Benedictions that Warm the Heart (Hebrews 13:20 & 21)

 

Do you like benedictions?  I do.  They are so caring.  My church began adding them after the closing prayers.  I always feel blessed by them and leave with a happy smile on my face and a warm heart within.

Aaron, the first High Priest of God over Israel, used to say a good night benediction over the nation.  He'd raise his arms and bless them saying,

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace ..." (Numbers 6:22-26 ESV).

It was said nightly like a bedtime prayer.  Night-night, tuck you in, sleep well, of course, but it was so much more.  By so doing, God told Moses that Aaron would be putting His ...

" ... name upon the people of Israel, and I [He, God] will bless them"                  (Numbers 6:27 ESV).

The writer of Hebrews wanted to bless the Hebrews too.  It would resignate, with them deeply because of the High Priests' nightly benediction pronounced over them.  This is something that even though they'd become Christian Hebrews, they could understand and appreciate it and be heart-warmed.

But this benediction also had an exhortation imbedded in it.  We don't just have the privelege of being blessed, we have responsibility too - a two-sided coin portfolio.  Each follower of Jesus Christ has been blessed with this benediction too.

Peace is pronounced over us in the name of the God of peace but part of the blessing stems from being equipped ...

 " ... with everything good that [we] may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ ..." (Hebrews 13:20-21 ESV).

So, as we go forth we may experience the happy smile and warm heart but we need to be equipped and use what God has given us through our faith in Jesus Christ for the good and benefit of the congregation of believers and beyond, and do His will, thus giving all glory and honor to Him forever and ever.  

                  GOD BLESS YOU!

                                                     ~  ERC  May 2026  ~

Based on Hebrews 13:20 & 21, Numbers 6:22-27 ESV.

Sing, A Mother's Prayer (Numbers 6 :22-27) Cry Out Worship.  Also, Numbers 6:22-27 - The Bible Song.

Boast In Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:1 KJV and especially vs 10 & 17 ESV.

 Have you ever published something?  Perhaps a magazine or newspaper article, or a book?  Was it self-published or had the writings gone through a publishing house?  Some people do self-publish books.

But as we begin to read 1 Corinthians chapter 1, (and other of Pauls' opening lines of letters he wrote) we see he didn't exactly "self- publish" his letter.  His authority came from God.  He greeted them, 

"Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God and Sosthenes our brother ..." (1 Corinthians 1:1 KJV).

He establishes his right and authority to "speak" to his Corinthian audience by telling them, #1, he was called to be an apostle by Jesus Christ Himself, and #2, through the will of God.  It's important to note this especially.  You'll see why as we move through the letter.

God and Jesus Christ were his witnesses, so to speak, and the One who ordained him.  Therefore, he writes in confidence and expectation that the Corinthians will heed his words of wisdom.  He is not just spouting off offhand.

There forever being enmity between God and Satan, Satan can't leave well enough alone.  The Corinthian church had been happily established but now division came.  Satan was using the 'divide and conquer' method.

Paul had to pull them back, reminding them of their need to all agree in the name of their Lord Jesus Christ (vs 10).  They should not have divisions among them and that they should be united in the same mind and the same judgment (vs 10).

The leader among them to follow, was and should be, their same mind, Christ, not Paul, not Apollos and not Cephas.

Very likely these three were stalwart and godly men of God.  But they were human beings, not God.  They needed to make and maintain Christ as central to their service and worship.  Otherwise, Paul stated his fear that,

"...the cross of Christ be emptied of its power" (vs 17 ESV).

Not that the cross and the work Jesus had done upon it would in and of itself be diminished but rather that the people would tarnish His name and word and so bring dishonor upon Jesus' work upon the cross and upon Jesus Himself and even upon the followers of Jesus Christ, for that matter, who were not showing too much brotherly love and had marred the unity of the Spirit.

Self-centeredness leads to inflated ego and boasting in self.  But Christ-centeredness leads to boasting in Jesus Christ and all He has done for us.  It leads to living for Him and being the light and salt in the world.  It leads to bringing others to Christ.  And it leads to unity in Christ and His Holy Spirit thereby resisting the devil so he would flee from them.  Then we'd have something to write about, and even publish.

