The Iron Dome

19 Friday Apr 2024

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

On a recent day, April 13,2024, Iran launched 331 drones and missiles at Israel, each one designed to inflict harm and death. Israel’s “Iron Dome” and other named defenses, intercepted nearly all of these projectiles before they could hit any target. Very minor damage and one injury to a young girl was reported. Praise the Lord for defensive weapons of warfare.

The effectiveness of the Iron Dome was astounding. We hope that it will continue to be so. But it is not perfect.

We, however, have a perfect “defense system” in our Lord Jesus Christ. These words from Psalm 28 resonate in these days. Verse 7 and following: “The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him. The Lord is their strength, and He is a saving defense to His anointed. Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance; be their shepherd also and carry them forever.”

The Lord is my shield. The Lord is a SAVING DEFENSE.

We should know that we, daily, are under attack. There is an enemy, who goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Every day he hurls fiery missiles at us. “You are a failure.” “You hypocrite.” “You will never overcome sin.” “You will always be in pain.” “You will live in fear.” “When you die, you will burn, because there will be no heaven for you.”

These, and many other “custom-made” missiles designed for you (and me) streak towards us daily. And, if we drop our guard, they will strike.

But, thank God, we can walk in victory. Let us be reminded of this passage from Ephesians. Chapter 6, verse 16 in particular.

“Taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish ALL (yes, ALL) the flaming missiles of the evil one.”

While Israel’s Iron Dome is 90% plus effective, our Shield is 100%.

Jesus is my Shield, and my faith in His ability to stand watch over me, and protect me should not be in doubt. He is my Saving Defense.

So every time a missile draws near, (and even after walking with Christ for nearly 50 years, I still must be diligent) I speak the Word of the Lord in faith. “I am accepted in the beloved.” “I do overcome by the blood of the Lamb.” “I have a future in the presence of my Savior.” “My sins are forgiven because He is faithful and just.”

For every fiery dart, My Lord has an answer. For every flaming missile aimed at me, the Shield of faith not only deflects, but EXTINGUISHES it.

So, brethren, never allow the enemy’s attempts to stall you, discredit you, lie to you, or condemn you to have any effect.

We defeat him by the blood of the Lamb, and by our testimony. We defeat him with the armor of God.

For Jesus is my Iron Dome.

And with that, you have the shortest edition of Random Convictions ever!

Change and the Unchanging Christ

13 Tuesday Feb 2024

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

 The story is told of an elderly man, virtually unable to read, who would spend hours looking at the pages of Scripture. On each page he would search for the only 4 words he could read – “it came to pass.”

 As his search brought discovery, he would rejoice, saying, “Praise God, one thing I know; it didn’t come to stay, IT CAME TO PASS!”

 Those of us who have had the experience of a kidney stone are sure to identify with this brother. Thank God it came to pass!

 ”It came to pass” speaks of change. The Bible is a book of change. There are, in Strong’s Concordance, 7 columns of entries with the word “pass.” In the 2nd column alone, the phrase “it came to pass” is found 76 times. God, Who is the same yesterday, today and forever, is, at the same time a God of change. He ordains that things come to pass, and even as far as Revelation 1.1 God is still declaring that things must come to pass.

  Change will, change must come. It is predictable. What is un-predictable is what the changes will mean or accomplish. Of course, we are assured of and confident in the fact that God is taking all of His creation toward the divine conclusion which Scripture reveals. That is predictable.

 I cannot predict exactly what unfold in a week’s time, much less a year or more. I have no assurance of the next hour.

 I can say that in my lifetime alone immense change has occurred in our world. We look back at “simple” things like party-line telephones, 8 track tapes, and in-car record players . You can name a million things that have changed. Many things, like a toilet seat in my house, I am most grateful for.

 Then there is the change in culture. I suppose every generation could speak to the upheaval and change that they experienced. An examination of history books shows us clearly the truth of that. But since I was born in 1952, my experience in the sixties and seventies was of tumultuous change. When I started school, we still had daily prayer. The 10 commandments were proudly displayed in our classrooms. Gideons distributed Bibles freely on campus.

 Then came the sexual revolution. Atheists found the boldness to challenge Christianity in the public arena. Roe v. Wade made abortion legal. The traditional family unit began to fracture. Unusual and irregular lifestyles began to emerge. Change affected our language. Take the word “gay” for instance. We used to sing without hesitation “don we now our gay apparel” and now that innocent phrase from a beloved Christmas tune has a different overtone. I know one family whose last name for 200 years was Gay and they legally changed it so their kids would not have to endure bullying at school.

 In the decades since the 1970s, this “revolution” has only intensified as our country and our culture has become more secular. And, sadly, the “church” has gone the way of culture. It has proven not to be immune.

 Changes can come suddenly or gradually. They can be obvious or barely perceptible, like a slow leak in a pipe. They can be for better or worse. The challenge for us, the Christ-followers, is this: we must find the UNCHANGING CHRIST in the midst of change. If we fail, we will find ourselves isolated, alienated from life, from people, from the church, and even perhaps from the Lord, Himself.

 I offer this definition of change from “God’s dictionary.” Change is that process which moves us both naturally and spiritually from where we are to where HE wants us to be. For our God is inexorably, methodically moving us toward a point in history (HIS STORY) which He has ordained. He is moving His Church, His faithful ones, His Bride daily toward our divine appointment, the day of union with our Groom. We’ve been called, we’ve been chosen, we’ve been redeemed. And as we are CHANGED into His likeness, He prepares us for that time. For He will have a Bride, a spotless, unblemished Bride.

 An unwillingness to change, a reluctance to “ride the potter’s wheel”, and we find ourselves being left behind, snared by the evil one who seeks to do us harm. May it not be said of us, in this, our hour of carrying the baton, that we were found unfaithful. There is too much to gain, to lose. Do not grow weary in well doing. Do not despair.

God, Who began this good work in you, will be faithful to complete it. IT WILL COME TO PASS!

Do You Hear What I Hear?

18 Thursday Jan 2024

Posted by in Elisha, facebook, Miracles, sea of galilee

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

 Like the choosey mom who chooses JIF, I am choosey about music. When Gayle turns on WMIT and listens to “contemporary” Christian music, I must admit that most of the songs do not engage me. So many sound alike. Some, I can’t hear the words. Too many are focused on “my need.” I lean toward songs that focus on Jesus. Songs that cause me to worship. So when I first heard “I Just Want to Speak the Name of Jesus” I knew it was a song I could sing. Do you hear what I hear when the name of Jesus is proclaimed? Do you know what I know about the mighty power of the name of Jesus? Do you see what I see – that all of nature, every demon of hell, every disease afflicting humankind, and yes, even death itself bows before the authority of the name of Jesus?

 So here is my belated annual Christmas message.

Mark chapters 4 and 5 reveal 2 days in the life of our Lord. It is a drama in 4 acts. Act 1 takes place on the Sea of Galilee as He and the disciples enter the boat, with Jesus saying, “Let us go over to the other side.” Was there any doubt? He goes to sleep and you know a violent storm rises. Waves crash and water begins filling the boat. Everyone is soaked, including Jesus, who sleeps on. In desperation, they wake Him, “Don’t You care that we are about to die?” So He speaks to the wind and waves, “Quiet, be still.” We should not be astonished. Jesus has power over nature.

 They arrive, just as He said, in the area of the Gerasenes, likely a Gentile area. Immediately He is confronted by a man inhabited by demons. He says his name is Legion. A Roman military legion had 5000 men so you decide how many were in him. He was so strong that chains could not bind him and he even crushed them in his strength. He cut himself. He wailed night and day. A pathetic creature. But with these words, “Come out of the man,” he is totally set free in an instant. We should not be astonished. Jesus has power over demons.

