July 1, 2020 -- John 4:25-26 -- Jesus The Messiah

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus told her, “I who speak to you am he.”

John 4:25-26 ESV

What a powerful conversation has taken place. When you have a few minutes, read it through—John 4:1-26. Jesus showed this Samaritan woman her sins (she’d had five husbands and the man she was living with was not her husband). Having called out her sins, showing her the urgent thirst for meaning in her life and the false ways in which she was trying to satisfy them, He taught her how people should worship. Not on Mt. Gerazim, as the Samaritans taught. Nor should worship be in the form of offerings on the Temple Mount—but the Father is seeking worshipers who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Now she is intrigued. The Father’s anointed prophet is not just for Jewish people, nor Samaritans, but for all, for any who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

You can see the thirst of the woman exposed. Jesus had taught in this passage: those who turn to Him will find their thirst exposed. They will realize all the ways in which they’d been chasing love in all the wrong places. This thirst has been addressed by living water. No more do seekers have to try to fill the longing of their hearts with sex, with relationships, with food, with booze, with drugs, with anything other than the Living God revealed in Jesus. Eagerly the woman asked about the identity of the Messiah, God’s anointed and promised prophet this Living Water. She wanted to meet Him, Who will reveal all things.

Jesus makes the staggering declaration: I AM He! Jesus made Himself equal with God. He stated He is the anticipated Messiah, the Prophet who would perfectly reveal God. He is our soul’s desire. He is the one Who can answer the cries of our heart. He is Living Water that wells up in us again and again, ever and always. He is the One Who is The Way, the Truth, and the Life.

How can I drink deeply of this Living Water? How can you? Read the Bible. Pursue this claim to its conclusion. Ask the Spirit (Who leads us in all truth) to make Jesus known to you. Find a Christian whose walk with God you admire and study the bible together. Get your questions answered. Believe in Jesus and live out this great faith.

A dear friend gave me a small book called: Divine Service Book For The Armed Forces. It was distributed by the Canadian Government (!)—issued under the authority of the Minister of National Defence in 1950—and given to all in the Army. As this is Canada Day, it made sense to use this lovely resource. (There are some definitions included at the end of the prayer).

Be mindful, O Lord, of thy people bowed before thee, and of those who are absent through age, sickness, or infirmity. Care for the infants, guide the young, support the aged, encourage the fainthearted, collect the scattered, and bring the wandering to thy fold. Travel with the voyagers, defend the widows, shield the orphans, deliver the captives, heal the sick. Succour all who are in tribulation, necessity, or distress. Remember for good all those that love us, and those that hate us, and those that have desired us, unworthy as we are, to pray for them. And those whom we have forgotten, do thou, O Lord, remember. For thou art the Helper of the helpless, the Saviour of the lost, the Refuge of the wandered, the Healer of the sick. Thou, who knowest each man’s need, and hast heard his prayer, grant unto each according to thy merciful loving kindness and thy eternal love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Thy and Thee are old English, formal ways of addressing God: thy = Your; thee = You; thou = You when speaking directly to

Fainthearted: timid, lacking courage,

Fold—a safe place for sheep, an illustration to help us understand God as our protection, safe place

Succour: give assistance, support, aid

Thou art— You are

who knowest—who knows, who is aware of

hast heard—have heard

grant—give, supply

June 30, 2020 -- John 4:10 -- Jesus Living Water

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

John 4:10 ESV

What was it about Jesus that allowed Him to speak to the woman at the well in this way? She is a Samaritan. The Samaritan people were those Jewish people who had returned from exile and intermarried with various foreign people. No doubt there were all kinds of insults that the Jewish people and the Samaritan people leveled at one another. Jesus spoke directly to this woman. He asked her questions which if anyone else had asked would most likely have evoked an angry response.

The Samaritans knew the Law—they believed the first five books of the Old Testament. They had their own interpretation of it. Jesus was getting right to the heart of what the Samaritans—even a Samaritan woman considered an outcast among her own people—believed. But He caught her attention. No doubt she was confused: what is this Living Water?

Jesus is Living Water—our deepest longings are satisfied when we are in relationship with Him. We are enabled to sacrifice our own needs and serve others from the place of contentment and fullness because Jesus Himself is our soul’s joy. He is Living Water, as we serve others and bless them in Jesus’ Name we cannot run dry—His Spirit wells up within us. His Spirit is ever replenishing our souls in Jesus, the Living Water, so that we can serve in His strength. Jesus is Living Water—in Him Name our sins are washed away completely and we are confirmed as deeply loved sons and daughters of the Most High God!

You, Jesus, are the fountain of every blessing! Fill us to overflowing with the awareness of Your goodness, Your victory over sin, death and hell. Spirit of Truth, direct us by the Word, to know Jesus more fully and deeply and to find in Him our soul’s reward. Many of us confess how weary we are, how dry and overdrawn we feel. As we confess our need Spirit of God fill us with the knowledge of Jesus, cause us to love Him and be loved by Him, Jesus—Living Water. From that place of plenty help us so that we both hear and obey Jesus in all things. Father in heaven, be honoured and praised as Your children are refreshed in Jesus, Your Son, our Savior—Amen.

June 29, 2020 -- John 4:8 -- Conversation Starters

A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”

John 4:7 English Standard Version

It was the sixth hour. That means it was the hottest part of the day—noon. Jesus was speaking to a woman who went to draw water from the well when she sure no one else would be there. She had a lot to hide. A lot of shame. Jesus did not avoid difficult conversations. Nor did Jesus pass by people who needed Him. He was prepared to speak and to listen in order to bring Good News.

Notice how simple the start of the conversation is. They are at a well. She had a way to get water from the well. Jesus did not. He was in need. It was a simple and beautiful opening. There are far too many campaigns and gimmicks and evangelism programs out there in the ether.

Simply put, we are to be aware of how others can help us. There is something God our Creator has placed in us that makes us desirous of helping others. There is, once a need has been expressed, an opportunity to engage in real conversation that is meaningful. Trust that the Spirit of God has given you circumstances, abundance or needs, so that in community you can talk about your daily life and ordinary concerns in such a way that God is honoured and needs are met.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen.

