Posted on

THE SHEPHERD’S PSALM – PART 3

Ps.23:5,6 – You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD

Forever

If the Lord is my Shepherd and my friend, I have peace no matter what enemies I may face. Actually, I can sit down and feast at the table of the Lord when all of hell is banging at my door. Here is how SPURGEON describes feasting when under attack.

“When a soldier is in the presence of his enemies, if he eats at all, he snatches a hasty meal, and away he hastens to the fight. But observe: “Thou preparest a table,” just as a servant does when she unfolds the damask cloth and displays the ornaments of the feast on an ordinary peaceful occasion. Nothing is hurried, there is no confusion, no disturbance; the enemy is at the door, and yet, God prepares a table, and the Christian sits down and eats as if everything were in perfect peace. Oh! the peace which Jehovah gives to his people, even in the midst of the most trying circumstances.”

What is our feast? It is God Himself. What a better meal, we feast on His body and drink His blood.

He anoints my head with oil. The anointing is everything to me. David had experienced the anointing as a child. It was His secret to conquering the giant, defeating the Philistines, writing the Psalms, and leading Israel to a time of peace. It is impossible to understand David without the anointing. It is equally impossible to live a Christian life without His presence upon me. Because of His anointing my cup is running over. This anointing not only empowers us, it satisfies us completely. He is my portion, my cup is flowing over.

His goodness and mercy are my portion. He not only does good things for me, as Jonathan Edwards often said, “He is my good”. He is goodness and His goodness is my portion. His mercies are with me everyday. If His goodness supplies my needs, then His mercies blot out all of my sins.

So this is my life. I find all of this, all of the blessings of the Shepherd, in the house of God. The Shepherd abides in this house; this is where I will live all the days of my life.

Posted on

TRUST COMPLETELY

Pro.3:5 – TPT – Trust in the Lord completely,

and do not rely on your own opinions.

With all your heart rely on him to guide you,

and he will lead you in every decision you make.

I want to share a passage from Proverbs 3 from the Passion Translation today. Verse 5 has two short but extremely powerful thoughts. First, trust in the Lord completely. What exactly would that look like? I have actually been working on this for the last forty-five years. I think I still need to sort out what trusting completely looks like. Trusting Him when everything seems to be going my way is one thing, trusting Him when Katrina comes knocking at your door is another thing entirely. The second thought in this verse is don’t rely on your own opinions. I would say that is definitely easier said than done. What helps me with both of these instructions is this, draw close to the Lord, get to know Him intimately, then I will see His love for me and trust Him to sort out the intricacies of my life. Actually the next verse says exactly that.

VS.6 – “Become intimate with him in whatever you do,

and he will lead you wherever you go.”

That is the solution, intimacy with God. From that place of intimacy we trust Him more. From that place of trust it is easier to follow His lead.

The next verse I want to share is verse 9 and 10.

“Glorify God with all your wealth,

honoring him with your very best, with every increase that comes to you. Then every dimension of your life will overflow with blessings from an uncontainable source of inner joy!”

So this is where the Lord gets extremely personal with us. He wants that intimacy to include the financial part of your life. We all know that we don’t just bring anybody into our financial world. Allowing intimacy with God to extend to our possessions is extremely important and rewarding. When He comes on the scene He brings His wisdom, His influence, and His unlimited source of provision. Knowing Him intimately makes tithing a no-brainer. I bring in the first portion of my harvest and He takes it and multiplies it back into my life. Then that last part of verse 10 comes into play, “every dimension of your life will overflow with blessings from an uncontainable source of inner joy!”

Posted on

ONE WITH US

John 1:14 – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

We can never really come to the end of the power of this verse. What was in the mind of the Lord when He became one of us? He gave us glimpse inside the veil in His prayer in Gethsemane. John’s account is much more detailed and intimate. These words are really beyond comprehension, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:20–21

He prayed that we could enjoy the intimacy with Him and His Father that He Himself enjoys. Unthinkable!!!! He became one of us to redeem us from our fallen condition and bring us into this oneness with the trinity. Eternity will be an unfolding of this incredible intimacy bursting with indescribable joy. Here is a glimpse of this truth from Jonathan Edwards.

“Such was the love of the Son of God to the human nature, that he desired a most near and close union with it, something like the union in the persons of the Trinity, nearer than there can be between any two distinct [beings]. This moved him to make the human become one with him, and himself to be one of mankind that should represent all the rest, for Christ calls us brethren and is one of us. How should [we] be encouraged, when we have such a Mediator! ’Tis one of us that is to plead for us, one that God from love to us has received into his own person from among us.”

