"Praise Him"

"Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven."  (Psalm 148:13)

What Bonhoeffer called the, "Bible Prayer Book," ends with a lot of, "Praise the Lord[s]."  There is a lot of confession, complaining, wondering "what's going on," even some "wheres?" throughout the Book of Psalms.  But it is as though the Holy Spirit is saying to you and me, "Even though you have been, 'through the valley of the shadow,' even though you had questions and wonderments, even though there were 'dark night[s] of the soul,' even though there have been times when you felt as, 'I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert.  I lie awake, and am like a sparrow alone on the housetop,' I call you now to join the saints of the ages in, "Praise Him."  There are at least 42 times the Holy Spirit calls you and me to, "Praise Him," in just the last five Psalms.  Maybe we should say, "Now this is the conclusion of the matter." 

What is your life been like so far today, this past month, year?  Here the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ, "Praise Him according to His excellent greatness."  In one of Paul's last correspondence he said, "At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me."  What is the Word of Jesus to Paul?  "Praise Him according to His excellent greatness."  The song which says, "When you don't know what else to say, say the Name of Jesus."  Now our God is not some god of ego, a god who wants everything "coming to" Him.  Worship, praise, "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks," are all an invitation to fellowship, to "walk with Him in the cool of the day."   Just as prayer, so too worship is communion/fellowship in Father, Son Jesus, Holy Spirit, a continual "Love Feast."   It may be something like Psalm 85 declares, "Mercy and Truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.  Truth shall spring out of the earth, and Righteousness shall look down from heaven."

Whatever the depths, I call you and me to a "Practice of the Presence...."  Don't get caught in some theological worship is different from praise.  I don't see that in Scripture.  Rather, as Psalm 148 says, "   
                "Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord....
                "Praise Him-Praise Him-Praise Him-Praise Him-Praise Him-Praise Him,..
                "Praise the name of the Lord....
                "Praise the Lord....
                "Praise the name of the Lord....
                "Praise the Lord!"--- the Blessed Trinity, the Living Triune God, Father, Son Jesus
                Holy Spirit, now say, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."

In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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Blog:   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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"I Will Extol Thee, My God and King...Forever and Ever"

"Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom ('a kingdom of all ages'), and Thy dominion endureth throughout all generations." (Psalm 145:13, KJV)

Psalm 145 day-of-the-month.  I never tire of reading, confessing, and listening to this Psalm, or any other, for that matter.  I did read allowed and listen to Scourby read it, only because I have memorized much of the Psalm in the KJV.  Okay, enough of my personal peculiarities.

Seven times David declares what he will do:
           1.   "I will extol Thee, my God, O King ('my God and King')
           2.  I will bless Thy Name for ever and ever   
          3.  Every day will I bless Thee;
           4.  I will praise Thy Name for ever and ever
           5.  I will speak of the glorious honour of Thy majesty, and of Thy wondrous                                                     works
           6.  I will declare Thy greatness
           7.  My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord"

I can honestly say that the greatest "blessings" I ever received from gatherings of the Church were not the times when I was the center of the "message," but those times when Jesus Christ, His Kingdom, "the honour of His majesty, His, "wondrous works," His, "greatness," were declared in the spirit of, "I will extol Thee, my God and King, and I will bless Thy name forever and ever."

"Every day will I bless Thee."  A psalmist says in another place, "seven times a day I praise Thee."  And Brother Lawrence would add, "Every second of the day and night I praise you."  Continual, "Every day will I bless Thee," is the glorious privilege we have in Jesus.  He Who brings, "so great a salvation," He Who alone can grant the forgiveness by which we can have, "boldness to enter the Holiest, by the Blood of Jesus," is the One Who created us for, "every day," and, "forever and ever," Life.  Jesus' Blood, "the Blood of His Cross," Jesus' Death, Jesus' Resurrection, Jesus' Ascension, Jesus', "I go to prepare a place for you," and Jesus' Second Appearing, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also," this glorious Gospel, Who is Jesus, is our sustenance, our joy, our life, Eternal Life, "forever and ever."

Such thoughts, such worship, such affirmation, such reminder just blesses the moment, the day, or for however 'long" I determine to live and walk in, "I will extol Thee, my God and King, and I will bless Thy Name forever and ever"----- and ever and ever and...................................

Father, in Jesus' Name, I only add today my, 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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Where...?....Where...?

"Where can I go from Your Spirit?  Or where can I flee from Your presence?" (Psalm 139:7

It is very dark, cold, windy and rainy here in Johnstown now.  It depresses some, but not me.  Why? "....Your Presence," just as in what Jesus said to Father, "I in them, and You in Me....Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory...."  Reality 101:  Jesus in you and me, Father in Jesus, Jesus in Father, Father in you and me, Holy Spirit in Father and Jesus, the Godhead in us.  If, as the song says, "rainy days and Mondays always get me down," this is the Curative Breath of the Blessed Trinity.  

