DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE MESSIAH CRUCIFIED

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE MESSIAH CRUCIFIED

Yesterday, we considered some of the prophecies in Zechariah that looked forward to the coming Messiah.  As we continue reading, we find more prophecies about the Lord Jesus.  

One foretells the death of the Messiah by crucifixion.  Zechariah wrote,  "And one will say to him, 'What are these wounds between your arms (or hands)?  Then he will answer, 'Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.' " ( Zechariah 13:6). The word "friends" means "loved ones" which would include His natural family, friends, and His national family, the Jews.  He came to His own but they did not receive Him (John 1:11).

In another prophecy, we see the Shepherd being smitten.  " 'Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who is My Companion,' says  the LORD of hosts.  Strike the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.' " (vss. 6-7).  It was not an accident but by God's decree that Jesus was killed.  But He used the Jewish leaders who wanted to get rid of Jesus because so many people were following Him. If they killed Jesus, then His followers would be scattered. But even more astounding is that one of His disciples, one of His companions, Judas, would be one who plotted to raise the sword against Him.  

But their efforts were in vain.  True, they were able to kill Him, but then He rose from the dead.  Not only was their plan confounded, but instead of His disciples being scattered, they multiplied, and are still growing. God won. 

Another oblique prophecy is found in Zechariah 13:1:  "In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for cleansing."  This prophecy has future meaning for the Jews.  The nation of the house of David -- Israel -- will one day accept Him as their Messiah. But when Jesus was crucified and His blood poured forth, a fountain was opened for the cleansing of our sin, also.  This was the inspiration for the hymn, "There Is A Fountain."  Listen to the words of that song.  "There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains."  Jesus opened a fountain of cleansing from sin. Thank You, Jesus.  

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- JESUS, THE MESSIAH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – JESUS, THE MESSIAH

The prophecy by Zechariah has been called the most Messianic book of the Old Testament.  And the Scripture reading for today certainly brings that point home.  Let us consider some examples.

Zechariah 9:9 prophecies the coming of Jesus into Jerusalem on the day we call Palm Sunday.  "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!  Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!  Behold, your King is coming to you;  He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey."  This was fulfilled as recorded in all four Gospels (Matthew 21:5; Mark 11:7-8; Luke 19:28-35; John 12:12-16).

Zechariah 11:12-13 foreshadows the betrayal of the Lord Jesus.  "Then I said to them, 'If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages, and if not, refrain;  So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.  And the LORD said to me, 'Throw it to the potter' – that princely price they set on me.  So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD for the potter."  The fulfillment of Judas's betrayal is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew (26:14-15; 27:3-10).

Zechariah 12:10 references the part the Jews played in Jesus' crucifixion.  "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication:  Then they will look on Me whom they have pierced."  Someday in the future the Jewish people will recognize Jesus as the Messiah they crucified.

After the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, when he met with His disciples and revealed to them all the things that concerned Himself in the Old Testament, these were probably some of the Scriptures He opened their eyes to.  Perhaps as you study the book of Zechariah, you will find more hidden gems that affirm that Jesus is the Messiah, the Redeemer, the Savior of the world.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE BRANCH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE BRANCH

" 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying: "Behold, the Man Whose name is the BRANCH!  From His place He shall branch out.  And He shall build the temple of the LORD; yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD.  He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both." ' "  (Zechariah 6:12-13)

God was revealing to Zechariah things in the distant future when Jesus would set up His throne during His thousand year reign during the Millennium.  Jesus will come out of His home in Heaven to be priest and king to rule on His throne.  

He is called The Branch.  This is a play on words.  The word "branch" means to sprout, to spring up, to grow up.  The same Hebrew word is used two times in this verse when it says His name will be The Branch because He will branch out.  He will come out of His place – Heaven – and spring up here on Earth.  

