"From HImself" To You and Me

"Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner'....I and the Father are One."  (John 5:19 & 10:30)

As far as I can see in various sources, the most accurate translation of John 5:19 is, "....the Son can do nothing from Himself...."  This is a very different meaning than, "of Himself."  The latter implies that the Son can do nothing in His own power; the former reveals the relationship within The Blessed Trinity.  I believe, "from Himself," reveals the submission relationship within the Trinity.  Their "heart" and "mind" is One, as in, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One!"  Just a reading of the whole of John 5 substantiates this.

Note another example.  In John 8:28 we read, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself, but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things."  Yes, you guessed it; the Greek word for, "of," is the exact same word translated, "of," in 5:19 by most current translations. But notice what the NASB does with John 8:28, "....I do nothing on My own initiative...."  In other words, in accurate Biblical Theology, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in union.  The Interlinear translates the same Greek word in 5:19 and 8:28 as, "from."  Again, such a seemingly "small" change in wording can give an entirely different "concept."  I believe our Lord is saying to us that I and My Father are One in such a way that everything we do as well as "everything" we Are is One. 

At best, translations are tainted, i.e., it is very difficult to just allow the Bible to be the Bible without our tainted ability to accept some Biblical concepts which just seem to be beyond our comprehension.  Please forgive the theologian in me, but I believe that what we have discussed today is of primal importance in our relationship in God as well as our relationship in the Church and the world.  Now I know that some may be thinking, "What kind of devotional is this?  It does not help me with what I am going through."  Yes it does, because only the right belief about Jesus will enable you and me to make it through the sojourn of this life.  I greatly regret how current Christendom has marginalized Jesus in "worship songs," in the message of modern Christendom, and by far, far too many individuals.  This is cultural curse, not the Biblical, "faith of Jesus."

I encourage you to read and read again, over and over the Bible.  You will see that what the messenger told Joseph is the Foundational Truth of the Universe, "'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.'"  Which means, Jesus Christ is "God with [you]"!  Merry Christmas.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much that You have told me that it even goes further--- You in me.  Amen.

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DC Mission, December 17

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 And I Have Been Given a "Burden"------ To Give Back

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved." (Psalm 55:22)

The margin of the NASB says, "Cast what He has given you."  Sort of changes our old concept of this verse, doesn't it?

Maybe there is a connection here with what Jesus told us, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."  It seems to me that the guarantee, "He shall never permit the righteous to be moved," is to those who have received that which Jesus has given us, then give it back to Him.  Notice key words and phrases in the Matthew text quoted above:
    "Come to Me"
    "I will give you"
    "Take My yoke" (Literally, "heavy burden")
    "Learn from Me"

The call to follow Jesus is a call to, "My yoke," and that, "yoke," is a heavy one.  Just a few moments of considering Jesus' commands, observing Jesus' life in the Gospels and it does not take a "spiritual genius" to see that this, "burden," this, "yoke," is heavy, one which no one could/can ever carry.  In short, you and I just cannot live the life to which Jesus calls us without casting (or, "to fling, cast away") that, "burden/yoke" back upon Jesus.  In reality it is casting ourselves upon Jesus, "Lead me to the rock That is higher than I."

Now the "how-to" I really cannot say.  Perhaps we can start with, "Lord Jesus, I cast what You have given me upon You."  This is an act of surrendering all that Jesus has given us, through His grace, to Him alone.  Jesus told us to, "Abide in Me."  I simply know no other way of life.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I, "cast my burden upon," You.  Show me more and more just "how" I can do this.  Amen.
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I will be in Washington, DC, next Wednesday, December 17, praying on site.  Also at 17:00, I will be attending a Helsinki Commission (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) seminar on the issue of human rights in Belarus.

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

In the Shadow of the Cross

"For the redemption of their souls is costly...." (Psalm 49:8)

So humanity might as well accept it.  No Gates Foundation, no Rockefeller, no $400,000,000.00 lottery winner could ever pay for our redemption.  There is just no price of any form of currency which could express, "....the redemption of their souls...."

