Good Book - Slave Again

 

Have you ever heard of LiNK or Liberty for North Korea?  This is an organization somewhat reminiscent of the the underground railroad in the USA that helped the slaves escape to a life of freedom in Canada.  This LiNK, of course, is directed to North Korean refugees to find liberation to a life of freedom in other countries than their own.

If a North Korean escapes from North Korea into China, there's brief window of opportunity to rescue, rest and of removal from harm's way; i.e. being arrested and sent back to North Korea, for severe punishment.

This book, Slave Again, by Alana Terry, although a work of fiction, embraces resemblant stories from true life experiences.  This is rather a suspenseful novel and I suppose, gives us a small glimpse of what citizens from North Korea endure.

The protagonist, Mee-Kyong, had been in a prison camp.  She escaped, and eventually found her way across the border into China, helped by the trickery of unscrupulous people, and she ended up forced into the slavery of the sex trade.

Enter LiNk-type rescue...

The author of this book does her bit by helping raise funds for Liberty in North Korea and their underground railway to emancipation.  She also raises awareness of other such injustices as read about in this book.  This is the first ever book I've read of hers but the several others she's written look intriguing.

                                                      ~ERC  September 2020~

Who is Questioning Whom?

 

Jesus was having quite a week, and it was only three days in.  On Sunday, He had had His "grand entrance", on tamed donkey back, into Jerusalem; adoring crowds shouting in celebration much to the annoyance of the religious leaders.  On Monday, He had made His whip and then chased the money-changers, merchants and animal merchandise out of the Court of the Gentiles rebukingly announcing to those "religious" folks, that His Father's house of prayer had been turned into a marketplace!  Shame on them.  How could they have done such a thing!

Once He had cleared out the Court, He then taught the people while they clung on to every single word He uttered.  That seemed to have carried over to the next day, as on Tuesday, He was found continuing His teaching discourse to the people.

We often find Jesus teaching-most often in parables.  As He navigated the dusty roads between Galilee and Jerusalem, and sites in between, folks found Him healing, casting out demons, and....teaching.  What was He teaching and preaching?

The "Good News".

What was this 'Good News'?  It was the gospel of the Kingdom of God which would be established on Earth.  Thus when Jesus entered Jerusalem on the donkey, they were so jubilant.  In their minds, "Aha!  Finally!  Finally He comes to be King, rescue them from the Roman tyrants, and set up an earthly kingdom."  No wonder they were disappointed when that didn't transpire the way they believed it should.  Their thoughts were definitely not God's thoughts.

However, to weave that in and briefly turn tack, take a look at what a kingdom is.  According to good ole Google, a kingdom is a nation with all its citizens, land and laws ruled by a king."  Ah, wow?  No brainer, right?  There's more....

In these four elements of a kingdom as applied to the Kingdom of God:  who is The King, where is the territory, who are the citizens and how are the laws and form of government administered?  

The king, of course, is Supreme Ruler, this infers, for our topic here, that Jesus is the King (because He is).  The territory is a specific location with defined boundaries over which the king rules.  Jesus' territory was/is, all the world.

"For God so loved the world..." (John 3:16 KJV).

Jesus told His disciples to go into all the world (or "all nations") to preach and proclaim the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19-20).  They did eventually and so have many faithful believers in Jesus Christ, since.

The citizens within the borders of the Kingdom of God are the people from the whole wide world and who have accepted Jesus as Savior.  Our Heavenly Father says in Revelation 7:9 (ESV) that there will be people from every tribe and nation,

"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, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands."

Oh, that's interesting..."with palm branches in their hands".  The multitudes that were shouting, "Hosanna" when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, also laying palm branches along the roadway in respect and reverence.  This type of esteem was a sign of an important dignitary, especially one of royalty.  This is truly noteworthy.

Back to the drawing board here.  The fourth element that characterizes a kingdom, is its laws and form of government, through which the will of the king is exercised.  

