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Mark 16:14-20
Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
Mark presents this coda to the wonders of the previous days in a very matter-of-fact way — almost like a business meeting, where Jesus is the chairman, summing up and clarifying a few points, reminding the disciples of the ground covered and the way ahead, before He heads home. The heading — in the New King James Version quoted here — is ‘The Great Commission’.
It is interesting to see how each of the gospel writers end their final chapter. Matthew is closest to Mark, but ends with the more inspirational “I am with you always.” Luke records no similar final briefing, preferring to emphasise Jesus’ appearing to His disciples, as on the road to Emmaus. John — as would be expected — gives a more personal account — but distils ‘The Great Commission’ down to ‘feed my sheep’.
However, the most important thing to remember is that we have four inspirational gospel letters, each speaking with his own voice — testimonials, really — giving us a vivid and rounded picture of Jesus. Mark highlights three aspects of the way ahead for us, His disciples in this present time,
It is interesting to see how each of the gospel writers end their final chapter. Matthew is closest to Mark, but ends with the more inspirational “I am with you always.” Luke records no similar final briefing, preferring to emphasise Jesus’ appearing to His disciples, as on the road to Emmaus. John — as would be expected — gives a more personal account — but distils ‘The Great Commission’ down to ‘feed my sheep’.
However, the most important thing to remember is that we have four inspirational gospel letters, each speaking with his own voice — testimonials, really — giving us a vivid and rounded picture of Jesus. Mark highlights three aspects of the way ahead for us, His disciples in this present time,
- He who believes and is baptised will be saved. Jesus here separates the wheat from the chaff, making a clear distinction of eligibility into the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who fall into unbelief will be condemned, He says. Both the King James Version and The Message use the word ‘damned’.
- In My name. This is, I believe, the single most important message in these verses. When walking out our faith, when praying to Him for help, guidance, in intercession, we should do so ‘in Jesus’ name’. What does that entail? It means with a heart after God, ‘and a right spirit within me.’ His name is His essential being and nature, and we must be rightly related to Him.
- The Lord working with them. This follows on from the last aspect. Remember that we can do nothing of ourselves. Only He has ‘all authority and power … in heaven and on earth.’ And He says “I am with you always.”
‘Meditate on these things…’
MATTHEW 28:18-20
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
CHRIST IS RISEN — Phil Wickham
A HOLY COMMAND: Oswald Chambers on LOVE
— Love with all your SOUL --
WHEN THE LOVE of God is in me I must learn how to let it express itself; I must educate myself in the matter: it takes time.
[from ‘The Place of Help’]
[from ‘The Place of Help’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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Mark 16:1-7
Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large.
And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.
But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."
Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large.
And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.
But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."
‘Very early in the morning’ is a powerful symbol of the light appearing above the horizon, or darkness vanquished — ‘a new day is dawning’. And what light brings is sight to the blind, an awakening of perception, understanding of something not previously understood. It is positive crushing negative, vibrant new life replacing dusty decay; it is resurrection. ‘The sun had risen’ and The Son is risen — that is the Easter message.
‘The first day of the week’ is the eighth day, and eight represents a new beginning. Seven is the number for completion and wholeness, so where do you go from “It is finished!”? You start afresh with a new week. Everything here, right down to the detail, points to the conclusion that the impossible has happened. Such things stretch our credulity, but in the spirit, our hearts leap.
And then comes the message from ‘a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side,’ and the three women were alarmed, just as we would be. So many unanswered questions; this is more than unexpected, even to those who had witnessed Jesus’ miracles. Hope had gone and all was lost, but now revelation of the truth was awakening as the young man spoke — “He is going before you … you will see Him, as He said to you.”
Nothing is as it was. All things are now made new.
‘The first day of the week’ is the eighth day, and eight represents a new beginning. Seven is the number for completion and wholeness, so where do you go from “It is finished!”? You start afresh with a new week. Everything here, right down to the detail, points to the conclusion that the impossible has happened. Such things stretch our credulity, but in the spirit, our hearts leap.
And then comes the message from ‘a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side,’ and the three women were alarmed, just as we would be. So many unanswered questions; this is more than unexpected, even to those who had witnessed Jesus’ miracles. Hope had gone and all was lost, but now revelation of the truth was awakening as the young man spoke — “He is going before you … you will see Him, as He said to you.”
