You have heard of melt-in-the-mouth decadent chocolate, cakes and cookies. Have you ever heard of a melt-your-heart prayer?
Jesus' prayer for His disciples at the time of His walk on Earth melts my heart. Just think, He was not just praying for those disciples either, He was praying for us! For us followers of Jesus Christ now, and down throughout the ages of time since then (John 17:20).
S-l-o-w-l-y read John 17. How does it affect you? Jesus is praying for you! For all of you who, Jesus told His Father,
"...believe in Me through Your word..." (John 17:20 ESV).
He asked his Father to,
"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth" (John 17:17 ESV).
As a believer reads God's Word, which is truth, he or she will be sanctified.
That word, or variations thereof, pop up so often. Sanctification and progressive sanctification are big ones. Looking a the root word, sanctify, we understand from Google dictionary, that it is a verb that means,
"set apart as or declare holy; consecrate;...free from sin; purify"
So what did Jesus set His followers apart for? Well, He said to His Father,
"...as You sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world..." (John 17:18 ESV).
His prayer went on to say,
"...and for their sake I consecrate Myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth" (John 17:19 ESV).
Jesus didn't just ask the disciples to be sanctified, He consecrated Himself first.
We know what Jesus' purpose on Earth was. He came to bring salvation to all mankind through His death and resurrection. He never lost sight of that mission; in fact, He set His face towards that end. According to the NIV, we read that Jesus "resolutely set out for Jerusalem" [emphasis mine] (Luke 9:52). The Samaritans didn't like that much. They wanted Him to stay with them! They were upset and didn't welcome Him because of the purposeful direction He was headed. All the crowds, healing and exorcising, didn't distract Him; it was onward-ho!
On top of that, all the while, Jesus remained pure and blameless: The Holy One. Despite His being 100% human being, He was also 100% God and therefore free from all sin. He was pure to the core.
Yet He still "consecrated" Himself for his work. Sounds like the time when He asked John the Baptizer to baptize Him. John the B didn't want to do so as he realized Jesus didn't need to repent of anything. Jesus insisted, saying, He must do so in order,
"...to fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15 ESV).
Jesus did this for the sake of His disciples and for all of us who now believe! Showing us the way. Amazing, isn't it!
Jesus example spurs us on towards such sanctification. What are we "set apart" for? We are "made different" for the special purpose of living for Jesus. How do we stretch to that aim? By living in God's truth as found in His Word, the Bible.
Time and time again we hear the "read and obey; read and obey" wisdom from God's Word and from preachers preaching. Is this dutiful, obligatory action?
I want to show you this verse:
"And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments; this is the commandment, just as you hear from the beginning, so you should walk in it" (2 John 1:6 ESV).
Emphasis on "...this is love". We do this as a reciprocation of His love for us. Of the love Jesus bestowed on us before and after we became "children of God" (John 1:12).
Out of love and gratitude for our Heavenly Father, God, we believers sanctify ourselves through living out the truth we discover in God's Word. Let our hearts be like the wax of a candle, softened by the flaming truth of God's Word and His Holy Spirit's convictions; sanctified in our minds and hearts and sanctified for the purpose to which He has called you.
No doubt it is not easy. It's disciplining ourselves with the help of the Holy Spirit combined with God's Word's direction.
Back in Genesis 4:7 ESV, God is talking to Cain who had murderous intentions,
"If you do well will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it."
Not to be mistaken, Old Testament times were like: do good and good will be done to you; you earn the good life. However, in the New Testament, we learn Jesus has done the work of earning our salvation for us and as mentioned above, we are given the Holy Spirit and God's Word to lead and guide us and help us to make the right choices and to let good "rule over that which does not please God". That's why the consecrating, choice of action comes into play. Make a commitment to consecrate yourself for your own good but also for the benefit of others as Jesus did. Pray that all of God's children will also be sanctified by living His truth as found in God's Word.
Douse yourself with God's truth; live it and be sanctified by it...Jesus prayed for you!
~ERC September 2019~
Here is another good book. It compares the Roman Catholic Church's tradition with God's Word. It's author grew up in this tradition and knew it's doctrines very well. As an adult he came to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of his soul through the grace of God. It was an instantaneous conversion. Remarkable to him after having believed he had to work (all his life long) to earn salvation. He found that Jesus already had done that work and that he could be absolutely, positively, 100 % sure of salvation through Jesus Christ alone: sins totally forgiven and eternal life 100 % assured.
James G. McCarthy, the Gospel According to Rome's author, talks about the 7 sacraments (a lifetime of milestones to fulfill and to earn, hopefully, salvation); the Mass and it's importance in Roman Catholic worship; Mary whom they call the Mother of God but according to God's word, was the mother of Jesus and was not treated as divine and was therefore not to be worshiped; and the authority by which the Roman Catholic church operates (pope, bishops, magisterium, the Scriptures & tradition) as opposed to Jesus Christ being the head of the church.
This would be an excellent book for former Roman Catholics; for Roman Catholics who wonder about the differences between their tradition and the Word of God; for anyone who is a friend of a Roman Catholic or is just interested in what they teach compared with God's Word.
Some of the material covered may be a bit deep but for the most part I believe one can really learn from what McCarthy has to say. He does not bash anyone on the head with what he has to say although some may find it difficult to accept if they have grown up in this Roman Catholic tradition.
