"I Removed the Burden From Their Shoulders"

"When God went out against Egypt, he established it as a statute for Joseph.  I heard an unknown voice say: 'I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket." (Psalm 81:5, 6-NIV) 

"God went out against Egypt," on behalf of His Covenant People.  In Psalm 83:12, I read of nations who said, "Let us take possession of the pasture lands of God."  Won't work.  "When God went out against Egypt," He was demonstrating a Kingdom Principle.  In Daniel we read that Heaven's Messenger said to the young prime minister, "Do you know why I have come to you?  Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia (modern Iran), and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth.  No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince."

What we have here is the Declaration of, "the Great God and Savior," the, "King of kings, and Lord of lords," the very, "Word of God," Our Warrior /Shepherd/Savior/King Jesus, to the nations of humanity that no matter the Empire, Egypt, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, Rome, Byzantine, Ottoman, Russia, Germany, the United States of America, "I am He who, 'went out against Egypt,' and I have been going, 'out against,' all who attempt to usurp My Rule in the Earth."

As Bunyan described, you and I are Pilgrims in progress.  We are on a short journey here, a journey under the Reign of King Jesus.  We are a part of His Eternal Kingdom, now a Kingdom in war, but some day soon, "The kingdom of this world will become of our Lord and of His Christ" (literal translation).  It will all be over for evil empires, and the Dawn of Eternity will arise------- and you and I with Him.  Whatever you see around you today shrinks into insignificance in comparison with, "In Jesus was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it," literally, "seize tight hold of, arrest, catch, capture appropriate, overtake"----------- and never will.  Jesus reigns!

Father, in Jesus' Name, I rejoice today with my fellow pilgrim.  Amen.
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Please pray, as the Holy Spirit leads you, for the son of a friend in Romania

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

"He Will Baptize You In the Holy Spirit---- His Winnowing Fan"

"John answered, saying, 'I indeed baptized you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.  He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fan is in His hand and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.'" (Luke 3:16, 17)

I read an article this morning about a woman who was sterilize under the eugenic laws in North Carolina, laws which were in effect from 1929 to 1974.  It was like reading something out of Germany in the 1930's.  I knew about this years ago from the Nuremberg Trials transcripts (yes, I have indeed read some of them).  In a historic- novel film of the early 1960's, one of the defending jurists referred to such laws in the US to show that Germany did not invent such barbarity.  While this film is referred to as "a fictionalized version of the trials," much of it is based on actual facts and personages.

Man today keeps looking for good people and bad people.  He has to do this so that he can excuse and justify himself in his denial of the Preeminence and Supremacy of Jesus Christ, "the (only) way, the (only) truth, and the (only) life."  He just will not accept, "There is none righteous, no, not one."  Listen particularly to the religious and political so-call "left," their constant agitating of class warfare and people group warfare in our own nation as well as the nations of the world.  It is all motivated by the need to find blame for the chaos of the human condition and perhaps worse, self justification.  Our Gospel reading for today reveals just how Jesus will deal with all of this; it is a "side" of Jesus which most never mention or discuss. 

During the Charismatic Renewal of the mid twentieth century, the first part of our text was widely used in meetings.  Verse 17, however, was very rarely, if at all, mentioned, typical of religionists (in the pulpit and the pew!).  The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is for relationship in the Blessed Trinity, to equip us to, "disciple the nations," to pray the will of God, to do, "works of service."  But by the "wind" of the Holy Spirit, our Lord Jesus will also, "thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."  I embrace this gift of the Holy Spirit.

Father, in Jesus' Name, my consolation today is what Peter said, "the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation."  Amen.
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www.apf327.blogspot.com

"Looking unto Jesus"

"Then I Said, 'Here I Am'" (Jesus)

"The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered?  For the worshippers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are and annual reminder of sins.  It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.  Therefore when Christ came into the world, he said:  'Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings You were not pleased. Then I said,' "Here I am...."'"  (Hebrews 10:1-7a, NIV)

Some people think that going to church services Sunday after Sunday, "year after year," can, "make perfect those who draw near to worship," and remove the guilt of sin; it can't.  Only Jesus Christ can do that.  In contrast to man's, "Here I am," Jesus said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will'" (v.9).  Only Jesus Christ can, "....do [Father's] will."  I cannot.  The only way I can, "do Your will," is to live in Jesus Christ and He in me. 

The world's religions offer no, "once for all."  They only offer, "year after year."  The beauty of, "the faith of Jesus," is Jesus Himself, "Then I said, 'Here I am--- it is written about Me in the scroll-- I have come to do Your will....'"  Jesus came, "to do," for me so that I can stop trying, "to do," for myself.  He "did" the judgment for our sin, and the, "make perfect," for all who surrender their lives to Him.  The theme of the human race is, "Then I said, 'Here I am"------------ alone, trying to appease, trying to be good, maybe even "holy," alone, searching for answers, that awful searching but never finding.  That all ends in Him Who Is, "I AM THAT I AM....and...Here I am...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that You Are, "Here I Am."  Amen.

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New Insightful 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

"....Be Content...."

"Let your conduct be without coveteousness be content with such things as you have.  For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" (Hebrews 13:5)

We are visiting with some of our family for a few days and I am writing this in the only location which has Wi-Fi--------- a pool!  No, I'm not in it, just under a shade tree, little kids splashing and yelling, over the fence a young boy playing basketball.  Sarah, Jill, and the two oldest granddaughters are out picking blueberries.  How idyllic. 

Into very similar scenes centuries ago, as Oswald Chambers put it, "God became a baby," the greatest, "stumbling block," and, "foolishness," the world had ever heard.  You see, man desires a fanfare god, a far-off god, one he can bow to five times a day, have devotions with, acknowledge him in what does not affect man's personal control over his own life. But, as John's Gospel declares, Jesus Christ, "the only revealed God, has explained." We see our wonderful God moving among men, women, children, soldiers, politicians, religious leaders, merchants, farmers, ranchers, Himself being, "The Light of the world,...the Good Shepherd,..the King of kings, and Lord of lords," the One Whose last Words were spoken three times to humanity in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible, "Behold, I am coming quickly,..Behold, I am coming quickly,..Yes, I am coming quickly."  He is the great Bookends of history.

In today's latter New Testament reading, Hebrews 13, Paul deals with some very "down-to-earth" issues, things with which much of the church today does not deal.  Yet our text is so very practical in light of the inordinate fear driving the world's stock markets; I think a better word would be, "panic."  Today in the midst of all this, Jesus warns us of wanting too much, and commands us to, "be content with such things as you have." Then He gives the only real basis for contentment, "I will never (literally, "positively never, ever") leave you nor forsake you."  The Apostle adds, "So we may boldly say: 'The LORD is my helper; I will not fear."  Take with you today that The Living Triune God, revealed solely in Jesus Christ, "is my helper," moment by moment, in the every-day, in the "smallest" issues of life, not far off, but near, even------ "in you." 

Father, in Jesus' name, in a world full of so much uncertainty, I am so thankful for Your Certainty.  Amen.

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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