Bible ABCs - Fires the Heart

When my siblings and I were younger, our family had those big records that today's generation would scoff at; however, we got hours of enjoyment and 'soothe-ment' out of them.  Whenever we were sick, our Dad would play the music for us, softly, as we lay ill.  Eventually, he recorded them onto reel to reel tape so the soothing strains could work their wonders for hours.  

Besides a lot of the pianist Rudy Atwood which I still croon over today when I get the chance, one of those records was of a Korean choir singing songs of praise.  It always tickled my fancy because of their accented English.  One of the songs I can still hear in my head was, "It only takes a spark to get a fire going..."

Many know this reality of life, a small spark ignites big things both positively and negatively.  Here of course, we are talking about God's Word.  As we read and obey it, it can fire up our hearts with fervor for God, Jesus, and for following His ways.  Of great import is that it can fire up our hearts to faithful testimony.

Just glancing at the first couple of chapters of the book of Jeremiah you see the clause, "The word of the LORD came to him, or me" several times.  Then there was action taken.  Repeatedly, the prophet Jeremiah was sent on very unenviable tasks by God.  Those tasks often got him into hot soup with the king.  Yet, Jeremiah remained faithful through thick and thin to the end.

The prophet Isaiah was another of such caliber.  I think he even may have had it worse, from my human standpoint of thinking, than Jeremiah did.  He had to, among other things, lie naked upon the ground for more than a year and even cook his own food from such an awkward position.  How overwhelmingly humiliating that must have been.  This gave Israel a visual sign of the times of God's coming condemnation upon them for their wayward ways.  Through it all Isaiah remained faithful, obeying God's Word, will and ways for him.  He was fulfilling God's purpose.

Hop, skip and jump over to the New Testament.  It was that lull, not so much of a peaceful one, but one where it gets really quiet after a major tragic happening that leaves everyone so, speechless.  No one really knows what to do or say.  Maybe some people will say or do some out of character thing out of reaction.  When Jesus died, the "sheep" felt all encompassingly bereft.  All of that for nothing?

They had not computed in the resurrection.

There were the two on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-33).  Defeated, almost aimless in action. It brings tears to my eyes to think of the Lord Jesus, with His full heart of love and compassion, meeting them along the road.  Truly, going to Him gives rest, but here He goes to them!   He spoke with them and when He also graciously went in to dine with them, they realized, ever so suddenly, Who He was, as their eyes were opened through His breaking of bread with them.

This galvanized them to get up and go back, "at once" to Jerusalem.  

We do not know, as Scripture doesn't state, if they continued to be faithful to the Lord all the rest of their days or not.  They had asked each other,

"Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us" (Luke 24:32 NIV)?

 I'd like to think that they did; that they had been forever "sparked" into burning faithful followers. 

The apostle Peter's preaching of the good news, just after Pentecost, and the Holy Spirit's indwelling, electrified the hearers so much to their condition; they needed repentance...

"...the people heard...they were cut to the heart..."  They asked Peter, "...what shall we do" (Acts 2:1-41, esp vs. 37 NIV)?

Peter told them they needed to repent and be baptized, looking to Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.

They heard God's Words, through Peter, and obeyed them.  There were about 3000 that were added to the number of Jesus followers that day!  What a catch of "fish" Peter had had; enough to sink many smallish ships!   

We do know that Peter was faithful to the end.  Again, we hope that all those 3000 and more were too.

Another faithful stalwart was the apostle Paul.  From the moment of his conversion on the road to Damascus, he was spurred on to many years of faithful testimony to his Savior, Jesus Christ (Acts 9:1-31).   He did not have it easy after that either:  hounded and persecuted; beaten, stoned and left for dead.  He got up, and continued on and on.

The verse from Jeremiah 23:29 illustrates the phenomenal changes that enter a person's life from encounters with Jesus, God and His Word.  Look at what he wrote,

"Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces" (NIV)?

A fire definitely changes things as alluded to earlier:  it can destroy and it can refine.  Allow the 'spark' of God's Word to kindle a fire as searing as a forge so as to burn off all the dross of your life and refine the thoughts and intents of your hearts as you obey (Hebrews 4:12).  Fire up your hearts and  be transformed into the faithful followers He needs and wants, giving testimony to His Name.  Bring Him glory and honor as you burn brightly for Him all your days on earth.

                                                           ~ERC  June 2019~

Here's a lovely old Sunday School special song, God's Word is Like a Hammer arranged by Bible Truth Publishers.

Pass It On - it Only Takes a Spark (but not by the Korean's; can't find it) - Music for the Soul

Lord's Day Devotion - A Calmed & Quieted Soul

You know the verses about God's thoughts, the ones that go like this...

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55: 8-9 ESV)?

