How Beautiful

 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. Isaiah 53:2

Recently I did a short study on the physical attributes of God.  His heart, His feet, His hands and fingers, His ears, eyes and voice; but I didn't mention His face.  God's Word does tell us that His face had been slapped and spit upon by soldiers in the hall of Praetorium, (Mark 15:19) but His Word also tells us that 'there is no beauty that we should desire him.'  There was nothing distinct about the appearance of His face, and yet because of what He did while He was on earth, made Him Beautiful.

How Beautiful

Twila Paris 1990

How beautiful, the hands that served, the wine and the bread, and the sons of the earth,

How beautiful, the feet that walked, the long dusty roads and the hill to the cross-

How beautiful-

How beautiful-

How beautiful, the body of Christ.

How beautiful, the heart that bled, that took all my sin and bore it instead,

How beautiful, the tender eyes, that choose to forgive, and never despise-

How beautiful-

How beautiful-

How beautiful, the body of Christ.

And as He lay down His life, we offer this sacrifice,

That we will live just as He died,

Willing to pay the price, willing to pay the price.

How beautiful the radiant bride, who waits for her groom with His light in her eyes,

How beautiful when humble hearts give, the fruit of pure lives so that others may live.

How beautiful-

How beautiful-

How beautiful, the body of Christ.

How beautiful, the faith that bring, the sound of good news and the love of the King,

How beautiful, the hands that serve, the wine and the bread and the sons of the earth.

How beautiful-

How beautiful-

How beautiful, the body of Christ!

There is also another body of Christ: The Local Church. The Lord places each member in the body as it pleases Him. (1 Corinthians 12:18) Each member has its own gift and purpose in the local assembly. (1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12)

So, what am I doing personally for others?  What is my local church doing for others?

Are we serving others, or ourselves?

The world sees beauty at face value...

    Our Lord sees beauty in our love and service for others...

        But that's just me!

"God's beauty is the bouquet of His perfections in His person, unveiled in His purposes, and displayed in His glory." DeWitt

        

At Ease in Zion

"And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." God speaking to Moses, Exodus 3:5

The Pastor steps behind the pulpit and opens his bible.  The Word of God is about to be preached; we are seeking to hear from God.

There should be a hush, an anticipation from the heart of God's people to come into the presence of God.

Instead, as I look around the Sanctuary, I see men wearing ball caps or knit hats-

People sipping coffee or soda-

Cell phones, in hand, yet not open to the Bible App-

Some have already begun their Sunday morning nap.

Members skipping church for Sport's Events and Weekend-get-a-ways, and instead of dressing up to meet their Lord, they don after-church activity apparel anticipating the final 'Amen.'

What has happened?

Casual Christianity has crept into our local churches.

We have become at ease in Zion, and we have lost our Reverence for the House of God.

"Woe to them that are at ease in Zion..." Amos 6:1a

"Ye shall keep my Sabbath, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD." Leviticus 19:30

Have we become so pacified by the past blessings of God, that we have forgotten that there is still more work to do?

Has our Reverence for God turned to rest, ease and lackadaisical attitudes in Zion?

There can be no ease...

    Until the last soul is saved...

        But that's just me!

"The world is sleeping in the dark, that the church just can't fight because it's asleep in the Light."

Keith Green

  

Resurrection Sunday 2

"Why seek the living among the dead?" Luke 24:5b

The question asked by two angels to the precious gatherers at the Tomb of Christ.

A question that is still asked today.

There are so many 'roads' to heaven, according to the world's philosophy and traditions of men.

Walking through a department store at Christmastime, you see mostly Santa's and reindeer, and the Nativity Scene is tucked behind the tinsel and ornaments.  At Easter, you see more bunnies and 'Peeps' than you see a Cross or an empty tomb.

When I woke up this morning and reached for my bible to read about the Resurrection of Jesus, I asked myself, "Why does the world call it 'Easter?'"

