DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S GIFT

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD'S GIFT

"Behold, I myself have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel; they are a gift to you, given by the LORD, to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting." (Numbers 18:6)

As we have seen before, the tribe of Levi was consecrated by God to do the work of the ministry. Moses had the prophetic ministry of speaking God's Word to the nation. Aaron and his sons were to do the priestly ministry of offering sacrifices of the people to the LORD. The other offspring of Levi – the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites -- were to take care of the physical and material ministry of tending to the tabernacle and all that pertained to it. The Levites were separated to God for their special ministries. (See Numbers 3:5-9 and Gleanings for Tuesday, February 22, 2022.)

In today's Scripture, God said that the Levites were a "gift" from Him to the nation of Israel.

How often do we treat those who do spiritual ministry as "gifts" from God to us? Quite often we treat them as hirelings. I remember an incident when I was pastoring that a parishioner had a beef with me, and said, "We hired you and we can fire you." He considered me to be an employee rather than a minister.

We would do well to think of those who do spiritual ministry as gifts from God. That does not mean that they do everything perfectly according to our estimation. It does mean that we honor and esteem them as God's present to us.

This is God's Word to us by the pen of the Apostle Paul: "We urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake" (I Thessalonians 5:12-13).

God has given us so many blessings, not least of which are our spiritual leaders.

May we receive God's gifts with joy.

Love, Dad

P.S.: Today would be my father's birthday (actually the 29^th). If he were still with us, he would be 114 years old. Sad to say, I did not appreciate Him as a gift to me when I was a kid. Looking back, I am so grateful for my father.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD LEADS HIS PEOPLE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD LEADS HIS PEOPLE

"Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents." (Numbers 9:15-17)

What a wondrous sight that must have been – to see the cloud with the appearance of fire above the tabernacle as a sign of God's presence and His guidance of the nation of Israel as it journeyed to the land that God had promised them.

This cloud actually appeared first when the Egyptians were chasing the Israelites as they fled from Egypt. It went before them as a light to guide them and went behind them bringing darkness upon the Egyptians (Exodus 14:19-20). The cloud continued to travel with them as the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud (Exodus 16:10).

Throughout the wanderings of the people of Israel, the cloud remained as a sign of God's presence, leading them in the way that they should go. The same cloud of the glory of the LORD covered Mt. Sinai when Moses was given the Ten Commandments, and it blazed with lightnings and thunderings and which made the people tremble (Exodus 19:16). "Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked" (Exodus 19:18). No wonder the people shook with fear.

When the tabernacle was completed, "Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys" (Exodus 40:34-38)

We do not have the awesome experience of seeing the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. But we do have God's presence to lead and guide us. The Holy Spirit of God fills these tabernacles, and we have the sure Word of God to guide us. God is present.

As the song says, "Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah, Pilgrim through this barren land. I am weak, but Thou art mighty; Hold me with Thy powerful hand."

Another composer wrote, "Someday my journey will be o'er, and I will reach that blissful shore, I'll sing while entering heaven's door, Jesus led me all the way. Jesus led me all the way, led me step by step each day. I will tell the saints and angels as I lay my burden down, Jesus led me all the way." He does lead His people.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS --

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – BELONGING TO GOD

"Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine." (Numbers 8:14)

What a wonderful thing – belonging to God.

The nation of Israel – the children of Abraham – was chosen by God as a special people. Deuteronomy 7:6 says of Israel, " 'For you are a holy people to the LORD our God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.' " In addition, out of all the tribes of Israel, God especially chose the Levites for special ministry. They belonged to Him. They had a closeness to God and His presence and got to see and do things that the rest of the Israelites were not allowed to take part of.

An even closer relationship with God was experienced by Moses, who was chosen by God to be the leader of the nation and also the one whom God would talk with face to face. And Aaron was chosen to be the leader of the priests.

There is a pattern here. Jesus chose 12 disciples to be His followers. But then there was an inner core of Peter, James, and John. They got to see things the other disciples did not see. For example, Jesus took Peter, James and John into the mountain where He was transfigured. Then He told them not to tell the other disciples what they had seen (Mark 9:9-10). Even closer to Jesus was John, who had a special intimacy with Jesus. He was identified as "the one whom Jesus loved" (John 21:20).

