DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WRITTEN IN STONE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – WRITTEN IN STONE

 

" 'Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock with an iron pen and lead, forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me.' " (Job 19:23-27)

What a great statement of faith – "I know that my Redeemer lives!" This is a demonstration of Job's faith – written in stone. Secure. Unchangeable. He KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was real and that someday He would see God. Sometimes it seemed that Job's faith wavered, but underneath was the Rock.

How his heart longed to see God.

This is what got Job through his challenge. That fact – engraved in stone – that God is alive, that He would someday come to earth, and that after he died, he would see God. There was a yearning in his heart to see His Creator.

What will get us through our challenges? The fact that we serve a living God and that we shall see Him in all of His beauty. This heart-knowledge will sustain us through many a dark day.

A song from my childhood expresses this faith.

There's a longing in my heart for Jesus,

There's a yearning in my heart to see His face,

And I'm weary, Oh so weary, of traveling here below,

There's a longing in my heart for Him.

I hope that is your testimony of faith.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SETTLED IN HEAVEN

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – SETTLED IN HEAVEN

" 'Surely even now my witness is in heaven, and my evidence is on high.' " (Job 16:19)

Job did not base his faith on his circumstances. If his faith in God was based on his what he was going through, he would have no reason to believe in God's goodness. He had lost his family and everything that he owned, and his body was filled with painful sores. No, the basis for his faith was settled in heaven.

Experience is not the witness of my salvation. I may not feel saved. I may not even look saved. But my salvation does not depend on how I look or feel, or my circumstances. I am saved because of the work of the Lord Jesus, and regardless of how things appear, my faith is in Him.

If our faith is based on what is happening in our lives, we have no assurance. We cannot base our salvation on whether things are good or bad. The only assurance of our salvation is that Jesus died on the cross, rose again, and ascended into heaven as proof that the Father was pleased with His sacrifice. Our assurance is in heaven where the evidence is.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 12:1). Faith does not depend on what I see, but on the unshakable, unchanging witness of God in His holy word. He says I am saved by faith, not by how I feel, or my surroundings. My faith is in Him, not in what I experience.

Do you remember the part of the 4 Spiritual Laws that dealt with assurance of salvation? It was a train with an engine and two cars. They were name, "Fact, Faith, and Feeling." The Fact of Salvation is that Christ died for our sins. It is the engine that pulls the train. The second car – Faith – is the personal belief that Jesus died for my sin. The third car – Feeling – is the joy that comes from the knowledge of Salvation. Feelings are the caboose. They do not pull the train. Feelings may change, but the facts never change. My faith is a personal choice – for or against, but it does not change the facts. I choose to believe the facts, whether I feel it or not. God is faithful to His word, and if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we are saved. "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:10). It is settled in Heaven.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- TWO REQUESTS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS --TWO REQUESTS

Job's prayer: " 'Only two things do not do to me, then I will not hide myself from you: (Do not) withdraw Your hand far from me, and let not the dread of You make me afraid.' " (Job 13:20-21)

Much of the Book of Job is a dialogue between Job and his "friends." The counsel of Job's visitors is like a broken record. Do you remember the old stereo discs that got scratched and played the same groove over and over again? That's what I hear when I read their comments. Over and over again they accuse Job – accuse Job – accuse Job – accuse Job – of being unrighteous and that he is suffering because of his sin. It sounds like words from Satan who is the accuser of the brethren (see Revelation 12:10).

Because their advice is so repetitious, our gleanings will focus on Job's faith. Even though he is suffering greatly, and sometimes is despondent, yet through the darkness shines the glow of his faith.

In this prayer, he has two requests: He entreats God to not abandon him, and to deliver him from fear.

His prayer expresses two great bedrocks of faith. First, that there is a God who was involved in his life. He was not far away, but was near. And secondly, that God would deliver him from his fear. In effect, he confessed that God is sovereign and compassionate in all that he does, and he entreated God to not abandon him. If he could know that God was there, he would not fear.

If we see God as a big ogre, then we will run away from Him. But if we understand how loving and merciful His is, we will run toward Him. If you are avoiding God because of some pain, know that God has not abandoned you. You can come to Him without fear. He hears your prayer and knows your heart. Do not fear. He will bring you through.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD IS FAITHFUL

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD IS FAITHFUL

"After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth. And Job spoke, and said: 'May the day perish on which I was born, and the night in which it was said, "A male child was conceived." ' " (Job 3:1)

Have you ever been in such pain and suffering that you said, "I wish I had never been born"? If so, you are not alone. Job had the same thoughts, as have many of the rest of us.