The "will of the king"... From time to time, a king will create a new law or decree that stems from happenings in the kingdom which may or may not be in opposition to a former law.  The citizens must change with the law.

There are very few kingdoms left in the world nowadays.  There's the kingdom of Brunei Darussalem, which is on the island of Borneo nestled between the two East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak; in addition, sharing the island with a state of Indonesia.  Thailand and Saudi Arabia are other nations which have a king or sultan.  The rest of the countries being democratic, socialistic and/or communistic in nature.  If you don't live in a kingdom or have never experienced it, you won't get the full import of the 'feel'.   The King's word is law.

For general interest sake, Malaysia has nine sultans and each take a five-year term, turn, to be the king pin acting more like a figure head or arbitrator at times, among other duties.  So these are designated changes.  However, in a more full-fledged kingdom, the king reigns steadily until he dies or passes the kingship on to his crown prince son.  There is a more steady family line going down from father to son, or perhaps a daughter, depending on the country.

So in lieu of a government that's...

 "of the people, by the people and for the people" (Abraham Lincoln), 

...you have a king.  The subjects are then at his mercy.  

Getting back to Jesus and His kingdom...

How does Jesus govern?  By His love and grace.  So do His righteousness and justice, and this is only the tip of the iceburg being mentioned.  The divine attributes of God are so many.

We, God's children through the acceptance of salvation through Jesus, are citizens of the Kingdom of God and we need to be obedient to Him and His will and ways.  Where can we discover His will and ways?  Through His word, the Holy Bible and His Holy Spirit within us, teaching, leading and guiding willing hearts.

If any of these four elements are ignored, the message of Jesus, brought from God our Father; that is, the message of faith in Jesus, will be distorted and will not bring salvation.  The news will not be 'good'.

Put it like this...If there's a supreme king who says there's no god or that god is something else, the message of the Kingdom of God is distorted.  Or, you say Jesus is only come for a certain group of people, not for everybody.  Things are changed and its not right.  There will not be salvation.

We learn to please God from what the Bible says, so if someone says God's Word is a bunch of myths or full of contradictions or just nice stories, but don't think its the living, breathing truth, and therefore not real; again, the truth is distorted and you won't have salvation.  The news, definitely is not, 'good'.

Yet, Jesus was teaching.  The eager throngs of ordinary citizens listened entranced as Jesus "proclaimed the good news", that Tuesday.

Trouble was brewing though.  An official inquiry perpetrated by members of the Sanhedrin:  chief priests, teachers of the Law and the elders, came up to Jesus.  They wanted to know, in no uncertain terms, just who gave Him, and how, the right and authority "to do these things" (verse 2 of Luke 20).  Seems this group were rather affronted by Jesus and in some ways you can empathize with them as they felt they were being displaced.  

Just who was this Sanhedrin bunch, anyway, and how did it have clout to think it could confront Jesus?

The Sanhedrin was a Jewish High Court.  It consisted of seventy-one members:  men coming from among the chief priests, teachers of the law and elders of the Jewish clans.  They were led by the High Priest.  They could decide about almost every court matter except for that which required the death penalty.  Only the Romans, under whose regime they were captives, could decide that.  Thus, when they wanted Jesus crucified, they had to involve the Romans.  They held court in an anteroom of the Court of the Priests in the Temple.  

Incidentally, a majority of the Sanhedrin members were of the Sadducee sect.  We'll discuss more about them another time.  Suffice it to say, that they were given a high level of power and authority from said, Romans, thus their feeling of superiority over the rest of their fellow Jews.  Thus, too, the antagonism between them and the other groups, especially from the Pharisees.

To explain a wee bit further, the chief priests were the ones to offer up sacrifices on behalf of the people.  As mentioned earlier, they were headed by the High priest.

The High Priest was the only one who could go into the most holy place of the Temple where the Ark of the LORD was placed.  Many folks call this area the "Holy of Holies".  He could only go in once a year and NOT empty-handed.  In each hand he must have the blood of an animal:  on one hand for the remission of his own sins; and on the other hand, on behalf of the rest of the people, for their sins.

