I Cal This: "A Prophetic Word"

"If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved-- even though only as one escaping through flames." (1 Corinthians 3:15, NIV)

I don't want this for myself, nor for you, nor for the Church in general.  Yet an honest assessment of "things as they are" reveals this is where we may be headed.  I know my devotionals recently may have sounded like "downers;" reality is funny that way.  I don't mean to say that I am the only one facing reality in these days, but I do say there are far too many in Christendom who are not. 

I have been rereading portions of the book, The Great Evangelical Recession.  As I indicated before, there are portions of the book with which I do not agree, especially his perspective on the political involvement and ideology of evangelicals.  It is the statistical information, however, which was/is to me a revealing of most alarming trends in, not just evangelicalism, but in Christendom in general.  Now I know that it is very unpopular and very off putting for those who want to raise finances for their work in the Kingdom to say that we are loosing this battle------ but we are.  For too long, too many quote-anybody-and-everybodies have used theology of the over worked cliche, "I read the end of the book, and we win."  Yes, in "the end," we do win.  But if trends in Christendom continue as they are, then our text may very well be the epitaph of Christendom, especially in the United States of America.  Europe is already gone.< br>
Consider the context of today's text.  The Holy Spirit through Paul tells us, "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it.  But each one should build with care.  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.  It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work.  If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward."  Then follows our text.

Only our Lord Jesus Christ and His Words qualify for, "gold, silver, costly stones."  Anything or anyone else which is not rooted in Jesus Christ is, "wood, hay or straw."  Scientists tell us, "There is no known natural substance that can destroy gold."  Yet there are plenty of "natural substance[s] which can destroy, "wood, hay or straw."  Too much of people's lives are based upon, "wood, hay or straw."  The American Church has, by in large, replaced, "Thus says the Lord,"  with, Thus says me.  This is the reason the Church in America is steadily declining, losing members, losing finances.  This is the reason so many lives are being destroyed today.

Prayer and "powerful worship" are touted today as the epitome of religious experience.  Of course the Bible teaches the centrality of prayer and worship.  But prioritize them above union in/with Jesus and His Words and you have a life and church built upon subjectivity; hence, nothing but, "wood, hay or straw."  Build our lives in Jesus Christ and His "Law-Words," and nothing on earth or the universe at large, Heaven or Hell will be able to, "separate us from the Love of God," nor from the Living Triune God Himself, nor His purposes, nor His promises, nor His, "many mansions," well, nor ANYTHING.  Church in America and throughout the world:  Do not settle for, "....even though only as one escaping through the flames"!  Let's take as many with us as we can.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray I never settle for, "wood, hay or straw," or, "as one escaping through the flames."  "Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy."  Amen.
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* We so thank you for prayers for our family.  Just a "sentence prayer" in faith is worth more than......
* Also appreciate prayers for the upcoming mission in DC
  

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

Please Don't Skip Over the Long Biblical Passage

"Then Job replied to the Lord: 'I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.  You asked, "Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?"  Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.  You said, "Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me."  My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.  Therefore I despised myself and repent in dust and ashes.'" (Job 42:1-6, NIV)

Good reaction, Job.  We all need to learn from you.  I'm in our local Starbucks today, because we arrived home last night to a blown router; hence, no wifi.  Life goes on.

Today is the last-chapter-of-Job day.  The Book concludes by telling us that our Lord Jesus, "blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the former part."  But that's no guarantee that your income is going to double in your "latter days."  If it does so, great.  If it does not, Jesus is still Lord.  We are in Jesus and He in us.  We have our names in, "the Book of Life."  Jesus is preparing, "a place for you."  The Bible says, "....Godliness with contentment is great gain."  If some man-thought-up teaching is our "contentment," we are in deep trouble.  Remember: "Faith...is what the ancients were commended for," viz., obedience to, "The Word of God."  If anyone believes, or anyone listens to those who propagate a you-are-s0mething-special-and-hence-won't-experience-what-everyone-else-does "gospel," then those persons are perfectly set up for huge disappointment/disillusionment. 

This does not challenge the reality of the goodness, the faithfulness, the grace, of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It does teach, however, that those who believe and, hence, create a wrong life style based on favorite texts out of context, or favorite preachers/teachers/prophets are destined to live a life of Dorothy or Alice, as in "wonderland."  It is pure fiction.  If people do not read the Bible and allow the Bible to "read" them, to teach them, to rule their life and life styles, there is nothing but a life full of falsehoods ahead.  I know it seems to many that I pluck that one string too many times.  But the longer I live, the more I observe life, the more I observe humanity and the Church, the more convinced am I that if we are not "people of the Book," we will be people of the whim of every charlatan and our own sin-prone hearts.  We are like little children, and we always need Our Father to keep us in Him and, "my Path."  We never "out grow" this.  And I am so thankful that the Blessed Trinity never leaves me without His Words, which are, "a lamp for my feet, and a light on my path."  May His, "lamp," enlighten your feet, and His, "light," enlighten your "path," today.

