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Now these are the men whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after the ark came to rest. They were ministering with music before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they served in their office according to their order.
[1 Chronicles 6:31 NKJV]
[1 Chronicles 6:31 NKJV]
Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
[Daniel 3:14-15 NKJV]
[Daniel 3:14-15 NKJV]
About two weeks ago, a meditation (‘All Kinds Of Music’), brought a lovely response, and one raised the question as to whether or not music can be a vehicle for the Holy Spirit, in the same way that Holy Scripture can.
Since then, I have returned to that thought on a few occasions, and I would have to say that ‘it depends...’ on what? On whether the music leads you to The Lord in your heart, your thoughts, your inclination. Are you drawn into The Holy Place?
I can recall several occasions since being ‘born again’ when ministry or church leaders would advise against ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’, for example. Some would be stricter than others in their interpretation. I for one, have a preference for instrumental pieces, often symphonic, but as I get older, the lighter, softer works are gaining ground. There are occasions when my thoughts are led heavenward by a particular passage, so I believe it is possible for The Holy Spirit to speak through music.
In the verses chosen today, we see that in ‘the service of song in the house of the Lord’ there was ‘a ministering with music’. Music appeals to the emotions, and the best of it — in a service or a meeting of the brethren — directs the emotions to follow the Spirit and seek His presence. The same can be said of listening to Handel’s oratorio ‘The Messiah’ wherever it is played. But even there it is the words that do a lot of the Holy Spirit’s leading work.
I find that with the video below. We know the music which leads us to recall the marvellous words which are really the point — the praise which leads us to Him.
In the verses from Daniel, we find that Nebuchadnezzar insisted that it was good if Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego would be lead by the music to worship the image which He had made — plainly directing them to the gold image instead of the real God. Their rejection of the wrong spirit and trust in God ensured their survival amid the fiery furnace.
At the end of the matter, it should be the spirit in which the music was created and played, which will seek to draw you away from God, or point you to Him. If we are standing sure in The Holy Spirit, “He shall direct thy paths”.
Since then, I have returned to that thought on a few occasions, and I would have to say that ‘it depends...’ on what? On whether the music leads you to The Lord in your heart, your thoughts, your inclination. Are you drawn into The Holy Place?
I can recall several occasions since being ‘born again’ when ministry or church leaders would advise against ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’, for example. Some would be stricter than others in their interpretation. I for one, have a preference for instrumental pieces, often symphonic, but as I get older, the lighter, softer works are gaining ground. There are occasions when my thoughts are led heavenward by a particular passage, so I believe it is possible for The Holy Spirit to speak through music.
In the verses chosen today, we see that in ‘the service of song in the house of the Lord’ there was ‘a ministering with music’. Music appeals to the emotions, and the best of it — in a service or a meeting of the brethren — directs the emotions to follow the Spirit and seek His presence. The same can be said of listening to Handel’s oratorio ‘The Messiah’ wherever it is played. But even there it is the words that do a lot of the Holy Spirit’s leading work.
I find that with the video below. We know the music which leads us to recall the marvellous words which are really the point — the praise which leads us to Him.
In the verses from Daniel, we find that Nebuchadnezzar insisted that it was good if Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego would be lead by the music to worship the image which He had made — plainly directing them to the gold image instead of the real God. Their rejection of the wrong spirit and trust in God ensured their survival amid the fiery furnace.
At the end of the matter, it should be the spirit in which the music was created and played, which will seek to draw you away from God, or point you to Him. If we are standing sure in The Holy Spirit, “He shall direct thy paths”.
How often we have faced difficulties that never came, and every time we faced them we unfitted ourselves for the duty that lay before us. I have no business to be thinking about something else, my duty is always the duty that lies nearest.
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Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.
But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.
[John 2:23-25 NKJV]
But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.
[John 2:23-25 NKJV]
Again the Passover feast is mentioned in chapter 2 of John’s Gospel. We now have three mentions of feasts, twice named as the Passover, which may suggest that the feast for the wedding at Cana was related to the significance of that feast. Indeed this conclusion to chapter 2 tends to sum it up in the statement that “He knew what was in man”.
