“He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. . . . He sends his word and melts them” (Ps. 147: 15–18)
Wow! His Word does so much, but as I read this I thought wow, how seriously ought we be taking His Word? HIs Word is not just something we have the option of reading, but it is so powerful that it controls. Does His Word control you? I do not mean control in the sense that you have no choice in the matter, rather does His Word so influence (control you ) that you do that which pleases Him because His Word has changed your heart. He has much work to do in me, I do however long more and more for the time where His Word is such a delight to me that doing anything contrary makes me mourn!
"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome" 1 John 5:3
Friday, March 28, 2014
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Show me Thy Glory
Moses, in Exodus asks God to show him God's glory ! Just what does that mean? God's glory is the outward manifestation of His inner reality. Next we wonder how is it that we can see His glory! How does God choose to reveal Himself to mankind? Hebrews 1 , I believe answers this well , : He(Jesus) is the radiance if God's glory and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, he sat down, at the right hand of the Majesty on High" Hebrews 1:3 So Jesus is the glory of God, for we believe He is God. So this being true, how do we see His glory? We see His glory in the incarnation of Christ (John 1:14), the crucifixion of Christ(Luke 24 26), the resurrection of Christ, ( 1 Peter 1:21) and the exaltation of Christ (1 Timothy 3:16) . Do you desire to see His glory ? Turn your eyes upon Jesus --Hebrews 12:2
Friday, December 6, 2013
Quote
I read a quote today by an old preacher named Philip Brooks. He said, " Never allow yourself to feel equal to your work"
Paul echoes this truth in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 when he talks about his ministry and how he felt burdened to the point of death. He says that was so that he would rely of God who raises the dead! In whatever we do, we who call on Christ must cease trusting in ourselves and choose to rely on the God who truly has the power we need to do what He has called us to do!
Paul echoes this truth in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 when he talks about his ministry and how he felt burdened to the point of death. He says that was so that he would rely of God who raises the dead! In whatever we do, we who call on Christ must cease trusting in ourselves and choose to rely on the God who truly has the power we need to do what He has called us to do!
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Let us Draw Near !
http://common.northpoint.org/sacredpathway.html
On Sunday we discussed drawing near to God. Many people want to do just that but do not know how! Just how do we draw near to God? Is there just one way? Gary Thomas has written a book called Sacred Pathways and in this book he has created a test that helps people figure out the best way that they relate or "draw near" Click the link above and take the test. Be sure to write down your answers!
On Sunday we discussed drawing near to God. Many people want to do just that but do not know how! Just how do we draw near to God? Is there just one way? Gary Thomas has written a book called Sacred Pathways and in this book he has created a test that helps people figure out the best way that they relate or "draw near" Click the link above and take the test. Be sure to write down your answers!
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
John Calvin Quote
" Let is not take it into our head either to seek our God anywhere else than in His sacred Word , or to think anything about Him that is not prompted by His Word , or to speak anything that is not taken from that Word "
These Words , I believe were written to an audience consisting of people committed to the teaching of His Word ! As I read the quote however, I wondered if it might be applicable and helpful to all of us. This quote, does however presuppose that we are in His Word Often. How often are you in His Word? Do you long to know God through the reading of His Word?
These Words , I believe were written to an audience consisting of people committed to the teaching of His Word ! As I read the quote however, I wondered if it might be applicable and helpful to all of us. This quote, does however presuppose that we are in His Word Often. How often are you in His Word? Do you long to know God through the reading of His Word?
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Ascension Sunday - From Kevin DeYoung
Today is Ascension Day in the life of the church, the 40th day of Easter (or 39 days after Easter Sunday). Celebrating Ascension Sunday (this coming Sunday) is not the issue (though Bucer and Calvin argued for retaining the “Five Evangelical Feasts” in the church calendar: Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost). Christians can disagree on how to remember the key events in Christ’s ministry, or if holy days are appropriate at all. But whether we remember Christ’s birth, death, resurrection, ascension, and pouring out of the Spirit-that’s not an option.
And is there any part of Christ’s life on earth that we think about less than his ascension? Everyone knows about his birth—that’s what Christmas is for. His death, burial, and resurrection are pretty well covered by Holy Week. But who cares that May 1 was Ascension Day? Most of us know the stories of his miracles. We’re familiar with his sermons and parables. We could talk about the people he healed, the demons he cast out, and the Jewish leaders he ticked off. We are well-versed in what Jesus did on earth. But who thinks about how he left this earth? Or why it matters?
So how does Christ’s ascension benefit us? The Heidelberg Catechism (Question and Answer 49) mentions three ways.
First, Christ’s ascension benefits because we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1). Our Lord Jesus in heaven pleading our case, so that whenever Satan accuses us in our conscience or dates to lay a charge against us before the Father, Jesus, Christ, God’s own Son and our flawless advocate, stands ready to defend us and plead His own blood for our sakes. Think about that. Christ is our prayer partner in heaven. He intercedes for us before the throne (Rom. 8:34).
