November 26, 2021 -- I Kings 20:35 -- Anonymous to the world; known by the Father

And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow at the command of the Lord, “Strike me, please.” But the man refused to strike him.
I Kings 20:35 ESV

Here is a nameless prophet. Two chapters back, Obadiah—who the text says feared the LORD greatly (I Kings 18:3)—hid fifty prophets in one cave and fifty in another cave to save them from the wrath of the king and his wife Jezebel, who hated the LORD and His prophets. So, the bible mentions 100 prophets who are nameless and unknown to us. They serve during the time of the famous prophets Elijah and Elisha.

Why mention this? Think about it. How often have you thought, listen to that preacher Alistair Begg, consider everything Tim Keller writes, hmm, that John Piper, I am not like them at all, therefore whatever I contribute to the kingdom of God is not really significant. Think again! Notice how often the Sovereign King of Heaven and Earth uses people who are anonymous in the eyes of the world, but are made in His image, are His workmanship, and are empowered by His Spirit to reveal the glory of Christ. Wherever the LORD has placed you, trust His Spirit is using your life, blessing you so that you are impacting others for the glorious Name of Jesus. This is also a beautiful warning—keep pure, guard your lips and sternly govern your actions so that your witness to Jesus will be consistent.

Purification

Lord Jesus, I sin - Grant that I
    may never cease grieving because of it,
    never be content with myself,
    never think I can reach a point of perfection.
Kill my envy, command my tongue,
   trample down self.
Give me grace to be holy, kind, gentle, pure,
peaceable,
to live for thee and not for self,
to copy thy words, acts, spirit,
to be transformed into thy likeness,
to be consecrated wholly to thee,
to live entirely to thy glory.
       Deliver me from attachment to things unclean,
from wrong associations,
from the predominance of evil passions,
from the sugar of sin as well as its gall,
        that with self-loathing, deep contrition,
            earnest heart searching I may come to thee, cast myself on thee,
             trust in thee, cry to thee,
   be delivered by thee.
       O God, the Eternal All, help me to know that
all things are shadows, but thou art substance,
all things are quicksands, but thou art mountain,
all things are shifting, but thou art anchor,
all things are ignorance, but thou art wisdom.
If my life is to be a crucible amid burning heat,
            so be it,
            but do thou sit at the furnace mouth
            to watch the ore that nothing be lost.
      If I sin wilfully, grievously, tormentedly,
            in grace take away my mourning
               and give me music;
            remove my sackcloth
               and clothe me with beauty;
            still my sighs
            and fill my mouth with song,
then give me summer weather as a Christian.
 
The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions

https://youtu.be/1yBzIt_z8oY

November 25, 2021 -- Proverbs 19:15 -- From sloth to vigor

Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep,
   and an idle person will suffer hunger.
Proverbs 19:15 ESV

Covid has gripped our land for almost 20 months now. There have been many lockdowns and circuit breakers, times of enforced idleness and unstructured days when government regulations have restricted normal day to day routines. My question is this: during those days when you were required to stay home, did you complete all your ‘to do’ projects around the house?

In countries like Canada, where a great amount of money was lavished upon the people by the government, there were many opportunities for ordinary citizens to grow in their faith; to catch up on bible reading and memorization; to do many of the things which are otherwise sidelined because of the (mis)perception that we are too busy.

Here are some things to ponder; pointed questions, ones I must continually ask myself as well.

Who is the LORD your God, when things are good and when things are difficult?

What does it look like to serve Him with hands and heart, soul and strength each day?

What goals do you have so that you will wake from your sloth and slumber and rise up with renewed vigor to serve Him?

Can you measure your growth in holiness, mark an increase in your delight in the LORD, what signs of spiritual fruitfulness are becoming more evident in your life?

Spirit of God the Word commands but without Your help we are powerless—
   therefore, empower us for this command and promise:
   'Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead,
         and Christ will shine on you.' Amen.

The quotation is: Ephesians 5:14 ESV

https://youtu.be/ONT5mkXpZ8g

November 22, 2021 -- I Corinthians 13:11-13 -- Childishness or childlikeness

People loved by the Father, by the power of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

So now faith, hope and love abide, these three, but the greatest of these is love.

I Corinthians 13:11-13 ESV

While traveling for the last 10 days or so I’ve been reading Neil Postman’s “The End of Education”. Yes, the author intentionally used this ambiguity—is education at an end or alternatively what is the end or the goal of education? Postman offers the axiomatic insight that it is not just experts who may speak to issues and topics; it is important to have that insight in mind as much later in his book he notes that teachers must expose human error: “everyone makes errors, including those who write about error. None of us is ever free of it, and we are most seriously endangered when we think we are. That there is an almost infinite supply of error, including our own…” (page 121).

Consider the world we live in now. The powers that be are constantly touting the theme of climate change. It is hammered away at in nature programs and profoundly alters the way politicians form their budgets. Our passage today reminds us: we know in part.

