love of god

Apr

2013

He Was There All the Time

“Yet You are He who brought me forth from the womb; You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts.

“Upon You I was cast from birth; You have been my God from my mother’s womb.” (Psa 22:9-10)

Journal,

I’ve often wondered about the Scripture that says the Lord will shorten the days for the sake of those who belong to Him. They sure seem to be getting shorter all the time.

But what did the Lord mean? Did He mean that the days will actually become shorter, while the natural process of time remains the same? Did He mean that because of the darkness that would invade the earth, that He planned to bring His people home before it gets much worse?

Those are just thoughts.

Anyway, here I am. This year I will be seventy-three, will have been married to my beautiful bride for fifty years, have three children, nine grand children, and three great-grandchildren. And when I look back over my life, I can’t help but wonder, ‘Where did the time go?’

But I can also look back and say, ‘He was there all the time.’

Oh, I’m not complaining, mind you. Fact of the matter is, that in spite of the trials and troubles, in spite of my many failures and mistakes, in spite of my sinful digressions, yet I can truly say that my walk with the Lord has been both wonderful and mysterious.

Yes, I can say truthfully say with David, that the Lord who brought me forth from my mother’s womb, has been in my life all the time. And the truth be known…

It Really Hasn’t Been That Long

Here is the mystery part – Even as a young man, when I declared myself to be an atheist, He was there.

And when I was hitting the bars at every port, and doing all the seedy things in life that sailors are often found doing, He was there.

I can now look back over my seventy-two years of life, and see that God had a course in place for me. And from the time my mother taught me to pray, and I first became conscious of the Lord God, on to this very day, it is without question that God’s providence has overseen every moment and detail of my life.

I case you are wondering, what I am describing is not simply about me. I am telling the story of every child of God.

Don’t misunderstand the things I’ve shared. God was never the cause of my sins and failures. I did that well enough on my own. But God had His plan in place, and in every event of my life, He was always there to help me work things through.

Some give me a puzzled look when I tell them that I’ve enjoyed getting older. Oh yes, I carry in my heart the knowledge that one day life on this side of heaven will be complete. And in my heart I carry God’s validation of heaven.

I began this entry with a quotation from David, about God having been his God from his mother’s womb. It is also David who gives us the deeper insights in a believer’s sojourn in life.

He does this in Psalm 139. Perhaps it would do well to meditate on what David had to say.

[note color=”#edd3f9″]For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

“O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all.

“You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?

“If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.

“If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,’ Even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.

“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;

“And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.

“When I awake, I am still with You. O that You would slay the wicked, O God; Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. For they speak against You wickedly, and Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way. (Psa 139:1-24)[/note]

Just some things to think about.

And as is my custom, why not take time to listen to this wonderful gospel song. Surely the Lord will speak to your heart.

In Christ always,

Buddy

May

2012

Do You Remember the Jesus Kids

“The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’ The LORD will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, ‘Rule in the midst of Your enemies.’

“‘Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn,

“Your youth are to You as the dew.'” (Psa 110:1-3)

Journal,

Some time back I shared a bit about the Jesus movement of the 60s and the early 70s. The Jesus movement was a precursor to the charismatic movement. One difference was the idealism of these ‘kids’. Oh yes, they were fraught with problems, made many mistakes, and had strange slogans, such as, ‘Make love, not war.’ But their idealism was a thing of the heart.

Anyway, I felt it would be good to use that earlier journal entry as a platform for what I want to share today. What I wish to do with this journal entry is to reach deep into your heart by way of learning the most important lesson in life.

You can decide what the most important lesson in life is for you.

There they were, a boy and a girl hitchhiking

It was 1971, and I was on my way to Lafayette, Louisiana. We had just completed our last revival. The Lord was doing a major overhaul in my spiritual life, and it was time for some time off. My former company had asked me to come back to work with them. So, off I went to scope out everything.

It never bothered me to pick up hitchhikers if my family wasn’t with me. As a youngster myself, I had hitchhiked all across the country from California to Louisiana.

The two young people got in the car. I asked, ‘Where are you going?’ ‘To the Maranatha House across from USL.’ (University of South Louisiana.)

“I’ll take you there.” And that’s where our friendship began. These kids were part of the tail end of the Jesus movement of the 60s. The Maranatha House was an unofficial sorority for campus kids. (It was known earlier as the Mustard Seed.)

Young People Can Make You Love them

One of my favorite Psalms is 110. And I dearly love David’s statement about young people; “Your youth are to You [God] as the dew.”

This is a statement of refreshing. The heart of God is refreshed with the idealism of His youth.

How I fell in love with these young people. They were so noble-minded in their antiestablishmentarianism. But their love for Jesus was refreshing and even a bit disarming. It wasn’t long before they ask me to share Bible studies with them. What a joy. They would sit around me on the floor in rapt attention. They were all like sponges.

Now I must tell a precious story. At that time I was still involved in a very conservative Pentecostal church group. As things went a number of the Jesus kids asked me if I would baptize them. Checking with the pastor to make sure it was alright to use the church baptistery, he gave his OK.

It was on a Saturday. Several of the church people wanted to see the baptism. They heard of my work with these young people. But there was a problem that I had not readied anyone for. In fact I hadn’t even thought about it.

I had failed to tell the Jesus kids how to dress. Here they came with their swim suits, some two-pieced for the girls and shorts for the guys. You should have seen the faces of the church folk. Chins began to drop and eyes were wide open.

It was certainly a new experience for everyone. The Jesus kids got to meet the church kids. (By the way the Jesus kids were often mocked at by being called, ‘Jesus freaks.’ We could use a few Jesus freaks today.)

Oh yes, we don’t need to be reminded. The Jesus kids did have their own struggles and failures just as we do. But they could make beautiful music. Their love for Jesus radiated. I guess you could compare them to diamonds in the rough. Aren’t we all? Oh how I could tell some hilarious stores about these kids. Maybe some other time.

Well, if you would like to see what the Jesus kids looked like back in the 60s and the 70s, here is a clip you will truly enjoy. Just look at their faces and the sincerity in their worship.

Listen to the group, ‘Children of the Day’. ‘For Those Tears I Died.’

Does God Really Understand Our Tears

Sometimes a song will reach deeper into our heart than anything else. Let’s move forward a few years and listen to another group who loves Jesus dearly. This song was from a Christian group of whom the Jewish mother found Jesus Christ as the love of her life.

