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Tag: Psalms

  • WE Have Been Here Before – in Awe of JESUS

    WE Have Been Here Before – in Awe of JESUS

    We show no awe of Jesus in our no-salt ‘christian’ lives. Oh, perhaps in a stanza of singing, a sentence of sermon or a moment of compassion in our encounter with another; but for the most part we Christians fail to show any awe of Jesus in our worship or daily lives.

    Our church and yours will most likely witness the “aahhh” of a baby born in Bethlehem directed for our children. Ah, not awe — the small sprinkling of Christ for the community, rather than Spirit led worship of the Christ who still lives.

    AWE!

    The forgotten awe of the Lord God witnessed in the past becomes the superstition of today’s disbelief.

    When we read of the awe of Jesus we quickly overlook it. How easily we miss a personal awe of the Lord.

    So just for a moment put yourself in the sandals of some witnesses we missed in Jesus’ introduction. (For the Gospel shows us much more than the ‘ah’ of a babe in a manger.)

    The Gospel of Matthew

    1:20b … an angel of the Lord appeared to him [Joseph] in a dream… 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him.

    Note: Maji: Matthew 2:1 A caste of wise men specializing in astronomy, astrology, and natural science

    2:2 “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”

    13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.

    19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.

    The Gospel Mark

    The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

    9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

    The Good News (εὐαγγέλιον) of Luke

    1:8 … he was serving as priest before God… 11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah…

    26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David…

    2:9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid…

    13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

    “Glory to God in the highest,
    And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

    Luke 2:14 NASB – Strong’s G2107 – eudokia Blueletterbible.org

    33 And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him.

    Does Jesus still amaze you after hearing HIS STORY each year?

    Do you hear the awe in these witnesses of Christ? And like them do hold HIM in awe as well?

    34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—

    Prophecy – Simeon recalls and applies prophecy of the Messiah to Jesus, the Son of Man born in a manger in Bethlehem.

    The Gospel of John

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

    The same was in the beginning with God.

    John 1:2 KJV of Christ Jesus ‘this one, visibly present here
    manger with shadow of cross falling across
    The Lamb of God in a manger

    The Lamb of God

    29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

    30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’

    John the Baptist was in awe of Jesus. Are you?

    51 And He said to him [Nathanael], “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

    Awesome! Truly, the Gospel records many instances of awe connected to Christ Jesus.

    What is Awe?

    φόβος – phobos

    You know the greek root and its connection to fear, dread, terror and that which strikes terror.

    Yet we marginalize our phobias even of miracles. And awe in this sense startles our sense of the natural. For our human understanding must be finite and understanding of the infinite baffles us.

    We mention the fear of the shepherds who witnessed the awe of angels at Jesus’ birth. Yet seldom will we note the supernatural motivations for the multitudes of followers who subsequently had to see and hear the Messiah Jesus.

    In just one scene here in Nain, imagine yourself as part of the crowd gathered for the funeral of this man. Jesus, of whom you have heard, walks up and touches the coffin.

    “Young man, I say to you, arise!”

    The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

    Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying,

    “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and,

    “God has visited His people!”

    Luke 7:14-16

    Luke further records witness of the first century church.

    Everyone kept feeling a sense G5401 of awe; G5401 and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

    Acts of the Apostles 2:43 – awe = Literally: fear was occurring to every soul

    Fear as Consequence of Awe

    We frequently live in fear during this brief mortal journey of our life.

    Do we fear man and circumstance or the Lord?

    Therefore here this one example of awe from the Hebrew Bible [Old Testament] as wisdom for our fear.

    33:8 יִֽירְאוּ מֵיְהוָה כָּל־הָאָרֶץ מִמֶּנּוּ יָגוּרוּ כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵֽל׃

    Let all the earth fear the LORD;
    Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

    Psalm 33:8 Masoretic Text; NASB
    To be continued...
  • The Tongue is a Fire! – Religion

    The Tongue is a Fire! – Religion

    The Fire of the Tongue, the Rhetoric of Politics and Religion

    In our previous look at public controversy in the media we began with the clash of politics, mentioning the trial of Socrates in 399 B.C. Today we begin coverage of the clashes of religion and the church with everyday culture.

    For, “THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS,
    MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.

    First Letter of Peter to the Church 3:10 NASB

    Without digging a hole into some serious divisions of the church in our brief look at this opening quote of the Apostle Peter to the church, let me just remind us:

    Political parties and the church are all gatherings of disagreeable people more or less united in one thing.

    Roger Harned – talkofJesus.com

    Can you think of an application for followers of Christ in current election rhetoric for the (U.S.) election year to come?

