DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- DOES GOD HEAR THE PRAYERS OF THE NON-CHRISTIAN?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – DOES GOD ANSWER THE PRAYERS OF THE NON-CHRISTIAN?

"There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, 'Cornelius!' And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, 'What is it, lord?' So he said to him, 'Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.' " (Acts 10:1-4)

The question has been around for centuries. "Does God hear the prayers of the unsaved?" The answers have caused much controversy and hard-feeling between people. Does God answer the prayers of Jews? Does God pay attention to the heathen and pagans?

I humbly confess that I am not God and I do not have the answer. But this I do know – that God hears the prayers of people who sincerely want to know Him.

Cornelius is a prime example. He was a Roman soldier who had a deep desire for God, as evidenced by the fact that he was devout in his faith. He feared God, he was generous to the poor, and he prayed to God, even though he did not understand the truth of the true God. He just knew that there was a God and that He was worthy of devotion, fear, prayers, and works of piety.

God heard Cornelius' prayer, and sent an angel to instruct him. God's reaching out to Cornelius is an example of His great love and desire for people from even pagan backgrounds to know Him.

I was a heathen pagan before Christ saved me, even though I was raised in a family with faithful parents. God saw the desire of my young heart and revealed Himself to me. By His mercy and grace, He heard the longing of my heart, and came down and invaded my life. "Wonderful grace of Jesus, greater than all my sin. How can my tongue describe it? Where shall its praise begin." He heard my prayer for forgiveness when I was lost. That is the one prayer that I know for sure that God hears and answers.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PROOF OF SALVATION

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – PROOF OF SALVATION

"And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles." (Acts 9:26-27)

It is human nature to be wary of people who claim to have become Christians. We wonder if they have really been born again. These believers at Jerusalem were reluctant to embrace this new believer, Saul, because they knew who he was and what he had done to other Christians. There are false converts, who only claim faith in Jesus for their own benefit and advancement. Even in the early church under the ministry of Stephen, Simon the Sorcerer had believed and was baptized, but he only wanted the influence and financial perks of being a Christian (Acts 8:13-24).

Skepticism is not a bad thing, because it can keep us from being scammed. But it can also be a negative thing when it come to accepting a new convert into the fellowship. Some fellowships require that a new believer wait to be baptized until they have proven themselves to have been truly converted.

It is interesting that the normal practice of the New Testament Church was to baptize immediately upon a profession of faith. The baptism of the Ethiopian by Philip set the model. Philip said, " ' If you believe with all your heart, you may [be baptized].' And he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.' " And he was baptized (Acts 8:37-38). That's the way it was when Cornelius and his house were baptized (Acts 10:47-48). It was the same when the Philippian jailer was saved (Acts 16:33). Saul himself had been baptized immediately after his conversion, and then he was demonstrating the validity of his conversion by his bold preaching in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Christian baptism is not a means of salvation, nor is it a proof of salvation. It is a declaration of faith in the Lord Jesus. So there need not be a waiting time between profession and baptism. The proof will work itself out in the life of the true convert, and it is best to leave that to Jesus.

The lesson for us is to be cautious about questioning the validity of a person's faith based on their past reputation. We can accept new believers into the fellowship, while at the same time watch their lives to see the reality of their conversion. Thank God for Barnabases.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ANYTHINGS IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD

"Then Ananias answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on our name.' But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is chosen vessel of mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.' " (Acts 9:13-15)

Is anyone beyond the grace of God? From the natural viewpoint, it would seem that some people are beyond the point of ever being saved. Saul had a reputation as one of those people. He, by his own admission, was the chiefest of sinners (I Timothy 1:15). He was a great persecutor of Christians, and by his own admission, caused much harm by binding believers and putting them in prison, and even killing people of The Way (Acts 22:4).

So Saul, later renamed Paul, had a horrible reputation among Believers. No wonder that Ananias balked at the thought of going to Saul. Saul might end up putting him in prison or worse. Ananias ended up submitting to the Lord and went to minister to Saul.

Are there people you can think of whom you think are too far gone? How about Chuck Schumer or Nancy Pelosi or Vladimir Putin? Are they so far down the road that there is no chance of them being saved?

I have to remember the words of the Lord Jesus. When the disciples asked, "Who then can be saved?," Jesus answered, ' "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible" (Mark 10:26-27).