 Jesus had an appointment with this man. That is why He said, “Let us cross over.” Soon, they are re-crossing the lake, back to Capernaum. Upon landing, the synagogue leader, Jairus, approaches Jesus. His little girl is on death’s doorstep. Exercising his seed of faith, he implores Jesus to come and heal her. Jesus complies. On the way, however, as He is walking amongst a throng of people, He is touched from behind by a woman who has what seems to be an incurable bleeding condition. She has emptied her pockets, “suffering” at the hands of many doctors for 12 years. She too, has exercised her seed of faith. As she touches his cloak, healing power flows. She is at once healed. I should not be astonished. My Lord has power over disease.

 You know what happens next. Ignoring the words, and even the laughter and derision of those at Jairus’s house who know that the little girl has died, Jesus raises her to life. “Talitha koum. Arise, little girl.” Yes, my Lord has power over death. I should not be astonished.

 Do you know what I know? The name of Jesus is greater than nature, demons, disease, and death!

When I use my credit card, or write a check, there is an understanding that there is authority behind the name. My name is my bond, my promise, my certification that there is a deposit, a “power” that is proof of payment. It is not an empty promise. It is not even a hope of payment. You can take it to the bank!” It is an honest representation of the name.

So we have Jesus. And we have the name of Jesus. They are one and the same. The power of God is in the name of God.

 In Acts 3, we see Peter and John on their way to the temple to pray. A lame man, who is well known by the community lies there and stretches out his hand, hoping for alms. “Silver and gold have I none. But what I do have, I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ, rise and walk!” I should not be astonished. This is the same Peter who not many days before denied that he even knew Jesus. Now, filled with Holy Spirit, he boldly uses the name of Jesus and a miraculous healing takes place.

 Peter and John are arrested. Before the authorities, they testify that it is the name of Jesus that healed the man. Not human power. No magic. The power of the name. The proclamation of the name has the power of the Person behind it. Peter could speak the name because he KNEW the name. And, he knew the PERSON.

 So did Paul. In Acts 19.11-20 we are told that he was doing extraordinary things. Miracles daily. In the name of Jesus. The sons of Sceva tried to duplicate what Paul was doing. They approach a demon-possessed man and say, “In the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches.” AND, remarkably, the evil spirit responds, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” Then the man leaped on the sons of Sceva and beat them up. What an amazing event. You want to use the name of Jesus? You must KNOW Him. Do you know what I know? Do you know Who I know?

 The name of Jesus is not some magic wand. It is not Gandalf’s staff. It is not Aladdin’s lamp. The name of Jesus is not a rabbit’s foot or 4-leaf clover. It is not “When you wish upon a star.”

Do you know what I know?

I know HIm as El Gibhor – Mighty God (Isaiah 9.6). I know Him as El Olam- Everlasting God (Ps.90.1) He is El Roi – God of Seeing (Gen.16.13). He is El Elyan – The Most High (Deut. 26.19). He is El Saboath – Lord of Hosts (Is. 1.24).

Do you know what I know?

He is Jehovah Shammah – He is There (Ezek. 18.35). He is Jehovah Rohi – Our Shepherd (Ps. 23.1). He is Jehovah Tsidkenu – Our Righteousness (Jer.33.16). He is Jehovah Shalom -Lord God Our Peace (Gen.24) He is Jehovah Kaddesh – He Who Sanctifies (Lev. 20.8).

Do you know Who I know?

I know Jehovah Nissi – He is my Banner (Ex. 17.15). I know Jehovah Rapha – The Lord Who heals (Ex. 15.26). I know Jehovah Jireh – The Lord will provide (Gen. 22.14) And I know El Shaddai – The Lord God Almighty!

 In 2 Kings 6.8-17 the King of Syria is determined to kill Elisha because Elisha has been receiving words of knowledge and wisdom from the Lord about the king’s private conversations and plans. He sends a great army of horses and chariots to surround Elisha. When Elisha’s servant sees the host, he cries, “Alas, what shall we do?” But Elisha, knowing the Lord, replies, “Open his eyes that he may see. Those who are with us are more than those against us.”

 Do you see what I see?

I see the King preparing His chariots. I see the King unfolding His royal robes. I see heaven’s grandstand gathering, and the angels assembling.

Do you hear what I hear?

I hear the angels beginning to sing, “Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb Who was slain. He is able to open the scroll. He is rising in His righteous indignation.” I hear the trumpets warming and preparing to proclaim the day of the Lord.

Do you hear what I hear?

I hear the mighty name of Jesus being proclaimed from every hillside – in every valley – from every star.

I hear the name of Jesus spilling from the lips of His saints like never before. I hear the name of Jesus bringing deliverance to those in desperate bondage and freedom to those in chains.

I see the name of Jesus bringing healing to those in pain and victory to those in battles.

Do you hear what I hear? I hear the earth groaning for the manifestation of the sons of God, and I see that great cloud of witnesses filling the earth, declaring in a mighty chorus, “Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth!”

I see the Church – the Church Triumphant – getting out of their pews and into the streets. I see the Church – the Army of God – taking up the sword of the Spirit. I see the Church – the Body of Christ – coming out of the shadows with banners flying, reclaiming our land in the name of our Lord.

He who has an ear, let him hear.

He who has an eye, let him see.

He who has a tongue, let him proclaim the mighty name of Jesus!  

FIGHT OR SWITCH

10 Tuesday Oct 2023

Posted by in Christianity, facebook, Fallen Christians, Holy Spirit, Israel, Jesus, Tareyton

≈ 2 Comments

I remember a cigarette ad that ran from 1963-81 for Tareyton. It featured twins with matching black eyes. The slogan was “Us Tareyton smokers would rather fight than switch.”

Now just to be clear, I have read the back of the book. We win. Victory is assured. The Word is true. When Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again, victory was accomplished. Death was defeated. And all the Scripture will take place just as it is written. Yet full delivery of this victory has not been realized. But by and through His grace, and His grace alone, we will see it. I cannot add to it and I can do nothing to earn it. In Christ alone lies my hope, my life. No power of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from His hand. Til He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I stand. He has seated me with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians one).

But between the time He calls me home, I live a life on earth. And here I must walk. There is a life to have and enjoy, and a to be entered into and possessed.

Paul, writing to the Corinthians in 1.10 says the experiences of Israel in the Old Testament serve as an example for us. So we can see ourselves in Genesis, in Exodus, in Numbers and throughout the OT. It should be clear to us that our passage out of sin through the blood of Christ parallels the miraculous deliverance of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. Israel was baptized in the sea as they passed through and this parallels our water baptism. Then they were baptized in the cloud and we are baptized in the Holy Spirit. They were given supernatural manna, we have the Bread of Life.

The Promised Land, known as Canaan, that lay beyond the Jordan River, was the destination for Israel. Tragically, they wandered 40 years before ever reaching it. It was the land God promised to Abraham in Genesis 13, and reaffirmed to him and then to Isaac and then to Jacob all through Genesis.

God’s intention, God’s perfect will, has always been for His people to possess the land. Not just a few, not the “super-Christians”, but every believer. His desire id for every child of God to enjoy the riches of Canaan, a land, as the Bible says, overflows with milk and honey. With vineyards they (we) did not plant, with flocks we did raise, with fields we did not plant. To enjoy the goodness of God, yes, the riches of God in Christ Jesus.

And where is this land today? “And I heard a loud voice saying, “behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them and they shall be His people.” (Revelation 21.3) And in verse 9 we are called the Bride of the Lamb. And one day this bride will rise to meet Him in the air, and as my brother Tim Bryant once wrote, “He ain’t coming for no ugly woman!” She will be perfect, without spot or blemish. Well I must tell you that as far as I am concerned, there is work to be done and it will NOT be a work of Revlon or Old Spice. I must continue my ride on the potter’s wheel until he has perfected me.

Canaan lies within. Wherever we go, we carry the land, for it represents all our provision in Christ: salvation, deliverance, healing, righteousness, justification, sanctification – all the abundant life provided in Jesus Christ. And the NORMAL Christian life is a life living this provision. But many among us have become satisfied with AVERAGE Christianity – church membership, occasional attendance, being nice to the preacher when he visits once a year. This was never God’s intention. Average Christianity gets you spewed out of His mouth! God says I wish you were hot or cold! (Rev.3.16) God has established a normal pattern, a normal experience for all His saints and that is to enter the land and have that land so worked into us that it becomes inseparable from us. Those who choose to live outside the land choose to reject the dwelling and life that He Himself died for and obtained for, and now freely gives to us.