    The church (saints or people) of this day and the past are all like you, like me and just like every candidate of every party in every country on earth. We are ALL SINNERS.

    Therefore, regardless of our politics of the moment or religion of the past, we all speak and do evil.

    The Tongue of the ‘Christian’

    But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

    Caution of Christ – Matthew 5:22 NASB

    Jesus Christ asks the crowds to examine our own hearts. So before we get to the controversy of Christ, let’s work back from Peter’s last point in this one verse [1 Peter 3:10] instructing “Christians.”

    Peter asks or suggests to followers of Jesus:

    1. If you desire LIFE, what is life?
    2. Do you desire LOVE, what kind of love?
    3. So you want to SEE GOOD DAYS, what path do you seek?
    4. Do you KEEP YOUR TONGUE FROM EVIL?
    5. Would others find you guilty of SPEAKING DECEIT because you have fooled yourself?

    Do you speak foolishness in angry answers to others – your loved ones, those you work or worship with, a politician inciting opposition?

    How can you judge their speech when you do not even judge your own?

    The root meaning of deceit here is to decoy. In other words, deceive another by your words. Of course no politician would do that!

    But Jesus speaks to those who want to speak truth. When we do not, like the politicians and leaders of cultural religion we also become hypocrites, as are our accusers.

    Hypocrites

    Their audience is US.

    ὑποκριτής, ὑποκριτου, ὁ (ὑποκρίνομαι, which see);

    1. one who answers, an interpreter (Plato, Lucian).
    2. an actor, stage-player (Aristophanes, Xenophon, Plato, Aelian, Herodian).
    3. in Biblical Greek, a dissembler, pretender, hypocrite:

    Followers of Christ must look in the mirror first.

    If you catch yourself speaking deceit you had best shut your mouth and seal your lips. (Nevermind the hypocrisy of your opponent, just find the beam in your own eye and fire of your own tongue.)

    The tongue of Evil

    The tongue of evil could be our own!

    Paul writes to church of the Romans:

    as it is written,
    “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;

    Romans 3:13

    He continues in speaking of Jews and Hellenistic culturists (Greeks):

    THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
    THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.

    “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE,
    WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,”
    “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”;

    “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”…

    “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”

    Could this be a political treatise against Christians, Jews, Muslims, and ANY claiming God without love on their lips even in this day?

    Like Peter, Paul also shows why politics and religion mix in a murky cloud of hypocrisy.

    How do you seek GOOD DAYS?

    What is the platform of your faith? Your religion? Traditions? Good deeds?

    Your works of goodness certainly can not sway the politics of a fallen world or misled nation.

    Do you seek an honest path to righteousness? It would be a religion of works and false morality, a religion of philanthropic leading in your own ideals.

    … and I’m NOT going to take it anymore!

    Do any recall our ‘must elect my candidate’ arguments of religion for the 2016 election?

    How will you, being evil, do good for anyone?

    My fellow Christians, is your witness for the Gospel of Christ?

    Or is your shout to the crowds that you’re mad as hell as if Christ would be swayed by the fire of your tongue?

    Perhaps your opponents think that you feign madness before the media.

    What good is your shouting into the whirlwind? For the fire of your words fails to witness the compassion of our Lord Christ Jesus.

    Mere religion and righteousness never equate.

    Love of words or love of the Word?

    Here’s a question for so-called ‘christians’ embroiled in the politics of the day: Do you have a love of words or love of the Word?

    Surely the politician loves the stage of the world. Certainly the media twists words meant to incite supporters into indictments of political opponents.

    Satan works no differently than the internet in spreading false accusation of the believer; for Christ is the only Word of love who can save the sinner.

    The Apostle John instructs the church:

    Do not love G25 the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves G25 the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

    1 John 2:15 NASB – Strong’s G25 ἀγαπάω agapaō

    Life – ζωή – zōē

    Life’s meaning described by Peter is:

    1. life
      1. the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate
      2. every living soul
    2. life
      1. of the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through him both to the hypostatic “logos” and to Christ in whom the “logos” put on human nature
      2. life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever.

    Peter points not only forward to Christ, but by scripture back to David, a man after God’s own heart.

    Religion questions God.

    May I add that the politics of the world deny God’s saving grace. By our knowledge of good and evil we lost the fruit of the tree of life in Eden. Mankind spoiled God’s paradise by disobedient sin.

    Psalm 34: A Psalm of David

    when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.

    David looks back at these dark days and praises the LORD.