                                                      ~  ERC  May 2026  ~

Based on 1 Corinthians 1:1 KJV and vs 10 & 17 ESV especially.

Sing, All My Boast Is In Jesus, along with Keith and Kristyn Getty.

HAIKU - Many Sparrows

 God's eye is on the sparrows.  He sees when they fall.  Know that His eye is also on you.  He sees and knows when you stumble and fall.  He knows when you are in trouble, alone and in despair.  he knows, He loves, He cares.  Let Him comfort you, hold you fast for He is a constant faithful friend who cares for you and me. 

"For you are of more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:21-31 ESV).

Sparrows flutter and

flit, "Chirp, Chirp," hop, hop in the trees,

and upon the ground.

Foraging; peck, hop,

peck, hop, hop for seeds, flit

flutter, dust-bath clean.

Oops, a sparrow fell

out of the tree.  Sits stunned, still.

Drooping, dragging wing.

Poor dear sparrow, God

saw it.  Values it.  He made

it.  Fear not.  You see?

Do you see?  You are

worth more than many sparrows,

to God.  His eyes see.

                      ~ERC  May 2026  ~

Based on Matthew 10:29-31 ESV.

Sing, His Eye Is On The Sparrow, along with Ethel Waters.

Validates and Vindicates (Romans 16 ESV)

 

It was quite the exercise to circle the park six times in one go.  After calculation it added up to only 4.8 km!  "Groan!" I said as I staggerd, half faintingly to the car to drive home.  That's not much compared to some people who can even jog, yes, that's right, jog, running circles around me ... zoom!  They flash by, again.

It was also quite the exercise to read my way through the letter to the Romans.  It's taken more than a month to accomplish.  I staggered through it, but persevered and found many nuggets of God's Word to enjoy.  Here I am at last, at the farewell salutations.

It is a relief to have something 'easier' and joyful to read.  All the greetings to this person and that, and even Paul's commendation of sisters Phoebe and Prisca, and brother Aquila, and many others named there.  I chuckle as Paul adds,

" ... but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well" (vs 4).

Why'd he have to addend that?  If you'd read through the whole book of Romans you understand the humor and irony in that statement, he facetiousness of it.  There is also the point that Paul was making throughout.

He was the 'minister' to the Gentiles and he validates and vindicates them.  He has also exhorted both Gentiles and Jews in the Roman assembly of believers, reminding them of their unity in Christ and all it had entailed.

Anyway, It amused me to see his choice of words.  And in the end they were to

 "greet one another with a holy kiss" (v. 16).  

In addition to that,  to show further solidarity Paul appended,

"All the churches of Christ greet you ..." (vs 16 ESV).

As Paul ends his letter, so I end this series of commentary upon the letter to the Romans, saying to my readers ...

" ... to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ.  Amen"                  (Roman 16:27 ESV).

All glory be to God.

                                                         ~  ERC  May 2026  ~

Based on Romans 16 ESV.

Sing, Glory to God on High, along with Isle of Man Methodist Church.

Lord's Day Devotion - Marks of the Lord Jesus

 Do you have any scars on your body?  Any marks that won't fade all the days of your life?

Maybe you got them in childhoood from going down a slide headfirst and you knocked your head on the end and had to get stitches in your forehead.  Or maybe you got cut on barbed wire or from a knife accident or surgery scars.

There are so many ways marks can appear on our bodies.  Cuts, scrapes, tatoos and the like mark our bodies.  Some of these show ownership.  Slaves may have been branded with hot irons and/or specific tatoos.

For instance, in the Old Testament (OT) times, after six years of service, a servant could choose to be legally bound to a master, forever.  The master would bore his ear through with an aul.

" ... and he would serve him forever" (Exodus 21:6 ESV).

A female servant could do the same (see Deuteronomy 15:17).  These were marks of loyalty, commitment and ownership.

During World War II, those interned in Hitler's concentration camps had prisoner numbers tatooed upon their upper left chest or the outer side of the left forearm.  These marks were marks of contempt and dehumanization.

The Apostle Paul remarks in Galatians that he bore in his body ...

" ...the marks of Jesus" (Galations 6:17 ESV).

