If You Want To Understand "The News," Read This

"But mark this:  There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves,..boastful,..abusive,..treacherous....Have nothing to do with such people....They are men of depraved minds....In fact everyone who wants to live a godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Timothy 3, NIV)
 
The selected texts today are as Hebrews 4 as they were when the Holy Spirit first "gave" them.  "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." (Heb. 4, NASB).  Notice, "There is no creature hidden from His sight," not from its sight.  The Greek word for, "word," in the Hebrews 4 text is the exact same Greek word which is found in John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was...God."  When we read the Bible, we are "reading" Jesus Himself.  It's the Divine Autobiography.  As Ralphie would say, "Boy, that's good."

Events of the last several years just keep affirming my appraisal of global events and those shaping them, "They are men of depraved minds."  From MSNBC's Krystal Ball to Barack Obama, to most in the media and Hollywood, "They are men (and women) of depraved minds."  Many, many "are men (and women) in the most prominent of positions, not only in nations, but also in Christendom.  All of us can be fooled and deceived.  If you and I are not grafted into Jesus and Jesus in us, if Jesus' Words do not shape our world view and daily life style, we too will be partakers of, "deceiving and being deceived," and like them, "will go from bad to worse." 

Church: Pray and pray, and while praying, feed in, "The Word of God," Who Is Jesus Christ. Feed on Jesus, "on every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God."  Do not just read words when we read the Bible.  Read every Word in the, "God-Breathed," Word in relation and interpretation of all, "the Words of God."  Allow our Lord Jesus Christ to shape our entire life--------- none other.  This is must-praying for the Global Church today.

Father, in Jesus' Name, even though, "....bad to worse," is the case, I am exited to be alive today, that I can see You fulfilling what our forefathers longed to see.  Amen.
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Please remember to pray for David's Tent which begins on September 11.  I will be there from 9/18-22.

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

Changing Travel Plans

"Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.  When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.  So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas."  (Acts 16:6-8, NIV)

And in Troas, Our Lord Jesus changed their travel plans.

"Paul and his companions," wanted to preach in Asia.  Jesus intervened and took them to Greece.  How many times in our lives does this happen, and happen with the same results as in our text, as in, we get it right?

Many people have dreams for their lives, visions of what they want to do and accomplish.  Many of these seem quite noble and Kingdom oriented.  Thus, we have our text.  The difference between so many and Paul, however, is that too often we stay in or go to our "asia."  A person can be convinced, even have a "prophetic word" as to "where" we should be and what we should be about.  But have we, can we hear the voice of Jesus when He comes to take us to a "place" which we never imagined, perhaps even loathed?

Our Lord Jesus made it quite clear, "Whoever serves Me must follow Me."  There is just no negotiation on this.  Many people who seem to be "serving" Jesus are not following Jesus.  How is this possible?  Well, one can do "serving" things, preaching, teaching, missions, feeding the poor, passing out tracts, all of which are very "Kingdom."  Yet the danger is to do all this without, "follow Me."  We tend so much towards, "whoever serves," whoever prays about, whoever gets a "word" about.  The most "difficult" part is the, "follow Me."

I guess this is not good to talk about when you don't have an answer for, "Well, how does one follow Jesus?"  Work on it.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I do want to serve You, but mostly I want to follow You.  Then I know that my serving will be Your service, not mine.  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

"Don't Follow The Crowd" (The Bible)

"Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.  When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd."  (Exodus 23:2, NIV)

"....siding with the crowd," the nemesis of humanity.  As I have told you, I am reading the Bible this quarter in the NIV.  If you want to see an example of the graciousness of The Law, read Exodus 23 in the NIV. 

The Law of the Blessed Trinity has been maligned by so many, even those who call themselves, "born again."  Most of such never read The Law.  Remember: "All Scripture is God-Breathed."  So many read The Law and think, if not say, "That's not right; that's not fair; that seems harsh."  Jesus never consults with us, however, on our approval as to how Father/He/Holy Spirit runs the Universe.