We must know that Jesus Christ does not need any one of us. We need Him, even when we do not realise that this is the case. For many years I claimed to myself that I believed, but I was not fully committed to Him until I came to the end of myself and I knew of nothing that would help me. In that moment He appeared. How He did that is a story for another time, but I can testify that He knew what was in this man, me — and knew the moment of His appearing through His saints, that would bring me to His feet in submission.
He loves each one of us, but His life on earth and after, through The Holy Spirit, is dedicated to bringing us to the place of intimate relationship with God — and it can only be done through Him.
Jesus understands us. He knows who we are, why we are as we are, and what we need to transcend who we are. He understands because He lived the life we know; that there be no barrier between man and God. He came to show us that truth — that through His life, we may know and understand God ... and live with Him at the right hand of God forevermore.
The comedienne, Hylda Baker, had a catchphrase that has always stayed with me. “She knows, y’ know!” That can better be applied to our Lord’s understanding of us. He knows, you know!
We must know that Jesus Christ does not need any one of us. We need Him, even when we do not realise that this is the case. For many years I claimed to myself that I believed, but I was not fully committed to Him until I came to the end of myself and I knew of nothing that would help me. In that moment He appeared. How He did that is a story for another time, but I can testify that He knew what was in this man, me — and knew the moment of His appearing through His saints, that would bring me to His feet in submission.
He loves each one of us, but His life on earth and after, through The Holy Spirit, is dedicated to bringing us to the place of intimate relationship with God — and it can only be done through Him.
Jesus understands us. He knows who we are, why we are as we are, and what we need to transcend who we are. He understands because He lived the life we know; that there be no barrier between man and God. He came to show us that truth — that through His life, we may know and understand God ... and live with Him at the right hand of God forevermore.
The comedienne, Hylda Baker, had a catchphrase that has always stayed with me. “She knows, y’ know!” That can better be applied to our Lord’s understanding of us. He knows, you know!
You will find nothing more searching than what the New Testament has to say with regard to the miserable, petty line of insisting on my rights. The Holy Ghost gives me power to forgo my rights.
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Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business.
When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.
And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!”
Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up*”
[John 2:13-17 NKJV]
And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business.
When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.
And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!”
Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up*”
[John 2:13-17 NKJV]
* from Psalm 69:9
Soon after leaving the wedding feast at Cana for Capernaum, Jesus is in Jerusalem (“set ye double peace”, from Hebrew “teaching of peace”), for the great feast of Passover, which symbolised their deliverance from bondage under the Egyptians.
It should thus come as no surprise to us that Jesus chooses this occasion to cleanse the temple in Jerusalem, by sweeping out the traders and money changers who “make my Father’s house a house of merchandise!” This is one of many events in the Bible where we can see that we begin at God’s point of view and not man’s. Jesus never tried to persuade the Pharisees that allowing these traders is wrong in a place of worship; no, He takes authority and deals with the matter.
He is also standing in a Holy Spirit principle — first the natural, then the spiritual. Jesus is declaring here that the physical temple must be a holy place, before each one of us can be holy within ourselves.
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
[1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NKJV]
Jesus is declaring that only He can cleanse the temple, because we are incapable of doing it for ourselves. We must allow the Spirit of God to use His whip of cords to cleanse us and make us pure.
It should thus come as no surprise to us that Jesus chooses this occasion to cleanse the temple in Jerusalem, by sweeping out the traders and money changers who “make my Father’s house a house of merchandise!” This is one of many events in the Bible where we can see that we begin at God’s point of view and not man’s. Jesus never tried to persuade the Pharisees that allowing these traders is wrong in a place of worship; no, He takes authority and deals with the matter.
He is also standing in a Holy Spirit principle — first the natural, then the spiritual. Jesus is declaring here that the physical temple must be a holy place, before each one of us can be holy within ourselves.
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
[1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NKJV]
Jesus is declaring that only He can cleanse the temple, because we are incapable of doing it for ourselves. We must allow the Spirit of God to use His whip of cords to cleanse us and make us pure.