It may have been physical pain. It may have been emotional pain. But sometimes we hurt so badly that we think it would have been better if we had died at childbirth or as an infant. Then we would not have to endure such agony.

" 'Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb? Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse? For now I would have lain still and been quiet, I would have been asleep; then I would have been at rest' " (Job 3:11-12).

Job thought even as an adult, that it would be better to die that to live with such suffering. " 'Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, who long for death, but it does not come, and search for it more than hidden treasures?' " (Job 2:20-21).

I don't have all the answers, but I still believe that God has purposes for every life – even when we hurt so deeply. God had purposes for Job's life. And He had a purpose for Job to suffer. It was that God might reveal Himself in a greater way.

Job was the battlefield between God and Satan. But God had other purposes. God knew that Job would not lose his faith in the face of disaster. Remember what God's Word says: "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure" (I Corinthians 10:13 NLT).

When life seems to be more than we can handle, we can trust Him. One of the favorite hymns of the centuries is, "How Firm A Foundation." Listen to the words:

Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed
For I am Thy God, and will still give you aid

I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand

When through the deep waters I call you to go

The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow

For I will be with you, your troubles to bless,

And sanctify to you your deepest distress.

When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie

My grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply.

The flame shall not hurt you, I only design

Your dross to consume and the gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose

I will not, I will not desert to His foes.

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake

I'll never, no never, no never forsake.

God brought Job through his trials. And He will deliver us. God is faithful, even in our times of distress.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE UNSEEN WAR

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE UNSEEN WAR

"Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD and Satan also came among them. And the LORD said to Satan, 'From where do you come?' So Satan answered the Lord and said, 'From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.'" ...Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD." (Job 1:6-7, 2:1)

We don't often get to see the things that go on in heaven. But here we get a glimpse of the interaction between God and Satan. Even then, the picture is not complete. We don't know how it all transpired – just that it happened that the hosts of the sons of God assembled before the LORD, and that Satan was there.

There is much of the unseen sphere that we do not fully understand. We do know from Scripture that Satan is a real being, that he was cast out of heaven (Luke 18:10), that he has authority as the god of this world (II Corinthians 4:4).

There is a conflict between God and His hosts and the Satanic realm that we do not see clearly. But we know that it is happening. The Apostle Paul referenced this when he spoke of principalities and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this age, the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). We also know that Michael the archangel had an argument about the body of Moses (Jude 9), and that Michael and the angel Gabriel had a conflict with the "prince of the kingdom of Persia" (Daniel 10:12-13).

But as God's people, we do not have to fear Satan or his hordes. Jesus proved that he had authority over evil spirits by casting them out of people (Mark 1:25; 5:1). Jesus said that all power and authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). And from the Book of Job, we understand that Satan can do nothing without permission from the God of the Universe. And we know that eventually, Satan will cast into the lake of fire where he will never be able to torment people again (Revelation 20:10).

So when it seems that evil is in control, God is still sovereign and He allows it for His purposes. We can take refuge in the fact that we can trust God in everything. Nothing happens without His permission. He is still in control.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- RESPONDING TO MY ADVERSARIES

DAD;S RAMBLINGS – RESPONDING TO MY ADVERSARIES

The fateful day arrived – the thirteenth day of the 12^th month that had been decreed by Haman for the decimation of all the Jews in the Persian provinces (Esther 8:13). On that day, the enemies of the Jews anticipated that they would overpower the Jews. But the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them (9:1)

"And in Shushan the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men (including the 10 sons of Haman) ....but they did not lay a hand on the plunder." (Esther 9:6-10).

In the rest of the provinces on the 13^th day of the month, the same scenario played out as the Jews gathered together to protect themselves, and 75,000 enemies of the Jews were killed. "...but they did not lay a hand on the plunder"(vs. 16).

On the next day, the 14^th day of the month of Adar, the king gave permission for the Jews to again defend themselves in Shushan. Again, the Jews overcame their enemies and 500 anti-semites were killed by the Jews, "but they did not lay a land on the plunder" (vs. 15).

