This is the day the Lord hath made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. – Psalm 118:24
This is the day the Lord hath made. Let us rejoice, be glad and rightly divide the Word.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; 21 and they said to them, "The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us." 22 Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all." – Exodus 5:20-23
The people might have replied, “Aaron and Moses, we’re not telling you what to say but you have just made everything worse by what you say is obedience to God. You have made all of us stink in Pharaoh’s opinion. You have just made things worse.” Sometimes God has to make his people discouraged or discontent before He does His greatest deliverance for them. Then we know it was God and not our own doing.
Pharaoh’s opinion, God could care less. Pharaoh had to dry and get hard like those bricks the Hebrew’s were making so that God could break Him. God was not interested in a compromise with this false god ruler of the Egyptians. God was going to take him down and making the lines of division clearer and the labor more intensive. It was the right course. The people of Israel still had too much contentment in Egypt . They needed to get as much Egypt as possible out of their blood. The people were crying out to God because of their taskmasters and the burdens placed upon them and this was before Moses arrived. Now they would cry out the louder. This would ready their stubborn hearts for a walk in the desert with God.
God had already warned Moses, “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go (Exodus 3:19-20).” God had a plan and in God’s plan He said, “He will let you go.” Pharaoh was just a man.
Les we forget, Moses is in the middle and God is working on two fronts. He will harden and humble Pharaoh. He will further humble and set free the Hebrews because of the covenant He made with Abraham (Exodus 2:24). Yet God does this kind of thing in his own sweet time. We must remember that when God is ready to move we better be ready to strike out with Him. Wait on the Lord He will ready everything. His timing is perfect.
Grace and Peace and Joy to you all be multiplied,
Bill
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
FORGOT
The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God. – Psalm 9:17
One of my chief lines as a child caught in disobedience was “I forgot”. Often it was just that. Some commit crimes of passion and I committed a crime of excitement. You might say I got so caught up in the moment that I forgot I was suppose to be, sitting, being quiet or not in participation. My parents told me that my memory was going to get me in trouble which it has.
I’m not alone. One of the chief weaknesses of God’s people is a mind and heart of forgetfulness. We are admonished in scripture not to forget.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: - Psalm 103:2
Here is a great admonition. Lost people and sinners saved by grace do forget God. They go about living their lives like He isn’t interested in them or their sinful ways. This mindset is wrong. Jesus is proof.
But Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me." 15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. 16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. – Isaiah 49:14-16 NKJV
What we know of God is that he does not forget his chosen. He has chosen not too but there are other things God has chosen not to remember. He has chosen not to remember sins that have been forgiven.
No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." – Jeremiah 31:34 KJV
Isn’t it wonderful that he can chose to forget our sins even when we have often chosen to forgotten him and his commandments. He forgives and chooses not to remember.
We forget a blessing when we forget to ask of God and spend time alone with Him. Your Father waits.
Grace and Peace and Joy to you all be multiplied,
Bill
The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God. – Psalm 9:17
One of my chief lines as a child caught in disobedience was “I forgot”. Often it was just that. Some commit crimes of passion and I committed a crime of excitement. You might say I got so caught up in the moment that I forgot I was suppose to be, sitting, being quiet or not in participation. My parents told me that my memory was going to get me in trouble which it has.
I’m not alone. One of the chief weaknesses of God’s people is a mind and heart of forgetfulness. We are admonished in scripture not to forget.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: - Psalm 103:2
Here is a great admonition. Lost people and sinners saved by grace do forget God. They go about living their lives like He isn’t interested in them or their sinful ways. This mindset is wrong. Jesus is proof.
But Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me." 15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. 16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. – Isaiah 49:14-16 NKJV
What we know of God is that he does not forget his chosen. He has chosen not too but there are other things God has chosen not to remember. He has chosen not to remember sins that have been forgiven.
No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." – Jeremiah 31:34 KJV
Isn’t it wonderful that he can chose to forget our sins even when we have often chosen to forgotten him and his commandments. He forgives and chooses not to remember.
We forget a blessing when we forget to ask of God and spend time alone with Him. Your Father waits.
Grace and Peace and Joy to you all be multiplied,
Bill
HALLOWED BE THY NAME
Matthew 6:9
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. – Matthew 6:9 KJV
How do you do this? How one hallowed God’s name and what does that mean anyway? To hallowed means “to hold in reverence” or “to treat as holy” which is to esteem, prize, honor and adore. To treat God’s with respect in this way is to hallowed his name. It is not to pronounce His name in a certain way or at a certain time. God is already holy. He doesn’t need us to make that so. So we do not hallowed God’s name by outwardly calling Him by a certain name. We hallowed God by ordering our thoughts and conduct so that we, as his children and chosen possession, honor Him.
"Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. – Ezekiel 36:22
How did they do this? A careful reading of Ezekiel shows that they profaned the name of God by their sinful actions. God said that they were to be holy for He is holy. They forgot God in that they forgot how to act. Their actions were supposed to reflect upon the goodness of God. Their actions were dishonoring. Maybe you’ve heard someone say that this child of theirs dishonored their family name. Someone had a family that was highly respected in the community and their child did something that was out of character and did not reflect favorably upon the whole.
There is a young lady in our town that had a bumper sticker that read, “I hate mean people.” I have often thought about that. More than once I have heard of others who go to church or are members of a family, even a pastor’s family, who have gotten mean, called the school and chewed on some staff person of teacher. Yes, we are protective towards our children but remember the scripture says, “Let you kindness be evident to all.” We hallow God’s name by our conduct.
When we say, “Hallowed be thy name” we are saying that the order and conduct of my life today will not dishonor but honor the holy family of God of which I am a part. Others associate me with the body of Christ.
For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. – John 5:22-23 NKJ
Consider again the holy name by which you are called, “Christian,” follower of Christ Way . Really, will others know that we are Christians by our love for one another and for the lost?
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. – 2 Timothy 2:1-4
Do you attract others to your God by your conduct?
Grace and Peace and Joy to you all be multiplied,
Bill
Matthew 6:9
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. – Matthew 6:9 KJV
How do you do this? How one hallowed God’s name and what does that mean anyway? To hallowed means “to hold in reverence” or “to treat as holy” which is to esteem, prize, honor and adore. To treat God’s with respect in this way is to hallowed his name. It is not to pronounce His name in a certain way or at a certain time. God is already holy. He doesn’t need us to make that so. So we do not hallowed God’s name by outwardly calling Him by a certain name. We hallowed God by ordering our thoughts and conduct so that we, as his children and chosen possession, honor Him.
"Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. – Ezekiel 36:22
How did they do this? A careful reading of Ezekiel shows that they profaned the name of God by their sinful actions. God said that they were to be holy for He is holy. They forgot God in that they forgot how to act. Their actions were supposed to reflect upon the goodness of God. Their actions were dishonoring. Maybe you’ve heard someone say that this child of theirs dishonored their family name. Someone had a family that was highly respected in the community and their child did something that was out of character and did not reflect favorably upon the whole.
There is a young lady in our town that had a bumper sticker that read, “I hate mean people.” I have often thought about that. More than once I have heard of others who go to church or are members of a family, even a pastor’s family, who have gotten mean, called the school and chewed on some staff person of teacher. Yes, we are protective towards our children but remember the scripture says, “Let you kindness be evident to all.” We hallow God’s name by our conduct.
When we say, “Hallowed be thy name” we are saying that the order and conduct of my life today will not dishonor but honor the holy family of God of which I am a part. Others associate me with the body of Christ.
For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. – John 5:22-23 NKJ
Consider again the holy name by which you are called, “Christian,” follower of Christ Way . Really, will others know that we are Christians by our love for one another and for the lost?
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. – 2 Timothy 2:1-4
Do you attract others to your God by your conduct?
Grace and Peace and Joy to you all be multiplied,
Bill
Friday, September 3, 2010
CROSS AND NAILS
John 20:25
So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe." – John 20:25
Historical evidence has affirmed that the Greek word for cross (stauros) was used to represent a variety of wooden structures used for execution. It included ones resembling the shapes of a T, +, X, and an upright stake. How is it that we know that Jesus was not crucified on a stake? The view of a cross is supported by the above text.
If our Lord Jesus had been crucified on a stake then only one nail would have been used for His hands. The text clearly reads “in his hands the mark of the nails” in the plural.
And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. – Matthew 27:37
If Jesus would have been crucified on a stake the text would have read that they placed the charge against him over his hands. Again, best sense is made by the argument that this structure was a cross.
Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go." 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, "Follow me." – John 21:18-19
Where would Peter go and what kind of death would Peter die with his arms stretched out? History records for us that Peter also went to crucifixion with his arms outstretched, not up stretched. I tell you these things because there are some who take pleasure in creating a smoke of confusion to distract your witness of the truth. Devote yourself to studying the truth. You have nothing to fear as a people of the book. Tell them of your wonderful savior and rightly divide the Word before them and bring the truth home.
Bill
John 20:25
So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe." – John 20:25
Historical evidence has affirmed that the Greek word for cross (stauros) was used to represent a variety of wooden structures used for execution. It included ones resembling the shapes of a T, +, X, and an upright stake. How is it that we know that Jesus was not crucified on a stake? The view of a cross is supported by the above text.
If our Lord Jesus had been crucified on a stake then only one nail would have been used for His hands. The text clearly reads “in his hands the mark of the nails” in the plural.
