"My Ears Had Heard...But Now...."

"Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know....My ears had heard of You but now my eyes have seen You." (Job 42:3b & 5, NIV)

Well, my friend, you and I have just read the words of a very wise man.  Prior to this encounter with the Living Triune God, Job had made a lot of speculative statements.  He seemed "sure of himself" at times, but at other times there seems to be, "I'm not so sure."  I have done this probably a lot over my life.  Shouldn't there always be a little of this sobriety, however, when we humans speak, "I did not understand"?  It seems like a bad trick on me, but I find myself less sure about those, "things too wonderful for me to know."  And you know what?  I think I'm at the "best place" I've been.  I kind of like being in that, "not understand," realization.  The other was only an illusion anyway.

"My ears had heard of You...."  Yes, this is all of us from our "beginnings."  Somewhere along the path our, "ears...heard of," Jesus, and we responded to His merciful grace and love.  We thought we knew just about everything we had to know.  But, "My ears had heard of You," lasts perhaps a lot longer than we wish to imagine.  I am not attempting to put a "date" on any, "but now my eyes have seen You," but I am suspecting there may be an ongoing aspect of this, our days full of "new beginnings," new discoveries of/in Jesus, His Church, His Kingdom.

I am going to Washington, DC., our Lord willing, September 4, 5 & 6.  There is an evil manifesting in the United States of America which I have not seen in my life time.  That may sound like an overstatement to some, but it is not to me.  Do I understand with "prophetic accuracy" what I am seeing?  Really?  But I can tell you that I have had a "moment" of, "My eyes had heard of You," transitioning to, "but now my eyes have seen You,"-------------- for now, at least. 

I can only encourage you today to walk in such moments.  They will come to the Followers of Jesus throughout our entire life.  And, I might add, though what the, "eyes have seen," can be fearful, just be thankful that Jesus does not show us more than we can handle.  Maybe this is the reason our, "eyes have seen," are not nearly as frequent as we would like.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for, "....but now my eyes have seen You," moments.  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

"Where Were You When...?"

"Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: 'Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?  Dress for action like a man; I will question you....Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?-- when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38, ESV)

?!?!?  The Word of God's response to Job may seem to some as a little harsh, "insensitive" to a suffering soul, "Now prepare yourself like a man...."  But it does sound to me just like our Lord Jesus Christ and His Words to me after Stephen passed from this life to the Next.

People who have meant the most to me in my sojourn here are people who spoke truth, spoke and acted toward me in a manner which enabled me to do better, not as some tourist at Disney World.  It was reality "comfort," not sympathy, cliche, nice-guy stuff.  Enter the Lord God of the Universe.  Job's "friends" and the young know-it-all were accusatory; God called Job, however, to face the reality of just Who Is The Living Triune God.  It was another moment in history of, "I Am Who I Am....Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I Am has sent me to you.'"

And, we can say the same to the world today in the midst of turmoil, suffering, confusion, "I Am has sent me to you."  This is Who sends you and me into the maelstrom of life.  I confess that at times over my life I have attempted to explain more than declare.  Billy Graham once said, "The Bible does not attempt to prove the existence of God; it assumes it."  You and I are called today to "assume" the power of, "The Word of God," Himself, Jesus the Christ.  Jesus is under no obligation to prove anything to you and me.  All He asks of us concerning His Words are that we "assume" Them/Him.  He does the rest.

Father, in Jesus' Name, convict me any time I try to "prove" more than "assume."  Amen.

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Update on the stupidity of Europe.  USA next?  Go to:   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

If Not Blessed By This, Probably Not Breathing

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to God's elect, exiles scattered.., who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with His blood....Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.  This inheritance is kept in Heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time."  (1 Peter 1, NIV)

You have just read a testimonial message from Peter, the one who said to our Lord Jesus, after first refusing to allow Jesus to wash his feet, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head."  Is it any wonder that the Holy Spirit chose to give us these Words through this  "ordinary" man, yet one who loved Jesus so much?  

