Often I get hungry for Mediterranean food. Kebabs are my favorite. A piping hot lamb’s wrap anointed with rich favorable spices on pita bread make for a very satisfying meal. Throw in some baba ganoush and hummus for dipping, and give me a nice Jordanian Muslim friend to dialogue about the differences of our religions….and I am good to go.
But consider this;
Could you imagine taking the dead, bloody, “lamb of God” down from the cross and wrapping His lifeless body in a shroud?
When Jesus was born, Mary, His mother, wrapped Him in swaddling cloths. When He died, Joseph (not his earthy father) wrapped Him in a shroud… Wow!!
This tells me that in every detail of Jesus’ life, there was significance, and, in every significant circumstance, we find a specific detail in the life of a person whom Jesus had touched. For instance, the Bible says here that Joseph took courage and went to Pilate.
As believers, if we can find revelation in swaddling cloths and shrouds, then we can certainly find revelation and significance in whatever embrace we find ourselves to be in today.
Like Joseph of Arimathea, take courage, because what appears to be dead today will mean life tomorrow in Christ.
Jesus is the resurrection and the life. (John 14:6)
Now that’s a wrap.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Jesus and fig tree's
I want to back track a second with more of my personal devotions that I had forgotten to publish recently. It’s taken from Mark 13:28-31 where Jesus explains the fig tree illustration.
I flesh this out from my own personal brokenness.
Jesus says that when the branches of the fig tree become tender, and begins to put out its leaves, you know summer is near. That is, though impervious, yet in the ordained time, as God has predetermined, the hardness of the branches soften, their leaves begin to grow, and figs soon spring forth, naturally.
How seemingly unfruitful our lives must become in this process of sanctifying hardness, when in moments like these, everything becomes dark, lonely and without purpose? Here in the depths of obscurity, is the opportune time provided for the devil, to launch his arrows and try to sift our faith through our weakness.
This is where faith gets tested. But for the elect’s sake (even) these days shall be shortened. For God knows how much we can handle. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Soon, the barren tree’s circumstances begin to shift. The arms having become stiff by the drought of silent abandonment begin to soften, hands loosened in submission and obedience, and fruit springs forth super-naturally…
If in everything there is a season, ( eccles 3:1) then sink your roots deep into your dormancy, searching for the Living Water that sustains the inner-man. Trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass. (ps 37:6-7)
I flesh this out from my own personal brokenness.
Jesus says that when the branches of the fig tree become tender, and begins to put out its leaves, you know summer is near. That is, though impervious, yet in the ordained time, as God has predetermined, the hardness of the branches soften, their leaves begin to grow, and figs soon spring forth, naturally.
How seemingly unfruitful our lives must become in this process of sanctifying hardness, when in moments like these, everything becomes dark, lonely and without purpose? Here in the depths of obscurity, is the opportune time provided for the devil, to launch his arrows and try to sift our faith through our weakness.
This is where faith gets tested. But for the elect’s sake (even) these days shall be shortened. For God knows how much we can handle. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Soon, the barren tree’s circumstances begin to shift. The arms having become stiff by the drought of silent abandonment begin to soften, hands loosened in submission and obedience, and fruit springs forth super-naturally…
If in everything there is a season, ( eccles 3:1) then sink your roots deep into your dormancy, searching for the Living Water that sustains the inner-man. Trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass. (ps 37:6-7)
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
A message from Bethany (Mark 14:3-9)
As I continue my meditations through the Gospel of Mark this morning, “anointing” became my operative word, and thus will be throughout the remainder of the day,as I reflect upon God’s anointing on my own life.
Jesus is the one who does the anointing. He infuses us with the Holy Spirit at the very moment of regeneration.
Here are two contrasting points represented in my text.
1) the anointing of death (old covenant)
2) the anointing for life (new covenant)
The scope of the issue is that in order to be anointed for life, one must die before Jesus can infuse us with His spirit. In order to aid us in the death process,He had to first prepare the ground through the application of the Cross.
It is then by belief, faith, and confession that we get sealed unto salvation by grace through His anointing or baptism.
In contrast, the woman’s anointing prepared His seal for death, while God’s anointing prepares our seal for redemption.
I came up with a few antonyms…
The woman’s seal was temporary, God’s seal is eternal.
The woman’s seal was a pleasant fragrance that would soon dimish with time.
God’s seal is an aroma to life from glory to glory.
The woman’s seal was expensive, God’s seal is priceless.
The woman’s seal was a sacrifice from savings.
God’s seal is a results from His sacrifice for our saving.
The woman’s seal was inspired by God.
God's seal is God inspired.
Jesus said the woman had done a beautiful thing to Him.
I’d say for believers, He has done a beautiful thing for us!
May we be a beautiful fragrance, anointing the heads of one another in peace.
Jesus is the one who does the anointing. He infuses us with the Holy Spirit at the very moment of regeneration.
Here are two contrasting points represented in my text.
1) the anointing of death (old covenant)
2) the anointing for life (new covenant)
The scope of the issue is that in order to be anointed for life, one must die before Jesus can infuse us with His spirit. In order to aid us in the death process,He had to first prepare the ground through the application of the Cross.
It is then by belief, faith, and confession that we get sealed unto salvation by grace through His anointing or baptism.
In contrast, the woman’s anointing prepared His seal for death, while God’s anointing prepares our seal for redemption.
