Mark's Daily Reading Journal

Psalm 24

Who may go up with the King of glory? Pointing us to God’s glory, power, might and greatness as King of the earth, David described the kind of person who might be called to ascend with this King to his royal city to delight in, rejoice in, to fellowship and worship with this great and glorious God.  Such a person would be godly in his or her relationships both with God and with other people (24:4). David then imagined the triumphant reception as the King entered his royal city (24:7–10). One can only attempt to imagine the angels crying out the words of Psalm 24:7-10 as Jesus entered following HIS resurrection and ascension..."Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 8  Who is the King of glory?  The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle. 9  Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 10   Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory."

It really makes you want to be there to witness the universe go wild as the King of Glory, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is recognized by every tongue as the undisputed ruler of the universe...eye has not seen or ear heard...this is going to be awesome...all in HIS temple will cry GLORY!

I don't know about you, but as I read about "who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?"  The thought runs through my heart and mind..."not me."  On my best day I don't qualify!  Then in despair my heart runs to Romans 7:24-25 "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Praise God I quickly move from despair to rejoicing because I have been delivered from this body of death by Jesus Christ...HE has set me free to cast off the deeds of darkness and to put on the armor of light and to be clothed with Jesus Christ.

In his little book Knowing Him by His Names Bill Bright beautifully explains that Jehovah-Tsidkenu means I AM the Lord Your Righteousness.   How utterly breath taking, how inconceivable, that this King of Glory became sin, became sin, became sin...let that hit you with all the force that it contains...the fact that in 2 Corinthians 5:21 we learn that "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Rejoice i n the Great I AM, rejoice in the Lord our Righteousness, rejoice that you and I may ascend that hill that we are invited and called to witness the King of glory in all HIS splendor and beauty for all eternity!  Rejoice in the one who bore the Wrath of God in your place, who made you a new creature in Christ...accepted in the beloved!

Jehovah-Tsidkenu (je ho’ vah tsid kee’ noo)

I AM the Lord Your Righteousness

“The time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will place a righteous Branch on King David’s throne. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. And this is His name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness’ ” (Jer. 23:5, 6).

When Jeremiah gave this prophecy about the coming Messiah, the kingdom of Judah was about to fall. God allowed the Babylonians to conquer Jerusalem because of the unrighteous conduct of Judah’s kings and people.

However, God promised to send a Righteous Ruler—Jehovah-Tsidkenu. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of this promise. His death and resurrection paid for our sins, and now He rules in the heart of every believer as our righteous King. We are clothed in His perfect righteousness (Isa. 61:10). And someday, He will return to rule in all righteousness!

Therefore, “throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness—righteous, holy, and true” (Eph. 4:22–24).

Promises from JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU

“Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. Your royal power is expressed in righteousness” (Heb. 1:8).

“People are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work” (Rom. 4:5).

“We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet now God in His gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins” (Rom. 3:22–24).

Praise JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU …

because He forgives our sins and gives us His righteousness.

“If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (1 John 1:9).  Bright, B. (2000). God : Knowing him by his names (30). Orlando, FL: NewLife Publications.

Father in heaven,

Enable us to worship you in spirit and in truth...for your glory and our joy in YOU!

love,

m

You may recall I mentioned that Martin Luther came to faith in Christ when the Spirit opened his heart to Romans 1:16-17.  He literally abused himself attempting to be worthy of God when these words opened his heart and mind...16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” 

Every child of God, especially in America, should study Luther's life enough to understand the emotional torment he endured until the day of salvation came on him...it is as if he was delivered from the worst sort of schizophrenia...I suppose in reality he was!

Augustine had a similar experience in the letter to the Romans, but his came in chapter 13:13-14.

Romans 13:11-14  And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

These graphic words had a life changing effect on Augustine in the summer of a.d. 386. He says, in his Confessions 8:29, “No further would I read, nor had I any need; instantly at the end of this sentence, a clear light flooded my heart and all the darkness of doubt vanished away.”

As I read his testimony again the words from Charles Wesley's hymn "And Can it be" came to mind...

In these few verses I see 3 commands...cast off the deeds of darkness!  A few words later he tells us what those deeds are..."not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy."

Second we are commanded to put on the armor of light...

2 Co 6:7  by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph 6:13  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

1 Th 5:8  But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

Third we put on the Lord Jesus Christ!

Job 29:14   I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;  My justice was like a robe and a turban.

Ga 3:27  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Eph 4:24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Col 3:10  and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

Col 3:12  Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

How do we cast off and put on?  We cast off and put on through repentance and faith!  This is not a one time event...it is your life in HIM...repentance and faith, repentance and faith...crying out in absolute surrender and dependence on HIM and HIM alone.  How do we cast off and put on?  By repentance and faith in the one who came to set the captives free!

Father in heaven,

Fill us with YOUR Holy Spirit that we might worship YOU in spirit and in truth...open the eyes of our hearts Lord, give us eyes to see and ears to hear YOU in and through YOUR word  as we pray YOUR words back to YOU our great God and Savior.  Enable us to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel, enable the lives we live be worthy of YOUR death burial and resurrection!  I confess that this is impossible for me in my own power...what a wretched man that I am who will deliver me from the body of death...praise God our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.  By YOUR grace I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. For it is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

Father, for YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU enable us to wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So enable us by YOUR Holy Spirit to remove our dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. 13 Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Enable us by YOUR Holy Spirit to clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Please don't pick up stones to throw at me, but I hope and pray that you all know that the chapter breaks, chapters and verses are not part of the inspired Bible...Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit did not did not give us the chapter breaks and verses...they were added latter for obvious reasons.  I say all that to note that as Jesus was dying on the cross, when HE cried out in Matt 27:46 “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”  There are many conservative scholars that believe that HE was pointing to Psalm 22.  In Jesus day the way they pointed to a passage was to give the first part of the passage and that is what Jesus did in crying out in a loud voice “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”  HE WAS POINTING THEM AND US TO PSALM 22.

Remember part of the horror of being crucified was suffocation that is why HIS words from the cross are few.  Let me exhort you to let the Holy Spirit take you to the foot of the cross and then slowly read Psalm 22 from beginning to end and hear Jesus words from the cross.  As you read, listen, listen, listen!  Not only did HE says these words to those present but HE said them to a "people yet to be born."  If you look at humanity throughout history the problem is that we don't listen.  My wife, Diane, will confirm that I struggle in this area:)  What do we see in 2 Ch 24:19-20  Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the Lord; and they testified against them, but they would not listen. In Psalm 22 Jesus is speaking loudly to us if we will have ears to hear.  HE is saying these words to you and to me...LET'S LISTEN! 

Psalm 22:30-31 It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, 31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this.

As the people yet to be born, that are now born, what do we do?  Our reading in Romans 12 spells it out clearly for us.  Because of the incredible mercies of God we are called to be transformed to HIM...remember way back an theme that emerged in our readings...beholding is becoming, in fixing our eyes on Jesus we are transformed and we are conformed to HIS image.  How do we become?  We become by belonging to the body, the church (Romans 12:4-80).  As we behold and belong we begin to behave like Jesus, the one who came NOT TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE.  So we behold, belong, behave and in the midst of that we become, we become like HIM, we are transformed.  It is all there perfectly laid out in Romans 12:1-21. 

Romans 12:1-3 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Oh God, Holy Father, Abba,

fill us with YOUR Holy Spirit, then through us, YOUR children let Romans 12 be a reality in our class, in our church family, in our church family in America and around the world.  Let us burn with a white-hot passion for YOU and YOUR glory and as we burn with Christ in us the hope of glory please let  the world see Jesus.  Jesus be lifted up and draw many to YOU, call them out of darkness into YOUR marvelous light...for YOUR glory and our joy in YOU.

love,

m

Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit exhorts his readers to "consider the goodness (kindness) of God and severity of God.  I believe that every human would do well to heed this warning.  The author of Hebrews teaches us in 10:31 that "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!"  If you have never read "Sinners in the Hands of an angry God" by Jonathan Edwards, I encourage you to read it...don't read it at night and don't read it when you are alone!  I'm not kidding!  Edwards text was Deuteronomy 32:35 Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them." 

Paul warns that they were broken off, cut off because of unbelief and then issues a warning to each of us...professing children of God.

Romans 11:20-23  Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

Below is an excerpt from Edwards sermon

They are now the objects of that very same anger and wrath of God, that is expressed in the torments of hell. And the reason why they do not go down to hell at each moment, is not because God, in whose power they are, is not then very angry with them; as he is with many miserable creatures now tormented in hell, who there feel and bear the fierceness of his wrath. Yea, God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth: yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation, who it may be are at ease, than he is with many of those who are now in the flames of hell.  So that it is not because God is unmindful of their wickedness, and does not resent it, that he does not let loose his hand and cut them off. God is not altogether such an one as themselves, though they may imagine him to be so. The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth under them.

Mark, are you trying to scare us?  Not anymore than God's Word scares me!  Most of what we hear today is that God is love and that is absolutely true, but it is only half of the truth.  God is love and HE accepts and receives any and all who come to HIM through Jesus Christ and HE gives them birth from above, makes them new creatures and adopts them as HIS own children.  However, a person may live an incredibly moral life and do many wonderful things for people and if they die outside of Jesus they die in their sins and they must bear the punishment for all eternity.

REMEMBER before the warning we got the really good news from Paul in Romans 10!  What is it?

Romans 10:9-13  that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

This is the horrific tragedy for those who fail to consider the severity of God, because this "same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him."   As a matter of fact this same God, we learn in 2 Cor 8:9, became poor so that we might become rich in HIM..."For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: although He was rich, for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich."

Is it a scare tactic to learn that a bridge is out on a foggy evening and after watching, to your horror, two cars filled with people plunge to their death, is it a scare tactic to run back and like a mad man try and stop others from doing the same?  Is that a scare tactic or is that compassion and love in action?  What would you say of the man that sat by and watched the cars fall one by one?

God is love, but God hates sin and if you die in your sin your will bear HIS indignation and wrath for all eternity.  If you think that sounds harsh...let the Spirit of God take you to the foot of the Cross...at the feet of Jesus...God's Son who shed HIS blood for you...the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Mt 11:28-30  Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

COME TO JESUS!

love,

m

2 Chronicles 19-20 Summary

Home after the disastrous campaign with Ahab (2 Chron. 18), Jehoshaphat accepts the rebuke of the prophet Jehu (19:1–3). He remains committed to the Lord and appoints judges to administer the Old Testament’s law code throughout Judah (vv. 4–11). When Jehoshaphat is attacked by a coalition of hostile nations, he calls his people together to pray and seek help from the Lord (20:1–4). The king himself leads the assembly in prayer (vv. 5–13), and God answers through another prophet, Jahaziel (v. 14). The prophet promises a victory to be won by the Lord alone, without a battle (vv. 15–17). Jehoshaphat worships, and the next morning Judah’s army sets out, its progress marked by hymns of praise (vv. 18–22). As the Jews approach, the invading allies have a falling out. First the Ammonites and Moabites turn on the contingent from Mt. Seir, and when they are wiped out, begin fighting each other (v. 23). When the men of Judah arrive they collect the spoil and return joyfully home (vv. 24–30).

Despite Jehoshaphat’s efforts, and despite evidence of God’s love and power, his reformation fails. The people as a whole have “still not set their hearts on the God of their fathers” (vv. 31–33). Jehoshaphat allies himself with Israel again, this time for a joint–trading venture, and is rebuked by yet another prophet (vv. 34–36). The venture fails when God brings a storm that sinks the ships (v. 37). Jehoshaphat dies a godly man (21:1–3). His decision to marry into the family of Ahab is about to bring calamity.  Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (293). Wheaton: Victor Books.

I continue to be fixed in heart and mind on "crying out to our LORD."  In chapter 20 we witness Jehoshaphat cry out to God in prayer, he proclaims a fast for all Judah and gathers the people to seek the Lord.  Jehoshaphat reminds the LORD of HIS promise to HIS people and he acknowledges that they don't know what to do...he confesses desperation on the LORD.

2 Ch 20:15-19  And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.

God comforts and encourages HIS people.  HE tells them that this battle is not their battle, but it belongs to HIM!  This is cool...HE tells them as a matter of fact you will not even have to fight in this battle...do not fear for I (God) am with you.

What is the trigger that sets God into action?  They believed God, they obeyed God, and they worshipped God!

2 Ch 20:22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.

The fruit of believing, obeying and worshipping was so much plunder that it took them 3 days to carry it all off.

Father in heaven,

Let me be a child of YOURS that believes in YOUR promises, walks in obedience to YOUR Holy and precious Word and worships you in a manner that is worthy of who you are...please work this for YOUR glory and my joy in YOU!

love,

m

Our Lord has taught me much about crying out from my children.  Mothers especially know the difference in the cries of their children.  Moms know when it is a fake cry or a manufactured cry for help and they know when it is a desperate cry and it is amazing to watch them bolt into action.  I really did not think about it until now, but often times if I hear one of our children cry out I watch for Diane's reaction before I respond.  I'm sure that she has not thought about it, but she apparently has categories or cries and responds appropriately.

As we have moved through God's Word these past few days I have been moved with the cries of God's people and how God apparently never failed to respond to a cry from HIS children.  As I pointed out in the last few days that some of HIS responses may be delayed but HE never failed to respond and quite frequently the response of our heavenly Father was swift and dramatic.

A few days ago I mentioned how my heart is moved when I hear "my Daddy" from the lips of my almost 3 year old daughter..."my Daddy, my Daddy."  I love it!  Day before yesterday I mentioned when one of my boys was momentarily out of my sight and cried out DaaaaaDeeeee!  I talked about my response to their cry for help.

Today in our reading in 2 Chronicles 18 we witness Jehoshaphat make a foolish alliance with the evil king Ahab.  Jehoshaphat did not inquire of the Lord before making the alliance he just did it and in 2 Chronicles 18:31 we see Jehoshaphat being pursued and he cries out and God responds, check it out..."So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “It is the king of Israel!” Therefore they surrounded him to attack; but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him, and God diverted them from him. "

This is encouraging to me...even after making a foolish decision God the Father responds to the cry of HIS children!  Then I turn to our reading in Romans and what do I find?  Romans 10:12  "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him."  HE is abounding in riches, true riches--HIMSELF, for all who call on HIM!

After reading Romans I did a quick search of "cried out to the Lord," and found 30 verses, below are a few.  Each time God's children cried out to HIM for help, HE responds, each time!

2 Chronicles 14:11  And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, “Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!”

Ps 107:6  Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses.

Ps 107:13  Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses.

Ps 107:19  Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses.

Then I turn to Psalm 20 and what do I find?

PSALM 20

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;  May the name of the God of Jacob defend you; 2     May He send you help from the sanctuary, And strengthen you out of Zion; 3     May He remember all your offerings,  And accept your burnt sacrifice.      Selah 4     May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,  And fulfill all your purpose. 5   We will rejoice in your salvation,   And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!   May the Lord fulfill all your petitions. 6     Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;   He will answer him from His holy heaven  With the saving strength of His right hand. 7     Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;  But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. 8     They have bowed down and fallen;  But we have risen and stand upright. 9     Save, Lord!      May the King answer us when we call.

