Mark's Daily Reading Journal

All of God’s precious Word is “God breathed,” is given by the inspiration of God…it is all perfect, infallible and absolutely true and right!  While it is all inspired it is not all equally inspiring!  I’m sure that that has to do with user error, meaning a problem with my heart, but reading through the genealogies and reading John 17 impacts my heart and mind in a radically different manner.

When I read in John 17:10 that Jesus prays to the Father, “All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them,” I am moved deeply and my soul is nourished.  I am stunned when I read in the same prayer that Jesus asks the Father to “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth,” and a few verses later that Jesus prays the same thing for us today, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.”  When I read these words, when I meditate on these precious promises from God’s Word, my breath is taken away, my soul soars, and my only right response is to worship my glorious King, Lord and Savior.

Equally breathtaking is Paul’s stunning portrait given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 2 Thessalonians where we see Jesus glorified in the saints.

when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ2 Thessalonians 1:10–12 (ESV) .

I hope this takes your breath away, I hope this blows your mind!  The only appropriate response to this truth is genuine Worship.  It is awe striking

that on “that day” Jesus will come “to be glorified” in HIS children and to “marveled at among all who have believed,” that is for all who have loved HIM and loved the truth of HIS Word.

Macus Rainsford wrote in Our Lord Prays for His Own, “It is in redeeming sinners Jesus is most glorified; it cost Him but a word to create the worlds, but to redeem a sinner’s soul cost Him all that He had, including His tremendous stoop from heaven’s glory to earth’s wilderness, the cross, and the curse.  It is in regenerating sinners that the Lord Jesus manifests His glory.”

In Revelation 5:9 John points to this glory by teaching us a new song that we will learn in heaven, it goes like this…”And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

I believe that all of this helps us gain an understanding of Hebrews 12:2… “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” 

What is the joy set before our LORD? It is HIS glory going on display from “that day” through all eternity “in HIS saints”.  It is the Father ultimately answering Jesus prayer in John 17:24, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” 

If you are wondering “so what?”  You might be thinking that these are nice ethereal vapors but “so what?”  Let me answer with a question and I will stop.  If you belong to HIM, if you are one of HIS own, is your daily life transformed by these truths or are you held bondage by your past?  Do you live in the light of your future or do you walk in the darkness of your past?

Walk in the light and love God and delight in genuine worship…this is what you were created to do!

Pursuing HIM together,

m

Colossians 1:13  He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

I pray that everyone is experiencing a Jesus filled beginning to 2010!  This post is primarily for my Bible Fellowship class.  We started our study in "Firm Foundations Creation to Christ," this past Sunday and I am making available the students notes and study questions for those that would like to use them.

Teachers, just so you know I do plan to pause and teach the Operation Andrew lessons beginning January 17.  I am looking forward to seeing you and your class leaders at our leadership meeting this Sunday!

Below are the student's notes and questions for the first 7 lessons.  Lesson 1 is on God's Word, lesson 2 focuses on God, after these two foundations are laid we dive into the chronological study of the scriptures.

If you have never read Tozer's works "The Knowledge of the Holy," and "Pursuit of God," let me encourage you to find them and read them!  They will provide an awesome foundation in your understanding of our awesome and mighty God!

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 01.pdf

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 02.pdf

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 03.pdf

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 04.pdf

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 05.pdf

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 06.pdf

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 07.pdf

Jonah is an amazing contrast to Mephibosheth.  Mephibosheth by most human standards lived a tragic life and yet you detect no bitterness or anger, to the contrary, he is filled with a beautiful heart attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving toward King David.  This heart attitude flowed out of a love for the King, a love that flowed because he was in awe of the Kings mercy and grace toward him for Jonathan's sake.

In Psalm 27, King David asked for “one thing.” He desired to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, to seek His face. In Luke10:41-42, Jesus told Martha that only “one thing” is necessary and that Mary had chosen the “better part.” The great Apostle Paul said, in Phil. 3:13, “one thing I do.” What do these three have in common? They were oblivious of themselves and they went hard after God, they had caught a glimpse of the Almighty and they would never be the same. 

I believe that Job finally got it as we see in Job 42:2-6 “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ 5 “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.”

Moses got it, boy did he get it...he refused to move without the presence of God and we see in Hebrews 11:24 ff.  "By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward."

What did they see that so moved them to lay aside everything and go hard after God? What did Moses, Job, Paul and Mary see, how did they see when they were surrounded by others that could not see?

There is another who could see, he has a similar heartbeat as these, less known, you might just say, down right obscure, but he is worth the effort, because I believe he helps answer the question “how did they see?”