I came up with a few antonyms…
The woman’s seal was temporary, God’s seal is eternal.
The woman’s seal was a pleasant fragrance that would soon dimish with time.
God’s seal is an aroma to life from glory to glory.
The woman’s seal was expensive, God’s seal is priceless.
The woman’s seal was a sacrifice from savings.
God’s seal is a results from His sacrifice for our saving.
The woman’s seal was inspired by God.
God's seal is God inspired.
Jesus said the woman had done a beautiful thing to Him.
I’d say for believers, He has done a beautiful thing for us!
May we be a beautiful fragrance, anointing the heads of one another in peace.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Faith
Ask and believe! (mark 12:24)
Faith is regarded as a normal attitude of the heart and mind when one begins to pray. It is not a sudden burst of emotion or even an isolated act.
Faith contemplates the effect as potentially accompanying its exercise, though the actual fulfillment may be delayed. Faith is seeing the fulfillment, before it happens!
Faith is regarded as a normal attitude of the heart and mind when one begins to pray. It is not a sudden burst of emotion or even an isolated act.
Faith contemplates the effect as potentially accompanying its exercise, though the actual fulfillment may be delayed. Faith is seeing the fulfillment, before it happens!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Fruitless Ministry
Jesus came to find a fig tree in leaf. (Mark 11:12)
This fig tree gave an appearance of having much fruit, but as Jesus searched, he found none.
The incarnational Christ came to earth to bring Diety to humanity, although, what we see in this passage is His humanity, a limitation - He was hungry. However, the greater emphasis here is on the tree that had leafed prematurely. So much for appearances. According to this illustration "actions speak louder than words".
The two points of consideration should be the following: 1) The state of the present day evangelical church, and 2) Personal conversion. Both in need of fresh revelation. With the easterly winds of pluralism and relativity pressing hard against the sails of true Christian orthodoxy, we find, because of our embrace, a church quickly becoming shipwrecked. We are in great need of a second reformation, a revival of truth. With our post-modern methods of orthopraxy becoming the nucleus of our gathering, rather than the proclamation of the word, we have become much like this fig tree of old. As Jesus looks for fruit - He finds none.
The same can be said of some professing believers. To think, like many do, that mere intellectual assent is sufficient for salvation is no different than inviting unbelievers to church without offering them Jesus and His word. If the Word is what transforms a life ( Ps 1:2-3; John 14:17; 17:17) then we must scatter it faithfully, regardless of the outcome, with the final product being more on the lines of confessing rather than professing. Otherwise we may just as well be likened to this fruitless tree- cursed.
This fig tree gave an appearance of having much fruit, but as Jesus searched, he found none.
The incarnational Christ came to earth to bring Diety to humanity, although, what we see in this passage is His humanity, a limitation - He was hungry. However, the greater emphasis here is on the tree that had leafed prematurely. So much for appearances. According to this illustration "actions speak louder than words".
The two points of consideration should be the following: 1) The state of the present day evangelical church, and 2) Personal conversion. Both in need of fresh revelation. With the easterly winds of pluralism and relativity pressing hard against the sails of true Christian orthodoxy, we find, because of our embrace, a church quickly becoming shipwrecked. We are in great need of a second reformation, a revival of truth. With our post-modern methods of orthopraxy becoming the nucleus of our gathering, rather than the proclamation of the word, we have become much like this fig tree of old. As Jesus looks for fruit - He finds none.
The same can be said of some professing believers. To think, like many do, that mere intellectual assent is sufficient for salvation is no different than inviting unbelievers to church without offering them Jesus and His word. If the Word is what transforms a life ( Ps 1:2-3; John 14:17; 17:17) then we must scatter it faithfully, regardless of the outcome, with the final product being more on the lines of confessing rather than professing. Otherwise we may just as well be likened to this fruitless tree- cursed.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Progressive Revelation
I am currently studying a doctrine called "progressive revelation". Charles Hodge strongly supported it, and I have always been taught it. Here are some thoughts in support of it.
Within the confines of His written Word, God gradually unveils:
* The attributes of His triune nature
* His purpose and plan for His creation
* His two-fold plan for saving and blessing his two elect groups of people;the remnant of Isreal, and the church which is His body.
God progressively reveals truth about Himself and His will throughout the Bible.
God progressively changes the people He deals with throughout the Bible.
God progressively changes the way He deals with people throughout the Bible.
Within the confines of His written Word, God gradually unveils:
* The attributes of His triune nature
* His purpose and plan for His creation
* His two-fold plan for saving and blessing his two elect groups of people;the remnant of Isreal, and the church which is His body.
God progressively reveals truth about Himself and His will throughout the Bible.
God progressively changes the people He deals with throughout the Bible.
God progressively changes the way He deals with people throughout the Bible.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Doing life with God
A. W. Tozer posed this question, "What do you concieve God to be like"?
Well, after over 30 years of doing life with God, I would concieve God as a shaper; a molder; a breaker, and then a re-shaper. But after over 20 years of doing life with God in His service, my perception of God is that He is all of that, but loving; He is all of that, but, generous; He is all of that and faithful. He is my Creator King.
Well, after over 30 years of doing life with God, I would concieve God as a shaper; a molder; a breaker, and then a re-shaper. But after over 20 years of doing life with God in His service, my perception of God is that He is all of that, but loving; He is all of that, but, generous; He is all of that and faithful. He is my Creator King.
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