HE responds this way to HIS children, to those who are saved, twice born, born from above, those that are new creatures in Christ, those who have trusted in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross...HIS death, burial and resurrection...HOW DO YOU BECOME HIS CHILD?  ROMANS 10:9-10 STATES IT VERY CLEARLY...Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!

Children of God cry out, cry out to the one who can save!  Don't trust in anything but HIM! 

Pursuing HIM, crying out to HIM and HIM alone...by HIS grace and for HIS glory!

love,

m

2 Chronicles 16:9a "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him."

Today we read in Psalm 19 that the heavens declare the glory of God.  If you have read much about the heavens or if you have watched a few Discovery Channel shows on the heavens you know the vast, infinite and awe striking nature of the universe and you can only imagine how powerful a being must be to create and sustain such a universe.

Charles W. Misner is an American physicist and one of the authors of "Gravitation".  Charles Misner has recorded for us the tension that Einstein experienced as he witnessed with his God given mind the incredible glories of the heavens and what he heard preachers saying about the creator of this universe.

“The design of the universe,” wrote Misner, “is very magnificent and shouldn’t be taken for granted. In fact, I believe that is why Einstein had so little use for organized religion, although he strikes me as a basically very religious man. He must have looked at what the preachers said about God and felt that they were blaspheming. He had seen much more majesty than they had ever imagined, and they were just not talking about the real thing. My guess is that he simply felt that religions he’d run across did not have proper respect...for the author of the universe.”

My passion, my burning desire is to seek to please one and only one...my Creator, my Savior, my Lord and my God.  Paul said it clearly, "Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him 2 Cor. 5:9.  My passionate prayer is that if I am ambitious, I long to be ambitious for HIM and HIM alone.  My burning prayer is that HE would grant me a heart that is loyal to HIM and singleness of mind...a mind that is fixed and focused on HIM and HIM alone.  We see this over and over...HE makes it abundantly clear...Remember 2 Chronicles 7:14?  "Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land."  What did Jeremiah teach us in Jeremiah 29:13?  "If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me."

I truly believe that if we will seek HIM with all our heart, like Asa we will find HIM!  If the church will seek HIM we will find HIM.  Then when the Einstein's and Misner's of this world encounter us in the world or visit us in our churches they will have an encounter with Christ incarnate, they will encounter Christ in us the hope of glory.  THERE ARE EVANGELISTIC CONSEQUENCES IN OUR PURSUING HIM WITH A WHOLE HEART AND A SINGLE MIND!  If we our stuck on ourselves or stuck on our agendas we WILL push people away.

Like Asa in 2 Ch 14:11 let us cry out to God, let us cry out with all our heart and then wait expectantly for God to move on behalf of HIS children.  Can you think of a time in scripture when God's children cried out and HE did not answer?  I can think of times HE delayed HIS response, but I cannot think of one time that HE did not move on their behalf.  2 Chronicles 14:11 And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, “Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!”

2 Ch 15:1-4 Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. 2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. 3 For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law; 4 but when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them.

WOW!  Do you think they took these reforms seriously? 

2 Ch 15:12-13 Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; 13 and whoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel was to be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

2 Ch 15:15  And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around.

It is sad to note that Asa did not finish well, that should be a warning to each of us...just because God has used us to have a mighty influence for HIM in the past is no guarantee for the future.  Every human, great or small, is equally dependent on HIM every moment of every day.

There are consequences to our choices, there are evangelistic consequences and there are personal consequences.  Please, if your life is marked by good and godly choices please don't think yourself wise...please fall on your face and thank God that HE, in HIS infinite grace and mercy, has spared you much pain and heart ache.

This past Sunday our Pastor mentioned John Bradford.  Bradford (1510 - 1555) was a prebendary of St. Paul's. He was an English Reformer and martyr best remembered for his utterance, "'There but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford." The words were uttered by Bradford while imprisoned in the Tower of London, when he saw a criminal going to execution for his crimes.

Bradford was put to death for his faith in Christ, but he knew that if it were not for the grace of God he was no better than a common criminal.

Let's pursue HIM with all our heart, with a single mind, be consumed and captivated by HIS love and grace and in our pursuit of HIM let bring as many with us as we are able by HIS amazing grace...BUT take no pride in the fact the HE enabled you to pursue HIM and to seek HIM...fall on your face and praise HIM for HIS infinite mercy and grace, fall on your face and thank HIM for saving you and keeping you.  Worship the one true God, worship and delight in the author and finisher of your faith!

BY HIS GRACE AND FOR HIS GLORY!

LOVE,

m

This has been one of those God moment mornings for me, I know that every moment of every day is a God moment...let me put it this way, I had an ah haaaa moment with something I knew...now I simply know it deeper...Does that make any sense?  I know a few of you are reading this shaking your head no....and I know who you are:)  I can actually see the expressions on your precious few faces:)

Two days ago I mentioned the my Daddy experience with my daughter and how the Spirit had applied it to me in my relationship with Yahweh.  I thought it interesting today that we have three passages where horrible danger is viewed from God's children's perspective.

In 2 Chronicles 13 we see Jeroboam going to war with king Abijah, the king of Judah.  When Judah realizes an ambush has been set what do they do?  They cry out to God and it is God's hand that delivers them.  They should have prayed before entering the battle, but even in the midst of the battle God dramatically responded to the CRY OF HIS CHILDREN!

2 Ch 13:13-16  Now Jeroboam had sent an ambush  around to advance from behind them. So they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14 Judah turned and discovered that the battle was in front of them and behind them, so they cried out to the Lord.  Then the priests blew the trumpets, 15 and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. When the men of Judah raised the battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.  16 So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God handed them over to them. 

The ah ha moment was in reading that, thinking of the My Daddy, thoughts and then going one step further.  With my kids now 9, 7, and almost 3 there have been several times in their precious little lives where they have become frightened and (please use your imagination here) and they cry out DAAADEEEEEEEE!  DAAAAADEEEEEEE!  Can you hear it?  Use your child's voice.  We were out in a crowd a few years ago and I lost sight of one of our boys and I heard his voice cry out loudly DAAAAADEEEEEEEE!  DAAAAADEEEEEEEEEE!  I know, I know that every adrenaline gland in my body fired every ounce of adrenaline into my system at once...I confess that I believe that I fell into the flesh at that moment because if I had found someone hurting my son one of us would have made a trip to the hospital.  PRAISE GOD the only thing that happened was our son lost sight of Mommy and Daddy and got scared.

Think about this, if he had not cried out I would not have responded.  What did Jesus teach us about prayer in Luke 11?  Luke 11:9-13 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Do you hear the logic of Jesus, if you who are evil give good gifts to your children...HOW MUCH MORE will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask HIM!  Can you hear HIM saying, "Mark, if you who are evil will spring into action with all the might you have (and it's not much Mark...sorry) to protect your children when they call on you...HOW MUCH MORE DO YOU THINK THAT I WILL RESPOND WHEN MY CHILDREN CALL ON ME...YAHWEH!

In our reading in Psalm 18 again we see God on the move and God in action on behalf of HIS own.  Here it seems to be we praise, we worship and adore and "He gives, He frees and He rescues...the main point is that Yahweh is the decisive actor, but He is responding to the praise of His children.  Do you respond to your children?  You who are evil?  Don't worry I am including myself in the group you who are evil:)

Ps 18:46-50  The Lord lives—may my rock be praised!  The God of my salvation is exalted. 47  God—He gives me vengeance and subdues peoples under me. 48     He frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my adversaries;  You rescue me from violent men. 49 Therefore I will praise You, Lord, among the nations; I will sing about Your name. 50 He gives great victories to His king; He shows loyalty to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever

Again in Romans God is the one that is making things happen!  HE helps us in our weakness, HE intercedes, HE prays, HE works to our good in EVERYTHING, HE called, HE foreknew, HE predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son, He also justified and He glorified!  For from HIM and to HIM and through HIM are ALL THINGS...who is HE doing this for?  HE is doing this for "those who love God." 

HE MOVES MOUNTAINS FOR HIS CHILDREN...HE MOVES HEAVEN AND EARTH FOR HIS CHILDREN...infinitely more than that HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, IF HE DID SPARE HIS OWN SON WON'T HE GIVE US EVERYTHING ELSE?

Ro 8:26-33  And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love

31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.

Ro 8:39  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is no small thing to be a human being, created in the image of God!  It is an infinitely incredible thing to be recreated into the image of HIS Son...called to be partakers of HIS divine nature.  You are a son/daughter by being born from above and by adoption, you are a heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ.  So when your world is crashing down around you, your financial world, health world, family world, marriage world, job world...CRY OUT, CRY OUT, CRY OUT...DAAAAADEEEEEEEE!  If you then being evil give good gifts to your children...how much more?  I answer in one word or name...JESUS!

If this does not overwhelm you, amaze you, leave you breathless and in awe...you must be lost.  The queen that visited Solomon was breathless at his wealth and wisdom we read yesterday...HOW MUCH MORE, HOW MUCH MORE.

Pursuing HIM with you, crying out DaaaaDeeee with you too!

love,

m

Have you ever fallen into the trap of thinking "you know if I only had...___________________everything would be alright."  "If I only had 10,000 in savings, if I only had his/her brains, his/her looks, his/her position, his/her life, home, spouse, car...whatever.  I have fallen into that trap...normally it is for a larger brain, and normally it is for good motives, to be able to dive deep and search out the depths and truths of God's Word and then share it with others.  However, if I am transparent with you I must confess that my flesh enjoys skimming a little glory for myself.  Don't you look at me so holy!  I know, I know that God will not share HIS glory with anyone!  When I realize that I have fallen again into the same trap I quickly repent and ask for forgiveness.

Paul's discussion in Romans 7-8 is huge for me in this...to know that Paul struggled is very helpful, to know that I CANNOT LIVE A RIGHTEOUS LIFE IN MY OWN POWER is huge!  You and I are 100% dependent on the Holy Spirit to live the Spirit filled life.  I have ZERO ability to produce the fruit of the Spirit in my own ability!  I CANNOT love my wife as Christ loves the Church in MY OWN POWER...IT IS NOT POSSIBLE!  However, Christ in me the Hope of glory...when I am broken, yielded, surrendered, when I come to HIM in absolute desperation, acknowledging I NEED HIS power to live the life HE commands me to live...then and only then is the Spirit of God released through the children of God.

How does the Christian live a righteous, Spirit filled life without a constant struggle to keep God’s Law? Paul teaches us that the Spirit's law of life lived in Christ Jesus has set us free (8:1–2). The OT Law failed to produce righteousness. So in Christ God condemned “sin in sinful man” and provided HIS Spirit, who enables believers to fully meet the Law’s requirements in God's own power.  What the law was powerless to do God did by sending HIS OWN Son (3–4). We focus on Jesus, fixing our eyes on Jesus, surrendering and yielding to God’s Spirit rather than on trying to keep laws or lists (5–8). I won't dive into this now, but we all have lists, those list make us legalist...repent of those lists!  Sorry, back to the topic at hand...if we’re controlled by the Spirit who brought life to Christ’s dead body, HE will bring life to us who are spiritually dead (9–12). Our obligation is not to the Law, but to be broken, yielded, and surrendered to the moving and working of the Holy Spirit (13–16).  Remember, Romans 8:10, If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.  Paul accurately describes our spiritual condition in Ephesians 2:1, And you were dead in your trespasses and sins.  DEAD...DOA...DEAD ON ARRIVAL...YOU WERE DEAD...GET IT?  DEAD! 

Remember what Paul said in Romans 5:10?  "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.   We have a new nature, we are new creatures in Christ, we now have peace with God...we were HIS enemies and now we are HIS children.  We are HIS children by the new birth, the birth from above and by adoption.  Paul tells us in Romans 8:14-17 that, "all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Do you see how foolish it is to try to skim HIS glory?  HE is inviting HIS children, ON HIS TERMS, to share in HIS glory, as Peter tells us to be "partakers of His divine nature.  If we foolishly try to skim HIS glory it will ruin us, if we come as broken, contrite, yielded, surrendered children HE lavishly and gloriously gives us HIMSELF!  HE IS THE TREASURE!

The day is coming when creation will be renewed, even as you and I are being renewed (17–25). Meanwhile the Spirit helps us in our weakness, praying and interceding  with and for us ( 26–27). It’s our relationship with God that brings us victory, for He has chosen us not to have a mind set on the flesh, living in sin, but to be transformed, to be conformed into the image of His Son (vv. 28–30). God will never forsake us nor leave us, HE will not allow HIS OWN to be charged with sin (31–34). We are God’s beloved, HIS own. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ our Lord (35–39).  HE is our ever present help in time of trouble and all the time.  (Richards)

Below are some bold and yet true claims for the child of God from Romans 8.

• In Christ, I am free from any condemnation.

• In Christ, I have kept the righteous requirements of the law.

• In Christ, I am obligated to be led by the Spirit.

• In Christ, I am a child of God and a coheir with Christ.

• In Christ, I will be redeemed from this cursed creation.

• In Christ, I am certain of my eternal glorification.

• In Christ, I fear nothing either in or out of this world.

Boa, K., & Kruidenier, W. (2000). Vol. 6: Romans. Holman New Testament Commentary; Holman Reference (265). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Pursuing Christ with you...for HIS glory and our JOY in HIM!

love,

m

I mentioned to a small group yesterday how writing this blog has been such an incredible blessing.  It started out as an accountability tool in reading the One Year Bible with my Sunday school class.  As I got into the daily process of reading God's Word, desperately needing HIM to open my eyes to HIS precious Word so that I might have something to say, I realized this year was different, HIS Word was penetrating my heart in a way that it had not for some time.  I have been reading the One Year Bible through for several years now, but somewhere along the way it just became another box to check in my little list of Christian things I should be doing.  I have since repented of that attitude.

As I repented of the sin of complacency, the sin of taking God for granted, the sin of approaching HIS glorious Word with a (I hate to say it, but it is true) careless heart attitude...as I repented and came to HIM and HIS Word each morning desperate for a word to be able to write, but also desperate for a word for the day...remember Matt 4:4 “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  As I approached HIM day after day in humility, brokenness, desperation...devoid of Mark, looking unto HIM, some wonderful things began to happen and they continue to unfold before me...glory be to God!

With that in mind the very simple word that continued to leap off the page this morning was the little word "my."  I will never forget when "my" daughter, Alexis, began to say "my" Daddy!  No longer was it just Daddy, but "my" Daddy!  Alexis will be 3 at the end of September.  I love to hear her say "my" Daddy!  I love the look on her face when she says "my" Daddy!  I love it when another child walks up to me, Alexis will run from where she is to my side and say in a loud voice "my" Daddy!  It does a Daddy's heart good to hear those precious words.

So hear we are, our first stop in 2 Chronicles 7:14-15, God is tells Solomon at night following the dedication of the temple that "if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15 My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. 

In 2 Chronicles 7:20, HE promises devastation if they turn from HIM and pursue idols, "then I will uproot Israel from the soil that I gave them, and this temple that I have sanctified for My name I will banish from My presence;  I will make it an object of scorn and ridicule among all the peoples." 