Now I know that the psalmist was not wanting to, "go," or, "flee," though perhaps in the Uriah and Bathsheba fall, he may have considered it deeply.  His wording, however, seems to be just a way of stating the wonderful reality of the Eternal Presence of the Godhead (Remember those theological words, "Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresence?")  My mind does not, and I suspect will never be able to, comprehend such wonderful truth, indeed, as David said, "Such knowledge is too wonderful me; it is high, I cannot attain it."  Yet right here, right now, right there in your room is, "Your Spirit," viz., God Himself, and, "Your presence," again, God Himself. 

The word translated, "presence," is literally, "face"; hence, "....Where can I flee from Your face?"  What intimacy David speaks of, as the Bible says, "....the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."  The whole Psalm 139 is a marvelous declaration of our Lord Jesus Christ's all encompassing Presence, Love, Care.  "You know my sitting down and rising up.... You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me....You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb....Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed."  According to Psalm 139, Jesus was aware of your presence long, long before you and I were aware of His.  Not only did the Godhead "know" of us and love us before we surrendered our lives to Him, but He also "knew" us before we were even born.  "Such knowledge is too...high, I cannot attain it."

Father, in Jesus' Name, well, just overwhelmed, as usual.  Amen.
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Please pray with us about our next mission to Berlin.

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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"....To Further the Faith of God's Elect...."

"Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgement of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, Who cannot lie, promised before time began....  (Titus 1)

The NIV says in verse 1: "....to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness...."  This is an ongoing process for all.  This is the reason we must read the Scriptures regularly, walk in the Holy Spirit, and fellowship with other Followers of Jesus, "to further the faith...and...knowledge of the truth...." 

Now I'm not an expert in Greek, but from what I can gather in the lexicon, the phrase translated, "according to," has the idea of bringing Biblical principles, "down to our understanding."  Any communication of the Godhead to humanity involves a, "down to our understanding."  Now the proud, whether the "professional" or the regular person in the Church, thinks that if you and I are to come to where they are in the "walk," we must come up to their understanding.  It's sort of like those who came up with the name, "Generals of Intercession."  What does that mean? they are the top, the best intercessors, have more incite, a sort of if-you-really-want-to-understand-intercession-come-to-us?  Do they consider you and me captains, privates?!?

It is not some false humility to say that I am always, continually learning of Jesus, His Church, His Kingdom, and as Paul said, "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!"  The, "further ... faith...and knowledge," comes from/in Jesus Christ's Words, the Holy Spirit, and sharing the Common Life of the Church.  All expressions of the Living Triune God in the Universe, whether in "nature" or in humanity, all Biblical principles, worship, intercession, missions, etc., need a, "down to our understanding."  I continually, "further the faith...and...knowledge of the truth that lead to godliness," when I am continually in His Words, walking in the Holy Spirit, and participate in the life of the Church, viz., in communion with His People.  Being "on your own" is a dangerous life style.

I encourage you to join me in our, "further the faith...and...knowledge of the truth that lead to godliness."  It's a glorious pursuit, isn't it?

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for what the Creed says, "Who for us men and our salvation came down."  Amen.
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See video of a pastor who is being harassed by the German Government 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.'

Hebrews 12:2

"....Make The Lamps Burn Continually"

"Command the children of Israel that they bring to you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually."  (Leviticus 24:2)

Notice, it is man who is commanded to, "make the lamps burn continually," and commanded to see to it that, "the fire never go[es] out."  It's our privilege as well as our responsibility.

 
The old song, "I'll Never Stop Loving You," was sung by many, dedicated to many, but, alas, rings hollow through time.  So very many who sang that and said that to others did "stop loving you."  Jesus Christ makes the same promise, with one difference: He doesn't.

Yes, the word for, "continually," in our text means, "always, perpetual, constantly."  This speaks of the Godhead revealed in Jesus Christ.  Jesus Himself is, "continually, always, perpetual, constantly."  You can be assured that right now (stop and look around) it doesn't matter where you are.  Jesus is, "a very present help," yes.  But even more wonderful, Jesus is, "very present." 

Just as, "A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out", so too the priests were, "to make the lamps burn continually, always, perpetual, constantly."  The priests could not take a lamp with them into the Holy Place, even though there was no natural light there; hence, they must see to it that, "the lamps burn continually."  But to me, the "symbolism" of the Tabernacle, especially the, "it shall never go out," and, "lamps burn continually," and, "the bread of the Presence," is a constant reminder of our God, "continually, always, constantly," Present, Faithful, Loving, Kind......................"!  Jesus is God upon Whom and in Whom we have, "continual, always, perpetual, constant" fellowship, sustenance, 24/7/365/, "....The Bread of Life--The Light of the World."

John the Baptist said that Jesus would, "baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire."  The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is integral to what Jesus said, "....from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water....This He spoke of the Spirit...."  Feed on Jesus today.  Drink of Jesus today.  "Fan into flame," the Baptism, "in the Holy Spirit and fire."  And perhaps you and I can dig a little "deeper" into our relationship in the Living Triune God in the passage over which so many have "stumbled" through the centuries, something which is not a sinner's prayer.  "....Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.  He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him."  

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for, "Continually, Always, Constantly, Perpetual," You.  May I be the same.  Amen.
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See a short video of a German Pastor under threat by German Government Officials at: jhs58.blogspot.cpom

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.'"

Hebrews 12:2