Whose Child Are You?

Whose child are you?

Often people 'place' you by, to whom you belong.  That could be good news, or not.  All the adages such as, "like father, like son", or "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree", say a lot without having to say much.

The 'to whom you belong' judgment could be a hard pill to swallow.   If someone has been just and upright and well-known, folks expect the offspring to be of similar caliber; often they are.  Its vastly disappointing when they are not.

On the other hand, should the parent have been an addict or crook of some kind, the populace judges the progeny, "Oh they're likely "a chip off the old block", beware of them.  Never trust the individual as far as you can throw them," further remarking, "Of course, look whose child he/she is!  What do you expect!?"

It will be a tremendous ultimatum for the thus disadvantaged son or daughter of such a nefarious character, to overcome.  They may be no where near what the parent embodies, they may have indeed overcome, yet the stigma sticks to them worse than a burr to a dress hem.  Why?  All because they just so happen to be the child of Mr. or Mrs. Do-No-Good.  A travesty.

It really does put pressure on the offspring though.  If the parent has been extra-ordinarily exemplary in character and conduct, that standard may be a mammoth challenge to live up to.  Better to realize our own overwhelming worth in the eyes of God and live life for Him.

You can probably guess where I'm going with this...those of us who are a child of God have a colossal task to live up to His perfect excellence.  Our Almighty Father is perfect in holiness.  His One and Only Son Jesus imbued those exact attributes to absolute perfection.

In John 1:12 (ESV) He calls those who believe in Jesus, His children,

"But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God..."

We are less than perfect children.  However, the children of God have been given the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit's indwelling gives each child of God the dynamic power to choose to behave as those who truly belong to God and live according to God's Word, and who strive to be "holy as God is holy" (1 Peter 1:15, 16). 

"God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior..." (Titus 3:4-5 NIV).

In living according to God's Word aided by the Holy Spirit, one is less likely to bring ill-repute to God, Jesus, or any of the other family members of God.  We, children of God, must continually aspire to progress in sanctification. 

John 14:26 (NIV) enlightens us to some more of Jesus' words,

"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

Yes, God has imputed His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:21-22) to each of His children; that's His sovereignty.  He did so because of our faith in Him.  Nevertheless, the other side of the coin is mankind's responsibility.  As the whole book of James delineates, this involves pro-active, progressive sanctification that is sorely needed and that brands each child of God as His.  Or not.  As one engages in this aim for perfection:  in thoughts, words, and deeds, our affiliation will be discernible.

"Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 8:48 NIV)

We live this way not out of obligation but out of love, thanksgiving and gratitude to our Father in Heaven and growing our relationship with Him through being hearers and doers of God's Word (James 1:22).

"For Christ's love compels us..." (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV).

"Finally, I pray that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:14 NKJV).

Let no one wonder Whose child you are.

                                                           ~ERC  May 2019~

Additional Bible Verses to Peruse

Having to do with the Holy Spirit's indwelling:

Acts 2:1-4; Acts 4:31; John 3:5-6; John 14:26*; 1 Corinthians 12:7; Jude 1:20; Romans 8:26*; 1 John 2:20

Having to do with being made righteous by God:

Romans 1:17; 4:13; 10:6; 3:22; 5:17; 4:5; 5:19; 4:11, 22, 23; 5:13; 9:30; James 2:23

"The 72 Others"

"There were 12 disciples, Jesus called to help Him:  Simon Peter, Andrew, James, his brother John..."

 and so on goes the Sunday School song.

These 12 were eventually sent out, 2 x 2, by Jesus, to do their mission work.  There is great focus on them and their exploits, as there should be.  However, "The 72 Others" were given identical mission marching orders (compare Luke 9 and 10).  They too had great success.

After that, we do not hear much about them.  Perhaps they were among the ones who "were offended by him and no longer walked with Him" (John 6:66).  Scripture doesn't specify.  Sad if they were.

