If You Desire Kingdom Satisfaction

"As He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer,...Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him." (From Mark 8:31, 32)

Most of us are like Peter; avoid suffering at all cost.  Of course, to be otherwise would be masochistic, wouldn't it?  Jesus told Paul, "My strength is made perfect in weakness (can also be translated, "suffering").  This makes sense, because if I am strong, then the strength which the Lord Jesus Christ is Himself (Psalm 27), does not appear to be as strong, or at least it does not appear as obvious to me.  I never experienced the reality of 2 Corinthians 12:9 as I did that summer so long ago, standing beside the little casket of our son, Stephen.  The remainder of that long summer was a process of writing the reality of this Biblical Theology on my heart.  Did I enjoy it?---- no.  Did it change my life?--------- absolutely.

If Jesus had not embraced suffering, which was indigenous to Father's will, we would not be, "born of the Spirit," have our names in the, "Book of Life," or have Heaven has our Eternal Home.  But he did, and we do.  Whatever that suffering today, my friend, though it may seem small to others and even you, or though it is massive and seemingly never to end, redemption is somewhere in it all.  Jesus' great shout, "It is finished," was just some short hours later followed by, "He is not here; He is risen."  The process is not less magnificent, glorious, and victorious for you and me.  It was prophesied of our Lord Jesus so long ago, "When He sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, He will be satisfied."  Oh, if we can just, "see[] all that is accomplished," in Father's purposes, it will be said of us also, "He will be satisfied."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray for such "satisfaction.  Amen.

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Read of appeal to Obama on behalf of Pollard:   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"

If You Are Looking For a Great Prayer

"Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip." (Psalm 17:5)

Our text in the NASB is a declaration, in the NKJV, the basic translation I use, it's a prayer.  I'll take both, but, if I can so say, I prefer the prayer.  It may seem a "simple" prayer, but then, again, the greatest prayers are "simple," and this, my friend, is indeed a great prayer.  Now some of the more "mature" among us, who are always looking for some "new" and "deep" teaching, revelation, "prophetic word," may find such a prayer too simple, even unnecessary.  I find it neither.  If religious "deep" is what you desire, this probably not the place to be.

I started this journey in Jesus in a simple love for Him.  Later, at the age of 10, I responded to a call to publicly declare my surrender to Jesus in a Child Evangelism tent meeting right next to the town playground in Somerset, Pa.  Not too much later at a summer camp, I responded to the call to "full time ministry."  Over the years, I too may have looked "beyond," but discovered there is nothing in the "new" and "deep," only in the daily, "Abide in Me," a "Moment By Moment" relationship in Jesus Christ, which began as a young boy.  My favorite songs then were, "Jesus Is All the World to Me," and, "Moment by Moment."  Nothing has changed.  They are still my "song"------ and, my life's prayer.

They refer to kings as "His Grace."  So today I refer to our Lord Jesus Christ as, "His Grace."  And, it is "His Grace" Who "brought me safe thus far'," and it is "His Grace" Who "will lead me home."  And on the journey to Glory, I pray:  Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess I have no strength for the journey apart from Thee.  "Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip."  Amen.

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Read of the most shameful anti-Semitism perpatrated, from Reagan to Obama:
www.apf327.blogspot.com

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

What Are You "Reading?"

"Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider...Christ Jesus....For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb.3:1;4:12)

This quarter in Hebrews, I thought of some moments in my seminary days.  I once walked into a classroom and one of the guys said, "Oh no, here comes the Holy Spirit." Another time, a professor said, "I know whatever your response, the Bible and Jesus will always be there."  The former was a mock, the latter was a sort of, "Hmm." Whatever the "witness," it was not just my theology; it was my life's testimony.

