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Friday, April 24, 2009

RE: "The Best Is Yet To Come'

I repent.  Father, help me and my brother Woody, too.

From: Sforest@aol.com [mailto:Sforest@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, April 24, 2009 1:42 PM
To: sherwoodbarnett.apfd@blogger.com
Subject: "The Best Is Yet To Come'

"But I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.  Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you." (Philippians 1:23, 24)
 
On December 9, 1740, David Brainard, a missionary among the American Indians, wrote in his diary: "Oh! one hour with God infinitely exceeds all the pleasures and delights of this lower world."  He was found dead in his tent, on his knees, at the age of 29.  He was now in the "Higher World."  For Brainard, "the best was yet to come."  Two centuries later, Sinatra sang a song by that title, but it was just full of self indulgence.  In our text, Paul also says that the "best is yet to come"------ "to depart and be with Christ, which is far better."  And His next statement, "Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you," was no ego statement as so many have thought.  It was the attitude of a true servant, serving while waiting for the, "far better."
 
Here is the problem.  So much "burn out," so much discouragement which overwhelms Believers today is the direct result of a life driven by the, "needful for you," rather than the, "far better."  A suggestion--- Let everything you do be motivated by the reality that some day you will "depart to be with Christ," rather than some day you'll be another famous preacher, or another Beth Moore, or have a bigger church, or get more  "opportunities to minister," or, well, you know those "needful" trappings of religion.  This is the way I saw my Dad live as a pastor, and Grandfather live 
as a railroad engineer, and both later as retirees.  They were the best soul winners I ever knew, "needful for you," people, but always driven by the, "far better."
   
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to be a, "needful for you," servant, motivated by the, "far better"--------- You, in Your Son, Jesus.  Amen.
********************************************
* Real News of a Prophetic Nature:    www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com
* I will be attending the Dinner with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Sunday evening, May 3.
 
 
 
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

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"The Best Is Yet To Come'

"But I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.  Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you." (Philippians 1:23, 24)
 
On December 9, 1740, David Brainard, a missionary among the American Indians, wrote in his diary: "Oh! one hour with God infinitely exceeds all the pleasures and delights of this lower world."  He was found dead in his tent, on his knees, at the age of 29.  He was now in the "Higher World."  For Brainard, "the best was yet to come."  Two centuries later, Sinatra sang a song by that title, but it was just full of self indulgence.  In our text, Paul also says that the "best is yet to come"------ "to depart and be with Christ, which is far better."  And His next statement, "Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you," was no ego statement as so many have thought.  It was the attitude of a true servant, serving while waiting for the, "far better."
 
Here is the problem.  So much "burn out," so much discouragement which overwhelms Believers today is the direct result of a life driven by the, "needful for you," rather than the, "far better."  A suggestion--- Let everything you do be motivated by the reality that some day you will "depart to be with Christ," rather than some day you'll be another famous preacher, or another Beth Moore, or have a bigger church, or get more  "opportunities to minister," or, well, you know those "needful" trappings of religion.  This is the way I saw my Dad live as a pastor, and Grandfather live 
as a railroad engineer, and both later as retirees.  They were the best soul winners I ever knew, "needful for you," people, but always driven by the, "far better."
   
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to be a, "needful for you," servant, motivated by the, "far better"--------- You, in Your Son, Jesus.  Amen.
********************************************
* Real News of a Prophetic Nature:    www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com
* I will be attending the Dinner with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Sunday evening, May 3.
 
 
 
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

The Average US Credit Score is 692. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps!
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Thursday, April 23, 2009

"Comfort of The Holy Spirit-Comfort of the Scriptures"-All Else Is Nonsense

"If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; you will remove iniquity far from your tents." (Job 22:23)
 
Our text is the words of Eliphaz, the Temanite.  Job's friends said some "good" things, but apparently "good things" are not enough.  At the conclusion of the Book of Job, God says to Eliphaz, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me right, as My servant Job."  Some people don't understand suffering because they have never suffered.  This was exactly the case with Job's "miserable comforters are you all."  They were like many religious people today, on the mountain top, bouncy charismatics, flippantly spouting super spiritual cliches, even quoting the Bible, but had never been where Job was.  They could only conclude that something was just plain wrong in Job's life.
 
Job's friends had the same problem which many have today.  They had not been "there," so, of course, could only reason "there."  If you have "been there," you carry something which those who have not will never be able to understand.  The whole Book of Job reveals that the four counselors had never tasted deep suffering, and because of that, they could only "minister" to Job a series of rebukes and condemnations. 
 
I heard Derek Prince once say that a man should not be ordained an elder until he had suffered.  I wonder--- should he even open his mouth?  The "God-Breathed" Word says of our Forerunner, "But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one." 
 
What have you "tasted for everyone?"  
 
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to pass on what I have "tasted."  Amen.
****************************************************
*    I am preaching this weekend in the CCE meetings
*    Don't miss insightful articles:    www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com
*    Please pray for the November mission and the DC event.  
 
 
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

"When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong"

"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake.  For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10)
 
Some who used to receive my devotionals no longer do.  Some have asked to be taken off, others just put them on "spam" or some other elimination site.  I understand.  My attempt to deal with reality is just not some people's "cup of tea."  But can I say that facing life as it is, not as I want it to be, has helped me to endure through some dark periods in life.  When I stood at the grave of Stephen, that was not what I wanted from life.  All the people we had prayed for and were healed were not there, but somehow they "stood" there that day and mocked me.  We discovered his sickness less than two months after Andrew was born.  When Andrew was born, I was delighted.  I had two boys, playing catch, throwing the football, scouts, any dad knows what I mean.  Stephen had a love for Jesus.  Even when he could barely walk after the surgery, he went once with me to the hospital to visit a man in our congregation.  He was not allowed to go upstairs to see the man, but said, "That's okay; I'll be alright here."  When I came down, he said to me, and these were his exact words, "I was praising the Lord for that man."  When I asked why, he responded, "The Lord healed him." 
 
39 years have come and gone and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of him.  When I would be studying for exams or doing a term paper and he wanted me to play with him, he would just stand around waiting until I was finished.  He would follow me around the church building while I would be praying.  At just four years of age he once said to me, "I was praying like that the other day."  If this depresses you, please forgive me.  It is my testimony.  It has enabled me to say with Paul, "when I am weak, then I am strong."  There is a power of faith, a confidence in Jesus Christ I have now that I did not have before those "infirmities" and "distresses."  The root word for, "infirmities," means, "feebleness, strengthlessness."  The word for, "distresses," means, "narrowness (from obstacles standing close about)."  That describes it perfectly.  Yet I can say that when the walls seem to be closing in on you so that you can hardly breathe, the Breath of God breathes this word, "Then [you are] strong!!" 
 
I heard an East Texas rancher say once that when a powerful storm is approaching, all the animals of the desert flee for cover.  The eagle, however, goes to the highest point, puts his face into the approaching storm and spreads his wings  When the storm hits, that eagle just rises above it.  Our ability to do this is not in our strength, but in our weakness, because what the enemy and the world calls a storm is for the Believer in Jesus the Breath of the Blessed Trinity, the Holy Spirit.  You and I have no strength for the battle.  King Jesus does, because "surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows."  Now, face that storm and spread those wings.
 
Father, in Jesus' Name, I have no strength, no righteousness, no goodness, nothing apart from You, but I thank You so much today that You "supply all my need according to your riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  Amen.
**************************************
*    Be sure to read Pat Buchanan's article on "The Apologists" at:
        www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com        
 
 
 
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

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