Heavenly Father, the shock was overwhelming. The mind numb and uncomprehending. Could it be, their child, their "little lamb", gone?! Gone in a way, not from sickness or car crash, or murder but from self-infliction!
Oh Father. The mother and father, in grief, "laid low in the dust,"..."souls wearied with unmingled and unmitigated sorrow."
Human capacity drained, and still drizzling out, physically incapacitated, a loss of human strength, stretched and sapped to the nth degree endurance. Yet...yet Your words, oh Father God, preserve and strengthened them, therewith.
We fly into Your arms Lord, into Your calming, understanding presence; so many fierce questions on our lips. In seasons such as these, how can we make sense of it all?! Only in You can our lives be preserved, to meditate upon Your words and wonderful deeds, to bring understanding to hearts and minds rent almost asunder, yet cocooned from total devastation, by Your precepts.
The anchor, faithfulness, gracious and truthful ways with heart set upon Your laws, may they hold parents, family, and friends, fast in the path of Your commands and in the tragic travesties of life and death, that threaten to sink them into the depths of despair and depression.
Buoy the hearts and souls and the trust of Your people in pain, with Your word and "broaden their understanding" throughout the new days of "normalcy" ahead, for navigating without the one they loved. Steady the minds, awash with your word; steady the hearts with Your compelling, compassionate, consoling love and care and empathy.
Suffering and sorrow, and death, but, some day, for Your people, everlasting life and joy abiding in that place, nestled with You in Heaven; the Haven of No More Tears.
In Jesus Name we cry out in anguish, Father, for those who have loved and lost.
~ERC July 2020~
Based on Psalm 119:25-32 NIV (Daleth)
Sing, or just sit and listen, Does Jesus Care? as sung by Gaither music
Father, do good to Your servant, that I will live. I don't know if the psalmist was contemplating suicide or not, or maybe he was just desiring life more abundant. If he lived, he said "I will obey Your Words".
Father, we know You are good and therefore can only do good. We often say we choose to obey, however, there's many times when we don't. Thank-You, for Your forgiveness when we repent of our wrong attitudes and actions.
Open our eyes, Lord, that we may see wonderful things in Your Law. Yes, Father, open the eyes of understanding; we want to see and understand things You want us to know and understand about Yourself and your will and ways.
At some point of time in our life, sooner rather than later, hopefully, may we realize there are different stages of life people go through that don't last forever. A teacher may become rather overwhelmed with school lesson preparations and correcting of assignments online during the Covid-19 lock down. Nonetheless, Father, do them good so they will live through it. Others, have other professions and related challenges. I know Your grace is sufficient; at least in theory.
Perhaps, this is a lesson from You to learn greater patience, mercy and justice. What else, Lord?
Open our eyes as You did for the disciples in Acts. You opened up their understanding so they could grasp all the things You'd taught them all those years of daily tutelage, straight from Jesus' mouth to their ears. They'd finally understood to some degree what You'd predicted about Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection on the third day. It was something that had puzzled them at the time Jesus spoke His prediction of it, then later, grasped with clarity. When You opened their understanding. They knew, then, what it was about.
Now, Father, I ask again that You open our understanding to Your words this day so we can have something in our mind for "the daily portion"--to think about, ponder and consider, so as not to neglect Your words.
"My soul is consumed with longing for Your laws at all times..." Psalm 119:20 (NIV).
Actually, Father, I can't say that I do that. Help my frailty, and human feebleness. The psalmist was able to say it, though.
It is my desire, my longing to long for Your word. Just as, at the moment, I long to go out for the walk I've been getting into the habit of all these Covid-19 lock down days. At least, a half an hour's walk per day.
Lord when I don't go out, my physical body knows it. Similarly, the lack of my perusing and pondering Your words daily, affects my spiritual health. It is for my spiritual well-being and relationship with You to make it a daily practice; that I do not neglect God's Word.
Help me not to stray from Your commands, at all times.
"You rebuke the arrogant who are cursed."
May I not become proud and arrogant, of all I know of Your Words. Head knowledge doesn't profit much. Father, make me know it in my spirit and soul and heart, so I won't sin against You. May we all be guided and instructed in it.
Help me not to look down on others who don't know as much Bible teaching as I have had. Often those who don't know as much, walk in the morsels they do know better than those who know more. These are those who have greater relationship with You and walk the knowledge. This is genuine understanding.
May I never, ever scorn these brothers and sisters-in-Christ, who have "enlarged" hearts for You.
The rulers sit together and slander me, Your servant will meditate on Your decrees anyway. May your children be so strong in Your word that they will not be shaken when others slander and/or falsely accuse them. Instead, fill Your child with Your words so they can meditate upon Your decrees to counter those hurtful words and actions. may the injustices not fester in their souls nor break them up. May they stand steadfast in Your word. May Your statutes be their delight and healing balm of comfort, direction and counsel.
If it often feels like our ears are burning when people stare at us and whisper bitter words behind our backs, turn our mind and thoughts to Your word, decrees, statutes and law, for in them is life and breath and health. May we, Your children, always delight in them.
I ask in Jesus precious Name.
~ERC July 2020~
Based on Psalm 119:17-24 (Gimel)
Father, God, it is very difficult with our sin nature to live in a pure manner. However, You have given us ways and means to do so. As the psalmist of Psalm 119 puts it, its by living according to Your word we are led to the right path to pleasing You.
By seeking You with all our hearts, by hiding Your word in our hearts so we don't sin against You. We also see that the psalmist asks You not to let him stray from Your commands. In addition, he asks You to teach him Your decrees so when You are keeping and teaching, coupled with the hiding and seeking You, the outcome is greater purity. This not just for young men but anyone of Your children willing to follow Your will and ways.
