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

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

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

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

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

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

https://youtu.be/KkRTfrLBii0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Romans 11:33-36 ESV

https://youtu.be/hqk-bEwCuIs

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

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

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

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

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

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

He is good in giving light and life.

He is good in revealing Himself perfectly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://youtu.be/CqybaIesbuA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://youtu.be/a91_3VYRiZo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://youtu.be/FDXLq2BHVpA

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

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

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

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

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

https://youtu.be/chnlE-CnZYU

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://youtu.be/DveYBno-pmQ

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://youtu.be/YSZFqtIKSLA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://youtu.be/QZW4_8_zCBE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://youtu.be/LOuw3rLY7Zg

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://youtu.be/936BapRFHaQ

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

October 14, 2021 -- Deuteronomy 30:15-20 -- Choose this day!

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 ESV

It is a common command “choose life”, that is, vow to obey the commandments of the LORD. By making that vow, and repeating it, daily preaching it to your heart and mind, you are preparing for the moment of temptation. You’ve already chosen for God, decided to live walking the path of loveliness and blessing, so temptations fall powerless to the ground because of your strong decision to follow Jesus.

Disobedience against the LORD our God brings the sentence of death (verse 18) and hell. Even the heavens and the earth will witness against the one who chooses to act wickedly (verse 19). Conversely, heaven and earth will testify in favour of the one who chooses to act in step with the commands of God.

Jesus Himself presents this stark choice to us. “And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Right after these words, Jesus approaches various people, with the command “Follow Me” and they hesitate, offering many excuses and turn away from Jesus (Luke 9:57ff).

When I worked for a car rental company, I wore a shirt that had the name of the company emblazoned on it, the company leadership constantly reminded us, when you wear the shirt, you are representing the company. Therefore, be polite. Keep the policies of the company. Thinking about that, I often think as Christians we need to wear shirts emblazoned with this proclamation, “I, Richard (or insert your own name here), am a follower of Jesus Christ”. Wherever we go, people read that and they will evaluate all our words and actions as either reflecting discredit or honour to His Name. Knowing what is publicly displayed on our shirts would also be a strong reminder to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8).

It takes the strong and powerful presence of the Spirit of God to direct our living and our hearts in true, joy-filled obedience. That is the promise of God also of our Father in heaven, how He blesses us in Christ. “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness (II Peter 1:3). When we stumble and when we fail, we are called to confess our sins. We do so in the full knowledge God our Father has forgiven us in Christ and He continues to lead us in the way of salvation through His Spirit until we see Him face to face. Therefore, choose this day to serve the LORD.

God in heaven, Father of all blessing and source of every good thing, great is Your Name. With the prophets and saints through the ages, help us to declare “as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD”. Jesus, in view of Your great salvation, let our lives be a fragrant offering of self-denial. Spirit of God, teach us to be quick, when we mess us, to fess up. Guide us, Spirit of Truth, in the way everlasting. Amen.

https://youtu.be/vGT9zFO_Rw4

October 13, 2021 -- Hebrews 12:1-2a -- The Marathon Christian

People loved by the Father, by the Spirit's power:

Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus…
Hebrews 12:1-2a ESV

When you run the Christian marathon, what you do matters. Think of a marathon runner, all the important training required can be hampered by a small detail left unattended. Here is an example of something that must not be ignored, how to tie your shoelaces. If you are going strong and suddenly your laces work themselves loose, you will trip, or much of your momentum will be lost as you stop, bend down and re-tie your laces.

Yesterday a dear friend gave a wonderful summarizing quotation, which fits so nicely with this passage. The extended metaphor here is of the Christian life as warfare. Which is very fitting as well, found in many places in scripture. A marathon is a battle of the heart and mind, as courage must rise:

Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of. An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger today is the loss of a ridge or railway line or bridgehead from which the enemy may launch an attack otherwise impossible. C. S. Lewis.