Fearless devotion to Jesus Christ ought to Mark the saint today, but more often it is devotion to our set that marks us. We are more concerned about being in agreement with Christians that about being in agreement with God.
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Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.
Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.
And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.
When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.
And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”
This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.
After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.
[John 2:6-12 NKJV]
Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.
And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.
When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.
And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”
This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.
After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.
[John 2:6-12 NKJV]
The Marriage Feast at Cana is well- known as the story of Jesus’ first miracle, but it also reveals so many layers of understanding of the plan of God and brings together many of the Bible patterns that it can truthfully be said to be the launchpad for our spiritual education.
Another point of interest is that the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee took place on ‘the third day’ [John 2:1], and scripture is peppered with references to ‘the third day’; but that is for another time.
- “My hour has not yet come.” Repeatedly throughout the gospels, Jesus is unwilling to push Himself into the foreground. This is not false modesty, but a determination to embody the will of The Father, and we can see that in the telling of the story, it is the miracle that takes centre stage and the bridegroom who gets the credit. Only the servants knew the detail.
- Filled up to the brim. The Lord never blesses in any other way than abundantly and completely. It is always the Heavenly purpose to finish the job to the highest of standards, that far exceed the best of human effort.
- Water Into wine. Both water and wine are spiritual motifs. We talk of being ‘washed by the water of The Word’ and ‘the wine of the Spirit’. Here water represents the natural; it is necessary for our survival — we can live longer without food than we can without water; indeed we are 70% water. Wine is a symbol of the supernatural life, and the vision we are introduced to here, reveals that the words that Jesus speaks change us from natural life to become supernatural life by His Holy Spirit.
- The best wine at the last. This emphasises the ‘filled up to the brim’ idea, but exceeds that. The Lord’s superabundance is not merely one of quantity but of quality also. Life in the spirit is one of superlatives ... at the last.
- “The master of the feast called the bridegroom.” The Bridegroom is a ‘type’ for Christ, as we know, and we, His church are the Bride. The master of the feast compliments the Bridegroom on saving the best wine to the last, and this can be seen as a foretelling of Jesus becoming ‘the Anointed One’, ‘The Christ’.
- “This beginning of signs.” John here refers to ‘The beginning’ immediately after telling of ‘the last’, and in Revelation 22:13 quotes Jesus “ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
- “After this He went down to Capernaum.” In verse 12, the narrative moves swiftly on; Jesus’ ministry now commencesin earnest, with a brief rest at Capernaum. ‘Capernaum’ means literally ‘rightly three days’, but is translated as ‘village of comfort’, which makes more sense. I speculate that this may be another foretaste that John is revealing about the end of the matter. “He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ” [Luke 24:6-7 NKJV].
Another point of interest is that the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee took place on ‘the third day’ [John 2:1], and scripture is peppered with references to ‘the third day’; but that is for another time.
Revise In your mind silences in prayer, in praise, or for the Truth, when you were so greedy for your own sensitiveness that you would not speak the word which might have saved a soul from a terrible blunder.
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Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything,
therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you.
[Deuteronomy 28:47-48 NKJV]
therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you.
[Deuteronomy 28:47-48 NKJV]
What gives you joy? Not just something that makes you happy, but that reaches down within you and makes your heart leap with spirit-lifting exuberance. In yesterday’s meditation, No Greater Joy, we could see that for the apostle John, such joy was hearing that believers were walking in the truth of Jesus Christ.
Our small dog is prone to moping around the house, or to noisily fending off all manner of foes that threaten her sphere of influence, from pesky birds in the garden to fiendish delivery vehicles. But let her off the lead to run wild and free around the Glebe field, and her entire small frame is filled with unconfined joy in living. She swiftly transforms from fearful cowering to lively and joyful liveliness.
Small dogs are not alone in finding joy in the release from bondage. In Deuteronomy, we are shown what happens if we lose our joy and gladness of heart.