Throughout 2 Samuel we learn of Jonathan’s crippled son Mephibosheth. David learned of Mephibosheth as he sought heirs of the household of Saul so that he could “show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake.” Mephibosheth came before David bowed down and said, “What is your servant that you take an interest in a dead dog like me?” David restored Saul’s land to Mephibosheth and he was invited to eat at the King’s table, as did the King’s sons.

Fast forward to 2 Samuel 19, the kingdom is being restored to David after the rebellion of Absalom. In verses, 24-30, through Mephibosheth I believe God reveals the heart HE desires. It may be clearer here, but it is still mysteriously hard to see. Even stranger is that once you see it clearly it can be slippery and difficult to hold on to.

We pick up in the middle of the story. In 2 Samuel 16:1-4, David and his entourage are fleeing from Absalom and Ziba meets David with supplies for his family. Ziba tells David the reason Mephibosheth stayed behind was because he thought he would receive control of the Kingdom, in response David gives Mephibosheth’s land to Ziba.

Now after Absalom dies David encounters Mephibosheth as he is returning to Jerusalem. David asked Mephibosheth why he did not go with him, Mephibosheth explained that he was deceived and then slandered by his servant Ziba. Now hearing Mephibosheth’s side of the story David is faced with two conflicting reports, so he decides to divide the land between Mephibosheth and Ziba.

I don’t know about you, but my first thought was…that’s not fair! The amazing thing is Mephibosheth’s heart toward David is revealed. His response is amazing and convicting! “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.” Mephibosheth cares nothing for his material possessions, he gladly parts with them, let Ziba “take it all.” “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.”

Here is a man who lost his father and grandfather at the age of five, at the same time he was crippled for life. He lives in fear for his life until he is found by David and invited to eat with the King. Now he is falsely accused of betraying the one he loves. His life is filled with tragedy and yet you detect no bitterness, no thought of himself, to the contrary he is oblivious of himself, he is only delighted to see the King safely home.  HIS WHOLE HEART IS TOWARD THE KING! His whole heart is focused on “one thing.”

As the Holy Spirit opened my understanding to the heart attitude of Mephibosheth I had to ask myself, would I be so quick to let Ziba take it all? I fell under heavy conviction because I saw that my first reaction is often self-preservation…I want to defend myself.

I wanted to see from God’s word how Mephibosheth came to love King David so deeply. I was hopeful that if a man could love a king with such devotion and passion that the Holy Spirit could enable me to love JESUS, my LORD and Savior even more!

There are several vital heart attitudes revealed in this passage that God the Holy Spirit USES to enable me to say, “let him take it all.” I confess that I was cowering in my spirit as I said it…it was only by the power of the Holy Spirit that I could say it, and I have to continually cry out for HIS power to walk, live and breathe in this sweet Spirit filled place… “but one thing I do.”

Here we see the essence of the heart attitude of Mephibosheth toward King David, this is how he saw the King:

1. A heart filled with awe for the King… “my lord the king is like the angel of God” v. 27
2. Absolute surrender to the will and wisdom of the King… “do whatever you think best” v. 27b
3. Amazed at the King’s grace… our “entire family deserves death…but you set your servant among those who eat at your table” v. 28
4. Understanding that we have no rights or claims… “what further rights do I have…?” v. 28
5. Profound sense of unworthiness… “What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?” (2 Sam. 9:8)

I believe that this is how David, Mary, Paul, Job, and the others saw King Jesus and this is how we will see HIM. It is through spiritual brokenness, understanding that our debt to God is infinite, we are worse than dead dogs before the King of kings.  I am slowly learning that there are many things that suck the passion and energy for God out of our spirits. In my limited experience, nothing can make me more anemic, emaciated, sickly, and weak than when I am filled with thoughts about ME! There are a number of things that can hurt our ministry for the LORD JESUS, there are many things that can render us useless in the ministry, there are many things that can leave us spiritually weak; a root causes of all of this is a lack of deep brokenness and humility. While I was rereading The Calvary Road (Hession) and Brokenness (Nancy Leigh DeMoss) I was reminded that when I feel that I deserve something better the effect is spiritual weakness and an erosion for my love of Jesus. 

“Martha was distracted with much serving.” How sad to have King Jesus in your home and to be distracted! How sad to have HIM dwell within you and me and to live distracted lives!

Praise God there are those days when circumstances may be crashing all around and yet HIS peace reigns supreme! There are those days that start out with an understanding of absolute brokenness, filled with the precious and wonderful Holy Spirit, running the race like David, Mary and Paul…pursuing “one thing!” Pursuing King Jesus!

We are all dead dogs, we have been loved, we have been placed at the King’s table, received his grace and his tender mercies. The way to avoid spiritual weakness and the loss of love is by following Mephibosheth, fixing our eyes on Jesus in admiration, yielding to His wisdom and will, constantly amazed at His grace, having no rights and saying “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.”