It is a special thing to be called to be a follower of the Lord Jesus. It is an even greater thing to know that we belong to Him in close relationship. There is a special bond of relationship with the Lord Jesus that nothing else on this earth can equal. My desire is to have intimate closeness with Jesus.

Now I belong to Jesus, and Jesus belongs to me.

Not for the years of time alone, but for eternity.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE NAZIRITE VOW

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE NAZIRITE VOW

"Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: "When either a man or woman consecrates an offering to take the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the LORD, he shall separate himself from wine and similar drink; he shall drink neither vinegar made from wine nor vinegar made from similar drink; neither shall he drink any grape juice, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins.' " " (Numbers 6:1-3)

Numbers chapter 6 lists the requirements for anyone taking a Nazirite vow. This is not to be confused with the word "Nazarene." Jesus was identified as a Nazarene – that is, He was from Nazareth (Matthew 2:23). As a side note, the KJV used the spelling of Nazarite while most modern translations use the term Nazirite.

The Nazirite vow was a voluntary time of special consecration to spiritual ministry. The key word is separation: separating himself or herself to the LORD, or as the New Living Translation phrases verse 2, they were "setting themselves apart to the LORD in a special way." As a part of this time of separation, there were certain things to be avoided, such as grape products, shaving of the men, and touching anything dead. There were also special offerings to be sacrificed to the LORD.

There is no other mention of this special vow in the Bible except for Samson. Samson was a Nazirite all of his life from his mother's womb (Judges 13:5, 7; 16:17), although he was not a very good example of being consecrated to God. And it is supposed that John the Baptists observed the Nazirite vow, though the Bible does not say that explicitly.

The Nazirite vow is not a part of the New Covenant. Even though we do not observe the Nazirite vow, we are sometimes called to special times of dedicating ourselves for prayer and fasting. And all of our lives are to be consecrated to the Lord in holiness – separated from the world to God. This is demonstrating that God is first in our lives. Our lives should exemplify the Nazirite vow.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A MINISTRY FOR EVERYONE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A MINISTRY FOR EVERYONE

"And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 'Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. And they shall attend to his needs and the needs of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting, to do the work of the tabernacle. Also they shall attend to all the furnishings of the tabernacle of meeting, and to the needs of the children of Israel, to do the work of the tabernacle." (Numbers 3:5-9)

Of the twelve tribes of Israel, one tribe was chosen by God to do the spiritual ministry of the priesthood and tending to the physical ministry of the tabernacle. They were the tribe of Levi.

Moses and Aaron were descendants of Levi. Moses had the role of the prophet, who heard from God and spoke God's word to the people. Aaron had the role of the priest. He and his offspring were delegated the responsibility of offering the sacrifices, and being the mediators between God and man. Of the other descendants of Levi, there were three other tribes – the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites. Each of these families were given responsibilities for various aspects of the spiritual ministry of the tabernacle. The Gershonites were dedicated to take care of the tabernacle and its covering and the hangings around the tabernacle. The Kohathites took care of the ark, the table of showbread, the lampstand, the altars, and the utensils and everything that pertained to them. The appointed duties of the family of Merari included the caring for the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, sockets, its utensils, and all the work related them.

The point is that there was an assignment for everyone. Not all of the Levitical families did the same things. Each one had his place. It made the ministry of the tabernacle work smoothly.

We are not of the Levitical family, but each of us has a role to play in the ministry of Christ's church. Some of us have the prophetic and priestly ministries of helping people worship. Others of us have behind the scene ministries that make things run smoothly. Everyone has his calling, and each one is important. But we are all called to minister, each in our own way.

As the negro spiritual says it, "Oh, I may not preach like Peter and I may not pray like Paul. I can tell the love of Jesus Who died to save us all."

