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08/28/08 |
    
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Dan 5:1-2 Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. Dan 5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. Dan 5:5-6 5 In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Dan 5:25-28 25 "And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of each word. Mene: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 Tekel: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28 Peres: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians." NKJV Beltshazzar was a big man in Babylon! He had the power of life or death over his subjects! It didn’t take much to offend a ruler in the world of that time and lose your head. He weighed a lot on the scales of Babylon but not much on God’s scales as he was soon to find out. He threw the party of the year and drank wine before the thousand lords and their ladies, praising his gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. Then he went too far! He sent for the golden vessels in the temple of God and drank wine from them and that’s when the fingers of a hand begin to write in the plaster of the wall. He couldn’t understand what the writing was but he had a feeling that it wasn’t good news for him. “His knees knocked against each other”. Dan 5:6-7 Dan 5:27 Tekel means 'weighed'—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up. New Living Translation His gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone couldn’t help him now. Dan 5:30-31 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain.
In this life some receive their accolades and compliments while others receive their criticisms and ridicule but when the final page of our life’s history has been written all men shall stand on God’s scales and His verdict is final.
“And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents and (1,775) shekels... And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.” Read Exodus 38:25-31 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold...but with the precious blood of Christ...” 1st.Peter 1:18,19
In the description of the Tabernacle in Exodus I see a type of the redemption price described in 1st.Peter. The Tabernacle was a tent. I have lived in tents more than the average person. I lived in tents for 2 ½ years in the So. Pacific during W.W.II and while we were in missionary work in Alaska I spent quite a few nights in a tent. Wind is a problem to a tent! Trying to stake down a tent on Alaskan muskeg is somewhat like staking a tent down on a haystack. It is one of those “Exercises in Futility” that we hear about. There is no record that the Tabernacle ever blew away. There is a reason! Exodus 30 tells us that the silver mentioned above was the atonement offering. This redemption silver was melted down into 100 sockets of 1 talent each for the foundation. One talent weighs 100 pounds! 100 talents of 100 pounds each equals 10,000 pounds or 5 tons. It is no wonder that the Tabernacle stood! Not even the dreaded “east wind” of (Isaiah 27:8 – Jeremiah 18:17) could dislodge a 5 ton foundation. 1st.Peter tells us that we have a more precious (and more durable) foundation upon which we stand. It is “the precious blood of Christ...as of a lamb without spot or blemish.” It is a foundation that will never “give way” (2nd.Timothy 2:19) “fade away” (1st.Peter 1:4) or “blow away” (Matthew 7:24-27) There is only one true and solid foundation, “the blood of Christ” That foundation has been, and is being, attacked but it will stand. Our survival depends on the foundation! The Psalmist asked, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do.” (Psalm 11:3) If our foundation should be destroyed then all is lost but the answer to the Psalmist’s question is, “Build on the one foundation that cannot be destroyed and we shall survive all storms. In the words of the hymn, “In times like these you need an anchor...be very sure, Your anchor holds and grips the solid rock. This rock is Jesus...”
“Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price,” Isaiah 55:1 “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17 There are not many things offered in this world absolutely free just for the asking. Like some of you, we receive those packages in the mail advising us that it contains our free gift. The free gift is generally quite worthless but the package contains another item or two with a price tag included. We learned to return those packages unopened. The free gift offered in the above Scripture is of un-estimable value and it is a genuine offer. It is offered without money because if money could buy this gift there has not been enough money minted or printed to pay the price. It is offered to us without price because God has already paid the price. Nothing but the sacrifice that Jesus made at Calvary could pay the price for our salvation. In the words of a song, “I owed a debt, I could not pay; He paid a debt He did not owe.” Salvation is not a matter of men climbing up to God, it is a matter of God reaching down to men and lifting them up. Jacob dreamed that he saw a ladder that reached into heaven with angels ascending and descending (Genesis 28:12) but he couldn’t climb that ladder. Jacob, like the rest of the Old Testament saints, had to depend on Isaiah 53 to get him to heaven. Men talk of climbing the corporate ladder but no man climbs Jacob’s ladder. Our hope is not in our ability to climb; It is in God’s willingness to reach down. Another verse of song reads, “I was lost and undone, without God or His Son; When He reached down His hand for me” We have a right to view with suspicion those free offers that we receive in the mail but we can trust completely the free offer of the above Scripture. The greatest mistake any person can make (and many do) is to leave God’s offer unopened and thereby miss receiving the greatest gift ever offered to men. (John 3:16)
“and when those who carried the ark came unto the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water(for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest),...And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground...” Joshua 3:15,17
This is the record of the Israelites crossing the Jordan River to enter their promised land. You can read the whole story in Joshua ch.3. The crossing of the Jordan is considered a type of the Christians crossing over from this life into the life to come. (Consider the many Gospel songs that have been written about crossing the Jordan.) I want to show a few comparisons between their literal crossing of the Jordan and the New Testament plan for our crossing into our promised land when the time comes. There was nothing they could do that would get them across! Jordan was at flood stage! They couldn’t wade across; they couldn’t go around and they didn’t have time to build a bridge. The general tendency of men would be to try all of those things first. Men are great builders! The first building project was in the land of Shinar and they got into trouble with the Lord over that. (Genesis 11:1-8) There are some things we can build and some things we cannot. A bridge over Jordan is one of those things that can’t be done. Going to the New Testament, we read, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves : it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9) There is no way that we can work our way into heaven, although some try. Our only hope is to place our trust in the Savior Who will roll the waters back and make a way for us. If men could build their own bridge they would boast. Men are great boasters also! (Ref. Professional athletes and aspirants to political office.) We shall be in heaven, not because of what we did, but because of our trust in what Jesus did for us. Paul explains more fully in Romans (4:4,5) Amp.N.T. “Now to the laborer, his wages are not counted as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation- something owed to him. But to one not working (by Law) trusts (believes fully) in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited to him as righteousness—the standing acceptable to God. Beware of all of those man built bridges and keep trusting in the John 3:16 plan!
