My Light and Salvation

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?

When evildoers assail me
    to devour my flesh—
my adversaries and foes—
    they shall stumble and fall.

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

                                                                                   Psalm 27 NRSV

 

When you are engulfed in a storm on the Great Lakes or on coastal waters; you look for a lighthouse to help guide you on your way.

 

Life brings about many storms of many kinds. Some are small and some are huge. But, no matter what kind or how large the storm you are facing; no matter who brings it; no matter how dark it gets; the light of Christ shines in the darkness to bring you to safe harbor. Follow the light of Christ and you can walk in the confidence that no matter who or what storm is attempting to bring you down; you will survive; you will live in God's presence for all eternity.

 

The Lord is our stronghold. We have no need to fear anything or anyone. God is with all who believe in Him.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Matthew 27:27-56 The Crucifixion/The Kingdom/The Rapture

Tortured and beaten, mocked and crucified, the King of the Jews is put to death. But, something amazingly awesome (or awful) happens as he breathed his last breath.

"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matt 27:50-54 NIV)

The curtain of the temple, the dividing wall between man and God, was torn in two. We no longer need the high priest to enter that sacred space to mediate between God and us. The door has been opened to all who would enter. But, even more; as the earthquake shook the city; as the dead rose; as that curtain was ripped in two; the power of God; the Kingdom of God; came rushing out to be with God's people.  Not so unlike the visual we get when the heavens are ripped open and the Holy Spirit descends at Jesus baptism; the tearing of the temple curtain is a reminder that God truly has come down to earth to be with humankind. He is not stuck far away above the clouds. He is not hidden in a room behind a curtain. He is with you. His Kingdom has come and continues to come for you through the death of Jesus the Christ.

As to the dead being raised; what can I say? I do not fully comprehend this. Some will say that this raising from the dead was merely a spiritual reawakening. When I read verses 52 and 53 it sounds like a whole lot more than a spiritual reawakening; although it may certainly have caused that as well. I think I'd be awakened more fully if I saw the graves open and the dead, now alive, walking around. I have to admit that I do not fully understand these verses. I also have to admit that I do refer to them now and then; especially when I dialogue with somehow who wants to focus on a coming rapture more than the kingdom of God present with us even now. I simply refer them to these two verses and ask them if they are so sure that maybe they didn't miss the rapture and that we're all stuck; all "left behind." After all, according to some rapture proponents, the dead will be raised from the grave either during, before or right after the rapture. As for me, I consider myself already "raptured" as Christ; the power of God; His Kingdom; broke through that wall that separates us and lives with and all around us. His glory is all around us and in us and through us. God is with us, even now! His Kingdom is at hand!

When it comes to things like the dead coming out of their graves; I think it is enough to say "I don't know exactly what this means." There is no other historical evidence (that I've seen) to verify this; but, scripture does say it happened and that is enough for me to say it was so. Just because I can't rationalize it in my mind; doesn't mean it didn't happen.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 27 - Mourning Tyre

A lament for Tyre. Tyre who was so prideful is fallen. As it is said, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Prov 16:18 NIV) Tyre did well for itself, but it was "full of itself."

We see it all the time: pride and arrogance. As they grow in a person, others around them tend to want to stay away from them and then the fall. It is not good in a business, no matter what kind of business it is. Pride and arrogance don't do much for relationships, either. They particularly aren't very conducive to a genuine relationship with God. After all, it is He who gives us all good things and when things "go south" it probably has something to do with the fact that we have started thinking that we can manage things better than God, all by ourselves.

Trust in the LORD and give Him thanks for all that He has given.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Lamentations 2 - No More Killing

The wall has been torn down (vs 8).  God's children willfully turned their backs on Him and He has withdrawn His right hand from the approach of their enemy. (vs 3) The enemy has overtaken them at the LORD's hand. There is nothing, no One, to protect them.

And... what is their response? They cry! They blame God!

