Mark's Daily Reading Journal

Paul gives us a sobering truth in 2 Co 5:9-10.  First we learn it is OK to be ambitious, provided our ambition is to be pleasing to God!  "Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him."  It's not OK to be ambitious for our own agendas, wants and desires.  The only ambition that is acceptable to God is our ambition to please to our heavenly Father.  The second sobering truth is that "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."  Praise God we, HIS children, will not be subject to the Great White Throne Judgement!  However, we will face our maker at the judgement seat of Christ...we will stand and give an account to the one with the nail scarred hands, feet and side, to the one who spilled HIS own blood to purchase our salvation.

Mt 16:27  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

Ac 10:42  And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.

Ro 2:16  in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

Ro 14:10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Ro 14:12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.

Eph 6:8  knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

I like the way our Pastor has been saying it lately...there are really only two important days, today and that day!  Live today in the light of that day. 

If you ask a group of followers of Christ what are the words they long to hear from their Lord they will in unison respond with..."well done."  This is true in Baptist circles anyway.  While I do long to hear those words from my Lord and prayerfully cry out that HIS Holy Spirit would enable me to live in a manner that I might hear those words on THAT day...the Words I really want to hear are "enter into the joy of your master."  In general I believe that we are clueless in our knowledge of the "joy of the master."  Remember what Paul wrote in 1 Cor 2:9 but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Matt 25:23  ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

Father in heaven,

By the filling of YOUR Holy Spirit please let my heart be single, create in me a clean heart to know YOU, to love YOU and make pleasing YOU my single ambition.  Please work this for YOUR glory and my joy in YOU!

love,

m

As we continue to delight in this string of beautiful pearls, these precious jewels in God's Holy Word, throwing caution to the wind and ignoring the blog police:)  You begin to taste and smell and possibly get a flavor of what in the world Peter was talking about in 2 Peter 1:4, when he tells us that, "by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust."

If you remember we have referenced living on the promises of God and how when God's children live on and believe our heavenly Father for HIS precious and magnificent promises HIS glory shows in and through us...Christ in us the hope of glory, beholding is becoming, becoming partakers of the divine nature, and as this continually happens we are the fragrance of Christ to those that are alive unto God and to those that are perishing.   

At times I truly wonder if I am absolutely INSANE, [go on, yes have fun at my expense, I know what some of you are thinking:)]  am I the only one that reads words like that and and the result is that I am breathless, awed, amazed?  Then you think..."who is adequate?"  NO ONE!  Then you rejoice because our adequacy is from God.  There are places in God's Word where the glory is so intense I feel a little like I imagine John expressed when he saw the vision of Jesus...he feel at HIS feet as a dead man.  Other times it's more like Isaiah in the year that King Uzziah died...I see HIM in HIS Word and think, woe is me for I am ruined, I am a man of unclean lips...other times I feel like Job, I go through a time of whining, complaining and seeking to justify myself and then the Lord takes me through a passage like the one below and I cry "Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”  There are other times when the experience is more like Peter in Luke 5:8, when Peter fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 

This passage is one of those stunning jewels in God's Word...it is no more inspired, no more God's Word than in any other place, but the glory is intense.  I will never forget the first time it hit me with such force I was like John, a dead man, filled with shock and awe at the pure intensity of these precious few words.  Foolishly I though I could see it clearly utilizing the Greek tools I picked up in seminary by doing sentence diagrams and breaking its parts down into smaller bite size pieces.  I was wrong...don't miss understand, it did help me understand the words, but it was like trying to understand the mystery and wonder of life, spirit and heart and passion by dissecting a human cadaver...you will not see it in it's individual parts!  The mystery, spirit, life, heart and passion come only from the breath of God!

Father in heaven,

In desperation I ask that YOU would open the eyes of our hearts and allow the pure glory of YOUR precious and magnificent promises shine in our hearts...enable us to see by YOUR Holy Spirit the LIGHT of the knowledge of YOUR glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Co 4:3-7 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 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.  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

Behold HIS glory...the same God who commanded the light to shine when HE created the heavens and the earth WILL command HIS light to shine in our hearts TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST!

Where can you see HIS Face, where can you behold HIM in all HIS glory!  LOOK, LOOK AT HIS FACE, FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH WHO FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS...LOOK AT JESUS AND BE HEALED, BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.

There is a Michael Card song that resonated with my heart many years ago, it is still just as powerful today!  "Joy in the Journey"

There is a joy in the journey,
there's a light we can love on the way.
There is a wonder and wildness to life,
and freedom for those who obey.
All those who seek it shall find it
a pardon for all who believe.
Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind

To all who've been born of the Spirit
and who share incarnation with him;
who belong to eternity, stranded in time,
and weary of struggling with sin.
Forget not the hope
that's before you,
and never stop counting the cost.
Remember the hopelessness when you were lost?

love,

m

Our concluding Awesome August worship service with David Platt was an incredible God moment in the life of our church.  You are welcome to listen the message or even watch it,but I don't think you will come close to experiencing what God did in our midst.  Don't let that discourage you from listening to the message, you will still be richly blessed!

With his boyish charm early in the message David Platt acknowledged that he does not have a clue what he is doing as a Pastor (With a huge grin, he asked us not to to let his church know that he is clueless), he acknowledged that he is desperate for God to accomplish anything and everything.  That was the main point of his message, he is desperate for God's presence...that God is not impressed, nor does HE need us or our resources, our programs, our events, anything we have...BUT WE DESPERATELY NEED HIM.  We desperately need God's presence, God's power...we are desperate for HIM...HE does NOT need us.  His message flowed from Exodus 33 where Moses pleads for God's presence and he pleads to see God's glory.

David challenged the congregation to acknowledge our absolute desperation on God and many did.  Then the God moment came...our Pastor called the Bellevue staff to the alter and he asked us if our hearts did not resonate with David when he said that he did not know what he was doing as Pastor...from my eye gate it looked like everyone of us acknowledged our inadequacy, our inability to do what God has called us to do...and we acknowledged our desperation on God.  He led us in singing "Holy Spirit you are welcome in this place."  He called the Deacons to the alter and repeated the same steps, then he called all our our Bible Fellowship teachers and committee members and repeated the steps again.  Finally he led the congregation and God came down...we concluded by singing the Mercy Me song, "This is the air I Breathe."  It was beautiful to have our Pastor and staff  publicly humble ourselves and acknowledge that we are clueless without  God's guidance, leadership, direction and wisdom...it was a beautiful thing!

Mark...that's nice, but what does it have to do with our daily reading?  Thank you for asking:)  Yesterday Paul asked the question at the end of verse 16...it is so easy to read over without noticing...Paul asks, "who is adequate for these things?"

Paul answers that question in our reading today.  Our adequacy is not from ourselves...IT IS FROM GOD, WHO MADE US ADEQUATE!

2 Co 3:5-6  Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 

This is really good news for God's children!  It is God who makes us adequate, it is God who made us adequate...it is God who will complete the good work HE began in each of HIS children...praise God.  Consider Matt 4:19, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  What were the disciples responsible to do?  What are we responsible to do?  What is our part?  FOLLOW JESUS!  What does Jesus say about HIS sheep in John 10:27, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Our job is to follow Jesus, pursue HIM, chase HIM, delight in HIM, long for HIM, be DESPERATE FOR HIM and HE will MAKE US ADEQUATE FOR THE MINISTRY HE CALLS US TO AND HE WILL MAKE US TO BE FISHERS OF MEN.

2 Co 3:16-18  Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.  

One Pastor said of this verse that Beholding is Becoming, becoming like Jesus.  You could also say that in our beholding HIM we are being filled, filled with HIM!

When you and I come to HIM empty and devoid of ourselves, when we come broken, humble, contrite in and of ourselves...desperate for HIM...then HE fills us with HIS PRESENCE, HE FILLS US WITH HIS POWER, PRESENCE, GRACE, LIFE, PEACE AND "this treasure [is given] in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us (2 Cor 4:7).  

Do you remember when Mary broke the vessel and poured the costly perfume on Jesus, anointing his body?  Not only did the fragrance fill the room, but the fragrance followed HIM everywhere HE went until HIS death.

If we are not broken and desperate for Jesus all people will smell is your flesh and my flesh.  When you and I are broken and spilled out HIS glory is shown through us and HIS fragrance surrounds us and fills the air we breath. 

Yesterday we zeroed in on the fact that as HIS children when we stand on, live by, and live like we really believe HIS precious promises...understanding that in Jesus every promise is YES...this brings glory to God!  If you will, God's glory is diffused through us as we walk and live by faith on the promises of HIS Word...trusting and obeying! 

Today Paul points to the fragrance of knowing HIM, the fragrance of knowing Jesus that is diffused through us!

2 Cor 2:14-17  Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

Let this sink in...TO GOD WE ARE THE FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST!  How can this be?  Because of the triumph we have in Christ.  Isaiah put it this way in Isa 61:10, I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness.  Not only has HE clothed us with the garments of salvation and covered us with the robe of righteousness..."HE chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love (Eph 1:4)  If that was not enough...God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8).

As HIS children, IF we will receive this by faith and cry out in desperation for HIM to live in and through us...walking in the Spirit, filled with the Spirit of Holiness...Christ in us the hope of glory...HE will THROUGH US diffuse the fragrance of Jesus Christ everywhere we go!

Gen 8:21 And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

Php 4:18  Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.

If you have ever smelled rotting flesh you know that the smell is strong enough to make you sick to your stomach...right?  If that is true...and it is, then we should not be surprised when we see violent reactions from people to the fragrance of Christ in us.  Actually, if we don't receive some reaction from people then we must ask the painful question...IS MY LIFE emitting the FRAGRANCE OF HIM, JESUS or the fragrance of the world?

If you have ever done any kind of door to door evangelism you have probably had at least a few doors slammed in your face...I know I have.  Think about it...if you opened your front door and the person standing there smelled like rotting flesh you would slam your door too!

On the other hand this explains how two followers of Jesus can meet in a grocery store and experience wonderful fellowship after knowing each other for only a few moments...WHY?  You are the fragrance of life leading to life to each other.

One last thought...through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.  You will notice that the fragrance diffused through us is the knowledge of HIM or HIS knowledge!  HIS knowledge is HIS gospel...it is the Good News that there is freedom from sin, death and Satan in Christ alone.  It is a love and a life to be received by faith and then given away to whosoever will receive.  The point is we must share the knowledge, we must share the gospel of Jesus Christ for IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION!

