"The Lord Filled Me With Power and Made Me Strong"

"At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me.  May it not be charged against them.  But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me...." 

(2 Timothy 4:16, 17a)

There was a very sad song of the seventies which had the recurring phrase, "alone again, naturally."  It revealed a person who believed his lot in life was to be alone, abandoned.  

There comes a time in most lives that our text seems to be the theme of life, people alone, either abandoned by family, so-called friends, colleagues, or just------------- alone. Now it may be a reality or an imagined abandonment, but nonetheless painful.  The truth in life is that everyone we know cannot be with us all the time.  I can remember that day I took Stephen to the hospital for tests.  I sat in a phone booth for hours------------ alone.

Our text speaks of people who deliberately, "forsook," Paul.  The reasons may have varied, but the affect was the same------------- alone, forsaken, feelings of abandonment.

Paul says something, however, which seems "elementary," yet too often forgotten, "But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me," literally, "filled me with power, made me strong."  This is the great Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ today.  It was a very scary, lonely, somewhat confused Tuesday afternoon in late December 1969, "But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me."  I am here today because, "But the Lord [Jesus Christ] stood with me and filled me with power and made me strong."  I will be here tomorrow because of that/Him, whether on this earth or in Glory.  And, my friend, in that day when we stand before the Throne, we will have no fear, for after we hear the words, "enter thou," eternally we will remember----------  "BUT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST STOOD WITH ME AND STRENGTHENED ME."!!

Father, in Jesus' Name, there are not now, nor will there ever be words or deeds which can say the "Thank You" which arises from this reality.  Amen. 

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The truth about the budget battle and Israel's Livni at:     www.apf327.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.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

"....With the Whole Heart"

"Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!" (Psalm 119:2)

Some have intimated to me over the years that my emphasis on prayer and Bible reading verges on a religious "spirit."  My only response would be my testimony, that when I was at the lowest point of my existence 41 years ago, it was only, "the words of God," which saved my life, not some religious seminar or "praise gathering."  I have no confidence that I would be writing this today if it had not been for, "the prayers of the saints," and, "His testimonies."  I really don't want to imagine where life would have taken me; so, may no one ever talk to me about a "religious spirit," or, another accusation, bringing people into some condemnation by so much emphasis on what some would just call "religious exercises."  If I may so say it, one of the most "powerful" Names of the Son of God to me is, "The Word of God"!

Our text indicates the, "Blessed are those," status belongs to, "those who keep his testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!"  It is not, "Blessed are those who," give a lot of money, attend a lot of church services, get goose bumps upon goose bumps during worship services.  How to fulfill the latter part of our text is found in the first part, "those who keep his testimonies."  Some may think that to, "seek Him with the whole heart," means to pray 8 hours a day, fast 'til you weigh 10 pounds, read through the Bible every week, go door to door passing out tracks every day, attend every meeting any Christian organization sponsors in a 40 mile radius, straining and groaning in prayer until exhaustion.  It does not.  It means a life of obedience to Jesus Christ and, "His Testimonies," i.e., His Words------------- right there in that office, that shop, that school, that beach, that motorcycle ride, that family gathering.  To seek the Living Triune God, "with the whole heart!" is to obey Him, "with the whole heart!" 

So, let's make covenant today that for the rest of our lives we will, "seek Him with the whole heart!"----- the heart of obedience to what He says.  As Paul once wrote to a few Believers, "For God... appoint[ed] us...to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him."  

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for showing me that being a, "Blessed," person, a "whole heart," Follower of You, is being a, "keep-His-testimonies," person.  Amen.

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See YouTube Video at:   www.apf327.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.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

What Did I Receive From Today's Reading?---- Him

"I urge you in the sight of God,..and Christ Jesus Who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power.  Amen." (1 Tim. 6:13-16; I deliberately left out italicized words)

God the Father is He Whom, "no man hath seen, nor can see...." (sorry Joe Smith).  God the Son Jesus, is, "the only Begotten (one-and-only) God," Who, "became flesh and dwelt among us," as, "the only Begotten (one-and-only) God," of the Godhead Whom men have seen-------- and will see again!  Our text declares that it was God the Son, Jesus, "Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed the good confession," openly, seen, testified to by history, "who was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory" (3:16).  Let me be extremely, very clear here:  It is only Trinitarian Theology which separates Christianity and all, repeat, all religions of the world.  And, it is only Trinitarian Theology which separates, "the faith of Jesus," from all deceptive cults, claiming the Christian Faith as theirs.  Listen for it; read it;  judge by it, yes, judge.  If we don't, the great deception warned of in Sacred Writ will overtake us. 

These are God's, "words;...life to those who find them, and health (medicine) to all their flesh."  It is; He Is.  This was "just" from my quarterly, latter New Testament reading, waiting for me today.  "What did you get from that?"
What did I get?-------- Him.  That is all I read the Bible for.  If any "ideas," principles, etc., come, that's good.  But the Bible is not for you and me to receive great ideas, sermons/teaching, be a better parent, spouse.  The Bible has the same purpose as Peter said of our Lord Jesus Christ, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but make alive by the Spirit."

I leave you with a weekend blessing from Father, "to" Whom the Word of God, our Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit brought me today--- "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."  Jesus will, "....keep you.., present you...."  That is really all I need to know today.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for keeping me and presenting me; I cannot do that myself.  Amen.

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New Article at:     www.apf327.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.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

"The Fire...Ever...Burning"

"The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out." (Leviticus 6:13, KJV)

I am in Leviticus, and this time I was once again struck by our text, "ever be burning." This was the theme verse of the great Unitas Fratrum (Unity of Brethren, Moravian) revival of the 18th Century, a movement which came out of the great English and Bohemian/Czech Reformers, John Wycliffe and Jan Hus.  If I understand Biblical Theology, the only key to revival is the, "fire... ever... burning."  The Moravians believed this, "fire," alone can bring, "repentance from dead works and...faith toward God," which is total surrender to Jesus Christ.  For them, "the fire...ever...burning," was "The Lord's Watch," 24/7 continuous prayer. 

I do not recall a true Biblical revival in my life time.  I was just a boy during the post war "Latter Rain" revival of the late 1940's, which most historians date from 1948 to 1952, and was an early participator in the "Charismatic Renewal," for me, circa 1964.  As far as I can tell, neither "revival" came about by, "the fire...ever...burning upon the altar...."  They came about by hunger.  The only problem with a "hunger" revival is, What happens when the hunger wears off?!?  Now one may ask, "How can hunger 'wear off?  With food, hunger only wears off when the previous meal wears off"------- Exactly.  What happened to the "Charismatic Renewal/Revival" particularly is that other things entered to satisfy that hunger.  People began to eat from another "tree," easy street to Heaven, no discipleship, anti-Kingdom preaching/teaching/books/mtgs.  

Maybe the word "transformation" is a better word than revival.  The word "transform" means "to change in form, appearance, or structure, to change in condition, nature, or character; convert, to change into another substance."   Revival thinking is usually confined to the church community.  Transformation, the nature of Biblical Revival, transforms communities and nations.  This is why I go to DC., Berlin, and Jerusalem, to be a "bearer" of, "Thy Kingdom come.  Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven"-------- a transformation which will bring as many lost souls as "impossible," surrendered to Jesus Christ, into the Kingdom of Heaven before King Jesus, "shall... appear the second time." 

Father, in Jesus' Name, write, "the fires shall every be burning, " on my heart--------------- and Your Church.  Amen.

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* ATTENTION:  I have been wanting to let you know for a long time-- If
        you have any prayer request, please let us know. 

* New Article at:     www.apf327.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.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2