“Foolishness,” Or, “Power”— Our Choice

"The Word of the Cross is...the power of God."  (1 Corinthians 1:18, ESV)

The Holy Spirit spends some time in 1 Corinthians 1 & 2 teaching that preaching, and I might add, teaching, witnessing, etc., should not be, as the context declares, "....with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power....For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the absurdity of what we preach to save those who believe."  And to the world, the Cross of Jesus is an, "absurdity."  

Ah, "....but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God."  People can try the "figure-it-out" approach, or the "receiving" approach.  Reasoning, wisdom of man has no power in the face of, "....the power of God."  Think of what Jesus did on the cross.  Think of what Jesus did when He turned your life around, taking you from the "road to perdition," to the glories of His Heavenly Kingdom.  Think of the keeping power of Jesus, no reasoning can explain the working of Jesus in our lives.  We just receive Him/His working and praise and thank Him, "....a stumbling block to the Jews and absurdity to Gentiles."

Instead of attempting to figure out the workings of God in our lives, enjoy and live in the glories of the "finished work of the Cross."  God's wisdom finishes things in our lives.  Human eloquence and wisdom just keep stringing us along, no answers, just perpetual confusion.  "God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong....". If you ever battle a sense of, "I'm just not smart enough," or, "I just can't understand," or, "I just can't seem to....," no problem.  "God chose what is low and despised in the world...so that He might reduce to nothing the things that are, so that no one may [be able to] boast in the presence of God." (Amplified)

Father, in Jesus' Name, May the words of the song always be mine, "In the Cross of Christ I glory, towering o're the wrecks of time." 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

“Now To Him”

"Now to Him Who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the Eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—� to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ!  Amen."  (Romans 16:25-27, ESV)

This was one of my today's readings.  It has been a favorite Scripture to pray over people when we have sent them out in the missions fields.  

I read this today in the Stadtmitte (city center, or middle of the city) of Berlin.  The UBahn stop is called, "Stadtmitte."  This platform was opened as U2 on October 1, 1908, and was originally called Friedrichstrasse.   Little did Berliners know what the succeeding century would bring them.  But I can tell you from what little I know that the historic German culture was a very militaristic culture, just as Japan.  The only way to win against such a culture is to destroy it; that is what WW II did.  Yet, instead of repentance and believing the Gospel, the German has largely relied on his touted repetition of scientific brilliance.  Germany is the strongest economy in 

Europe and the fourth largest in the world.  For them, they worked their way "out of the ashes."  Sound familiar?

Now what?  Well, just as for the salvation of you and me, it is nothing but, "....the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the...prophetic writings...," which will bring the salvation and revival to the nations for which so many of us pray.  This preaching, "....according to the prophetic writings...," is another way of saying what Paul said to Timothy, "Preach the Word."  It is largely absent in today's Germany, just as in the United States of America.  I can say with absolute authority, however, that if this, "....preaching of Jesus Christ according to the...prophetic writings...," does not returned to Germany and the nations of the world, nothing else will bring the revival which we all seek.  And our text should not only govern the preaching, but also the praying, worship and service of the Church to our communities and, "to the uttermost part of the earth."  

Father, in Jesus' Name, strengthen and empower me in, "....the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the prophetic writings..," and in the living of the same.  Amen.

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* Sarah and I return to the States after midnight, Wednesday.  We appreciate any prayers. 

* I will be preaching in meetings of the Renewed Strength Church north of Dayton, Ohio, this coming Sunday.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not the  of us pray 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 Looked Forward....”

"He considered the reproach of Christ [that is, the rebuke he would suffer for his faithful obedience to God] to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt; for he looked ahead to the reward....". (Hebrews 11:26, Amplified Bible)

 The problem with most of us is that we look at the past or the present, what were our expectations, our "prophetic word," and the now which has not seen the fulfillment.  The, "God-Breathed," Word tells us to look as did Moses.  He had lost everything, nothing was looking promising in his "present circumstances," yet he was in a different realm from most of his contempories.  As verse 27 says, He, "Endured as seeing Him who is invisible." 

The key to Moses' triumphant walk was, "....he looked ahead....". The reality for too many is looking to the now, what I have or don't have.  Moses, "....left Egypt, the power, the influence, etc., again, "....for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen."  Looking to our expectations, our "prophetic words," will not sustain us in the battle.  The Holy Spirit tells us quite plainly the only way to live an overcoming life.  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses (as Moses, others in Hebrews 11 and Church History) stripping off every weight (expectations?) and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us,..focusing our eyes on Jesus," just as Moses, "was looking to the reward..., seeing Him who is invisible."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I know You are my Reward.  Help me to live like You Are.  Amen.

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We are leaving early tomorrow morning for Pawel's and Danuta's home in Poland

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

From Outside Humbolt Seminary

"Christ....entered the Holy Place once for all....". (Hebrews 9)

I have been worn out at the end of the day; hence, been negligent with the devotional.  It is now 13:37 and I had some soup just across from the Seminary, and writing this on my phone.

I was in the noontime prayer service in the Berliner Dom.  When it was over, I was asked to leave.  Prayer must give way to "filthy lucre."  Apparently they don't want tourists ducking the entrance fee by feigning prayer.  Why argue?!?  

Our text is a "Reformation" text.  In the Catholic Mass, they assert that the sacrifice of Christ is offered over and over.  That is the, "First Covenant."  The Hebrew writer says that the Second is based on, "better promises."  There is just non better than when Jesus cried out, "It is finished," it was indeed, "finished."  

'It's done, the great transaction's done. I am my Lord's and He is mine."  Catholicism is based on "coming and going," theology, much like, "Take us into His presence."  Don't need that.  Reformers believe we entered, "once for all," when Jesus entered our very beings and we entered, "were grafted in," to Jesus.  We entered Jesus and Jesus entered us when we, "open(ed) the door."  So whether in the Berlin Mitte, or a 6+ hour time difference, no matter.  Jesus, "entered the Holiest, "once for all," and so did you and I.

"He takes away the first in order to establish the second.  By the will we have been sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL."  It is time the praying, worshiping community reestablishes the Reformation roots, the call to the Church to once again proclaim and live, "once for all."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I am eternally thankful for, "once for all."  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