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A GOD OF ORDER

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A GOD OF ORDER

"Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 'Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their father's houses, according to the number of names, every male individually, from twenty years old and above – all who are able to go to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their armies.'" (Numbers 1:1-3)

It had been a full year after their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. God told Moses to take census of the males who were capable of serving in the army of Israel. The name of the Book, Numbers, is derived from the title given by the translators of the Septuagint version – the Greek translation. But the Hebrew title is from the words found in the first phrase – "In the Wilderness."

The total number of men capable of fighting from the twelve tribes (including the two tribes Manasseh and Ephraim, sons of Joseph, but excluding the tribe of Levi which was exempt from the army because they attended to the tabernacle and priestly ministry) was 603,550. That is a sizeable army, and considering wives and children, the nation would probably be close to 2,000,000 people.

Each tribe was assigned a position of encampment on the east, west, north, and south around the tribe of Levi which was camped in the middle of the company. Each tribe had its standard, and when they traveled, they broke camp in an orderly fashion. In other words, they were not just a bunch of nomads, but they had organization and government.

God is a God of order. The tribes of Israel were under strict orders. They were not free to just do whatever they wanted when they wanted.

God's order can be seen all around us in nature. And He has established government in the social and political areas. God's order can also be seen in the Church. God has set Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, bishops, elders, and deacons to guide the church.

If we are tempted to think that we are free to just do whatever we want, we need to remember that God is not the author of confusion. He is a God of order.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE OIL OF JOY FOR MOURNING

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE OIL OF JOY FOR MOURNING

"Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb." (Matthew 28:1)

Imagine the heavy hearts these two women must have had on that Sunday morning as they made their way to the tomb where they knew Jesus had been buried. They had watched as he was buried by Joseph and Nicodemus (John 19:38-39). They knew that their hope was dead and buried, and they fully expected to see the entrance to the tomb still covered by a huge stone.

But then imagine their great surprise to see the stone rolled away and an angel – shining like lightning – sitting on the stone. This surely caused so much consternation that the angel said, "Don't be afraid. I know you are seeking Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; He is risen."

Their heaviness was turned to great joy mixed with fear as they ran to report to the disciples what they had just seen and experienced.

This is what Jesus came to do. The prophecy of Isaiah that Jesus quoted at the beginning of His ministry included the words, "to comfort all who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified" (Isaiah 61:2b, 3).

When people come to faith in the risen Christ, they know this exchange of sorrow for joy. They move from the sorrow of death to the joy of life. Their sorrow for their sin is replaced by the joy of knowing their sins are forgiven. They experience the dawning of a new day as they move from the shadows of darkness into His glorious light. They exchange the hopelessness of a future without Christ to the assurance of eternal glory.

The hymnwriter expressed this exchange when he wrote, "O, the joy of sins forgiven, Oh the bliss the bloodwashed know, Oh, the peace akin to heaven, where the healing waters flow. Where the healing waters flow, where the joys celestial glow; oh, there's peace and rest and love, where the healing waters flow!" All of this because He is Risen!

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- JESUS WAS BURIED

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – JESUS WAS BURIED

"Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man wen to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it is a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb." (Matthew 27: 57-61)

One of the major tenants of faith of the early church was that Jesus was buried. As the Apostle Paul wrote, "For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (I Corinthians 15:3-4). There was no question or doubt that Jesus was actually buried, nor which tomb He was buried in.

Joseph of Arimathea knew that Jesus was dead and he knew which tomb Jesus was buried in, because it was his own tomb. He took the body from the cross, wrapped it in clean linen and placed the body in a tomb that he had prepared for

himself. This fulfilled Isaiah 53:9 – "They made His grave with the wicked – but with the rich as His death." Jesus was crucified between two felons, but was buried in a rich man's tomb.

Two Marys knew exactly which tomb Jesus was buried in. They followed Joseph to the tomb, and sat down opposite the tomb to observe the burial process. So when theY came to the tomb on Sunday morning – Resurrection morning, they knew which tomb Jesus had been buried in. There was no confusion which tomb Jesus had been buried in..

