"I Was Pushed Hard, So That I Was Falling, But...."

"I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me." (Psalm 118:13, ESV)

From what I can gather, the Hebrew here is addressed in the second person.  The NASB translates it as, "You pushed me violently so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me."  Can I ever say this.  Indeed, this is thematic to my testimony.  Whether, "hard," or, "violently," most of us have experienced this at some time in life. 

As I have shared before, the summer of '70 was the lowest point in my soon-to-be 70 year sojourn on Planet Earth.  The death of Stephen Paul was the hardest and most violent push of Satan I have experienced.  There is no doubt his intent was, "so that I was falling."  And I can tell you, I was indeed falling, falling into a bottomless pit.  But, "I waited patiently for the Lord [Jesus Christ]; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.  He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.  He has put a new song in my mouth-- praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord."  I surely pray so.

Bonhoeffer once said, "We might think that God's blessings should always lead into the way of peace and happiness.  But this is not always the case.  God's blessing can also be the preparation for the fight, the provision for the difficult journey, the enabling for the challenge, the power to face the enemy, and the grace to resist the temptation," grace for the, "pushed hard, so that I was falling."  This truth was written in my heart in the summer of '70.  Life to that point was relatively "easy."  Oh, I had had my setbacks, disappointments, but nothing like what was to come.  I am so thankful for grandparents and parents and others in my life who were such a great "preparation for the fight."  Moreover, just 4 years before Stephen's passing, I had received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  Little, or not at all, did I know what four years later would bring.  I am so thankful that Jesus does indeed know, "the end from the beginning," which, I can add, includes yours and mine.

I encourage you to walk today in those blessings, "of peace and happiness," that therein you will find Jesus Christ's "preparation for the fight, the provision for the difficult journey, the enabling for the challenge, the power to face the enemy, and the grace to resist the temptation," just as did Dietrich Bonhoeffer---------------------- as he walked to the gallows!

Father, in Jesus' Name, what a marvelous Provider are 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

Sorry, This is Not Your Mother's Devotional

"The Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and have ruined their vines." (Nahum 2:2, NIV)

You guessed it.  This is from today's Minor Prophets reading.  Again, nothing like the Word of God to be more up-to-date than the latest newspapers.  Please take off any "Sunday School glasses."

I was deeply angered by the beheading of the British soldier in London.  It was carried out by Muslims from the 10/40 "window."  European culture is not without atrocities, wars, and aggression over the centuries.  But in recent history the 10/40 window cultures have taken over medieval barbarism and taken it to a new level.   The 10/40 nations for many years now have been taking the Koran seriously: "Oh, Muslim, there's a Jew hiding; kill him."  And, "Slay them (i.e., any non Muslim) wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out....But if they desist, then lo!  Allah is forgiving and merciful.  And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah" (The Koran).  In other words, if you and I convert to a murderous religion, then they will leave us alone.  But this is also a deception.  Islam hates the European; it has always hated the European; it will always hate the European.  But even longer and more intense is their hatred of the Jews.  Our text sums up the "mission statement" of Arab Islamism: "We want it said of us that we are, 'DESTROYERS [who] HAVE LAID... WASTE AND RUINED... VINES.'"

Yet regardless of the intent of the enemies of God's People, I rejoice that today's text has been fulfilled in my lifetime, is being fulfilled, and will continue to be fulfilled.  King Jesus has and will always take care of His People.  We (and all pacifists) must never forget Exodus 15:3, " The Lord is a Man of War; the Lord is His Name."  And the forget-the-Old Testament people cannot say this is no longer true of God.  Revelation 18 tells us, "Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said, 'With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down....In her was found the blood of prophets and of God's holy people, of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.'"  Then in Rev. 19, the Holy Spirit describes the scene of the Second Appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.  With justice He judges and wages war.  His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns....He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His Name is The Word of God.... Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.  'He will rule them with an iron scepter.'  He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.  On His robe and on His thigh he has this name written: 'KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.' "  In today's barbaric and gruesome world, you and I can take courage, my friend.  His Word is a reminder that our Lord Jesus Christ will do battle at the close of the age and will completely fulfill, "The Lord will restore the splendor of,"   His People.

Father, in Jesus' Name, whatever I read, whatever I hear, may it always be interpreted by Your Words.  Amen.
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*We have $1000.00 towards our October 27-November 26 Mission
* Two Great Articles at: 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

Jesus Is King---Whether We Get on Board Or Not

"The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under Your feet.'" (Psalm 110:1, NLT)

A commentary says that, "my right hand," is "not only a mark of honor, but also implied participation of power."   The conversation in the Psalm is between Father and Son Jesus.  I highly recommend a reading of the Psalm with this in mind.

Consider what Father says to Jesus:  "The Lord will extend your powerful kingdom from Jerusalem; you will rule over your enemies.  When you go to war, your people will serve you willingly.  Then in verse 5 we see the Lord Jesus Christ, "is at Your right hand ('sharing power'); He will shatter (literally, 'break in pieces') kings in the day of His wrath.  He will judge among the nations, He will fill them them with corpses, He will shatter ('break in pieces') chief men over a broad country" (NASB).

