Too Good NOT to be True (Dec 08)

Neil Wilson, in his book, "Were You There? Find Yourself with Jesus," begins with his own rendition—from Mary's perspective—of what it could have been like when she came to visit her cousin Elizabeth, and husband, Zechariah. Both Zechariah and Mary had already encountered the angel Gabriel, and both Elizabeth and Mary were already pregnant—Elizabeth with the child that would come to be known as John the Baptist, and Mary, of course, with Jesus. The following is but an excerpt:

"Already in awe over his chance to represent the people in the Holy of Holies, Zechariah had considered himself to be a blessed man to step through the curtain into God's very presence. He was so concerned with avoiding disrespect in his duties that it never occurred to him God might honor him with a personal messenger. Gabriel's appearance was shocking enough, but the message he delivered left Zechariah trembling. Not only would he and Elizabeth bear a son in impossibly old age, but that son would set in motion the central act in God's plan to make things right with the world.

"For me, the choice had been clear. Gabriel's message was too good NOT to be true.I wondered what had been so hard for…Zechariah that Gabriel had taken his voice. I asked. His weathered features squinted in response. He sighed, shrugged, and shook his head. He…scribbled his answer—'I guess this old oak needed to be quiet for a while." Yes, I think that just may be the point! The season of Advent must be a time to settle into the Word and the will of God, and just soak in His incredible plan for our salvation. We often speak of certain offers being too good to be true, but this is most certainly too good NOT be true! Praise God—the offspring of the elderly couple would indeed be, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight." (Mt. 3:3) He would be the one to "set in motion" the plan of God! Elizabeth saw the big picture when she told Mary concerning her offspring. "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord." (Luke 1:42-45)

Praise God—it's not all in the future any more—even the angels would proclaim it to the shepherds—"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11) This will even be recognized in the very last of days—"I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." (Rev. 22:16) Since this "offspring" is our focus right now, let me show you it's "roots." It comes from the Greek "genos," referring to being "kin" to, or being from the stock or lineage. In fact, it's "root" word is "ginomai"—the primary verb, to cause to be. In other words, "is." That's right—Jesus is!

A correlative term to this "offspring" is that this Jesus is the "seed." Genesis 3:15 makes clear that the coming Savior would be the "seed of a woman." But He would also be identified as the "seed of Abraham," as well as the "seed of David." As the seed and son of Abraham, Christ is the fulfillment of the covenant child of promise, originally embodying the miraculous birth of Isaac. Paul affirms that, "Jesus Christ our Lord…was made of the seed of David according to the flesh," (Romans 1:3) and that as "the seed of David He was raised from the dead…""…the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke 1:32b,33)So, as you can see, this offspring, or seed, actually holds the secret and sustenance of life itself. In fact, the very first mention of "seed" in the Bible renders to us an amazing clue as to its significance. Promised in Genesis 1:11, we see it come to pass in the very next verse—"And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good." (vs. 12) Yes, the seed was in itself!
(2 Tim. 2:8) As this seed, He is the fulfillment of many prophecies focusing on royalty and sovereignty. The angel Gabriel even promised this to Mary—

Praise God—if life is in the seed—and, of course, it is—true life is in Christ! But, as we know that a seed needs to be buried in the earth to produce life, we must also know that Jesus applied that very same truth to Himself—"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."(John 12:24)So, you see, this does not just speak of any seed or seeds—there is but one eternal life-giving seed—"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."born to die—for you and for me!
(Galatians 3:16) Everything points to Jesus—the Holy Seed. He alone is our satisfying substance. He was

And wait till you see what kind of life that produces! Isaiah tells us clearly that through His agonizing suffering and death, "…He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied…" (53:10,11) Imagine—He shall see His seed!!! Praise God—this whole thing is too good NOT to be true! His supreme sacrifice was the condition to bring us into the family of God. Otherwise, we were estranged from the Father due to our sin, but now He has paid the price. He became the seed of the woman for the express purpose of bringing all that are born of man and woman into a parent-child relationship through His finished work on the Cross and the regenerating ministry of the Holy Spirit—IF they will want it, and surrender to it! Are you not totally overwhelmed by the prospect of being born-again, and thereby, being a "seed" of Christ?—"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." (1 John 3:9) And once He is in us, He sees within us the suffering of His own soul, and is satisfied. I think that one of the most powerful examples of this divine satisfaction was at the Cross—His dying promise to the dying repentant thief, "…Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43) As Herbert Lockyer once put it, "The refreshment after travail, because of the travail, was already present to the sufferer's consciousness." In fact, the Bible clearly states that both the travail and the refreshment were in His consciousness since before the beginning of time!

Yes, there is no doubt—it is all too good not to be true! During this Christmas season, we can all have a tendency to get so busy and so consumed by the activities, that we lose touch with the reason for the season. God has set in motion the central act in His plan to make things right with the world. Lest it all be lost—or at the very least, overshadowed—by the events of the holidays, let us remember the original pronunciation of that word is "holy days." I think it is about time that the old oaks—all of us—be quiet and let God be God! As the Psalmist put it—"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." (46:10)

Yes, to cease from our own works—our own ideas and strength. We need to stop interpreting Scripture through the lens of our own circumstances, shaping everything God says to fit us according to what makes sense to us. Rather, we must desire for Scripture to interpret our experiences—there will be some very difficult times ahead in many different ways, and we must let God's Holy Word, and not our understanding, be our guide. Remember—Scripture is not open to "private interpretation." (2 Peter 1:20) Find your peace and security in Him alone—He is! He is the sovereign God of the Universe and beyond—He alone is in total control. He alone can give us the big picture. He is returning soon. Will the Seed of the woman, Abraham, and David, see His seed—you and me—living His life, and all to His glory? Will He see it this Christmas? It is too good NOT to be true!!!

The King of the Jungle (Nov 08)

As Mary Jones and her mother were walking home from church, the young girl reflected on the preacher's words from Psalm 119—"God's word is a lamp to my feet, and a light unto my path." That thought sparked a hunger in Mary to have her own Bible. Being born in 1784, in the very poor welsh village of Llanfihangely Pennant, such an accomplishment would seem impossible to many—but not to Mary!

When Mary was only eight years old, her immense desire to learn to read prompted her to walk to and from school every day—a round-trip trek of two hours. As a reward, her teacher allowed her to read aloud from the Welsh Bible at school. Every Saturday, she would spend hours ready her neighbor's Bible. While washing the family's clothes in the river, she had an idea—if she took on chores throughout her town, she could save for a Bible of her own. After six years, she heard that Methodist minister, Thomas Charles, had Bibles for sale. Walking the 20 miles to Bala, Mary found out that the only Bible left was promised to another. Seeing her great desire, Rev. Charles asked the other would-be recipient to wait, and presented Mary with her very own Bible!