If I am ever tempted to think that God cannot reach the vilest of sinners, then I need to remember Saul. Even if Jesus has to appear in a vision to them, they can still be saved. Who knows what plans God may have for them to accomplish in His kingdom. As the Gospel songs says, "Vilest of sinners, Jesus will save. All He has promised, that will He do." Thank God for His mercy.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD-SENT

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD-SENT

"Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, 'Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' This is desert." (Acts 8:26)

Philip was in the midst of a great move of God is Samaria. The lame were being healed, evil spirits were being exorcised, and many people were being saved by the preaching of the Gospel.

But Philip heard another calling – to go into the desert. And it was all for one solitary man who needed to hear about Jesus. There Philip found a traveling man from Ethiopia who was in his chariot, reading the Holy Scriptures. This would have been the Tanakh that included all of the Old Testament writings. His mind was perplexed as he read Isaiah chapter 53. His question was, "Who does this Scripture refer to – himself or someone else?"

Isaiah 53 is one of the great prophetic Scriptures that foretell the coming of the Messiah. He did not understand what the Scripture meant until Philip, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, intercepted the chariot. He was invited on board, and Philip notice that the Ethiopian was reading from Isaiah 53. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?" replied the Ethiopian. So Philip began to explain about the Lord Jesus Christ, starting at this Scripture, but undoubtedly using other passages of the Old Testament as well to preach Jesus.

It is amazing, yet thrilling, to think that God cares so much about an individual Ethiopian that he would send Philip to him. God saw the desire of this man to understand the Scriptures. Philip was sent by God to this seeking soul.

God sees seeking hearts, and he sends Believers to explain the Gospel. The Apostle Paul put it this way. "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?" (Romans 10:14-15). God sends some people to speak to crowds of people, but he sends some to speak to a solitary individual. May our ears to open, like Philip, to the voice of the Spirit as He leads us to tell someone in a barren desert place about Jesus.

Love, Dad

DAD;S RAMBLINGS -- THE BOTTOM LINE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE BOTTOM LINE

" 'This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, "The LORD our God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear." This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us, whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt...Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written the book of the Prophets.' " (Acts 7:37-39, 42)

As Stephen came to the end of his sermon, he got down to the nitty-gritty of the message – the bottom line. It is expressed in several ways. Israel would not obey the word of the Lord, but rejected it. In their hearts they turned back to Egypt. God then turned and gave them up to worship these false gods. Then Stephen brings it down to the people listening to his message that day: that they resisted the Holy Spirit because they were stiff-necked, unwilling to yield to God's way. This is not a seeker-friendly sermon.

When it became personal, they were cut to the heart, and gnashed at Stephen with their teeth, and they ended up killing him.

The same thing is true of people today who want to continue in their way of living. They reject the word of the Lord as expressed in the Bible. They would rather live in "Egypt" and enjoy the things this world has to offer. They resist the Holy Spirit because they are unwilling to yield to God. So God allows them to worship their false gods.

May that not be said of us. As we hear God's word preached, may our necks be softened to bow before God and yield to His calling, lest we resist the Holy Spirit's wooing in our hearts. That is the bottom line: bowing before a holy God.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ARE THESE THINGS SO?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – ARE THESE THINGS SO?'

"Then the high priest said, 'Are these things so?' " (Acts 7:1)

Stephen had been brought before the high priest by a group called "The Synagogue of the Freedmen." There is no information about this sect, but they were not from Israel. They were from Cyrene, Alexandria (in Egypt), Cilicia and Asia. So it would appear that they had no personal experience regarding the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. They had probably heard of Jesus from the Jewish leaders because they repeated the same accusations that the Jews had brought against Jesus – that He had blasphemed against Moses and the law, that He had wanted to do away with the Mosaic law, and that He wanted to destroy the temple. This accusation was the same charge leveled against Jesus when He stood trial before Caiphas, the high priest, just before His crucifixion.

Assuming that the high priest in Acts 7:1 is the same high priest that presided at Jesus' trial, we can be sure that his interrogation of Stephen was just like when Jesus was tried. There was no desire for the truth. It was a sham proceeding. When he asked, "Are these things so?", he had no more desire to hear what Stephen would say than he did from Jesus.

As I write this, the national news is filled with the congressional hearings into the January 6 situation. In watching some of the hearings, it is apparent that the ruling party has no interest in truly finding out what happened on that fateful night. The have their minds made up, and will only present arguments that enhance their agenda.

