"Do You Know Why I Have Come to You?"

"Then he said, 'Do you know why I have come to you?  And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come.  But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.'" (Daniel 10:20, 21)  The NASB says, "Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince." 

I know that some of my readers are in many different circumstances, even in different nations of the world, experiencing domestic and cultural encounters to which the others may not relate.  But we all face the result of sin, we are all involved in warfare in our nations, and because we all face these common denominators, we all need the "Common Denominator," Jesus.  His, "words are a lamp to [our] feet and a light to [our] path."

I read Daniel 10 yesterday, and every time I read it I am reminded that I am a part of a great cosmic struggle.  Every place I go, every nation I visit is a reminder of our text.  Every nation has a hierarchical, "prince," Germany, Israel, America, all nations have an assigned demonic force which fights against the Lord, King and Savior, Jesus Christ, and attempts to take the nation and individuals in that nation under the deception and control of his Satanic majesty.

This time through I particularly noticed the question, "Do you know why I have come to you?"  I also noticed that the messenger gives no answer.  Could it be a sober question, one which is intended to keep us mindful that we have a "call," a "mission" in life to think and work not just for immediate gratification, which is another word for "blessing," but a call to "stand in the gap."  The Bible tells us that, "we wrestle...against," the princes mentioned in Daniel.  Now most think they just wrestle against "personal" demons, principalities, etc.  But you and I are not alone in this world.  We are all a part of a people group, a nation, as well as the Body of Christ, His Church, and the most powerful weapon in our arsenal is the Bible, "I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth."  Could this be the answer to the question, "Do you know why I have come to you?" 

If you want to "declare" something today, declare, "what is noted in the Scripture of Truth."  The princes assigned to our nations do not fear our declarations.  What they do fear greatly, however, is the declarations of, "what is noted in the Scripture of Truth."  From our daily, very personal wrestlings, struggles, etc., to our battle, as Daniel 10:21 says, "against these," we have victorious daily living assured in Jesus Christ. "And now I must return to fight with the prince of (your nation here)."  Are you and I going to be the, "No one upholds me against these," or are we going to, "return to fight"?  And, make no mistake, "the prince of 'Greece' will come." 

Father, in Jesus Name, may by your grace I have what understanding I need for the task.  Amen.
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And there is the prince of Germany and the prince of Bosnia.  Please pray with us on 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

"Grace Is Free"? Ah, But Very Costly To Someone

"No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them-- the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough...." (Psalm 49:7, 8-NIV)

Our text is from a time nearly 3000 years ago.  It preceded the Cross by about 1000 years.  Yet in the moment of its composition the psalmist experienced what Abraham did, "He saw it (i.e., Jesus' Day) and was glad."  He realized by the Holy Spirit and prophesied by the Holy Spirit that, "No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them...."  Only Jesus can do that.  Yet how many times we try to, "redeem the life of another...."  Counseling, preaching, praying can all be such attempts.  So many times, however, such attempts end in failure.  Talk does not redeem or ransom anyone.  Only Jesus can do that.  If I do not keep Jesus Christ before people or myself, I am wasting everyone's time.  O, some are quite adept at drawing people to themselves, and their followings may be in the thousands.  Regardless, "No one can redeem the life of another...."

The Passover Season is upon us.  No one could get the Jews out of Egypt, or you and me out of sin.  Only Jesus can do that.  The Passover, the Exodus, the Sustenance in the Wilderness Wanderings of 40 years, the Entrance into the Land, all are Jesus' doing, the Captain of our Salvation.  Yes, the Cross of Jesus made the Passover possible, the Exodus possible, etc.  The Cross was not a time/space event.  The Cross was, and dare I say, is an Eternal "event."  It was in the Heart of God from, "days of eternity."  It is still God's Heart.  This is why Our Lord Jesus could say to the Jews, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."  Think of it.  Abraham's "seeing" was, in time/space terms, nearly 2000 years before the Cross of Jesus.  Yet the Cross of Jesus "saved" Abraham just as the Cross of Jesus saves you and me.

We see in the Cross of Jesus that, "the ransom for a life is costly," and, "no payment (which you or I or anyone can offer) is ever enough...."  This is the answer to what Bonhoeffer called "cheap grace."  It is "grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ."  In short, "cheap grace" is not grace.  The Grace of the Living Triune God is very, very costly, "He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.  He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief....Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses) and carried our sorrows (pains)....He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement needful to obtain peace for us was upon Him, and by His stripes (torn flesh) we are healed....The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."  Indeed, "the ransom for a life is costly."  Nothing you or I could ever do or think of, "is ever enough."  But as the song writer said, "It is enough that Jesus died and that He died for me."

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for bearing all my sin, for destroying that sin, "in [Your] body on the tree."  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

For This Jesus Died

"You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress.  Therefore, though you set out the the finest plants and plant imported vines, though on the day you set them out, you make them grow, and on the morning when you plant them, you bring them to bud, yet the harvest will be as nothing in the day of disease and incurable pain."  (Isaiah 17:10, 11--NIV, from today's Major Prophets reading)

I saw online a little while ago that there has been another school murder attempt.  Over 20 students were stabbed by a high school sophomore at a school just outside of Pittsburgh.  It was reported that a KDKA reporter who was a graduate of the high school said, "It can't happen here, it just can't happen here."  Well it did, and it can, and it will.  One of our friends and supporters teaches there, and we have received word that she is okay; praise Him.  When you consider that my devotional today is from my regular reading in the Major Prophets, it is very difficult to think it is coincidence.  This is America of, "'You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock,' Jesus, 'your fortress."  O, in most certainly is.  