Isaiah prophesied that "There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.  The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD" (Isaiah 11:1-2).  This is similar to the prophecy about the coming of the Messiah in Isaiah chapter 53 when he wrote, "He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground" (Isaiah 53:2). 

Jesus will come in the future to set up His Kingdom where He will rule with 

righteousness and peace.  But He has already the first time and He has set up His Kingdom in the hearts and lives of people who have received Him as King.  He has built and is building a temple where He resides.  The Apostle Paul says that we have been  "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:19-22). 

We don't have to wait until the Millenium to experience the Kingship of the Lord Jesus.  He is King of His kingdom now.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- DEALING WITH SATAN

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – DEALING WITH SATAN

"Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.  And the LORD said to Satan, 'The LORD rebuke you, Satan!  The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!  Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?"  (Zechariah 3:1-2)

Do you ever feel like you are alone in your service to God?  Joshua may have felt that way.  Satan was giving Joshua a hard time, opposing his God-anointed ministry as the High Priest.  

I don't know what tactics Satan was using.  I do know that he has an arsenal of fiery darts and evil devices that he draws from in his attacks of the righteous (see Ephesians 6:14 and II Corinthians 2:11).  They may include self-pity discouragement, condemnation, discontentment, criticism by others, or even physical ailments as with Job.  

But we have One Who is fighting for us, the Lord Jesus Christ.  God is the One who has the authority and power to rebuke Satan.  Even the angels do not have supreme power over Satan.  Remember that Michael, the archangel, in contending with the devil about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "'The LORD rebuke you!'" (Jude 9). 

The Psalmist put it this way:  " 'If it had not been the LORD who was on our side,' let Israel now say, 'If it had not been the LORD who was on our side…then we would have been swallowed alive.'"  (Psalm 124:1-3). We are no match for Satan and his hordes, but we do have One Who is.  It is true that Jesus gave His disciples power over all the power of the enemy (Luke 19:10), but we need to be careful to not try to defeat him in our own strength or ability.

We are like brands plucked from the fire. We were on our way to hell, but Jesus rescued us.   And when we go through the fires of this life, He is not going to abandon us.  He is there with us to deliver us.  He is our strength.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FOCUS YOUR HEART

DAD'S RAMBLINGS –  FOCUS YOUR HEART

"Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts:  'Consider your ways." (Haggai 1:5)

God had a word for the nation of Judah:  "Consider your ways."  The word, "consider" is used 5 times in this short prophecy by Haggai (1:5, 7; 2:15, 18 (2 times).  In the Hebrew, it is actually 3 words: set; heart, mind and soul; and upon.  In other words, focus your heart.  

The nation had returned from Captivity in Babylon after Cyrus issued the decree releasing the Jews to return to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (II Chronicles 36:23; Ezra 1:1-4; 6:3-5).  This band of migrants was led by Ezra, and they began to rebuild the temple.  However, they were met with much resistance by their enemies who did not want the temple reestablished, and the rebuilding project was put on hold. 

In the face of this opposition, they became discouraged and concluded that it was not the right time to rebuild God's house.  God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem.  Haggai's message was an encouragement to them to get back to the assignment that was originally given to them.   

Haggai confronted them with the question:  "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?" (vs. 4).  God said to them, in effect, "Get back to work doing what you came here to do."

Under the governor Zerubbabel and the son of the high priest, Joshua, the people feared God and refocused on the task given to them.

As Christians we are given a job to do, but because of opposition or difficulties, we become distracted, and end up doing our own thing instead of what God has called us to do.  When this happens, it is time to refocus our hearts, minds, and souls to God's work.  As Haggai said, "Consider your ways."  

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE LORD IS GOOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE LORD IS GOOD 

"The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who trust Him.  But with an overflowing flood, He will make an utter end of its place, and darkness will pursue His enemies."  (Nahum 1:7-8)

The prophet Nahum had a burden against Nineveh that weighed on his soul.   It was not just because he saw the evil in Nineveh, but it was a burden that God had placed on him.  As verse 2 says, God is jealous and the LORD avenges.  He takes vengeance on His adversaries.  

