42

Posted on by September 23, 2013
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September 22, 2013

Galatians 3:26-29 — For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise

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I watched a pretty good movie on the plane over from Frankfurt yesterday — “42”.
For those of you that don’t follow these things — and I guess there are some — Jackie Robinson was number 42. He was the first African American in Major League Baseball and there will never be another number 42. These very real events happened in 1947, and the courage of Jackie, Branch Rickey (the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers) changed Baseball for ever and surely laid one of the foundations of the Civil Rights movement.
“Sounds like a GREAT movie,” I hear you saying, “how come you only rated it ‘pretty good’?” Well, here’s the thing. Most movies exaggerate, but this one, I think painted the corrosive bitterness that Rickey and Robinson faced with only a muted palette. But this piece isn’t about my undoubtedly excellent credentials as a movie critic. No, it’s about prejudice.

You might wonder why I’m writing this more than 65 years after the events the film portrayed. Let me make a shameful confession. It is one of the things I like least about myself. I am prejudiced. There are people that I meet that I don’t think I’m going to like. Of course I’ve been proved wrong so many times that you’d think I would have learned better by now. And whenever I detect this horrid quality in myself I do struggle against it.
If you can honestly, absolutely, deny that there is the slightest stain of my sickness in you — move on — congratulations. Otherwise, stick with me.

You see, I am NOT alone. In fact just about everybody is prejudiced one way or another — race, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, dress choices, wealth (or lack of it). There are more excuses for “disliking” people than I can think of. And there’s no reason for it! There is only one distinction. Christian, or not? And the “not’s” might not be in the family yet, but we want them! So that person I “just don’t like” might be my sister or brother tomorrow. Better get used to it. Better start loving them now. Or I can be those people who hated Jackie Robinson because He was black, and couldn’t bring themselves to love his God-given talent.

Prejudice is not new. In fact it was ingrained in the Jewish man of Paul’s day who prayed every morning to thank God that “You have not made me a Gentile, a slave or a woman.” Let’s be honest about it and fight against it — in the memory of number 42.

This Is The Day

Posted on by September 21, 2013
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September 21, 2013

Psalms 118:23-24 — This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

05:45 — First alarm call. Still dark night. Nobody moving in the hotel, nothing moving outside.
06:00 — Shower stopped working! Oh well … bath faucet works just fine. Onwards!
06:38 — Rosy-fingered dawn (nice phrase that, pinched from what little I remember of studying Homer) — rosy-fingered dawn starting to paint the sky with glory … Taxi traveling from Mainz to Frankfurt at 170KM / hour. (What’s that — something over 100 miles an hour? I know we were sweeping past heavy trucks like lightning and the green field were a blur …).
06:53 — Frankfurt Airport. Not my favorite. A BIG place, and you have to get to the gate early. There’s not much airside, and the lounges for international flights smell of too many bodies from too many times past …

By now you might be wondering where this is all going? What’s the devotional point? Well, it’s about this … Psalm 118 ends on a note of rejoicing, but have you ever wondered what day David was talking about? It doesn’t start on a note of unquestioned rejoicing. Look at verses 5 and 6 …
I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
The day David was talking about doesn’t look like it was an easy day. But I think it could have been any day. Any day, any week, any year. David was committed to being glad on any day of the week, no matter what happened to Him. So I’m thinking I should do the same.
David came before the age of grace, but he KNEW grace. He understood that whatever happened God was in his corner. Whatever happened it was for the best. So for David, every day was a great day. Whatever happened, it was the Lord’s doing, and it was marvelous in David’s eyes.
if you have been following these devotions you’ll know that I have bad days and good days … a few weeks ago there was a day I was wrongly accused of something I hadn’t done. A bad day! Yesterday, I was reminded of God’s matchless generosity. A good day.

So back to the record.
12:15 — Somewhere over the Atlantic, working on today’s devotion, on my way home to my sweetheart. This is a great day and getting better, but …
In God’s economy, every day is a great day. He made every one. If we trust Him, we know that every single day is full of the marvelous things He is doing for us. Every day, despite my best efforts to see it differently, I should be rejoicing and being glad.
This is the day which the Lord hath made; I WILL rejoice and be glad in it.

