A Fulfilling Banquet

 In Isaiah 25:6, "the LORD of hosts prepares a lavish banquet for all people on this mountain."  As we celebrate the first day of the New Year, many of us are preparing food for family and friends.  We can definitely relate to the preparations of a "lavish banquet".  But God is here preparing a banquet like no other.  In verses 7-8, Isaiah continues this inspired writing with, "and on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil which is stretched over all nations.  He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces.  And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken."

In Matthew Poole's commentary, he writes, "the covering or veil is the ignorance of God and of the true religion, which was then upon the Gentiles, and now upon the Jews.  It is a veil that covers men's eyes and keeps them from discernment...  This is a manifest prophecy concerning the illumination and conversion of the the Gentiles.  

In verse eight, "He will swallow up death for all time, Mr. Poole continues with, "The Messiah, who is God and Man, will swallow up death; shall by His death destroy yet the power of death and take away the sting of the first death, and prevent the second death and give eternal life to the world, even to all that believe in Him."  God will "in due time confer upon His people the victory that Christ has already purchased.  And He will take away from His people all suffering and sorrows, and all the causes of them, which is begun here and perfected in heaven."

This was my passage of scripture on this first day of the New Year.  What hope and confidence God's word gives us daily as we all face the trials of life.  Sometimes, we think we can't go on, but God is truly our refuge and strength.  And Mr. Poole continues verse eight with the reproach we receive as believers in Jesus Christ.  "The reproach and contempt which was (and is) daily cast upon His faithful people by the ungodly world..."  And then Isaiah adds at the end of verse 8, "The Lord has spoken it."  Mr. Poole closes on this verse with, "therefore, doubt not of it, though it seem incredible to you."  

What a wonderful challenge from God's Word to start our day and the New Year of 2026!  I can add nothing.  As Job says in 40:4, "I shut my mouth."  Let the wisdom and power of God's Word usher you, too, into a year full of hope and strength from God alone!  And let verse nine of this passage not end your day but begin your time with newness of heart and mind.

Isaiah 25:9: "And it will be said in that day, 'Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us.  This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation."

The Forgotten Word

 Humility.  Do we know this word exits?  If so, do we know the meaning?  In looking it up for this post, I was struck by one definition that makes my case clear.  Unassertiveness!  Unassertiveness was defined as a person "not having or showing a confident and forceful personality."  Oh my!  I could just end right there and my point be made.  

As a new believer in Christ back in the mid-seventies, the pastor of the church I attended gave the following definition of "humility": power under control.  That is a far cry from the above dictionary definition.  But if you read the gospels, you will see that displayed by Jesus time and time again. One such demonstration was when He took the basin and towel and washed the disciples feet. (John 13) God, in the flesh, washed the nasty feet of lowly men.   Jesus, by His example, revealed the embodiment of humility in order to teach us, as believers how that looked.  

Last week, on Sunday, our pastor brought out that passage in all its revealing, raw and ugly evidence of our sin-embedded flesh.  We must see ourselves in light of Christ, in order to a ask Him for help each day in our sanctification.  We must know what we really are in order to lay at the throne of grace for continued help in this process.  Each day, we see the depth, and each day, He bestows His power to change us.  That is the freeing beauty of the release of the heavy chains of sin.  With that comes great rejoicing and new strength for the battle ahead until He brings us to Himself.

In his book, Call Unto Me, Charles Spurgeon entitles one of his sermons, "Humility the Friend of Prayer". He uses Genesis 32:10 as his reference.  Jacob, of whom God refers to over and over in scripture, is the subject of that passage.  And Spurgeon chides other pastors and teachers who decry Jacob as the scoundrel.  He writes, Jacob "was at times crafty, but God is not ashamed to be called his God" and "no fellow-believer has any right to be ashamed of Jacob.  He was a man full of energy, active, enduring, resolute, and hence his infirmities become more conspicuous than they would have been in a quieter and more restful nature...but he was a master of the art of prayer, and he that can pray well is a princely man."

Jacob's prayer in this passage is, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast shown Thy servant."  This is power under control.  And for all our pointing fingers at the sins of other believers, this is truly a display of the attitude of a man who knew he was needy and powerless without God.  And as Jesus washed those dirt-caked feet, that dirt from which God in His power made us, we must fall on our face before Him, in both adoration and pleading for the change that only He can create in us.

The Bible: My Politics

 “Should a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?  Amos 3:6

Newton writes, “The Bible is my system of politics.  There I read, that the Lord reigns; that He doth what He pleaseth in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; that no wisdom, understanding, counsel, or power, can prevail without His blessing; that as righteousness exalts a nation, so sin is the reproach, and will even totally be the ruin of any people.  From these, and other maxims of a like import, I am learning to be still, and to know that He is God.”

