"How long will you attack a man?...They only consult to cast him down from his high position; they delight in lies; they bless with their mouths, but they curse inwardly." (Ps. 62:3, 4-- from today's reading)
The CEV has an interesting interpretation of our text. "I feel like a shaky fence or a sagging wall. How long will all of you attack and assault me? You want to bring me down from my place of honor." This is the Enemy's and his servants' purpose for you and me, "....to cast him down...."
Someone recently asked me why the world "has to be this way?" I responded, "It goes back to the Garden. It is as though God said to man, 'Okay, you want to run this, then go ahead, do it your way.'" Read the rest of the Bible, and I give you the rest of history. Yet this condition of humanity is the reason Jesus appeared the first time. He came to redeem, to save, to deliver in His Precious Blood humanity from the curse of its own choice/choices. Now all who receive Jesus, surrender their lives to Jesus can walk in a different "path." The world around us is the same as it has been since the Fall. Those who, "follow the Lamb wherever He goes," however, will walk in the peace of the Lamb. While war rages around us, while today's text is still being played out, while we, "walk through the valley of the shadow of death, [we] fear no evil, for You, Jesus, art with [us]."
Below is an article about the young girl who was killed by ISIS, Kayla Mueller, an article which confirms what I suspected of her. She is a classic example of those who prefer to right the wrongs of humanity in the spirit of Babel rather than as a servant of Jesus Christ. Her death, while tragic and sad, is the result of humanist thinking, a misguided perception of what it takes to change humanity and "defend the poor and disenfranchised." It is the classic John Lennon, "Imagine," scenario, "They bless with their mouths, but they curse inwardly." In other words, they look innocent, they look and act as though they are "doing good," but inwardly, "they curse," the purposes of Jesus Christ and His Covenant People. Now no one who has a spark of humanity delights in another's death. As a Follower of Jesus, I am saddened at the loss of this young woman and the grief of her family and friends. But I am also saddened that she thought an anti-Israel, pro Hamas, Chez Rivera stance in life was the way to help suffering humanity. George Rishmawi, leader of the International Solidarity Movement said, "When Palestinians get shot by Israeli soldiers, no one is interested anymore. But if some of these foreign volunteers get shot or even killed, then the international media will sit up and take notice." This is classic, "many deceivers have gone out into the world." (2 John) They are as Paul told the Philippians, "the enemies of the cross of Christ."
" You want to bring me down from my place of honor (my position in Jesus Christ)....When your words are kind, hatred hides in your heart." Some of you may not like what I have written today. But I can tell you that the plots of the Enemy will just keep getting more and more deceptive, taking on more and more the face of "innocence." A few days ago I read again the "Olivet Discourse." Mark's version ends with a most sobering injunction, "....lest, coming suddenly, He find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"-- literally, "Stay awake," be "on the alert!" or, "Be vigilant!" Stay in Jesus and His Words, then and only then may you and I say, "I will fear no evil."
Father, in Jesus' Name, in You, Holy Spirit, enable me to, "Be vigilant!" Amen.
*******************
Read about the real Kayla Mueller : jhs58.blogspot.com
The CEV has an interesting interpretation of our text. "I feel like a shaky fence or a sagging wall. How long will all of you attack and assault me? You want to bring me down from my place of honor." This is the Enemy's and his servants' purpose for you and me, "....to cast him down...."
Someone recently asked me why the world "has to be this way?" I responded, "It goes back to the Garden. It is as though God said to man, 'Okay, you want to run this, then go ahead, do it your way.'" Read the rest of the Bible, and I give you the rest of history. Yet this condition of humanity is the reason Jesus appeared the first time. He came to redeem, to save, to deliver in His Precious Blood humanity from the curse of its own choice/choices. Now all who receive Jesus, surrender their lives to Jesus can walk in a different "path." The world around us is the same as it has been since the Fall. Those who, "follow the Lamb wherever He goes," however, will walk in the peace of the Lamb. While war rages around us, while today's text is still being played out, while we, "walk through the valley of the shadow of death, [we] fear no evil, for You, Jesus, art with [us]."
Below is an article about the young girl who was killed by ISIS, Kayla Mueller, an article which confirms what I suspected of her. She is a classic example of those who prefer to right the wrongs of humanity in the spirit of Babel rather than as a servant of Jesus Christ. Her death, while tragic and sad, is the result of humanist thinking, a misguided perception of what it takes to change humanity and "defend the poor and disenfranchised." It is the classic John Lennon, "Imagine," scenario, "They bless with their mouths, but they curse inwardly." In other words, they look innocent, they look and act as though they are "doing good," but inwardly, "they curse," the purposes of Jesus Christ and His Covenant People. Now no one who has a spark of humanity delights in another's death. As a Follower of Jesus, I am saddened at the loss of this young woman and the grief of her family and friends. But I am also saddened that she thought an anti-Israel, pro Hamas, Chez Rivera stance in life was the way to help suffering humanity. George Rishmawi, leader of the International Solidarity Movement said, "When Palestinians get shot by Israeli soldiers, no one is interested anymore. But if some of these foreign volunteers get shot or even killed, then the international media will sit up and take notice." This is classic, "many deceivers have gone out into the world." (2 John) They are as Paul told the Philippians, "the enemies of the cross of Christ."
" You want to bring me down from my place of honor (my position in Jesus Christ)....When your words are kind, hatred hides in your heart." Some of you may not like what I have written today. But I can tell you that the plots of the Enemy will just keep getting more and more deceptive, taking on more and more the face of "innocence." A few days ago I read again the "Olivet Discourse." Mark's version ends with a most sobering injunction, "....lest, coming suddenly, He find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"-- literally, "Stay awake," be "on the alert!" or, "Be vigilant!" Stay in Jesus and His Words, then and only then may you and I say, "I will fear no evil."
Father, in Jesus' Name, in You, Holy Spirit, enable me to, "Be vigilant!" Amen.
*******************
Read about the real Kayla Mueller : 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
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