Consider with me for a moment just a few phrases.  "exiles scattered,"-- we are, all over the face of the Earth, some in what are called "free societies," others in severe persecution.  "Who have been chosen."  Never forget this, especially if you encounter a nobody-cares-about-me moment.  The "Eternal One," King Jesus, chose you; enough.  "To be obedient to Jesus Christ."  And here, my friend, it all begins and ends.  Govern our lives accordingly, and they will be what the Living Triune God intended for us.  Then notice the only reality by which, "men must be saved"?--- "sprinkled with His Blood."  The old hymn, speaking of the Cross of Jesus, says, "there to my heart was the Blood applied, Glory to His Name!"  

I will conclude with this: "into an inheritance that can never perish, soil or fade."  Look around you right now; everything you see will, yet not our relationship in the Godhead, in Jesus Christ.  Every promise of The Book is our, "inheritance that can never perish, soil or fade."

Father, in Jesus' Name, what glorious, marvelous, gracious Words are Yours.  Amen.

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THREE DAYS IN WASHINGTON, DC:  MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 4- EVENING OF SEPTEMBER 6 

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 Outer Fringe Of His Works"

"He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters for a boundary between light and darkness.  The pillars of the heavens quake, aghast at His rebuke....And these are but the outer fringe of His works; how faint the whisper we hear of Him!  Who then can understand the thunder of His power?" (Job 26, NIV)

This is Job.  Maybe such observance of life was some of what the Blessed Trinity saw in him when He commended Job before his friends, "I am angry with you.., because you have not spoken the truth about Me, as My servant Job has."  Job's, "truth about Me," may for some not be enough "understanding."  For me, however, it is a powerful realization of just how great is our Father, Son Jesus, Holy Spirit, "King of kings, and Lord of lords."

There are a lot of people who ask throughout their lives, especially in times of pain and suffering, "Why?"  Job's response in our text is an observation of Jesus' Reign over the Universe.  No matter how "spiritual" one may seem, "the outer fringe of His works," is all that they/you/I can "understand."  And the phrase, "how faint the whisper we hear of Him!", is a reality which too many Believers don't want to acknowledge.  They think that because they are "New Testament believers" they can know everything.  I am content with today's text.

I advise us all to be now, in these days, as Wesley says of, "that day," when "we cast our crowns before Thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise."  I'd rather be "lost" here than "found" in my own understanding.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I do thank You for, "the whisper we hear of [You]."  Amen.

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There are going to be demonstrations, confrontations in Washington, DC, during the Kavanaugh hearings.  Pray that I reflect Jesus. 

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

"In All Your Ways...."

"In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct (or, make straight) your paths."  (Proverbs 3:6)

The NIV says, "In all your ways submit to Him...."  The NLT says, "Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take." 

From what I can gather in various renderings, there is something of "intimate knowledge" here in the word for, "acknowledge."  When I am in such a submitted relationship in Jesus Christ, I can be assured that Jesus will, "direct (my) paths," and make the way, "straight," before me.  If my, "paths," are Jesus', "paths," then I can know that they are there of Jesus' creation; and being one in Jesus, I am in His, "paths," for my life.

In Jesus, whatever, "your paths," they are not scary, fearful, "paths."  These are, "paths," though fraught with uncertainties, questions, failures or victories, lead to that Glorious City, "And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven."  If a person is seeking "the will of God for my life," but is not keeping his/her eyes on Jesus and, "the holy city," it will be nothing but an always searching, self-consumed life.

You, my friend, may be that "weary pilgrim" of the old song.  But I say to you today what our "Pathfinder" said so long ago, and still breathes upon and in us today, "And  God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.   There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away"; therefore, "In all your ways submit to Him", and, "all these things shall be added unto you."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I choose again this day to, "in all [my] ways submit to You."  Amen.

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The latest news I have is that the Kavanaugh hearings are schedule to being on September 4.  I have secured a hotel on Capitol Hill and intend to be in DC from the morning of September 4 to the evening of September 7.  Much prayer appreciated.

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