A dead dog,

Mark

Good morning...after several days off I am trying to get back into the swing of things.  I have to confess that there has been another huge mountain that has stopped me in my tracks...it is the thought of trying to communicate anything about God's name YHWH.  I have become overwhelmed and almost paralyzed every time I come to the foot of this breath taking mountain.  Each of the other names I have not hesitated to tackle in one blog post...but every time I tried to prayerfully look at YHWH, Yahweh...my mental and spiritual RAM overloaded and was burned up:)  So I believe our LORD, Yahweh, was trying to tell me to take several days to do this...that is what I am going to do!

YHWY is the most important name for God in the Old Testament, amazingly it is a name that many of our English versions never even translates. Whenever you see the word LORD in all capital letters, you know that it is Yahweh.  The King James version translates it this way except for four instances it is translated Jehovah, however, in Hebrew the name had four letters—YHWH, today we pronounce it as Yahweh.

Exod 6:3  And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

Ps 83:18  That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

Isa 12:2  Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Isa 26:4  Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

The Jews held this name of God in such reverence and awe that they refused to speak this name, they were fearful of accidentally taking HIS name in vain. So whenever they came to this name in their reading, they pronounced the word “adonai” which means “my lord.” Most English translations have followed the same pattern. They translate the proper name Yahweh with the word LORD in all caps.  As far as I know only the Broadman Holman Christian Standard Bible translates it Yahweh.

I don't know about you but if I share my name with someone I prefer for them to use the name I give them!  Since God has revealed HIS name to us don't you believe it would be wise of HIS children to use the name HE gave us?  If someone remembers and calls you by name after one meeting with them it makes you feel good...it is amazing how important it is to people to know their name!  Know HIS name!  Know HIS name!  Why are you making such a big deal about this Mark?  Because it impacts your faith and the faith of your children!  Psalm 9:10 Those who know Your name trust in You because You have not abandoned those who seek You, Lord.

If I may be so bold as to say that I don't believe that the English word LORD communicates to us the same way a proper name does like Mark, Diane, Zach, Kyle or Alexis. Yahweh is God’s proper name in Hebrew. The importance of it can be seen in the sheer frequency of its use. It occurs 6,828 times in the Old Testament.

Then where did the name Jehovah come from?  Great question...the name Jehovah originated from an attempt to pronounce the consonants YHWH with the vowels from the word adonai. In the oldest Hebrew texts there are no vowels. Whenever YHWH occurred in the text, the word adonai was pronounced by the Jewish people.

What does Yahweh mean? 

I believe that Exodus 3:13-15 holds the key for understanding the meaning of the name Yahweh.  God commands Moses to go to Egypt and to bring his people out of captivity.  Then Moses asked God, “If I go to the Israelites and say to them: The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ what should I tell them?”  14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.   This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the Israelites: Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever;  this is how I am to be remembered in every generation. (HCSB)

God gives three answers to the question, “What shall I tell them your name is?”  In verse 14 God says, “I AM WHO I AM.”  A few words later in 14 God says, “I AM has sent me to you.”  Finally, in verse 15 God says, “Yahweh … has sent me to you … this is my name for ever.”

Two things lead me to believe that this passage gives us an understanding of the  name Yahweh.  First, the name Yahweh and the name I AM are built out of the same Hebrew word hayah. The other is that Yahweh seems to be used here interchangeably with I AM. "I AM has sent me to you." “Yahweh … has sent me to you"  I think it would be safe to say that God’s purpose in this meeting with Moses is to reveal, as he never had before (check out Exodus 6:2), the meaning of his personal name Yahweh.

Over the next several days I prayerfully hope to behold the glory of the LORD, the glory of the great I AM, the glory of Yahweh as we gaze upon HIS magnificent name as HE has revealed it to us in HIS precious Word.  My prayer is that as we gaze upon HIS matchless name and as the Holy Spirit unfolds HIS name to our understanding our eyes will be opened to HIS goodness, grace, mercy, power, authority, presence...our eyes will be opened to Yahweh, our eyes will be opened to JESUS!

John 8:58  Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Before Abraham was, I am.” 

Ps 27:13-14 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! 14  Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

love HIM, trust HIM,

m

If you do a careful search I believe that you will find 11 men in scripture with the name Eliezer.  The name simply and profoundly means "God is my help."  In the title I listed the different ways that it could be translated from the Hebrew.  You have to go back to Gen 15:2 to find the servants name, I almost titled today's post "the unnamed servant," until I found him in chapter 15.

Ge 15:2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what can You give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 

At the end of his life Abraham is still walking in faith with God, he is still trusting God's promises and taking God at HIS Word.  Remember, Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.  By faith he sent his servant on a 500 mile journey...he did not have a Hummer.  He shared the promise with his servant and sent him on the journey.

