"A House of Fortresses"

"Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily; be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me."  (Psalm 31:2)

Literally, "a house of fortresses to save me."  Well how about that!  The great Hebrew language (excuse me) really nails it, doesn't it?  Jesus Christ, King of the Ages, is our, "house of fortresses to save me."  What can one possibly fear with such a Savior?!?

This is the Psalm from which I read on today's conference call.  So far, I have one regular caller.  Since that person seems to enjoy this short call and we will be traveling tomorrow during the noon hour, I will be doing a conference call, Scripture reading and prayer, tomorrow at 08:00; it usually lasts less than 5 minutes.  Then I plan to do another one on Monday, January 10 at 12:00.  When I was in seminary, I used to do a "dial-a-prayer" from our church office phone; they had that tradition before I got there.  Maybe I should check into it.  I will let you know on each day's devotional when I will be doing the calls.

Notice the psalmist's great plea, "....deliver me...; be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense...."  Who in today's world cannot identify with David's prayer?  The hostility of this world system toward Followers of Jesus is becoming more and more clear with anyone who has eyes or ears.  My prayer on the call today, however, was based in verse 15, "My times are in Your hand...."  They are, but you and I must so state and so believe and so live.  Too much of my life, especially when I was younger, was in my own hand; I made the decisions.  I was sort of like what is described in Ecclesiastes , "I made....I built...for myself....I planted...for myself."  This does not work, does it?!? 

This noon, as I prayed with two other Followers of Jesus, I renewed my commitment to Jesus, "My times are in Your hands," Lord Jesus.  And so I pray with you now:

Father, in Jesus' Name, "I made....I built...for myself....I planted...for myself," far too much in my life.  I pray, You make, You build, You plant----- for Yourself, "My times are in Your hands."  Amen.
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Conference call info: 
            Phone number:      605 562 3000
            Code:                        709387#
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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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

I Had A Most Unusual Experience This Morning

"He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth."  (Isaiah 11:12)

I never have to look for texts to comment on.  Every day's readings are more than I can handle.

Some of today's US ships have the Phalanx CIWS, a sort of modern Gatling Gun.  I pity the poor souls or weapon on the receiving end of this thing.  This gun can not only take out incoming planes and fast moving boats, but also high speed missiles.  This is how I found myself praying today for, well, everything.  It was as though I could see in my mind rapid frames of images, my family, you who receive this, supporters, brethren in other countries, the domestic and global political chaos, etc.  You may say it was a sort of frustration, but I rather think it was my spirit praying in the Holy Spirit.  Our text inspired it.

Jesus Christ is our God of, "from the four corners of the earth."  To say Jesus has us covered is a gross understatement.  The Living Triune God has been releasing His "Phalanx CIWS" since the Garden.  Nothing in your life or mine can get through this massive, rapid response and initiating weapon.  "The weapons of our warfare," are not like the weapons of the Enemy, nor his servants.  They simply cannot stand up against our, "King of kings, and Lord of lords."  Remember: "No weapon formed against you shall prosper."

I received a prayer request about a great Brother in Christ in Pittsburgh; this is how I prayed.  I thought of you; this is how I prayed.  I thought of, excuse me, the World; this is how I prayed.  I thought of Israel and, "He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth."  This is how I prayed.

Join me in a resolve for this year and, indeed, the rest of our sojourn here, to remember our "Phalanx CIWS."  I believe strongly that it is praying in our spirits in the Holy Spirit, yes, praying in unknown tongues.  Greek scholars tell us that is exactly what happened on the Day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2.  The Followers of Jesus were speaking in unknown languages/tongues, not any language of any people group.  The "miracle of Pentecost" is while the 120 were speaking (worshipping?) in the Holy Spirit, our Holy Spirit had the crowd simply hear them in their languages.  And notice that they were not "preaching," giving an altar call, or "teaching."  It was simply, "....we hear them speaking in our own tongues the WONDERFUL WORKS OF GOD."  That sounds like a great Phalanx CIWS praise gathering.  What a set up for what was to follow.

I greatly believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was/is encouraging you and me in our daily sojourn on this Planet.  Humanity is like the Stock Markets, fearful of every little piece of bad news; it's pathetic.  You and I are not of such pathetic fear and hopelessness.  We are people of Jesus, Wielder and Giver of the Divine Phalanx CIWS.