My burn, my passion is to be like Paul and to understand that the priority of my life is to know HIM and make HIM known.  Oh, to be able to say with Paul..."More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ."

Father in heaven,

In the precious name of Jesus Christ show YOUR glory through us, diffuse the fragrance of Christ through YOUR children...please Father,complete the good work YOU began for YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU!

love,

m

I am perpetually awestruck with the freshness of God's Holy Word!  I have been a diligent student of the scriptures since 1993, I have been reading through the One Year Bible for 8 or 9 years now in addition to other studies in God's Word, not to mention preparing to teach every week and I am continually pleasantly and delightfully stunned with the precious jewels that HE gives daily.  You might be wondering if I get something EVERY DAY...the answer is NO!  However, that is my fault.  The mornings that I come to HIM and I am only going through the motions of a quite time, the mornings that I have unconfessed sin in my life, the mornings where I come filled with anxiety and worry about circumstances...all of those block and hinder me hearing and receiving that which is more precious than any treasure!  As I read Job 23:12, I had to ask myself do I really treasure HIS Word more than my necessary food?   “I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. 

On the other hand when I cry out to HIM and cry aloud for the filling of the Holy Spirit and seek with all my heart to treasure HIS Word in my heart and to joyfully and expectantly receive HIS words And treasure HIS commandments within...when I acknowledge my desperate need for HIM for life, breath, understanding...EVERYTHING...WHEN I treasure HIS  commandments within my heart above all else.  [I can only do this as HIS spirit enables me]  When I come with that heart attitude...HE reveals some of who HE is, like HE did for Job, Moses, Isaiah, Elijah, Paul and John...HE reveals some of HIS glory!  What does John teach us in John 14:21?  "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”  and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”  and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”  and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”  and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”  and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”  HE DOES NOT SAY I MIGHT...THE GREAT I AM SAYS I WILL!

All of that to say that in reading 2 Cor 1:20-22 I am always amazed that EVERY PROMISE IN HIM ARE YES, AND IN HIM AMEN...THAT IS HUGE...RIGHT, RIGHT...IT IS HUGE...but it is so big that I have never really noticed that every promise is yes in HIM TO THE GLORY OF GOD THROUGH US...TO THE GLORY OF GOD...THROUGH US...EVERY PROMISE IS YES FOR THE PURPOSE OF BRINGING GLORY TO GOD THROUGH YOU AND ME!  The purpose is always God's glory!  Listen carefully...our confidence and hope in HIM fulfilling EVERY PROMISE IN HIM TO US is that HIS NAME IS AT STAKE!  HIS HONOR AND GLORY ARE ON THE LINE...YOU KNOW THAT HE WILL COME THROUGH.  THE GREAT I AM SAYS I WILL!

2 Cor 1:20-22  For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

1:21-22. Those who speak the “Amen” in response to the gospel message experience firmness and security in Christ. At the moment of belief God anoints each believer with the Holy Spirit so that like Christ (Christos means “the Anointed One”), he may glorify God by his life (cf. Matt. 5:16). John wrote that believers receive this anointing from God (1 John 2:20, 27). It is a pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the believer, reminiscent of the anointing of priests with oil.

A further consequence of the Spirit’s presence is the seal of ownership (cf. Eph. 1:13-14) which also is accomplished at the moment of faith. A seal on a document in New Testament times identified it and indicated its owner, who would “protect” it. So too, in salvation, the Holy Spirit, like a seal, confirms that Christians are identified with Christ and are God’s property, protected by Him (cf. 1 Cor. 6:19-20). It was probably this thought that caused Paul to describe himself as a slave of Christ (Rom. 1:1; Phil. 1:1).

A third work of the Spirit at salvation is His confirmation that what God has begun He will complete. Present redemption is only a foretaste of what eternity holds (cf. Rom. 8:23), and the presence of His Spirit in our hearts (cf. Rom. 5:5; 2 Cor. 5:5) is like a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. These last seven words are a translation of one Greek word arrabona, a down payment which obligates the payer to make further payments. The same Greek word is used again in 5:5 and Ephesians 1:14 (cf. “the firstfruits of the Spirit,” Rom. 8:23).  Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2:557). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

1 Co 10:31  Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Mt 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Every promise is YES through Jesus FOR GOD'S GLORY through US...as we our filled with HIS Holy Spirit we will give this testimony with our lips and our lives...as we continue the faith walk we continually receive confirmation from the Spirit that we belong to HIM and we know in our knower that HE will complete that good work that HE began in us...FOR GOD'S GLORY THROUGH US!

Father in heaven,

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

love,

m

I'm thinking Blimpie sandwich right now...no I'm not hungry, I'm thinking this is a beautiful thing.  It is so cool to see, as we continue our journey through the One Year Bible, how God arranged the scriptures from the OT and NT to constantly compliment one another AS THEY, HIS WORD, DISPLAYS HIS GLORY!

I have refrained from pointing out many of these precious jewels because the blog etiquette police have been after me to follow proper blog etiquette or suffer the consequences:(  Scary!

In our NT reading this morning it is impossible to read about the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation and not think of Job!  Consider the millions of followers of Christ that have been comforted by Job.  Why would people be comforted by Job, by a guy who lost everything, a guy who found himself covered with boils from head to toe, and to top it all off his friends came and dumped on him for what must have felt like an eternity to Job.  His children are dead, his wife tells him to curse God and die...how does Job respond in the midst of incredible pain, agony and suffering?  In Job 2:10 he says to his wife, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips."  If you back up a few verses to Job 1:22 you will read "In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong ESV."

I am sure you have heard it said that people can endure almost anything if they understand the reason for it, if it makes sense...if there is a noble purpose, something much larger than themselves at stake...like soldiers suffering and enduring great hardship in the fight for freedom.  But as far as we know Job was never told why!  We never see God explain HIMSELF to Job!  We do see God blast Job with questions that Job cannot begin to answer.  However, Job received incredible comfort, unimaginable comfort, unspeakable hope and joy from God...HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT MARK?  Great question...meet me on the other side of 2 Cor 1:3-7:)  Don't be in a hurry, take your time and listen!

2 Cor 1:3-7  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 6 Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.

Alright you all hang with me, you are about to witness my A.D.D. in action:)

Do you remember in Genesis 45:13 where Joseph says "you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.”  Why would Joseph say that?  Why "must" they tell his father of his glory?  Was he trying to be a showoff?  NO...he knew that it would give his father HOPE, COMFORT and ENCOURAGEMENT!

On HIS way to the Cross, why would Jesus pray in HIS high priestly prayer in John 17:24  “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me ma

OK...I think that my A.D.D moment is over.  How did Job receive unspeakable hope, joy and comfort from God?  What happened to Job?  Let's let Job say it, (42:5-6) “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. 6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”

Personally I believe that Job saw Jesus in HIS glory...Paul witnessed the glory of Jesus on the road to Damascus...he was radically changed.  Peter, James and John witnessed HIS glory...radically changed!

What did they see that transformed them?  What did they see that enabled them to endure anything...anything by FAITH...WHAT DID THEY SEE?  EACH ONE SAW JESUS!  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.

Behold HIS face, behold HIS glory and you will be able to say with the Apostle Paul "for momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison."  2 Cor 4:17

NOW don't forget where we started...the comfort we receive when we look on the face of Jesus, the joy and hope we receive when we behold HIS glory are designed to flow through us to those HE places in our path...we are infinitely blessed "to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

Father in heaven,

For YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU grant us eyes to see and ears to hear YOU...transform us from the inside out...fill us Father with YOUR precious Holy Spirit.

love,

m

PROBLEMS IN CORINTH

A problem with unity (1–4. How do Christians preserve the unity of the church in spite of divisive issues and party spirit?

A problem with sin (5–6. How do Christians preserve the purity of the church when members choose to sin? How do we relate to sinning brothers and sisters? How do we relate to non–Christians whose lives are characterized by habitual sin?

A problem with divorce (7. Is it more spiritual to divorce than remain married? What if one’s spouse deserts him or her?

A problem with disputes over doctrine (8–10. How do we deal with doctrinal differences in the church? Is there a way to resolve them? Can we live in harmony with people who differ from us doctrinally?

Problems with women and worship (11. What is the place of women in church meetings? What is the significance of the Lord’s Supper?

Problems with spirituality (12–14. What is true spirituality? How does spirituality relate to spiritual gifts? What is the role of the gift of tongues in church meetings?

Problems with resurrection (15. How important is resurrection in Christianity? What will our resurrection be like?

It is amazing, Paul has beat on this poor church for 16 chapters...I am sure they suffered some kind of post traumatic abuse syndrome...too bad they did not have a support group for them to attend.  Then Paul has the audacity to encourage them by saying in  1 Cor 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."  Paul follows that exhortation with this string of encouraging words in 16:13-14, "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love."

I hope you were able to detect my sarcasm!  You may be thinking that I should not be sarcastic...I will only say that I believe it is an often overlooked spiritual gift:)  If you disagree...consider Elijah at Mount Carmel or God's line of questions for Job...I'm sorry, but there is some sarcasm in both passages:)

Back to the point...actually what Paul did for the church in Corinth was incredibly loving!  It would not be politically correct today, but it is and was loving!

If you ask my boys (9 & 7), what would it mean if your Daddy did not spank you and discipline you?  They will tell you that it means that he does not love us.  I was excited on the day when they understood that truth.  I did not say that they liked it, but they understood it as we looked at Proverbs 13:24, "He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently."

There are many times where Paul takes an unpopular stand for the truth.  He teaches us in Ephesians 4:15, that we are to speak the truth, but we are to speak the truth in love..."but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ."  I have witnessed the truth being used as a club...I have witnessed husbands and wives beating each other with God's words.  You have to know that HE is grieved to watch HIS precious Word being abused to hurt one of HIS own!

You may recall Paul's words in Gal 4:16, where he asks the Galatians, "have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?" 

Let me bring this close to home...I may step on your toes and I know I will step on my own.  How should I say this?  Every child of God has a responsibility to his/her brothers and sisters in the Lord.  Those in leadership roles especially have a responsibility to God's children, but let me say again, every child of God has a responsibility to his/her brothers and sisters in the Lord.

