Not "Little Tin gods" But Fellow Servants

"Now may I who am myself an elder say a word to you my fellow-elders?  I speak as one who actually saw Christ suffer, and as one who will share with you the glories that are to be unfolded to us.  I urge you then to see that your 'flock of God' is properly fed and cared for.  Accept the responsibility of looking after them willingly and not because you feel you can't get out of it, doing your work not for what you can make, but because you are really concerned for their well-being.  You should aim not at being 'little tin gods' but as examples of Christian living in the eyes of the flock committed to your charge.  And then, when the chief shepherd reveals himself, you will receive that crown of glory which cannot fade." (1 Pt. 5:1-4, J.B. Phillips)

I know of only a few pastors who read these devotionals regularly; so you might say, "Well then, what does this passage have to do with me?"  Everything.  The attitude here expressed by the preacher who introduced the Holy Spirit-Baptized Church to the world, the man to whom Our Lord Jesus gave, "keys of the Kingdom of Heaven," the man who was willing to take on the many guards who came for Jesus in the Garden, the man who walked on water and testified that he was one of the, "eyewitnesses of His Majesty," when they were, "with [Jesus] on the Holy Mountain," this man who could have pulled rank on any one of us, reveals the most humble heart of an elder/leader I have ever encountered, and I have encountered many humble leaders in the Church over my lifetime.  But it is not just a word to elders or "leaders."  It is a word expressing the heart attitude of a person totally committed to Jesus Christ, to following Jesus Christ, and obeying Jesus Christ; this is exactly who Simon Peter is. 

When I go through the Epistles of Peter, I am always impressed with his humility.  Notice, Peter does not set himself above other elders, but calls himself a, "fellow elder."  This is not the way that so many "teachers" and preachers have portrayed Peter.  It is usually some stumbling, bumbling, foot-in-mouth-diseased, crude Galilean fisherman, you know, kind of like some of us!  But I challenge you to read his Epistles.  Notice the great doctrinal passages, the great commands of the Kingdom he expressed, and his absolutely supreme love, adoration and worship of His and our, "Chief Shepherd."  Oh, how very many churchgoers are more in love with their "shepherds" than the, "Chief Shepherd," Jesus.  Of course we are to love and respect our under-shepherds, but we are commanded by the Holy Spirit to run this race, not with eyes looking to them, but, "Looking unto Jesus."  This is who Peter was; and this is who he calls us to be.  And as you and I walk in the attitude of our text, we are promised that "[we] will receive that crown of glory which cannot fade."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You so much for the Words you speak to me through Peter.  May I manifest such.  Amen.
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I have been asked to send again the info on the prayer watch which will cover my next mission, March 26-April 6.  I will send it out later today along with mission updates.

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

Key Word Left Out in Devotional Scripture Quote-Plus Mission Update

"We shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ."

We now have 06:00-09:00, 11:00, and 21:00 hours filled in the 24/7 prayer watch.  I really hope and pray to get the whole 24 hours filled.  This is arguably the most demanding mission I have ever undertaken.  I greatly need prayer as to how to order my, "manner of life;" and Psalm 143:8, "Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee."

Woody

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

"Don't Hang Up; More Information Is Needed"

"But they will have to answer to God, who judges the living and the dead." (1 Peter 4:5, CEV-- from today's reading)

This is what happens when you read through the Bible regularly and just don't pick and choose "blessing- pact" readings.  It is Biblical, "sound doctrine."  Any other "spiritual" life style is nothing but a deceptive religious life style and will neither sustain a person in this life nor prepare a person for the life to come.  The reality of our text has been waking me up at nights, praying for the lost------------- and myself.

First, less you be depressed now, I give you the truth of one of the great hymns in Church Tradition:
"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!"
This, "sound doctrine," is great comfort for you and me as we look at one of the scariest passages in Holy Writ.  Our "sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and [we] bear it no more." 

The very sobering truth of Scripture is that every human walking the planet, and whoever walked the planet, will someday, "have to answer to God."  Like it or not, the preaching of this text and similar texts was at the heart of the Great Revivals of American History.  The early revivalists such as Jonathan Edwards, John and Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, and later, Charles Finney and Dwight Moody, understood what Historic Christianity continually affirmed to humanity, we all, "will have to answer to God."

The Bible teaches that there are at least two judgments:
1. "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." (Revelation 20:11, 12)
2. "But why do you judge your brother?  Or why do you show contempt for your brother?  For we shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ." (Romans 14:10)
All of humanity will appear at one of these judgments, the Christ-rejector before The, "Great White Throne," and the Believer, "before the judgment seat of Christ."  The reality of this should, "teach[] us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." (Titus 2:12)

The hymn quoted above is the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ.  This is what Paul describes as, "the power of God."  No one else could or can do this for me.  It is Jesus Christ Alone, in His Precious Blood of His Cross, Who is able to, as Jude says, "keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy."

And I now add Jude's closing benediction, "To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.  Amen."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I can only add my, "Amen." 

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

"Grow Thereby"

"Therefore laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby...." (1 Peter 2:1, 2)

From time to time I peruse Christian Television just to see where Christendom is and where it is heading.  Last evening I must have come across at least 5 networks who were, in a high intensity atmosphere, attempting to raise money.  They all use "seed" and "harvest" talk.  In other words, if you just invest your "seed" in us, you will reap a great "harvest." 

