THIS EARTHLY HOUSE

 

Saturday, April 30, 2022

 

THIS EARTHLY HOUSE

 

2 Cor 5:1

5 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

 

          The body is a wonderful blessing in youth. It is generally free of pain or malfunction except in accidental injury. So many things we do as children are an invitation to damage and death in our later years. This earthly house begins to dissolve, and it is troublesome at best.

 

           I have, however, concluded that the soul, at some unrecognized point, ceases to age. We are still as impulsive and daring as in our younger years. We still admire beauty, and music, and adventure but our “life alert” reminds us that we may fall and not be able to get up again. We store things on shelves at eye level. This earthly house needs some repair.

 

          At some point we consider moving to a better place. We “groan” for it. The Greek, in verse 2 is stenazo which means “to sigh; to murmur; to pray inaudibly.” Oh, yes. I am acquainted with this kind of groaning. But if, in your youth, you pity me, don’t. I have a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

 

THIS OLD HOUSE

(Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer)

(Ain't a-gonna need this house no more)

Ain't got time to fix the shingles

Ain't a-got time to fix the floor

Ain't got time to oil the hinges

Nor to mend no windowpane

Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer

He's a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

 

Dear Lord, gently remind the young that their hinges will begin to squeak. Bless those whose steps are slow and painful with wonderful memories and exciting prospects. AMEN

THE BURDEN OF KNOWING!

 

Friday, April 29, 2022

 

THE BURDEN OF KNOWING!

 

2 Cor 11:28-29

28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

 

The Amplified New Testament sheds some light on what Paul was going through.

 

2 Cor 11:28-29

28 And besides those things that are without, there is the daily [inescapable pressure] of my care and anxiety for all the churches!

29 Who is weak, and I do not feel [his] weakness? Who is made to stumble and fall and have his faith hurt, and I am not on fire [with sorrow or indignation]?

AMP

 

          It is unseemly for the Pastor to complain of his duties and peculiar circumstances, but this is Second Corinthians and not First Corinthians. In First Corinthians, Paul was on the attack against gross sin and error within the church. One member was intimate with his mother as if she was his love partner. Whether she was his natural mother or stepmother is hardly significant. In Second Corinthians Paul is under attack by the church not for substantive issues but for his tone in dealing with them.

 

          The next time your Pastor gives you a big smile and a warm, welcoming hug, ask yourself: “Does he know that I am not the Christian I pretend to be? Is he aware of my spiritual struggles?” In many cases he does know but he smiles and hugs you anyway.

 

          The burden of knowing is, I think, what Paul was talking about in verse 28. The word “care” means “solicitude, concern and kindness.” Pressure builds as the burden of knowing grows. It often stings more than those 39 lashes received at the hands of both Jews and Gentiles.

 

Jer 3:15

15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

 

Dear Lord, carry in your strong and loving arms both sheep and shepherds today. AMEN

PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD!

 

Thursday, April 28, 2022

 

PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD!

 

Col 1:19-21

19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.

          In 1962, Don and Carol Richardson risked their lives to share the gospel with the Sawi people of New Guinea. Peace Child tells their unforgettable story of living among these headhunters and cannibals, who valued treachery through fattening victims with friendship before the slaughter. God gave Don and Carol the key to the Sawi hearts via a redemptive analogy from their own mythology. The "peace child" became the secret to unlocking a value system that had existed through generations.

 

          Similarly, Jesus was the “peace child” that reconciled sinful man and Holy God. His sacrificial death became the satisfaction of God’s sense of justice and the means whereby God might express His love. The word “sometime,” as it is used in verse 21 does not mean intermittently alienated but formerly alienated. It was a grievous condition that is now past because of Christ.

 

          The word “enemies” means that we were not only estranged from God but that we were actively hostile to God! This is the position and the condition of unredeemed man.

 

Warren Wiersbe comments that “They did not reconcile themselves to God; it was God who took the initiative in His love and grace. The Father sent the Son to die on a cross that sinners might be reconciled to God. Jesus died for us when we were "without strength" (Rom 5:6) and could do nothing for ourselves. He died for us "while we were yet sinners" and "when we were enemies" (Rom 5:8,10).

 

Dear Lord, thank you for becoming our “Peace Child.” AMEN

MERCY AND PEACE!

 

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

 

MERCY AND PEACE!

 

Ps 85:10

10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

 

          We need mercy. There is something lacking in fallen man and God, who has a limitless store, is both able and willing to provide relief. Mercy grows out of compassion and is manifested in real benefit. Such was the actions of the “good” Samaritan.

 

Luke 10:33-35

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

 

"Wherever the words mercy and peace are found together they occur in that order, except in Gal 6:16. Mercy is the act of God, peace is the resulting experience in the heart of man. Grace describes God's attitude toward the lawbreaker and the rebel; mercy is His attitude toward those who are in distress." (From Notes on Galatians, by Hogg and Vine, pp. 340, 341. Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

 

2 John 3

3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

 

Dear Lord, many who read these words today will need your mercy. Give them both mercy and peace. AMEN

LIVING A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE!