So often after a brother or sister falls into sin you will hear someone say "I knew that he would do that, I knew that was going to happen to him, you could see it coming."  When I hear that I burn with anger and want to scream at the top of my lungs and say..."YOU KNEW, YOU KNEW...THEN FOR GOD'S SAKE WHY DIDN'T YOU DO SOMETHING, WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP HIM?  YOU ARE LIABLE!  You may respond to me, but Mark, I know him, he would not have listened.  THAT DOES NOT EXCUSE YOU FROM DELIVERING THE MESSAGE!  WHAT DID GOD SAY TO EZEKIEL?

Ezekiel 3:16-21 After seven days the Lord gave me a message. He said, 17 “Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from me, warn people immediately. 18 If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths. 19 If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me.

20 “If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. 21 But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.”

Father in heaven,

We come to YOU in the name of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHIRST, JESUS YOU ARE THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE...enable us, YOUR children by the filling of your Holy Spirit to speak the truth in love, enable us to understand that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Father, use us so then, while we have opportunity, that we will do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

Accomplish this for YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU!

love,

m

You may remember from our reading in January in Genesis 2:7 where we learn that "the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."  We see Paul use the same phrase in our reading in 1 Cor 15:45 where he references the OT by saying..."And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit."  Two verses later he tells us that "The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven."

Not only did God breath into Adam and breathe into us the breath of life HE did something much more amazing!  We learn in Gen 1:26 that "God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  In 1 Co 15:49 Paul points out that in the same way that we bear Adams image that have been born from above will bear the image of Jesus..."And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man."

We are blessed to hear a similar theme from Paul in 2 Co 3:16-18, "Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

So those of us that claim to be children of God are HIS image bearers!  We bear the image of God, we wear the image of God, we are to be Christ incarnate, we are to be Jesus...Christ in us the hope of glory to a dark and dying World.  THE MAIN THING IN LIFE IS TO KNOW HIM AND MAKE HIM KNOWN!

MY QUESTION FOR ME IS...[YOU CAN ASK YOURSELF IF YOU LIKE] HOW DO I WEAR HIS IMAGE TO THIS WORLD?

Let me close with a story that Ravi Zacharisa used in his book Can Man Live without God?

There is a magnificent story in Marie Chapian’s book Of Whom the World Was Not Worthy. The book told of the sufferings of the true church in Yugoslavia where so much wrong has been perpetrated by the politicized ecclesiastical hierarchy. That which has gone on in the name of Christ for the enriching and empowering of corrupt church officials has been a terrible affront to decency.

One day an evangelist by the name of Jakov arrived in a certain village. He commiserated with an elderly man named Cimmerman on the tragedies he had experienced and talked to him of the love of Christ. Cimmerman abruptly interrupted Jakov and told him that he wished to have nothing to do with Christianity. He reminded Jakov of the dreadful history of the church in his town, a history replete with plundering, exploiting, and indeed with killing innocent people. “My own nephew was killed by them,” he said and angrily rebuffed any effort on Jakov’s part to talk about Christ. “They wear those elaborate coats and caps and crosses,” he said, “signifying a heavenly commission, but their evil designs and lives I cannot ignore.”

Jakov, looking for an occasion to get Cimmerman to change his line of thinking, said, “Cimmerman, can I ask you a question? Suppose I were to steal your coat, put it on, and break into a bank. Suppose further that the police sighted me running in the distance but could not catch up with me. One clue, however, put them onto your track; they recognized your coat. What would you say to them if they came to your house and accused you of breaking into the bank?”

“I would deny it,” said Cimmerman.

“‘Ah, but we saw your coat,’ they would say,” retorted Jakov. This analogy quite annoyed Cimmerman, who ordered Jakov to leave his home.

Jakov continued to return to the village periodically just to befriend Cimmerman, encourage him, and share the love of Christ, with him. Finally one day Cimmerman asked, “How does one become a Christian?” and Jakov taught him the simple steps of repentance for sin and of trust in the work of Jesus Christ and gently pointed him to the Shepherd of his soul. Cimmerman bent his knee on the soil with his head bowed and surrendered his life to Christ. As he rose to his feet, wiping his tears, he embraced Jakov and said, “Thank you for being in my life.” And then he pointed to the heavens and whispered, “You wear His coat very well.”

Ravi Zacharias, Can Man Live Without God, (Word Publ., Dallas: 1994), pp. 101-102

I am not aware of a more concise presentation of the gospel in all of God's Word...it might be there I simply can't think of one.  Paul states it very clearly and succinctly in  1 Cor 15:3-4 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 

What does Paul mean according to the scriptures?  There are countless verses that could be shared, let's start with two...Psalm 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.  Hosea 6:2 After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.

15:1–4 The gospel in a nutshell. Paul reviewed the basic gospel message, which is the historical fact of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, the “wonderful message” on which our faith is built. Christ was not a martyr dying for his faith, but a Savior dying for our sins. He did not say, “I am finished,” but “It is finished.”

All three persons of the Trinity were instrumental in bringing about Christ’s death and resurrection [actually the whole plan of redemption that began before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4)]:

• the Father (see John 3:16; Acts 2:24)  [the Father sent the Son]

• the Son (see John 10:11, 18)  [the Son, our good shepherd willingly laid down HIS life for the sheep]

• the Holy Spirit (see Rom. 1:4; Heb. 9:14)  [this is declared and confirmed in our hearts by the Spirit of Holiness]

15:5–11 “He’s alive, and here’s the proof!” Paul cited two proofs for Christ’s resurrection:

• His many postresurrection appearances of which Paul listed six, including his appearance to him (15:5–8)

• The amazing fact of Paul’s own salvation (15:8–11)  Willmington, H. L. (1997). Willmington's Bible handbook (686). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

Consider that we were dead in our sins and trespasses, we were in darkness, in the shadow of death, spiritually dead to God!  In 15:8 Paul explains in what sense: that he is as inferior to the rest of the apostles as one "abnormally born" or "untimely birth"  (forgive me, this is graphic) as an immature birth comes short of a mature one, and is no more worthy of the name of an apostle than an abortion is of the name of a child.   

Again, forgive me, but Paul is saying that he was like a still born baby, an aborted baby and then he beautifully points to the magnificent and glorious grace of Jesus Christ that makes us alive in Christ and alive to God...Jesus alone wakes the dead and gives life, hope and joy unspeakable.  How does Paul put it?  We see it in 1 Co 15:9-10 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

In Eph 2:8-10 Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit teaches us..."For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

John 11:43  When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.”

Jesus called Lazarus and woke a dead man...our Pastor recently said that if Jesus had not specified Lazarus and had just said "come forth" every person buried there would have come forth...what a sight that would have been:)

Jesus is calling...come forth, come to Jesus, come to Jesus...do you hear HIS voice?  Cry out for eyes to see and ears to hear!

love,

m

As you know or will see the question is not, are you a refugee?  The question is what kind of refugee are you?

Palm 37:39-40 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. 40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

Though I am still very young...47, I have lived long enough to walk and live through some deep water...through trials, afflictions, temptations, storms...some of the storms I tried to ride out on my own...(those that hit before 1992-1993) and many I have run to MY ABBA, my heavenly Father, my shelter, my shield, my refuge for protection.  Our heavenly Father has ALWAYS proven to be faithful! 

As I was reading Psalm 37 this morning the end of verse 40 caught my eye...the Lord delivers and saves BECAUSE they take refuge in HIM.  As HIS son I love the thought of running to my heavenly Father and being swallowed up in HIS embrace.  I sense this same picture when I read Isaiah 61:10, I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness...

As I read that I see the Father running to the prodigal son and wrapping the son in the BEST robe!  In Zechariah 3:4 we read, So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.”  The best robe, fine clothes for you and I is the righteousness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

If you remember the key for the prodigal was that he came to himself, he came to his senses...he confessed his sin, he repented and he returned in brokenness and humility and he was received as a son!

In Psalm. 142:5 we see the same language,  I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”  If it is true that God is our refuge (and it is) then what does that make us?  Refugees!  I remember vividly during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina the refugees that filled our gym.  It was interesting to get to know the individuals that came to us for shelter and for protection.  Many of them were filled with gratitude, but some came with demands and expectations.  I remember being surprised by the attitudes of some of those that came to us for help.

As I have reflected on that time and experience I must confess that I (Mark Gates, refugee) have come to God with a sense that I deserve something or anything.  The experience has been interesting in that the Holy Spirit has been especially gentle with me in pointing this out and bringing conviction to me over this sinful attitude in my heart.

There is a certain joy when you understand and get the fact that you and I are REFUGEES and God in HIS amazing mercy, grace and boundless love receives us when we run to HIM for shelter.  We run to HIM for shelter from the storms of life as we see in Isa. 4:5, 6   Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. 6 There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.  We run to him as our only stronghold in time of trouble Ps. 9:9  The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.  HE is our shield, HE is our place of protection Ps 91:9-10 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge— 10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. 

Like the prodigals father, who was watching and waiting for the son to return our great and mighty God is always ready Ps 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  When our Abba sees a repentant, broken and humble child seeking to come home HE runs to receive them.

love,

m

Job was "one who feared God and turned away from evil."  After you are dead and gone wouldn't it be great if that could be said about you?  I would love to so live and love God, people and life so that when I am gone that my wife, children, family and friends could say that Mark loved God, feared God and turned away from evil.  Think about it, not only was it said of Job but it was written in scripture!  Even more amazing to me is what God says about Job...in Job 1:8 God in a conversation with Satan asks, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 

Two things come to heart and mind here...in a strange way they oppose each other, I think you will understand.  How incredible is it that out of every human on the planet to be singled out by your creator!  In a million years could you and I live in a manner that would warrant our creator, our heavenly Father to say, "have you considered my servant Mark."  How cool would it be to so love God that HE would single you out.  I think of Mary in John 12:3ff.  Jesus singled her out and told Judas to leave her alone.

Jn 12:3-8 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

Mt 26:12-13  In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

You and I will never be included in the scriptures, but we can love God with the same devotion, passion and intimacy that we witness in Job and in Mary.  You and I are not second rate step children...we are HIS heirs and joint heirs with Jesus.  If we walk in the Spirit and ask and seek to be filled with the Spirit we are filled with hope "because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Rom 5:5)."

Above I mentioned two things that somewhat oppose each other...the first was to live in a manner that demonstrates a whole hearted devotion, passion, love...that demonstrates an intimate relationship with Jesus.  THE SECOND and opposing thought is I'm not sure that I want HIM to point me out to Satan!  I'm not real excited about the thought of God saying to Satan..."have you considered my servant Mark."  I'm just being transparent with you all.  Remember how it went for Peter?  Jesus tells Peter in Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat"

I don't know about you but if that is me...I am on my face crying out tell him no Jesus, please tell him NO!  Then I look up and see my Savior's face, I see the nail prints, I see HIS side...I close my eyes and cling to HIM and to HIS cross and say quietly and peacefully...not my will but thine  be done!