This High Priest would have to realize that this was the presence of Holy, Righteous God that he was entering and not to be taken lightly.  Nowadays, we can enter directly into God's presence by the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus.  We do not need a priest to mediate for us.  We confess our sins to Jesus, He will forgive and purify us from all sins (1 John 1:9) because it has been His blood which has given us remission of sins.  His sacrifice has been good, once, for all, for all persons of the world who wish His salvation gift, and this is good for all time and eternity.

The teachers of the law were the ones who knew God's laws and word, and taught the people. The part of the Law they most likely would have been from the five books of Moses, the prophets, Psalms, Proverbs; basically the whole Old Testament.  The New Testament was unfolding at that time.  These men were generally well respected.

Can you see how, when Jesus "jumps into" their "territory", they would get upset?  He was cutting into their turf, as they saw it, and causing them a tumultuous turmoil of effrontery.  They never realized, or wanted to realize, that this was their Messiah, and this building was designated as Jesus' Father's house of prayer and worship.

Then there were the elders.  This segment of the Sanhedrin was assembled from among influential families of Jerusalem and tribal and family heads.  Together with the other two groups they made up this High Court of Law which 'reigned' and presided over the Temple, and it's people, in religious as well as secular matters.  There would be similar prominent assemblages of 'officials' in the towns among the Jewish population; law and order must be kept.

The Sanhedrin then, was legally entitled to question anyone on matters relating to Roman law as well as their own Jewish beliefs.  If they felt anyone was not speaking truth about God and God's laws; they would stick their oar in and confront the person.  They would do this especially to a 'new' teacher or rabbi (as they called them).  

Apparently, it was a practice for any would-be rabbi, to train under a respected rabbi, who would then eventually bestow a certificate or diploma upon a person who'd reached a certain level of accountability in their knowledge of God and His laws, and teaching of it.  This is actually something good, right and proper.

So they questioned Jesus.

Do you suppose Jesus had this certification?  Not from mankind, He didn't.  His was from a Higher Court.  His Father had sent Him on this earthly mission and He had every right to do as He did.

I'm inclined to believe that this 'inquest' was not an entirely honest one, however.  The way they cross-examined Jesus, they did not show much, if any, respect.  They tried to discredit and shame Him and that in front of the people.  Stir the people up to turn against Him, especially if they could raise the suspicion that He was a threat to the Romans.  After all, Jesus claimed to be a king.

This would be directly threatening to any local king and definitely to the Roman Emperor, himself.  A very serious offense.  The people would suffer if the Romans got into the picture, and so would likely be counted on to avoid such confrontation when put to them.  Maybe, this was what turned them from shouting "Hosanna!" to "Crucify Him!" in a week's interval of time.

They questioned Jesus about "these things" (verse 2).  Likely, what right He had to clear out the Temple Court of the Gentiles in such a manner.  This area was supposed to be kept for the Gentiles who wished to pray and worship the One True God.  They couldn't do that very well with it being used for unholy purposes.  Likely, some of the questioners were among those who had their stalls upended.  Removing them, infuriated them.  The financial loss on top of the public rebuke slapped on them about turning His Father's house of prayer into a marketplace would really have upset them, to put it mildly.

Who'd given Him the right and authority to take such dramatic action?  Who'd made Him 'boss' to do "these things"?

Jesus, however, shoots a question right back at them; answering their question with a question.

By all accounts, this was a common form of questioning.  Almost like a debate, I suppose.  Question for question to try to trick and trap the one being targeted for investigation and put down.  Their mode of questioning showed how hostile they were against Jesus.  However, they had met Someone who was more than their match.  Jesus used this 'question for question' style and makes things rather awkward for His questioners. 

Jesus, the "outsider", a "nobody" in their eyes:  He was not a priest, a teacher of the law and not even one of the elders.  Who was this guy, anyway, and who did He think He was?  Indirectly, they were telling the mesmerized-with-Jesus crowds, that Jesus had no right to do "those things"; He's just a "nobody".