Nothing is as it was. All things are now made new.
‘Meditate on these things…’
MARK 16:9-11
Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
AN EASTER HALLELUJAH — Cassandra and Callahan Star
A HOLY COMMAND: Oswald Chambers on LOVE
— Love with all your SOUL --
OUR LORD HAS told us how love to Him is to manifest itself. "Lovest thou Me? Feed My sheep"— identify yourself with My interests in other people, not, identify Me with your interests in other people. The character of this love is the love of God expressing itself.
[from ‘Called of God’]
[from ‘Called of God’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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Mark 15:33-39
Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, "Look, He is calling for Elijah!" Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down."
And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.
Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"
Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, "Look, He is calling for Elijah!" Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down."
And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.
Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"
Mark’s Gospel is thought to be the earliest of the first four New Testament books, and is the most pared back, telling of Jesus with a straightforward narrative. One feels that it is a news report, an ‘as it happened’ approach to events, devoid of philosophising or conjecture, but also compelling. Mark seems to ask the question, “You weren’t there? I can tell you what it was like!”
Each of the gospel books differs in some way or another in the detail of the crucifixion story. For example, Luke does not mention Jesus saying “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me”, preferring to report Jesus saying “Father, into Your hands, I commit My spirit”, while John writes “It is finished!” Matthew goes with Mark’s commentary — and some scholars believe that Matthew based his writing on Mark’s version — and those words reverberate with a very human cry of despair. Despite all He had preached, did Jesus at the last succumb to doubt?
My own feeling — for what it is worth — is that there are two ways the expression “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” can be considered; as “why have You forsaken Me”, or “why have You left Me behind”. There is a subtle distinction, because we believe that God did not forsake Jesus, but to fulfil His eternal plan He had to leave Him behind at that time. There had to be a break in the Father/Son bond for God’s eternal plan to succeed. This was an involuntary cry of anguish at being separated from Father God for the first time ever. That pain was too great even for Jesus to bear.
The skies were un-naturally darkened in the heat of the day — the whole earth was shaken in that moment, as were the heavenlies — The Creator groaned for His creation, and His pain was surely as great, if not greater than that experienced by His only begotten Son. The cost to God was immense, by any standards we can know. That the heavenly realms were shaken was shown with the veil ‘torn in two from top to bottom’ — the division between man and God was being removed and soon Jesus The Christ would be the bridge between man and God. No wonder the centurion said that “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
Each of the gospel books differs in some way or another in the detail of the crucifixion story. For example, Luke does not mention Jesus saying “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me”, preferring to report Jesus saying “Father, into Your hands, I commit My spirit”, while John writes “It is finished!” Matthew goes with Mark’s commentary — and some scholars believe that Matthew based his writing on Mark’s version — and those words reverberate with a very human cry of despair. Despite all He had preached, did Jesus at the last succumb to doubt?
My own feeling — for what it is worth — is that there are two ways the expression “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” can be considered; as “why have You forsaken Me”, or “why have You left Me behind”. There is a subtle distinction, because we believe that God did not forsake Jesus, but to fulfil His eternal plan He had to leave Him behind at that time. There had to be a break in the Father/Son bond for God’s eternal plan to succeed. This was an involuntary cry of anguish at being separated from Father God for the first time ever. That pain was too great even for Jesus to bear.
The skies were un-naturally darkened in the heat of the day — the whole earth was shaken in that moment, as were the heavenlies — The Creator groaned for His creation, and His pain was surely as great, if not greater than that experienced by His only begotten Son. The cost to God was immense, by any standards we can know. That the heavenly realms were shaken was shown with the veil ‘torn in two from top to bottom’ — the division between man and God was being removed and soon Jesus The Christ would be the bridge between man and God. No wonder the centurion said that “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
‘Meditate on these things…’
HEBREWS 13:5-6
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
WERE YOU THERE WHEN THEY CRUCIFIED MY LORD — featuring Andrea Thomas by The Vigil Project
A HOLY COMMAND: Oswald Chambers on LOVE
— Love with all your SOUL --
HOW COULD THE Pharisee in our Lord's parable possibly love his neighbour as himself? It was impossible, he had not found the true centre for himself. His centre was self-realisation, and instead of loving the publican he increased his own conceit in every detail of comparison. Immediately I become rightly related to God and have perfect love toward Him, I can have the same relationship to my fellow men that God has to me, and can love my fellow men as I love myself.