Remember that Nineveh had received a message from Jonah about a century earlier that declared that Nineveh was going to be conquered.  The nation repented and "God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them" (Jonah 3:10).  But as often happens over time, nations and people tend to go back to their old ways, and now Nineveh is corrupt again and deserving of God's judgment.

The LORD is good. He knows those who belong to Him, and is gracious, kind, merciful, patient, and longsuffering to those who by faith put their trust in Him and serve Him.  But He is a God of wrath who will, with an overflowing flood, take vengeance on His enemies. Because He is good, He sent His Son to this world to save us from His wrath.  Thank God for Christmas.

What a joy to know that God knows those who trust Him and will not send His wrath upon them.  We do not face God's wrath on sin because of our  trust in the Lord Jesus.  In whatever judgment God sends on the ungodly around us, He is our stronghold in the day of trouble, and we can rest in Him.  I echo the words of the Psalmist: "I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust' " (Psalm 91:2).

Love, Dad

MERRY CHRISTMAS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- TIRED OF GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – TIRED OF GOD

"O My people, what have I done to you?  And how have I wearied you?  Testify against Me."  (Micah 6:3)

I don't know about you, but I get tired of some things.  I get tired of people complaining. I get tired of dieting.  I get tired of the rut of doing the same old same old day after day.  I get tired of pain in my body.  As the old saying goes, "I get sick and tired of being sick and tired."

God's people, the Israelites, were tired of God. The word, "weary," has the connotations of being tired, impatient, grieved, offended and disgruntled.   Micah does not expand on what made them weary with God.  Perhaps it was the laws they had to keep that made them disgruntled.  Perhaps they were grieved because God allowed them to experience captivity. Perhaps they were impatient because God did not answer their prayers as quickly as they wanted.   Perhaps they were tired of the requirements that God demanded for true worship.  Whatever it was, they were weary of serving God.

God reminded them of the great things He had done for them, like delivering them from Egypt, or how He had frustrated the ambitions of Balak, King of Moab, when Balak wanted Balaam to curse Israel (vss. 4-5).  

If we ever get tired of serving the Lord, we need to remember the great things God has done for us.  He saved us and delivered us from the bondage of sin and its penalty.  He gave us new life and purpose for living, plus the promise of eternal life.  And who knows how many times God has provided for our needs when we didn't even know it.

Serving the Lord is not a drudgery.  It is a joy.  May we never get weary of serving Him.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE REIGN OF THE KING

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE REIGN OF THE KING

"Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established above the hills; and people shall flow to it.  Many nations shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.'  For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."   (Micah 4:1-2)

The editors of the New King James Version have summarized this chapter of the Book of Micah, "The LORD's Reign In Zion."  In his prophecy, Micah sees far into the future to the last days, the Millennium or thousand year reign of Christ that the Apostle John wrote about in the Book of Revelation.  Jesus will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to establish His kingdom here on earth (Revelation 20:1-6).  

Micah understood that during this 1000 years, the word of the LORD will go out from the mountain of the LORD's house to teach us His ways and we will walk in them.  In His reign, Jesus will be the judge – the final arbiter – between the nations, and It will be a time of peace without war.  People will not live in fear because no one shall make them afraid.  "So the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion" (vs. 7b).

I can hardly imagine what living in that kind of world will be when the world we live in now has constant turmoil of nation against nation and people against people.  No war.  No threats of violence.  Everyone will dwell in safety in his own house – under his fig tree – in peace because "no one shall make them afraid" (vs. 4). 

We don't have to wait until the Millennium to experience peace because the King already reigns in our hearts, and He said, "Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give to you, not as the word gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).   