Was thinking that sometimes people do know a lot, and do think BIG, yet with all that, God out thinks and out does any number of the greatest of great thinkers.  So that thought can keep us all humble.  

David, the Psalmist must have been thinking on that too.  He "quilled" the words,

"O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me..." (Psalm 131:1 ESV).

I wonder what he was actually thinking about when he wrote those words.  Was he in an agitated state of distress or stress?  Was he kind of questioning God in some way because of what life had brought him, but then was contrite and said he wouldn't think too much?  

I think he was stressed or distressed but then turned to the right direction.  Look at the second verse of that Psalm,

"But I have calmed and quieted my soul..."

Perhaps David was longing to be back to the more uncomplicated shepherd boy days.  Then he only had to worry about wild beasts attacking his sheep, finding enough grass and quiet waters for them, and looking for suitable places of shelter.   He had had plenty of leisure to hone his sling-shot shot and become the most melodious of harpists.

When he became a harpist for King Saul, he then had the stress of playing as soothingly as possible, hoping for the best result, and then dodging javelins.  

Turn that up a few notches when he began to play cat and mouse with King Saul (1 Samuel 21-31).  He had to be on the move and hide away to avoid being killed by him during the nation wide manhunt for his life.  Can you imagine the fear, anxiety and stress levels that would produce?

That was bad enough but then he became king himself...

All manner of stress-producing things happened amongst the benefits and privileges of kingship.  He did bring on a major portion of that upon himself, however.  He became an adulterer and a murderer.  By right, he should have been stoned to death by the people or killed by the relatives of the victim Uriah, according to their Law (Leviticus 20:10).  He didn't get away with it though.  Four of his offspring died because of his gross sins.  How would you feel about that!  The guilt!  Would it get you down?  You were the one to perpetuate that death upon your own children!?  That had to gnaw away at David's soul (2 Samuel 12:9-10).

Stemming from that, his own son Absalom wrested the kingdom away from his father King David by his charisma and cunning.  Even one of David's most trusted advisers, Ahithophel, betrayed him and jumped into Absalom's camp (2 Samuel 15:12; 16:20-23).  Frustration.  Anger.  Dismay.  Disappointment.  Hurt.  So many negatives (2 Samuel 15-19).

Is this depressing you yet?

King David was on the run again.  Such humiliation and that at the hand of a beloved son.

You might say that David had every right to question God about these things; especially when King Saul, and subsequently, Absalom, was scouring the country looking for him.

I like how the rest of Psalm 131 reads; verse 3,

"O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore."

David shares this with his people who he cares about as he once did his sheep.  He wants them to know and have this confidence too. 

Many of the other Psalms of David talk about God being his "refuge", "rock", "strength" and so on.

This is how he "calmed and quieted" himself.  He put himself into God's care and protection and judgment, and realized that God's ways were too great for him to think of beyond a certain human limit.  What could he do beyond that?  He had to "let go, and let God", as many quip.  

David's confidence in God is great and so he rests in Him; calms and quiets himself.

It is wonderful to know that because of God's great love for us too, we too can do the same.  God proved that love to us by sending His one and only Son to die on the cross for us; to pay the penalty for our sins and make atonement for our souls.  Due to Jesus' death and resurrection, we  can also "hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore".

Jesus said, 

"Come unto me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:2-30 ESV).

I share that verse often as well as this one,

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV).

Folks may have to humble themselves and ask for help.  David was the King, the top man who had great successes in war;  a war hero, loved by many.  Yet, he had to acknowledge his need of God, his Helper.  He had to depend upon Him for deliverance.  When we too, make that admission, we will find God to be so gracious and caring and dependable.  He keeps His promises.  You do your part, "cast all your anxieties on Him", and He'll keep His part, "He'll exalt you"  and "give you rest".   You will find calm and quiet for your soul.

When we gather together on Lord's Day to remember Jesus in His death and resurrection for us,  remember that we are privileged to be able to dip into His storehouse of rest, calm and quietness.  This was made possible because of His sacrifice for us who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior. 

So as you pass the bread and cup of wine one to another, meditate upon this rest we can appropriate for ourselves in the midst of the most distressing times of life.   You can have calm.  You can have quiet.  You can have hope in the Lord; for now, and forevermore.

                                                               ~ERC  June 2019~

Further Scriptures to read:  Numbers 35:16-21; Deuteronomy 19:11-13; 17:6; 19:15

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV).

Here's a song written by David Evans, called Be Still, for the Presence of the Lord

Bible ABCs - Edifies

Edify...that's a word with backbone.  It means to build up and to strengthen.  The Bible can edify the life of those who heed what they read.  Part of the Apostle Paul's farewell speech to the Ephesians as recorded by Luke in the book of Acts touches on this "edify-ing" subject,

"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified" (Acts 20:32 NIV).