When we read through the book of Acts, we discover many of Paul's hardships and persecution at the hands of men who hated the name of Jesus whom he preached.  He'd been whipped, and stoned and left for dead, to name a couple off hand.  He used these marks as proof of the authority he had in Christ to be teaching and preaching what he did.  In fact, to even be writing as he was.

Most importantly, we come to our own Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for the redemption of our souls, and to bring new life to our spirits, healing the relationship between God and man.  

The obvious marks our Savior has, are the nail prints and the scar in His side from the spear that had pierced Him.  In time to come, these marks of Jesus Christ will show His true identity.

Revelation 1:7 mentions it ...

"Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him.  Even so.  Amen" (ESV  [emphasis mine]).

This is a soon-coming day being referred to.  The eye witness to Jesus' marks, of his death and resurrection, is namely Thomas.  He demanded to see the nailmarks in Jesus' hands and feet and place his hand into Jesus' side where the spear had pierced Him, otherwise he wouldn't believe this was truly Jesus who'd arisen from the dead (see John 20:25-27).

Jesus encouraged Thomas to do just that. 

 "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.  Touch Me and see.  For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have" (Luke 24:39 ESV).

After saying this, Jesus showed not only Thomas, but all who had been in that upper room hide-away, His hands and His feet (see Luke 24:40 ESV).

There had even been OT prophecises of these marks.  Isaiah 53:5 tells us,

"But He was pierced for our transgression, He was crushed for our iniquities, upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed" (ESV).

There was the OT prophecy, there was the actual real time as-it-happens' marks, and the post resurrection confirmation of these piercings upon Jesus' body.  Then there's the future sightings prophesied to happen in time to come.

Our Lord Jesus' marks show us how much He loved us, that He would go through all this for our sakes.  They also show us His loyalty and commitment and obedience to His Father's will that He would carry out God's plan of salvation to full capacity and God's satisfaction.

The LORD crushed Jesus and brought Him grief as Jesus brought Himself as an offering and sacrifice for our souls.

"Out of anguish of His soul He [God] shall see and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous and He shall bear their iniquities" (Isaiah 53:10-11 ESV).

We ourselves may or may not have our own "marks of the Lord Jesus" for the testimony we bear for Him.  But we do have the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ upon our souls and spirits that, 

"blood of Jesus Christ that washes away our sin" (1 John 1:7).

God sees this upon our hearts and is satisfied.

We belong to Him now.  Ownership of our souls and very lives, is His.  He bought us.  Do you see yourself now as His loyal and committed servant?

Ponder all of this on any given Lord's Day as we, His children and bondservants, gather together to remember Him in His death and resurrection.  Reach for and partake of that broken bread and drink of that cup of wine in remembrance of all Jesus suffered for our sakes.  Remember those marks that prove it.  Praise His holy name.  Serve Him faithfully evermore.

Lord Jesus, we humbly bow before You in adoration and thankfulness.  Those marks You bore for us, Your children, get to us.  It hurts to think of all that pain and suffering You endured.  Yet, with hearts hurting within us, we thank You for going through with it all.  May we each be fully committed to loyally serving You until You call us home.  In Your name we give You priase.  Amen.

                                                 ~  ERC  April 2026  ~

Based on Galations 6:17-18 ESV.

Sing, The Love of God is Greater Far, along with and Because He Loved Me, along with klassenp1 (choir).

Open-Hearted Welcome (Romans15: especially vs 2 & 5-6 ESV)

 

"Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up ... May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 15:2, 5-6 ESV).

Observe the reason for pleasing one's neighbor.  It was for his good.  That "good" specifically, was to build him up.  It was not to be manipulated or favored for other special treatment.

So like a prayer, God was asked to grant the Roman believers endurance, and encouragement.  Why?  So that they could live in harmony, be in accord with Christ Jesus and have one voice to glorify God.

This was not to please their own self and their own preferences.  When you read through the whole letter to the Romans you'll see all the conflicts and issues that had arisen because they wanted to impose their own Jewish-ness or Gentile-ness.  These elements had been strongly imbedded into their beings - minds and hearts.

But now they needed to learn the new way in Christ.  It would take endurance because these issues would surface again and again and needed God's endurance to overcome.