We know that God sent HIS only begotten Son to deliver us from sin, death and Satan...to save us from hell.  We know that if we receive HIM by faith we are saved from hell and we are born from above, we are twice born, we become HIS children...we call HIM Abba, Father!  We are free and commanded to call HIM Father, Abba, "my" Daddy!  This we hold as dear and precious promises through Jesus Christ!

Romans 7:24-8:4  O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!  So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.  8   There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

This is huge, it is impossible to overstate how massive this truth is...you were dead in your sins and trespasses, you were spiritually bound to a decomposing human corpse, you were the most putrid, vile, disgusting spiritual leper, surrounded by the smell of death...spiritually, everywhere you went before coming to Jesus the stench that surrounded you was horrific!  I know this is hard to imagine, but your condition and my condition was actually worse than I just described!  AND NOW JESUS HAS TAKEN US FROM THAT TO HEIRS OF THE KING!  We are now adopted, children of the most high God, HIS Spirit confirms to our spirit that we are children of God...by which we cry "my" Daddy!

Check out the first few verses in Psalm 18, the word "my" is used over and over in 3 verses!

Ps 18:1-3  I will love You, O Lord, my strength.2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;  So shall I be saved from my enemies.

1 Sa 2:2  No one is holy like the Lord!  There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

Ps 18:46 The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!  May the God of my salvation be exalted!

Ps 28:1 I pray to you, O Lord, my rock. Do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you are silent, I might as well give up and die.

Ps 31:3 You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.

Ps 42:9 “O God my rock,” I cry, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?”

Ps 71:3 Be my rock of safety where I can always hide. Give the order to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

I often hear people speak of God, Yahweh, as though HE is just waiting and watching for an opportunity to smack them, to hurt them, to keep them in line...they don't feel like they can approach the God.  They have a fear, they become anxious when they think about approaching God almighty.  I am deeply grieved when I hear people speak this way because I know that there is only one being that would want to keep God's children in fear of HIM, there is only one being that want God children to be filled with anxiety when they think about approaching HIM, that would be HIS enemy, Satan.

You read the story of the prodigal son, you don't see a father looking for an opportunity to beat his son down.  You simply see a father yearning and longing for his son to come home and live.  Romans 8:32 should put all questions and concerns to rest, it should lay all our fears in the dust and reveal Satan for what he is...a liar and the father of lies.  What else can you do but be amazed that God Almighty "did not even spare His own Son, but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything?"  If God the Father did not spare HIS own son, but offer HIM for us we can trust that HE will work everything for the good of those who love HIM.

"MY DADDY!"

let it be!

love,

m

David Carroll ROCKS!  What would prompt me to make such a radical statement?  Simply stated, it is true!  What prompted me to say that at this particular moment is that he has added the ability for anyone that is a member of the daily reading journal to add your comments directly to the blog.  If the LORD gives you a word from HIS Word you are welcome to add that to the blog.  You may comment on what I have said...agree, disagree, challenge me in love and grace:)  Or you may add something that God burned in your heart as you read the daily reading.  PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS REALLY COOL TOOL.  If you are not a member and want to be send me an email at mgates@bellevue.org and I will give you the password:)

Why are you doing this Mark?  Because I long to pursue HIM with a white-hot passion and I want to bring as many with me as possible.  Actually, I am longing for several of you to start running ahead of me...calling back to me, come on slowpoke, keep up, keep up!  IT IS ALL ABOUT HIM AND PURSUING HIM THROUGH PRAYER AND HIS PRECIOUS WORD!

Back to the main thing...HIS Word, in Romans 7 we have an awesome picture of how our nature changed when we became children of God.

Paul contends that the law and faith are contradictory principles. In Romans 7 he demonstrates how a believer can be legally free from obligation to the Law, and then explores why release from that obligation is essential.  Christ’s death frees the Christian from obligation to the Law.  In Romans 7:1-3 Paul explains that "the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man."

Don't get lost in the marriage analogy, this is all about our relationship to Jesus and how it is possible for us to move from being a slave to sin to becoming a salve to righteousness.  Paul tells us in Romans 7:4-7  Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.  7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”

So we see that the law stimulates man’s sinful nature (4–7). Paul honors the Law because it makes him aware of sin’s existence within his personality and because it stands as a witness to all that is holy, righteous, and good (8–12). But rather than help Paul be good, the Law has made him aware of the power of his sinful nature, aroused desires that he does not want to feel, and energized evil actions he hates as well (13–18). Paul has thus become aware of a terrible inner struggle, between an “I” who takes pleasure in sin and an “I” that wants to do good (19–20). He struggles against indwelling sin, but the harder Paul tries to keep the Law the more he finds himself a prisoner of his sinful nature (21–24). He finds rescue in Christ (25). 

Face-to-Face with Death

It is not uncommon for commentators to suggest what might have been in Paul’s mind when he cried out, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Rom. 7:24). “Wretched” we understand, but what is the “body of death” from which he wants to be rescued? A most gruesome picture is that presented by the Roman poet Virgil (70–19 b.c.), with which his audience in Rome might well have been familiar (noted by Bruce, p. 147). In Book Eight of the Æneid, Virgil’s epic poem that chronicles the wanderings of Aeneas after the fall of Troy, the horrific cruelty of the Etruscan king Mezentius is told. To punish and torture his living captives, Mezentius tied them face to face with decomposing corpses of those killed in battle, leaving them bound together until the living captive died. Virgil’s poetic presentation does little to soften the horror of such a fate:

The living and the dead at his command

Were coupled, face to face, and hand to hand,

Till, chok’d with stench, in loath’d embraces tied,

The ling’ring wretches pin’d away and died.

          —Virgil’s Æneid, Book Eight

What did Paul call himself—a “wretched man”? What did Virgil call those locked in the embrace of death—those “ling’ring wretches”? Surely no word other than “rescue” would fit both scenes. And if Paul had Virgil’s epic in mind, then this image of “body of death” suddenly puts the gospel’s deliverance from the law in a new and more serious light.

The modern believer can know little of what Paul knew of being rescued from the yoke of the law. People like Paul were practically genetically coded to view the keeping of the law as the highest spiritual good. Then, after believing, teaching, and practicing that for years, Paul is thrown to the ground on a highway to Damascus and told that he has to change his world-view. Paul was to discover that the law which he had embraced as a lover was suddenly transformed in his arms to a decomposing set of standards that was killing him—and he could not break free from it! But unlike Mezentius’s corpses who killed the living, Paul the living was turning the law into something evil. It was Paul’s sin that was driving the life out of the law. His proclivity to sin was not only killing him, but it was turning the law from something pure and noble into something rotten and lifeless.

The body of death from which Paul needed rescuing was his propensity to sin which had turned the law into his executioner. But rather than dying a slow and putrid death, Paul was rescued by the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus cut the ropes and set the Pharisee prisoner free. Jesus died the death to which the law had condemned Paul, allowing Paul to live the life that the keeping of the law promised. And the same is possible today. No one needs to remain bound to the law—“thanks be to God” (Rom. 7:25).  Boa, K., & Kruidenier, W. (2000). Vol. 6: Romans. Holman New Testament Commentary; Holman Reference (232). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

We have all smelled rotting flesh, you let one little rodent die within the walls of your home and the horrific stench will permeate your entire house.  The thought of being bound face to face with a decomposing human is too much to process...some of you might be mad at me for putting the image in your mind.  What is the body of death?  I will simply say that anything you think about more than God may be a body of death to you!  Certainly sinful patterns in our lives are a body of death, but the greater danger to the Christian seeking to walk with the LORD are the good gifts that God has given us.  Your children, spouse, home, job, ministry...if you love any gift more than the gift giver the gift has become an idol in your heart and it is a body of death to you.  THERE IS ONLY ONE HOPE!

Ro 7:24-25  O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

By HIS grace and for HIS glory let us server in the newness of the Spirit!  Understanding that deliverance from the body of death comes only in Jesus Christ let us rejoice in the gift giver, let us love and pursue HIM, the one who has set us free and if the son has set you free you are free indeed!

Father in heaven,

Work this for YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU!

love,

m

Romans 6:4 in a sense provides us with our purpose, our goal..."Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life."  So God's purpose for us as HIS children is to enter HIS Kingdom, to enter the HIS rule and reign and walk in newness of life.  In Colossians 2:12 Paul tells us that since we were "buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."  In Galatians 3:27 he teaches us that "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

So our purpose is to walk in newness of life, this newness of life was worked by the power and glory of God and received by faith...in receiving this by faith part of the newness of life is that we have put on Christ...for HIS glory and our own JOY in HIM!  You could spend several life times exploring all that God has for us in this new life and NEVER EXHAUST THE TREASURE!  The secret of the Kingdom is that...shhhhhh...don't tell anyone...the treasure is HIM!

We who were joined to (“baptized into”) Christ were so truly united with Him that His death was our death—a death that frees us from the power of sin in our lives (6:1–7). More, His resurrection is our resurrection. Sharing that life, we now are able to live to God (vv. 8–10). We can experience this spiritual reality—by faith. We count ourselves dead to sin on the basis of God’s Word, we choose not to let sin rule, and we offer every part of ourselves to God as His instruments to be used for righteousness (vv. 11–14).

Now Paul digresses briefly: What we experience depends on what we choose. If we choose to sin, we will be slaves of sin. If we choose to obey God, we will serve the ends of righteousness (vv. 15–18). And what a difference the choice makes! The outcome of obedience is a holiness which pays eternal dividends. But the only wages sin pays is death (vv. 19–23).  Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (742). Wheaton: Victor Books.

Below is an outline of chapter 6...let me encourage you to carve out some time to spend prayerfully in Romans 6.  Do you realize that this was not true about you before you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?  What was not true?  Romans 6:12!  Look at Romans 6:11-12 where Paul writes, Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.   Before you came to Christ ALL YOU COULD DO WAS TO OBEY THE LUSTS OF SIN...IT WAS YOUR MASTER...YOU HAD NO CHOICE!  Now Paul tells you that you have a choice to obey sin or righteousness.  The wages that sin offers is ugly and grotesque, the gift of God is quite different in nature.  Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Father in heaven,

Enable us by YOUR indwelling Spirit to pursue YOU, delight in YOU rejoice in YOU and YOU alone as our greatest treasure...that is what YOU are!  Please Father, please, by YOUR grace I trust that (Ps 16:11) You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  Enable us to enter the JOY of our Master, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

love,

m

Solomon is chosen to be God's son!  We learn in Romans 5:8 that "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  While we were still God haters God so loved us that HE sent HIS only Son to die for us!  While we rejected HIM and supressed the truth with a lie the Holy Spirit moved in on us and led us to repentance and faith and in doing so we "received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”  Rom 8:15. 

It is no small thing to be a human being, created in the image of God...it is even more astounding to consider that we have been recreated, redemed and restored to a right relationship through the shed blood of our LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!

Listen again to the way God speaks about Solomon and listen to David's heart attitude toward God...we can learn much about our relationship with our Abba, Father if we will listen!  DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?  LISTEN!

1 Ch 28:6-10 Now He said to me, ‘It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father. 7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom forever, if he is steadfast to observe My commandments and My judgments, as it is this day.’ 8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, be careful to seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your children after you forever.

9 “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. 10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it.”

1 Ch 29:9-19  Then the people rejoiced, for they had offered willingly, because with a loyal heart they had offered willingly to the Lord; and King David also rejoiced greatly.

David's prayer

10 Therefore David blessed the Lord before all the assembly; and David said:  “Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. 11  Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord,      And You are exalted as head over all. 12 Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all.  In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all. 13 “Now therefore, our God,  We thank You And praise Your glorious name. 14  But who am I, and who are my people,      That we should be able to offer so willingly as this?  For all things come from You,  And of Your own we have given You. 15  For we are aliens and pilgrims before You, As were all our fathers; Our days on earth are as a shadow, And without hope.

16 “O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name is from Your hand, and is all Your own. 17 I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willingly to You. 18 O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart toward You. 19 And give my son Solomon a loyal heart to keep Your commandments and Your testimonies and Your statutes, to do all these things, and to build the temple for which I have made provision.”

 

There is an amazing tension in God's Word...God chose Solomon to be HIS son, Solomon did not choose HIM, God chose Solomon!  What about us?  Did I choose God or did God chose me?  What does the Bible say?  A few of you are thinking...Mark what are you doing, people have been arguing over this for years...are you out of your mind man!  Was is Felix that said to Paul, all this learning has made you mad!

The only point I will make is this, I am comfortable saying that God chose me in HIM before the foundation of the world and that I am among those in John 3:16 and in other places that WHOSOEVER WILL MAY COME...WHOSOEVER...WHOSOEVER!

You may think, but I can't reconcile this in my mind, it is not logical, it is not reasonable!  A wise man said that reason and logic must kneel outside the sanctuary where only faith may enter.  I confess that I don't understand it either, but it is glorious and beautiful...I believe both because God said both. 

If we will listen to David's prayer at the end of his life you hear an old man who has experienced much life...at the end of it all you hear a humility, an intimacy in his heart toward God...we will do well to learn from him and approach God in the same manner!

John 15:16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.

Mt 22:14  “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

2 Pe 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

Re 17:14  These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

Re 22:17  And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

Jn 3:16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Don't get lost, ARE YOU STILL WITH ME, DON'T GET LOST IN THIS...THE POINT OF SAYING ALL THIS IS THAT YOU WERE CHOSEN TO BE A S

What has the Lord chosen you to do?  Be strong and do it!  Whatever HE has set your hand to do, do it with all your might as unto the Lord!

by HIS grace and for HIS glory!

Let's pursue HIS presence, let's pursue HIM as HE is...the greatest treasure in the universe!

love,

m

It is amazing to me how easy it is to get bogged down and lose sight of the big picture.  Keep in mind the metanarrative of the Bible that I borrowed from Ken Easley, "the Lord God through his Christ is graciously building a kingdom of redeemed people for their joy and for his own glory."  That is the overarching story of the Bible, that is the story that connects and helps us make sense of all the smaller stories.  It is ALL part of one huge story and the amazing thing is that you and I are a part of the final chapter.  Actually, not the final chapter, what is God up to?  HE is spreading HIS kingdom through HIS church.  In the final chapter all enemies will be vanquished with the breath of HIS mouth, by the glory of HIS appearing.  King Jesus will take HIS rightful place on the throne, all enemies will be placed under HIS feet and HE will rule and reign with HIS blood bought people forever and ever!  GLORY!

Having said all that we must remember as we prayerfully read through Romans what God is up to.  In Romans Paul is laying a rock solid foundation for our faith in Jesus Christ.  Paul is systematically removing each and every obstacle from the believer.  Little did he know that his letter to the Romans would be impacting the Kingdom of God 2,000 years latter.  Pretty awe striking!

So pray, put on your thinking caps and dive in to the ocean of Romans and be amazed, be utterly amazed that...(Romans 5:1-11)

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Please don't miss what is going on here.  It feels like we are flying over the Alps at mach 5, possibly faster, faster is that possible.  The point is that this passage is loaded with breath taking truths from God's precious Word.  Each of these is worth several hours of meditation, several sermons, all preceded by several hours of study and memorization.  Mark, don't you think that you are overstating your point...hmmmmmm let me think...NO!