Consider the LGBTQ? narrative. How often do you read of those who have been advised and counseled who later regret the information they received, but find they cannot receive counsel or help to leave the LGBTQ? narrative? How often do Christians misconstrue the word of God and speak as if their own fallen nature has not affected their sexuality and expressions of it? Our passage today reminds us: we know in part.

Consider the lack of nuance in the whole Covid debate. If you believe this or that then you must be a denier or a government groupie. Our passage today reminds us: we know in part.

Everyone makes errors. The fact that all people have sinned, do sin and are going to sin (Romans 3:23) is written large in the pages of our lives. Such infinite supply of error should teach all of us to be far more loving towards one another as we seek to grow in our faith in Jesus Christ. Christians, speak to this culture. Expose error, and be humbly prepared to have your own errors exposed. Do not let that stop you, instead, allow such encounters to help you grow in grace.

Faithful Father, I confess I am a child in so many ways. I am childish in my understanding of so many things. I am childish in my reasoning. I am childishly petulant in my interactions with others—confidently believing my points to be unassailable as I am pointing out the errors of others while at the very same time oblivious to my own tenuous position and unreasonableness. Faithful Father, thank You for the reconciling work of Jesus Christ, in Him, I am Your child. Jesus, thank You for the gift of the Spirit, through Whom I am convinced of my deep-rooted errors and sins and by Whom I am drawn to new humility and growth in child-like awe. Triune God, sanctify me, so that my life and words will serve as an irresistible beacon of hope to all whom You have placed in my life. Amen.

https://youtu.be/kg6HedZ4xGs

Copyright © 2021 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 20, 2021 -- Mark 4:21-23 -- Living Light

People loved by the Father, in the power of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Mark 4:21-23 ESV

Light cannot help but illuminate and shine. It is in the nature of light to dispel darkness. Those of us who are in Christ are light—we will shine for Him. It is what we have become in Christ. This is the evidence of our new life. This is not something we aspire to, not something we must be trained in, we are the light of the world because the radiance of the Father’s glory, that is Christ Himself, has taken up residence in us by His Holy Spirit.

Our thoughts have changed. Our impulses have changed. Our desires have changed. Our purpose in life is changed from being self-serving to serving Him. Our actions have changed; sins are being restrained as the Spirit continues the work of making us holy.

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me
    to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
    it is they who stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
    yet I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked of the Lord,
    that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
    and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will lift me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
Psalm 27:1-6 ESV

https://youtu.be/fQOrYs8s_XM

Copyright © 2021 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 18, 2021 -- Mark 2:12 -- The Greater Miracle

People loved by the Father, in the strength of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so tat they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Mark 2:12 ESV

Jesus was confronted by four friends who had carried a paralyzed man, their friend, into His presence. The crowd was so thick in the house that the men removed a portion of the roof—yes, you read that correctly—and lowered their paralyzed friend through the opening and settled him right at Jesus’ feet. What did Jesus do? Perceiving the man’s greatest need, Jesus forgave the man his sins. Somehow this does not seem as impressive to us as the physical healing which followed. Truth be told, that was in fact, the greater miracle. The miracle of forgiveness comes at the cost of Jesus’ life-long obedience to His Father and His death at the cross. While we were still sinners, utterly rebellious against the grace of God, Jesus died for us. Do not miss the great miracle of His steadfast love demonstrated by this gift of forgiveness.

The physical healing confirms the greater spiritual healing. I am guessing the physical healing had to be preceded by the spiritual healing which the gift of forgiveness brought to him. He was, you could say, paralyzed by his spiritual sickness. No wonder the people said, “we never saw anything like this”! It is the work of God, the Healer, to bring reconciliation through the blood of Jesus Christ and to broadcast this glory by the powerful presence of the Spirit. Is your life a testimony of God’s forgiveness—received into yourself and extended to others?

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
    O God of my salvation,
    and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

https://youtu.be/Tu2uA6U4Fxg

Copyright © 2021 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 17, 2021 -- Mark 1:32-34 -- Spirit directed ever deeper into the holiness of Jesus

People loved by the Father, in the power of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
Mark 1:32-34 ESV

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
II Peter 1:3-4 ESV

It is easy to quickly read, scanning these verses and thereby miss the revelation of power and glory of Jesus the Christ. Jesus has authority and power over demons. Pause for a second and think about that! Jesus heals the sick. What does that mean for us today? Jesus commanded demons to be quiet, and even these creatures of hell obeyed Him. Ponder that for a moment. Now, what is the sin you wrestle against and wish was thrown down in your life? Do you know it? Read the second passage now.

Jesus Who is powerful over the sins and sicknesses of others, it is He Who has been given to believers by the Father. The Spirit of God lives in us, believers, so that the power of sin is broken in the glorious Name of Jesus. He, Jesus, invites us to know Him. Jesus invites us to escape the corruption of the world and to be freed from our sinful nature. As often as we sin, so often we are invited to know this: He has granted and is granting us all things—all things—that pertain to life and godliness. Think about that. Where do you need Jesus' divine power for life and godliness? Urgently pray for the Spirit of God to act as promised, so that the power and goodness of God will revitalize your prayer life and deepen your walk in holiness.