He continues, “In order to estimate the state of the nation, we must attend to two views, which,  when contrasted, illustrate each other, and, in their combination, constitute our national character, and discriminate it not only from that of every nation around us, but from all the kingdoms recorded in the history of past ages. I mean our national privileges, and our national sins.

If God gives up a people to the way of their own hearts, they will, they must, perish.  When a general corruption of morals takes place, when private interests extinguishes all sense of public virtue, when a profligate and venal spirit has infected every rank and order of the state, when presumptuous security and dissipation increase in proportion as danger approaches, when, after repeated disappointments, contempt of God, and vain confidence in imagined resources of their own, grow bolder and stronger, then there is reason to fear that the sentence is already gone forth, and that the execution of it is at hand.”

God be with us and hear our prayers for His glory.  Pray for the enlightenment of a dark nation.

Trifle Not!

Miller Ferrie compiled a wonderful devotion book of John Newton’s writings, Jewels from John Newton.  On July 16th through July 22nd, the theme of Newton’s writings is “The Guilt and Danger of Such a Nation as This”. (Interesting that the dates ran partly with the RNC) What comfort to know there is truly nothing new under the sun.  It’s just new for us.  And for believers in Jesus Christ, not only new, but increasingly abhorrent!  Apparently, Mr. Newton felt the same.

Using the passage out of Jeremiah 5:29, God asks the prophet: “Shall I not visit for these things?  Shall I not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this?”  Newton writes: “The Lord, the Governor of the earth, has provided, in the history of one nation, a lesson of instruction and warning to every nation under the sun.”  That nation was Israel.  God had blessed them, led them out of slavery, protected them, fed them, though they often sinned against Him.  

Newton’s nation, though different from mine, is like Israel and all other nations through history.  He writes, “We are a highly favoured people, and have long enjoyed privileges which excite the admiration and envy of surrounding nations: and we are a sinful, ungrateful people; so that, when we compare the blessings and mercies we have received form the Lord, with our conduct towards Him, it is to be feared we are no less concerned with the question in my text than Israel of old.”

How about the United States?  Are we indeed one nation under God or is that no longer a passion but a trivial phrase that has no meaning.  Charles Spurgeon writes, “Alas, I know men and women who trifle with their souls, and with heaven and hell, and eternity; they trifle with God Himself!…Half the councils of our senators and the debates of our parliaments are worse than child’s play… Big children are worse triflers than the little ones can ever be.  Despise not the children for trifling when the whole world is given to folly.”

More to come…

 

The King of All the Earth

 From Psalm 47 we read: "Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.  How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!...For God is the King of all the earth...God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His Holy Throne...the kings of the earth belong to God.  He is greatly exalted."  The clapping and the shouting with cries of joy in this passage comes in the middle of sounding trumpets.  And then the passage tells those who "sincerely" love Him, "Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises...sing to Him a Psalm of praise."

This passage and so many others should and must keep His people bowing at His throne with the prayer, "How awesome is the LORD Most High!"  We don't really understand how majestically and profoundly God reigns over ALL the earth if we have fear of the future, whether that is a fear that comes from poor health or the health of those we love or the health of our government and great nation.  One nation under God, whether people want to leave out that phrase or not, is true.  And one day, everyone living and dead will know that truth.  

"What is truth?"  Even Pilate asked Jesus that question when He was on trial before him.  By the looks of the leaders, whom supposedly represent the people, their truth is already established.  My five minutes a night of the RNC blared out expressly what they view truth to be.  It made me sad more than made me mad.  The truth, as told us by Jesus, is that "He is the Way, the Truth and the Life".  How can we know more?  By seeking God in the only information book He gave us: The Bible.  Everything for life and godliness is in that Book.  Everything for putting to order the disorder of our time is in that Book.  But man's rebel nature keeps them from wanting to submit to that Truth.  

Pilate also asked Jesus, "So, you are a king?"  Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king.  For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."  Are we listening?  Christians, people who love God and live to represent him through personal holiness, cannot dread, fret or fear.  This is not new.  The next few posts after this come from a man who lived from 1725 to 1807.  He, too, saw what we are seeing in his own nation.  But in conclusion for today, I'll quote from a king who learned lessons the hard way, "there is nothing new under the sun."

Seeds of Light

"Light is sown like seed for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart." Psalm 97:11 It is so amazing to me how you can read a book of the Bible over and over, and continue to find treasure.  Love this verse!!  As I walked this morning, I reflected on the way this "enlightening" verse shines new rays of understanding to this time of year.