No matter how well the defense argument is presented – as Stephen did – it will fall on deaf ears. Stephen laid out his case as a lawyer would – precept on precept, line upon line, starting with God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. But it had no effect because these people did not want the truth.

When we share the Gospel with people, we can discern pretty quickly whether people want to hear the truth, or just want to hear what fits their mindset. That does not mean that we should not speak God's message, but we must understand that when Satan blinds their eyes, they will not see the truth no matter how well we present it. Nevertheless, we should always be ready to give the reason for the hope that lies with us, that these things are so.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- QUALIFICATIONS FOR MINISTRY

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – QUALIFICATIONS FOR MINISTRY

"Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, 'It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.' " (Acts 6:1-3).

Sometimes it seems that we have a different view of ministry than the early church had. We often, either by our thoughts or actions, give the impression that the requirements for preachers and the elders are greater than people who serve in other capacities. It is true that there are high standards for people in spiritual ministry as listed in the books of I Timothy 3 and Titus 1. But that does not mean that people who serve in other capacities are not held to a high standard also.

In our Scripture for today, there was a need for men to "serve tables," to do the business of taking care of the material aspects of ministry. The Apostles wanted to be free from these duties to spend their efforts in studying the Scriptures. So they gave qualifications for those who were serving the Lord and the church in other capacities, such as having a good reputation, and being full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom.

If God has called me to "serve tables," I need to have a high view of that position. Those ministers in the Body of Christ are very important and should exhibit noble character. It is not acceptable to think personal integrity and spiritual maturity are not important. It is just as important for those ministries to be filled by people who have a good reputation and are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom as it is for preacher and elders.

Anyone in ministry – whether spiritual or material – should live by to these standards. The truth is, every Christian is a minister in service to the Lord Jesus. To live by a lower standard is to denigrate ministry in Christ's Church, and bring reproach on the Name of Christ.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WHO'S IN CHARGE?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – WHO'S IN CONTROL?

"But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: 'We ought to obey God rather than men.' " (Acts 5:20)

So, who is in charge? The leaders of the Jewish religion thought that they were. They had arrested the Apostles and put them in prison. But God showed that He was in control by sending an angel to open the prison doors and release the Apostles from their bondage. The guards were amazed when they did not find them in prison.

But they did find them again --- preaching in the temple. So, the Jewish leaders arrested them again, and said to them, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?" Peter answered, " 'We ought to obey God rather than men.' " Peter recognized that his allegiance was to the higher authority that surpassed the powers of this world system.

Even one of the Pharisees name Gamaliel recognized that God was the higher authority. He said, " 'If it is of God, you cannot overthrow it – lest you even be found to fight against God.' " (vs. 39).

Nevertheless, the Apostles were beaten, but that did stop them. After their release, they continued daily in the temple, teaching and preaching Jesus as the resurrected Christ.

At times, it seems that the powers of this world are in control. But we know that God is in supreme. We have to make the same choice that the Apostles had to make – to obey rules and laws that contradict God's revealed will, or obey God. May God help us to have that view of life – that God is in control and our allegiance is to Him, regardless of the price.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A HOLY CHURCH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A HOLY CHURCH

"And through the hands of the apostles many sins and wonders were done among the people." (Acts 5:12a)

This book has traditionally been called "The Acts of the Apostles" and it is known as such in many translations. I don't want to quibble about this, but it is really the Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles. The Apostles had no power in and of themselves to do the works that are recorded, but they had received power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, just as Jesus had promised in Acts 1:8. In the power of the Holy Spirit, they experienced power in their preaching, in their healing ministries, in evangelism, and in deliverance from jail.

But it was not all peaches and cream. Some of the church leaders gave their lives in martyrdom for the sake of the Gospel.

Even though God was mightily at work adding to the church those who should be saved, there were still people who joined the church who still lived in the power of the fallen nature – the flesh. We read the account of two such people in the opening section of Chapter 5. Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold some property, apparently claiming that they were giving all of the proceeds to the church, when in fact they kept some of it back for their own use. They were not only lying to the other believers, but to God, the Holy Spirit. They were both struck dead and immediately carried to the cemetery for burial.

