Who is He?

Wednesday, June 7, 2017, 8:30 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “More About Jesus.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read John 1:1-18 (Select vv. NASB).

The Word (vv. 1-5)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

As we read through this first chapter of John’s gospel, we soon realize that “The Word” is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is the second person of our triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He was in the beginning (of creation) with God, he is God, and he is our creator. He made us.

Jesus is the author of life (Acts 3:15). In Jesus is eternal life (1 Jn. 5:11). And, He is the eternal life (1 Jn. 1:2). This Life is the Light of mankind. He is truth and righteousness, and he reveals truth and righteousness to us. This truth (the light) shines (sheds light) in the darkness (sin, wickedness). He makes clear what is darkness (sin, lies, wickedness) and what is light (righteousness, truth, holiness). He exposes sin and lies for what they are, and he reveals truth and righteousness for what they are. Yet, many who are still in the darkness do not understand, because they do not receive or accept the truth, nor do they reject or deny the lies and the sin.

The Light (vv. 9-13)

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Jesus Christ, the true Light, instructs and educates us in what is of God, in what is holy and righteous, and in what is true. And, he reveals to us what is false, what is not of God, and what is contrary to his Word. He exposes all that is called “light,” but which is false. But, we have to be listening to him, believing him, and applying what he teaches us to our lives, or else we may continue in the darkness, or we may find ourselves accepting false light as true light, and even rejecting the true light, as though it is false.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, left his throne in heaven, came to earth, became flesh, and made his dwelling among us. He suffered like we suffer, and he was tempted in like manner as we are also tempted, yet without sin. During his years of ministry on the earth, he healed the sick and afflicted, raised the dead, comforted the sorrowful, encouraged the timid, and delivered people from demons. He also preached repentance for salvation and for forgiveness of sin, death to sin for eternal life, and living to righteousness. And, he said that if we love him, we will obey him (we will keep his word). John said that the way we know we have come to know him, is if we keep (obey) his commandments (his Word, his instructions to us).

Yet, even though Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Lord and Messiah, and even though he created the world, and he came into the world, those who were of the world did not recognize (know) him. Even those of his own household, his hometown, and of his own faith did not receive him. They did not acknowledge that he was their Lord and Messiah, nor did they accept (welcome) him into their lives as their Savior and Lord (owner-master). Even many today, even among those who call themselves Christians, truly do not welcome him as Lord (owner-master) of their lives nor as the one who died that they might die to sin and live to righteousness. They are ok with him forgiving their sins and promising them heaven when they die as long as he doesn’t require anything of them – no commitment, no vows of allegiance, no submission or surrender, and no repentance or obedience.

Yet, for those who truly do receive (welcome) him into their lives as their owner-master, recognizing that they are now his servants, who have repented of their sins, and who are reborn (spiritually) of the Spirit of God, they are now children of God. We are not God’s children merely because he created us, or because we pray a prayer to receive him, or because we acknowledge his existence or accept his forgiveness for our sins. We are his children when we have been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we have been resurrected with Christ to newness of life, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:17-24; Ro. 6:1-23). We are his children, too, when we are being led by the Spirit, and when we practice doing what he says (1 Jn. 2:3-4; Ro. 8:14).

Jesus Christ (vv. 14-18)

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

Jesus Christ is God, as well as he is the only begotten Son of God, so his glory (renown, honor, worth) is that of the Father. Jesus is full of both grace and truth. And, as his followers, we also should be full of grace and truth. Grace has to do with God’s favor (his kindness to us). And, the way in which he favored us is that Jesus gave himself up for us on a cross so that we could be delivered out of slavery to sin and have eternal life with God forevermore. And, we give up ourselves for others when we follow our Lord in obedience in being his servants and witnesses in telling others the gospel of Jesus, so that they can be saved from their sins, because we know that this could cost us our lives, our reputations, and people rejecting us.

Jesus was also full of truth, and so should we be. Truth is the opposite of lies. And, it is defined by God; by his standards, not by the world’s standards or values. The Word of God – Jesus, and his written Word – is truth. We should live the truth, believe the truth, promote the truth, and tell the truth, and we should not be liars and deceivers. So, in order to do this, we need to know the truth and be able to distinguish (discern) truth from lies. We can do this in the power of the Holy Spirit within us, but we have to be listening, and we must be willing to have him show us what is truth and what are lies. Many people, even those who call themselves Christians, hold on to the lies, because they like the lies better than the truth.

But, as followers of Jesus, we should be those who love the truth, who drink it in, search it out, follow it, and who share it with others.

More About Jesus / Hewitt / Sweney

More about Jesus would I know,

More of His grace to others show;

More of His saving fullness see,

More of His love Who died for me.

More about Jesus let me learn,

More of His holy will discern;

Spirit of God, my teacher be,

Showing the things of Christ to me.

More about Jesus; in His Word,

Holding communion with my Lord;

Hearing His voice in every line,

Making each faithful saying mine.

More about Jesus; on His throne,

Riches in glory all His own;

More of His kingdom’s sure increase;

More of His coming, Prince of Peace.

