Looking For Help?

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, even though....................." (Psalm 46:1, 2a) 

 

This Psalm declared a new, fresh, powerful victory to me today.  It was as though I could hear our Lord Jesus Christ declaring from The Throne to His Church, "'Before Abraham was, I Am" your "refuge and strength," not afar off, but right there, in you-------------------  in the eternal now!" 

 

Our text first declares Him to be, "Refuge," literally, "a shelter to flee to for protection."  The word here is translated elsewhere, "hope, trust."  Secondly, we see that The Blessed Trinity is also our "strength," from a word which means, "force, security, majesty, praise," and translated elsewhere, "boldness, loud, might, power, strength, strong."  Thirdly, The Living Triune God is our "very present help," period, but especially, "in trouble."  So if you are in "trouble" today, rejoice; you have all the refuge and strength you need in our Father, our Jesus, and Our Holy Spirit, "a very present help," literally, "an abundantly available help," right now, right there, in you, here in me-----------forever-------------- eternally. 

 

So here is my summation of our text today:  God, revealing Himself in Jesus Christ, 'Immanuel, God with us,' is a shelter to flee to for protection; He is our hope and trust.  The Blessed Trinity is our strength, our boldness, loudly declaring His faithfulness, His protection, His majesty, reminding us that He alone is our might, our power, our strong Protector, our "abundantly available [24/7] help." 

 

I am not ignoring our privilege and responsibility as His Church, to show friendship and compassion, share prayer support and try to help all we can.  But our God, Who "became flesh and dwelt among us" in Jesus Christ, is Himself the only never sleeping, indefatigable One Who can say, "'I will never (positively never) leave you nor forsake you.'  I alone Am your 'Refuge and Strength,' your Only 'Very Present, Abundantly Available Help.'"  Now I can really say, "Have a great day!"

 

Father, in Jesus' Name, day by day, moment by moment You never cease to amaze me.  Amen.

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www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com

 

 

 "Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

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Called "To Run On Errands"

"And say to Archippus,'Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.'" (Colossians 4:17)

I was in an instrumental group in high school.  We played for weddings, dances, entertainment.  One time at a rehearsal we thought it would be "entertaining" to switch instruments.  The piano player could also play the trumpet, and I had a great time on the drums.  The problem was, no one else could play the bass.  It just didn't sound right.  I wonder why?!?

Have you ever noticed in the church that something just does not "sound right" when people are doing something which others should be doing, not because they are incapable of doing it, but because it is just not their "instrument?"  Archippus "received" a "ministry."  He was commanded to, "fulfill it," i.e., what he was given "in the Lord" Jesus Christ, and not what someone else was given.  It is so sad to see how religious people have made certain "ministries" paramount, thus leaving aspiring servants of the Lord Jesus spending the rest of their lives trying to fulfill someone else's call.

The word translated, "ministry," is diakonia, from which we get the word, "deacon," which means, "attendance, servant, aid."  It is what the Interlinear Bible says is "from an obsolete, diako, (to run on errands)." Apparently it is too "obsolete."  How refreshing it would be in the Church to see attendants, servants, those who "run on errands," rather than so many aspiring to Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. 

Our Father gave you and me Himself in Jesus Christ.  And He gave you and me a service in His Kingdom and Church "to run on errands."  I can think of no higher calling.  Now----------------------------- "fulfill it."

Father, in Jesus' Name, may I aspire to nothing but "to run on [Your] errands," and be Your "aid."  Amen.
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www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com

"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2



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"Great Is the Mystery"

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

        God was manifested in the flesh,

        Justified in the Spirit,

        Seen by angels,

        Preached among the Gentiles,

        Believed on in the world,

        Received up in glory."

(1 Timothy 3:16)

 

Chambers said that the best thing Job's friends could have said to Job is, "I do not know the answer to your problem, all I can say is that God alone must know; let us go to Him."  Don't try to answer the unanswerable.  God didn't.  Wait a minute.  Do you mean to tell me there are things which God cannot answer?  Apparently there is.  When God finally responded to Job, He did not answer any of Job's questions.  And the only thing God did with the four amateur theologians was to rebuke three and ignore the fourth.  

 

I say there are questions which the Living Triune God cannot answer, not because God has "limitations," but because we do.  If we follow Jesus through the Gospels; see the foreshadows of Jesus in the Old Testament and Epistles, we see that if there is anything which you and I may come to know of the many "mysteries" referred to in the Scriptures, we discover they are revealed in "our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people." 

        "I need no other argument,

        I need no other plea,

        It is enough that Jesus died,

        And that He died for me." 

 

Father, in Jesus' Name, forgive me for so many, "I needs" in my life.  You are that.  Amen.

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"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

 

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"I Came to....Fulfill" (Jesus)

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." (Matthew 5:17, 18)

 

I think people would have far less "problems" with the Old Testament if they realized this one principle.  Jesus did not come to "destroy the Law or the Prophets."  But this is exactly what much of modern Christianity, even "evangelical" Christianity, has done.  "Oh, that's Old Testament," as though the Old Testament were something bad, condemning, and irrelevant. This attitude also fuels "replacement theology." 

 

Jesus' very Life was the fulfillment of the Old Testament.  After His resurrection, Jesus "opened their understanding" concerning "all things [which] must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms...."  Paul speaks of the "new and better covenant."  Of course it is "better," because the New is the fulfillment of the Old.

 

Don't read the Bible with religious glasses.  Otherwise you will get bored, and say with so many that it is outdated, endless lists of names, speaking of events which have no significance for you and me today.  But we will be able to come to no other conclusion if we do not see the Scriptures as "God-Breathed," i.e., the Very Breath of God.  If, however, we see the Words of God as indeed the "God-Breathed" revelation of Jesus Christ, as revelation of the very Nature of the Living Triune God, we will "drink ye all of it." 

 

"God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son...."  Okay, that's "better."

 

Father, in Jesus' Name, alert me anytime I entertain erroneous theology.  Amen.

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"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

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