All their lives all the tribes of Israel had heard about the land – the land – the land. From Abraham forward. The promise of God. And now, after 40 years of desert wandering, moving camp, manna eating, following the cloud and fire. After 40 years of seeing first hand the miracles of God, yet rebelling so often, finally Israel stood at the doorstep of Canaan.

I direct you to Numbers 31 and verses 1-19. Please read before going further here.

The tribes of Reuben and Gad had accumulated much livestock as they had wandered with their brother tribes. And now, as they passed through Jazer and Gilead, adjacent to Canaan, they saw a suitable place to settle. They approach Moses, seeking permission to remain there, rejecting the Promised Land. Just over Jordan lie Canaan, but they said, “Do not take us across the Jordan.”

“Shall your brothers go to war while you yourselves sit here?” What a question. And it is one I must ask myself.

Yes, it was the Promised Land which God Himself had chosen, and given to His people. It was the sanctuary, the mountain of God’s inheritance in which He would plant His people. But it was going to take WAR to drive out the inhabitants, the 7 nations of Canaan. They were not just going to lay down. Jesus said in Matthew 11.12, “the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and violent men take it by force.”

The boo of Joshua is a bloody book. A history of military conquest. A book of ruthless warfare. But at the end of Joshua, we hear again these words, “I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities which you had not built, and you have lived in them and you are eating of vineyards and oliveyards which you did not plant – CHOOSE today whom you will serve!” And Joshua dismissed them each to their own inheritance.

And so it is with this earthen vessel. Friday, September 29, was my 50th birthday in Christ and there is still battles being waged in me. The land which Satan possessed prior to my conversion – he still thinks it belongs to him and he contends for areas of it daily. I have to be vigilant every day for indeed there is a roaring lion prowling about, seeking whom he may devour. I must resist and violently so. Satan is out to steal, kill and destroy. If we do not stand in ongoing diligence, he will sneak back into the land that the blood of Jesus bought and paid for – for me. So I am going to FIGHT! The power of Holy Spirit is in me to resist, to overcome and to conquer.

But you do know that it is easier to SWITCH! To settle in Jazer and Gilead where it is comfortable. Where no one is bothering you. It is so peaceful there. Let others do the fighting. It is so much easier to watch a workout video than it is to get your own body moving. Why sweat when you do not have to? Isn’t it easier to get a “little dab will do you” religion – just enough to get you by. That way, the devil leaves you alone. Yes, that is just where he wants you. Lukewarm. Passive. Isn’t it easier to let someone else do the praying, do the witnessing, do the giving? Isn’t it easier to read about battles rather than risking your life engaging in one?

I can switch, or I can fight. And you know, God will let you switch! He will let you settle in Jazer like Reuben and Gad. He will let you choose the path of least resistance.

It is like a game show where you answer a question and you win $500. Now, you can risk this $500 and win $5 million, if you get the next question right. Answer incorrectly, and you lose your $500.

Reuben and Gad had $500. But in this case, there was no risk. They kept the $500, but $5 million awaited them. Guaranteed. Promised. Promised by God Himself.

You can Switch. You can settle for the good and stiff-arm the best. You can be born again, have your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, but miss the life that God has so LAVISHLY provided for you. Lavishly – abundantly, overflowing, a deluge! A trickle from your kitchen faucet or a gushing like Niagara Falls!

You can stay in Gilead where Jesus is your Savior, but He is Lord of Canaan!

Gad and Reuben had come out of Egypt the same way their brother tribes had, through the shedding of blood on the doorposts (born again). They had passed through the sea like all the others (water baptized) and they had passed under and through the cloud in the wilderness like all of Israel (Holy Spirit baptized), yet they said, “DO NOT TAKE US ACROSS THE JORDAN!” And you thought being “charismatic” was the answer to all your problems!

You can experience the exhilaration of new birth. You can fully understand water baptism and be fully immersed in the Tuckaseegee. You can know the Holy Spirit and have all the might gifts. You can experience years of miraculous provision and STILL choose not to go in!

Will I sit here while my brothers go to war? Will I switch rather than fight?

It is the hour to awaken from slumber. It is time to heed the words of Proverbs 6.10-11, “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and your poverty will come in like a vagabond and your need like an armed man.”

To be fair, Reuben and Gad did eventually contribute fighting men to the war effort in Canaan. They did assist in clearing out the land. But they remained outside.

Time passes. Times change. People change. But God does not. And, neither does He forget. For 700 years, Reuben and Gad live peacefully, just east of the Dead Sea, in present day Jordan. But the day of judgement finally arrives.

1 Chronicles 5 gives the details. Despite the fact that Reuben and Gad contributed to the conquest of Canaan, eventually they act treacherously against God by adopting idols and worshipping them, and in v.26 we see that God Himself stirred up the kings of Assyria and Reuben and Gad were taken into captivity, and the slavery of Babylonian bondage.

Choose to switch, and stay outside of God’s provision, and when bondage comes, you will be the first to be taken.

As for me, I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. Though none go with me, still I will follow. I will fight. Through the power of Holy Spirit within me, this land is worth contending for. So, brethren, will you stay here while your brothers go to war? It may result in a black eye or two, but realizing all that Jesus has so abundantly provided for each child of the King makes it all worthwhile.

Cornered No More

25 Sunday Jun 2023

Posted by in Christianity, facebook, Faith, Overcoming, The Church

≈ 6 Comments

When I was in the 3rd grade I was forced by Miss Armfield to go to the corner of the room and put my nose on the chalkboard and stand there like a dunce. I was an excellent speller, and actually was diligent about studying my spelling words before the test. So I had correctly spelled my 8th word when I looked over at my friend, Michael Shaw and his paper. He had made several backward e’s. And I found that funny and laughed aloud. I did not need to cheat, but maybe she had thought that. She released me after a few minutes.

As kids on childhood playgrounds, you may have experienced this. Someone dares another to cross a line drawn by their foot. “You better not cross this line, or else!” So when a brave soul crosses, what does the line drawer do? He makes another swipe with his foot. “Well, you better not cross this line. I mean it!” And after 2 or so lines are crossed the “darer” is backed into a corner. There is nowhere to go.

It is apparent to me that, in many ways, the Church has been ordered or backed into a corner. Often it is through our own failure to be faithful. Just look at what many have done with the Word. Like Thomas Jefferson, who scissored out every passage he did not like, many have shredded the Word of God. Sin is not sin anymore. With every scandal and moral failure, our message is weakened. At other times, when we have been stood for truth, we are shouted at or shouted down. We are called bigoted and judgemental.

I considered “Silence of the Lambs” as a title, but thought it a bit too gruesome, if you know the movie. But if the shoe fits …..

Just days after the outpouring of Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 2, the apostles are jailed for proclaiming the Name of Jesus. The Sanhedrin, the High Priest, the political and spiritual leadership of the day, not knowing what else to do, command Peter and John to never again speak or teach in the name of Jesus. And slowly, steadily, from that day forward and around the world courts of law, public officials, and yes, even church authorities have tried to force Christians into corners, trying to silence us, the lambs.

What is it about this speaking and teaching in the name of Jesus that causes systems and courts and authorities to try and suppress it?

I am reminded of a road trip I took with my brother in 1973 to Dunkirk, NY to visit family. Somewhere in West Virginia I decided to witness to him as he was driving the turnpike. After a few minutes, his fury at me peaked and he balled up his fist and shook it at me. If he had nor been driving, he might have swung. “Don’t you ever talk to me about this again!” I am happy to report, that some 40 years later, he has made a commitment to Christ.

But on the other hand, what is it about this message of Jesus Christ that causes Spirit-filled believers – like Peter and John – to say “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge, for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard!”