More, more about Jesus,

More, more about Jesus;

More of His saving fullness see,

More of His love Who died for me.

He Only

Tuesday, June 6, 2017, 10:19 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Much Too High a Price.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Psalm 62 (quoting vv. 1-8 NASB).

My Soul Waits (vv. 1-2)

My soul waits in silence for God only;

From Him is my salvation.

He only is my rock and my salvation,

My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.

Do you have trusted friends? Have they ever betrayed you? Turned against you? Even those of your own household, who are supposed to love and protect you, have they ever abandoned you? How about your pastors, elders, deacons, trustees and Bible teachers? Have they ever deserted you in time of need? Did you plead for help, and they didn’t come through? Did they leave you to the wolves to be devoured? Sisters and brothers in the Lord, have they ever betrayed a confidence? Gossiped about you, or made unkind and uncalled for remarks about your character? And, your country’s leaders, have they ever lied to you? Deceived you? Manipulated and used you, and preyed on your naivety and trusting nature?

So, why do these things happen? Well, for one, because we are all born with sin natures. All of us have sinned and have come up short of attaining God’s divine approval (Ro. 3:23). Satan tempts people to sin, as well as people are tempted (lured) by their own sinful passions and desires. Some people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil, so they won’t come into the light, lest their wicked deeds be exposed. Although they have knowledge of God, for God made plain to them what may be known about himself, they don’t praise, thank or honor him, but instead they follow after their own sinful passions, and they do what ought not to be done (Rom. 1).

Yet, there is encouragement for the one who puts his or her faith and trust in God alone, and who waits patiently for God to intervene on their behalf. Tis true that humans will lie to us and about us, betray us, abandon us, use us, gossip about us to others, make nasty and cutting remarks to us, hand us over to the wolves, ignore our cries for help, and turn against us, etc. But, our God will do none of these! Even if our mother or father should forsake us, our God will never leave or forsake those who are his own. He will not falter. He will not change. We can depend on him fully. He is our stronghold, who helps us to endure, to persevere and to stand strong in our faith and on his Word, even when many oppose us and his gospel message.

Inwardly They Curse (vv. 3-4)

How long will you assail a man,

That you may murder him, all of you,

Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?

They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position;

They delight in falsehood;

They bless with their mouth,

But inwardly they curse. Selah.

We live in a day and time when there are those within the world, and even within the gatherings of the church, who are vehemently opposed to the true gospel of Jesus Christ, and they are doing whatever is within their means to do so to try to halt the spreading of the gospel. This includes murdering Christians worldwide, and covering their evil deeds by saying they are going after terrorists, when they are the terrorists hunting down Christ’s followers, in order to stop God’s grace from spreading and his gospel from advancing. Some of them are world leaders, bankers, CEOs of corporations, or they are leaders of our nations. Or, they might be our pastors or other leaders within organized religion. They have unified in an effort to stop the advancing of the kingdom of heaven, i.e. they are working for Satan. And, Satan hates Jesus Christ, his gospel and his true followers.

It isn’t as though they are entirely opposed to the name Jesus Christ, or to the institutional church, or to someone believing in Jesus with human faith. If they were, most Christians would not follow them. Remember, Satan disguises himself as an angel of light and his servants disguise themselves as apostles of Christ and as servants of righteousness. They seem, so far, to be ok with people calling themselves Christians or with saying they believe in Jesus, at least here in America. But, what they are opposed to is many of the teachings of Jesus and of his NT apostles, which teach, for one, that Jesus is the ONLY way to God and to heaven, and that there is no other way. They are also opposed to the preaching of the gospel as Jesus taught it, which confronts sin in sinful humans, warns of divine judgment, calls for repentance, and which promises hope and healing for the penitent.

What they want is for the whole world to unite as one mind and one voice and for everyone to remove from their lives whatever causes division among the people of the world. Well, the gospel divides people as saved and unsaved, as those going to heaven, and as those who are not, and as those walking in the light, and as those walking in darkness, who have no hope. So, that gospel has to go, they say, because it will not unite with all people of all religions and all walks of life. And, their goal is to have a one world totalitarian rule and a one world religion where we all tolerate one another’s beliefs and practices, which means we have to compromise our faith and convictions and the Word of God in order to unite with them. NO WAY!

They have convinced many professing Christians, or people searching out Christianity, to compromise with the world, to accept a diluted half-truth (false) gospel, to reject the truth, and to turn the church into a business, and/or a social club, and/or a community organization. They have convinced them, too, that all they have to do is acknowledge Jesus’ existence, and accept his forgiveness for their sins, and they now have heaven guaranteed when they leave this world, no matter how they live their lives from this point forward. And, if someone does tell them the truth, they have already been predisposed by these liars and deceivers to reject the truth and to hold on to the lies. And, many are buying into their lies, because it gives them solace when they do feel a twinge of guilt over continued and willful sin against God.

God, My Refuge (vv. 5-8)

My soul, wait in silence for God only,

For my hope is from Him.

