Probably Some Wil Say, "What?"

In today's devotional, I used the phrase, "has wondered from," when it should have been "has wandered from ."

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

"Jesus, The Very Thought of Thee" (Bernard of Clairvaux, 1090-1143 AD)

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)

John, in the Holy Spirit, then goes on to tell us how to, "test the spirits."  It is not by what we like or what seems to fit our spiritual desires at the moment.  The way to, "test the spirits," is to see how they honor Jesus.  "By this you know the Spirit of God:  Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God."  The only time Father spoke audibly in the Gospels was when He honored Jesus and the Name.  As Mother Teresa told Sam Brownback once, "Remember, Senator; it's all about Jesus; it's all about Jesus; it's all about Jesus."  Only trust, "the spirits," who honor Jesus Christ.

Of course, honoring Jesus is more than writing or talking about Him.  The "best" way to honor Jesus is to obey Jesus.  Jesus is the Rock.  If I listen to anyone or any teaching not rooted in Jesus Christ, I am in deep trouble.  I once read an article about the problem of sinkholes in Florida.  "Florida is notorious....The State has the misfortune of being built on a foundation of limestone-- solid rock, but the kind that is easily dissolved by acidic rain or groundwater."  There are a lot of "limestone-rock" people and religious organizations today.  They are being "dissolved by acidic rain or groundwater," because, as Moses said, "their rock is not like our Rock."  Peter declares that it is, "by (through, on account of, for the sake of, because of) Jesus you believe in God."  No "acidic rain or groundwater" can destroy such a people.

Why this devotional emphasis today?  Christendom has wondered from, "Jesus, the very thought of Thee, with sweetness fills my breast....Jesus, our only joy be Thou, as Thou our prize will be; Jesus, be Thou our glory now, and through eternity."  Jesus did not say that we would be worship-witnesses, "presence"-witnesses, prophetic-declaration-witnesses, missions-witnesses, or better-me-witnesses.  All of, " the spirits," of the aforementioned only stand the test when they are, "the spirits," who are in and honor Jesus Christ, who are walking in, "you shall be witnesses to Me."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I so thank You that I have, as Your Word says, "the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."  Nothing better.  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

"How Small A Whisper We Hear of Him!"

"Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him!  But the thunder of His power who can understand?"  (Job 26:14)

I read our text the other day and was impacted by the "depth" of Job's wonder before His God.  No wonder the Lord God commended Job for his words.  It is clear to me that Job had a, "lost in wonder, love, and praise," for the Living Triune God in him which the other four did not, or could I say five? i.e., the wife who told him to just, "curse God," and get it over with.  Yet in our text we catch a glimpse of what was in Job's heart, what kept him going in the midst of unimaginable suffering.

Job had been lamenting the pitiful attempt of his "friends" to comfort him, whose "comfort" soon led ultimately to condemnation; it was the proverbial one-upmanship.  But Job did a wise thing.  He took his eyes off his counselors, off himself and, as all Old Covenant Believers, continued to run his race, "looking unto Jesus."  Once his eyes were again on Jesus, he could do nothing but declare the greatness of His God, "The realm of the dead is naked before God; Destruction lies uncovered.  He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; He suspends the earth over nothing.  He wraps up the waters in His clouds....He covers the face of the full moon, spreading His clouds over it....The pillars of the heavens quake, aghast at His rebuke.  By His power He churned up the sea....By His breath the skies became fair....Yet these are but [a small part of His doings] the outskirts of His ways or the mere fringes of His force, the faintest whisper of His voice!  Who dares contemplate or who can understand the thunders of His full, magnificent power?"

You may be suffering today.  You may be lonely; you may have an intense illness racking your body; you may be, as the song writer said, "grieving over joys departed."  I call you to consider the, "God-Breathed," the imparted love and power of Jesus, "The Word of God," in Job, the Word which "lifted" Job into a realm of victorious worship. What may await us, "in that Day," I cannot begin to image.  What I can do, however, and what I invite you to do is what I read in my "favorite" Psalm this morning, "On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wondrous works I will meditate," that is, even if what I can "grasp" is only, "the outskirts of His ways or the mere fringes of His force, the faintest whisper of His voice!" 

Father, in Jesus' Name, how I do enjoy, "the faintest whisper of His voice!"  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

DEVOTIONAL, Plus: JPost Article: Our world: Pope Francis’s unfriendly visit | JPost | Israel News

"Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?  He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.  Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.  Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning.  If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.  And this is the promise that He has promised us-------- eternal life." (I John 2)

The word, "acknowledges," is from a Greek word which means, "confess, agree."  But the word can mean to most English speakers a sort of casual agreement.  The Biblical word means an aggressive embracing.  In other words, it, or rather, He is mine; I receive Him; I surrender to Him.  I acknowledge, confess, agree, "Jesus is the Christ". 

Our text tells us that, "a liar," is the person who denies this, who denies Jesus Christ.  A "truther" is the person who confesses Jesus Christ and "agrees" with Jesus Christ.  The latter has, "the Son," and, "the Father."  When the AntiChrist appears, this will be his hallmark, "denies that Jesus is the Christ," and, "denies the Son does not have the Father also."  This is the antichrist "spirit."  This is the spirit of Islam, new age, Hinduism, humanism.  The Bible tells us that it is now in the earth, and will manifest more and more until the close of the age. 

"Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning," is a foundational remedy for the lie, for denial, for turning from the Truth.  Most heard the truth, "from the beginning," not a lie.  If one denies anything of the truth, it only comes later.  "Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning."  Those who once walked in Jesus Christ, "the Truth," who then fell into heresy are those who ignored, "....let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning." 

"Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning."  And what we, "heard from the beginning," is, "Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges (confesses, agrees) the Son has the Father."  If you did not hear this, "from the beginning," I suggest you have a new "beginning."  This is absolutely glorious:  We have our Father, our Son Jesus, our Holy Spirit, and equally glorious, He has us.  "Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning."

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for Your Word, which is, "from the beginning."  Amen.

*****************************    E-MAIL ARTICLE TO A FRIEND -- Our world: Pope Francis's unfriendly    visit | JPost | Israel News -- You should check this out at,   http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Pope-Franciss-unfriendly-visit-354557