Do to the hiding of Your word in the heart, verse 13 says, the lips will,
"...recount all the laws that come from your mouth" (NIV).
"All the laws!" That's amazing. There are so many things, if we read the whole Bible, so many laws, but he could recount it all! Granted he only had the Torah but that's still lots, Father, for his lips to recount. He must have really been studying and memorizing!
Lord, when we're hiding Your Word in our hearts, and our desire is to fully seek You, able to recount the laws, not to have a big head, proud that we know chapter after chapter to recite, but Lord, that we have truly hidden it in our hearts and not just filed it in our heads, as theory. Rather, getting the "nutritional essentials" extracted as spiritual food, making it our life and breath, assimilated into our DNA, so to speak. Then we can rejoice at following Your statutes.
Many times we rebel but here the Psalmist says he rejoices as with great riches. When people think of having great riches, like winning the lottery, everybody's so happy. Then often, those riches get the recipients into trouble, bring about their downfall. Evaporated. Emptiness.
Nevertheless, Father, when we think of having great riches, we do rejoice. If we use whatever riches You do give us for Your glory and honor to store up treasure in Heaven then we can rejoice we have wealth be instrumental in that.
Further to all that, the psalmist says he meditates on Your precepts and considers your ways. He does not just have it in his head and heart. He doesn't just ask You to teach, because what's the point of teaching if the student's not going to learn and get the good of it?
Teachers can teach til they're blue in the face, and their hearts come out, but it's up to the students to take it in, so Lord, this psalmist is a good student because he meditates upon, considers, and delight in Your teaching. What's more, he does not neglect Your Word.
The combination of all of these elements can help us too, in keeping pure. Thank-You for giving us these "ways and means" Father. It's up to us now, to put them to good use.
There's an expression, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink." You've given us Your Word, Your Holy Spirit, and we can ask for You to teach us Your will and ways via these ways and means. Yet, do we joyfully rejoice, do we seek, so we do not stray? That was the desire of this Psalm writer. He did not want to stray from them. He wanted You to teach them with the desire for him to keep them.
Father, I ask You to teach and keep me too, in all the ways You have for me. So often we want to jump off that track. Father keep all of Your children on the right track. Help us to make a habit of meditating, considering and reciting Your words. Consequently, when we do, the desired effect of being pure and living a life of integrity will emerge.
Yes, we make mistakes and You, Heavenly Father, forgive the repentant heart. Generally, although we can never attain 100% purity here on earth, we are moving and keeping in the right direction of being and keeping pure, because You are pure. We want to imitate and emulated You, dear Father.
Keep us pure and ever cleaving to Your Word.
I ask in Jesus most Holy Name.
~ERC July 2020~
Based on Psalm 119:9-16 (Beth)
LORD, You say, "Blessed are those whose ways are blameless," who walk in Your Law, keep your statutes, and seek You with all their heart. Give us that heart, Father, that would truly wish to seek and walk and be blameless.
We know that those of us who have accepted Your Son Jesus as Lord and Savior, have been given Your Holy Spirit to indwell us, to aid and abet us in following You. However, knowing this and actually living according to this as if part of our natural spiritual DNA, is something else. Your poor fickle human creatures are so hard put to stick to the straight and narrow.
Nevertheless, You have given us a free will and when we do choose to follow Your will, we will indeed be blessed by You. We know this because Your Word says so and this gives us reason to hope.
You have laid down these precepts, statutes, decrees, and laws, to be fully obeyed. Lord, help our picking and choosing of only the ones which suits us. If like this, it does show we are not truly blameless nor 100% full of integrity.
Thinking of this human dilemma in conjunction with a saying from Confucius, that ancient Chinese sage of yesteryears, who is purported to have imparted this morsel of wisdom,
"If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake."
Praise to You, though, Father that we do not have to go it alone. You are in the business of transforming us; helping us to rectify that which is necessary. This sanctification, may be slow, but Father, may it be steady. May there be forward movement in this process. We thank and praise You that this does happen.
Also, when we follow Your ways, we will become steadfast. A beautiful "benefit" to not be so easily shaken when the storms and earthquakes of life befall us or those times of false doctrine threatening to be imposed, etc. May our foundations hold more firmly in You and Your Words; our edge of obeying them and being blessed by them.
Lord, then we wouldn't be put to shame. There's no shame in keeping Your word as there may well be in NOT keeping them if our lives go in a wrong way. Lord, keep us ever cleaving to Your side. Yes, this is our choice; You are steadfast. You are there, You never move.
It is our choice. Help though, through You Holy Spirit, to make the right choices, everyday. Bring it to our attention, mold and meld our will to Yours. Lord, then surely, we can hold our heads high with Your dignity and not be shamed because we have been following Your will, ways, word and statutes, and living in step with the Holy Spirit. This as the Holy Spirit leads and guides as we submit to You. In so doing we can be blessed.
With this type of blessing, I'm not talking about riches or possessions; material goods, but to be blessed spiritually, leading a spiritual life-in You, Father-and draw closer to You. That is blessing in and of itself.
Yet Lord, should You bestow material wealth upon any one of us, may we remember from Whom they have come and use them for Your glory and honor and the furtherance of Your kingdom, laying up treasure in heaven for You.
There are many of Your servants who do, do that. I praise You and thank You for that. Then indeed we can praise You from an upright heart, with a good, clear conscience, and continue to learn and obey Your laws.
Here the Psalmist asks You not to utterly forsake him and we can ask that too even though we know very well you have said You will,
"...never leave us nor forsake us..." (Hebrews 13:5 NIV).
We have the promise that You still like Your children asking for things, to show You that we do fully want You in our life. Therefore, I echo, "do not forsake me". I need You every hour in my life. Help me and all Your children to ever depend upon You and to ever draw closer to You because You are close to us.
