Food Which Saves, Keeps, Delights

"'But you, son of man, hear what I say to you.  Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.'  Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it."  (Ezekiel 2:8, 9-- from yesterday's Major Prophet reading)

At the risk of sounding "hyper-spiritual," something very much like this happened to me in the summer of '70.

Could our text be the inspiration for, "Feed on the Word of God"?  To me it's very clear: The, "rebellious," do not, "eat what I give you."  They eat, feed on what they think is best, like a child who wants to forget the vitamin/mineral needs for the IHOP sugary syrup and Dairy Queen sundaes.  The, "rebellious," if they hear or read the, "scroll of a book," at all, would really like be as the king of Israel who, when he heard the reading of, "a scroll of a book," had it cut up and destroyed.  But, as with Jeremiah, the Holy Spirit just keeps finding people who will write the same words over and over again.  God bless those monks of the Middle Ages who laborious wrote word by word the, "God-Breathed," Words.

Sometimes devotionals can be like a telemarketer call.  After the first few words, you hang up; you know what they are going to say.  Many are like that with the Bible, "O, I've read that several times before."  So?  I too have "read that several times," and never grow tired of the Food.  "Open your mouth and eat what I give you," is a glorious invitation/command, a glorious eating, glorious taste, glorious sustenance.  I can see more and more why our Lord Jesus spoke to my heart on that dark day in the summer of '70.  My response was not to fall on my knees in prayer, or sing, or go to a prayer meeting.  I "instinctively" picked up my Bible, however, and began the journey.  It was a little like Wesley's heart, "strangely warmed," experience.  "O, taste and see that the Lord is good."  I did/do and He Was/Is.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for the, "Medicine to those who find," Your Word.  Amen. 

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Our prayer requests are not casual cliches.  As with everyone really, we desire and need the Book of Acts, "....but constant (earnest) prayer was offered to God for him by the church."  Thanks.

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

"Always Pray," Never, "Give Up" (Jesus)

"Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up."  (Luke 18:1, NIV--from yesterday's Gospel reading)

"...not give up," is also translated, "not lose heart."  Regardless, if we, "lose heart," we will, "give up."  I can tell you, however, that I have been praying more intensely in the past month than I can remember.  I don't necessarily know why, but there it is.  We are in very perilous times.

I have heard the term over the years, "seasoned intercessors."  I don't know what that means.  Does it mean they have been interceding longer, have some sort of inside track on intercession?  Does it mean they are "better at it" than others?  Does it mean they have some special "inside track" to "the Presence"?  Are there some sort of seminars in which the "experts" can inform the lessers on how to do intercession?  Are their prayers more readily answered than others?  All of this can lead the Church to "full-time intercessors," paid pray-ers. 

Personally, I don't think we who engage in "intercession" are special, more spiritual, or get more prayers "answered."  We are just doing what our Lord Jesus Christ commanded all of us, "....always pray and never give up."  The fact that we all have some people and "things" for which we once prayed and no longer pray reveals this give-up-itis in us all.  In preparation for the CA meetings, I have been going over some of the great, "God-Breathed," prayers of the Bible, prayers which, I can tell you, I pray with more "fervency" than any others. 

I highly recommend, for example, Psalm 83.  Read it; pray it, then think of your situation, the situation of your family, work, nation, and pray it again.  Remember that the whole motivation for such praying is revealed within the Psalm, "....so that they will seek Your Name....That they may know that You, Whose Name alone is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I need your grace and power to do, "the work of ministry/service."  Amen.
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* If you want to know what Trump really said in his speech last night, read a great article at:        jhs58.blogspot.com

* Three event prayer request: 
        9/4:                 Preaching in our local church
        9/9-18:           Meetings in CA
        10/4-27:         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

Our Hearts "Follow" Our Eyes

(You can also read at:  apfdevotionals.blogspot.com)

"If my step has turned from the way, or my heart walked after (followed) my eyes...."  (Job 31:7)

This is a most disturbing phrase, "....walked after my eyes...."  Yet how many times this occurs in a human being. 

Job was speaking with the Lord Jesus, "The Word of God," and attempting to make some sense out of all that was happening to him.  Job was saying something like, "If I have done all of this, then what is happening to me is my "just deserts."

Maybe this is a reason, "The Word of God," tells us, "Keep my commands and live, and my law as the apple of your eye."  My heart will follow whatever I behold, whether with the eyes or the "eyes" of the mind.  There is no exception to this.  Whatever, even whomever, I look at long enough can "capture" my heart in some sense, many times it is not good.  I do not have to give you examples, I am sure.

Enter, "....looking unto Jesus...."  Maybe some icons of the Middle Ages were not all bad.  Maybe by having religious paintings, sculptures, etc., before the eyes, kept many from even worse behavior than that of which we read.  Maybe there can be some "good" in a "Saint Christopher" statue.  Now, come on; do you really want to think that about me?  At any rate, most throughout Salvation History could not read.  Paintings, sculptures, stain-glassed windows helped tell the Gospel story.  Perhaps they even helped with a sort of "focus."  But I digress.

