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Thursday, April 9, 2015

The Great, "Therefore," Of Life

"And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember more....Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence ('freedom, openness, boldness') to enter the Holy Place by the Blood of Jesus,..and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith....Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering...."  (Hebrews 10, NASB)

This quarter I am reading straight through the Bible and not from my usual selections from the various categories, e.g., Pentateuch/History, Prophets, etc.  My devotionals will be from various texts and well as from my daily Psalms reading.

It's that once-every-four-years-time again.  The United States of America is entering into the full fledged 2016 Presidential Election season.  So many people are putting their hopes and aspirations on candidates.  For me personally, I see no one who has announced their candidacy who is a prime Biblically based, Constitutionally sound candidate.  Of course I continue to pray for Jesus' mercy on us all, and will vote and do what I can do to see the United States of America fulfill its prophetic destiny.

But make no mistake; our text is the Foundational hope of mankind, the hope of the nations, the hope of Eternity.  I keep our text on one of my Bible translations on my phone and Kindle.  It is not only the "turning point" of the Hebrew Epistle, it is also the "turning point" of human existence.  The Living Triune God has declared to the human race that our, "sins and...lawless deeds I will remember no more."  How can this be?  How can there be a great Divine "loss of memory?"  As Romans 5 tells us, it occurred, "by one act of righteousness."  The shedding of Jesus' Blood in His Cross erased my sin, your sin, the sin of humanity.  2 Corinthians 3 says, "Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away," viz., blindness, the confusion, the misunderstanding concerning the evil, the sin, the rebellion of humanity, and how mankind could ever be brought into an intimate relationship with the Blessed Trinity.

Left to myself, I would have absolutely no "confidence" to even speak His Name.  In Jesus, however, I have, "confidence, openness, boldness," and only in Jesus, not anything of mine, no goodness, no good deeds, "nothing but the Blood of Jesus."  This is not self made "boldness" or "confidence."  This is Jesus "made."  And as Jesus, "with His own Blood...entered the Most Holy Place once for all," now you and I have entered, "the Holiest of All," likewise, "once for all," no more getting up in the morning to "enter," but getting up in the morning knowing that I have spent the night, will spend the day, will "spend" eternity in Father, in Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, in Father's House, the, "many mansions."

Father, in Jesus' Name, what glorious, glorious Life I have in You.  Amen.
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There is still time to contribute to the Crow First Nations children backpacks and a widow's house repair.  I took a "step of faith" and sent $1500.00.

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

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

A Difference Between, "The Wicked," and, "The Righteous"

"The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives....But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of troubleAnd the Lord helps them, and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him." (Ps. 37:21 & 39, 40 NASB)

Notice:  "....the righteous is gracious and gives."  Their, "salvation...is from the Lord Jesus."  Jesus, "is their strength in time of trouble...The Lord Jesus helps them, and delivers them...and saves them."  And, "the righteous," have all this, "because they take refuge in Jesus."

Notice too that Jesus, "saves them," not just "saved them."  Jesus is a continual Savior, not just a Savior who got us into Heaven, saved from sin and Hell, etc.  Jesus' salvation is a life salvation, a daily, moment by moment salvation.  The reason is really quite simple, yet at the same time quite profound.  The Blessed Trinity is not a "ticket" to somewhere, a sort of "get out of jail free" card, though many try to live as such.  The Living Triune God created us to love and fellowship.  You and I are here to live moment by moment in Jesus, no "we come into Your presence," but a "we live in Your Presence."  Yea, Jesus is He, "Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him" (1 Thess. 5:10)

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You that You, "help[].., deliver[].., and save[]," me.  Amen.
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Thanks to those who have contributed to the need of the Crow First Nations People.  We have sent $1500.00 to them.            

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

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

You, "Shall Know Whose Words Will Stand, Mine or [Yours]"

"The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect." (Psalm 33:10)

I have written many times about the Lord doing this with, "the nations," and, "the peoples."  The thought occurred to me today, however, that He also does this with you and me.

How many times in my life our Lord Jesus, "brings the counsel...to nothing"?-- and indeed, we should be very, very thankful for this.  There have been too many times when we were our own "counselor."  We knew best; we even prayed that our "counsel" would prevail, aka, get our own way.  I repeat again what Brother Charles Simpson once said, "The only thing worse than God not giving us our way, is when God gives us our way."

Today there are still hours left in this day for us to decide which counsel we will submit to.  Jesus told the Jews in Jeremiah's day, "The Lord has said concerning you, O remnant of Judah, 'Do not go to Egypt!'  Know certainly that I have admonished you this dayFor you were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the Lord your God saying, 'Pray for us to the Lord our God, and according to all that the Lord your God says, so declare to us and we will do it.'  And I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God, or anything which he has sent you by me."  History records that they did indeed go to Egypt.  If you read Jeremiah 42-44, you will see just what all happened to those who followed their own "counsel" instead of God's."  God then sums up the whole issue, "Then the whole remnant of Judah who came to live in Egypt will know whose word will stand-- Mine or theirs" (NIV).

There is much "counsel" in the world today as then, as always.  Adam and Eve took the wrong "counsel."  You and I have taken wrong "counsel" in our life time.  You and I need to determine every day, moment by moment in the day, to remember and walk in, "....know whose word will stand--- Mine or theirs."  You know now what I am going to write.  There is just no counsel that can or will stand against the counsel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that counsel is His Very Words.  The great "competition" in the "game of life" is between, "the counsel of the nations"---"the plans of the peoples...," and That of our Lord Jesus.  "Choose you this day whom you will serve." 

Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess that I have followed too much "counsel" apart from Yours.  Holy Spirit, I pray You constantly convict me of right "counsel."  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

Monday, April 6, 2015

Thomas Missed A Good Meeting

"Now Thomas...was not with them when Jesus cameThe other disciples therefore said to him, 'We have seen the Lord.'  So he said to them, 'Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." (John 20:24, 25)

So apparently Thomas did see the nails driven in and the sword thrust into Jesus side.  What Thomas did not "see," however, was that Jesus declares, "the end from the beginning."  Is there any, "unless," in you and me today?

Thomas missed a very important "meeting" because he was probably somewhere sulking, like many of the others, indulging in unbelief, skepticism; we really don't know.  Obviously Thomas did not believe what Jesus had told him a number of times, that He would rise from the dead.  How many times have you and I "missed" something Jesus was "doing" because of unbelief, and were self consumed?

Our Lord Jesus has a way of "appearing" when we least expect Him.  He is "in places," we least expect, dealing with people we least expect, leading us places we least expect.  Perhaps our "expector" should be more attuned
to Jesus, His Words, the Holy Spirit.  I have wondered from time to time how many things I have missed or walked right past because I was not "expecting."

The texts which reveal the activities after Jesus' resurrection reveal the many varied responses of people to unexpected,
disbelieved events, and ways of the Lord Jesus Christ.  As we stay in His Words, seeking His Face, and listening as we do both, we will never miss His "appearings."

Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to have my eyes on You and not any disappointments, agenda, or anything that would cause me to not be where You "are."  Amen.
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* Reminder: My mission report is at:    jhs58.blogspot.com    The best way to access is on the Google search engine.
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I will be on CTV for an 8 minute interview to talk about the coming March of Remembrance.  It will air at 09:00 on April 16.


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

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