Begin with Genesis.  "God said, 'Let there be light and there was light."  And that's just the first day.  And it's NOT the sun.  It's God's light.  And from that time on, God "sows" His light seeds throughout His Creation and His creatures.  From Adam on, God shines through His people.  While some people are brighter than others, God is still on His throne and is shining through the people. 

 "The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them." (Isaiah 9:2)   From the moment Adam disobeyed God in the garden, all humans since have walked in darkness.  "But God being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrong doings, made us alive..."(Ephesians 2:4)  God did not leave us in the darkness of that deadness.  The Old Testament is filled with God's light "sown".  And then, amazing upon amazing, in comes Jesus, the true Light.  John, 1:9 says, "...the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man."  And come He did.  He came in the most unlikely place, to a most unlikely young girl.  And even though she did not understand, the Scripture tells us, "she believed".  (Luke 1:45)  And Mary sang praises to God. (Luke 1:46-55)

"The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."( John 1:5)  And the darkness continues to misunderstand God, Jesus and His followers.  But we are not to grow weary and fade out.  We must grow strong and shine His glory through His blessed Holy Spirit until the end.   Verse four of John one, says: In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men."  Zacharias, John the Baptist's father, filled with the Holy Spirit after John's birth, rejoices in God's sovereignty!  (Luke 1:67-79)  Read in it's entirety the ecstasy expressed by Zacharias over his special son, but I'll close with a portion that I hope entices you to seek it out for yourself:  "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go on before the LORD to prepare His ways, to give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.  Because of the tender mercy of our God with which the SUNRISE from on high will visit us, to SHINE upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Jesus came and He will come again.  Let us be sowing His Light until that day...

The Black Hole of Pride

What began as a childish chant from my grandchildren, became a meditative black hole for the grandmother.   What is a black hole from the perspective of this non-intellectual woman?  Simply put, it is an unending depth of darkness that doesn't seem to have one slight ray of light.   And meditating (some would say, "thinking too much") on it takes all the energy I have, and I still don't see an end.  

While my grands were only teasing when they called me "Proud", I began to think and see all the ways my thoughts centered on me.  Everything I think is geared to me.  I even go so far as to think (as though I know all things) what other people around me are thinking.  What do I base it on?  Being slighted by looks, tones, words and in general, everything that keeps me insecure.  I had no idea to the depth of what my pride is capable.  And here I am, a Christian, a woman of God, a lover of truth in the Bible and all it seems I have to show for it, is an outside facade that hides a nature of sin that I had not been aware.  I mean I knew we are all prideful, to a degree.  But looking deeper, (or meditating) I realized my whole world IS the world.  And that in itself, is wretched self-centeredness to its core.

Awareness is knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.  I see this in three areas that all come together to either change someone for the good or allow a continual cluelessness to what's really true about oneself.  First is the awareness of others.  Is my awareness of people, as a believer in Christ, changing me from me to Him?  Do I love them unconditionally or feel threatened by them?  Or is awareness allowing the perpetual selfishness to ruin me like a bad disease?  The second area is awareness of all the avenues of selfishness that exist in me.  What will I do with this?  Slink into depression, "oh woe is me?"  Or accept this existence and get to work on eradication through the cleansing power of God's Word?  And third, awareness that God knew all along of the depth of my sin; everyone's sin.  But He still died for us and sought us.  He has made that clear from the get-go.  Have I built such a pedestal for me in my spiritual prowess that I've become blind AGAIN to the truth? (This black hole just gets deeper and darker.)

While I could go on with this, as I have now for about a year,  I praise God.  He called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.  This is a fact that is just reiterated by my awareness.  The very privilege of being appalled is His gift toward the change that needs to take place.  As He allows us to see, let us not go so deep as to despair, but deep enough to keep us humble and perpetually alert to the danger of secret sin.  I'm so thankful to my Precious Savior Who shepherds me back to the fold, shows me my sin, and brings me to my senses and His security.  He is the Creator.   And He is in control of all "black holes" which can cause us to lose our way for a moment.  But He is only a call away.  And with His presence comes an illumination that eradicates sin and all black holes.  "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."

"Fly Off the Handle"

 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. Romans 12:18

I could end this post here as that definitely, without explanation, reminds me I have much work to do in this sanctification process.  Thankfully, it doesn't depend on me but on the greater Power, and He has given explicit instructions.

However, I was thinking about a situation this morning and another verse that says something similar: "When a person's ways are pleasing to the LORD, He causes even his enemies to make peace with him." Proverbs 16:7  I'm sure there are more jewels from the "living and active" Word of God regarding our attitude toward struggles with other people.  But those two verses alone cause much reflection and gratitude for God's loving discipline.