My hope is that many will discover the truth from God's Word, accept Jesus Christ as Savior and have that surety of salvation here and now upon the Earth before they die. Come to Jesus before it is too late.
Happy Reading!
~ERC September 2019~
P. S. I am not a marketer for this author nor for the publishing company. I am just sharing a book I myself have found helpful. (erc)
There's a lot of 'hope' in YET.
"I haven't gotten a job...yet."
"There's no change in his medical condition...yet."
"He's not married...yet."
"Her business hasn't boomed...yet."
"He hasn't come to Christ...yet."
There's room, time and promise for the 'yet' to happen.
Here's another great one,
"Jesus hasn't given the shout out with the trumpet blast to call us up to be with Him in Heaven forever...yet."
That's the best 'yet' of all.
We all look forward to good happenings. We who are followers of Jesus Christ can be thankful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who tells us He's "coming soon" (Revelation 22:17).
Every Lord's Day we can remember the promise of His soon return as we gather to remember Jesus in His death and resurrection. It is because of His work He accomplished on the cross--the atonement for our souls--that we can have the hope of rapture to go up to be forever with Him.
As believers in this sure hope, pass the emblems of the bread and cup of wine, one to another. Recall the agonies Jesus went through on our behalf: His broken body and spear-pierced side; and His blood which makes remission for our sin.
Remember this selfless gift of salvation and the ongoing, never-ending 'forever' we have to look forward to, for all eternity to come, with Him.
He hasn't come...yet.
Nevertheless, encourage each other cuz there's a lot of unshakable hope in 'yet'.
~ERC September~
Sustained, strict training and discipline often culminate in reward. Let's say, rewards such as: a gold medal; millions of dollars; a successful, yet limited years of career, especially if you are talking about professional sports. What about those who build up companies from scratch using mega amounts of dogged determination and blossom their enterprises into that coveted prize and mega reward in the pocket and in repute; perhaps, even global recognition.
Parallel to that, God's Word says that in keeping God's Word there is great reward. Look at Psalm 19:11 (ESV) which speaks of the "law of the Lord,"
"Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward."
The Old Testament folks had lists of laws to observe and keep. God had given them to Moses to relate and record for the good and benefit of the multitudes of the children of Israel. God gave the promise that if they diligently kept the plethora of them, it would go well with them (Deuteronomy 4, especially verse 40 -ESV).
Coming into the New Testament times, there is a similar theme with the "new garment and new wine" way of living Jesus taught about (Luke 5:33-39). However, this keeping of His Word would be more out of that gratitude for Him, that "fear of the Lord" written about in the Lord's Day Devotion -The Fear of Lord. The fear of the Lord is impetus for living in a more holy life and to draw closer in relationship with God Himself through Jesus Christ.
If you read through the book of Luke itself, there are numerous references and inferences where Jesus highlighted the keeping and the reward. For instance, His parable of the wise and foolish man who built their house, respectively, on the rock and sand. Both houses looked calm and bright until the mighty storm blew in and through. The reward went to the wise man who had built on the firm, rock foundation. He still had a house to live in when the storm abated.
Jesus' analogy was that the wise one was the one...
"...who comes to Me and hears my words and puts them into practice..." (Luke 4:46-49 NIV).
Comes, hears and puts...verbs of wise action and reward.
Jesus' parable of the sower and the various types of soil the seed found its way to is another good illustration of this theme.
"...the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the Word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop" (Luke 8:15 NIV).
In the same chapter, just a few verses along Jesus says,
"My mother and brothers are those who hear God's Word and put it into practice" (Luke 8:21 NIV).
There was the occasion when an expert in the law (Old Testament law) tested Jesus and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life (Luke 10:25 NIV). Jesus told him to,
"...love the Lord His God with all His heart, soul, strength, and mind, and to love his neighbor as himself" (Luke 10:27 NIV).
That must have been convicting, so the expert, who was actually speaking to "The Expert", queried further,
"Who is my neighbor" (Luke 10:29 NIV)?
I think Jesus was just waiting for that question to pop up. He told the parable of the Good Samaritan and ends with the soul searching, counter question, "Which of these three (priest, Levite, Good Samaritan) do you think was a neighbor..." (Luke 10:36 NIV).
The expert in the law gamely replied, "The one who had mercy on the victim" (Luke 10:37 NIV).
Ho, ho, see Jesus' next words to the expert,
"Go and do likewise' (Luke 10:37 NIV).
"Go and do..." This is in keeping with keeping God's Word; not just all the rules and regulations the Pharisees were so tediously enforcing upon everyone else, but touching on the mercy and justice that was rather missing, for the most part, from that particular section of society at the time.
Flip to the next chapter and verse 27 and 28. A woman in the crowd wanted to emphasize to Jesus that His mother was a very blessed woman because she had given birth to and nursed Jesus. Jesus diverts her focus to...
"Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." (Luke 11:27, 28 NIV).
By now, we are getting Jesus' point and an understanding of the key verse from Psalm 19:11. However, we may have overlooked the other angle. There is "reward," but there is also "warning". When we heed God's Word's warnings there will be the reward of avoiding that which is detrimental to us physically and spiritually.