This is what I found:

-Given the symbolism of new life and rebirth, it was only natural to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at this time of the year. The naming of the celebration 'Easter' seems to go back to the pre-Christian goddess in England, Eostre, who was celebrated at beginning of the Spring. (Google)

So, who was Eostre?

According to Wikipedia, Eostre, is an Anglo-Saxon goddess mentioned by Bede in his 8th century work The Reckoning of Time. He wrote that pagan Anglo-Saxon's had held feasts in honor during the month name after her: Eosturmonab (April), and that this became the English name for the Paschal season: Easter.

Isn't that just like the world?  They would rather worship Santa and Eostre than the Lord Jesus Christ.

They choose the fake gods, rather than The One True God.

The world will choose a winding road of their choosing through pride and works, traditions and fairy tales...

    The Christian will walk the straight and narrow road and will recognize the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and trust in the finished work of the Cross...!

        But that's just me!

"The best news of the Christian gospel is that the supremely glorious Creator of the universe has acted in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection to remove every obstacle between us and himself so that we may find everlasting joy in seeing and savoring his infinite beauty." Charles Spurgeon

Unnecessary Burdens

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Words of Jesus, Matthew 11:28-30

"Come;" -"He drives none away; He calls them to Himself. Not to doctrine, ordinance, nor ministry are we to come first, but to the personal Saviour" Spurgeon

He calls to all those who are heavy burdened.  Jesus wants us to rest in Him, not our self-sufficiency.

"According to Carson, labor implies the burdens we take upon ourselves and heavy laden implies the burdens others put upon us.

The yoke of Jesus is:

-easy and light compared with the yoke of others-

-easy and light as long as we do not rebel against it-

-the yoke of Jesus does not include the burdens we choose to add to it- (Guzik)

"Jesus' nature is meek and lowly, He displays a servant's heart, making Him qualified to be the one who bears our burdens. His gift-rest for our souls.  His yoke is easy and light, BECAUSE HE IS THE ONE BEARING THE YOKE."  Guzik

I recently told a friend of mine that I feel a lot like David.  David seemed to spend a lot of time running and hiding in caves from King Saul. (Why does it seem the innocent tend to do the running and the hiding?  Shouldn't it be the guilty?)

Yes, I've been hiding in a cave.  Trying to protect myself from getting hurt; but the Lord recently gave me a 'lightbulb' moment!

I have been handling my problem incorrectly and it's because I am the one handling the problem!

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." 1 Peter 5:7

"Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Psalm 55:22

I do cast my burdens on the Lord, and guess what?  I tend to draw them back in with my net and try to carry them myself.  When I do that, not only do I draw the burdens I casted onto the Lord in the first place, but my net is picking up other trash along the way.  Trash like, "I think I can handle this myself after all," or "What if....?"   or how about, "Why?" 

I've just allowed my burden to increase; I feel my knees buckling from under the weight.  I try to carry it just a little bit longer.  

I'm reminded again, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Ok, Lord, I hear You...

        I will surrender my burdens at Your feet...

            Help me leave them there...

                But that's just me!

"The daily troubles we have are meant to drive us to God."  Spurgeon

100%

"The Word of God is a lamp by night, a light by day, and a delight at all times."

Charles Spurgeon

"Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it." Psalm 119:140

When I read this verse in my devotion today, I couldn't help but notice 'very' before the word 'pure.'  

Then I started thinking about how Purell is only 99.9 % pure; Lysol is only 99.9% pure, and yet we trust both products to sanitize our hands and surfaces.

If God's Word is 100% pure, (and it is) why do we tend to only trust it 99.9 % of the time depending on what our situation or circumstances of life may be?

God's word is 100% pure.  There are no defects.  There is nothing lacking.  It does not need to be mixed with any other thing to make it 100% pure:  it is VERY pure.

So, how often do I bathe myself in God's Word?

Because His Word is pure, when I read it, when I practice its precepts, when I accept its promises, when I allow it to identify sin in my life so that I can confess it and forsake it, then my heart, life and service to my Lord will become clear, pure and fit for His use.