Father, in Jesus' Name, GLORY.  Amen. 
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Please pray with us about this year's Berlin Mission

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

Who Sees You?

"Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-The-God-Who-Sees; for she said, 'Have I also here seen Him who sees me?'"  (Gen. 16:13)

The NIV says, "You are the God Who sees me...."

Every new year reminds us of the uncertainties of life.  Just think of how much you planned for previous years and how many of those plans had to be altered/canceled.  Perhaps one of life's greatest anxieties is uncertainty.

"You are the God Who sees me...."  That was enough for Hagar, and it should be enough for you and me.  "You are the God Who sees me...," is all the "direction" we need.  Prophesy is not meant to be some sort of trip to a medium, though if you were to attend some religious gatherings you could get that impression.  Saul was in deep trouble after his life of disobedience and went to a medium to get answers.  It only brought further condemnation.  Abraham, on the other hand, walked in obedience to, "The Word of God," Jesus.  He had no idea that his two sons would live throughout the centuries in almost constant war.  He had no idea about the "good king-bad king" history of Israel, the captivity, Israel in the diaspora from 70 AD to 1948 AD.  Any "person of God" accepts that he/she does not know absolute certainty of the future.  Yet as Abraham's life was driven by, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad," literally, "He rejoiced in order that he might see My day," you and I should be walking in the same rejoicing.

"He rejoiced in order that," reveals rejoicing, praising, perhaps even giving of thanks for what we do not yet see, what we cannot understand nor know with that human "certainty" which is unattainable, as the "key to life."  We don't know what we many times think we "have to" know, yet we rejoice.  We don't know, yet we know with certainty that, "You are the God Who sees me."  Jesus, "sees me,...will never leave me nor forsake me,...is preparing, "a place for you."  Remember: Jesus did not teach us to pray, "Thy Kingdom come.  Thy will be known."  It is, "Thy Kingdom come.  The will be DONE."  The truth that Jesus is, "....the God Who sees me," even when you and I cannot see what He is doing is great comfort.

Father, in Jesus' Name, "You are the God Who sees me...."  What more could I ask?!?  Amen.
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Attorney General and Members are at it again:      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

An Impossibility

"But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony (birth pains) of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held (by it) in its power."  (Acts 2:24, NASB)

What a great impossibility!

The year 2016 is not getting off to a good start.  As I write this, the US Dow is down 400 points, Hamas and Fatah have declared 2016 to be a year of even more violence and death to Jews; and the American political scene?  I say to you, as I say to all:  If you want consistent Good News, read the Bible.  The Words of God transcend human plans, decisions, and flippancy towards Jesus Christ, His Church, His Kingdom.  "Jesus shall reign where er' the sun does is successive journey run."  And our text of January 2 declares that you and I in Jesus Christ are a People of, "impossible for [us] to be held in [death's] power." 

"It was impossible...."  There you have it, one of life's impossibilities.  The power of death just could not hold our Lord Jesus Christ.  Neither can death "hold" you and me.  If we are in Jesus and Jesus ruling in us, the power of the "prince of darkness grim" has no power over us.  Those whom we know who have departed this life and whose bodies lie in graves all over the world are just waiting until the trumpet sounds.  There should be no fear of death in the person in whom Jesus Christ lives.  Jesus has promised, "Because I live, you shall live also." 

You and I are People of, "the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His Word...."  The promises of the Blessed Trinity are, "before time began," and they are after time ceases.  Jesus' Words are as He is, The Eternal One.  You and I and no one else can say for sure what 2016 will bring, but since we do know that since, "It was impossible for Him to be held in [death's] power," so it is impossible for death to hold us, "in its power."  Those who do not receive this will always be in fear and succumb to, "....principalities,.. powers,..the rulers of the darkness of this age,.. the spiritual hosts of wickedness...."  Those who believe, however, that, "It was impossible for Him to be held in its power," will be those who manifest to those around them, "light of the world," and, "salt of the earth."

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You that when You rose from the dead, so did I.  Amen.
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Will send a note about this year's Berlin Mission

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