You have to be amazed at Job's response to losing everything, everything, including his children and in Job 1:20-22 we witness something amazing..."Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”  22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Becoming a child of God does not exempt us from pain, adversity and suffering in this world...to the contrary it guarantees it!  What does Jesus teach us in John 16:33?  “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  HE does not say you might have trouble or you could have trouble..."you have tribulation." 

We love to talk about being heirs of God and joint heirs of Jesus, but we often leave the rest of the verse off...DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT IT SAYS?  IT MIGHT surprise you...."and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.  What in the world do we do with 2 Tim 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

Jer 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 

Father in heaven,

Enable me, enable us by YOUR precious Holy Spirit to seek YOU with ALL OUR HEART!  Please work this in us for YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU.

love,

m

I am always saddened to hear people take Psalm 37:4 and miss...EVERYTHING, yes, everything!  So often you hear people think OK Lord I will delight in you and you will fulfill all the desires of my heart...I have heard it from many that I love dearly, but if that is your thought process you have missed EVERYTHING!

OK Mark, what does it mean then to "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."  Thank you for asking:)  As HIS creatures, as HIS creatures made in HIS image, when we are born again, literally born from above and HIS Spirit dwells within us and we begin to delight in HIM we begin to understand that HE IS OUR TREASURE, HE is the pearl of great value, HE is the treasure hidden in the field...HEAVEN WILL BE WONDERFUL, MARVELOUS, breathtaking and awestriking because HE is there!  It is all about Jesus!

I cannot remember where I saw it first, maybe a commentary or a sermon, but I remember the impact.  What is it?  It is simply reading 1 Corinthians 13 and every time you see the word love replace it with the name of Jesus...it goes like this.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not Jesus, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not Jesus, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not Jesus, I gain nothing. Jesus is patient and kind; Jesus does not envy or boast; HE is not arrogant or rude. HE does not insist on its own way; HE is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Jesus bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Jesus never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and Jesus abide, these three; but the greatest of these is Jesus.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in His wonderful face And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace ...

Our life is but a vapor, this world is passing away, this is not our home...we need to act like it, live like it and love like it...

If you will allow this song and video will be my closing prayer...

Why do some people have certain gifts of the Spirit, while other people have different gifts?  Is this a good thing? What is the purpose of gifts of the Spirit?  Is is possible to file a grievance if I did not receive the gift(s) that I would like to be endowed with?  As a child of God am I entitled to gifts of the Spirit and if so why can't I pick the gifts I want?

Forgive me for having a little fun here.  We witness Paul confronting a significant problem in the Corinthian church.  The Corinthians completely misunderstood spiritual gifts and their purpose. They desired the more spectacular spiritual gifts. Paul gives a basic explanation of spiritual gifts (4–11) and emphasizes that they are to be exercised in the context of the church and he uses the human body as a metaphor (12–13).  This is unpacked more fully in chapter 14.  Paul teaches that the gifts are given for the building up and the edification of the church...not individuals!

1 Co 14:3  On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.

1 Co 14:5  Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

1 Co 14:12  So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

1 Co 14:26  What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.

In the body every gift is essential (14–24). Division in the body based on the supposed superiority of one gift over another—like any divisive issue—affects the whole body’s growth and health (25–27). Though all have different gifts, each believer is an equally important member of the body of Christ (28–31).  LET ME SAY THIS AGAIN AND A LITTLE LOUDER...(YOU MAY BE THINKING ALL CAPS, OOOOH, HE MUST BE SHOUTING, YES I AM)  EACH BELIEVER is equally IMPORTANT.  It is only in our fallen nature that we have valued certain gifts over the others. 

If the Spirit of the living God determines it important enough to place the gift within the body by HIS sovereign will...IT IS IMPORTANT!  I don't believe that God wastes any energy, everything HE does has purpose.  "All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills." 1 Co 12:11  

Paul presses the point powerfully with the body metaphor...the body is a body...how ridiculous to elevate one part of the body over another...and yet we fall prey to this every day!

Father in heaven,

Enable us to experience true unity that comes only through the filling of YOUR precious Holy Spirit and as we are filled with YOUR presence enable us to celebrate the beautiful diversity of the body that YOU have created!

Please work this in the precious name of Jesus Christ.

love,

m

Olympics: the power and the glory - China leaves world awestruck

The online Times posted the above headline on August 9th, you can find it with a quick Google search.  I am not recommending that you go there I want to use this to make a simple point.  I must confess that over the past several days I have been amazed and awestruck with what Michael Phelps did in the pool in Beijing China.  I swam competitively in college and know that somehow he accomplished the impossible...I'm sorry, but he accomplished the impossible, actually Lezak accomplished the impossible in chasing down the world record holder in the 4x100 free relay.

Here is the point...I am a guy who seeks to pursue God, I long to burn after HIM with a white-hot love and passion above everything else.  I confess that I don't understand it, but I believe that this passion is a gift from my heavenly Father.  In our evening service last night we celebrated the Lord's Supper and while we waited for the bread and the juice to be distributed my eyes poured over these words...I prayerfully read and thought through part of our reading in 1 Corinthians.  I prayed, I examined, I confessed and I cried out to God as I read this passage.  The point is that I pursued HIM during the Lord's Supper last night.

1 Co 11:23-32  For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

Now I come to my reading this morning and initially I am unmoved [I HATE to confess that to you, but it is true] as I read this passage again...I read the entire reading for today and felt led here, but nothing specific...still unmoved.  Then it the conviction came...following conviction came repentance...HOW CAN MY EYES, my heart and my mind see “This cup is the new covenant in my blood...and not be BLOWN OUT OF THE WATER BY HIS RADIATING GLORY AND AWESTRIKING POWER AND MAJESTY.  THE UNSEARCHABLE GLORY, POWER AND HUMILITY MINGLED IN ONE BEING IS overwhelming, it is mind blowing, it fries all my hardware.

What Michael Phelps did is NOTHING!  I don't care who's name you stick in there any human accomplishment is nothing...NOTHING, the glory of this universe is NOTHING, NOTHING when it is compared to the GLORY OF CHRIST!

Jeremiah 31:31  “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,

Matt 26:28  for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Luke 22:20  And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

2 Corinthians 3:6  who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Jeremiah 32:40  I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.

Hebrews 13:20  Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,

NO new covenant and you and I spend eternity in eternal torment, eternal pain, suffering and anguish the likes this world has never witnessed.  The most horrific conditions on this planet will be like heaven when compared to hell...there is no hell on earth...we are clueless!

Father in heaven,

forgive me, cleanse me, create in me a pure heart, enable me to seek and pursue you with my whole heart.  Enable me to be like Able who "By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks."  By YOUR amazing grace enable me to  "greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Father...we glory in YOU and we boast in YOU and in the Cross of Christ alone...for YOUR glory and our joy in YOU!

love,

m

It has taken approximately 100 years, but the unthinkable has been accomplished by the hand of God through a few surrendered individuals that have led the Israelites.  The temple foundation was rebuilt, and then the temple; years later the city walls and gates are rebuilt and the temple services is reinstated...it is a glorious day in Jerusalem!  Will it last?

Nehemiah’s governorship of Judea lasts 12 years, after which he returns to Susa. While he is gone, the Jews gradually abandon their “binding agreement” to carefully obey God’s Law (10:28–39). When Nehemiah returns for a second term as governor of Judea, he finds that the Jews’ old enemy Tobiah has actually been provided guest quarters in the temple compound itself (13:1–9). He also learns that services at the temple have been abandoned. God’s tithes have not been paid, and the Levites who served at the temple have been forced to go back to their farms in order to survive (vv. 10–14). The people work on the Sabbath, and at Jerusalem the holy day of rest has been transformed into a market day! (vv. 15–22) Once again some men of Judah, including one of the sons of the high priest, have married foreign wives (vv. 23–31). Nehemiah vigorously corrects each abuse, calling on God to “remember” his faithful service … and the priests who defiled their office (vv. 29–30).

Thus the last of the Old Testament’s historical books ends on a note of uncertainty. If the people of God so quickly abandoned His Law in the brief absence of Nehemiah, what will happen to them in the centuries that lie ahead? Will they be ready when God’s Deliverer, from David’s line, comes?Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (321). Wheaton: Victor Books.

Were they ready?  Most of them were not!  The huge question for today is will you and I be ready?  Will we be ready as the Holy Spirit makes clear the truth of the gospel?  Will you and I respond in obedience to the truth of God's word as it falls on our ears?  What did Jesus say in Matt 12:50 “For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”  WHOEVER DOES THE FATHER'S WILL IS THE ONE WHO IS IN RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM!

Keep this in mind as we look at what Nehemiah did when he returned to Judah...he did not behave in a politically correct manner!  He certainly was not tolerant of what other believed and of their lifestyles!  What did he do?  He confronted them, cursed them, beat them and pulled out their hair and then he made them take an oath in the name of God.  That would not go over well today in our churches!

Nehemiah 13:24-31  And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. 25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin. 27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?”

28 And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me. 29 Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

30 Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; 31 and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits.

Remember me, O my God, for good.

As brothers and sisters in Christ we have a responsibility to one another to confront and challenge when we witness sin.  It is sinful for us to look the other way and say that it is not my business.  Actually, the easy thing to do is to look the other way...the unpleasant and difficult path is to confront sin in a brother or sister...we have a responsibility for one another.

Love one another!

love,

m

You may remember some striking words from our Lord in Matt 4:19...“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Now it is one thing for Jesus to say this, but quite another for one of HIS creatures to make a similar statement.  It sounds arrogant to tell others to "be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."  Paul is simply walking in obedience to his Lord.  Remember the...what's it called...Oh yea, the Great Commission?  Matt 28:18-20 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples [make what?  make followers] of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Mark why are you talking about 1 Co 11:1?  We don't read it until tomorrow.  Because it belongs at the end of chapter 10...remember the chapter and verse markers are not inspired...just helpful:) 

Think about this...this is an amazing statement..."Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."   I don't know about you, but it is humbling to think that I will say to anyone "imitate me as I imitate Christ."  That is what we are called to do!  Paul says similar things in other places and then in the last few verses below you see that it has spread to others.