June 24, 2020 -- John 3:31 -- Do you see it?

He who comes from above is above all.

He who is of the earth belongs to the earth

and speaks in an earthly way.

He who comes from heaven is above all.

John 3:31 English Standard Version

Did you see it? What a common expression that is. When the Comet Hale-Bopp made its appearance in 1997 I roused one our children from his sleep so that he could see it in the night sky. It was really cool to watch. I asked him, did you see it? Could you distinguish it from the other bright things in the sky? I am not even sure if he remembers this event from 23 year ago!

Jesus comes from above. He has seen the splendors of heaven. He knows the glory of the Father. He has the power of the Holy Spirit given to Him without measure so that what He knows from above He is able to bring to us as a credible witness. By way of sharp contrast those from the earth, who belong to the earth and who refuse the things of God—they cannot distinguish the simplest things because they are earthbound and therefore speak in an earthly way. Such earth-bound people have not seen what Jesus saw, sees and would see. So their limited perspective makes them unworthy witnesses. It is a most damning statement pronounced against the pretenders who set themselves up against the lofty knowledge of the Lord our God.

The LORD our God is glorious! His words are altogether trustworthy and true. His ways lead us in ever-lasting life. He gives to us hope for this world. It is hope that is anchored in the knowledge that Christ Jesus our Savior-King has conquered sin and the grave and in Him is life that is everlasting. Have you seen Him? Do you know His glory? Read the word. Pray. Speak with other Christians so that your heart is trained to seek Him Who is above all.

Spirit of the Living God, open my eyes that I may see Jesus. In view of the glory of knowing Jesus may the earth-bound prophets of our age lose their lustre. Spirit of God keep my heart true to Jesus all for the honour and praise of the Father in heaven. Amen.

June 23, 2020 -- John 3:30 -- Jesus must increase

He must increase, but I must decrease.

John 3:30 English Standard Version

These are words spoken by the prophet John the Baptist about Jesus and Jesus’ ministry. John’s desire was that Jesus would be ever more evident in his words, more evident in his preaching, more evident in his baptizing of people and that Jesus would shine out more clearly in every part of his life. Interestingly, Jesus said of his cousin: “I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28). Why is this so?

John the Baptist’s place in history helps us understand Jesus’ words. John did not live to see Jesus’ crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. John the Baptist was the last Old Testament prophet in the sense that his ministry anticipated the work of Jesus. That means we who are Christians today have a greater understanding of Jesus’ ministry and work. We have a fuller picture of the work Jesus set out to accomplish. We are empowered by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus will explain the work of the Holy Spirit very clearly in John 14—He is the Helper Who helps us know Jesus, obey Jesus, and follow Jesus in loving, grateful devotion.

With John the Baptist, our plea and prayer is this: Jesus increase in our lives. The evidence of Your work must be apparent in ever greater measure. The way we treat others must show Your life Jesus. The way in which we live out our marriage vows must show an increasing love for You, Jesus. The way in which those among us who are single live for Your glory, Jesus must show an increasing love for You and willingness to be different than all others in the world around us. The way in which we raise our families, work, play, participate in entertainment, spend our money, donate our time—in fact, every area and facet of our lives must show increasing devotion to You, Jesus, and greater willingness to deny ourselves and our worldly pleasures.

When love for Jesus increases in us, then all other areas of our life give evidence of His beauty, His glory, His worthiness, His excellence and His love. It is the Spirit of God Who lives in us Who fuels this growing and glowing brightness of dedication to Jesus. In fact, John 15:5 & 16 teach us that those who are grafted into Jesus, the True Vine, cannot help but bear fruit—our lives are fed by the life of Christ so that we will reflect His glory. He will be increasingly evident in every area of our lives—so the longing-prayer of John the Baptist is answered in the lives of believers.

Jesus as Your cousin, John the Baptist, prayed so long ago we too, are praying: You must increase and we must decrease. Help us by Your Word and Spirit to remain firmly connected to You, our lives fueled by Your Living Presence in us. Triune God, be honoured and glorified in our words and living, in our joys and in our sufferings as You sustain us guarding us for the day of glory when we will see You face to face. Amen.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=all+for+Jesus&view=detail&mid=0B5D155D5BB4DF9BC3670B5D155D5BB4DF9BC367&FORM=VIRE0&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dall%2bfor%2bJesus%26cvid%3d0b59e72ebe3c4ee9b85f627566e44463%26FORM%3dANNTA1%26PC%3dASTS

June 22, 2020 -- John 3:16-17 -- Heeding the Bible's most familiar verse

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,

that whosoever believes in him should not perish

but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world

but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:16-17 ESV

This is perhaps the most familiar passage in all the Bible. But what does it mean? It is actually a beautiful promise and a stern warning. The beautiful promise is that all who believe in Jesus—who turn away from their sins and follow Jesus have new life. This new life begins now and stretches to eternity.

The stern warning is this: those who refuse Jesus will perish. In the New Testament we understand to perish means to experience hell and torment in eternity. It is dreadful and fearful. Again, this warning is that Jesus was not sent into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world would be saved through Him. That is, our sins, our addictions, our old nature would perish, be put to death, so that the things of God would be a delight for us. Then following Jesus would not be a chore, but would be what we are drawn towards. The warning is refusing Jesus means one will spend eternity carrying the full weight of God’s just anger against sin and rebellion against His holiness.

This is why the Gospel is Good News. The Good News is that all who believe in Jesus have such sins fall off of them. Those who believe in Jesus are transformed so that sin is defeated and already now they rise to new life. The result is this: in Jesus Christ we have joy. Sins lose their appeal. In Jesus Christ we have peace. We follow Him instead of living in the tumult and toxicity of chasing sins which in fact are killing us. In Jesus Christ we realize we have a Father in heaven Who loves us. Our hearts long for such love. It is what we were created for: to worship God and enjoy Him forever. The Spirit of God transforms us so that our tastes change, our desires change, our whole life’s orientation is towards to Jesus, the One Who is our rescue story.