“Now it came to pass on a certain day, that He went into a ship with His disciples; and He said unto them , Let us go over to the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed He fell asleep; and there came down a storm of wind upon the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a great calm.” Luke 8:22-24 I have been in two storms at sea! That is an unpleasant experience for a person who can get sick riding in an auto on a winding road. Being in a storm was a common experience for the disciples, since they were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee, but this one was unusually severe. They were in a small fishing boat, the nearest land was straight down and at the moment they thought that was the direction that they would be going. Probably most of you who read this have never been in a storm on one of the world’s oceans and never will be but we all experience storms of life that can become very severe. The thoughts that I want to share with you here can be remembered in those trying times. The Scripture tells us that, “He went into a ship with His disciples.” (v.22). The storm hasn’t been invented that can sink the boat that Jesus is in! He commands the wind and the waves! They can go so far but no farther! Our protection against the storms of life is to include Jesus in everything that we do and everywhere we go. It is also written that Jesus said, “Let us go over unto the other side of the lake.” When Jesus says “ Let us go to the other side” it means, not withstanding the storms, we are going to the other side. We are not going down; we are going up! Paul the apostle, who knew something about tribulation, (2nd.Corinthians 11:21-33) wrote that, “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22) We don’t know when or how hard they are going to hit us but WE ARE GOING THROUGH. It is true that some of you experience more storms than others and I have no explanation for that but I do know that Jesus is the master of ALL storms and he will take us to the other side.
2 Tim 4:2 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; 1 Peter 3:15 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: KJV I believe that I am on safe ground here to say that both the Apostles Peter and Paul mean that when it comes to sharing our hope of salvation with others that there should never be an “out of season” An individual’s eternal destiny can depend upon such a time and the opportunity may only come our way one time. When I was growing up I sometimes heard some friend say, “I am going to ask Dad to use the car as soon as I can catch him in a good mood.” No one should have to catch us in a good mood to “ask us to give an account for the hope that is in us.” As Christians we should make it a very high priority in our lives to be approachable at all times. It is a rewarding study to search the Gospel records and see how many times Jesus was interrupted by someone in need. You will not find a single time that Jesus turned a needy person away because He was “out of season.” He was the most approachable and “in season” person who ever lived. There is no record that He was ever in “a bad mood” and is He not our great example. (1st.Peter 2:21) We do not have all of the answers to the problems of mankind but we do have a personal relationship with the One Who has the answers and we can bring the two together. Job lamented the lack of a mediator. Job 9:33 3 “Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both. There is a mediator now! 1 Tim 2:5-6 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,” He is the one who is well known in Heaven, in touch with mankind and the reason for the “hope that is in us.”.
“But I have this (one charge to make) against you, that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first—you have deserted (Me), your first love.” Revelation 2:4 Amp.N.T.