Seems almost like a prayer by Paul and focuses the hearers on the need for edifying one's self.  However, to be edified by what, in particular?  By the "word of God's grace".

As we read, become acquainted with, and obey, we are not only consecrated by God's Word, we not only learn ways and means to defeat our enemy, Satan, we can also build ourselves up in our most holy faith (Jude 1:20); in this chosen act of purposeful edification, we will be blessed.  This is how we "grow" spiritually and learn how to stand firm in our faith as followers of Jesus Christ.

Then we can pass it on to others so that they, in turn, may be edified.  I recall Ezra of old who did just that.  Ezra was a man of great integrity and credibility, I believe, and therefore the people of Israel would listen to what he had to say with all due respect and seriousness.  He was a known "priest and teacher of the Law of the God of heaven" even by King Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:12 NIV).   That chapter also describes Ezra as a... 

"...teacher, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the LORD for Israel..." (Ezra 7:11 NIV).

Continuing on in that letter from Artaxerxes, he commends Ezra for having great acquaintance of God's wisdom,

 "...in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess..."  

He goes on to command Ezra to... 

"...teach any who do not know them [the laws of your God]..." (Ezra 7:25-26 NIV).

Ezra is found praising God for this good favor and... 

"...took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with him..." 

to learn of God's ways and to honor the house of the Lord in Jerusalem (Ezra 7:27-28).

To do this there was the consecration of themselves with Ezra leading the way.  He was in deep earnest.  He...

 "...prayed, confessed his wrongs, weeping and throwing himself down..."  

in contrite, genuine repentance.  The Israelites followed suit:  the men, women and the children!!  (Ezra 10:1, 11).

Later on in the book of Nehemiah and chapter 13, Ezra is still engaged in passing on God's Word.  He is reading aloud from the...

 "...Book of Moses...in the hearing of the people...".  

Of course, what was being read at the time had a profound impact and effect upon the hearers.  They didn't just feel remorse for their wrongs.  They had true repentance and they did something about it.  This is the consecration effect through confession and obedience to God's Word.  God's Word put into action.  

Ezra's humbleness and coming along side the people, showing he too needed to do just as they did, coupled with the penitent hearts of the people as they heard God's Word read among them, edified them all:  man, woman and child!

Back to the apostle Paul again.  He instructed the Thessalonian believers to

 "...encourage one another and build each  other up..." 

and then commended them,

 "...just as in fact you are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV).

Paul also taught Timothy what the holy Scriptures were good for in the line of edification; he said they are,

"...able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:14-16 NIV).

Then he went on to say,

"...so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:17 NIV).

This would take "great patience and careful instruction" (2 Timothy 4:2 NIV) as Timothy taught those with whom he met for "Bible study".  

So the many times we have opportunity to build ourselves up; do we?  Our own private, at home, quiet time of communion with God and His Word goes a long way and helps when we get to Bible study.  This is another opportunity to edify ourselves with God's Word together with His people.  Listening to Sunday sermons are times of the even more public reading of the Word, learning of His ways and building ourselves up.  Treasure these times and be in earnest as the people of Ezra's time were.

Then it was not just the men.  Nor was it just the women.  Nor just the sending of the children to Sunday School.  It was families; together:  men, women and children having all out thirst for God's Word.  I was struck by this very thing on the couple of medical mission trips I went on to interior regions where the people had this great thirst and intentness to imbibe God's Word.  It was a wonder to behold!

That age old illustration of the body builder, building him/herself up.  It doesn't happen overnight.  Regular sessions of lifting heavier and heavier weights until they can lift a phenomenal amount and/or pull fire engines for meters down the street.  Slow and steady wins the race.  

As in the physical realm, so too in the spiritual realm...Do we want to soak up as much of God's Word as we can to edify ourselves?  Do we want to strengthen our faith in our Heavenly Father and learn all we can about Him, how His grace works in our lives and our relationship with Him?  

Again, we fortify our physical bodies with healthy food and often a variety of vitamin supplements.  God's Word is our "food and our supplements" for spiritual growth in Christ.   Get edified.  Have multiple daily doses.  

                                                          ~ERC  June 2019~

Jonathan Butler singing I Stand on Your Word

Lyrics for I Stand on Your Word

Bible ABC's - Defeats the Enemy

Battle-weary, bruised and scarred, but...victory!!

How did that happen?!

To answer that I have to tell you I do not know much of anything about fighting army, navy or air force style, however, most of us can imagine some of it.

Lots of drills, strategy, assimilated battle maneuvers until it's no longer, "Just a drill."  It took hours, weeks, months, of hard slogging to reach some degree of preparedness.