Father in heaven, let the words of this text be more than a motto we read on signs at sporting events. Let Your love so transform us in Jesus that hating our sins we run to Him, holding on to Him for dear life…and life that is dear. Spirit of God, lift us up from death to fullness of life. Spirit of God, help us as Christians, Jesus-followers, to speak, invite and welcome many others to the joy of following Jesus. Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yr48Berkqc

June 19, 2020 -- John 3:5 -- Where are you quenching your thirst?

Jesus answered , “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

John 3:5 English Standard Version

Before Jesus spoke these words the question could be asked: how could someone enter the Kingdom of God? You see, Jesus was speaking with the religious leader Nicodemus. Jesus had told him a man must be born again—born of water and of the Spirit. If this were a new teaching, then before Jesus entered the scene no one could have been saved. But Jesus rebuked Nicodemus for being a teacher and yet not understanding the basic teaching of Scripture.

The Old Testament prophet Isaiah brought the word of the LORD to the people of God saying:

For I will pour water on the thirsty land,

and streams on the dry ground;

I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,

and my blessing upon your descendants.

Isaiah 44:3 ESV

The imagery is pretty powerful. Land that is parched and thirsty needs water otherwise it becomes desert sands where nothing can grow. In the same way, our souls need the Spirit of God, or else we are desert wastelands where no good thing can take hold. The Spirit of God brings us life and vitality by bringing us into relationship with the Living God.

No wonder companies spend tens of millions of dollars on advertising. They recognize people are thirsty and searching out soul-refreshing. They throw money at any new thing offered to them, drinking at these cesspools because their need is so urgent. I urge you, stop drinking from the world’s overflowing toilets. No matter how attractively they are decorated and adorned—don’t try to quench your thirst there.

Nicodemus, a religious leader, was driven to overcome his fears and concerns about the consequences his spiteful peers might bring down on him to go to Jesus, secretly at night, and search out clean, pure streams of water that would satisfy his soul. Nothing has been changed in the intervening centuries. Jesus, Who with the Father, created the heavens and the earth, the lands and the seas, the creatures of the air and land and seas and all people, He alone knows what will satisfy our souls. He Himself is our soul’s richest and best desire. He is the only One Who gives new life and new birth—soul-reviving living waters with the Spirit’s glorious presence.

Jesus, thank You for Your glorious, loving patience. You taught men and women showing them the way of salvation. You cause us to be born of water and the Spirit so that we can grow into this new life filled with wonder and joy. Faithful Savior, guard our new life by Your Word and Spirit so that we will pleasing sons and daughters of our Father in heaven. Jesus, Living Water, cause us desert wilderness travelers in this life, to be enthusiastic guides leading others to the oasis of Your presence. Amen.

June 18, 2020 -- John 2:23 -- Renewed appetite

Now when he [Jesus] was at the Passover Feast,

many believed in his name when they saw the signs he was doing.

John 2:23 English Standard Version

For the moment the signs, the miracles, which the people saw were enough to convince them Jesus is great and good. How long would that last? It is likely that some people who were at this Passover Feast were at another one, where they shouted: “Crucify Him!” How can followers of Jesus slide so far down, falling so far away from the Lord of Glory?

John Piper offers some insight.

The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie.

It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven,

but endless nibbling at the table of the world.

It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality

we drink in every night…

For when these replace an appetite for God himself,

the idolatry is scarcely recognizable, and almost incurable.

John Piper, quoted in Growing Up Christian, Karl Graustein, page 63

What is filling your appetite? How are you satiating the hunger of your soul for the presence of the Divine, the King of Glory Who stooped down to our need in Christ Jesus? How are you relying on the Holy Spirit so that the things of God—such as reading the Bible, prayer, and gathering to hear the Word preached—remain vital activities in your life and keep your hunger for God sharp and pure?

Dearest Jesus, chiefest desire of every longing heart, apart from You I have no good thing. Spirit of God block the false pleasures of the world, those things that once had hijacked any desire I’d had for what is good, noble, true, and praise-worthy. Spirit of Truth restore my appetite for God Himself and Him alone. Renew my mind so that I will be prepared for the banquet of heaven, the marriage feast of the Lamb to His dear Bride, the Church. Amen.

June 16, 2020 -- John 2:18 -- The Only Sign We'll Ever Need

So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

John 2:18 English Standard Version

You can hear the wheedling of a child, can’t you? The Jews say to Jesus, “Just show us a sign”. Hmm. The Gospel of John opens with the fact that Jesus is the co-creator with the Father. Is that enough of a sign? We recall from the Gospel of Matthew when Magi came to worship Jesus a search was made of Scripture and it was determined that the child would be born in Bethlehem. And this was proven true. Is that enough of a sign? John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the Messiah and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). What sign would be enough? Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana. Is that sign enough?

Do you see the problem. What sign would ever be enough? Even when Jesus performed a sign, proving He is the emissary sent from the Father, proving He is the Desired of All Nations—the Jews who have a short memory, immediately ask for another sign.

For the moment a sign is wonderful. People applaud. But a day later, or perhaps a week later, the question lingers, did I see that right? Sure, he did a sign last week, but can He perform a sign today? Our emotions are fickle. Our eyes are easily impressed but our imagination and our worries equally easily overwhelm us and we start looking for another sign instead of fully trusting Him.

The sign that stands true through all history is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His body is the temple that He spoke of. His rising from the dead is the proof He is the Son of God and the Son of Man. His rising from the dead is the once-for-all declaration that our sins have been punished and those who believe in Jesus, joyfully following His will and His ways are those who are marked as His forever. We place our trust in Him. Such trust is confirmed by His Spirit Who lives in us. And the Spirit of God takes the Word and makes it living for us, true and heart-stirring. The Spirit sustains us in our joys and sorrows, the Spirit guards us against the sweeping tumults of upheavals which life and circumstances throw at us. Jesus Himself is the Sign Who never leaves nor forsakes us. He is our lasting Peace.