1 Co 4:16  I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

Php 3:17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

Php 4:9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

1 Th 1:6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

2 Th 3:9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.

Heb 6:12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Heb 13:7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.

What does Paul tell young Timothy in 2 Tim 2:2 "what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."  Basically, Paul is instructing Timothy to imitate the life of Christ for others and then teach them to do the same.  The call is really very simple...Follow me as I follow Christ and HE will make you fishers of men, HE will make you Disciple makers too!

Our burn, our passion must be HIM and the pursuit of HIM...HE must consume us!  If we are not consumed with HIM we will be consumed with the World...it is just the way it works.  Your heart was created to worship God, to know HIM, to love HIM, to have an intimate relationship with HIM. 

Here is the command...pursue Jesus with a white-hot passion and call out to others "as you are going" to join you in the "great pursuit."

Let's pursue him together!

love,

m

I was 11 years old when Mark Spitz won 7 gold medals and set 7 world records.  I vividly remember watching his races and listening to the commentators who were in awe of the swimming superhero.  In the late 70's and early 80's I swam competitively in High School and in college and I will never forget hearing coaches saying that what Mark Spitz did could never be repeated because collegiate swimmers specialize and focus so tightly on a stroke and a distance.  

So here we are in 2008 and Michael Phelps, with the help of his relay teams, has gracefully passed every obstacle and is on track to match and possibly surpass Mark Spits single Olympics gold medal record.  The astonishing thing is at times it has looked easy for him. 

When you hear reports of a typical day in the life of Michael Phelps you being to understand.  His entire life, every moment of every day was planned out and aligned for him to be successful in these Olympic games.  EVERYTHING...his eating, sleeping, workouts, down time...everything was focused on these games and so far the strategic planning has been incredibly successful. 

Personally I believe that the 4x100 free relay had a little divine intervention.  I don't know if you saw the race, but we were not expected to win...our anchor entered the water 1 second behind the anchor for France, who just happened to be the current world record holder in the 100.  Their position changed little until there was about 30 meters to go and then Lezak closed the gap and the US won by .08 of a second.  Consider that a few days latter that the man that Lezak chased down, Bernard, and beat like a dog won the gold medal in the 100 free and Lezak tied for the bronze. 

Think what you will...I have never witnessed anything like that especially at that level of competition.

Hey Mark, I thought this was a blog about your Bible reading, not swimming in the Olympic games.  Thank you for bringing me back to the point.  In 1 Co 9:24-27 we, by Divine intervention and our heavenly Father's providential care find ourselves reading where Paul said,  "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."

Paul is making the point that the athletes of his day ran to win, they exercised self-control, they disciplined their bodies to be able to win and they do all this for a CROWN THAT IS PERISHABLE, a crown that will fade, a crown that in time will come to nothing and mean nothing!  However, you and I pursue a CROWN THAT IS IMPERISHABLE, THAT WILL NEVER PERISH OR FADE AWAY.

As I think about this, how much more should we run the Christian life to win and  by HIS grace remain sober minded, clear headed and focused on the goal, the upward call of Christ.  Like Paul in Philippians 3:12-14 we may say, "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Matt 16:26--“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 

How much more should we discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness, to pursue HIM, to run or swim in a way that we might win the crown that is imperishable.

Race to win HIM!

love,

m

Amos 8:11
“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the Lord.

Nehemiah 8 opens with an assembly of "both men and women and all who could understand what they heard" from God's Word.  Ezra read from the Word, this is amazing, "from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand."   Impressive to think that they had childcare back then:)  Please let the following words hit you full force...from daybreak until about noon "the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law."  He who has eyes to see and ears to hear let him/her listen...they listened attentively for 3-4 hours!  I must confess that I wrestle to listen passively for 30 minutes...Oh Father, Oh my God, in the name of YOUR precious Son, Jesus Christ, please grant in me a burning hunger, desire, yearning for YOU and YOUR Word above any and everything else...work this for YOUR glory and my joy in YOU. 

In verse 5-8 we see that "Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground." 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. 

Do you remember what we learned about Ezra some 40 years earlier?  Think about that...40 years!  Ezra 7:9-10 "the good hand of his God was on him"...Why was God's good hand on Ezra? "For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel."  THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A MOMENT...Ezra led a band of Israelites back to Judah some 40 years earlier...as far as we know Ezra remained faithful during this time studying, obeying and teaching God's Word with little or no impact on the people.  God sends Nehemiah to lead out in the rebuilding of the walls and gates of the city and when the project is complete we have revival and a great hunger for hearing the word of God.

This Day Is Holy

And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

I like the way the Holman Christian Standard Bible translates this passage..."because your strength comes from rejoicing in the Lord."  Let me say that apart from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit it is impossible for the child of God to rejoice, delight or do anything that our Great and Awesome God has commanded us to do, but when we cry out in absolute dependence on HIM and HIM alone HE delights to fill us and enable us to fulfill everything that HE has commanded us to do.  I especially love Isaiah 61:10 below!  Enjoy!

Ps 33:1  Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones; praise from the upright is beautiful.

Ps 35:9  Then I will rejoice in the Lord; I will delight in His deliverance.

Ps 64:10  The righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him; all the upright in heart offer praise.

Ps 104:34  May my meditation be pleasing to Him; I will rejoice in the Lord.

Isa 61:10  I greatly rejoice in the Lord, I exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a turban and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Zech 10:7  Ephraim will be like a warrior, and their hearts will be glad as if with wine. Their children will see it and be glad; their hearts will rejoice in the Lord.

Phil 3:1  Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a protection for you.

Phil 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Father in heaven,

For YOUR glory and our rejoicing in YOU complete the good work YOU began...

love,

m

Internal problems threaten to do what external enemies could not. Nehemiah learns that wealthy Jews have charged their poorer neighbors high interest rates in violation of Old Testament Law. Many are near starvation, and others have been forced to sell children as slaves to pay their debts (5:1–5). Nehemiah confronts the wealthy and gets their commitment to correct the injustice (vv. 6–13). Nehemiah himself sets an example for the rich by paying the costs of administering Judea himself, rather than exercising his right to tax his already burdened people (vv. 14–19). But Sanballat has not given up. He tries to get Nehemiah to meet him, assuming that without Nehemiah’s leadership work would cease (6:1–4). When neither invitations nor threats work (vv. 5–9), Sanballat hires a prophet to urge Nehemiah to hide, hoping the act will discredit him. Nehemiah scornfully rejects what he sees as a coward’s course (vv. 10–14). And so the wall is rebuilt—in just 52 days (vv. 15–19). With the walls complete, Nehemiah consults the census lists as a first step toward repopulating the holy city (7:1–73).  Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (317). Wheaton: Victor Books.

As a leader Nehemiah exemplifies what Peter teaches fellow elders in 1 Peter 5:1-4 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Acts 20:28 comes to mind again “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.  Nehemiah was alert, sober minded, and you could easily say that he was "on guard."  Nehemiah was prepared, by God's grace, to deal with the attacks from the outside, from the inside and from a false prophet.  Sanballat hires a prophet to give Nehemiah disinformation.  Personally I believe that Nehemiah's constant prayer life protected him from this attack.

Do you remember in 1 Kings 13 when the prophet, the man of God goes to Jeroboam and cries out judgement from God?  God does a mighty work through the man of God.  On his return trip an old prophet intercepts him and invites him to come back and eat with him...God specifically told the prophet not to do this, but the old prophet lied and said that an angel spoke to him and told him to come and dine with him.  The man of God listened to the old prophet and soon after was judged and died for his rebellion toward God (see 1 Kings 13).

Consider that the threats surrounding Nehemiah are real, very real.  He knows that there is great danger and he knows that the enemies are real.  Like us he knows that no one may touch him unless God allows, but God may allow!  So if you sense a clear and present danger and a man of God comes and offers you an out...the temptation to run would be great!  You know because God needs me to fight another day...right?  If I am dead what good am I to God?  Put yourself in a house church in China and you know that the authorities are coming and a prophet comes and gives you an escape plan...you take it right?

Each of us, each of God's children are responsible to pursue and maintain an intimate relationship with our Abba, our Father...each of us is responsible to walk in obedience to God's specific will for our lives!  You might be thinking...but it is so hard, it is so hard! 

Someone told me that confession is good for the soul and bad for the reputation...true, but only with carnal and shallow people:)  My confession is that it is hard for me only because I don't always want to do what HE want me to do...I want to do what I want to do!   We know from 2 Pe 1:3-4 that God through and by "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."

The day that you and I stand before Jesus we will be without excuse... 2 Co 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Father in heaven,

fill me with YOUR precious Holy Spirit, enable me to walk, live, breath in YOUR presence...enable me to sense YOUR SPIRIT...enable me to seek to please YOU and YOU alone.  Enable me to stand on YOUR great and precious promises and to walk in obedience to YOUR will, grant eyes to see and ears to hear YOUR voice, the voice of my shepherd, the good Shepherd who laid down HIS life for me.

for YOUR glory and my JOY in YOU!

love,

m

We should not be surprised when the world ridicules and criticizes our plans, ministries and projects.  On the contrary we should expect it and plan accordingly.  It is when we receive NO opposition that we should be afraid...afraid that we are running in the wrong direction.  Satan and the demonic forces will not oppose you if you are not a threat!

Nehemiah 4:1-3 Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. 2 And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” 3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!”

How does Nehemiah respond?  What decisive and swift action does he take?  Nehemiah is brilliant, he makes a beautiful strategic move that is impossible to counter by his opponents...HE PRAYS!  We witness some strategic wartime prayers by Nehemiah in verses 4-5.  "Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders."

Note that every time progress was made they became enraged and would launch a new attack and seek to undermine the work of God.  Every time an attack came Nehemiah cried out to God.  He looked to God first, he did not look to his resources, his defenses, his abilities...he looked to God and cried out to God for help!

Nehemiah 4:7-9  But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. 8 And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.

The thing that I love here is that they prayed and took action, they set a guard.  For the next few verses the people are harassed, filled with anxiety and complaining to Nehemiah.  Nehemiah organized the families and set the guard so that everyone working on the wall was protected.  In verses 14-21 Nehemiah encourages the people and exhorts them to remember their great and awesome God.  "And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”

The Sword and Trowel

15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. 18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” 21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.