It seems significant to me that the inspired record would mention three times, "but they did not lay a hand on the plunder." To me, this is interesting. As victors of the battles, they would ordinarily be entitled to the victor's prize – the loot from the enemy. Actually, the letter from Mordecai gave them permission to not only to defend themselves against all aggressors, but to also "plunder their possessions" (vs. 11). But they did not. So why didn't they? I confess that I don't know. But it is possible that they understood that this was God's victory – not theirs. There was great rejoicing because they were delivered (vss. 16-17), but they did not take advantage of their prerogative. They had the Book of Proverbs which says: "If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for so you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the LORD will reward you" (Proverbs 25:21-22). There is reward from the Lord when we refuse to take advantage of our defeated adversaries.

This speaks to my own heart. When I am attacked, I do have the permission to defend myself. When I am vindicated, it is natural to gloat over the defeat of those who attack me. But when I respond with grace, it takes away the necessity for them to attack back and allows them to feel shame for their wrong. May God, help me to respond as Jesus did when attacked – "God, forgive them."

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S FINGERPRINTS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD'S FINGERPRINTS

"That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king." (Esther 6:1)

The police come to the crime scene. They first secure the area to make sure that no evidence is compromised. Then they call the CSI – the Crime Scene Investigators – to comb the area for anything that would identify the perpetrator. No one saw the criminal, and no one heard anything. All they have is the residue of the DNA and the fingerprints that the felon left behind.

The Book of Esther is like that. There is no physical evidence that God is the person behind the scenes that is responsible for the situation. In fact, nowhere in the Book of Esther does the author even mention God.

So what leads us to believe that this book is more than just an historical record of a king, a queen, and a race of Jews? It is because the fingerprints of God are on every page of the book.

What are the chances that a Jewish maiden would be the most beautiful woman to be found in the Persian empire and become the queen of the greatest empire of that day? What is the chance that a Jewish man named Mordecai, the queen's cousin and protector, would discover and report a plot to kill the king? That a king would have insomnia on the eve of the execution of Mordecai by the wicked Haman? That the king would call for the reading of the historical record? That the particular entry that was read was about Mordecai saving the life of the king from assassination by two of the king's eunuchs employed as doorkeepers in the king's palace? That the Jewish queen would be in a position to save all the people of God, the Jews?

There is just too much woven into the story to be coincidence. This is not just a novel. It was recognized by the Jewish theologians as example of God at work to save a nation from certain genocide – annihilation of a whole race of people, not just in the capital city of Shushan, but throughout the whole empire.

When it seems that God is nowhere to be found, we can be assured that He is at work, accomplishing His purposes. Look for His fingerprints.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – DISCIPLINES OF FAITH

"For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the grain, of the new wine, and the oil, to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are, where the priests who minister and the gatekeepers and the singers are; and we will not neglect the house of our God." (Nehemiah 10:39)

After the wall was completed, the people returned to their own cities where their homes were (Nehemiah 7:73). In the seventh month they all returned to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets as the Mosaic Law commanded, and the Book of the Law was read to them on the 1^st day of the 7^th month (Nehemiah 8:2). The people all went their way, understanding the words of the Law (Nehemiah 8:12). The next day, the leaders of the people, the priests and the Levites gathered together to have further instruction of the Law (vs. 13). It was then then that they understood that the Law commanded that they assemble together in the 7^th month for the Feast of Tabernacles (vs. 14). They sent out the word to all Israel to come to Jerusalem to celebrate this feast (vs. 15). So the people came with their branches to make booths or Tabernacles (vs. 16). They had not celebrated this feast since the days of Joshua (vs. 17). Throughout the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God and on the 8^th day they rested as the Law prescribed.

The Feast of Tabernacles was one of three Holy Days observed in the seventh month. The first was the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:24). The tenth day of that month was the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29; 23:26). On the 15^th day of the 7^th month was the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34, 39). That feast lasted 7 days which would bring them to the 21^st day of the month. On the 8^th day, there was to be a sacred assembly or sabbath (Leviticus 23:39), which would bring them to the 22^nd day.

So it is interesting that this was now the 24^th day of the month (Nehemiah 9:1) when those who had were consecrated met for further instruction. For 3 hours, they heard the Scriptures read, and for another 3 hours they confessed their sins and worshiped (vss. 2-3). The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, Nethinim, and the nobles who had understanding, recommitted and rededicated themselves to observe the commandments, the ordinances, and the statutes Lord (10:29) – the disciplines of the Jewish faith, such as keeping the Sabbath, the sacrifices, tithes and offerings, and attendance to the house of the Lord. Through the years, these practices had been neglected, but now they committed themselves to "walk in God's Law....and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes" (10:29).

