Who is This Man?

Christ said of him that there was no one greater born, at least as far as human flesh is concerned. That puts him at the head of quite a list of spiritual achievers: Men like David, and Abraham, and Nehemiah and Daniel. Wow.

He also made some of the most profound “off the cuff” (apparently unprepared) remarks that are found in all of Scripture.

For instance, he was once taunted that he was “losing his touch,” and that men were leaving his ministry for the ministry of some “man” named Jesus. His response: A man can receive only what is given him from above. Total cool; total dependence upon the living God of Israel (s. John 3:27).

In the same setting, when it appeared that his ministry was on a sharp decline and that his part in the play was coming to an end, he responded with, “He must increase and I must decrease.” Not the usual response to watching your life’s dreams go up in smoke.

And at another time, when it looked like he was losing his grip concerning Christ and His actual place in the whole salvatory scheme of things, Christ said that others may be fickle “reeds swayed by the wind,” but NOT the this prophet, he was rock-steady in face of whatever (Matt. 11:7ff).

Of whom do we speak? You probably know the answer by now, or at least I hope you do: The man, the prophet, the Messianic forerunner that we speak of, is none other than John the Baptizer.

Of him, Malachi, God’s final Word of the OT, said simply: I will send my messenger who will prepare the way for You (Mal. 3).

He leaves us with a life of moral uprightness and zero compromise. In our age he stands out as a refreshing man who actually stood for something, a man worthy of our study and emulation.

A Real Yule "Log" to Deal With

Another of those earlier Christmas Posts:

In Matt. 7:3-5 Christ expresses these sentiments:


“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7.3–5 NAS95


I don't know about you, but I've noticed that people who are most interested in "specks" (you know the legal types and critics to which I refer) are often those who have the most undone business in their own spiritual lives. After all, a person who has dealt with the "log" size and weight of his own sin is a whole lot less likely to be critical and condemnatory to the little specks in others lives. In fact, a person who is really dealing with logs in his own life and sin nature rarely has time, or interest, to deal with the little specks in others spiritual walks. Indeed, one who has dealt with his own "logs" will have great compassion in helping others with their little "specks," for he knows the greatness of his own sin. 


Can I make this conclusion from this passage? A negative, critical, accusative spirit is the hallmark of a church member who has not dealt with the great "log" issues in his own life. Rather than deal with the "logs" by the Word of God and Spirit of Christ and find real spiritual health, they choose to accuse and condemn in an effort to feel better about themselves.


Hang in there struggling brother and sisters. Don't let those brothers and sisters who are born in the "accusative case" get you down. Remember, "when the turkeys agree, it's usually a foul idea." Ha, Ha. 


Merry Christmas - Christ's Joy to You 


P. S. According to this above passage, you have every right and warrant to ask any counselor if he/she has any large besetting sin in their own lives that they have yet to have victory over. Obviously, if they have not taken the "logs" out of their own eyes they "cannot see clearly" to help you with your problems. We need to hold "counselors" accountable in the area of personal sanctification, growth and victory. You can't pass what you don't possess. 

Sittin' Around a Cup of Coffee…

An Earlier Post from around Christmas Season

Met with the men this morning at McD's (what a great Bible Study place! - Thank you, God). We were working through Zechariah, chapt. 11. What a great portion of Scripture to be considering right before Christmas. In that portion of God's Word we read not only of God's judgement for the rejection of Messiah, but we also read of the literal abandonment of Messiah for the betrayal price of 30 shekels of silver (The price for a gored, "pierced" slave, Ex. 21:32). We all marvelled, and exclaimed, that only the living God could write such detailed history in advance. And that is just what Divine, biblical prophecy is - God's History in advance. For He, and He alone, is outside of time, space and history. He is truly omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent!!!


We also noted how God juxtaposed the coming of Christ and His rejection for our sins right up against the coming of the anti-Christ. Though separated by thousands of years, yet butting the prophecies together lets us conclude that there is a direct relationship between the two. In other words, reject the good shepherd and you will receive the evil, wicked, foolish shepherd, the grand socialist. He's coming, and, be he god or devil, the world will receive and love him (rejecting the true Christ (John 5:43), they get the man of sin (2 Thess. 2)).


A passage about Christ's rejection for our sins, in my mind, a great Christmas passage. For He was born in a casket, to die for our sins, and, remembering His body and blood, yea, receiving His body and blood, we have the real meaning of the incarnation of God (God with us - Isa. 7:14) in this sorry world.


If you get a chance, read Zech. 11, and rejoice in the light God has given you in the marvelous deeds He has done in sending the Son to take away our sins.


A "real" Christmas to you, and, go gossip the Gospel!!!  

Bethlehem, An Earnest of Greater to Come (Or, He ain't done yet!)

I know you all know the prophecy of Bethlehem, how in Mic. 5:2 God predicted, spot-on, where His Divine Son would be born. Everyone knew it - it was no secret (Matt. 2!!!). But have you read on, beyond Mic. 5:2, to the prophecy of eschatalogical things to come? You see, Mic. 5:2 is an earnest, a down payment, so to speak, of even greater things to come. And the good news is that God will do it all, not us (Isa. 9:6ff.).