In a more general sense, I am convinced that much of modern Christendom is an attempt to bring God to man rather than take man to God.  There is a difference.  When we attempt to bring God to us, we are the ones who set the standards, the requirements, define the "needs," what is "compassionate love," get God to do all we ask with just the right "positive faith."  It all is a Christian version of "I'm OK, You're OK."  You may recall this phrase from the 1960s, an era of widespread rejection of Historic Christianity.  It is a phrase which is based on a self help book by a psychiatrist published in 1967.  It is estimated to have sold over 15,000,000 copies and translated in over 12 languages.  The concept is based upon "Transactional Analysis as a major innovation addressing the slow process and limited results that [the writer] and other psychiatric practitioners believed was characteristic of conventional psychiatry" (Wikipedia).  We could just as easily say, "The concept is a rejection of the Biblical, Christ-centered process which seems to be slow and has limited results which Pop Christianity is tired of and attempts to sell a different, more-rapid- results 'Christianity.'"  This is an attempt to bring some god-like creature to man, but who and whatever that may be, it is not Jesus Christ, "Emmanuel, God with us."

In contrast, when we bring people to God, we come as the hymn writer said, "Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to Thy Cross I cling."  It is not cliche to say, "We come to Jesus Christ as a blank check."  Jesus does not bring us to Himself to bless our messed up lives, i.e., take our mistakes and wave a magic wand over them to keep what we really want, just make it work better, with none of the pain of self inflicted sin.  The Cross dealt with sin and its effect, the separation from God, the endless empty wandering through life, and ultimately the Judgment.  "Born again," the New Birth, which brings us into the Godhead, just as physical birth, occurs in a moment.  "....The pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby," however, is a lifetime walk in Jesus Christ, "as newborn babes, desir[ing] the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby."  It may seem a slow and limited process, but it is His process. 

Father, in Jesus' Name, keep me in this most deceptive hour.  Thank You.  Amen.

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

"But As For Me...."

"But as for me, I will look to the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch; I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me." (Micah 7:7, Amplified)

The situation in Micah's day was one of betrayal.  He said, "The godly man has perished from the earth, and there is none upright among men."  Murder was all around him, and, "....their hands are... upon what is evil to do it diligently; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters his evil desire."  Yet in the midst of this treacherous culture, Micah said, "....I will look to the Lord..., the God of my salvation."

Because I am, "confident in Jesus Christ, I will keep watch," in Jesus Christ.  Because Jesus is dependable, true to His Words, "I will wait with hope and expectancy for Jesus, The God of salvation...."  As with the text, "Looking unto Jesus," this is not a "looking" or "waiting" from a far.  It has to do with focus, trust in Him and His indwelling Presence.  It is not a waiting for God to "show up."  Psalm 46 tells us, "God is...very (literally, "force, abundant, excessive, extremely, firmly") present...."  The Hebrew word for, "present," is "matsa."  Maybe the reason so many people exalt the "presence" theology is that they want you to think that where they are and their meetings are the most anointed, the greatest worship, the real place to be for blessing.  This is in no way to minimize the, "the assembling of ourselves."  But what seems to be my tireless dealing with this is an attempt to encourage us to know that no matter what our location, Jesus is there, no more or less "present" than when in that "great" meeting.  

The prophet uttered great words.  "....I will look to the Lord and confident IN HIM I will keep watch."  I will not give up, no matter what is going on around me and in me, no matter the increasing decline of my culture and ethnic group.  "I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation," our Lord Jesus Christ.  "....My God will hear me."  This is expectant hope, faith, trust.  I can, "wait with hope and expectancy for...God," because of Him about whom John speaks, "....I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him (our King Jesus Christ) was called Faithful and True.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess with Micah "I will look to [You] and confident in [You] I will keep watch."  Amen.
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Great Article on Israel and the European Union:  www.jerusalemberlinwashington.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

How To Know The Will of God

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.  Rescue me from my enemies, for I hide myself in you.  Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground." (Psalm 143:8-10, NIV))

This text I included in written prayers I compiled during our mission in Berlin, October 1998 to October 1999.  I would greatly appreciate such a prayer now and for the next mission.

What is it which is now before you which has you frustrated, confused, uncertain as to what to do, how to respond to someone or some situation?  I promise anyone who is in a desperate situation, or who just needs a "shot" of encouragement to pray the Bible.  Most of the time I really do not know what to pray, even as Paul wrote to the Roman Church.  Yet when I come to the Word of God, He always has a prayer for me, His prayer, His purpose, His will, His everything.  We cannot pray out of the will of God when we pray the Words of God.  Isn't that what you and I really want? 

There have been many books written over the years instructing people in how to know the will of God.  I can save you a lot of money.  Read the Bible; it is nothing but the will of God.  Jesus said to the Jews, "You search and investigate and pore over the Scriptures diligently, because you suppose and trust that you have eternal life through them.  And these [very Scriptures] testify about Me!" (Amplifed Bible)  Searching, investigating and poring over the Scriptures was not the problem.  Failing to see that they point to and reveal Jesus Christ and His purposes was the problem.  So with the Lord Jesus Christ always "before" us, we search, investigate and pore over the Bible to see the Living Triune God in Jesus Christ answering us, "quickly," not hid[ing] Your face from me,..the morning bring[ing] me word of your unfailing love,..show[ing] me the way I should go...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, "Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in Thee do I trust."  Amen.

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