They also needed God's encouragement to motivate them towards God's most excellent way.  So when they glorified God it would not be tainted by dissension but by one voice, in togetherness, in one accord and harmony.  They needed to do this attuning of their hearts and minds so that they could willingly and open-heartedly welcome one another as Christ had welcomed each of them (see vs7).  And this hope they had in Christ could then fill them with all joy and peace in believing, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

And so, Paul encouraged them with confidence, even though he had used some strong language as he pointed out various "reminders," as he called them, to instruct them in The Christian Way (see vs 14-15 ESV).

God and Father, to You we lift up our hearts and minds in one accord to glorify You.  It's only in You we have genuine endurance and encouragement to be one in Christ and to keep the unity of the Holy Spirit.  We can only thank You for all of this and forgiving us hope that we can indeed live in harmony with other believers of diverse backgrounds.  Thank You so much for the book of Romans that reveals these issues to us.  In Jesus' name we give You our thanks and praise.  Amen.

                                                  ~  ERC  May 2026  ~

Based on Romans 15: especially vs 2, 5 & 6 ESV.

Sing, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, along with Marantha Singers.

Food and Drink (Romans 14 ESV)

 "You are what you eat," is a slogan and book title by a nutritionist named Victor Lindlahr.  He said that our health is linked to the food we eat.  The 'for better or for worse' scenario comes to the fore.

Yes, I know that Paul was not talking about diet and health in Romans 14 but it is true that our diet can reflect our cultural and/or religious backgrounds.  The adherents to these backgrounds will indeed tend to have mirrored health, depending on the foods they eat.

But still, this was not Paul's point I believe.  When the food a person eats stems from religious and even cultural beliefs, and each respective person believes he or she is RIGHT!  that's where clashes could likely have broken out as each try to gain dominance.

Once again we are reminded of the Roman congregation of believers' backgrounds.  The Jews had food restrictions a mile long derived from the Law of Moses God had given to the Israelites and that was passed down through the ages - for more than one millenia!  

Cogitate on that a while.  How ingrained that'd be!  How right these laws would be as fixed in the minds of these religious devotees!  Enter the Gentiles who'd even eat pork and other foods sold in markets, food that had often been offered to idols first.  You get the picture!

Paul articulately addresses this issue in one magnificent, professional, fluid flourish of his mind and pen.  He wrote,

"I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean" (Romans 14:14 ESV).

And he even says,

"Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him" (Romans 14:3 ESV).

That evens things up nicely.  Paul doesn't leave it at that though because if this is just a mechanical do or don't  on your own strength case, it would likely fail miserably.

"None of us lives to himself" (Romans 14:7).

You won't be able to do it alone.  You need the Lord and the fellowship of the believers in support.  And if a believer of whatever background grieves another brother or sister by what they eat in front of them, they are

"no longer walking in love" (vs. 15).

That puts it bluntly and Paul adds warning,

"Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God" (vs 20).

Check it out.  Ask yourself,  "Am I ME-centered, or CHRIST-centered?!" 

I know a brother who eats with others - co-workers - but because they abstain from certain foods and he wants to eat with them to try to keep harmonious relationship as best he can for greater efficiency and healthy work environment, he'll join them in the type of food choice they make, even though it's not his favorite.  This is sacrifice to himself for the good of all.  He keeps his faith between himself and God, and eats what they eat.

What's more, when believers in Jesus Christ meet with other believers we can do ...

"... what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding" (v. 19).

I realize this is not an easy road to travel, especially when certain things have been ingrained in us since childhood as if it's part of our DNA, but then again when we abstain or partake, in love and humility, the love of God by-the-way, it all helps to maintain unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

In so doing, we "do not destroy the work of God" for the sake of food or for the sake of whatever the quarrel is about.  Let not pride and "my right way" stumble another nor divide a congregation of believers.  Food and drink are not as important as peace and unity of Sprit among the people of God.

May our Lord bless the sacrifices we make in these types of circumstances.  God bless us all as we walk humbly with Him.

So be it, Lord.  Amen.

                                                      ~  ERC  May 2026  ~

Based on Romans 14 ESV.

Sing, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, along with Alan Parks.