"Your God, O Zion, For All Generation"-- The Perfect Trust

"I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.  Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save....The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.  Praise the LORD." (Fr. Ps 146, NIV)

Well, another year in this time/space world is coming to a close.  No better exhortation than to, "....praise the LORD all my life," because this is exactly what those, "who follow the Lamb wherever He goes," will be doing in Eternity, in time/space language, endless, continual, non stop praise, declaring as Paul said to the Roman Church, "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!"  Personally, I cannot imagine how we could ever find them out.

Resolve for 2012, "Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save."  Obviously they have a place in our lives, but to save?  That is for Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.  Trust, I believe, is going to be a very key word for us in the coming year; remember this and call it to mind.  Others around you and me will be trusting, "in princes, in human beings."  But while they fail to justify that trust, Jesus Christ will continue to, "save," all who put their trust in Him.  Dear friend, as this coming year unfolds, rejoice with me in, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever," Who Is, "Your God, O Zion, for all generations."

Father, in Jesus Name, Help me, I pray, to increase my trust factor for 2012.  You are so worthy of such trust.  Amen.
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Unreached People Group: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com
News, Commentary: 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

There Are "Foreigners...In Our Streets"

"Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of foreigners....Then...there will be no breaching of walls, no going into captivity, no cry of distress in our streets." 

(From Psalm 144:7 & 14, NIV)

The first part of our text is repeated in verse 11, "....rescue me from...the hands of foreigners."  A "foreigner" to me is any person who rejects Jesus Christ as, "King of kings, and Lord of lords," His Atoning Blood of His Cross, His Second Appearing.  I love them, pray for their conversion, reach out to them, and as far as it is in me, am kind to them.  They are, nonetheless, as with David, "foreigners." Many of these, "foreigners," precipitate the prayer, "deliver me and rescue me," because they are attempting to not only destroy me, but also wreak havoc in nations, and, in the case of the US, destroy Constitutional Law.  

I have posted to our "News, Commentary" Blog what may seem to some as a very controversial article.  It reveals, "distress in our streets."  It is of a highly sensitive nature only because of the humanist philosophy that a certain segment of a society is totally responsible for the ills of that society-- as in the accusation of the so-called "Occupy Wall Street" debacle-- and all others are justified in what- ever they do.  America, as all nations, is guilty of national sins.  The article is a constant reminder that unless there is national repentance, national disaster results, a disaster which cannot be reversed. 

Our text is a cry of the psalmist for personal and national deliverance from hooliganism.  The global events of the last year have revealed just how ever- growing and dangerous are these, "foreigners."  And while their evil will continue to spread, it is the responsibility of the Church of Jesus Christ to pray for men and nations, "From the deadly sword deliver me; rescue me from the hands of foreigners whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful."  

It brings the accusation of prejudice and bigotry to say that no people group is without sin, no people group is justified in sinful behavior.  Yet sin is sin; rebellion is rebellion, and the Living Triune God will deal with all those who pursue such a life style.  What 2012 will bring in the US and the global community no one knows.  What we can know, however, is that, "Jesus is Lord," and all who seek deliverance and refuge in Him will rest in His Eternal love and care.

Father, in Jesus' Name, "From the deadly sword deliver me (and our nations); rescue me (and our nations) from...foreigners whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful."  Amen.
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News, Commentary: www.apf327.blogspot.com
Unreached Peoples: www.apfunreachedpeoples.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

"Forgetting," Is Not What Most Think

"....One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Fr. Philippians 3:13, 14)

Notice in Whom is, "the upward call of God."  This wonderful, "upward call," is in none other, and in nothing other than, "in Christ Jesus." 

Our text today is a favorite of preachers this time of year.  Paul was stating his life's philosophy; whatever he had achieved by his own energy and efforts was in the past and needed to be put in the, "forgetting," file.  One must always remember, however, that our minds are like computers; they retain data entered.  As with computers, this data can be "good" and it can be "bad," and what we do with that data will affect the coming year, indeed, our coming lives.

There are things which I need to retain and things which I need to "forget."  But the word for, "forgetting," in our text is not what it may seem.  We really don't "forget" things, at least the things which have greatly affected our lives.  One of the main problems in interpersonal and international relationships is directly related to "unforgetfulness."  Yet what I can gather from the Greek word for, "forgetting," it fundamentally means "to neglect, to lose out of mind."  This, my friend, is a conscious decision, difficult though it may be. 

This coming year will be one of victory or defeat, depending on our ability and/or willingness "to lose out of mind, to neglect" all our self-willed achievements and the offenses of others.  Jesus Christ made this possible in what He finished, "in His Cross,"
    "My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought,  
    My sin, not in part but the whole,
    Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
    Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul."
Now what more or less can I do with my own past as well as the past of all those in my life?!?  "Put it behind you" is a common phrase, and this is exactly what the Holy Spirit, through the former Pharisee, is saying to you and me for the coming year.  God put our life of sin "behind" Him, and in Him we can do the same.  The thoughts will come back, some times horrible, depressing, haunting thoughts, but in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit you and I can "neglect" them and lose [them] out of mind."  

Father, in Jesus' Name, I choose to "lose out of mind, to neglect" all that is not of You in my life.  Amen.
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Read of Poland's Conversion on the "Jewish Question:" www.apf327.blogspot.com

Unreached Peoples of the Day: www.apfunreachedpeoples.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

New Year's "Commitment"

"After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, 'Alleluia!  Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!...He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.'" (Revelation 19:1, 2)

Some day the, "....blood of His servants shed by...," whomever over the many centuries of human existence will be, "....avenged on her...."  Judgment day is coming.  Maybe this is a reason so many Followers of Jesus over the centuries have not resisted those who were persecuting them.  "....All things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do."  This is true for all humanity, Believers and non believers alike.

As 2011 comes to a close and 2012 dawns upon us, there will be opportunities for those who follow Jesus Christ to walk in their belief that this world is not the end of things.  What seems like injustice now will be dealt with.  Those who wrong us, those who persecute us, those who would kill us, indeed, all the injustices of the earth are awaiting the avenging justice and power of the Living Triune God.  This should not lead to vindictiveness in those of us who follow Jesus Christ.  "Do not say, 'I will repay evil;' Wait for the LORD and He will save you" (Proverbs 20:20).  It should deliver us from any sense that unless we retaliate, unless we "get back at them," evil will go unpunished.  "'Vengeance is mine,' says the Lord, 'I will repay,'" and, "Behold, it is written before Me, I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will even repay into their bosom...." (Isaiah 65:6)

As the New Year comes, we renew our life style as expressed in Psalm 37:5, "Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I do commit my way to You, trust in You, and thank You that You, "will do it."  Amen.

Unreached People Group of the Day:  www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com
Persecuted Christians are denied asylum in the United States, while "whole Muslim communities are entering the US by the tens of thousands per month."  Read more 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