Praise God—it was her testimony that eventually prompted the formation of the British and Foreign Bible Society, which prompted worldwide distribution, which prompted such a society right here in the United States—the American Bible Society. Founded in 1816, it translates, publishes, and distributes the Bible, and has grown much through the years. In 2001, the ABS distributed 4,113,106 Bibles and 8,322,112 copies of the New Testament—and all of it can be traced to a little girl's hunger for the Word of God. As Thanksgiving Day approaches, will you be thankful every day for that Word? After all, it is that Word that presents our Jesus in so many powerful ways. Just a few weeks ago, our church looked at Jesus as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), who came to take away the sin of the world. Right now, I would like to turn our focus to the Biblical image of Him being like a lion, even the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

But first, it might be helpful to put all of this in context. In our own American culture, the lion is symbolic of prowess, dignity, and great strength. Now if you were raised on cartoons in the 1950's, like I was, you know they depicted the lion as "the king of the jungle, some of the beasts even wearing gold crowns. Do you remember the story of the lion with a thorn in his paw? Yes, the little mouse befriended him by removing the picker, and found a very valuable friend for life. But what does all this have to do with Jesus. Well, let's let God's word be lamp to our feet. Let's turn from cartoons to the very first image of a lion in the Book of Genesis, in reference to the patriarchs and their tribes. Jacob is nearing the end of his life, so he now blesses each of his sons. When he gets to Judah, he declares, "Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people."
(49:9,10 NKJ)

What is that all about? Well, both the previous and the subsequent verses help to explain it, but I really don't have room here—good thing you have your own Bible, huh? What it all means is this—it is prophetically stating that the coming Messiah, springing forth from Judah, would be like a lion—in fact, the emblem of a lion is boldly displayed on that tribe's banner. Even though this Jesus starts out as a young lion, He is already the "king of the jungle"—not to be roused or challenged. We see this even in the Christmas story—"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11) Even as a baby, He is"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8) But, Praise God—"Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4) Yes, Satan will spiritually destroy anyone who abandons the protection of God. Through our faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, our spiritual warfare by the Spirit, and our intimacy with God through prayer, we are fully equipped to resist him and to withstand his demonic onslaught.
Lord! True—Satan is also called a lion—

This is powerfully seen in the very last book of our Bibles—Revelation. In this vision, John sees the One who is holding a scroll. This scroll, representing all of the last day's judgments and activities, is now found to be still sealed—it is discovered that no man can break the seals and reveal the contents. John, who wept over this tragedy, was then told by one of the 24 elders, "Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." (Revelation 5:5) It was just then that John sees this Lion in a different way—"a Lamb as it had been slain." (vs. 6) Praise God—the Lamb is also the Lion! Read this chapter for yourself, in your own Bible—the One who is in His people is truly greater, truly victorious, and truly worthy to be praised. In fact, read the whole book—Jesus is clearly the victor, clearly the overcoming Lion of Judah!

So, in these current days of uncertainty and worry—no matter the problem—don't despair. The Apostle Paul once told the Corinthian church—"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." (2 Cor. 4:8-10) Yes, it's a jungle out there, but we have a King—Amen? Amen! He is, in fact, the King of kings and the Lord of lords! In referring to this, Walter Scott once wrote, "In irresistible might, majesty, and sovereignty, He will secure the blessing of Israel and of the whole earth. In His lion-like character, he crushes every opposing force, and establishes His universal Kingdom on the ruin of all opposition. Here, worth and might are truly combined." This entire planet is currently embroiled in economic uncertainty and financial failures. Political voices are purporting to have the unique solution, but God's Word should have been a lamp to our feet and a light for the path. Many times in Scripture we have been warned that covetousness, greed, and material preoccupation would bring a collapse and failure. My friends, it is a wake up call—eventually, every opposing force will be crushed. Our God is a sovereign God!!!

With the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church coming up on November 9^th, perhaps it is a good time right now to mention this aspect, as well. All around this globe, it looks like Satan is in control in his efforts to persecute true Christians. Take North Korea, for example—evil is rampant. "Choi Yong Kim" (not her real name) was caught by the police for reading her own Bible and tortured severely. She was forced to kneel down on a chair, as the officers stomped on her legs. They tied her legs, hung her upside down, and beat her violently—every day, all day long! Sentenced to 15 years, after just one of them, she only weighed 62 pounds. Her husband sold their home, and bought her freedom with money plus—imagine this—a TV set! Contacts in North Korea now say that Christians are no longer imprisoned—now they just disappear!

People, it's a jungle out there! Muslims like "Laila," who leave Islam to follow Christ, are shunned by their family, kicked out, or threatened with death—and "Laila" was in the United States!deplorable conditions—until the owner found out they were Christians. No, it didn't get better—in fact, he beat them severely, while other neighboring Muslims threatened to kill them with pistols if they did not convert to Islam. At a young age, Alex saw Columbian terrorists kill his own father, who was pastor. Years later, Alex himself was attacked, beaten, shot, and left for dead by FARC terrorists. It’s a jungle out there, but Praise God—Alex lived and managed to tell his would-be killer, Ismael, about Christ's saving grace. Yes, there is a King in this jungle, and it is not Satan! Our God is in ultimate control! David Wilkerson once wrote, "I believe in healing afflictions. Any affliction that keeps me from going astray—that drives me deeper into His Word—is healing!" It may look as though Satan is the King of this jungle, but he is not—Jesus is! Get into your Bible, and let it get into you—be thankful each and every day for the Word of God, and through it, let Him be the King of your Though rare, these Islamic honor killings even occur in the U.S. In Pakistan, Javir, and his wife, Fadilah, worked in a brick kiln under jungle!

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Knot (Oct 08)

Even in these days of great uncertainty, we probably all have an idea of just where we want our lives to get us. Maybe this little mathematical formula, though not scientific, just illustrative, will shed some light on it. Take each letter of the alphabet and assign it a number, from 1 through 26, calling them percentage points. So, H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K becomes 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11=98%. Evidently, it would get us far, but not all the way. "Knowledge," in the same way, only comes to 96%. "Attitude," however, reaches a whopping 100%. But…

Yes, but…look how far the L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D takes you—12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%. Praise God—we can evidently conclude with even "mathematical certainty," that, while hard work and knowledge can get us a long way, and attitude appears to get us where we thinklove of God that will put us over the top—where God wants us to be! Picture the old saying about the daisy—the young girl, sitting out in the meadow, would pull a petal and say, "He loves me." The second petal would then get the response, "He loves me not," and so on, until the final petal told the story. Praise God—when it comes to the Lord, it would go more like this—"He loves me, He loves me knot," and no matter which one it ends up on, God still loves us!
we want to be, it is the

What am I talking about? Well, perhaps this quote from Herbert Lockyer will clarify—"Within the womb of Mary, there took place the mingling of Deity and humanity, the Holy Spirit being responsible for the love-knot of our Lord's two natures, making possible the coming of Jesus, not as God exclusively, nor man exclusively, but as the marvelous combination of the two—the God-Man, or 'God manifest in flesh.'" No, it's not Christmas yet, but it does put before us something very important to think about. Inside Mary was indeed a love-knot! Not a "not," but a knot—and there is a very big difference! I believe we can see this rather powerfully in the Biblical image of the "lamb," and more specifically, Jesus as the Lamb of God. You see, it's true—its not just a nursery rhyme or a fairy tale—Mary did have a little Lamb!

First, let me share some things in general terms. This image of the lamb spans the Scriptures—the first mention in Genesis 21:28 and the last in Revelation 22:3. In fact, it may even begin earlier than that, for Abel offered—"the firstlings of his flock"—and for that, he did pay dearly at the hands of his own brother. Page after page, the sacrificial lamb presents a startling picture. In order to be chosen, these lambs had to be male, less than one year of age, meek, gentle, and without blemish. We are also told they were to be kept whole, and without any broken bones. Oh, yes—they could never be boiled, only roasted! There is no doubt, they find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ! Hebrews 2 makes clear that Jesus was "chosen" to be our ultimate High Priest—not only presenting the offering, but being the offering. Hebrews 7 specifies that Jesus was without blemish or spot. The Psalms prophesy that not a bone would be broken, and there wasn't—His side was pierced to make sure He had died. Oh, yes, and roasted—"Our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29)

Furthermore, the actual blood was crucial. As the Hebrews prepared to exit their bondage in Egypt, they spread the blood of the lamb on their door posts and lintels—all as a sign of the safety and the protection that can be found under the blood of Jesus Christ. You see, throughout all the years of the Old Testament, the offering of a lamb and his blood by a sinning Israelite could not atone for his sin. Such an offering was accepted by God by virtue of the future sacrifice at Calvary. When John the Baptist gazed on his cousin stepping into the Jordan River, he declared, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) Praise God—the Greek word used here for "taketh," refers to "a lifting up, a taking up and away, or a bearing or carrying away." Though all of the thousands of innocent lambs gave their lives, it was all to prefigure the ultimate sacrifice of God in His Son at the Cross. Actually, this reference in John's gospel can be regarded as the first clear presentation of the Cross in New Testament times; and in that, as F.B. Meyer put it, "The Gospel glistens in it as the whole sun in a single dewdrop."