Sometimes we are like the Israelites who for years had neglected to keep the disciplines of the Jewish religion. It seems so easy for us to be negligent in keeping the disciplines of the Christian faith – such as bringing our gifts of financial support and tithing to the storehouse, and church attendance. These things are not required by Law – we are not under the Law – but they do reflect our devotion to God. May we not be negligent in keeping the Christian disciplines of worship, studying God's Word, giving, and attending the house of the Lord.

Love, Dad

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DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LISTEN UP!

DAD'S RAMBLINGS –  LISTEN UP!

"Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded Israel....Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.....Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Sabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law; and the people stood in their place. So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading." (Nehemiah 8:1, 3, 7-8).

I have met people who do not think they need anyone to teach them the Scriptures. They feel that all they need is to read the Bible and the Holy Spirit will teach them all they need to know. Now, of course, the Holy Spirit is given to guide us into all truth. But God also gave us teachers to help us understand the Scriptures.

Many of the Israelites had not heard the Scriptures read while they were in captivity. So it was new to them, and they needed the help of the priests and Levites to help them understand God's Word.

We are not in the same situation, but many, especially people who are new believers and have not been exposed to the systematic instruction of the Scriptures, need godly help to understand what God is saying in His Word. And even people who come from churches that do not regularly preach and teach from the Bible do not really know the Scriptures. I don't minimize the work of the Holy Spirit, but Jesus said to make disciples, teaching them to observe all things that Jesus commanded. In the Book of Acts, we find Philip teaching the Ethiopian the meaning of Isaiah chapter 53 (Acts 8:26 ff). And of course God used the Apostle Paul to help us understand the Gospel in all of His writings.

So to say that we don't need anyone to teach us seems to be out of sync with the Bible itself. God has given us Apostles, prophets, pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, to help us become mature in the faith. Solomon wrote the Proverbs "to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding" (Proverbs 1:2). It is a fool who will not listen to instruction (Proverbs 15:5). To ignore these God-given ministries seems to reject God's plan for our spiritual development. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- MELODRAMA

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – MELODRAMA

"But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews." (Nehemiah 4:1)

Have you ever watched a melodrama? The plot is always the same. There will always be the villain, the victim, and the hero. The book of Nehemiah is kind of like a melodrama. There are the villains – Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and the rest of the enemies (6:1). The Jews are the victims, and Nehemiah is the hero.

Sanballat and Tobiah seem to be the leaders of the opposition. Sanballat was a Horonite and Tobiah was an Ammonite. They made their appearances early in the story. In chapter 2:10, they were "deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel." They laughed and despised what the Jews were doing under Nehemiah's leadership (2:19). But when they saw that the wall was actually being rebuilt, they became angry. They mocked the Jewish workers with words like, "Whatever they build, even if a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall" (4:3).

But this did not deter the Israelites from their work of rebuilding the wall.

There will always be nay-sayers who will despise and mock us when we take a stand for God and His work. Some will even become furious and vent their anger on us. They would want us to quit, and go sit in a corner and suck our thumbs. They will use the same ploys as Sanballat and his gang – they will conspire together to attack and create confusion (vs. 8). They will try to intimidate us into silence.

In our struggles against our enemies – Satan and His hordes, we can employ the same tactics as Nehemiah and his followers. First, they prayed (vs. 9). Then they kept working, vigilantly watching for the attacks of their enemies. Nehemiah spoke words of faith and encouragement: " 'Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses' " (vs. 14). It is noteworthy that they did not fight back, but they were prepared to defend themselves in the face of the threats of their enemies (vs. 13).

In our battles against our enemy, our first line of defense is prayer to the God who can deliver us from our enemies.  Then we keep working.  We are not called to attack them, as tempting as that may be, but to stand firm in our faith, and be prepared to give a defense of the Gospel (I Peter 3:15). Our great and mighty God will give us victory.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WORKING TOGETHER

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – WORKING TOGETHER

"Then I said to them, 'You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.' And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king's words that he had spoken to me. So they said, 'Let us rise up and build.' Then they set their hands to this good work." (Nehemiah 2:17-18)

Even though some of the Israelites had returned to Israel following their captivity by Babylon, Nehemiah was still in Shushan, the capital city. In fact, he was employed as the wine-taster for the king. But his heart was moved to return to Jerusalem when he heard that the walls of Jerusalem were still in ruins. So the king gave him permission to return for the project of rebuilding the walls.