I was initially much troubled by the words your enemies, whom The Lord will send against you. This appears to present us with a vindictive God who sets harm in your way if you do not follow His way, something which seemed to contradict so much of my understanding of Him.
Looking at the word šâlaḥ, translated as ‘send’, reveals many shades of meaning, and rather than using the active interpretation of ‘to send’, has the passive quality ‘to let loose’. This changes the sense of these verses. Rather than provoking our enemies to assault us should we turn against God and serve Him no longer; Father God is himself compelled to release our enemies from the restraint in which He has held them.
This is a complex way of saying that if we abandon our life in Him, we lose our right to the abundance of everything that He bestows; all those things which His Holy Spirit gives which inspires the joy and gladness of heart in the deepest parts of us. Instead, we can find ourselves back in the old life, completely at the mercy of dark shadows and malevolent spirits which will drag us to the depths of despair, putting a yoke of iron on your neck.
Again and again, we are faced with the stark choice. Go your own way and face ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’ as Shakespeare put it, or cling to the rock of your salvation, who will ‘take up arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them’, substituting despair for joy and gladness.
The key words here are ‘because’ and ‘therefore’. ‘Because’ we reject serving God, ‘therefore’ we serve Satan, who stands for all that is iniquity, leaving us ‘in need of everything’ because all has been lost.
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
[Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NKJV]
Our small dog is prone to moping around the house, or to noisily fending off all manner of foes that threaten her sphere of influence, from pesky birds in the garden to fiendish delivery vehicles. But let her off the lead to run wild and free around the Glebe field, and her entire small frame is filled with unconfined joy in living. She swiftly transforms from fearful cowering to lively and joyful liveliness.
Small dogs are not alone in finding joy in the release from bondage. In Deuteronomy, we are shown what happens if we lose our joy and gladness of heart.
I was initially much troubled by the words your enemies, whom The Lord will send against you. This appears to present us with a vindictive God who sets harm in your way if you do not follow His way, something which seemed to contradict so much of my understanding of Him.
Looking at the word šâlaḥ, translated as ‘send’, reveals many shades of meaning, and rather than using the active interpretation of ‘to send’, has the passive quality ‘to let loose’. This changes the sense of these verses. Rather than provoking our enemies to assault us should we turn against God and serve Him no longer; Father God is himself compelled to release our enemies from the restraint in which He has held them.
This is a complex way of saying that if we abandon our life in Him, we lose our right to the abundance of everything that He bestows; all those things which His Holy Spirit gives which inspires the joy and gladness of heart in the deepest parts of us. Instead, we can find ourselves back in the old life, completely at the mercy of dark shadows and malevolent spirits which will drag us to the depths of despair, putting a yoke of iron on your neck.
Again and again, we are faced with the stark choice. Go your own way and face ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’ as Shakespeare put it, or cling to the rock of your salvation, who will ‘take up arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them’, substituting despair for joy and gladness.
The key words here are ‘because’ and ‘therefore’. ‘Because’ we reject serving God, ‘therefore’ we serve Satan, who stands for all that is iniquity, leaving us ‘in need of everything’ because all has been lost.
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
[Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NKJV]
What we call crises, God ignores, and what God reveals as the great critical moments of a man’s life we look on as humdrum commonplaces. When we become spiritual we discern that God was in the humdrum commonplaces and we never knew it.
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Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
[3 John 1:2-3 NKJV]
For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
[3 John 1:2-3 NKJV]
John’s words here can express no more than the Father’s heart for His children; that they walk in truth. But what does it mean to walk in the truth. Simply and boldly it means to walk in faith and belief just as Jesus did — for He was The Way, The Truth and The Life.
My young grand-daughter here, knows little of these things at her time of life, but we hope and pray that she finds that path. So many do not nowadays, and our society is doubtless the poorer for it. Yet, we should not be judgemental in this regard, for our Lord knows who He has called into His kingdom, and more to the point, the hour of their choosing of Him.
It occurred to me recently that if The Lord had closed the doors to His Heavenly mansion thirty years ago, I would have been most resolutely locked out.