Yet we do know this is the case, even today.  Some show wonderful potential of allowing their faith to govern them for the long haul--'til Jesus comes or He take them Home ahead of the rest of us.  However,  should they become offended at someone or something and are unwilling to forgive, they could well turn away and no longer walk with God.  Sad, but true.  May we look to the Lord Jesus, focus on Him, and follow Him all our days.

That, however, is not the tangent I wish to follow in this blog entry.  Even in the past two or three centuries there have been those brothers (& sisters)-in-Christ who have gone about teaching and preaching around the world and have become "giants of faith", honoring and glorifying God the Father by bringing Jesus Christ to individuals and to the nations in one form or another; the late Billy Graham was an exemplary example.

I do NOT mean to demean Graham's example even one tiny bit of an iota by what I say next.  This is similar to the 12 disciples and "The 72 Others".  Even among the 12, some were more well-known but they each had been named.  Of "The 72 Others", we do not have even one name, as far as I can ascertain.

The point is, there are 1000's of missionaries who have answered "the call" to go out into all the world and preach the gospel.  Some we do get to know by name, if not personally:  Jim Elliot; Amy Carmichael; Hudson Taylor; Adoniram Judson; Lottie Moon; Benny Prasad.  Most others we do not know nor have we heard of; for instance, have you ever heard of Hope Hurlbut or John Burke? I have in my experience.  They've both gone to be with Christ now after a lifetime of patient harvesting for the Lord.  The results of their respective labors linger on...

You all can likely name a few too.  Yet whether or not we know who they are, God does, and they continue to faithfully labor on for the Lord because they know Him.  They want to love, honor, cherish and serve Him with their numbered days.

Do you?

Maybe you are not a "go-er" but a "sender".  Maybe you labor at a secular job, earn $$$ so you can help the one who "labors in the field" either at home or abroad.  Perhaps that is your call from and for God.  Whichever, may all be faithful to your calling whether or not you become well-known, or "lost in the shuffle"; our Heavenly Father knows where He can find you.

Jesus asked His 72 disciples to pray for harvesters.  Here's how Luke 10:2-3 (ESV) tells it...

"And He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest...Go your way..."

Pray for harvesters but also go...

I've had the privilege of watching CD's of Little House On the Prairie, season after season, with my children as they were growing up.  One of them, chuckling, noted that the favorite song that the Walnut Grove folks sang in church was "Bringing in the Sheaves".  


In a community where most families had to be self-sufficient by growing their own crops, they really had to put their back to the plough with immense effort to bring in the sheaves.  May God bless you, and all you do for Him.  As "The 72 Others" were admonished by Jesus, rejoice.  He's got your name written in His book of Life.  He knows exactly who you are.

Happy Harvesting, Harvesters! 

                                                          ~ERC  May 2019~

Guess which song I wish to share here?

Bringing In the Sheaves, written by Knowles Shaw who was inspired by Psalm 126:6 and this rendition sung by isbaptist Toronto.

Lord's Day Devotion - The Better Portion

Cooking and cleaning and nurturing your children; cooking and cleaning and nurturing and cooking...at infinitum and not necessarily in that order but the cycle does seem endless at times.  What's that adage?

"Man works from sun to sun but a women's work is never done."                                  ~author unknown~

That through no fault of her own.  Not to disparage fathers and other men either.  They too have a merry-go-round of daily responsibilities to sustain.

Our days often feel bogged down with daily duties with little to no time to catch a breath.  We "gotta get it done" especially if company's coming.

I can empathize 100% with Martha.  That would be the Lazarus, Mary & Martha, Martha, of Luke 10:38-42 fame.  When ya got company, ya like to have things "just so" and serve your best; more so if your guest is Jesus.  Oh, and you'd be ever so grateful if someone would lend you a hand; especially an able-bodied sister.

That sister Mary who was just sitting around not doing a lick of work.  She was just sitting there listening to Jesus, of all things!  "Get your rear in gear, Mary!" Mutter, mutter.  I can picture Martha's agitation perfectly.

To rub some salt in the wound, Jesus calmly rebukes, 

"Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:42 ESV).

If I were Martha, I think I'd grit my teeth in a grimace, mumble and grumble through those clenched teeth as I about-faced to the kitchen.

