Watchman
Sentinel
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
"The Friendship of the Lord"
"The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them His covenant." (Psalm 25:14, ESV)
There was a song which came out some years ago which had the line, "I am a friend of God." I wonder if those who sang/sing it realize that friendship with God comes with a condition. "The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him." So very many people are lonely today, yet reject, "The friendship of the Lord."
The Amplified Bible says, "The secret [of the wise counsel] of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will let them know His covenant and reveal to them [through His word] its [deep, inner] meaning." The word for, "friendship," and, "secret," in the Hebrew speaks of intimacy. Maybe this is a reason the Amplified translates some of the text, "[deep, inner]."
Everyone who has any desire, love, longing for relationship in the Godhead delights in our text. No other religion offers, "friendship." All religions which are based on anything, anyone other than Jesus Christ leave one empty, still longing for that, "friendship," that intimacy to which Jesus invites us, and for which Jesus shed His Blood, died and arose from the dead.
"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you....I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you." So there it is again, "....if you do what I command you." Now this is not "a hard saying," as some might think. Living a life of disobedience to, "....what I command you," is self-destructive. Walking in obedience to, "....and in His law does he meditate day and night," on the other hand, enables us to walk in Divine Friendship.
Father, in Jesus' Name, there is no greater joy than to be Your friend. Amen.
There was a song which came out some years ago which had the line, "I am a friend of God." I wonder if those who sang/sing it realize that friendship with God comes with a condition. "The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him." So very many people are lonely today, yet reject, "The friendship of the Lord."
The Amplified Bible says, "The secret [of the wise counsel] of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will let them know His covenant and reveal to them [through His word] its [deep, inner] meaning." The word for, "friendship," and, "secret," in the Hebrew speaks of intimacy. Maybe this is a reason the Amplified translates some of the text, "[deep, inner]."
Everyone who has any desire, love, longing for relationship in the Godhead delights in our text. No other religion offers, "friendship." All religions which are based on anything, anyone other than Jesus Christ leave one empty, still longing for that, "friendship," that intimacy to which Jesus invites us, and for which Jesus shed His Blood, died and arose from the dead.
"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you....I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you." So there it is again, "....if you do what I command you." Now this is not "a hard saying," as some might think. Living a life of disobedience to, "....what I command you," is self-destructive. Walking in obedience to, "....and in His law does he meditate day and night," on the other hand, enables us to walk in Divine Friendship.
Father, in Jesus' Name, there is no greater joy than to be Your friend. 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
Hebrews 12:2
Monday, July 4, 2016
Pray Thankfully
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension (literally, 'mind'), will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6, 7--NASB)
I cannot say that I have ever noticed the connection between verse 6 and 7, "Be anxious for nothing, but...let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God...will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." If we desire to live free of anxiety, the only way is to have, "the peace of God...in Christ Jesus." Or, "Be anxious for nothing....And the peace of God...will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Too many times anxiety kills peace.
"....in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God...." Verse 7 begins with an, "And". It is an addition to verse 6. To me, this means that if I do not pray about, "everything," I can not know, "the peace of God, which surpasses all mind," anyone's, "mind," intellect, comprehension, understanding. Life's events will not only be filled with anxiety, but also confusion, bewilderment. If I pray about everything, "with thanksgiving," however, then I will know, "the peace of God...in Christ Jesus," the only "place" of Divine Peace.
"Be anxious for nothing," i.e., do not worry about anything. Instead, "....in everything...prayer and supplication...." And as you pray, pray in a thankful spirit. It is not good to be thankful only when we get what we "pray for," what we want, what we think is best for our lives. This can just prolong the anxiety. Pray thanking Jesus. The "natural" mind would say, "But how can I be thankful for something I don't see?" Such thinking puts the emphasis on us. Praying thankfully puts the emphasis, the honor, the glory exactly in Whom all should be, Jesus.
Humanity longs for its disease of anxiety to have the healing of peace. Long for it all they wish. There is no relief from anxiety without, "the peace of God...in Christ Jesus." Now, "....in everything pray[]...with thanksgiving...and the peace of God...will guard your hearts and minds," in the only Place and Person in whom there is, "the peace of God...----------- Christ Jesus."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I know that I have too many times not, "....in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving (made my) requests be made known to [You.]" May today be a "new beginning." Amen.
