Uncategorized

One last though from Titus (at least I think it is one last thought). One of the most beautiful sentences ever written is found in Titus 3:4-5: “When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”

At a district council when I received my license to preach in Idaho, I heard a song for the very first time.  It was “Mighty to Save.”  It was written by Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan and part of the repertoire of Hillsong Church. The rights to the song are registered for Hillsong Publishing. The Chorus says, “My Savior, He can move the mountains, My God is Mighty to Save, He is Mighty to save.”

The rights to the song “Mighty to Save” may be owned by Hillsong Publishing, but that wonderful title of God, “Mighty to Save,” comes from the book of Isaiah and is owned by God!  He said, “I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” [63:1 NKJV]

Some translations have a second occurrence of “Mighty to Save” in Zephaniah 3:17: “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.” [NIV]

The Hebrew word for mighty is different in both translations (rab in Isaiah, gibbowr in Zephaniah) but both definitions mean strong, champion, chief, powerful, abundant, etc.

God’s kindness and love prompted our salvation—not because we deserved salvation but because our God is merciful. But behind His kindness, love and mercy, is both the power to save us and the power keep us—He is “Mighty to Save.” Praise His Holy Name!

I will be offline for a few days. I am going to enjoy time with my family, and delight in my LORD. I pray for each and every one of you. May this year end with the peace of the Savior in your heart and mind. God bless all!

My heart is heavy and yet it is light. My heart sorrows and yet is full of joy. How can that be? I see so much need, so many hurts, so many lonely and struggling. And then I see the manger and the Christ Child … I see Jesus and my heart grows light with joy.

I see the manger and the Magi and the shepherds and hear in my imagination the angelic hosts proclaiming and I am filled with pleasure. Then I remember the cross, the crown of thorns, the whipping and mocking and spitting and I mourn for a world that rejected their Savior.

The cross gives way to the empty tomb. I see the surprise on the faces of the disciples, I see the delight in a mother who embraces a son that she thought was forever gone from her. I rejoice in a life that death cannot conquer.

And I see a world that still does not know its salvation, a world that abides in turmoil and struggles. I see the homeless man leaning on his cane outside the Dollar Store, fearful even to make eye contact with me as I went by. I see the children who have nothing and expect nothing even during this time of year. And my heart breaks.

But deep inside I hear the prophet remind me. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.” [Isa 9:6]

The government—the rule—is  on His Shoulders, not mine. I can allow my heart to break with the things that break His and rejoice in the things that give Him delight. My Savior, my LORD, loves me. And He loves you. Today, that is enough.

If there is anything that being blessed should do in us, it is to cause us to become people of joy and praise, people who exalt in who God is and what God does.

“Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness.” [Ps 89:15-16]

“Acclaim” in the original language indicates a roar of joy or a battle-cry (KJV joyful noise) – both fit the Christian walk. I love to hear the saints of God worship and praise their Savior. I love to see hands in the air, hear the clapping and shouts, singing and joy.  There is something that ministers deeply in us when we rejoice.

The psalmist reminds us that we are to rejoice in the Name of the LORD all day long! It is not just a Sunday-Morning-Go-To-Meeting rejoicing. We exult God in every situation and setting.

When I drive to and from work each day I pray for a safe trip, that I might be a good Christian witness and that I might go in the strength of the LORD through my day. Then I rejoice. And when I rejoice, I sense God’s presence with me. My car becomes filled with the praises of God, those “How Happy!” (blessed) shouts of joy.

Thank you, LORD, I am blessed to praise You and rejoice in You. Amen.

 OFF LINE

I will be off line for a few days. I will be back with you on October 31.

Want to hear something crazy.  Peter wrote it in his second letter to those who had received from God a faith as precious as his.  He proclaimed that “[God’s] divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 

That’s not the crazy part.  That comes in verse 5.  “Now make every effort to add to your faith ….”  Huh?

If we have everything we need in the precious faith given to us by God through Christ Jesus, why do we have to add anything? Ever thought about that?

