"The Righteous...Shine[] Brighter And Brighter"

"Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge....But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day." (Psalm 19:2, KJV  & Proverbs 4:18, NASB)

The Psalms text is from a Psalm which I heard my 4th-6th grade home room teacher read from time to time, yes, in the King James Version.  And, yes, in the United States of America there was a time when we actually did read the Bible and pray in the state ("public") school system, a Bible on every teacher's desk in every classroom, in every school building in America.  I was no "model" 9-11 year old, but I do remember the Bible readings, and the Prayer of Jesus-------- every day in all the 12 years of grammar school.  I well remember other "favorite" passages of teachers.  I well remember listening, others in the room listening.  From the "baby boomers" on, however, there is no recollection of this.  "Big Brother" knew better than the statesmen who instituted Bible reading and the Prayer of Jesus in the USA school system.  Humanists believed, and perhaps rightly, that if you could outlaw the Bible and the Prayer of Jesus, you would win all succeeding generations; history reveals strong credence to this.  Humanists 7:  Church 0.  I fear it could be the last quarter.

There is a victorious element, however, in the United States of America, and, in every nation in the Earth.  They are, "the righteous," of our Proverb text, ones in whom Jesus Christ lives, and those who are, "the righteous of God through faith in Jesus Christ," those who have, "become the righteousness of God in him,"[Jesus Christ], those who, as Peter said, "have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ...."  The Proverb text describes you and me, my friend, if you and I continue in Jesus Christ, surrendering ourselves daily to Jesus, loving Jesus, and showing that love by serving Him, His Church, and the world by being, "the light of the world," and, "the salt of the earth," in Christ.  And no matter how the Enemy may attempt to defeat us with discouragements, setbacks, things which no one can explain, Jesus proclaims that our future is just, "brighter and brighter until the full," literally, "the established, the appointed, determined, get yourselves ready, day." 

O, what joy, what anticipation is, "the determined day."  Nothing and no one can frustrate, "the established day."  No one or any power in earth or the heavenlies can stop or even delay the approach of the, "get-yourselves-ready day."  They can outlaw the Bible and Prayer of Jesus, but they cannot take the "God-Breathed" Words and the Living, "Word of God," Jesus Christ, out of our hearts and minds.  At the Cross of Jesus, the present world system thought it had won the day.  The empty Tomb said otherwise------------ "CHRISTUS VICTOR!"

Father, in Jesus' Name--------- HALLELUJAH!  Amen.
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* If you miss the articles at:  jhs58.blogspot.com     you miss key prophetic news
* Please pray with us for the May 1-20 mission.  What a privilege to be serving in, "the Kingdom for such a time as this."                                                                                          

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

"For Our Sakes"

"....He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be.  But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart."  (Daniel 2:29, 30)

How wonderful our God, One Who, "reveals secrets...for our sakes."  In fact, I believe we could say that everything our Lord Jesus Christ does is, "for our sakes."
 
There are two things in today's text which I would like to emphasize.  First, take particular note of Daniel's humility, "....This secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living...."  Daniel acknowledges that his "ministry gift" is not something that comes from his unique prowess, but from Him, "who reveals secrets," i.e., our Lord Jesus Christ.  This should keep any person, whether in the Church or not, in a very humble mode.  It is the Biblical principle that any and everything a person has is a gift from the Lord God.  "What have you that was not given to you?  If then you received it.., why do you boast as if you had not received [but had gained it by your own efforts]?" (1 Corinthians 4, Amplified Bible)   

Secondly, the purpose of the revelation is to save Daniel and his friends.  If Daniel could not interpret the king's dream, he was a dead man, and so were his friends.  He tells the king, therefore, that it was, "for our sakes," God gave Daniel the interpretation.  Now there are many translations of this phrase, e.g., the NASB says, "....for the purpose of...."  The NIV says, "so your majesty may know."  There may have been other "reasons" for the revelation, but the Bible confirms that God's priority for the Believers, the Followers of Jesus, the People who hear and obey and love Him is, "for our sakes."  This is true of His First Appearing.  This was/is true of His, as Peter told Cornelius, "....going about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil...."  The Cross is, "for our sakes."  His Second Appearing is, "for our sakes."  And it is, "for our sakes...I go to prepare a place for you." 

Whatever your day has been like, Jesus is working in you and me, around you and me, and for you and me, "for our sakes."  Do not be discouraged.  No matter the "unanswered" prayers, perhaps the rejection of friends and family because of your loyalty to Jesus, remember: "I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes" (Malachi 3:11).  "For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God" (1 Cor.4:15).  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).  You and I are very well "covered."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that You love me, have mercy on me, and keep me, "for our sakes."  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

"Preach Christ Out of Selfish Ambition," Or, "Out of Love"

"It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.  The latter do so out of love....The former...out of selfish ambition....But what does it matter?  The important thing is that in every way...Christ is preached." (Philippians 1, NIV)

The phrase in our text translated, "selfish ambition," is translated in the KJV, "pretense."  The DRA translation says, "by occasion."  A person driven by impure motive will always find or make "occasion," for it's manifestation.