Dear family in Jesus Christ—pick up your bible and read—do not neglect to do so today. Spend time in prayer, with Jesus Who is the Author and Perfecter of all true believing. Keep yourselves from sin, being fastidious even to the point of remaining chaste from what might be considered by others “small sins”, or things that in themselves might not be considered sin, but are indulgences you yourself know would turn you ever so slightly from effectiveness in the marathon faith journey.

LORD GOD ALMIGHTY,
Thy understanding is unsearchable and infinite,
   Thy arm cannot be stayed,
Thy agency extends through limitless space,
All works hang on thy care,
With thee time is a present now.
Holy is thy wisdom, power, mercy, ways, works.
How can I stand before thee
with my numberless and aggravated offences?
I have often loved darkness,
   observed lying vanities,
   forsaken thy given mercies,
   trampled underfoot thy beloved Son,
   mocked thy providences,
   flattered thee with my lips,
   broken thy covenant.
   It is of thy compassion that I am not consumed.
Lead me to repentance, and save me from despair;
Let me come to thee renouncing, condemning,
   loathing myself,
but hoping in the grace that flows
   even to the chief of sinners.
At the cross may I contemplate the evil of sin,
   and abhor it,
look on him whom I pierced,
   as one slain for me, and by me.
May I never despise his death by fearing
   its efficacy for my salvation.
And whatever cross I am required to bear,
   let me see him carrying a heavier.
Teach me in health to think of sickness,
   in the brightest hours to be ready for darkness;
in life prepare me for death.
Thus may my soul rest in thee, O immortal
   and transcendent one,
revealed as thou art in the Person and work
of thy Son,
   the Friend of sinners.
"God and Myself" The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions, ed A. Bennett. Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust. 2020, page 70.

https://youtu.be/05jKxv8ApuI
 

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

October 9, 2021 -- Numbers 6:24-26 -- The Beauty of His Peace

24 The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you
     and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you
     and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26 ESV

Shalom. It is the final blessing in a benediction loaded with blessings. Shalom is one of those beautiful, complicated Hebrew words that is packed with meaning. Shalom is life and peace. Shalom is security in the presence of our LORD. Shalom is the absence of hostility between God and His people. Shalom is God’s gift whereby a joy-filled community of believers of various opinions and strident convictions are all drawn together in Jesus Christ, Who is the Prince of Peace.

We were separated from God our Father because of His great and just anger against our sin. Notice the great assurance of God’s blessing, how is it applied to us who are in Christ:
"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father." Ephesians 2:13-18 ESV
In that lengthy quotation, you can see how the peace given us in Christ is explained to believers. An extravagant blessing indeed. Shalom.

  THOU INCOMPREHENSIBLE
   BUT PRAYER-HEARING GOD,
Known, but beyond knowledge,
revealed, but unrevealed,
my wants and welfare draw me to thee,
for thou hast never said, ‘Seek ye me in vain’.
To thee I come in my difficulties, necessities,
distresses;
possess me with thyself,
with a spirit of grace and supplication,
with a prayerful attitude of mind,
with access into warmth of fellowship,
so that in the ordinary concerns of life
my thoughts and desires may rise to thee,
and in habitual devotion I may find a resource
that will soothe my sorrows, sanctify my successes,
and qualify me in all ways for dealings with my fellow men.
I bless thee that thou hast made me capable
of knowing thee, the author of all being,
of resembling thee, the perfection of all excellency,
of enjoying thee, the source of all happiness.
O God, attend me in every part of my arduous
and trying pilgrimage;
I need the same counsel, defence, comfort
I found at my beginning.
Let my religion be more obvious to my conscience,
more perceptible to those around.
While Jesus is representing me in heaven,
may I reflect him on earth,
While he pleads my cause,
may I show forth his praise.
Continue the gentleness of thy goodness
towards me,
And whether I wake or sleep,
let thy presence go with me,
thy blessing attend me.
Thou hast led me on and I have found thy promises true,
I have been sorrowful, but thou hast been my help,
fearful, but thou hast delivered me,
despairing, but thou hast lifted me up.
Thy vows are ever upon me,
And I praise thee, O God!
"God Enjoyed" The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions. Ed. Arthur Bennett. Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust. page 18

https://youtu.be/Y2SGjX3iHK4

October 8, 2021 -- Numbers 6:24-26 -- Understanding His Blessing Promised to Me

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make His face to shine upon you
   and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up His countenance upon you
   and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26 ESV

What a strange expression ‘lift up His countenance upon you’ is to our ears. Countenance refers to His face, and more specifically the expression of His face. Here we have a parallel of intensification—the LORD make His face shine upon you and the intensification is the LORD lift up His countenance upon you. By this two-fold reference to the LORD’s face, first His shining face is second His face which now lights up in protective, saving love as He sees you.