Forgive me, King Jesus, for all the times I am tempted to test You. Forgive me for the times I would say, if only You do this or that and then I’ll believe forever…except forever believing never comes. Spirit of the Living God, keep my mind fixed on Jesus so that I will be guarded in the perfect peace He alone brings. Triune God, forever blessed and true, I believe, help me overcome my unbelief so that faith drills down ever deeper into You, the LORD God, an everlasting Rock. Amen.

If you have a moment, listen to the hymn: “Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus”

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=tis+so+sweet+to+trust+in+Jesus&docid=608000788592395958&mid=66090083F5CF7385808B66090083F5CF7385808B&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

June 12, 2020 -- John 2:13-17 -- Jesus cleanses the temple

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

John 2:13-17 English Standard Version

As a child this passage used to trouble me. Did Jesus sin? Was His anger appropriate? As I am leading a series of chapel services on the Gospel of John I was confronted with this passage and some echoes of those question lingered in me.

In the first place there is one Old Testament quotation that helps explain it: “Zeal for your house will consume me” (Psalm 69:9). In that Psalm a righteous man is seeking to be faithful to God while living among people who are far from Him. This man who strives to please God sees others who are negligent in terms of worship, obedience and faithfulness. So that passage brings me to a partial answer: was Jesus sinful in His anger?

This morning the Reformation Study Bible footnote at verse 15 really helped illuminate a second, fuller answer for me. The background to this particular passage is: “He will purify the sons of Levi”. If you have a few minutes turn to the Old Testament prophet Malachi 3:1-4. In this prophecy it is noted the One in Whom the Delights will come suddenly to the temple and purify the sons of Levi.

The sons of Levi were the people of God who were supposed to lead Israel in covenant faithfulness. They failed. The temple become a market. The people lost their zeal for the LORD. The leadership had lost direction in calling the people to worship, to covenant faithfulness, to expectant longing for the love of the Father to be poured out.

Jesus’ prophesied appearance and this cleansing of the temple should have signaled to true believers that the messenger of the covenant was here. Something important happened. The spiritual leaders could have consulted Malachi 3:1-4. Interesting to me also is the fact that Jesus was not arrested. He was not charged with a crime for doing these things. The religious leaders knew something important happened, they turned to Jesus to have Him explain it.

I realized today how I need to know the Old Testament better and more thoroughly. In the Old Testament one reads of the Love of the Father which delayed His wrath until the Son of God appeared Who would bear this wrath in place of sinful man. Jesus, the Lamb of God, would be zealous for God and zealous that the people of God should be restored to full and deep relationship with the Father Whom He knows and loves. The Spirit of God directs us as believers today to read and know the Bible so that we will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God, the tender and persistent love of God and the beauty of all He has in store for us as His children who believe.

Father of Love, thank You for the grand and beautiful story of Your faithful love written large on every page of the Bible. Thank You Jesus, that You are the final and most beautiful example of the Father’s love. Thank You Jesus for tearing down the power of and the lies of Satan and disarming him at the cross. Thank You Jesus, even death itself is now captive led. Thank You Spirit of God that the Bible is made clear because You live in the heart and minds of those who read it, who savor it and who long to be obedient to God by its teaching. Great are You, LORD, Triune and Blessed, and exuberant and peace-filled are all Who walk in Your ways. Amen.

Here is a simple, beautiful hymn: “Blessed Jesus, at Thy Word”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhdl4N-_HIU

June 10, 2020 -- John 2:5 -- Do whatever Jesus tells you

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

John 2:5 English Standard Version

Jesus and His disciples are attending a wedding feast in Cana. Jesus’ mother was there as well. She is aware that the banquet steward is facing a crisis: they have nearly run out of wine. So Mary asks Jesus to intervene. It is simple and profound what she tells the servants: “Do whatever he tells you”. The servants are told to fills six stone jars with water and dip out some of the water and bring it to the master of the banquet. That seems crazy. You can imagine there’d be all kinds of objections. No wonder Mary had urged them “Do whatever he tells you”!

Isn’t that the way with us? We have a clear instruction from the LORD and we have objections. We can think of reasons why this does not apply to me. We can think of excuses why this would apply to others but I am strong enough, or wise enough so that this won’t affect me. So we do not instead of doing whatever He tells us.

Time and time again I have spoken with Christians who know they should only date Christians. However, they believe in their case they’ll be able to stand strong in their faith. Rather than doing whatever Jesus tells them, they do their own thing, to their great detriment. What about times when we go to worship even though we are harboring bitterness or resentment against a brother or sister? We have been told to leave our gift on the altar and make amends with our brother or sister. Here we do not do whatever Jesus tells us. We have churches where people have not spoken with one another for months or even years!

Ah beloved of Jesus, today we are invited to make it right. We are to do whatever He tells us. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows His commandments are unlike anything the world offers or commands. Our hearts are not automatically inclined towards obedience to the God of Glory. We buck against all sound reason, striving to return to the manure-filled stalls of our disobedience.

However, when we face the commandments of Jesus and in faith do whatever He tells us, we are given a peace that the world cannot explain. There is joy in His service filled with glory. Our circumstances may be difficult. We may face ridicule or discontentment from people around us precisely because we are following Jesus. Those around us who do not know the commandments of Jesus, will react, but it is exactly at that moment where they experience dissonance that we can express our confident faith in Jesus. Perhaps it is fellow Christians who will react and push back. It is precisely at that moment that we place our confident faith in Jesus and His commandments rather than accommodating the wrong we think might be the pathway to peaceful co-existence.

Simple words “Do whatever He tells you”. Know this: life-long adventure and challenge flow from it. You will experience the grace of our Lord and fruit of faithful living. If you have questions, ask a believer whose faith you admire and learn of Jesus.

King Jesus, one faithful theologian noted Christianity has not been tried and found hard it has been deemed hard and left untried. Forgive us, O Suffering Servant, for the times we have been unwilling to endure even the least inconvenience in our service to You. By Your Spirit renew in us the will and the strength to do all You command. May our lives bring honour and praise to our Father in heaven and in doing all You command Jesus, may we win many souls to join us in doing all You command. Amen.