[from ‘Biblical Philosophy’]
[from ‘Biblical Philosophy’]
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Mark 15:21-24
Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.
And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.
Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.
And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.
And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.
Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.
And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.
The soldiers mocked Jesus as He struggled to carry the cross to Golgotha. They forced Simon (a derivation of ‘Simeon’, meaning ‘hearing’) to take the burden of that cross. Simon, Alexander and Rufus are all introduced to us for the first time and their presence at this moment seems arbitrary — except that nothing in the Bible is without significance.
Simon was ‘coming out of the country’, and it is my belief that God led Simon to be there at that very moment and for an amazing purpose. There is a Bible principle that ‘the name is the nature’, and in Simon we should see that he had spiritual hearing, guiding him to perform that service for Jesus. And his coming out of the country gives us the insight that he was a man who worked the land, strong and able, willing to get a job done in adverse conditions.
Simon’s son’s names mean ‘man-defender’ and ‘red’ respectively, and it could be that their mention — there is nothing to indicate that they were present at the time — is to confirm Simon as, first of all, a father with sons, but also as ‘ defender’, someone who would not like to see injustice. But why ‘red’? The most common attribute for the colour red in Scripture is to indicate ‘the blood of Jesus, or the lamb.’ Other uses of the name Rufus suggest redemption, salvation, love of Christ and the atonement — the very things that Jesus was on the point of bringing to pass, except that His physical body was failing Him. Father God brought help.
Simon the Cyrenian, performs an invaluable service to our Lord — at the (literally) crucial moment — enabling the bringing of God’s plan to fruition. It also shows that the insignificant one can be of great significance, when acting for The LORD; an encouragement for each one of us in His service.
Simon got Jesus to Golgotha — the place of the Skull. Significantly, the skull houses the mind, and forms a protective shell around it. The soldiers could kill the body, but not the mind. They merely divided up His clothes, the earthly things of no importance. They looked to the earth and crucified The King of Kings, but knew it not.
Simon was ‘coming out of the country’, and it is my belief that God led Simon to be there at that very moment and for an amazing purpose. There is a Bible principle that ‘the name is the nature’, and in Simon we should see that he had spiritual hearing, guiding him to perform that service for Jesus. And his coming out of the country gives us the insight that he was a man who worked the land, strong and able, willing to get a job done in adverse conditions.
Simon’s son’s names mean ‘man-defender’ and ‘red’ respectively, and it could be that their mention — there is nothing to indicate that they were present at the time — is to confirm Simon as, first of all, a father with sons, but also as ‘ defender’, someone who would not like to see injustice. But why ‘red’? The most common attribute for the colour red in Scripture is to indicate ‘the blood of Jesus, or the lamb.’ Other uses of the name Rufus suggest redemption, salvation, love of Christ and the atonement — the very things that Jesus was on the point of bringing to pass, except that His physical body was failing Him. Father God brought help.
Simon the Cyrenian, performs an invaluable service to our Lord — at the (literally) crucial moment — enabling the bringing of God’s plan to fruition. It also shows that the insignificant one can be of great significance, when acting for The LORD; an encouragement for each one of us in His service.
Simon got Jesus to Golgotha — the place of the Skull. Significantly, the skull houses the mind, and forms a protective shell around it. The soldiers could kill the body, but not the mind. They merely divided up His clothes, the earthly things of no importance. They looked to the earth and crucified The King of Kings, but knew it not.
ADDENDUM: It occurred to me after posting this meditation, that Simon’s sons represent his inheritance, the continuing of his seed beyond his own earthly experience, and thus, in the spiritual realm they speak of his inheritance in Christ for his faithfulness in hearing God’s direction. That inheritance is redemption, salvation and the love of Jesus by the blood of the Lamb.
‘Meditate on these things…’
MATTHEW 27:36-37
Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.
And the inscription of His accusation was written above: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.
And the inscription of His accusation was written above: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
AT THE CROSS — Chris Tomlin
A HOLY COMMAND: Oswald Chambers on LOVE
— Love with all your HEART --
THE LOVE OF God is the great mainspring, and by our voluntary choice we can have that love shed abroad in our hearts. Then, unless hindered by disobedience, it will go on to develop into the perfect love described in 1 Corinthians 13.