Even though we are surrounded by evil, and evil people, we can live in peace when Jesus is our King.  God's Word says, "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful" (Colossians 3:15), and He gives us this promise, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).  We can live in peace when we trust our King.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PRATTLE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – PRATTLE

" ' Do not prattle,' you say to those who prophesy.  So they shall not prophesy to you; they shall not return insult for insult."  (Micah 2:6)

This is an interesting verse, and difficult to translate.  If you read this in various translations, they all have a different approach.  Since we are using the New King James as our translation of choice, we will go with the perspective of the Bible scholars who translated it.

The Hebrew word for prophesy is used three times in this verse. The basic meaning of the word is to "drip or distill" and is usually translated "prophesy. However, the first time the word is used, the New King James translates it as "prattle."  It means to utter meaningless sounds, to babble like a child, to have empty talk.  In this sense, it is a negative word.  The people had little regard for the words of the prophet.  They treated the prophecy as inconsequential and they attacked the prophets with sarcasm.

The New King James treats this as a pun, since the last part of the verse says the prophets would not return insult for insult, or prattle, dripping meaningless words.  They would not say the same thing about the people as the people said about them.  

Many times, people who share the good news of the Gospel are treated the same way.  They are thought to be babblers, dripping meaningless ideas.  That's what they said about the Apostle Paul when he preached the Gospel at Athens.   They called him a "babbler" or seed picker (Acts 17:18).  

We should not be surprised when people think that we are babbling – uttering meaningless talk.  Until their understanding is opened to the truth of the Gospel, they will consider our testimony as empty words.  But the Word of God is true and we can speak it with confidence.   

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- RUNNING FROM GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – RUNNING FROM GOD

"But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.  He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD…..Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, 'Why have you done this?' For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them."  (Jonah 1:3, 10)

I have heard people speak about the "Hound of Heaven" – that even though they try to run away from God, He just keeps after them.  Jonah was just such a person.  No matter how hard he tried, He just couldn't escape.

Three times, we are told that Jonah was fleeing from the presence of the LORD.  He did not want to hear God's call on his life.  He thought that if he could just get away from his home in Israel that he could evade God's radar.  He wanted to get as far away as possible.  

 We know that it is impossible to get away from God's presence because He is everywhere.  He is omni-present.  As the Psalmist wrote:  "Where can I go from Your Spirit?  Or where can I flee from Your presence?  If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there" (Psalm 138:7-8).  Jeremiah asked a similar question: "Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?' says the LORD" (Jeremiah 23:24).

   

The wicked, especially, say, "The LORD does not see" (Psalm 94:7).  But He sees everything.

So if I think I can pull the wool over God's eyes or get away from His presence, I need to think again.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S PURPOSE FOR DISASTERS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD'S PURPOSE FOR DISASTERS

" 'I overthrew some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning; Yet you have not returned to Me,' says the LORD. 'Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; (Amos 4:11-12)

What would it take to make a nation turn to God?  What sort of tragedy or other disaster would it take to cause people to seek the Lord?  

I believe that God allows or even causes disaster to come to a people with one goal – to cause them to seek God.

For Israel, Amos lists some of the things that God caused to bring the nation back to Him.  He gave them cleanness of teeth and lack of food – or famine.  He withheld rain that caused drought. He blasted them with blight and mildew and sent locusts.  He sent plagues.  He overthrew them.  But the response was always the same:  " 'Yet you would not return to Me,' " said the LORD.

In our beloved nation, God has allowed or sent so many similar things – terrorist attacks, natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, droughts and floods, and plagues of sickness and pandemics.  In former times, people prayed and sought God's help.  But it seems to me that that practice is getting less and less common the further our nation moves away from honoring our Creator.  I wonder if God is saying, "Yet you would not return to me."