Years, and much experience down the road of combat later, will season the soldier learning the ways and wiles of defeating the enemy, hands-on, to increasing decrees of success.

Then, of course, they have their "tools" of the trade-weapons of various defensive and destructive types.  Learning how to utilize them to counterattack to the greatest possible degree of precision capability:  weapon and man, welded and wielded infusion, geared towards victorious domination...defeat of the enemy.

Correspondingly, this is what followers of Jesus Christ need to do.  Ahh, not with actual weapons such as missiles, guns, bombs, fighter jets or tanks.  Our ammunition needs to be the Word of God, the Bible.  We need to learn that when we acquaint ourselves with God's Word and consecrate ourselves with it, we will also be enabled to defeat our spiritual enemy, Satan and his minions.  Ephesians 6:11 (ESV) teaches us that,

"...we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against he spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Our Perfect Example is Jesus Christ, Himself.  He was equipped with God's Word (the Old Testament at that time) so that when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He used three "bullets" of Scripture to defeat him.

Three attempts by Satan to defeat Jesus.  Three times, Jesus used God's Word to counter-strike.  They just rolled off His tongue. He knew God's Word dexterously.  Jesus was more than just "acquainted" with  the true, living and powerful Word of God.  He had it in His heart and mind, the very fabric of His being.  We can make it ours too.

The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).  Followers of Jesus Christ have the Holy Spirit indwelling them.  When we have hidden God's Word in our hearts (Psalm 119:11), the Holy Spirit can use it to bring to our minds, to aid and abet us and help us to defeat the enemy, Satan, and his cunning deceits from having sway in our lives.  The Word of God is part and parcel of our "resistance movement".

"Submit yourselves...to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

We do our part and God's Word will have the impact to defeat our enemy.

Piece by piece, don the armor of God.  The helmet of salvation protects the head.  Satan's fiery darts of doubt can make a person wonder, "am I saved, or not" or other doubts such as, "does God really care about me?" etc. Once saved, always saved (everlasting life is forever).  Knowing God's word about these issues is a protection against allowing the enemy an inroad into our minds and lives. 

The breastplate of righteousness is given at point of salvation, yet we still need the on-going righteousness (pro-active progressive sanctification) that ties in with being consecrated and this through the "acquainting" of ourselves with God's Word and obeying it. 

The belt of truth...where does the "truth" come from?  Yup...God's Word is truth (John 17:17).  Satan is the father of lies.  To counter lies, one needs the truth.  The more one has the truth, the more able one will be to shoot down the lies and deceptions of the devil.

Having our feet shod with the  readiness of the gospel of peace...familiarity of God's Word, knowing the peace of God and that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, gives us peace and we can tell others about it.  Peace also helps us to defeat the upsets Satan thrusts at us and as we spread God's gospel of peace, others can know and appropriate this same peace that passes understanding and will keep our/their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).  The gospel of peace keeps one steady against the missiles of Satan and his minions.

Isn't it grand that the shield of faith can "extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one"?!  Hold it up there, hold it aloft with skill and determination and persistence.  Protect yourself!  Life and evil flies at us from all directions; be prepared to defend and defeat whatever is not of God.  

How do we know what is not of God?  By knowing God's Word like the back of our hands we can discern what is and what is not of God.  Having faith in God and His Word allows us to deflect and douse the devil's darts of flame that would otherwise burn us in dismal devastating defeat.

Let us not have pride in our knowing God's Word and having it ever ready at our fingertips.  Pride in head knowledge is a very seducing devil's dart, let me tell you!  Cover over all this armor of God with prayer!  Prayer and supplication and submission to God through Jesus Christ.  We desperately need His intervention and realization that it is actually He Who comes to our rescue time and again.

The Psalmist, David, pled with God,

"Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man!  With God we shall do valiantly; it is He who will tread down our foes" (Psalm 108:12-13 ESV).

As noted earlier, our foe is not flesh and blood as were many of David's, however, the prayer here can be tailored to our current days' situation.  God's Word helps us guard against and defeat Satan and his minions, our adversaries, when we are acquainted with it and consecrated by it.  Therein, will a person be blessed by it.

                                                       ~ERC   June 2019~

P.S.  Psalm 119 is loaded with information as to how God's Word helps and what it can mean to a person who embraces it.

Father's Support - Father's Day 2019

Father & Sons

Dad's been gone now for about a year and a half so the idea of Father's Day is a little painful.  I do, however, still have a father-in-law, who's a right decent and jolly chap.  No doubt we'll have a family hoo-ha celebration of all fathers in his generational down-line; my husband among them.  A nice home commemoration to honor fatherhood in general and their fatherhood in particular.  Many, the world over, will.