As I thought through the "situation", I found myself counseling me about my face, my tone, my response, my Biblically conditioned heart and all the shoulda, woulda, couldas of life.  I prayed that God will help me think before I respond.  That starts with the heart, then the face (that needs to be reflecting the joy and gratitude of salvation all the time) and then a slow wise response that has God's glory in view.  Easy words, hard job.

As I prayed and reflected on these issues of life, my thought ran to an old phrase: "fly off the handle".  How many times I've done that, I don't like to think about.  I began wondering what the phrase meant.  My first thought was bicycle handles.  And we all know what happens when you fly off those handles!  I found out it wasn't about bicycles, but the imagery is definitely a deterrent, so I'll stay with it.  In reality, and I'm sad to say, through experience, I have "wrecked" many a relationship by "flying off the handles"!

God's Declaration of The Greatest Man

 Recently, a friend at a bible study I attend announced to the group that "sighing" was a sign of discontent. Ever since he said that, I can't sigh without asking God to forgive me.  Now, while that might sound a bit harsh to some, and maybe it does go too far, it's still a good reminder of the need for us to be so God-minded that we are constantly keeping our every thought in check.  Actually, this is not a new thought; I do know that.  It's called "sanctification".  And the friend is just part of the "iron sharpening iron" beauty of community around the Word of God.

And on a more intense note, I realize more and more that the beauty of holiness is not a nice neat little package in this world.  And while studying the book of Mark, John MacArthur brings out such amazing details about God's Word that excites me and brings me so much closer to understanding how far I am from truly understanding!  More sanctification.

As I studied about the greatest man last week in a chapter in MacArthur's commentary called, "The Murder of the Greatest Prophet", I gained new insight to sighing.  Think about John the Baptist.  His whole life was purposed for one great work: preparing the way for Jesus.  He "lived his entire life in the open expanses of the Judean wilderness, and ended his days in the isolation of an intolerable dungeon.  The fortress was on a high hilltop, offering dramatic views of the country...however, deep in the earth below, the dank dungeon offered no natural light or fresh air."  For about a year, John stayed here.  What was he to think?  Is this it?  Have I missed something?  "His only respite were the visits he received from his disciples. (Luke 7:18)"

"He was a faithful prophet of God and fearless in his willingness to confront sin.  His responses to Herod were characterized by holy boldness, born out of the conviction to speak for God rather than please men." And here he sits his last days in a stinking dungeon.  Yet, we are encouraged by Jesus declaration: "Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist!"  (Matthew 11:11; Luke 7:28)  

I need reminders like this of the reality of Christian living: what it is and what it is not.  I want to get this right.  In order to do that, I "study to show myself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  It is the Truth and I am responsible to know it.

Almost AND Altogether

 "Almost AND Altogether" are the words of Paul to King Agrippa.   As I read Acts 26, I was encouraged and convicted once again by Paul's passion for those who do not know Jesus Christ.  His whole life had been consumed by love for the lost.  Jesus snatched him from darkness by His "brighter than the sun" light that caused a whole group of men to fall on the ground.  But only Paul heard the Voice that was to change his whole identity and give him the passion and power to bring that Voice to the darkness of others.

Paul, through the Divine Providence of Almighty God, was brought with many intricate details (Acts 21-26) to this trial before King Agrippa.  The wisdom of God flowed out of Paul's heart as he spoke each time.  And now before this king, Paul spoke truth that cut through darkness.  In Acts 26, Paul has just given his own testimony of Jesus Christ.  When he finished, he asked Agrippa, "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?  I know that thou believest."  The king responds to Paul with those famous lines, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."  And Paul said, "I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds."

I've been going through Spurgeon's Devotional Bible this year.  It was given to me about forty-five years ago after I came to know Jesus as my Savior.  Periodically, I go through this "Bible" as an intro to my morning study of God's Word.  It never ceases to amaze me how "living and active" is God's Word and how it continues to teach me and astonish me.  Spurgeon's Bible uses the 1611 King James version.  And while some may think it too strange a language to read, it's a good translation and provides new insight to scripture that I may have missed reading out of my usual NASB translation.  And I just loved the "almost and altogether" translation of Paul's heart to Agrippa.  Let us learn Paul's passion for the lost from the intricate detail of words from the past.  And we should also be in awe and inspired by our Lord's love for us that must be shared to those who still walk in darkness.  I don't want to be guilty of being ok with those we know that are "almost" persuaded.  Let us run with perseverance, calling on the Spirit of God, to guide us to shout until they are "altogether" Christians.