George Armstrong Custer has been praised by some, vilified by many.  In my opinion, there were many things about Custer which made him a good soldier.  He played a key role in the Union victory at Gettysburg, though some attributed his performance to rashness and recklessness; the incident at The Little Bighorn gave his critics the ultimate "grist for the mill."  What happened at the Battle of the Little Bighorn?  I have read several books on it, and believe it was ego spurned on by ambition and a sense of invincibility which led to Custer's demise.  There is no doubt of Custer's ego, that which can make a person do great things, but which can also destroy him.  Custer had been told to wait for General Terry's column, which would be coming up the river.  He refused a Gatling gun which would have given him a powerful advantage.  In short, Custer at the Little Bighorn suffered from pretentiousness.  He did not wait for the rest of the army; he could do this on his own.  And his excuse for refusing the Gatling was that it would slow him down.  Now this is not a "treatise" on the Europeans and First Nations relationship.  Custer from time to time did speak of "fairness" in the Government's relationship with the Indian.  In the whole realm of conflicting human attitudes and behavior, this is just another twist in Custer's somewhat paradoxical life.

Our text speaks also of this paradox in mankind.  The Holy Spirit reveals that a person can actually, "preach Christ out of selfish/false motives."  As I began this latter New Testament reading for this quarter, the thing which has always amazed me came up again, that even during the First Century, when persecution of the Church was coming from many quarters, there were still people who would claim to be born of the Spirit, Followers of Jesus, and who would, "....preach Christ out of envy and rivalry,...selfish ambition,...from false motives."  This is absolutely nonsensical.  It shows the power of ego, of pride, of distorted ambition which will risk persecution, even death on the altar self promotion. 

But while this is a sobering reality, we need to agree with Paul, "But what does it matter," that some of those radio, television, popular preachers, those working with the homeless, those going on mission trips, working endlessly and tirelessly in local congregations, etc., may be driven by who knows what?  "But what does it matter?  The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached."

Father, in Jesus' Name, "Search me."  Amen.
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Please remember to pray for our Mission, May 1-20.

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

You Can Delet Now-- I'm Going To Repeat Myself

"Blessed is the man...who...in His law meditates day and night."  (Psalm 1)

Why?  It is because of what Jesus says to us.  They are His Words, "God-Breathed" Words, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

This is Psalm 1 day of the month.  Now if I were to ask most who they consider to be the "blessed" people, they probably would not reply that it was those, "....who...in His law meditate[] day and night."  But the Bible says otherwise.  When that was true of me, I knew even then that the problem was not, "...in His law"; it was "in" me.

Some have probably already deleted this devotional because it looks like just more of the same.  Maybe they are also of the people who would "delete" the Bible for the same reason.  I have written this before, but it bears repeating.  Every time I read through the Bible I am hearing Jesus, Who Is called in that "repeating" Bible, "The Word of God," repeating Himself.  Why?  I don't know, but I suspect part of it could be that the Bible is literally "all we can handle," and without the Word of God, whatever else I may read, or whomever else I may listen to just has no firm, solid foundation;  and, whatever "blessings" I may encounter are just illusory.  Anyone or anything not rooted in, "the words of God," cannot be as the person, "....who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock."

In the summer of 1970, my "house" came under, "the flood arose, the stream vehemently against that house," and almost shook it to destruction.  But it was Jesus Who "came" to me and brought me to His Words.  I am here today, loving and serving Jesus Christ, loving and serving you because of Father's Word, "The Word of God," Jesus, and the Holy Spirit testifying to Jesus in His Words-------------------------- nothing more, nothing less.

Father, in Jesus' Name, "Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life."  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 Center"

"Salvation belongs to our God, Who sits on the Throne, and to the Lamb....These...who have come out of the great tribulation...have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb....For the Lamb at the center of the Throne will be their Shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water."  (Revelation 7, NIV)

You know what I am going to say.  "The Lamb [is] at the center of the Throne," because our Passover Lamb is the Center of all, the center of the Universe, the center of the Kingdom, the center of the Church, the center of my life and your life.  It is quite popular and accurate to declare, "Jesus Christ is Lord."  It is also accurate, and I pray increasingly "popular," to say Jesus Christ is the Center.

What a great way to end the quarter, the Book of Revelation.  Too few Christians of the last two generations have any idea of what awaits us all.  The last two generations of Christendom have become the most Heaven-ignorant of any previous generations, demanding "now" answers, now thrills, now goose bumps.  And, as a result, self-help preachers, churches, and books are the most popular.  Yet it is the truth and accompanying peace and comfort, "In My Father's house are many mansions;...I go to prepare a place for you....And I will come again," which sustains Followers of Jesus.  Now the more "spiritual" among us would disagree with Paul, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable."  To most, it just sounds too fatalistic, too negative, too "downer."  Yet I wonder how many are beginning to suspect that this sojourn in our Lord is not all that the "faith" people of the last 45 years have been telling them?!?  As time and the whatevers of life have come to all of us, we realize that the 60, 70, 90, or 100 years we may walk this planet has much of what Job and Ecclesiastes describe, perhaps more than the bebop religionists want to admit; it just wouldn't sell. 

To those who think Heaven and what the Word of God describes as, "that which is to come," is too unspiritual to think or speak of, I ask that you consider the following: Can what you are experiencing now in this life "top" this?--- Our Lord Jesus, "The Lamb at the center of the Throne," is living in us.  Everywhere Jesus is we are.  All which is Christ's is ours, and, "To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne."  Notice that it is not, "I grant," but, "I will grant."  There is still so much more in God's economy for those whose trust is Jesus Christ.  The promises of the the Living Triune God fill every page of the Bible.  And dare I say that they are "progressive," taking us somewhere we are not yet, to somewhere better, a "place" of fulfillment of all we could possibly experience now.  Don't get me wrong; I am so thankful for my "now" in Jesus.  But I can tell you, "I press on...until that day"------------------ in Jesus.

"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.  For we know that if (when?) the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands."  

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You that, "Your mercies are new every morning," and thank You that there are so many more, "mercies," to come.
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* Please make a note to pray for our May 1-20 mission.
* New Article at:        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