Compassion of Jesus Christ

I am studying Matthew in BSF and today's lesson was about Jesus feeding the 5,000.  Even though the disciples didn't want to minister to the large crowd Jesus insisted that they do something.  The Word said He compassion for them.  They were like sheep without a shepherd. I think the analogy of Jesus being the Good Shepherd is such a tender one.  For those who have read the books about shepherding the analogy is deep.  He does love people and is longsuffering toward the sinner.

The heart of God is love.  To love is to give something someone needs. That is exactly what Jesus taught His disciples to do on that day.  He had them gather what provision they had and then He blessed it by raising it toward heaven. He fed the huge crowd with some left over. The disciples learned that to be like Jesus is to show compassion and to meet needs regardless of how large they may seem.  The heart of God is to give. The greatest gift was to send His Son to die on the Cross for all who will believe.  Romans 8:32: " He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?"

Laminin: An Amazing Video

I spent the evening watching a video with a couple from my church. It's called "How Great is our God". Louie Giglio speaks of how vast God truly is as seen in the universe. The video left us all in tears. The majesty of God is incredible as depicted throughout the universe. Rather than try to describe it; the video is a must see. My summary wouldn't do it justice. There some things that words just can't describe. It would be hard to see how scientists who don't believe in a divine Creator could explain away the facts presented.  His discussion of laminin alone is worth it...Amazing. Simply Amazing. I know, I know. The question is what is laminin.  Hint for those of you clinging to the Cross of Christ, google it for a picture or two....

Here are the lyrics to the song by Chris Tomlin How Great is Our God:
The splendor of a King, clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice

He wraps himself in Light, and darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
Trembles at His voice

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end
Beginning and the end
The Godhead Three in One
Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb

Name above all names
Worthy of our praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Joseph and Jesus

I know the saying is usually "the patience of Job" but we are studying Joseph in BSF.  Tonight I read how he interpreted the dreams of the cupbearer and chief baker.  God gave him the ability to interpret and thus everything he said came to pass. He told them that the cupbearer would be released in three days and the chief baker would die.  Both events happened.  He had asked the cupbearer to remember him and mention him to the Pharaoh to get him out of prison.  The final verse in Chapter 40 says: "Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him."  The beginning verse of Chapter 41 states it was two full years before Pharaoh himself had a dream that needed interpretation. Only then did the cupbearer say something to the Pharaoh.

I found myself wondering how Joseph reacted during those long two years.  The Lord granted him the mercy to survive well in prison.  Was he ever bitter? Did he get unrighteously angry? The Scripture is silent about such specific issues.  Genesis tells us the whole story and what God did through Joseph in saving Israel from famine.  He used a more humble Joseph to rescue his brothers, forgive them and give them physical life in providing food for them.  Joseph was a type of Christ prefiguring the Lord Jesus who "rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."  Genesis 50: 20 is a key verse of the book.  It speaks of God's power to bring about good from every circumstance.  Joseph is speaking to his brothers when he says: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive."
 

Maranatha Lord Jesus

With the events of today it is difficult to find encouraging words to say.  I chose the title Maranatha Lord Jesus which basically means "Come Quickly Lord Jesus." That's not just wishful thinking on two counts. First, He has promised to return and it is good and right to long for the righteous reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. Second, a related thought is that one day evil will end when God has created the new heavens and the new earth.  Events like today help everyone in the nation define what evil looks like.   Just like on 9/11 when the twin towers went down.  Nearly everyone agreed that such an event was a horrible blight.  The vast majority of people believe that man is basically good. Orthodox Christianity claims that man is depraved and a sinner at heart.  Only the rejuvenating work of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ enables a person to do any good.  And all the glory for that goes to the Lord.

It's a sobering day for believer and non believer alike.  Unfortunately it seems like these tragedies are coming quicker and are more horrific.  Multiple murders were once so rare and now are commonplace.  We humans have no answer to such evil outside of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is to Christ we must turn.  It is in Him we must hope. It is in Him we must trust.  Marantha Lord Jesus...