June 9, 2020 -- John 1:47-49 -- From misunderstanding to right standing

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

John 1:47-49 English Standard Version

What will it take for you to believe Jesus is the promised one of God? Nathanael was a cynic. He could not imagine anything good would come out of Nazareth—the village where Jesus grew up. Nathanael had a particular preconceived notion of Who God should be, How He should act.

John’s Gospel is particularly good at showing us our foibles. There is a device called the Johannine misunderstanding which moves the Gospel narrative along. People listening to Jesus would not understand a particular point or saying of Jesus. As Jesus explained it both His followers then and the readers today would understand what Jesus is teaching.

Nathanael asked: “How do you know me? This is classic misunderstanding. As readers of John’s Gospel we know Jesus made all things, nothing was made that has been made without him. Nathanael is Jesus’ own handiwork. Nathanael is so precious to the Shepherd of Israel that He became incarnate in order to seek and save him.

We are so like Nathanael. After being confronted with a point of the Good News we have questions for the God of Glory. Easily we ask God: “How do YOU know ME? We ask this of Him Who created us. We borrow breathe from His creation in order to use the mouth He has formed in us in order to ask Him this impudent question! Isn’t that rich? The tremendous majestic loving-kindness of the Savior is such that He stoops to our weakness and reveals Himself, answers our questions and is patient with us not wanting that any appointed to life should perish.

If you are curious about Jesus—ask your questions. Find a Christian friend whose walk with God you respect and explore Who Jesus Is. Ask what the Bible means in this passage or that place? Our very foibles and questions are being used by God our Father to show the depths of His love revealed in Jesus Christ making such things known by the powerful presence of the Spirit Who delights to emphasize the beautiful work of Jesus.

Oh God our Father, what is a man that You are mindful of him? What is a woman that You, Patient King of Heaven and Earth, should deign to hear and answer her perturbed questioning? Who is like You Oh God?! There is none in the vast expanses of space, nor in the heavens, nor on the earth nor under the earth that can possibly compare with You in magnificence, in loving-kindness, in creative splendor. As You, Spirit of Truth knock down our arguments and answer the questions of our souls, may we with zeal and excited wonder invite friends and neighbours, family and coworkers to taste and see the goodness of God which is most perfectly revealed in Jesus the Radiant One. Amen.

If you have a minute and 50 seconds, enjoy this beautiful version of “Crown Him with Many Crowns”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7WdUonorUA&list=RDbjgPTZn4nSY&index=3

June 8, 2020 -- John 1:40-42 -- Renamed by Jesus

One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

John 1:40-42 English Standard Version

How well do you need to know Jesus before you tell someone else about Jesus? Some of us hesitate to tell others about Jesus because “we don’t know enough”; other times we might stop ourselves because we wonder “what will the other person think?” Even if we have been Christians for a long, long time we are afraid we’ll face a question we don’t know. Andrew had no such hesitation. He’d met Jesus! He wanted his brother Simon to meet Jesus as well. He had confidence that Jesus would convince his brother of all he needed to know. Andrew was convinced meeting Jesus was enough. What faith he had!

Jesus, when he met Simon, renames Simon. That is powerful. My ESV Study Bible has this footnote: “When God assigns a new name, He is redefining the person and his destiny”. Simon name means “listen” or “hearing”. It is appropriate, he was prepared to hear his brother Andrew. He was open-hearted to the things of God. When Jesus renamed Simon and gave him the name Peter. Jesus did indeed tell him something of what he would become as His faithful follower.

Peter was not rock solid right away. He was the disciple that spoke before he thought. Think of Jesus’ transfiguration, where He became brilliant with glory and Peter blurted out something like “Let’s build tents and live here forever” and the editorial given by the Spirit was “because he did not know what to say for they were terrified” (Mark 9:5-6). He is also the disciple who was more like the sea foaming up shame when he betrayed Jesus. The man on his own was unstable. The man Simon when taken hold of by Jesus Christ and empowered by the Spirit of God was rock-solid Peter.

Peter was the disciple who preached the first Pentecost, Spirit-filled sermon (Acts 2:14ff). Even after that he still has times he wavers and does not show himself to be a rock (think of Galatians 2:11-14 where Paul had to admonish Peter). Yet Jesus’ words prove true, over and over again. Peter has changed from the inside out. It is the glorious impact of Jesus on our lives. His glory, His power, His Spirit shine through us. We are not perfect on this side of heaven, but the beauty and changes wrought in Jesus Christ are taking hold of us. Anyone who knew us before can only credit this change, any positive change in us, to the power of the Spirit of God. In this way, God always receives the glory for whatever correction and glory comes upon us.

Think of what you were before you met Jesus. Perhaps you were John the user. But the name itself has the root meaning: God has been gracious. When Jesus grabs hold of you, that name is proved true. Maybe your name is Ann—Beautiful or Favor; but people hear your gossipy words and think of you unfavorably. When Jesus takes hold of you by His Word and Spirit your beauty is restored and you are favored by Him. The Father in heaven has sent Jesus to take people who were dead in sin and make them alive, responsive to the life that is ours in Christ by the powerful presence of the Spirit. The Spirit moves us by our words and our changed living to be powerful witnesses to the things of God.

Christ Jesus Your glory fills the skies, You are the Sun of Righteousness and in You all creatures and all of creation are changed. Blessed Jesus by Your Word and Spirit let the truth of Who You Are show through every word and action. Forgive us for the times we fall back into our old sinful patterns. Thank You, Spirit of God, for the persistent and glorious gift of Jesus’ forgiveness which You apply to our hearts. Father in heaven, thank You for the love and justice, the righteousness and mercy that meet at the cross of Jesus, Your Son, our Savior. Thank You for Your loving-kindness that is so relentless that You will in Your electing love bring lost and ruined sinners to Yourself, renaming us much-loved sons and daughters!