Mary's Hope

 "My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior."   This is the beginning of Mary offering her praise to God as He confirms her status as an unwed mother as divine.  "Here is a rich offering of praise from Mary.  It is remarkable for its theology and use of the Old Testament.  She was a young girl, perhaps about thirteen years old who, like all the people of her day, had no personal copy of the Scriptures.  Her familiarity with the Word of God... was settled in her heart and was readily on her mind when she opened her mouth in worshipful praise.  What a benediction it would be for the church today if the young could be so biblically literate and devout."  

What a breath of fresh air are John MacArthur's words in his commentary on Luke.  The beautiful picture he reveals from God's word about Mary far exceed what the Catholic church falsely proclaims about her.  And as I read the chapter from his commentary on Luke 1:46-55, I was filled with excitement and respect for this precious young woman and her faith.  I was also filled with shame for my own continued lack of faith and trust in my Lord.  But thus is the status of the ongoing growth of the Christian life: shame, repentance and revival.  That is the essence of the study of the Word of God.  And while I'm saddened at the slowness of my own progress, I'm thrilled at God's continued patience with me.  And how joyous is the delight of new revelation of the truth of His divine Word.

He goes on to say in this chapter that praise is central to worshiping God.  And that true worship is defined by our Lord to be in "spirit and in truth". (John 4:23-24)  What are the prerequisites to worship?  First, Dr. MacArthur says, a true worshipper must be controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Next, the thoughts must be focused on God.  Next, it requires repentance.  Lastly, it requires humbly accepting His will no matter what the circumstances. 

He says, "Mary is an example to all believers of faith, humility, and submission to Gods' will...Mary's praise is the expression of her faith in God, her love for Him, and her deep understanding of Scripture."  What a great way to begin a new year!  To walk in continued faith in God, not proudly as though we have anything to do with it, but humbly like Mary who found herself in a miraculous and scary position at such a young age.  As I think back on 2020 and all the rhetoric thrown out at every direction ie. conspiracy theories, criticism from Republicans and Democrats and all in between, it's sickening.  And the sickest of all are we as Christians who find ourselves in the midst of these discussions instead of against it all with the Power of the Most High God, whom we say we worship.   

The Word of God is just that!  It is the Word of the Creator and Sustainer of all things.  What in this world should we fear?  And what are we proclaiming to a non-believing world, in the midst of these weird times, about hope.  What should the word "hope" be for believers:  "Helping Others Pursue Eternity".  We have a message to share.  And we must remember "in this world 'we' will have trouble but take heart, 'Jesus' has overcome the world."  "My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior."

God's Government Will Stand

 Matthew Poole was a great writer of the seventeenth century.  He lived from 1624 to 1679.  I have come to love his commentary of the Scriptures.  I love his insight and wording of explanations.  The following post is his explanation of Judges 2:16, which I began discussing in the last post, "Nevertheless".   I feel this short explanation speaks volumes of the kind of government we desire to be under.  And it's such a logical and exemplary standard, I wanted to share it as we approach this most controversial and convoluted election we will be facing in 24 days.  What a government this would be!!

And by the way, Mr. Poole uses the 1611 translation of the KJV.  But the commentary translates the old English to the English we use today.  Judges 2:16, "Nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them."  He writes: "The Lord raises them up, by inward inspiration and excitation of their minds and hearts and by outward designation, testified by some heroical and extraordinary action."  And the following is the practical and moral description of these men, God's judges.  They were "supreme magistrates, whose office it was, under God, and by His particular direction, to govern the commonwealth of Israel by God's laws, and to protect and save them from their enemies; to preserve and purge religion; to maintain the liberties of the people against all oppressors."  All I can say (because I am not gifted with words) is WOW!  

WOW!  "Under God.  God's laws.  Protect and save from their enemies.  Preserve and purge religion.  Maintain liberties of the people against all oppressors".  What's not to love about that kind of leadership?  This must be our daily prayer.  And most especially, this must be the "self-government" of each individual as well!  We, as believers, through Jesus Christ, must govern ourselves, if we are to hope for and seek a better way of life for our country!  That is where we can begin and that is where we must start.

And how did God's people of that time respond?  Verse 17 says, "And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them; they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obey the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so."  

"Rise up O men of God, have done with lesser things.  Give heart and soul and mind and strength, to serve the King of Kings."  Have done with lesser things!  God's government does and will stand!

Nevertheless

 In the book of Judges, we see once again, as in all the former history of Israel, a pattern of "forsaking the LORD, their God".  Joshua had led well and the people were blessed by God's favor as they followed the godly leadership of His servant Joshua.