He only is my rock and my salvation,

My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.

On God my salvation and my glory rest;

The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, O people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Yet, Jesus Christ is our only hope, and our only source of salvation from sin. His Word is completely true and trustworthy, and on it we should take our stand, and not waver. When they try to convince us to compromise with the world of sin, to deny our Lord in any way, and to dilute the gospel to make it more acceptable to the worldly, we must take a strong stand and tell them “NO!” We won’t back down, we won’t give up, and we will not deny our Lord or his gospel. We will not unite with the world in this one world religion, which recognizes all religions as viable. We will define sin in the same way the New Testament in the Bible defines sin, i.e. as defined by God. And, we will continue to confront sinful practices, call for repentance, warn of judgment, and promise hope and healing to the one who repents of his sin.

But, we will not do this in our own strength, but in the strength of the Lord. We will trust in HIM at all times, and we will pour out our hearts to him and call on him for the strength to keep pressing on in the face of much opposition. And, we will believe him for changed hearts and lives.

Much Too High A Price / Jesus Paid It All

Phil McHugh and Greg Nelson

…You paid much too high a price for me, Your tears, Your blood, the pain –

To have my soul just stirred at times yet never truly changed.

You deserve a fiery love that won’t ignore your sacrifice

Because You paid much too high a price.

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe,

Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed me white as snow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeNA1NoJJH4

The Faith We Profess

Monday, June 5, 2017, 7:00 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Blessed Assurance.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Colossians 1 (Select vv. NASB).

Our Faith (vv. 3-8)

We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.

When we believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, what should that faith look like? Well, first of all, where does this faith come from? And, do we generate this faith ourselves?

In the Bible we read, first of all, that no one can even come to faith in Jesus Christ unless the Father first draws him (Jn. 6:44). Generally, this is done through the preaching of the gospel of our salvation (Ro. 10:14-15). Yet, God is certainly not limited to depending on humans to tell people about himself; about Jesus Christ (Ro. 1:18-20; Ps. 19:1-6; Lu. 19:40; Rev. 14:6). Then, once the Father draws us to Christ, then he also gives us the faith to believe in him (Eph. 2:8-10). This faith is not the kind we might muster up ourselves out of our own human flesh, though. This faith is divinely persuaded as to God’s perfect will for our lives. It submits to God’s will, because it comes from God, and it is of God (of his divine character).

So, what is this gospel of grace? Where do we learn about it? We learn about it in the “Word of Truth.” And, it is “the grace of God in truth.” We learn about it, not just in the New Testament books of the Bible, though, for there are many prophecies of scripture concerning this gospel of grace in the Old Testament, too. And, it is the Holy Spirit of God who reveals it to us, who convicts our hearts of sin, and who convinces us of our need of the Savior.

What is this gospel? It is first of all that humans are born into sin, and thus they come up short of attaining God’s divine approval. They are bound for eternity in hell, without God, and without hope (Ro. 3:23; Ro. 6:23). And, there is nothing we can do in our flesh to earn or to deserve our own salvation. So, it is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – left his throne in heaven, came to earth, became flesh, and dwelt among us. He suffered like we suffer, and he was tempted in like manner as we are also tempted, yet without sin. He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. And, he was hung on a cross to die, although he had done no wrong, but in his death he took upon himself our sins so that we could die to sin and live to righteousness (Jn. 1; Phil. 2; 2 Co. 5:21; Is. 53).

And, what should it look like when we believe in Jesus, and in his gospel? It should radically transform our lives. We are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are resurrected with Christ to newness of life, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ro. 6:1-23; Eph. 4:17-24). And, holiness means to be set apart (unlike, different) from the world of sin because we are being conformed to the image (likeness) of Christ Jesus, our Lord. We are turned from darkness (sin) to light (Jesus Christ, truth, righteousness), and from the power of Satan to God, so we might receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those sanctified (purified, made holy) by faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 26:16-18). The old has gone, the new has come.

God’s grace to us is not a free license to continue in sin without guilt and without remorse. If you believe that you can have faith in Jesus Christ, and that God requires nothing of you – no repentance, no submission and no obedience to Christ, then you are sadly mistaken. That is human faith, not God-given faith. We have to remember here that James said that even the demons believe, and they shudder. Sadly, many who call themselves Christians don’t even shudder, i.e. they have no fear (honor, respect) of God. Yet, God’s grace, which brings salvation, is not just about freeing us from hell’s fires and promising us heaven when we die. His grace teaches us to say “NO” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return (Tit. 2:11-14).

So, what should this faith look like? It should be surrendered to God, in death to sin and living to his righteousness. And, it should be bearing fruit and increasing, and not be stagnant and complacent. In other words, we should be growing in our faith, and we should be maturing in our spiritual walks. We should be denying the flesh, and by the Spirit we ought to be putting to death the deeds of the flesh. We should be walking in the Spirit and no longer living to gratify the desires of the sinful flesh (Ro. 8:1-14; Lu. 9:23-25; 1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Co. 5:15; 1 Jn. 1:6). And, we must have love for others, especially for other followers of Christ, for if we hate and devour one another, how, then, can the love of God be in us? (1 Jn. 2:11; 1 Jn. 4:20).