Perhaps all of this talk of the gallons and gallons of shed blood from animals begs a crucial question—"Why couldn't the price paid over the years on the altars of Israel pay the cost of sin, give the guilty conscience true peace, or wash away the stain? The answer is quite simple—it wasn't animals who had sinned, and thereby, deserved to die. We did, though, and that is why God became man! Even if Jesus were the only man to merit the title "Lamb," due to His innocence, meekness, and submission, His blood still would have no more power than the animal's. Praise God—He was much more than just a really good man! And, Glory to God, He was far more than just the Lamb of God—He was, and still is God! This is how His poured out blood atoned for the sin of a fallen humanity, and those five bleeding wounds, though they bleed no more, continue to pour out effectual prayers for all. Jesus Christ is fully man and fully God! Two natures brought together into one amazing love-knot that very powerfully ties us to our loving God and to each other!

Charles Wesley, the famed hymn-writer, caught the essence of the mystery of the blood of Jesus:

Amazing love! How can it be

That Thou, my God, should die for me?

'Tis mystery all! The Immortal dies!

Who can explore His strange design.

Oh, sure, I don't think we can fully explore these things right now, but we do need to open our eyes to it. Paul, in his stirring farewell exhortation to the elders of Ephesus, told them, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood." (Acts 20:28) Imagine—due to His own love-knot with His creation, God's blood was shed to purchase His Church. One of my favorite hymns, "The Church's One Foundation," says it all:

…From heav'n He came and sought her

To be His holy bride;

With His own blood He bought her

And for her life He died.

Paul gave them a warning, too—"For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." (vss. 29-30) There are people today that reason that we do not have to be holy because Jesus was, and He was God—and we are not! No, Jesus' dual nature shows us the way to be in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit, which is how He lived His life. That love-knot is the true mystery that changes everything—even the human heart and life. The transcendent sacredness of the true Church of Christ rests solely on the dignity and Deity of her Lord and His precious blood. Praise God—it is this glorious mingling of Deity and humanity that can bring us out of the Kingdom of Darkness, and into the Kingdom of Light—washing away our stains, making us acceptable to a holy and righteous God, and secure for us the promise of eternal life.

Watch out for the wolves—many have sheep's clothing—they can be behind the pulpit, refusing to confront sin, and tickling ears with entertainment to keep the churches full. They can come from the pew, too—whispering and gossiping, dividing people and drawing them away. People are also flocking to so-called new things—"Fresh Fire," they sometimes call it. Discern the spirits, my friends—it does not line up with the purity and holiness of the God-Man. Surely, you would think the church would understand these things—I mean, after all—believe it or not—even the world is beginning to get a glimpse of the truth of God's Word. I recently read that some neuroscientists and biochemists are suggesting that toxic chemicals are being released into our brains when we persist with malicious thoughts, grudges, and complaining spirits. Microphotographs have revealed burned-out tunnel-like holes in the nerve cells—"emotional black holes," they call them. These doctors also claim that when such behavior is stopped, you can grow a new memory over an old one. Science is now suggesting that one crucial element of the healing process isforgiveness! Yes, F-O-R-G-I-V-E-N-E-S-S—imagine that—a grand total of 139%—in fact, it hit 101% just before the two blockbuster "S's". God has been saying that for years! This is why He tied His love-knot in the first place—to bring us into a glorious, over-the-top relationship as the Bride of Christ—forever tied together in His eternal love. Where do you want your life to end up? Go ahead, do the math!

The Horn of Salvation (Sep 08)

A poor Scottish farmer, by the name of Fleming, was out in his fields, trying to eke out a living. All of a sudden, he heard a blood-curdling scream, dropped his tools and ran in that direction—to the bogs. There, sinking beyond his waist in the oozing black muck and mire, was a young boy, struggling to no avail. The farmer saved the boy from what could have been a very slow and agonizing death. The next day, yes, the very next day, a fancy carriage arrived at the Fleming farm, and out stepped a very richly dressed nobleman, who introduced himself as the father of the boy from the bogs. He wanted to repay the farmer for his good deed, but Fleming very politely refused. Just then the farmer's own son came out of the family hovel, at which point the nobleman made another offer—to take the farmer's son and educate him. And he certainly did that—in time, the farm boy graduated from medical school in England, and went on to become known as Sir Alexander Fleming, the man who discovered penicillin.

As amazing as that is, it is not the end of the story! Years later, the nobleman's son was stricken by pneumonia. What saved him this time? Penicillin. The nobleman's name? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill, the future Prime Minister of England, during the days of World War II. Amazing! If we can't see the power of God in this, then we need to take some time to consider this very thing—the power of God! When John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Christ, was born, his father, Zacharias, praised the Lord for His power. In part, he sang, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David." (Luke 1:68,69) The "horn" that will be raised up is, of course, Jesus, but it would be John the Baptist that would point one and all to Jesus with the call to repentance—"Repent ye: for the kingdom of God is at hand…I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with Holy Ghost and with fire." (Matt. 3:2,11)

You see, this concept of the "horn" is one of power and might, and it is found all through the Scriptures. The figure of the "horn" is tied to the animals that sported them—bulls, oxen, and rams, just to name a few—pictures of very powerful strength! Daniel, in the eighth chapter of his book of prophecy, looks into his future and depicts Assyria's King Darius and Greece's Alexander the Great as a ram and a goat, respectively, running violently at each other with their powerful horns. Zechariah, in the first chapter of his prophetic book that calls the people to repentance and to rebuild the temple after the Babylonian Captivity, speaks of four horns—four world powers that were about to scatter Judah, Israel, and even Jerusalem in the days in between the Old and New Testaments. On Egyptian and Roman coins, as well as in Assyrian sculptures, we find figures of gods with horns, symbolizing their prowess and their might.

Praise God—our God and Savior came as a Horn, a mighty instrument of salvation and sanctification. The Christian life is not a matter of peeling off the bad layers to get to the good core. No, when we are born again, God begins at the core. It is kind of like a horn, or antler, beginning as a small protrusion, and over time, it grows and develops—and all for a purpose. John called for repentance, but now Jesus announces the fulfillment of that—"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."heart change that results in a lifeThis is the grace of God! Paul told the Ephesian church, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (2:8-10) Do you see the message growing? Why can't we just admit we were wrong, confessing that we didn't listen to and obey Godly advice? Repent, and we will see the power of God grow and grow as we come to see His grace as totally sufficient!
(Mark 1:15) Perhaps we need to be reminded that this repentance is not just a feeling or being sorry in the wake of some situation gone awry. True repentance is an actual turning away from attitudes and actions of the past and leaving them there. It is a change—not just to have things go better, but to the glory of God.

I think maybe Martin Luther, the Reformation leader, put it quite powerfully—"Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever." Can you see the revelation of the Horn of God's salvation growing and being strengthened through sanctification—purity, holiness, and obedience abounding? Anything less is pride! Certainly you have heard the modern saying, "Boy, he sure likes to blow his own horn." Be careful, though, for that can be a loud, boisterous arrogance, or a quiet, false humility that tearfully attempts to gather people who agree—even if that means not agreeing with God. The psalmist writes, "I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn: lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck…All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted." (Ps. 75:4,5,10)

You see, it is far better to let the Lord lift up your horn, not you—"…my faithfulness and mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted." (Ps. 89:24) Remember now—trusting, by faith, in the Lord to change both the heart and the life is not arrogance and pride; in fact, it is just the opposite—to base everything on our own interpretations is the real place of pride. Self-defense, self-justification, and self-vindication are just that—self! A secular proverb gives one solution—"He had better put his horns in his pockets than to blow them." Better yet, though, the Bible gives the best solution to this reoccurring self-life—deny it! Oh, I don't mean to ignore that it is there. No, I mean turn your back on it, deny it, and crucify it! Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26)

But the self-life does not want to die—maybe this is why there were horns on the altar, to tie it down so it could be killed. These horns on each corner of the altar were also a place where the criminal—if his crime were accidental—could cling to for protection. Accidental or not—repent—cling to the one who is the Horn of our salvation, and in Him alone we can and will find protection. If Jesus is your Horn, then all strength is His to save you and grow you. It is said that in Chinese culture, if you save someone's life, you are forever responsible for that person. But is that for that person, or to that person? If we do lay hold on Him who came as the "Horn of Salvation," and we continue to do so, He will be eternally responsible for us. And, if we truly recognize how precious this Horn is, we will be responsible to Him!

