to a throne of grace,
And bless the Lord our king—
Who fills our grateful hearts with praise,
And tunes our tongues to sing.

Refrain

From every precious, golden hour
We spend in fervent prayer,
We gather strength from day to day
For each returning care;
And while with true, believing hearts
We bow before His throne,
There’s not a promise He has made
But we may call our own.

Refrain

~ Fanny Crosby

(Thanks to Jason Hunsicker for introducing me to this song.)

We Interrupt This Blog...

2011-05-13T20:52:00.000-04:00

...to bring you the announcement of a temporary cessation of posting. In other words, I'm trying to do too many things right now and need to take a break for a few days. Activity is expected to resume in a couple of weeks at the longest.

(Note: This post was scheduled for May 4th but somehow ended up as "Draft" instead of "Published".)

Glorifying God, Part 44

2011-05-03T05:00:00.001-04:00

Speaking of a yet future manifestation of God's glory, Isaiah 66:18-19 declares,

"For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see My glory. And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles."

In the midst of pronouncing woes upon proud evildoers, then epitomized by the Chaldeans, Habakkuk 2:14 speaks in terms of the glory of God being made manifest by such judgment: "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

In response to what God would do through King David's greatest Son, the King of kings, Psalm 72:18-19 says, "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be His glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with His glory; Amen, and Amen."

Glorifying God, Part 43

2011-05-02T05:00:00.001-04:00

Isaiah 40:3-5 - The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.' Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."

What was Isaiah speaking of? How would the glory of the Lord be revealed? John the Baptist provides the answer when identifying himself and his role in John 1:23: "He said, 'I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord," as said the prophet Esaias.'"

John the Baptist was the finishing touch on God's preparation throughout history for accomplishing His plan of redemption of sinful humanity. As the one who prepared the way of the Lord, his task was temporary but vital. The glory of the Lord was now being revealed in Jesus the Christ. That is why earlier in chapter 1 the apostle John referred to Jesus as having glory as of the only begotten of the Father, and why in John 17:5 Jesus prayed that He would be glorified with the glory which He had with the Father before the world existed.

Hebrews 1:1-4, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they."

Flung to the Heedless Winds

2011-05-01T05:00:00.001-04:00

Flung to the heedless winds,
Or on the waters cast,
The martyrs’ ashes, watched,
Shall gathered be at last.

And from that scattered dust,
Around us and abroad,
Shall spring a plenteous seed,
Of witnesses for God.

The Father hath received,
Their latest living breath,
And vain is Satan’s boast,
Of victory in their death.

Still, still, though dead, they speak,
And, trumpet tongued, proclaim,
To many a wakening land,
The one availing name.

~ Martin Luther

Science Catches Up (For Once)

2011-04-30T06:56:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 30:5, "Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him."

Yesterday evening I saw a video presentation by Carl Kerby of Answers in Genesis about racism and the validity that is given to it by the evolutionary worldview. During the course of the presentation, Mr. Kerby emphasized at least twice that the Bible must be the foundation of our thinking and beliefs as Christians. He gave examples of how modern scientists have finally caught up to the truth that God had revealed from the very beginning. One was mitochondrial "Eve", from whom all people now living are said to have descended. At first, this "Eve" was thought to live 100,000 to 200,000 years ago. However, another study was done a few years later in which the "clock" that was used was refined, and surprise of all surprises, the new timeframe for this "Eve" was...6000 years ago. It has also been claimed that all the children from "Eve" were by the same man. Hmmmmm... Where have I heard that before?

God's Word, when embraced by faith and obeyed, shields us from discrimination and prejudice stemming from judgments based on external physical characteristics (such as skin color or eye shape). This is another way that God is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Because His word has no worthless material in it and is completely pure, it is also completely trustworthy. As such, it shields us from doubt, fear, and confusion. It provides a reliable record of real actions by the true and living God in real history. As such, God's Word needs no confirmation or verification from a human source--the nature of its Author has already determined its accuracy--yet it should be no surprise to us to find out that reality corresponds to the record God has left for us.

John 20:29, "Jesus saith unto him, 'Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.'"

The Carpenter

2011-04-29T05:00:00.002-04:00

In the shop of Nazareth
Pungent cedar haunts the breath.
'Tis a low Eastern room,
Windowless, touched with gloom.
Workmen's bench and simple tools
Line the walls. Chests and stools,
Yoke of ox, and shaft of plough,
Finished by the carpenter,
Lie about the pavement now.
In the room the Craftsman stands,
Stands and reaches out His hands.
Let the shadows veil His face
If you must, and dimly trace
His workman's tunic, girt with bands
At His waist. But His hands--
Let the light play on them;
Marks of toil lay on them.
Paint with passion and with care
Every old scar showing there
Where a tool slipped and hurt;
Show each callous; be alert
For each deep line of toil.
Show the soil
Of the pitch; and the strength
Grip of helve gives at length.
When night comes, and I turn
From my shop where I earn
Daily bread, let me see
Those hard hands; know that He
Shared my lot, every bit;
Was a man, every whit.
Could I fear such a hand
Stretched out toward me? Misunderstand
Or mistrust? Doubt that He
Meets me full in sympathy?
Carpenter! hard like Thine
Is this hand--this of mine;
I reach out, gripping Thee
Son of Man, close to me,
Close and fast, fearlessly.

~Arthur P. Vaughan

Fear and Fleeces

2011-04-28T05:00:00.000-04:00

"Some people might fault Gideon for tearing down the altar at night because of fear. But we must not lose sight of the fact that he did obey the Lord. His fear did not stop him from being obedient."