Even as Christians, we are sometimes slow to seek God in times of trouble.  Only as a last resort after trying everything else do we call out to God.  Let us seek God first.  That is His desire and purpose.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SPIRITUAL PRIDE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – SPIRITUAL PRIDE

"Thus says the LORD:  'For three transgressions of Damascus and for four, I will not turn away. (Amos 1:3)

There is a common phrase that runs through this first part of the prophecy by Amos.  God is pronouncing judgment on the various nations around Israel – Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab.  To each of them, He said, "For three transgressions and for four, I will not turn away."  This may be a literary device to tie the message together.  But the fact is that they deserved whatever punishment they would receive because of their evil deeds.

As Amos gave these pronouncements of judgment on the surrounding people, I can imagine that the people in Israel and Judah rejoicing, saying, "Go get 'em God.  They deserve whatever You give them." 

But the rejoicing probably stopped when Amos got to them. Although they were God's chosen people, He pronounced the same judgment on them – "For three transgressions and for four, I will not turn away."  The sins of Judah and Israel were of a different nature.  Whereas the other kingdoms were judged for their cruelty to other nations, Israel and Judah were condemned for their spiritual transgressions – despising the law of the LORD by not keeping His commandments, and thereby dishonoring God and defiling His holy name (2:7).  

It is so easy to look at the deeds of sinners and think that we are righteous because we don't do such things, while at the same time we commit spiritual transgression by disobeying God's commandments and bringing dishonor to the Name of our Savior.  

May God forgive us for our spiritual pride.  God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.  But for the grace of God, we would all be under the condemnation of the rest of humanity.  We are sinners saved by grace. 

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A MERCIFUL GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A MERCIFUL GOD

" 'Now, therefore,' " says the LORD, 'Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, and weeping, and with mourning.'  So rend your heart, and not your garment; return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm."  (Joel 2:12-13)

Joel was a prophet to the Southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin with their capitol in Jerusalem.  Joel's word from the Lord to Judah was a call to repentance because of their sin.  

In God's patience with Judah, the bad things were spread over a period of time to give the people a chance to turn to God.  In chapter 1, Joel reminds them of the progressive judgment of God.  It is like a symphony that starts fairly soft but gradually increases in a great crescendo.   First were the chewing locusts which were destroying their crops.  Then the swarming locusts ate what the chewing locusts had left.  Then came the crawling locusts which devoured what the swarming locusts had left.  Finally, the consuming locusts came to finish off the crop, eating whatever was left after the crawling locusts had not eaten.  The judgment seems to be incremental, giving time for the nation to repent between each swarm of locusts.  Whether this was a real destruction of crops or a metaphor of judgments, the truth is that God gives people opportunity to avert more judgment by turning to Him in repentance. 

Israel is an example.  God is merciful, gracious and longsuffering and sent prophets and natural plagues to warn people to forsake their sin and turn to Him.  He uses disasters that come our way to prod us to seek Him.   We can avoid much pain if we will respond to His call immediately rather than turning to God as a last resort.  If He was not gracious and merciful and of great kindness, He would destroy us immediately.  But He patiently woos us to seek Him.  The question is, will we listen.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS

"Who is wise?  Let him understand these things.  Who is prudent?  Let him know them.  For the ways of the LORD are right; The righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them."  (Hosea 14:9)

It does not take a genius to understand that there are two ways to live – a righteous life following God's ways and an ungodly life.  The wise person looks beyond the immediate to the end result.  The fool does not consider the end – only the immediate pleasure or reward.

I am reminded of the picture that the Psalmist gives us in Psalm 1.  The person who walks in God's paths of righteousness and does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly is like a tree planted by the rivers of water that produces fruit and whose leaf does not wither.

The person who does not walk in God's way is like the chaff which the wind blows away during the winnowing process.  He stumbles over the ways of the Lord because they are obstacles in his way of pursuing personal pleasure and worldly gain.  Ultimately, the way of the transgressor ends in emptiness.

The wise man is intelligent and skillful in living a godly life.  He is prudent in discerning what is good and what is bad, what is right and what is wrong.  He has understanding of the end result of how he orders his life.  No wonder transgressors stumble.  They are walking in darkness and do not see the reality of the way they live nor the end result.