The chief priests and Pharisees knew which tomb Jesus was buried in, and they asked Pilate to secure it to make sure the disciples did not steal the body and claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. So they set a guard at the tomb (vss. 62-66). They knew exactly which tomb it was.

From these historical accounts, we can know for certain that Jesus died and was buried. Knowing this assures us that the Resurrection was a real.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ALL FOR LOVE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – ALL FOR LOVE

"Then the solders of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews.' " (Matthew 27:27-29)

I am humbled again as I am every time I read the account of Jesus' crucifixion. The thought of all the indignities that He went through causes my heart to mourn, not to mention the pain and agony of being spit on and being beaten. There was the indignity of being stripped of His clothing. There was the mocking He endured, both by the ungodly soldiers and by the chief priests (vs. 41) who said, :""If He is the King of Israel, let Him come down from the cross and we will believe Him' " (vs. 42). There were the blasphemers who passed by, wagging their heads and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross" (vss. 39-40). There was the indignity of the robbers who were crucified with Him who reviled Him (vs. 44).

Jesus, the King of Heaven, the Son of God, the Lord of Hosts, endured the agony of body, mind and spirit. He didn't have to. He could have said, "I don't have to go through this." With one word from His mouth, He could have devastated His enemies.

There is only one reason that He endured such agony. That was love. It was love for me. It was love for His opponents to whom He said, "Father, forgive them." Only one thing kept Jesus on the cross. It was not the nails. It was love.

What a wondrous thing. And yet today there are those who mock, revile, blaspheme, and ridicule Him. But His love remains the same. He suffered for the worst of sinners and for the least of sinners.

O, what love that drew salvation's plan. O, the grace that brought it down to man. O, the mighty gulf that God did span, at Calvary.

Love, Dad

DAD;S RAMBLINGS -- SEE TO IT

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – SEE TO IT

"Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, 'I have sinned by betraying innocent blood; And they said, 'What is that to us? You see to it!' ….. When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, 'I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.' " (Matthew 27:3-4, 24)

In this short passage of Scripture, there is a phrase that is quoted two times: "You see to it." The basis meaning, "That's not my problem; You take care of it."

When Judas felt remorse for his act of betrayal, he tried to return the blood-money. But the chief priests and elders washed their hands of the mess and said to Judas, "That's not our problem – You take care of it." And when Pilate saw that he could not change the situation, he tried to wash his hands of it and pass the blame to the crowd, saying, "You take care of it." It's called passing the buck.

Judas came the closest to a proper action regarding his sin, but even then, it was not complete. He admitted to the chief priests that he had sinned, but he went to the wrong people to seek forgiveness. He should have gone to Jesus and asked forgiveness.

I don't know how many times in my life I have tried to pass the buck by blaming someone else. But that only ignores that fact that each of us are responsible for our own sin. Blaming someone else does not take care of the sin problem. King David had it right, when he prayed is prayer of contrition for his sin by acknowledging to God, "Against you and you only have I sinned." He was not going to blame anyone else for his sin anymore, but he confessed it to God.

I John 1:9 remains the standard for confession of sin. "If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Any other attempt to take care of our sin is incomplete. Only God can forgive us for our sin against Him. Passing the blame to someone else only short-circuits the process.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- AN ENIGMA

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – AN ENIGMA

"Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, 'What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?' And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him." (Matthew 26:14-16)

Judas is an enigma. Winston Churchill is credited with the quotation: "A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma." An enigma is "a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand." This certainly describes Judas Iscariot.

He is mysterious and puzzling. It is difficult to get inside His head and figure out what motivated him. How could a person who was so close to the Lord Jesus end up so terribly wrong?

Judas had been hand-chosen by the Savior. It was not an accident that Judas was selected. It was a part of God's divine purpose to fulfill Scripture and God's plan for salvation.

But there were things going on in Judas that were not apparent to the casual observer. From outward appearances, Judas was used in Spiritual ministry just like the other 11 disciples. But there was no real change in his heart. He put on a good show to cover his wicked heart. He came to Jesus with a love for money that never got transformed. As the disciple who had been given the oversight of the care of the disciples' bank account, He embezzled money from that common fund for his own purposes (John 12:6). So when he heard that the chief priests were offering a reward for the betrayal of Jesus, he saw an opportunity to make himself some money.