How? A.B. Simpson once wrote, "The highest spirituality, therefore, is the most utter helplessness, the most total dependence, and the most complete possession of the Holy Spirit."ourutterly rely on the sufficiency of God. It is the absolute cessation of self-reliant effort to attain righteousness, allowing the divine initiative to assert itself in and through us—absolute surrender! Let your cry be with the Psalmist—"Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing…Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink." (69:1,2, 14) Remember—true saving and sanctifying faith is an attitude in which we acknowledge insufficiency for spiritual ends, and

On Handling the Gift of God (Aug 08)

Perhaps the following story will seem even more apropos in light of the recent flooding in our own country's mid-west. A flood came and left a very devout man stranded on his roof. A neighbor came by in a rowboat, but the man said, "No, thank you—the Lord will save me!" Soon the police showed up in a powerboat, but he gave them the same response. When the peak of his roof was almost submerged, he even sent a rescue helicopter away with the same declaration—"The Lord will save me!"

You probably know what happened—as the story goes, the man drowned. When he met the Lord in heaven, he asked, "Lord, why didn't you save me?" The Lord replied, "I gave you a rowboat, a powerboat, and even a helicopter—what more could you possibly want???" So often we get it in our minds that God is going to intervene in our lives through lightening bolt revelations and thunderous miraculous touches. But, in reality, he often uses a still small voice—often just giving us His answers in everyday circumstances, using every day people. Recently, I was just thinking about how much the Lord gives to His people, but, at the same time, how much is actually either misinterpreted, and thereby, mishandled by those who should just be receiving His gifts by faith.

The concepts of gifts and giving are actually paramount throughout the Scriptures, appearing over 1,500 times throughout the Bible's pages. Giving is what God does best! Well, actually, when you think about it—He does everything best, but it all comes from His giving heart. We see this with King David as he passes the kingdom on to his son Solomon. In 1 Chronicles 28, we find that David had wanted to build a temple for the Lord, but the Lord wanted to give that responsibility to Solomon—if he would persevere in the ways of the Lord! Though David couldn't actually build it, he could prepare the way. He gathered the wood, stones, and precious metals, and then asked the people, "…who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?" (29:5b)

And what was their response? Verses 6 and 7 tell us, "Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly, and gave for the service of the house of God…" The list of things offered is so long, I don't have room for it here! But we are told—"Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy." (vs. 9) This is key as we begin this look on how to handle gifts—everything must be offered willingly. In one church I know, two families fought every year over who would give the most. Each wanted to be known as the most generous and devoted, but most certainly it was not willingly. Since their hearts were not right in the matter, it actually would have been better if they had given nothing! It must glorify God, not mock Him. You see, we must understand that the ultimate Gift is actually Jesus, and to handle Him poorly, mocks God. Herbert Lockyer once wrote, "What great reward there is for all who receive the Saviour as God's gift. How blessed we are when, having received the Gift, we live for the glory of the Giver! Having received the gift of eternal life, ours is the obligation of living as those who, being heaven-born, are heaven-bound."

It was at Jacob's well that Jesus first gave Himself this title—"If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water."(John 4:10) Jesus had asked for cool water, not only because He was tired and thirsty, but because He wanted to show her her own need for Himself—the living water! Praise God—as the Giver was the Gift, He willingly entered into the giving-heart of God—"For God so loved the world, that He gave…" (John 3:16a) Yes, the Giver was—and is—the Gift! But it doesn't end there—Jesus came, in part, to give the Holy Spirit, so that the Christian life would not just be a matter of having God nearby, but even within. Jesus told His disciples, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?" (Luke 11:13)

Just like rowboats, powerboats, and helicopters must be received in order to have their intended effect, it is even more true when it comes to the Gift of the Holy Spirit. How should this Gift be handled? The Church of Jesus Christ had just begun—"And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostle's feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need." (Acts 4:33-35) That is what should happen; this is what shouldn't—a man and his wife, Ananias and Sapphira, sold some land, but kept back some of the proceeds, giving the rest to the church. In that moment, the Holy Spirit witnessed of the truth of the matter to Peter. You see, it had been their land—they could do anything they wanted to do with it or the money they got from it. But they claimed they were giving the whole
thing—they lied; and worse yet, they lied to the Holy Spirit! And when Ananias wouldn't admit it and repent, he died on the spot and was buried immediately. Then his wife came in and lied about it, not knowing what had happened to him—and she fell to the ground dead, too. Oh, a Gift mishandled!

It is actually the end of the story that says it all—"And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things." (5:11) Today, there is very little fear of the Lord. Many, even within the church, live in deception—shading the truth and leading people to believe that they are more devoted to the Lord than they really are. Case in point—a tithe! It is all through the Scriptures, but many today don't take it seriously. A tithe is literally 10%, and so a $300.00 weekly income would produce a $30.00 tithe; $500.00 would mean $50.00; and so on. And this is only the basic, bottom-line Biblical expectation—what about the "tithes and offerings" we speak about in our services? Our giving, to truly glorify God, must be a "willing offering"—a physical expression of the devotion and surrender that has been implanted in the human heart. Malachi says clearly that the withholding of the tithe is actually robbing"tempt the Spirit of the Lord?" (vs. 9) Not smart!
God! How many places in our lives do we pretend to be closer to the Lord than we really are, and thereby

In Acts 8, we see the same thing, and, Praise God, even more. Verses 9 and 10 tell us of a certain man called Simon, who was "giving out that himself was some great one," and everyone around, "gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying This man is the great power of God." He had everybody fooled! But when he saw the Holy Spirit falling on people under the ministry of Peter, he tried to buy it. Peter told him, "Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money." (vs. 20) Today, many think the gift of the Holy Spirit can be bought through good works or traveling all around the country seeking a so-called new thing. Many flock to fast-paced, entertaining, mega-churches, sip their lattes—which they bought right there—and hear snappy little pep talks on how to live—a total mishandling of the Gift!

Listen—a gift is just that, a gift! A.B. Simpson once wrote, "Grace carries with it two great senses always; it comes without charge, and it comes when we are helpless. Grace does not merely help the man who helps himself. The gospel is that God helps the man who cannot help himself. Grace is given to the man who is so weak and helpless he cannot take the first step."you be if Christ quit reaching out to you after the first time—or the hundredth time—you rejected Him? You would be dead—drowned in the flood of your own sin and deception! When you turn down His rowboats, powerboats, and helicopters, what is left? If you put yourself on some spiritual pedestal, you will turn your back on the amazing compassion of God, and then not have any compassion with which to handle the Gifts intended for others. Proverbs warns, "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?" (20:6) God is looking for—and will have—a people who will be honest before Him, handling His Gifts as though they are very precious, for, indeed, they truly are! Haven't you ever reached out to help another and your gift was rejected, whether it be your time, your resources, or your compassion? And did that cause you to quit? If it did, it shouldn’t have—where would

Where Mixture Is Not a Fixture (Jul 08)

Two pastors from two local churches were standing by the road, pounding a sign into the ground. The sign declared, "The end is near! Turn yourself around before it is too late!" As a car raced past the two men, the driver yelled, "Leave us alone, you sanctimonious nuts!" From the curve, the pastors could hear the screeching of tires and a big splash. One pastor turned to the other, and asked, "Do you think maybe the sign should just say: 'Bridge Out'?"