Worthy of the Lord (vv. 9-14)

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

First, we must have the correct foundation. If our faith is based in human flesh, and it is not God-given faith, then what follows will not take place, because we have a faulty base. If a house is built on a faulty foundation, it won’t last. When the storms of life come crashing in, it will fall. If we believe that all we have to do is acknowledge Jesus’ existence, and accept his forgiveness of our sins, but that nothing is required of us, then that is the wrong foundation, and our house will fall. But, if we believe the words of Jesus and those of the NT apostles, that coming to Christ means we die with Christ to sin so that we don’t live in sin any longer, and that repentance and obedience are required as part of believing faith (God-given faith), then by God’s grace, we can walk (in lifestyle) in a manner worthy of our Lord.

Then, we can be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, because we don’t have an attitude that we don’t have to obey him. Why would he fill us with the knowledge of his will if we are predisposed to ignore that knowledge, and to go our own way? Why would he show us anything if we feel we now have our ticket into heaven, that nothing can take it away, so it doesn’t matter if we still play around with sin, or if we make it our practice to excuse away willful sin as all covered by God’s grace. What he will show us is that we have the wrong foundation, and he will show us the correct way to him and to salvation. And, when we have responded to him with God-given faith, then he will increase our knowledge and understanding so that we can bear fruit in every good work.

Again, coming to faith in Jesus Christ means he rescues us from the domain of darkness (sin, wickedness, the power of Satan), and he transfers us to his eternal kingdom, to live to his righteousness and to his holiness.

Beyond Reproach (vv. 21-23)

And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

Here again we have the point of our salvation, which is to deliver us out of slavery to sin. “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin” (Ro. 6:6-7). And, it is that we may live a new life – not like the old life. It is that he may present us before himself (God) holy and blameless and beyond reproach, not just positionally, but experientially. In other words, it is not just that Jesus’ righteousness is credited to our accounts, but it is that we live righteously in the power and working of his Spirit now living within us (Ro. 6:1-23; Ro. 8:1-14; Ro. 12:1-2; Lu. 9:23-25; 2 Co. 5:15; 1 Pet. 2:24).

But, this is all conditional. We have to continue in the faith we have been given, firmly established and steadfast, not moved away from the hope of the gospel. And, this doesn’t mean we hold out hope that we will go to heaven when we die while we largely or even partially ignore God’s commands and do as we please in the meanwhile. This is not continuing in the faith of the gospel as was taught us by Jesus and by his NT apostles. This is continuing in human faith which promises a false hope of heaven, based in a lie, which is being preached to us by those who are false shepherds and wolves in sheep’s clothing, who are out to kill, to steal and to destroy the church. So, we have to continue in God-given faith, which produces love, obedience, submission, repentance and holy and godly living.

Blessed Assurance / Fanny Crosby

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,

Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;

Angels descending bring from above

Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest

I in my Savior am happy and blest,

Watching and waiting, looking above,

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior, all the day long;

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Testing Your Faith

Sunday, June 4, 2017, 8:15 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “When Pretty Things Get Broken.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read James 1 (select vv. ESV).

Various Trials (vv. 2-4)

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

What is joy? Joy is “grace recognized,” i.e. “the awareness of God’s grace, his favor” (biblehub.com). Jesus, for the joy set before him, “endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). What was the joy set before him? His grace, which he was to extend to all the world via his death on a cross for our sins, and via his resurrection from the dead. It was the knowledge that his death and resurrection would mean life everlasting, and freedom from slavery to sin, to everyone who trusted in him as Lord, and as Savior of their lives.

So, can we be joyful and sad at the same time? Yes, I believe we can, because joy is not dependent on our circumstances. It is not conditional to our human emotions. Even in times of severe trial and great sadness, we can prayerfully and thankfully be appreciative of God’s grace to us, in its various forms, calling on him to help us in our time of need, even with tears streaming down our cheeks. And, that can be joy, because it focuses on Jesus, who is our compassionate and merciful high priest. So, we should “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb. 12:3). We need to just rest in him.

Yet, what does it mean to count it all joy when we go through trials? It means to recognize God’s grace in our lives, i.e. that he is doing things in and through us way beyond what we could even imagine. It means trusting in his sovereignty over our lives, believing that, “in all things, he works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Ro. 8:28). Yet, “good” is not necessarily what we want or desire, but it is what God knows is best for us, i.e. what we truly need for us to mature in our faith, and to have steadfastness (persistence) of spirit, and for us to be Christ-like in heart, mind, attitude, faith, word and in action. So, we need to believe him, submit to his Lordship over our lives, and trust him to work it all out according to his plans and purposes, and for his glory.