After surveying the broken down walls, he spoke to the leaders who were in Jerusalem, encouraging them to repair the walls around the city. And they responded to the call and set about to do the work, with the various clans each taking responsibility for a section of the wall. Chapter 3 tells of the project with all of the people working together to accomplish this task. The phrases, "next to him," or "after him," shows the cooperation of all of the clans, doing their share of the work. They were working side by side.

The Kingdom of God is built the same way – by people working together side by side. Each person has his area of responsibility, and as he or she does his part, the task is accomplished. Romans 12 give this picture. Some preach, some teach, some serve like deacons (diakonia), some exhort or encourage, some give liberally of their finances, some are leaders, and some are mercy givers. They each have their area of responsibility, but as they all do their part, the work gets done. As the NIV translates I Corinthians 3:9: "We are co-workers in God's service."

So let us be wall builders – or Kingdom builders – with each of us filling our spot. We have enough people who tear down. Let us be builders, so that the Kingdom will grow and prosper.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ASTONISHED

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – ASTONISHED

"So when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down astonished. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel assembled to me, because of the transgression of those who had been carried away captive, and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice." (Ezra 9:3-4)

The setting of these verses is that Ezra was informed by the leaders that the people, including priests and Levites, had not kept themselves separated from the heathen nations, had taken pagan women from the surrounding nations as wives. When Ezra saw the state of his nation, it had a profound effect on him. He was astonished. The word is used twice for emphasis.

The word astonished means more than just amazed. He was appalled. He was desolate – miserable, sad, disheartened, depressed. He mourned because of the sin of his nation (Ezra 10:6).

Do you ever feel that way about America? When I see the state of my beloved country – how we have abandoned a culture based on God's Word – it causes me to be sad, depressed, and yes, astonished that such a thing could happen after all that God has done for our nation. I keep asking myself, "Why do some people in our nation hate America?" when we have been so abundantly blessed.

I feel like Lot, the nephew of Abraham who chose to live is Sodom. Sodom was a very wicked place, and Scripture says that Lot, as a righteous man, was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked, and his soul was tormented from day to day by seeing hearing their lawless deeds (II Peter 2:7-8).

But that is not the end of the story. There was a man named Shechaniah who said to Ezra, "yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this" (Ezra 10:2). At this encouragement, Ezra sent out a proclamation for the people to gather at Jerusalem. They came, and Ezra preached a message of repentance. Many of the people covenanted to put away their heathen wives (Ezra10:19).

As dark as it seems and as much as our souls are troubled, there is hope for America. May the call go out for repentance, and a return to God's way.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PASSION

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – PASSION

"Then the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem." (Ezra 1:5)

God moves in different people in different ways. For example, God "stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia" (vs. 1) to build a house for the LORD in Jerusalem. There were other kings before Cyrus. But God put this into the heart of Cyrus. It was God-ordained, and had been prophesied by Isaiah: "Who says of Cyrus, He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, 'You shall be built,' and to the temple, 'Your foundation shall be laid'" (Isaiah 44:28). God had special plans for Cyrus that the other kings did not have.

Among the people of Judah still in captivity, not everyones' hearts were moved the same way. Some had a passion to return to Jerusalem, and some did not. And God made allowance for those who did not return. Their calling was to support those who did return to Jerusalem with silver, gold, livestock, and offerings for the house of God (vs. 4).

This is a lesson that I must keep learning. We are not all the same. Not everyone has the same passions. Not everyone's heart is moved in the same way as mine. For example, I have a passion for studying words. I love to research words in the Bible to study the various facets of meaning. That is boring to other people. They couldn't care less. Their passion may be for prophecy or some other thing, but that is not what lights my fire.

God moves in various ways in our hearts, and that is what makes the Body of Christ complete. If we all had the exact same passions, then there would be a lot of unfilled spaces in the kingdom.