It is written that a certain lawyer said to Jesus, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” and Jesus answered ,”Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matthew 22:36,37) The first and greatest commandment given to the church is to “Love God with all our heart.” The first indictment of the first church was having abandoned that love. That helps us to set a priority for our lives. Being a Christian is about loving God! When we become a Christian we begin to “think differently” we begin to “talk differently” and we begin to “act differently” but that which generates the change is the fact that we love God with all our heart. The church at Ephesus, which I believe represents the first generation of Believers, was a busy church. “I know thy works...” (v.2) They didn’t misplace their first love, they got so busy, (in the work of the Lord) that they left their first love behind. Their works outdistanced their devotion and that is a word of warning to you and I. They were so busy working for God that they didn’t have time for loving God. A man was very sick and his wife cared for him. It was a lot of work, but necessary work which she gladly performed. One day he awakened from sleep and she was sitting in a chair looking at him. He said, ”What are you doing?” She answered, “Nothing! I’m just sitting here, loving you.” There is much work to be done for God and God’s people must do it. If, however, we become so busy “working” that we don’t have time for “loving” then our “good works” become “dead works” (Hebrews 9:14) and that is a great disappointment to God. We must have those times of “just sitting here loving God.” This whole thing started because, “God so loved the world” (John 3:16) and it was completed because Jesus, “loved them unto the end.” (John 13:1) God is “all knowing” , “all powerful” , is “everywhere” all of which staggers our imagination but a most precious attribute of God , which we experience every day is “God is love.” (1st.John 4:8)
“Oh that Thou wouldest rend the heavens, that Thou wouldst come down...” Isaiah 64:1 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
After the creation period was completed God told the man and the woman that they could, “have dominion over all creation.”(Genesis 1:28) Man had dominion (rule) over all creation but he wasn’t able to rule himself, and since he rebelled against God’s rule, everything became unruly. ( Genesis 6:5) Mankind has written a long history of rebellion and failure but there were some who could see a solution and they begin to pray for God to take a more direct intervention into the affairs of men. It is recorded in the above Scripture that they asked God to “rend the heavens and come down.” In God’s time that is exactly what He did. Mark is recording what he saw at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan and he said , “...he saw the heavens torn open... (Mark 1:10 Amp.N.T.) “And there came a voice from heaven, saying, thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (v.11) God did “rend the heavens” and spoke His approval of the Lord Jesus who “came down” to be actively at work in the earth. Isaiah had also said that when God came down He would, “...preach good tidings unto the meek; bind up the broken hearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; and proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,...” (Isaiah 61:1) Jesus came doing all of those things, not to prove that He was God but because He is “God Who Came Down” and God does those kinds of things. He was not welcomed by some people then, (John 1:10,11) (Isaiah 53:3) and He is not welcomed by some now but His intervention is the only hope for a world addicted to violence. Jesus is God’s last word to a world in trouble and what he says is what he will do. What men say and what men do, do not always bear much family resemblance. Our hope and confidence is not in the U.N. , E.U , N.A.T.O. or any other organization or assembly. Our hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ and He will have the final word.
“Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my Gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evildoer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elects sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” 2nd.Timthy 2:7-10 Paul was given a revelation of Jesus Christ as God’s way of salvation for all who would accept Him and was entrusted with sharing that message with the world. Paul had known the frustration and failure of trying to find peace with and confidence in God by the keeping of the multitude of Jewish laws and now in Jesus he found all that he was searching for. Not everyone would accept his preaching but Paul but was true to his mandate. What man designs and develops is improved upon almost before it is placed on the market but God does things right the first time. Men dare not meddle with God’s message of salvation. At a later time one of Paul’s fellow apostles would write “If any man shall take away from the words of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:19) Paul admitted that the message got him into trouble, “even unto bonds” . He could have stopped preaching that Jesus is the only way of salvation and avoided some opposition from the Jews. He could have stopped preaching Jesus as the only God, as opposed to Caesar as god, and avoided some persecution from the Romans. Paul had a message from God and he refused to compromise, modernize or homogenize that message. The message still brings opposition in today’s world. We are called dogmatic, narrow-minded and intolerant but it is still God’s message and it is the only one that works. It is not segregated! The offer is to “Whosoever will”. The offer is not limited to the United States and Canada only, it is open to, and will work for, all people everywhere. The Gospel is not limited to any one people, it is the content of the Gospel that is limited to the original edition only. It will not be adjusted to anyone’s fancy but it will adjust people to God’s requirements. It is, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)
“For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens. Who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins, then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” Hebrews 7:26,27 NAS
We have a description of Jesus Christ which has never been, nor can ever be, given to any other person who ever walked on earth. He is proclaimed to be holy but in a greater sense than any other person could be called holy. His holiness was not only sinlessness, but also the presence of all good. To be holy in every thought, to never fail in obligation to others, to never transgress the law of God, To never “come short” (Romans 3:23) and always love with an unfailing love. This is a holiness that exceeds our powers of comprehension. Someone said Jesus was human nature as God intended it to be. It is written that He is, “One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) See Him in the garden when He looked into that terrible cup of suffering and at the very thought of the ordeal He sweat “great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44) yet He said, “Not My will, but Thine be done.” We would say. “We can understand how anyone would falter and fail under such unbelievable conditions as that!” But Jesus did not fail and went on to become the sinless, holy sacrifice for the sin of the world. Isaiah the prophet described this terrible ordeal and the reason for it, saying, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6) Because of the willing sacrifice of our sinless, holy high priest, we of whom it is written, “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23) become the beneficiaries of His suffering. A transfer is made! A double transfer is made. Our sin has been transferred to Jesus (Isaiah 53:6) and His righteousness has been transferred to us. (Philippians 3:9) Man’s attempts at establishing his own righteousness is a long record of frustration and failure but now Paul can write that it is “Christ in you , the hope of glory.” Without the righteousness of Christ in us there is no hope at all.