Yeah, I suppose so! Sometimes we get so focused on just the right words, that the message itself gets lost. And when the message is a matter of life and death, it must be very clear—no mixture!and powerful King and Queen of Israel, Ahab and Jezebel, and yet, with God's Spirit, he faced down their 450 false prophets on Mt. Carmel. These were serious times—God is God, and that must be known!
We can see this very plainly in the relationship between two of the most famous prophets ever—Elijah and Elisha. The times were serious, and so were their messages. In 1 Kings 18, we find that Elijah had to deal with the very evil

When the time came for Elijah to choose his successor, he finds him quickly—"So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him." (19:19) The mantle is the outer cloak, and, in the Hebrew, it refers to something very ample and full. It was symbolic of the anointing that God had placed on Elijah's life, and soon, it would be upon Elisha's. When he asks if he could bid his family farewell, Elijah tells him to go, but watch out! You see, this traditional time of farewell often dragged on for a couple of weeks or more, and there would be no time for that—watch out for other attachments when the Lord is calling! Elisha's heart was clear in the matter—"…he took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him." (vs. 21) The focus was on other's needs, not his own!

Praise God—the truly blessed place to live is where mixture is not a permanent fixture! In 2 Kings 2, when this succession was about to take place, we see the same thing—no mixture! Centuries before this, the people of Israel had made their way, with the Lord's leading, from bondage in Egypt, through 40 years in the wilderness, and to the shores of the Jordan River—the entrance to the Promised Land. Now, Elijah was on his way out—literally—so the journey would take them back to the river. As they got ready for the trip, Elijah told Elisha, "Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord has sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el. And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-elcame forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head today? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace." (vss. 2,3) Now this incident didn't just happen at Beth-el, the "House of God," it was repeated as they came closer and closer to the Jordan River—in Jericho and on the banks of the river itself. Elisha and the others were being tested—just how far were they willing to go to live in the place where mixture is not a fixture? A place of purity and holiness, with a devoted adherence to God's word, no matter the cost? Or will we rationalize, and in so doing, hinder the relationship with compromise?

As they stood there on the shore, "…Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground." (vs. 8) Boy, talk about deja vu—it sounds an awful lot like what happened the first time Israel crossed the river—check it out in Joshua 3—it's almost like hitting the rewind button. Once they were both across, Elijah asked Elisha if there were anything he wanted before they parted ways. And sure enough, there was—Elisha asked, "I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me." (vs. 9b) Elisha wanted everything Elijah had, and then some—no mixture, no compromise—just a spirit that took the Holy Spirit seriously in the midst of serious times.

Elijah told him that he had asked a "hard" thing—in the Hebrew, it refers to something dense, tough and severe. The fact is that serious times do call for serious devotion and commitment. Elijah told him that if he would keep his eyes on him—especially throughout what was about to happen—he would indeed receive his request. And then it did happen—"And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more…" (vss. 11,12) And—Praise God—Elisha did receive his request—as the chariot vanished, Elijah's mantle fell to the ground, and with it, Elisha "smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? And when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over." (vs. 14)

Praise God—even without Elijah physically present, Elisha was going to continue to seek and serve the Lord—without mixture! Doesn't the whole thing ring a bell with you? To me, it sounds like the plan of salvation! As Jesus knew that the time for His departure was at hand, He and His disciples made their way to Jerusalem. Over and over again, Jesus speaks of His death and resurrection, but His followers don't get it—perhaps it was just too severe and grievous. As Jesus is led out of the city to the cross, the waters are parted—so to speak—and He crosses the river of death, only to find greater life. Forty days later, He ascends into heaven, but not without the promise of the coming Holy Spirit—a double portion, ample and full! From Pentecost on, His people—His Elishas—would need to cross back over and live in this world, staying clear, however, of the mixture. How crucial it is to let Him control every aspect of life—personal, relational, and social.

First, the individual Christian! Is my focus myself, my ways, my comfort, and, essentially, I just want to be blessed? Watch out—self-interest is one of the most dangerous diversions from true Christianity to which we can attach ourselves. Why do I say that? Because it quite naturally leads to the same thing with regards to our relationships—using other people for our own gain. In many families today, both fathers and mothers have as their goal to keep harmony in the home—at all costs! So the prayer then becomes that our unsaved families get what they want, so that life is easier on us. The true prayer, however, should be for their salvation. Christian parents have the God-given responsibility to live Jesus before one and all, and in that, draw them to repentance, a denial of themselves, and a heart and life surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ. In both the personal life and in our relationships with others, our focus must not be on what we can get out of it—peace and tranquility in the home, for example—but on a soul that truly does need Jesus!

And lastly, consider the Church. Right now, thousands of people are flocking down to Florida, chasing after supernatural blessings, but where are the people who are willing to have Him His"Father, give me the angels in heaven right now that are assigned to get me money and wealth. And let those angels be released on my behalf. Let them go into the four corners of the earth and gather me money." Oh, come on—do you see the focus?—ME! It's that ridiculous "prosperity gospel." The evangelist also speaks of angels walking down the aisles, sprinkling gold dust on people. This is foolishness—using Jesus for personal gain. Where is the real Jesus in all of this mixture? 1 John 4:1 tells us, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try (or test) the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." The false prophets today are calling all to blessings and an easier life—what kind of anointing is that? God says that these times coming up will not be easy—the bridge is O-U-T, and we need His very ample double portion to cross that river and live the Elisha life. Amos said, "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord." (8:11) Not the Word, now—Bibles are everywhere, but the famine is of the hearing of that Word! Come away from the compromise and live in a very blessed place, where mixture is NOT a fixture! way? The evangelist, with his tattoos, body-piercings, and choice of hard rock music in the services, said in his message, "Angelic Hosts,"

On the Road From Chief to Chiefest (Jun 08)

A frustrated father was speaking with a friend—"When I was a youngster, I was disciplined by being sent to my room without supper. But in my son's room, he has his own high-definition TV, telephone, computer, and both CD and DVD players." It was then his friend asked, "So what do you do?" "Oh, I send him to MY room!" explained the father. With Father's Day right around the corner, I wondered how many households have similar dilemmas.

The story is also told of a young couple who took their little girls on a camping trip—a time to escape technology and appreciate nature. The father had the girls gather pine needles in order to make soft "beds." They were then told to bring large rocks to form a circle in the cool stream to make a "refrigerator." Next, a "stove" was made by placing a grate over another ring of stones. The girls were so impressed and excited! The little five-year-old smiled at her Dad and innocently said, "If we get more rocks, Daddy, will you make a TV?" Once again, I think we see the problem—the authority figure has become the "Santa Claus", and, quite often, all for the purpose of keeping everybody happy. But is that really the goal?

With this concept of authority in mind, I found myself on a journey through the Scriptures, and I would like you to go along. Recently, in one of our church services, I spoke on Jesus being the Chief Cornerstone. As I thought further on this idea of Him being the "chief," I discovered that that word is used over 325 times in the Bible. There are many lists of family units within the tribes of Israel, and the "chief" is the father or ancestor. In these lists, the Hebrew word is often "nasi", referring to one who is exalted, like a king or a sheik. Another word is "rosh", meaning to shake the head, as in determining, by, perhaps, "yes" or "no", the appropriate path for those he is leading. Yet another one that is used is "pinnah," implicating a pinnacle, a bulwark, or a strong tower. This "chief" is crucial—not a "sugardaddy," providing for every whim, but a very respected leader and guide.