[from ‘Biblical Philosophy’]
[from ‘Biblical Philosophy’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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Psalm 46:4-5
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
The ‘river’ is a very important metaphor in scripture for the Holy Spirit — the river of life. The Psalmist in Psalm 46 states that ‘There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God.’ The Psalm helpfully explains that the city of God is the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God’s tabernacle was spoken to Moses in Exodus 25, and in verse 9, God says to Moses ‘According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.‘
‘The city of God’ and ‘the Holy Place’ in the tabernacle are synonymous, thus — as the Holy Place is a spiritual university for those who have ‘entered in’ from the Outer Court, and are determined to go on with The LORD — the river of life is constantly refreshing and cleansing His people, washing them with the water of His word until they are become holiness. Our Lord has said that it will be so…
‘The city of God’ and ‘the Holy Place’ in the tabernacle are synonymous, thus — as the Holy Place is a spiritual university for those who have ‘entered in’ from the Outer Court, and are determined to go on with The LORD — the river of life is constantly refreshing and cleansing His people, washing them with the water of His word until they are become holiness. Our Lord has said that it will be so…
As we have heard,
So we have seen
In the city of the LORD of hosts,
In the city of our God:
God will establish it forever.
[Psalm 48:8]
So we have seen
In the city of the LORD of hosts,
In the city of our God:
God will establish it forever.
[Psalm 48:8]
‘Meditate on these things...’
REVELATION 7:13-17
Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?" And I said to him, "Sir, you know."
So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple.
And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?" And I said to him, "Sir, you know."
So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple.
And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
COME TO THE RIVER OF LIFE — Don Moen
A HOLY COMMAND: Oswald Chambers on LOVE
— Love with all your HEART --
A SERVANT OF Jesus Christ is one who is willing to go to martyrdom for the reality of the Gospel of God. When a merely moral man or woman comes in contact with baseness and immorality and treachery, the recoil is so desperately offensive to human goodness that the heart shuts up in despair. The marvel of the Redemptive Reality of God is that the worst and the vilest can never get to the bottom of His love. Paul did not say that God separated him to show what a wonderful man He could make of him, but "to reveal His Son in me.”
[from ‘Called of God’]
[from ‘Called of God’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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Isaiah 22:4-5
Therefore I said, "Look away from me,
I will weep bitterly;
Do not labour to comfort me
Because of the plundering of the daughter of my people."
For it is a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity
By the Lord GOD of hosts
In the Valley of Vision--
Breaking down the walls
And of crying to the mountain.
I will weep bitterly;
Do not labour to comfort me
Because of the plundering of the daughter of my people."
For it is a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity
By the Lord GOD of hosts
In the Valley of Vision--
Breaking down the walls
And of crying to the mountain.
With so much distress across the World, it is perhaps no wonder that Gill felt that The LORD spoke to her about plunder and plundering. However, that Spirit Word also came as ‘line upon line; precept upon precept’, a God-given follow-on from our previous meditation ‘Set Your Boundaries’.
Isaiah is speaking ‘a proclamation against Jerusalem’ — a warning to God’s people, which begins with ‘The burden against the Valley of Vision. What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops’. Here, ‘burden’ signifies a prophecy, ‘valley of vision’ speaks of pride in perception or revelation, which is underlined when he talks of ‘housetops’, a high place, but not high enough, thus indicating self-elevation. This is not ‘love lifted me’.
And in verse 2, we hear of ‘a joyous city’, where ‘joyous’, meaning ‘exultant in triumph’, appears to have been used sarcastically, and certainly without any suggestion of the joy of The Lord. Verse 3, has rulers fleeing, captured by the archers — giving us the picture of weak leaders caught in a trap that should have been foreseen and thus avoided.
This prophecy goes on to reveal that, inevitably, there will be ‘the plundering of the daughter of my people‘, or put another way, ‘the desolation and ruin of the apple of His eye … His people.’ This plundering can only take place when boundaries fall, when our misplaced self-confidence and arrogance allows the enemy into the camp to wreak havoc; trampling down, stealing salvation and draining away life.
Thus, because of the enemy’s plundering, we stand to lose every thing that we hold dear, but have not held dearly enough. We cannot afford to hold our faith lightly, or to dip in and out of The LORD’s covering, otherwise we are merely aiming for the housetop instead of the mountaintop.