Joshua exhorts the people to "fear and serve God in sincerity and truth and put away other gods".  (A great topic for a post another time!)  But Joshua dies and while the people served for a time, Judges 2:10 tells us "another generation arose who did not know the LORD nor yet the work He had done for Israel".  They continually provoked God to anger and found themselves God less.  They would no longer stand against their enemies with success.  They become "greatly distressed".  (v. 15)

Oh, my, what a picture of our own nation!  And not just now in 2020!  It's been going this way for many years.  But listen to this amazing mercy and love of God toward His people in the midst of turmoil, "Nevertheless"!  I so love this translation's rendition of this word.  My NASB says, "then" which is a time word.  But "nevertheless" is a word of mercy!  Dictionary meaning: even so, yet though, in spite of that, be that as it may, regardless and the list goes on.  While God's hand went against this stubborn people (and  that is not just Israel, but a picture of the human race in its entirety), "nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them".

What could be written is "because of His great love and by His mercy, He had compassion on them and provided, yet again, a way out of their great distress".  This is our God, Who does not change.  His mercies, Jeremiah says in Lamentations, "are new every morning".  I'll stop there and continue in my next post.

Random

 "Will I ever feel contented like I'm good enough to be.  All the things in my mind that I invented.  Will I ever feel like I deserve the happiness I seek.  Or will I always be tormented.  Is it wicked to wish for something more?  For a glory or a guarantee?  Will my heart sound like a whisper or a roar?  And will I ever see...what you see in me?"  [Song: "Indigo" by Roan Yellowthorn]

I identify with those words.  Well, an identity that was me before I came to understand the gospel.  The cry of the human heart is real.  And while I don't want to minimize the cry of the heart of this young lady, she's definitely not alone in this search for meaning.  And while she may feel alone, she is surrounded by a world that longs for this same hope, happiness, and guarantee.

Before I learned the truth about humanity and God, that unquenchable longing for identity, for validity became for me a goal that kept running from me, an illusive desire completely out of my reach.  One day I cried out and a process began that is only explainable as supernatural.  I began reading the Bible, a book I never desired to read and "behold, all things became new"!   And for over forty years, the process, called sanctification has been more meaningful than anything else and yet it colors everything else.  

Christ is our contentment, happiness, glory, and yes, a guarantee.  He whispers and He roars.  And I have heard Him through His word use both means to speak.  In fact, all believers do.  Hosea writes in 11:10, He will roar like a lion.  And when He roars, His children shall come trembling..."  In 1 Kings 19, "And behold the LORD passed by , and a great strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD , but the LORD was not in the wind.  And after the wind, an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.  And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.  After the fire, the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out stood at the entrance of the cave.

"And will I ever see what you see in me?"  Who she was writing about in this line, I'm not sure.  But using the same words, when Christ saves a person, what God sees in me and everyone else who have put their trust in Him, is the love He showed us.  The love of His putting Himself in our place and taking the punishment for sin.  And now, as long as there is a "now", offering us the hope in His name to understand the meaning of life and the freedom from sin and rescue from torment forever.

Was it random that I came upon this song?  No, nothing is ever "random".  It's tied up orderly in the Sovereignty of God, every detail.  And now what is our responsibility to this?

In One Day

"...I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day."  "The spiritual meaning discovers the Messiah the chief Corner-stone, the gospel church founded thereon, guided by the perfect wisdom and preserved by never-erring Providence, and blest with the pardon of all her sins, taken away in one day, by the meritorious death of her Redeemer." writes Matthew Poole.

Amazing and life-changing words!  To just say "wow" shows the lack of vocabulary of this barely novice writer.  Our entire universe was created in six days.  Not because of God's need to take that long, but because that is the order in which He desired to create.  Man plunged the entire human race into a desolate state by just one act.  And Jesus resolved that act in just one moment of one day for all people in all time.  As the book of Zechariah 3:9 says, "in one day."  You may say, "so what?"

So, what Jesus did "in one day" was to restore the order lost by removing the sins of God's people.  The church, "the whole church" says Poole, "in gospel days, when Christ, the chief Cornerstone, shall have purged away sin, and established his church."  And as verse ten goes on to enlighten us, "In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree."  Mr. Poole's explanation of "shall ye call every man his neighbor" is beautiful: "invite with love, and peace, such as becomes neighbors, who are partakers of the same grace of God, and blessings of a Redeemer."  And for the remainder of that verse which describes the shade and fruit, he writes, "to feast or refresh themselves under the pleasing shadow, and with the sweet, delicious fruit of the vine and fig tree, of both which there were ever greatest store, and of choicest taste, when the people of God, the Jews, did obey, worship, and fear the Lord, and long for the Messiah, and loved each other."