Ever in awe of You and Your Words, Father, and it's in Your Son Jesus' Name we can commune with You.
~ERC July 2020~
Based on Psalm 119:1-8; Aleph
Sing, Praise the Savior
Father, thank-You, I give You thanks that Your steadfast love endures forever; that Your mercy endures forever. As we look at Psalm 136, we can see there is so much the Psalmist was thankful for. How You wrought Your wonders, throughout the history of the Israelites, for them, from creation forward, and because Your love and mercy endure forever.
You helped the Israelites get out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm
"because Your love endures forever!"
Further to that, You helped them escape when You divided the Red Sea. The Israelites could then walk across on dry ground,
"because Your steadfast love and mercy endure forever".
You were that Father, that wonderful Father, their Protector, who was their Guide, their "Escape Artist", if you will, assisting them to escape from the Egyptians. Then You protected them throughout the wilderness wanderings, the many times they were attacked by kings from other nations. You freed them from their enemies, time after time. You fed them when they were hungry.
The Psalmist thanks You for all the manifold times of help and assistance You gave them throughout all those years. Father help too, to remember that in our lives, we need the same facilitation, and whenever You help us, may we too, give You thanks and remember, always, Your
"steadfast love and mercy endures forever".
May we never forget this. May we always remember and give You praise.
In Jesus Name we praise.
~ERC February 2020~
(originally prayed)
Based on Psalm 136
Sing, The Steadfast Love of the Lord Never Ceases, by Maranatha Singers
There's a plethora of books out there on the subject of praying and I've read some of them. I have to say that this one that I've recently read is having the most grand impact and that's why I'm excited to share it with you...
Watch out though when you read Praying the Bible by Donald S. Whitney. You won't have enough hours in your day to pray. You'll learn how to pray but not how to stop! Simple but revolutionary! From the boring "same old, same old" cliches about the the same old things you will bring revival to how you commune with your Heavenly Father. You will speak "His language".
You will definitely read your Bible and pray every day; even possibly, all day long.
~ERC January 2020~
Heavenly Father, LORD, we come into Your presence as we go up to Your courts to worship, to give thanks, to remember Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection. As we go in to Your presence, there, what offering do we bring as we enter?
Are we offering our grumbling, our complaints, or are we offering our praise, to You? The praise of our lips, the sacrifice of praise to Your holy Name is the better choice, we know. Sometimes, praise is a big sacrifice because we have so much dissatisfaction we'd rather spew.
However, may that sacrifice of praise be upon our lips as we ascribe glory and honor to Your Name. As we ascribe praise to Your strength, Your awesomeness, Your authority and power and Your unfailing, sacrificial love, may we bow down our hearts and tremble before You, make Your people tremble more, realizing the reverence due Your Name. Let there be absolutely no apathy, no taking for granted, Your holiness, and our desperate need to look up to You in total, wholehearted dependence.
As we come into Your presence LORD, help us to understand this, that You reign; You reign in our lives. You reign. We praise.
"May the heavens and earth rejoice and be glad. May the seas resound and the fields be jubilant. The trees of the forest sing for joy" (Psalm 96: 11-13 NIV).
Creation praises You.
This reminds me of the time when Jesus was entering into Jerusalem, a humble "grand entrance" on donkey back. A wild little donkey that had just been miraculously transformed into a tamed-by-Jesus, little donkey. The crowds were jubilantly rejoicing and loudly proclaiming that their King had come; a king who was coming in the name of the LORD.
The Pharisees got all hot and bothered and annoyed and asked Jesus to make the people be quiet. Amusingly, Jesus told them, if the throngs keep quiet, the stones would cry out! Creation cannot be hushed from praising You, its Creator!
Oh that we would grasp this in depth and learn to praise You noisily, Father. We get so abashed to do so, wondering what others will think of us. Focus our attention and praise on You. This would be a kind of sacrifice of our self-consciousness, learning to praise with abandon.
We praise You as our Righteous Judge, as in time to come You will judge the world in righteousness. The people, in truth, because even now, the peoples of the earth are NOT full of justice and truth. In fact, it seems blatantly the opposite; falsehoods erupting exponentially, of late. They look for loopholes out of and to avoid, justice and truth. BUT...Father You will reign in righteousness, truth, power, splendor and majesty. We look forward to that precious day!
I'm not a singer/song-writer, per se, Lord. Help me to make it a habit, though, a way of life, as part of my DNA, to sing praises unto You. To NOT slander or cast slurs upon others, rather to sing Your praises, to bless You and others. With such singing and speaking of kind words, bringing this offering of sweet-to-You fragrance and praise, to You. I lay it at Your feet, Father.
When we go up to Your house, to meet together with other fellow believers, may praises to You be upon our lips and roll off our tongues as we give thanks together with the "two's and three's" in Your presence. You will be there, You said so, so we had better be there too.
May such offerings be acceptable in Your sight as we pass the bread and wine one to another, partaking and drinking thereof, together, each Lord's Day, in remembrance of Jesus' death and resurrection for us. This too is part of our offering to You.
Thank-You, Father.
Thank-You, Jesus.
It is in Jesus Holy Name we pray, praise and remember.
~ERC June 2020~
(originally prayed/written)
Based on Psalm 96
Sing along, All Creatures of Our God and King by Sovereign Grace Music
The Blind Beggar makes me laugh. He asks what the crowd's commotion is all about and learns Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. At last, he gets his chance and calls out,
"Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Luke 18:38 NIV).
The crowd, essentially, tells him, "Shut up!"
Ha, ha, the guy shouts even louder! He's undeterred. No sirree! He'll not be silenced.
This, yet another person of society from the looked down upon echelon the crowd wanted to hush, teaches us a lesson. Have you ever shouted when you've prayed? Have you ever kept at it? Try it sometime. That's part of taking our stresses, anxieties, sicknesses, and limitations to the One True God who can help. The Blind Beggar was unashamed to shout. He was persistent, too. Look where it got him.