This song is entitled, ‘He Understands My Tears.’ It is by ‘the Isaacs.’

The most important lesson about life’s struggles

The point is that we all sin. We all miss the mark. We all have issues that have been the cause of our own failings. It is like the apostle wrote,

“There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turn aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.”(Rom3:10-12 nasb)

Did you catch it? There is not a person on this planet who can claim personal righteousness before God. Did you know that Paul called himself the chief of sinners?

So, what is the object lesson that Jesus gave us. It is found in this simple statement,

“He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7 nasb)

What does this mean? It means to stop pointing your finger at others when you yourself have your own struggles and failings and sin issues.

The Lord was not excusing sin. He was dealing with two very important issues. His first words were to the accusers of the woman caught in adultery. Those who dragged her before Jesus were guilty of a sin that is the most damaging to anyone who claims to be a believer. It is the sin of self-righteousness.

What about the woman? Her sin was not self-righteousness. Jesus also had words for her. See if His words tell you anything:

“Straightening up, Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.'” (Joh 8:10-11 nasb)

Again did you catch it? The only one who could have condemned her was Jesus, and He would not. He did not come to condemn her, but to save her. Jesus came to help her get her life straightened out.

Why did Jesus not condemn her? It is because of the story behind the cross. Jesus ministered grace to this hurting woman.

This is exactly what the Psalmist-Prophet said the Messiah would do. Psalm 45 has been considered a Messianic Psalm, by both the ancient Hebrew people of God and by the Christian Church.

Listen to some of the language:

“My heart overflows with a good theme; I address my verses to the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

“You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever.

“… Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your fellows.” (Psa 45:1-7)

This Psalm is quoted from in Hebrews 1. But it is also seen in action when Jesus spoke in the synagogue of Nazareth. What did the people hear?

“And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, ‘Is this not Joseph’s son?'” (Luk 4:22)

Lord, save us from ourselves

Our job is not to go about condemning people. We are in the business of helping to save people. It is like the preacher who said, ‘We preach best when we preach out of our own wounds.’

John wrote,

“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged…” (John 3:17 nasb)

We need someone who can reach into our lives and save us from ourselves, from our foolish mistakes, from our own self-destructions, as well as from all the destructive forces at work in the world. We need grace! We need a mighty Savior. And that is what Jesus came to give us. Jesus saves eternally.

This is what Paul was talking about when he said that the letter kills, while the Spirit gives us life.

The Lord give us His Holy Spirit to help us walk the journey of life. There are too many situations in life where only the Spirit of the Lord can help us to maneuver correctly. Our problem is that we tend to beat each other up with the letter, or even beat ourselves up, and not allow the Lord to bring healing where it belongs.

So, does God understand our tears?

Yes He does. He actually weeps with us. He knows our heart, our pain, our struggles. But He also knows our future. The Lord decided in eternity passed that He would be our Savior. And He decided in eternity that He would give us the victory of the cross, and that no weapon ever formed against us would ever prosper.

He decided to take our place in this sin filled world, and to share with us His place in His eternal kingdom.

This is why I often make the statement, ‘Jesus saved us. Jesus is saving us. Jesus will save us.’

What about the Jesus kids?

Well, we are those kids. People will always be the same. Maybe it is a good sign that the world calls us ‘Jesus freaks.’ We should consider it a great honor.

I will never lose my love for ministering to those the world sees as misfits. Seems I will always have the heart of an evangelist.

Think about it.

Buddy

Feb

2012

For the Love of Jesus Christ

“When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

“And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.'”

(Rev 5:8-9)

Journal.

How does a person truly know that they are saved? That really isn’t a difficult question to answer. To know Jesus personally is to love Him personally.

This love for Jesus carries its own witness in the heart of every believer. And it is this love for Jesus that becomes the major guidepost in the life of all who belong to Him.

For all true believers, a love for Jesus and faith in Jesus are inseparable. They are very much the same.

Peter puts a face on how the love of Jesus and faith in Jesus are connected —

“…so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable … though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.” 1Pe 1:7,8

A Love that is Divine

It is important to understand what distinguishes a believer’s love for Jesus from all other religions in general. Actually it is this love for Jesus that differentiates Biblical Christianity from Orthodox Judaism, from the Isl?mic faith, and from every other religion to be found on planet earth.

A believer’s love for Jesus is the same love that the heavenly Father has for His Son. It is this divine love that encompasses all that salvation in Christ means.

Thus we have the statement, “God is love.” It is this special divine love found only in God, that is poured out into the heart of the true believer. It is this ‘unworldly‘ love that enables the believer to love the way God loves. And so it is this unique love that causes the true Christian to be unlike other people.

In fact the Lord gave one distinguishing sign that would cause people to know that a person belonged to Him. It would be the love sign.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even AS I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Joh 13:34-35)

What many don’t realize is that the love Jesus is speaking of is a love that is only be found in God Himself. The love Jesus is talking about was not a love to be found in the natural human family before He came into our world. This is why it is so important to understand how God’s love fits into His work of redemption.

Notice how the apostle John uses the term ‘love‘ in his writings. Also note how the apostle identifies this love as a love that is to be found only in God. Thus it is this love in the heart of a believer that gives evidence that a person has truly been born of heaven.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1Jn 4:7-11)

The afore Scriptures are self-explaining.

The point being that all true Christians have come to know Jesus Christ personally as the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the One who died for our sins, was buried, resurrected, and ascended into heaven; the One of whose eternal blood has been sprinkled on our hearts, and of whom we anxiously await His second coming; the One who is the center of our joy and rejoicing.

It is our love for Jesus and our unique love for one another that sets Christianity apart from all other forms of religion.

This brings me to how Jesus fits into the religions of Islam and of Judaism. I will only address the basic elements of Judaism, as are found in their holy writings, the Talmuds, and the basic elements of Islam, which are found in their holy writings, the Qur’an.

Jesus in Islam…

The teachings about Jesus in Islam are far less pervasive that what you find in Judaism. In Islam, Jesus is given special respect as one of the five great messengers (prophets) of God.

Islam regard Adam as the first prophet and Muhammad as the last prophet. Muhammed’s title is called, ‘Seal of the Prophets.’ The five great prophets (messengers of God), are Noah, Abraham, Noses, Jesus, and Muhammed. None of these are divine.

Islam regards Adam as the first prophet and Muhammad as the last prophet. Muhammad’s title is called, ‘Seal of the Prophets.’ The five great prophets (messengers of God), are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. None of these are divine.