That is what the church is suppose to be about.  I'm not talking about church in the broad sense but the true church of the Living God; the people of God that love and live His word.  No, not perfectly, but with a bent on perfection and desire to continually throw off everything that hinders and look more and more like the LORD of Life who pardoned their sin and began a transformation process in them.  Come to Christ!  All you who are weak and heavy, come to Him Who pardons, forgives, loves and cares for you like no one ever will!  He will do that for you in one moment of "one day".

Desired Clusters

"Woe is me!  for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the first ripe fruit."  (Micah 7:1)  The prophet, Micah, is, in the last chapter of his book, bemoaning the loss of godly men. However, as he meditates on the known goodness of His God, he has hope.  Much like Jeremiah in chapter three of Lamentations, he remembers, therefore he has hope.  And like all true prophets of God, when they take advantage of time spent with God, know that hope is certain.  God's word, above everything, is all anyone can ever hope to expect to be their fulfillment and peace and thus their hope.

Hope is what keeps our faith and foundation secure while we live on this uncertain earth.  And at a time like a pandemic, when we are not able to meet together with others of like mind, it is of the utmost importance to stay in the Word.  There is nothing new under the sun and the Word of God is a resource of encouragement of how godly men of the past rested under adverse circumstances.  The prophet, Micah, was a man just like us, living in a time of confusion, fear, and ungodliness.  As he comes to the end of his prophecy, he cries, "woe is me."  Why?  His hope is shaken.  The godly men are scarce.  He has little camaraderie.

Sounds familiar as our churches cannot meet.  But we do have technology!  I have bemoaned it (technology) much.  But God has used it to encourage us in so many ways during this uncertain time.  And as Micah bemoans the lack of men to which he can talk, we may not be able to meet, but we can talk.  Email, texts, phone, you tube, and livestream have been a great encouragement to me.  Micah had none of that and his complaint is heartbreaking.

Israel and Judah should have been a fruitful vine, full of clusters, yet they were barren.  There was no cluster to eat.  Micah longed for the delight of discourse with godly men.  It's a godly man's encouragement in the pains of life.  Matthew Poole writes in his explanation of Micah's "woe": "Such good converse would as much delight, refresh, and encourage me, as a fair cluster of grapes doth a thirsty and hungry person, but there is not one such cluster."  No desired cluster of discourse for Micah's woe.  He does, however, rest in God's promises by the end of the chapter.

We, above many, have rest as well.  Yes, let us praise God for the times we live, in which we can enjoy the benefits of technology.  But remember, it is the Word of God that is the root of any encouragement.  God is the source of all good things, and it's Him, from which all our encouragement will ever make us the resolute and godly people we must be to be used as lights in this darkness.  And this, above all things, is our work.  This is, indeed, our fulfilling rest.

Seek God and Live

"Hear this word..."  What a light in the darkness is this Word of God.  What a cure for what ails us.  How does one see the light in the darkness and the cure for our hurts?   "Seek Me that you may live." In chapter five of Amos, this statement is repeated three times. "Seeking God is being in tune to everything that we see in His Word", Matthew Poole commentates, "The law is sweet, pleasing and safe for all."

Ask about it.  Repent of despising it.  Obey it in all things for the future.  Inquire diligently what promises God has made and wait for them.  Believe, obey, repent; for this is to seek the LORD.

Who is He? (v. 8)  He is the One Who made the stars, with all the constellations, and not only made them but guides and manages them.  He turns the greatest adversity into the greatest prosperity, yet change prosperity to adversity.   He renews strength in you to spoil your spoilers (defeat enemies). "
In verse 14, it tells us to "seek good and not evil".  We must cry out as undone, dispirited and hopeless men.  Are we there yet?  God is patient not wanting any to perish.  Let us bask in His patience and listen to His Word.  Seek God and live.  He is the cure.  And our need is great!

Worthless Worship

Worship is the sincere consideration (looking intently; thinking carefully) and adoration of the One True God.  Apart from that, it is worthless worship or another way to say it, no worship, empty worship or just take away the word "worship" altogether.  This is not just an opinion but comes from the source where we come to understand God in the first place.

Amos, chapters four through five give us some details in relation to what God thinks about "invented" worship.  I won't copy all the passage here, although it would be a good read to understand.  But God talks about their sacrifices, offerings, tithes to Him, yet to other gods as well.  He talks about their "fat" way of life living on beds of ease while they oppress the poor and crush the needy.  Mr. Poole writes the following in regard to their worthless religion fraught with ceremony and devoid of worship:  "You think you please Me?  You invented it, so it pleaseth you and you will not be reclaimed.  Your worship is yours.  It is unwarranted will worship and displeasing to God."