"Gideon's fleece is often misunderstood by Christians. There are two things about this incident that we should keep in mind: Gideon was not looking to the fleece for guidance but for confirmation. God had already told him what he was to do. Gideon was just seeking assurance of success. People who talk about putting out a fleece to find the will of the Lord in a certain matter are misapplying the passage. Secondly, Gidon had asked for a supernatural sign, not a natural one. Naturally speaking, what Gideon asked for would never have happened without the direct intervention of God. Today people use things as a 'fleece' that could happen naturally, without [unusual and obvious] divine intervention. This, too, is a wrong way to use the story. What we see here is God condescending to a man of weak faith to assure him of victory."

~ Willam MacDonald, Believer's Bible Commentary, pages 271-272

Glorifying God, Part 42

2011-04-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's post quoted Psalm 19, which indicates that God continually enumerates His glory (for those with eyes to see it) in the universe that He has created. This is a kind of general revelation that is commonly available--all who can perceive the features of the creation with their senses have it available to them. The word translated as "sheweth" in verse 1 means to stand out boldly, to be "right in front of your face", so to speak. This manifestation of what great things God has done is a daily occurrence, with one of the most obvious means of doing so being the sun. Its splendor appears every morning (even when veiled by clouds, it provides enough light to live by) and serves us throughout the day. As such, it shows God's power and creativity, reminds us of His holiness, and demonstrates His goodness.

However, there are other, more specific, and more complete ways in which God has revealed His own glory. Before concluding this series I want to look at those other ways in several posts.

Glorifying God, Part 41

2011-04-26T05:00:00.000-04:00

Psalm 19:1-6, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath He set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof."

The skies and the sun are said to "declare" how glorious God is. The word used here properly means "to score or mark" as in making a tally, or by implication to enumerate or recount. It first occurs twice (once as "tell" and once as "number") in Genesis 15:5, "And He brought him forth abroad, and said, 'Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them:' and He said unto him, 'So shall thy seed be.'" What was Abraham's response? Verse 6 supplies the answer, and points to the purpose for the creation which Psalm 19 describes: "And he believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness."

To study the amazing properties of the sun (such as how much energy it consumes every second) or to grapple with the vast expanse of outer space with billions of stars in billions of galaxies for the awake and aware a cause to praise God and marvel at His craftsmanship. It is only willful unbelief out of which people who explore such created wonders refuse to glorify Him as God. That being so, it is no difficult thing for them to worship the creature rather than the Creator. Case in point: Good Friday and "Earth Day" fell on the same day this year. Guess which one of those days was observed on the home page of a certain popular search engine?

The Great Commission

2011-04-25T05:00:00.002-04:00

J. Oswald Sanders writes about the Great Commission as given during the post-resurrection ministry of Jesus on page 326 of The Incomparable Christ:

"He revealed to them the source of their power for such a stupendous, mind-stretching enterprise. As He unfolded His plan, they might well have protested, 'Who is sufficient for these things?' (2 Corinthians 2:16). He revealed to them the source of their power beforehand: 'Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high' (Luke 24:49). He reminded them again of His provision: 'Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.' He was not going to leave them dependent on merely human resources for what was clearly a superhuman task."

He adds on pages 327-328,

"...on each occasion when He met His disciples, the great burden of His heart found expression...The matters of which Jesus made no mention are equally striking and significant in our materialistic and computerized age. The financial problem which bulks so largely in our calculations was not even mentioned. Methods of organization, structure of the church, type of church buildings were alike ignored. But great emphasis was laid upon utter and absolute abandonment to His leading and devotion to His person as the motive power of evangelistic endeavor."

He is Risen!

2011-04-24T05:47:00.001-04:00

1 Corinthians 15:20-22, “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by Man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

1 Corinthians 15:54-57, “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:13-14, “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; knowing that He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.”

Wounded for Me

2011-04-23T05:00:00.001-04:00

Wounded for me, wounded for me,
There on the cross He was wounded for me;
Gone my transgressions, and now I am free,
All because Jesus was wounded for me.

Dying for me, dying for me,
There on the cross He was dying for me;
Now in His death my redemption I see,
All because Jesus was dying for me.

Risen for me, risen for me,
Up from the grave He has risen for me;
Now evermore from death’s sting I am free,
All because Jesus has risen for me.

Living for me, living for me,
Up in the skies He is living for me;
Daily He’s pleading and praying for me,
All because Jesus is living for me.

Coming for me, coming for me,
One day to earth He is coming for me;
Then with what joy His dear face I shall see,
O how I praise Him—He’s coming for me!

~ William G. J. Ovens

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

2011-04-22T05:00:00.000-04:00

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

To Christ, who won for sinners grace
By bitter grief and anguish sore,
Be praise from all the ransomed race
Forever and forevermore.

~ Isaac Watts

The Strongest Man at the Strongest Hour, Part 4

2011-04-21T05:00:00.020-04:00

Luke 23:34, "Then said Jesus, 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.' And they parted His raiment, and cast lots."

"In the soul of Jesus there was no resentment; no anger, no lurking desire for punishment upon the men who were maltreating Him. Men have spoken in admiration of the mailed fist. When I hear Jesus thus pray, I know that the only place for the mailed fist is in hell."