Today’s prayer opens with phrases from the beautiful hymn “Christ Whose Glory Fills the Skies”; I have linked it below. If you link to YouTube page, you’ll see the words there as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjgPTZn4nSY

June 5, 2020 -- John 1:27 -- Who do I compare myself to?

…he who comes after me,

the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to unite.

John 1:27 English Standard Version

This is John the Baptist’s statement when he was asked if he was the Christ, the promised Messiah. Though John was preparing the way for Jesus’ ministry and calling people to repentance, he had a deep awareness of his own place. Gifted as he was by the Spirit, popular with the people of Jerusalem, still John the Baptist was very humble.

One challenge for us all, as Christians, is this: do we understand the high holiness of God and our place before Him? Karl Graustein quotes Christian author Randy Alcorn and uses his illustration, startling illustration actually, to underline the glorious holiness of God and His infinite kindness.

I’d imagined the distance between Dodd (a child molester and murderer) and me as the

difference between the South and North Poles. But when you consider God’s viewpoint

from light-years away, that distance is negligible. In my standing before a holy God apart

from Christ…I am Dodd…Unless we come to grips with the fact that we’re of precisely the

same stock—fallen humanity—as Dodd and Hitler and Stalin, we’ll never appreciate God’s

grace.

Karl Graustein Growing Up Christian Phillipsburg: P & R Publishing 2005 page 55

When we are aware of our need for a Savior, aware of how drenched in sin and guilt we were, we begin to grasp the depths of the mercy, love and kindness of God. When we can say with John, I’m not even worthy to take off His shoes, yet He knows me, gave Himself up for me, then our souls begin to soar and sing in praise of the glorious Name of Jesus. When we realize our standing before God, we treat others with greater kindness and patience. When we realize how utterly patient God our Father is with us, then we have an expanded capacity to call others to His banqueting table, longing that they should know the tremendous joy of the LORD.

O LORD, our Lord how majestic is Your Name in all the earth!

How wide Your love, great Your mercy, and magnificent Your Fatherly compassions.

What are we? We’re puny creatures of the earth, clinging to the dust,

yet You care for us; You have crowned us with the glory of Jesus Christ!

You have given us the capacity to know You and by Your Spirit respond to You!

Assist us, Spirit of God, to give full expression to the praises of our heart.

Assist us, Spirit of God, to tell others of all the wonderful deeds of God’s salvation!

Amen.

June 3, 2020 -- John 1:11-12 -- Children overcoming doubt

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name,

he gave the right to be come children of God…

John 1:11 English Standard Version

Why did His own people not receive Jesus? They were darkened in their sin and hardened in unbelief. This resulted in the Good News of God’s love going both to the Jewish people and going far and wide beyond the Jewish people to all the people of the world. How is it that anyone can receive Jesus as the Captain of their salvation?

It is the work of the Spirit—Jesus explains this to Nicodemus in John 3:8—the Spirit is like the wind in that the wind blows where it will. So the Spirit goes to the person He will bless.

Witnesses, strengthened and sent by the Spirit, go to the men and women determined by this same Holy Spirit as those who are being called from death to life.

Dear fellow believers, remember how it was hard to accept that God the Holy One of Heaven and Earth, should be prepared to love you and in Christ forgive your wickedness? There are people all around you who are locked in a cycle of self-talk that bars them from hearing good news. Or, having started to believe this good news feel beaten down by doubts, plagued by the fear that their sins are too great, too much for God to conquer. They need faithful, persistent witnesses—loving mentors and faithful teachers who point out the fact that becoming children of God does not rest on one’s own sense of feeling forgiven.

Too often people don’t feel forgiven. Feelings are deceptive. Feelings are easily influenced. Do you really believe major corporations spend hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising without any hope of return? They know people are easily influenced to buy products or services they do not need. When we read a verse which holds such beautiful hope in Christ, we are compelled to go and invite others to have the same assurance we do—assurance that is based on the rock-solid word of God.

If our feelings agree, thanks be to God. If our feelings fluctuate, wavering towards doubt and fear, we turn to the word of God and pray for the testimony (that is, the witness of the Holy Spirit) to remind us we are God’s children not by human design or will, but by the right given us by God our faithful Father. If those around us are struggling with their own sense of worthlessness and inadequacy, remind them it is God the Faithful Father Who has chosen His children in love. Feelings will betray us. The Word is given as the black and white written proof of God’s love. As you present this good news, let the Spirit of God and the word of God do the convincing. Pray for the person you are regularly speaking with that God’s Word and Spirit will accomplish the work to which you were sent to bear witness.

Blessed are You, God of Persistent love and faithfulness. Thank You for sending Jesus to His Own. Thank You for the Spirit Who convinces hearts of sin and the victory of Jesus Christ over all our sin. Thank You, Triune God, for the privilege we have of bearing witness to Your great and glorious work of salvation. Rule in our hearts and break down any resistance to Your reign so that in us You are all in all. Jesus, King and the Captain of Salvation, work in us as soldiers of the cross so that the message of Your victory will reach those who You are calling to be Your people. Give us the persistence of well-disciplined soldiers to remain at our posts even when the conflict is intense and comes at great cost. To Your Name, Jesus, be the honour and praise so that the Father’s love will reach all nations by the powerful work of the Spirit. Amen.

June 2, 2020 -- John 1:6-7 -- Bearing Witness to Jesus the Light of Life

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.

He came as a witness to bear witness about the Light,

that all might believe through him.

John 1:6-7 English Standard Version

The arrangement of the words in our reading today is a bit odd for us. Is the thought that John, sent by God the Father, is bearing witness to the Light so that all might believe in John? No. Through John’s witness all might believe in Jesus Christ, Who is the Light of the World and in Whom is the Light of Life.

Bearing witness to Jesus Christ comes at a cost. John is hounded by the religious leaders of his day for speaking of Jesus. The Jewish leaders, called the Pharisees and Sadducees, refused to believe in Jesus. They stirred up the people against Jesus. Their eyes were shut tight against the glorious testimony. In fact, the Greek word for testimony is the root for our word martyr. When one bears testimony, one must be prepared to suffer, perhaps even to go to death for this belief in Jesus.