I think this was just as much a demonstration of the work of the Holy Spirit in the church as were the healings and deliverances. At the very inception of the Church that Christ was building, He made it clear that it was to be a holy church, one that ran by different rules than the rest of society. The solution is to walk in the spirit so that we do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

Now, I'm glad that God is gracious and does not take our lives when we sin. There would be no church left if He did. But it does make us aware of the view that God has of His Church. He has called us to be a holy people that reflect His holiness. It is a dangerous thing to trifle with His Church. May our goal be to honor Him in all things – even the secular areas of our lives.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FELT NEEDS AND REAL NEED

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – FELT NEEDS AND REAL NEED

"And a certain man lamed from his mother's was carried, whom they laid at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, 'Look at us.' So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, 'Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise and walk.' " (Acts 3:2-6)

As Peter and John were making their way to the temple at the hour of prayer, they passed this man who was lame and was begging for money. When Peter and John stopped in front of him, he expected that they would give him some money to help him get through another day.

But Peter knew that his real need was not money but healing that would give him the ability to earn a living, and above that, introduction to the Person who would give him real life. The man did not need silver and gold, but something greater. So in the name of Jesus, Peter gave him what he really needed.

Every day, as we are traveling about our communities, we see people at the intersections or the parking lots who are asking for money. Some no doubt are truly in need, and many are just beggars. They all have their felt needs and beg for help. But their real need is greater than material help.

We are all beggars in a way. We all have needs, and we often look to other people to meet our needs, whether material, emotional, or physical. Those are felt needs. But the greatest need we have is spiritual, and only Jesus can meet that real need.

We need to be sensitive to people who are in need. But we need to discern what their real needs are. To meet their physical material needs without bringing them to the One who can meet their real need is to shortchange them. We can quote the scripture that "God shall supply all your needs," but the real need is spiritual.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS - CUT TO THE HEART

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – CUTTO THE HEART

"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to you children, and to all who are afar off, as man as the Lord our God will call.' " (Acts 2:37:39)

In this first sermon that Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, he laid out the biblical basis for the understanding that Jesus was the promised Messiah. But the sermon comes to a climax when Peter pinned the Jews to the wall with the fact that the Jews crucified the Lord Jesus. Peter said, " 'whom you crucified." They were guilty. There was no way to avoid this.

When they heard this, they were "cut to the heart," that is, their conscience was pricked so much that they responded with the question, "What shall we do?"

There was only one solution to the piercing of their conscience, and Peter had that solution: repentance. There is only one answer to the troubled conscience and that is repentance. There is no other balm or salve for the wounded conscience.

When my conscience "cuts me to the heart," I can try to bury the pain with excuses, or I can go to God in contrition and repent. He is the One who can heal the wounded conscience.

Oh, the grace of God that heals the stab of my conscience. He can heal and restore and cleanse the conscience when I come to Him and confess my sin. As the Scripture says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). That is the only answer for being "cut to the heart."

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- TONGUES THAT GLORIFY GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – TONGUES THAT GLORIFY GOD

"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused because everyone heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed, and marveled, saying to one another, 'Look, are not all these who speak Galileans​? How is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?.....We hear them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.' " (Acts 2:-8, 11b)

It must have been a marvelous scene, Maybe there was some confusion going on. Here were people from many nations who heard these Galileans speaking in their own languages. No wonder there was confusion and chaos. How could these Galileans know all of these foreign languages? As they listened closer, they hear that these people from Israel were speaking in their own languages the wonderful works of God, giving praise and glory to God.

We may not have this gift of speaking in unknown tongues or languages that we have not learned. But we do have a language that we do speak. Here is the challenge. Do we speak glory and praise to God? It is so easy to talk about everything under the sun. What if we determined to talk about the Son above?

God calls us to speak in ways that will bring Him glory and honor. He says that no profane nor corrupt speech should come out of our mouths, but only what is edifying. Jesus said that we will be held accountable for idle or careless word we speak. Profanity should have no place in our speech because it does not bring glory to God. As the Psalmist wrote, "Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips." And James wrote that blessing and cursing should never come out of the same well.

Our speech should always bring honor to the Savior. "Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing our great Redeemer's praise. The glories of our God and King, the triumphs of His grace."

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LOOKING IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – LOOKING IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR

"Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.' " (Acts 1:9-11)

The disciples were standing between two epochs of time in their lives. They had spent the first part of their lives as fishermen as their occupation, and or the last three years, they had followed an itinerant preacher who turned out to be the Messiah. Now they were on the verge of starting a new direction in their lives.