So, Jesus, the "nobody" asks His question to the Sanhedrin "somebodies" and propels them into a tizzy.  Their questioning had backfired.  Look at their dilemma from verses 5 and 6,

"...if we say, 'From Heaven; He will ask, 'Why didn't you believe Him" But if we say, "of human origin,' all the people will stone us because they were persuaded that John (the Baptist) was a prophet." (NIV)

Jesus had asked what they believed about John the Baptist and his baptizing,

 "was it from heaven or men".

So if they answer 'A' - then why didn't they believe?

If they answer 'B' - the people will stone them.

These were the religious leaders who were supposed to know God and His word and be able to answer tough questions.  Yet, look at their quandary.

"If they answered "From Heaven," they'd be admitting that God had given Jesus the right to His ministry, the clearing the Temple Court, and to rebuking them and to be seen teaching in the Temple.

John the Baptist's role had been to prepare the way for Jesus' coming and pointed to Jesus as the One who fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies; the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.  Therefore, if they did not say John's message was from God, they'd face an angry mob's retaliation reaction.

Therefore, they say they cannot answer.

Jesus, therefore, says He also cannot answer them.

If they had answered Jesus' question, they would have gotten the answer to their own.  Some of them may well have known it too.

When Jesus mentioned John the Baptist, whom the people accepted as being sent by God, He was clearly intimating His divine power and authority for Himself.

John the Baptist actually had authority and power but it was bestowed upon him by God.  The difference between him and Jesus, was that Jesus' authority and power was, yes, from God, but Jesus is God, so it was, and still is, His innate, divine nature; His aseity.  This is a distinction we need to make.  It was one the Jewish leaders did not want to accept.

When we, nowadays, accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we have this divine power and authority through the Holy Spirit.  We have His dynamic power which can help us to transform our character and attitudes to be more like Jesus and do the things that please Him--our ongoing, progressive sanctification process.

The Sanhedrin's refusal to answer Jesus led Him to tell yet another parable.  This one about Wicked Tenants and a Vineyard that was directly directed at them, but that can keep for another time.

May all of us followers of Jesus Christ know God's divine power and authority through Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit working in our lives.  Ask for God's transforming power to help you grow in your relationship with Him, and to lead a diligent, obedient life for Christ.

Why would the word 'relationship' be in green?  "Grow your relationship...."  'Grow' reminds of things that can grow, obviously:  grass, trees, flowers; which grow into some things of beauty, wonder and shelter.  

We need our relationship with God to grow and be beautiful to Him and others.  How do we get it to grow?  It's by spending time in His presence, reading His Word, meditating upon it, thinking about it, and of course, obeying it; living an obedient life for Him.  In such manner, He will teach you.  Hang on to His words.

May each one of us know and understand this and build this relationship with God because, He will never let you down.  My prayer is that one and all can understand this.  God loves you so much.  He wants you in His family.  He's your Heavenly Father and He cares very much for You.  Seek Him because you will find Him.

God and Heavenly Father, we look up to You and pray that whoever is reading this message, will have the ongoing understanding needed to realize the dynamic power of Your Holy Spirit within all followers of Jesus, through their salvation that they have had through Him, allowing Jesus to be King of their life.

May all hearts and minds be like a throne for our King Jesus, in our lives.  May we bow down, humbly before Jesus.  May there also be that relationship with You, their Heavenly Father and know, that whatever happens in our lives is actually for our good and You are doing it for our good and welfare; to help grow that relationship with You, come what may.

Lord, may we have Your understanding and wisdom to sit quietly to hear from You what You want each individual to know, especially about You and how You love them.  Also to follow Your will and ways all the days of our lives; not just for various, selected points of time in our lives, but all the days of our lives.

Bless and keep one and all, 

I ask all this in Jesus' precious Name, the One who has all power, authority and right to govern our lives.