Our Amazingly Generous God

Posted on by September 20, 2013
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September 20, 2013

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 — Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

I wrote the other day about the idea that when Jesus gave, He gave big. Well, today it struck me that He came by His generosity honestly — He got it from His Father!
What put this thought in my mind was walking back from a bus stop to my hotel today. I’d been into the city for some sight-seeing … and now I was walking back past what I suppose some people would call scrubby undeveloped land.
Maybe I’ve got rose-colored spectacles, but I didn’t see the land that way. You see, as I walked past I saw rose hips, bilberries (these are a fruit much like North American blueberries or huckleberries that, oddly enough, are hard to cultivate but grow wild profusely), a leggy sort of buttercup with tiny flowers, some early Michelmas daisies, cow parsley, oak and elder trees and much more! Such a generous profusion of gifts poured from an open hand wherever they may fall!
It’s God’s way. The ladies in our church (including my beautiful Godly wife) are studying Malachi at the moment, so it seems good to remember what The Lord says there:

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (Malachi 3:10)

The Father doesn’t have a “matching gift” program. He has “multiplying giving” program.
And did the Son say? “I have come that they might live, and scrape by”? Certainly not! Jesus said:

… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

God loves a generous giver … but why? Because He is not able to provide for all His children’s needs unless we chip in? I don’t think so! It’s all about God’s plan for us.
Those who know me know that I believe that nothing God asks of us is for His benefit, it’s always for ours. Our greatest benefit is to grow most rapidly into the beautiful image of His Son — to grow to be the perfection of His vision for us. We demonstrate that growth when our character reflects — oh so dimly and distantly — God’s own character. Imagine His delight therefore when we feel and follow an impulse to unchained generosity! Oh wonderful amazingly generous God. Even the example of His generosity is a gift to us, showing us the way to grow towards Him.
Thanks be to God who “openest His hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing!”

The Judge’s Decisions Are Final

Posted on by September 19, 2013
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September 19, 2013

Isaiah 13:19, 20 KJV — And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

As I wrote yesterday, I am in Mainz in Germany this week. It’s a very old city with a checkered history. It was founded by the Roman General Drusus, more than 2000 years ago when he took over an existing Celtic settlement. At one time it’s rulers were influential in the Holy Roman Empire. Mainz was occupied many times by the Swedes and the French and finally was almost bombed to destruction in the Second World War — 80% of the building were destroyed.
Go to Mainz today, though, and you might be surprised. You don’t see many modern looking buildings! Although there has been massive reconstruction, it has been in such a way as to sustain the cities dual images of an ancient center — and the “coziest” of all the German state capitals.
In reflecting on the resilience of cities like Mainz, Dresden, and Liverpool and Coventry in England, I was reminded of Babylon.
Babylon the Great is fallen. It’s not clear that the utter destruction predicted by Isaiah has yet occurred — Although the Medes under Cyrus occupied the city in 539 BC and it fell into a long decline and has never been rebuilt it has not been totally destroyed. The site has often been occupied and in 1800 there was a village called Hillah with as many as 10,000 inhabitants!
So what’s up with that? Has the prophecy failed? Not at all! We just have to put it into it’s proper context. To do that we have to go back a little further in our chapter. Isaiah 13:9 says “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.” The prophecy is for “the day of The Lord”. When is that day?
I have to admit the phrase takes a lot of study! It basically means a time when God gets directly involved in history to execute judgment. It is sometimes used to refer to a past judgment, but more often to describe a judgment close at hand. At it’s root though the phrase speaks to the last judgment of the world. Though Isaiah’s prophecy talks of the occupation of Babylon by Cyrus, Jesus also used it as part of describing His second coming in Mark 13.
God is not finished with Babylon! The verdict is final. When God destroys Babylon, he will destroy all the evil in the world.
As for Babylon, of course, so for all the world. There is a judgment for all of us. When that judgment comes, there will be no appeal. The Judge’s decision is final!