I cannot say that I have ever noticed the connection between verse 6 and 7, "Be anxious for nothing, but...let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God...will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." If we desire to live free of anxiety, the only way is to have, "the peace of God...in Christ Jesus." Or, "Be anxious for nothing....And the peace of God...will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Too many times anxiety kills peace.
"....in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God...." Verse 7 begins with an, "And". It is an addition to verse 6. To me, this means that if I do not pray about, "everything," I can not know, "the peace of God, which surpasses all mind," anyone's, "mind," intellect, comprehension, understanding. Life's events will not only be filled with anxiety, but also confusion, bewilderment. If I pray about everything, "with thanksgiving," however, then I will know, "the peace of God...in Christ Jesus," the only "place" of Divine Peace.
"Be anxious for nothing," i.e., do not worry about anything. Instead, "....in everything...prayer and supplication...." And as you pray, pray in a thankful spirit. It is not good to be thankful only when we get what we "pray for," what we want, what we think is best for our lives. This can just prolong the anxiety. Pray thanking Jesus. The "natural" mind would say, "But how can I be thankful for something I don't see?" Such thinking puts the emphasis on us. Praying thankfully puts the emphasis, the honor, the glory exactly in Whom all should be, Jesus.
Humanity longs for its disease of anxiety to have the healing of peace. Long for it all they wish. There is no relief from anxiety without, "the peace of God...in Christ Jesus." Now, "....in everything pray[]...with thanksgiving...and the peace of God...will guard your hearts and minds," in the only Place and Person in whom there is, "the peace of God...----------- Christ Jesus."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I know that I have too many times not, "....in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving (made my) requests be made known to [You.]" May today be a "new beginning." 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
Hebrews 12:2
Monday, June 27, 2016
"Whatever The Lord Pleases He Does"
"Whatever the Lord pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places." (Psalm 135:6)
Our text is today's headlines.
The "Common Market," or "European Economic Community, or "European Union, as it has become known, is going through a "plate shift." NOAA tells us that "the Earth is in a constant state of change. Earth's crust...consists of 15 -20 moving tectonic plates....The heat from radioactive processes within the planet's interior causes the plates to move, sometimes toward and sometimes away from each other. This movement is called plate motion, or tectonic shift." This is also called what is going on in God's "prophetic timetable," King Jesus working humanity toward the last days, "Whatever the Lord [Jesus] pleases He does."
I am not an absolutist on the theology of "end times" prophecy. I do, however, believe that Europe is, and will continue to be, central in the whole, "Beast," "False Prophet," and "AntiChrist" scenario. I cannot remember when I have seen so much consternation in the global press as I have over the vote of England to leave the EU. It is similar to the press's confusion over Trump. There is a sort of, "How can these things be," in the humanist world. Jesus tells us that, "men's hearts (will be) failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken." The US Stock Market is a glaring example of a little of this.
Regardless of how even Christendom wonders from the promised Second Appearing of Jesus, global events just keep "shifting" toward, "that Day." You and I today can rest in the Faithfulness and Promises of King Jesus. He is the Master-Shepherd of, "Yes, even though I walk through the valley...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I rest in Your Unending Grace, Mercy, and Faithfulness." Amen.
Our text is today's headlines.
The "Common Market," or "European Economic Community, or "European Union, as it has become known, is going through a "plate shift." NOAA tells us that "the Earth is in a constant state of change. Earth's crust...consists of 15 -20 moving tectonic plates....The heat from radioactive processes within the planet's interior causes the plates to move, sometimes toward and sometimes away from each other. This movement is called plate motion, or tectonic shift." This is also called what is going on in God's "prophetic timetable," King Jesus working humanity toward the last days, "Whatever the Lord [Jesus] pleases He does."
I am not an absolutist on the theology of "end times" prophecy. I do, however, believe that Europe is, and will continue to be, central in the whole, "Beast," "False Prophet," and "AntiChrist" scenario. I cannot remember when I have seen so much consternation in the global press as I have over the vote of England to leave the EU. It is similar to the press's confusion over Trump. There is a sort of, "How can these things be," in the humanist world. Jesus tells us that, "men's hearts (will be) failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken." The US Stock Market is a glaring example of a little of this.
Regardless of how even Christendom wonders from the promised Second Appearing of Jesus, global events just keep "shifting" toward, "that Day." You and I today can rest in the Faithfulness and Promises of King Jesus. He is the Master-Shepherd of, "Yes, even though I walk through the valley...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I rest in Your Unending Grace, Mercy, and Faithfulness." 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
Hebrews 12:2
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