God calls us to be wise.  We do not need to be afraid of stumbling when we walk in God's paths of righteousness because the Good Shepherd leads us in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE CHURNING HEART

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE CHURNING HEART

"How can I give you up, Ephraim?  How can I hand you over, Israel?  How can I make you like Admah?  How can I set you like Zeboiim?  My heart churns within Me;  My sympathy is stirred."  (Hosea 11:8)

In the opening verses of this chapter, we find that God loved Israel.  He called them out of Egypt as His son.  He loved them and He drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love (vs. 4).

But they turned from Him and followed Baal worship. They were bent on backsliding.  They went through the forms of worship, but they did not really exalt Him as God Most High (vs. 7). 

The heart of God was churned.  He loved them but in His righteousness knew that sin had to be punished.

As much as parents love their children, they know that disobedience has to be dealt with.  They feel the turmoil, the conflict in their souls. Their hearts are torn between their love and their obligation to discipline.

Because of His great sympathy, He promised that He would not destroy the nation (vs. 9).  However, as we see from the prophetic and the historical record, God did chasten by allowing them to go into captivity.

I can't help but wonder how many times the heart of  God has churned because of my own times of rebellion against Him.  He is patient and has not destroyed me.  But I can imagine that I have caused Him some grief.  I am so thankful that He loves me as a son, even when I fail to live up to His desire and purpose.  Even then, He draws me with cords of love.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- IN GOOD HANDS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – IN GOOD HANDS

"Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:  Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you."  (Jude 1-2)

Called, sanctified, and preserved by God.  It is liberating to know that we are the work of God.  He called us, He saved and sanctified us, and He will keep us.  This is only possible because of His mercy, peace and love.

God has called us to be His children.  A simple search of a concordance will show how important this is.  We are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).  He has called us into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (I Corinthians 1:9).  We could never come to God unless He called us to Himself.  

He has saved and sanctified us.  It is totally a work of His mercy.  "Not by works of righteousness we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing and regeneration of the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5).  We could never be good enough to go to heaven if God did not regenerate us – birth us into His family – and make us holy.

And it is God who keeps us.  Our salvation is secure in Him.  We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Even on a human level, we are weak in ourselves, but the Holy Spirit strengthens us to live godly.  We are strong in the power of His might (Ephesians 6:10).

The insurance advertisement says, "You're in good hands with Allstate."  But I like to think that there is a greater place of safety.  We are safe in God's hands.

"Let the storms rage high, the dark clouds rise, they don't worry me for I'm sheltered safe within the arms of God.  He walks with me, and naught on earth shall harm me,  for I'm sheltered in the arms of God.", 

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- MOTIVATION FOR MINISTRY

DAD'S RAMBLINGS –  MOTIVATION FOR MINISTRY

"Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church." (III John 5-6a)

We all like to receive commendation for work well-done.  It is human nature for us to enjoy applause.

John was giving kudos to Gaius for the work which he had done in ministering to the church.  John was not the only one who noticed his ministry to his brothers in the faith.  Gaius had a reputation among the brethren of a spirit of love.

Gaius was not a one-gifted man.  He had a lot of different aspects to his ministry.  John's praise was for whatever he did.  Gaius apparently was a person who when he saw an opportunity to minister, just did it.  

There are two adjectives which describe his ministry – faithfulness and love.  He was faithful and dependable.  He was not a splash in the frying pan.  He could be counted on to assist wherever he could as a lifestyle.

He did what he did because he loved.  He was not motivated by personal gain or recognition, but by love for people.  Whether he was recognized or not was not an issue with him.  Whatever he did was out of love for people in need.

Gaius is a model for me.  I want to be a faithful servant, motivated by love.  Whether I receive praise or not, I want to accept whatever opportunities God gives me to minister to others, and let Jesus give the praise and reward, whether other people notice or not.  As the song says, "If I can help somebody along the way, then my living shall not be in vain."