Take, for example...1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV about our bodies being the "temple of the Holy Spirit." That is, those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior have the Holy Spirit indwelling. The warning to protect God's temple was to,
"Flee from sexual immorality..."
When a believer realizes he or she is the temple of the Holy Spirit, he or she will be less likely to engage in sexual immorality &/or to harm his/her body with cigarettes, and other harmful substances; to overeat or to under-eat, etc. (Not to minimize a person's problem with these. Seek professional help if needed to find root causes and to help overcome an ongoing struggle.)
Another warning from 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 14 (NIV) is,
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers..."
The verse continues with the reasons why (read for yourself). This could be a liaison in marriage or even a business partnership. There are very foundational differences of belief, or non-belief, of ethics and other practices that will govern a person. Those who are keeping God's Word, will, generally speaking, have a vastly different perspective on any variety of issues that could come up throughout a marriage or operation of a business.
This is not to be so legalistic, as in Old Testament times; Jesus' new covenant way, of kindness and love should be operational in our daily lives. Nevertheless, God gives us His Word and warnings. He graciously spells out some very direct ways of living of which we would do well to take heed.
Additionally, this is not to say that even when a believer joins up with another believer that all will be hunky-dory. I presume God's meaning in His warning is for our best possible 'reward' result. In the fallen world we live in, we need all the help and 'edge' we can get. When we choose to keep God's Word, He promises there will be "great reward".
Diligently sustain a faithful and committed observance of God's Word all the days of your life, not so much because of the reward, but as an avenue of expressing our love and gratitude as an offering and sacrifice to Him. Let us choose to honor our Heavenly Father by being warned and kept by His Word.
~ERC September 2019~
The measured and ponderous steps of a man's polished, special occasion shoes were heard ascending the wooden stairs behind her. She was home alone, though. Her pulse quickened, her heartbeat thudded in her bosom, a quick intake of breath as her thoughts raced.
Should she turn around to 'face' who was not supposed to be there? Yes. No. Yes...It was now or never...
Swiftly, she rose from the living room sofa where seconds before she had been quietly reading a book, she swiveled around and came face-to-face, with no-one!
Fear threatened to overtake but she pressed on, went to the staircase and continued to see...no-one.
There was no-one there yet she had distinctly heard the "shoe-d" footfalls, climbing.
Strange. Fear producing moments. If it wasn't human nor angelic, then the scary option scenario was, a being of the demonic nature.
This was something to be afraid of yet a child of God can call upon "Jesus!" in such situations. We can...
"...call upon Him in our day of trouble; I will deliver you..." (Psalm 50:15 ESV).
Praise God we do not need to fear Satan and his evil minions. This is nothing to be glib about. Knowing how the evil one operates and what he is capable of may help us in our spiritual warfare especially when we don the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). However, there is Someone it is good to fear with a good kind of fear. This is called, "the fear of the Lord".
Besides a fear or fascination with Satan and his dominion, people fear many things: the death of a loved one; not being successful in a business venture; being a spinster or bachelor; car accidents; law suits; and many, many more. Yes, those are definitely life's concerns yet when we cast our anxieties upon the Lord He will calm our souls. Faith and trust in our Almighty God will bring forth that 'good' kind of fear as alluded to above, the fear of the Lord.
What, exactly, does "the fear of the Lord" mean? I like the definition found in the 2019, 40-Day Fast & Prayer booklet put out by NECF Malaysia. The writer of Day 37's devotional, Reverend Subashini Achari, wrote,
"It is to have a deep reverence, awe and great respect for the Lord. We are to be awed and humbled by His presence. When we truly fear the Lord we will recognize that He is the Creator and we are His creatures. He is the Father and we are his children. The true fear of God is leading a life of obedience to the Word of God and wanting to please Him at all costs."
Jesus taught His disciples to start out realizing that when they spoke with God they could address him as "Father" all the while remembering that reverence, "...hallowed be Your Name" (Luke 11:2 NIV).
When we are in our prayer closet or public pulpit, be awed and humbled by His presence. Say, "...hallowed be Your Name" and pause. Pause some more...Let it sink in. Reverence and honor.
We can fear our gracious God and Father, because as we know from Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10, respectively,
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of both knowledge and wisdom."
The more we know of our Heavenly Father, the more wisely we will live our lives in a circumspect manner. We will become more conscious of our attitudes and behavior. He loved/loves us so much. Won't we show our gratitude by fearing him and becoming more like Christ? To be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16) is our Heavenly Father's desire for us His children.
Just this morning while reading Psalm 147, I came across verse 11 which seems very appropriate to insert here,
"...but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love" (ESV).
I find that comforting and encouraging.
I recall that as a young child, and even into my teens, that I would or would not do certain things whether or not my parents were present. Why? It was their governing training and a 'fear of my parents,' that helped to keep me on "the straight and narrow". Their love and their care, whether it was appreciated or not by their children at the time, kept us well.
Similarly, when the children of God have the fear of God in their hearts, they will become a more holy people. A people to be called by his name. He deserves to have our respect, and reverent awe.
He has proven His love and care for us many times over. His biggest proof being His gift of salvation through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ's, death and resurrection.
Remember all this as we gather together on Lord's Day. As we pass the bread and wine to each other, show our deep respect and gratitude to Him. Carve out an expanding 'hallowed' alcove in your heart for your Heavenly Father; a place to generate that reciprocated love; to generate that hallowed offering to Him called, "the fear of the Lord".