I think it was a BIG factor, combined with a couple of others, that caused Jesus to stop for him.
One of Jesus' purposeful appointments to keep.
Look at the title he gave Jesus: "Son of David". Whatever could this mean? How did he even know to address Jesus by this title?
This hearkens all the way back to the Old Testament, King David, and God's promise to him. David had lived for the most part, a very upright, righteous life and had a close relationship with, and dependence upon, God. God rewarded David by pledging to David that he'd always have a descendant upon the throne, forever.
Delve back into the history of ancient China, for instance, to compare. There were so many different dynasties: Xia, Shang, Western Zhou, Eastern Zhou (the Period of the Warring States time that lasted 100's of years); down to the Qin Dynasty where Qin Shihuang unified China, then on to the Han, the Jin...to the final ones, the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Yes, some lasted hundreds of years, but that's all. Ever changing; never, forever.
Swivel back to the Bible again. Before King David, there was King Saul. King Saul"s "dynasty" was only himself. He never had a son on the throne after him. The kingdom was put into David's capable shepherd hands, and character of integrity. Yes, he had his terrible perpetration of adultery and murder, and paid the price and consequences in the death of four of his sons! Yet, he had a repentant heart and sought God's forgiveness and God forgave him (don't get me wrong, I'm NOT minimizing, nor condoning the seriousness of David's crimes).
From then on, David lived humbly and in the good of God's forgiveness, accepting the punishment with humility, yet with trust and dependence upon God; living in the fear, reverence and awe of His Almighty Advocate, Deliverer, Rock, Fortress and Great Shepherd, and even, I might add, his "Best Friend".
God's promise was then forthcoming and we see proof of that delineated for us in the genealogy recorded in Matthew chapter 1. You can read the whole chapter but here are the verses in focus, to highlight...Luke 1:1 & 2 (NIV),
"A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the Son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers..."
Follow that down to verse 6,
"...and Jesse the father of King David..."
There's our man. King David.
"...David was the father of Solomon..."
Skip down again to verses 16 & 17,
"...and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."
"Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ."
Do you know how many generations in all? Three groups of fourteen equals...
Forty-two!
What's more, Who is the current King?
Jesus, the Christ!
Doesn't that continuity totally amaze, astound and astonish, you?!
Do you ascertain the significance of the title of "Son of David"?
The Blind Beggar "got it". He believed that Jesus was THE descendant of David! The rightful king, in fact. He may have been looked down upon by others, but he knew and acknowledged Who Jesus was. Here, after about four hundred silent years; silence from God, was their King, the Son and descendant of David.
That's gripping!
The Jewish nation had been looking out for just such a Deliverer. They believed that their Christ, the Messiah, would deliver Israel from her enemies (the Romans at the time under the cruel Caesar Augustus @ Nero), and would then reign forever (2 Samuel 7:16). Here was the Promised One: THE Son of David, Jesus' royal description.
It must have been rather disappointing then for the Jewish people when this did not transpire. Jesus had not come to rescue the nation, no, His purpose was far greater: to rescue all of mankind by going to the cross and gaining our way of salvation. This is our Rescuer.
Let's get back to the roadside...What does Jesus do when He hears His title SHOUTED? He stops. He orders those shusher-uppers to bring the man to him. Another little chuckle there. Jesus has a way of really keeping people on their toes.
Then Jesus asks, "What do you want?
Ha. What a question to ask! Wasn't it obvious? If you were blind and determined to go to the One who You knew could help you to see, and that One knew what you actually wanted, and could help...Well, why ask what the guy wanted?
Oh yeah, he was a beggar too. Money or your sight? Which one would you help out with? Or, rather, could you help with?
Jesus is God and He is omniscient, and He knew very well what the fellow wanted, yet still, He asked him what his heart was set upon.
We, too, can ask the obvious. God knows. Yes. However, as our Father, He wants to hear us say it, ask it, and say it specifically. He delights to hear our voice of dependence.
Many fathers like to hear their children talk to them. Although some may treat their Dad's like ATM machines, they want the connect, and we may even treat God that way, with a wish list, yet our Heavenly Father has said in His Word to "ask...seek...knock" (Luke 11:9 & 10).
Those who ask, receive; those who seek, find; and those who knock, have doors opened. Show your dependence upon Him. This is what He wants. Yes, He knows what's in our minds and hearts, yet speak with Him anyway. Speak to Him today.
The Blind Beggar did, well, not today but a way back when...
Jesus' further response was to heal the man and now he can see. Jesus affirms,
"Your faith has healed you" (verse 42).
This is just like He said to the 1/10 lepers that were healed and came back to thank and praise Jesus (Luke 17:11-19 NIV). Jesus remarks,
"Rise and go, your faith has made you well."
You know, part of praying unashamedly, humbly, specifically, persistently and expectantly, is doing so wrapped in faith. Think of this wee example, that of a string of pearls. The individual pearls are like the elements of prayer, the persistence, etc. The thread, or string, that runs through each 'bead' is faith, connecting and creating something very beautiful.
The result of healing, which happened, "at once" and "immediately" (v. 41), was that the man received his sight, yes, but he also ups and follows Jesus, giving thanks. The ripple effect was the throngs, seeing it all, began praising God right along with the ex-blind beggar.
What about us? Let's pray too, follow Jesus no matter what, give thanks, whether or not our prayers are answered, how and when we wish. Praise God through Jesus and tell others of God's wonderful help and healing in our lives. Just maybe they'll praise God and be encouraged to live their lives for Jesus, the Son of God and David, our forever King.
