"Reasonable Minds...."

"My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.  But I have calmed and quieted myself...like a weaned child....Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore."  (Psalm 131)

You may have noticed over the years that I refer to humanism from time to time.  Humanism is the opposite of our text.
"Humanist Manifesto I" (1933):

"Today man's larger understanding of the universe, his scientific achievements, and deeper appreciation of brotherhood, have created a situation which requires a new statement of the means and purposes of religion."
"Humanist Manifesto II:
It is forty years since Humanist Manifesto I appeared.  Events since then make that earlier statement seem far too optimistic....As in 1933 humanists still believe that traditional theism, especially faith in the prayer-hearing God, assumed to live and care for persons, to hear and understand their prayers, and to be able to do something about them, is an unproved and outmoded faith....Reasonable minds look to other means for survival."

Today is "Holocaust Remembrance Day."  Notice that the 1973 version, which is post Holocaust, even though a little "sheepish," still defiantly holds to meism.  I know most people who have read these devotionals over the last 16 years may think, "O, here comes the same ol' same ol'."  But take the, "God-Breathed" Words out of our lives, and all you have left is humanism, man reasoning the universe all alone, viz., "Reasonable minds look to other means for survival."

Notice that our text affirms the Lordship of the Living Triune God in Jesus Christ.  Only with the attitude of, "My heart is not proud,.." can one live in this world in the purposes and blessing of The Blessed Trinity.  Only with such an attitude/life style can I surrender to, "The Word of God," Jesus Christ, and His Words.  I have been being saved daily by that which humanists reject, "the Words of God"--- "life to those who find them and medicine to all [my] flesh."  Otherwise, I would be as the humanists.  "Reasonable minds look to other means for survival."  To any humanist I say, How is that working?

Father, in Jesus'  Name, "....I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother...," because I see my worthlessness without 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

"Be Prepared"

"Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-- with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Timothy 4:2, NIV)

Some of the translations of the Greek words used in our text are, "expose, discipline, rebuke, chide, warn, beseech, entreat, beg, encourage, console."  These words are really a summation of God's dealing with humanity.  We can see this in the Pentateuch, Historic Books, the Prophets, the Gospels and Epistles.  The problem with most, however, is they create a god in their image: "This is the god I want and choose, a god who only consoles me."

Most of us do not come to the Bible or sermons or Bible studies looking for, "expose, discipline, rebuke, warn."  We come looking for, "beg, encourage, console."  But when did the Bible become a smorgasbord?  This is selective religion, making God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit what unrepentant people want.  They want a pass on their sin and rebellion.  Paul told Timothy to instead, "Preach the Word," and it is, "The Word," which will, "expose, discipline, rebuke, hide, warn, beseech, entreat, beg, encourage, console."  I confess I need all.

When you come to, "the Words of God," what are you looking for?  When you go to "preaching services," Bible studies, etc., is your first reaction openness or, "Give me what I want?"  Jesus says, "The Words that I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life."  If I believe Jesus, I will receive all, "....Words that I speak to you...."  Our text tells us, not just preachers, to, "....be prepared in season and out of season," aka, all the time.  The only way that is possible is to be full of Jesus' Words, "in season and out of season."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I believe You are my Good Father, and because I do, I want to continue to hear and obey, "The Words that [You] speak to [me]."  
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If you are interested in knowing the expenses for the October/November Mission, you can email me.

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 Paul Claimed Was Alive"

"Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive." (Acts 25:19, NIV)

This is what humanist hate.  You cannot kill God, you cannot kill righteousness, you cannot kill, "the Words of God."  He just keeps coming back to them, loving them, offering forgiveness to them, yet rebuking them, judging, yes, judging them, "He who rejects Me and does not receive My words, has one who judges him; the Word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day" (John 12:48).

Festus, a humanist government official, did not grasp exactly what he was dealing with here.  It seemed to him to be some group of fanatics, people whom society marginalizes, mostly as crazies, and who pays little attention to.  He disparaged the Jews, "....about their own religion," but he really apparently did not know much about that to which the Book of Acts refers to 10 times as, "The Way."  All this political appointee knew was that the dispute was, "....about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive."

There are people putting a "gospel" out there today which has little to do with, "claimed was alive."  They are what one writer referred to as the "new evangelists" who could not give to him one Scripture for their "gospel."  Today's text, however, is fundamental Gospel, the "heart," if you will, of the Gospel.  "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."  Without this, "Dead man named Jesus,..alive," we have nothing.  Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "By this gospel you are saved....Otherwise, you have believed in vain....I passed on to you...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.., and that He appeared...."   