In Islam, Jesus is called the son of the Virgin. However, He is not divine, nor is Jesus accounted as the Son of God; He was not crucified, nor does He have anything to do with the salvation of humanity. The strange one is that while Jesus is considered to be the Messiah, He is not Messiah in the sense as is found in the gospels. Jesus comes in second to Muhammad.

Muslims are taught that when Jesus does return, He will convert the world to Islam.

The point at hand is that while Muslims would never slander Jesus, yet their true knowledge of Him is limited. The people have been trapped in religion of darkness, one that uses militancy as its primary weapon, and one that makes Christianity its arch enemies. In some Isl?mic societies it is a death sentence for any Muslim to convert to Christianity.

The good news is that many millions of Muslim are having their eyes opened and are turning to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Their greatest need is to hear the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of the Muslims of the world are turning to Jesus because a New Testament has been placed in their hands.

Jesus in Judaism is an altogether different story …

Again keep in mind that there are many levels of Judaism, just as there are many levels of Islam, as well as many levels of Christianity. Actually there are true believers in Jesus Christ among the Jewish people. But religiously speaking that would be an abnormality.

But here I will drawn on the Talmudic writings of the ancient Rabbinic Judaism. These writings remain the holiest books of Orthodox Judaism.

Most people are not aware of how Jesus is treated in the Talmud. Here is a sample:

“He [Onqelos] sent and brought up Jesus the Nazarene (Yeshu ha-notzri) out of his grave by necreomancy and asked him: ‘Who is important in that world?’

Jesus answered, ‘Israel.’

Onqelos: ‘What then about joining them?’

Jesus: ‘Seek their welface, seek not their harm. Whoever touches them is as though he touches the apple of God’s eye!’

Onqelos: ‘What is your punishment?’

Jesus: ‘With boiling excrement.’

There is much more to be said, but this gives the idea. Mary is treated as a whore, and Jesus as the son of a Roman soldier. There are a number of code words for Jesus in the Talmudic writings. None of them very pleasant.

What is the plus side in all this? The plus side is similar to what is happening in Islam. Many Jews are discovering Jesus for who He really is. However, there is a last stage to be reached in Judaism. It began in Jerusalem, it has to end in Jerusalem. Jerusalem’s warfare is not ended.

Jesus said:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'” (Mat 23:37-39)

Again from the prophet Zechariah:

“And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.”

The great question of all generations remains...

Will the Father say to all people,

What have you done with My Son?

Did you treat Him as holy?

Did you trample Him underfoot as nothing of worth?

These questions are eternal salvation questions.

Think about it as you listen to the words of this song – ‘Like a Rose Trampled on the Ground’

May the Lord richly bless you in a discovery of all His will for your life.

In Christ,

Buddy

Dec

2011

May the Lord be heart and soul in Your Life in 2012

Friends,

I really do wish all my readers a wonderful 2012.

As for 2011, it was terrific year for Betty and me. We celebrated out 48th anniversary. Took our anniversary cruise to the Bahamas with several of our friends.

Perhaps the greatest thrill of our heart has been to watch the ministry that we parented in 1976, Christian Challenge International, continue to grow stronger and stronger under the guidance of our son Nathan.

It has been awesome to see the caliber of people the Lord has gathered to us, and to consider the strong leadership that the Lord has given to Christian Challenge.

Words could never express how so very much we are thankful for. But to give my readers a true feeling for all that we wish for your 2012, please enjoy these marvelous pictures. They can say more than I can as for our wishes for your 2012.

I do hope you have a sense of humor along with a laughing heart.

(Thanks Doug for the pictures.)

Always in Christ,

Buddy

Dec

2011

The Springs of Life – Reflecting the Heart

“My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body. Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Pro 4:20-23)

Journal,

The Hebrew word for ‘springs’ is the word ‘tosaah.’ Tosaah is a geographical term that speaks both a boundary and of a source. It’s reflective meaning is, ‘goings forth’.

The point is that what we have in our hearts does have to do with the boundaries and the outgoing of our own life.

It can be said that we give shape to our life by what is in our heart.

Thus we have the admonishment to…

Watch With all Diligence

Can many of our trials in life be a result of our own heart attitude? Can there even be a sickness or other ailment in our life as a result of harboring unforgiveness, resentments, bitterness, or ill will towards others?

Yes, the Bible does teach that our total well-being can very well show our inward state of being. Both our blessings and our disappointments in life can be a direct result of what is happening in our heart.

Just as a tree grows from the inside out even so with us. If the tree is not healthy on the inside it will reflect on the whole of the tree.

This is why the sage said,

“Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”

David draws attention to how life reflects on the man who refuses to bless.

Listen carefully:

“He also loved cursing, so it came to him; and he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him. But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, and it entered into his body like water and like oil into his bones. Let it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself, and for a belt with which he constantly girds himself.” (Psa 109:17-19)

The New Testament also addresses the issue of a bitter spirit.

“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled.”(Heb 12:15)

The heart issues in our life well show forth in our speaking. According to Scripture, our heart and our tongue have a direct connection.

Let’s see how the Bible allows us to understand how …

Our Tongue Reflects Our Heart

In Hebrews we are told that bitterness is a defiler. It not only defiles our own personal life, but it can defile those around us. And some of our bitterness can come from a failure in our own past. We need to change how we look at our past.

James draws attention to not being able to share the gospel properly because of a heart that is not where it needs to be with the Lord.

“With it [our tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?” (Jas 3:9-11 NASB)

Now listen very carefully to the instructions given by the apostle Peter –

“To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

“For, ‘The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.

“’He must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

“’For the eyes of the Lord are towards the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’” (1Pe 3:8-12)

Pursuing Righteousness and Peace

There is no question that bitterness can create an excessive burden in a believer’s life. It carries such a corrupting ability that if often calls for a discipline of the Lord.

The writer of Hebrews call attention to the issue of Godly discipline:

“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. …

“Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

“Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” (Heb 12:11-14)

This is metaphoric language that calls attention to some of the burdens than can weigh a believer down as a result of unforgiveness and resentments. Is it not possible that some of our physical ailments are a result of the bitterness we carry?

Is it also possible that some of our health issues can be the result of a corrective measure from the Lord?

Perhaps this is also where some of our miracle healings come from. Forgiveness can be the gate of healing.

These are things to consider.