Spirit of the Living God, thank You for the beauty of Your presence in and among us believers.
Spirit of God, thank You for gift of the Word, by which we can contemplate the splendour and glory of Jesus Christ.
Spirit of All Comfort, help us so that in Christ we will truly become partakers of the divine nature, all this to the praise and glory of our Father in heaven. Amen.

https://youtu.be/9MqSASr_Lqk

Copyright © 2021 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 16, 2021 -- Colossians 3:12-14 -- Harmonious Instruments of Praise

Instruments of praise: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:12-14 ESV

When I was young, one annual Christmas time tradition was my parents taking me and my siblings to hear the Messiah, Handel’s famous oratorio. I still love that oratorio and listen to it frequently. How does this memory tie into today’s text? It is that final word “harmony”. Before the formal start of the music, before the conductor would arrive on stage to direct, the various musicians would tune their instruments. It was a cacophony of noise and discord. It seems to me this is what the world is like, before Jesus, the Savior of the World, directs us. His Spirit, living in us, is the Conductor, directing musicians.

Think of it. Unless, once the instruments are tuned, there is a conductor, all the musicians will sound their well-tuned instruments at different times, at different tempos on different pages and even well-tuned instruments would produce clanging and clashing, rather than melodious music. By the Spirit we are conducted in perfect harmony. By the Spirit, we are directed in the love of Jesus Christ so that we can bear with one another and forgive one another. It is the work of our Father, to pour into us the love of Christ, and the love of Jesus is bound into us by the presence of the Spirit Who enables us to be a symphony of praise.

Dear fellow Christian, you are an instrument of God’s holiness. From the place of knowing you are well-loved, you have a rich reservoir of compassion to draw on when others might be testing your patience. The Spirit is directing you to sound the the melody of kindness in every part of your life; at the right time calls on you to add to it the refrain of meekness, by which the strength of God in you is communicated in such a way that it can slip past the defenses of those who might otherwise be hostile to the Song of Songs.

Today’s song includes the prayer.

https://youtu.be/WrvAjQvvvaA

Copyright © 2021 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

November 15, 2021 -- Matthew 27:62-65 -- Jesus, Whose Name is Glorious

The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and that last fraud will be worse than the first.”

Matthew 27:62-65 ESV

The chief priests were impostors. They had the authority of office, they had the Torah, the Bible instructions of the coming of the Messiah, but instead of leading the people to their true Savior and Lord, they had Jesus put to death. Pilate is an impostor. He is supposed to be the Justice-bringing. He acknowledged Jesus was without sin, yet Pilate had Jesus put to death. The Pharisees were impostors. They remembered the words Jesus spoke, that He would rise from the dead, but they did not believe what He’d promised. It is all so staggering.

I am an impostor. So often, I know the good I should do, and do not do it. So often I know the wrong that I should not do, and this very thing I do. What a wretched man I am. Thanks be to God that our LORD Jesus Christ is not an impostor. He is exactly Who He claimed to be! He is the Son of Man. He will be revealed before all the earth as the One seated at the Father’s right hand, the One Who returns with great, unimaginable glory and all His holy ones with Him, to judge the nations. He alone is True. Blessed be His Name. Blessed are all Who call on the Name of Jesus, following Him in the power of the Spirit to the praise of the Father in heaven. Amen.

November 8, 2021 -- Ephesians 3:14-19 -- Receiving the Love of God

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19 ESV

Yesterday Pastor Michael Jaatinen noted that it is the gift of God the Father to strengthened those who pray, and to strengthen them by the Spirit so that they will comprehend the love of God given us in Christ. Then Jaatinen gave this interesting explanation.

The breadth of Jesus’ love covers all the family of God, in every generation past, present and covers all believers until He returns.

The length of Christ’s love is from eternity to eternity—it is never-ending.

The height of Christ’s love lifts us to heaven, where He is seated as our Intercessor.

The depths of love is evidenced by the fact that Jesus left heaven and took on our flesh.

There is no limit to the love of the Father; we do need the strength of the Holy Spirit living in us to clear away our sin cluttered lives. We need the Spirit to renew us from the inside out so that we can receive this love of Jesus and by it be filled with the fullness of God.

If you are not experiencing the love of God—pray for it. Pray for the Father to give you the Spirit.

If you are not experiencing the love of God—confess you sins. Our sins hinder our walk with God.

If you are not experiencing the love of God—read the Word. He speaks His love to us most clearly in Jesus, and the pages of Scripture are saturated with the presence of Jesus our King.

If you are not experiencing the love of God—tell a fellow Christian whose walk you admire and pray together. Seek this blessing from God!