Besides all of the many references to the "chief priests," and the "chief musicians" found in most Psalms, it is also a specific reference to Jesus. I already mentioned the Chief Cornerstone—"Wherefore also it is contained in Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient." (1 Peter 2:6-8) Those "builders" were the religious leaders, who were supposed to be leading the way. Be very careful in these days, for many preachers and teachers are taking many down a road to ruin, claiming it to be a pathway to prosperity. We can see it in Proverbs 16:28, too—"A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends." Now I know the obvious implication is the danger of gossip and slander, but is it not also true that Satan whispers thoughts of non-commitment and deceit that draw us away from our chief friend—Jesus Christ?

Consider this—"And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time." (1 Peter 5:4-6) This "archipoimane", or chief Shepherd, not only speaks of being the head over the sheep, but the "arche" suggests His being from even before the beginning. No doubt, to follow this One, who leads by experience and authority, is to surely be on the right path. But let's not stop here—let's go all the way on this journey, for it is a road that may begin with seeing Him as the "Chief", but it truly culminates in knowing Him as the "Chiefest!" To get there, we must make a legal U-turn—all the way back to the Book of the Song of Solomon. It was originally written by King Solomon, perhaps on the occasion of His delightful marriage to His first wife—a Shulamite woman. It is actually a powerful conversation between the two of them, expressing their love and devotion to each other. But then something happened!

In Chapter 5, verse 2, we read these words from the bride—"I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night." Some suggest that this is the beginning of a dream, but whether asleep or awake, this episode in their relationship is filled with powerful truth. Solomon, known here as the "beloved," has come to visit his bride. But it is in the middle of the night—the lights are off and the house is closed up. In fact, she says, "I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?" (vs.3) In the East, at this time, one's feet needed to be washed several times throughout the day—with sandals and dusty roads, they were easily soiled—even by a journey across the floor to the door. This delay would cost her dearly!

His voice had awakened her heart—in the Hebrew, it refers to an opening of the eyes and a stirring. But, at least momentarily, some other thing—some hindrance—got in the way. Then she actually sees his hand—"My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him"—and, now, she does rise to let him in. The very next statement—verse 6—explains what had happened. "I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer." The plain fact of the matter is that she just hesitated too long—she didn't immediately obey. She loved her groom, but she let something else get in the way. When she came to her senses, it was too late—he had left the house! Realizing she had made the wrong choice, she ran out looking for him—only to have the watchmen of the town assume that she was a disreputable "woman of the streets," and mistreat her. As she frantically ran around asking his whereabouts, she, in turn, is asked, "What is thy beloved more than another beloved…?" In other words, what makes him"My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand." (vs. 10)
so special? Her response included the following statement—

Obviously, the bride now sees her groom as the ultimate authority figure—the epitome of desirable leadership. Historically, Solomon would make several wrong turns throughout the journey of his life, but—Praise God—it is not just about him! No, this is a very graphic description of the love and devotion between Jesus and His Church, the ultimate Bridegroom and Bride. It is interesting to note that the Hebrew word for chiefest is "dagal," literally referring to a conspicuous lifting up of a standard or a banner. In this same book, the bride says, "He brought me to His banqueting house, and His banner over me was love." (2:4) These two words, "banner" and "chiefest," are the same Hebrew word. Praise God—the standard for us to follow isHis love!

It all sounds very logical—love Jesus, follow Jesus. But how many times do we get off this path, letting other things hinder us or steer us away? We can claim to love Him, but when He speaks, do we immediately respond? Or do our souls fail when we are faced with giving up our comfort zones? Do we hesitate, even for a moment—just a moment? Many are satisfied with hearts that are simply awakened, but it isn't enough that we feel a stirring inside and our eyes are opened. Jesus has come to raise the standard of love that is revealed through obedience. He said that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments—warm fuzzy feelings and stirred up emotions are not enough. So how do we come to see Jesus as the chiefest? The Apostle Paul gives us a clue—"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." (1 Tim. 1:15) Were you the "chief" of sinners? If you weren't, then you won't know Him as the "chiefest." Those who know they have been forgiven much, love much! A. Moody Stuart once wrote, "The greatness of salvation and the greatness of transgression, by their very contrast, suit each other; the chief of sinners needing the chief of Saviours." While so many are excited to see Jesus as a "sugardaddy," fulfilling all their whims, technological or otherwise, be thrilled that the Heavenly Father sent the Chiefest among 10,000 to be in you—your goal, your standard, and your authority!

Mystery of Providence, Mastery of Promise (May 08)

James Chalmers, an adventurous, high-spirited Scottish boy, listened very carefully as his pastor read a letter from a missionary in Figi. With tears in his eyes, the pastor added, "I wonder if there is a boy here who will one day bring the gospel to the cannibals. Young James said quietly, "I will!"—and, he wasn't even born-again yet. In 1866, after he was saved and trained, he set sail for the South Pacific as a Presbyterian missionary. In 11 years, he made his way to New Guinea, and soon, Christian churches replaced feasts of human flesh!

In 1901, Oliver Tomkins joined the effort, and on Easter Sunday, the two men decided to explore a new part of the islands. The next morning, they went ashore—and the two missionaries were never heard from again! A rescue party soon learned that the two men had been clubbed to death, chopped to pieces, cooked, and eaten. The horrible news flashed around the world. "I can't believe it!" exclaimed Dr. Joseph Parker from the pulpit of London's famous City Temple. "I do not want to believe it! Such a mystery of providence makes it hard for our strained faith to recover." It just didn't make sense!

In 1956, when Jim Elliot and four other missionaries were martyred by the Aucas in Ecuador, the entire world had to face a similar dilemma—how could a loving God allow such a thing, especially to such dedicated Christian men? And yet, that tragedy allowed their wives to continue the outreach, resulting in the salvation of the murderers themselves, multitudes of others in the village and surrounding areas, and the inspiration for hundreds of others to take to the mission field. As Jim Elliot once wrote in his diary, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Praise God—He is in control! There is certainly no shortage of evil and its perpetrators in the world today, and that is not a good thing—but, in His providence, God can bring much good out of it. And that is a promise!!!

It is true! The mystery of His providence reveals the mastery of His promise. Just look at the Exodus —a way through the Red Sea when Israel was being pursued by Pharoah's army; bitter water made sweet in the midst of a difficult wilderness; miraculous manna from heaven to satisfy their hunger throughout the 40 years of wandering; a dry path through the Jordan River as the next generation proceeded into the Promised Land—in the midst of the trials and afflictions, God had His hand on the way. But God also had some expectations—before they could really enter in, they would need to be consecrated unto the Lord. The sign of this would be a renewal of the covenant through circumcision—symbolizing the cutting away of the life in the flesh, and a moving forward in the Spirit of the Lord. The Passover was next—this new generation would be reminded of the deliverance marked by the lamb's blood. Yes, their next steps must be taken under the blood of the Lamb of God. The next few verses tell the story—"And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain, on the very same day. Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year." (Joshua 5:12 NKJV) The manna didn't stop raining down the day before they had access to the other food in the new land; it didn't cease the day of, BUT rather, it was the day after! No gaps! No gaps at all! God provided every step of the way.

Then look what happens—"And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with His sword drawn in His hand, and Joshua went unto Him, and said unto Him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And He said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship…" (vss. 13,14 KJV) Whoa! What an amazing provision before the battle—the pre-incarnate Christ, the Captain of our Salvation (Heb. 2:10)—personally lays out the battle plan. Yes, the battle was the Lord's, not Joshua's! And it began with one, simple piece of obedience—"Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so."(vs.15) Praise God—Joshua obeyed; he obeyed every detail, and the walls came "tumblin'" down, just as the song says.