And what have we seen and heard?

John writes in 1 John 1.3 “what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you – what was from the beginning – what we have heard, what we have seen with our own eyes – what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life, and the Life was manifested and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us. THIS we proclaim – that all mankind might know Jesus Christ is both Savior and Lord.”

Jesus Himself quotes this passage from Isaiah 61.1-3 in Luke chapter 4 on the day He entered public ministry. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable day of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting, so they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

He says that TODAY this is fulfilled. Jesus is appointed and anointed. And I might say that we too have been appointed and anointed to make the same proclamations!

Why do Peter and John say they cannot but speak the name of Jesus? Because to them (and to us) it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 13.11)

Why does Paul feel compelled to boldly proclaim the name of Jesus? Because he too had been appointed and anointed to both know and proclaim the “mysteries of God in Christ Jesus. (1 Corinthians 2.6-16)

Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 4.1-2 “Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.”

And just to make sure that this mystery is now really no longer a mystery, Paul explains this mystery in very plain and simple terms in Ephesians chapter 3.

Clearly, the unfathomable riches of Christ are now available to all people – Jew, Gentile, rich, poor, red and yellow, black and white, striped, tattooed, pierced. Polka-dotted! Green, orange, or rainbow colored. Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners and reconcile them to Father God and this Light is STILL being made known to rulers and kings and kingdoms through the CHURCH!

In Colossians 1.25-29 we read that we are the deposit, the vehicle, and Paul continues in chapter 2 to say that there is a wealth to be obtained and that this wealth – these riches – are deposited to our account, only by having the understanding of the true knowledge of God’s mystery – Christ Himself – in Whom were hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS!

Why does the world, everywhere we turn today – the media – the courts – in the streets – on social media – at local boards of education – try to force us into a corner with our noses pressed against chalk and make a silence of the lambs?

Isn’t it ironic that this world with its billions of people desperately seeking truth and self-fulfillment and wanting the “best version of me” – do drastic things to shut up the mouths of the very ones who can proclaim the very truth they seek? And in some places we are imprisoned and even killed. But we cannot but speak that which we have experienced! Jesus transformed my life! He can transform anyone’s!

I just finished reading A HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. And I must tell you that the history of Christianity, with all the glory of our risen Savior and Lord Who is the center of this story, there is much to be ashamed of. Reviling the truth and those who proclaim it is nothing new. Thousands and thousands of our brothers and sisters have been put to death, often by “church leaders.” Today, with the advent of the internet and social media, it seems that every little incident becomes national news.

But God has always had a remnant. A remnant who, in their generation, remained faithful.

“He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, beheld by angels, proclaimed among nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory!” (I Tim.3.16)

We are stewards of this glorious truth. I do not own it, but I am responsible for it. And part of that responsibility includes proclamation. The Greek word is kerygma – a non-negotiable proclamation by a herald.

You can refuse it. You can ignore it. You can ball up your fist against it. But you cannot change it. It is, to us who truly believe, a “non-negotiable” proclamation.

“So send I you.”

The baton of proclamation has come to this generation. And even though I have passed into my 70’s, I am still a part of this generation. It is our lap in the relay. And it is time to “burn the bushel.” Hide it under a bushel, NO! It is time to stop drawing lines in the sand and being backed into a corner with nowhere to turn. It is time for the Church to go on the offensive. There is no greater “organization” on earth than the Church. To us has been given the mystery. And, like faithful stewards, we must not now bury it or alter it or neglect it. The need of the proclamation of the truth of the saving grace of Jesus Christ is as great today as it has ever been.

Will you join me in a renewal of determination to recover the stewardship of proclamation? To rise up against the tide of this age, and declare the mighty God we serve and His truth to a world in such need?

Every tribe and nation. Every situation. We must declare that Jesus is the Lord.

The Goodness of God

28 Monday Nov 2022

Posted by in Believing, Birthday, Christianity, escape from death, Faith, faithfulness, Miracles, Overcoming

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Jeremiah 29. 10-14

I want to lay the corners of this message by examining, in brief, 3 passages. Here in Jeremiah we find the “famous” verse, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God tells Israel this as they are in exile, WHERE GOD PUT THEM!

Sometimes we find ourselves in situations ordained of the Lord. Situations to form and fashion us. So, as James tells in his epistle, let us not allow ourselves to be bewildered, or angry. I have a hope. I have a future. I have prosperity (not the name it claim it version, let me be clear)

Psalm 139.

Here I am instructed that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and that the presence of my Lord is round about me at all times. But I want to focus on verse 16. “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

All of life is a gift. Whether “my days” are 90 minutes, or 90 years, it is all a gift of the Lord. And HE knows that number. I will not live one second beyond the time fixed for me.

Psalm 68.20

“Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.”

I agonized over the title for this message. I was torn between “Rescue Me, the 1965 hit by Fontella Bass and the 1967 best seller by the Parliaments, “I Wanna Testify.” Both would be appropriate, but in the end I settled for The Goodness of God.

There’s another song I want to quote from. It’s by Dottie Rambo and it’s called Remind Me, Dear Lord.

“All the things that I love, and hold dear to my heart, they’re just borrowed, they’re not mine at all. Jesus only let me use them to brighten my life, so remind me, remind me, dear Lord. Roll back the curtain of memory now and then. Show me where you’ve brought me from, and where I could have been. Remember I’m human, and tend to forget, so remind me, remind me dear Lord.”

I recently observed an anniversary. No, it isn’t my 70th birthday that recently occurred on September 24. No, it isn’t my spiritual birthday of Sept. 29, 1973. And Gayle and I will (tomorrow, Nov 29) celebrate our 47 years of marriage.

65 years ago. August 3, 1957. I was 7 weeks shy of my 5th birthday. My parents, my younger brother, and I lived in Mt. Airy, NC, near the Virginia border. My mother was going into the hospital for back surgery, so she drove my brother and me to my Grandmother Hix’s house in Moravian Falls, NC, about an hour away. We would stay there until Mom recovered.

Sometime the next morning, my cousin Lana Jon walked over to tell us that she and Great Aunt Carrie had made some pineapple ice cream, in ice cube trays. She wanted to know if “the boys” would like some. So around 12.00 Aunt Matred (Mate) walked us over to Aunt Carrie’s house. It was about 120 yards away. We walked around to the other side of the house to the back porch, where the ice cream was in a chest freezer.

The last thing I remember is seeing Lana and Aunt Mate opening the freezer.

On the floor of this porch were 2 trap doors, with handles. I suppose I had never see anything like this before. They say that curiosity killed the cat? Well, listen to this.

One of the trap doors – I later learned – opened to an abandoned well. DRY. Nothing but a rock bottom.

I opened the other one, and apparently lost my balance, because over and down I went.

Here’s a little of what the newspapers reported. “A hand-dug rock lined well about 3 feet in diameter.” “90 to 110 feet deep.” “Approximately 4 feet of water at the bottom.”

I must have fallen head first. Straight down.

My Aunt Mate started screaming. “Bloody murder” as they say. I was told that she flew outside and screamed.

And her screams did not go unheard.

Her brother, my Uncle Walter Hix, also lived at Grandma’s house at this time. He had a job pumping gas at Great Uncle Grover Hix’s gas station just yards away in the village. He had walked home for lunch and was making a tomato sandwich when he somehow heard the screams. The screams from 120 yards away and from the other side of Aunt Carrie’s house. He put down the Duke’s mayonnaise, and raced through the peanut field and onto the back porch. Without hesitation, he climbed into the well, grasped hold of the galvanized pipe that rand alongside the well which pumped the water into the house, and slid down the well to me.

I had been trapped at the bottom for about 3 minutes.

Someone called the fire department. They showed up with a long rope and hauled me out first, then my Uncle. They put me into another Uncle’s car and raced toward the hospital, passing the ambulance heading in the opposite direction. I stayed there 2 nights.