“And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on Him...And they watched Him and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men...and they asked Him , saying,...Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not?” Read Luke 20:19-26 No president ever held a press conference with a more hostile group than what Jesus faced constantly as He taught the people. No president was ever asked more “loaded” questions” than Jesus was asked by His opposition. No president ever answered those “loaded” questions with the wisdom that Jesus demonstrated. When the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to apprehend Jesus they returned without Him and explained, “Never man spake like this man!” (John 7:46) and we can add that “Never a man lived like that man and never a man died like that man.” Jesus was one of a kind! God in a man’s body! They never asked a question that Jesus couldn’t answer; They never won a debate and they never proved an allegation of wrong doing. They were defeated before they started and they only condemned Jesus on the testimony of false witnesses. (Matthew 26:60,61) There have been many flagrant miscarriages of justice in the world’s history but none to compare with the travesty of a trial of Jesus. If there was ever a public figure who “lived in a glass house” it was Jesus and he approved of the situation. He was watched, analyzed, criticized, misquoted, misjudged and falsely accused but He did invite investigation. To the high priest He said, “I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I done nothing.” John (18:20) He once challenged His accusers, saying, “Can any of you prove Me guilty of sin?” (John 8:46) No one ever did! Many public figures would prefer not to have their private lives scrutinized too closely but Jesus had nothing to hide. When Jesus was asked about His home life, He said “come and see” (John 1:38,39) Pontius Pilate was a miserable excuse of a judge but he made one statement that we can all echo with all of our heart. Pilate said, “I find no fault in this man” (Luke 23:4) Jesus is the faultless One! He is the answer, the only answer, to the needs and problems of mankind. There were those who would not receive Him then and there are those who will not receive Him now. But then and now , “as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons (and daughters) of God.” (John 1:12)
John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. NKJV I saw an announcement on the TV that the channel was to present a documentary to answer the question, “Who Was Jesus Christ?” Beg your pardon! That question was answered 2,000 years ago and what He was He still is. The above Scripture explains that Jesus was the Word who was with God and who was God. Word, a translation of Logos which, some reputable translators say means “God in Action.” Jesus Christ was God in Action! His life and ministry proved it. He cleansed the leper, opened blind eyes, calmed the storm and fed the hungry with a word of His mouth. Logos, translated Word above appears 7 times in the KJ version of the Bible. The last time is in Revelation 19:11-16 “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. ..And His name is called The Word of God.” He had another name also. Rev 19:16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. NKJV Now that should answer the question beyond doubt and dispute but it appears that some won’t believe it now but they will. Rom 14:11 Phil 2:10-11 “…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” NKJV
“And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on Him...And they watched Him and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men...and they asked Him , saying,...Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not?” Read Luke 20:19-26 No president ever held a press conference with a more hostile group than what Jesus faced constantly as He taught the people. No president was ever asked more “loaded” questions” than Jesus was asked by His opposition. No president ever answered those “loaded” questions with the wisdom that Jesus demonstrated. When the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to apprehend Jesus they returned without Him and explained, “Never man spake like this man!” (John 7:46) and we can add that “Never a man lived like that man and never a man died like that man.” Jesus was one of a kind! God in a man’s body! They never asked a question that Jesus couldn’t answer; They never won a debate and they never proved an allegation of wrong doing. They were defeated before they started and they only condemned Jesus on the testimony of false witnesses. (Matthew 26:60,61) There have been many flagrant miscarriages of justice in the world’s history but none to compare with the travesty of a trial of Jesus. If there was ever a public figure who “lived in a glass house” it was Jesus and he approved of the situation. He was watched, analyzed, criticized, misquoted, misjudged and falsely accused but He did invite investigation. To the high priest He said, “I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I done nothing.” John (18:20) He once challenged His accusers, saying, “Can any of you prove Me guilty of sin?” (John 8:46) No one ever did! Many public figures would prefer not to have their private lives scrutinized too closely but Jesus had nothing to hide. When Jesus was asked about His home life, He said “come and see” (John 1:38,39) Pontius Pilate was a miserable excuse of a judge but he made one statement that we can all echo with all of our heart. Pilate said, “I find no fault in this man” (Luke 23:4) Jesus is the faultless One! He is the answer, the only answer, to the needs and problems of mankind. There were those who would not receive Him then and there are those who will not receive Him now. But then and now , “as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons (and daughters) of god.” (John 1:12)
“The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:38,39 The fact that God loves you and I is the greatest revelation of truth that we can possibly receive. The fact that there is nothing in all creation that can separate us from that love is an equally wonderful and sobering thought. There are many in the world who will not believe or receive God’s love but that does not change the fact that God loves and that His love reaches out to all men. The song writer wrote, “The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell. It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell.” While speaking at an American college, the Swiss Theologian, Dr. Carl Barth was asked, “What is the most profound theological thought that you have ever entertained? Dr. Barth answered, “That Jesus loves me!” We know of God’s love but a tragedy of the world is that many do not. David Wilkerson, founder of Teen Challenge, spoke of the many children in the slums of the big cities who were unwanted, unloved and uncared for. They didn’t know what love was. Before they could be told of the love of God it was necessary to explain to them what love was. What a different world it would be if all people could know of and receive God’s love and all of the provisions of that love. It is the greatest message that you and I can share with the world about us. We have world religions that deal violently with any transgression of their rules and ordinances but they have no provision for repentance and restoration for those who have failed and fallen. The love of God has provided what has been called “The Gospel of a Second Chance”. No repentant soul is beyond God’s love nor is any repentant soul so far gone that God’s love cannot reach, restore, transform and give them a second chance . It is the only message of it’s kind and we know it to be true for we are all products of that message of a “Second Chance.”