It was all a test of the zeal that both Joshua and the people had for the Lord and His holy ways. Submission to God's directives was most certainly the key to victory, though that is often not the easy way to go. Even in the church, we want to do the things of God, but our way. It would have made much more sense to boldly attack the city, than to march around it for days in perfect silence. Praise God—we must be willing to take off the shoes of our own "goings" and take the steps that the Lord Himself has laid out for us. And don't forget—such following of the Captain must be continual, even to the end. Their success at Jericho was so overwhelming, they thoughtsoundly defeated. Why? They didn't follow the Lord's leading—not just in insisting on their own way, but there was also sin in the camp. Yes, Achan had taken some of the forbidden spoils from Jericho. When caught, he admitted it, but that is not a true-heart repentance and a hatred of sin. At best, it is just remorse over getting caught. Achan and his family were stoned and buried under a pile of rocks—a memorial to God's call for holiness!
they had the pattern down pat. The next city, Ai, was smaller and would not be a big deal—just send two or three thousand men, and it will be a piece of cake. Well, it wasn't—Israel was

Yes, the repercussion of sin and disobedience will be devastating, but what about when godly"The truth is, whenever God has done a major work in my life, it has been during my darkest hours. I have learned my most lasting life lessons in my times of deepest pain. That is when His mercy came—when I finally stopped trying to figure things out and instead just held on, trusting Him to deliver me and work His way in me." This man knows what he is talking about—his wife, Gwen, has endured more than 25 surgeries, with many of them for cancer. She also has lost much of her sight to macular degeneration, but the Lord has sustained both of them. I know what he is talking about—right now, two very precious members of my family are going through these exact…same…things! Is there a gap in God's care, or is He speaking?
people are called to endure? Is there really a gap in the care of God? David Wilkerson, founding pastor of Time Square Church, recently wrote,

Teresa Conlon, the wife of Time Square's senior pastor, Carter Conlon, told of a worship service she recently led in Ireland. At the closing altar call, over 95% of the people came forward. Speaking to some of them afterwards, she began to see what had prepared the way for such a victory. A young on-fire Christian man had recently told his God-fearing mother, "If I gather the people, will you preach to them?" Figuring he was referring to scheduling a revival service, she agreed. Tragically, the young man was soon killed! As hundreds gathered at the home for the wake, generators and outdoor lights were set up in the fields for parking. In the process, a cousin and an uncle were electrocuted and lay dead on the ground. In trying to save them, five other family members were critically injured. A few days later, the funeral had become a media event—every newspaper reporter, TV and radio news crew, and even the country's president, were in attendance. The mother stood up, and putting her hand on her son's casket, she gave the Gospel of Jesus Christ to her whole country. She called all to love God and hate sin. She called allno other way to the Father.
to take off the shoes of their own "going", and go God's way—Jesus Christ—the Way, the Truth, and the Life, for there is

Later, when Teresa held that altar call, that mother and her family were among the first to come forward—they had found it difficult to be in church, with all the questions and such. But now, multitudes followed her to the altar in support, love, and care. Satan had meant the whole thing for evil, but God meant it for good. We often have the idea that everything that is difficult is "bad", but if God allowed it, can we not see His good purposes? Paul writes to us, "…all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." (Rom. 8:28) And don't ever forget, "..our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Cor. 4:17) Are you facing an overwhelming circumstance? Know this—there are no gaps in God's love and care. The "good" and the "bad" are intended to bring us to see our need. Such is the amazing mystery of God's providence; it truly does reveal the mastery of His promises!

Church As Usual? (Apr 08)

With Easter having been so early this year, I thought it might be good to hearken back and extend the season a bit—to make sure we didn't miss something before we move on with the rest of the year. Neil Wilson, in his book, "Were You There: Find Yourself with Jesus," wrote of a little 12 year-old girl, who expected "church as usual" that sunny Spring morning—"That Easter morning repeated our weekly church routine with the added yawn of a sunrise service. My new dress looked so nice that I wished I were wearing it to a more important place. Though the dress had lost some of its crispness, it held its own with the outfits my friends were modeling."

As she entered her Sunday School class, she noticed that they had a new teacher—a substitute. Right away, she saw several objects on the table—a crown of thorns, a wooden mallet, and a huge spike. After explaining each of them, the teacher asked, "We're here to remember the resurrection, but I wonder, why did Jesus have to die in the first place?" Silence! The girl wasn’t used to that—not only was the class usually loud and boisterous, but the teacher would always answer her own questions, simply because no one else would. But not today! Silence!!!

After the class was over, the little girl approached the table to find there were also two pieces of paper on the table—one was an indictment with "Guilty" scrawled on it, and the other read "Forgiven," with the signature of Jesus written in red. Lately, she had been dealing with a lot of guilt over being disrespectful and disobedient to her parents, and yet somehow she knew that what she was about to hear would change her life forever. And as the teacher spoke, it did—she felt as if someone had stepped up behind her and gently rested His scarred hands on her shoulders. That day would be anything but "church as usual." I'm sure you have noticed that our society today is sensory overloaded. From cable to satellite dishes to high definition to Ipods to cell phones, and televisions hanging from the ceilings of stores, we are certainly being bombarded with boisterous noise from every direction. It seems, anymore, people don't take any time to just be quiet and think—especially of the things of God! I think that many like it that way—they don't really have to deal with the important things of life—or better yet, the Lord dealing with them!

I remember hearing of a day filled with crowds and filled with shouting. Palm Sunday, they call it! Hundreds of people had gathered to watch the parade. The new preacher of faith was at the head of it—riding on the back of a donkey, of all things. Actually, it really isn't so odd—the Scripture had prophesied it—"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."expect it; IF you, instead, were expecting "church as usual." Many had hoped that He would be a great military leader to free them from the bondage of Rome, but this conqueror had a quite a different purpose—He would bring freedom from bondage to sin and lead all into true faith!
(Zechariah. 9:9) I guess it's odd, though, IF you didn't

Hebrews 12:2 emphatically states that, "Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.""The writer of Hebrews represents Christ as One who takes precedence in faith, and is thus the perfect example of it. In the days of His flesh, He trod undeviatingly the paths of faith, and as the Perfecter, has brought it to a perfect end in His own person. Thus He is the leader of all others who tread the path of faith." In that Palm Sunday parade, we see three aspects of this amazing leadership and its ultimate result. First, HE WAS THE PERFECTION OF TRUST IN GOD. In that same book of Hebrews, we find His own personal affirmation—"I will put my trust in Him." (2:13) Actually, His entire life was a manifestation of such a faith in God. His prayers revealed this trust—"Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; In thee I am well pleased." (Luke 3:21-22) Not even His sufferings could diminish or destroy His faith—"And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, Oh my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Mt. 26:39) Jesus knew, that even though the parade began with exuberance and palm-waving joy, there were many steps yet to be trod through faith.
Herbert Lockyer once wrote,

Even His death on the Cross of Calvary was triumphant because of this irrepressible trust. Luke 23:46 tells us, "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost." Imagine—dying, trusting in God to raise you up again—and if He didn't? Whoa! But the faith of Jesus went all the way to knowing that God would do it! And that, in a sense, was contagious—it not only would speak powerfully to His followers, but it was a witness to even His enemies—"Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."(Mt.27:54)Every step He took was in faith—faith in a faithful God!

Secondly, HE WAS THE PURCHASER OF THE SPIRIT OF FAITH. I believe that all 66 books of the Bible make it clear that the people of God will always need the Holy Spirit—every chapter points to that fact. Not everybody along that parade route—if anybody at all—knew this, which is precisely why Jesus was heading in this direction. He had already begun the transaction, but now, He would complete it. Galatians 5 makes it clear that true faith is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and that was about to be purchased for all of us. Thirdly, HE WAS THE PUBLISHER OF THE RULE OF FAITH. As the parade continued, much was published, or, to put it another way, much was proclaimed. The people shouted, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest." (Luke 19:38) But would they let that King rule His way—through trust and faith in God, which will be evidenced in purity, holiness, and obedience? Some of the so-called "leaders" were there, objecting—demanding that He stop this "publishing" of the truth. They wanted silence! But Jesus said, "No way!"—"…if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." (vs. 40) You see, there is a time for silence and a time for sound (Eccl. 3:7)—the silence came first as His followers listened to His every word, but now, it was a time to make known the Good News. Silence is good—"Be still, and know that I am God."(Psalm 46:10)—and once we know, by faith, we must then make Him known to others.