In this niche of the world there will be extra special dishes prepared, special drinks to slurp and deserts to devour; namely,  The Father's Day Cake.  One of the fathers in the clan has a daughter who bakes marvelous cakes.  She often brings samples of 'new' recipes for us all to taste test.  Likely she'll present one at this 'event'.  (Check out Home Baker if you are in town.)  Lots of food fit for our "kings".  

Fathers. Food. Fun. Family.

Like I said though, not everyone still has their Dad.  Some folks don't even know who their Dads are.  Some do know, but their Dad's have taken off, maybe even to start a new family.  This is heartbreaking!

No doubt it breaks the heart of God, our Heavenly Father, too.  Our Heavenly Father does care about each one of us and He hurts when His "earthly" counter-part examples fail.  We know He never fails (Zephaniah 3;5) and that He will,

"...never leave you or forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5).

This assurance is reiterated multiple times throughout Scripture.

God is a Father Who is, and always will be, with you.  He cares about you and loves you.  He is the same, 

"...yesterday and today and forever"  (Hebrews 13:8).

Our Heavenly Father is Someone we can revere and honor.  Jesus taught His disciples to pray, and He began,

"Father..." (Luke 11:2-4 ESV)

Our hearts can cry out to Him,

 "Abba!   Father!" (Galatians 4:6).

This is a direct and intimate way children of God can address their Father, God.  "Abba"

Grandfather/Granddaughter

apparently stems from the Aramaic language and means "Daddy" or "Papa".  "Abba's " ear is always open to our call.

In Sunday School we have been taught God's "phone number":  Jeremiah 33:3 (DIAL 333) [ESV]...

"Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known."

Communion with our Great God and Father!  Almighty God and Creator of heaven, earth and the seas and all that are in them.  He will focus on us.  We can focus on Him as often and for as long as we wish:  all the attention you could ever possibly imagine.  Focus on Abba, Father.

We should never forget, however, that because our Heavenly Father is God, Jesus went on and taught His disciples to say,

"...hallowed be Your Name..." (Luke 11:2 ESV).

Don't be flippant with your Father.  We learn from Psalm 111:9 KJV that God's Name is,

"...holy and reverend..."

He is an awesome God and Father and when we speak to Him, we must remember Who He is even when we call Him, "Abba" or "Daddy, God" or "Papa".  Most of us exhibit similar respect for our earthly fathers with whom we speak.

God our Heavenly Father is needed at all times, even as grown adults, we need Him.  This is true in the earthly sense, to a certain extent, I believe.  It's comforting to know the support of your father is there to rely on if and when the need arises.  He's there.  Until he's not.

Father's age, become ill, can no longer communicate relevantly or with ability, and they they are  truly, physically, no more.  Your support is gone...Have no regrets in the here and now.  Keep connection with your Dads as long as ever you can.

Fathers, you are IMPORTANT in the life of your sons and daughters.  You are often sidelined, I've noted.  May you be encouraged to be ever pro-active, and interested in your offsprings' lives.  Take hold of your rightful role and enjoy, 'being' with them.  Your support (NOT just from your wallet) is sorely needed.

We cannot do without our Heavenly Father either.  Always turn to Him.  He's there for you.  As you do so, may you all, both fathers and children, have the best Father's Day ever!

                                                         ~ERC  June 2019~

P.S.  I believe that Grandfather's have a special role too.  Go for it...😀

Here's an absolutely stunning rendition by Andrea Bocelli - The Lord's Prayer

Bible ABC's - Consecrates

The more a child of God acquaints his or her self with God's Word, the Bible, and obeys it, the more he or she will be blessed.  Stemming from that, he or she will become more and more consecrated as he/she follows the injunctions of Scripture.

That's a biggish word.  Wikihow explains "consecrate" like this:

"To “consecrate” yourself essentially means to wholly dedicate yourself to something of greatest import. When spoken plainly, however, "consecration" refers to the act of setting yourself aside and dedicating yourself to a deity, and that deity almost always refers to the God of Christianity."

People can consecrate themselves to just about anything, but when one is talking about following God's Word, one is declaring their self  as being dedicated to God; living for and glorifying Him.

In Old Testament times, God asked Moses to consecrate Aaron and sons for the Tabernacle ministry; for things relating to God (Exodus 29:1-14).  They had to be morally and ceremonially clean...walking, talking, breathing, holiness.  An offering of themselves to His service.

Exodus 30:30 (ESV) you see Moses' obedience right along side of his brother Aaron and his sons.

"You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests..."

They had been "set aside" for this very special purpose and service.

They used a holy oil used only for the purpose of consecrating those who were to be serving God as priests. (Exodus 30:31)

There was a definite time at which they were proclaimed, "consecrated".  