Ge 24:7  The Lord, the God of heaven,  who took me from my father’s house and from my native land,  who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘I will give this land to your offspring ’— He will send His angel before you,  and you can take a wife for my son from there.

This promise is repeated in God's Word multiple times, you may be wondering why I am keying in on this particular promise...it is because that you and I are included in this promise spoken to Abraham thousands of years ago! 

Gal 3:16 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but and to your seed,   referring to one, who is Christ.

In our reading in Matthew you have a leper cleansed, today that would be like a person with full blown AIDS being healed.  The leper came to Jesus saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.  Reaching out His hand He touched him, saying, 'I am willing; be made clean.'"  A few verses later the Centurion comes and speaks to Jesus.

Matt 8:8-10  “Lord,” the centurion replied, “I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. But only say the word, and my servant will be cured.  9 For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command.  I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 10 Hearing this, Jesus was amazed and said to those following Him, “I assure you: I have not found anyone in Israel with so great a faith!

Eliezer, the leper and the Centurion all acted in faith, each one knew something of the character and attributes of God and acted on that knowledge.  None of them had the whole counsel of God's Word that we have today.  The promises that were true for them are true for you and I.  The primary difference is that we have the ability to constantly review and meditate on those promises.

How many times in scripture do you see Jesus amazed at a great faith?  More often it is "O ye of little faith."  I don't know if we can still amaze HIM, Jesus, with our faith since HE is omniscient and all.  I long to have a faith that would have amazed Jesus while HE was on earth in the flesh.  If you are like me, you are wondering how...how can I have a faith like that?  I believe that HE gave us the answer in Proverbs today.  I know that these words are very familiar to many of you, but please pause and meditate on them for a moment...take them with you into today.

Proverbs 3:1-6  My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commands; for they will bring you many days, a full life,   and well-being. Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.  Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.  Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.

Father in Heaven,

Again and again I acknowledge my desperation for YOU...please Father enable me by YOUR indwelling Spirit to trust you with all my heart, not to look to myself, to think about YOU in everything and then cling to the promise that YOU will faithfully direct my paths...grant me a faith that might amaze YOU, I believe, help my unbelief!  Please do this for YOUR glory and my joy.

I love you,

M

 I copied the text below from a John Piper sermon from December 23, 2001.  You may read the sermon in its entirety at http://www.desiringgod.org/  Simply search “The Word was made flesh”

As I was reading this morning in Zachariah chapter 8 and I read things like: “I am extremely jealous for Zion; I m jealous for her with great wrath 8:2.”  & “I will save my people fro the land of the east…I will bring them back…They will be my people, and I will be their faithful and righteous God 8:7–8.”  “So I have resolved again in these days to do what is good to Jerusalem and the house of Judah.  Don’t be afraid 8:15.”

I could not help but go in my spirit to John chapter 1, whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know, I know such a man, whether in the body or out of the body I do not know…God knows…JUST KIDDING…sorry

I did go there in my heart and marveled at what our triune God did in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.  What HE did demands a response!  Dr. Rogers used to say, “you are free to choose, but you must choose, you are not free not to choose.”

Five truths about the Word-Made-Flesh.

1.     He is Jesus Christ after he is made flesh: Savior and God-anointed King of all.

2.     He is God: He was with God and was God.

3.     He was called the Word: God-in-communication, God-Expressing-Himself.

4.     He is the Creator: all things were made through him, but he himself was not made.

5.     He is life and Light: the living power to see and the all-satisfying splendor to be seen.

What are the responses you might give to all this revelation about Jesus Christ, the Word-Made-Flesh?

One Response: I Do not Know Him and I Do not Receive Him

One is described in verses 10-11, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. (11) He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.” You might here this and say, “I do not know him and I do not receive him.” That is a very frightening things so say about your Maker and your Life and your Light. At the very least I plead with you, Don’t say that lightly this Christmas.

Another Response: I Know Him and I Receive Him

The other response is found in verses 12-13, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, (13) who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” This is the response I pray for this morning. Receive this great Word-Made-Flesh. Receive him as Savior and King and God and Word and Creator and Life and Light. And all that God is for you in him!

Christmas is like God sending his Son into the world to find all the Bin Ladens of the world, hiding in the caves of darkness and death. Instead of throwing flames into the caves, he first stands at the mouth of the caves and says, “Come out into the light for I have died on the cross for sinners; if you will receive me as your God and your Substitute and your Treasure, my death counts for your death and my righteousness counts as your righteousness, and you will have eternal life.”

Piper, J. (2007). Sermons from John Piper (2000-2007). Minneapolis: Desiring God.

 

 

John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. 9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ” 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.