Early this morning I had to run an errand. The sky was still dark and streetlamps pierced the darkness, casting contorted shades and weird eddies of light and dark. As I was driving passing the edgy places where light and dark meet, I could catch glimpses of people who had slept on the cement frontage of businesses. Places dark enough for sleep but bright enough to avoid being the object of indignations which are perpetuated in inky blackness. Why mention such things? The LORD sees. God is telling us, He lifts up His face to see us—light or dark make no difference to Him. His eyes search out the whole earth. Where others might ignore, passing by as if this one or that person is not worthy of attention, the LORD sees each one of His children.

He lifts up His face intentionally looking at His people with the intention of blessing.

The LORD lifts up His face acknowledging His people, even when we, for shame or guilt might try to hide ourselves, aware of our sinfulness.

The LORD lifts up His countenance upon us, aware it is His salvation alone which can bring us safely through. This particular phrase of the blessing brings to mind an incident that happened a while ago. A man in addiction recovery was drowning in wave after wave of panic attacks. He’d be hallucinating all kinds of dreadfulness, his eyes flowed with fountains of tears—as if the pressurized anguish of his mind and body gushed through the spigots of his tear ducts. To calm him the counselor, with a deep, strong, steady and firm voice demanded “Look at me. Look at my face. See, I am smiling. I am real. I am here. You are not alone. The furies your hallucinations are causing this adrenal madness, but that is not as strong as the help being offered you now.” Infinitely greater, more peaceful and perfect is our LORD. It is the LORD, Who is Mighty to save, Who by the merest breath of His mouth can destroy demonic hosts, His face is lifted up towards you in Fatherly love. He invites you to look to Him and let all other raging forces and things fall powerless to the ground. Dear believer in Jesus, know the face of your Father in heaven is turned toward you, smiling reassuringly that His Spirit is working out His salvation in you.

Father in heaven, there are so many sirens and bells and whistles and taunts pulling my attention in so many downward directions. I confess I am Covid-weary. Whatever the newest lockdowns are called, I am so done and so angry. Spirit of God, move in me so that my eyes will meet the countenance of my Father in heaven. Spirit of God, reassure me that the Father's smile rests on me and therefore life means basking in the sunshine of His love. As the Father's penetrating gaze rests on me I know all the blessings which are mine in Christ are being brought to fruition in me. As by faith I see Your lifted countenance, may my life and lips sound out Your praise. Amen.

https://youtu.be/GL5VjnO7mB4

October 7, 2021 -- Numbers 6:24-26 -- Lifted by Grace

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

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make His face to shine upon you
   and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up His countenance upon you
   and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26 ESV

Moses asked the LORD “Please, show me Your glory”. Knowing this was too much, far too overwhelming for a mere mortal, the LORD replied “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my Name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (Exodus 33:18-19 ESV). It is a powerful revelation of the Name and the character of the Living God.

God, the Merciful, has determined to show unfailing graciousness toward His chosen people. Think of it. A drowning man is a terrible danger to any who tries to rescue him. In his panic and fear he is many times stronger than usual and in his blind hysteria he will drag down anyone who tries to help him. So it is with sinful people. We are drowning in our misery and sin. We flail against any would-be rescuer, insensible because of fear and therefore unable to understand the mercy and kindness being offered. Unless the LORD were Strong to Deliver and The Only Mighty Savior we would be without rescue, left to drown in the seas of sin and misery and oceans of moral turpitude.