For us of New Testament times, we will distinguish ourself as belonging to God, as a Christian or follower of Jesus Christ.  We will become more and more, Christ-like.  Some people may pronounce their dedication to Jesus Christ and His Father God through the act of baptism and perhaps a further one through some other ceremony of public declaration.

The New Testament points us to the multitudinous ways in which we can consecrate ourselves.  The very act of accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, receiving the gift of salvation and everlasting life, makes us pure and holy (righteous) in God's sight "setting us aside" for His good service.

However, in the eyes of our fellow man, and of examining of ourself, we need the continual mindset of consecration; that of, becoming holy as God is holy.  The New Testament is chock full of ways to do this.  The book of James is a good place to start.  Go for it.  Read.  Obey.  Be blessed.  Become more consecrated.  Read some more.  Obey some more and so on...

Decide to dedicate yourself to this and to God Himself.

Be constant.  Be steady.  Be devout.

The story of Ruth in the Old Testament is a favorite one with me.  She was dedicated to Naomi her mother-in-law, to Naomi's people, and more importantly, to Naomi's God.  Her famous declaration comes down through time immemorial and reverberates in the heart.  She proclaimed to Naomi,

"Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you.  For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.  Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried.  May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you."  (Ruth 1:16-17 ESV).

Doesn't that blow you away?!

Paul's commendation of Phoebe in Romans 16:1-2 (ESV) is of similar effect,

"I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need form you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well." [emphasis mine]

Phoebe was "a servant" and "a patron" who dedicated herself to serving others out of her love for the Lord Jesus Christ.  She deserved such honorable mention.

Another woman of God who was of equal devout caliber, who consecrated herself to God despite her earthly disappointment, was Anna.  She had not had a husband for long before she had become a widow.  She did not sit back in self pity, as Ruth had not.  Where do you see Anna for all those years, from early widowhood to the aged age of 84? So many years of faithfulness.  Look...

"She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day" (Luke 2:36-38 ESV).

She had consecrated herself to these things of God.  What was her reward?  She got to see Jesus who had just been brought in to the temple by His parents who had come to fulfill the "custom of the Law" for the child (Luke 2:27 ESV).  Anna's response was,

"...to give thanks to God and to speak of Him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem" (Luke 2:38 ESV).

She would have missed out on such a monumental moment if she had not been so consecrated.  (Incidentally, she would have had to have been ceremonially clean to even be in the temple.)  It erupted in praise and thanksgiving and a spreading of the good news that redemption had come.

These were consecrated women.  There were plenty of consecrated men too.  The disciples, (minus Judas Iscariot) were such men.  From history, it is known that they had remained faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ, most of them being martyred for it.  The apostle Paul himself too, remained steadfast through the thick and thin of much horrendous mistreatment as he spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the nations.  He too, died a martyr's death.

We do not have to be a martyr though to have consecrated status.  Becoming more holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16), setting ourselves aside for God's service and ministry and running the race to the finish line.  Paul wrote to Timothy,

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7 ESV).

Our service to God may be to be a housewife and mother, looking after one's own children.  Teaching them of God's ways, first having kept them one's self, is also a consecration that requires time, effort and persistent and consistent endurance.  Timothy's mother and grandmother were the joint taskforce behind Timothy's faith and dedication to service to God in his life.  

Paul penned some further lines to Timothy, encouraging him in his "holy calling".  In 2 Timothy 1:8-10 (ESV) we read,

"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering of the gospel by the power of God who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."

May we each allow God's Word to daily consecrate our lives with inner holiness as we surrender and pledge  ourselves to Him and for His good service.  He makes all things beautiful in His time.  Give thanks with a grateful heart.

                                                      ~ERC  June 2019~

Bible ABC's - Blesses

What does the Bible do for you?  It acquaints us with the truth of God.  However, a step forward from just knowing that truth, is that the Bible "blesses" those who obey its precepts.  

Take a look at Psalm 119:2 (ESV)...

"Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek Him with their whole heart..."

Keeping, obeying and that with a "whole heart" of sincerity.  It reminds me of what was said in the new testament about giving, as one is able and that with a cheerful heart.  So, a person will be blessed when he or she lives according to God's Word after having become acquainted with it.  I like this verse, that is so free-ing; 2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV),

"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

Of course that is talking about giving of our finances, but giving our whole heart to obedience, is the catalyst that ignites the rest.

There are things that will keep a person back from such wholeheartedness:  our faults, unforgiveness, bitterness, desires and pleasures (that are not necessarily bad but have taken priority).  Confess them to the Lord and repent of them, to re-calibrate (1 John 1:9) towards pro-active progressive sanctification.  Fellowship with the Lord in prayer, reading and obeying God's Word and fellowship with other believers, will aid us in seeking the Lord with our whole heart.  These will be a blessing to you.