As they met with Jesus for the last time in His earthly body, they were still focused on the past and Jesus' ministry. They said, "Lord, will you at this time restore Your kingdom to Israel?" Their thoughts were about this world at this time. They were looking into the rear-view mirror rather than into the future.  They were stuck in the past.  But Jesus wanted to change their vision from the past to the future.

As the watched Him go up, two angels appeared and redirected their focus to the future. The said, "He will come again." As an old codger, I find myself being like the disciples, looking to the past. Ahh, the good old days. But in reality some of the old days were not so good. They had their good times and their bad times, but they are long gone.

God has great plans for the future, and He wants us to look forward rather than in the rear-view mirror. Jesus is coming, and He has things to accomplish while we wait for His return. Looking in the rear-view mirror may be beneficial at times, but if that is the only thing I see, if that is my focus, then I will crash and burn. Looking forward will take me to new places in Jesus. I must look to Jesus, the Author – that is the backward look – and the Finisher – that is the forward look – of my faith.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- JUST JESUS AND ME

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – JUST JESUS AND ME

"Then Peter, turning around saw the disciples whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, 'Lord, who is the one who betrays You?' Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, 'But Lord, what about this man?' Jesus said to him, 'If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.' " (John 21:20-22)

There's an old gospel song that says, "Now it's just Jesus and me for each tomorrow, for every heartache and every sorrow. I know that I can depend upon my newfound friend. And so to the end, it's Jesus and me." I have to admit that I struggle with the words of this song, because I know how much I need other people for strength, help and encouragement. God has given us the body of Christ and we need each other.

On the other hand, I know that Jesus is the only one who will get me through this life to heaven. It is so easy, like Peter, to get my eyes on other people. It seems that some people have it so much easier than I do in their Christian walk. But I can't walk their path and they can't walk mine. Jesus had just told Peter that when he got old he would be bound against his will and martyred to glorify God.

But what about John? Jesus' message to Peter and to me is this: "It's none of your business where their path leads. You just follow Me." In reality, almost all of the disciples would be martyred, each in his own unique way. But that was not the issue. The issue was and still is, "Follow Me wherever I lead you."

The bottom line is that I need to keep my eyes on Jesus instead of other Christians. I'm glad for fellow Christians. They can be a great help to me in my Christian walk with Jesus. But they have their own life to live for the Lord and I have mine. So Jesus and I walk this path together, just Jesus and me.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE CROW OF THE ROOSTER

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE CROW OF THE ROOSTER

"Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, 'You are not also one of His disciples, are you?' He denied it and said, 'I am not!' One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, 'Did I not see you in the garden with Him?' Peter then denied again; and immediate a rooster crowed." (John 18:25-27)

When Peter heard the crow of the rooster, it caused an arrow to shoot through his heart. I know the feeling very well. That pang in the conscience when I know that I've blown it. I knew the right thing to do and then I ended up doing the very opposite. I'm like the Apostle Paul who wrote in Romans chapter 7: "What I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice, but that which I hate, that I do. For the things that I will to do, that I do not do. But the evil I will not to do, that I do." Peter knew exactly what he should do. Not long before that, he declared that he would never deny the Lord, that he would lay down his life for Jesus. He was full of bluster, but mostly, he was just a bunch of hot air.

I don't want to be too hard on Peter, because he was in a terrible place, warming his hand by the fire of the enemies of Jesus, afraid that his own life might be sacrificed by his allegiance to the Master. That's a problem right there – warming himself by the enemies' fire.   In that setting, he denied that he knew Jesus. He probably felt as guilty as all get out. Jesus had predicted that Peter would forsake him. And now the rooster crowed, just as Jesus had said.

John did not record this in his account, but Matthew tells us some pertinent information, when he wrote that just after Peter had cursed and swore, he heard the rooster crow. Then he remembered the words of Jesus, and he went out and wept bitterly. It was after three failures, that Peter heard the rooster crow. His spirit was so crushed that he went out and wept in sorrow.

Luke also records that the Lord Jesus turned and looked at Peter. Oh, how that look must have stung Peter's soul. Scripture does not tell us what that look entailed, but I don't think it was a look of condemnation. Knowing the heart of Jesus, I think it was a look of sadness and compassion.