~G. Campbell Morgan, The Gospel According to Luke, p. 269

"The Roman soldiers callously drive the spikes through His quivering flesh and raise aloft the instrument of torture. While they are still engaged in their grim task, the lips of the victim are seen to move...But what is He saying! Is it some word of righteous indignation because He knew His own innocence? Is He hurling maledictions at His torturers? Is He pleading for mercy? No, none of these. He is praying.

For whom does He pray? For Himself? Again, no. We are privileged to listen in to those gracious words of intercession. Had Isaiah not prophesied that the coming Messiah would make 'intercession for the transgressors' (Isaiah 53:12)? This is what He is doing as the pain-racked words come from His lips, 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do' (Luke 23:34).

The consistent habit of a lifetime persisted even in the hour of death. His first word was a word of prayer. His hands can no longer perform acts of love for friend or enemy. His feet can no more carry Him on errands of mercy. But one form of ministry, and the highest, is still open to Him. He can still pray."

~J. Oswald Sanders, The Incomparable Christ, p. 237-238

How was Jesus able to do this? What allowed Him to face such stark injustice and malevolent evil with such compassionate mercy and willingness to forgive? One reason that comes to mind is that He is meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29). Meekness describes "strength under control". He had all power and authority, yet was willingly and intentionally restraining that capability so as to fulfill God's plan of redemption. Peter describes another reason--His believing commitment to God the Judge of all the earth who will do what is right--in these verses:

1 Peter 2:22-24, "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously: who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

The Strongest Man at the Strongest Hour, Part 3

2011-04-20T05:00:00.001-04:00

Isaiah 53:7, "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is [silent], so He openeth not His mouth."

John 19:7-11, "The Jews answered him, 'We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.' When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; and went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, 'Whence art Thou?' But Jesus gave him no answer. Then saith Pilate unto Him, 'Speakest Thou not unto me? Knowest Thou not that I have power to crucify Thee, and have power to release Thee?' Jesus answered, 'Thou couldest have no power at all against Me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered Me unto thee hath the greater sin.'"

"When He appeared before Pontius Pilate with the chief priests vehemently bringing charges against Him, 'He answered nothing' (Mark 15:3). 'Answerest Thou nothing?' questioned Pilate. '"Behold how many things they witness against Thee." But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled' (Mark 15:3-4). Conscious of His complete integrity, Jesus ignored both judge and accusers, to the discomfiture of both. His silence was more crushing than a spate of words.

'In the silence of this interior hall,' wrote James Stalker, 'He and Pilate stood face to face, He in the lonely prisoner's place, Pilate in the place of power. Yet how strangely, as we look back at the scene, are the places reversed. It is Pilate who is going to be tried. All that morning Pilate is being judged and exposed; and ever since he has stood in the pillory of history, with the centuries gazing at him.'"

~ J. Oswald Sanders, The Incomparable Christ, pages 219-220

The Strongest Man at the Strongest Hour, Part 2

2011-04-19T05:00:00.000-04:00

John 12:23,27, "And Jesus answered them, saying, 'The hour is come, that the Son of Man should be glorified...Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour."

John 13:1-3, "Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God."

"John and Luke both emphasize that Jesus went into the Garden often. He was moving willingly towards His death and was not trying to hide; Judas would know exactly where to find Him. When He was ready to leave the Garden, He said, 'Rise, let us go' not to escape His foes, but rather to meet them. He was on His way to die. His death was not something He suffered so much as something He accomplished. He chose when He would be betrayed, tried, and crucified. 'What you are about to do, do quickly', He said to Judas, as if to say, 'This is the time which I have appointed for you to do your dire deed.'"

~James Philip, The Glory of the Cross

The Strongest Man at the Strongest Hour, Part 1

2011-04-18T05:00:00.001-04:00

An evangelist who recently held a series of training sessions at my church preached during a Sunday morning service about "the strongest Man at the strongest hour". That phrase caught my attention. It isn't that Jesus was stronger at this point than He was at any other time, but that He was stronger than any man and endured the most trying of circumstances. This series will look at some of the aspects of what Christ faced and His response to it.

Luke 22:24-26, "And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And He said unto them, 'The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.'"

"It is a terrible indictment of the human heart that immediately after the Lord's Supper, the disciples should argue among themselves as to which of them was the greatest! The Lord Jesus reminded them that in His economy, greatness was the very opposite of man's idea. The kings who ruled over the Gentiles were commonly thought of as great persons; in fact they were called 'benefactors'. But it was only a title; actually they were cruel tyrants. They had the name of goodness, but no personal characteristics to match it.

It was not to be so of the followers of the Savior. Those who would be great should take the place of the younger. And those who would be chief should stoop in lowly service to others. These revolutionary dicta completely reversed the accepted traditions of the younger being inferior to the elder, and the chief manifesting greatness by mastery."

~William MacDonald, Believer's Bible Commentary, p. 1450

Notice the context of this passage. It was during the Last Supper! That was the very meal at which Jesus washed their feet. Jesus pointed them to His own example, the supreme example of humble service. There was no one higher. No one deserved more honor and worship and service than He did. Yet He did not arrive here to be served, but to serve. He did not say merely “I am among you as He that washes feet”, but “I am among you as He that serveth”. Paul and Peter would each point to the same example of humility in one of their epistles:

Philippians 2:3-8, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

This was not merely the guise of a slave or the position of a diakonos (as we might guess if we only had the record in Matthew 20), but the literal assumption of the form of a slave—the same word is translated as “form” with respect to His deity. The mindset He exhibited was that of a profound humility that allowed Him to take on the form of a doulos, a bondslave. We are to have the mindset that He had—not that the particular actions mentioned here are required of all of us (we won't all likewise literally die on a wooden cross, for example)—but that the same thinking and attitude characterizes us.