Father we thank You we can ask of You, even shout, showing our determination and unashamedness, asking specifically, persistently, and humbly, with reverence, expecting answers from You, since You always have Your ear opened to our call. We can come to You in our sickness, distresses and anxieties of life. Thank-You. We praise You in and through the Name of Jesus, the Son of David. Long live King Jesus! We know He will!
May God Almighty bless you with a day full of joy and happiness in Him.
~ERC June 2020~
Based on Luke 18:35-43 NIV.
Sing, I Pray in Faith, by Janice Kapp Perry
What did persistent widows, tax collectors and children have in common back in Bible times?
The stigma of, "of little value and importance"; looked down upon and who would want to bother with them.
So saying, what is this?!
People with babies converging upon Jesus!
What ever for?
Well, they wanted Jesus to "place His hands on their babies and children," of all things! Perhaps they wanted His blessing or Jesus' healing touch upon them.
That seemed rather presumptuous to the disciples.
Why?
Some clues could be that the infant/child mortality rate was high and a significant majority of the young didn't make it to adulthood. There were precious few, if any, vaccines back then and it's well-known antibiotics were not available, as yet, for eras. Consequently, death rates were high. Therefore, if a wee person wasn't going to make it to adulthood--the child would be seen to have minimal value. A dim view, I know.
Thus, the disciples scolding the parents, telling them not to bother Jesus. Their attitudes had imbibed societies' outlook; the young and slaves (also termed "children") were not to be taken notice of nor to be entertained. Why bother Jesus and take up His time. Couldn't the people see Jesus was busy with "more important" work?
It takes you aback some seeing as how the disciples had already spent considerable time on the road with Jesus by this time and should have guessed, at least, Jesus' take on the matter. After all, they'd recently heard His parables about the persistent widow and the praying tax collector; two other categories of people looked down upon, where Jesus is more or less making a pointed point that they are, indeed, of worth.
My feeling is, the disciples should have hesitated to shoo the people and children away from Jesus. Strange that they did not.
Remember Luke 17:1-4 where Jesus talks about rebuking, repentance and forgiving? Here's an occasion for rebuking. Jesus rebukes His disciples for barring the young from Him. Jesus then called the children to Himself and announced,
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Luke 18:16 NIV).
He punches that on further by making extra note of them, using this as a teaching moment for another good lesson, and vilifying the peoples' desire for Jesus to place His hands on their children.
Jesus goes on to say that the Kingdom of God belongs to
"...such as these..."
So called, "helpless and frail" children, have wholehearted trust, were in a humble position, and were therefore more ready to receive the Kingdom of God as a gift from Him.
Children can think, but compared to adults, their reasoning power has not yet been honed to ask more questions or make excuses to hinder themselves from coming into the Kingdom of God. They have the tendency for greater dependency upon their parents and accepting hearts to receive what they are told.
Yes, that could be tricky, especially with con artists around, yet, Jesus' point was that adults could and should take note that they too, need to have that kind of total dependence upon God, their Heavenly Father.
After all, salvation is totally the work of God. Any merits or achievements we think we might have can't help even one iota! It's...
"...by God's grace we are saved, through faith (Ephesians 2:8).
A gift spawned from God's grace.
What a wonderful "object" lesson Jesus unfolded to the disciples, and to the milling, listening crowds. Don't underestimate the child, widow, nor the tax collector segment of society, either. No discrimination.
Taking a breather, step back and review what we've learned the past while about the Kingdom of God before pressing on to the next segment of verses.
So what do we know?
The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed which can grow from the tiniest of seeds into a tree capable of sheltering birds who favor building their nests therein. This is symbolic in that people from all nations: North, South, East and West, will come and shelter in the Kingdom of God through God's grace and salvation, and that through Jesus Christ.
No one can say, "Here it is," or "There it is," yet it's influence is noticed, similarly to how you can see the effects of the wind against the trees, grass and our wind-blown hair. The influence is also akin to yeast in bread; again, it can't be seen but the evidence of raising bread, tells you of its presence.
Life within people of faith gives evidence of the Kingdom of God within them, in the way their attitudes and character are shaped and sculpted by their obedience to God's will and ways as learned from His Word.
The Kingdom of God comes suddenly. Before they know it, faith has done its work and one here and one there come to Christ. Of course, in the end, the Kingdom of God, with Jesus the King, will reign and rule on earth in a millennium to come.
Now we have learned that a person must humbly enter the Kingdom of God, as a child, with wholehearted trust, openly receptive and by God's grace, in full dependency upon Him. What more could there be?
Enter the rich Jewish leader into Jesus' space. He calls Jesus "good"; "good Teacher".
Was he trying to flatter or gain favor from Jesus? Did he truly believe Jesus to be "good"? Did he believe Jesus to be God? Apparently, back then, the term "good" was reserved for addressing God and God, alone, designating one of His attributes (info gleaned from SPM book footnotes).
So which was the man's perspective?
It seems to be the flatter rather than the latter, judging from Jesus' confronting him. Jesus, knew the man's heart and goes for it. The man says he has kept all those commandments, yet Jesus knows he lacks one thing which was of utmost essential need.
Did the man hear correctly?
"Sell all you possess and give to the poor and you will have riches in Heaven; then come follow Me"! (vs 22 NIV)
What?
"Sell all!?"
The man could not take it. He became "very sad" because he was "very rich" (vs 23). This man was attempting to save his life.
Hearken back to Luke 11:33 (NIV), which tell us,
"Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it."
The man had counted the cost, found it too great, and that he could not "spend" his earthly wealth and possessions for heavenly riches. No wonder his heavy sadness.
If he had used his wealth to buy treasure in heaven he would have been able to go on his way blessed and rejoicing. His wealth was his 'god'.
Truly,
"...no man can serve two masters...you cannot serve both God and money" (Luke 16:13 NIV).