Exceeding Abundantly Beyond

This afternoon I helped a friend put together a very abundant gift from her and her husband to a couple who was leaving town for a days.  I was overwhelmed by everything included to make a long weekend a most enjoyable and memorable one.  In fact, the gifts fit nicely into three different size baskets.  As I watched my friend pack the goodies, I was reminded of Paul's words in Ephesians.  These physical gifts were lovely, and exceedingly abundantly beyond what was necessary. It was a loving act from one couple to another full of pleasant surprises.  The gift was jam-packed with things that brought great pleasure  What a teeny weeny microscopic picture of what Paul means when he speaks of God being able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that they we ask or think. 

Ephesians 3: 20 and 21 read: "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, ²¹ to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."  The power Paul refers to is that of the Holy Spirit. John MacArthur writes: "When the conditions of verses 16 to 19 are met, God's power working in and through believers is unlimited and far beyond their comprehension."  A life fully surrendered to the knowing Jesus Christ in His fullness (which we can never do) will be overflowing with an abundance of God's power. My Associate Pastor signs his emails; "Because Jesus is better".  I agree totally. Jesus is better. In fact, Jesus is best. 

Jesus is King

As an ex-Mormon I've had many people ask me about voting for Governor Romney who is a current member of the LDS church. My answer essentially was that the government was never intended by God to save us. Only Jesus Christ can do that. Electing a president is a serious matter and believers should take it as such. But we don't have to live in panic if "our man" didn't get elected.

I copied a friend's post on Facebook today. "No matter who is president, Jesus is King."  Romans 13: 1 tells us that "there is no authority except from God and those which exist are established by God."  God holds the future. Proverbs 21:1 states: " The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord He turns it wherever He wishes."  We need only to read the story of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel Chapter Four to realize that. God willed that the he eat grass like a beast for seven years which is exactly what happened.  Then God lifted his curse and King Nebuchadnezzar lifted his eyes toward heaven and his reason returned. He blessed the Almighty God and praised and honored the One who lives forever. 

Jesus Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is upon His shoulders that one day all government will rest.  Until then, we can know that the future is unfolding just as God decrees. May we all sleep peacefully tonight knowing that He truly does have the whole world in His hands.

The Excellencies of Christ

I've been doing some counseling homework and one of my assignments was to read through Colossians and find some of the excellencies of Jesus Christ. Here's what I've found:

• The faithful saints are brothers in Him
• He is our hope laid up in heaven
• God is His Father
• His Gospel constantly bears fruit
• His Gospel is the grace of God in truth
• His saints are filled with the knowledge of His will
• Spiritual wisdom and understanding
• Walk in a manner pleasing to Him
• Increase in the knowledge of God
• Strengthened with all power
• Steadfast and patient
• Joyously giving thanks
• Jesus rescued us from the domain of darkness into His Kingdom
• He redeemed us by forgiving us our sins
• He is the image of the invisible God
• He is pre-eminent the firstborn of creation
• He is the Creator of all things--through and for Him
• He is the Sustainer of all things--they hold together in Him
• He is the head of the church
• He is the beginning the first born and first place in everything
• All of God's fullness dwells in Him
• God reconciled all things in Him
• Peace with God is found through Him
• He presents us holy and blameless and beyond reproach.
• Jesus' Gospel is the mystery of all ages--Gentiles and Jews saved through Him.
• Completes men in Him.
• Christ Himself is all the wealth--full assurance of understanding.
• All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Him.
• Stability of faith is found in Jesus Christ.
• He is head over all rule and authority.
• He cancelled out the debt of our sin.
• He triumphed over the rulers and authorities having disarmed them.
• Only He is of value over fleshly indulgences.
• Seek things above and not earthly things.
• He is seated at the right hand of the Father.
• My evil life is hidden with Christ in God.
• Believers are revealed with Him in glory.
• Our true self is being renewed into the likeness of Christ.
• Christ is all and in all believers.
• His peace rules in our hearts.
• His Word dwells richly in us.
• All is about Jesus Christ. He is our all in all.