1 Peter 5:5, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

In expanded terms, put on humility like a slave would tie on a work apron--or a towel. I believe that Peter was recalling that night when One greater than all the elders laid aside the garment of even a Galilean peasant (surely the King deserved better than that), took a towel, and girded Himself as a tangible demonstration of the intangible humility with which He was always girded.

Palm Sunday

2011-04-17T05:00:00.001-04:00

Luke 19:37-44, "And when He was come nigh, even now at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; saying, 'Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.'

And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto Him, 'Master, rebuke Thy disciples.'

And He answered and said unto them, 'I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.'

And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, 'If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.'"

Alistair Begg wondered why we call this the "triumphal" entry. From the perspective of the One riding in that seeming triumph, it was anything but triumphant. Regarding a very different event in the gospel histories, Pastor Begg expressed wonder at the condescension of God the Son to take upon Himself the nature of a man with this statement: "The Lord of glory slept!" In the case of Jesus approaching Jerusalem, we could well marvel that "the Lord of glory wept!" From the perspective of most in the throng, this was most likely an emotionally thrilling day, for Mark 11:10 indicates that they anticipated that Jesus would soon set up an earthly, physical kingdom. Yet what brought such a different response from the King?

Jesus knew what was in store for this city that He loved so much and which had such significance in God's purposes.

Jesus knew that in less than a week's time, the crowds now hailing Him as the long-awaited King would be calling for His murder.

The word translated as "wept" means to sob or wail aloud, usually indicating an extreme and obvious expression of grief. It was often used of mourning for the dead (such as in Luke 8:52 and John 11:33). This was one more way in which Jesus was "a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3). Yet this was no human weakness on the part of Jesus. Rather, it was an expression, still more a revelation, of the divine nature. Consider the following verses:

Ezekiel 18:23, "'Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?' saith the Lord God: 'and not that he should return from his ways, and live?'"

Ezekiel 18:30, "'Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,' saith the Lord God. 'Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth,' saith the Lord God: 'wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.'"

What Is Owed, Part 6

2011-04-16T05:00:00.002-04:00

Mark 12:29-31, "And Jesus answered him, 'The first of all the commandments is, "Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:" this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." There is none other commandment greater than these.'"

Why are these the chief commandments? A parallel passage provides clarification:

Matthew 22:40, "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

These two commandments support, uphold, or fasten in place the Law and the Prophets, so to speak. The word "hang" is used several times to refer to crucifixion or hanging on a tree, such as in Luke 23:39. Loving others is a concise summary of our chief obligation. That chief obligation includes all of our other obligations as defined by God's law. Love for God is the spiritual and moral umbrella that covers all of our responsibilities Godward. Love for man is the spiritual and moral umbrella that covers all of our responsibilities manward. If I love other people I will obey those commands from God that concern them. That is just what Romans 13 goes on to indicate in verses 9-10, "For this, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet'; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.' Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."

What Is Owed, Part 5

2011-04-15T05:00:00.000-04:00

My pastor indicated in a sermon series many months ago that considered the "one another" passages of Scripture, some people have even violated the obligation to love one another by fulfilling the law because they think they are obeying this verse by focusing on getting out of debt by hook or by crook.

With that and our consideration of this passage so far in mind, look at Romans 13:8, "Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law."

The word translated "owe" here is a form of the word translated as "duty" in Luke 17 and as "due" in 1 Corinthians 7. The point I am trying to make? Romans 13:8 does not have to refer to financial debt. In fact, taken strictly as forbidding all owing of money, it would contradict the previous two verses which describe our financial obligation to human governments.

So far I have only dealt with the first four words of Romans 13:8. What about the rest of the verse? That could lead to an extremely lengthy rabbit trail of considering the subject of love, but I'll try to resist going very far for the sake of finishing this series without writing a book.

We are not left to our own imaginings concerning a definition of love. Love for others is not pleasant feelings toward them, though it certainly may include that. Jesus stated in John 14:15, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." Love involves action--in this case, obedience to what Jesus commanded in His Word.

What Is Owed, Part 4

2011-04-14T05:00:00.001-04:00

We have already seen that the word translated as "dues", as well as opheileō, the word from which it is derived, often refers to financial debts. The remainder of Romans 13:7, however, includes respect for authority among those things that we owe. In addition, the following verses indicate that opheileō can also figuratively be used for other obligations.

Luke 17:7-10, "But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come in from the field, 'Go and sit down to meat?' And will not rather say unto him, 'Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink'? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.'"

1 Corinthians 7:3-4, "Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife."

Both of these passages use a form of the word translated as "dues" in the KJV of Romans 13:7. In the Luke 17 passage ("duty") the activities listed are not monetary in nature at all. The servant owes his master full obedience and total respect. Even if he succeeded in fulfilling that obligation, he is to think of himself as nothing special. Indeed, there is a sense in which he would not be profitable because he would only meet his obligations--nothing extra was given.

The 1 Corinthians 7 passage ("due") obviously does not have anything to do with money, either. I don't think Paul was saying, "Husbands, make sure you don't owe your wife any money!"