Need Wisdom? (vv. 5-8)

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

When we go through difficulties and trials, we definitely need wisdom to know how to respond with grace, and to not let our circumstances or what others do or say to “ruffle our feathers,” i.e. “to cause confusion, agitation, irritation or annoyance” (yourdictionary.com). There are probably always going to be people in our lives who will try to “get our goat,” i.e. who will attempt to irritate us. But, we can’t let them. We need to rise above these situations, by the grace of God, and by exercising godly wisdom. We must put on the armor of God (Eph. 6:10-20), as well, in order to fight off the temptation to give way to our circumstances and to not trust our Lord.

Yet, when we pray for wisdom to know how to respond with grace and godliness to difficult trials, and to people who want nothing more than to trip us up, and God shows us what to do, then we need to apply to our lives what he shows us, otherwise it was pointless to even ask him.

Remain Steadfast (vv. 12-15)

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Some days are better than others. Some days we feel stronger, and other days we feel weak emotionally or physically, and it is more difficult during those times when the trials come. Yet, we don’t endure and persevere in our own strength or willpower. The steadfastness of spirit doesn’t come from within our own flesh. It is supernatural. And, it comes as we yield to our God, cry out to him in our suffering, and trust him to work in and through our lives for his purposes and for his glory. It comes when we learn to rest in him, and we don’t feel like we have to make things happen ourselves, and when we lean on him for understanding and trust in him for his strength.

When we are tempted to give in, give up, blow up, or clam up, that doesn’t come from God. Now, there will be times when God will tell us to be silent, but that will not be all the time, for he has given us mouths to sing his praises, to proclaim his excellencies, to share his gospel, and to call people to repentance and to faith in Jesus Christ. It is Satan who wants to silence us, and to get us to give up, and to yield to pressure to compromise our faith so that people will like us, and so we won’t face persecution. Yet, Jesus said if we are ashamed of him and his gospel, he will be ashamed of us (Mk. 8:38). The devil will also send people along in our lives to try to trip us up, and to try to get us to blow it. We can’t give in to them for a second!

Yet, the devil is not the only force in our lives which tempts us to sin against God. We can be lured and enticed by our own sinful desires. For example, we may be tempted to compromise our faith, or to not speak to people about Jesus, or to dilute the gospel, because we want to be liked by others, and not hated. And, when the Spirit within us prompts us that we need to speak, and not keep silent, or he impresses on our hearts that we need to say something to someone, and we know we will be hated and rejected, we may be tempted to rationalize our way out of it. This is because we know it will mean, not only that this particular person is going to now reject us, but that they are probably going to convince many others to hate us, too. Yet, we have to obey God, even if it costs us our reputations or our very lives.

When Pretty Things Get Broken

By Joni Eareckson Tada

I have a piece of China, a pretty porcelain vase –

It holds such lovely flowers; captures everybody’s gaze.

But fragile things do slip and fall, as everybody knows.

And when my vase came crashing down, those tears began to flow.

My life was just like China, a lovely thing to me;

Full of porcelain promises of all that I might be.

But fragile things do slip and fall, as everybody knows.

And when my life came crashing down, those tears began to flow.

Now Jesus is no porcelain Prince. His promises won’t break.

His holy word holds fast and sure. His love, no one can shake.

So, if your life is shattered by sorrow, pain, or sin –

His healing love will reach right down and make you whole again.

Now don’t we all cry when pretty things get broken?

Don’t we all sigh at such an awful loss?

But Jesus will dry your tears, as He has spoken;

‘Cause He was the one broken on the cross.

https://www.joniandfriends.org/media/uploads/downloads/when_pretty_things_get_broken.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsq4UMBgwZc

Many Fall Away

Saturday, June 3, 2017, 5:18 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Matthew 24 (quoting vv. 1-14 ESV).

Thrown Down (vv. 1-2)

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Jesus, in his remarks to the disciples here, was foretelling the destruction of the Jewish temple, which took place in 70 A.D. Then, Jerusalem, the Holy City, was taken by Roman armies, and the temple was laid low. Yet, this was a judgment of God on the Jewish nation because they rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord (God) and Messiah (Savior, deliverer). And, now, the temple of God is Christ’s followers, his body, the church. God’s Spirit now lives within our hearts and lives. We, the church, are now the Holy City, and the Holy of Holies dwells within us. Physical Jerusalem is of Hagar, the slave woman, because she is still in slavery (to sin) with her children (See: Gal. 4:22-31).  

Yet, there will be another judgment of God on his people, yet to come, but not speaking of the Jews, who are not his people, if they do not believe in Jesus. This is a judgment of God on his adulterous and idolatrous church who has partnered with the world’s system, and has become worldly, and has diluted the gospel of Christ to make it appealing to human flesh. She has turned the “house of prayer” into a marketplace, has become unequally yoked together with unbelievers, and has turned to humans and/or to governments of men for her support. So, God is calling his church to come out of Babylon so that she does not share in her sins and in her punishment, for her sins are piled high to heaven (See: Rev. 2-3; Rev. 18:1-10).