Apparently I had no concussion. I had a 4 inch scratch on my left shoulder. They treated Uncle Walter for burns on his hands. he was injured worse than me.

I never did get any of that pineapple ice cream.

I think this qualifies as a miracle.

I went back to Grandma’s and was very soon “in her hair” as she used to say. And for many years, about 20, I didn’t think too much about this “miracle.” I was too busy being a teenager. Chasing the next good time.

But soon after September 29, 1973, the curtain of memory rolled back for me and I began to understand how miraculous this experience was.

Why did I not fall side-to side, hitting the jagged edges of the rocks on my way down? How could I have survived hitting the bottom of a well that was at least 90 feet deep? How was it that nothing broke? Certainly I did not land on my head.Why?

How did my Uncle just happen to be home? And how did he hear the screams?

It was a miracle. God rescued me. He saved my life.

Now I really cannot explain to you why I lived. Other than to say that God willed it and that my days He ordained for me had not yet been fulfilled. You know as well as I do, that from a natural perspective, living or dying can seem random. When the towers collapsed, 1000’s died but 1000’s walked away and some of those were side by side. 6 men are in a Vietnamese foxhole when a shell explodes and only one man crawls out alive. I should have died that day.

In early August of this year, Gayle and I were doing more “downsizing” and she asked to to go through some pictures and papers. And I rediscovered these old newspaper clippings from August 1957. And perhaps for the first time I realized something that I had somehow never really thought too much about before. And I felt both shame and revelation at the same time.

And that was the role of my Uncle on that day. His role in my miracle. You see, sometimes God just moves. He just directly heals someone of cancer or restores a broken bone, or delivers someone back form the dead. And don’t we all long to see more of this in our day?

Yes, God moves mountains. But some mountains are not meant to be moved. Some mountains are meant to be climbed. For God never promised that sometimes the cross would not get heavy and the hill would not be hard to climb. He never promised us victory without our fighting. But He did say that help would ALWAYS come in time. He will walk us through the fire. He will pull us from our wells.

And sometimes, sometimes, God needs a human. When he needed an ark built, He had Noah. When He needed a man to be the progenitor of all believers, He had Abraham. When Israel was enslaved in Egyptian bondage for over 400 years, God used Moses. He could have sprung them free “all by Himself”. But He didn’t. The miracle at Jericho saw Rahab the harlot being used of the Lord. And when God needed a virgin woman in the line of David, there was Mary.

My Uncle Walter was a flawed man. A veteran of WW2, he was thrice married. He could not keep a job due to his alcohol addiction. He was known as a public drunk.

But when he was needed, when God needed a man, Uncle Walter did not hesitate and that is what I fully realized recently. Sometimes God needs a man! Sometimes God needs a woman!

He knows we are not perfect. Neither was Gideon, or David, or Peter. And although He wants us to grow into perfection, He wants us willing and available and obedient.

Maybe in the days ahead, you and I could be part of someone’s miracle.

In June 1980, my Uncle lay dying in the VA hospital in Oteen, NC. Alcohol had eaten his liver. I visited him one afternoon and although he never opened his eyes, I believe he could hear me. I held his hand, and began to talk to him. I I asked him to squeeze my hand once for yes and twice for no and I began to converse with him.

I told him I loved him. I told him I was grateful for what he had done for me 23 years earlier. And as I said this, tears rolled out of his closed eyes and he squeezed my hand very hard. Then I told him that I needed to know – did he believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, who died and rose again for your sins? He squeezed my hand.

Do you believe, Uncle Walt, that Jesus is your Savior and that He awaits you on the other side? And again he squeezed my hand one time. One time for yes, and he held it there for about 30 seconds.

2 days later he died. And one day I will know whether or not we will be together again.

In this Thanksgiving season, allow God to roll back the curtain. To show you where He’s brought you from and where you could have been. To celebrate all the things He has given us to brighten our lives. Remind us, remind us dear Lord.

Bless the Lord, O my soul And all that is within me, bless His holy name

Bless the Lord O my soul, and forget none of His benefits

Who pardons all our iniquities, Who heals all our diseases

Who redeems our life from the pit (AND the well!) Who crowns us with lovingkindness and compassion

Who satisfies our years with good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s

For behold, from this time forth, all generations will call me blessed.

For the Might One has done great things for me.

And that’s enough for now.

The Gate, the Court, and the Holy of Holies

28 Thursday Apr 2022

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

” a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. A time is coming and now has come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship Him in spirit and truth.” John 4.21-24, paraphrased.

Exodus 25 takes us back to the year 1450 BC, approximately. It has been about a year since God delivered his enslaved people form Egyptian bondage. Moses is in the presence of God on Mt. Sinai for 40 days, and during this time, God gives him instructions for the building of a tabernacle, which will be come to be called the tabernacle of Moses. Verses 8 and 9 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.”

Prior to this, it had been Moses alone who had personally been in the presence of the Lord. And you may recall that when he descended from Mt. Sinai, his face was so radiant that he had to place a veil on it!

But now all of Israel was to have a visible structure, a representation of the Lord. A place for the presence of God. How interesting that from that time forward, many have tried to put God in a box. To confine Him to a specific area. But there were reasons for this. One reason, I believe, was for the people to see that Moses was not just coming up with ideas or “leadings” or “thus says the Lord” based on “super-heated” imagination. Now, with the pillar of fire and the cloud always present, the Israelites would have no excuses.

What I want to present in this blog is that the Tabernacle of Moses is a pattern for New Testament corporate worship. Each area, and each fixture have symbolic meaning, and if we can see the truth behind it, we too can be the kind of worshippers the Father seeks, and experience a deeper level of worship.

There are 3 distinct areas of this tabernacle. First there is the Outer court, which measures 150′ x 75′. Entry to the court is through a curtain which measures 30′ wide. I might point out that this area has natural light, the sun by day and the moon by night. Then there is the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies.

Inside the Outer Court we find the Bronze or Brazen Altar. Here is where I present my spotless, perfect lamb to the Priest for inspection, and if accepted, it is roasted there. As it burns, I lay my hand on its head to signify that I identify with this sacrifice, that it is a substitution for me and my sins, and I do this once a year.

Beyond the Altar is the Laver, or Basin of Washing. Obviously, after killing the lamb, the Priest will have blood on his hands. So before he can go into the Holy Place, he must wash. he must be clean. He must be pure. He must be holy.

The Holy Place measures 30′ x 15′. Many can gather in the Outer Court, but only the Priest can enter here. Inside we find 3 fixtures. First we have the Lampstand. While the Outer Court had natural light, here the only light is generated by burning oil. Twice a day, the Priest places fresh oil in the lamps (a Menorah) and trims the wicks.

We also have the Altar of Incense. The Priest also has to keep the incense fresh daily.

And thirdly we have the Table of Showbread, also known as the Table of the Presence, made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. While the Outer Court fixtures were all made of bronze, inside all are of gold. The Priest would place 12 freshly baked cakes or round loaves of bread, stacked like pancakes in 2 piles of 6 each. he did this every Sabbath, and on that day the priests would eat the week-old bread. These cakes were also sprinkled with frankincense.

Once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the High Priest would take blood from the Brazen Altar and wash the Table of Showbread.

Certainly the most important part of the Tabernacle of Moses was the Holy of Holies. Smaller yet, it measured 15′ x 15′. Inside lies the Ark of the Covenant, also known as the Ark of the Testimony. The top of the Ark had 2 golden cherubim, and between them lay the lid, called the Mercy Seat. Some people consider this to be a separate item, but it was part of the Ark.

Inside the Ark was the stone tablets Moses had brought from Mt. Sinai on which were written the Ten Commandments. Later the priests added the Rod of Aaron and a jar of manna.

Unlike the Outer Court, exposed to the sun and moon, and the Holy Place which had burning oil for light, there is no source of light here. Except – except — for the very Presence of God Himself.

