"An Excellent Oil" In the Church

"Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness.  And let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it.  For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked." (Psalm 141:5)

The Hebrew word translated, "strike," means "hammer."  I'm sure you have encountered this .  The word for, "rebuke," means "to correct, to reason."  None too popular, but much needed in today's Christian Community.

I'm not too sure that most of us would really sign on to this "style" of Christianity.  Yet this is key to holiness.  I'm convinced that most of us know what are our weaknesses or outright sins------- but most do little about it.  Yet, "let the righteous...rebuke me; it shall be as an excellent oil...."  This attitude will keep me accountable in the Church, a delicate matter which can only have the Christ-centered affect if true, "righteous," people are involved.  It is a central ministry, i.e.,  service of the local church.

Okay, "it shall be as an excellent oil."  But am I prepared to receive the, "strike," the, "rebuke (of) the righteous"?  Oil is a symbol of healing in the Scriptures, and awareness, repentance, and cessation of sin is the health of the Church.  Even a cursory reading of the Gospels reveals that Jesus "struck" and "rebuked" people, and not just the religious leaders.  Commensurately, the key to a person's destiny in the Kingdom of Heaven was, and is, based on their response to the, "strike," and, "rebuke," of Jesus Christ.

You and I have a choice today.  The love of God will bring "strikers" and "rebukers" into our lives; we all need them.  The remaining question is, Will we see them as, "an excellent oil"?

Father, in Jesus' Name, "Let my head not refuse it."  Amen.
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See article on the complicity of the German Foreign Ministry before and during "The Third Reich" @:   www.apf327.blogspot.com     

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

"Voters' Guide"

"Now Jesus stood before the governor.  And the governor asked Him, saying, 'Are You the King of the Jews?'  Jesus said to him, 'It is as you say.'" (Matthew 27:11)

The Gospel accounts of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus reveal the charge of the Jews and the interest of the Roman Governor.  In fact the inscription on the Cross of Jesus reveals the problem--- "This is Jesus, King of the Jews."  The claim (and reality) that Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind, "who bore our sins in His Own Body on the tree," and, "the Blood of Jesus Christ...cleanses us from all sin," was not the concern of First Century Rome, nor is it of governments today.  Savior, Prophet, Healer, "the Good Shepherd," as far as the pagan is concerned, are just religious terms, quite innocuous for most.  But, "King," ah, now that's a very different matter.

This has always been the case with societies in general and oppressive regimes throughout history.  Religion is only a threat to the masses when that religion invades their culture, i.e., government, economics, education, etc.  Even in communist Eastern Europe most of the regimes did not care so much what went on in church buildings, but the warnings and penalties were quite severe against Followers of Jesus Christ going beyond the "prison" of the church building, especially when it came to teaching children about Jesus Christ.  And, my dear friend, this has been true in the United States of America in the past 50 years.  In 1962 and 1963, the government, with the consent of the people and passive reaction of the American church, took the prayer of Jesus and the Words of Jesus out of the state ("public") school system.  Americans who voted for such leaders who appointed such a Supreme Court which outlawed Jesus Christ and His Words, did what the communists did in Eastern Europe.  They made it illegal to teach children about Jesus Christ.  "Selah."

The coming American elections are about the same struggle as faced Pontius Pilate and the First Century Jewish Community, "Are you the King of the Jews."  American culture is asking American Followers of Jesus Christ the same question.  What will be your response?  Don't watch or listen to political ads.  Most on both sides are, frankly, ridiculous.  Vote for the political party which most closely reflects in their philosophy, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."  A statement of each party's political platform is far more valuable than some "voters' guide."  Let your "voters' guide" be the Word of God.

Father, in Jesus' Name, may my vote reflect, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews," King of the United States of America, Him Who is Alone, "King of kings, and Lord of lords."  Amen.
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See, "Vatican Reverses into a Darker Age" @  www.apf327.blogspot.com     

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

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"When the Son of Man Comes" Will He Say to Me, "You "Came to Me"?

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory." (Matthew 25:31)

"When the Son of Man comes," and, "When...He will sit on the throne of His glory," is a coming reality more sure than the sunrise.  Most of Earth's inhabitants do not want to know what follows.  It is a selection process, a selection between two types of people groups, those who, "came to Me," and those who, "did not visit Me."  Regardless of the various conditions and services which they either did or did not do, the key to what Jesus later describes as, "everlasting punishment," and, "eternal life," is who, "came to Me," and those who, "did not visit Me."  It is the, "Me," Jesus Christ, which determines the destiny of men and nations.

The vast majority of the Followers of Jesus Christ are more, "in the world," more among unbelievers than in "church," in religious meetings.  While this is lamented by far too many, it is the call of Jesus Christ, "go into all the world."  The three parables of Matthew 25 speak most wonderfully to the opportunities before us.  Those who are the Obedient of Jesus Christ have a call to embrace, yea, enjoy their station in life, that unbelieving family, unbelieving office, school, factory, that unbelieving whatever.  It is there the great life in Jesus Christ, the great teachings of Jesus Christ are most manifest, and most "enjoyed."

We by nature are pleasure seekers.  Even so called "hard workers" find in that "hard work" a pleasure which is not necessarily a, "came to Me," work.  The call of Jesus Christ to all humanity today is a test, a test to see if our work is a, "came to Me," work, or a for me work. 

Father, in Jesus' Name, wherever you are today, may I be able to say this evening that I, "came to [You]."  Amen.
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See, "Britain Elects Muslim Mayor," at: www.apf327.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2