This is Advent, the season someone has described "as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas."  Jews who took seriously the ancient Words of God lived in "a time of expectant waiting and preparation" for the coming of The Messiah, "the Coming One," Jesus.  Simeon was looking for Jesus; Anna was looking for Jesus (Luke 2).  Abraham knew Jesus would appear (John 8).  Moses and Elijah knew Jesus would appear (Luke 9).  Then on that glorious night, Jesus did appear.  Basically, the angels told the shepherds, "He's here!  Glory in the highest."

And our text tells us something about Jesus' appearing.  The angels declared to the shepherds, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior Who is Christ the Lord."  Jesus appeared as Savior, King, Redeemer, "For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins" Romans 11).  The Manger was in the shadow of the Cross.  In fact, Jesus' whole sojourn in His 33 years in The Land, walking as, "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us," was one tumultuous journey to the Cross, the Tomb, and Resurrection, then to "return" to, "The Most Holy Place," as our, "Great High Priest," and in it all, to take us with/in Him.

"Why should I fear in days of adversity, when the iniquity of my foes surrounds me, even those who trust in their wealth and boast in the abundance of their riches?  No man can by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him-- for the redemption of his should is costly, and he should cease trying forever----." (Psalm 49:5-8, NASB)

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for Your, "Unspeakable Gift."  Amen. 
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I plan to be in DC next Thursday, December 17.

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 BRANCH!"

"Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH!  From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the Lord....He shall build the temple of the Lord.  He shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne...."  (From Zechariah 6:12 & 13)

"Behold...!  This is a call to behold Jesus.  He, "is the BRANCH!"  He is such, not because He is a subsidiary, but because, "He shall branch out...."  He will fill the whole earth with His manifest glory.  Perhaps one way the prophet saw that Jesus would, "branch out," was through the Church, "Go into all the world."

Notice too that Jesus will not only, "build the temple," but He shall also, "bear the glory...."  Jesus is the "focal point" of our worship, and if anyone does not see that, it is their loss.  Jesus, "shall sit and rule on His throne," and Jesus, "shall be a priest on His throne."  Jesus is our Ruler and, as Hebrews tells us, our "Great High Priest."

Now this is an Old Testament prophet, and we know that his words were all fulfilled in Jesus, "the carpenter's son."  This is nothing short of, "to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness."  But, nonetheless, this is fulfilled; this is global and universal reality; and this is of What and Whom we a part. 

Rest in our Peace today, Who is Jesus Christ.  Much of the future tenses of the Old Testament have become present tenses in Jesus.  "Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever.  Amen."--------- always has been, always will be.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I offer all glory and honor to You.  Amen.
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Please pray with us about our next mission.  I also will be going to DC next month.

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

"Delight" Comes From the Heart

"I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart." (Psalm 40:8)

Why do I think that I could only do the will of God when, "Your law is within my heart"?  I am really not sure that, "delight," in the will of God is my "natural" inclination.  I suspect that the degree to which I give myself to the Words of Jesus is the degree to which, "I delight to do Your will...."  The Words of God reveal the blessing of living in the will of God, and the curse of living outside the will of God.  Both are great motivators in doing His will.

Perhaps a life style so common in Christendom, a life style of selective Biblical reading, is the reason there is so much of self initiated, selective giving of ourselves to the work of the Kingdom.  I cannot trust that I am doing the will of God if I do not have the revelation of the will of God, which is revealed in the Words of God.

I suggest today that if we want a life which demonstrates, "I delight to do Your will, O my God," that we get more and more of His law/word, "within my heart."  Jesus, the Word of God, reveals the power of His words when He said, "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life."  If delight in Jesus and His purpose in the earth are to be my life, then I think, "Your law is within my heart," will be a "prime mover."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that I ever, "delight to do Your will."  Amen.
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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