One things unites us as Believers – our passion for the Lord Jesus and our desire to see His kingdom built. Just as the passion of people in Ezra's day was to see the temple built, so our focus is to see God's work accomplished. Some go and some stay, but our focus is the same – lifting up Jesus and His work.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A TENDER HEART

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A TENDER HEART

" 'But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, in this manner you shall speak to him, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Concerning the words which you have heard – because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,' says the LORD."'" (II Chronicles 34:26-27)

The record says that Josiah became king of Judah when he was 8 years of age, and "while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David" (vs. 3). From his childhood, Josiah had a tender heart toward the LORD. When he was 30 years old, in the 12^th year of his reign, "he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images. They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence" (vs. 3-4). He cleansed Judah and Jerusalem (vs. 5b).

As he purged the land, he also purged the temple and gave orders to repair the house of the LORD (vs. 8). As the workmen were repairing the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses (vs. 14). These scrolls were taken to King Josiah, and when he heard the words of the Law, he humbled himself, tore his clothes and wept in contrition.

Some people harden their hearts when they hear what God has to say – like the Pharaoh of Egypt. Scripture says that Zedekiah, king of Judah, "stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel" (II Chronicles 36:13). Stephen, the Christian martyr, called the Jewish leaders "stiff-necked" in their hearts (Acts 7:51), because they resisted the work of the Holy Spirit. That is the picture of a hard heart – stiff and unyielding to God, resisting His work. A tender heart humbles itself under God's word, and tears are evidences of a soft heart.

I remember well my children. I could tell whether they accepted correction by their body language. If they stiffened up, I knew that they did not receive my word. When I hugged them, it was like hugging a tree.

When I hear God speak, if I resist His Word, I stiffen up in rebellion and my heart becomes hard. I can make all kinds of excuses, but the fact is that I have not humbled myself in humility under God's Word, and I know that He resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (I Peter 5:5b).

Oh, for a soft and tender heart that humbles myself with tears under God's Word. I truly want a tender heart.

Love, Dad

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DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE TEST

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE TEST

"However, regarding the ambassadors of the principles of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He (or he) might know all that was in his heart." (II Chronicles 32:31)

Does God ever test people? Hezekiah had a test. You can read this episode in II Kings 20:12-19 when Hezekiah's pride got the best of him and he exalted himself before the men from Babylon. There are many illustrations in the Bible about God testing his people. There was Abraham's test concerning the sacrifice of his son, Isaac (Genesis 22:1; Hebrews 11:17). He tested the people of Israel at the waters of Marah (Exodus 15:25). God told Israel that He tested them in the furnace of affliction (Isaiah 48:10). God also tests us.

Why does God test us? Is it to see us fail? I think not. God tests us so that we will know our own hearts – how strong and how valid our faith is. God tested Israel to show whether they would walk in His law or not (Exodus 16:4b). I Peter 1:7 says that God tests our faith to show that it is genuine.

I don't necessarily like tests. When I was in school, they caused me a lot of stress. And they still do. Tests of my faith causes stress. But in my tests, God is showing me areas that I need to improve or strengthen. It may be a test of my patience. It may be a test of my love. It may be a test of my will. But if I keep at it until the end of the test, my faith will be stronger, and so will the witness of God's grace. God has the answer sheet – He knows how the test will turn out.

I have to take the test alone. I cannot copy someone else's answer. That's called cheating. I have to trust God for myself. But, unlike Hezekiah, God does not abandon us in our test. It may seem that we are alone in the midst of the test. But He is there to strengthen and encourage us when we turn to Him for help.

So, don't be afraid or alarmed in the middle of a test. God is refining and shaping us into the image of Christ. He is there, and we have the promise of Philippians 1:6: "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- DOING IT GOD'S WAY

DAD'S RAMBLINGS --- DOING IT GOD'S WAY

"And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel. For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second month. For they could not keep it at the regular time, because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem, And the matter pleased the king and all the assembly. So they resolved to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner." (II Chronicles 30;1-5)

By the time that Hezekiah had become the king of Judah, the nation of Israel was in captivity to the Assyrians. II Kings 18:1 tells us that Hezekiah became King of Judah during the reign of Hoshea in Israel. But Israel had fallen to Assyria under the reign of Hoshea, so they were without a king. Under the kings of Israel, the northern nation had fallen into false worship, making Samaria the center of worship with all kinds of despicable practices. Now that Israel was no longer a nation as such, Hezekiah invited them to come to Jerusalem to worship. They had not kept the Passover in the way that God had ordained under Moses. So Hezekiah send out the call: " 'Children of Israel, return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria' " (vs. 6).

