Hebrews 1 - Ministering Angels

Hebrews 1 NIV

One of my most often used prayers for little children is that the Lord would send his warrior angels to guard and protect them. As I lay my hands on their heads and pray for them, I can see their little faces just light up with hope. Their parents' faces usually light up as well. You see, the world can get pretty yucky for adults; but, for many children it can be most horrendous. Children need protection. Many live in fear, sometimes in fear of their parents. All it takes is to watch or read the local news and we see verification for their many fears. Most of them probably do not even understand the whole reality of the dangers that are out their lurking for them. Am I a pessimist when it comes to the world? In some regards, most probably. But, I have hope in the Kingdom of God and the one who rules that Kingdom, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

There is hope. We have hope and salvation, spoken to us by God's firstborn Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. Included in that universe are the angels, whom He made to be ministering spirits, sent to serve all who would inherit salvation.

First and foremost we have the Son who lives and reigns at the right hand of the Father. He is with us always, overseeing all that goes on in our lives. He sends his angels to minister to those who believe. And... by the looks on the faces of the little children, they believe. Even as the angels ministered to Jesus (Matt 4:11), they are sent to minister us. We do not pray to them. Our trust is in not in the angels; rather, it is in God, our Father, and our Lord Jesus the Christ who has directed them to minister to all of God's children.

May all God's little children be protected from the evil, harm and trouble that surrounds them as they are filled with the hope of salvation through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 30 - Woe To Obstinate Children - Blessings To Children Who Follow In The Way

A woe and a promise....

“Woe to the obstinate children,”
declares the Lord,
“to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,
heaping sin upon sin;
who go down to Egypt
without consulting me;
who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection,
to Egypt’s shade for refuge.
But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame, Egypt’s shade will bring you disgrace." (Isa 30:1-3 NIV)

Woe to those obstinate children who do not listen to the word of the LORD given through the prophet. Those who trust Pharaoh to protect them are going to be very sorry, indeed... God tells Isaiah:

"For these are rebellious people, deceitful children,
children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.
They say to the seers,
“See no more visions!”
and to the prophets,
“Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things,
prophesy illusions.
Leave this way,
get off this path,
and stop confronting us
with the Holy One of Israel!”

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it."

(Isa 30:9-11, 15)

They are in trouble. They are in fear for their futures, their lives. Rather than turn to God, they turn to Egypt. They run, they flee, to Egypt when all it really would take to be helped is to repent and rest in the assurance of their salvation.

Isaiah 30 provides those who trust in the LORD a promise as well as a great woe for those obstinate children who won't and don't.

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Then you will desecrate your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, “Away with you!”

 

He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad meadows. The oxen and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder and mash, spread out with fork and shovel. In the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill. The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted."

(Isa 30:18-26)

Are you in trouble? When you are, what is it that you do? Do you turn (repent) to the LORD and follow in the Way or do you attempt to make a way out of the trouble for yourself? Sometimes, I find that we attempt to do both, carve a path for ourselves while begging God to keep us safe. Isaiah reminds us that there is only one way to salvation... You cannot travel on both ways. May God keep you in His Way.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. I am posting much of Isaiah 30 as a reminder that the point of this blog is that you read scripture. Please, open your Bible and read it...

Psalm 140 - Pray For Your Enemy

We find the author of Psalms a little more than upset this morning. That person wants vengeance in a big way.... "May burning coals fall on them; may they be thrown into the fire, into miry pits, never to rise." (Psalm 140:10 NIV)

I'm not saying that I've never thought this way. But, I'm thinking there is a more excellent way.  According to Jesus, we are to "...love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matt 5:43-45)

It is undeniable that there are many who persecute those who love the LORD. The arrogant lay out snares for the innocent seeking to damage or utterly destroy them. But, anger and vengeance only propagates the enmity. Pray for peace. Pray for protection, pray for mercy, pray that the LORD will be your strong deliverer, but pray for your enemy. as well. Pray that those who hate and persecute you will come to know the LORD and you will have lost an enemy and gained a brother or sister.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 140:5 Or they have spread cords as a net
2. Psalm 140:8 Heb adds they are exalted
3. Psalm 140:9 Cn Compare Gk: Heb those who surround me are uplifted in head; Heb divides verses 8 and 9 differently

 

Psalm 5 - In The Morning When I Rise

"In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.  (Ps 5:3 NIV).

The reading this morning reminds me of one of my favorite hymns, "Give me Jesus."  The words are a prayer to God, "In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus.  You can have all this world, just give me Jesus."  I looked on you-tube for a good rendition of the song so I could share it with you, but I have to tell you, I found none that can play or sing it like our own Bertha Hommer.  She is truly a gifted musician and we are blessed to have her.  What better way to wake up in the morning than praying and laying this request before the LORD, "Give me Jesus!"

Each morning, I wake up praying.  Sometimes, no often, those prayers are prayers for help - help to get me and others through another day - to meet the challenges of another day.  When I wake up each morning, I know that the one thing that I need to get through the day is Jesus.  After I rise, I generally read the news online and any prayer requests I've gotten through facebook or my email; read some in the Bible; and write this blog.  Then, it is time to go back into conversation with God, in prayer. 

David's prayer, his lament, today includes:  "Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies— make your way straight before me." (vs 8)  It is very easy when we are caught up in the daily struggles to head off in a direction that is not on the straight path the LORD has provided for us.  Sin, the world, the devil, many things can pull us off this path that the LORD has set before us.  We have to be very cautious on how involved we get, lest we get pulled in to the enemies lies that there is another way.  Sometimes, it may seem easier to just join the "club" rather than to stand on the Word.  It may seem easier, but it is not!  There is only one way to eternal life in the presence of God, in His kingdom. That way is, in and through and with, Jesus the Christ.  He is the way!  Give me Jesus!

Life in this world is full of tough times and struggles and so we lay our requests before God and wait, with faith, expectantly, asking the LORD to spread His protection over us (Give me Jesus), each day, that we may rejoice in Him. (vs 11)

God's Peace - Pr. J