We've got way too many evangelicals building a "kingdom now" and not simply preaching the Gospel of the Cross and Redemption of Jesus Christ. Hey, soup kitchens, spiritual communes and building earthly kingdoms is easy. Try preaching the offensive Gospel. That'll get your world rockin' - You may even get hated (John 15).


Can you handle it?


B'ezrat HaShem (with the help fo the name)

It's a Good Thing He Didn't…

Was lately ruminatin' (is that a word?) concerning the death of our beloved martyr, Stephen in Acts 7. It really is a profound scene, and  profound message from Stephen all at the same time. Here you have Stephen, under the powerful guidance of the Holy Spirit, demonstrating Christ and His rejection from the pages of the Pentateuch. The message is so powerful, so biting, so clear that they can do no less than rush headlong at him to kill this message off the earth (though, they might have tried repentance!). If you know the story, the final straw for Stephen was his claim to see the Christ, the Son of Man (Dan. 7), standing at God's right hand. That was just too much for professional religionists, and, midst Stephen's cry for mercy on these persecutors, they stone him to death at the Eastern Gate.


Here's the rub: There was the Christ, the Messiah, standing to greet Stephen, as if in a position of honor and sustainment. With just a Word from the heavenlies he could have snuffed these tormenters, but He did no more than to receive Stephen to His bosom (don't get me wrong, if you're Stephen, that's a lot). It was in God's will for Stephen to die at that time. And, let there be no doubt about it, what a loss Stephen was to the early church at that time. 


But, as usual, God is about the meta-narrative, the big picture. There, standing in the crowd, holding the robes, was one named Saul, soon to become our Paul. Had God snuffed that tormenting crowd, Paul also would have been a casualty. Who of us would have desired that? Imagine the 13 or so books of the New Testament that were embodied in that soon-to-be apostle. Imagine the gracious account of our deacon Stephen's death not happening. Imagine the early church not being strengthened by the apostle Paul, so changed by this and other events in his life.


Aahh, I'da snuffed 'em. 


But God had a better idea. 


He always does. 


Q. Does not the Judge of the all the Earth always do right! (Gen. 18:25).


A. Yes! 

Strainin' at the Oars

There is a specially comforting and encouraging phrase, occurring right in the middle of one of the “storm passages” of the Gospels:  

“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.  When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them.” Mark 6.45–48 NAS95

Did you catch that? Great events have happened. Jesus dispatches His disciples to the next duty station. While on the way (in total obedience, by the way), they run into trouble - great trouble. A storm threatens to all but totally engulf them. And what does the Divinely inspired text say:

“Seeing them straining at the oars.”

At a time when weariness at the task was about to consume them; At a time when they felt it was all but hopeless; At a time when they felt the Master did not really know what they were going through, or what was really going on - at just such a time - HE SAW IT, AND KNEW IT, ALL!!!!

What can we do but bow down at such a revelation. Wow!

Are you “straining at the oars” just now? In work? In family? In marriage? In finances? In planning? In vision? In ministry? In WHATEVER?

Can you believe the text that your omniscient (all-knowing) God knows exactly what you are going through? Can you believe that at just the right time He will be there for you and supply the need? Can you, in faith, just now, hang on? Help is always on the way, for has He not presently said:

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” so that we confidently say, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?” - Hebrews 13.5–6 NAS95

Hagar, destitute in the desert, was seen by Jesus and was given water to keep her alive. She named that well, beer lahai roi: The Well of the Living God Who sees me. (Gen. 16).

Nothing, absolutely nothing has changed. He is still that God that sees you; He is still the God who sees you “straining at the oars.” Do not give up.

Chesed v'shalom, (Grace and Peace)

Facebook???

As you are probably highly aware, FaceBook has been much in the news of late. Obviously (though I am still a technical holdout), many believers and unbelievers are highly involved in this social networking phenomenon.

Additionally, we continue to receive news of how employers and future employers (and, now, some ex-employers!!!) are scanning these pages to gain additional insight into the profiles/attitudes of persons they are interested in.

With something so public and so full of words (Facebook that is), it would be wise to remind the brothers and sisters to be very careful as to what they are involved with and what they are posting in such global, visible situations. Hopefully, our words in such settings are words of edification and encouragement, and not those of disparagement, gossip, or, worse, useless drivel. Life is too short for such things. A good governing verse for social behavior would be the following:

“Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart.” Proverbs 3.3 NAS95

I don’t know where we got them from (some wise soul, for sure), but in our home we have tried to honor three questions concerning the words and conversations we use with one another (This would certainly apply to FaceBook as well). I hope you adopt them for your family and your personal life. They are as follows:

• Is It True? – Hopefully what you are is saying is absolutely true and not tainted the least with hidden agendas, envy or slander. After all we serve a God of truth. Let us be such.

• Is It Kind? – While something may be true, that does not mean it is kind. Truth can be used as a bludgeon and a bully. Be kind; Life is hard. Put yourself in their shoes.

• Is It Necessary? – It may be true, it may be kind, but it may not be needed at all. Love is very discretionary, and often covers, and finds additional data unnecessary. I am sometimes amazed at what people say in public and in public settings. So much is unnecessary.

Chesed v'shalom, (Grace and Peace)