A Word from the Apostles

Let’s see how both Paul and Peter speak to this.

[Paul] “For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.”

— The background for this is the Lord’s table, but its directive is to those who were resentful of others. The sicknesses in this case are punitive or corrective judgments from the Lord. — 1Co11:22-34.

[Peter] “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1Pe2:1,2)

— Where Peter speaks of the ‘pure milk’ of the word, he is speaking of milk that has not been adulterated by bitterness and other such things.

Consider this lesson in life.

A Cow in the Bitter Weeds

As a country boy I can give an example of what pure milk is not. In the south we have what is called bitter weeds. A cow will sometimes make these weeds part of her diet.

The milk looks so refreshing. But the moment you begin to drink, instantly you spew it out. Why? The milk is full of bitterness. And yet in appearance the milk itself looked perfectly good.

Can you draw a lesson with this story? I hope so.

This brings up a primary issue with regard to bitterness.

It is crucial for believers to …

Make Peace with the Past

Very often bitterness in our life is a result of not having forgiven someone. It is not a matter of whether the person deserves forgiveness, or even if they have asked for forgiveness. It is a matter of keeping one’s own spiritual life pure.

We have a perfect example to follow from the cross.

“When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.

“But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.” (Luk 23:33-34)

We also hear this with the first Christian martyr.

“They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’

“Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ Having said this, he fell asleep.” (Act 7:59-60)

The Message of the Cross is Forgiveness

When Jesus said, “Father, forgive them,” was this not the message of the cross?

Are we not forgiven by a life exchange with Jesus? Jesus gave His life up for us.

Are we not to learn to live in this flow of forgiveness? Are we not to forgive?

We are also under commandment to walk in love the way Jesus walked. The Lord pointed out that a powerful faith walk revolves around forgiveness.

He said,

“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.” (Mark 11:25)

And so it may well be that the most crucial matter in a believer’s life is in coming to grips with the past.

Until we learn to make peace with the past, we will suffer in the now. Are you free from the past? Is there something you need to let go?

The place to begin is by…

Identifying With Jesus

What does identifying with Jesus mean? John said,

“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (1Jn 4:4)

How did Jesus conduct Himself in the gospels? He freely loved and He freely forgave. What should we do? Freely love and freely forgive.

Jesus forgave all our sins, past, present, and future. How can we do otherwise?

Forgiveness is a power key of the faith walk. If we learn to forgive quickly, it gives us the power to jerk the rug out from under the enemy. He will have nothing to work with.

Paul tells us how this works. Listen and learn:

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal 2:20 NASB)

Did you catch it? Good.

Jesus provides the power for the child of God to walk a life of victory in Him.

Let Jesus be the reflection of your heart.

Here is your song of meditation. Listen – The Lord wants to speak to your heart.

In Christ always,

Buddy

Nov

2011

Welcome to My World – Won’t You Come On In

Readers,

Many are not aware that the song, ‘Welcome to My World’ was co-written by John Hathcock and Ray Winkler in 1961, but it was first made popular by Hathcock and Winkler’s good friend, Jim Reeves (Gentleman Jim).

Reeves was one of the most well-loved country artists of his time. He became internationally famous and the song, ‘Welcome to My World’ went international. Seems the world is still waiting for the next Jim Reeves.

The list is endless of other artists who took it up. It includes such notables as Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, Rikki Hendersen, Faron Young, Eddy Arnold, Charlie Pride, and the Anita Kerr Singers.

However, there is a secret to this song that not everyone picks up on. Welcome to My World is a Christian based song. For you who know your Bible, you will quickly pick up on direct quotes from the Bible and/or allusions to the love of God that is found in Jesus Christ.

So, using that song as a prelude to this study let me share something about God’s world.

Let’s begin with…

God’s Secret World

In Psalm 31, David expresses sorrow over the strife and struggles of life. Have you been there? Sure you have.

“In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be ashamed; in Your righteousness deliver me. Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly; be to me a rock of strength, a stronghold to save me.” (Psa 31:1-2)

What is the answer? The answer is when David breaks out into praise that speaks of God’s love for His people.

Listen to the man after God’s heart:

“How great is Your goodness, which You have stored for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men! You hide them in the secret place of Your presence, from the conspiracies of man; You keep them in the shelter from the strife of tongues.” (Psalm 31:19,20 nasb.)

Where David says, ‘the secret place of Your presence’, the literal is equally translated, “the secret of Your face.” The idea is that God hides His people from the view of their enemies by bringing them to the very place that He Himself dwells.

There has always been a secret hiding place for God’s people.

Our Hiddenness Through the Ages

The secret place of God would take in all His people from ancient time on. The Old Testament saints somehow knew in their hearts that the Lord Himself was their ever-present security in life.

Moses said,

“Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” (Ps90:1 ,2 )

Moses uses the same word that David used with regard to the ‘secret place’ of the tabernacle.

Listen again to David:

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, `My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” (Ps91:1,2)

This truth of our hiddenness finds it fulfillment at the cross. Paul said when a person calls upon Jesus as Lord, the Father takes the total of that person’s life and places it in Christ.

The Secret Love of God

Here is where we come to the great mystery of God’s love for His people. The Psalmist Asaph speaks of God’s people as His ‘treasured ones.’ He writes,

“They make shrewd plans against Your people, and conspire together against Your treasured ones.” (Ps83:3)

The Hebrew for ‘treasured ones’ speaks of that which is covered by God, that which is hidden, or that which is kept secret. But it especially speaks of the secret of one’s heart. God has a secret. God’s treasured ones are the secret love of His heart.

The Psalmist puts things together when he writes,

“One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.

“For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock [the Rock is Christ]. And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.” (Psalm 27:4-6)

The Concealment of God

The Hebrew for ‘conceal’ is the same word the Psalmist uses for God’s ‘treasured ones’. God’s people are His treasures in the earth and for all eternity. This allows us to have a better understanding of a kingdom parable of the hidden treasure.

Jesus said,

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field [world], which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matt13:44)

The treasure has to do with the hidden kingdom of heaven. The story is the story of the cross. Jesus Christ gave His life for the hidden treasure. Jesus came to seek that which was lost. Now the treasure is hidden again, but this time it is hidden in Christ.

Paul said,

“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Col3:3,4)

All that David said about the secret place of God have their fulfillment in the finished work of the cross. Being hidden in Christ means that every believer is eternally secured from the power of darkness. We can never be separated from God’s love. Our life is placed in the Light of God’s very being. Peter said that our calling was into, “His marvelous light.”