Salvation is bigger than any of us realized. We were looking for help in this life and an escape from eternal damnation. We got way more than that when Jesus became a man. We have been brought into the heavenly places. Paul said we are seated with Him in heavenly places. So this is what the humanity of Jesus was all about, it was about oneness. Now our commission is to enjoy this new life and bring as many others into it that we can.

Posted on

I AM THE TRUE VINE

Jn. 15:1 – I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

This picture of the grape vine falls in one of the most critical places in all of scripture. God’s revelation of Himself in Christ is coming to a climax. Jesus has just served the Last Supper to His disciples, washed their feet, and is headed toward Gethsemane where the arrest and passion will begin. He has been teaching His disciples about the Holy Spirit and how He will change everything. As they pass through a grape vineyard He begins to describe the intimacy that is being brought to them through His death and the outpouring of the Spirit. The Oneness He will pray for in Gethsemane is being described in this passage. We are being brought into the very life of God. Here is how Andrew Murray describes the beauty of this passage.

“All earthly things are the shadows of heavenly realities–the expression, in created, visible forms, of the invisible glory of God. The Life and the Truth are in Heaven; on earth we have figures and shadows of the heavenly truths. When Jesus says: “I am the true Vine,”

He tells us that all the vines of earth are pictures and emblems of Himself. He is the divine reality, of which they are the created expression. They all point to Him, and preach Him, and reveal Him. If you would know Jesus, study the vine. How many eyes have gazed on and admired a great vine with its beautiful fruit? Come and gaze on the heavenly Vine till your eye turns from all else to admire Him. How many, in a sunny climate, sit and rest under the shadow of a vine? Come and be still under the shadow of the true Vine, and rest under it from the heat of the day. What countless numbers rejoice in the fruit of the vine! Come, and take, and eat of the heavenly fruit of the true Vine, and let your soul say: “I sat under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste.”

When I was newly saved I lived in a valley surrounded by grape vineyards. I loved to read this passage again and again, reflecting on the life of God in His people. He is in us and we are in Him. Abiding in Him, depending on Him, brings glory to God and fills our whole being with fullness of joy.

Posted on

HAPPY

Phil.3:8 – More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,

This verse gets to the very heart of life, the pursuit of happiness. That basic motive in everyone’s heart is often that huge elephant in the room. Everyone knows it is there but no one would ever acknowledge it. That is except for Paul, he had been chasing that elusive elephant all his life. If you still don’t know what I am talking about let me be really specific; all humans are directed, motivated, and empowered in the pursuit of happiness as the basic drive of their life. Many are not even aware that this is what motivates them but it is always present. Paul is saying he found out why that desire for happiness is the common denominator in everyone’s life. The businessman in pursuit of success is pursuing happiness. The athlete in pursuit of a championship is after the happiness that would bring. Even the prostitute in her humiliation is looking for happiness at what lies after the next trick. Drug addicts, alcoholics, policemen, and politicians (and preachers too) are looking for happiness they hope their choices will bring. Here is how Jonathan Edwards describes this verse.

“Young people commonly seek pleasure in company, and oftentimes spend much of their time in mirth among their companions; but none have such delightful company as those that live in the exercise of religion, and virtue, and holiness, for they have their conversation in heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ has become a friend and companion. Oftentimes when they are alone and seem to the world to spend their time solitarily, they indeed have company enough. It is their delight to withdraw from all the world, the more freely and intimately to converse with Jesus Christ…. The Father and the Son come to seek young people and walk and make their abode with them, and manifest themselves to them. They have an intercourse with heaven by meditation, and prayer, and other duties of religion. They with a spiritual eye do see Christ, and have access to him to converse; and Christ by his spirit communicates himself to them, so that there is a spiritual converse between them and Christ Jesus. And must not this needs be the pleasantest and the happiest company?”

Edwards spoke about young people in their pursuit of happiness among friends. Edwards said that even the youth could find their greatest happiness in the pursuit of the Lord. So Paul and Edwards came to the same conclusion, ultimate happiness is found in Christ alone.

Posted on

TO KNOW HIM

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.

Do you know Jesus? That is a common phrase heard amongst evangelical believers. The problem with this is it is easily misunderstood. What does it mean to know Jesus? Does it mean have you answered an altar call, or prayed the prayer ? Or does it mean you have answered the question right when you are asked are you going to heaven when you die? Paul talked about “knowing” Jesus in today’s verse. For Him it wasn’t a casual statement or something that happened once upon a time, it was a deep, intimate relationship with the Lord that was increasing throughout his life. It wasn’t an add on in his life, for Paul knowing Christ was his life. Paul said that to know Christ was the most valuable possession that he owned and the very pursuit of all his energy. His ministry seemed to be an overflow of his pursuit. Here is how Steven Fry describes Paul’s statement.