Please take the time to read from the commentary below and I believe you will marvel at the detail that we begin to see when we slow down and seek HIM and seek to absorb HIS Word.

5:1–8:39 The gospel and the power of God for salvation

If ‘a righteousness that is by faith from first to last’ summarizes the theme of 1:18–4:25, ‘the power of God for salvation’ captures the central thrust of 5:1–8:39. The gospel, in unveiling this power, secures not only the sinner’s initial acceptance by God but his or her final deliverance on the day of judgment. ‘If justified, then certain of final salvation’ is Paul’s overall theme, a theme that comes to expression especially at the beginning (ch. 5) and end (ch. 8) of the section. Between these chapters, Paul deals with two of the ‘powers’ that might threaten this eventual deliverance of the justified believer, viz. sin (ch. 6) and the law (ch. 7), showing in each case that the Christian has been delivered from bondage to these powers. The structure of chs. 5–8, then, is what some call a ‘ring composition’, and others a ‘chiasm’, in which there is a certain correspondence between the first and last components, the second and second to the last and so on:

5:1–11 Assurance of future glory

5:12–21 Basis for this assurance in the work of Christ

6:1–23 Delivered from the power of sin

7:1–25 Delivered from the power of the law

8:1–17 Basis for assurance in the work of Christ, mediated by the Spirit

8:18–39 Assurance of future glory

5:1–11 The hope of glory

Paul begins a new section of his letter at 5:1 (rather than at, for instance, 6:1). This is shown by the transitional ‘since we have been justified through faith’ in v 1; a shift, at this point, from an emphasis on ‘faith’ (thirty-three occurrences in 1:18–4:25 versus only three in chs. 5–8) to an emphasis on ‘life’ (twenty-four times in chs. 5–8 versus only two in 1:18–4:25); and by the clarity of the theme and structure outlined above.

Echoing throughout chs. 5–8 is a question created by the tension between Paul’s teaching that a person is justified before God the minute that person believes and the biblical truth that a day of divine judgment must yet be faced. How do these two truths relate to one another? Can I be sure that my justification now will do any good on the day of judgment? To this question, Paul answers in this paragraph with an emphatic ‘Yes!’: We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (2b) and hope does not disappoint us (5a). In these assurances we find the heart of this paragraph.

Vs 1–2a lead up to these assurances with a reminder of what Christians who have been justified by faith now enjoy: peace with God, a relationship in which we are no longer threatened by God’s wrath, and access … into this grace in which we now stand, continual participation in the blessings secured by God’s grace in Christ. Paul is, however, aware of the struggles that Christians still face in this world. But these struggles, far from threatening our peace and assurance, actually give us greater assurance of them (3b–4). For sufferings are used by God to produce in us perseverance, the ability to endure. Perseverance produces character (dokime), the strength that comes only from severe testing, and character, in turn, produces hope. Because God so works in our lives, and because we should want so desperately this kind of character and hope, we should rejoice in our sufferings (3a). Paul here reflects a common early Christian perspective on the far greater value of divine virtues in comparison with earthly troubles (see also 8:18; Jas. 1:2–4; 1 Pet. 1:6–7)—a perspective that too many Christians today have lost.

Vs 5b–8 set Christian hope (5a) on the unshakable foundation of God’s love for us in Christ. The Holy Spirit enables the believer to sense from within that God has effusively poured out [ekcheo] his love into our hearts. Added to this inward appreciation is the objective, historical demonstration of that love of God for us in the cross of Christ. On Calvary was shown to the world a love that far transcends the love typical among humans, a love according to which only for a good man would one conceivably die (7). It is just the nature of God’s love that he sacrificed his own son for the ungodly (6) and sinners (8)—for those very people who had refused to honour and worship him (cf. 1:21–22). It is this idea that is conveyed in the phrase at just the right time (6a): at the very time when we were still powerless, Christ died for us. God has not waited for us to take the first step back to him but has intervened in an act of pure grace to provide a way for us to come back.

Vs 9–10 gather together the main pieces of vs 1–8 repeating the certainty of Christian hope (2, 5a). They are obviously parallel. Paul asserts the unbreakable connection between the believer’s present status before God (justified by his blood, reconciled to him), and his or her future status (saved from God’s wrath, saved). His argument moves from ‘the greater’ to ‘the lesser’. God has done ‘the greater thing’ in bringing us into relationship with him through the terrible cost of his Son’s blood and when we were God’s enemies. We were in a state of mutual hostility in which God’s wrath rested on us (1:18) and we were ‘God-haters’ (1:30). Surely, then, God will do what in the terms of this argument is the ‘easier’ thing: deliver us whom he has already accepted from the pouring out of his wrath on the day of judgment. V 11 wraps up the paragraph with a final rehearsal of some of its key ideas: ‘rejoicing’ (2–3); the present enjoyment of reconciliation with God (1b, 10); and, most of all, the fact that this rejoicing and reconciliation come only through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Carson, D. A. (1994). New Bible commentary : 21st century edition. Rev. ed. of: The new Bible commentary. 3rd ed. / edited by D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer. 1970. (4th ed.) (Ro 4:1-5:1). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA: Inter-Varsity Press.

We have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ!  THIS IS HUGE, THIS IS AMAZING, THIS SHOULD BLOW YOUR MIND!

Short true story and I will shut up:) 

When in college, in the early 80's, a friend of mine went to a one day school so she could skydive at the end of the day.  There were several students going through the training with her.  At the end of the day everyone on her plane made the jump, landed on the ground, and they were all standing around talking to each other saying how awesome the experience was!  The next plane comes and the students jump and one of the students parachutes does not open, he deploys the emergency chute and it does not open.  Everyone on the ground is watching in horror...they can see him frantically doing what he was trained to do with the cords...nothing worked!  A few hundred feet from the ground the emergency chute opened and the young man landed safely on the ground.

When he got on the ground, he began running in a huge circle screaming at the top of his lungs, "I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive!  THAT SHOULD BE US EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY.  You and I were spiritually dead, in darkness, grotesque spiritual lepers...diseased, consumed in the smell of death and rotting flesh.  OK, OK, I'll stop, but do you get the picture?  Actually, I am sure that our condition was worse than I described and most of us, me at times, go around thinking that we are pretty good...at least compared to some.  Don't give me that pious look!  You know what I am talking about!

Let's be filled with awe, wonder and gratitude in the understanding that we HAVE BEEN DECLARED RIGHTEOUS AND THAT WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD.  Let's praise and worship the King of kings, let's pursue HIM with a white hot passion and let's take as many with us as we can...for HIS glory and our JOY in HIM!

love,

m

Romans is so dense, so rich, so amazing...going through at the pace of the One Year Bible is like being invited to the most exquisite restaurant, being served a 7 course feast and having 3 1/3 minutes to enjoy it!  This chapter is huge for our right understanding of the gospel!  As it is pivotal for us to have some understanding of the Word "propitiation," it is absolutely vital that we grasp JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE!

Out of the Protestant Reformation emerged the Five solas, these are Latin phrases that summarize the Reformers' basic theological beliefs in pointing out the differences to the teaching of the Catholic Church of the day. The Latin word sola means "alone" or "only" in English. The five solas articulated five fundamental beliefs of the Protestant Reformation, pillars which the Reformers believed to be essentials of the Christian life and practice.  What were the 5 solas?

• 1 Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")
• 2 Sola fide ("by faith alone")
• 3 Sola gratia ("by grace alone")
• 4 Solus Christus ("Christ alone")
• 5 Soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone")

Each of these is absolutely vital to have a right understanding of the gospel.  Let me encourage you to spend some time reading and rereading and then meditating on Romans chapter 4.  It always helps me to break dense passages of scripture into manageable chunks or an outline.  Here we go!

Paul employs two of the most famous Old Testament men to illustrate the doctrine of justification by faith.

I. The Illustration from the Life of Abraham, Israel’s Racial Father (4:1–5, 9–25)

A. Abraham and his salvation (4:1–5, 9–15)

1. What Abraham received (4:1–5): God himself canceled Abraham’s sins and declared him righteous.

2. How Abraham received it (4:1–5)

a. It did not come about by his works (4:1–2, 4).

b. It did come about by his faith (4:3, 5).

3. When Abraham received it (4:9–15)

a. He received it before he was circumcised (4:9–12).

b. He received it before the giving of the law (4:13–15).

B. Abraham and his seed (4:16–25): Paul shows the results of Abraham’s faith following his salvation.

1. Abraham’s physical seed (4:18–22)

a. The promise (4:18) : God told Abraham he would bear a son through Sarah.

b. The problem (4:19) : Abraham and his barren wife were too old for this.

c. The perseverance (4:20–22): Abraham continued to believe God for the impossible, and Isaac was born!

2. Abraham’s spiritual seed (4:16–17, 23–25): All Jews and Gentiles who exercise the kind of faith Abraham had are, spiritually speaking, related to Abraham, who is called the “father of all who believe.”Willmington, H. L. (1999). The Outline Bible (Ro 4:16-17). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

Paul demonstrates from Israelite history that salvation always has been a gift of God received by faith.  Righteousness was "credited to" Abraham because he "believed God" (4:1–3).  Albeit Abraham's believing was consuming...it moved him to pick up and leave his native land, it moved him to a willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac.  This was life transforming believing!  David says the same thing in speaking of the blessedness of forgiven sins (6–8). Abraham was credited with righteousness before his circumcision, that unique sign that marked a person as a Jew in Old Testament times. Thus Gentiles can look to Abraham’s experience demonstrates that the righteous shall live by faith and it is faith alone for Jew and Gentile! (9–12).  Richards

What then is the nature of that faith Abraham exercised? It was life transforming, It was an absolute confidence that God was able to do what He promised and that He would keep His word. When we believe God’s promise of salvation in Jesus, we too are credited with a righteousness we did not—and could never—earn on our own (18–25). 

Again, this is no ordinary believing!  Remember James 2:19, "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder."  We know that the demons are not saved.  This type of believing moves people to do things for Jesus that makes no sense to the world.  Remember what Paul wrote to the Galatians, “Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham” (Gal. 3:7). And, later he will write in Romans, “In other words, it is not the natural children [of Abraham] who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring” (Rom. 9:8).  Without faith, without life transforming faith in God we are nothing more than “whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones” (Matt. 23:27).  It is possible to have even the right outward appearance and be spiritually dead...what does Paul write in 2 Tim 3:5?  That there are men "holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."

I will close with a passage that I have been fixed on for several weeks now.  Jesus teaching in Matthew 7, "you will know them by their fruit."  The kind of faith Abraham experienced transformed him from a thronbush to a fruit bearing tree.  Is your faith real?  Do you bear fruit?  Read Galatians 5:22.

Is your faith real...you say yes!  I know Jesus!  OK, but does Jesus know you?  In Matt 7:22-23 we witness preachers, miracle workers and exorcists being cast into hell!  Why?  Because Jesus did not know them! 

Do you have a relationship with HIM?  Do you have a childlike faith?  Do you have a love for Jesus that is not explainable from the world perspective? 

This life is but a vapor, a mist...life is short, eternity is long, how you spend your life will determine how and where you spend eternity.  (This is not original with me, I just can't remember who said it...sorry)

Mat 7:15-23  False and True Teaching

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

True Way into the Kingdom

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Laboring to know HIM with YOU in the great adventure!

love,

m

I love David's counsel to young Solomon concerning the construction of the temple..."now begin the work, and may the LORD be with you" (22:16), and "now determine in your mind and heart to see the LORD your God"  (22:19).  The smartest, wisest and most understanding man on the planet could not live a sinless life.  Consider that he had a near perfect environment, unbelievably prosperous and great wisdom directly from God and not only could he not live a sinless life, he failed in ways that are beyond comprehension. 

As we read today that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," that everyone is rightly condemned and under God's horrifying wrath...what wonderful news it is to learn and to see that God set forth Jesus as a propitiation by HIS own blood, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

We don't hear much about propitiation today, below you will find a fairly detailed explanation of the word.  It is a little technical, but it is worth the work.  We must understand that God hates sin and God hates sinners.  Yes God hates sinners!  You add one important little word in front of sinner and God RADICALLY CHANGES HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD YOU...praise God.  How does God respond to a REPENTANT SINNER?  When a repentant sinner makes the slightest move toward God the Father, the Father begins running toward him or her.  How do I know?  The prodigal, what did Jesus teach us about the prodigal son, as soon as the father saw him coming home, the father began to run to him, to welcome him, embrace him and to call him son!

I don't care if you ever use the word propitiation in a conversation, but I desperately want you to understand in your heart, soul, and mind what it means.  I burn and long to have a deeper understanding of this INCREDIBLE WORD, this incredible word that tells us what Jesus did for us at the Cross, through HIS death, burial and resurrection.

Romans 3:21-26

God’s Righteousness Through Faith

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

 

The act, therefore, which the sinner is required to perform in order to take part in the righteousness of God is to believe in Christ — that is, to receive him as he is revealed in the Gospel as the eternal Son of God, clothed in our nature, loving us and giving himself as a propitiation for our sins. Hodge, C. (1993). Romans. Originally published: Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, 1835. The Crossway classic commentaries (Ro 3:22). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.

 

PROPITIATION. Propitiation properly signifies the removal of wrath by the offering of a gift. In the OT it is expressed by the verb kipper (*Atonement). In the NT the hilaskomai word group is the important one. In modern times the whole idea of propitiation has been strongly criticized as savouring of unworthy ideas of God. Many suggest that the term ‘propitiation’ should be abandoned in favour of *expiation, and this is done, for example, in rsv.

The objection to propitiation arises largely from an objection to the whole idea of the wrath of God, which many exponents of this view relegate to the status of an archaism. They feel that modern men cannot hold such an idea. But the men of the OT had no such inhibitions. For them ‘God is angry with the wicked every day’ (Ps. 7:11, av). They had no doubt that sin inevitably arouses the strongest reaction from God. God is not to be accused of moral flabbiness. He is vigorously opposed to evil in every shape and form while he may be ‘slow to anger’ (Ne. 9:17, etc.), his anger is yet certain in the face of sin. We may even read ‘The Lord is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty’ (Nu. 14:18). Even in a passage dealing with the longsuffering of God his refusal to condone guilt finds mention. The thought that God is slow to anger is to men of the OT far from being a truism. It is something wonderful and surpassing. It is awe-inspiring and totally unexpected.

But if they were sure of the wrath of God against all sin, they were equally sure that this wrath might be put away, usually by the offering of the appropriate sacrifice. This was ultimately due, not to any efficacy in the sacrifice, but to God himself. God says, ‘I have given it for you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls’ (Lv. 17:11). Pardon is not something wrung from an unwilling deity. It is the gracious gift or a God who is eager to forgive. So the psalmist can say, ‘He, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often, and did not stir up all his wrath’ (Ps. 78:38). The averting of the wrath of God is not something which men bring about. It is due to none less than God himself, who ‘turned his anger away’ (av).