Holy Spirit, powerful Consoler, sacred Bond of the Father and the Son, Hope of the afflicted, descend into my heart and establish in it your loving dominion. Enkindle in my tepid soul the fire of your Love so that I may be wholly subject to you. We believe that when you dwell in us, you also prepare a dwelling for the Father and the Son. Deign, therefore, to come to me, Consoler of abandoned souls, and Protector of the needy. Help the afflicted, strengthen the weak, and support the wavering. Come and purify me. Let no evil desire take possession of me. You love the humble and resist the proud. Come to me, glory of the living, and hope of the dying. Lead me by your grace that I may always be pleasing to you. Amen.

Prayer attributed to St. Augustine (354 A.D. - 430 A.D.)

https://youtu.be/IVFJtA0rkU0

November 7, 2021 -- Matthew 19:29 -- Possessed by what or whom?

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
Matthew 19:29 ESV

You might know the context of this verse, but perhaps not. A rich young ruler came to Jesus and asked what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him to keep the commandments. The man, without even flinching apparently, said he’d kept all these commandments. Rather than rebuke him directly, Jesus exposed his spiritual blindness. He said to the man, “Sell what you possess and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Matthew 19:21). The man left sorrowful because he had great possessions. Jesus exposed the man to himself. The rich young ruler was violating the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me”.

Some of us reading this devotional could easily sell what we have, because we are not owned by our possessions. However, such persons are placing their family before God—they would do anything for their family—but would not do everything commanded by the LORD our God. Maybe you are not rich, not needing to sell possessions, but you are coveting, wanting what others have, and wanting it with such ferocity that it is becoming all consuming.

Notice this, in our passage and in the words Jesus spoke to the rich young ruler, Jesus is issuing a clear invitation: come, follow Me. Perhaps, when reading the Bible, you thought to yourself, how could the people of His day be so blind? There He is standing right in front of that person! The Son of God and the Son of Man, the radiance of the Father’s glory, standing right in front of that person--how could the rich young ruler refuse Him? If I were there, I’d follow Him. Indeed, in those days, Jesus was veiled in flesh. In those days He was not handsome, He was not a wealthy leader of society, He was not what anyone would expect. It required the eyes of faith to see Him. So too today. The Scripture is filled with the invitation of Jesus: “give up whatever it is that owns you, and come, follow Me”. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart, do not refuse Him. Even if no one else can see what you see, follow Him. He is splendid, worthy, He is our soul's only true delight.

Jesus, Friend of Sinners, how easily and how frequently You have issued the invitation to leave possessions and false gods. Forgive our deafness. Forgive us our excuse-generating mouths. Today, by the Spirit’s powerful presence within us, help us to leave all lies and false paths, so that we will respond to You, and follow You wherever You will lead, until we are home with You for eternity. Amen.

https://youtu.be/KkRTfrLBii0

November 2, 2021 -- John 18:3-6 -- God the Glorious

So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
John 18:3-6 ESV

Yesterday I was listening to a podcast on the attributes of God. Steven Lawson was teaching. He told the story of a man who approached his preacher and said, “I saw God this morning while I was shaving”.

The preacher paused, and said drily, “I have only one question for you. Did you keep on shaving?”

The point is this: the glory of the LORD is so great, that the merest glimpse of Who He Is would throw men to the ground. That is what with happened in the narrative before us today. When the battle-hardened soldiers who'd come out armed to the teeth, ready to arrest Him, Jesus did not flinch. He stood and calmly said, “I AM”, He linked His Name and His work to the Living God of Glory. That briefest glimpse of glory threw men, warriors, to the ground. God cannot be approached casually. He is not our buddy. He is clothed in splendor. He is arrayed in glory. He is worthy of worship. Our prayer today is the ascription of praise from Paul’s letter to the Romans.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
    or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
    that he might be repaid?”

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Romans 11:33-36 ESV

https://youtu.be/hqk-bEwCuIs

October 30, 2021 -- Psalm 34:8 -- God the Good

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
   Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Psalm 34:8 ESV

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
I Peter 2:3 ESV

Who is God? What is He like? By the word of His prophet, the Living God says let the one who boasts boast in this that they know Me (Jeremiah 9:24). To be a Christian is more than praying a prayer and then going on with your life as if nothing had changed. To be a Christian means that your whole is reoriented, you have made a 180 degree turn away from wickedness toward craving more of God and desiring to grow up in salvation. The attributes of God, the Scripture-descriptions of Who God Is, teach us to know God as He truly Is. He has revealed Himself.

We live in a world of hyperbole and excesses. My bank teller, at the end of a mundane transaction, will suddenly get over-animated and gush, “Have an excellent day”. I feel like she is being sarcastic. Who can sustain that? I can’t.

The LORD of Heaven and earth is good. That is Who He Is, and how He acts toward to His creation.

He is good in giving light and life.

He is good in revealing Himself perfectly.

He is good, the very definition of all good forever, past, present, and future. In every instance of eternity He is good.

He is good in giving Jesus Christ for the complete forgiveness of all our sins and through Whom we have relationship with God, the Eternal One

He is good in giving the Holy Spirit, Who lives in us. It is the Spirit of God Who helps retrain our tastes so that we no longer crave the world and its tawdry pleasures, but our hearts rejoice in the goodness of God.