Attitude is wrong, yes!  Yet how many have ever had similar thoughts and feelings?

Did Jesus care?  Of course, He did!  

Notice Jesus doesn't say that what Martha is doing is no good.  He says what Mary is doing is "better".

Priorities.  

Mary's was to "be still" and to listen to Jesus the Messiah, the One Who cares.  She took her "timeout" with what, or rather, with Who, was precious to her.  He was her choice.  Spending time with Jesus, soaking up His Presence.

It's hard for us in this era to visualize doing that with Someone Who is an "invisible quality of eternal power and divine nature" (Romans 1:20 ESV).  In the treadmill of life, however, it is essential.  Bathe yourself in His presence.  Quiet your hearts; open His Word and read what He tells you; tell Him your heart; or just sit there and revel in His presence and know He is there with you.  You will have precious moments.

We have this choice and privilege; anywhere, anytime.  All these because God demonstrated His love for us through Jesus' death and resurrection (Romans 5:8).  Jesus our Savior and mediator between His  (& our) Father, God, and us (1 Timothy 2:5).  When we belong to Him through Jesus we are His child (John 1:12).  We have the right to "be still" in His presence (Psalm 46:10).  Go to Him and find rest in the midst of the busyness and chaos of what life dishes out to you.

Remember this peaceful privilege as you pass and partake of the broken bread and cup of wine to one another on Lord's Day in remembrance of the One who made "being still" possible.  It is that "better portion".

                                                         ~ERC  May 2019~

Be Still for the Presence of the Lord

Lord's Day Devotion - Golden Reward Treasure Unveiled

Psalm 19 is one of my favorite Psalms.  All the imagery and maybe because in younger days we used to sing parts of it and it caught my heartstrings with melodious accord.  

Look at the imagery (NIV),

 "God has pitched a tent for the sun" (v. 4).  

That declares His glory.

Pitching a tent, depending on its size, is not that easy.  Growing up we basically lived in a big tent that could seat 100 -150 people, all summer long.  Putting that tent up required some effort, I tell you.  It had to be set up and taken down every two weeks for two months of summer.  (No, NOT a circus tent but a Gospel Tent my parents helped to run.)

For God to set up His tent, it seems like no effort -- it's all within His easy capability.  After all, He is The Creator God.  Think of the size that that tent had to be to encompass the sun!  Mega-scale!

The psalmist focused on the sun of God's creation.  It's apparent circuit across the heavens and the warmth it provides.  Then he changes the topic, speaking about the "Law of the Lord" and its perfections.  Not sure if he is attempting to connect the two or just that his meditations took a turn as he  was writing.

Nevertheless, we can snap a wondrous picture of God's creation followed by God's perfect law, statutes, precepts and commands that refresh the soul, make wise the simple, give joy to the heart and light to the eyes and are righteous.  He delights in them and marvels at them.  They too are gargantuan and breathtaking and a "tent" in which we also can take refuge.

Then he's on to asking God to forgive his hidden faults and to keep him from willful sins.  In the presence of Almighty God, the Holy One, the saints of old immediately perceived their sinfulness.  Like Peter, too, of New Testament times, did upon his astonishing catch of that huge mess of fish after a fish-less all-nighter of fishing.  He was instantly humbled, fell upon his knees, and cried, 

"Go away from me, Lord, I am a sinful man" (Luke 5:9 NIV)!

God's Word, said David the Psalmist of Psalm 19, is 

"perfect...sure...right...pure...true and righteous altogether...gives warning" 

and shows the sincere heart their 

"errors and hidden faults".

Do we desire God's words?  Do we covet them more than fine gold...?  Keeping God's word

 "brings great reward", 

so said David.  Reward and prosperity NOT of impermanent earthly material wealth, rather of spiritual growth and holiness with eternal benefit.  

This God desires and seeks for in us, with His best wishes.  He can be your Rock and Redeemer, the steadfast One on Whom we can rely.   He keeps His word. 