We must daily thank The Lord for His patience and that He has no greater joy than when one that He has been wooing decides to walk in truth.
My young grand-daughter here, knows little of these things at her time of life, but we hope and pray that she finds that path. So many do not nowadays, and our society is doubtless the poorer for it. Yet, we should not be judgemental in this regard, for our Lord knows who He has called into His kingdom, and more to the point, the hour of their choosing of Him.
It occurred to me recently that if The Lord had closed the doors to His Heavenly mansion thirty years ago, I would have been most resolutely locked out.
We must daily thank The Lord for His patience and that He has no greater joy than when one that He has been wooing decides to walk in truth.
Christianity makes no allowance for heroic moods. It is easy to feel heroic in an armchair, when everything goes well, but Christianity deals with God’s standard in the common days when you are out of your armchair, and when things are not going well.
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But take notice, the hour is coming, and it has arrived, when you will all be dispersed and scattered, every man to his own home, leaving Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
[John 16:32-33 AMPC]
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
[John 16:32-33 AMPC]
In these terrible times — particularly now, when we are forbidden from gathering in Jesus’ name — it is easy to succumb to feelings of anxiety, depression and lassitude — or even feeling the need to struggle against the onset of these things. These things — nowadays placed under the heading of ‘mental health issues’, and ‘problems of the mind’ — ignore the spiritual dimension.
Modern healthcare has become greatly adept at dealing with the body and the mind, often leaving the Spirit on the sickbed, fighting for life. The insidious feeling of ‘losing control’ seeps through every fibre. In this way, the world is the overcomer, seizing the opportunity to claim yet another victim.
When in such a state, we can read the words of Jesus; “I have overcome the world”, but struggle to believe those words for the amazing lifeline they are. “The hour is coming, yes, has now come”, or “is now come” as the King James Version has it. For what? It is the time when “you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave [Jesus] alone”
What our Lord is showing us is that such moments will come into every believer’s life, and that those moment will always be a ‘now’ in our experience, but that we should not despair — difficult though that may appear to us — because He who abides at our very centre, when we centre ourselves in Him will perform a resurrection miracle, just as He did with Lazarus...
Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God?
So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
Yes, I know You always hear and listen to Me, but I have said this on account of and for the benefit of the people standing around, so that they may believe that You did send Me [that You have made Me Your Messenger].
When He had said this, He shouted with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out!
And out walked the man who had been dead, his hands and feet wrapped in burial cloths (linen strips), and with a [burial] napkin bound around his face. Jesus said to them, Free him of the burial wrappings and let him go.
[John 11:40-44 AMPC]
Turn your eyes toward Jesus is always the answer and sometimes immediately, sometimes in a measured way He will raise you up to His side. That is why we should be of good cheer no matter what May befall.
Modern healthcare has become greatly adept at dealing with the body and the mind, often leaving the Spirit on the sickbed, fighting for life. The insidious feeling of ‘losing control’ seeps through every fibre. In this way, the world is the overcomer, seizing the opportunity to claim yet another victim.
When in such a state, we can read the words of Jesus; “I have overcome the world”, but struggle to believe those words for the amazing lifeline they are. “The hour is coming, yes, has now come”, or “is now come” as the King James Version has it. For what? It is the time when “you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave [Jesus] alone”
What our Lord is showing us is that such moments will come into every believer’s life, and that those moment will always be a ‘now’ in our experience, but that we should not despair — difficult though that may appear to us — because He who abides at our very centre, when we centre ourselves in Him will perform a resurrection miracle, just as He did with Lazarus...
Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God?
So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
Yes, I know You always hear and listen to Me, but I have said this on account of and for the benefit of the people standing around, so that they may believe that You did send Me [that You have made Me Your Messenger].
When He had said this, He shouted with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out!
And out walked the man who had been dead, his hands and feet wrapped in burial cloths (linen strips), and with a [burial] napkin bound around his face. Jesus said to them, Free him of the burial wrappings and let him go.