Regardless of where the attacks come from, outside or inside, Nehemiah teaches us that our first response it to cry out to God in prayer, to call upon the only one who can answer HIS children.  Second, we listen, LISTEN, to what HE says and take action.  Spiritually we are always in war time conditions and we must be on high alert, we must "guard our hearts with all diligence" we must remain sober minded.  I love the image we get from Nehemiah here...we see families that are laborers/warriors.  They have a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other!  They are building, doing the work and they are sober minded, ready to fight in a moments notice.  We are warned in the NT over and over to be sober minded.  We have recently read in 1 Corinthians that we are co-laborers with God, builders and we will read in Ephesians to take the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God.  God's Word is the only offensive weapon we have...but keep in mind that Jesus destroys Satan upon HIS return with one spoken word or simply HIS breath...HIS WORD IS POWERFUL, REALLY, REALLY POWERFUL!

1 Pet 1:13  Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Th 5:6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.

1 Th 5:8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

2 Ti 4:5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

1 Pe 4:7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

1 Pe 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

The work is God's, HE will build HIS church and HE alone will give the increase...but for some reason it pleases HIM to invite HIS children to participate in the building project.  Therefore let us “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 (1 Chron 13:19).”   Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Father in heaven,

let it be done in your children for YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU!

love,

m

The Book of Nehemiah continues the story of the Jews who returned to Judah after the Babylonian Captivity. It takes its name from its central figure, the determined governor Nehemiah. This high official in the Persian court of Artaxerxes asked for the governorship of tiny Judah, that he might rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He arrived in Judah about 446 b.c., nearly 100 years after the first group of exiles had returned. Nehemiah awakened the enthusiasm of the Jews for the project, firmly resisted the opposition of neighboring peoples, and saw the holy city once again surrounded by the walls. In the ancient world, city walls suggested significance as well as security. With the help of Ezra, Nehemiah also enforced Old Testament laws which the community was again ignoring. After a time, Nehemiah returned to report to the king. The last chapter of the book tells us that Nehemiah returned as governor a second time, probably around 433 b.c., only to find and correct the same abuses that existed before his first term as governor.  Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (313). Wheaton: Victor Books.

You can't help but love this book!  Nehemiah reminds us of the impact a few radically surrendered individuals (Ezra, Nehemiah, see verse 2:12) can have in a community and the surrounding culture.  Nehemiah hears the report of Judah from Hanani and mourns and weeps bitterly, he is grieved to hear the condition of walls of Jerusalem.  Nehemiah must have known that two waves of exiles had returned before, it was now about 100 years since the first group had returned...you can only imagine that he expected to hear a better report.

In reading Nehemiah's response and subsequent prayer it makes me think of Paul in Athens...Remember in Acts 17:16 we are told that "while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols.  Paul had witnessed the glory of the resurrected and risen Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul had looked upon HIS magnificent beauty and awe-striking glory and he knew that people were created to delight in and enjoy and worship HIM.  As Paul enters Athens and witnesses the rampant idolatry he is thrown into convulsions as he witnesses the idolatry that is spiritually killing and destroying the idol worshipers, but even worse, glory due to God alone is being given to demons!  1 Co 10:20-21  No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.  Paul longs and burns for ALL glory to go to the one true God and he burns to bring as many of HIS image bearers into HIS presence to worship the King of kings!

Nehemiah 1:5-11 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.

As I read this I am grieved that the church in America reflects what Paul found in Athens...have we impacted the world, our culture for Christ, or has the world impacted us.  When you look at the picture of the NT church and how the disciples turned Jerusalem upside down with the teachings of Jesus in a very short time and with almost no resources, it is astonishing...it is GOD! 

It is has been well said of the church in America...never has the church done so little with so much!  The legendary story of Thomas Aquinas and Pope Innocent II comes to mind.  Aquinas surprised the Pope and came upon him while he was counting great stacks of silver and gold coins, and the Pope said, Brother, you see that Peter can no longer say, `Silver and gold have I none.'" Aquinas replied, "Quite true; and neither can he say to the lame man, `Rise and walk!'"

The problem is not that the church in America has money, the problem is that the church in American depends on money!

Ok, let's bring it closer to home...my problem is not that I have resources, tools, material possessions to help in ministry my problem is that I depend on them...I repent of this frequently, daily!

Like Nehemiah let's REPENT of our sins, acknowledge our sin before a Holy God...with confidence we may in humility remind HIM that HE has promised to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness...let's repent of the condition of our own church and cry out to God to enable us to rebuild our walls.  The really cool thing in Nehemiah is that after the walls were rebuilt God sends revival.  In chapters 1-7 we witness the restoration of the walls and in chapters 8-12 we witness revival.

Ps 85:6  Will You not Yourself revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?

OH GOD REVIVE US AGAIN THAT YOUR PEOPLE MAY REJOICE IN YOU...FOR YOUR GLORY AND OUR JOY IN YOU!

love,

m

I love to meditate on scripture where God commands his children to stand in faith, be strong, be courageous, stand strong and watch your God deliver you.  In 1 Corinthians 15:58, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Paul commands believers to..."be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." 

In 1 Corinthians 6:18 Paul shares a different kind of command...when faced with sexual temptation don't stand fast...turn and run FAST!  "Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body."  Paul gives his explanation in verses 19-20. 

1 Cor 6:19-20  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.

Two things characterize a temple. First, it is sacred as a place where God lives, and therefore it cannot be profaned with impunity. Second, the temple is not owned by man but by God. Both these things are true of the believer’s body. It is a temple because the Holy Spirit lives in it, and because it is not the believer’s own. It belongs to God. As it is a temple of the Holy Spirit, it cannot be profaned without incurring great and unique guilt. And as it belongs to God in a special way, it is not at our own disposal. It can only be used for the purposes for which he designed it.

You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

You were bought. That is, delivered by purchase. The deliverance of people from the power and condemnation of sin was not effected by power or by truth, but by a ransom. We were justly held in bondage. We were under the penalty of the law, and until that penalty was satisfied, we could not be delivered. The blood of Christ is our ransom because it met all the demands of justice.

God’s ownership of believers does not arise from creation or preservation, but from redemption. You are not your own, you were bought at a price. See Romans 6:17–18; Galatians 3:13; Acts 20:28. The price of redemption is the blood of Christ (Matthew 20:28; Romans 3:24; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18–19; and everywhere the subject is spoken of in Scripture).

Therefore. That is, because we are redeemed, and redeemed at such a price.  Honor God. That is, act so as to cause him to be honored by others.  With your body, as a temple consecrated to his worship and used only in his service.  Hodge, C. (1995). 1 Corinthians. The Crossway classic commentaries (1 Co 6:19). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.

In our journey with Jesus in the Christian life and in the maturing process at some point we understand that our material possessions do not belong to us and they are not simply for us to indulge ourselves!  Our possessions are gifts from our heavenly Father and they are to be used for HIS purposes, to advance HIS kingdom, not ours.

The same thing is true of our bodies...they are a gift from our heavenly Father, they do not belong to us and they are not simply for us to indulge ourselves! 

1 Cor 10:31  Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Pet 4:11  Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Father in heaven,

For YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU finish the good work YOU began in YOUR children!

love,

m

Ezra 9:4a Everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel...

If I may I would love to let Mercy Me speak through their song Word of God Speak...I love the words to this song. 

I am always amazed when I contemplate God and HIS freedom in and from time, the fact that HE transcends time...that HE has never had the need to look though the corridors of time because not only is HE omnipresent in space, HE is omnipresent in time...HE is the great "I AM."  Past, present and future to HIM simply is...time is part of the creation for man to exist within.  You may say, "Mark, I don't understand that."  Well, bless you, I don't understand it either, I simply know it is true!

What brought this up anyway?  It is incredible to me in Ezra and Nehemiah and other places in scripture there are long periods of silence on God's part.  Like the fact that there is almost a 60 year gap between chapters 6 and 7 in Ezra and we will see more gaps as we continue. 

I think about how impatient I am...I labor in prayer about something for a few days, a few weeks, months...maybe a few years and I think that I have done something incredible.  God is not bound by my timetable, HE owes me nothing...I owe HIM everything.

How would I do with 58 years of silence, 58 years of being faithful with the last instruction I had received and the revelation that I had?  How would you do?  I think of the culture we live in...we want everything now or yesterday.

Fifty–eight years elapse between the Passover celebration of 516 b.c. reported in chapter 6 and the events of chapter 7. In the wider empire Darius had proven to be capable, and his aggressive son Xerxes had even burned Athens before being thrown back from Europe by the Greeks. His successor, Artaxerxes, was a weaker ruler, but the massive Persian empire still dominated Syria/Palestine. But now, in little Judah the enthusiasm aroused by the completion of the temple has faded. The teachings of God’s Law are increasingly ignored, and temple worship has become routine. At this critical junction, Ezra, a descendant of Aaron and “a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses,“ arrives in Jerusalem (7:1–10). He comes with donations for the temple—and with a royal commission to appoint judges and to enforce both Old Testament and Persian law in Judah (vv. 11–26). Ezra brings with him a number of leading men from the Jewish community in Babylon (7:27–8:20).

Depending on God alone for protection, the company had set out carrying great wealth. It arrives safely in Judah with all treasures intact (8:21–30). There the new settlers offer sacrifices and deliver the king’s orders to the district governor (vv. 31–36).  Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (311). Wheaton: Victor Books.

Once again God stirs the hearts of HIS people to return to Jerusalem and once again HE gives them favor with those in power.  If you slow down and consider what Darius says in 6:7-12 you get the sense that somehow God put the fear of God in Darius in a powerful and dramatic way.  Specifically in verse 10 you get the idea that God threatened the life of Darius and his sons if they did not cooperate.

It reminds me of The Chronicles of Narnia when you hear the report and your heart leaps with excitement that "Asaln is on the move."  You are confident that it is about to get really good.  Here in Ezra God is on the move and dramatic and amazing things begin to happen. 

Ezra 8:22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.”

Ezra 7:6 this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.

Ezra 7:9 For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him.

Ezra 7:28  and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.

Why was the hand of God moving on behalf of Ezra?  I believe that we see the answer in Ezra 7:9-10...for the good hand of his God was on him. 10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.   Ezra set his heart, he determined in his heart to study, not just read...he set his heart to study and OBEY, OBEY, OBEY AND THEN TEACH.  Do you remember what James, the 1/2 brother of Jesus said?  In James 1:22-23 "be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror."