Sitting on my desk right now is a blue bag. Inside that bag is an instruction book with a picture of a baby blanket done in stripes and fringe. Also inside that bag is a Size G crochet hook, scissors, and six skeins of yarn in three beautiful colors. I have everything I need to make a beautiful baby blanket for a friend’s nephew arriving in December. Everything. And if I let that blue bag sit on my desk untouched, when December arrives, I will still have everything I need for that beautiful baby blanket, I just won’t have a finished product.

God has given us, via faith, everything we need to come out a finished product, looking like His Son Jesus. But if we don’t make every to add the virtues Peter will go on to list in his letter, we will have wasted the here and now. We will gain heaven, because that is purely by faith alone, but we will not influence or change our world as Christ did and commanded us to do.

You have it all … now add.

I was standing high on a mountain in the northwest, so high, in fact, that as I looked to the southeast I could see across the country with the outline of Florida straight ahead and Texas on the right.  The sky above was dark and foreboding over our nation. As I stood there I watched as golden notes rose from all over the country and gathered with other notes up against the dark sky. As more and more notes rose, the sky became lighter, almost transparent.  Somehow, I knew that those notes were the praises of God’s people, crying out in worship, desperate for Revival. They were coming from every part of the country, across the north, south, east and west.

That was what I saw when I was praying last Tuesday for Revival. I know that one day the final note will sound, and the sky will break open with a mighty crack and the rains of Revival will pour upon us.

I think I am becoming consumed with Revival. I am expecting it at any moment. I am praying desperately for God’s presence. Even in the middle of the night I awaken and hear songs playing in my mind, songs anticipating the coming Revival.

I am trying to hear what the Spirit is saying to our church in our generation. I’ve seen and I’ve read about Revival in other places, but I’ve never been in the waters myself. I’ve only been on the edges or heard the experience from others.  I want to experience it firsthand; I want to experience it now!

Yes, I think I am being consumed with Revival. But that’s okay, because the more I “Pursue the Presence of Jesus Christ” in prayer, the more healing I am finding in my own heart. I’m different, already. And that’s a good thing.

“Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

See you back here May 6!  Have a wonderful week Pursuing the Presence of our Lord Jesus!

We were headed to McCall today for lunch. Tomorrow is our 51^st anniversary. We’ve postponed our plans because of stormy weather in that area.  I was really looking forward to driving through the mountains. Bob and I travel well by car, enjoying the scenery as it passes by. Of course, as we have aged, it becomes necessary to stop more often to stretch our legs and rest.

Other things have changed as I’ve aged. “Stuff” doesn’t matter much to me anymore; in fact, I’m going on a spring cleaning foray into closets and cupboards and giving away a lot of “stuff.” Things we moved into this house and haven’t used since are heading to a garage sale or the local Salvation Army. Things that are more precious are being marked for family members. (I don’t think Bob has the same opinion about his “stuff” but I’m working on him!)

Paul reminded Timothy that “godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” [1 Tim 6:6-8 NIV]

What matters to me most now is not to let even one day pass without praising and worshipping my Lord. My relationships with my family and my friends matter. I want to keep them vital and fresh. I have regrets about the days I wasted in the past and can’t change that … but I don’t have to add to them in the present or the future. I intend to make my remaining days full of the things that really matter.

Father, I thank you for each heartbeat left in me, may I use them to praise you and care for the ones you have put in my life. Amen.

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” [Romans 8:32 NIV]

God did the greatest thing imaginable. He did not “spare” even His own Son. Instead He gave Him up – Jesus, the Word of God, the Creator and Sustainer of all things – for us.

The only human picture we have coming remotely close to that is found in Genesis 22:1-19. There Abraham at God’s instruction sets off to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac on Mt. Moriah. Read the story today. Focus on the word “spared” or “withheld” in verses 12 and 16.  When they translated the Old Testament into Greek, they used the same word in those verses that Paul used in Romans 8:32.

Isaac was spared. God provided a lamb in the thicket to offer instead.  Jesus, God’s beloved Son was not spared. He became the Lamb offered for us.

If God did the greatest thing to provide our salvation, how will He not also do everything and provide everything we need when we face opposition. The God Who saved us is the God who keeps us.

Looking for something to be thankful for today? God did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all. That’s a good place to begin.