In the NT there are several passages where the expression ‘the wrath of God’ occurs, but the relevant evidence is not limited to these alone. Everywhere in the NT there is the thought that God is vigorously opposed to evil. The sinner is in no good case. He has put himself in the wrong with God. He can look for nothing other than the severity or the divine judgment. Whether we choose to call this ‘the wrath of God’ or not, it is there. And, while wrath is a term to which some objections may legitimately be raised, it is the biblical term and no satisfactory substitute has been suggested.

We see the force of the NT idea of propitiation from the occurrence of the term in Rom. 3:24f. We are ‘justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood’ (av). The force of Paul’s argument up to this point is that all, Jew and Gentile alike, are under the condemnation of God. ‘The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men’ (Rom. 1:18). Paul shows first that the Gentile world stands under God’s condemnation and then that the Jewish world is in the same plight. It is against this background that he sees the work of Christ. Christ did not save men from nothing at all. He delivered them from a very real peril. The sentence of judgment had been passed against them. The wrath of God hung over them. Paul has strongly emphasized the wrath of God throughout these opening chapters, and therefore Christ’s saving work must include deliverance from this wrath. This deliverance is described by the word ‘propitiation’. There is nothing else to express this thought in the critical passage Rom. 3:21ff., which sets out the way in which God has dealt with this aspect of man’s plight. hilasterion must be held here to signify something very like ‘propitiation’. (See further NTS 2, 1955–6, pp. 33–43.)

In 1 Jn. 2:2 Jesus is described as ‘the propitiation for our sins’. In the previous verse he is our ‘advocate with the Father’. If we need an advocate with God, then our position is indeed a dangerous one. We are in dire peril. All this helps us to see that ‘propitiation’ is to be taken here in its usual sense. Jesus’ activity for men is described as turning away the divine wrath.

But the Bible view of propitiation does not depend on this or that specific passage. It is a reflection of the general import of its teaching. ‘Propitiation’ is a reminder that God is implacably opposed to everything that is evil, that his opposition may properly be described as ‘wrath’, and that this wrath is put away only by the atoning work of Christ.  Wood, D. R. W. (1996, c1982, c1962). New Bible Dictionary (975). InterVarsity Press.

You may be thinking that it sounds harsh for God to hate sinners, not just sin!  I think that sometimes too and typically the Holy Spirit takes me to the foot of the Cross...it goes something like this...Mark...you want to know how much I hate sin and what sin does to those created in My image?  You want to know how much I hate seeing My image destroyed and marred by the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy?  You want to know how much I hate sinners that look at My offer, that look at My offer of eternal life and willingly choose the one that wants nothing more than to destroy them...do you want to know?  LOOK AT THE CROSS AND YOU WILL SEE HOW MUCH I LOVE THE WORLD AND HOW MUCH I HATE SIN.  HIS HATRED OF SIN WAS SO GREAT THAT HE ALLOWED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN TO DIE ON A ROMAN CROSS.

As I was praying about what to share this morning my heart and mind kept going back to Joab's words in 1 Chronicles 19:12-13, “If the Arameans are too strong for me,” Joab said, “then you’ll be my help. However, if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I’ll help you. 13 Be strong! We must prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God.  May the Lord’s will be done.”  You may recall the parallel passage in 2 Samuel 10:12, Be strong! We must prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God.  May the Lord’s will be done.” 

You may also recall Paul's exhortation in Acts 20:28...“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.   Peter encourages the elders to "shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness."

In John 21 as Jesus reinstates Peter, HE asks three times "Peter, do you love Me?"  Each time Peter responds Jesus follows with "feed my sheep, tend my sheep, feed my sheep."  Jesus is telling Peter if you truly love me you will love what I love...My sheep!

That progression reminded me of an article on courage by John Piper, it is not very long, I pray that you will be blessed!

Christian courage is the willingness to say and do the right thing regardless of the earthly cost, because God promises to help you and save you on account of Christ. An act takes courage if it will likely be painful. The pain may be physical, as in war and rescue operations. Or the pain may be mental as in confrontation and controversy.

Courage is indispensable for both spreading and preserving the truth of Christ. Jesus promised that spreading the gospel would meet resistance: "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name" (Matthew 24:9). And Paul warned that, even in the church, faithfulness to the truth would be embattled: "I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them" (Acts 20:29-30; see also 2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Therefore, true evangelism and true teaching will take courage. Running from resistance in evangelism or teaching dishonors Christ. There is a kind of cowardice that tells only the truths that are safe to tell. Martin Luther put it like this:

If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point. (Quoted in Parker T. Williamson, Standing Firm: Reclaiming Christian Faith in Times of Controversy [Springfield, PA: PLC Publications, 1996], p. 5)

Where then shall we get this courage? Consider these pointers.

FROM BEING FORGIVEN AND BEING RIGHTEOUS - "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion" (Proverbs 28:1). "Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, 'Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven'" (Matthew 9:2).

FROM TRUSTING GOD AND HOPING IN HIM - "Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD" (Psalm 31:24; see also 2 Corinthians 3:12).

FROM BEING FILLED WITH SPIRIT - "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31).

FROM GOD'S PROMISE TO BE WITH YOU - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9).

FROM KNOWING THAT THE ONE WITH YOU IS GREATER THAN THE ADVERSARY: -"Be strong and courageous . . . for the one with us is greater than the one with him. With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles" (2 Chronicles 32:7).

FROM BEING SURE THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN OVER THE BATTLES - "Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in His sight" (2 Samuel 10:12).

THROUGH PRAYER - "On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul" (Psalm 138:3; see also Ephesians 6:19-20).

FROM THE EXAMPLE OF OTHERS - "Most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear" (Philippians 1:14).

Something worth noting, at the end of 1 Chronicles 19:12-13 and 2 Samuel 10:12 Joab says, "may the Lord's will be done."  Joab is exhorting his brothers to fight with all their might for their great God, HIS cities and HIS people, but in the end he is surrendered to God's will.  We are called to fight the good fight of faith, to fight with all our might for the Lord our God...to pursue HIM with a white-hot passion...BUT REMEMBER THAT THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S.

Father in heaven,

Burn YOUR truth, YOU are truth, in our hearts, minds and souls...grant by YOUR indwelling Spirit that we would be as "bold as a lion" as we are cloaked in the righteousness of Christ as we place ALL our hope and trust in YOU and YOU alone...we are desperate for YOU, LORD.  We cling to ALL of YOUR precious and great promises, but more than anything we cling to the promise of YOUR presence.  Fill us with YOUR Holy Spirit, we yield and surrender to you Holy Spirit of God...enable us to be strong and courageous for YOU and for YOUR people, the sheep of YOUR pasture.

Please work this for YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU!

love,

m

We learn in 1 Chronicles 15:13 that David knew why Uzzah died when he reached out to steady the Ark.  While it was painful for King David and horrific for Uzzah and his family from this point until his moral failure David paid strict attention to the details of God's Word.  What did he say in 15:13?  The Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.”  Quite simply we did not do it the way HE told us to.

Below are a few verses that reflect David's heart toward God.

1 Ch 16:8 Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!

1 Ch 16:10-11 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! 11  Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!

1 Ch 16:14 He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth.

1 Ch 16:23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

1 Ch 16:29-30 Give to the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him.  Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! 30 Tremble before Him, all the earth. The world also is firmly established, It shall not be moved.

1 Ch 16:34-36 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever. 35  And say, “Save us, O God of our salvation; Gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles,  To give thanks to Your holy name,  To triumph in Your praise.” 36  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting!  And all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

We witness David's commitment to inquire of the Lord, to call on the Lord, to seek the Lord, to seek HIS strength, HIS face...HIM!  This is a wise and wonderful thing for each of us to learn.  Not only do we witness David's commitment to prayer and seeking God, but we witness his passion to praise, worship and adore the King of the universe.

Following David's Psalm of thankgiving in chapter 16 God makes an awesome covenant with David in chapter 17...what is that covenant?  1 Ch 17:13-14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. 14 And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”  God's covenant with David is that HE will establish his throne forever!

In the first two verses below we see David claiming the promises God made to him...let it be established forever, and do as You have said...And now, Lord, You are God, and have promised this goodness to Your servant.

What do we learn in 2 Corinthians 1:20?  We learn that "as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us."

1 Ch 17:19  O Lord, for Your servant’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.

1 Ch 17:23 “And now, O Lord, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, let it be established forever, and do as You have said.  DO AS YOU HAVE PROMISED!

1 Ch 17:26 And now, Lord, You are God, and have promised this goodness to Your servant.

1 Ch 18:6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought tribute. So the Lord preserved David wherever he went.

1 Ch 18:13 He also put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David wherever he went.

Below are a few promises that, like David, you may claim as a blood bought child of the Most High King of kings and LORD of Lords.  As we continue through God's precious Word start your own list of promises that you see in God's Word to HIS children.  Find them, store them in your heart, give them away to others...for HIS glory and for your own JOY in HIM!

My comments will be few this morning...I don't remember how many years ago it was that I understood that the judgement of God on sin was to give you over to more sin.  HE offers HIS creatures HIMSELF, like Adam and Eve...they and we, look at the offer, smell, and say no thank you, and we turn from the living God to created things.  When we do this God says alright, have it your way and our hearts are darkened because we have turned from the light.  ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK ABOUT MORE THAN GOD IS PROBABLY AN IDOL IN YOUR LIFE! 

God shows us the two extremes in Jeremiah.

Jer 2:13 “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Jer 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Romans 1:18-32

God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Father in heaven,

Open the eyes of our hearts to behold YOUR beauty with the eyes of faith!  As YOU spoke light into being at creation create YOUR light within our hearts so that we may delight in YOU and rejoice in YOU and YOU alone.  As YOUR servant Paul wrote in 2 Cor 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Work this for YOUR glory and our joy in YOU!

love,

m

Please forgive the technical nature of the bulk of the content this morning, but as Richards points out Romans is the theological cornerstone and if you don't see this cornerstone clearly everything else will be off.  IT IS VITAL FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE AND ETERNAL LIFE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THIS AWESOME AND MAGNIFICANT WORK!

One of my favorite professors at Mid-America was Ken Easley.  I remember in a conversation concerning Romans, he told me that after 20 years of teaching Romans from the Greek text that he still felt like a child attempting to understand this precious book.  We must approach Romans with a child-like heart, crying out to God the Holy Spirit for understanding and wisdom.  We must come expecting God to open the eyes of our heart and we must come in humility and prayerfully before his Word.

God worked through Romans 1:16-17 to open the eyes of a German Monk named Martin Luther and ignite the reformation that turned the world upside down.  We are in desperate need of another reformation...our world needs to be turned upside down!  Romans is the book to do it!

Overview of Romans

The Book of Romans is the theological cornerstone of the New Testament, the greatest of Paul’s epistles. A church noted for its faith (Rom. 1:8) had been planted in Rome by early Christian converts rather than by any apostle. Paul’s letter, focusing as it does on relationships between Jew and Gentile, seems to suggest that tensions existed in this church. Paul deals with them by showing that Jewish and Gentile Christians alike require a righteousness that can be obtained only as a gift of God—a righteousness that then can and must be lived out in personal and corporate Christian life. Paul’s first readers surely recognized themselves in his letter.

Yet at the same time, Paul’s letter answers the most difficult questions posed by Jesus’ appearance, crucifixion, and resurrection. Where is the unity between the Old and New Testaments? Aren’t law and faith contradictory principles? Doesn’t the new revelation deny the old? Isn’t God being inconsistent? These very issues lay at the heart of the hostility of first–century Jews to Christianity. In resolving tensions within the Roman church, the Apostle Paul’s letter also answers the most profound of our theological questions about the harmony of God’s whole Word.

The key to Paul’s reconciliation of the Old and New Testament revelations is found in his concept of “righteousness.” In first–century Judaism “righteousness” was conformity to the written or oral Law. Following Jesus, Paul insists that righteousness requires actually being like God in motive and act. Only God can transform a sinful human being, to make him or her truly like the Lord. 

RIGHTEOUSNESS IN ROMANS

Gospel Righteousness (Rom. 1). The Gospel is about a righteousness which comes from God “by faith from first to last.”

Need for Righteousness (Rom. 2–3). The Jew with the Law and the Gentile without it both have sinned and desperately need a righteousness neither possesses.

Righteousness and Faith (Rom. 3–4). God has always accepted faith in place of the righteousness human beings do not possess. Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself makes this possible and is the basis for the forgiveness freely offered both Old and New Testament saints.

Righteousness realized (Rom. 6–8). Faith unites the believer with Jesus in His life as well as His death. The Holy Spirit within gives us the power to live righteously here and now, if we but live by faith.

Righteousness in history (Rom. 9–11). God has consistently operated on principles imbedded in the Gospel in Old Testament as well as New Testament eras.

Righteousness in the faith community (Rom. 12–16). Believers are to live out God’s righteousness in relationships within the Christian community. Paul gives a beautiful description of righteousness as God’s character finds expression in the way Christians live together in the Lord.

THEOLOGICAL OUTLINE OF ROMANS

I.  RIGHTEOUSNESS REQUIRED  1–3

II. RIGHTEOUSNESS PROVIDED  3–5

III. RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPARTED 6–8

IV. RIGHTEOUSNESS PROVED 9–11

V. RIGHTEOUSNESS PRACTICED 12–16

Paul identifies himself as an apostle, set apart to spread a Gospel which brings grace and peace from God (1:1–7). Paul shares his desire to visit Rome and defines the theme on which he is writing: a Gospel which brings salvation and righteousness to everyone who believes (vv. 8–17).

Salvation is desperately needed by a race which rightly lies under divine wrath (v. 18). For humanity has reacted against God, rejecting the knowledge all men have of Him (vv. 19–20), preferring to create their own gods and follow a pathway which leads inexorably to ever greater depravities (vv. 21–32).

Cast against the dark background of lost man’s corrupt society, what “good news” the Gospel is! Humanity has not chosen to know God. But God has chosen to reveal His love and grace to man anew.

Key verse. 1:17: Faith is the beginning and the end.  Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (734). Wheaton: Victor Books.

Romans 1:16-17  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

In Hab. 2:4 God is reminding the prophet that the person who is part of God’s covenant people (‘righteous’) will experience God’s blessing and understand his ways only through faithfulness to God and his covenant. In Paul’s use of the verse (cf. also Gal. 3:11), each of the key terms—‘righteous’, ‘live’, ‘faith’—is given a deeper significance in light of the coming of Christ, but the general sense of the original is maintained. Habakkuk and Paul both affirm that life before God demands the wholehearted commitment of the individual.  Carson, D. A. (1994). New Bible commentary : 21st century edition. Rev. ed. of: The new Bible commentary. 3rd ed. / edited by D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer. 1970. (4th ed.) (Ro 1:16). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA: Inter-Varsity Press.