Try this antidote to "wondering eyes" from Deuteronomy 11: "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, so that...."  That should work.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I acknowledge that my heart has too often been led by my eyes.  Remind me continually to keep my eyes on You.  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

Jesus Heals Those Broken "In Pieces"

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."  (Psalm 147:3)

The Interlinear tells us that the Hebrew word for, "brokenhearted," can be translated, "broken, to break, break in pieces."  If that doesn't describe some people I have met over the many years, nothing does.  Then, the Interlinear tells us that, "wounds," can be translated, "hurt, injury, pain."  The NKJV and the NASB say that it literally means, "sorrows."  Those who are such are exactly to and for whom our Lord Jesus "appeared" to, "bind up, take care of, heal their wounds."

Okay, let's see what we have here in the text: "broken, to break, break in pieces, hurt, injury, pain, sorrows."  This describes me after Stephen died.  In many ways, the healing is continual.  There is something "deeper," perhaps even more painful in a wound of, "sorrows," than any physical wound.  I have had both; perhaps you have also.

Ancient languages have a more "down to earth" expression than the more modern ones, e.g., we translate, "out of his belly," as, "out of his innermost being."  How sweet.  Then there is the Hebrew word that describes deep emotions and literally means, "kidneys."  I understand that the German language is also somewhat like this.  I once said to a German that the German language seems more "primitive" than English.  For instance, the German word for, hippopotamus, is, "water horse."  How great is that?!?  My comment was not a derision towards German nor a praise of English.  It just showed to me how mankind has "sophisticated" his expressions, made them more neat, more acceptable (politically correct?), but to me, more unsubstantial, ostensible.  Perhaps this is the main reason for God's use of Hebrew and Greek.
 
As we observe, "Immanuel, God with us," walking, speaking, dealing with people in the Land of Israel, we see in reality, "The Word became flesh...."  Indeed, we see in Jesus the very reality for which we all say we desire.  We see the Living Triune God among us dealing with, healing, understanding and loving the most broken, hurt, broken in pieces, in pain, injured, and sorrowful.  Listen to me, my weary "traveler."  Jesus Christ is the, "Very Present Help In Trouble," yes, "VERY PRESENT," and for any and all, "trouble."  If you are broken, "in pieces," today, feed on the Body and Blood of Jesus, the One Who Alone can, "heal [our] wounds."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess I am writing on and on at times, but I guess that is how I see You more and more---- on and on and on and on and.................  Amen.

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I will be preaching in our Sunday service, September 4

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

A "Miracle" Won't Help

"But He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded thought one rise from the dead.'"  (Luke 16:31)

Most people would have the nerve to take exception here with, "The Word of God," Jesus.  They are of the reasoning, "Yes, but...."  With all the talk of "power evangelism," or "people have to see miracles," etc., I am more and more convinced of our text.  There is not a miracle which you or I could "perform," there is not a "national disaster" or the greatest intellectual argument anyone could come up with that will bring people to Jesus other than the Words of Jesus-------- PERIOD. 

Some would say, "Well, what about all those miracles in the Old Testament, the Gospels, the Book of Acts?  Did they not bring people to faith?"  Perhaps, but if you go to the end of the Gospel Narratives, how many of those who saw all of the miracles of Jesus were there at the Cross?  And after the Cross, the disciples, who, by the way, saw everything Jesus did as He walked The Land, were in hiding.  And then there was the great "patron saint" of miracle worship, "Unless I see.., I will not believe."  We all remember our Lord's response to that reasoning.

I confess that there have been times in my life when I have prayed the prayer of David, "Show me a sign for good...."  But it is important to read the rest of his statement, "....that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me."  It is not, "so I can believe."  It is not a prayer for some audible voice, a Constantine "sign in the sky."  The Biblical principle is, "Your Word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You."  His Words are life-giving, sustaining, revelation, "lamp to my feet and light to my path."  I know; there you go again, Barnette, same ol' same old.  But of this, my friend, I get no end of pleasure in reminding you and me.

I have said and written before that the power in what the Bible refers to as, "the Words of God," is in the, "I will put My laws in their mind and write them in their heart," not some religious mumbo jumbo quoting of verses that are not "ours," that is, not written in our hearts and in our minds, which are not, "they   are   your   life."  There have been Bible toters over the centuries who carry the Book, quote the Book, but somehow give out a hollow religious air which leaves the hearer wondering, "What's that all about."  May our Lord Jesus ever keep us from such a life.

Our text is powerful, first, because, as with all Scripture, the words are, "God-Breathed."  Secondly, they are, "life to those who find them."  No miracle in the Universe will ever be able to "compete" with, "The Word of God," and His Words.

Father, in Jesus' Name, "O how love I Thy law."  May It/You be, "my meditation all the day."  Amen.
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* I would appreciate any prayers for our upcoming service in Jesus' Church and Kingdom, September 9-19, October 4-27.

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