Isaiah is speaking ‘a proclamation against Jerusalem’ — a warning to God’s people, which begins with ‘The burden against the Valley of Vision. What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops’. Here, ‘burden’ signifies a prophecy, ‘valley of vision’ speaks of pride in perception or revelation, which is underlined when he talks of ‘housetops’, a high place, but not high enough, thus indicating self-elevation. This is not ‘love lifted me’.
And in verse 2, we hear of ‘a joyous city’, where ‘joyous’, meaning ‘exultant in triumph’, appears to have been used sarcastically, and certainly without any suggestion of the joy of The Lord. Verse 3, has rulers fleeing, captured by the archers — giving us the picture of weak leaders caught in a trap that should have been foreseen and thus avoided.
This prophecy goes on to reveal that, inevitably, there will be ‘the plundering of the daughter of my people‘, or put another way, ‘the desolation and ruin of the apple of His eye … His people.’ This plundering can only take place when boundaries fall, when our misplaced self-confidence and arrogance allows the enemy into the camp to wreak havoc; trampling down, stealing salvation and draining away life.
Thus, because of the enemy’s plundering, we stand to lose every thing that we hold dear, but have not held dearly enough. We cannot afford to hold our faith lightly, or to dip in and out of The LORD’s covering, otherwise we are merely aiming for the housetop instead of the mountaintop.
‘Meditate on these things…’
PSALM 91:1-6
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust."
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust."
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
PSALM 91 — Esther Mui
A HOLY COMMAND: Oswald Chambers on LOVE
— Love with all your HEART --
IT NEVER COST a disciple anything to follow Jesus; to talk about cost when you are in love with anyone is an insult. The point of suffering is that it costs other people — fathers, mothers, households; consequently we decline to go on, consideration for others causes us to hold back.
[from ‘The Servant As His Lord’]
[from ‘The Servant As His Lord’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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Deuteronomy 19:14
"You shall not remove your neighbour’s landmark, which the men of old have set, in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
Borders and boundaries have been thrown into high relief at this time; internationally with the horrific conflict over Ukraine, but also nationally, with the ramifications over Brexit and continuing talk about Scottish Independence. Even locally, we are experiencing dissent over who owns what. But The LORD says to His people ‘You shall not remove your neighbour’s landmark,’
This comes at the end of several verses, giving examples of taking life, either intentionally or unintentionally, and about setting up ‘cities of refuge’. After this, verse 14 appears as a mild endnote to a strong and complex exposition. However, it is a succinct summing up, concluding that we need to set our boundaries ‘as the men of old have set.’ Who are these ‘men of old’? Specifically, they are our ancestors, but more importantly, they are those who were ‘in the beginning’.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. [JOHN 1:1-5]
John’s Gospel begins — as did the book of Genesis — with ‘in the beginning’. The ‘men of old’, we are to understand, followed God’s precepts and guiding, leading to our rich inheritance — the everlasting life of Christ in us. That Christ-life is the boundary we must set about ourselves. It is a shield of protection, our spiritual covering and the narrow way.
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus shows us the way that we should pray to Father God. He speaks about ‘trespasses’, which are sins, faults or offences, and we can commit these things or suffer because of sins or offences being done to us by others. To trespass is to push or break through a boundary, to intrude on another’s land — both in the natural and spiritual realms.
‘The enemy’ is forever trying to take our land from us, and he does this by deception and stealth, so that we are unaware of his schemes until too late. Only by ‘bringing every thought into captivity’ do we have access to the strength of our Heavenly Father to deliver us.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. [2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-6]
This comes at the end of several verses, giving examples of taking life, either intentionally or unintentionally, and about setting up ‘cities of refuge’. After this, verse 14 appears as a mild endnote to a strong and complex exposition. However, it is a succinct summing up, concluding that we need to set our boundaries ‘as the men of old have set.’ Who are these ‘men of old’? Specifically, they are our ancestors, but more importantly, they are those who were ‘in the beginning’.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. [JOHN 1:1-5]
John’s Gospel begins — as did the book of Genesis — with ‘in the beginning’. The ‘men of old’, we are to understand, followed God’s precepts and guiding, leading to our rich inheritance — the everlasting life of Christ in us. That Christ-life is the boundary we must set about ourselves. It is a shield of protection, our spiritual covering and the narrow way.