 For centuries many have indeed controlled the Church, governments and individuals, clergy and opportunists.  During the time of Jesus' Appearing, the Roman 10th Legion ruled the Jews in Israel.  For three centuries the Jews, people of various people groups, and the Roman "super power" controlled the Church.  They hounded Paul wherever he went.  At one point, Paul had to be let down in a basket just to get out of town with his life.  Ultimately, they drove the Church underground.  But at the end of those three centuries the command of Jesus to the Church to, "go and make disciples of all nations," or as I paraphrase it, "Go into all the world and takeover," was fulfilled.  The Church now controlled the Roman Empire.  King Jesus triumphed over, "the kingdoms of this world."  Moreover, just in our lifetime, the Soviet Union controlled the Church throughout Eastern Europe for a generation.  But in 1989, King Jesus moved His Church to great prayer and public demonstration of that praying to bring down the atheistic government of Russia and its satellites.  Even President Bush "1" said, "The revolutions in Eastern Europe were not political; they were spiritual."

Jesus Christ, has been ruling over the nations from the beginning, "The Lord sat as King at the Flood; Yes, the Lord sits as King forever."  Psalm 110 reveals, and I have personally witnessed, that Jesus is ruling where there are no Christians, no Church.  Some "control freaks" just can't stand this, that Jesus is actually ruling where they are not, healing, saving, preserving, warring, and all their charismatic leadership and personality is not involved---------- or "needed."  I am just thankful today that He includes us, let's us in on what He is doing in the Earth, and at times allows us to participate.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for allowing me to see Psalm 110 in a new light.  You, "rule...over your enemies."  I pray that, "when You go to war, [I] will serve You willingly."  Amen.
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Fall Mission, October 27-November 26

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

"When I Fall, I Will Arise" (Below: A German’s View of Islam | FrontPage Magazine)

"Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me." (Micah 7:8, from today's Minor Prophet reading)

Notice it is, "when I fall," and, "when I sit in darkness."  This has happened to me in my journey.  But so has, "I will arise," and, "the Lord Jesus Christ will be a light to me"------ and even better, in me.

Preparation for the unexpected in life seems oxymoronic.  Yet a number of times The Word of God exhorts us to, "be ready," to, "watch, therefore"; the latter we find in the synoptics four times, and three times Jesus follows the statement by, "for you do not know."  This phrase, "for you do not know," in context reveals that while we are to, "be ready," to, "watch therefore," there will be unknowns, unexpected events.  We just cannot know everything that is before us.  This has always been the reality of life. 

Our high school football coach was a genius at adjustment.  He always had us prepared for our opponents, but when things were not going as he anticipated, he would make key adjustments at half time.  I have no doubt that's why we were 27-2-1 over three years.  The best generals in history were those who could enter battle with the ability to make adjustments.  This is true of your life and mine, isn't it?  What we thought our lives would become when we were 10 probably looked nothing like they are now.  We have fallen; we have been in darkness, but Jesus has always raise me up, has been, "a light to me."

The unexpected is what leads to divorce, to suicide, to "burn out."  Being able to deal with the unexpected enables businessmen to succeed when others fail.  It enables a people group to arise after, in some cases, unbelievable "falls."  Yet whatever a nation or individual may arise from, all is doomed to be repeated if there is no surrender to Jesus Christ, Who Alone can accomplish in us, "When I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me."

So, "arise," today anew, my friend.  Jesus lives in you.  Jesus is our, "light and my salvation."  Jesus is, "the strength of my life....I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me", and you.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I so very much thank You that you are more powerful than my enemy and the darkness.  Amen. 
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*The article below is one of the best I've read for some time-- also sent to Blog site.

http://frontpagemag.com/2013/paul-marek/a-germans-view-of-islam/?utm_source=FrontPage+Magazine&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=96159779a5-Mailchimp_FrontPageMag&utm_term=0_57e32c1dad-96159779a5-156505585

* Great time last evening with friends of many years.

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

salutations!

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Your house is so small the welcome mat just says wel...

"Chosen...and Precious"

"Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious...." (1 Peter 2:4)

The call of Father to people who feel rejected is to come to Jesus, "rejected indeed by men...."------ by family, by most of His fellow countrymen, the Roman Government.  His rejection then and now goes far beyond any rejection which you and I may have or will encountered over our lifetime.  There is, therefore, just no one to you and me as Jesus.  As the hymn says, "There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no, not one, no, not one."  So come, "to Him as to a living stone," and we come to Life Himself.

"But chosen by God and precious...."  We should take great comfort today in knowing that the One Whom we have chosen, the One Who has chosen us, called us, the One Who saves us, is,"chosen by God and precious....."  And, if Jesus is, "chosen by Father God and precious," what should He be to us, to humanity?------ "chosen...and precious."

The world does not choose us because it does not choose Jesus.  Of course I may have things about me which would cause anyone to reject me, personal stuff, personality, well, the list could go on and on.  But we must never forget that the foundational reason for the world's rejection of those who, "follow the Lamb[, King Jesus,] wherever He goes," is Jesus Christ Himself, living and reigning in us. 

We do not grow weary in rejection.  It is nothing, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory...."  Now it may not seem to be an encouraging "word" to accept rejection.  But to encourage us to "Abide in [Jesus Christ],..rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious"---- is.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I embrace rejection if it means being in Him Who is, "chosen by [You] and precious."  Amen.
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We would appreciate it if you would pray for our Berlin/Jerusalem Mission this coming October 26-November 26.

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