Isn't it great that Jesus didn't say it was "impossible" for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God? He just said it was "hard" (vs 24). There is allowance, and praise God for those brothers and sisters in Christ, who our Heavenly Father has endowed with over and above finances, and who use it generously for His glory and honor, and furthering the Kingdom of God, buying treasure in Heaven.
Jesus loved to tell mini-stories from every day life, to illustrate His point. He talks about the camel having difficulties going through the eye of the needle. Likely this reference was NOT the sewing needle, rather a place in Jerusalem where there was a very small passage, which, in order for camels to get through, they had to some how kneel down and crawl through. Their heavy burdens removed in aid of that. All round, an awkward, difficult manoeuvre.
The incredulous listeners exclaimed,
"Who then can be saved?"
Who then, indeed!
Human beings bump up against many obstacles in becoming "like a child" and simply accepting Jesus Christ, the Door into the kingdom of God or even to living the God-honoring life once they are in the Kingdom.
What are your obstacles? Think about it. Pray and seek God's help to overcome. Don't make the tragic decision as the rich Jewish leader did. Only our full dependence on Christ leads us to, and through "The Door" into His Kingdom.
Riches or anything else we've achieved, are God's sign of blessing and we need to use them for Him, exercising accountable stewardship thereof. Don't allow riches to be an obstacle, rather, turn them into an asset, serving you, and more importantly, God and His purposes.
Peter's boast makes you chuckle. In Luke chapter 18 and verse 28 he declares,
"We have left all we had to follow You."
Oh my, he was so pleased with himself and his cohorts.
Talk about patting yourself on the back. Yes, he and his brother Andrew; their partners, James and John, and the others truly, "left all". In Peter's case his source of income: fishing boat and nets. This is a huge thing, no doubt about it. They had counted the cost but sounded a bit proud about it.
God's Word says,
"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."
We need to watch out for pride.
I know of a brother, who had had a very good paying job, and who did leave all. He and his wife had had six children, all of them, as yet still underfoot, therefore they had eight mouths to feed, bodies to clothe, and heads to cover with a roof. All this without confirmed income, except that God's Word had said He'd supply all their needs.
They left father, mother and country to "follow Jesus" in the call the parents had had on their lives in the service of the King to 'buy" treasure for heaven and the Kingdom of God. Yet, in all the decades of humble, faithful following, not once did they go without a meal except, by choice. They were always clothed, and always protected by a roof.
Many others have faithfully and sincerely done likewise, also minus the pride.
Yet, this boast of 'goodness" could be an obstacle. The Jewish leader was not a bad man; in fact, he must have been very righteous if he'd truly kept all of God's commandments. Perhaps he thought he was "good enough" and the "lack" Jesus pinpointed was not really so crucial--he could have philosophized.
Let us beware of pride and any other hindrance that could set in and hold us back from full dependence on our Heavenly Father. Don't depend on self. Our hearts can deceive us if we're not careful (Jeremiah 17:9). Examine your hearts and minds; count the cost and humbly, wholeheartedly, put your hand in the hand of Jesus, and come, follow Him, unswervingly onward, till He comes.
Follow, "like a child".
~ERC June 2020~
Based on Luke 18:15-17 and 18-30.
Song, as sung by Johnny Cash and an appearance of others, like Anne Murray, singing, Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man
Heavenly Father, I feel a bit stunned today from reading Psalm 66. This Psalm starts out with shouts of joy and singing in praise to You and how awesome Your works were on men's behalf, but when we read, down a bit in the Psalm, although the Psalmist is still praising You due to the preserved lives, and Your not letting their feet slip, You still tested Your people severely.
They had to be brought through so much. They went into "prison" and burdens were laid upon their backs; You let men ride over their heads--sounds like colossal injustice; they went through fire and water. Why, all that?
Thankfully on the other side, You did bring them to a place of abundance.
Father, many times, Your people have been tested, almost beyond their endurance level; persecuted; falsely accused; and even actually sent to literal prison. They have endured so much. Yet in many situations, You found places of abundance for them. You did have mercy on them.
We fragile human beings wonder at these things. However, Father, You are sovereign, and understand You have a purpose and plan for each one who goes through turbulent waters.
I remember reading many such accounts of when Your people have been locked up and even left without food. In one instance, a hen came and laid an egg, daily, within one brother's reach but out of sight of the captors' notice. So his "abundance" was one daily, freshly-laid egg and knowing You had not forgotten him.
In another story, there was a man in China, likely in the 1960's, who was grievously maltreated for His faith in You and Jesus Christ. He was placed in a cell full of men who were hardened criminals of the worst caliber.
This lot were told that this man was worse then themselves and to treat him accordingly. Yet the love of Jesus exuded from this man and he continuously "turned the other cheek". These malefactors began to see it through the haze of their callous character. This son of Yours, heaped coals of the fire of Your love, grace and mercy upon their heads causing some life-changing effects upon the men.
In turn, the love of Jesus and Your grace, Father, turned the tide, and almost every single one in that crowded jail cell came to Christ (if I recall correctly) because of this brother's willingness to have such burdens upon his back, and have these men ride, sanctioned by jail house keepers, over his head. Yet, You preserved his life and kept his feet from slipping an brought him to that place of abundance where he could harvest treasure for Heaven, for You.
No doubt there are many other such stories. However, there are other sad stories of those who did not survive such treatment but who had remained faithful and courageous for You. Their "abundance" was to be with You. We can only believe that their deaths were not in vain.
For those who are even now enduring such atrocities, may it be that by the grace of God they'll stand true and firm for You, and NOT be shaken. I ask that they have the courage it takes as the apostle Paul did as we read of in the epistles in the New Testament. Some of the other apostles and disciples: "ordinary", everyday disciples for Jesus Christ, also stood up firmly to such tests. In fact, in the Bible times and all down throughout the ages since, each have their generations of brothers and sisters-in-Christ who have had the courage that could only have emanated from You, Father, and the love of Jesus Christ, to stand firm.