~ERC September 2019~
The Fear of the Lord as sung by Tommy Walker
She had just lost her husband of many years and as she trudged up the path to the house to face the silent room, she struggled, a solitary figure, to walk strong and steady on her elderly limbs.
Up strode her granddaughters, one on either side, gently linking arms with her, lending her their more youthful energy, strength and compassion.
Her confidence and dignity boosted, her heart nudged with an infusion of comfort, she marched the remaining gauntlet up the steps and into the quiet shelter of her home "cocoon".
She knew where her husband had gone-to be with Christ and was happy for him-but now she was alone. Her earthly 'consort' gone.
Wait; alone? Alone, yet not alone, as demonstrated by those granddaughters. It was more than that though. She turned to the Lord for her strength, confidence, trust and quietness of heart.
"...In quietness and trust is your strength..." (Isaiah 30:15 NIV).
There she found peace.
Hannah of 1 Samuel 1 & 2 in the Bible, barren and not bearing any child any time too soon in the foreseeable future, knew where to turn. She turned to her heavenly Father, God, and poured out her soul's distress and desire. God heard her, so did Eli the priest who eventually blessed her with the benediction,
"Go in peace" (1 Samuel 1:17 NIV).
Trusting, Hannah was able then, to wash her face and eat something. God did grant her, her request and Samuel was born as well as subsequent children.
In John 20:19 & 21 NIV, Jesus is quieting the gathered disciples, calming their fears,
"Peace be with you!"
A few months back I was at a funeral, and I'll never forget it as I have never, ever done such a thing before but I think it is a wonderfully, sympathizing practice and blessing to bestow upon others. At the end of the service, the MC suggested each person go around the room, even to those we did not know, and say, "Peace be with you!"
What calming, comforting words especially when they are God's Words. Turn again and again to God's Word and scout out for the words that will soothe you; find peace for your hearts. When we do so, we will find that quietness that builds trust in the shelter of God's wings and word.
"Peace be with you!"
~ERC September 2019~
"Scrub!"
"Scrub harder!"
Before going into any operating room theater, one must SCRUB!
One must "purify" oneself with a thorough scrubbing of hands using special soap and water and even a scrub brush to clean out any debris that might be harboring under those fingernails. You gotta do that for a couple of rounds. At least, I had too. It was so long ago that I had to do that though, I may have forgotten a step. Nonetheless, I think you get the idea. On top of all that "detoxing" of hands, one must don rubber gloves. These to protect the patient from contamination but also so the surgeon and assistants do not contract any contamination from the patient.
Bring this regimen into the spiritual arena. The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians,
"Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God" (2 Corinthians 7:1 NIV)
What is it that contaminates our bodies and spirits?
Colossians 3:1-17 NIV has a list of some:
"...sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed..." (vs 5)
"...anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips...lying to each other..." (vs 8-9).
How do we pick up those "toxins"?
Perhaps by the company we keep or the movies we constantly watch that condone filthy language and sexual immorality, among other things. Sometimes our own defiance may allow us to engage in these things. When we submit to our Heavenly Father, constantly guard against them and choose what we will or will not engage in; we will help ourselves to purify our minds and bodies.
When a person will read God's Word, they will also purify their mind. When the mind is purified, then the body will follow suit; mind and actions/deeds will please the Lord.
We are told in Ephesians 5:26 NIV that Jesus Christ,
"...loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her Holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word..."
Reading God's Word, whether we understand it all or not will help to cleanse a person, especially when they read and heed what is said. If we are constantly digging into God's Word it will be in our minds and help to fill it with God's good message.
For the past 32 days I've been reading at least ten chapters of God's Word daily. It's a bit of a stretch as it takes about an hour of time. Sometimes I let the downloaded version of the Bible "read" it for me especially when driving along in the car. In the book entitled Total Surrender, Set Apart for God by Dr. John W. Mulinde, I just finished reading, he says to saturate yourself with God's Word. To him, reading the Bible should be,
"...read in a systematic and purposeful way, to know God, to know His story and to see God's perspective from the Jewish history.." (Chapter 9, page 125).
When we "read in bulk" we may not always understand all we've read but it will help us know things from God's point of view. Who knows? Someday, the parts you didn't understand will suddenly spark to life in your knowledge as the Holy Spirit teaches you and/or as some preacher expounds on the passage. One way or another, it's not going to harm you any.
The crux of the matter is that we do become purified! Of course, not just reading will do it. You must 'do it'; obey it, put it into action.
Although the following was in the context of putting on the whole armor of God, I want to relate it to purifying. The 40-day fast and prayer 2019 booklet I have that is put out by NECF Malaysia, mentions that believers in Jesus Christ are...
"...responsible for putting on..."
the whole armor of God. However, I want to correlate it with becoming purified in our minds and bodies. We, as children of God, need to be holy as God is holy. Yes, as the NECF booklet further mentions,
"...We are declared righteous by God in the gospel..."
We are made 'righteous' in God's sight by our salvation through Jesus Christ. Another term is "justification". That was/is God's sovereign action bestowed upon those who have accepted His gift of salvation. Yet, there is man's responsibility part too; also known as "sanctification". The booklet goes on to state,
"...and we are to live out this righteous declaration with righteous actions."