What Is Owed, Part 3

2011-04-13T05:00:00.001-04:00

So how was I missing the connection between Romans 12:1-2 and Romans 13:7? The issue is that I was not intentionally and actively viewing the paying of taxes and all it entails (including complying with requirements, accepting certain characteristics of the process, and following all instructions that applied to my situation) as what it should be: an act of worship to God. The significance of these verses suddenly became uncomfortably clear. At times I have dutifully sent in the paperwork or filed electronically, yet it would not have qualified as intentional and grateful worship. Other times I have dreaded making some mistake or misunderstanding something that would somehow unintentionally violate the requirements and result in stiff penalties. That too was wrong, whether stemming from failure to trust God or pride that would not be humble enough to ask questions.

What Is Owed, Part 2

2011-04-12T05:00:00.001-04:00

Let's look at these verses from Romans 13:

1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Verses 1-3 indicate that we owe obedience to the human authorities which God places over us. Verse 4 indicates that we owe respect to those authorities. Verse 5 indicates that we owe consideration to our God-given conscience. Verses 6-7 indicate that we owe tribute (monetary), custom (monetary), fear (attitudinal), and honor (relational) to all those to whom those things are due. The Greek word for "dues" in verse 7 is a word that can certainly refer to financial obligations. The only other place it appears in this form is Matthew 18:32, where it is translated as "debt": "Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, 'O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou [begged] me." The word from which it is derived appears about 36 times in the New Testament and does often indicate a financial obligation of some kind. For example, see the word "owed" earlier in the same passage in Matthew 18:28, "But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me that thou owest.'" Again, in verse 30 it appears as "debt".

What Is Owed, Part 1

2011-04-11T05:00:00.001-04:00

Romans 12:1-2, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Thus Paul opens a section of relatively short general commands relating to various aspects of the Christian life which extends through the end of chapter 13. One danger in zooming in to consider the details of some of those commands is that it may mean losing sight of the context in which they appear. Those commands are not merely isolated duties. Rather, they are ways in which we ought to obey the command to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God. The ESV renders the familiar phrase at the end of 12:1 differently--"your spiritual worship" (in the sense of internal soul level participation)--and the Greek terms bear that out. This past Saturday as I was working on my tax returns and finding myself frustrated by a couple of nuisances not caused by me, I realized that I was missing this important connection. A future post in this series will explain how.

Cross of Jesus

2011-04-10T05:00:00.004-04:00

Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
Where the blood of Christ was shed,
Perfect Man on thee did suffer,
Perfect God on thee has bled!

Here the king of all the ages,
Throned in light ere worlds could be,
Robed in mortal flesh is dying,
Crucified by sin for me.

O mysterious condescending!
O abandonment sublime!
Very God Himself is bearing
All the sufferings of time!

Evermore for human failure
By His passion we can plead;
God has born all mortal anguish,
Surely He will know our need.

This—all human thought surpassing—
This is earth’s most awful hour,
God has taken mortal weakness!
God has laid aside His power!

Once the Lord of brilliant seraphs,
Winged with love to do His will,
Now the scorn of all His creatures,
And the aim of every ill.

Up in Heaven, sublimest glory
Circled round Him from the first;
But the earth finds none to serve Him,
None to quench His raging thirst.

Who shall fathom that descending,
From the rainbow circled throne,
Down to earth’s most base profaning,
Dying desolate alone.

From the Holy, Holy, Holy,
We adore Thee, O most High,
Down to earth’s blaspheming voices
And the shout of Crucify.

Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
Where the blood of Christ was shed,
Perfect Man on thee did suffer,
Perfect God on thee has bled!

~ William J. Sparrow-Simpson

Justice and Love

2011-04-09T06:08:00.000-04:00

"On Calvary God was making a way of salvation so that you and I might be forgiven. But He had to do so in a way that will leave His character inviolate, that will leave His eternal consistency still absolute and unbroken...God was declaring publicly once and for ever His eternal justice AND His eternal love. Never separate them, for they belong together in the character of God."

~D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Cross: The Vindication of God, p. 20

Why Worry?

2011-04-08T05:00:00.012-04:00

Matthew 6:25-34 (ESV), "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

From page 81 of Holiness Day by Day, selected from books by Jerry Bridges:

"Why do we worry? Because we don't believe. We're not really convinced the same Jesus who can keep a sparrow in the air knows where our lost luggage is, or how we'll pay that car repair bill. Or if we believe He can deliver us through our difficulties, we doubt if He will...The great antidote to anxiety is to come to God in prayer about everything."

And in the next paragraph, "The promised result is not deliverance, but the peace of God. One of the reasons we don't find this peace is that all too often we won't settle for anything other than deliverance from the trouble."

God's Grace, Part 47

2011-04-07T05:00:00.001-04:00

On page 147 of his book, The Discipline of Grace, Jerry Bridges offers these comments, then paraphrases Frederick W. Faber's insight into the topic he is dealing with:

"We should not seek holiness in order to feel good about ourselves, or to blend in with our Christian peer group, or to avoid the sense of shame and guilt that follows the committing of persistent sin in our lives. Far too often our concern with sin arises from how it makes us feel. Sinful habits, sometimes called 'besetting sins,' cause us to feel defeated, and we don't like to be defeated in anything, whether it's in a game Ping-Pong or in our struggle with sin.

...I realized that sinful habits make us feel guilty and defeated. The absence of Christlike character usually doesn't have a similar effect on us, so there is less motivation to seek change in our lives.
We need to work at ensuring that our commitment to holiness is a commitment to God, not to our own self-esteem. Frederick W. Faber, a nineteenth-century British writer, showed great insight into this tendency. Again, for the sake of clarity I will paraphrase:
"When we sin we are more vexed at the lowering of our self-esteem than we are grieved at God's dishonor. We are surprised and irritated at our own lack of self-control in subjecting ourselves to unworthy habits...The first cause of this is self-love, which is unable to stand the disappointment of not seeing ourselves in time of trial come out beautiful, erect, and admirable."