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus shows us the way that we should pray to Father God. He speaks about ‘trespasses’, which are sins, faults or offences, and we can commit these things or suffer because of sins or offences being done to us by others. To trespass is to push or break through a boundary, to intrude on another’s land — both in the natural and spiritual realms.
‘The enemy’ is forever trying to take our land from us, and he does this by deception and stealth, so that we are unaware of his schemes until too late. Only by ‘bringing every thought into captivity’ do we have access to the strength of our Heavenly Father to deliver us.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. [2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-6]
Read more about this by reading the meditation from 11th June 2021…
YOU SHALL NOT REMOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR’S LANDMARK
YOU SHALL NOT REMOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR’S LANDMARK
‘Meditate on these things…’
MATTHEW 6:9-15
In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
THE LORD’S PRAYER (Live from Jerusalem, 2001) — Charlotte Church
A HOLY COMMAND: Oswald Chambers on LOVE
— Love with all your HEART --
THE SERVANTS OF God in the Bible never stole hearts to themselves, but handed them over to God. It is not you who awakened that mighty desire in the heart; it is not you who called forth that longing in that spirit; it is God in you. Are you a servant of God? If that longing, loving heart awakens and finds you instead of God, what a passion of despair will blight you with the curse of solitariness and silence!
[from ‘Christian Discipline’]
[from ‘Christian Discipline’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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Psalm 51:8+12
Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
There is always a consideration when The LORD speaks; is this a word for all, or a personal revelation? Not all times with Him are for sharing. My chosen devotional for this year is David Wilkerson’s ‘God is Faithful’, and it has proved it’s worth many times already.
Today’s meditation (below) spoke to me deeply on a personal level this morning, and when I shared it with Gill, she too was greatly impacted. This we know, speaks to events and struggles for us, and having prayed on from the reading, we have both felt burdens lifted, through resting in His promises.
We also know that the walk with Him is a daily pilgrimage, and it is ‘here a little, there a little’ in that resting, which is definitely a message for everyone.
Today’s meditation (below) spoke to me deeply on a personal level this morning, and when I shared it with Gill, she too was greatly impacted. This we know, speaks to events and struggles for us, and having prayed on from the reading, we have both felt burdens lifted, through resting in His promises.
We also know that the walk with Him is a daily pilgrimage, and it is ‘here a little, there a little’ in that resting, which is definitely a message for everyone.
LEARNING TO FORGIVE OURSELVES
To me, learning to forgive ourselves is the most difficult part of forgiveness. As Christians, we are quick to offer the grace of our Lord to the world, but we often parcel it out meagerly to ourselves.
Consider King David, who committed adultery and then murdered the husband to cover up his offense. When his sin was exposed, David repented, and the Lord sent the prophet Nathan to tell him, “Your sin has been pardoned.” Yet even though David knew he was forgiven, he had lost his joy. He prayed, “Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. . . Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit” (Psalm 51:8, 12). Why was David so disturbed? After all, he had been justified before the Lord. The fact is, it is possible to have your sins blotted out of God’s Book but not out of your conscience. David wrote this psalm because he wanted his conscience to stop condemning him for his sins. David could not forgive himself, and now he was enduring the penalty: a loss of joy. The joy of the Lord comes as a fruit of accepting His forgiveness.
I have been greatly impacted by the biography of Hudson Taylor, one of the most effective missionaries in history. A godly man of prayer who established churches throughout China’s vast interior, Taylor ministered for years without joy. He was downcast over his struggles and thoughts of unbelief. In 1869 Taylor experienced a revolutionary change within. He saw that Christ had all he needed and that there was only one way to Christ’s fullness: through faith. Taylor determined to stir up his faith, yet even that effort proved vain. Finally, in his darkest hour, the Holy Spirit gave him a revelation: Faith comes not by striving, but by resting on the promises of God. Taylor obeyed and became a joyful servant.
May you experience the forgiveness the Lord has already given you—and see your joy return.
DAVID WILKERSON — ‘GOD IS FAITHFUL’
‘Meditate on these things…’
HEBREWS 4:1-2
Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.
For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.
For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
REST IN YOUR PROMISE — David Ruis
A HOLY CONDITION: Oswald Chambers on PEACE
— Life in the SPIRIT --
IF YOU ALLOW anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you, you are either disturbed or you have a false security. The peace of God comes from looking into the face of Jesus and realising His undisturbedness.