The End Of Literacy

Posted on by September 18, 2013
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September 18, 2013

Ecclesiastes 12:12 — And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Well, perhaps I am being a little dramatic. Surely literacy is not dead, nor even dying?
These thoughts are prompted, perhaps, by the fact that I am in Mainz, Germany, this week. Mainz was the birthplace of Johannes Gutenberg who, with his invention of movable type printing in the Fifteenth Century, laid the foundations for mass literacy and the modern knowledge-based economy.
Now it might seem that the old preacher who wrote Ecclesiates took a dim view of books. He also said, “For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.”
I am sure that through the years many students have wished that their masters felt that way too! The Preacher’s comments, though, need to be put in context. He was describing the state of affairs “under the sun” – in the world. It is certainly true that there are more books written than can ever be read, and that many of them are of little value. There is one book, not a wordly book, that will repay constant endless study!
I do begin to fear, though, that the reading of books, even of valuable books, is becoming a devalued skill. Over my short life I have seen a flight from books to films and television, and from films and television to web-pages and facebook. Reading is being replaced by grazing. Journalist and master of memorization Joseph Foer has described a trend that frightens me:
Over the last few millennia we’ve invented a series of technologies – from the alphabet to the scroll to the codex, the printing press, photography, the computer, the smartphone – that have made it progressively easier and easier for us to externalize our memories, for us to essentially outsource this fundamental human capacity.
Put another way — memorizing all of scripture was a normal expectation of the Rabbis, and now we praise children for learning a few verses. Rare now is those people who have truly stored substantial portions of God’s word in their hearts so that they may not sin against Him!
Am I, do you think, worrying about nothing? Is it really fine, because we read and write as well on our iPads and Galaxy Tablets, in Twitter and Facebook, as well as we did with books and writing pads? I do not believe it. I see a daily decline in grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and punctuation. I hear that the King James Bible is now “too hard” for people to read.
I hope we are all convinced that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” If it is so, than we have a holy duty to protect and promote literacy! Let them read!

Forbidden Fruit At The Airport

Posted on by September 17, 2013
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September 17, 2013

Exodus 22:18 — Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

It’s a long flight from Charlotte to Frankfurt, and I forgot to pack a writing pad. Sometimes I like to jot ideas down without starting up my iPad. So I thought I would easily be able to get something in one of those airport shops … you know, the ones that have everything, for prices that are just a little too high. Well, as I started looking, I had my first shock.

Do you know, so few people write things down now that it’s not worth the shops keeping a stock. I tried three or four places, and the best offer was a ritzy $25 notebook. Well, I’m crazy, but not that crazy! So, no notepad … but in the last place I tried I had my second shock, and it really bothered me. They were selling “Watching Over Voodoo Dolls”. Really! You could buy voodoo dolls to suit you personal needs.

In a modern air terminal, in the USA, I had met with ignorance, idolatry and witchcraft on display. Now maybe you think I’m overreacting. I hope not, because I’m not sure I know how to convince you that you are wrong. I hope you are as shocked as I was, and if you are a parent or a grandparent I hope you will watch for signs of the children you love running into these baleful influences, and that you will seek to counter them — strongly!

Perhaps you think the verse that was put in my mind is a bit extreme. Remember, as the saying goes, “I don’t make the rules”. God will not tolerate dabbling in the occult. A grand old commentator, Albert Barnes, does a splendid job of explaining the Almighty point of view:

This is the earliest denunciation of witchcraft in the Law. In every form of witchcraft there is an appeal to a power not acting in subordination to the Divine Law. From all such notions and tendencies true worship is designed deliver us. The practice of witchcraft was therefore an act of rebellion against Jehovah, and, as such, was a capital crime. The passages bearing on the subject in the Prophets, as well as those in the Law, carry a lesson for all ages.

We are to depend on God, and God alone, for provision. He, and He alone, told Adam and Eve what they should and should not eat. Satan tempted them to eat the forbidden fruit — and we all know where that led! So it is with these seemingly trivial nonsenses — voodoo dolls, horoscopes, tarot cards and the like. They are forbidden fruit, and relying on them leads to destruction.

