Rev 11:1-14 Every Eye Will See

Revelation 11:1-14 NIV

As horrible as humankind can be, it is difficult for me to be able to comprehend how the world would
kill God's witnesses and then leave their dead bodies on display in the public square for three and a half days so that the world can rejoice over their deaths.

However; this, too, will be a very good thing. After all, Jesus was in the grave for three days and because there were no witnesses to the actual resurrection, only to his presence after the resurrection, not everyone believed that he was risen. Even to this day, many doubt or just flat out refuse to believe because they did not see it.

If the resurrection of these two witnesses happen exactly as John saw it in his vision there will be no doubt that God can raise the dead. Television cameras will capture the moment. Cell phones will be clicking away. Every eye will see. The enemies of God will tremble in fear. As God calls the two witnesses to himself, they will ascend visibly into heaven and the earth will quake  killing multitudes. The survivors will know. They will all be witnesses. They will then understand that God is worthy of  receiving honor and glory. There will be no doubt. Every eye will see and know that God can and will raise His chosen ones.

God's Peace - Pr. Judy

Luke 16:1-15 Love of Money

Luke 16:1-15 NIV
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (vs 13)

This is not to say that if you have a lot of money that you do not love or serve God. In fact, maybe you are one whom God has richly blessed and you use what He has given use wisely and for His glory. He is your first love, the riches are merely a tool to reach out to others, glorifying His Holy Name. Be wise; though, and understand that the pursuit of gaining money and things can quickly take over your life and in the end you may realize that it was not God (the one who blessed you) that you loved; rather, it was riches in this world.

Use the gifts that God has given use in a manner that might glorify Him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Zechariah 11 - Covenant and Unity

     "So I shepherded the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock. In one month I got rid of the three shepherds.

     The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them and said, “I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish. Let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.”

     Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations. It was revoked on that day, and so the oppressed of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the Lord.

     I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.

     And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord.

     Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the family bond between Judah and Israel." (Zech 11:7-14 NIV)

The two staffs of a shepherd: one to help steer the flock in the way they should go; the other with a crook in it so that they may be pulled to safety when they venture too close to danger. Zechariah sees a vision of these two staffs. One is called Favor and the other Union. They are broken. God's word is that the favor He has given to the people in His covenant with them; as well as the unity between Judah and Israel will be broken. The LORD's warning is that He will no longer be their shepherd. He will leave them to the worthless shepherd who has no heart for the people or for God.

The Good News, though, can be found in the thirty pieces of silver. This is the price that Judas was paid for betraying Jesus the Christ and it was with this money that the field where Judas committed suicide was purchased. This may not be good news for Judas; but, it is for us. For without the betrayal; without the death and the ultimate resurrection and ascension of Jesus, we would have no hope of entering into the Kingdom that has indeed been prepared for us. Even as God promised to break the covenant He had with the people, when He broke the two staffs of Favor and Unity; He has given us a new covenant. This new covenant is for the unity of all people in His Kingdom through the blood of Jesus the Christ.

Ultimately, God provided a Shepherd who can and will guide us in the way we are to go. He will keep us safe within the flock - united with God and with one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 23 - The Tale of Two Cities

The tale of two sisters presents a pretty colorful picture of prostitution and whoredom. It is an allegory that presents idolatry and adultery as one and the same. The two sisters are in actuality the two cities of Samaria, which is the capital of the northern kingdom and Jerusalem, which is the capital of the southern kingdom. Both cities have fallen under condemnation for their idolatrous ways. These have lusted after and played the harlot with foreign men of power. They have prostituted themselves in that they have allied themselves with other cities and countries that do not worship God. They have been unfaithful to their Husband, who is their Creator. (Isa 54:5) Ultimately, they will fall for their unfaithfulness.

How often do we play games with men and/or women of power to get what we desire? Maybe it is for riches or maybe it is for more power and prestige for ourselves. The tale of two sisters or the tale of these two cities should remind us that there is only one God, who is our Maker and Redeemer. He is our all. There can be only one first love and from Him we should not stray.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ecclesiastes 4 - Slow or Faster? Cheetahs and Bombs

Have you seen the latest commercials for the AT&T Apple IPhones? Beck Bennet and a group of children sit around a table discussing things like which is better. Would the children rather have more or less? Is slow or faster better. They, of course, all think that more and faster are are better. The line I love comes in the commercial when they discuss how to make grandma faster. The little boy says: "Tape a cheetah to her back."