Father, as we consider Your preservation of these people, may we indeed have songs of praise, a sacrifice from our lips, to You. May all who fear You come and listen and share with one another all those works You have done for the people of God; Jew and Gentile, alike. Testimonies of how they have cried out to You and praised You because, Father, You surely listen and hear the voices of prayer and praise.
Father, help us not to cherish sin in our hearts. Help us to confess it to You because we know You will listen, forgive and purify us from all our sin (1 John 1:9). We know You will not reject the repentant heart. You will not withhold Your love from us when those burdens come to us. In fact, you go many extra miles for us.
Thank-you for preserving our lives.
I give You thanks in the wonderful and precious Name of Jesus Christ.
~ERC February 2020~
(originally prayed)
Prayer based on Psalm 66.
"Whatever is He talking about!? puzzled the disciples. "What does Jesus mean by informing us He's to suffer and die and rise again in three days!? This is the third time He's predicting such an unfathomable occurrence and we still can't understand what He's trying to tell us" (Luke 9:22; 43-45 and Luke 18:31-43)!
It was just too unthinkable for them. How could this sort of tragedy befall the most wonderfully, compassionate, kind and good Person!? They just could not understand it.
It is suggested in the study guide (SPM*) that the meaning had been hidden from the disciples because, as yet, they had not internalized the values of the Kingdom of God. Therefore, they were not yet ready to "get it'.
After Jesus prediction had come to pass and He had been resurrected and was on the verge of ascending back into Heaven, the disciples' minds were opened by Him and then they understood (Luke 24:45-49). Later on, once they had received the Holy Spirit, they understood much more, again, of all that Jesus had taught over those three years since He'd said to them, "Come, follow Me" and they had done just that.
Similarly, if we too, internalize God's Word, we will be more apt to understand His will and ways. When we "hide God's Word in our hearts" and obey it, hence comes that understanding and internalization.
That's, "making it your own," as if its part of your DNA. Then it will come naturally to you, especially with the help of the Holy Spirit, as well as to listen with open ears, minds and hearts to His leading.
Wonderful to know though, that in addition to this, at our disposal is our own mouths, if they are used to "ask". Ask the Lord to open our understanding. "Father, what is it You want me to know, to learn, to do?" Ask to make our minds and hearts ready to receive His answer; to make us ready to "get it".
Surely then, our understanding of the Scriptures will make us "wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:15) and teach us how to live to please and honor our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. What's more, to also establish an unsurpassed and unshakable relationship with our Heavenly Father. That would be a connection to expect the unexpected, in an amazing grace-filled manner.
For the disciples, though, it hadn't all sunken into their minds, perhaps, the idea was so foreign to them--so different from whatever they had experienced in all their grown up lives. They were adults and had experienced much and seen much of life. They were so Jewish (not a bad thing) and according to their teachings and way of life, this kind of thing had never happened.
Yes, they'd walked the dusty roads with Jesus for three solid years and had witnessed many 'foreign' things : miraculous healings; Jesus compassion for women, especially widows; tax collectors and even children! Hey! They even saw Him raise a young damsel, Lazarus and a widow's only son from the dead.
That made many people stop dead in their tracks! Raising a dead man at a funeral!? What next? Totally mind-boggling! Nevertheless, to have someone resurrect?! Never to die again! How could this be?
Recall, to rise from the dead, these now living souls, would once again, die. In contrast, to resurrect, means that to come alive again, and to stay so. By the end of this book of Luke we find that Jesus did do just that! Just think, this will also happen to those of us who have fallen, and will fall, asleep in Jesus, before the rapture. They/we will rise first and be caught up to Heaven, together, with those of God's children still living, to meet our Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
Doesn't that make your heart sing?
All praise to our Abba, Father in Heaven!
Shifting the topic a bit, here's a question for you. Who do you think killed Jesus and got this prediction started? Was it the Jews? Was it the Gentiles? After all, Jesus said He was going to be handed over to the Gentiles. So, who was the who, who handed Him over and killed Him?
It was all of us! All human kind.
"All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Jesus suffered and died in our stead. He took the punishment, the debt, owed for the atonement of all our sins. In effect, then, none of us can point any fingers at one people group or another. We need to point at our self, admit we are a sinner; repent, confess our sins to God, and accept His gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. In so doing, we make Him Savior and Lord of our life.
I pray that Your hearts and minds are opened to this understanding and gift God our Maker, and Jesus our Redeemer, have obtained for His human creatures.
That being said, we do know that God often uses mankind to fulfill His sovereign will and purposes. It was the Jewish leaders who handed Jesus over to the Gentiles. The Gentiles, in this case, being the Romans under whose rule they were encaptured.
So saying, because the Jews could not perpetrate the sentencing and death penalty, they were seeking, they "handed Jesus over" to their captors, the Romans.
That was only part of the motivation. Another being the more true catalyst, was their jealousy turned to hatred of Jesus. Jesus showed them up. He was kind and good to the crowds; the crowds instinctively knew He was speaking with authority and not with pomp as many of the Pharisees likely did. This, a conclusion to how the Pharisees in Jesus' parable had prayed; and the pride that oozed from his pores and even that of the rich young ruler who'd come to Jesus seeking what more he had to do to inherit eternal life (Luke 18:18-30). The crowds also followed Jesus in hordes, popular for having fed them (what a feat! Jesus came from a poor family, you know. How could He have afforded such a feast? And for so many!)