These two short verses make huge claims. God is in charge. He directs men’s lives. He, the Father, sends the Light, Jesus Christ. Without Jesus we are lost in darkness. All people must answer four basic questions: How is everything made? Is there a universal moral law? Why is there evil? What is the purpose of my life? Our life’s philosophy, whatever it is, must support the answer to these questions. Without a cohesive answer to these questions lives are thrown into confusion and such lives express the disorder of the darkness which dominate them.

As the Gospel of John unfolds we shall see the Light and realize, by the Spirit’s instruction, how Jesus is the Light of Life. At the start of the Gospel the basic questions are answered this way:

God made all things through Jesus Christ.

He, Who made all things, has the right to direct all things and people by His laws.

There is evil because people have shut their eyes against the perfect law of God.

The purpose of our lives is to open our eyes and seeing Jesus, the Light of Life, to follow Him.

As we explore the Gospel of John these answers will become more nuanced and the Truth of Jesus as the Light of Life will be revealed and the witness will be taken up by many more people. It is the torch of witness which is to be taken up now by all who have seen Jesus by faith and believe in His Name. And the Gospel will show us believing in Jesus, no matter what the consequences which are hurled against by the people of this world (including sometimes our own family!) or the rulers of this world, or the powers of darkness, nothing can snatch us out of our Father’s Hand (John 10). There is no greater adventure and blessing than knowing our life’s purpose in serving God.

Who is a God like You? You are patient and faithful with Your wayward people. Who is a Great King like You, Jesus the Blessed?! Sacrificing Himself so that He would redeem a people for His Own. Who is like You, Spirit of Truth? You are ever directing us into the deep, deep, love of Jesus. Help us, Spirit of Comfort, those who have wandered far, to find our way back to Jesus the True Shepherd of our souls. Triune God of Glory, assist us to proclaim Your renown. Amen.

June 1, 2020 -- John 1:1-3 -- God: Eternal, Creative, Glorious

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life…

John 1:1-4a English Standard Version

Listening to a speaker recently I heard this startling statement: if you uncoiled all the DNA in your body, placed it end to end, you’d be able to stretch it to the moon and back 6,000 times. Yes, you read that right, 6,000 times. I had to double check that myself! That is 2+ billion km of DNA you have tucked away in your body. Just one cell’s worth of DNA is 6 feet ( or 1.8 m) long...granted it is microscopically thin.

Before anything was created, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit lived in perfect community and love. The Triune God is eternal, outside of time and creation. When the Glorious Lord of Life decided to make life it was not the result of a Big Bang. I wonder, if a printing press exploded, would you get a perfectly bound novel out of that? Of course not! It is crazy when you put it like that, right?! Neither are we the result of random explosion and chance!

So the Lord of creation order spoke creation into existence. He is the Author of life. DNA is a language. It is a four letter language (while that seems hard to grasp, think of Morse Code, it is a language with five elements, a dot or a dash and the length of each element determines the letter it signifies).

DNA is more complex than any computer code ever devised. It can be read forward and backwards, up and down. From what the scientists can determine how it is folded matters as well because of all the ways and directions DNA can be read and used to determine the functions of a cell. This is not random. It is the evidence of our Creator’s beautiful work.

Why does any of this matter? It matters because Scripture teaches us we are significant to God. He spoke us into existence. He made us and He sustains all of creation. We do not need to be climate-change frightened. From the beginning of creation to the end He determines for it, the LORD our God will maintain the earth and the cosmos. We have moral laws and order not by government fiat or popular vote. What is right and true is set for us by the Lord Who made all and appoints order for creation.

The fact that the Gospel of John begins with the statement of creation shows us that as glorious and wondrous as the original creation is, so magnificent and wondrous is our being made new in Jesus Christ. It is God’s powerful, creative act which brings us to salvation. Now is the day of salvation. Now is the time to respond to the wondrous invitation of the LORD. During these Covid times, pick up your bible. Read. God is giving you the time to know Him better and marvel at the vast splendors of creation and the intricacies He has woven into our bodies. In all of these He is declaring He is near. He has provided the way of salvation. Seek Him while He may yet be found.

It is beautiful to consider, O God our Creator, the fact that we are not cosmic orphans, or Big Bang cast-offs with no purpose or value. What a treasure Your testimonies are. Lord of Life, by Your Spirit make the Bible ever more precious to us. Help us to use these times of confusion and upheaval to study the Bible and to know Jesus Christ, not as a mere figure of long-ago history, but as the Lord of Life Who continues to care for us and sustain us each day. May the story of Jesus’ saving work break over our heads and hearts as magnificent and precious truth which can satisfy our hungry, longing souls. Amen.

As I was writing this today, I was listening to this organ recital. It is so moving. May you be blessed as you listen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6BO-mjQJas

May 31, 2020 -- Psalm 119:176 -- Final Nugget of Truth

I have gone astray like a lost sheep;

seek your servant,

for I do not forget your commandments.

Psalm 119:176 English Standard Version

Both J. R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis are famous Christian writers of acclaimed fiction. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy is much loved and the movies based on the books were released one a year starting in Dec. 2001 starting with “Fellowship of the Ring”. C.S. Lewis’ work “The Chronicles of Narnia” have been best sellers for seventy years, having been first published in 1950. “The Chronicles of Narnia” have been movies, stage plays and radio dramas. I thoroughly enjoy both series. There is, however, a significant difference between them—and I would suggest it is the reason why Tolkien’s works translate so readily onto the big screen and Lewis’ work does not.

Tolkien’s books always have a main character who is the hero. Lewis’ books always have Aslan, the Lion which represents Jesus, as the hero. The telling difference reveals why the one series so readily appeals to our world and its appetites. Do we save ourselves? Do we rescue ourselves? Tolkien’s works seems to answer resoundingly yes! Or do we always need a Savior to rescue us? Lewis would declare always! Yes! Lewis’ works pointed to the fact we always need a Savior—one who is greater than us, who has perfect clarity of purpose. Aslan is shown as the powerful one who saves His people and the creatures and world from every mess they themselves created and completely saves from all the complicated, tangled circumstances of existence.