The Best Wine

Posted on by September 16, 2013
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September 15, 2013

John 2:4, 7, 10 — Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
The governor of the feast saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

Pastor Hayes preached a great message yesterday on John 2:1-11. It was introducing, in a way, the topic of Jesus’s miracles, so it touched a number of points. One in particular that doesn’t get enough attention is the way that the miracles are signs that point to Jesus’s divinity — the signs produce wonder, and the wonder produces belief. But I haven’t been prompted to reproduce Pastor’s thoughts, but to bring out another point that struck me as I heard the passage again.
Why is it Jesus says in this context “mine hour is not yet come”? He is plainly not saying “it’s not time for me to start my ministry.” I don’t believe, either, that He is saying, “It is not yet the time for me to be giving signs.” No, I believe He is giving a much more poignant message. “My lady,” He is saying, “it is not yet time for me to be pouring the wine — the wine that is my blood.” But having gently, oh so gently rebuked His mother, He graciously decides — a good son above all — to yield to her wishes but also to deliver a wonderful sign.

Jesus turned the water into wine. And it was no niggardly, counting the cost miracle. There was no reckoning “So, we’re three days into the feast so four days left. Say 75 guests a day, 3 glasses each. A jar and a half should cover it”. No, He said, “Fill the six pots with water.” Then He turned them all into wine. At the least that’s about 100 gallons — say 500 modern wine bottles. Why so much? Because there is no limit to the generous forgiveness available to believers through the pouring out of Jesus’ blood.

Jesus turned the water to wine … and what wine it was. So great that the man charged with running the feast was astonished. “Why wait until now to bring out the good stuff?” Well, of course, any wine that Jesus created as a sign of His blood was bound, I suppose, the be better than any wine that the greatest winemaker could make. But I think too it is a reminder of the lesson that it is not always the first in line who get the best in God’s economy!

That’s what I took away from that old familiar story when I heard it this time That Jesus’ first miracle pointed to His last. The water that turned into wine pointed to the blood that turned into living water. The abundance of the wine pointed to the complete sufficiency of the blood. The wonderful quality of the wine pointed to the perfection of the blood. And the timing … His timing couldn’t have been more perfect!

The King Is Dead

Posted on by September 15, 2013
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September 15, 2013

Proverbs 23:10-11 — Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

Naples doesn’t have many amazing things for kids, so I was saddened the other day when a little amusement park just over the road from us closed. King Richard’s wasn’t a lot, perhaps — Mini golf, a few rides, batting cages, games, alligators, some food choice. Perhaps it was down-at-heel, not glamorous, but it was well-loved. It is, I understand, to be replaced by another automobile dealership. And so it goes on. The ancient landmarks that lend character to our neighborhoods, and the habitats of Florida’s unique wildlife, give way to an anonymous landscape of commercial plasticity and cookie-cutter gated communities.
I have seen a similar erosion in our cultural and social landscape. There was a time when speech and thought patterns, in the home and the school room, in politics and even entertainment, were informed by Biblical knowledge. It is so no longer. It is no secret that there has been a well-orchestrated campaign to drive God’s Word out of schools and public life, to make a mockery of it in public entertainment and to create a cookie-cutter speech and thought landscape of commercial plasticity!
I love what the great Dr. Ironside has to say on this subject:

In this dispensation of grace the portion of the people of God is heavenly, not earthly. Their inheritance is in the precious truth which He has committed to us. To remove the landmarks—the great distinguishing doctrines of Scripture—will be to incur the divine displeasure. Yet, alas, this is the wretched business in which many learned doctors and wiseacres are engaged to-day.

When it comes to the passing on of Biblical truth, so many of our children are effectively fatherless, Spiritual orphans, with none diligently to teach them the words that God has commanded.
The Lord says that those who overrun the land of the fatherless will find that they will, indeed have a Father to deal with — the mightiest of kinsmen redeemers — The Lord Himself! So it will be in the world of beliefs and ideas. They who seek to replace God’s word with lies and trivia will find that they are faced with a power greater than they can conceive of.
If like me, you are saddened by the seeming moving of the old landmarks, take heart. The Lord is at hand!

Where’s The Duck?