“And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.” Exodus 14:21 God works at night! The Psalmist said, “Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:4) A promise that we should not forget! The Israelites, no doubt, worried all night but then they were, as people in my home state would say, “between a rock and a hard place”. What they could see, just before night fell, was the Red Sea, dead ahead and the Egyptian army just behind. It is likely that most of us would have spent a sleepless night also. There is something about the night that suggests trial and suffering. The Psalmist spoke of, “ terror that cometh by night and pestilence that walketh in darkness” (Psalm 91:5,6) He said, “weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5) Paul reminded us that, “we (Christians) are not of the night, nor of darkness” (1st.Thessalonians 5:5) and we are told that in that Celestial City there will be no night.(Revelation 21:25) I have had some battles with cancer and spent some nights of suffering. It was always a welcome sight when morning came and the nurse would come into the room, open the window blinds and let the morning light in. Have you watched God make a morning? Our kitchen window opens toward the east and Mrs. Cummins and I love to watch the sunrise. The gray recedes, the sky turns pink, then gold, then the full glory of the resurrected sun appears and a morning is born. Sometimes the nights of trial seem long but God is working and He has a morning for you. Jesus died, was placed in the tomb, the disciples entered a night of despair and hopelessness that they thought was permanent but the morning of the Third Day did dawn. It always will! The night of trial, for the Israelites, was over, the morning came, light flooded the scene and Behold, there was a path, a dry path, through the Red Sea. That troublesome east wind that blew all night and added to their discomfort was really God’s agent of deliverance. “In the world ye shall have tribulation...” (John 16:33) The morning is coming, God is working and He has a “Third Day” for you!
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. NKJV
Ps 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. NKJV We are all travelers but we are not all traveling in the same direction. God would have us travel in the right direction that we shall reach the desired destination. We are all traveling where we have never traveled before. We are provided guidance in God’s Bible, called by Bunyan’s Christian of Pilgrim’s Progress, his ‘roll’. When Christian neglected to read his roll he strayed from the path. To quote Stephen Grellet, “I expect to pass through this world but once.” Today is July 22,2008! We have never traveled here before and we will never travel here again. By way of illustration, our ministry took us, by auto, where we had never been before. Five times we drove the Alaska Highway and the first time it was all new and strange territory. However I had a roadmap designed by someone who had been there before and by carefully consulting the map we never lost our way. We are offered much advice and many books as to our travels through this life but there is only one Book that is written by one who has been this way before and who comes from that place where we want to go. Jesus Christ not only traveled through this life but Heaven is His hometown. He also spoke and inspired the words recorded in our Bible so I believe it wise to trust in its guidance. It would be a serious mistake to trust our eternal future to untried and unproven counsel. Jesus said, Matt 15:14 They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." We have one advantage in our travels on earth. If we receive false directions and we arrive at the wrong place we can turn around and leave but in our spiritual journey, we can’t. Once we arrive, we are there to stay. .
Rev 3:20-21 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. NKJV It is written; 1 John 5:12-13 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. NKJV Jesus wants to be a part of our lives but He won’t force Himself into our lives. So, if we want the Son we must do two things, Hear His voice and open the door. He knocks but then it is up to us. Jesus patiently knocks now but if there is no answer the time will come when He will knock no more. The answering must be in this life for once we leave we are locked in to our chosen destiny with no opportunity to reconsider. We are reminded that; Eccl 3:1-2 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: 2 A time to be born, And a time to die; NKJV We are not given the time when we shall move on from life on earth but we are given the time when we should hear His voice and open the door to our lives, Right Now! 2 Cor 6:2 Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. It is not a decision to be taken lightly or postponed. We don’t choose the time to be born nor can we choose the time to die but we do choose the time when we shall accept the Lord and dedicate our lives to his service and that is sometime after we are born and sometime before we die. Seeing that we do not know the time that we are to die we should not postpone that very important matter one minute lest we wait too long. Today is Carol’s 81st. birthday and we were remembering that we met 65 years ago when I was 19 years of age and she was 16. She remarked, as no doubt many of you have said, “Where does the time go?” I don’t know where the time goes but it does and sometimes it seems all too quickly. We are going to that place where time is no more but when you are as old as we are you will realize, as we have, that every hour is precious and not to be wasted. It is not a time to postpone something that should be done and most certainly accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior is at the top of the list.