“Look, Lord, and consider:
    Whom have you ever treated like this?
Should women eat their offspring,
    the children they have cared for?
Should priest and prophet be killed    
    in the sanctuary of the Lord?" (vs 20 NIV)

That women should eat their offspring, is this God's fault? That a government would use chemical weapons on their own people or anyone; that a government should invade the airspace of another and target those we suspect (key word - suspect) are our enemies with drones; that a court should find guilty and put to death an innocent man; that a parent could murder his/her own children; is this God's fault? Maybe, we should consider that because we would disrespect His creation with such atrocities against one another that God might withhold His hand of protection from us. Maybe, we should quit blaming God for what we do in His name and take a little responsibility for not caring for those things in this world that God has given us.

Yes, lament, grieve, the losses. But, we need to put an end to blaming God for the consequences of our own actions and inactions. We need to be able to stand up and confess our sins that we might receive forgiveness purchased for us (for all) through the blood of Jesus Christ, our LORD; otherwise His death has been in vain.

No more killing.... “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 27 - Nebuchadnezzar; The Servant of God

"Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.  All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate him." (Jeremiah 27:6-7 NIV)

We all have those days when we just can't figure out why our enemies prevail; when we beg God to intervene. Can you imagine what God's people thought when they heard Jeremiah's prophecy concerning Nebuchadnezzar being the servant of God? I'm thinking, it probably would have been pretty hard to believe Jeremiah and much easier to believe the false prophets. Of course, many of God's people have already been exiled to Babylon, so maybe they should be listening a whole lot closer to Jeremiah.

But, God has a plan and that plan includes restoring His people in the long run. Nebuchadnezzar has been chosen by God to help in that plan. The people have been yoked, for a very long time, to their false idols. Now, they will learn what it really means to be yoked by something, by someone, who is not God Almighty. They will learn this and turn to the LORD. They will then return to the land promised them.

Sometimes, hardships, may not be so much about our enemies persecuting us. Sometimes, they just might be about our LORD softening our hearts toward Him, as well as others.

May God bless your day as you go about serving the One God with an abundance of joy!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 27 - Leviathan

Kayak Trip with Cassie on Huron Bay

"In that day, the Lord will punish with his sword—his fierce, great and powerful sword—Leviathan  the gliding serpent, Leviathan the coiling serpent; he will slay the monster of the sea." (Isa 27:1 NIV)

 

Leviathan, the great sea monster, is mentioned a few times in Scripture. In addition to Isaiah 27, you can find mention of Leviathan in Job 3:8, Job 41:1, Job 41:12, Psalm 74:14, and Psalm 104:26.

 

On the rare occasions that I've found myself out on the lake in the midst of a storm I think of God overpowering Leviathan. OK - so they are not rare occasions. It seems like the wind picks up almost every time I am out on a boat (big or small) on a large mass of water. I actually warn people that they should not take me fishing unless they want a storm or their motor to conk out... Others should not take me out with them if they don't want to play with Leviathan, or maybe it's God, out in the middle of the water. I don't mind the storms. I know that the LORD is with me, even in the storms. The rushing wind reminds me of the power of the Holy Spirit. God is big enough to destroy Leviathan. He is big enough to protect me, if that is His will. But, if I'm not up to another storm, I stay as close to home as I can with my kayak...

 

Symbolically, the sea refers to a large number of people. So, for those of you who are big into the Revelation of John, the dragon that comes out of the sea in the book of Revelation most probably refers to the fact that the evil one will come from among the people. "The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name." (Rev 13:1) We are not looking for a literal dragon to come out of a literal sea, but an evil that comes from the midst of the people. Revelation is filled with symbolism. Please, do not take it literally.

 

The picture of the evil one may be a bit alarming, but remember the promise found in Isaiah today: The LORD will slay the evil one in the midst of the people. There may be times when things seem just awful. There may be times when your leviathan decides it's time to play with you. But, know this: the LORD will surely rescue His people. He is our very help in the time of trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

 

God's Peace - Pr. J