We still grapple with our deceitful nature despite having the Holy Spirit indwell us. We need to be on guard against what comes into our minds and dwells in our hearts. It will either make or break us, so to speak.
Let the fear of God live in our hearts and minds. Hide God's Word in your hearts so you will not sin against Him (Psalm 119:11). As you do so, greater purity will come. Your spirit will be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit's convictions and your heart more willing to choose God's way. All this can be achieved out of growing reverence for God and wanting to please Him.
Let God's Word purify your mind, body and actions.
~ERC September 2019~
References:
Total Surrender, Dr. John W. Mulinde, copyright 2017, Published by WTM Malaysia
A Lifestyle of Holiness, 40-Day Fast & Prayer, by NECF Malaysia
Hymn:
Oh, Sanctify Us, Lord Tune and lyrics very succinct to the topic above.
Moses' staff was likely the most busy of staffs, ever. If only it could have spoken. It would have had many an adventure to tell like...
"Oh no, here I go again," quivered Moses' staff. "What am I going to do now! But, before I get ahead of myself, let me tell you what went before..."
"Let me tell you, I used to have a very quiet and tame life out aiding Moses tend his Midian sheep. Oops, oops, oh, come back here, Mr. Rambo! No going astray and leading the other sheep with you. There's a precipice over there, you know!"
"Hey, Ewe! Get back here!"
"Oh, no you don't, Mutton Chops!"
"Little Lamb, come on, you can make it, catch up with your Mommy Fluffers."
"Now where was I? Oh yes, those tranquil days are long past now. These new adventures with the flock of Israelites are something else. New adventures almost daily, most of which are rather breathtaking events. I never know what I'm going to be up to next! I can tell you its now a life of many exclamation marks!!"
"Just think; Me, a lowly shepherd's crook made of almond wood, used to manage sheep or to defend against predators; or to help Moses walk steadily on or up hills and mountains and stuff like that. Just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill almond staff of Moses the Shepherd, became the "staff of God"! Just like that!" (Exodus 7:20).
"What would you do if that happened to you?"
"One day a 'normal', ordinary staff minding the sheep and Moses and the next doing feats of phenomenal nature. Mind boggling, so it was!"
"It all started one day when Moses saw a burning bush not burning up. That was pretty cool, actually, at least for a fire. (Exodus 3) I've been doing all kinds of calisthenics since! Never a dull moment."
"Turning into a snake was pretty freaky. Just think what it was like to eat up other staff-snakes. At least that was brother Aaron's staff and not me that time. Unfortunately, Pharoah and his wise guys were not too impressed."
"For weeks on end things really were a whirl. I did get a wee break when at first Aaron's staff did the work, like the snake thing (Exodus 7:8) and then Moses told Aaron that God told him to raise his staff up and strike the Nile river. Oh, that was awful! The water turned all red with blood! Aaron's staff was obviously a staff of God too!"
"Hard to imagine but it did happen."
"Next, Aaron's staff got stretched out over streams, canals, and ponds, and up came hundreds of hopping frogs. Ugh! I just about croaked!"
"After that it was Aaron's staff striking the ground and gnats coming out of the dust!" (Exodus 8:16-17).
"Pharoah's magicians tried that one but they couldn't do it. They said, "This is the finger of God." (Exodus 8:19).
"Do ya think!? They were a little slow on that but at least they finally 'got it'. Pharoah didn't though and that's why there was so much misery."
"Other plagues happened too but neither Moses or Aaron seemed to use their staffs for it such as flies coming. What a buzz they made!"
"Soon it was my turn with Moses stretching me out towards the sky. That stirred up thunder and hail."
"About a week later Moses stretched me out over the land of Egypt, and ugh, again, locusts galore!" (Exodus 10:12).
"A week after that I was stretched out towards the sky again (Exodus 10:21). I was thinking, what's gonna happen this time?! Oh an eerie, eerie darkness pervaded the land of Egypt except for where the children of Israel lived. It was terrible dark for three days, I tell you."
"After that you'd think Pharaoh would relent and let the people and their herds and flocks all go. 'Go on, get rid of the whole lot of you'. NO. That didn't happen and things sure weren't very pleasant in Pharoah's presence. Pharoah said, "You two (Moses and Aaron) get out, I don't want to see you ever again." Those were final and fatal words. However he still didn't want them to leave Egypt."
"That was more eerie than the darkness cuz what came next was so, so heartrending. If only Pharoah had not been so stubborn towards God! The firstborn son and even of every animal among the Egyptians perished! A dark night of tragic mourning for them. Only then did Pharoah adjure the Israelites, "GET OUT!"
"Out the Israelites moved. Escape! They packed up, bundle upon bundle, family, flocks, herds and off they went into the wilderness."
"Don't let out your breath of relief yet! Ole Pharoah just couldn't let it be. In fury, he rounded up his army and chariots and raced after the children of Israel. He thought he had them well and truly trapped too. He still didn't get it. Who was God?! he mocked."
"Moses was crying to God. God asked, Why are you crying? Raise your staff! So there I go again from a walking stick to doing, what was it this time? Oh, I was stretched out over the Red Sea. Awesome! You should have seen it! The waters divided and there was a wall of water on each side and dry ground in the middle and the Israelites walked across with all their families and livestock and not a hair on their heads were harmed or got wet. (Exodus 14:15-21).