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE REWARD OF MINISTRY

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE REWARD OF MINISTRY

"Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward."  (II John 8)

There is an interesting thing in this verse.  John wrote to the elect lady and her children, and then said, "Look to yourselves."  This is second person – yourselves.  In other words, pay attention to your faith and how you live.

But then he changed to first person – we.  Their faithfulness to the Gospel affects the reward that the "we" – the spiritual leaders and ministers – would receive.  It seems that their work would be in vain if those loved ones did not remain true to the faith that John had taught them.

I have never quite thought about the effect that my life would have on those who were instrumental in my coming to Christ or had nurtured me through the years by discipling me.

As a pastor I know that there is great joy in knowing that people I have ministered to are continuing in their walk with Jesus.  That is what John wrote in verse 4 –  "I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth."  In fact, in his letter to Gaius, John wrote, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (III John 4).

You, my children, are a source of encouragement and joy to people who have helped you grow in your faith.  Some of them may be gone now.  But remember that you are still alive, and there are still people who are helping you grow in faith – such as pastors and teachers, or even just friends who care about your spiritual life.

None of us live to the Lord alone.  We are interconnected as the Body of Christ, and how we live can cause other people joy or pain, not to mention how much Jesus cares about our spiritual development.  

I want to be a source of joy and encouragement to those who have had input into my Christian life.   Thank God for their care and their ministry to me.  May God bless them.  I want them to receive a full reward.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS

"Who is wise?  Let him understand these things.  Who is prudent?  Let him know them.  For the ways of the LORD are right; The righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them."  (Hosea 14:9)

It does not take a genius to understand that there are two ways to live – a righteous life following God's ways and an ungodly life.  The wise person looks beyond the immediate to the end result.  The fool does not consider the end – only the immediate pleasure or reward.

I am reminded of the picture that the Psalmist gives us in Psalm 1.  The person who walks in God's paths of righteousness and does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly is like a tree planted by the rivers of water that produces fruit and whose leaf does not wither.

The person who does not walk in God's way is like the chaff which the wind blows away during the winnowing process.  He stumbles over the ways of the Lord because they are obstacles in his way of pursuing personal pleasure and worldly gain.  Ultimately, the way of the transgressor ends in emptiness.

The wise man is intelligent and skillful in living a godly life.  He is prudent in discerning what is good and what is bad, what is right and what is wrong.  He has understanding of the end result of how he orders his life.  No wonder transgressors stumble.  They are walking in darkness and do not see the reality of the way they live nor the end result.

God calls us to be wise.  We do not need to be afraid of stumbling when we walk in God's paths of righteousness because the good Shepherd leads us in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PERFECT LOVE

DADS' RAMBLINGS – PERFECT LOVE

"Love has been perfected among us in this:  that we may have boldness in the day of judgment because as He is, so are we in this.  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  We love Him because He first loved us."  (I John 4:17-19)

I remember watching a father and his daughter one time at a swimming pool.  The father was in the water encouraging his young daughter to jump into the pool, promising that he would catch her.  I could tell she was reluctant to jump, because she stood there for some time.  Finally, her trust in her father overcame her fear and she jumped into his arms.

Do you think the father would not be there for her?  Do you think that he would promise to catch her, only to let her sink into the water and drown?  Of course not.

Yet there are many Christians who do not have the assurance that when they take the leap of death that Jesus would catch them.  There is a natural fear of death, but we have the assurance that Jesus will be there and will not let us down. 

True love overcomes fear.  Perfect love says, "I trust you."

We can have that kind of love.  We do not have to fear judgment after death because the One who loved us before we loved Him is in the water and will keep us safe.  After all, it was His love that brought HIm down to this earth to save us in the first place.  He will not go back on that love.  "What can separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, a sword? ,,,, I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord"  (Romans 8:35, 38-39).