I pray for you and me today that if the world around us has nothing to say about us, at least they will say that our lives are based upon, "....a dead man named Jesus who [Woody and you] claim[] to be alive."  This is the definition of "Presence," right here in this 96 year old house, right there, wherever that may be, Right-Now-Presence, Right-Here-Presence, Right-There-Presence.  The Living Triune God promises, "never, no positively never, will I leave you; never will I forsake you", not when you leave the church service, not when you leave your "quiet time," not when you are in your office, plant, school.  He Who was once, "a dead Man named Jesus," is now the Living, "Man Named Jesus," with, beside, in you, now, Eternally, GLORIOUSLY. 

Father, in Jesus' Name, I rejoice that your were, "a dead Man Named Jesus," and now are my Alive, "Man named Jesus."  Amen.
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* Please pray with us for all the needs of our Fall Mission, October 28-November 15
* "The Holocaust's Unlearned Lessons" (Carolyn Glick) 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

"....For the Lord Has Been Good To You" YES, He Has

"Return to your rest ('comforting resting place'), my soul, for ('because') the Lord has been good to you." (Psalm 116:7)

There are some different opinions as to who wrote this Psalm.  But I can tell you that Jews have been reciting it for centuries---- to this very day.  And when you consider the history of the Jews..............  Maybe here would be a good place to "Count your many blessings, name them one by one."

And what about you and me today?  Can we not command our soul to, as did the psalmist, the Jews through the centuries, the Followers of Jesus persecuted from the beginning, "Return to your rest.., because...."?  We can put it this way, "Because the Lord has been good to you, my soul," you can, "Return to your comforting resting place...."  Of course that, "place," is and always has been, as the hymn writer said, "near to the Heart of God."  Remember how we "went" to "the Heart of God," when we surrendered our lives to Jesus?  Do you remember?  Yet I pray that it is more than a "memory."  I pray it is a current, joyous reality.  It is the goodness of our Lord Jesus which is the basis, the empowerment for our, "comforting resting place," not circumstances, not my perception of life. 

Restlessness and an absence of peace come when we interpret life's events negatively, when we are more quick to say, "God doesn't answer my prayers," or, "Why does this happen to me?"  Romans 5 says, "....Let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; and endurance, proven character..; and proven character, hope and confident assurance...."  Now if we do not want, "patient endurance," and prefer just giving up, if we reject, "proven character," for some flippant religious experience, or if we prefer despair and doubt over, "hope and confident assurance," then just keep complaining about what life "hands" us.

I choose today, however, to embrace, "For our momentary light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]!  So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and imperishable."  All that is left for me to say and do when I consider this is, "Return to your comforting resting place, my soul, because the Lord [Jesus] has been good to you."

Father, in Jesus' Name, because of You I can confidently say, "Return to your rest, my soul...."  Amen.  
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* Please pray with us concerning our October/November Mission, October 28-November 15.
* Read about where is Germany headed:    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

More Words From Today's "Newspaper"

"The works of the Lord are great, studied ('sought out') by all who have pleasure in them....The works of His hands...and precepts...stand fast forever and ever....Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,..his righteousness endures forever.  Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness....Surely he will never be shaken...."  (From Psalm 111 & 112)

We can say, "The works of His hands...and precepts," are timeless, past, present, future, yes, but more powerfully, Eternal.  Our text is penned by a person who was on life's journey, observing, "The works of His hands," as, "light in the darkness...."  Indeed, life is a journey, a pilgrimage; hence, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.  How is your "progress?"  As you and I "stand fast" in Jesus Christ, we too will, "....stand fast forever and ever..., will never be shaken."

Consider some quotes from Pilgrim's Progress which for me are Bunyan's affirmation of our texts.  "This hill, though high, I covet to ascend; the difficulty will not me offend; for I perceive the way of life lies here.  Come, pluck up, heart; let's neither faint nor fear.  Better, though difficult, the right way to go, than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe....Dark clouds bring waters, when the bright bring none....I seek a place that can never be destroyed, one that is pure, and that fadeth not away, and it is laid up in heaven, and safe there, to be given, at the time appointed, to them that seek it with all their heart.  Read it, so, if you will, in my book."

Bunyan's words, "I seek a place that can never be destroyed, one that is pure, and that fadeth not away, and it is laid up in heaven..," are the trust of every Follower of Jesus.  Regrettably, the last couple of generations have succumbed to a "here and now" life philosophy more than any before them.  Just watch and listen to so much of what is being propagated in Christendom today, let alone the philosophy of current humanism.  I'm sorry for you, modern humanity, but this life is but a drop in a bucket in Eternity.  Our Lord Jesus Christ commands us, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth..; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven....For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  We, "....will never be shaken," when our "Treasure," in life's pilgrimage is Jesus Christ.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much for Your Words which just stay before us, no matter how much we may complain, ignore, or want to change them.  You reign!.  Amen.
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October/November Mission to Berlin and Lutherstadt, October 28-Noember 15.

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

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Posted By Antipas Prayer Force: to Antipas Prayer Force Devotionals at 1/23/2017 01:50:00 PM