"Alas! It's a wonder I didn't become petrified wood right there and then! The Egyptians charged in after the Israelites, almost nipping their heels."
"God wasn't finished with Moses and me yet that time. Now Moses held me out over the sea again and the waters came crashing down and covered up that dry ground with all the Egyptian soldiers, chariots and Pharoah. That kinda stopped them dead in their tracks. It didn't leave the Israelites speechless though. They burst out in song giving praises to God for bringing them safely out of Egypt and away from their oppressors." (Exodus 15)
"Things settled down for a spell. The Israelites were on the march to worship God and so I thought; ok, things will be humdrum from now on. I thought too soon. That multitude got thirsty in that there desert. They complained. God told Moses to fetch me and strike a certain rock in the wilderness. I was wondering, how will that quench their thirst but just then the water came gushing forth from the rock! Astounding! God certainly is Almighty God accomplishing almighty acts!" (Exodus 17:5-6).
"My next 'assignment' came when the Israelites had to fight against the Amalekites. Moses held me up in his hands with his arms raised up. That was a long day for him! As long as he held me up the battle went well for Israel. In the end Aaron and Hur had to help hold up Moses' arms when he got tired. He did that all day until sunset and the Israelites won with God's help."
"There's another account when Moses used me unlawfully; that is, God didn't tell Moses to use me but he was angry at the Israelites. They were thirsty again and were complaining again too. Moses got upset. God told Moses just to speak to the rock but instead he hit the rock twice with me. That was a no-no and in the end Moses couldn't go into the Promised Land. (Numbers 20:8-11). God was merciful though and let him see it from the mountain top."
"I think I should tell you that men in ancient times each had their own staff. A shepherd's one had a crook, likely like Moses' one which they used to guide their sheep. Most of the staffs would symbolize leadership and authority of the owner over his family or jurisdiction, showing their strength and maturity (hopefully). It would also serve as a stout walking stick. When I became 'the staff of God' in Moses' hands, Moses was already 80 years old so a walking stick would come in handy. He climbed Mt Sinai with me several times. The last I remember was when he was 120 years old and we climbed Mt. Nebo together. There we got a clear view of the Promised Land and then Moses passed and I myself could lay me down in peace. I was no young stick anymore either but Moses actually still had more vitality but it was his time to go." (Deuteronomy 34:7).
"Oh before I hold my peace, I just want to say, that because I was the staff of God in Moses' hands, I was not to be worshiped at all, at all! I was a symbol of God's authority given to Moses to lead, guide and command the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness. It was quite a life; now I rest."
In conclusion, I believe that our Heavenly Father, will use our talents, skills, possessions, our whatever and in our hands they can become the "talent of God", or "the possession of God" when we are surrendered to Him and His will for our lives.
The apostle Peter was an uneducated fisherman but God used his fishing skills to 'catch men'. Catch men he did, by the thousands (Acts 2:41).
The apostle Paul was a well educated and intellectual man. God used that knowledge so Paul could 'debate' with all sorts of philosophers on Mars Hill (Acts 17:16-34). Paul's knowledge and conversion became God's possession and He allowed Paul to wield it with great results. Paul's pen became the 'pen of God' as he inscribed so many of the New Testament letters to various churches and individuals and to this day we can still benefit therefrom.
The point of all this is, we need to examine our minds and hearts and see what our "thing" is for God to use. Are we allowing Him to use it? Our home? Our job? Our disappointments in life that we've overcome?
When we surrender them to God we will do wonders whether small or great. I believe that Moses never ever expected his humble piece of almond wood staff would become the staff of God in his hands and bring him out of obscurity into a major rescue undertaking.
Yes, Moses did balk at first. Human nature. He did eventually launch forth. How about us?
We who belong to Jesus Christ have so much to offer to God. Let Him use what we have. As we gather together on Lord's Day at the Lord's Table to partake of those symbols: the bread and wine, recall that Jesus body and blood were what He offered to His Heavenly Father for our redemption. Give thanks with a grateful remembering heart. Offer the sacrifice of praise, and the sacrifice of your "staff" to God.
~ERC September 2019~
Ever have the frustration of bowling? That ball just will NOT keep a true and steady knock-out course down that alley towards the pins! At least, not for a perpetual, beginning novice such as me. More often than not, that ball will, wobble-wobble into the goner-gutter. Needless to say, bowling is not up my alley and therefore I only attempt it once in a very blue moon.
One time though, I was in a bowling alley where there were some sort of guards lining each side of, and the whole length of, the alleyway preventing the balls from going into the ditch! That was supposed to aid children. Now that is a wonderful invention I think, for a more assured score!
That is exactly what God's Word can do for us too when we read and take heed. Look at what the Psalmist discovered and asked for by his obedience and prayer;
"Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me" (ESV)
"Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me" (NIV)
God's Word directs and keeps our steps steady. Isn't that grand!
We can keep on the right path without going "into the gutter" when we allow God's Word to order our steps.
Our steps, not the whole long "alleyway" in one go but step by step coverage. When we depend upon our loving, Heavenly Father, we can stay the course and keep on track; sure and steady.