Raised Up and Seated

While this truth of our hiddenness may seem difficult to grasp, one fact remains – Our faith should always rest upon God’s truth of our redemption in Christ Jesus. Our place in Christ is secured.

The truth is that every believer in Jesus Christ has already been raised up and seated with Christ in the heavenly. This is our place in Christ. And while we yet walk this earth in our natural state, the Father takes of heavenly life, places it in our hearts as a foretaste of eternity. Heavenly life is God’s presence and His oversight of our lives.

The Father never takes His eyes off believers. Listen to this conversation between David and the Lord:

[David] “You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.”

[Lord] “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”(Ps27:7,8)

The Joy of the Cross

The reason Jesus endured the cross was because of the joy that was set before Him. The joy set before the Lord Jesus was all those whom the Father would give Him from eternity.

Jesus said,

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. … This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.

“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:37,39,40)

The Only Question You can Answer for Yourself

There is one question that needs to be answered – Are you now trusting in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? A heart-faith and trust in Jesus is proof positive that you belong to Him. And if you belong to Him, then you are most certainly one of His treasured ones.

This is what the great apostle said:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Eph2:8-10)

Think about these things.

The Invitation Stands – Whosoever will may enter into God’s World

The Lord God offers every person on the planet the key to His world and His kingdom. The key is found in Jesus Christ, God’s only-begotten Son. Call on Jesus. He will answer. In fact, He is standing at your door now. Won’t you invite Him in?

I want to share songs that will minister to your heart. The first one is ‘Welcome to My World,’ by Elvis Presley (1973)

The following worship songs are for your spiritual strengthening. Listen to them. The Lord will speak to your heart.

You Are My Hiding Place/As the Deer

In Christ always,

Buddy

Oct

2011

Walking Through the Passages of Life

“You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” (Psa 32:7-8)

No matter what your struggle in life is about, the Lord will faithfully show you how to make the passage into His victory. He never writes any of His children off.

Every passage of life leads to the greater victory. Paul said it would be from glory to glory.

Journal,

It happened Wednesday, August 28^th,1974.

The day earlier I had turned my resignation letter to my presbyter. I was leaving the denomination that I had been a part of both as a pastor and as an evangelist. I will never forget the words that he spoke. He said, “Brother Martin, these people will never have anything else to do with you.”

I knew he meant these words in a kindly way. The presbyter was well aware that the nature of that denomination was pretty much to ostracize anyone who left them. I also knew that, but it didn’t matter. The Lord had already placed on my heart a directive.

Nevertheless, at my office the following morning a gloomy dark cloud hovered over me. I felt a loneliness that I wasn’t familiar with. That is when I reached for my Bible and fell to my knees. The chair in front of me became my altar.

An astonishing thing happened. My Bible fell open and my eyes looked at this one Scripture;

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Php 1:6)

The cloud disappeared

Joy filled my heart. I jumped up, grabbed the phone to call Betty.

What I didn’t know was that at the very moment Betty was having her own struggles. And at that same moment the Lord had spoken words of life to my sweet Betty. We were in this struggle together.

Before I could get out of my mouth what the Lord had said to me, Betty said, “Honey, listen to what the Lord just shared with me!”

She began to read,

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Gal 1:10)

That was it! We were passing through another life gate together. God had given us life words to live by, words to face the future together.

After all, Jesus said,

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” (Joh 6:63)

The Passages of Life

A life gate can be anything you face in life that could well result in a major change in your future. I call these life passages simply because it is the Lord who gives you the keys for making the passage. He gives you words to live by.

But there is one truth I really want to get across. It does not matter what you are struggling over. It could be about a divorce, about your job, about friendships, about loneliness, or a new marriage. It just doesn’t matter. The Lord has promised to help all His children make these passages through life.

A number of followers of Jesus were leaving Him. We hear this conversation between the Lord and Peter:

“So Jesus said to the twelve, ‘You do not want to go away also, do you?’ Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.’” (Joh 6:67-68)

When Peter said that Jesus had words of eternal life, he wasn’t thinking of the gospel message that brings us salvation. To him eternal life had to do with a kind of spiritual life that only comes from the Lord. It is in this life that we would receive words from God to live by.

Every child of God will have life gates to walk through. You may call them something else, but the point is that it is in these times that we need to have something by way of direction from the Lord. Sometimes the need is in a desperate moment. At other times it may simply be a need for reassurance.

Words to Live By

As long as I can remember the Lord has given me words to live by. Sometimes these words come in a dream or in a vision. Sometimes I simply hear them in my heart. But most of the time they come when I am reading and meditating upon the Scriptures themselves.

One of my more recent examples had to do with my bout with cancer. I well remember when the Lord told me to ‘expect the unexpected.’ Of course this had to do with my miracle healing.

I’ve often shared my testimony of healing. But I feel that the Lord wanted me to share it again. So, here it is again:

Expect the Unexpected

It was August 6, 2007. I had been in cancer treatment for a while. The findings were not good. Lymphoma had spread throughout my chest area and was now into my bone marrow. Our local hospital could do no more for me. They were sending me to M. D. Anderson in Houston. Everything pointed to a marrow transplant. (Pretty invasive procedure.)

Things were alright between me and the Lord. I had told the church that it was a win-win situation. The only concern I had involved which kind of bone marrow transplant would I have to go through. One was more invasive than the other.

I hadn’t asked anyone to lay hands on me. This time it was different. I knew all this had to be just between me and the Lord. Any laying on of hands would have to be His hands.

That day I am having my morning devotion on a hill behind the church. While reading In the book of Isaiah, the Lord spoke to my heart and said, ‘Expect the unexpected.’

When I looked up at the high wire directly over my head there sat a beautiful dove. I sat there just looking at her. The dove would look at me. She remained there until I stood up to walk home. Then she flew ahead of me towards the house.

It has always amazed me how of the Lord will speak to my heart while I am reading the Scriptures. That morning I was taking my devotion from the New Living Translation. Here is the part where the Lord spoke to me:

“Oh, that You would burst from the heavens and come down! How the mountains would quake in Your presence! As fire causes wood to burn and water to boil,

“Your coming would make the nations tremble. Then Your enemies would learn the reason for Your fame!