    I will bless the LORD at all times;
    His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

    Psalm 34:1

    9 O fear the LORD, you His saints;
    For to those who fear Him there is no want.

    13 Keep your tongue from evil
    And your lips from speaking deceit.

    14 Depart from evil and do good;
    Seek peace and pursue it.

    From advice for the saints of the Lord, David proceeds to the justice and redemption of the faithful.

    21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
    And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

    22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants,
    And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

    The Fire of the Tongue, the Politics of Jesus

    Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

    John 18:14 NKJV

    Jesus against religion

    John 2:

    14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”

    John 8:

    42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

    54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him.

    58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

    a Word of witness to followers of false religion

    Jesus answered him,

    “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret.

    John 18:20 NASB

    Jesus continues:

    “Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said.”

    Truth has witnesses; yet how do unrighteous leaders of religion react?

    When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?”

    Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?”

    So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

    Political reaction to Righteousness

    Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him.

    Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”

    The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

    John 18:38; 19:15b NASB

    Righteous reaction to the Political

    Mark 12:

    Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay or shall we not pay?”

    coin head of Antiochus IV Epiphanes

    But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them,

    “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.”

    17 And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 

    Is Politics your Religion OR Religion your Politics?

    Psalm 2:

    The Messiah’s Triumph and Kingdom

    Why do the nations rage,
    And the people plot a vain thing?
    2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
    And the rulers take counsel together,
    Against the Lord and against His Anointed saying,
    3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
    And cast away Their cords from us.”

    Christ Jesus, the Messiah of the Lord God, warned of our anger against God.

    7 אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה אֶֽ֫ל חֹ֥ק יְֽהוָ֗ה אָמַ֘ר אֵלַ֥י בְּנִ֥י אַ֑תָּה אֲ֝נִ֗י הַיּ֥וֹם יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃

    8 שְׁאַ֤ל מִמֶּ֗נִּי וְאֶתְּנָ֣ה ג֭וֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ וַ֝אֲחֻזָּתְךָ֗ אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

    10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
    Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
    11 Serve the Lord with fear,
    And rejoice with trembling.
    12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
    And you perish in the way,
    When His wrath is kindled but a little.
    Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

    To be continued...

  • Because the days are evil – Prepared for Judgment

    Because the days are evil – Prepared for Judgment

    Stand in silence in the presence of the Sovereign LORD,
    for the awesome day of the LORD’s judgment is near.
    The LORD has prepared his people for a great slaughter
    and has chosen their executioners.

    Zephaniah 1:7 NLT

    Not so Prepared

    Where is my hope now? What will happen to the one who has not anticipated the inevitable and prepared for the day of judgment?

    We claimed the Lord; then life proceeded with so many unexpected turns in our narrow path of faith. I was prepared for life, yet never expected death.

    “I will sweep away everything
    from the face of the earth,” says the LORD.

    “I will sweep away people and animals alike.
    I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish in the sea.
    I will reduce the wicked to heaps of rubble,
    and I will wipe humanity from the face of the earth,” says the LORD.

    Zephaniah 1:3 NLT

    “I will consume man and beast… And the stumbling blocks along with the wicked… says the LORD.” Why did I not believe the word of the Lord? Were my eyes blinded to the scripture before us?

    הַרְנִ֤ינוּ גֹויִם֙ עַמֹּ֔ו כִּ֥י דַם־עֲבָדָ֖יו יִקֹּ֑ום וְנָקָם֙ יָשִׁ֣יב לְצָרָ֔יו וְכִפֶּ֥ר אַדְמָתֹ֖ו עַמֹּֽו׃ פ

    “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people;
    For He will avenge the blood of His servants,
    And render vengeance to His adversaries;
    He will provide atonement for His land and His people.”

    Deuteronomy 32:43 WLC;NKJV

    Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

    Romans 12:19, quoting Deuteronomy 32:25

    But we knew this.

    Why then were we not prepared?

    Zephaniah

    12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps
    and punish those who are complacent,
    who are like wine left on its dregs,
    who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing,
    either good or bad.’

    Of course, the Lord executed judgment against Judah. For his chosen ones, a nation set aside as holy before the gentiles, fell back into their sin of idolatry – the worship of gods who are not the LORD!

    14 The great day of the Lord is near—
    near and coming quickly.
    The cry on the day of the Lord is bitter;
    the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.
    15 That day will be a day of wrath—
    a day of distress and anguish,
    a day of trouble and ruin,
    a day of darkness and gloom,
    a day of clouds and blackness—
    16 a day of trumpet and battle cry
    against the fortified cities
    and against the corner towers.

