"Do Not...Neglect...."

"Remember the prisoners as if chained with them--those who are mistreated--since you yourselves are in the body also."  (Hebrews 13:3)

"Do not forget, or neglect," or do, "remind, mention."  In other words, keep the plight of those in prison for Jesus ever before the Church.  We have been supporting Brother Andrew since 1968 for this very purpose.  But it is more than sending a check.

Praying is always the greatest "work."  And along with faithful praying for the suffering, yet victorious Church, is the command to, "Do not...neglect."  That can mean many opportunities, yet all too many in Christendom do, "....forget/neglect."  Yesterday I was in the Helsinki Commission Hearing in Washington, DC.  It is also known as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); it was birthed after the revolutions in East Europe.  They are doing a good work, but commissions and committees and programs and money cannot change the heart of man.  The Word of God commands us to, "love your neighbor as yourself."  If humanity obeyed this command, we would not need "human rights" commissions.  But apparently you and I have the choice to obey or not.  Our text is another opportunity for you and me to walk in obedience to a command of Jesus.  I have learned over the years that there are many opportunities for you and me to change, "neglect," into real service.

This is not a mishandling of our text, but while I pray daily for, "....the prisoners as if chained with them," and, "those who are mistreated," for Jesus, I need always to remember that there are those in spiritual prison, dark depression, sadness, aloneness.  You may not feel this "prison," but many around you and me do.  Jesus said, "But I am among you as One Who serves."  May that "Christ-likeness" never fail to manifest in us.

Father, in Jesus' Name, lead me to someone who needs Your touch in me today.  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

"But This Man...."

"Why then have You brought me out of the womb?  Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me!...But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God...."  (Job 10:18; Hebrews 10:12)

Our texts are a contrast between utter despair and the Hope of the ages, a poor, suffering, lonely soul who, as we know, eventually saw, "This Man," Jesus.  His life changed forever.

It is not unusual for a person in deep suffering, depression, or remorse over how their life turned out, to feel as Job expresses here.  There are probably more people who feel this way than one can imagine, joys, if any, are in the past, perhaps the distant past.  Where did life go wrong? 

If you should be in such a state today, I strongly encourage you to stop for a moment and consider, "....this man."  Far too many speak of God alone and have only a distant god, an "up-there" god, one of whom they speak, even "worship," yet from whom in the depths of their being feel so detached.  The loneliness produced by such erroneous believing is overwhelming.  Jesus is not primarily a "with me" Savior.  "But this Man," is in me, right here, right now.  I never grow tired of reminding myself of Jesus in me.  I know I wright on this alot, but I do so because Jesus, "Christ in [me is] the hope of glory," is my hope, my trust, my salvation.  We don't know how long Job struggled in his suffering and despair.  We do see, however, that he found redemption-deliverance in, "But this Man...."  Job came to the end of himself into the Blessed Trinity, "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You."  

The context of our Hebrews text is speaking of an "earthly" priesthood, which was, as the Law, "having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things."  The priesthood was, "having a shadow of the good [Man] to come...."  And just as we need the Blood of Jesus because, "it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins," we need faith/trust in, "This Man," because it is impossible for any "priest" or friend or super saint to relieve the pain of a lonely soul such as Job.  Isaiah 28:16 says, "Listen carefully, I am laying in Zion a Stone ('This Man') a tested Stone ('This Man'), a precious Cornerstone ('This Man') for the [secure] foundation ('This Man'), firmly placed.  He who believes [who trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone] ('This Man') will not be disturbed or give way [in sudden panic]."  

When life seems as though it is attempting to destroy you and a "sudden panic" may be upon you, just turn your face into the approaching storm and declare to the, "principalities and powers of the air, " what our text declares, "But this Man...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I so thank You for, "This Man."  Amen.

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* DC, Thursday, Feb. 11: Supreme Court Building, Capital Building, White House, David's Tent.

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

Step Out of The Shadows

"The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves.  For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship....Those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.  It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.  Therefore, when Christ came...." (Hebrews 10, NIV)

The word, "Therefore," means, "for that reason," or, "because of that."  Therefore, when Christ came...."  The Interlinear says that in the context of our text, the word implies that "two 'directions' are expressed, looking 'backward' ('because') to properly look forward ('therefore')."    "Therefore, when Christ came...."!!

This is the theme of the Ages.  Jesus is the great, "Therefore," of life.  Mankind cannot know God; "Therefore,..Christ came...."  I was lost, hopelessly lost in sin, "Therefore,... Christ...."  After the passing of Stephen, I was zombie-like; "For that reason,..Christ came."  It is the Truth of life.  When all hope is gone, when there is nothing left to say or do, "When darkness veils His lovely Face, I rest on His unchanging grace.  In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil."  "Therefore, when (since) Christ came...," I can now sing, "On Christ, the Solid Rock I stand...."
 
Galatians 3:24 says, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith."  And did we ever need a, "schoolmaster."  I have fond memories of many of my "schoolmasters."  They helped form me and guide me.  And I can say of the Biblical Law, the same is true, "O, how love I Thy Law."  In fact, it is a "trustworthy" statement to say that the purpose of the Bible is, "to bring us to Christ."

This seems too theological for today's generation.  I remember teaching in a Ywam DTS and the leaders finally did not invite me back.  The main reason?  I took the students through books of the Bible.  I did not attempt to entertain or "dumb down" the Bible.  One writer who has interviewed "some of the strongest teenage evangelicals-- those who were actively sharing their faith with unbelievers, 'We found that the faith [the teen evangelists] were trying to spread was, in fact, more akin to moralistic therapeutic deism than to historic Christianity.  Few of these youth evangelists could identify a single portion of the Bible as the basis of their faith in Christ."  The Barna Group found in a survey that "one pattern emerged loud and clear: young adults rarely possess a Biblical world view."  Of course, the reason is obvious; they don't read, believe, and obey the Bible.  I will keep repeating myself.  There is no substitute in life for, "Therefore, when Christ came...."  Only when Jesus and His Words are central to you and me can we step out of the shadows into the Reality.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I am so glad, so thankful that You have come to me in Jesus, my Brother, the One alone in Whom I can know You.  Amen.
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* Heading for DC on Thursday, February 11.
* Please pray for our October, 2016 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