It was here that the High Priest dared to go once a year on the Day of Atonement and present himself before God Almighty on behalf of every Israelite, and make atonement for their sins. Later, when Solomon’s temple was built, the other priests would tie a rope around the High Priest, just in case the anger of God flashed and killed or disabled the Priest, and they could pull him out through the veil.

So there, briefly, is a description of the Tabernacle. Let us review by reading Hebrews chapter 9.

“Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna. Aaron’s staff that had budded. and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things now. When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshipper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings – external regulations applying until the time of the new order.

When Christ came as High Priest of the good things that are already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.

Glory to God.

But there is more.

Verses 23-28.

It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Jesus said, “I am the Gate” “I am the Way” “I am the Bread of Life” “I am the Light of the World” and He IS forever our High Priest. And now we can confidently approach Him, believing that He IS and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him and that He Himself seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Corporate worship, in my view, is a journey through this pattern we see in the Tabernacle of Moses. It begins with a personal journey, starting with the Outer Court.

I enter His gates with thanksgiving and with praise. I enter with joy. I enter with gratitude. I enter, celebrating His goodness, grace and mercy to me. I come to the Brazen Altar, with my brothers and sisters in the Outer Court, knowing that my High Priest and already sacrificed His own life for me. I lay my hand – I acknowledge this marvelous fact, knowing that if I confess my sins, He is faithful and just to forgive me, and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1.9)

This blood is still fresh, and it will never lose its power. It reaches to the highest mountain. There is no “mountain” in my life that it cannot move. It reaches to the lowest valley. There is no despair, nor heartache, that it cannot soothe. The blood that gives me strength from day to day – it will never lose its power.

And this is something to brag about! And I shout and sing and dance before my King here in the Outer Court.

I come to the Altar of Washing and here the Word Himself washes me clean. I can go no further until I am clean before my Lord. I cannot enter His Holy Place without holiness. But here I am reminded that if I indeed have confessed my sins, then I can believe that I am loved. I am accepted. That I am a child of God.

And so I can enter the Holy Place confidently. I realize that apart from His amazing grace I would have darkness and eternity separated from Him. But knowing this grace and the power of His blood enables me to look up, even though I am humbled before Him.

And my pronouns change.

I would not look at my wife, Gayle , and say “I love her.” I would say “I love you.”

It is always right and appropriate and meaningful to declare the praise of God. To sing about Him. But it is another thing to sing TO HIM. And here in the Holy Place, I do just that. We are intimate. In the presence of the Living Bread of Life I tell Him I love Him. You are magnificent. You are holy. You are my Savior. You re my King. I love You more than any other.

Because my Jesus is my High Priest, and because we too are priests because He says we are, we enter the Holy of Holies and without fear, we worship Him in spirit and in truth.

I am convinced that there is a unique and divinely ordained purpose for corporate worship. God never meant for us to remain in the Outer Court. Every time we gather, He means for us to come into the Holy of Holies.

When I enter our physical place of worship, our building, I bring my personal “stream” of the life of Jesus, living in me. And so do each of us. And as we join our hearts and voices together, our streams become a mighty river. Together we live “OUR VOICE.” And this “river” should run with power and purpose because Jesus INHABITS the praises of His people. Praise is HIS ADDRESS!

When we enter the Holy of Holies, we enter the very Shekinah – the manifestation of His glory. And as we minister to Him, and pour our love on Him, He in return ministers to us. In the Holy of Holies there is no place for the devil. He must flee. Chains are broken. Captives are released. The gifts of His Spirit flow. Miracles occur. The prophetic Word is alive. My life is changed as I am in His Presence.

Never am I more fully alive than I am when I stand in the Holy of Holies with my Savior and my God.

We too can experience the radiance of God like Moses did.

So brethren, each time we come together for corporate worship, let’s make our way past the outer court and into His Divine Presence. Let us rediscover the “heart of worship,” looking full in His wonderful face, and WAIT on Him. Wait in Him. And linger there.

Linger there.

What Shall Become of — Us?

03 Monday Jan 2022

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Luke 1.57-66

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. — They made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

Gayle turned 70 on December 30, 2021. All of our 4 children were here, as well as 3 sons-in-law, and 12 grandchildren. Fortunately, they all stayed in our house. We had a grand time. What a joy to be together. Gayle was honored in many ways, including a book of most of Gayle’s blogs from the last 8 years put together by Abigail. You can find them at MyFathersDaughters, in WordPress.

But the greatest blessing was just being together for 3 days.

As a sentimental old man (yes, I am sentimental), I found myself at various moments pondering each of my children and grandchildren, as well as the last 46 years of marriage to this beautiful woman.

And I began to recall this passage from Luke, centered on the birth of John, the Baptist. “What then is this child going to be?”

I looked at Benjamin, at Hannah, at Salem, and at Abigail, who, as the youngest, will turn 40 on January 8th, 2022. What, then have they turned out to be?

Can I brag a little about them? Can I brag about what they have “turned out to be?”

Each one excelled in school. Each one played multiple sports in high school. Each one received honors, both academically and athletically. One was homecoming queen. One was student body president (and also in college!). Each one was recognized by the high school faculty as “Miss or Mr. Mustang”, the award given to a senior student. One was elected into the Jackson County Sports Hall of Fame.

Each one attended college. Again, academics were important to them. Each one played on a college sport team. One was voted homecoming queen. One served in the United States Army for over 5 years, for many weeks facing danger in Iraq.

They have lived in Germany, Hawaii, Kentucky, Virginia, Washington, Washington, DC, Maryland, and North Carolina.

3 have met and married godly men of faith. And out of these marriages, there are now 12 grandchildren, ranging from 6 to 16.

My children are not perfect. None of us are. But I am reminded of a song by the band Alabama. The words go something like this “close enough to perfect for me.”

I am so very proud of what my children have “turned out to be.”

And then I looked at each of my grandchildren. Adahlyn, Miriam, Phillip, Lincoln, Lydia, Samuel, Amos, Tyler, Daniel, Caleb, Adellah, and Rachel. And I wonder, what will become of them? What will they turn out to be?

I certainly will not live to see the end of their lives. I hope to see a significant portion, if God wills. I’d enjoy seeing them through college. I’d like to see whom they will marry, what jobs they may hold, what contributions they will make to their communities, where they lives will take them.

When I was little, I wanted to be Superman. I wanted to be a fireman. I wanted to be a Major League baseball player.

None can us can really know what the future holds. None of us can foresee how our decisions impact where our lives take us.

I never dreamed of college, of getting married, of being a father. Never thought I would one day pastor and teach. Never thought I would be a coach in multiple sports (particularly soccer!) Never dreamed that I would escort 3 homecoming queens into the middle of a football field. (only 2 in my family!)

What have I turned out to be?

David writes in Psalm 16.6, “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.”

The final chapter(s) of “this child” have yet to be written. But there is no doubt that I am the recipient of the amazing grace of our merciful Lord. I agree with Andrae Crouch, “All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe it all to Thee.”

The grandkids all pitched in and sang on a video this past week that honored Gayle. The song was “All My Life You Have Been Faithful”. Well, I am not sure of the title, but these are the treasured words.

God has been, and continues to be faithful. Over and above anything I could ever have hoped for or imagined. Beyond my “wildest dreams.”

And I can and will trust Him for the lives of my grandchildren. And their children. And on and on until the Lord Jesus reappears.

Luke 1.80 “And the child grew and became strong in spirit.”

I do not know what the future holds, but I KNOW WHO holds the future!

Well, that is enough, for now.

He’s STILL Got the Whole World in His Hands

22 Monday Nov 2021

Posted by in Believing, Corona-virus, Covid-19, facebook, Faith, Israel, Miracles, sea of galilee, The Church, the whole world

≈ 2 Comments

I recently saw an article entitled “The Everything Shortage.” It reminded me of the song written by Gary S. Paxton, “No Shortage.” In it he writes:

There’s a shortage on corn, There’s a shortage on wheat, There’s a shortage on beans and there’s a shortage on meat. Things that we’re needing we just can’t hardly buy, Soon we’ll be asking if we’re all gonna die.