                                                             ~ERC  August 2020~

Sing, Lead Me to Calvary (King of My Life) by Old Songs With Lyrics

Sing with the Cleveland Baptist Church Lead Me to Calvary

Lovely old pieces sung in lovely old fashion manner.

REFERENCES:

Google (www.gotquestions.org) and

SPM book, a Studyt Guide to the GOAPWL According to LUKE.  Published by Issachar Sdn. Bhd.; copyright 2005; Malaysia.

Prayer - Understanding Gained Through Sweet Words

 In Buddhist belief, they have the Wheel of The Law, representing the way to achieve Understanding, or Enlightenment, It is also known as the Eightfold Path to Enlightenment.  If an adherent can follow that one hundred percent, they will glean a harvest of understanding that ceases the cycle of rebirth and winds them up in the alleged state of nirvana.  They have made it to their "heaven".

With that "wheel", which encompasses:  right understanding; right thought; right speech; right action; right livelihood; right effort; right mindfulness and right meditation, they must grab that helm, of their own volition and power, then navigate their current life.

In Psalm 119:97-104, we see how the psalmist navigates.  It's from God's precepts (vs 104).  He said he 

"gained understanding from God's precepts".  

This caused him to 

"hate every wrong path".  

In addition, he mentions God's commands, law, statutes, and word.

Where did the psalmist find these precepts, laws, and etc.?  From the books Moses wrote (Genesis-Deuteronomy), which reveal the bulk of God's Law and the history of His dealings with mankind from the beginning of time (creation), through His relationship with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and then with the children of Israel from Egypt to Canaan, to the Psalm-writer's day.

Throughout this acrostic writing (Psalm 119), the psalmist credits God for His help in living in a correct manner; a manner pleasing to God.  Due to his knowing and loving God's Laws and ways so well, and of prime importance, obeying them, he was blessed in several crucial ways.

God's Words were "always with him"; "made him wiser than his enemies"; made him to "have more insight than all his teachers"; gave him "more understanding (there's that word "understanding" again) than the elders;" his feet have been kept from "every evil path"; and he "gained understanding" in general; and "hated every wrong path".

He noted that these were not burdensome to him either.  He said, that God's words were

 

"sweeter than honey to his mouth".  

 

He was very grateful to God for teaching all these to him.

Did you catch that?  

God taught him!

Through the psalmist's meditations and memorization of God's Words, through his reading and writing them down (every new king was supposed to write out his own copy of God's Laws[Deuteronomy 17:18]), and through his obedience to the words, he allowed himself to be taught by God.  These kept him on the right path of pleasing God and of hating every wrong path.  He would know it was the wrong path too, as he was very familiar with the right one.  God's right path kept him from the "evil path".

 These do sound much the same as the Wheel of The Law in Buddhist belief (Buddhism only came to be somewhere around 500 BC).  Most beliefs, religions and philosophies, will come up with non-violence and the good and right code of conduct by which to live.  However, the difference is that most are self-propelled whereas, with God, it is a relationship, a partnership, if you will, with Him.  One can see how much the psalmist loved and appreciated his communion with his Heavenly Father and hung on to His every word.  Out of gratitude to God, he gained understanding and his actions were right.

He craved and sought out God whom he realized was his only Help and Solace in his struggles to live according to God's righteous ways, and in persevering in them throughout the times of affliction.

Father God, in You and in You alone, we put our trust.  In You and Your Words, alone, do we learn to walk in Your ways.  In you alone, can we find understanding.  May each of us who belong to You through Jesus Christ, Your Son, crave your words and make them our food and drink for our spirits' nourishment, our souls' enlightenment and our body's navigating into Your right path.

That path may be straight and narrow, Father, yet it is the one to You.  May we love, cherish and obey each jot and tittle of Your Word.  Teach us Your ways so we may gain understanding of them, and in turn, of You.

We know that this learning may well involve affliction as it did for the psalmist of Psalm 119.  May we ever be faithful and true to You and Your "school".  May we gain that understanding, come what may.  With You right there beside us, carrying us, teaching and comforting us may we wholeheartedly follow after You, even if its faint, yet pursuing, all along Your righteous path.  We can only do this with Your intervention.