“And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.” 1st.Kings 17:7 What to do when the brook dries up? Our Christian education is not complete until we have been through such an experience. Some brooks dry up and some do not and we must know the difference. If we are depending on the brook we are in trouble; If we are depending on the Maker of brooks, we are on solid ground. We live in uncertain times. America has been riding a wave of prosperity but that seems to be changing. The economy is shaky but God doesn’t even tremble. Some things that we have depended on could be taken away. Don’t panic! If the brook dries up the God we serve is owner of the rivers! He kept the Israelites for 40 years in the desert of Sinai. I have never made a trip to that land but I have seen videos and it seems to me that it would require much help from God to survive three days in some of that country. God provided, but one day “the brook dried up” they ran out of water. (Exodus 17:1-6) When that happens it does things to people. It separates the men from the boys. In this case it seems that the whole crowd turned on Moses. God wasn’t caught unawares! He had water for them! Of all places it was stored in a rock. (v.6) God supplies all of our needs (Philippians 4:19) but He doesn’t always use conventional means or sources so don’t try to second guess God. There was a shortage of wells in that locality so God used a rock It is when the going gets tough for us that the world can see just how much Christianity we have. The devil approached God and said “The only reason that Job serves you is because you have placed a hedge around him. If something bad happens to him he will “curse Thee to Thy face”. (Job 1:10,11) How wrong the devil was! If ever a man arrived at that place where he would say, “If it ain’t one thing it’s another” Job was there. It is written, “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” (Job 1:22) You cannot live very long without having something that you value, depend on or love, taken away and in this life we may never know why. Don’t give up on God or “charge Him foolishly” He hasn’t given up on us and He will see you through.
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
We each have an allotted amount of time to be on the earth! It comes to us a day at a time and we don’t know how many days we will receive. Time is precious! We don’t have any to waste! You have heard the expression, “I had some time to kill!” Not a good practice! On the contrary we are told that we should be, “Redeeming (making the very most of – buying up every opportunity) (Amp.N.T.) the time.” (Ephesians 5:16) We are told to “number our days”. We shall give an account of our days and what we did with them. The first recorded words of Jesus were, “Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49) His last recorded words were “It is finished:” (John 19:30) He said things to us like, “Occupy till I come.” (Luke 19:13) He spoke of the servant who was faithfully occupying and said, “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.” (Matthew 24:46) I have known some who accepted the Lord Jesus at a more advanced age and they all regretted the wasted years. Yesterday will not come to us again and tomorrow is not guaranteed! We have today and must choose what we shall do with it. Waste it or redeem it! It is a fact that what we do with today will have a great influence on how we shall feel tomorrow. We can choose today to be able to say tomorrow, as Paul said, “I fought a good fight” (2nd.Timothy 4:7) Paul wrote, “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, for it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” (1st.Corinthians 3:13) Colossians 3:17 reads “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus...” Anything that we are asked to do that cannot be done, “in the name of the Lord Jesus” very likely will be as wood, hay and stubble and will not pass the test of fire of that day. All of you readers have computers (or obviously you would not be getting my e mail) and you have records. Some records go into the file in the hard drive and some are sent to the trash bin. When God reads the record of my days I don’t want any of them sent to the trash bin. Wasted days can’t be recycled, only redeemed days will pass the test. Again I quote the two lines of poetry, “Only one life, t’will soon be past! Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.” 1st.Peter 4:12 “But to which of the angels said He at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Hebrews 1:13,14 When you accept the Lord Jesus as your Savior, fix your eyes on the Celestial City and place your feet on the narrow path that leads to that place, you can expect two things, “Fiery trials and ministering angels” When we take a stand for the Lord Jesus our name is written down in two places, in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 21:27) and on the devil’s hit list. The world has a “slew” of trouble brought on by the great rebellion and we are living in that troubled world. There is a personage loose in the world that keeps the trouble stirred up and when we take the path that leads to the other “untroubled world” we are no longer a part of his crowd and that disturbs him. He gives us special attention but he can only hinder he cannot destroy. Living in a rebellious world we share many trials the are “common to man” (1st.Corinthians 10:13) but we have some “uncommon” help, a ministry of angels, that is promised to Believers only. I have never seen an angel unless it was one of those “unawares” situations of (Hebrews 13:2) Our ministry, however, has taken us through some very difficult situations and we have experienced that special help from the unseen world. The Psalmist said, “For I was envious at the foolish...They are not in trouble as other men...” (Psalm 73:2,5) It does seem that some people live in an ungodly manner and yet seem to be trouble free. That’s alright! I would rather travel a bumpy road with God and His ministering angels than the smooth road without Him. That road may be smooth but it isn’t going to where I want to go and the road that I am traveling, bumps included, is going to where I want to go. No one would ask for fiery trials but when they come, we shall, with the help of our ministering angels, “escape it or bear it” (1st.Corinthians 10:13) but no trial, no matter how fiery, shall be able to change the direction that we are traveling.