The list goes on...He healed many of their diseases, sicknesses; the blind, lame and deaf, etc.; not forgetting the raisings from the dead. The people were drawn to Jesus. This irritated, annoyed and angered the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Jealousy and hatred festered away in their hearts, culminating in handing Jesus over to the Gentiles with insistent shouts of, "Crucify Him!" "Crucify Him!"
What did the Roman Gentiles do? They insulted Jesus; made fun of him; spit on Him, whipped Him...and killed Him. All this He endured, for me and for you.
All this took place in Jerusalem, as Jesus had foretold. How though, did the Jews "trick" the Romans into doing their bidding? So tricky and subtle. They used the Law.
Being under the Romans who had a mighty empire at the time with, naturally, an Emperor whom they called Caesar, anyone else who claimed to be a king come to set up a kingdom was a threat that had to be taken seriously, for it was a serious crime. One could not have another stirring up rebellions and creating a coup. No siree!
This is the element the Jews latched on to, Jesus' claim to be the king of the Jews and equal with God. To the Jews, this was blasphemy: a man (to them Jesus was only a man--at least, they did not want to admit He was more), claiming to be God, should be put to death.
Perhaps some legitimately believed that He was only a man albeit a very good one. Whatever, the combined result was Jesus being handed over to the Gentiles. Sure enough, He suffered, died and resurrected. Praise God for all of that! What Satan intends for harm, God converts into good.
Think on all of this as you partake of the bread and drink of the cup on any given Lord's Day. Pass these emblems one to another and praise God, our Heavenly Father, and Jesus our Lord and Savior for all He has done and is doing in your life; especially His ultimate sacrifice, given from a heart full of love for me and for you.
No one will ever plumb the depths of God and His sovereign will and what Jesus went through for us, but we can understand some of the tip of that iceberg, and therefore, to a limited degree, be able to "get it".
~ERC June 2020~
Based on Luke 18:31-34.
*SPM = Study Guide for Grade 11 Students in Malaysia; Good News Resources, and Issachar Sdn. Bhd.; nineth printing 2011; writer, Goh Kim Guat
Sing reverently, There is a Redeemer, Keith Green.
How did David know? How did he know this about angels?
"Praise the LORD, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His bidding, who obey His Word" (Psalm 103:20 NIV).
David wrote: "angels do God's bidding" and "obey His Word".
Maybe there was more angel-mortal encounters back then; more visions and dreams of angel activity and bringing of messages in ancient times. Right off the bat I can think of the Jacob and the ladder of ascending and descending angels to Heaven and back, dream. A dream he had while he slept on his rock pillow (Genesis 28:10-19); of Abraham being visited and given the message about a son to be born to him--such joyful, almost unbelievable news. He had other interaction with angels, reporting and warning of coming judgement upon Sodom and Gomorrah; Lot was visited by those same angels come to bring the destruction. They practically dragged Lot and family out of the twin cities to ensure their safety (Genesis 18-19); Ezekiel (Chapters 1 and 10) had visions of them.
Was it from these types of experiences that David deduced his "findings"? Perhaps. However, the point is that the angels obeyed God's Word and did His bidding and he is asking them, "all His Heavenly hosts," these "God's servants," to praise the LORD. Seems obedience to God is linked to praising Him.
This Psalm division actually opens with David exhorting himself, not just in his mind, but from his "innermost being", to "praise the LORD". He really loves doing this. In other Psalms, he speaks of enjoying it, especially when others join in and go to the Tabernacle (House of God), to praise the LORD together with others.
We think of humans praising the Lord for all He has done for us and even of encouraging others to praise, to give thanks with gratitude in our hearts for all He has done. Yet, this is more praise for Who He is that David's referring to. Praise because He is the: Redeemer, Rock, Refuge, Fortress; Deliverer; our Maker and many more...
David is not content just for himself and other people to praise God in adoration of Him, he wants the angels to join in. From the book of Revelation we can see that the angels do. Their praise rings out together with the myriads of redeemed saints; in fact it's quite "noisy" in Heaven with it all and the other activities that took place in John's visions (Revelation 5:11, 12; 7:11, 12; 15:1-4). Yet, David would not have known this.
If you read the whole of Psalm 103, you'll discover other aspects of God's character David specifically mentioned. We too, can praise God for these!
"Father God, thank-You for Your forgiveness of our sins"; for "healing our diseases", for "redeeming our lives form the pit" and "crowning us with Your love and compassion". You have given us good things that we can respectively enumerate, and can renew our "youth" like the eagles'.
Father, as one approaches the age of 60 years, in the near future, this verse seems rather apropos as I do not feel very youthful. Nonetheless, David must have found this to be true, so I'll take his word for it, that there's potential renewal in these praisin' bones yet. Shake a leg...
The list goes on..."the LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed." Praise You, LORD for this especially at this time in the USA of all the demonstrations re: rife racism. Father, we praise you that you can help here too, and in the conflict currently between the Korea's. May Your righteousness, mitigation and justice reign in those places like it's a forgone conclusion.
We praise you for Your compassion and graciousness. Spread this mantle over us and make it radiate out to others in "ripple effect". May these ripples nip at the heels of others and make them burst into praise too.
Your love is so great for Your mankind creatures. Thank-You for this love that compelled action. That action that would remove our sins and transgressions far, far from us: as "far as the east is from the west". Your everlasting love encompasses us. What wondrous love this is!
In Jesus Name we praise You, Father.
This might seem a bit creepy to some but I'm going to say it anyway...
The angels are watching, watching us (1 Corinthians 11:10) to see how we do.
The angels are also praising.
Let's all praise the LORD for "all His works" and for who He is. I still don't know how David knew but let's...join the obedient angels, praising our Heavenly Father, anyway.
~ERC June 2020~
Based on Psalm 103.
Sing, Praise Him in the Morning by pcm church
I will Praise Him, Give Him Glory as sung by Bill and Gloria Gaither's Music