“When You came down long ago, You did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations. And oh, how the mountains quaked!” (Isa 64:1-3 NLT)

I shared with the church what the Lord had said. I did not know what ‘expect the unexpected’ meant. I thought perhaps I would receive the less of the two invasive stem cell transplant procedures. After all that was the purpose of sending me to Houston.

At M. D. Anderson I was put through a battery of tests. They gave me a thorough work through. Betty and Nathan were with me.

When we met with my primary physician, he went down the line on each test that M.D. Anderson had made. With each test he said, ‘No cancer.’

At some point between Pineville, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas, the Lord had granted me a sovereign miracle of grace. It’s been over four years now. Every checkup carries the same message of ‘no cancer.’

And that is the story of my healing from the Lord

Why am I sharing these testimonies? Perhaps one of my readers will catch a spark of faith in knowing that God is no respecter of persons.

There are so many instances I would like to share with you. Here is one more.

The ‘What am I doing here’ Word

It was in 1971. Betty and I and our two sons were in Los Alamos, New Mexico, to raise up a mission work for our denomination. Once again I am facing a moment of, ‘What am I doing here?’ My heart is puzzled.

On top of everything, I am homesick. New Mexico was far removed from Central Louisiana. We were tired from having traveled a heavy road of evangelism. And now we are going to raise up a new work?

But the Lord had other plans. While reading the Scriptures again I find myself being pulled into a conversation between Jesus and Peter. Suddenly the question that Peter asked of the Lord was my question. Listen:

“Peter began to say to Him, ‘Behold, we have left everything and followed You.’

Jesus responded,

“Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.” (Mar 10:28-30)

Once again I had received my word of comfort from the Lord. And once again we were about to pass through another life gate.

It has come true – I am unable to count the blessings of the Lord that have come upon my home.

Even in our darkest trials, I can still say, ‘Thank you Lord. You have always been with me.’

It has to become real personal

Don’t ever make it about religion.

The heart of the new covenant is entirely fixed on a relationship with the heavenly Father and with His son Jesus. As Jesus was praying, we hear Him say,

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (Joh 17:3)

Knowing God means that you have a knowing relationship with Him. Jesus said,

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (Jn10:26-28)

Following in His footsteps…

Think about it.

Have you passed the major gate of life? (This is where Jesus Christ truly becomes your Lord and Savior.)

Do you know God as your Father, or is it simply religion that you know?

Jesus said,

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (Joh 14:6)

The only question that remains is,

‘Where are you taking me Jesus?’

And the Lord says,

‘Walk with Me. I am taking you to My Father’s house. Are you ready to walk from glory to glory?’

The Lord wants to minister to your heart. Listen to Candy Christmas as she sings, “I Know the Master of the Wind.’

Much love coming your way,

Buddy

Aug

2011

Can You Find Your Way Home

“For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.” (2Co 4:6-7 nasb)

Journal,

Sometimes I find it very worthwhile to reaffirm an earlier journal entry. This entry draws largely on an entry that I provided in March, 2011. It was titled, ‘Finding Your Way Home.’ (Year and a half ago.)

The apostle Paul said that all believers in Jesus Christ have a ‘surpassing [divine] power’ in their hearts, and that we must learn to live by that power and not by our own soul’s self powers. Each apostle tell us the same thing,

John says,

“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (1Jn 4:4)

The apostle Peter adds,

“[We] who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1Pe 1:5)

Living in the Glow of Jesus

But before I go further I want to give a better perspective on why Paul called attention to the opening of Genesis, where God said, “Let there be Light.” Paul is saying that it is this ‘Light‘ that is now shining in the heart of every true believer. (2Co4:6)

Paul is doing is drawing on an ancient belief among God’s people. They believed that when God said,“Let there be Light,” this was the original Light that that creation was to live by. The ancients called this Light, ‘the Light of Life’.

The Hebrew people had other names for the original Light. They said that ‘Light‘ is one of the names of Messiah, in that God Himself is called ‘the Light of the world.’

Even the term ‘sun‘ was sometimes used metaphorically to speak of God and His Messiah.

You hear a bit of this from the Prophet Malachi:

“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.” (Mal 4:2)

God’s ancient people fondly held to Isaiah, where the Almighty speaks of His Messiah:

“I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, and I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon and those who dwell in darkness from the prison.” (Isa 42:6-7)

Now let’s take this on and talk about…

The Light that shines in the darkness

When Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world,” His words did not fall on unknowing ears. Many of the Jewish leaders knew exactly what Jesus was drawing from, and they did not like it.

While His words fell on those unbelieving ears that loved the darkness, they also fell on believing ears.

Those in Israel who believed in Jesus were being prepared to enter into God’s new creation. Jesus called His kingdom, ‘a kingdom not of this world.’

This new world would be the heavenly Israel of God, that is, God’s holy people, the church of the new covenant. (This is what the analogy of the Vine and the branches is about. The Vine represents God’s true heavenly Israel.)

It would be a world of pure grace. It would be a world of unqualified love. This new world life would have its beginning stages in this present life but would culminate in the life to come. This life would be a journey of life. We are on our way home.

The Powers of the Age to Come

This is why the apostolic writers said that true believers today are actually partakers of the powers of life that belong to the age to come. Paul said that we have this treasure in earthen vessels.

Listen to the apostle John:

“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. …

“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (Cf. John 1:5-14 NASB)

What does this have to do with ‘finding our way home? Good question. This brings us to…

The Redeemed Believer

Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

When a person is born again a number of things happens. As the Light of Jesus enters into the believer’s heart, the Christian is given a new nature. But a problem remains. The believer becomes a spiritual being. Yet his or her personal life (soul) has to be redeveloped with spiritual values. And this is where the believer must learn to focus his attention on Jesus.

Here what often happens. When a new believer first enters the realm of salvation, there is a burst of spiritual life. There is joy! There is peace! There is wonderment! Grace flows like a river. Then somewhere along the way this feeling of joy may start to wane. Temptations begin to cloud the mind. The struggle of life becomes more difficult. A stumble. Another stumble, and then?

What is happening? Paul said that believers must learn to draw on that ‘surpassing power’ that is part of our inheritance in Christ. (Our spiritual DNA.) This is a learning experience. The believer who fails to keep his focus on Christ, is going to have many mistakes, misdeeds, and extra bits of misery in life.

The Greater is He, Principle

And this is why it is so important to understand this principle of ‘Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.’

The principle of ‘greater is He’, doesn’t just disappear because we had a failure or even a hundred failures in our life. It is a truth that needs to become an active principle in each believer’s walk with the Lord.