I have to ask myself, how many times does it take for me to fail before I hear the rooster crow and weep bitterly over my sin? I can make all kinds of excuses and reasons for my failures, but that does not keep the rooster from crowing.

When Jesus looks at me, what does He see? A person who has failed again, or someone whom He loves in spite of my weakness? I can't help but believe that it is a tender look, a look that says, "I know you failed, but the Father has plans for you in the future." That look should cause me to weep, not just because of my own personal weakness, but because I have failed the Lord Jesus.

This is not the end of the story. Jesus eventually welcomed Peter back and gave him a mission for life in chapter 21. Oh, the grace of the Lord Jesus. He loves me in spite of my failures. But still, I listen for the rooster to crow.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE POWER OF JESUS' WORDS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE POWER OF JESUS' WORDS

"Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, 'Whom are you seeking?' They answered Him, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' Jesus said to them, 'I am He.' And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them, 'I am He,,' they drew back and fell to the ground." (John 18, 23-6)

There is power in the words of Jesus. All He had to say was "I am He" and the soldiers fell to the ground.

The words, "I am He," are the translation of the Greek "ego emi" which is simply translated "I am." The word He is added by the translators. "I AM" is the name that God used for Himself when He revealed Himself to Moses in Exodus. When Moses asked His name, God answered, "I am Who I am. Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent Me to you.'" (Exodus 3:14). Jesus was identifying Himself as the "I AM," that is, as God.

This was not the first time that Jesus claimed to be the "I AM." When Jesus was speaking to the woman at the well, He claimed to be the Messiah when He said, "I who speak to you am He" (John 3:26). And in a dialogue with the Jewish leaders, He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58).

When God – the I AM – speaks, things happen. When He spoke the words, the heavens and the earth were created. When He spoke, the storms were stilled. When He spoke, the lame were healed and the blind could see. When He spoke, the demons trembled. At His voice, Lazarus came back to life.

His word is still powerful today. He does speak. He speaks to us through the Scriptures and through the Holy Spirit. There is power in His Word.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SOMEONE IS PRAYING FOR YOU

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – SOMEONE IS PRAYING FOR YOU

" 'I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word." (John 17:20)

John Chapter 17 has been called the High Priestly prayer of Jesus. On the night before His betrayal and crucifixion, He prayed for His disciples that God had given Him. He prayed that God would keep them, that none of them would be lost, that God would keep them from the evil one, that God would sanctify them in the truth, and that they would be one, united in their faith.

But He prayed for more disciples than were present with Him on that night. He prayed for everyone who would believe in Him through their witness. That includes you and me in the 21^st Century.

There is a Gospel song that says, "Someone is praying for you." I have questioned this message. I know that there have been people in my past who prayed for me. My parents, I'm sure. And then there was Sister Blatchley. When I was in my first pastorate, this dear prayer saint from my home congregation encouraged me by telling me that she prayed for me.

But I don't know if anyone in this world is praying for me now. As I consider the message of this song, I do know that Someone is praying for me. He not only prayed for me in His High Priestly prayer, but He is praying for me now. Scripture teaches us that as our Great High Priest, He ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).

Not only that, but the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us, and His prayers are effective because He intercedes according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).

So I think I'll change the words of the song. "Jesus is praying for me" Thank God, Someone, with a capital "S," is praying for me.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE GREAT ADVANTAGE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE GREAT ADVANTAGE

" 'Nevertheless I tell you the truth, It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will Not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you....However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.' " (John 16:7, 13-14)

Sometimes I think it would be so wonderful if I could have been one of the disciples of the Lord Jesus while He was here in an earthly body. How wonderful it would have been to hear Him speak such great things, and perform such wonderful miracles. But in reality, as believers in the Lord Jesus in the 21^st century, we have a great advantage over the Old Testament Saints, and even the disciples who were alive when Jesus walked on this earth.

If Jesus had not died, rose again, and returned to Heaven, He would still be here in His physical body. That means that He would be limited to one place at one time. That is why it was so important that He should return to the Father – so He could send the Holy Spirit. We have His presence in the Person of the Holy Spirit. He is not limited by time or space.

It also means that Christ Jesus, by His Spirit, can dwell within us, which would be impossible if He was still in His earthly body. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and He lives within us. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus, and to illuminate the thing of Jesus to our hearts.