Perhaps you've heard the phrase "From Dan to Beersheba." Dan was the northernmost city of Israel and Beersheba was the Southernmost city of Judah. So this invitation to come to Jerusalem to worship God was to the entire nation of the land of God's people. It's like the southern expression, "All Y'all come." It was for everyone. There were many people, "a great assembly," who gathered at Jerusalem to keep the Passover (vs. 13). But since they had not kept God's law for many years, they were not sanctified in the prescribed manner.

Hezekiah made it clear that they could not just come any old way they wanted. God had prescribed the manner of worship, which began with the consecration of the priests and the people. They had to be sanctified before they could participate in the Passover (vs. 17). The had to do it God's way.

God has a narrow gate to enter into His presence. It is not a wide gate that allows us to come to Him in just any way we feel is good. Many people think that everyone will go to heaven – or almost everyone. Maybe not Hitler, or Stalin. But your average Joe who has lived a pretty good life will surely go to heaven. God says, "Not So." Jesus said that He is the only way to come to the Father (John 4:6). The Bible says that there is no other name under heaven that can save us (Acts 4:12). As much as we would want all road to lead to heaven, it just ain't so. It may seem narrow-minded, but God says there is only one way – Faith in the Lord Jesus – that He died for our sins.

There may be many ways to get from Phoenix to Minneapolis, but there is only one way to heaven. We have to go God's way or we won't make it. The jail custodian at Philippi asked, "What must I do to be saved." And the answer is the same today as it was then: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:30-31).

The call is to everyone: "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). The call goes out from Dan to Beersheba – from China to Finland; from Saudi Arabia to Argentina – to all who will hear and answer the call to come. The invitation is to everyone. But we must come God's way.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBINGS -- THE POWER OF A WOMAN

"Now when Jehoram was established over the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself and killed all his brothers with the sword, and also others of the princes of Israel. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for he had the daughter of Ahab as a wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD." (II Chronicles 21:4-6)

Never underestimate the influence that a wife has on her husband. Jehoram had taken as a wife a daughter of Ahab. This was not good. Now, we can't blame all of Jehoram's wickedness on his wife. He was responsible for his own actions. But our text makes it clear that he followed in the steps of Ahab because his wife was a daughter of Ahab.

It has been said that the wife is the neck that turns the head of the husband. Wives have a power that influences their husbands – either for good or for ill. We see that influence throughout Scripture, starting with Adam and Eve. Eve saw that the fruit was good and she gave it to her husband, and he ate (Genesis 3:7). Sarah persuaded Abraham to have a child by her maid (Genesis 16:2). Rebeccah conspired against her husband, Isaac, and caused all kinds of problems (Genesis 27). I Kings says that Solomon's wives turned his heart after other gods, and he "went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites" (I Kings 11:4-5). Jezebel was a horrible influence on Ahab, conspiring to kill Naboth for his vineyard (I Kings 21). And the list goes on.

But a wife can also be an influence for righteousness. Abigail was not able to change her husband, Nabal, but she did keep David from committing a horrible act of killing Nabal and later became David's wife because of her wise counsel (I Samuel 25). The Apostle Paul encourage wives to remain with their unsaved husbands, saying, "How do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband?" (I Corinthians 7:16). Peter wrote that a wife could win her disobedient husband without a word, "when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear" (I Peter 3:1-2). Influence is a powerful things.

So, my female friends, don't underestimate the power you exert over your husbands, both by your words and by your Christ-centered life.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- VALLEY OF BERACHAH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE VALLEY OF BERACHAH

"And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him (Jehoshaphat), and said to the king, 'Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Therefore the wrath of the LORD is upon you. Nevertheless good things are found in you, in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God.' " (II Chronicles 19:2-3)

I can readily identify with Jehoshaphat. He did some good things in his life – like removing the wooden images from the land, and he had a heart to seek God. The record says that "he walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD" (20:32). Jehoshaphat found favor with God because he sought the God of his father, and walked in His commandments, and "his heart took delight in the ways of the LORD" (II Chronicles 17:3-6).

But Jehoshaphat also made some bad choices, like making an alliance with wicked King Ahab of Israel (chapter 18). And later on he made an alliance with Ahab's son, Ahaziah, who was wicked like his father. And although he destroyed the wooden images, he did not destroy the high places of false worship, perhaps because he feared the people who had "not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers" (20:33).