In other words, my reaction to sin must not be motivated by injured pride (which is itself sin), but instead be motivated by grief that I have disobeyed and dishonored God.

The above was posted on August 10th of 2010, and is now included as part of the application of this series because it is one area in which we are prone to live by self effort instead of by grace. It is also necessary "to work at ensuring that our commitment to holiness is a commitment to God, not to" what we think we can get out of it in terms of material or other blessings. The reward is promised, but we should always maintain the mindset that we would be unprofitable even if we did all those things that were commanded us. However, our pride gets in the way, for it insists that we don't need God's grace because we are somehow deserving of the favor God bestows on us.

God's Grace, Part 46

2011-04-06T05:00:00.001-04:00

Not only are we dependent creatures, but we are also proud creatures. We think we can do what needs to be done ourselves. To a point, God usually lets us do so, at least in our perception. The reality, however, is that none of us can escape dependence on God.

If you don't already have what you need to face a particular situation or solve a particular problem, ask God for either the specific thing itself or the enablement to do without that thing in a humble recognition of your weakness and consequent dependence. If you do already have what you need, thank God for it, likewise with a sense of humble recognition of your weakness and consequent dependence. Most of us do not have to ask God to provide food every day, because He has already done so--even if the cupboards are empty, usually we could still take a trip to the store and remedy that problem by purchasing at least what we need for that day. Even the money to do so is ultimately from the Lord's hand (no matter how many secondary/intermediate entities handled it along the way), and is entrusted to us as stewards. Yet do you and I thank God humbly and heartily that He has already supplied our needs? Or does it require that those resources be taken away or rendered ineffective before we realize our true condition and recognize our Benefactor?

God's Grace, Part 45

2011-04-05T05:00:00.001-04:00

Let us think more specifically for a couple of posts about how to depend upon God's grace in its function of providing enabling power.

We are dependent creatures, and we exist by God's grace continually operating towards us. What does that mean? What will that look like?
When Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead, what did He tell her parents to do? Give her something to eat. Why? He had just provided an amazing demonstration of power by bringing her back to life. Couldn't He have created some food for her also? Certainly! However, He did not. Instead, He instructed her parents to prepare some food for her, presumably from a supply they already had in the house.

Did that negate the grace of God, or at least remove their need to depend upon it? No. God created their souls at conception, and He had allotted each moment of their existence until that day. He enabled the parents of this girl to be of sufficiently sound mind and body that they had the wherewithal to give her something to eat. He had made the pasture flourish or the crops grow to provide for that food, whether Jairus had raised it himself or bought it from someone else.

The Life

2011-04-04T05:00:00.001-04:00

Recently I read a portion of Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled, by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. He was describing John 14:6, which I all too often have relegated to the "verses-that-describe-the-exclusiveness-of-the-gospel" category alone, but it is so much more than that. After talking about how Jesus is the way and the truth, Lloyd-Jones has this to say on pages 120-122,

"But, thank God, He is also the way in this respect--He is the life. Yes, I need truth and knowledge, but I also need life and power. Do you not know what it is to feel dead, to feel there is no spiritual life in you, to feel that God is far away? How am I to walk through this world? How am I to have communion with God when I feel so weak and frail? The answer is, He is not only the truth, He is also the life. Again, He does not merely talk about life--He gives it. 'In Him was life' (John 1:4). He has life in Himself. All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him bodily (Colossians 2:9), and any life you need He can give you.

...Do you feel your will is weak? Do you feel your energy is low? He will come to you; He will strengthen and energize your feeble will; He will enable you to resist temptation. He will take you above the obstacles and difficulties, He will empower you--that is what He has promised to do.

...We need it all--spiritual life and strength and power and the ability to face all that may be awaiting us in this cruel world. It is all offered to us freely in Christ. And then, as we face death and the grave, He comes to us and says, 'I am the resurrection, and the life' (John 11:25). He has conquered even death and the grave; Hades has been despoiled. And He energizes us, even through death and the grave, and raises us to immortality and incorruption. It is all in Him. 'I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.'"

O God, to Know That Thou Art Just

2011-04-03T05:00:00.001-04:00

O God, to know that Thou art just
Gives hope and peace within;
We could not in a mercy trust
Which takes no count of sin.

I fain would open to Thy sight
My utmost wickedness;
Set, Lord, in Thy most searching light
What I have done amiss.

No stern and needless law was Thine—
Hard to be understood—
But plainly read in every line,
Holy, and just, and good.

Though basely weak my fallen race,
And masterful my foes,
I had th’omnipotence of grace
To conquer, if I chose.

Well did I know the tender Heart
I outraged by my sin,
Yet with the world I would not part,
Nor reign my passions in.

My fault it was, O Lord, most high,
And not my fate alone:
Thou canst not suffer sin, nor I
In any way atone.

Yet there’s a plea that I may trust—
Christ died that I might live!
Cleanse me, my God, for Thou art just;
Be faithful, and forgive.

~ Arthur J. Mason

Out of Place

2011-04-02T05:00:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 27:8, "As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place."

"wandereth" -- meaning "to wave to and fro". It refers in several other verses to being driven or chased away. Others, such as Isaiah 21:15, refer to fleeing from danger. In Isaiah 16:2 it again refers to a bird that has been "cast out" of its nest. In Hosea 9:17 it describes exiles or outcasts. It usually appears to indicate the undesirable if not dangerous condition of being away from one's customary and safe place.