[John 11:40-44 AMPC]
Turn your eyes toward Jesus is always the answer and sometimes immediately, sometimes in a measured way He will raise you up to His side. That is why we should be of good cheer no matter what May befall.
VICTOR'S CROWN - Darlene Zschech
Let me plead with you, as though Christ besought you, do not be disobedient to the heavenly vision. There is only one purpose for your life, and that is the satisfaction of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
[Hebrews 11:1-3 KJV]
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
[Hebrews 11:1-3 KJV]
I have found great blessing in starting the day with reading the word of God and a commentary on what it reveals from a commentator I trust. No one has proved more consistently enlightening to me than Oswald Chambers.
In the books that were produced by his wife ‘Biddy’ (Gertrude) after his death in 1917 — and based on her shorthand notations of Oswald’s talks and lectures — I have found a wealth of Holy Spirit wisdom that always points me toward the source of that wisdom — Jesus Christ.
What follows was my reading this morning, from the book “Devotions For A Deeper Life” ...
In the books that were produced by his wife ‘Biddy’ (Gertrude) after his death in 1917 — and based on her shorthand notations of Oswald’s talks and lectures — I have found a wealth of Holy Spirit wisdom that always points me toward the source of that wisdom — Jesus Christ.
What follows was my reading this morning, from the book “Devotions For A Deeper Life” ...
“Faith is too often viewed as “a habit of the mind whereby we assent to a testimony, upon the authority of the one who testifies.” But New Testament faith is infinitely more than this.
When Jesus Christ testified of Himself, religious people of His day did not believe Him. He had to awaken their faith. Faith in the gospel became the very means of producing the wonderful life of God in them.
When Christ creates His marvelous sanctification in you, you will live this holy life moment by moment through faith in the Son of God.
Entire sanctification is not receiving from our Lord power to live like Jesus; it is Christ in you, living out His life. This Christlike life of holiness will be seen in you and through you as you walk by faith.
By simple faith look up into God’s face, trust entirely in His grace, and say, “Lord, make Thy sanctification in me as real as the sanctification that is stated in Thy Word.” “
When we lie like fallow ground, God puts in new seeds and the harvest is the ripe fruit of God; otherwise it is ripe fruit of naturalness only. Lying fallow is always the secret of spiritual growth.
- Published on
So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
[Daniel 3:7 NKJV]
[Daniel 3:7 NKJV]
The libretto for ‘He Shall Feed His Flock/Come Unto Him’ from Handel’s ‘Messiah’ uses passages from Isaiah and Matthew. The words of the song are:
Air (or Duet) (Alto &) soprano
He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40: 11)
Come unto Him, all ye that labour, come unto Him that are heavy laden, and He will give you rest.
Take his yoke upon you, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11: 28-29)
Chorus
His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. (Matthew 11: 30)
The words of Jesus have been changed so that the personal ‘come unto me’ of the New Testament becomes the external impersonal ‘come unto him’. It shows how subtly and easily Jesus’ message can be manipulated to distance us from His presence. Am I making too big a thing of this — it is a fine and beautiful song from a brilliant oratorio, and a much-loved favourite?
I use the example of Handel’s ‘The Messiah’ merely because I had been listening to the song ‘Come Unto Him’ (see below) this morning. The same applies to many songs or hymns that we hold dear. A misquoting of Jesus words or purpose is a distortion, which over time, can lead to false beliefs settling in the mind — gold images which look good and sound good, but which lead away from the real thing.
The Bible itself was compiled over centuries from the writings of many men in several different languages; translated into other languages, which have been used to re-translate into more still. Add to that the fact that words and usage evolve and change and it is a miracle that we have anything of the original at all.
Yet Jesus’ words prevail. They are ‘God-breathed’ truth and eternal. Thus, it is immeasurably important that we seek the reality and essence, the deeper meaning that God reveals in His word. Do not settle for superficial gloss, but let The Holy Spirit guide each one of us in our understanding, and continue to let His heavenly music lift us in Him.
Air (or Duet) (Alto &) soprano
He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40: 11)
Come unto Him, all ye that labour, come unto Him that are heavy laden, and He will give you rest.