Cherish and meditate upon God's Word as you pass the bread and wine one to another on Lord's Day.  He sent Jesus, the Living Word, to bring you Your salvation and holiness.  Remember what He has done for you and continues to do.  He is the "Author and Finisher" (KJV), the,

"...Founder and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2 ESV).

  Look to Him for your eternal great reward.  It's bigger than any tent.

                                                            ~ERC  May 2019~

The law of the Lord is perfect sung by Shiloh Worship Music

Mother's Day 2019 - Missing Mothers

Mother's Day is just around the corner; tomorrow, in fact.  It's a day to especially honor your Mom and tell her you love her.  However, it can also be a painful day for some--those with missing mothers.

Mothers can be "missing-in-action" for various reasons but what I have in mind is more related to those whose mothers, who loved them and who were loved in return, have gone "to sleep".

Sometimes, even many months or years on, tears can come unbidden at unheralded moments with such thoughts of, "Oh, I want to tell her this..." or "Oh, I'll share this picture with her; she likes this sort of thing".  Then, it hits you, uh-oh, well, I can't.  Bittersweet nanoseconds.

Not to be too depressing here, so praise the Lord we do have those precious connections to the memory of her.  Precious memories, how they linger.  We can fix our hearts and minds on them; a treasure chest of reminiscence.

We do not do this to "worship" our Mom's but it speaks volumes of laudable virtue--the relationship with your Mom had had some health to it.  That is a huge blessing.

Followers of Jesus Christ often turn to God's Word, to the book of Proverbs and chapter 31, on Mother's Day.  There we see the wonderful attributes of a noble wife, a woman who's worth is "far above rubies".   Yes, our mothers were/are not infallible but there is "ruby-worth".  Hold on to that and imitate her example; pay it forward, so to speak.

My missing Mother whom I miss was a woman of exceptional grace.  She set a mighty lofty standard, imitating her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I'm hard put to follow that grace-faith.

For followers of Jesus Christ, we have the sure hope of knowing we will be reunited with our departed loved ones if they too had been a follower of Jesus.  I said many Mom's are "asleep" because one day believers will meet them again in Heaven, with Christ.  We weep now but our tears will be all wiped away someday, and that for ever.

Those of you who still have your Mom's --cherish them while you have them.  Mend fences when and where needed.  Don't live to regret the relationship if at all possible.  At very least, forgive her in your heart and mind.

In the end, when the inevitable time comes, I hope you too will truly miss your missing mother.


                                                          ~ERC  May 2019~

Burning Quest - Part 62

A salmon swims upstream against all odds of it ever reaching its spawning spot; some don't make it, many do.  Those who make it "to the top" deposit their eggs into the gravely redds they've made, perpetuating the cycle of life of a salmon.   From those eggs the alevins eventually emerge to feed in the rivers and lakes of  their "birth" home.  They grow into small fry and those that don't get eaten by something bigger, live to swim with the flow back to the ocean.  There they swim about for 2-8 years, give or take, until they risk the perils of swimming against the river's gush to spawn as their mother fish did before them; thus permanently perpetuating the cycle of temporary life.  As you also know, those mother salmon that risk all to do this, die.  They usually do not make it to swim another day, nor enjoy ocean pleasures ever again.

Similarly, life is impermanent, yet as Brother Alvin Leong pointed out in one of his sermons a few Sundays ago, 

"There is the permanent that opposes the tide and current of the impermanent."

Leong added,

"God has put permanent meaning in our lives as God has put eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11).  We can't fathom all God does but we can accept the uncertainties of life because of the eternal in our lives."

This is sure hope!  It is the assurance we have in Christ.  Salvation we have through Jesus Christ brings everlasting life.

People may think that when they hear the pastor or minister pronounce "dust-to-dust, ashes-to-ashes" over a body at a funeral that that is finality.  Those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ have that sure hope of going to be "with Christ" and that for all eternity.  That is infinite permanency.

All this was made possible because of Jesus' suffering.  He left His Heavenly home to be born into this world into humanity.  Let's not forget that Jesus is fully God and fully man.  He went through all the trials and troubles and temptations of life yet remained sinless and blameless.