We do have a great advantage. We can glory in the Presence of the Lord Jesus in us. His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, is the Paraclete, the Helper, the Comforter. How blessed we are.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- TROUBLED IN SPIRIT

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – TROUBLED IN SPIRIT

"When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.' " (John 13:21)

In this short verse, we get a glimpse into the humanity of Jesus. He was troubled in His spirit. To be troubled is to be agitated, to have inward unrest, to be stirred up, like boiling water. We all know what it feels like to be troubled.

This feeling of being troubled in his spirit was not a new experience for Jesus. Just a short time earlier, Jesus had visited the tomb of his dear departed friend, Lazarus. He saw the grieving of the remaining loved ones. "Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled" (John 10:33).

Just knowing that the cross was the Father's plan for our salvation, nor the joy that was set before Him (Hebrews 13:2), did not mitigate His abhorrence of the physical and emotional pain He would suffer. He did not want to go through that suffering and He had previously told His disciples, " 'Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour' " (John 12:27).

Now, in the upper room, He had just told His disciples "He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me" (vs. 18). Now He tells them plainly, " 'One of you will betray me.' " How difficult that must have been for the Master, who had poured His life into his disciples whom He loved – that one of His close associates would betray Him to death. If you have ever been betrayed by a close friend, then you might understand some of the turmoil Jesus was feeling.

Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before He was arrested, He was struggling with this, when He said to His disciples, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death," and prayed, "Father, let this cup pass from Me" (Matthew 26:38-39). It was bad enough that He knew that He was going to be beaten, humiliated, and crucified, and on top of that to bear the sins of the world. Add to this the knowledge that He was about to be betrayed by one of His disciples. That is heaping pain upon pain.

Scripture says that the Lord Jesus was tested in all points just as we are. He knows what it means to have agony of spirit. When we are troubled in our spirits, we can go to Him. He is there and we can commit it to Him.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself." (John 13:3-4)

Jesus had a supreme knowledge of Who He was. He knew that He had come from God and would shortly be returning to God. It was not a pride thing with Jesus. He simply had a keen awareness of His role in God's great plan of Salvation. He knew that the Father had given all things into His hands.

It was this settled knowledge of Who He was that allowed Himself to take up a towel to wash His disciples' feet – to take the role of a servant. People cannot be servants unless their self-identify is secure. If they don't have that sense of self, they have to keep proving themselves. Anything that would demean them – such as being a servant – must be avoided. This was not an issue with Jesus. He did not have to prove anything. He could even wash His betrayer's feet.

When we look at relationships in our world, we see the games people play to make themselves look better. "One-up-man-ship" is the normal way of life for many people, whether in family, in business, in politics, and sadly, even in church. If I can put someone else down to make me look higher or better, then that is what I must do to protect my self-esteem.

The person who is secure in his own self-image – who understands who he is and why he is here – does not have to play these games. But here's the rub. Our self-esteem or self-awareness cannot come by comparing ourselves with other people. It must come from our position in God.

Knowing that I am accepted by God, that I am a child of God, that God loved me so much that Jesus gave His life for me, and that He has a great plan for my life, helps me know who I truly am. There is no greater calling, so I don't have to put down other people down in order to "look" better. As the Apostle Paul said, "I am what I am by the grace of God" (I Corinthians 15:10).

If God has accepted me in the Beloved, then I need to accept myself as His child because of His great mercy and grace. There is no higher calling. I am what I am in Christ.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE PRAISE OF GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE PRAISE OF GOD

"Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." (John 12:42-43)

There were some people of political and religious stature who believe in Jesus, but because of fear of being banned from the synagogue, they were reluctant to be public with their faith. It is not always easy to go against the crowd and confess our faith in the Lord Jesus. There is a lot of pressure to conform to the norms of the unbelievers who are antagonistic to Jesus. We don't want to be "put out of the synagogue" – that is to be relegated to the place of an outsider. It is so much easier to just keep quiet.

We have to make the decision: Are we more concerned about what people think of us than about pleasing God? Sometimes, there is no middle ground. Either we curry the favor of unbelievers or we desire the praise of God.

It is a sobering thought, but Jesus said, "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32-33).

The praise of men is so transient. It often does not last very long. The praise of God is eternal. It will last while the praise of men withers. Being accepted by God is of greater value than being accepted by people. But somewhere along the line, we have to declare our faith publicly, even if it does not make us popular with the crowd.

Love, Dad