The Old Testament writer said:

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” (Pro 4:18)

The Light Shines on the Path of Life

This is also where we need to understand what the term ‘truth‘ means in the new covenant experience. In the Scriptures, the term ‘truth’ does not refer simply to a doctrine. The Greek term is used in the new covenant for experiencing the realities of Christ. Paul said the letter kills where the Spirit gives life. No believer can live in victory by trying to live by the letter. Yet it is so easy for a Christian’s life to get bogged down in ‘letterism’.

Letterism says we need all the laws we can get to get saved and to stay saved! This is bad thinking. Paul said that every person born of God’s Spirit remains eternally under the life supervision of the Holy Spirit. This means that every failure we make will be attended to by the Spirit of God.

It is the Spirit of God who births us, seals us, tutors us, educates us, places us where we need to be, refreshes us, turns our trials, temptations, and failures into victories, helps us escape bad teachings, keeps the glory of Jesus before us and in us, and many such things. Our final presentation in heaven is a thing of the Spirit.

This is what truth is all about. Jesus explained this in His response to Thomas:

“Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?’

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.'” (Joh 14:5-6)

The Redeemed person is a son or a daughter

Our relationship with the heavenly Father is not that of a servant. We are sons and daughters of the living God. Angels know and recognize the Holy Spirit’s seal upon every one of God’s children. The seal says, ‘Sealed for the day of redemption.’ (Eph4:30)

The Holy Spirit is to present us safely before the throne of God. This work of the Holy Spirit is so powerful, that He can and does take every situation of our life, and turn it into part of our reshaping in Christ. This is why the apostle said,

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:28)

Paul also says,

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image (inward spiritual likeness) from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2Co3:18

The question is not, ‘How do we find our way home?’

Yes, the title of this blog could be challenging. That was simply to get your attention. No believer has to find his way home. You are on your way home. You are already guaranteed an entrance into heaven. Believe it or not, your name was recorded in the Lamb’s book before the foundation of the world.

So when God said, ‘Let there be Light,’ that statement reached across prophetic history and at the right moment, that Light entered into your heart. And inside you were given a shining heart.

Now, can you let your soul relax in the knowledge that Jesus is going to see you through? Can you let go of bitterness? Can you lay your past failures and mistakes where they belong? In the sea of forgetfulness.

Can you be quiet in His rest?

Can you take to heart what David said in this ascending Psalm? Listen:

O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me. Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me. O Israel [Christian], hope in the LORD from this time forth and forever.” (Psa 131:1-3)

Please take time for this song – It may be your answer for today and for forever…

In Christ always,

Buddy

Jul

2011

Your Future is Already Planned

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Eph 2:4-10)

Journal,

It is so important to get the message of salvation right. Salvation in Christ is not something we can earn. Nor is our salvation something that we keep by our own personal goodness or performance. Salvation is based on one thing alone. It is based on God’s love. And God’s love displayed on the cross. The finished work of the cross means that our salvation is finished. There is nothing to be added to it. There is nothing that can take away from it. The apostle said,

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Rom 5:6-10)

The Major Fault Line

The major fault-line with any belief system that fails to accord with the finished work of the cross will always result in a life of full of doubt and uncertainty. Rather than living in blessed assurance, a works-righteousness system of belief holds people in the sway of uncertainties. At what point can I really know that I am really saved? It is important to understand that God’s love is eternal and that our salvation can never be based on our ability to do points of goodness. The love of God serves as the basis for all His actions towards us. Our salvation was completed at the cross. This is why the apostle John said,

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1Jn4:10)

Paul adds –

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and the renewing by the Holy Spirit.” (Tit3:5)

The Lord of Always

The point is that the apostles were given a love message to carry into the entire world. This is why the subject of ‘love’ is found so much in their writings. Paul said it best:

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom8:38,39)

Let’s give a perspective on Jesus being the Lord of always. How about if you could be in your child’s future, always in the background, yet never diminishing your child’s freedom of choice. You would be there to help in whatever the need may call for. Would you be willing to be there? Well, you can’t do that, but God can. The Lord gave David insight into this awesome area. David said,

“O Lord, You have search me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it.” (Psa139)

David said such knowledge was too wonderful for him. But what is it about God’s love that is so incomprehensible? We know that only too well. We have all found that God’s love surrounds us. God’s love reaches into our pits and draws us out. How we’ve been ashamed of a misdeed, wondering how God could ever love us still, and yet, in our turning to Him, we found He was ever there. In fact He had never left us. The prophet Micah spoke to this –

“Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love … You will give truth to Jacob and unchanging love to Abraham…” (Micah 7:18-20)

Unchanging love is the catch phrase. Jesus expresses God’s eternal love in saying,

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you, abide in My love.” (John 15:9)

Yes, we Christians have such passion over the love of God. After all you don’t hear Muslims singing, ‘Mohammed, lover of my soul.’

The Mystery of Our Tomorrows

Once again we need to take a deeper look at the finished work of the cross. Herein is a great mystery that goes far beyond our ability to understand. God is the God of our yesterdays, of our todays, and of our tomorrows. This means that God is already in our future before we get there. He has made a provision for every situation we may face. God has no limitations on time and space. He sees our entire life before it unfolds in time. He knows every trial, every failure, every disappointment, every temptation, and every bad choice we will ever make.

Does this mean there will be no consequences for all the bad that we may do? It doesn’t mean that at all. Every choice we make will always bring consequences for those choices, whether good or bad. But here is the wonder. God is the God of our tomorrows.

Even in the life that we have not yet lived, the Lord has provided the wherewithal for us to overcome in all that we may have to deal with. Arrangements have already been made for our future.

Stop and think about it — Every trial we will ever walk through, every sorrow we will ever face, and every bad choice we will ever make, God has already made a way to turn all this into His glory.

Think of it this way – The trial you will enter in some distant time, the Lord has already walked you through it. That is because your tomorrows are already present in the Lord. God oversees your entire life and that takes in that part of life that you have yet to experience.

There is nothing in our life that is left to chance. This is included is what Paul had to say –

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 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?” (Rom 8:28-32)

How does the story of our salvation end? Do you remember the Scriptures I used in introducing this study? Look at them again.