Second, Christ’s ascension benefits us because we now have our own flesh in heaven; our lives are hidden with Christ who dwells in glory above (Col. 3:3-4). Christ’s flesh in heaven is a guarantee that ours will be there too someday. Our hope is not an eternity as disembodied souls but real, resurrected, material human bodies in God’s presence forever. Christ’s body is the first one there, but not the last.
Third, Christ’s ascension benefits us because we get the Holy Spirit as a result. As Jesus Himself explained to His disciples, “It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). This was no knock on His own earthly ministry, but Jesus understood that as a man He was limited to one place at a time. But once He ascended to heaven, He could send another Helper (John 14:16) to give us power from on high and to be with us forever.
Think about the implications of Christ’s ascension. The ascension means we are in heaven, right now. Through union with Christ, we truly are not citizens of this world. Colossians tells us to set our minds on things that are above, because our lives are hidden with Christ who dwells there (3:2-3).
The ascension also implies that “asking Jesus into your heart” does not mean inviting a kind friend or comforting therapist into your life. It means—if we are using the nonbiblical phrase in a biblical way—that we are expressing our desire to be one with the king of the universe. The Jesus who lives within our hearts is sitting exalted at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
The good news of this holy day is that Jesus Christ is exercising the dominion that man was made to have from the very beginning (Gen. 1:28). The ruin of the first Adam will be undone by the reign of the second. Because of Christ’s ascension, we know that the incarnation continues, Christ’s humanity lives on in heaven, the Spirit lives in our hearts, and a flesh-and-blood, divine human being rules the universe.
And is there any part of Christ’s life on earth that we think about less than his ascension? Everyone knows about his birth—that’s what Christmas is for. His death, burial, and resurrection are pretty well covered by Holy Week. But who cares that May 1 was Ascension Day? Most of us know the stories of his miracles. We’re familiar with his sermons and parables. We could talk about the people he healed, the demons he cast out, and the Jewish leaders he ticked off. We are well-versed in what Jesus did on earth. But who thinks about how he left this earth? Or why it matters?
So how does Christ’s ascension benefit us? The Heidelberg Catechism (Question and Answer 49) mentions three ways.
First, Christ’s ascension benefits because we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1). Our Lord Jesus in heaven pleading our case, so that whenever Satan accuses us in our conscience or dates to lay a charge against us before the Father, Jesus, Christ, God’s own Son and our flawless advocate, stands ready to defend us and plead His own blood for our sakes. Think about that. Christ is our prayer partner in heaven. He intercedes for us before the throne (Rom. 8:34).
Second, Christ’s ascension benefits us because we now have our own flesh in heaven; our lives are hidden with Christ who dwells in glory above (Col. 3:3-4). Christ’s flesh in heaven is a guarantee that ours will be there too someday. Our hope is not an eternity as disembodied souls but real, resurrected, material human bodies in God’s presence forever. Christ’s body is the first one there, but not the last.
Third, Christ’s ascension benefits us because we get the Holy Spirit as a result. As Jesus Himself explained to His disciples, “It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). This was no knock on His own earthly ministry, but Jesus understood that as a man He was limited to one place at a time. But once He ascended to heaven, He could send another Helper (John 14:16) to give us power from on high and to be with us forever.
Think about the implications of Christ’s ascension. The ascension means we are in heaven, right now. Through union with Christ, we truly are not citizens of this world. Colossians tells us to set our minds on things that are above, because our lives are hidden with Christ who dwells there (3:2-3).
The ascension also implies that “asking Jesus into your heart” does not mean inviting a kind friend or comforting therapist into your life. It means—if we are using the nonbiblical phrase in a biblical way—that we are expressing our desire to be one with the king of the universe. The Jesus who lives within our hearts is sitting exalted at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
The good news of this holy day is that Jesus Christ is exercising the dominion that man was made to have from the very beginning (Gen. 1:28). The ruin of the first Adam will be undone by the reign of the second. Because of Christ’s ascension, we know that the incarnation continues, Christ’s humanity lives on in heaven, the Spirit lives in our hearts, and a flesh-and-blood, divine human being rules the universe.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
"The Lord has need of it"
When Jesus sent His disciples to town to get the donkey on whom he would ride into Jerusalem, He tells them to tell the donkey owner that "He has Need of the Donkey". Apparently this was enough for the owner of the donkey. He immediately releases the donkey. How much he understood about Jesus is not clear, but His response is appropriate. Jesus' request demonstrates His Lordship and ownership of all. In a real sense, Jesus owns everything and anything we have really belongs to Him already. Is there anything in your life that if Jesus said, " I have need of it" you would have a difficulty giving up? You and I must have this same attitude with all of our possessions!" It all belongs to Him and it all must be used for His purposes and His glory.
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