Study, obey, teach...the Word!  This is not just for Pastors, teachers, ministers...this is for every child of God...study to show yourself approved a workman rightly handing the Word of truth!

Here is the last thought...Ezra did this right?  RIGHT!  Following Ezra's return from Babylon it would be another 13 years before Nehemiah would show up to rebuild the walls.

What is the point to all this, the little history lesson is wonderful...but what does this have to do with me today?  God is the same yesterday, today and forever right?  RIGHT!  Every promise in HIM is yes and amen...right?  RIGHT!  God is faithful to stir the hearts of HIS people and richly bless those who seek HIM...Jer 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  Our purpose is to know HIM and make HIM known...to faithfully study, obey and teach HIS Word...WE ARE TO DO THIS REGARDLESS OF OUR CIRCUMSTANCES, REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG IT TAKES, REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG IT IS BEFORE WE SEE HIM MOVE IN DRAMATIC AND AMAZING WAYS. 

I go through times when I don't think HE is listening to me, I go through times when I don't want to pray and I don't want to worship...I know some of you are thinking, with a pious and holy look on your face, WELL, I NEVER!...well you should sometime:)  What do I do?  I repent and ask God to forgive me, cleans me, to create in me a pure heart, a heart that is consumed with a passion for God...a passion to know HIM and make HIM known!  The wonderful thing is that HE always receives me back into HIS arms...HE IS FAITHFUL even when I am not...THAN YOU JESUS!

The job of ministry is to build lives [Life transformation, Life Change, heart transformation, Life change from the inside out.] Construct lives that’s what we do!  Paul states it clearly in Eph 4:12...the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;  When I use the word job, I am not referring to vocational ministry, I am referring to every child of God.  The stunning thing  to me is that we, you and I, are "God's co-workers" and we are God's building.

Our goal is to create an environment that is suitable to build & equip Disciples. “Disciples are men [and women] who are called to walk with Christ, equipped to live like Christ and sent to work for Christ” (No Man Left Behind 21-22). Remember Jesus words in John 20:21..."as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”  Jesus plan was quite simple, HE called, HE equipped, HE sent!  If you think about it those guys that spent 3 years with Jesus were really no different than the others until Pentecost, until they were filled with the Holy Spirit...TRANSFORMATION FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

Much of our energy seems like it is spent on behavior modification and not calling men and women to heart and life transformation by the renewing of their minds.  Patrick Morley points this out in No Man Left Behind.

“You cannot produce worshipers by begging men to worship; yo can’t produce tithers by guilting men to give; you can’t create evangelists simply by training men to share. Men will not worship a God they do not know and revere; they won’t give to a God they don’t love; and they won’t share about a God they aren’t passionate about” (No Man Left Behind 22-23).

It is all about heart transformation...changed lives, changed by God from the inside out...it must be an inside job or all we are doing is BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION!  We can close the doors of the church and send everyone to a 12 step program for their particular vice.

1 Corinthians 3:12-14 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw- ¹³ each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ¹⁴ If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.

If this is true and it is, we must be careful how we build. The HOW, the blueprint is important. The blueprint communicates not only WHAT will be built but also HOW it will be built. Blueprints show in great detail how everything fits together.

• Col 2:6-7—Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
• 1 Pe 2:5—you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
• Eph 2:22—In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

No builder, good or bad, especially a good one will just wing it…he begins with a clear plan, a clear design…a blueprint.

Consider those that God has given you influence with...it might be one person...understand that one person was created in the image of God, understand that if that one person knows Christ then they were recreated, they are a new creature, purchased with the precious blood of our KING...that one person is an enormous trust from God. 

I don't know about you, but there are precious few people that I will entrust my children to...IF GOD HAS TRUSTED YOU WITH ONE THAT IS HUGE. 

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."

Do I have a plan for my children, do I have a plan for those God has entrusted to me...do I have a blueprint?

You all know the saying, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  The stakes are to high, we are dealing with eternity, we are dealing with heaven and hell.

1 Co 3:12-17  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

If you examine the Apostle Paul's education and pedigree he was incredibly educated, it has been said that by the age of 21 he had the equivalent of 2 Ph.D's, and when you look at Galatians 1:17, most scholars agree that Paul spent three years in the desert studying the scriptures and connecting the dots pertaining to Jesus Christ...the one he had just encountered on the road to Damascus.

With only a slight understanding of Paul's background and training it makes the opening words of  1 Corinthians 2:1-2 amazing.  Here we have the man who wrote much of the NT, brilliant scholar, and what does he say, what does he do?  "Brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."  The man who easily could have out done any of the itinerant philosophers and teachers of his day came to Corinth relying on the Spirit of God and he "determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." 

Paul’s appeal does display “wisdom,” but a hidden or secret wisdom which is beyond the reach of mankind (6–10).  In Isaiah 64:4 we read, For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him."  Apart from the Spirit of God opening the heart of man humans are left with no capacity to rightly grasp or understand reality.  We are absolutely dependent on the Spirit of God to illuminate our hearts and minds and to reveal to our understanding the things of God.

Romans 16:26  but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—

1 Cor 2:10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

Gal 1:12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Gal 3:23  But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.

Eph 3:3  how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,

Eph 3:5  which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:

We rejoice in knowing that when we come to faith in Christ our heavenly Father comes to dwell within HIS children through HIS Holy Spirit and we know and are confident that (2 Pet 1:3) "His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  However, that knowledge and revelation come as HIS children grow up in HIM by pursuing HIM through HIS Word, prayer, private and corporate worship and fellowship etc, etc...we must grow up in HIM and mature as HIS children.

1 Co 2:10-16  But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

I was aware that envy, strife, arguments revealed an immature carnal Christian, but I had not connected it to those arguments being OVER LEADERS OR TEACHERS!

1 Co 3:1-4  And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

That they are still worldly is clear from the presence of jealousy and quarrelling over teachers. Are you not acting like mere men? is lit. ‘walking according to man’ i.e. guided by secular norms. 4 When they cling exclusively to leaders, be they Paul or Apollos, he again asks, Are you not mere men? Worldliness in this instance proceeds from secular thinking about Christian ministry. 5 The citizens of Corinth reflected their secular world in evaluating people in terms of their privileges, status and wealth—Paul asks if this is not also what the Christians were doing. He uses low status terms to describe Apollos and himself as servants, through whom you came to believe. They could not claim personal credit because the Lord had assigned to each his task. 6 In an elitist Roman colony that despised manual labourers, Paul designates both Apollos and himself as gardeners with different duties. 8 The planter and the waterer have a single purpose, they are not in competition, and each will be rewarded on the basis of his own work. 9 They are God’s fellow workers, just as the Corinthians are God’s field, and God’s building. In the same way that Corinth’s magnificent buildings had the benefactor’s name inscribed on them, the Corinthians are God’s edifice. There is no such thing as ‘my converts’ and neither do Christians ‘belong’ to a particular Christian teacher or evangelist.  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.) (1 Co 3:1). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA: Inter-Varsity Press.is

It is amazing to me that we know that it is God's Spirit that reveals HIS nature and HIS ways to us, to HIS children...and yet we are so quick to cling to human teachers...everyone is looking for a hero to follow and there is but one and HIS name is Jesus Christ.  Mariah Carey was dead wrong in the closing words of her song "Hero." 

And then a hero comes along With the strength to carry on And you cast your fears aside And you know you can survive So when you feel like hope is gone Look inside you and be strong And you'll finally see the truth That a hero lies in you.

We all desperately need a hero, but you will not find him/her inside yourself and you will not find him in any human teacher or preacher...you will only find him in Jesus Christ.  O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me [RESCUE] from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Pursuing the one true HERO...Jesus Christ!

love,

m

Cyrus of Persia takes the Babylonian empire intact. One of the first things he does is to reverse the Babylonian policy of deporting conquered people from their homelands. Cyrus issues a decree permitting any Jew who wishes to do so to return to the Promised Land. The decree also permits contributions for rebuilding the Jerusalem temple (1:1–4). God moves many of the captives to return and stimulates all to give generously. Cyrus himself contributes the gold and silver utensils Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the first temple (vv. 5–11). Ezra then provides a detailed list of those who chose to return: some 42,360 Jews, who brought along 7,337 servants and singers (2:1–70). This genealogical honor role later provided the descendants of this first group to return to Judah with a historic claim both to fame and to racial purity.  Richards

Is this simply the random unfolding of history or is this the unfolding of part of the Master's plan for creating a race of redeemed people for HIS own glory and their joy?  Remember Psalm 135:6 Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.  Who stirred the spirits of those who would take Israel captive?  God did, God does!  Who stirred the spirit of Cyrus to release the people and to send them out with great wealth?  Who stirred the hearts and spirits of those Israelites to return?  After 70 years in captivity they would have been comfortable right where they were...the thought of leaving a comfortable life for one of hardship and danger would not be an easy sell unless the sovereign God of the universe was working and moving within the hearts and minds of HIS people.  Who stirred the hearts of the people in each case...God did and God does!  What do you mean God does?  HE still stirs the hearts of HIS people today.

1 Chron 5:26  So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul, king of Assyria, even the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away into exile, namely the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara and to the river of Gozan, to this day.

2 Chron 21:16  Then the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabs who bordered the Ethiopians;

2 Chron 36:22  Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia—in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah—the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,

Ezra 1:1  Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:

Ezra 1:5  Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.

Above in 2 Chronicles 36:22 we see the words "in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah."  This is pointing to Jeremiah 50:9 "For behold, I am stirring up and bringing against Babylon a gathering of great nations, from the north country. And they shall array themselves against her. From there she shall be taken. Their arrows are like a skilled warrior who does not return empty-handed."  AND Jeremiah 51:11 “Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields! The Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance for his temple.

As I read these scriptures and scriptures like them I am awed by our great and mighty God...I stand amazed that the same God who can say, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it (Isa 55:11) HE is the same God who will tell a repentant sinner, "neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more."  Isaiah also wrote of this great God and HIS word that, The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever (Isa. 40:7-8).

Why is this a big deal?  Why is this so important?  It is important because we, God's children, can have absolute confidence that HE will fulfill and keep every promise to HIS children.  We have absolute confidence that "For 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 (2 Cor 1:20).

Pursuing HIM together!

love,

m

1 Cor 1:4-10 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is, out of regard for Christ (Romans 12:1; 15:30; 2 Thessalonians 3:12). Their reverence and love for Christ, and regard for his authority as their Lord, should induce them to yield obedience to the apostle’s exhortation. It was not out of respect for Paul, but out of regard for Christ that they should obey. This makes obedience easy and elevating. Agree with one another is a phrase that occurs frequently, and the following clauses are explanatory.