And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. – Matthew 27:37
If Jesus would have been crucified on a stake the text would have read that they placed the charge against him over his hands. Again, best sense is made by the argument that this structure was a cross.
Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go." 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, "Follow me." – John 21:18-19
Where would Peter go and what kind of death would Peter die with his arms stretched out? History records for us that Peter also went to crucifixion with his arms outstretched, not up stretched. I tell you these things because there are some who take pleasure in creating a smoke of confusion to distract your witness of the truth. Devote yourself to studying the truth. You have nothing to fear as a people of the book. Tell them of your wonderful savior and rightly divide the Word before them and bring the truth home.
Bill
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
WHAT IS TRUTH?
So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" 35 Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?" 36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." 37 Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world--to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." 38 Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" – John 18:33-38
We have heard it said, “It is the honest truth.” which usually means, “It is the truth as we know it.” Pilate, like many of us, had heard so many testimonies that run contrary that he had come to question truth. The honest truth is most often a rare find. Hidden motives, a dark side or opt outs are the case rather than the exception. She didn’t lie. She just changed her mind. Oh, didn’t you know that this was predicated upon such and such.
We are not all knowing creatures. We all live by a certain measure of faith. That faith may be in others, natural processes or laws and in the way we have come to know our universe and its routines in our lives. These have become truths for us. We predicate our spiritual beliefs upon that which we know so little about and look for that premise, foundation or experience upon which we move forward with life. Often times we get hard nosed and frustrated. If something looms as an apparent contradicting we look for why it appears so. The reason for this is that we have come to accept that our premise as rock solid honest universal truth. You either believe in this way or you believe that all truth is relative, good during a certain space or time but much like a floating rock.
Pilate was a man caught in midst of battling forces over truth and his place as an official of Rome . It was not an easy place to be. He saw hypocrisy and he had a sense of the right direction, but then there was Rome . He wanted to appease, or find a place of reason but it was not to be so with this crowd. He allowed evil to prevail.
Often we can allow people to work out their differences and come to some point of toleration and peace yet when a great light shines where is darkness to hide? It cries out, “Crucify the Light, we don’t want that truth because it threatens everything!”
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).” In the way this it is stated there is no middle ground. Here is a premise we either accept or reject. If Jesus is who He claimed to be then there is nothing more important than getting to know Him. It is from this point we move forward into life and look backward into time for those things that testify of Him. Then we build our faith upon what we see revealed and the changes He is making in our life experience.
He bears witness of the truth about what I am and the truth about who He is and what He has come to make of me. We listen to Him and He speaks to us. Are you after this truth that is not relative but an honest truth?
Grace and Peace and Joy to you all be multiplied,
Bill
So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" 35 Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?" 36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." 37 Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world--to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." 38 Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" – John 18:33-38
We have heard it said, “It is the honest truth.” which usually means, “It is the truth as we know it.” Pilate, like many of us, had heard so many testimonies that run contrary that he had come to question truth. The honest truth is most often a rare find. Hidden motives, a dark side or opt outs are the case rather than the exception. She didn’t lie. She just changed her mind. Oh, didn’t you know that this was predicated upon such and such.
We are not all knowing creatures. We all live by a certain measure of faith. That faith may be in others, natural processes or laws and in the way we have come to know our universe and its routines in our lives. These have become truths for us. We predicate our spiritual beliefs upon that which we know so little about and look for that premise, foundation or experience upon which we move forward with life. Often times we get hard nosed and frustrated. If something looms as an apparent contradicting we look for why it appears so. The reason for this is that we have come to accept that our premise as rock solid honest universal truth. You either believe in this way or you believe that all truth is relative, good during a certain space or time but much like a floating rock.
Pilate was a man caught in midst of battling forces over truth and his place as an official of Rome . It was not an easy place to be. He saw hypocrisy and he had a sense of the right direction, but then there was Rome . He wanted to appease, or find a place of reason but it was not to be so with this crowd. He allowed evil to prevail.
Often we can allow people to work out their differences and come to some point of toleration and peace yet when a great light shines where is darkness to hide? It cries out, “Crucify the Light, we don’t want that truth because it threatens everything!”
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).” In the way this it is stated there is no middle ground. Here is a premise we either accept or reject. If Jesus is who He claimed to be then there is nothing more important than getting to know Him. It is from this point we move forward into life and look backward into time for those things that testify of Him. Then we build our faith upon what we see revealed and the changes He is making in our life experience.
He bears witness of the truth about what I am and the truth about who He is and what He has come to make of me. We listen to Him and He speaks to us. Are you after this truth that is not relative but an honest truth?
Grace and Peace and Joy to you all be multiplied,
Bill
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