Thank-You for salvation through Your Son Jesus Christ which sets us on this path in the first place.  Thank-You for His Holy Spirit who enables and empowers us with His dynamic power.  Father, thank-You for Your love, faithfulness and care.  Thank-You for Your Words, Laws, Precepts, Commands, and Statutes; without them we would not know how to please You.  Without Your Word we would not know salvation nor be able to look forward to and eternity with You in Heaven in time to come.  May we ever say Your Words are "sweet".

                                                           ~ERC  August 2020~

Prayer - See Your Face

 Father, how satisfying it would be to wake up and see Your face!  To wake up and be satisfied seeing Your likeness.  That reminds me of the hymn, Face to Face with Christ our Savior.  However, what would a regular wake up be like...

Many people wake up and take a glance at the sleep disheveled person beside them.  Maybe they've even gotten up on the wrong side of the bed, so they're kind of grouchy.  How wonderful though, to wake up and see that person beside us, or one from the next room when they get up and stumble, sleepily out, that we would actually see You, in them.

To see a likeness of Jesus in that person, that would be amazing!  A Christ-likeness in each of those/us, who are followers of Jesus Christ.  Imagine what that would be like.

David, in his Psalm 17 and verse 15, wrote that that was the first thing he saw when he woke up; Your face and likeness.  He was vindicated and satisfied despite all the negative stuff going on for him.  He would have, what we'd call "Morning Devotions" and as he read and thought upon the Scriptures and upon You, Father, he could see Your likeness and feel liberated.

Father, may this encourage us too, when we feel disgruntled or dismayed, and crotchety, or someone else is feeling low, that we be "Jesus" to them; that they will indeed see Your likeness in us and be refreshed.

A tall order, I know.

A challenge even when we have Your Holy Spirit's help because someone else's (or even our own) negativity has potential to rub off on others, creating a chain reaction of despondency.  We are in no morning mood to be "as fresh as a daisy" or shine Your light.

Yet, LORD, You never fail, as Your prophet said about You in Zephaniah 3:5 (KJV),

"He faileth not..."

LORD, help us be Jesus to others so they can also wake up and see Your face and be satisfied.  This not propelled by our human nature, but with that Christ-likeness wrapped round and assimilated into our character, and actions.

I ask this in the Name of Jesus.

                                                         ~ERC  April 2020~

                                                        (originally prayed)

Based on Psalm 17 especially verse 15.

Sing, Face to Face With Christ, My Savior, as sung by Altar of Praise

Lord's Day Devotional Prayer - Good and Upright

 "Good and upright is the LORD, therefore He instructs sinners in His way."

God is not a hypocrite, that's for sure!

Father, I pray, and thank You that You are not a hypocrite.  So glad we can trust You and be admonished by You because You are the One who has the right and authority to do so.

You instruct sinners in Your ways.  Praise You, it does not say that You "lambaste sinners"!  You instruct.  May we learn from You at Your feet.  You are the greatest Teacher, the One who can educate in the most persuasively, loving and compelling of ways.

Often, I feel like a hypocrite because what I say, I'm then responsible for, I don't always do it.

Lord, help me.  You guide the humble to teach them Your ways.  All Your ways are loving and faithful.  I cannot say that for myself.  In contrast, You are though, what a mercy!  You keep Your covenant with those who do keep the demands of Your covenant  The psalmist got that.

LORD, we followers of Jesus Christ belong to You.  You bought us at great cost but we don't always live up to what is right and just and fair; we are often far from humble and often fail.

However, thank-You for Your mercy and grace and for the sake of Your Name, You forgive us our iniquity, no matter how great or small and insignificant we might think our bad deeds may be.  Thank-You once again for that verse in 1 John 1:9,

"If we confess our sins; You are faithful and just and will forgie us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Help us to see our faults from Your perspective and in the light of Your watching over us and seeing our hearts.  You know our minds.  You even know the number of strands of hair upon our heads.  You know us but we don't always know You.