God promises this. Isn't that portentous!?
Sin will not be able to get a stronghold, let alone a foothold in our life. This we can humbly ask our Father too, to keep us. We do fail but when we consciously seek Him and depend on Him, living to please Him always,
"He will not let your foot slip-He who watches over you will not slumber..." (Psalm 121:3 NIV)
And so He orders our life's steps according to His Word.
~ERC 2019~
Step by Step as sung by Michael W. Smith and published by Peter m
Can you guess how many kingdoms there currently are in the world? One source said 26 and another 44. Large discrepancy but putting that aside, did you know there are three basic types of kingdoms? There is the parliamentary type such as in England with the good Queen Elizabeth II; there are constitutional ones such as in Canada and Malaysia; and then there are the absolute monarchies which will be the focus of this blog entry.
A typical "kingdom", according to Google dictionary, is...
"...a country, state or territory ruled by a king or queen" or "the spiritual reign or authority of God".
Depending on the respective country's favorite term, the ruler could also be called a sultan, emperor or an emir.
An absolute monarchy, so Google reveals, is where the...
"...monarch holds supreme, autocratic authority, principally not being restricted by written laws, legislature or customs..."
There are very few sovereign states of this caliber remaining in the world today. There appears to be only four: Oman, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland, and Brunei Darussalam.
As most people know, most kingdoms' kingship or 'queen-ship' is passed down to the firstborn child or in some places, they may insist on to the firstborn son.
When we look back into history, biblical or otherwise, there were kings, and then there were kings of kings. Go back to Jesus' time. There seems to have been multiple kings floating around but under the sovereignty of the Emperor of Rome. Go back even further and you'd see numerous smaller and bigger kingdoms' kings all vying to be the King Pin.
One of my favorite historical "Kingpins" is King Nebuchadnezzar. He had a vast realm that was truly great and of which he was understandably proud. He had to address his subjects as,
"To the nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth..." (Daniel 4:1 NIV).
King Nebuchadnezzar had a remarkable vision one time when he lay upon his bed which Daniel interpreted as applying to King Neb himself. King Neb had seen a large tree that grew strong and its top touched the sky and was visible to the ends of the earth (Daniel 4:11). In addition, birds and animals found shelter and food there under.
Cogitate on that a bit.
Colossal!
Daniel described it too. He told King Neb,
"...your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth..."
So you can imagine the phenomenal greatness!?
We know, also from this fourth chapter of Daniel that King Neb got so exceedingly proud that he became mentally ill and went about in the grass as if an animal for a spell of about seven years.
The good news was, though, that he repented and came to realize that he would not have such far reaching lands and influence except at the hand of One who was/is exceedingly far greater. He acknowledged that the...
"...Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone He wishes" (Daniel 4:32 NIV).
He realized this and his sanity, along with his honor and splendor, were returned. He didn't just leave it at that though. He praised the God of Heaven, whom he addressed as the "Most High". He commented,
"His dominion is an eternal dominion; His kingdom endures from generation to generation...He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth..."
King Neb declared that he would,
"...praise, exalt and glorify the King of Heaven, because everything He does is right and all His ways are just..." (Daniel 4:37 NIV).
He truly had a great kingdom yet eventually and humbly recognized there was One greater and mightier than he.
Other 'kings' have aspired to such greatness as well but not with such repute. As always, much blood shed accrues from such expansionism. The infamous Adolf Hitler is someone in more recent history with such determination. His catchy campaign phrase was repeatedly heralded as, "To make Germany great again"! His 'subjects' were mesmerized, and lapped up all the hype. Six million Jews and an estimated four million others suffered to death from that sentiment in concentration camps, not to mention the loss of life of soldiers on both sides of the WWII fray. In the end, he was brought to his knees but not in repentance or even remorse.
Emperor Hirohito of Japan also favored the development of his empire by taking a huge bite of Manchuria, using the reasoning it would be his "seimeisen" (lifeline for his beloved country to reap and rape raw materials, cheap labor and a nice overseas market for Japanese goods). He really succeeded for a time, in his "development" appropriation, to a point, in the Asia-Pacific Region. He was really on a roll towards making Japan great until, he wasn't.
A King Nebuchadnezzer-like, profoundly far-reaching present day "kingdom" is that of the city state of the Vatican with the current "curator" of the Roman Catholic church, Pope Francis. His "kingdom" spreads out throughout the whole world! Great throngs of peoples world-wide are followers of the gospel of Rome. They give supposed credence to Jesus Christ and God, yet take the Pope as their head over Jesus Christ and revere Mary with idol adoration. I don't know much about it but I suppose various decrees go out from the Vatican to encompass it's adherents the world over. Certainly, their form of religion is kept close to the vest and made uniformly standardized throughout the Roman Catholic churches' immense reach.
I had to chuckle some when I came upon an article written by historian David Cannadine in Point of View which queries, "Is the US President an Elected Monarch?" This was back in Barrack Obama's time. Some believed that President presided as if he were a monarch as some of his actions resembled absolute action.