End of the Age (vv. 3-12)

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

We are seeing much of this being fulfilled in our present day and time. Many are coming in Christ’s name who are false shepherds of the people, and who are wolves in sheep’s clothing, whose aim it is to kill, steal and to destroy. They may not literally say that they are “Christ,” but they will act as though they are the savior of the people, or that they have discovered some new revelation, supposedly coming from God, but contrary to God’s Word, or else they will twist the Word of God to their own advantage.

Or, they may just lie, deceive, trick, and manipulate people, and “play” them, i.e. pretend to be on their side while actually undermining them for their own advantage. So, they will make up stories and will pass them off as truth in order to lead the people, especially God’s people, astray. And, these false shepherds are deceiving people by the millions. Some of them are heads of governments, and some are pastors, priests and church elders. And, some are the news media, who merely report the stories they are told to report, most of which is made up, partially or wholly, or is twisted, often in order to shift blame on to someone other than the guilty parties.

For example, there are several main news stories right now that are mostly fabricated in order to deceive and to “play” the people. One of them has to do with this whole fiasco of Russia supposedly hacking the US elections to benefit Donald Trump, and is, thus, questioning D. Trump’s role in all of this. Another has to do with the Paris climate accord (agreement), and Trump supposedly withdrawing the US from the accord. And, it has to do with Trump’s supposed stance on the subject of climate change, which he has purportedly stated previously that it is a hoax, a con job, and nonexistent. Well, he is correct, but don’t let that fool you into thinking he is on your side, for he is not. He is one of them - the one world government people.

Basically, the US government has no real authority of its own. The de facto government in the US is a shadow government of the Elite of the world. And, the US government and military get their orders from them, and they serve as their messengers, enforcers and punishers of all who do not comply with the New World Order “beast.” So, the US government is very much a part of this global alliance. And, this climate agreement is not really about emissions, but it is about the conquering of nations and peoples by this New World Order “beast.” It is about the forcing or manipulating of people and of independent nations, via trickery, scheming and strategy, into uniting with this one world order of law, and its one world religion. And, the Bushes, the Clintons, Obama and Trump are all on board. There is no difference among them. They all served or are serving the same shadow government.

As far as who hacked the US elections, the US government and the New World Order Alliance did. And, this has been going on for many years. Our votes don’t really matter, for, as Trump also claimed, the elections are rigged. And, the shadow government decides who to put in office. We are not a nation of the people, by the people and for the people. We are a nation created to bring about this New World Order and the rule of the beast, which is evidenced by our true history. Many of our forefathers were freemasons, the buildings and statues in D.C. were patterned after foreign gods and goddesses, and our own national seal depicts the all-seeing eye of Horus (the shadow government) hovering over the unfinished pyramid.

So, as the people of the world, we have to stop believing what we read or hear or see in the news, because so much of it is twisted, fabricated or faked. They tell us what they want us to believe in order to deceive us into believing their lies. But, we must understand that the news media and our government leaders are not our friends. Most (or all) of them work for the “beast,” and their true goal is the same as his, which is world domination and totalitarian rule of all people. And, they are out to conquer Christians, and even to kill those who will not bow to this beast. So, we can expect that serious persecution of Christians will, in the near future, be a present reality here in America, too, and not just in other parts of the world.

And This Gospel (vv. 13-14)

But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

If we want to have eternal life with God, we must endure in our faith to the end, and not compromise with the world or bow to this beast New World Order. We must stand on the truth of God’s Word, and not give way to fear of what man (humans) may do to us, even if it means we are killed. For, God’s purposes and plans will prevail. He will use this time in history to bring his wayward ones to repentance, to revive his church, and to spread his gospel to all nations so that many may hear and be saved before Jesus returns to judge the people of this earth, and to take us to be with him.

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah 

William Williams / John Hughes

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land.

I am weak, but Thou art mighty;

Hold me with Thy powerful hand.

Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,

Feed me till I want no more;

Feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain,

Whence the healing stream doth flow;

Let the fire and cloudy pillar

Lead me all my journey through.

Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,

Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;

Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.

Lord, I trust Thy mighty power,

Wondrous are Thy works of old;

Thou deliver’st thine from thralldom,

Who for naught themselves had sold.

Thou didst conquer, Thou didst conquer

Sin and Satan and the grave,

Sin and Satan and the grave.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,

Bid my anxious fears subside;

Death of deaths, and hell’s destruction,

Land me safe on Canaan’s side.

Songs of praises, songs of praises,

I will ever give to Thee;

I will ever give to Thee. Amen.

So, He Left Them

Friday, June 2, 2017, 7:09 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “My Jesus, I Love Thee.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Matthew 16:1-12 (ESV).

Signs of The Times (vv. 1-4)

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

Sometimes, when confronted with the truth, even Christians, or those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, will avoid the truth, change the subject, or they will distract from the truth by talking about what is of little consequence. Sometimes they may do this to try to trick or to trap those who are teaching the truth, perhaps hoping to discredit them in some way so that people will not listen to them. They don’t want to be confronted with the truth, because it causes them to have to face their own lies they believe, and their own lifestyles, and they don’t want to do that, because they don’t want change.