[from ‘Run Today’s Race’]
[from ‘Run Today’s Race’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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Philemon 1:4-7
I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers,
hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,
that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,
that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
Does Christian brotherly love really work, even in situations of extraordinary tension and difficulty? Will it work, for example, between a prominent slave owner and one of his runaway slaves? Paul has no doubt! He writes a “postcard” to Philemon, his beloved brother and fellow worker, on behalf of Onesimus—a deserter, thief, and formerly worthless slave, but now Philemon’s brother in Christ.
With much tact and tenderness, Paul asks Philemon to receive Onesimus back with the same gentleness with which he would receive Paul himself. Any debt Onesimus owes, Paul promises to make good. Knowing Philemon, Paul is confident that brotherly love and forgiveness will carry the day.
FROM INTRODUCTION TO ‘PHILEMON’. [OLIVE TREE BIBLE]
Philemon is a short, one chapter book — not so much a book, as a quick note — sent to a friend, and asking a favour. Indeed, the name, Philemon, means ‘one who loves’, and comes from the Greek phileo, to love or kiss. We often find ourselves talking about agape love (the highest form of love, used in John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life) — phileo love is ‘brotherly love’, the love of the saints for one another, and it is at the heart of Paul’s words in these few verses.
It is made plain that the refreshing of the hearts of the saints is the great joy and consolation to Paul, but also to all who love the Lord Jesus, for it is a mainstay of our earthly experience of the life of faith. Yes, we will have disagreements and difficulties with one another from time to time — sometimes serious ones — but it is that love that comes from the Father through our brother and friend, Jesus Christ, that binds us together. We are never Christian believers in isolation; we are always a community of believers, saints and sons of God, a corporate body, the Church of Jesus Christ and thus, His bride.
Have confidence that, in Christ, whatever may befall, His brotherly love and forgiveness, within us, will carry the day.
It is made plain that the refreshing of the hearts of the saints is the great joy and consolation to Paul, but also to all who love the Lord Jesus, for it is a mainstay of our earthly experience of the life of faith. Yes, we will have disagreements and difficulties with one another from time to time — sometimes serious ones — but it is that love that comes from the Father through our brother and friend, Jesus Christ, that binds us together. We are never Christian believers in isolation; we are always a community of believers, saints and sons of God, a corporate body, the Church of Jesus Christ and thus, His bride.
Have confidence that, in Christ, whatever may befall, His brotherly love and forgiveness, within us, will carry the day.
‘Meditate on these things…’
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;
that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;
that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND — Carole King
Although this is very much a secular song, the words are a good expression of the brotherly relationship we have with Jesus Christ. If you read the words and consider Him as you listen, you can make a connection beyond what might seem to be the original concept.
Although this is very much a secular song, the words are a good expression of the brotherly relationship we have with Jesus Christ. If you read the words and consider Him as you listen, you can make a connection beyond what might seem to be the original concept.
A HOLY CONDITION — Oswald Chambers on PEACE
— Life in the SPIRIT --
JESUS CHRIST'S ONE aim is to bring us back into peace and oneness with God. The whole purpose of the Redemption is to give back to man the original source of life. In a regenerated man this means "Christ formed in you." Am I willing that the old disposition should be crucified with Christ? If I am, Jesus Christ will take possession of me and will baptize me into His life until I bear a family likeness to Him. It is a lonely path, a path of death, but it means ultimately being at peace with Divinity. The Christian life does not take its pattern from good men, but from God Himself.
[from ‘Biblical Ethics’]
[from ‘Biblical Ethics’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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Acts 27:33-38
And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing.
Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you."
And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat.
Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves.
And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship.
So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea.
Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you."
And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat.
Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves.
And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship.
So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea.
From our gathering on Tuesday 22nd March 2022
“When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon.” [Acts 27:13-14]. Often, over the last few years I have found myself led to Acts 27, and each time The LORD has had something new to show me. Paul, a prisoner in chains, is being transported with many others across the Mediterranean Sea to Rome to be judged by Caesar. At first the journey goes well; the south wind softly blessing their journey; but passing the island of Crete, a tempest arises in the east, threatening the lives of all aboard.