He is good in all His ways. Whatever God does, has done, or ever will do, is marked with goodness. He is Supreme Good.

Psalm 1 invites us to meditate on the LORD and on His Word. This is what believers do. We spend time thinking about Who God is, how He has revealed Himself to us. He invites us to know Him. As we know Him, inevitably we will worship Him.

My God,
Thou hast helped me to see,
that whatever good be in honour and
rejoicing, how good is he who gives them,
and can withdraw them;
that blessedness does not lie so much
in receiving good from and in thee,
but in holding forth thy glory and virtue;
that it is an amazing thing to see Deity
in a creature, speaking, acting, filling, shining through it;
that nothing is good but thee,
that I am near good when I am near thee,
that to be like thee is a glorious thing:
This is my magnet, my attraction.

Thou art all my good in times of peace,
my only support in days of trouble,
my one sufficiency when life shall end.
Help me to see how good thy will is in all,
and even when it crosses mine
teach me to be pleased with it.
Grant me to feel thee in fire, and food and
every providence,
and to see that thy many gifts and creatures
are but thy hands and fingers
taking hold of me.
Thou bottomless fountain of all good,
I give myself to thee out of love,
for all I have or own is thine,
my goods, family, church, self,
to do with as thou wilt,
to honour thyself by me, and by all mine.
If it be consistent with thy eternal counsels,
the purpose of thy grace,
and the great ends of thy glory,
then bestow upon me
the blessings of thy comforts;
If not, let me resign myself to
thy wiser determinations.
"The All-Good". The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions, ed. Arthur Bennett. Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2020. page 10.

https://youtu.be/CqybaIesbuA

October 28, 2021 -- Proverbs 16:33 -- The Decision that Makes You

People loved by the Father, in the power of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

The lot is cast into the lap,
   but its every decision is from the LORD.
Proverbs 16:33 ESV

Casting lots to make a decision seems very random indeed. At this point is it important to know the biblical background. The priest of God would have black and white stones. When the people of God were seeking to know the will of God, the priest would throw these urim and thummim (as these black and white stones are called). Whatever turned up would then be affirmed as the decision of the LORD, the Ruler of Heaven and Earth Who leads His people.

The point is this, the LORD knows His will for His people. He rules even over the things that seem merely like chance or coincidence. In all things, in every age and all times, the LORD our God is making His will know and governing according to His just and good decision. This means nothing in our universe is random. The LORD directs all things according to His holy purposes.

Yesterday I listened to a secular podcast given by Simon Sinek. He mentioned his mentor using this phrase: “be careful when you make a decision for your decision will make you”. It is a very clever phrase. It is good advice. Oftentimes people will feel like their actions are random, or just happened. However, if a person would examine his prior decisions, he would be able to determine the root which bore the fruit of a bad action.

Conversely, a Christian who makes the decision to serve the LORD has been grafted into Jesus Christ. Jesus is the root and foundation of every good action. When a Christian is faced with a difficult choice, what he chooses to do has already been set into motion by the prior decision to serve the LORD. Pre-marital sex? It is ruled out by the decision to serve the LORD and honour God with our bodies. Gluttony (and this is the one I struggle against) it is ruled out by the prior decision to honour God by what I eat and choose not to eat and so honour Go with my body. When you see me, you’ll know I am failing in this—but be aware I have a standard in Christ and a desire to be faithful. Therefore I have a basis for what is right and wrong. I mention this not as justification, but humbly seeking the strength of God to continue to direct me in the path of righteousness, the path set out by the prior, good decision to serve Jesus.

Christianity seems to many Christians to be a long list of “don’t do that”. This is a terrible misunderstanding of Christianity. It begins with with making a decision that will make you. Christianity begins with saying “Yes” to Jesus Christ. Christianity is a series of steps consecutively walked whereby the one who has chosen to serve the LORD in all things brings his actions in line with that original and excellent decision to serve the LORD in all things. What follows then are decisions that are not random, but directly guided by the Spirit of God Who is Christ’s Governor-General placed in our hearts. The Spirit applies the word to our heart and mind and the Spirit gives us courage to apply wisdom to support the original, good decision to follow Jesus Christ. This is the decision you made that now makes you, according to the good purposes of our God and King.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not from You presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit. Amen
(The prayer is based on Psalm 51:10-12)

https://youtu.be/a91_3VYRiZo

Copyright © 2021 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 26, 2021 -- Revelation 22:20-21 -- Great Grace

People loved by the Father, by the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
Revelation 22:20-21 ESV

The Bible doesn’t end like a fairy tale. It doesn’t have a “and they all lived happily ever after” conclusion. After the fiery judgment prophesied against all who hate God, and such people are described as all who are dogs and sorcerers, sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters—such descriptions make even saints tremble because we know the wickedness of our own hearts—the wicked are sent to hell. Jesus’ immanent return should strike terror into the hearts of those who realize how soon this world and its evil will all end.