    17 “I will bring such distress on all people
    that they will grope about like those who are blind,
    because they have sinned against the Lord.
    Their blood will be poured out like dust
    and their entrails like dung.

    camp fire in CA homes burning

    In the fire of his jealousy
    the whole earth will be consumed,
    for he will make a sudden end
    of all who live on the earth.

    Zephaniah 1:18b NIV

    That was then — in another land at another time. This is now, here. Yet we flee the inevitable!

    Has the Lord not reserved His righteous Judgement on the earth and its idolaters for a Day to come? Will the trumpet not sound?

    Ignoring the deep darkness

    I knew a brother who sat on a bench in the graveyard, speaking to his departed loved one measureless hours as if this lost soul had never departed. In charred remains of a building nearby roamed restless souls tormenting the faithful, tempting the saints.

    I feel your presence, he laments. Why have you not departed this scorched earth for the waterless places where souls are not quenched?

    You, blinded flesh who must see the unseen in the darkness of sin – you do not believe. Yet unseen powers would lure you and me into the pit of destruction. For the dreams of the prophets you have never believed.

    Psalm 82

    Deliver the poor and needy;
    Free them from the hand of the wicked.

    They do not know, nor do they understand;
    They walk about in darkness;
    All the foundations of the earth are unstable.

    I said, “You are gods,
    And all of you are children of the Most High.

    But you shall die like men,
    And fall like one of the princes.”

    קוּמָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים שָׁפְטָ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה תִ֝נְחַ֗ל בְּכָל־הַגֹּויִֽם׃

    Arise, O God, judge the earth;
    For You shall inherit all nations.

    Psalm 82:8 Masoretic Text; NKJV

    Inevitable death, Inevitable Judgment

    Isaiah 14: excerpt

    9 “Hell from beneath is excited about you,
    To meet you at your coming;
    It stirs up the dead for you,
    All the chief ones of the earth;
    It has raised up from their thrones
    All the kings of the nations.

    “How you are fallen from heaven,
    O Lucifer, son of the morning!
    How you are cut down to the ground,
    You who weakened the nations!

    Isaiah 14:12 NKJV

    13 For you have said in your heart:
    ‘I will ascend into heaven,
    I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
    I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
    On the farthest sides of the north;
    14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
    I will be like the Most High.’

    15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
    To the lowest depths of the Pit.

    And I ask you:

    Is this the one over whom you revel, the unseen spirit of darkness you celebrate this night?

    For by his deceit he would pull you easily down to the pit with him.

    By the sweat of your brow you have eaten the bread of a difficult life, but remember you are dust… and to dust you will return.

    The days are evil and sin clings near to the dying flesh. Have you not prepared for this time, rather than reveling in a brief respite from a quickened failing flesh?

    Prepared for Judgment

    Have you put on your armor of light? Do you bow down to the Lord God and Christ Jesus, who IS and will return to judge all mankind?

    The angel of darkness may deceive you into believing any lie, but God IS and in Christ the Lord’s mercy is offered to sinners.

    Perhaps you believe his lie that you will return to dust and then that’s it… nothing more… no accountability before God for what you have done in this brief life in the flesh.

    Would a good God not judge those who have wronged the righteous? Shall evil triumph over good?

    Not at all. For the Lord is good, full of mercy and love for His created ones. Therefore He sent His only Son to the world and out of His great mercy paid the great price of sin on the Cross so that those who love the Lord could be saved. Justice is served by the grace of Christ Jesus, sacrificed for us.

    Hebrews 9:

    He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

    Prepared by faith

    Hebrews 11:

    Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval.

    3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible…

    6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

    7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

    What is your verdict?

    Knowing that your end will come, knowing that the end of the world as we know it will come; have you, like Noah, prepared for these dark days by faith? Do you seek the Lord Jesus who will return on the clouds as promised by scripture?

    The LORD has prepared a way of escape from your sin, though Jesus Christ. By his holy sacrifice for our sin God the Father has redeemed the chosen and restored our hope in these last days.

    The days are evil – you see it – and ever so brief by comparison to all eternal time beyond the judgment.

    Have you prepared to meet your Maker — to bow before the Throne of Judgment of your eternal soul?

    Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. He has prepared a new body for you for a new heaven and earth.

    So also has the Lord prepared a place of punishment for Satan – a horrific place of punishment and torment for fallen angels, fallen men and fallen women who chose evil over good. The verdict is the same for all sinners:

    GUILTY!

    Yet by the grace of Christ Jesus, will you accept God’s love and forgiveness?

    Prepare… for the days are evil and you do not know the hour or the day of your death and then … your judgment.