Scripture is true: The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (I Timothy 6:10). Judas never allowed his desire for money to get saved. Anything that I have not surrendered to Jesus can be my downfall.

When I look at the life of Judas, it is not surprising that he ended up the way he did, eventually committing suicide. The Love of Money is a dead-end street with no way out. Here I am, Lord God. Take all of me, even my pocketbook.  I surrender all.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- JESUS IN HIS PEOPLE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – JESUS IN HIS PEOPLE

" 'I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me....And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." ' " (Matthew 25:35-36, 40)

It is a mysterious reality, but Jesus identifies with His people at such a deep level that He experiences what happens to them. When they suffer or are in need, He experiences their suffering and need. When they hurt, He hurts. He is not a God who is out there somewhere who is oblivious to what they are going through. He is intimately involved with His people. And when we minster to the needs of His people, we are ministering to Him. I don't know how it all fits together. I just know it is true.

The Apostle Paul is a prime illustration on the negative side of the issue. He was on his way to Damascus to persecute and kill Christians when the Lord Jesus appeared to him and confronted him with this question: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" Saul asked, "Who are You, Lord?" The Lord answered, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." (Acts 9:4-5). When Saul attacked the Believers, He was attacking Christ.

On the positive side, we get the privilege of ministering to Christ when we minister to His people – His brethren. This is not just doing good to anyone who is suffering. Jesus was clear that it was to His brethren, and He identified His brothers in Luke 8:21 as those who hear the Word of God and do it.

We get to minister to Jesus in a unique way when we minister to the needs of God's children. He is in the midst of His people and when we help other believers who are suffering, we are doing it to Him.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- TWO DIRECTIVES

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – TWO DIRECTIVES

"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.......For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them."" (Matthew 25:1, 14)

In the middle of His discourse on the end-time prophecy, He seemingly drops in two parables to explain how we should view things.

The first parable was about 10 virgins who were waiting for the coming of the bridegroom, so they could go with him to the marriage. At midnight, the cry went out that the bridegroom was coming, so they all went out to meet him. The problem is that five were prepared with plenty of oil, while the other five were negligent and unprepared. The meaning is obvious: be ready for the coming of the bridegroom.

The second parable is about a man who was going on a journey, and he called his servants and entrusted to them the material goods which they were to invest while he was away. In the parable, some servants were good stewards and increased his wealth, while one servant misused the resources given to him. The obvious meaning is that while our Master is absent, we have been given stewardship of His resources.

Here is where the two parable come together. While we are waiting for the return of the Lord Jesus, we are to be involved in His work. In a similar parable, a nobleman went into a far country, and he called his servants, gave them resources to invest, and told them to do business until he returned (Luke 19:12-13). These parables set the pattern while we wait for His return, He does not tell us to go out on a mountain and sing kum-baya until He comes back. He tells us to do the work of the Kingdom until He returns.

God has a work to accomplish in these centuries between the promise of Jesus to return and when the promise is fulfilled. May we be faithful stewards of the charge He has given us.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A SURE WORD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – ENDURING WORDS

" 'Heaven and earth will pass away; but my words will by no means pass away.'" (Matthew 24:35)

In these chapters of Matthew – Chapters 24 and 25 – Jesus gave a sure word about the end times. He spoke of the terror of the Great Tribulation that will come upon the earth. He spoke of great deceptions. He spoke of persecution for the cause of Christ. He spoke of apostasy. He spoke of the coming of the Son of Man in the heavens. He spoke of what it would be like in the last days.

You can't go wrong with prophecy if you stick with what Jesus said.