The Bible ends with great assurance. It is the grace of the LORD Jesus which is set upon His people. It is the kindness of Jesus beyond our deserving that sustains believers so that we attain heaven. It is the sacrifice of Jesus and this gift of love alone which purifies and this guarded in us by the Spirit’s power. The end of the Bible is the declaration of the glory of Jesus Christ, which is spoken to the praise of the Father, and this made clear by the Spirit’s revelation. The final chapter of Revelation stirs up in the believer’s soul a longing for the beauty of God’s presence which is unveiled. The final blessing, the grace of Jesus, brings us to our knees in awe and fervent prayer—Yes! Jesus! Return quickly and let Your glory shine.

Maranatha! Return soon, Lord Jesus Christ! Spirit of God, add to the number of believers until all who have been chosen in love by the Father are counted in and You, LORD God are the Light of Your people forever and ever. Amen.

https://youtu.be/FDXLq2BHVpA

October 25, 2021 -- Revelation 22:16 -- Jesus the Morning Star

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
Revelation 22:16 ESV

There is no reason for it that I can identify. Today is a tough day emotionally. I am carried along by a current that pushing me towards the deeps. This is the struggle of depression. Not wanting to do so, I put my shoes on. Despite internal protesting about my indecisive, wavering decision to walk; despite an emotional lethargy hard to describe, I opened the door and stepped outside. I brought my headphones and while walking outside so I could listen to the devotional readings chosen for today. Surely the Spirit of God is our comfort! The reading quoted above, nearly at the end of my day’s selected readings, shone brightly. Piercing the gloom.

When the night is dark, bleak, cold, Jesus is the bright morning star. He is declaring the Day is near. His presence is perceivable. The bright morning star shines, informing those who look up into their night sky, the darkness is nearly done. The morning star is here. Day is near. Jesus sent His angel who has testified to His goodness. John, the beloved disciple, has received the brilliant testimony of Revelation and declared it to the churches so that believers can hold on, no matter the circumstances, and do so aware of the love of Jesus. So day or night, barely holding on or secure, jailed or free, rich or poor, whatever our circumstances, the Light of Jesus will shine forth.

Jesus, bright and morning star, shine on. Help me. Amen.

https://youtu.be/chnlE-CnZYU

October 23, 2021 -- Matthew 9:12-13 -- The Great Physician Addressing the Sickness

But when he [Jesus] heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Matthew 9:12-13 ESV

Permit me to begin with an apology. I was listening to one preacher who gave a clip of this other preacher and the illustration came from the preacher in the clip. I can’t remember enough to track down the source, but perhaps one of you, readers, will identify it. So, I am using someone else’s awesome illustration to illuminate this text, though I have significantly adapted the illustration.

A man went to his church and heard the preacher speak of propitiation and sanctification. He turned and squirmed wearily in the pew. As he left the sanctuary, the minister went to shake his hand.

The man complained, “Rev, you speak using such big words. Five syllable words like propitiation. It is all too much for me.”

Replied the minister, “Sir, you are suffering from a sickness of the soul. The Bible offers to you the cure for your sickness. Learn of these terms and find the Great Physician Who would heal you.”

As he turned away from the minister, the man gave a half-smile, but did not give any further reply.

A few days later the man saw his physician. The doctor, after a long examination and a series of questions, noted the man likely had polymyalgia rheumatica. One of the medications required is an immuno-suppressant along with cortico-steroids.

The man, in view of his changing health status, called his minister, requesting an urgent visit. The minister visited that same day.

The man reported, “I have received a tentative diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica and will likely need a course of medicines including immuno-suppressants and cortico-steroids.”

Quietly the minister listened to the man’s breathless account of his health status, noticing his use of six syllable words which described his condition and the treatment. An immediate course of treatment for a condition which has no known cure.

Then the minister, kindly spoke. “Sir, you have just learned of your condition. You investigated and in very short order you have learned multi-syllabic terms which are completely new to you. Yet, this past Sunday, you could not retain the big words related to”

The man broke into the minister’s sentence, exclaiming, “But Reverend, this is about my health.”

Sighing, the minister patiently replied, “Sir, what you speak of now is your physical health. Last Sunday, I spoke to you of your spiritual health. Your spiritual health is of far greater importance and will affect you now and for all eternity. Jesus Himself is the cure. I urge you, learn of Him, understand the big words of salvation.”

Father in heaven, healer of the fatally sin-sickened soul, apply the cleansing balm of Jesus Christ so that in the power of the Spirit we shall from our soul’s deathbed rise in new life enabled to serve You. Amen

https://youtu.be/DveYBno-pmQ

October 20, 2021 -- Revelation 7:13-17 -- Kept by the Spirit for Jesus our Shepherd unto the glory of the Father

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 “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 shelter them with his presence.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
    the sun shall not strike them,
    nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
    and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Revelation 7:13-17 ESV

How can anyone survive the great tribulation that comes upon the people of God? Successively each generation of Christians face suffering and persecution and trials. What a Christian suffers in India is different than what a Christian suffers in Canada. Yet, all must suffer for the sake of the Name Jesus. The text before teaches us that the believers who overcome the world, the devil and the temptations of their own flesh are those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Sinners who recognize their sinfulness know their need for Jesus. He alone is our holiness. He is our victory in these times that sorely try men’s souls.