The, "word of God," described in our text is such because, as the Bible tells us, "The Word of God," is not printed text; "The Word of God," is the Person of Jesus Christ. If people do not, "consider Christ Jesus," in reading, "the word of God," they are not "reading" the Bible, the ancient, historic, "God-Breathed," Word.  They are reading a religious book for preaching and teaching purposes, agenda, hidden or otherwise, excuses to exalt one view over another, self-described kingdoms, in short, everything but, "The Words of God."  Of course such reading does not change the Bible---------- just the person who reads without, "Consider Christ Jesus."

I encourage you today, and every day, that whatever you "do" when you read the Bible, do as our text commands, "Consider (literally, "I take note of, perceive, consider carefully, discern) Christ Jesus...."  If we do this, we will positively never go astray.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I can think of no greater command in the Bible.  Somehow I feel if I do this command, obedience to all other commands will follow.  Amen.

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Please write to the President and your Congressional Reps to free Jonathan Pollard. Read an article about him 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"

Do You, "Know the Man"-------- Everywhere, All the Time?

"Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled....But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest's....'I do not know the Man!'" (From Matthew 26)

The progression here is frightening.  They all, "forsook," Jesus when they feared for their lives.  Peter, however, gathered himself in shamefacedness, and took up the "following" of Jesus, but just in case----------------------- at a distance."  When I am, "at a distance," from Jesus, the last phrase is inevitable, "I do not know the Man!"  

A popular phrase of the present generation is "political correctness."  Now the spiritual elite among us think they could never be guilty of that, i.e., deny Jesus so as not to offend.  Yet we have all been guilty of it.  It is a subtle but very revealing fact that to speak of "God" does not nearly bring the wrath of man as does the Name of Jesus.  Speak of "God," and there may be a little tension in the setting.  Speak the Name of Jesus, though, and sectarian, fanatic, narrow-minded will be your tag.  

History, ancient and modern, is full of examples of, "Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled."  The Church in the Middle East and North Africa is an example of this.  I do not "judge" or accuse them.  But when Islam rolled over that part of the world, Christianity almost vanished among those people groups.  I do not believe it was a whole scale conversion to Islam as much as a fear for their lives.  This happened in the reign of communism in Eastern Europe and happening today in China as well as other parts of the world.  I repeat; I do not stand aloof or consider myself to be better.  Frankly, no one knows what they would do if our lives were actually threatened for total commitment to Jesus Christ.  

All I can do is determine not to, "follow[] Him at a distance...."  If I stay in Jesus, in His Words with absolutely surrender in obedience to His will, His purposes, when someone says in accusation, "This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth," instead of saying, "I do not know the Man!"  I will say, "absolutely."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I really cannot say with absolutely certainty what I will be in the future.  But I can say with absolutely certainty what You Will Be.  Amen.

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See the similarities of the "Left" in Israel, the USA, and everywhere @:

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

"Why...Rage?...Kiss the Son...."

"Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?...(Rather) Rejoice with trembling, kiss the Son...." (From Psalm 2)

The raging and plotting of the nations today is not against each other, debt ceilings, political ideologies.  The rage in man is, "against the LORD and against His Anointed," Jesus.  This is at the heart of all wars and hatred.  It would be good this day to realize this in interpersonal relationships.  The raging of people around the Believer is not against the one who follows Jesus Christ, but against Jesus Christ Himself, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you."  This is what rules the world in its hatred of you and me.  They may give other reasons, but when a man or woman is totally surrendered to Jesus Christ, the God-haters are your haters.

This may help a little today to know that, as the mobsters were want to say, "This isn't personal; it's business."  The business of, "the people [who] plot a vain thing," is to, "Let us break Their (The Godhead) bonds in pieces and cast away their cords (bondage) from us."  To the unsaved, the reign of Jesus is the reign of bondage.  To you and me, His reign is Life It/Himself.

Today, we have another opportunity to fulfill the command of our text, "Kiss the Son."  Modern translations are reluctant to write this.  Yet what a gracious invitation!

Father, in Jesus' Name, no greater invitation than to, "kiss," You.  Amen.
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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