Obviously, in every way, Jesus alone is the true Leader of Faith, and the perfect example of unshakable trust in God. He rides at the head of the parade, as the ultimate Grand Marshall, leading the way for all to follow. I looked up the word "parade" in the dictionary, and found this among the definitions: "A marshaling and maneuvering of troops for display and inspection." And, Praise God, Jesus is the Grand Marshall—not just as a figurehead, but with true authority as the parade rolls along, and all follow along. In Reginald Heber's hymn, "The Son of God Goes Forth to War," we find these words:

A glorious band, the chosen few,

On whom the Spirit came,

Twelve valiant saints, their hope they knew,

And mocked the cross and flame:

They met the tyrant's brandished steel,

The lion's gory mane;

They bowed the necks the death to feel:

Who follows in their train?

Good question—who will be in the same way with Jesus? As the "Author and the Finisher of our faith," He is truly the Leader who brings all things to perfection. Will we insist on the mind-numbing noise of life, and somehow, whether it be through boredom or entertainment, make it through "church as usual?" Or will we cease from our own works, being still and silent before God, even feeling His nail-scarred hands on our shoulders—and then follow in His train?

The Anointing of Worship: Business as Usual? (Mar 08)

One day, a kindergarten teacher stood before her class and said, "I'll give $10 to the child who can tell me the most famous man who ever lived." With St. Patrick's Day right around the corner, a little Irish boy blurted out, "St. Patrick!" The teacher said, "I'm sorry, Sean, that's not correct." A little Scottish boy raised his hand and suggested it was St. Andrew, but he, too, was judged to be wrong. Then a little Jewish boy said that the most famous man who had ever lived was Jesus Christ. "That's right," said the stunned teacher, "But I'm kind of surprised that you would say that!" "Yeah, I know," replied the little boy, "In my heart, I knew it was Moses, but business is business!" Herein lies the problem—when other things, "business as usual," is more important than the truth. The first few chapters of the Book of Hebrews makes clear that Jesus Christ is actually superior—superior to the prophets, to Moses, and even to the heavenly angels. In fact, Jesus Christ is the ultimate High Priest—not only the One to bring the offering, but to be the offering!

To round it all off, we are also told that He is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. In Psalm 2:1-4, we read, "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision." Oh, the world today thinks that it is just such hot stuff—trying to thwart God at every turn—even setting itself up as a god! It won'tlook like it's working! Why? Because the Father says, "Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion." (vs. 6) To which that King responds, "I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." (vss. 7-8)
work—even though it might

Paul couldn't have been more right than when he told the Colossian church that Jesus has the preeminence! (1:18) He is certainly greater than any prophet, any priest, any king! What do all of these have in common? It is the anointing! Herbert Lockyer once wrote, "Prophets, priests, and kings in ancient history were anointed for their particular offices, and Christ, at once Prophet, Priest, and King, became the Center of all prophecy, the Consummation of all priesthood, and the Source and End of all kingship." To be anointed, in the Hebrew, is, "mashyach", or "Messiah," implying an appointing for a purpose. Originally, it was applicable to anyone anointed for a holy office or with holy oil. Over time, in the days of Daniel, for instance, "Messiah" came to indicate the one who would redeem the chosen people of God from their enemies, and fulfill completely all the divine promises for them. In the New Testament, the Greek word is "Christos"—Ding! Are bells beginning to go off in your brain???

Yes, Jesus Christ is the preeminent and ultimate Anointed One! In our church, we anoint with oil, for the Scriptures tell us to—"Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." (James 5:14) There is nothing "magical" about it; it points to a greater"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Mt. 3:17) But the anointing didn't just take place as He began His life and His ministry—it was throughout every minute of it!
anointing! While previous prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with special blends of oil, the Christmas story makes clear that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit, even from the womb. At His baptism, He was publicly anointed with the Holy Spirit, and a heavenly voice,

Quite early on, in Luke 7, a Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to have dinner with him. Oh, sure, it might have been "business as usual"—checking out the new itinerant preacher, who had already healed the sick and even raised the dead. The Bible doesn't say Simon invited Jesus with an ulterior motive, but he might have. In any case, what was about to happen would not be "business as usual." "And behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner…brought an alabaster box of ointment. And stood at His feet behind Him weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with the ointment."worship!known of Jesus—perhaps she had even heard Him preach, and maybe even had met Him along the way. Some assume she had been a prostitute, for a little later, Simon thinks to himself, "This man, if He were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth Him: for she is a sinner."
(vss. 37-38; italics mine) Washed; kissed; anointed—these are all marks of Obviously, she had at least (vs. 39b) Some assume the woman is none other than Mary Magdalene, and some assume she is both—that Mary was a prostitute! Careful—the Bible doesn't say that!

Let's stick with what we do know—she is repentant, and is anointing Him with her worship—tears, kisses, and precious oil. Since Simon wants to do nothing but lambaste this worshipper, Jesus turns it around and makes clear the Pharisee's lack of love and worship. You see, it was part of the culture to have a servant or a slave wash the feet of visitors. The roads were dusty, and sandals were almost grit magnets—such a cleansing as people entered would be a sure sign of love and hospitality. Jesus hadn't experienced any of that until this woman washed His feet with her tears. It was also traditional to kiss your guest on the cheek, further welcoming the traveler with the universal sign of devotion. Jesus had received no such thing until this woman kissed His feet. Lastly, a good host would anoint a guest with perfumed oil, a welcomed gesture for the tired traveler. Jesus never even saw the oil until this "sinner" anointed His feet.

Before one and all, Jesus made it clear that true devotion and love comes out of a recognition of the sinfulness of our past condition, and the boundless love that paid the price for that sin at the Cross! Oh, the anointing of worship! Praise God—this was not the onlyone day before Palm Sunday—it was after dinner at Mary, Martha, and Lazarus' house in Bethany. (John 12) And the woman who anointed Jesus this time was Mary herself. A lot of people like to point at others—especially at the blatantbad people—and declare that this weeping, kissing, and anointing is all for them to do to make up for their "bad" behavior. Evidently, they assume because they are "pretty good", that such poured out devotion is beneath them. They also assume that they are the standard, and not Jesus. First of all, Scripture tells us, "All have sinned and have come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23) In other words, no one is better than another—sin is sin, and all need to repent and be saved. Secondly, those who already know the Lord and are close to Him, like Mary, will desire to anoint Jesus with their worship each and every day. Some others around you, even those who claim to follow Jesus, too—as Mary found out—will call this worship a big waste. The closer they all got to the Cross, the more it is seen as a waste—many want "business as usual,"—not death, not burial, not new life with Christ, but an old life, where otherthings come first!
time—a couple of years later, just sinners, the really

The end of Psalm 2 says—"Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." Kiss the Son—in the Hebrew, it refers to being attached to Him, equipped with the spiritual weapons to fight the battle. Charles Spurgeon once wrote, "God's anointed is appointed, and shall not be disappointed." By the way, Matthew 26 and Mark 14 both tell of yet another time of anointing with worship—now it is a few days after Palm Sunday. Imagine—just two days before the Cross—Jesus is anointed again with a perfumed oil. And everyone around Him—from Pontius Pilate to the guards at the cross and the tomb—they can't miss the aroma! Who is this guy? What is so special about Him that He would be so anointed, so worshipped? Do you think He might be worth coming away from the "business as usual" type of attitude, and enter into the truth—Christ alone is superior; Christ alone must have the preeminence—this needs to be the new "business as usual!" Kiss the Son—if we are too busy to enter into all that Jesus is calling us to, wearetoobusy! Remember—the anointing didn't end at the Cross, either—what Jesus is, His redeemed people are—anointed, in these days, by the Holy Spirit to live and serve in the power of the resurrected life!