That there may be no divisions among you. Literally, “schisms.” The Greek word for “schism” means (1) a tear, as in a garment (see Matthew 9:16); (2) a difference of opinion (see John 7:43); (3) alienation of feeling, or inner separation; (4) in its ecclesiastical sense, an unauthorized separation from the church. The schisms that existed in Corinth were not of the nature of hostile sects refusing communion with each other, but such as may exist in the heart of the same church, consisting of alienation of feeling and party strifes.

And that you may be perfectly united. The Greek word for “unite “ means “repair” or “mend” (as in Matthew 4:21, kjv), “restore to place,” as a dislocated limb, “render complete or perfect,” and figuratively, “restore” or “set right” those in error, or “prepare” or “make perfect.” Hence in this place the sense may be, “that you may be perfect,” as the Vulgate translates it; or, “that you may be united,” as in our translation; or, “that you may be reduced to order.” The context shows that the idea of union is what the apostle intended. They were not to be divided but united. This union was to be both in mind and in thought. The former term may refer either to the intellect or to the feelings. The latter in the New Testament always means judgment or opinion. When the words are united, the former is most naturally understood as feeling, a sense in which the word mind is often used by us. The unity that Paul desired was a union in faith and love. Considering the relationship in which Christians stand to each other as the members of Christ, dissensions among them are as inconsistent with their character as conflict between the parts of the human body.  Hodge, C. (1995). 1 Corinthians. The Crossway classic commentaries (1 Co 1:11). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.

When you think of divisions as a tearing of the body of Christ and the physical pain endured by the one torn limb from limb...it puts arguments and divisions in a new light!  God gave me a deeper understanding of unity in the body of Christ through my children.  I cannot begin to tell you, you must experience it, how it fills my heart with joy to watch my children playing well with each other...sharing, helping, encouraging, teaching, etc.  At the same moment I cannot being to communicate the anguish and emotional pain in my heart as I being home from work and call Diane and begin to hear how the boys have been fighting all day!  Instead of being able to come home and be Mr. Nice guy and fun Dad I have to be the Dad of wrath:( and discipline...no fun!  I cannot tell you how it makes your heart ache when they constantly pick at each other and argue over silly little things.  It was this experience that helped me see what joy must fill our heavenly Fathers heart when HE sees HIS children loving, sharing, helping, encouraging, teaching one another and how painful it must be to HIM to witness HIS bride being torn apart over silly arguments.  I have to think that HE views most of our arguments like we view the arguments of our children.

Ps 133:1 how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!

John 17:23  I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

Eph 4:3  being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Eph 4:13  until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Col 3:14  Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Father in heaven,

fill us with YOUR Holy Spirit and enable us to put on love and by YOUR grace preserve the unity of the Spirit that the world may know that YOU sent Jesus to seek and to save that which was lost.

for YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU.

love,

m

In our reading yesterday did you find it astounding that our Lord tolerated Manasseh's reign for 55 years?  When you consider that he (2 Ch 33:2 ) "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel."  Manasseh led Israel to do the evil acts that caused God to drive them out of the land to begin with...He did not stop there...we learn in 2 Ch 33:6 "he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.  As if that was not bad enough we see in 2 Ch 33:9 that "Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel. 

Manasseh did more evil than the nations before them!  Remember Lamentations 3:21-26 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” 25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.  26  It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Great is thy faithfulness...it is so true!  How does Yahweh respond to Manasseh when he cries out in prayer?  We see God's response in 2 Ch 33:13 "He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.

How will God respond to young Josiah?  Josiah became king at the age of 8, he began seeking God at the age of 16, within a few years began making reforms and when he heard the book of the Law read aloud, the Law written by the hand of Moses, he tore his clothes and immediately sought the Lord.

What does Yahweh have to say to Josiah?  We see it in 2 Ch 34:26-28 But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, 27 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. 28 Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place and its inhabitants.’ ” And they brought back word to the king.

How does this square with Jesus teaching in the NT?  What does Jesus say in John 14:21?  Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

One last thought...on this one a few will want to pick up stones to throw at me...in Revelation 3:20 Jesus is talking to the Church and those in the Church...this is not an evangelistic verse...read it in context please:)

The good news is that Jesus longs to reveal HIMSELF to HIS church and to those HE died for...HE longs for an intimate relationship with you and with me.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Jeremiah 29:13  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

God created you and me for a relationship with Himself and HE created you to be in relationship with others.  That is a right relationship with Himself and others.  Since the fall in the Garden of Eden all men died spiritually, we come into the world marred by original sin in desperate and absolute need of a savior...dead in our sins and trespasses.  It is only by faith in Jesus that HE makes us alive together with Christ and we receive the ability to enjoy those relationships.

Jesus saved us for a relationship with Himself and with others, HE recreated us, made us new creatures in Christ for that purpose.  Remember Matt 22:37-41, the greatest commandment,“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

In the two greatest commandments we see the heart of why HE created and recreated HIS children...to be in a loving intimate relationship with HIM and Others, the next step we find is the great commission in Matt 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The point is this...those of us who were spiritual lepers, dead men walking, in the world with no hope, dead in our sins, wandering and groping in darkness, salves of sin ARE now children of the most High God, our great God "has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust 2 Peter 1:4.  NOT ONLY are we partakers of the divine nature but we learn in 1 Peter 2:5, that "you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  If that is not enough we learn a few verses later in 1 Peter 2:9-10 that we "are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Do you see it?  It is so easy to get lost in all the stunning brilliance and glory of the gospel to lose sight of our purpose while we are here on this planet.  Our purpose is 1st and foremost to pursue and maintain an intimate relationship with our heavenly Father in and through Jesus Christ by the continual filling of the Holy Spirit.  IF WE ARE DOING THIS...THE FRUIT OF OUR INTIMATE, SWEET AND WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS is that we MUST SHARE THE GOOD NEWS AND WE MUST MAKE DISCIPLES OR WE WILL EXPLODE!  If you don't sense this at some level than something is wrong in your relationship with our Lord.  It is impossible to be rightly related to our heavenly Father and not long for others that were created in HIS image to enjoy that same relationship!

You might be thinking WHAT IN THE WORLD DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH TODAY'S READING?  GOOD QUESTION!  My answer is Psalm 25...let me encourage to read and reread Psalm 25 thinking abut your relationship with HIM...crying out to HIM for deliverance...deliverance from fear, anxiety, greed, pride, lust...you name it...anything that hinders your intimacy with HIM.  Pray this Psalm back to HIM, let it be the cry of your heart.

Father in heaven open the eyes of our hearts to understand that the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding. (Job 28:28)  Enable us to see that the man that fears the Lord, that YOU will instruct him in the way he should choose. (Psalm 25:12)  Grant us wisdom to grasp and understand that Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, Who walks in His ways. (Psalm 128:1)  Teach us Father to see clearly and to know that YOU take pleasure in those who fear YOU, Who put their hope in YOUR unfailing love. (Psalm 147:11)

Paul continues what he began in Romans 14. Practicing righteousness requires us to "walk according to love" with one another. This means we MUST STOP criticizing one another.  We are commanded not to criticize, not to tear down our brothers who are weaker in the faith, but to build them up and encourage them.  We strong ones must “bear with” the weak, this means that we carry their burdens so that we may build them up (15:1–4). We cry out to our LORD for a God-sent, God–given spirit of unity enabling us to glorify Him with one heart, one mind and one voice (5–6).  In verses 7-8 Paul again commands us to accept one another just as Christ accepted us—unconditionally—sacrificially. 

I must confess that this teaching is incredibly convicting and incredibly hard.  God have mercy on my soul for the criticisms that have flowed from my lips and the innumerable criticisms that went unspoken and yet flowed from my heart...forgive me!  John made the commands very clear in the gospel of John...“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another (John 13:34).  How are we to love one another?  The same way Jesus loved us!   What did our LORD tell us in Jeremiah 31:3 “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.  What happens when we love with an everlasting love, an unconditional love...UNCONDITIONAL, UNCONDITIONAL, UNCONDITIONAL?  He tells us in John 13:35 that this love is a witness to the world and to all men that we are disciples of Jesus, if you have love for one another. 

Just incase we missed the message earlier Jesus gives it to us two more times...John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. John 15:17 “This I command you, that you love one another.

Our God given unity will bring glory and honor to our heavenly Father.  We see the fruit of this unity in Romans 15:13...Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  The beautiful thing about this hope, joy and peace that abounds by the filling of the Holy Spirit and works unity in God's children has INCREDIBLE EVANGELISTIC POWER TO THE WORLD.  The world is watching us!  It has been well said that there are 5 gospels...Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and your life...most people will not read the first four, but THEY WILL READ YOUR LIFE.

By definition, we cannot please ourselves while we are tending to the needs of another. If the strong Christian, one like Paul (We who are strong), turns from his own needs to the needs of another, the end result is the building up of that one who is weak in faith.

The example we are to follow in all things, and especially in serving one another, is Christ. He did not come to serve himself but to serve those who were in need (Mark 10:45). Though he was rich, he became poor that through his poverty we might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9). He willingly divested himself of his rights and prerogatives as God and took upon himself the very nature of a servant (Phil. 2:5–8). Paul followed the example of Christ (1 Cor. 11:1) as he sought not his own good, “but the good of many, so that they may be saved” (1 Cor. 10:33).  Boa, K., & Kruidenier, W. (2000). Vol. 6: Romans. Holman New Testament Commentary; Holman Reference (430). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Everyone of God's children is called to ministry!  You may not be called vocationally, but YOU ARE CALLED to minister!  Paul makes a bold statement, he makes a lot of bold statements, but 1 Corinthians 11:1 stands out to me...Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.  Can you say this to your wife, your children, those that God has allowed you to influence.

I love Hebrews 13:7,  Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.

I love it and yet at one level I am constantly challenged by it...It keeps me in a place of desperation on God, crying out to God for a faith in HIM that is worth imitating.  My hope and my prayer is that on the day they plant my body in the ground, when I am dead and gone to glory, my prayer is that my wife and my children will be able to say with a clear conscience, consider the outcome of his way of life and imitate his faith!

Oh God let me finish well in YOUR eyes for YOUR glory and my JOY, HOPE AND PEACE IN YOU!

love,

m