Jesus also viewed all the suffering of mankind.  He even wept at it.  He knew it didn't have to be.  If only Adam and Eve had obeyed way back when.  All creation has groaned since then until His time on Earth and even up until today, it still groans.

Jesus came to pivotally change all that.  He healed the crowds of their diseases, illnesses, physical disabilities; cast out demons, confronted injustices and inconsistencies (usually with the religious leaders of His day);  and wonder of wonders, raised people from the dead.  You can read about all these in the gospels from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the Bible.

However, the most important action of severe suffering was when Jesus died on the cross for all our sins:  all those wrong and unwholesome thoughts and actions that went against God's holiness, will and ways.

The gift of God to mankind, whom He loves with all His heart, and with whom He seeks to have relationship.  Jesus' suffering for us swallows up the curse of sin, which is death. His suffering swallows the sting of death.  It is swallowed up in His victory over death.  He rose again from the dead!  He self-resurrected!

Since Jesus resurrected, there has been the sure hope, that we too, will resurrect.  He will raise us from the dead, to suffer NO more!  We will go to be with Him to live in permanent imperishable bodies, forever and forever.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV) states,

"Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.  We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.  according to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever.  Therefore encourage each other with these words."

When we are raised, what had previously been perishable, will put on immortality.  It's a sure thing.  Look at what the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 (NIV)...

"I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.  Listen, I tell you a mystery:  We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.  When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:  "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

How triumphant! Doesn't this bring you overwhelming feelings of hope, and gratitude?  You can have this in the here and now.  This is NOT a process of many rebirths.  You can have the one and only rebirth, that of being born into God's family.  Become His child through the salvation Jesus procured for you by His death on the cross and His resurrection. 

1 Corinthians 1:30 reveals this to us...

"It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."

The Buddhist wants all of these;  pure minds characterized by them.

Romans 12:12 NIV talks about hope...

"Be joyful in hope..."

It is a sure hope but be joyful and patient until you reach your heavenly home.

Life still has its troubles and pins us down.  Romans 12:12 continues,

"...be...patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

Yes, suffering continues here on earth but we look forward to that day we will be with Christ, that place of no more pain or tears.

What about the prayer part?

Prayer, not just to give that proverbial "grocery list" to God  of things we want or need, BUT to commune with Him.  Build your relationship with God, who really does exist.  That's what He wanted with Adam and Eve and that's what He wants with you and me.

This communing with God through and in the Name of Jesus Christ our Savior will bring about an ever increasing and progressing holiness.  The sanctification of our thoughts and minds  that will govern what we do and say.

If you have read most, if not all, of the preceding parts of Burning Quest, you will have uncovered the fact that this is what a Buddhist craves.  Good and wholesome thoughts and actions spontaneous; actually more than that, they want to eradicate all the bad and unwholesome thoughts and behavior.  Praise God, a person does not have to strive at this alone.  The follower of Jesus Christ has the Holy Spirit of God indwelling their spirit and soul.  He convicts, leads and guides in God-pleasing direction.  He or she also has the Word of God, the Holy Bible, that steers into God-centered living.

In conclusion, this Burning Quest now has a sense of purpose and of "mission accomplished"; at least for me.  I do hope and pray it will spark and flare into flame a thirst to know for yourself.  A thirst so parched, you'll search this out for yourself.  You will seek God, know He is real and that He loves you, cares about you and wants a permanent relationship with you through Jesus Christ.  It is through Him, God's righteousness will be revealed to you.  May you come to know Him and accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Savior.  He has earned your salvation in your stead.  He will confer those merits to you.  You just have to ask.

Pass the knowledge along to the next generation.  They need to know Jesus's love and salvation is permanent and pushes against the tide of our transient life here on earth.  Followers of Jesus Christ will emerge on the other side of time to a glorious forever future with Him.   It is a sure hope.   May God's eternal life be in each of your hearts.

                                                               ~ERC   May 2019~

P.S.  Let's close with three songs:

Who You Say I Am (a Hillsong)

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross as sung by Bill and Gloria Gaither singers

There is a Fountain, as sung by Bill and Gloria Gaither singers