Mark's Daily Reading Journal

As I understand it this video was viewed by Sony executives at a meeting in 2008. I watched the video 3 times, the first time I admit I was awed by the information, the second time I was amused and the third time I thought...we may be living in exponential times, but let our knowledge experience exponential growth for the next millennium and when it is laid next to the perfect knowledge that Jesus holds of God the Father it would appear as the tiniest dew drop clinging to a spider's web laid next to an infinite ocean. In Jesus alone are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The question is not "did you know?" The real question is DO YOU KNOW JESUS?

Consider for a moment that you are staring at a whiteboard, as big as a wall, and that whiteboard represents PERFECT KNOWLEDGE of the universe.  Now ask the question in 1,000 years with the exponential growth of knowledge and information how much of that PERFECT KNOWLEDGE OF OUR UNIVERSE WILL WE HAVE?  Let's be generous to ourselves and say the equivalent to a regular sheet of copy paper.  Can you see the contrast?  Perfect knowledge of the entire universe represented by a huge wall and humanities exponential knowledge represented by a sheet of copy paper.

HANG WITH ME FOR ONE MORE STEP...sure enough Jesus has perfect knowledge of the universe...but HE also has perfect knowledge of God the Father!  If perfect knowledge is represented by a large wall and human knowledge is represented by a sheet of copy paper...what could we use to represent perfect knowledge of God the Father?  An infinite ocean, infinite space...whatever it is, it has to be infinite.  If you can hold those images in your mind do you see why it is silly to be impressed with our little tiny exponential growth in information wh

Please don't miss understand...I am absolutely for technology as long as it is simply viewed as a tool to help us do that which we were created for:)  Glorify God!  It is far too easy for technology to become an American idol in the church:)

What does this have to do with knowing God and understanding God as HE is revealed to us in scripture?  Everything!  If you have a low view of God you will too easily fall prey to idolizing human achievement.  You will be in awe of the exponential times we live in and not in awe of HIM!

Colossians 2:2-3, 8-9

I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. 3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.

It is astonishing how relevant God's Word is regardless of the kind of times you live in:)

Are you amazed at the tiny advances we humans are making or are you amazed that the sovereign God of the universe, creator, sustainer came in human form...suffered, died and was buried, rose on the third day, ascended to the right hand of the Father and now prays for those who come to HIM for eternal life?  NOW THAT IS MIND BLOWING!  THANK YOU JESUS!

love,

m

As HIS children, made alive together with Christ Jesus, we celebrate that we are HIS sheep, that we have been bought at a price, a great price...remember 1 Cor 6:19-20?  "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."   If you are not clear concerning the price that was paid for you, it is put in simple terms in Acts 20:28, "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood."

In light of HIS amazing grace and these stunning truths we celebrate that we have been purchased by Jesus, we have been purchased by the great "I AM," we are not our own...the contract was nailed to the Cross as HE cried out "it is finished."  In John 10:18 Jesus tells us that HIS life would not be taken, but that HE would lay it down willingly, that HE would lay it down to purchase HIS sheep for the glory of the Father.  This is both beautiful and astounding!  Jesus never steps out of the drivers seat...never!  Every step of HIS death, burial,  resurrection and ascension went exactly...exactly as planned!

Acts 2:22-24 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

NOW consider that if Jesus did this with HIS own life for the glory of the Father...do you think that HE will do anything less knowing that the glory of the Father will be displayed in HIS own?  There are many passages that teach this, but I believe that one will suffice...2 Thess 1:10 "when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed."

We get really excited when we think about sharing in HIS glory and what that will be like...right?  However, when we are told that we must share in HIS sufferings we typically think that God's Word is talking about someone else.  Remember Romans 8:17?  "if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."

Little sheep take great comfort in knowing that nothing will touch you unless it passes through the fingers of your great Shepherd...nothing!  Find great rest in knowing that HE makes us lie down, HE leads us, HE restores our souls...HE leads us, if we will follow, in paths of righteousness FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE!  Do you see the picture here?  Our great Shepherd is in charge, HE is in control and HE is directing everything, everything...not to make you happy, but to make you holy...to transform you to the image of Jesus.  Regardless of your circumstances find great peace in HIM little sheep!

love,

m

I firmly believe that several brilliant minds could easily devote their lives seeking to understand and unpack all of the rich meaning that is bound up in the name of our Great God...Yahweh!  I will confess and say that as I look back at the few posts on Yahweh...I believe that they are accurate, but they don't even begin to scratch the surface!

In Psalm 23 the first five words should move the child of God to fall prostrate on the ground and be filled with awe, wonder, praise and worship!  This is astounding and breathtaking news, this is really good news...Yahweh is my Shepherd!  Yahweh, all that is bound up in who HE is, HE is my Shepherd.  I'm afraid that these precious words are so familiar to us that we take them for granted..."The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack."  We have heard them so many times we do not hear or understand the phenomenal meaning loaded in these few words...this is astounding!

One thing about a shepherd, they stay close to their sheep and the wise sheep stay close to their shepherd for protection and guidance.  Check out Psalm 32:8, we see that Yahweh "will instruct you and show you the way to go; with My eye on you, I will give counsel."  You must be physically close and personally intimate to be able to be directed by their eye!  Oh how I long to stay close enough physically and spiritually to be able to be directed by HIS eye.

I encourage you to read and reread John 10...Jesus tells us about the relationship HE, Yahweh, has with HIS sheep.  In Matt 11:28-29 28 we hear Yahweh tell us to, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  29 All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me,  because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves."

In John 10 HE tells us that HIS sheep know HIS voice and they follow HIM.  The question that is screaming out in my heart and mind is do you know HIS voice?  Do you know HIS voice?  Run to the lover of your soul, run to the guardian and shepherd of your soul, flee to the only one that can save you and give you rest, true rest.  Peter states it well in 1 Peter 2:25, "For you were like sheep going astray,  but you have now returned to the shepherd  and guardian  of your souls."

The awestriking, breathtaking and astounding thing about Jesus, our Good Shepherd is that HE laid down HIS life and shed HIS blood for HIS sheep...seek HIS face, pursue HIM, HE and HE alone is the great treasure!

The LORD is my Shepherd...GLORY!