Posted on by September 14, 2013
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September 14, 2013

Matthew 23:37 — O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

I’m writing devotions here, so I’m not fool enough to suggest the Almighty is ever forgetful — so I’m just going to say it’s odd that you can’t find a duck anywhere in the Bible. The only hint is the reference to “fatted fowl” as part of Solomon’s daily provision in 1 Kings 4:23.
It was ducks that reminded me of Jesus’ beautiful words. The recent torrential rains have turned the end of our yard that runs down to the lake into a mini wetland. (Actually, I think “lake” is a bit grand, but I suppose the developers didn’t want to lay claim to a “pond”!). We have a family of coots — Mom and maybe 10 or so chicks. They were living in some reeds at the waters edge, but were displaced as the waters rose.
A few days ago we were delighted to hear that they had returned, as the long grass had turned into that mini wetland.
When I came from work on Friday Myra told me of something that had filled her with wonder. Momma Coot set up a loud alarm cry — on, and on it went, and the chicks froze. In complete obedience and trust, they never moved a feather. Myra looked to see the cause of the alarm, and saw a menacing hawk circling the lake, high above, seeking who he could devour. While the hawk circled, the mother cried. While the mother cried, the chicks stayed still.
When the hawk left, momma’s call changed, and the chicks went to her, gathered safe and sound under her wings.
Now I don’t know much about ducks, so I don’t know if our little coot family is typical, but how sensible they seem to me and how good an example we might take for them.
When danger threatens, and satan circles above seeking who he can devour, might we not be best advised to look for our protector and stay safe and still under the protection of His voice?
The Israelites “would not”. They knew what He was talking about. Their own Rabbis would talk of those who converted to Judaism as “coming under the wings of the Shekinah (the glory of God). Although it is not closely documented in the gospels, it is clear that Jesus had gone to them time and again, but they had refused Him. Not just Jerusalem, but all Israel rejected the Messiah. We dare not do the same.
See the risk. Here the call. Run to shelter once the danger moves aside, if only for a moment.

Glory!

Posted on by September 13, 2013
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September 13, 2013

Romans 3:23 — For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Glory! The sun sets on Florida. Colors not present in any human palette paint the clouds with glory. The clouds are illuminated by a hint of the reflection of the glory of God. Glory! What is that though …?
There are some very silly ideas of glory. Look at some recent headlines:

  • “Westwood one round from glory but pitfalls await” (Golf)
  • “‘Kinky Boots’ Edges ‘Matilda’ for Tony Glory” (Entertainment, and don’t ask me to explain!)
  • “After the close: Alexion climbs on FDA news, Biogen basks in glory” (Business)

    • Now, I have nothing against golfers, entertainers or business people (I might even say I was one) — but none of this glory is really glory. At least, it’s not the same as the glory of God. I’m not sure I can exactly define the glory of God, but I think I can describe how it differs from any human kind of glory. Actually, looking at those headlines above might help.

  • Glory, for the golfer, seems to be something he might or might not have. It’s not something he was born with nor, it seems, is it permanent.
  • Glory for the Broadway Show, seems to be something other people give.
  • Glory for the company is, it seems, not something the company has. It’s something that, shark-like, the company basks in.

    • God’s Glory is one of His attributes. It is an inalienable characteristic of His nature. It cannot be given, nor taken away. It is not something He bathes in. It is like love. It is what God is!

    Did I say I wasn’t sure that I could exactly define the glory of God? Actually I know I can’t. That verse from Romans, so often quoted to “prove” our sinful nature carries also the truth that we will always fail to reach to a full understanding of any of God’s attributes – we all fall short of the glory … but I can say something of what the Old and New Testament words for glory are used to convey.
    In the Old Testament “glory” describes three things — God’s perfection in character and morality, the visible representation of that perfection, and the praise and honor God’s people give to Him. In the New Testament much the same is true — one sense is the evident praiseworthiness of God, and the other is the response of praise that God’s character attracts.

    I know there is much more that could be said in an attempt to define it, but this is a blog, not an essay! One more idea has occupied my mind, though. How can the glory of God be seen through the ages? It is a wonderfully changing story.
    In Old Testament times, as has been said, God’s glory was physically manifested. When His Son walked the earth. He showed God’s glory, as Hebrews 1:1-2 tell us:

    “… His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person …”.

    Now, in the Church age glory is imperfectly shown in the members of the Church, the Bride of Christ — We “are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Imperfect though we are, all falling short of His glory, we are touched with it. When Christ returns — “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3)
    The Father, the Son, and His Bride … at the end, we will be united. Believers will be fully glorified at the end of time in God’s heavenly presence.
    This devotion is already too long for me to include the end of the story — but it has already been written in Chapter 21 of the Revelation.
    Of the glory of God — beyond all telling!