If I may be bold for a moment, if you have a study bible, if you check in Habakkuk 2:4 most study bibles will give an alternate translation of "faith" and that is "faithfulness."  I believe that "faithfulness" is the correct translation.  What is the big deal Mark, why even bring that up?  Living by faithfulness holds within it the idea of a way of life, a pattern of life.  The righteousness man shall live by faithfulness sounds consistent with Jesus teaching in Matthew 7...you will know them by their fruit.  I believe that Jesus is the narrow gate, remember "I am the door."  So we have Jesus, the narrow gate and we have "the difficult way which leads to life."  Regardless of your health, family, finances, job, home, regardless of the storms of life...the just shall live by faithfulness!  Does that mean a perfect life...ABSOLUTELY NOT...if anyone tells you they have lived a sinless day they are a liar and deceived.  Not sinless, but it will reflect a life that is growing in love, joy, peace, patience...starting to sound familiar?  The fruit of the Spirit!

Mt 7:13-23  “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.

Gal 3:11  But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”

Heb 10:38  Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”

Father in heaven,

Enable us to live, breath and walk by faith and faithfulness in a manner that brings YOU glory and fills us with YOUR joy...the joy of our Master.

love,

m

The book of Acts comes to a close with the word "Then he stayed two whole years in his own rented house. And he welcomed all who visited him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God  and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with full boldness  and without hindrance."  My first thought is how cool it would have been to spend a week with Paul hearing him unpack the scriptures then the Spirit reminded me...Mark, you have so much more you have the full counsel of God's Word at your finger tips 24/7.  HE then took me to 1 Corinthians 15:1ff.  I believe that 1 Cor. 15:3-4 is the most condense description of the gospel in the bible.  I am not dogmatic on this...I am open to discussion if you know of a tighter description of the good news of the bible.

1 Co 15:1-10 Now brothers, I want to clarify  for you the gospel I proclaimed to you; you received it and have taken your stand  on it. 2 You are also saved by it, if you hold to the message I proclaimed to you—unless you believed to no purpose.   3 For I passed on to you  as most important what I also received: that Christ died  for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day  according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas,  then to the Twelve. 6 Then He appeared to over 500 brothers at one time, most of whom remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 Then He appeared to James,  then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one abnormally born,  He also appeared to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles,  unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted  the church of God. 10 But by God’s grace I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not ineffective. However, I worked more than any of them, yet not I, but God’s grace that was with me. 

Just before Paul's two years of freely sharing the gospel he makes his appeal to the Jews in Rome, some are persuaded others are not...arguments follow.  As they begin to leave Paul tells them that the Holy Spirit spoke correctly through the prophet Isaiah...

Act 28:26-27 when He said, Go to this people and say: ‘You will listen and listen, yet never understand; and you will look and look, yet never perceive. 27 For this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and be converted—and I would heal them. ’

Paul is quoting from Isaiah 6...remember, Isaiah has just witnessed a vision of Jesus (John 12:41) high and lifted up...Isaiah overhears a conversation within the trinity, asking who will go for us...Isaiah's response "here am I, send me."  NOW Paul as one sent by Yahweh, as one sent by the same ONE that sent Isaiah goes to the Jews in Rome and proclaims the same message, but now they have the WHOLE STORY!  AND THEY, listen and listen, yet never understand; and you will look and look, yet never perceive. 27 For this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and be converted—and I would heal them. ’

Oh be careful that we are not like them!  CAN YOU AND I SAY WITH PAUL THAT HIS GRACE TOWARD ME WAS NOT INEFFECTIVE?  Are you experiencing a transformation from the inside out, a transformation that can only be explained by the Spirit and grace of God.  Is it a transformation that comes from beholding HIM in HIS Word, fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. 

In Matt 7 Jesus teaches that you will know them by their fruit.  Paul himself indicates that he continues to discipline himself to work out his salvation with fear and trembling...1 Cor 9:27  But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.  Paul exhorts us in 2 Cor 13:5 to, Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

Father in heaven,

Open the eyes of our hearts Lord...by YOUR indwelling Spirit enable us to taste and see that the LORD is good.  For YOUR glory and our joy in YOU!

love,

m

Summary of Acts 27-28

Paul, with Luke and other friends, sets sail for Rome under guard, in company with other prisoners (27:1–2). It is late in the year and progress is slow. Paul warns of danger if the centurion in charge of the party insists on pushing on (vv. 3–12). They set sail anyway. Just as Paul warned, they are caught in a terrible storm and driven for days (vv. 13–20). On the fourteenth day Paul is given a vision. God will keep the whole ship’s company safe. The awed centurion orders all to stay with the ship, and the next day the ship runs aground on the Island of Malta (vv. 21–44). As Paul had promised, everyone reaches shore safely. On Malta Paul escapes death by snakebite (28:1–6) and heals a leading man of the island (vv. 7–10). After wintering on the island, they continue to Rome where the Christian community welcomes Paul (vv. 11–16), and Paul arranges to share Christ with leaders of the Jewish community (vv. 17–29). Paul’s two years under house arrest give him an unmatched opportunity to witness to many in the capital of the empire (vv. 30–31).  Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (732). Wheaton: Victor Books.

In our reading today we move from hearing about God putting Saul to death for his unfaithfulness and because he did not keep God's Word...be afraid, be very afraid!  After God kills kills Saul HE turns the kingdom over to David, an imperfect man, but  a man after God's own heart.  Then we leap forward about 1,000 years, for God it was like a day, to witness Paul and his 275 buddies on this little ship being driven by God's hand to Malta and eventually to Caesar's household.  You see God's hand moving, working superintending every detail in the universe.  I like the way Spurgeon describes the providence and sovereignty of God.

I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam does not move an atom more or less than God wishes—that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit as well as the sun in the heavens—that the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as the stars in their courses. The creeping of an aphid over the rosebud is as much fixed as the march of the devastating pestilence—the fall of sere leaves from a poplar is as fully ordained as the tumbling of an avalanche. He that believes in a God must believe this truth. There is no standing-point between this and atheism. There is no half way between a mighty God that worketh all things by the sovereign counsel of his will and no God at all. A God that cannot do as he pleases—a God whose will is frustrated, is not a God, and cannot be a God. I could not believe in such a God as that.

-Charles Spurgeon

Psalm 8 appropriately contemplates God's glory and the God given dignity of man.  Forgive me, but I will turn to Spurgeon again.

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens. 2 You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you. 3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— 4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? 5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority— 7 the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, 8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. 9  O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

O Lord our Lord. Unable to express the glory of God, the psalmist exclaims, “?O Jehovah our Lord!?” We need not wonder at this, for no heart can measure, no tongue can utter, the half of the greatness of Jehovah. The whole creation is full of his glory and radiant with the excellency of his power; his goodness and his wisdom are manifested on every hand. Universally he is present, and everywhere is his name excellent. There is no place where God is not. The miracles of his power await us on all sides. Everywhere, and in every place, God dwells and is manifestly at work. Nor on earth alone is Jehovah extolled, for his brightness shines forth in the firmament above the earth. His glory exceeds the glory of the starry heavens; above the region of the stars he has set fast his everlasting throne, and there he dwells in light ineffable. Let us adore him (?Job 9:8–9; ?Nehemiah 9:6).

This psalm is addressed to God, because none but the Lord himself can fully know his own glory. The believing heart is ravished with what it sees, but only God knows the glory of God. What a sweetness lies in the little word our; how much is God’s glory endeared to us when we consider our interest in him as our Lord. How excellent is thy name. No words can express that excellency, and therefore it is left as a note of exclamation. The very name of Jehovah being excellent, what must his person be. Note the fact that even the heavens cannot contain his glory, it is set above the heavens, since it is and ever must be too great for the creature to express.

?2. Not only in the heavens above is the Lord seen, but here below, the lisping utterances of babes are the manifestations of his strength in little ones. Many men have been made to hold their tongues, while sucklings have borne witness to the glory of the God of heaven. Did not the children cry “?Hosanna!?” in the temple, when proud Pharisees were silent and contemptuous? And did not the Saviour quote these very words as a justification of these infant cries? Early church history records many amazing instances of the testimony of children for the truth of God. He who delights in the songs of angels is pleased to honor himself in the eyes of his enemies by the praises of little children. What a contrast between the glory above the heavens, and the mouths of babes and sucklings! Yet by both the name of God is made excellent.

?3–4. Astronomy shows us what an insignificant being  man appears amidst the immensity of creation. Though he is an object of the paternal care and mercy of the Most High, yet he is but as a grain of sand to the whole earth, when compared to the countless myriads of beings that people the amplitudes of creation. What is the whole of this globe in comparison of the hundred millions of suns and worlds which by the telescope have been descried? What are they, in comparison with the glories of the sky?  Spurgeon, C. H. (1993). Psalms. Crossway classic commentaries (23). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.

Father in heaven,

Enable us to pursue YOU, to seek YOU with ALL OUR HEART!  I confess that apart from YOU and YOU working within my heart I am not able to pursue YOU, love YOU, seek YOU in the manner that YOU have commanded!  It is only by the filling of YOUR Holy Spirit, and YOU enabling me that I am able to seek YOU with ALL my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Please Father, I am desperate for YOU...consume me for YOUR glory.  Let Galatians 2:20 be true of me...that "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."  Father, as Moses prayed in Exodus 33:18 “I pray You, show me Your glory!”  Please open the eyes of our hearts and enable us to behold the glory of Christ and be transformed!  Jesus...remember when you asked the blind man, "what do you want me to do for you?"  He responded, Lord I want to see...Jesus answer YOUR own prayer in John 17:24, “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world."  Jesus answer this prayer and enable me to see, to behold, to delight in, and relish in YOUR glory.  I know that in beholding YOUR precious glory I will become like YOU.   I confess that I don't fully understand it but I receive it by faith in YOUR Word...2 Cor 3:18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

For YOUR glory and my joy in YOU.

love,

m

Below is a summary from Richards that I believe you will find helpful...I did!  The summary includes chapters 4-9; chapter 9 concludes the genealogies.  As I read his summary, the chapters in 1 Chronicles and as I read about Paul's storm tossed ship in Acts 27 the word that comes to heart and mind is providence.   Paul receives a vision from God in Acts 27:23-24, Paul is encouraged and told what must happen.  "For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, 24 and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’  If you read on in Acts 28 we never hear if Paul made it to Caesar!  God providentially gives us the answer in the concluding remarks of Philippians.  In Phil 4:22 we read Paul saying...All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.  How do you suppose there came to be Saints in Caesar's household?

The Chronicler continues his use of genealogies to minister to those who returned from Babylon. How important his lists are to the tiny settlement of some 50,000 Jews resettled in Judea. Despite domination by Gentile world powers, God remains faithful. His purposes will be fulfilled.

The Chronicler gives the genealogy of Judah (4:1–23), of Simeon (vv. 24–43), of the Transjordan tribes (5:1–26), of Levi (6:1–81) and of the remaining families (7:1–40), listing 12 tribes in all. The complement is complete: God’s commitment to the descendants of Israel has not failed! The writer then focuses attention on the genealogy of Saul (8:1–9:44), briefly interrupted by genealogies of the inhabitants of Jerusalem (vv. 2–9), with special attention to priests and Levites (vv. 10–34). Why these genealogies? Because they remind Israel that God’s faithfulness cuts both ways! Saul is Israel’s failed king, whose disobedience led to his rejection by the Lord (1 Sam. 13; 15). God has been faithful to the covenant which guaranteed to discipline covenant–breakers as well as to bless those who are faithful! As for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, they show that man’s unfaithfulness cannot frustrate the purposes of God. Survivors have returned to the Promised Land, and God is again worshiped in the city He determined to identify with His name (cf. Deut. 12:5). There is still hope, for God is totally faithful to His Word.  Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (265). Wheaton: Victor Books.

Providence...what is providence?  What are you trying to say MAN?  Spit it out!  No need to get testy about it, but I am glad that you asked:)

PROVIDENCE — the continuous activity of God in His creation by which He preserves and governs. The doctrine of providence affirms God’s absolute lordship over His creation and confirms the dependence of all creation on the Creator. It is the denial of the idea that the universe is governed by chance or fate.

Through His providence God controls the universe (Ps. 103:19); the physical world (Matt. 5:45); the affairs of nations (Ps. 66:7); human birth and destiny (Gal. 1:15); human successes and failures (Luke 1:52); and the protection of His people (Ps. 4:8).

God preserves all things through His providence (1 Sam. 2:9; Acts 17:28). Without His continual care and activity the world would not exist. God also preserves His people through His providence (Gen. 28:15; Luke 21:18; 1 Cor. 10:13; 1 Pet. 3:12).

Divine government is the continued activity of God by which He directs all things to the ends He has chosen in His eternal plan. God is King of the universe who has given Christ all power and authority to reign (Matt. 28:18–20; Acts 2:36; Eph. 1:20–23). He governs insignificant things (Matt. 10:29–31), apparent accidents (Prov. 16:33), and good (Phil. 2:13) and evil deeds (Acts 14:16).

God acts in accordance with the laws and principles that He has established in the world. The laws of nature are nothing more than our description of how we perceive God at work in the world. They neither have inherent power nor work by themselves.

We are not free to choose and act independently of God’s will and plan; we choose and act in accordance with them. In His sovereignty, God controls people’s choices and actions (Gen. 45:5; Deut. 8:18; Prov. 21:1). God’s actions, however, do not violate the reality of human choice or negate our responsibility as moral beings.

God permits sinful acts to occur, but He does not cause us to sin (Gen. 45:5; Rom. 9:22). He often overrules evil for good (Gen. 50:20; Acts 3:13).

Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary. Rev. ed. of: Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary.; Includes index. Nashville: T. Nelson.

What does this have to do with us today?  EVERYTHING!  Remember what the author of Hebrews wrote about Jesus?  Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.  Remember in John 12:41 we learned that the vision of God that Isaiah saw in Isaiah 6 was indeed Jesus, the Rock that Moses struck in the desert that gave life sustaining water was indeed Jesus...it is Jesus that we see throughout the Old Testament and we know that it is HIM throughout the NT.  Therefore we know HE, Jesus, is actively involved in our daily lives, in every little minute detail...HE is there!  If HE is the same, and HE is, and HE was intimately involved with HIS people in the OT and NT church...we can be absolutely confident that HE is involved down to every hair that falls from your scalp...for some of you that is a lot to keep up with:)

Matt 11:28-30  Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Rev 22:17  Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Anyone who hears should say, “Come!” And the one who is thirsty should come. Whoever desires should take the living water as a gift.

Over and over in God's precious Word we are invited to come, come to the living-water, come to Jesus, come drink, come eat without cost, come to Jesus and be saved...come!  As we come, repentant, humble, contrite, broken of ourselves, we see how glorious HE is and that HE has given us the greatest treasure in the universe!  HE has given us HIMSELF!  In giving us HIMSELF we are assured that every promise that we find in HIS Word to HIS people is true for you and I...because HE is the same yesterday, today and forever!

2 Cor 1:20  For every one of God’s promises is “Yes” in Him. Therefore the “Amen” is also through Him for God’s glory through us.

If I sound excited about this it is because I am...this is so good, so awesome...we become partakers of HIS divine nature Peter tells us...2 Pet 1:4
By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.