“From a prison cell in Rome, Paul pens this personal letter in which he comes to terms with an accomplished past and a confining present. After his past as a persecutor of God’s people and through his “superior” religious activities as a Pharisee, Paul came to the liberating conclusion that all is rubbish compared to knowing the Lord! Freed from the stagnation of yesterday’s victories and the emotional paralysis of yesterday’s mistakes, Paul knew that the only thing that ultimately counted was knowing the Lord and being obedient to His will. Not only was his past subsumed by this singular passion, his present imprisonment could not snatch from him the joy of knowing Christ. Prison chains could not keep him from pursuing God, nor dull his effectiveness in ministry. Paul’s desire to know Christ sprang from no other motive but to enjoy Him. He wanted Christ for Christ’s sake, not his own. He was a lover of God, not a user of God.”

I love that statement, He wanted Christ for Christ’s sake. So let me ask that question once again, do you know Jesus? Do you know Him as your passion, your goal in life and your friend? Answering this question is where life begins.

Posted on

CHRISTMAS TREASURE

Lk.6:20 – And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God”.

How do you measure a really good Christmas? Is it the haul of presents and gift cards you got, the family reunions over holiday celebrations, or the bonus check at work? Obviously gift cards and prizes don’t last, the thrill is over pretty quick. The bonus usually disappears in the black hole of Christmas bills, and family time isn’t always what it is cracked up to be. Maybe the mystique of Christmas is much deeper than carols and candy canes, sleigh rides or sitting on Santa’s lap. Maybe its about the Savior’s birth and why He came, to restore man to a relationship of intimacy with God. Maybe Christ Himself in us is the true measure of a really good Christmas. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was in prison in Germany in WWII because of his faith in God. He wrote a letter to his fiancée from prison during Christmas season that speaks volumes about the true measure of Christmas time. Here is a portion of that letter.

“I think we’re going to have an exceptionally good Christmas. The very fact that every outward circumstance precludes our making provision for it will show whether we can be content with what is truly essential. I used to be very fond of thinking up and buying presents, but now that we have nothing to give, the gift God gave us in the birth of Christ will seem all the more glorious; the emptier our hands, the better we understand what Luther meant by his dying words: “We’re beggars; it’s true.” The poorer our quarters, the more clearly we perceive that our hearts should be Christ’s home on earth. I think we’re going to have an exceptionally good Christmas. The very fact that every outward circumstance precludes our making provision for it will show whether we can be content with what is truly essential. I used to be very fond of thinking up and buying presents, but now that we have nothing to give, the gift God gave us in the birth of Christ will seem all the more glorious; the emptier our hands, the better we understand what Luther meant by his dying words: “We’re beggars; it’s true.” The poorer our quarters, the more clearly we perceive that our hearts should be Christ’s home on earth.”

Amazing, “I think we are going to have an exceptionally good Christmas”. How could anyone have an exceptional Christmas, all alone in prison, separated from their loved ones? The answer is simple, we are not alone, we are never alone. Bonhoeffer believed that in the midst of horrible circumstances what really matters in life becomes more precious and even more real. So if you are going through some unusually tough time this Christmas, take Bonhoeffer at his word, “The poorer our quarters, the more clearly we perceive that our hearts should be Christ’s home on earth.”

Posted on

EXPOSED BY WORSHIP

John 12:3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

It’s funny how worship can expose the heart of everyone involved. Mary had just poured out the fragrant oil on the feet of Jesus when another fragrance filled the room. It wasn’t enough for Judas to have his own opinions, he had to attack Mary and her extravagant display of affection. Why do you allow this kind of affection? Why do you allow this kind of waste? Shouldn’t we have fed the poor instead of wasting the oil on your hands and feet?

Have you ever wondered what was really eating at Judas? Sure, he was bummed about the apparent waste of resources (he had other ideas of how to use the money). That wasn’t the real issue; the real issue was the pubic display of affection. Judas couldn’t let that slide. It put too much pressure on him and the others. Were they expected to worship this way too?

What Judas did’t quite understand was what had made Mary this kind of worshipper? What had changed in the last few days? From something Jesus said we can see into the heart of Mary’s actions.

“For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.”

