"You Set Me In Your Presence Forever" !!

"As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, and You set me in Your presence forever." (Psalm 41:12, NASB)

"Integrity," can mean "moral uprightness," and also "incorruptibility."  This comes in and through the Blood of Jesus, and my absolute, incorruptible surrender to Jesus and His Words.  Yet I must never forget for a moment that only our Lord Jesus is able to, "uphold me in my integrity."

Then look at a promise for Jesus' Followers:  "....You set me in Your presence forever."  Right here on this couch, right there, wherever that may be for you, Jesus' Blood, His Death and Resurrection have made what to most is unthinkable and/or unattainable, "You set me in Your presence forever."  Get up from my chair, and go wherever; you may go to the store, work, school, visit friends, participate in a worship gathering---- no matter.  The promise is still to the incorruptible child of God:  "....set...in Your presence forever."

Are you depressed right now?  Remember: "You set me in Your presence forever."  Has someone dear to you passed on?  "You set me in Your presence forever."  You look at where you are and realize that things did not work out for you in life, things which you dreamed about, hoped for.  Reject that; it's over and done with.  But here is something which is never over and done with:  "YOU SET ME IN YOUR PRESENCE FOREVER."

Father, in Jesus'  Name, what a blessing!  Amen.
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Turmoil In Germany:   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

We Cannot Do Without---

"....and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." (Hebrews 9:22b, NIV)

Wikipedia defines religion "as a cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, world views, texts, sanctified places, prophesies, ethics, or organizations, that relate humanity to the supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual."  Contrast that with today's text.

The Word in our text for, "forgiveness," means, "complete forgiveness, deliverance, pardon."  This separates the religions of man from Jesus.  Why do we need, "complete forgiveness"?  The Bible says quite plainly that, "Your iniquities have separated you from your God."  In order for humanity to, as our Lord Jesus says, "come to the Father," i.e, come into participation in the Godhead, we need those, "iniquities," dealt with.  No religion makes provision for this.  They are nothing but cold philosophies.  In Jesus' Shed Blood, however, there is, "pardon, complete forgiveness," so that you and I can, "....have fellowship in company with the Father and in company with His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:3).

They called it "slaughter house religion" when my Dad was in seminary.  They just ignored it by the time I came along.  Whatever the current propagation of something called Christianity, nothing has changed in the economy of the Living Triune God: "Without the shedding of blood there is (just) no forgiveness."  But in, "the shedding of [Jesus'] Blood there is...pardon, complete forgiveness."  You and I can dwell, live, never depart from the Presence of the Blessed Trinity, because of, "....the shedding of blood."  And as Hebrews 7:27 tells us, "This Jesus did once for all when He offered up Himself."

Continue to walk in "your world" today as a pardoned, completely forgiven Child of God.  And never, ever forget why you and I can do this:  "....the shedding of Blood...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for the, "complete forgiveness," in Your Blood.  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

"The Secret Things" And, "Those...Revealed"

"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the Words of this law." (Deuteronomy 29:29)

Then why do so many attempt to discover, understand, explain those, "secret things."  We have our work cut out for us to walk in, "....those things which are revealed."

I was reading and listening to this text from yesterday's reading.  It just sounds "powerful."  Jesus is telling humanity that there are things which are not for us, no matter how "revelatory" some teachers attempt to portray themselves.  The Word for, "secret," means, "hide, conceal."  It is in His Words for a reason.  It is sort of like what our Lord Jesus has said to us, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this."  Let Jesus decide when is the, "after this."

Today, I give myself to, "....those things which are revealed..," because they, "....belong to us...."  For me, this says that there are things which do not "belong to us;" accept this.  It is a dangerous pursuit to go after, "the secret things [which] belong to the Lord our God...."  He will not allow us to "go there."  I find that when we look for things other than the, "revealed," things, we don't give ourselves to the, "revealed."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that You have kept from me what I couldn't "handle" anyway.  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

One Of Scriptures Most Beautiful, Edifying Scene

"And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus." (Mark 9:4, NIV)

I love this passage, especially Luke's version which says what Jesus, Moses, and Elijah were talking about, "....His departure ('death', KJV) which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem."  It just does not get any more powerful than this.

The Lawgiver and the Prophet/signs and wonders men said and did everything pointing to Jesus, "departure," viz., The Cross, His suffering, shed Blood, death, and resurrection.  This Great Event did not come by surprise to any Covenant Person who believed the Law and the Prophets.  Stupid humanity speaks of "Christ-killers."  How absolutely foolish.  Jesus Himself said, "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.  This command I have received from My Father."

I have shared before about the "vision" of our text which I had decades ago.  I "saw" clearly the Three standing on that mount discussing, "His departure at Jerusalem."  This passage is a powerful reminder of the Blessed Trinity's "control" of the Universe, the events of history, and everything which is to come.  Rest and rejoice today, "weary pilgrim."  Never allow, "Jesus Christ is Lord," to become a cliche.  Never allow any of, "the Words of God," to become such.  Remember the Word of God to Moses in speaking of God's Words: "They are your life"!

The thought occurred to me today: Perhaps The Godhead is "speaking" of your future and my future today, at this very moment, "planning," protecting, providing, sustaining, dealing with enemies, and, "I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, you may be also."

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You again for today speaking so wonderfully clear and comforting to me.  Amen.
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Read of the catastrophic immigration chaos in Europe: 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

Lose To Save

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel's will save it."  (Mark 8:35)

What a seeming contradiction: Lose in order to save.

I asked a man who once said to me that he just couldn't "give up" so much to follow Jesus, "What do you have to lose?"

These Words of Jesus are with us still, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"  Answer?  Nothing.  So many over the years I have heard say, "Well, we don't preach that you have to give up anything to follow Jesus.  We are more positive.  We tell people what they receive."  I guess they have a better "gospel."

There was a movie years ago where a Secret Service officer was chasing down an assassin.  They were running over rooftops and the assassin jumped to another roof.  The Secret Service guy didn't quite make it, and was hanging on the the rim of the roof.  The assassin put out his hand and said, "Take my hand, Frank.  Take it.  If you don't, you'll die."  This is true of our lives.  When I lose my grip on life, only then can Jesus take hold of me, or, "will save it."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I so foolishly have attempted to hang on to my grip.  I release it anew today to take Yours.  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