You know us better than we know ourselves, so we can have the courage to "'fess up".  Nevertheless, we're aware that just confessing isn't enough, it must accompany a repentant heart which spills over into our actions.  Help us, in our feeble humanness, to repent and stick at it; and forgive when and where needed too.

You told Your disciples, in Luke 17, to forgive 70 x 7 times; that's so many times it's difficult to keep tract.  You are like that...our forgiving God; forgiving us again and again.  We love You because You first loved us.

We need to repent, confess, and forgive others their trespasses, even as You do forgive us.

May our eyes ever be on You so You can govern us, even with just Your eyes.  We've all had our mothers and/or fathers look at us when perhaps we were not doing as we should.  Sometimes when we were doing what was right and they gave us a look of satisfaction and pleasure in their eyes; vindicating our obedient compliance and we felt happy inside.

In contrast, a look of "No, no, no!" and sadness and disappointment when we're tempted to do wrong or even in the act of 'wrong' and the wrong had had its course, cuts to the quick of our hearts and hopefully, guides and compels us in the right direction the next time around.

Lord, be gracious to us.

There are many lonely, afflicted hearts crying out; be a Friend to them even if they do have one or two earthly friends, or even a community of good friends, they may still feel as if they are marooned on an island no one else is on.

Rescue them and may we each have integrity and uprightness that will protect us and help us to become more like Your Son, Jesus Christ, in our attitudes and character.  When we feel we are spiritual, may we be then able to turn and help another friend along the way who may have turned astray or gotten into the wrong group of people, to admonish, being careful we ourselves aren't lured away.

Father, again, thank-You for the verse in Psalm 25, verse 8, that says You are,

"Good and upright therefore You can instruct us and keep us in Your way."

Help us Father to go in the way we should go, and not tell others to do this and that but do nothing about it ourselves.

It is because of the cross and the work Your Son has done for us, giving His life for ours, taking our punishment for our sin, giving us forgiveness of sins and eternal life, that we too may become good and upright.  Father, as we partake of the bread and drink of the cup of wine each Lord's Day, may be remember that our righteousness has come only because of what Jesus has done for us by His death and resurrection.  Thank-You for providing the way...

In Jesus' most perfect, good and upright Name, Amen.

                                                              ~ERC April 2020~

                                                          (originally prayed)

Prayer - Perfection's Limit

 Eternal and Holy Father, Your word is perfect, established and endures forever.  Your faithfulness to Your people, throughout all generations stands steadfast and secure.

The psalmist makes note of this; "through all generations," as far back as he could recall to his father, grandfather and so on, of his ancestors.  He says through "all generations".  I suppose he was remembering how You, shepherded the people of Israel out of Egypt, through the wilderness and into the Promised Land.  Perhaps he even went further back to his "fathers" Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all that history of how you cared for them.

That was a lot of 'caring'.  We know 'cuz, we can read all about it too.

This gives us great hope and encouragement too Father, that You will do the same for us in our generation.  It is penned there in verse 90 regarding Your faithfulness continuing "through all generations".

I really like that, Father.  We, too can make good on that and delight in Your laws, commands, precepts, etc, too.  It's like having our cake and being able to eat it too!  You are so good to us.

Again, through our trials and afflictions, even now with the COVID-19 redefining  and dictating to a large degree, how we live, You preserve our lives through Your words.

"Save us; for we are Yours!" (v. 94).

We can claim this too as the psalmist did.  He appreciated the relationship and banked on it, and appropriated it.  Thank-You, Father, we can too.

He had no guilty conscience between himself and You as he had sought out Your precepts.  He did not try to hide anything from You.  He pondered on them when the wicked were lurking, just waiting to pounce upon him.  Yet, he realized that he was not perfect, that there was, and still is, a limit to our human perfection.  He reveled, however, in Your commands to which there are no bounds-no limits.

Your commands can cover all bases for us no matter what troubles we have.  For this we give You our praise and thanksgiving.