Yes, there are times when this grandma wishes she was a little faster and that there was a little more of me to go around to get everything done that I'd like done. I have found that as I have slowed down, more is not better. More means more work. More means more to take care of. Thanks be to God that there are others around me to work with me. I don't need a cheetah taped to my back, although that might prove to be a real interesting experience...

Solomon writes: 
"Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."  (Eccl 4:9-12 NIV)

Two can definitely be better than one. It is good to have someone there to help you in your labors, to pick you up when you fall, to comfort, and to help defend you.  Two is better than one, but it is not perfect. Sometimes when there is more and no matter how fast you are stuff still happens.

Yesterday, April 15, 2013, at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, two bombs exploded. There were many people there. It was a crowd.Which meant even more got hurt. In just a flash, over 140 were hurt and at least 3 were killed in the blasts. 

Two might have been able to defend themselves in Solomon's time. In many cases today, it is just not so. Technology has made our arms able to destroy many more, much faster. Technology has done some great things. It has given us some awesome ways to communicate with one another more and faster. But, technology has provided humankind faster and easier ways to destroy one another, as well. Technology has provided humankind ways to be inhumane without even being present. It is possible for multitudes to be murdered without even realizing that they were in danger. ...with no opportunity to defend themselves.

Two are better than one in many cases. We could afford a few more allies. But, more is not always better when you're gathered together as one target. Yesterday, my desire to live in relative isolation was affirmed.

It might be helpful if I were a bit faster. I really appreciate that the internet is much faster than it was a decade ago. But, still, some things may be better faster, but not all.

There is way too much evil being done under the sun. Let there be peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 118 - Two-Edge Sword or Blessed Is He

^"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." Sound familiar? We hear it every Palm Sunday. This verse is found not only in Psalm 118:26, but Matt 21:9, 23:39, Mark 11:9, Luke 13:35, 19:38, John 12:13 (NIV) as well.

 

In these passages we hear Jesus reminding the people that they had rejected and had killed God's prophets before him. He tells them that their houses have been left desolate and they will not see him again until they say: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.  The other incident in Jesus' life that these verses refer to is his triumphant entry into Jerusalem for the Passover, riding on a donkey, with all of the people greeting him with joy as they shout these same words: "Blessed is he (the king) who comes in the name of the Lord" We know what happened at the end of the week.... God's chosen one, Jesus Christ, was also put to death. Hung high on a tree, the people He came to save, had Him put to death.

 

Those who come in the name of the LORD are not always welcomed. The prophets before Jesus were not. Jesus, himself, was not. Do we expect a better reception? The Good News, I must say, is not always welcomed. Those who bring the Word of God are still attacked on all sides. That Word of God, the Good News is like a two edged sword. One edge "penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Heb 4:12) The other edge of the sword is used to heal the nations. The sword, in times when swords were used in battle, could be heated and used to cicatrize the wound. That is what the Word of God does. It can heal the nations or it can scatter the people who cower in fear of the Word. 

 

If hearing the Word of God makes you feel good about yourself all of the time, you're probably not really hearing the Word. Nobody is that good that we don't need to be reminded now and then that we might be straying from the way. The Word, out of love, also corrects us, confronts us, to change.  It does not just say, don't worry about it, you can deny me, you can attack me. It says, "I am the way and the truth and the life." "Follow me."  So, when we are called to change our direction and follow, sometimes, people reject this Word and the one who brings it. Sometimes, they get down right angry on hearing this call to follow.

 

I have these words framed in my home office where I read them many times I day. "Comfort the disturbed. Disturb the Comfortable." It was given me a few years ago, by my friend, Jennifer Lynn. It reminds me that the Word which I share with people is a two edged sword. It is their to comfort the people who are in distress, but it is also there to disturb those who are too comfortable in the ways of the world. It will disturb those who have rejected Jesus as the "way, the truth, and the life." 

 

Verses 22-24 One more verse from Psalm 118 which is also found in the New Testament:

 

"The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." (Psalm 118:22) is also found in the New Testament in Matt 21:42, Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17, Acts 4:11, and 1 Peter 2:7.

In 1 Peter 2:6:8 we hear: "For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for."

 

Jesus is that cornerstone. He is the precious stone which brings salvation to all who believe. But, all who do not believe will stumble over the stone.

 

This Psalm 118 is just an awesome psalm. Please read it in it's entirety. But, just in case you don't, here's a few more verses for you.Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, nd I will exalt you.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. (118:26-29)