Few agree with me on this, I know, but bad theology is the reason for so much false teaching throughout Church History, as well as false believing and life style choices.  Theology is different from "verse by verse" reading of the Bible.  Theology studies and considers the "sense," if you will, the meaning of a text and passage in light of the whole of Sacred Writ.  If you and I do not have knowledge of the whole of the Bible, we will walk in error; it's inevitable.  This is the reason many church-goers do not vote Biblical Theology.  Many vote for "pro choice" (which is code for pro murder) candidates.  Many church-goers vote for people who favor same gender marriage, those who still approve of the elimination of the Bible and Prayer of Jesus from the US state school system.  My "word" to them is the Word of Jesus to us all, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other" (Amplified). 

Everything lovely, everything fair, everything just, everything selfless is Jesus Christ, and Who He Is and what He is about is revealed in, "The Law and the Prophets," all of It, Them, Him.  If humanity walked in Jesus and His Words, it would be walking in the will of God.  I can not say or encourage us enough to judge ourselves and the world by, yes, I'll really say it, Biblical Theology.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess that all the wrong in my life has been due to selective obedience.  Amen.
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To get an update on David's Tent, go to:     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

If You Are "Sinking," Remember Peter On, Then In The Lake

"Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.  I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold.  I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.  I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched.  My eyes fail, looking for my God."  (Psalm 69, NIV)

You may be here today.  Very few on Planet Earth cannot identify with David's plight.

Jesus told Peter, "....When you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted...."  I know He was speaking of the manner of Peter's death, but there is a truth in general about life here.  "When you were younger," we pretty much did as we liked; there were few hindrances.  As the Ecclesiastes writer said, "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure."  In short, we did what we wanted to do.  Time, however, revealed the consequences of those youthful, "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired...."  In His Blood, Jesus forgives, saves, us from the power and judgment of sin, but not the consequences of a life sowing, "I refused my heart no pleasure."  This fact is confusing to so many in Christendom.  The only "slate" wiped clean is the "sin slate," not the consequence "slate."

Sometimes the words of our text come to us when we are quite young, but for most they come when older.  Most of it comes when one reaches "old age."  We can no longer do the things which were so, "I denied myself nothing...."  Now, life itself denies them to us.  Many of us have not physically come to the cry of our text, but there are many who have emotionally come "there."

What does one do when one comes to a place of our text?  We do not allow our, "eyes [to] fail, looking for my God."  We keep our eyes, "Looking unto Jesus."  Though you say with David, "my throat is parched," you can continue to say the Name of Jesus, pray in the Name of Jesus, rejoice in Jesus, and continue to live in the attitude and practice of, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."  And, "take hold," Jesus did, and does, and will continue to, "take hold," of you and me.  Praise Him.

Father, in Jesus' Name, Thank You so much that if, "my throat is parched," the well of water, Who is Jesus in me, quenches me.  Amen.

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* Articles 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

"You...Are My Fortress...On Whom I Can Rely"

"You are my strength, I watch for You; You, God, are my fortress, my God on Whom I can rely."  (Psalm 59:9, 10a--NIV)

I have been going through the Bible in the NIV.  Look at this:
    "You are my strength....
    I watch for You....
    You...are my fortress....
    You...are my...God...."
The Living Triune God is, "my strength,..my fortress,..my God."  My victory is in a continual life of, "I watch for You."

I can say that if you and I have such conviction and live/act in that conviction, victory is guaranteed.  There is no one and nothing who/which can match such statements.  Indeed, it is all about, "You, You, You, You," and the, "You," is the Living Triune God, manifest to humanity and the universe solely in Jesus, whom the first century Nazarenes referred to as, "the carpenter's Son."  

A friend of mine and I were sharing after our Church service yesterday, and were recounting the faithfulness of Jesus to him and me over our life time.  As I read today's text, Jesus reminded me of the powerful Truth/Faithfulness, "on Whom I can rely," He Has Been, Is, and will continue to Be.  Yes, there have been times when this was "tested."  But here we are, still with life's provision, dwelling in, relying on, clinging to, trusting in, "You...are my...God on Whom I can rely. 

I say with Paul today, "....that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  He has delivered us from...peril, and He will deliver us again.  On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I continually say, "Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me."  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