"The Lord My Shepherd, No Want" (Literal Hebrew of Psalm 23:1)

"The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing."  (Psalm 34:10, NIV)

Have you ever been, "weak and 'hungry'," thinking you did not have what you were told you should have as a Follower of Jesus?  Two issues here:  1. Always, "test the spirits."  Not everything which is being peddled in Christendom is accurate Biblical Theology; beware too much unscrutinized Christian Television.  2. Looking at, "the things which are seen," may confirm faith, but does not produce nor sustain faith.  A fundamental principle of the Kingdom is, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal," another version of, "Looking unto Jesus."  Never forget this, and we will always walk victoriously in Jesus Christ.

It is always good to note the context of passages, especially the Psalms.  Notice in Psalm 34 there is no complaining as in other Psalms.  Yet the title of Psalm 34 in the NIV Bible is, "Of David.  When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left."  If ever one could find a "reason" not to confess the "good confession" of Psalm 34, one might think David had it.  David was running for his life from Saul's endless, murderous intent, and had sought refuge among the enemies of Israel.  He had done no wrong to Saul, only good, yet Saul would not be deterred from his commitment to kill David.  If you read all of Psalm 34, you will see no vindictiveness, no doubt of God's faithfulness, no, "I give up."  Now we know in other Psalms this was not always the case with David.  But here nothing but, "Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together."

So many have experienced time in their sojourn when everything seemed to be going wrong.  Sometimes they either blame God, are confused/bewildered, or condemn themselves.  At other times, in very similar circumstances, there is, "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him."  Now condemnation and spiritual confusion can ensue when one experiences such seeming contradictions.  But a close reading of the Bible revels that more people than not experienced such "contradictions."  Maybe they are not.  Maybe the various, sometimes even conflicting responses to life are just those lapses in faith, attacks to which one surrenders.  When that happens, "come back" with David's testimony of Psalm 34, "I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips....This poor man called, and the Lord hear him; He saved him out of all his troubles....The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, "I will glory in [You]; let the afflicted hear and rejoice."  Amen.    
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Three articles on John Kerry's Follies and video of German Follower of Jesus confronting the lie of Islam:        jhs58.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

"We Have This Hope As An Anchor For the Soul"

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.  It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain...."  (Hebrews 6:19, NIV)

"We have this anchor for the soul, firm and secure."  I absolutely never tire of reading this.  Acceptance of this reality will keep you and me, "firm and secure," the rest of the day.

Forgive the old guy's "remembrance" and perhaps a little nostalgia.  I preached my first sermon almost exactly 54 years ago, my first sermon in "my own" congregation 4 years later.  My first sermon was from John 15 and based on the statement of Jesus, "You are my friends."  My first sermon 50 years ago this coming Sunday in the Brush Valley Evangelical United Brethren Church was entitled, "Christianity is Christ."  My "call" to pastor, to proclaim the Gospel, Who Is Jesus Christ, was and still is based in, founded upon, and commitment to Jesus.  All that I have done over the past 50 years in Church/Kingdom service is because of Jesus Christ, my love for Him and my dedication to Him.  Any other reasons for pastors, missionaries, worship leaders, elder board membership, etc., is pure folly, self seeking, and self promoting.  Only, "Jesus Christ is Lord."

Our text tells us the reason our, "hope as an anchor for the soul (is) firm and secure."  Our reason for hope, anchor, and security is Jesus Christ.  "The inner sanctuary (is) behind the curtain," and no one but the high priest was permitted to enter, "alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people."  But now, you and I are called to live, remain, dwell there in Jesus, The High Priest.  Jesus in our text is referred to as our, "forerunner."  We are going "Somewhere," my friend!  Strong's defines the word as "a person running ahead to reach the destination before others-- i.e., arriving safely in advance for the benefit of others who also need to get there."  The word for, "forerunner," also means a "precursor, advance guard."  Okay, precursor: "something that comes before something else and that often leads to or influences its development; one that precedes and indicates the approach of another."  And how about this: "a substance, cell, or cellular component from which another...is formed."!  (Wait; Pentecostal moment).  Okay; the dictionary says that an advance guard is "a military unit sent ahead of a main body to find gaps in enemy defenses, clear away minor opposition (and not so "minor"), and prevent unexpected contact, a force to prepare for a landing or other operation, especially making reconnaissance."  I think you can take it from here.  Oh, I just might add a-------------- HALLELUJAH!   