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21 “Set your affections on things above, not on the things on the earth.” Colossians 3:2
A time is coming when a disposition of our treasures will be made. If our treasure is in heaven , we shall go where it is but if our treasures are in earth, we shall leave them. The treasure we have laid up in heaven, (Matthew 6:20) is safe but the treasure we lay up on earth can be swept away in a moment of time. Many things on earth can affect your treasure but heaven’s stock market will never crash. That which we lay up in heaven takes on a value far beyond anything known to earth. I have supported our family these many years working as a builder. I built some pretty nice homes and our sons have built and are building some elaborate homes. But the Bible speaks of mansions, (John 14:1-3) of streets of gold, (Rev.21:21) a foundation of precious jewels (Rev.21:19) all of which is mind-boggling but the real treasure there will be the people. Investments in stocks and bonds have proven very profitable for many the past several years but the wisest and most profitable investment is in people. Jesus invested in people and so should we. The Bible reads that, “God so loved the world (of people) that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Jesus said, In My Father’s house are many mansions:...I go to prepare a place for you...”(John 14:2) Why is He building the mansions? That there will be a place where the people that He loves and gave His life for, might be with Him forever. “...that where I am, there ye may be also” There is an old song that says, “Just give me a cabin in the corner of gloryland.” I haven’t read about cabins in gloryland but if I had to make a choice I would rather be in a cabin with those I love than in a palace all alone. Men have speculated about treasure that we lay up there and probably there are many things that could be included. I believe that the greatest treasure of all will be people there that we have in some way influenced and encouraged to accept Jesus and follow the upward way. “Let us not be weary in well doing, (pointing people to Jesus) for in due season we shall reap, (treasures in heaven) if we faint not.” (don’t even think of quitting) Galatians 6:9)
“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” Hebrews 11:7 My family came from Missouri! People in Missouri had a reputation for demanding to see before they would believe. If someone made a claim about being something or a promise to do something they liked to respond, “I’m from Missouri! You’ll have show me!” Not an unreasonable demand! Noah was a great man of faith and works. He claimed to believe God and he showed it by his works. He had faith in God and he did all that God commanded him to do. His claim to faith in God was followed by his works and certainly the works that Noah performed demonstrated that He believed God. Because of the wickedness of man God told Noah that he was going to send a flood that would cover the whole earth. (Genesis 6:11) There had never been a flood before, not even a rain (Genesis 2:5,6) but God said, “Noah, That is what I will do and this is what I want you to do.” And He told Noah to build a boat that would be many times larger than any boat that the world had ever seen. It took some faith for Noah to believe what God said and it took some faith for Noah to begin work on the project. It took even more faith for Noah to continue work on the project for over 100 years until it was completed. I have found over the years that enough enthusiasm will cause many to start a project but faith will cause a few to continue until it is completed. I don’t know just when Noah realized it but the safety and salvation of his entire family depended on Noah’s faith to believe and on Noah’s works continuing until the ark was built. God will do what he says that he will do! We can believe that! When God tells us to do something He expects us to do it! We had better believe that also. I don’t believe that God is from Missouri but I do believe that when we say we believe Him that He wants us to show that we believe by doing what he says. Jesus said, “If ye love Me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) James wrote James 2:18-19 Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. NKJV
“To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.” Romans 3:26 How can God be just and yet be the justifier of guilty men? A difficult question to be sure! Only God could provide a solution to that problem and He did. We sometimes see products advertised with the admonition, “Accept no substitutes!” God’s solution to the problems referred to above is that He did accept a substitute. It was our only hope. It is written, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28) Someone translated that this way, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life instead of many having to give their lives.” He was the only acceptable substitute and, thank God for ever and ever, He was a willing substitute. Make no mistake about it! Mankind was damned and doomed and without hope except for our substitute. All of the benefits and blessings of the Christian life and the hope of eternal life depends on the willing substitute. The Scripture reads, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) and that we were, “having no hope, and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12) In the words of the song writer, “I was lost and undone, without God or His Son, When He reached down His hand for me.” It was only the wisdom of God that could provide a plan whereby men could be restored to fellowship with Him but it was only the great love of God that could put that plan into operation. Now to carry the thought of substitution in a slightly different direction, God accepts Jesus Christ’ death as a substitute for our spiritual death but there is no acceptable substitute for that plan of redemption. The Bible is very clear on the subject! There is just one way and it is the way described above. I believe that we have now more professing Christians and self-proclaimed Bible teachers who are promoting the “many ways to heaven” lie than ever before. The Apostle Peter doesn’t agree! He said, “...for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be save.” (Acts 4:12) We had best stay with the proven way!