The second verse includes these lines:

There’s a shortage on fuel oil, there’s a shortage on gas, There’s a shortage on wood and there’s a shortage on glass. Things that we’ve wasted are now precious to buy, You know there’s even a shortage on the air in the sky.

Sounds like it could have been written yesterday. But in was 1975. If he had penned this recently, he might have added toilet paper, matches, ammunition, computer chips, chocolate chips, common sense, and honest politicians.

Yes, we see inflation all around us. It affects us all. Crying won’t help. Maybe a little humor will.

Inflation is when you sock something away and the sock shrinks.

Inflation is when you have money to burn and you can’t afford matches.

Maybe the only way to slow down inflation is to send through the US Postal Service.

But, thankfully, inflation can’t touch everything. You can still use a dime as a screwdriver.

Yes, there may be a shortage on a million things, but I agree with Gary Paxton, THERE’S NO SHORTAGE ON GOD’S MERCY, THERE’S NO SHORTAGE ON GOD’S LOVE!

Nana took 6 year-old Rachel on a drive across Cowee Mountain a couple of weeks ago, when the fall color was at its peak. It has been a magnificent fall.

Nana said, “Just think, God painted all this!” “Yes,” replied Rachel, “and He did it with His left hand.”

Puzzled, Nana asked Rachel what in the world she meant.

“Well, I learned in Sunday School that Jesus was sitting on the right hand of God.”

Sitting on. Sitting at. Close enough, huh?

We talk about the “hand of God.” Of “the shadow of His wing.” I’m not certain that God has hands, after all, He is a Spirit. Jesus sure did. In fact, I am fairly sure God does not have hands, but I think we understand the personification and what it means.

Isaiah 49.14-16

“But Zion said, “the Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.” Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me.”

Many in the church are losing hope. Living in despair. Many have concluded that the Deists were right – God is like a clockmaker who made the universe and then, upon completion, folded His arms, sat on His hands, and “sits” there today allowing it all to run on its merry way like a clock. No involvement.

The Lord has forsaken us! The Lord has forgotten us!

High prices, empty shelves, riots, climate change, Covid, wars, rumors of wars, attacks on morality, attacks on Christianity, persecution. And all the while God “sits” there doing nothing.

Is that us today? Is this the way I feel? The way I believe? Are you wondering, “Where is the God of Elijah?”

But I say this, even if you have the tiniest of faith, even as small as the proverbial mustard seed, it is enough.

Because He Still Has the Whole World in His Hands!

No, a woman is not going to forget the child suckling at her breast. And neither is our Father.

Behold! Open your eyes! Know this! He has inscribed us on the palms of His hands! He has engraved, He has written, He has tattooed us!

Psalm 139, which is too long to reproduce here, beautifully describes the relationship between Our Father and His human creation. Yes, we are wonderfully made. He knows our every thought, in fact verse 4 tells us that God knows me so intimately that “before a word is on my tongue, You know it completely.”

He knit me together in my mother’s womb. And since that time, every breath, every motion I have made has been in His presence.

“His hand will guide me, His hand will hold me fast.”

I don’t know what you believe. But I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. I believe that He was conceived by Holy Spirit, born of a virgin. I believe that Jesus was crucified, dead and buried. I believe that He rose again, appeared to His disciples, and ascended into heaven. I believe that Jesus “sits” at the right hand of the Father, and that one day, He will return to judge the living and the dead.

If God is not alive today, then He never was.

If God is not involved in the daily life of our world, then He never was.

If God is not in control of my destiny, then He never was.

So I will not be shaken, and I will not be moved! He STILL has the whole world in His hands!

In Matthew 14.22-33, we have the episode of the stormy night and Peter walking with Jesus on water.

Jesus orders His men into the boat. When we are born again, in a sense, we are placed in a boat. And it is this boat that Jesus has ordained that will take us “to the other side.” There is safety in the boat. There are numbers there.

But Jesus does enter this boat with His disciples. They row on ahead.

I have been on the Sea of Galilee, where this event took place. In favorable conditions, skilled oarsmen would take perhaps an hour to get “to the other side.” But this is night, and the weather turns sour. The wind is whipping every which way but the right way. The waves are trying to capsize the boat.

And there is no Jesus insight.

Maybe God has abandoned us. Maybe the Deists were right. Does He not know that we are about to die?

I’ve been reading EUROPE, by Norman Davies. It is 1365 pages long. As of today, I’m on page 509. I might finish next decade.

So far, approximately 50000 Christians have been killed – by other “Christians.” Evil Popes. The “Holy Inquisition.” Kings and Queens. Some of the revered “Fathers of the Faith” had their heads removed. Burned at a stake.

John Calvin, yes he of Calvinism, once recommended that a certain man named Severtus be beheaded.

Martin Luther once approved of a bigamous marriage of a king and told him to “Tell a strong lie” about it.

These men were just that – mere men. With all the great things they may have proposed and achieved, they had their flaws.

We think times are bad today? Any of us could have been on the wrong side of a doctrine if we had lived in the 1300-1500s. And, you know, we may yet face such persecution here in America.

Already many across the world are facing persecution. It has never ceased. And here I am, complaining about the price of ground beef.

For at least 6 hours the men in the boat tried valiantly to hold onto their faith in the face of terrifying conditions. Some mountains are meant to be moved. Others must be climbed. (Remember James 1?)

And then Jesus comes towards them, walking on the Sea of Galilee. Maybe it was foggy. It was certainly the middle of the night. They did not recognize Him. “It is a ghost!”

Jesus may not always arrive when I THINK he should. But He is never late.

What about us? Have the weeks and months and maybe even years piled up on us? Weeks and months without SEEING GOD DO SOMETHING about my situation? I am forgotten! I am forsaken!

Remember, these disciples had just hours earlier had an active role in the miracle of the feeding of about 7-8000 people with only 5 loves and 2 fishes on hand.

What have you done for me lately, Jesus?

“Take courage! It is I!”

“If it is you, Lord, bid me come to you.”

You can say what you want about Peter, but I have never heard of any other human walking on water. Now I admit, I have not googled it.

Peter walks on water. I don’t know how many steps he took. 5,10, 24? But then his “senses” got the better of him and he loses focus on Jesus and turns to his circumstances.

I am certain that I would have as well.

Faith. Faith in the power of Jesus.

Then, he begins to sink, and it only the saving power of Jesus Christ that saves him.

Apart from Christ, we all sink. “Lord, save us!”

Do I care about the circumstances I live in? Of course. Do I care about what the price of gas will be next year? You bet I do. Am I concerned about whether or not the United States government supports Israel? Indeed. Am I concerned about the coming day when the federal government will try and control what is said from the pulpit? I am. Do I wish Covid would end? Certainly.

These waves and these winds will rock the boat and I cannot control them. But I know the Master of the Wind. I know the Maker of the Waves. And He is saying to me, “Why do you doubt?” “You are written on the palm of My hand.”

So I stretch out my hand to Jesus. And He takes it, and if he chooses to dive down into the depths of the sea, I go with Him. If we stay underwater for an hour, I am safe in Him.

He’s got you and me, brother, in His hand.

He’s got you and me, sister, in His hand.

He’s got everybody here, in His hand.

He’s STILL got the whole world in His hand!

NOW IS THE TIME I MUST SING

22 Monday Nov 2021

Posted by in Believing, Christianity, facebook, Faith, Freedom, Holy of Holies, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Life, New Testament Worship, Overcoming, Pharisees, Praise and worship, Uncategorized, When to Sing, When to Sing

≈ 2 Comments

Let’s lay the corners of the “puzzle” first.

Luke 19.37-40  — And as He was now approaching, the near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all of the miracles which they had seen, saying “Blessed is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” And He answered and said, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out.”

1 Peter 2.9 — But you are a Chosen Race, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a People for God’s Own Possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

Hebrews 13.15 — Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.