"place" -- refers to a specific location, often geographical or spatial. In this verse, it parallels a bird's nest.

The MacArthur Study Bible has this note: "Such are not only out of place, but off duty and in danger. Stay close to home." This is not the only time where Proverbs warns about choosing to not be where you should be. Proverbs 7:11-12 states concerning an adulteress, "She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner." In other words, she is anywhere but where she should be so that she can pursue her sin while avoiding her responsibilities.

7 days left

2011-04-01T05:00:00.003-04:00

One week to go until the Professional Engineer Exam! I will be glad when it is over with, whether I pass or not. However, this last week I have taken off from work so as to have more study time. If it weren't for blog post scheduling, there wouldn't be much activity here this week.

I am grateful, though, that this process has taught me a lot about the career field in which I find myself. It can be discouraging to think about how little I am likely to retain for the future. At least I know where to go to look it up... It is rather convicting, on the other hand, to realize how much I actually can learn through an intensely focused, regularly scheduled period of time spent studying. Now to use the same process for things far more significant than this measly exam.

God's Grace, Part 44d

2011-03-31T05:00:00.001-04:00

"good" -- This word at times refers merely to enjoyable material things, such as Luke 12:18-19 where the foolish rich man refers to his "goods". However, in the Scriptures it most often refers rather to some moral good. Some 8 times this word appears in Matthew and several times in the other three gospels in direct contrast to what is evil. In Matthew 19:17 Jesus told the rich young ruler to consider whom he was addressing by asking this: "Why callest thou Me good? There is none good but one, that is, God." In other words, goodness is an attribute of God alone, and all other goodness derives from Him.

"hope" -- a pleasant anticipation, an expectation or confidence. Several times in Acts it refers to the "hope" of the resurrection. It isn't a wishful "I hope so", but a confident "I expect so". Such is the affirmation of Titus 1:2, "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."

William MacDonald states in the Believer's Bible Commentary regarding verse 16,

"God's past provision is introduced as an encouragement to trust Him for future courage and strength. He loved us and gave us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace. Doubtless this looks back to the greatest exhibition of God's love--the gift of His Son for us. Because we know that He settled the sin question at Calvary, we have eternal comfort now and the hope of a glorious future--and it is all through His marvelous grace."

We have seen that Christians are given this everlasting consolation and good hope. How is it given? Through grace. These gifts are made possible by the greatest gift of His grace, or as Paul calls it in 2 Corinthians 9:15, "His indescribable gift" of eternal life through His Son. That recognition of God's grace will comfort our hearts and establish us in every good word and work.

God's Grace, Part 44c

2011-03-30T05:00:00.001-04:00

"everlasting" -- refers to the condition or quality of being perpetual, whether of existing forever in the future or of always being in existence from the past. In the gospels, it frequently appears in the terms "eternal life" or "everlasting life". It is the way God Himself is, being one of His attributes, as Romans 16:26 describes when it refers to "the everlasting God".

"consolation" -- in several cases is translated as "exhortation" (such as 1 Timothy 4:13 and Hebrews 12:5), with most of the remaining uses being translated as "consolation" or "comfort". In the latter sense this word appears in the following two passages:

Romans 15:4-5, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus."

2 Corinthians 1:3-4, "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."

The consolation given to us is perpetual; it is an endless comforting message. That should not surprise us, for the source of all such consolation is God, who is Himself eternal.

God's Grace, Part 44b

2011-03-29T05:00:00.002-04:00

The other motivation Paul presents is that God the Father and God the Son have loved us and given us these invaluable gifts. It is not only a motivation in the sense of reminding us of our obligation, but even more so in the sense of providing encouragement.

"loved" -- the term for the strongest and most meaningful kind of love. Jesus used it in John 15:9 to describe the Father's love for Him and His love for His disciples, and in 14:31 of His love for the Father. According to John 17:26, Jesus made it possible for that love to be in us, and Paul uses the same term in Romans 8:28 of "them that love God".

"given" -- used over 400 times in the New Testament, generally referring to fulfilling an obligation or meeting a need, whether because it was owed (such as in the case of taxes or wages) or because someone obligated himself regardless of whether the recipient deserved it (such as in Matthew 20:28, in which Jesus said that He came to "give" His life a ransom for many).

God's Grace, Part 44a

2011-03-28T05:00:00.003-04:00

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17, "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work."

Two verses of this passage were addressed as part of the series about glorifying God as follows:

Here is a way in which to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ: sanctification by the Spirit and belief of the truth at the point of salvation. It is the gospel which God uses to call us to that sanctification and belief, and it is that salvation which "obtains" glory for Jesus.

The word translated as "obtaining" refers to "acquiring" or "preserving". This form is used only four other times in the New Testament, each time in the context of salvation. The other uses are:

"purchased possession" in Ephesians 1:14, "Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory."

"obtain" in 1 Thessalonians 5:9, "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."

"saving" in Hebrews 10:39, "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."

"peculiar" in 1 Peter 2:9, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light."

God calls people to become worshippers of Himself through the gospel for His own glory and the glory of His Son. Now we have the privilege of not only glorifying God for our salvation, but also through proclaiming the gospel of participating in other people also becoming worshippers of God.

Thus, glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ is the primary reason for which God saved us, and it provides one motivation for standing fast and holding to the tradition (revealed truth) taught by the apostles.

