"The Throne of His Glory"

"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)

"The throne of His glory," here is a throne of judgment.  Matthew 25 is a passage which deals with people who should have been about serving but did nothing.  The foolish girls, in the face of a door about to close, attempted to depend on others for preparations they should have made.  The fearful steward just lived a life of excuses, "I was afraid," rather than taking the risk of action.  The goat nations just watched life go by as bystanders, spectators of those who, as the hymn says, "Work for the night is coming."  Such will be brought before, "the throne of His glory," and held accountable for their, "standing idle in the marketplace."

Matthew 25 is a lesson in serving.  Jesus said, "But I am among you as one who serves."  Am I?  Are you and I in the Church or our towns as, "among you as one who serves," or as one who is constantly looking to be served?  Instead of all the talk of "my ministry," people should say "my service."  The Greek word for "ministry" literally means to "wait on tables, to serve."  It would help against all the self serving in the religious community.  We need to discard the religious definition of "serve" and just serve.  That is what Jesus expected the 10 young girls, the 3 servants, and the nations to be about, serving.

As I read this passage today, I just felt as though Jesus was saying to me again, just serve.  That is what I was attempting to do in North Korea.  That is what I am attempting to do now----------- serve you with whatever Jesus has given me.  And that, my friend, anyone can do.

Father, in Jesus' Name, forgive me for walking by service opportunities every day.  Help me to not have a lofty idea of serving and just serve.  Amen.

"Carried From the Womb"

"Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you.  I have made and I will bear; I will carry and will save." (Isaiah 46:3, 4-- ESV)

This is from yesterday's Psalm reading.  Now some people believe their birth was a mistake, the will of unsaved parents, some out of wedlock.  The phrase, "Why was I ever born," is uttered by many people in the earth throughout their lifetime.  But suppose their birth was just a result of unsaved people, whether married or not.  I think our text could be saying to them that at the moment of conception The Living Triune God took up their case, and every person who every lived, is alive now, or yet to be born can be the recipient of the promise, "even to your old age I am He, and to gray hairs I will carry you....I will carry and will save."

I don't believe this is taking our text out of context.  Biblical Theology reveals that indeed God, "is no respecter of persons."  How they got here or how they enter this life does not surprise God nor confuse Him as to how to take a human life and bring that life out of loneliness, bitterness, and despair to Himself in Jesus Christ and into, "His Glorious Kingdom."  Peter realized this when he encountered the Roman army officer, Cornelius.  When Peter told the Jews, who were upset with him going into the house of a Gentile, what had happened to Cornelius and his friends when they heard of Jesus, they responded with, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life."  He indeed, "has also."

So now, my friend, I believe I can say of certainty that you, "have been borne by [The Blessed Trinity] from before your birth, carried from the womb."  And today I wish to remind you that, "even to your old age [Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit] am He, and to gray hairs [He] will carry you.  [He has] made, and [He] will bear; [He] will carry and will save."

Father, in Jesus' Name, Thank You for your bearing and carrying and saving.  Amen.
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I will be sharing about the North Korean Mission with Covenant Church East, May 19, during the 10:00 service.  We will allow time for questions.    

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

This Photo Is Now My Desktop Photo

"The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out." (Leviticus. 6:13)

The attached photo is now my desktop photo.  I cannot forget whom and what I saw while in North Korea.  The photos I have help me to be a continual fire burning for the North Korean People.  I most likely will never see that little boy again in this life.  I will most probably never know what happens to him---------------- but I will continue to pray for him.  This kind of life is not for widget producers. 

You are aware of the work of Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God.  It reveals him as a person who attempted to walk in, "The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out."  Brother Lawrence was about more than just non stop prayer meetings.  He said that times of prayer, communion, fellowship at the sink in the monastery kitchen were as intimate in our Lord Jesus Christ as the set times of prayer in the chapel.  Could this be a little more insight into, "shall ever be burning"?  He once said, "we ought to act with God in the greatest simplicity, speaking to Him frankly and plainly, and imploring His assistance in our affairs just as they happen."  What about your kitchen, your workshop, your vehicle, your school or office?  
I ask that you journey with me in Jesus into this wonderful realm of, "the fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out."  I leave you with one more quote of Brother Lawrence: "Having found in many books different methods of going to GOD, and divers practices for the spiritual life, I thought this would serve rather to puzzle me, than facilitate what I sought after, which was nothing but how to become wholly GOD's."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I so thank you for my Dad who first introduced me to The Practice of the Presence of God.  I pray for all that is of you in it will be in all of me.  Amen.
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* If you are at all interested in Biblical Prophecy, read the article at:
www.jerusalemberlinwashington.blogspot.com
* As a related follow up, I highly encourage you to view or view again the video which defines FHMP's involvement in Berlin, Germany:
www.antipasprayerforce2.blogspot.com (BE SURE TO USE GOOGLE FOR YOUR SEARCH)

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

"The Fire on the Altar"

"....This is the law of the burnt offering: The burnt offering shall be on the hearth upon the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it....And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be put out....A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out."  (From Leviticus 6)

The Moravians (Unitas Fratrum, "Unity of Brethren") took this passage as a motto for their 24/7/365 prayer watch.  Some reports say that it lasted for 120 years.  It was the birth of a "modern" mission movement which spread throughout the earth.  My Dad often spoke of them; he was a man of prayer.  In fact, I first learned of prayer not in a teaching, but seeing my Dad pray.

During this quarter's journey through the Pentateuch, the repeated emphasis in Leviticus 6 has been "staying" with me, "the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it....And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it....A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out."  Now I know that many in the modern church have seen this, as did the Moravians, as a "type" of continual prayer, and have attempted 24/7 prayer watches, I among them.  Most fizzled out after a season, some continue today in various parts of the world, but I think there is more here than prayer watches.

I believe our text is a call to the Church to realize something which it many times refuses to admit, that there is much we can do for people, and indeed we are commanded to do by our Lord Jesus Christ.  But in the "grand scheme of things," we can do so much more when we as the Church, "The Body of Christ," walk in our text, "A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out."  Could this possibly reflect an "attitude" as well as, "pray without ceasing"?  For example, what if the Church Universal, manifesting in local congregations, had a predominance of prayer gatherings, say, for every one hour of meetings, conferences, projects, there be two hours of prayer.  No amount of meetings, seminars, "outreaches," books, CDs could have prevented the recent Boston massacre or change the heart of the leaders of nations who are out to loot the Planet. 

I confess that I do not grasp the "depths" of our text and do not want to offer shallow interpretations.  Yet there is somewhere in those words a call of the Blessed Trinity, a "move" of the Holy Spirit, a call and command to the Church, "A fire shall always be burning on the alter; IT SHALL NEVER GO OUT."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I don't want any "religious" interpretation of the text.  Please give me Your Heart in these words.  Amen.
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I will be sharing about the North Korea Mission in the CCE service, May 19, 10:00.  If there would be a change, I will let you know. 

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