That was it! Mary seemed to be the very first from the inner circle to get the implications of His death. This is why He had come. Mary finally understood the source Of His mercy and her forgiveness. He was the sacrificial lamb that John the Baptist had prophesied about. Jesus had come to die. This is what exposed Judas’ heart. Judas wanted the power that would result from a revolution, His death would be the end of those hopes and plans. That’s why that blasted fragrance was so disturbing; it was the smell of Mary’s worship. This was the fragrant worship that sprung from revelation. Jesus had come to die for sinners, this was Mary’s only hope.

This brings us to us. Who is Jesus to you. Is He just a way for us to accomplish our earthly dreams; maybe business, ministry, or even family. Or is He more than that, maybe He is way more than that. How will you know? You will know when you next find yourself in a room where that aroma of worship begins to be poured out. It has a way of uncovering the condition of our hearts.

Posted on

THE KISSES OF HIS MOUTH

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.

SOS 1:1,2 – May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine.

It’s funny what church people fight about.Our first church fight started when I put shells on our empty lot next to the church to make room for more parking. People actually left the church over that. Since then, people have fought about too loud music, too long services, preaching about God too much (that’s a true story). I guess many of us try to create church in our own image. The only solution for any of that is a move of the Spirit. That brings us to the funniest of all church offenses, this one was about kisses. When our church began to experience a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the 1990’s, our music, as well as most everything else, began to change. One of the songs we began to sing in those days was ‘True Love’ by David Ruis. In the song he sang about the kisses of the Lord. That was it for some folks. The audacity of singing about kisses, especially from the Lord in church. I decided then that I couldn’t worry about pleasing people, I just wanted to be pleasing to the Lord. Here are the words to David Ruis’s song, hopefully you won’t get your knickers in a twist.

‘Jesus I need to know true love

Deeper than the love found on earth

Take me into the King’s chamber

Cause my love to mature

▪

▪ Let me know the kisses of Your mouth

▪ Let me feel Your warm embrace

▪ Let me smell the fragrance of Your touch

▪ Let me see Your lovely face

▪ Take me away with You

▪ Even so, Lord, come

▪ I love You Lord

▪ I love You more than life

▪

My heart, my flesh yearn for You, Lord

To love You is all I can do

You have become my sole passion

Cause my love to be true’

At the end of the day we are all looking for love, we just want this love to be authentic. True love is what Solomon’s Song is all about, he sang about kisses, embracing in affection, and the beauty of His name. I believe the world has always longed for love, especially the love of God found in Jesus Christ. Authentic Christian worship moves us deeply, it effects the deepest springs of our affections. So don’t be afraid to express your deepest feelings and words on the Lord. People are always going to be offended by spiritual intimacy. So go ahead and read Song of Solomon again, set aside some time for intimate worship, let Him kiss you with the kisses of His mouth.

Posted on

He was there

MERRY MONDAY BY PARRIS-

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God

He was the light shining in the darkness. John 1:1

Before the world was, there was Christ and he gave the world its existence. The more we dive into the word the more we remain in awe of a mighty Savior, the more redemption takes on a fuller and deeper meaning. He forever is the “the light shining in the darkness” over fallen man. It does one well to ponder the present ministry of Christ. Christ was “there through it all”. He saw Adam and Eve as they grabbed the first bite of unbelief, he watched Noah as he built the ark, stood by Abraham before he killed Issac and he provided another offering. He oversaw the killing of all the firstborn of Egypt while the plague passed over the Israelites. He has been on task throughout eternity and he ever lives to make intercession for us now. Christ is there and he is ever there and he made his way among us.

Far too many of us negate the work of Christ in our lives. In our hustle and bustle of everyday life the precious blood of Christ seems to slowly loose its mark upon us. Our redemption story becomes more like a fairytale of bygone years. Somehow we make it all about ourselves again. Going to church, reading his word, being thankful all become laborious! No wonder our faith grows weak and our prayers silent. He becomes a God that once was rather than he is and will continue to be. My friend your lamp has run out of oil and the light is slowly becoming extinguished. The Shulmaite in the Song of Solomon experienced a Holy Ghost awakening when she desired his kisses again. When he took her into his chamber she exclaimed. “look not upon me for I am black, they made me a keeper of the vineyards and my own vineyard I have not kept”. She knew somewhere, somehow she had left her first love. She got caught up in the things that make her sorrowful (the blackness of life) and spent her years toiling under the burning sun. She had forgotten how he loved her and brought her out of all of that. How precious it is that Christ comes to us again and again, telling us how we are loved, like his special rose. He takes each part of us and shows us the beauty in it. My friend Christ can be the light shining in your present darkness. Somehow the little foxes came and took your joy away, ate away the words sown deep within and left you barren. He is there with you now waiting for you to turn to him.