Come, Every Soul By Sin Oppressed

2011-03-27T05:00:00.001-04:00

Come, every soul by sin oppressed;
There’s mercy with the Lord,
And He will surely give you rest
By trusting in His Word.

Refrain

Only trust Him, only trust Him,
Only trust Him now;
He will save you, He will save you,
He will save you now.

For Jesus shed His precious blood
Rich blessings to bestow;
Plunge now into the crimson flood
That washes white as snow.

Refrain

Yes, Jesus is the truth, the way,
That leads you into rest;
Believe in Him without delay
And you are fully blessed.

Refrain

Come, then, and join this holy band,
And on to glory go
To dwell in that celestial land
Where joys immortal flow.

Refrain

O Jesus, blessèd Jesus, dear,
I’m coming now to Thee;
Since Thou hast made the way so clear
And full salvation free.

Refrain

~ John H. Stockton

Believe In God

2011-03-26T05:00:00.004-04:00

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled is a book taken from a series of sermons that D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preached on John 14:1-12 in 1951 as the Cold War was beginning, and in which I recently found this:

"When you face life, says the Bible everywhere, if you want to face it truly, you must, for the time being, turn your back on the problem and turn to God.

In other words, according to the Bible, you can only face life truly in the light of something else. The trouble with us is that with our limited perspective we let life overwhelm us, but the way to understand it is to step out of it and look down upon it...Most people are defeated by life because they take a piecemeal view of it instead of looking at it as a whole."

He adds in the next paragraph on pages 63-64,

"Not only must you believe certain things about God, you must believe in Him. You must take Him at His word; you must trust Him; you must have confidence in Him. Hudson Taylor, the great founder of the China Inland Mission, always insisted that the right translation of what we read in the KJV as 'have faith in God' (Mark 11:22) really is, 'hold on to the faithfulness of God.' That is really believing in God; it is not a belief in your faith or belief itself...Have faith in Him, be certain of Him, for you will never master and conquer life in this world until, in spite of everything, you do hold on in that way."

Repost: "The Lord Sustained Me"

2011-03-25T05:00:00.001-04:00

Psalm 3:1-8, "LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, 'There is no help for him in God.' Selah. But Thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: Thy blessing is upon Thy people. Selah."

According to the title, David wrote this psalm when he was fleeing from his son, Absalom, who was trying to usurp the kingdom and wanted to murder his own father. The trust and tranquility exhibited by David are remarkable because of the desperate situation in which he was, but such a response by David was possible because of the continual, comprehensive providence of God. So it is possible for us to have such peace of mind if that trust characterizes us also. In the context of discussing this psalm, the following comments are offered by Dr. Layton Talbert in his book Not By Chance:

"We tend to see providence only in extraordinary, unusual, surprising, coincidental, seemingly 'chance' circumstances or events."

"If we are serious about personally applying the truths God has chosen to include in His self-revelation to us in the Scripture, it gets just this practical. Each night you survive, each morning you awake with sound mind and healthy body (or awake at all), each day you live, each breath you draw, is the direct effect of the preserving providence of God."

Repost: Where Else Will You Go?

2011-03-24T05:00:00.003-04:00

John 21:18-22, "'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, when thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.' This spake He, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He saith unto him, 'Follow Me.'"

" Peter's words may imply an appeal for some explanation of why the Lord was singling him out for this unappealing future. Or it may simply reflect a human reflex to pain--comparing our lot with others'.

Jesus' response to Peter is the biblical tonic for this instinctive but incorrect view of suffering. 'If I choose for him an entirely different path, what is that to you?' Peter's question reads literally, 'Lord, but what to this one?' Jesus' answer reads literally, 'What['s it] to you?' To drive the point home, the Lord gently but intensively repeats His previous command: 'You follow Me' (John 21:22). That is all the sufferer need focus on. You cling to Christ. Follow the path He has laid out for you. Comparing your experience with either the plight or prosperity of others is fruitless because it accomplishes nothing, it is misleading because it is based purely on the appearances of the moment, and it is disorienting because it distorts your thinking and defocuses your view of God...

Amid all his pain and frustration, Job's tenacious grip on God never loosens. The hard providences of God wean us from reliance on self, preoccupation with the visible, and contentment with the temporal. He intends them to draw us, or if necessary to drive us, to Himself. Where else will you go?"

-- Layton Talbert, Beyond Suffering, pages 94-95

John 6:68, "Then Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.'"

Repost: Am I Content With Ordinariness?

2011-03-23T05:00:00.000-04:00

"Have you seen God in the ordinariness of your life? Have I? Or have we fallen into the trap of believing that somehow or another God only operates in the spectacular and in the extraordinary, and so we're going through day after day after day looking for something spectacular and something extraordinary--missing the fact that God is speaking in the ordinariness of everything. In a bowl of apples on a table. In a meal well-prepared. In a bird on a feeder in a garden. In a conversation with a friend in the backyard. Although He has a whole universe to care for, He turns His gaze on a certain man or a certain woman in Cleveland, Ohio, and He says, 'I know your name, and it is graven on the palms of My hands, and although you find yourself cast about on a universe that is going who knows where, as surely as I took Naomi off and brought her back, I'm looking after you, too.'

Don't miss Him in the moon as it shines through the clouds, for in these simple gestures God is sustaining and guiding His children, until at the last, He will dispel all the darkness. He will dispel all the darkness."

-- Alistair Begg, in a sermon entitled "God of the Ordinary"