Christians know Jesus is the Shepherd of our souls. Jesus is the Great Shepherd Who goes after lost sheep. Whenever we think to ourselves “I got this” we are already wandering from the pathway of truth and safety which is found only in our Good Shepherd.

Perhaps Psalm 119 is not so famous as Psalm 23 because Psalm 119 more nakedly exposes our failings. Psalm 119 shows us we are not passive in the face of evil and wrong nor are we basically good—we are wayward sheep who have tasted the green grass of restoration and refreshing streams and with full bellies are prepared to wander away from the Source of All Good.

And Psalm 119 exposes the Greatness of our Shepherd-King, Jesus. By His blood He has provided our Rescue. By His Spirit He is ever with us, teaching us His Word and directing us in the way of truth, the way of His commandments. By His Word and Spirit Jesus reminds us we have a Father in heaven Who has stopped at nothing to effect our rescue and has given us the blessedness of those who are treated as if we are blameless and wholeheartedly obedient (see verse 1 & 2).

Blessed are You, Father of love. Blessed are You, Jesus our Shepherd-King. Blessed are You, Spirit of all Truth, our Rescuer Who applies the salvation of Jesus to every part of our lives and circumstances. Blessed are You, Triune God forever excellent and praise-worthy, for You are Splendid in all Your perfections, You reveal Your glory in Your salvation and by Your rescue of ruined sinners, You are the Desire of all nations, the deepest longing of our souls. Captain of Salvation, lead us in the way of your victorious commandments until that great and glorious day when You are fully revealed, there is a new heaven and a new earth and all wandering has ceased. You are our hearts’ home. Amen.

May 30, 2020 -- Psalm 119:175 -- Adventures in Praise

Let my soul live and praise you,

and let your rules help me.

Psalm 119:175 English Standard Version

Believe it or not, this is the second last verse of the entire Psalm. Here King David is summarizing his themes and drawing all the strands of this epic poem all together. The Hebrew meaning of the word “soul” includes: life, longings, soul and desires. Here the Psalmist is praying for God to sustain his soul and life, his being and person according to the rules which the LORD our Maker has declared fitting for all people..

Not that long ago a man I used to meet with regularly said, “Richard, I know the word of God says” (here the warning bells in my heart starting sounding alarms). He went on to say he was aware that the LORD’s word tells us not to be unequally yoked, that is, a Christian should only date a Christian. Non-Christians are off limits because they do not have the same goals, the same soul desires as the Christian. He felt that his circumstances were unusual and therefore he should not have to obey that rule. That did not end well for him nor for his former girlfriend.

Our King is also our Creator. He knows how we are made because He made us. He knows our weaknesses. He knows how easily we are swayed from right pathways. King David is well aware of this as well. He is appealing to God for a soul that is sustained in joyful obedience. He is asking for a mind that meditates on the goodness of God so that the ways of the LORD which have been proven right and true will be for him the holy highway of his heart.

David failed so many times and in so many ways. The psalms of the bible are filled with confessions and repentance—songs where David recognized his wrong-doing, admitted it and turned from it. Such confessions inevitably led him to the throne room of God’s grace and mercy. David would break into praise because of the never-failing kindness of the LORD.

LORD of Life we join with the soldier saints of the ages who have experienced Your goodness and love and we praise You. Indeed, by Your Spirit instill in us a conscience that is fine-tuned to all that is right and holy. Spirit of all Help, direct us so that we will be quick to recognize our sins and prepared to turn from them and seek the forgiveness of our Father in heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus for Your sacrifice which makes such forgiveness possible and available. Triune and Glorious God, great is the adventure of and joy in serving You. Amen.

May 29, 2020 -- Psalm 119:174 -- The Longing of our Hearts

I long for your salvation, O LORD,

and your law is my delight.

Psalm 119:174 English Standard Version

Yesterday I was teaching a bible study and it was hot. Already by 9 AM there was that sweaty, clammy feeling you get when the temperature and humidity are racing each other upwards. In the distance there was the bell and jangling sound of an ice cream truck. One of the men in the study almost started physically drooling. He summed up what the other guys there were all thinking: “I really want an ice cream cone”. Everyone laughed when the jangling noise was cut short and someone answered his cell phone. His ring tone was set to the sound of bells of an ice cream truck!

What is it you long for? The Psalmist has spent the last 173 verses training his longings for the salvation of the Covenant-Keeping God. The Psalmist is imagining the joy of knowing sin is completely vanquished so that nothing hinders complete communion with the Living God. The Psalmist is focusing on the Word of God and His law so that there will be nothing to distract him from seeking God in all things in every part of his life.

Two days ago I was in my study. Lunch was a long distant memory as I was working on a project. Suddenly I caught the scent of cooking sausages. My wife was busy making supper and the aroma of it caught my nose and my anticipation of a delicious meal whipped up my appetite.

The Spirit of God applies the word of God to our mind and heart and we catch a glimpse of Jesus. We grow in our understanding of the fullness of our salvation in His glorious Name. And our souls swell with the anticipation of unfettered joy that will be ours in His presence. The bible says that Christians are the aroma of Christ to other believers. Seeing other Christians increases our awareness of the nearness of Jesus. We long for Him intensely. The songs in our hearts are directed to Him. The prayers of our life gain intensity as we more fully grasp the abundance of salvation blessings given us by our Father in heaven.

Faithful God of our Salvation, blessed are You and worthy of praise. Living Jesus, Desire of all Nations, we long for the new heavens and the new earth when we shall fully, eternally delight in Who You Are. Spirit of Truth direct us as believers in the richness of this salvation so that sin will be exposed as the cheap poison it is so that we will by-pass it in order to more fully take hold of the wonders, the adventure, the splendors of the salvation of the LORD our God. Increase our expectant desire and ardent longing for Your salvation, O God of Radiant Beauty. Amen.