The record does not tell of any indication of the "wrath of God" that Jehu predicted, except perhaps destroying some ships that Jehoshaphat had had built in an alliance with Ahaziah, an evil king of Israel (20:35-37). But it does talk about God's blessing on Jehoshaphat. God blessed Jehoshaphat with victory over the enemies of Judah – like Ammon, Moab, and Mt. Seir, and God gave Judah rest from their adversaries. The people celebrated God's blessing in the valley of Berachah, which means blessing, "for there they blessed the LORD" (20:26).

I think we are probably all a mixed bag. I know that I love the Lord and want to serve him, but I am human and make wrong choices. I am so glad for God's mercy and grace that keeps the "wrath of God" from destroying me. As Jeremiah the prophet opined in Lamentations 3:22, "Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not." I live in the Valley of Berachah – the Valley of Blessing – and I bless the Lord for His unfailing love and mercy and kindness to me, even though I do not do everything perfectly. The LORD's favor and blessing rest on everyone who, like Jehoshaphat, seeks God, walks in His commandments, and delights in His ways. That is the place of God's Blessing.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SAYING WHAT GOD SAYS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – SAYING WHAT GOD SAYS

"Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, 'Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Therefore please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.' And Micaiah said, 'As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak." (II Chronicles 18:12-13).

In our Gleanings from I Kings 22, we learned about this incident with Jehoshaphat and Ahab. In that meditation, the emphasis was on Ahab who said of Micaiah, "I hate him because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." People don't like to hear things that they don't want to hear. So they pick and choose their "prophets" or preachers based on whether they speak good things to them or not.

As we consider this again in II Chronicles, our focus is the prophet. He was under pressure to speak something that would please the king. "Don't say anything that the king will disagree with." There were 400 prophets who succumbed to this advice and spoke only a positive message that would make Ahab happy.

But Micaiah stood against the crowd and against the pressure of the king to speak only what God wanted the king to hear. It was not a popular message but it was truth. He was committed to only saying what God said, regardless of the consequences. When he did not please the king, he was struck in the face, and the king sentenced him to prison. Speaking God's truth can be costly.

As a former pastor, I understand the pressures to speak pleasing sermons that make the listeners happy. It is not easy to preach about sin, judgment, and hell. It is tempting to avoid speaking about what God's word says about divorce, abortion, homosexuality, envy, jealousy, and pornography because many in a congregation are guilty of these sins and don't want to be confronted with God's truth. So the Pastor is tempted to conform the message to the people so he won't offend them.

But God calls the prophet to speak what God says, even if it means rejection and attack. May God grant our prophets the backbone to speak all of God's word, and not just what is pleasing. "All Scripture is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness that the people of God may be complete or mature, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:16). The prophet of God must not yield to the temptation to dilute God's word or be selective when speaking God's message in order to be popular or acceptable.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SEEKING GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS --SEEKING GOD

"Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. And he went out to Asa, and said to him: 'Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.' " (II Chronicles 15:1-2).

King Asa had a promise from God that if he would walk with God and trust Him, that God would be with him. But if he forsook God, God would forsake him. Let's see how this worked out for Asa.

The record says that the heart of Asa was loyal all his days. And God gave the nation peace without war for the first 35 years of Asa's reign (vss. 17-18). However, in the 36^th year of Asa's reign, the northern nation of Israel came against Judah. Here's the stickler. Instead of seeking God and God's help, Asa took the silver and gold from the house of the LORD and enlisted the help of the King of Syria – Ben Hadad. Now Ben Hadad had a treaty with Israel. So in effect, Asa bought off Ben Hadad. And it worked. When King Baasha, the king of Israel, learned of this, he withdrew from his attack against Judah. Sounds good, doesn't it?

However, God was not happy with the arrangement. God sent a messenger to Asa, and said to him, " 'Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the LORD your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand.' " Then God reminded Asa of the time many years before when God had delivered Judah from the Ethiopians and their million-man army (II Chronicles 14:8-12, which we talked about yesterday). So God said to Asa, " 'The eyes of the LORD run to and fro through the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him' " (vs. 9).

God want to show Himself strong to people who will seek Him and trust Him. It is human weakness to trust human help rather than turning to God first. Sometimes we think we can figure it all out and make our own plans rather than seeking God. But God is searching the whole earth for those who are loyal to Him so He can show Himself strong. The only hope for a nation or for an individual is to seek God. It is not our might or our devices that delivers us but by God's strong arm. " 'Not by might nor by power but by My Spirit,' says the LORD."

Love, Dad