His Word promises to cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

Because I can trust God's Word completely, I love it, and the amount of time I spend in God's Word will measure my love for His Word.

I want to be purified by God's Word...

    100% Every day...

        But that's just me!

"If your mind is filled with the Word of God, then it can't be filled with impure thoughts."

David Jeremiah

The Heart of God

"God chose to love you, not for a time, but forever." Charles Spurgeon

"We love him, because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19

The heart of God is meek and lowly- Matthew 11:29

"The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." Jeremiah 31:3

Jesus loves us the same way the Father loves Him-John 15:9a

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

We cannot be separated from the love of God-Romans 8:35,38-39

The love of God constraineth us-2 Corinthians 5:14

God loves us with His great love-Ephesians 2:4

God is love-1 John 4:8,16

God loves unconditionally- Mark 10:21

God loves those who love His commandments- John 14:21

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10

God rebukes, chastens and corrects those He loves- Proverbs 3:12

God loveth the righteous- Psalm 146:8

God loves those who love His Son- John 16:27

God's lovingkindness is excellent- Psalm 36:7

God's lovingkindness is better than life- Psalm 63:3

God's lovingkindness and mercies have been ever of old- Psalm 25:6

God is full of compassion- Psalm 78:38

"But thou, O LORD, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth." Psalm 86:15, Psalm 111:4b, Psalm 145:8

The LORD'S tender mercies are great- Psalm 119:156

I believe the Heart of God is summed up in this one precious verse:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

To know the heart of God...

    Is to know His Son Jesus...

        But that's just me!

The Word of God

"If you wish to know God, you must know His word." Charles Spurgeon

The Word of God is precious-1 Samuel 3:1

The Word of God is tried- 2 Samuel 22:31, Psalm 18:3

The Word of God never fails-1 Kings 8:56

The Word of God is good- 2 Kings 20:19

The Word of God is right- Psalm 33:4

The Word of God made the heavens and the host of them- Psalm 33:6

We should hide God's Word in our hearts- Psalm 119:11

The Word of God is settled in Heaven forever- Psalm 119:89

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee- Psalm 119:11

The Word of God is pure- Psalm 119:140, Proverbs 30:5

The Word of God is true from the beginning and endureth forever- Psalm 119:160

The Word of God is magnified above all thy name- Psalm 138:2b

The Word of God shall stand forever- Isaiah 40:8

The Word of God shall not return void- Isaih 55:11

The Word of God is the joy and rejoicing of my heart- Jeremiah 15:16

The Word of God is as a burning fire- Jeremiah 20:9, Jeremiah 23:29, Luke 24:32

The Word of God giveth strength- Joel 2:11

"But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

The Word of God is power- Luke 4:32

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14

The Word of God was fulfilled- John 19:30

The Word of God is truth- John 17:17, James 1:18

The Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit- Ephesians 6:17

The Word of God is not bound- 2 Timothy 2:9

The Word of God is Faithful- Titus 1:9

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

The Word of God framed the worlds- Hebrews 11:3

The Word of God lives and abides forever- 1 Peter 1:23

The Word of God endures forever- 1 Peter 1:25

The Word of God is more sure word of prophecy- 2 Peter 1:19

His Name is The Word of God- Revelation 19:19

Words spoken by God were words of comfort and joy.

His words brought peace and removed fear.

Promises spoken were never broken.

His Word always comes to pass.

His words cast out demons and healed the sick.

His words were loud, whispered, and sometimes even silent.

His words rebuked in righteous anger, called the dead back to life, and saved sinners. (Like me!)

He spoke Creation into being and His words gave New Life.

At times He spoke in Parables, and other times He spoke plainly.

He invited all those to come to Him and lay their burdens down.

God's Words offer Salvation to any who will believe and turn to Him.

God always spoke the Truth in Love.

-And He lifted up His eyes to pray-

God, help me to speak to others...

    The same way You speak to me...

        Through Your Word, and in love...

            But that's just me!

"Within the Scripture there is a balm for every wound, a salve for every sore." Charles Spurgeon