Paul says that we have already been seated with Christ in the heavenly places. The story has already been written. In God’s story you are already in heaven. Here it is again:

Be encouraged my friend. Jesus really does love you and He is going to help you to see things through to the end. Take time for this song. The Lord wants to speak to your heart.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz4_u509I_g[/youtube]

In Christ Always,

Buddy

Jul

2011

How the Old Rabbi Got Saved

Wonderful Vacation Bible School

“’Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.’ So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, and came and lived in a city called Nazareth.

“This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’” (Mat 2:20-23)

Journal,

Today we finished up another wonderful vacation Bible school. What an experience. We had such a great team in place and a special thanks belongs to our VBS director, Tammy Carlisle. This woman has such a passion for children. Of course being a public school teacher is on her side. It is so obvious that Tammy and Rich have a special calling from God. God has given them lots of ‘spiritual’ children.

What an awesome cast. We had tribal leaders and assistants for the various tribes of Israel. Then there was the market place. Whereas all the tribal leaders seemed to believe in Jesus, most of the vendors in the market had serious doubts . The market place was plenty busy. The talk in Nazareth was all about Jesus. Jesus really had everyone puzzled. That is, except the children.

Anyway, I was the Rabbi over the synagogue school in Nazareth. I would fuss at the children and tell them not so speak of Jesus while at the synagogue or even in the market place.

Mary sharing stories with the children about Jesus.

But the more I fussed the more the children would cry out, “I love Jesus.” It was so strange. Sometimes you would hear the children singing songs about Jesus. It really disturbed me. After all, I had known Jesus since he was quite young.

Yes, He was always a good lad. He loved God’s law. In fact Jesus always seemed to be much wiser than His years. And His mother, Mary – She really concerned me. Mary and Joseph were two of the most godly people who I knew. How could they get caught up in Jesus being the Son of God?

I had several issues with Jesus being God’s chosen One. I knew that the Pharisees and the temple priests did not like Him. And as much as I admired Mary as a godly woman, I thought she was confused over Jesus being the Son of God. All this talk about angel messengers.

But Nazareth? We were a very poor village and I was just a poor rabbi. Yet as a rabbi I knew that God’s Messiah could not come from Nazareth. He had to be born in Bethlehem. Oh the children — I was so concerned that they might get led astray.

Yours truly - The poor rabbi

The stories kept coming to our village. Seemed all Israel was in an uproar. I had never heard of such miracles – Blind eyes opened. Lepers healed. The lame leaping. And all this about love and forgiveness. Who did Jesus think He was. Only God can forgive sins.

Another thing that bothered me — We rabbis were never allowed to introduce a new teaching in Israel. We could only teach what an older and well-known rabbi had taught. We must always teach according to the tradition of the elders.

But Jesus? I kept hearing that He would never quote from one of the sages. In fact He even came against some of our traditions. I was told that Jesus said,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Mat 5:43-45)

Well, it began to get to me. The children — They were so excited. Their eyes were full of light. They would keep pestering me, “We love you rabbi Buddy. Do you believe in Jesus?” This went on over and over. Who could turn from these little ones. Suddenly I remember something the prophet had said, that a little child would lead them. A little child? I have little

Nazareth's Worship Leader

children in my synagogue school every day. Am I missing something?

How can I say this other than these little children got to my heart. It was time to take a stronger look at Jesus. First I went to Mary. She told me that Jesus was actually born in

Bethlehem. Something was happening to my heart.

Next I went to my Torah to search the Scriptures. A strange thing happened. My Torah started speaking to me. I could not sleep. Night after night I searched God’s Word. It was wonderful. I saw where Moses described Jesus. That David had met Him personally. All the prophets had experiences with Him.

Moses said,

“I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.” (Deu 18:18-19)

David even called Him, Lord:

“The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’ The LORD will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.” Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power; in holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Your youth are to You as the dew.’” (Psa 110:1-3)

I saw it again! “Your youth are to You as the dew.” I knew that the word for youth in Hebrew meant ‘children.’

But the one that really got me was from the prophet Isaiah. My eyes teared up as I read,

“Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

I kept reading.

“He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Something strange was happening inside me as I continued to read.

“Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.” (Isa 53:1-5)

Yes indeed. It happened. The next morning at synagogue school this very girl kept looking me in the eye, saying, “Rabbi Buddy, do you believe in Jesus?”I was speechless. She would not stop. “Rabbi Buddy, do you believe in Jesus?”

The old rabbi gets saved

There she was. This little child was sent to lead me, the old rabbi. She was not going to leave. Suddenly it came out! “Yes, young lady. I believe in Jesus. Yes, I believe in Jesus.”

And that’s the story of how the old rabbi got saved.

But the story isn’t quite over. I wanted to see Jesus.

Here is how it happened. All the tribal children with their leaders and the shop keepers were singing together. Their worship leader had everyone singing and rejoicing.

For some reason everything got quiet. When I looked up I saw Mary walking towards the children. Then I looked over in the opposite direction, there was Jesus. I was speechless.

Mary called His name and Jesus took her in his arms. It was such a tender moment.

Singing of their love for Jesus

Then Mary began telling Jesus how much the children loved Him. When He smiled it was like heaven opened up. When Jesus looked at all the children, you knew how much He loved them. I heard Him call the blessing of God over all of them.

Boy, Jesus must really love little children. I know that I do.

Did Jesus teach me anything in our VBS program? Yes, He did. As I looked at all the children I saw what Jesus wanted us to become. Children are so innocent and trusting. They are precious beyond words. Each child is a special gift from heaven.

Listen to Jesus:

“And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, ‘Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

“Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Mat 18:2-6)

Here is a song that will speak to your heart – “With All I Am”

In Christ Always,

Buddy

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Watch With all Diligence

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A Word from the Apostles

Make Peace with the Past

The Message of the Cross is Forgiveness

Identifying With Jesus

God’s Secret World

Our Hiddenness Through the Ages

The Secret Love of God

The Concealment of God

Raised Up and Seated

The Joy of the Cross

The Only Question You can Answer for Yourself

The Invitation Stands – Whosoever will may enter into God’s World

The cloud disappeared

The Passages of Life

Words to Live By

Expect the Unexpected

The ‘What am I doing here’ Word

It has to become real personal

Following in His footsteps…

Living in the Glow of Jesus

The Light that shines in the darkness

The Powers of the Age to Come

The Redeemed Believer

The Greater is He, Principle

The Redeemed person is a son or a daughter

The question is not, ‘How do we find our way home?’

The Major Fault Line

The Lord of Always

The Mystery of Our Tomorrows

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