How many books have been written with man's ideas of prophecy that have ended up being used to start fires? They might have sounded right at the time, but later events proved them wrong. It reminds me of the guy who wrote the book, "88 Reasons Why Jesus Will Come In 1988." Jesus did not come in 1988, but that did not deter this guy. He simply offered a new edition entitled, "89 Reasons Why Jesus Will Come In 1989." He obviously did not stick with the words of Jesus; "Of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only" (vs. 36)

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You can trust what Jesus said. That does not mean that everything will be crystal clear and that all your questions will be answered. But it is a parameter to fence in our flights of fancy. Everything will happen as Jesus predicted, even though it may not be the way we understand with our limited knowledge and information.

His words are true and enduring, and will never pass away. That's why it is good to stick with what He says without adding a lot of our own interpretations.

This we know. There will be great trouble on this earth before He returns. We just don't know when that will be. That's why it is important to stay centered in His word: " 'Therefore you also be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect' " (vs. 44).

This is a sure word from Jesus – Be ready.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A HEAP OF ROCKS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A HEAP OF ROCKS

"Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, 'Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.' " (Matthew 24:1-2)

It is not as though Jesus had never seen the temple before. From the early age of 12 He had come to Jerusalem and had seen the beauty of the temple. But for some reason, His disciples thought it was important to draw His attention to the magnificence of the the temple buildings. They were enamored by the beauty of physical structure. Jesus brought them back to reality. These were just clay stone laid one on top of the other, and someday they would all be just a pile of stones. He was not impressed with their grandeur. But that is human nature. We are impressed by big – whether a big car, a big house, a big person, or a big paycheck.

It is so easy to be distracted from what is important by the magnificence of human achievement. This not to say that we should not have a beautiful things and even beautiful churches. After all, God gave the instructions for building the tabernacle and later the temple, and He made it glorious – furniture inlaid with gold and silver, beautiful linen brocades, ornate designs of capstones and pillars. God made wonderful things for the eye to behold that draw attention to the Great God that it honors. Just consider a beautiful rose or a sunset. But if it is only the largess of the building that we are impressed with, we have missed the point of bringing honor to God.

The truth is, everything in this world will end up on the junk pile someday. If we put our affection on these things, our affection will also end up on the garbage heap. That is why it is so important to keep a clear eye when it comes to things. As the Scripture so clearly says, "The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (I John 2:17). The New Living Translation puts it this way: "And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. "

There's noting inherently wrong with big and beautiful. I just need to make sure that the things I truly crave are God-honoring and God-pleasing.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS –

THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD

"And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did any one dare question Him anymore." (Matthew 22:46)

Jesus made it a practice of silencing His critics by quoting God's Word. He did it to Satan in the temptations recorded in Luke Chapter 4. And He did it again here in these incidents in Matthew Chapter 22.

In this passage of Matthew account there were two attempts by His adversaries to trap Him with questions, and one question that Jesus asked them.

The first scenario was when a group of Sadducees asked Jesus a question about the Resurrection. This would be laughable is it was not so patently absurd because the Sadducees did not believe in the Resurrection. But Jesus did, and He cornered them by quoting what God said – " 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead but of the living." (vs. 32). These religious leaders were supposed to be authorities on God, but Jesus said that they did not know the Scriptures nor the power of God.

Next in line were the Pharisees, asking what the greatest commandment is. They should have known better. Again Jesus answered the test with Scripture -­- " 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind' " (vss. 37-38). The fact was that the Pharisees loved the praises of people more that they loved God.

The third interchange was a question Jesus posed to them about whose son the Messiah would be? They answered, "The Son of David." But if that is the case, Jesus countered, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord?'" quoting Psalm110:1.

In all of these cases, Jesus used the Scriptures as His defense. I believe that is a good model for us when our faith is tested. There is power in the Word of God. It is a resource that God has given us. The testing of our faith does not always come from people. Sometimes it comes from circumstances. But the Word of God is the best defense. The truth is, we need to know God, His Word and His power.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- JESUS IN HIS PEOPLE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – JESUS IN HIS PEOPLE

" 'I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me....And the King will answer and say to them,   "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." ' " (Matthew 25:35-36, 40)

It is a mysterious reality, but Jesus identifies with His people at such a deep level that He experiences what happens to them. When they suffer or are in need, He experiences their suffering and need. When they hurt, He hurts. He is not a God who is out there somewhere who is oblivious to what they are going through. He is intimately involved with His people. And when we minster to the needs of His people, we are ministering to Him. I don't know how it all fits together. I just know it is true.