Amazingly enough, many who call themselves Christians know how to work the stock market, they are good at predicting the outcome of elections or ball games, and/or they are good at analyzing everyday situations, and coming up with solutions, but they don’t care to nor do they know how to interpret the signs of the times. They are so busy with their own lives, in doing whatever they do every day, that they are not really paying attention to what is really going on in the world around them, and how that relates to prophecy of scripture regarding these last days. And, sometimes this is because they don’t want to face the reality of the times in which we now live, because they want to believe life will continue to go on as it has been.

The thing of it is, though, that prophecy of scripture is being fulfilled in our lifetime, right before our eyes on a daily basis, and many people, including many Christians are being deceived, and are falling for the lies, and are rejecting the truth. We do live in the era of a wicked and adulterous generation, which is consumed and immersed in self-pleasure, and in being entertained by the world of sin. And, there are many false shepherds of the people and many wolves in sheep’s clothing who are leading God’s people astray, and the people need to be warned, but they also need to heed the warnings. Yet, many are just ignoring the warnings, and are going on with their lives as though they believe nothing bad will ever happen to them.

Then Jesus told them about the “sign of Jonah,” which is described for us more thoroughly in Matthew 12:38-42. There it tells us that this is about Jesus Christ and his death, burial and resurrection, concerning the judgment of God at the end of time, and regarding the preaching against sinful rebellion against God. This is about warning people about their sins of idolatry, unbelief, and of spiritual adultery against their Lord, and calling them to repentance, warning of divine judgment, and promising hope of eternal life to the repentant and the obedient. If we do not repent of our sins, but we continue in sinful rebellion against God, we do not have the hope of eternal life with God, but a fearful expectation of hell’s fires.

Jesus, after he told them about how they would be given the sign of Jonah, left them and departed (Matt. 16:4). Yet, it is not that he never had another conversation with them, but that he had said all he needed to say, and so he left. We would do well to follow his example. We need to know when to just walk away from a conversation, so that we don’t waste “time in useless discussions with perverse opponents who will not see the truth.” Jesus, “as it were, despaired of their improvement, and left them in righteous anger at their obduracy. "A man that is heretical after a first and second admonition refuse; knowing that such a one is perverted and sinneth, being self-condemned" (Titus 3:10, 11) (quoting from Pulpit Commentary on v. 4). 

Definitions: Perverse - (of a person or their actions) showing a deliberate and obstinate desire to behave in a way that is unreasonable or unacceptable, often in spite of the consequences (Google). Obdurate - stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action (Google).

Watch and Beware (vv. 5-12)

When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Jesus, then, warned his followers concerning the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Who were these? They were teachers of the law, some of them were rulers of the people (on the Sanhedrin), and they were religious leaders in the temple. They wielded an enormous influence and power over the people, so Jesus had to warn his followers against them, and against their lifestyles, their hypocrisy, and their teaching (See also Matthew 23). Just as leaven (yeast) works its way through a whole batch of dough, so can sinful behaviors and attitudes, immorality, false teaching, hypocrisy, gossip, and the like, permeate the lives and minds of Christ’s followers, his church. This is why we need to be made aware of these things, and of those who are leading God’s people astray, so that we reject the lies, and hold to the truth.

So, as ministers of our God, we need to be exposing the lies, and the fruitless deeds of darkness, and we need to be telling the people the truth, which is in contrast to the lies, so that they can reject the lies and follow the truth. We need to confront sin in sinful humans, warn of divine judgment, call for repentance and obedience to Christ and to his Word, and promise eternal life with God to the repentant and to the obedient. We need to tell them that Jesus Christ did not die merely to give us an escape from hell and the promise of heaven when we die, but that he died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24; cf. Ro. 6:1-23; Eph. 4:17-24).

We also need to tell them that coming to faith in Jesus Christ means we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are resurrected with him to newness of life, CREATED TO BE LIKE GOD IN TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS. God’s grace is NOT a free license to continue in willful sin against God, but his grace, which brings salvation, teaches us to say “NO” TO UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY PASSIONS, AND TO LIVE SELF-CONTROLLED, UPRIGHT AND GODLY LIVES WHILE WE WAIT FOR CHRIST’S RETURN (Tit. 2:11-14; cf. Ro. 6:1-23; Ro. 8:1-14; Lu. 9:23-25; 2 Co. 5:15; 1 Jn. 1:5-9).

My Jesus, I Love Thee

William R. Featherstone / Adoniram J. Gordon

My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;

For thee all the follies of sin I resign. 

My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art thou;

If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now. 

I love thee because thou hast first loved me,

And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;

I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow;

If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now. 

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,

And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;

And say, when the death-dew lies cold on my brow,

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight;

I'll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;

I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;

If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.  

A Voice Cries

Thursday, June 1, 2017, 8:40 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Only to Be What He Wants Me to Be.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 40:3-8 (NASB).

Prepare the Way (v. 3)

A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
    make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

Wilderness – “an empty or pathless area; wild, natural or uncultivated state” (M-W). Spiritually speaking, this is talking about our lives outside of faith in Jesus Christ - in our sin nature, void of God in our lives, and going nowhere.

As ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are to prepare or make ready the way of the Lord for the people. The way of the Lord is the way of holiness, not just the way to forgiveness of sin and the promise of heaven when we die. John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord for the people by preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus preached the same message, as did his NT apostles.

So, we tell people the truth. We tell them that Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, not just so we can be forgiven our sins. We share with them that coming to Christ means we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are risen with Christ to new lives in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. We inform them that if we make a practice of sinning, i.e. if we walk (in lifestyle) according to our sin nature, we will die in our sins, but if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, then we have the hope of eternal life with God (Ro. 8:1-14).

We are to also make straight in the desert a highway for our God. This highway is the road we are to travel, the path we are to follow, and it needs to be straight, not crooked. Straight – honest, above-board, upright, pure, and unadulterated (unmixed, undiluted) by the world of sin.

It is the way of holiness, and to be holy means to be separate (unlike, different) from the world, because we are being made into the image of Christ. We are not to immerse ourselves in the culture of our societies or to blend in with the world in order to be accepted by them, for God called us out of the world. If we love the world like we are supposed to love God, then the love of the Father is not in us. God’s grace to us is not carte blanche (free rein) to do what we want. His grace, which brings salvation, teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for his return (Tit. 2:11-14; 1 Jn. 2:15).

Shall Become Level (vv. 4-5)

“Every valley shall be lifted up,
    and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
    and the rough places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
    and all flesh shall see it together,
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

My husband and I moved into a high-rise apartment complex a year ago, right after he retired. Right after we moved in, a major renovation of the property, inside and out, was under way, and it is still not completed. For the past year we have watched all kinds of earth moving equipment dig up the old and replace it with the new, as well as we have witnessed multiple trucks hauling stuff in and out as the old has been taken away and has been replaced with what is new - new paint or wallpaper on walls, new ceiling tiles, new lights, new carpeting, new doors, new security system, new landscaping, upgraded parking lots, and remodeled party rooms and lobbies.

When we believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, via death to sin and resurrection to new lives in Christ Jesus, born anew of the Spirit of God, our Lord puts to death our old lives of living for sin and self, and he gives us completely new lives in him, which are to be lived to him and to his righteousness. The old is taken away, and the new has come, just like in our building and on the building’s property, only spiritually and perfectly done by God, and not physically removed and replaced by human flesh. Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, in his death on a cross became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (2 Co. 5:21; Tit. 2:14).

Yet, it is not as though God just zaps us and we instantly become perfect, and that we have nothing to do with it at all. We must exercise the faith he provides, and we must cooperate and participate with the Spirit of God in the removal of the old and in the replacing of the old with the new (See: Eph. 4 - the whole chapter, Ro. 6:1-23; Ro. 8:1-14 & Lu. 9:23-25). We must humble ourselves before God, acknowledge and repent of (turn from) our sin, and turn to God/Christ to follow him in his ways and in his truth, so we might receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ (See: Acts 26:16-18).

Flesh is Grass (vv. 6-8)

A voice says, “Cry!”
    And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass,
    and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades
    when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
    surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
    but the word of our God will stand forever.

A lot of people these days, though, who are sharing what they believe is the message of the gospel, are not preparing a way of holiness, i.e. the way of the Lord, which is straight (unmixed with the world). They are not making the uneven (potholed, irregular) ground (terrain) level (straight, upright).

Instead, they are preaching a message which is adulterated with the world of sin, and which gives its adherents the impression that they can merely acknowledge Jesus’ existence, accept his forgiveness for their sins, and that they now have salvation from sin, escape from eternal damnation, and the promise of heaven when they die, which can never be taken away from them. Many of these “preachers” of the “Word” tell them that they don’t have to repent of their sins, and they don’t have to obey Jesus, because, they say, God requires nothing of us other than to “believe,” which is made out like a mere intellectual or emotional acknowledgement of what Christ did for us, but absent any teaching on death to sin and living to righteousness.

What this also does is give the impression that one who “believes” in Jesus is now set for life no matter what he or she does from this moment forward. This false (adulterated, diluted) gospel gives its followers the notion, too, that they can continue living in sin, that they can continue sinful practices, and that God’s grace just covers it all, so no worries.

But, that is not what scripture teaches, and we need to know what the Word teaches, because these men or women are flesh, and they will die, but it is the Word of God which stands true to the very end. And, it is the ONLY WORD we can really depend on. It says if we say we have fellowship with God, and we walk in darkness (sin), we are liars. It also teaches us that if we practice, if we walk in sin, we don’t have the promise of eternal life with God (See: 1 Jn. 1:6; Lu. 9:23-25; Ro. 8:1-14; & Gal. 5:19-21).

Only to Be What He Wants Me to Be

Norman J. Clayton

Only to be what He wants me to be,

Every moment of every day,

Yielded completely to Jesus alone

Every step of this pilgrim way…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNjLJuYT7yk