May each and every one be blessed by God with all His spiritual blessings we can have in Christ.

                                                                ~ERC  June 2019~

Bible ABC's - Acquaints

Dug up a treasure a couple of weeks back; a little wee notebook of notes.  In it was noted an ABC of what the Bible does for the one who actually reads it.   I don't recall where or when I got these but I must have liked them way back when, and upon rereading, still like them.  Shall share them with you with minimal (I think) mumbles.

This first one is that the Bible "acquaints" us with the theme of the gospel.  The theme being emphasized by the verse from 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4.  This is about Jesus having:  died, been buried and then having arisen again (resurrected).

Jesus left the richness of His  heavenly home and became "poor" (2 Corinthians 8:9) so that we could be rich in faith and everlasting life; sins forgiven.

His actions were "self-giving".  He did so on two accounts.  He wrestled with that in agony in the Garden (Luke 22:39-44).  He did this by choice of His will.  He gave Himself to God on our (mankind's) behalf.   Jesus also gave Himself to mankind.  John 18:4-9.

The love of God and Jesus, gives.  1 John 3:1; 4:9-11.  God demonstrated, we learn in the Bible, His love for us through the giving of Jesus to die on the cross to pay the punishment for our sins in our stead (Romans 5:8).  He died for us.

He was also buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea.  He was there for three days.  This signifies "complete surrender" to God and His will on your and my behalf.  We read in John 12:24 (ESV),

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."

Jesus was certainly such a "grain of wheat".  He died on our behalf, His actions bringing much life, and that, for eternity, to many millions of human beings since that time until now.  That was the resurrection...Jesus rose again from the dead.  He is alive for evermore.  His giving, gives life.  Look at this...

"So those who received His word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls."  (Acts 2:41 ESV).

Peter was alive in Christ, and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Spread the word so myriads more can become more than acquainted with the truth and life found in Jesus Christ and His Word.

                                                         ~ERC  June 2019~

Lord's Day Devotion - Perfect Forgiver

Reach back about 25 years into infamous history to the massacre of at least 800,000 Tutis, in just over 100 days, perpetuated by the Hutu extremists, all of them of the African country of Rwanda.  The periodical, Christianity Today (CT), in their April 2019 issue, reports about a valiant survivor, Denise Uwimana, and her book From Red Earth:  A Rwandan Story of Healing and Forgiveness.  As the book title suggests, forgiveness is a big factor in the healing process from such vicious trauma and travesty.

In the CT interview by Bethany Hoang, with Uwimana, the reader learns that Uwimana did not find it easy to forgive.  She lost a husband and countless others in the genocide.  Ask her to forgive the murderers!!?

Uwimana said she turned to God, a lot.  At first, a lot of that turning was angry words projected at God for allowing that to happen.  Eventually, she put more trust in God, and God saw her through.  She relates,

"God kept His promises, and I survived, not because I was better or because I prayed a lot but by His grace."

Those of us who have never had to encounter such evil actions, will never ever be able to fathom the all encompassing effort Uwimana and others like her have had to bulldoze through.  We will never know the immeasurable depths they have had to dig deep and deeper down to utilize and experience that grace of God to overcome the natural human resistance to forgive horrors beyond our comprehension.

It sounds so easy, "just forgive"--you will set yourself free.  It doesn't let the malefactor off the hook but you will find freedom and healing in your own soul.  Wise advice that often sounds so cliche but it can and does happen.

Denise Uwimana, by the grace of God, has been such an overcomer.  Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!  Another miracle of God's grace.  Guess what?  She hasn't stopped at her own personal healing.   She has reached out and continues to reach out still to others such as herself.  Cogitate on the numbers there would be of such others.  She's helped an innumerable number of them.

Still Uwimana, didn't stop even there.  She has reached, and continues to reach, across the great gulf of resentment and bitterness against those who brutally attempted to annihilate them.  She reaches with forgiveness aimed at reconciliation, and subsequently, healing.

No doubt you've seen the newscasts too, of that time.  Video clips of the Tutis refugees fleeing for their lives.  I can remember.  It makes one weep.  Do you think you could reach out with forgiveness and add on reconciliation?  Could you trust those people ever again?

Four or five years ago, I met a Rwandan man.  He may only have been a young lad at that time of the massacre.  When he told me which country he was from, all I could see flood across my mind were those straggling, scared, dejected, devastated refugees, running away--lines of mostly women and children.

What that Rwandan university student wanted to show me, however, was rather insistent on showing me, was the picture, which must be a famous spot in his country, of a large swathe and corridor of lush greenery, perhaps it was in the capital city.  I don't recall.  To me, that embodies the  forgiveness, reconciliation and healing.