The Apostle Paul is a prime illustration on the negative side of the issue. He was on his way to Damascus to persecute and kill Christians when the Lord Jesus appeared to him and confronted him with this question: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" Saul asked, "Who are You, Lord?" The Lord answered, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." (Acts 9:4-5). When Saul attacked the Believers, He was attacking Christ.

On the positive side, we get the privilege of ministering to Christ when we minister to His people – His brethren. This is not just doing good to anyone who is suffering. Jesus was clear that it was to His brethren, and He identified His brothers in Luke 8:21 as those who hear the Word of God and do it.

We get to minister to Jesus in a unique way when we minister to the needs of God's children. He is in the midst of His people and when we help other believers who are suffering, we are doing it to Him.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS --

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE MASTER TEACHER

"Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, 'By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?' But Jesus answered and said to them, 'I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things." (Matthew 21:23-24)

These religious leaders questioned Jesus' authority to do and teach as He did. Jesus was a Master teacher. He discerned the motivation behind the question was not sincere. They had no real desire to know where Jesus got His authority. So, Jesus deflected their question and asked them a question instead. Jesus said, "What do you think about John the Baptist?" They were afraid to answer truthfully, so they said, "We do not know." They were lying.

Even then, He did not answer the question directly, but instead He told a couple of parables about people who rejected God-sent ministry and authority. Parables are picture stories to illustrate a truth. Picture stories draw people in emotionally. Even though the parables were not a direct answer, the chief priests and Pharisees "perceived that He was speaking of them" (vs. 45). They got the message.

I have not mastered this technique, but I know it is a good approach to teaching, especially when answering confrontational questions. Asking a question places the onus on the other person. It places them on the defensive. So if someone asks a combative question that is not really intended to be a legitimate quest for truth, asking the person, "What do you think about it?" or "What do you mean?" will deflect the discussion back to the other person. This is what Jesus did to the priests who confronted Him.

Rather than rebutting an attack, it is often better to avoid an argument. If the question is insincere and not really seeking an honest answer, he or she will probably not be receptive to what we say. But we can pull down the defenses by asking questions and giving picture stories. It is a technique from the Master Teacher that I would do well to learn.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A TEACHING MOMENT

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A TEACHING MOMENT

"Now in the morning, as He (Jesus) returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." Immediately the fig tree withered away." (Matthew 21:18-19)

What's with Jesus? Did he have a bad day, taking his anger out on an innocent fig tree? Did Jesus lose control of Himself? Did He have a temper tantrum, spewing out His frustration like an erupting volcano?

I don't think so. Jesus was always in complete control of Himself. If it was just a matter of being hungry, He could have turned the stones along the path into bread, as Satan enticed Him to do another time during the temptation when He was hungry (Luke 3:2-3). And remember that Jesus one time fed four thousand and another time five thousand in miraculous demonstration of His power.

No, I think Jesus saw this as a teaching moment with His disciples about faith and prayer. The disciples witnessed the fig tree wither away, and questioned Jesus, "Why?" Jesus' answer was concerning their faith. The bottom line was, "Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive" (vs. 22). This is not a blanket promise that we will get everything we ask for. From other Scripture, we understand that there are conditions to this promise. Jesus did teach that if we ask anything in His name, He would do it (John 14:14). But asking in His Name indicates that we ask according to His desire.

The Apostle John understood this principle when he wrote, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him" (I John 5:14-15). The operative phrase is "according to His will." Confidence in our prayer is based on first, knowing that He hears us, and secondly, that it is according to His will. This is echoed by James who wrote, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures" (James 4:3). We ask in faith and then let God be God.

This was a powerful teaching moment regarding faith. God uses situations in my own life to teach me. It may be a failure that teaches me of my own weakness. It may be through an illness that God teaches me to trust Him. God uses all kinds of ways to teach me if I am sensitive to listen to Him. Speak, my Lord.

Love, Dad