“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.” Matthew 17:1,2
Jesus walked on the earth as the “Eternal Word” (John 1:1) concealed in a body of flesh (Philippians 2:6,7), unrecognized by most men (John 1:10) but His glory was there all the time. (John 1:14) On the rare occasions when His glory was allowed to shine forth the effect was extraordinary. At the last supper, Jesus’ glory being concealed in His earthly body, John leaned on Him, (John 13:25). On Patmos, the glory of Jesus being revealed, (Revelation 1:13-16) John “fell at His feet as dead...” (Revelation 1:17) At Gethsemane, when the officers and the crowd that followed, accosted Jesus He asked them whom they were seeking (John 18:4) When they replied, “Jesus of Nazareth!” Jesus answered, “I AM” (Greek-English New Testament) When Jesus publicly claimed that NAME (Exodus 3:14) as His own, the concealed glory was allowed to shine forth and the effect of it caused the whole motley crowd to fall backwards to the ground.(John 18:6) The glory of Jesus is still concealed to much of the world and there is more opposition to that Name than any other name, but it is written, “Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.” (Philippians 2:9,10) I see no exceptions to that decree. Some of us have been to our Mount of Transfiguration and have seen His glory. We gladly and reverently bow before Him now in love and worship. In that day the world will bow in fear and trembling and some will even “pray for the mountains to fall on them and hide them from His face”,(Revelation 6:16) How much better to recognize Him for Who He is and bow before Him now! We sometimes sing a chorus, “There is something about that Name.” There is something about that Name that is different from any other name. It is a Name loved and glorified in heaven, greatly feared in hell, both honored and rejected on earth but it is a Name that all creation must answer to some day.
“And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand: and they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews>” Matthew 27:29 “His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than any man.” Isaiah 52:14
Roman legionaries very rarely demonstrated any tenderness toward prisoners but their treatment of Jesus is unbelievable. It is equally unbelievable that the one man who did not have to die and who could have called twelve legions of angels to come to His rescue (Matthew 26:53) would willingly submit to such indignity and suffering. We cannot grasp the extent of God’s love for us until we look at the cross. One look at the cross should be a permanent cure for all complaints of our tribulations of life in this world. Jesus could have escaped the suffering but He would have had to abide alone. Like the servant of Exodus 21:4, He might have gone out free but it would have been by Himself. God said of the first Adam, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an helpmeet for him.” (Genesis 2:18) That truth holds true in God’s plan for the last “Adam” (1st.Corinthians 15:45) for we read that one of the seven angels of Revelation 21:9 said to John, ”Come hither, I will shew thee the Bride, the Lamb’s wife.” The Bride, the great company of those who have chosen to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, is very precious in His sight but to win His bride He must suffer on the cross. He must die like the “corn of wheat” (John 12:24) that a great harvest shall be reaped “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.” (Revelation 7:9) Jesus was rejected, scorned, tortured and humiliated at His first coming. The last time the world saw Him He was hanging on a cross and the world rejoiced at the sight. The next time the world shall see Him He will come riding on a white horse, followed by the armies of heaven riding on white horses. (Revelation 19:11-14) and the world will not rejoice at the sight. Jesus’ death on the cross is shocking to contemplate but you and I are a part of the harvest that his death produced and for that we shall have an eternity to be thankful.
As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s
grace in vain. For He says, “In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the
day of salvation I helped you,”
“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That He
would grant you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened
with might by His Spirit in the inner man:” Jesus answered... “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my
day: and he saw it and was glad.” Then said the Jews unto Him, “Thou art not
yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?” Jesus saith unto them,
“Verily, verily I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I Am.”
“Then began He to speak to the people this parable; a
certain man planted a vineyard and let it forth to husbandmen and went into
a far country for a long time. And at the season he sent a servant to the
husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the
husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.”
“Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again
to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify Him, crucify Him. And he said unto
them the third time, Why, what evil hath He done? I have found no cause of
death in Him:I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go. And they were
instant with loud voices, requiring that He might be crucified. And the
voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence
that it should be as they required.”
Matt 16:16-19
Rev 3:18
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and
doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house Upon a
rock: And the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and
beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”
And I saw the dead small and great, stand before God; and
the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books according to their works.
Gen 1:1 |