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for allowing me to be apart of Your Church, a citizen in Your Kingdom, and fellow servant with the saints of the ages.  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

The Same Words, Over and Over, Just Keep Serving and Empowering

"Psalm 22: For the director of music.  To the tune of 'The Doe of the Morning.'  A psalm of David.
"My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.  Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises." (Psalm 22:2, 3, NIV)

Note the tune, "The doe of the morning."  This must have been a scene of beauty and tranquility to David, something for which he longed; he was obviously in distress.  At one point he says, "scorned by everyone."  He felt alone, abandoned, not only by his acquaintances, but despairingly, by the One of Whom he said, "The Lord is my Shepherd."  Now this was He of whom the Bible says, "David the son of Jesse,..the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel," this shepherd/king of Israel, mighty in battle, author of some of the greatest worship passages in the entire Bible.  So apparently it is possible to be a great man/woman of God, with great gifts and anointing------- and still feel alone and abandoned.

"Therefore, keep up your courage, men.  For I believe God that it will be exactly as I have been told."  These words of Paul were spoken during perhaps the most violent storm that anyone on that ship could remember.  At one point, Luke tells us, "Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned."  Yet Paul boldly affirms, in the very midst of the storm, "I   believe   God...."  And David's declaration is also in the midst of a "storm," right while he is saying, in effect, "Where are you, God?"---- "Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises."  

David and Paul are great examples to us.  Right in the midst of life's storms they declare their absolute faith and trust in the Living Word of God, Who is Jesus Christ, "Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One," and, "....I believe God that it will be exactly as I have been told."  They worship and trust the unshakeable Word of God, though all around them everything is "shaking." 

Now, what has our Lord Jesus Christ told you and me---------- over and over and over again?  Well, here is a little taste: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age....Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you....Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb....The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.  They will see his face....They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.  And they will reign for ever and ever."
Have a nice day.


Father, in Jesus'  Name, I say with the song writer, "Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life, Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life...."  Amen.
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Letter coming on the May, 2014, Berlin/Bosnia Mission

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 Renaissance-I Stood At Calvary" (A Must Listen)

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, NIV)

I have never heard a more beautiful song, lyrics or music, than the magnificent song I have shared with you below.  I first heard it on an album I bought in 1967 or 68.  The album was by The Manhattan Brass Choir, and I had never heard the full lyrics until this morning.

Last Fall, literally, "I Stood At Calvary."  There was nothing I could do, not pray, not "worship," not anything; I just stood.  What else can one do at Calvary?  What can one say at Calvary?  It was there Jesus died for me----------- and you.  Another song says, "It is enough that Jesus died and that He died for me."  It is. 

To speak of mystery and Calvary in the same sentence has a touch of irony in it.  Calvary is a revealed mystery, revealed in that history records its occurrence, and mystery in that I have so very little understanding of it, "....God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not reckoning to them their offences; and putting in us the word of that reconciliation."  The song says "that He should take my place and all my sins erase."  Our text tells us that all the mystery of Calvary took place before you and I were born, before we could do good or bad, before we could say a "sinner's prayer," or anything "religious."  Jesus just died for you and me, undeserved, unearned, for unworthy sinners.  Yet, in another touch of irony, there is in this Divine Love a "worthiness" and "value" in us, a worthiness and value to God which took the Blessed Trinity to that very dark Hill, between two felons, laughed at, mocked, scorned, suffering, bleeding, dying, and crying out, "It is finished." 

"It is finished," nothing more to be "prayed about," asked or pleaded for, absolutely nothing which can be earned.  Jesus is gracious, beautiful, full-of-love-giving-of-Himself for you and me.  "Tis done-- the great transaction's done; I am my Lord's, and He is mine; He drew me and I followed on, Rejoiced to own the call divine."  It was, "God...in Christ," doing all we need to bring us to Himself, and His wonderful, "Peace which passes understanding."  Listen and worship.

Father, in Jesus' Name,...................................