Those who have washed their robes then look to Jesus as their Shepherd. Verse 17 promises that Jesus will Shepherd His people through-out eternity. This is hardly wonderful and beautiful news to those who have rejected and hated Him through-out their lives on earth. Those who have submitted their lives to Him here on earth will rejoicing in His nearness in eternity. This passage teaches us to train our hearts and orient our lives towards Jesus Christ. If He is not right now, this very moment for us living water He will not be so in eternity. If we are not bringing our tears to Him right now, how then would we bring them in eternity? We would not think to do so.

Thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit of God, living in us, Who brings us to Jesus. In Christ we find even here and now, today, refreshing, healing streams, the waters of life. In Christ we find One Who looks to our tears and will not ignore our cries. It is the Spirit of God Who will keep you, no matter the storms and sufferings of this life, until the moment life ends and you are brought safely to the Shepherd of your soul. It is the Spirit of all Comfort, Who shows You it is Christ Himself, shepherding your soul now, praying for you before the Father. No wonder the saints before the throne of God serve Him day and night--when in eternity ones sees the fullness of the victory of Christ sealed into your heart and life by the Spirit, one will realize in a way only dimly perceived now, how great is our debt of thanksgiving and praise and awe and worship all which we would then long to offer to the Triune God.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
    forever.

https://youtu.be/YSZFqtIKSLA

October 19, 2021 -- Revelation 7:13-17 -- Are We Facing Tribution?

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 “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 shelter them with his presence.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
    the sun shall not strike them,
    nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
    and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Revelation 7:13-17 ESV

The beloved disciple, John, has this vision. Gathered around the throne of the Lamb, Jesus, Who was slain and is now ruling as the Lion of Judah, the Conquering King, gathered before Him are all the saints. They have suffered great tribulation. Sometimes we think of tribulation as something specific. We might think unless someone is facing persecution, government inflicted, or imprisonments, then such a person is not suffering, really suffering tribulation. We missed the point if we think such are the only forms of tribulation or suffering. Tribulation literally means: great pressure, pressing together. As believers we are crushed by our circumstances so that we will be broken and beautiful in service to our King.

Believers must deny themselves daily. Lusts and desires must be thrown down and denied despite the pressures we feel to fulfil them. We know the temptation to bow down to our lusts and desires is a constant pressure.

Believers must stand against the world. Right now, more than ever, we are called to be faithful in our jobs and in our circle of friends. There are many pressures to deny our faith. There are peers who push against us, asking us to tone down our fanaticism for the King. Sure, be a Christian, but don't keep mentioning Jesus, as if that we possible for those who are captivated by His love.

Believers must stand against the weight of the devil’s constant temptations. When no one is looking are you faithful to Jesus, the King? Believers are wise to the world’s heretical philosophies and speak truth to power.

Believers are those who face such forces which flow against them every day and are not shaken, but whole-heartedly seek the strength of the LORD and bask in His great love as He supplies everything we need for godliness.

Faithful Father in heaven, blessed are You! Lamb of God, Jesus, Great and Glorious is Your victory over sin, death and hell. Spirit of the Living God, though we are pressured and afflicted in every way, we are not crushed. You, Spirit of Power, have been given to believers so that by Your presence we always put to death to the works of the flesh even as we always carry in us the life of Jesus. We offer up our lives to You, Triune God, as a living sacrifice. Be glorified among Your people so that by our word and witness, You draw many people to Yourself; people who then will join the surging and growing chorus of those who are sheltered in Your presence. Amen.

https://youtu.be/QZW4_8_zCBE

October 17, 2021 -- II Thessalonians 2:16-17 -- Drenched in His overflowing blessings

People loved by the Father, by the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
II Thessalonians 2:16-17 ESV

When reading the New Testament letters you can’t help but notice how they are filled with blessings conferred from our God to His people. In this letter, Paul, Silvanus and Timothy are writing the believers in Thessalonica. The letter touches on the might of God and the judgment that is coming and the suffering Christians will endure before Jesus returns. And the letter, brief as it is, overflows with the blessings of God directed to His people.

Note the assurance of God’s great love for us. No matter our circumstances, His love is unshakeable. It is the Lord Jesus and our Father Who love us and give us eternal comfort. Perhaps you caught the reference and implication of the word comfort. Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter (see John 14, 15 and 16  where Jesus constantly names the Holy Spirit the Helper, or as many translations have it, the Comforter).

Hope is a gift of God’s grace. It is not a misguided hope, like “I hope the Leafs will win the Stanley Cup the next two years in a row”. It is a sure and certain hope, fixed on Jesus Christ, the Author and Perfecter of all true believing. This hope is a gift of His grace. It is the Spirit Who stirs up this sure hope in us so that we walk with God and trust Him, seeing our circumstances with the eyes of faith and confident believing.