Father, in Jesus' Name, please keep me in You and Your ways.  Amen
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* Good prophetic articles at:   jhs58.blogspot.com
* Will really appreciate your prayers for the mission in DC, October 8-12, 2015
* Thanks to all for your prayers for our family.  Any ongoing such we greatly appreciate

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

"I Have Spoken Once, But I Have No Answer" (Job)

"Then Job answered the Lord: 'I am unworthy-- how can I reply to you?  I put my hand over my mouth.  I spoke once, but I have no answer-- twice, but I will say no more.'" (Job 40:3-5, NIV)

I am near the end of Job for this quarter.  I always see something new, something which blesses, and some things which help me in my pursuit of "reality living."  Sadly, there is a "christian" culture which has for decades deceived people in the reality of life.  If we would only read the Words of Jesus, listening, meditating, receiving, we would not walk in deception and become slaves to the likes of Job's "three friends," and his oft-overlooked wife.  Jesus never spoke words to promote ministry.  Jesus spoke/speaks Words which take the Follower, "through the valley of the shadow,"------------- victoriously.  

I woke up this morning with a case of sheer exhaustion, have done nothing but this devotional, and been fasting since last evening around 19:00.  Symptoms were coming upon me which no one wants, but I have found so many times over the years that an immediate fast does exactly one of the things the Bible says, "....Your healing shall spring forth speedily...."  Hoping to go to our house tomorrow.  I say "house," because if "home is where the heart is," then my heart is in several places.

A whole lot of people believe that if a lot of things "go wrong" or badly in your life, you must have done or are doing something wrong.  This goes back millennia.  While we cannot read the Bible and exclude judgment and consequences for sin and bad choices, we still need to deal with Job, and not only Job, but the millions of Followers of Jesus throughout the centuries who have suffered untold pain, starvation, rejection, sickness, imprisonment, persecutions, and all the maladies which face all humanity.  Some people, when confronted with and, hence, accept the realities of life, basically say, "What's the use?"  This is what Job's wife said.  In effect, "All those wonderful promises you were told and accepted, all the TV and radio and senior pastor hype that if you just live right, apply the Bible principles rightly, no problem; your life is trouble free.  What planet is that?!?

If this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then I have been reading the wrong Gospels, indeed the wrong Bible, and, I might add, looking at life with those proverbial "rose-colored glasses."  We have had a lot happen in just the past several weeks, as well as the worst "happen" which one can face in a life time, the death of those whom we so dearly love.  The Word of God teaches you and me, as He did Job, that reasoning, wondering, suspiciousness is worthless.  If you and I are to "walk this lonesome valley," then we need the heart of Job, "I put my hand over my mouth.  I spoke once, but I have no answer-- twice, but I will say no more."

Father, in Jesus' Name, though I say with Job, "I am unworthy," I so thank You that in Jesus I am now worthy with His Worthiness.  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.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

The Key To "Enduring Forever"

"The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring ('stand') forever."  (Psalm 19:9, NIV)

The truth is, there is very little, "fear of the Lord," in the earth today.  Man fears so much, but fear of the One Whom the Bible commands us to fear is the only, "fear," which, "is pure, enduring forever."  Other fear destroys.  "The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever"; therefore, as I live in, "the fear of the Lord," I will be, "pure, enduring forever."

It has always been interesting to me that many Bible translators and so very many church-goers are quick to put us all straight, including the unbeliever, concerning the word, "fear," in the Bible.  They are very quick to coddle us with the assurance that there is nothing to fear about God.  The real meaning is "awe," or, "respect," or, "reverence," so they say.  The word, "fear," in our text and throughout Scripture, however, means, "fear." My examinations of this have revealed that most translators seem to use various words to translate, "fear," at their pleasure, preference, which is code for, "go to our happy place."   This approach further adds to the disrespect, the life of casual obedience, as in, obey what one wants to obey, and don't obey what one doesn't want to obey.  Yet the Bible clearly states, "Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him." 

The Book of Psalms uses the word, "fear," at least 75 times, more than any other book in the Bible.  Jesus teaches us in the Book, "Serve the Lord with fear....In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple....Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men....The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant....Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!  There is no want (lack) to those who fear Him."

As before, I remind us all that there is only One Lord in the Bible, not an Old Testament "Lord" and a New Testament "Lord."  As Paul states, "....yet for us there is one God, the Father, of Whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom are all things, and through Whom we live."  We say to ourselves and to the world what the Bible says, "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little.  Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You so much for the power, healing, comfort of Your Words.  May I never attempt to "rewrite" them.  Amen.    

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Read of the culture-changing developments in Europe and America 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.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2