 

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

 

LIVING A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE!

 

John 14:15-21

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

 

          If you have a red-letter edition of the New Testament these words are in red which means that they were spoken by Jesus and recorded for us by John. This adds a bit of force to the concepts listed here. Simply put, Jesus is saying that obedience is not only the requirement for but the demonstration of our love for God. Being an obedient child of God does not mean that you never make any mistakes it simply means that our heart is set to obey. What are the elements of a lifestyle of obedience? I think there are at least three.

 

1.      LISTEN TO HIM CAREFULLY!

 

John 14:26

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 

          Unfortunately, God does not speak to us with a voice we can hear. He uses spiritual impressions and signals upon our mind. This requires a strong connection and careful listening to the “voice” of God. He speaks through many means.

 

2.      OBEY SYSTEMATICALLY!

 

Gen 12:1

12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

 

          Abraham was called to leave his home and to travel to an unknown destination. It is as if a parent plans a family vacation with pleasant stops along the way and a wonderful destination at the end. All the children know is that they are on vacation! That is why the kids are always asking “are we there yet?” Because we do not know every turn of the trip, we must be willing to obey by taking the very next step.

 

3.      EXPECT A BUMPY ROAD!

 

John 16:33

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 

          Continuing our analogy of a family vacation, we understand that there may be delays along the way. Bridges may be out requiring us to take a detour and the road may be bumpy. However, it is not the road but the destination that we must keep in mind. Let’s never forget that he said, “I have overcome the world.”

 

          Obedience is not automatic. It is a lifelong process and should become easier as we learn to trust and wait patiently for God’s guidance. At times the distant destination may be almost in view and at other times we may feel we are in a wasteland of confusion, but we keep trusting and obeying.

 

Dear Lord, when today’s carefully laid plans are ruined by unexpected delays and detours – help me to trust the destination to you. AMEN

SEEING GOD AND SEEING OURSELVES

 

Monday, April 25, 2022

 

SEEING GOD AND SEEING OURSELVES

 

Isa 6:1-8

6 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord  of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord  of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

 

          Why did Isaiah mention the death of Uzziah? Well, why not? Uzziah had reigned in Judah for fifty-two years and it was a good and prosperous reign. The political fiber of the nation was strong and moral and upright. However, toward the end of his reign, he proudly decided to enter the temple and burn incense upon the golden altar (see 2 Chronicles 26:16). Government had overstepped the boundaries reserved by the church. Uzziah was resisted in his efforts by Azariah and 80 other priests. Uzziah was suddenly struck with leprosy and lived out the remainder of his days in a common house for lepers. He was buried in the field of the kings but in a grave that was off to itself; lonely and isolated.

 

          Perhaps Isaiah was seeking God in a time of great trouble. There was much loss to mourn. Who would rise to assume leadership after this good king? The tragedy of trespassing upon God’s business had, once again, reminded the nation that God was sovereign. All these thoughts and more were swirling around Isaiah’s head.

 

          It was in such a time that God revealed Himself. He was seen as He always is; high and lifted up, full of glory and worshipped by angels. This has been the scene since eternity past and will continue throughout eternity future. Isaiah did not see a new event but rather a snapshot of heaven. It was stunning!

 

          In the light of the glory of God, Isaiah now saw himself truly. The pretense of self-righteousness had been melted away in the glow of pure holiness. Later Isaiah would see all man’s goodness as “filthy rags” which is a reference to the rags of the lepers. Perhaps this is a glimpse of the end of the life of Uzziah who was once robed in royalty but died in leprous rags. Isaiah now saw himself as vile and feared to compare himself with the holiness of the God he now saw with fresh eyes.

 

          “What shall we do?” will be the cry as every knee bows before God. Those who bow early find cleansing for their sins and a new purpose for their lives. They are invited to hear the voice of God and share in His concerns. They are invited to volunteer to make a difference and to say: “Here am I, send me.”

 

          Political unrest and moral decay are not unique to our nation or our time. It is a symptom of sin and will not be cured till the King of Kings rests upon His throne. It is an opportune time to see God with fresh eyes, to find cleansing for our sin and new purpose for our lives.

 

Dear Lord, we live in fearful times. Reveal yourself in holiness so that we may be healed of our ills. Give clear direction so that we might find new purpose. AMEN

THE PRICE OF A SOUL!

 

Sunday, April 24, 2022

 

THE PRICE OF A SOUL!

 

Mark 8:36-37

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

 

          "The Devil and Daniel Webster" is a short story by Stephen Vincent Benét. This Faustian tale was inspired by Washington Irving's short story "The Devil and Tom Walker." Benet's story centers on a New Hampshire farmer who sells his soul to the Devil and is defended by Daniel Webster, a fictional version of the famous statesman, lawyer, and orator.