‘Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food.‘ Fourteen is a number which points us to deliverance and salvation, and ‘the fourteenth day’ signifies Passover, setting us on the road to victory. Part of the great feast of Passover, is the feast of unleavened bread. This passage is unveiling a picture of salvation for us, as it is often at times of storm in our lives, when we can see no way of escape, that the LORD’s saving grace and abundant provision carries us through.
Paul urges those on board to take nourishment ‘for this is for your survival’ — a matter of life and death. His next words which he attaches to ‘survival’, seems to our understanding to be unusual. ‘Since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you’ is likely used to refer to The LORD’s covering, The hair on our heads being a metaphor for His protection over our minds, bringing peace instead of panic, comfort instead of fear. He then took bread and gave thanks to God. We are encouraged to give thanks to The LORD ‘in all things’, and the very act of giving thanks to God, changes our mindset. ‘Then they were all encouraged.’
Until I heard of the numerology of scripture, I wondered why The Bible was so keen on numbers, giving the dimensions of things in such detail, describing the number of men in a battle, or the number of loaves and fishes Jesus’ distributed to the crowd. Once you discover the meanings attributed to numbers as a sort of Biblical shorthand, you soon come to the conclusion that ‘the numbers always add up’, and underpin the spiritual truth being expressed. In verse 37, we are told that there were ‘two hundred and seventy six persons on the ship. In older Bible versions, this would likely be expressed as two hundred and seventy and six.
This strongly suggests the idea that is the underlying theme of Acts, chapter 27, which is that we have insufficient within us to restore, or continue our natural lives beyond the allotted span. Only God has the power of life and death. Only God has the power to save and bring deliverance.
Why do the people throw away the wheat to lighten the ship? Again, this is pointing to our insufficiency, but also promotes our trust in God. Cast away all that is dragging you down. It is not your real provision. All you need, The LORD will provide. Take nourishment— all you need — from Him; freely given.
‘Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food.‘ Fourteen is a number which points us to deliverance and salvation, and ‘the fourteenth day’ signifies Passover, setting us on the road to victory. Part of the great feast of Passover, is the feast of unleavened bread. This passage is unveiling a picture of salvation for us, as it is often at times of storm in our lives, when we can see no way of escape, that the LORD’s saving grace and abundant provision carries us through.
Paul urges those on board to take nourishment ‘for this is for your survival’ — a matter of life and death. His next words which he attaches to ‘survival’, seems to our understanding to be unusual. ‘Since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you’ is likely used to refer to The LORD’s covering, The hair on our heads being a metaphor for His protection over our minds, bringing peace instead of panic, comfort instead of fear. He then took bread and gave thanks to God. We are encouraged to give thanks to The LORD ‘in all things’, and the very act of giving thanks to God, changes our mindset. ‘Then they were all encouraged.’
Until I heard of the numerology of scripture, I wondered why The Bible was so keen on numbers, giving the dimensions of things in such detail, describing the number of men in a battle, or the number of loaves and fishes Jesus’ distributed to the crowd. Once you discover the meanings attributed to numbers as a sort of Biblical shorthand, you soon come to the conclusion that ‘the numbers always add up’, and underpin the spiritual truth being expressed. In verse 37, we are told that there were ‘two hundred and seventy six persons on the ship. In older Bible versions, this would likely be expressed as two hundred and seventy and six.
- Two hundred = insufficiency
- Seventy = restoration of life/the span of life in the natural man
- Six = the number of man (God created man on the sixth day)
This strongly suggests the idea that is the underlying theme of Acts, chapter 27, which is that we have insufficient within us to restore, or continue our natural lives beyond the allotted span. Only God has the power of life and death. Only God has the power to save and bring deliverance.
Why do the people throw away the wheat to lighten the ship? Again, this is pointing to our insufficiency, but also promotes our trust in God. Cast away all that is dragging you down. It is not your real provision. All you need, The LORD will provide. Take nourishment— all you need — from Him; freely given.
‘Meditate on these things…’
JOHN 12:24
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
“Salvation Belongs To Our God”
A HOLY CONDITION: Oswald Chambers on PEACE
— Life in the SPIRIT --
IF I WAS peaceful and happy, living a clean upright life, why should Jesus Christ come with a standard of holiness I never dreamt of? Simply because that peace was the peace of death, a peace altogether apart from God. The coming of Jesus Christ to the natural man means the destruction of all peace that is not based on a personal relationship to Himself.
[from ‘Biblical Ethics’]
[from ‘Biblical Ethics’]