All the way, our Savior leads us through this world of so much woe.  From You alone we gain our perfection and holiness and righteousness.  We gain salvation through Your Son Jesus.  In this, too there is no limit to Your care and gift.  All our generations back, that we can recall, and to our next generations which are and which are to come, may they know You and Your words and perfection through Jesus.  

In the most Holy name of Jesus we give you praise and thanks.

                                                         ~ERC  August 2020~

Based on Psalm 119:89-96 (Lamedh)

Sing, All the Way My Savior Leads Me as sung by The Haven Quartet

Prayer - Tent of Smoke

 

My eyes fail due to wear and tear of age.  After sixty years of use, I suppose that is bound to happen; what say you?

The acrostic psalmist writes that his "eyes fail" (Psalm 119:82 NIV).  Setting aside age, which may or may not have been his problem, he said the reason was due to,

"...looking for Your promise,"

Father.  He was looking for some unspecified, unnamed, promised comfort.

He'd watched and watched til his eyes ached and his soul fainted with longing for Your salvation (v.81) to intervene.  

Yet his impetus for perseverance in the wait and watch was his...

"...hope in Your word,"

Father God.

This makes me think of the prodigal son's father.  It came to mind this morning that maybe he began his vigil out on the dusty road, searching the distant horizons for the return of a repentant, wiser son, right from Day 1.  No doubt his eyes ached and failed many a day as the wind whipped sand and dirt into watering, smarting eyes.  Yet he determinedly, faithfully, watched all those days, months, and perhaps, even years.

When would he have his comfort of such an emotionally, pivotal moment; his hope rewarded?

There's another story of endurance others may have heard of a mother who left her front door, always open, and a light on; I assume on the front porch.  She awaited the return of a "prodigal" daughter.  This did have a happy ending many long years later.  How that Mother-heart must have fainted at times; the travail of her soul unbearable at her "loss", never knowing if her beloved offspring would return to the fold; imagining all the things the daughter could have gotten into; buckets of tears shed and smotherings of prayers blanketing her dear girl.

Some of you may relate.

The psalmist likened deep distress, longing and waiting to a "wineskin in the smoke" (v 33).

From what I can gather from checking it out online, the ancients hung their wine up in skins, in their tents.  Smoke from the cooking fires would 'cook' more than their food, and the wine skins were not exempt.

There was good and bad to this scenario.  Some smoke had a mellowing and flavoring effect upon the wine inside the skins which enhanced the taste; so it said.  On the other hand, too much smoke, over time, would blacken and stiffen the skins rendering them of little worth for capturing wine.

You likely can see the psalmist's connection.  His fainting soul and failing eyes, his anguished endurance through the arrogance of persecutors' torment and that "torment" without cause (v 86), is the "smoke of affliction" upon the person, "the wineskin".

All our tears and sorrows, and our hearts may rebel to hear this, are "smoking" us to refine our attitudes, character towards greater Christ-likeness and relationships with our Heavenly Father.  Too much "smoke" and we may become bitter, and unforgiving and decide to forget God.

Heavenly Father, You are good and You know that we are feeble human beings and can only take so much "smoke".  LORD, as David often cried out to You, be merciful to us in our times of trial and tribulation.  I know You are and You do bring comfort along the way.  Thank-You.

May our "tent of smoke" time ever turn us towards You, our Heavenly Father, with Your unfailing love, trustworthy commands, and the comfort of Your salvation; never forgetting Your decrees, and to be obedient  "to the statutes of Your mouth: (v 88); as was the psalmist acrostic reflection.

Father, You are faithful and Your words are true.  Thank-You.

May the 'wine' of our life be as excellent as that wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee that Jesus made.  Continue to turn our water into wine, Father, even if we need to go through the smoking process and test of time spent in your tent of smoke.

                                                        ~ERC  August 2020~

Based on Psalm 119:81-89 (Kaph)

Sing, "Our Times are in Your Hands" Metropolitan Tabernacle, London