John 4.23-24 — An hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

There’s a story about a small boy sitting by his parents in a morning worship service (NOT YOUR congregation!!) Like most small boys, his attention was neither easily captured not readily held. So he began looking around – all over – for something to look at. After counting all the bald heads, the cell phones, and tattoos, his eyes fell on a bronze plaque on the wall. It had stars, letters, and the outline of an American flag. He nudged his mom and pointed to it, “What’s that?”

She replied, “That is in memory of all those who died in the service.”

There was a long pause. Then, with a sense of concern, nearing panic, he said, “Which service, morning or evening?”

All of us (again, never at OUR meetings) have attended worship services that began at 11:00 sharp and ended at 12:00 dull. (but not OUR congregation, we start at 10!)

My brethren, may it never be! However, we are in a battle. Galatians 5.17 tells us that the flesh sets itself against the spirit. We have an enemy. This enemy does not want us to proclaim the excellencies of our Lord. This enemy does not want us to offer the fruit of our lips – the praise due His name. This enemy does not want us to be true worshipers, who worship in spirit and truth.

There is a reason it is called the “sacrifice” of praise. We have to take action. We have to open our mouths. We have to speak.

Worship is a verb! Worship is more than a church meeting. It is more than singing songs. It is more than praying. I can attend a meeting, but did I worship?

Worship is an encounter with God – a living celebration in which we are in the presence of and drawing life from the Lifegiver. It is a dynamic encounter with the living Lord in which we offer Him the adoration, honor and glory He rightly deserves, and at the same time we enjoy His presence and are transformed by Him.

Like those around the throne in heaven that we see in Revelation 4, when we see Him face to face, we say HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is the Lord God Almighty, Who was, and Who is, and Who is to come, worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory, and honor and power.

The Old Testament tabernacle had 3 sections, the Outer Court, the Inner Court, and the Holy of Holies. I certainly do not have space here to describe the entire scope of the tabernacle and its meanings, both literal and symbolic, but I do need to say this.

The Outer Court is where you enter. It is in the Outer Court that you wash your hands – you “come clean”. You ask Holy Spirit to reveal your sin. It is here that you are washed in the blood of the Lamb. You are forgiven, and you receive assurance of that cleansing. Indeed, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Hallelujah.

So we proceed into the Inner Court. After being washed, what can we do? What should we do? We can and should REJOICE! Shout it from the mountaintops. Proclaim the excellencies of Him Who called us out of darkness. Yell, scream, brag on HIM. Give Him honor. Give Him glory.

We enter His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts. We enter His courts with praise. He has made me glad.

Yet why are so many of so quiet, so reluctant? We yell, scream, stomp, pull, and cheer for our favorite sports teams. we go to games and get so excited. Sometimes we even jump out of our seats. We sit on the edge, anxious for the next play, full of anticipation.

We go to concerts and holler and clap. We want to get as close as we can to the stage. We pull out our cell phones (well, I don’t!) and wave them in the air. It is so nice. We take selfies so folks will know who we’ve been in the presence of (well, I don’t!)

we go to movies and get so caught up in the drama. We cry. It is so touching.

Yet if anyone – anyone – who ever lived deserved the greatest applause, the loudest cheer – if anyone deserves to be hollered at, chased after, and yelled for – I say it is Jesus Christ!

He is the most exciting, the most dynamic, the greatest. There is none like Him! He deserves more than some little polite golf clap! Our excitement and enthusiasm for Him should surpass the sum total of everything else we enjoy in our lives.

In 1 Samuel 16 we see King Saul haunted by an evil spirit. Verse 14 tells us that it terrorized him. Verse 16 brings the solution. “Now command your servants to seek a man who is skillful on the harp and it shall come about that when the evil spirit is on you the harp shall be played and you will be well.”  So they located David and sure enough as David played Saul was refreshed. What caused the evil spirit to depart” Praise and worship. You see, IF YOU BUILD A THRONE, HE WILL COME! And there, we enjoy the divine exchange. We give up our ashes, mourning and heaviness, and He gives us beauty, joy, and the garment of praise.

Later in 2 Samuel we find David, now king, leading the procession bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem after many years of absence. David is so thrilled by this that he begins leaping and dancing. He is completely uninhibited, before the Lord, and all the people. Most of them, including his wife, are embarrassed. Miriam leads the way in publicly rebuking him for “making a fool of himself”.

But let me say this. When you see what David saw, and you feel what David did — when you are so focused on and thrilled by the Father, you’ll do what David did!

Like David did in Jehovah’s sight, we will dance with all our might!

You see, praise is His address.

Now, the Holy of Holies.

In Luke 7.36-50 we have Jesus invited as a guest to the house of Simon, a Pharisee, for a dinner engagement. We see Jesus “reclining” at Simon’s table. Then uninvited, a woman – an immoral woman – enters.

Please read the passage for yourself.

Here I want to point out 5 things about this woman.

There is desire and recognition. She recognized her own need and then was birthed a desire to locate and go to Jesus. She investigated. She searched until she located Him. She knew of Him, maybe she had previously been ministered to by Him. But certainly we can say that she knew enough that all that mattered was to find Him and be with Him. To be in His presence. His presence, where healing is, where forgiveness is, where restoration is, where lives are changed.

Next, she came prepared. She brought with her a vial of costly perfume. She did             not come empty-handed. She is making a sacrifice – a sacrifice of praise. She is                 entering with thanksgiving. She is pouring herself out – like David – for Him.

She is focused and uninhibited. She enters this house uninvited. But no one is               ever uninvited to the presence of Jesus! She throws herself at His feet. She                       disregards everything and everyone else. “And the things of earth grow strangely         dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” When we enter the Holy of Holies, it is                 just Jesus and me.

And what does Jesus do?

He recognizes her.  Jesus does not pull away. He does not rebuke her for who she is or what she is wasting. He does not tell her that this is the wrong time and she is inn the wrong place. No. He gives her His personal attention. As she focuses on Him, He focuses on her.

Next, Jesus is provoked to respond. He desires to minister to her, and as He knows the innermost parts of her being, He is able to pinpoint her need.

And we can be convinced that Jesus also came prepared. Are we not worth more than the lilies of the field and birds of the air? How He longs to love His children. When we come into His presence, when we worship Him in spirit and in truth, all the power of God meets us.

Lastly, Jesus is also uninhibited. Jesus was invited to this house – the house of Simon the Pharisee. There were other “important” people there. Jesus COULD HAVE thought, “This is the wrong time, the wrong place; what will they think of Me; would it be rude to ignore the one who invited Me?”

But He did not. This woman meant business. She had dared enter the Holy of Holies. And so did He! It is never the wrong time. It is never the wrong place. Whenever and wherever I am, there He is.

And then there is Simon. The religious man. The worship meeting attender. He wanted no part of this sinner. She disgusted him. Further, Simon’s reaction to her shows that he really wanted no part of Jesus either. “You gave Me no water for my feet; you gave me no kiss; you did not anoint My head with oil.” In other words, Simon extended none of the common courtesies that a guest should have expected and was common in that era.

In other words, Simon desired a form of religion, but with no power, no love. Simon wanted Jesus in the room, but had no interest in getting close. Simon wanted an “outer court” experience, but wanted no part of the Holy of Holies.

Simon’s worship was shallow; hers was extravagant. Simon stiff-armed the Lord; she eagerly embraced Him. Simon’s “applause” was a finger clap; hers was a “thunder-clap!”

When I look into Your holiness, when I gaze into Your loveliness; when all things that surround become shadows in the light of You. When I’ve found the joy of reaching Your heart, when my will becomes enthroned in Your love; when all things that surround become shadows in the light of You.

And I close with this, the inspiration for the title. And thanks once again to Bill and Gloria Gaither.

“If the rocks would cry out, should His praises die out then the stones must keep silent as long

As long as I’ve breath for the singing, His  praise will keep ringing and I will keep singing my song

Keep silent ye mountains, ye fields and ye fountains

For this is the time I must sing

It’s the time to sing praises to the Rock of the Ages

For this is the time I must sing”