Oh...feed on HIS PROMISES, taste and see that the LORD IS GOOD, HE IS GOOOOOOD!  Come, come to Jesus, rest in HIS promises, let HIM make you lie down in green pastures...surrender to the great shepherd and overseer of your soul...COME TO JESUS!

love,

m

I must confess that 9 chapters of genealogies is rough sledding at times.  It is one thing to work your way through one chapter, but 9 will truly test your endurance...it is not for the spiritual lightweight!  Martin Luther, that mighty German Monk, was no light weight, he is quoted as saying late in his life that he had read the Bible through 2 times each year for many years.  He said that if the Bible were a mighty tree I have tapped on every twig.  He went on to comment that each passing yielded more fruit.

God is slowly teaching me to even read the genealogies with expectancy...expecting God to reveal some facet of HIS precious glory.   If you have not noticed I have been fixated on Jeremiah 29:13 for a few weeks now...here it is in the NLT..."If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. "  Dr. Rogers would often say, "you have all of God you want!  The problem is most of you don't want HIM!"

Yesterday we witnessed the prayer of Jabez imbedded in the genealogy and today we witness the sons of Reuben and Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh engaged in battle AND THEY WERE GRANTED VICTORY BECAUSE THEY CRIED OUT TO GOD AND THEY TRUSTED HIM!   One other small detail, "it was God's battle."

1 Chronicles 5:20-22  They received help against these enemies,  and the Hagrites and all their allies were handed over to them, because they cried out to God in battle.  He granted their request because they trusted in Him.  21 They captured the Hagrites’ livestock—50,000 of their camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys—as well as 100,000 people. 22 Many of the Hagrites were killed because it was God’s battle.  And they lived there in the Hagrites’ place  until the exile.

This is huge for every day life...if you are seeking God, pursuing HIM by HIS indwelling power, crying out for the Holy Spirit to fill you, seeking to walk in obedience to our Lord and Savior...not perfectly, but going hard after God...YOU MUST REMEMBER THE BATTLE IS HIS!  YOU ARE HIS INSTRUMENT TO BE USED AS HE WILLS!  HE IS NOT YOUR INSTRUMENT TO BE CALLED ON TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR PLANS.  Cry out, trust and remember that the battle is HIS!

In Acts 26 I believe we witness how God will work through us when we are poured out, abandoned, and surrendered completely to HIM.  I believe that this is the only place where we see that when Jesus spoke to Paul on the road to Damascus HE spoke in the Hebrew language, see verse 14.  We also hear how Jesus will work through Paul and his purpose a little differently.

Acts 26:17-20 I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,  18 to open their eyes  that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. ’ 19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 20 Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance. 

That is our purpose...as we grow in intimacy in our relationship with God, falling deeper in love the more we see and know of HIM.  We will naturally come to love what HE loves, first and foremost HIS own glory and HIS people!  We will long for others to know HIM and see HIM and experience the joy of being a child of God.  As HE enables us to bring others to HIM, HE will also enable us to help them grow in HIM...I believe that is called fishing for men and making disciples:)

Father in heaven,

Let it be!

love,

m

Do you remember what happened in 1 Sam 4?  The Israelites are crushed, Eli’s two sons are killed, and the holy ark is captured (10–11). When Eli hears the news, he faints, falls, and is killed (vv. 12–22). In one day Israel has lost a war, its high priest, and the Ark of the covenant!  Eli's dying daughter-in law names her son Ichabod, saying the "glory has departed from Israel."  1 Sam 4:21  And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

Think about it 30 years later when Ichabod showed up at the party everyone would remember that horrid day.  Today I suppose it would be like being name 9/11...

Not quite as dramatic or significant is the situation with Jabez, but still not a name you would like to have, everywhere you go you would remind people of their pain and suffering.  You can imagine the jokes he suffered in elementary school:)  You might think a guy whose mother named him “?pain?” would be at a disadvantage in life? God said that Jabez (which sounds like pain in Hebrew) was more honorable than his brothers because he begged God to bless him, to enlarge his territory, and to keep him free from pain (?1 Chron. 4:9–10?). 

Please don't get caught up in the content of the prayer!  I know the little book took the evangelical world by storm several years ago, but I don't think that Wilkinson intended for people to pray the content of the prayer for 30 years like he did.  His book was teaching principles concerning prayer, it was not intended to be a Jeanie in a bottle to get what you want from God!

The point is what is it that you have been crying out to God for, what is it that you would say, or others would say is the heart beat of your prayer life?  Is there a heart beat to your prayer life?  What are you praying for yourself? 

Don't repeatedly pray the prayer that Jabez prayed...if I am not mistaken that is call vain repetition...RIGHT?  Jabez, like Jacob laid hold of God, wrestled with God and would not let go until God blessed him.  What is it that you have laid hold of God through prayer, relentless, passionate, expectant...crying out...I will not let you go unless you bless me.

I often ask God to make His presence real to me, I often tell HIM that like Moses I don't want HIS incredible gifts without HIM, without HIS presence.  I will cry out to HIM asking that HIS Spirit would make His Word rich and alive in and through my life, and that HE would make His ways clear. I ask God to create in me a clean heat, a responsive, obedient, and surrendered heart.  I ask HIM to enable me to pursue HIM with a white-hot passion, to have a zeal for HIM, but a zeal that is according to knowledge. 

I cry out for HIM to open the eyes of my heart and enable me to behold the glory of Christ.  I frequently will pray the words of scripture for myself and for others...Eph 1:18-23 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. 19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

In our prayer life we must remember that JESUS is the center of the universe, the Son of God is the centerpiece of civilization, history is simply HIS Story, the redemptive story the unfolding of God's plan of redemption...it is all about HIM!  It is all about Jesus.

What is your point Mark?  If I am not careful my prayers start sounding like I am at the center...the flesh in me wants to say that it is all about ME!  I am just being transparent.  Charles Spugeon references this passage in 1 Chronicles and leaves us a wonderful reminder concerning the center, source of all life.

Spurgeon preached a sermon called "Strong Faith in a Faithful God" Published on Thursday, February 11, 1915, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, his verse was Psalm 57:2, “?I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.?”—?Psalm 57:2?.

It is for us, then, to begin the day with prayer, to continue all through the day in the same spirit, and to close the day by commending whatever we have done to that same Lord. Any success attending that day, if it is real success, is of God who gives it to us. “?Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it,?” is a statement applicable to the whole of Christian life. It is vain to rise early and sit up late and eat the bread of carefulness, for so he gives his beloved sleep. If there is any true blessing, such blessing, as Jabez craved, when he said, “?Oh! that thou wouldst bless me indeed,?” it must come from the God of heaven; it can come from nowhere else. Cry then, Christian, concerning your common life to God; say continually I will cry to God most high, to God who performs all things for you.  Spurgeon, C. H. (1996). A collection of Sermons. Index created by Christian Classics Foundation. (electronic ed.). Logos Library Systems (371). Simpsonville SC: Christian Classics Foundation.

I will cry to God most high, to God who performs all things for you.

Reading this commentator is a little difficult, but worth the effort!

Psalm 4. Praying, knowing, trusting, resting

This is a night-time psalm (8), probably belonging to the time of David’s flight from Absalom (see Ps. 3), as he faces a second night sleeping rough and under threat. Like Ps. 3, this is a psalm of prayer and we note that to come into the place of prayer (1) is to find oneself in the place of peace (8)—even though the pressures remain the same ((2) those who denigrate; (6) those who despair). But the centerpiece of this psalm is not prayer but knowing (3) and trusting (4, 5). The former is what David imaginatively addresses to the denigrators in Absalom’s court, the latter, to the despondent in his own camp as they prepare for bed.

1 True prayer is urgent (1a), resting on the righteousness of God (1b), specific (1c) and dependent on divine mercy (1d). 2 An imaginative appeal to those gathered to Absalom to stop denigrating his glory as king, to abandon their delusions of power and their ‘falsehood’ (not false gods). 3 Godly, a complex word meaning those whom God loves with an unchanging love and who love him back (cf. 2 Tim. 2:19a). 4, 5 A word to the discouraged in David’s camp. In your anger, rather ‘Tremble and’. There is no point in denying fear, but the right response is to use the night hours for quiet prayer (4c, not search but ‘speak in’), approaching God (5a) in the spirit of the sacrifices in consecration, (burnt-offering), confession (sin-offering), fellowship (peace-offering), and in trust (5b). 6 Counter despondency with appropriate prayer. 7, 8 David’s testimony: prayer brings greater joy than the world affords, through the peace and safety the Lord alone provides.  Carson, D. A. (1994). New Bible commentary : 21st century edition. Rev. ed. of: The new Bible commentary. 3rd ed. / edited by D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer. 1970. (4th ed.) (Ps 4:1). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA: Inter-Varsity Press.

I believe that the Apostle Paul, like David, had many such nights as we see described in Psalm 4...praying, knowing, trusting and resting.  How else could he and Silas sing praises after being beaten and thrown in jail?  How else could he have such confidence, passion and zeal as he stands before kings and high officials?  As he stands before Felix he gives a good confession with no thought of himself.  Check out Acts 24:14-16, "But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. 15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

Now read Philippians 3:8-14 and listen for similar words spoken by Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 3:8-14 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Like David, I am going to preach to myself...don't you see, (remember I am talking to myself), don't you see Mark, the same power, the same triune God is at work in the universe today!  Remember, HE is the same yesterday, today and forever...God longs to work and move in and through HIS children as HE has in the past, HE longs to demonstrate and show HIS glory, but HE longs to do it through us...HIS children.  Christ in us the hope of Glory!  We are not second class citizens in the kingdom of God...we are not spiritually weak and anemic because created us to be less, but because WE DON'T LISTEN TO HIS WORD!  AS WE READ THROUGH ACTS LET'S WATCH PAUL CLOSE AND imitate him...why would we do that?  1 Co 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

Pray Psalm 4 back to God, cry out to God, pursue HIM, pursue HIM with all your heart, soul, mind and strength...Jer 29:13 you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

As we head into 1 and 2 Chronicles and 9 chapters of genealogies I thought it might help to have a sense of where we are and where we are going...if you don't have a good study Bible with some basic information like what you see below you should consider buying one:)

AUTHOR

Unknown, though tradition ascribes authorship to Ezra. The book is written from a priestly point of view; Ezra was a priest as well as an important leader, and it was completed during Ezra’s time. Most conservative scholars believe an unknown chronicler may have been the final editor of 1, 2 Chronicles as well as the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

1, 2 Chronicles were originally one document. The author or authors made use of court records such as The Book of the Kings of Israel (9:1; see 2 Chron. 20:34), “King David’s official records” (27:24), and The Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel (or “Israel and Judah”; cited several times in 2 Chronicles).

DATE AND LOCATION

Aside from the opening genealogy (1–9), the events of 1, 2 Chronicles—from the death of Saul to the decree of Cyrus—took place 1010–538 b.c. However, the genealogy of Zerubbabel (3:17–21) takes us beyond 538. The completed books were probably compiled in the postexilic period, about 450–430, probably in Jerusalem, where the court records were kept.

RECIPIENTS

1, 2 Chronicles was written for the second and third groups of Jews returning from exile in 457 and 445 b.c., during the time of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Malachi. These Jews needed to be encouraged in the task of rebuilding their nation. Since they were primarily from the tribe of Judah, 1 Chronicles focuses on David and 2 Chronicles focuses on his descendants, the kings of Judah.

PURPOSE

• To provide a religious history of Israel from the time of Saul to the return from Babylon. (1, 2 Sam. and 1, 2 Kings record the political history of that same period.)

• To demonstrate to the postexilic Jews, who were unstable in their faith, that God was still active and would keep his promises.

• To show to a people who had lost their Davidic kings and were now ruled by Persia that God would always be faithful to the Davidic throne (17:13–14, 24, 27) and that in the meantime the heart of the Persian king was in God’s hands (2 Chron. 36:22–23).

• To show, furthermore, that while Israel waited for the Davidic kingship to be renewed, they had the legacy of David—the Temple—as the sign of God’s continued blessing.

UNIQUE FEATURES

The following material is found only in 1 Chronicles and not in the parallel account of 2 Samuel:

• the genealogy of the tribes (1–9)

• extensive preparations for the return of the Ark (15–16)

• extensive preparations for the building of the Temple (22–29)

• a psalm of David (16)

• the fact that Satan encouraged David’s census of Israel (21:1)

COMPARISON WITH OTHER BIBLE BOOKS

2 Samuel:

• 1 Chronicles provides details about David and his associates not given in 2 Samuel.

Willmington, H. L. (1997). Willmington's Bible handbook (238). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

The commentator's opening sentence feels like a major understatement, it is very difficult to work through genealogies, but we do witness God's amazing grace, and we witness HIS faithfulness to see HIS promises fulfilled to HIS people.  What then can we conclude?  If HE was faithful to them HE will be faithful to us and to our descendents...HE is the same, yesterday, today and forever! 

These lists of names seem boring to many a modern reader. Yet they demonstrate the Chronicler’s theme. These lists serve as a reminder that God has proven faithful in His commitments to humankind from the beginning. They remind Israel of God’s gracious choice of Abraham’s family and they move on to affirm that God’s purposes will be fulfilled through David’s line. Through key names the writer reminds the Jewish people of Creation (1:1–3) and the Genesis Flood (vv. 4–27). The focus then shifts to Abraham, as lists of his descendants by his various wives recall God’s promise to make Abraham the father of a multitude (vv. 28–54), including His covenant people (vv. 34–37). The writer then focuses on Judah (2:1–55), the tribe destined to produce the instrument of God’s salvation (cf. Gen. 49:10). Within Judah he focuses on David (1 Chron. 3:1–16), whose royal line continues beyond the Exile (vv. 17–24) and from whom the Deliverer promised by the prophets will surely come. Thus simply by listing key names, the Chronicler has provided a bold outline of God’s works in history past.  Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (264). Wheaton: Victor Books.

PSALM 3

The Lord Helps His Troubled People

A Psalm of David When He Fled from Absalom His Son.

Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. 2 Many are they who say of me,  “There is no help for him in God.”  Selah 3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,  My glory and the One who lifts up my head. 4  I cried to the Lord with my voice,  And He heard me from His holy hill.  Selah 5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. 7 Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongs to the Lord.  Your blessing is upon Your people.  Selah

David does this in the Palms repeatedly...does what?  Moves from despondency and despair to hope, trust and confidence in his great God.  How does he do it?  PRAYER!  PRAYER! PRAYER! 

Let's be a Bible soaked and saturated praying people!  How can you move from despair and despondency?  Cry out to the God of your salvation!

love,

m

Happy Independence day!  July 4th...my true independence day was the day that I received Jesus as my LORD AND SAVIOR...you will know the truth and the truth will make you free!

I have been unable to shake Hezekiah's folly and unbelievable foolishness!  Especially in the light that he was one of the precious few that did what was right in the sight of the LORD.  Remember what Hezekiah said to Isaiah?  2 Kings 20:19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good,”  for he thought: Why not, if there will be peace and security during my lifetime?   He shows no regard for anyone that follows, not even his own family!