Take his yoke upon you, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11: 28-29)
Chorus
His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. (Matthew 11: 30)
The words of Jesus have been changed so that the personal ‘come unto me’ of the New Testament becomes the external impersonal ‘come unto him’. It shows how subtly and easily Jesus’ message can be manipulated to distance us from His presence. Am I making too big a thing of this — it is a fine and beautiful song from a brilliant oratorio, and a much-loved favourite?
I use the example of Handel’s ‘The Messiah’ merely because I had been listening to the song ‘Come Unto Him’ (see below) this morning. The same applies to many songs or hymns that we hold dear. A misquoting of Jesus words or purpose is a distortion, which over time, can lead to false beliefs settling in the mind — gold images which look good and sound good, but which lead away from the real thing.
The Bible itself was compiled over centuries from the writings of many men in several different languages; translated into other languages, which have been used to re-translate into more still. Add to that the fact that words and usage evolve and change and it is a miracle that we have anything of the original at all.
Yet Jesus’ words prevail. They are ‘God-breathed’ truth and eternal. Thus, it is immeasurably important that we seek the reality and essence, the deeper meaning that God reveals in His word. Do not settle for superficial gloss, but let The Holy Spirit guide each one of us in our understanding, and continue to let His heavenly music lift us in Him.
The one great enemy of discipleship is obstinacy, spiritual obstinacy. We deify independence and wilfulness and call them by the wrong name.
- Published on
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
[John 18:36 NKJV]
[John 18:36 NKJV]
There are many examples in history of Christians influencing the politics of a nation in hugely beneficial ways. In the late eighteenth century, an evangelical Christian, William Wilberforce, was a significant leader of the movement to tackle the sinfulness of slavery. For twenty years, he headed up the parliamentary campaign against the British slave trade, his efforts culminating in the passing of the Slave Trade Act of 1807.
We can certainly say that the ‘Christianising’ of politics can be of great value to a nation, but how about the ‘politicising’ of Christianity? Jesus didn’t promote political beliefs or political affiliation in His teaching. In fact, when Pilate was trying to understand His political motives, Jesus made it clear that the Kingdom He was describing had nothing to do with the power struggles of the religious and political leaders of that time.
We need to be careful about allowing ever-changing political ideologies into the activities of the Body of Christ. We are called to promote justice through spiritual reconciliation with God, not by absorbing the trending beliefs of this fallen world. Sadly, the unchanging Word of God will frequently be at odds with the attitudes of society, not least in standards of morality, but the aim of a follower of Jesus is to please God, not to appease those who carry political power. Our calling is to influence the attitudes of world with the righteousness of Jesus, not to invite the beliefs of the world to influence attitudes within the Body of Christ.
We live in days when the challenge of these issues will become ever more difficult, with the Christian perspective on life likely to be increasingly ridiculed. Thankfully, we have only to stand firm where God places us in the outworking of His plans and purposes, and to remember that the battle belongs to the Lord.
Prayer: Father God, I’m so grateful that we don’t have to be swayed by public opinion or the strength of political argument, for Your plumb line of truth remains unchanging as the answer to all the injustice of this troubled world. Give us strength and grace to share that radical answer, as You give each of us direction. Amen.
Today's Writer : David Cross David is part of the Executive Leadership of Ellel Ministries, with particular responsibility for the Ellel centres in Western Europe. He is married to Denise and they have three grown up children and eight grandchildren. David has been a civil engineer and ski-touring instructor in the Highlands of Scotland. He is passionate about the teaching and practice of the healing and deliverance ministry of Jesus and has written several books: Soul Ties, Trapped by Control, God’s Covering, The Dangers of Alternative Ways to Healing(co-authored with John Berry), an A to Z Guide to the Healing Ministry, and, most recently, What`s Wrong with Human Rights? You can follow a daily thought from David on Twitter: @dmcross62
Peter couples suffering “according to the will of God” with active well-doing (1 Peter 4:19). The folk who are most actively beneficent to you are those who are being crushed with suffering that would send you staggering.