Now some argue with my conclusions, saying that America, as all nations, is just experiencing the progression of a culture, albeit, a "bad" progression.  No.  It is the result of old fashioned, "forgotten God your Savior."  The majority of Americans believe that they can handle life better without Jesus Christ; truth reveals just how foolish is such thinking and living life.  I recently read a report in "The Economist" which stated, "Even though the United States has the highest incarceration rate and the largest total prison population in the world by a very wide margin, hundreds of communities over America are being overwhelmed by crime and violence.... America...ha[s] the highest divorce rate in the world and approximately one out of every three children in the United States lives in a home without a father....According to the FBI, there are now 1.4 million gang members living in America....The federal government appears very unconcerned about stopping illegal immigration even though it has been one of the primary factors fueling the astounding growth of criminal  gangs in this country."  Now I know this is politically incorrect to relate this.  But truth no longer matters in America.  Most Americans are more concerned about offending some personage or ethnic group, or gender, e.g., an FBI report from 2011 revealed that the number of girls involved in school crimes rose from over 12,000 in 2000 to approximately 25,000 in 2005, the "sugar and spice and everything is nice" gender.  The vast majority of pulpits in America are silent about, "sin, righteousness, and justice."  This, Jesus says, is what the Holy Spirit was sent to bring to pass.  Could it be that for all the Christian Television and Radio, all the hyped conferences and worship gatherings, Christendom in America is a laughing stock of demons.

Forgive the "prophetic" coming out, but is it the purpose of devotionals to give us gushy feelings, cute stories which make us feel all warm inside-------- or to, " consider one another in order to stir up love and good works"? (Hebrews 10:24).  I have shared before about the pharmacist who spoke at a parents gathering in a local elementary school which had just discovered 2 second graders who had drugs, which they had received from a sixth grade boy; this was 45 years ago!  I had had the devotional prior to the meeting.  Later, one woman questioned the speaker, "But what can we do?  I mean other than what Rev. Barnette said."  I'm sure this is the same attitude in much of the Franklin Regional School District today.  And as long as this is the attitude in America, or any country, "....though you set out the finest plants...and...though...you make them grow,..the harvest will be as nothing in the day of disease and incurable pain."  Jesus died that this need not happen.  Jesus destroyed sin in His Blood, at the Cross, in His Resurrection.  "The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil." 

Father, in Jesus' Name, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."  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

"Their rock is not like Our Rock."

"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."  (Psalm 40:2)

He did, and still does.  When our son died, and I was in "the Slough of Despond," the pit of despair, Jesus, "....set my feet upon," Himself.  As the Bible says, "He is The Rock, His work is perfect..., the Rock of [our] salvation.., the Rock who begot you....Their rock is not like our Rock."  I can only say, Amen and Amen.

But, "Our Rock," Jesus, Who is not like, "their rock," clothed Himself in humanity when he was born of the virgin.  He was/is eternally with and in Our Father.  But in the incarnation, He became a baby, adolescent, then adult.  The Bible tells us, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."  We sometimes take this truth too lightly.  I have heard people say, "You just don't understand," or, "Nobody understands."  Yes "They" do.  The Blessed Trinity, Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit "understand," and more.  They have experienced our deepest pains and suffering, rejection, heartaches, lonliness, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"  Yet in and through it all, He triumphed over the suffering and struggles of life.  And, "He brought us out that He might bring us in," into Himself, His, "many mansions," His eternity, His, "Eternal life." 

Maybe today you need a lift, "out of the miry clay."  Sometimes this describes what we go through, doesn't it?-- "a horrible pit,..the miry clay."  Yet no matter how deep, how shackling it may seem, "look" nowhere else, "Their rock is not like Our Rock."  Jesus, "Our Rock," is He Who alone can, "establish."  Jesus, "Our Rock," alone can, "put a new song in my mouth-- praise to our God."  I pray for you and me that as Psalm 40 subsequently says, "Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord," Jesus Christ.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray this anew today.  Amen.
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A friend of ours received a prophetic word which was "clothed" in urgency.  Please pray for our upcoming mission that we hear, "the Word of the Lord," in 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

Not, "What would," Rather, "What Did Jesus Do?"

"Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?  And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers...."  (Acts 7:52-- From one of today's readings)

This is Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin.  He reveals in this "message" that you and I as Followers of Jesus have a history, a tradition, a heritage.  It all goes back to Abraham, one could even say, Noah and Enoch, who "found favor," and, "walked with God."   Could we say, "Walked in God's favor?"  Anyone who "hears" the, "Word of God," anyone who will listen to and obey the Living Triune God revealed in Jesus Christ is in the Family of God, i.e., "the household of  faith."  

Now our text does not assert that the Jews alone were responsible for the death of Jesus.  This is one of the (excuse me) dumbest accusations ever made by anyone, let alone Christendom.  What Stephen does say is that the Jews have been just as guilty of rejecting God as any other people group on the planet.  Yet I do believe there is a sort of you-should-have-known-better in his tone to the Jews, "He came to His own, and His own received Him not."  The prophets, "foretold the coming of the Just One," to all peoples, not just the Jews.  And, Jews and Gentiles alike have persecuted the prophets and proclaimers of the Gospel.  It was the sin of the human race, not just the Jews, which drove the nails into Jesus' Body, the sword into His side, the crown of thorns into His brow, and laid bare Jesus back with the scourge.  It is true of all human beings who ever lived or ever will lived, "the Just One, of whom you have become the betrayers and murders."

I embrace anew today, as I also encourage you, the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, His journey from Gethsemane to Calvary to Resurrection, taking His Own Blood into, "the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man."  There Jesus, "makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God."  And now because of, "the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all," you and I can rejoice that we may have, "boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith...."

"Jesus, keep me near the Cross."  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