Contrast him with King Josiah.  As soon as Josiah hears the Word of the LORD he tore his clothes and with a great and passionate zeal preceded to make radical spiritual reforms in Judah and beyond.  You see Josiah consumed with zeal for the LORD, riding the land of idolatry.  I can't help but wonder if he was hopeful of turning the LORD'S anger and wrath from Judah.  It was not to be, Manasseh had shed too much innocent blood...could he have shed more than the United States through abortion alone?

What we witness in 2 Kings 24 is God's judgement on Judah for the incomprehensible sin that had occurred in the land.

2 Kings 24:1-4  During  his reign,  Nebuchadnezzar  king of Babylon  attacked,  and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him. 2 The Lord sent Chaldean, Aramean,  Moabite,  and Ammonite raiders against Jehoiakim. He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord He had spoken through His servants the prophets.  3 This happened to Israel only at the Lord’s command to remove them from His sight.  It was because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all he had done,  4 and also because of all the innocent blood he had shed. He had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood,  and the Lord would not forgive.

Psalm 2 Coronation of the Son

Why  do the nations rebel  and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and His Anointed One: 3 “Let us tear off their chains and free ourselves from their restraints.”   4 The One enthroned  in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them.      5 Then He speaks to them in His anger and terrifies them in His wrath: 6 “I have consecrated My King on Zion, My holy mountain.” 7 I will declare the Lord’s decree: He said to Me, “You are My Son; today I have become Your  Father. 8 Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your  inheritance and the ends of the earth Your  possession. 9 You will break  them with a rod of iron; You  will shatter them like pottery.”   10 So now, kings, be wise; receive instruction, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with reverential awe, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Pay homage to  the Son, or He  will be angry, and you will perish in your rebellion,  for His  anger may ignite at any moment. All those who take refuge in Him  are happy.

Human society rebels against God’s anointed Messiah (2:1–3), provoking God’s scorn and sure judgment (vv. 4–6). God has decreed that His Son will rule the Earth (vv. 7–9). How essential then that we submit now and by taking refuge in the Son find blessing rather than destruction (vv. 10–12).  Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (350). Wheaton: Victor Books.

Consider Hezekiah's folly, consider the folly of the nations as portrayed in Psalm 2 in our reading today.  What is the world coming to?  It is coming to Jesus!  You will bow the knee, you can do it now and receive HIM as LORD and Savior or you can do it when you are crushed under HIS eternal wrath.

The song by Phillips, Craig and Dean states it so well..."Come Now is the Time to Worship"  Don't wait...come to Jesus...call on the name of the Lord and you will be saved!

Today's reading takes us on quite a ride!  My normal pattern is to back up a few verses to the previous day and also to read past a little and sometimes a lot:)  Back up with me to 2 Kings 21:9, it is astonishing that that God continued to send prophet after prophet and "they did not listen; Manasseh caused them to stray so that they did greater evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites."   Not only did they not listen, they did greater evil than the nations before them.

God's chosen people, God's covenant people that had witnessed so much of God's power, might, grace and mercy had drifted and fallen beyond recovery.  How long had God endured this pattern?  2 Ki 21:15-16 because they have done what is evil in My sight and have provoked Me from the day their ancestors came out of Egypt until today. ’ ” 16 Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem with it from one end to another.  This was in addition to his sin he caused Judah to commit so that they did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.

I could not help but think of the 40 million, 40 MILLION + babies that have been killed, murdered since Roe v Wade.  I found one statistic that indicated that over 40 million babies are killed each year world wide. 

With the 4th of July coming tomorrow...knowing that abortion is legal in our country...IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE FOR GOD'S CHILDREN TO PRAY GOD BLESS AMERICA?  UNLESS YOUR CRY IS A CRY FOR REVIVAL AND AWAKENING!  Revival is God's people turning back to HIM as did Josiah with sweeping reforms.  Awakening is God using a revived people, working through them to bring thousands and more into HIS Kingdom...awakening is the same as being saved!

So what did Josiah do?  Check it out!  2 Kings 22:1-2 "Josiah  was eight years old when he became king; he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah; ⌊she was⌋ from Bozkath.  2 He did what was right in the Lord’s sight and walked in all the ways of his ancestor David;  he did not turn to the right or the left."  Josiah immediately seeks the Lord's counsel...immediately!  2 Kings 22:13 “Go and inquire of the Lord for me, the people, and all Judah about the instruction in this book that has been found. For great is the Lord’s wrath that is kindled against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words of this book in order to do everything written about us.”

Does God answer?  Absolutely, this is awesome because God hears and responds to the humble, broken, contrite!  Remember Psalm 51:17?  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

2 Kings 22:18-20  Say this to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the Lord: This is what the Lord God of Israel says: As for the words that you heard,  19 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the Lord  when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse,  and because you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I Myself have heard you—declares the Lord. 20 Therefore, I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace.  Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place.’ ” Then they reported  to the king.

2 Ki 24:3-4 This happened to Israel only at the Lord’s command to remove them from His sight.  It was because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all he had done,  4 and also because of all the innocent blood he had shed. He had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood,  and the Lord would not forgive.

2 Kings 22-23 summary

One final revival, led by zealous King Josiah, fails to reverse Judah’s slide toward destruction. Josiah becomes king at 8 years of age (22:1–2). At 16 he makes a decisive commitment to the Lord, and at 20 begins a purge of idolatry in Jerusalem (cf. 2 Chron. 34:3). But the key event of his reign is discovery of a lost book of God’s Law, probably Deuteronomy, in the Jerusalem temple (2 Kings 22:3–10). Josiah is stunned to discover the terrible punishments his peoples’ sins merit. The Prophetess Huldah confirms Scripture’s grim vision of Judah’s future, but promises the humble Josiah peace in his lifetime (vv. 11–20). Josiah intensifies his efforts to bring about a reformation. He leads his people in a covenant renewal ceremony (23:1–3). He purges the temple of every vestige of pagan worship (v. 4), executes pagan priests, and tears down shrines erected to Baal and Asherah (vv. 5–7). He shuts down local shrines and restores the temple to its central place in worship (vv. 8–9). He continues his purge by desecrating Judah’s Topheth, a park where child sacrifices were conducted in his grandfather’s time, and where their charred corpses were buried in urns dedicated to pagan deities (v. 10). He smashes every reminder of Judah’s preceding half century of enthusiastic idolatry (vv. 11–14). Josiah even leads an expedition into the lost territory of Israel, and fulfills a 300-year–old prophecy by demolishing Israel’s worship center at Bethel. Having purged Judah (vv. 15–20), Josiah calls his people together to celebrate Passover (vv. 21–24). Yet Josiah’s reforms come too late. The people of Judah, corrupted for generations by idolatry, must face the fierce anger of God (vv. 25–28). Josiah is killed by Pharaoh Neco of Egypt, and Judah is left to face the future without the sheltering faith of her most pious king (vv. 29–37).

Key verses. 22:19–20: There is always hope for the humble.

Personal application. Use whatever influence you have to lead others to God.

Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (259). Wheaton: Victor Books.

What was it that brought about the revival and reforms?  A passion for God through a passion and love for HIS Word!  A willingness to adhere to HIS Word, a willingness to obey HIS Word. 

See if you can see this in our Psalm for today...Psalm 1...it is there and it is bright for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear...do you hear what I hear?

love,

m

The author now includes an incident that took place earlier in Hezekiah’s reign, to demonstrate the king’s trust in God, and his orientation to prayer. Hezekiah falls ill, and Isaiah announces he is about to die (20:1). The king weeps and prays (vv. 2–3). Isaiah is told to return and tell the king he has been granted an extra 15 years of life (vv. 4–8), and the promise is confirmed by a miraculous sign (vv. 9–11). But Isaiah rebukes Hezekiah when he later welcomes messengers from Babylon without inquiring of the Lord. One day the Babylonians will invade Judah and strip the Jerusalem temple of its treasures (vv. 12–18). But Hezekiah is consoled by the belief that there will be “peace and security” in his own time (vv. 19–21).  Key verse. 20:5: God does hear prayer, and heal.  Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (257). Wheaton: Victor Books.

I have always struggled with this passage in 2 Kings.  Yes, it does demonstrate Hezekiah's dependence on Yahweh, but consider that if he had died he would not have shown the treasures to the Babylonians and Manasseh would not have been born!  We will see that Manasseh did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.  His 55-year rule was the longest in Judah’s history, but it was also the most vile and corrupt.  Manasseh reversed his father’s policies and actively promoted the old Canaanite religions.  I suppose that if you carried it out you would also have to say that Hezekiah's great grandson, Josiah, would not have been born and we would not have seen the reforms that he brought.  Beyond that we would not have witnessed the deportation to Babylon and the Jewish people would not have been cured of idolatry.

I do not question the sovereignty and providence of God, but I believe that there are far worse things happening in this world than a child of God going home!  Home to Abba!

The incredible news is that Jesus as God, in HIS omniscience knows absolutely everything and that includes every possible branch of every possible contingency...HE knows every possible "if then" that could ever be!  Consider HIS Words in Matthew 11.

Mt 11:21-24 “Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon,  they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago! 22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment  than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to Hades.  For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today. 24 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

Praise God we can rest in HIS absolute sovereignty of HIS universe!

I don't know about you, but I just want to walk up to Hezekiah and smack him for his response in 2 Kings 20:19.  Please don't miss understand me...I know that there are countless things that I have said and thought that are worthy much more than a smack!  I suppose that I expect more out of Hezekiah, a king that did good in the sight of the LORD.  You want to hear good, godly and wise words from a spiritual leader...I do anyway.  WHAT IS HIS RESPONSE TO Isaiah when he learns that some of his descendants will be carried away and be made eunchs and the treasures of the palace will be carried away...see for yourself in verse 19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good,”  for he thought: Why not, if there will be peace and security during my lifetime?

Peace and security...that is a good thing, but at what cost!  HE was willing to cry out and weep for his own life, but not for his own children! 

You know what a eunuch is right?

eunuch, a male who has been castrated. Eunuchs were in demand as guards of royal harems. Consequently, most biblical references to these persons who by accident or design had lost their capacity to procreate come from narratives about the kings and their courts. Although excluded from the sacred assembly (Deut. 23:1), eunuchs often received favorable report (one rescued Jeremiah; cf. the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:27). Becoming a eunuch for religious reasons is mentioned in Matt. 19:12, although the exact meaning of that verse is unclear. It is probably metaphorical for remaining celibate to serve God better (cf. 1 Cor. 7:32-34). Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper's Bible dictionary. Includes index. (1st ed.) (285). San Francisco: Harper & Row.

So Hezekiah says, "hey, this is good, as long as my 15 year bonus on life is sweet who cares!  Was it this attitude, this selfish attitude that Manasseh witnessed in his father that led him to lead Judah into evil and provoke the LORD?

Proverbs 18:11 A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city; in his imagination it is like a high wall.  Remember the rich man and Lazarus?  The rich man's money did not save him!  It was a high wall in his imagination only.  The peace and security he thought he had was a lie to deceive him and lead him into hell!

Father in heaven,

Have mercy on me, have mercy on us...this spirit of selfishness in rampant in the United States, rampant in Memphis, rampant in our churches and unchecked by YOUR spirit it would run rampant in me.  I confess that I am selfish to the core...it is only because YOU have made me a new creature in Christ, it is only because YOUR Spirit dwells within my heart, it is only because YOU amazingly and graciously will fill YOUR children with YOUR Holy Spirit if they ask, it is only because of Christ in me the hope of glory that I am able to love, serve, minister from a heart that puts the interest of others ahead of my own interests!  YOU ARE MY ONLY HOPE...MY ONLY HOPE!  AND YOU ARE GLORIOUS!

Father, enable me to remain sober minded till the day I die concerning the legacy I will leave my children.  I will not be able to leave them much money or stuff, my hope and my prayer is that I will leave them a white hot passionate love for YOU...above all else!

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord

Hallelujah! Praise God in His sanctuary. Praise Him in His mighty heavens. 2 Praise Him for His powerful acts; praise Him for His abundant greatness. 3 Praise Him with trumpet blast; praise Him with harp and lyre. 4 Praise Him with tambourine and dance; praise Him with flute and strings. 5 Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with clashing cymbals. 6 Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Hallelujah!

The Northern Kingdom is in devastation, Judah is incredibly vulnerable...it sounds like God has placed HIS people in a circumstance where they must depend on HIM and not their great wisdom or military might!  Judah's great asset is that she has a king, one of the precious few kings that "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD."  Judah is blessed with a king that seeks to follow God and is quick to humble himself and cry out to God almighty.

Assyria was carrying out its policy of population exchange.  Sennacherib sent a delegation to demand Judah's unconditional surrender as we see in 17-19.  The huge error that the delegation made was to ridicule God and HIS people...bad idea!  Hezekiah races to the temple, to lay the Assyrian demands before the Lord (19:1–4).  Isaiah the prophet responds to Hezekiah. God would send Sennacherib home, with Jerusalem untouched (5–9). Hezekiah is threatened again, and again prays (10–19), and Isaiah’s prophecy against Sennnacherib is expanded (20–34). Hezekiah prays a beautiful prayer acknowledging HIS great God and Judah's absolute dependence on their great God and cries out for God to deliver them from the Assyrian forces.

2 Kings 19:14-19 Hezekiah’s Prayer

14 Hezekiah took  the letter  from the hand of the messengers, read it, then went up to the Lord’s temple, and spread it out before the Lord.  15 Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord: “Lord God of Israel who is enthroned ⌊above⌋ the cherubim,  You are God—You alone—of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.  16 Listen closely, Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, Lord, and see;  hear the words that Sennacherib has sent to mock the living God.  17 Lord, it is true that the kings of Assyria have devastated the nations and their lands.  18 They have thrown their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but made by human hands—wood and stone.  So they have destroyed them. 19 Now, Lord our God, please save us from his hand so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God—You alone.”

God answers in an awe striking and overwhelming fashion.  Judah does not lift a finger...they simply cry out to God for deliverance!  God strikes down, kills 185,000 Assyrian forces...dead.  Sennacherib does return home, where he is murdered by two of his own sons (35–37).

Jeremiah 33:3  ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

Jeremiah 29:13  You will seek Me  and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

I am sitting here watching the cursor blink at me...my heart is over flowing meditating at the verses above and below...Jeremiah and Paul.  I have much I would like to say, but I believe I am being told to remain quite...READ THESE FOUR (2 ABOVE, 2 BELOW) VERSES AND LISTEN!  LISTEN! LISTEN!

Acts 20:24  But I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course  and the ministry  I received from the Lord Jesus,  to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.

Acts 21:13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Father in heaven,

please, please, please...fill us with YOUR Holy Spirit...enable us, enable me to walk, live, conduct my life so that I am absolutely dependent on YOU, trusting in YOU and YOU alone!  Please Lord enable me to depend on YOU in this way when my circumstance are good, bad or ugly...walking in absolute dependence on YOU.  BECAUSE WHEN I COME TO MY SENSES I AM ABSOLUTELY DEPENDENT ON YOU FOR MY NEXT HEART BEAT, BREATH, DRINK OF WATER...AND ON AND ON!