The story appeared in The Saturday Evening Post (October 24, 1936) and was later published in book form by Farrar & Rinehart, 1937. That same year, it won the O. Henry Award. The author also adapted it in 1938 into a folk opera with music by Douglas Stuart Moore, a fellow Yale University alumnus, member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and winner of a Pulitzer Prize. Benét and Dan Totheroh co-authored the film adaptation, which was later renamed All That Money Can Buy (RKO, 1941). (Source: Wikipedia)

 

Foolish indeed was the farmer who, for a few prosperous years, gave his soul to the Devil and Hell but the Bible is full of other bad bargains. The first was Eve’s forbidden fruit. Of every and any tree in the garden she could freely eat but Satan convinced her that God was unfair for restricting access to one fruit tree. She traded access to God for access to this tree and suffered a fundamental change in her entire being.

 

Demas abandoned Paul and a life of ministry “having loved this present world” (see 2 Timothy 4:10). Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver and then, in a gesture that was too late, threw them down at the feet of the Pharisees in the Temple. He went out and hanged himself. The “rich young ruler” in Matthew 19:22, “went away sorrowful because he had great riches” which he did not want to trade for a life of following Jesus. Adam Clarke said: “The soul was made for God, and can never be united to him, nor be happy, till saved from sin.”

 

          Hank Williams Sr. wrote a song that became a blue grass classic done by Bill Monroe called “House of Gold.” It’s worth a look this morning.

 

House Of Gold

 

People steal they cheat and lie
For wealth and what it will buy
But don't they know on judgment day
That gold and silver will melt away

 

I'd rather be in a deep dark grave
And to know that my poor soul was saved
Than to live in this world in a house of gold
And deny my God and doom my soul

 

What good is gold and silver too
If your hearts not pure and true
Sinner hear me when I say
Fall down on your knees and pray

 

Dear Lord, help us to assign the soul its true value. Help us to see the traps set for us by the devil. AMEN

PLEASE TELL ME AGAIN!

 

Saturday, April 23, 2022

 

PLEASE TELL ME AGAIN!

James 1:23-25

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

 

          We are emotionally forgetful! We constantly require reassurance regarding our relationships. A marriage soon falls into disrepair if either party fails to reassure the other of their love and devotion. So, it is with our relationship with God. We are always asking God to tell us again how much He loves us.

 

          We are functionally confused! We need constant instruction and practice to become proficient at doing the will of God. “Just tell me what to do and I will do it, Lord.” God keeps Himself invisible and He is non-verbal, so we are constantly needing to be told over and over again by reading His Word. Moreover, modern circumstances do not always fit comfortably into Bible language.

 

          We are directionally challenged! We are like sheep who go astray and soon lose sight of the proper path. Without the Shepherd’s rod, staff, and voice we become lost. We require constant contact and correction.

 

          We are sometimes frozen by fear! A soldier will sometimes become frozen by fear and unsure of how to proceed. That is when the captain will calmly say, “remember your training!”

 

          We are stubborn and self-reliant! We need to be taught that the best plan is always His plan. We have some wonderful ideas and schemes, but they may not be His plans. We need to be reminded repeatedly.

 

Dear Lord, please tell me again how much you love me. Sometimes I forget. Please tell me that everything will be alright. My circumstances keep trying to make you a liar. Please show me the right way. All my ideas seem stale and doomed to failure. Please, Lord, tell me again. AMEN

GOD’S 911

 

Friday, April 22, 2022

 

A “Classic” for someone in danger.

 

GOD’S 911

 

At the beginning of any normal day, we may say our prayers routinely without suspecting the dangers that may lie ahead. At the end of an uneventful day, we may conclude that no danger came near. At other times we may experience the chill of unexplained fear learning only later that we had, at that moment, been divinely protected from danger! These are Psalm 91 moments when we have been covered with His feathers.

 

Ps 91

91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

 

Actor Jimmy Stewart found comfort in Ps 91. When the United States entered World War II in 1941, Stewart enlisted in the Army Air Corps and prepared to go overseas. Stewart's father, Alex, choked up when he tried to bid him farewell, so he wrote a note for his son to read en route. After being shipped out, Jimmy read the words his father had been unable to say aloud:

 

My dear Jim boy. Soon after you read this letter, you will be on your way to the worst sort of danger. Jim, I'm banking on the enclosed copy of Psalm 91. The thing that takes the place of fear and worry is the promise of these words. I am staking my faith in these words. I feel sure that God will lead you through this mad experience. I can say no more. I only continue to pray. Goodbye, my dear. God bless you and keep you. I love you more than I can tell you. Dad.

 

Jimmy Stewart returned home a decorated war hero, unharmed even though his record included 20 combat missions. During the height of battle, Stewart said he learned to lean on the words of his tattered copy of Ps 91, especially verses 1 and 2, which speak of God as a refuge and fortress.

Citation: Victor Parachin, "God's 911," Christian Reader (September/October 2000), pp. 67-68

 

Dear Lord, today I may never see the danger or the protection which you provide. I may end this day thinking it to be another uneventful day because I abide under the shadow of Thy wings. Thank you, Lord, for your protection. AMEN!