Notice, from this place of being fortified by God our Father and God the Lord Jesus Who is our rescue story, we are able to work for the kingdom of God, we speak with boldness the glories of our High King in heaven. This is work which flows from us because the blessing of God is on us. We are, in and of ourselves, timid and small creatures. God chooses the foolish things of the world, the weak things and by His love, eternal comfort and good hope, fashions us to be His soldiers, an army on our knees, united in prayer and thanksgiving who rise in Jesus Christ as victors over our own sinfulness and the victors over the world and the devil. It is Jesus Who seals His victory in us, by His Spirit to the glory of our Father in heaven—He Who has given us all this through His great love and grace.

Thank You, Father in heaven, for the rich and extravagant blessings which You have poured out on us in Jesus Christ. By the Spirit's presence, the Comforter sealed in us by Your grace, we recognize we are guarded in Your love. By the Spirit's work in us, we are taught in righteousness and grow in grace. Triune God, from this place of overflowing blessedness, may we rise and praise You and serve You in all we do and say. In Jesus' Name we pray this. Amen.

https://youtu.be/LOuw3rLY7Zg

Copyright © 2021 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 16, 2021 -- Colossians 2:20-23 -- Exposing the elemental spirits of this age

People loved by the Father, by the power of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
Colossians 2:20-23 ESV

Notice the very first phrase, the conditional, if with Christ you died, and the implications of it. Our whole life is oriented towards Him. That is we intentionally, moment by moment, tune our mental and spiritual and physical orientation is toward Him. He is our life’s goal and delight. There are so many human precepts and teachings which masquerade as having wisdom, but in fact are demonic and man-made religions which do violence to the beauty of knowing Christ.

The whole LGBTQ? movement is a direct attack on the word of God. Our human sexuality does not have precedence. Genesis is clear. There are two genders, male and female. The sinful impulses of our heart and mind may pull us against this, but our call is to stop the indulgences of the flesh. Remember, we died with Christ, so straight or queer, all of us who name the Name of Jesus, we are called to submit our sexuality to Jesus and honour Him in our flesh. This is a life-long practice. Christians recognize all of us have untamed lusts and desires which threaten to undo obedience to Jesus. Therefore, with kindness and great empathy, we can reach out to those who are bound up in sexual sins and offer the only hope that exists, joy-filled obedience to Jesus Christ.

Black Lives Matter, and its Marxist underpinnings expressed in Critical Race Theory, do violence to True biblical understanding of who we are. All of us are made in the image of God. Darwinism, and all the godless theories evolving from it, are man-made religions. Those who are in Christ and read the Bible know there are not “races” but all people are of one flesh. We are all descended from Adam and Eve. To use the interpretative lens of BLM or CRT to examine scripture is to place the elemental, demonic spirit of this age above the glory and instruction of Jesus Christ. Only in Christ Jesus can we find reconciliation and peace which breaks down the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14 teaches us this so clearly).

Knowing God our Father is in charge of all things, Jesus the Radiance of His Glory is our salvation and LORD, this is revealed to us by the wisdom of the Spirit. The Spirit takes the word of God and applies it to our hearts helping us to understand the pandemic battle we’re in right now. The world is in the grip of the philosophical heresy of technopoly (Neal Postman has an excellent book on the philosophy of Technopoly). Technopoly is the heresy that all our problems and societal ills can be resolved through technology. This pandemic is revealing the government’s addiction to technopoly—the false hope in humanity’s ability to use tools to fix all things. It is a desperate lie. In no way have the ascetic lockdowns or jabs—which is severity committed against the body denying the body’s natural immune response—solved the pandemic. Nor can they.

All of these previously mentioned sinful philosophies really are nothing new. There is nothing new under the sun. In every age and with every new generation people seek to “free themselves from the bondage of religion” only to create gods in their own image, raising up religious tyrants ever more despotic and ridiculous. A good grasp of history will uncover this, and serve to instruct us, highlighting each triumph of the people Who are united with Christ and by the Spirit’s power are ever seeking to honour Him in all areas of life.

Dearly loved people of God, our soul’s calling is to know Jesus Christ. In our union with Him through baptism, we have died to ourselves and we have died to all the teachings and philosophies of this world which seek to dethrone Him. In fact, Jesus remains seated at the right hand of the Father. He is robed in holy power and by His Spirit He is protecting His people who declare His glory and are prepared to face all human, spiritual and sometimes even from fellow, misguided members of the church, opposition to His rule. Jesus has already overcome the world. Faith sees this. Such faith is fed and strengthened by the Word. Be prepared to face harsh criticism, persecution, ridicule for the sake of the Name of Jesus. Our peace is found in Christ alone. He is our joy and our strength.

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
    for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
    till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
    to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
    he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

4 My soul is in the midst of lions;
    I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
    whose tongues are sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!

6 They set a net for my steps;
    my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my way,
    but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
    my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
8     Awake, my glory!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
    I will awake the dawn!
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!
Psalm 57 ESV

https://youtu.be/936BapRFHaQ

Copyright © 2021 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.