Then God gives them several head's up affirmations of His control with warnings that should have affected their course.  In Amos 4:6, God says, "I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities..." (famine), yet this starving people repented not of idolatries.  "I forbade the cloud and withhold the rain", Poole says, "that you might see My hand, all to convince you and turn you", 'yet, you have not returned'.  I have inflicted you with other judgments as well (v. 9), yet you have not returned'. (v 10)  "I have overthrown you and house and goods just like Sodom and Gomorrah, yet you have not returned."  Five times in this chapter, God blesses these people with His merciful warnings, yet they did not return.  Consequence comes in verse twelve: "Prepare to meet Thy God."

"God! Who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and makes the morning dark.  God! The most dreadful and terrible enemy and the most desirable friend.  Though you bring the most excellent sacrifice and leave your heart to sin, you have no warrant from God."  What warnings is He giving us today?  An ongoing theme in all these prophets is repeated, "consider, repent, obey."  It's that simple. And we will all meet our God, but we will not all live with Him eternally.  We must heed the warnings because they are just as numerous as in the past.  If we are breathing, we can still receive His mercy through the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, the Son of His love.  "While we were sinners, Christ died for us."

Questioning God

Habbakuk starts off with the cry, "How long, O LORD, will I call for help, and You will not hear?  I cry out to You, 'Violence!' yet You do not save."  And then in verse twelve, he asks, "Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One?"  Matthew Poole writes the following in regard to Habakkuk's question and in turn, because Habukkuk's God, and mine are the same, I am comforted.

"Before the mountains, Thou was God...Holy in nature, law, and government, in Thy mercies and judgment, intend to make Thy holiness to appear in due time by saving us, though Thou seem to forget or at least delay the work, yet Thou art the Holy One in the midst of us and we wait for Thee.  We are Thine, and oppressed, threatened, and exposed to avarice and cruelty [how like now!]; Thou Who has made us Thine by everlasting covenant of mercy, wilt show us such mercy that we shall outlive the rage of our enemies."

"O LORD" says Habakkuk.  Mr. Poole continues: "with humble veneration, Habakkuk doth look toward God and discerneth what quietened his spirit and confirms his faith and patience."  O, mighty God..."he intimateth God to be His people's rock and refuge!"  Like us, Habakkuk's questions do indeed see answers.  "We wait for Thee."

Tragedies

As of today, there have been 125,859 people worldwide that have died from the coronavirus since its onset, about six months ago.  Tragic?  Yes!  As of today, reported by the same source, there are approximately 125,000 abortions a day performed world wide.  Tragic?  Yes!

It's hard to understand the enormous dichotomy between these two views of death.  We  find ourselves at this time in history in the middle of a crisis:  a pandemic where death is desperately feared and great lengths taken to avoid.  Medical teams all over the world put themselves in harm's way to care for the sick and dying, all the while news stories abound of abortion clinics fighting to stay open, fighting for their right to be considered essential.  Why are they essential?  Consider the answer in this next paragraph from one of three stories.

"There will be an uptick in incomplete abortions and other miscarriage complications as people turn to less effective ways to try to terminate a pregnancy, despite the fact that a safe, easy, non-invasive form of medication abortion exists..."

Essential?  Safe, easy, non-invasive?  For whom?  I'm completely baffled by the disorder represented here!  These people are electing to terminate a pregnancy, electing to put an end to a life that is completely viable and desperately in need of protection, yet the terminator needs protecting?  I'm not understanding the reasoning here.  There is no reason here!

The excerpt from this next story needs no commentary:  "We didn't act fast enough to stop COVID-19 from spreading and we could see tens of thousands die because of that inaction.  But we can stop this second health crisis from occurring just as long as we act now.  Every person deserves the right to decide when and if they want to give birth.  We cannot allow a pandemic to strip that away."

And while the next quote is not about abortion but about who should be kept safe during this pandemic, it comes from one who is an abortion supporter.  And it speaks volumes to the double standard of of the abortion advocates.  "My mother is not expendable and your mother is not expendable and our brothers and sisters are not expendable and we're not going to accept a premise that human life is disposable and we're not going to put a dollar figure on human life."  (Mayor Cuomo)

Using terminology from these three recent news stories, consider the tragedy of the dichotomy:

Precious, innocent, helpless little lives have been legally the center of a health crisis for almost fifty years.  There is no safety in the specially prepared haven of the womb from the invasion to which they are now subject.  Every person, every little one who needs the ultimate of protection deserves the right to be born.  We cannot allow convenience to strip that away.  We cannot allow the carelessness to continue.  These babies are not expendable, these little boys and girls are not expendable, these children are not expendable and we are not going to accept a premise that human life is disposable and we're not going to put a dollar figure on human life!  By the help of Almighty God, we will not.