This reminds me of another stalwart forgiver, Corrie Ten Boom of Holland.  Hers was a similar scenario of the colossal holocaust genocide of Jews and of those who loved and helped them.  Corrie, her sister Betsy and her Dad (you've likely heard this before but please bear with me) helped hide Jews in the secret hiding place in their home.  They also assisted others to escape elsewhere.  In the end they were found out and arrested and sent to concentration camps Hitler had set up for exterminating Jews.

Corrie's Dad died within a couple of weeks of incarceration.  Betsy took longer, and due, in large measure, to cruelty instigated by one of the cruelest of the cruel, guards.  Corrie was the sole survivor of the three.  She survived all because of some glitch in camp administration (or rather, God's orchestration which was not a mix-up), was set free.

Corrie Ten Boom set about bringing forgiveness and reconciliation throughout Europe in the aftermath of World War II.  People were so trampled upon and broken in spirit and bitter.  Corrie went about preaching forgiveness, by the grace of God.

One night after one such meeting of asking folks to forgive, and the attendees had mostly all gone home, there was one man left standing.  Oh no!  He was advancing towards her!  She recognized him!  You guessed it; the cruelest of the cruel guards.

What was he asking?!  Forgive him!!?  How preposterous!

In one of her writings, Corrie announces, she couldn't.  She just could not stretch out her hand to that perpetrator's outstretched hand.  The panoramic movie of all those evil things precipitated upon herself, others and especially to her sister Betsy chased each other through her mind.  BUT...but then, the Holy Spirit of God compelled her...It's a choice, Corrie.  A choice to forgive, or not.  She told God in those intervening seconds,  something like, "I cannot do it on my own.  You need to help.  I will shake his hand but You will have to do the rest".  If I remember correctly, Corrie said that in that moment in which she reached out to shake the man's hand, she felt a surge of warmth infuse her arm and heart propelling her to sincerely and earnestly forgive the man, who had, incidentally, become her brother-in-Christ.

I love to hear such stories of God's miraculous grace and healing.  How are they possible, though?  Ah-h-h...They are made possible by the One Perfect Forgiver of all time and eternity.

Most of us have read of the agonies Jesus suffered throughout His farcical trial:  whipping, mocking, crown of thorns thrust upon His head and then the actual hanging on the cruel cross; the betrayal, and denial by His own disciples; rejection by His own nation of people, the Jews; the heartache, mental anguish and then the physical pain.  Pause.  Consider it.

Jesus words as He hung on the cross of Calvary are astounding:

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34 ESV).

Jesus, our perfect example of forgiveness.  He forgave even in the middle of all that misery.  Not only did He forgive those immediate ones who failed Him and who heaped suffering upon Him...He forgives you and me so many thousands of years later.  He gave us the full benefit of the doubt, and forgives us, as He says, we "don't know what we do".  His human creatures who need/needed full comprehensive forgiveness; many of us being repeat offenders.

I think of Jesus' gracious prayer model teaching, as seen in Luke 11:1-4 (ESV), especially verse 4...

"...and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us..."

Do we?  Do we forgive?  Do we forgive everyone?

It's a blessing that God's forgiveness does not depend upon human merit.  Forgiveness comes from the grace of God.  Daily, we must ask Him to forgive us, not towards repeat salvation, but towards mending of our relationship, towards daily reconciliation and healing in our relationship with Him.  From that comes sweet communion with our Lord Jesus Christ.  We fail.  He never fails (Zephaniah 3:5).

In 1 John 1:9 (ESV) we discover the promise of God's Word  is when we confess our sins, 

"He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins".

Jesus goes an extra mile...that verse continues,

"...and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

We forgive others.  He forgives us.  He cleans us from all the unrighteousness--every last, teeny-weeny bit of stain thereof, gone.

In this we can have reconciliation and healing just as Denise Uwimana and Corrie Ten Boom did.  They allowed God's grace to flood their hearts and minds.  We can to.

Pursue forgiveness and reconciliation with our Heavenly Father, and with our fellow human beings.

Let's each of us, each brother and sister-in-Christ, contemplate God's grace, forgiveness, reconciliation and healing.  Where would you be without it?  Remember, as we remember Jesus in His death and resurrection each Lord's Day morning.  Remember as we pass the bread and wine one to another, partaking of each.  It is only because of our Perfect Forgiver that we can.

Ephesians 4:32 (ESV) exhorts,

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you."

It may take monumental effort to come to that point of forgiveness; may God's grace and love compel you and galvanize you towards being His imitator and bring the healing that is so very needed.

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

                                                             ~ERC  May 2019~

That well-known song Amazing Grace written by John Newton so long ago comes to mind.  Here it is sung by one Michael W. Smith.