Nowadays, I shiver some when I hear President Donald Trump bandying about the slogan I used to think was great, "To make America great again". He too seems to be the executives' executive, monarch style; and that's still not talking about a type of harmless butterfly! Is he forgetting the "by the people, for the people"? Hey, I'm not getting into politics here...I'm just saying that Trump seems to work along very similar lines as Hitler once did, minus the hatred of Jews, yes, but does he like other peoples of other ethnic origins and rocking the boat of other countries with 'trade expansionism warfare' that also appears to be having ill effects upon his own country, etc?
Let's not get off on a tangent here though.
Then there was another tee-hee, this time at the whim of "Just Saying" - On the Edge hoping to "Make Malaysia Great Again". Actually this one is not so funny; it's more pathetically sad. The brain drain is big in the country of "brains" going to other places that appreciate their talents and skills with far greater recognition and remuneration. Many must go overseas to realize their dreams such as the Malaysian who was one of the pen drive inventors. It would be wonderful though, if Malaysians could indeed truly boost their nation to greatness from within the country itself.
What does all this have to do with the Kingdom of God or as some put it, the Kingdom of Heaven?
The earthly examples help us to picture God and His domain. He doesn't stop at the Earth and all that is therein. He created the whole universe!! All of creation is His jurisdiction! I like King Nebuchadnezzar's acknowledgments: God's "dominion is eternal and endures from generation to generation"...never ending!!
Isn't that what the kings of the earth would love to happen for them!!? Wouldn't they also love to be able to do just what they wished without opposition and bureaucracy's reams of red tape? Jesus will reign on this Earth in a time to come with all that and more and with almighty power, perfection, peace and harmony among all peoples. Jesus' reign and kingdom will be the exact epitome of GREAT!
Yet, we can lay claim to the kingdom of God here and now. How?
First we need to say, the Kingdom of God is already great, and doesn't need to be made greater or great again. Nevertheless, Jesus taught His disciples to pray for God's kingdom to come (Luke 11:2). Pray for it to come and be established on Earth. Look forward to Christ's reign on the earth.
However, His kingdom can be established in our hearts. Like King Nebuchadnezzar, with a repentant heart, turn to God through Jesus Christ Who by His death and resurrection on our behalf, offers all mankind the gift of salvation and a place in His kingdom.
When these followers of Jesus Christ turn in repentance to God and accept His will for their lives, they are establishing the kingdom of God in their hearts. Together, we followers build His kingdom and pray for more growth in ourselves and in others until He comes to take us to His Heavenly home.
I see, in the SPM study guide book for the gospel according to Luke footnote for Luke 11, notated, that in another sense, the kingdom of God...
"...will not come until God's will is perfectly done throughout the world".
Through confession of our sins (1 John 1:9) and repentance there from, we continue to help establish God's kingdom and lay up treasure in Heaven thus doing His will. I believe that perfection will transpire when Jesus comes to reign on Earth. We can cry along with the Holy Spirit, "Come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:17, 20 NIV)!
Remember King Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the tree that grew tall enough to touch the sky? Jesus tells a parable of very similar proportions of a mustard seed that grows into a large "garden plant" and in which the birds of the air perch in its branches (Matthew 13;31). Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is like that; a kingdom in which to find shelter.
The righteous will shine like the sun in God's kingdom. Light, righteousness; no darkness at all, for those who hear God's words and do them.
God is establishing His kingdom at great personal cost. The cost of the life of His One and Only Son Jesus Christ. His kingdom is "hidden treasure" and a "fine pearl" of "great value" (Matthew 13:43-46). He went all out to expand His kingdom. God gave His all through Jesus so that He could forgive the debts of sin we owed Him. He is our merciful and just King of kings. Revelation 7:9 and 15 (ESV) shows us the results,
"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb...Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will shelter them with His presence..."
We therefore, out of fear and reverence for our King, must behave humbly and with belief in Jesus Christ. We will need to serve Him then, no matter for how many or few years He gives us to construct His kingdom. Everyone of His subjects wins. He has already secured our reward: eternal life, in His eternal kingdom (Matthew 20:1-16).
Talking about the behavior of those of us "in the kingdom" and what it should be like. Read Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7. Jesus' "sermon on the mount" has so much to offer us in this way. Practice our righteousness in a non-hypocritical way, that pleases Jesus our King. In so doing, others will know to which kingdom we belong; God's or His enemy, Satan's.
As we live in this manner, God's will will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven (see the Lord's Prayer, Luke 11 and Matthew 6). This will be establishing God's kingdom and helping to defeat Satan's.
You know, not too many people were cognizant of just Who that baby was that was born in a stable and laid, wrapped in swaddling clothes, in the manger. That was our King! That was our Holy One, Jesus. That was God's One and Only Son Who is our Savior! Talk about being humble in the Kingdom of God! Well, Jesus is, and always has been, our Perfect Example.
On Lord's Day, especially, let us pray for God's kingdom to come even as we continue to establish His righteousness in our hearts and show it out by the way we live our lives in Christ-like manner to others. Remember the great cost to God and Jesus's sacrifice for us as we children of this King, pass the bread and wine one to another . May these symbols bring to mind all He has done for us and for bringing us into His great and mighty Kingdom of our very own Eternal King of Kings!
Father, may your kingdom come and may things be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. May your righteousness reign in our hearts until You come to take Your rightful place in all your splendor, power and authority. Jesus, come.
~ERC August 2019~
This Kingdom/Hillsong- sung by David Evans; song composed by Geoff Bullock