It is the assurance of the love that God has for me that gives me confidence to trust Him and that confidence removes fear.  Imperfect love brings fear.  Perfect love casts out fear.  We can trust Jesus.

Love,  Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE POWER OF PERSONAL WITNESS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE POWER OF PERSONAL WITNESS

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life – that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." (I John 1:1, 3)

The most compelling testimony is the personal testimony of what one has seen or heard or experienced. In a court of law, an eye-witness to the facts is the most powerful and carries the most weight.

In the Bible, we have the testimony of eye-witnesses to the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. Even as the Apostle Peter wrote, "For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty" (II Peter 1:16). All of the New Testament was written by people who had personally seen the Lord Jesus, with perhaps the exception of Luke, who penned the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, and Hebrews. People may reject the testimony of the Apostles, but it is still the most powerful and important witness to the truth of the Gospel.

When we share our testimony, our personal experience is a powerful witness to the grace of God. Of course, experience must be based on the truth of God's Word or it doesn't carry any weight. But it is difficult to refute a person's personal testimony. It may not be accepted, but it cannot be disproven.

Many times, when witnessing to people, I hear these comments: "My parents were good Christians," or, "My grandfather was a preacher." Those may be true, but they do not mean that the speaker has personally experienced salvation. We cannot depend on second-hand experience to get us to heaven. It is only when we come to personal faith in the Lord Jesus that our testimony become valid.

We have the testimony of eye-witnesses to the Lord Jesus recorded in the Bible. But unless we have personally experienced the Lord Jesus, we have no strong testimony to share with people. A vital, excited, first-hand witness to the grace, love, peace, answers to prayer, and a changed life is a dynamic testimony.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD WILL DO WHAT HE SAID

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD WILL DO WHAT HE SAID

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (II Peter 3:9)

God is faithful to His promises. What God promised He would do, He will do. He is not a fickle, unstable, undependable god whom we cannot depend on. He will do what He said.

What are some promises we stand on? He promised that whoever believes on the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved. He promised that if we confess our sins, He would be faithful to forgive. He promised that we would become God's children when we receive Jesus. He promised us a home in Heaven. He promised to never leave us nor forsake us. He promised that Jesus will come again. There are a lot of other promises that we can depend on.

On the other side of the coin, He promised that He would punish the sinners who do not repent. God is faithful to keep His promises. He will do what He said.

I am so glad for the faithfulness of God. We can trust Him to keep His word. What an assurance in a world where we cannot depend on other people to do what they promise. God will keep His word. We can depend on it.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- RETURNING TO THE PIGPEN

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – RETURNING TO THE PIGPEN

"For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: 'A dog returns to his own vomit,' and, 'a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.'" (II Peter 2:21-22)

It is amazing to me how a person who has experienced the goodness of Christ and the blessings of the truth of the Gospel, can turn from following Him. Yet it happens.

Peter gives two graphic pictures of people who turn from their faith – a dog returing to his vomit, and a pig going back to the pigpen.

But lest I be too harsh, I have to recognize that it can happen to anyone who gets their eyes off of the Savior. They become disillusioned with the challenges of life and think that returning to the former life would be better. They have a short memory of what they were delivered from.

It is like the Children of Israel, who were on their way to the Promised Land. They ran into some problems and wanted to return to Egypt. They forgot the harshness of the beatings and stringent living under the Pharoah. All they could think of was the fish, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic (Numbers 11:5). The truth was, Egypt was not as pleasant as they imagined in their minds.

So I guess I can understand how people can get into situations where they are tempted to turn back to Egypt with all its pain and suffering.

We have to guard against the wiles and deceit of Satan who would want to deceive us into thinking that living for him was better than living for Jesus. It just ain't so. The pundit said, "On my worst day, living for Jesus is better than the best day I had living for the devil." No matter how Satan tries to paint the picture, returning to the old like without Jesus is returning to the pigpen. UGH!

Love, Dad