This work of gracious salvation is beautifully captured by the words of Jesus in John 10 “My Father, Who has given them [the sheep who are those called to believe] to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one” (John 10:29-30). This is the graciousness of God, partially revealed to Moses is more fully exposed and revealed to those of us who are in Christ Jesus. Eternity will be even more excellent and beautiful and wondrous as we understand with ever-growing light all that the Triune God did in order to bring about the salvation of His people. Blessed be our God and King forever and ever. Amen.

Who is like You, Triune God~persistent in faithfulness and strong to save and gracious to bring this salvation to completion? There is no one and nothing in the vast stretches of the cosmos which could be compared to you. As the poet has said if the skies were scrolls and the oceans ink, still there’d would not be enough space to declare Your mercy, Your grace and goodness!
Great and amazing are Your deeds,
   O LORD God the Almighty!
Who will fear, O Lord,
   and glorify Your Name?
For You alone are holy.
   All nations will come and worship You,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.
Amen.
(The prayer ends with Revelation 15:3-4 ESV)

https://youtu.be/qtvQNzPHn-w

October 6, 2021 -- Numbers 6:24-26 -- Our Father's Shining Face

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

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make His face to shine upon you
   and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up His countenance upon you
   and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26 ESV

The expression ‘the LORD make His face shine upon you” might, at first glance, be difficult to understand. Perhaps if you consider the opposite of this the meaning of the LORD’s shining face will be more evident. Where the people of God sin, spurning His statutes, He declared: ‘I will set my face against you’ Leviticus 26:17. Or, where the leadership of the people of God sin violently, He declared:
   Then they will cry to the Lord,
   but he will not answer them;
   he will hide his face from them at that time,
   because they have made their deeds evil.
   Micah 3:4 ESV.

The shining face of the LORD our God indicates His great blessing and love. Hebrews 1 describes Jesus as “the radiance of the Father’s glory”. In Jesus Christ the Father’s blessing and mercy, the love for and delight in His people is most clearly seen.

Let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room. We’re sinners. We know the right we should do and that thing we should leave off of doing undone. Incredibly, those evil and wicked things we pursue with vigor. We know we don’t deserve the radiant love of our Father in heaven. That is the point. We don’t deserve it. We are sinners. We are completely incapable of saving ourselves. We are completely incapable of contributing to our salvation in any way. Jesus has done it all. When we confess our sinfulness and admit our deep need for Jesus’ saving work, at that moment the Father’s justice and extravagant mercy in sending Jesus are highlighted. His Spirit speaks to our weary, battered hearts. Because of Jesus great work, the Spirit declares: “You are forgiven in Jesus Christ, You are loved. You have been given all you need for this new life in Christ—ask, repeatedly ask, and you will receive resurrection power to live in the glory of this new life.”

INCOMPREHENSIBLE, GREAT AND GLORIOUS GOD
I  adore thee and abase myself.
I approach thee mindful that I am less than nothing,
a creature worse than nothing.
My thoughts are not screened from thy gaze.
My secret sins blaze in the light of thy countenance.
Enable me to remember that blood which cleanseth all sin,
to believe in that grace which subdues all iniquities,
to resign myself to that agency which can
deliver me from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.
Thou hast begun a good work in me
and canst alone continue and complete it.
Give me an increasing conviction of my tendency to err,
and of my exposure to sin.
Help me to feel more of the purifying, softening influence of religion,
its compassion, love, pity, courtesy,
and employ me as thy instrument in blessing others.
Give me to distinguish
between the mere form of godliness and its power,
between life and a name to live,
between guile and truth,
between hypocrisy and a religion that will bear thy eye.
If I am not right, set me right, keep me right;
And may I at last come to  thy house in peace.
"New Beginning" The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions. ed Arthur Bennett. Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth, 2020. page 174

https://youtu.be/Gqrli3Lkf58

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

October 4, 2021 -- Numbers 6:24-26 -- Kept by the Triune LORD

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

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make His face to shine upon you
   and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up His countenance upon you
   and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26 ESV

This blessing is called the Aaronic blessing. The three-fold reference to the Name of the LORD is trinitarian. It is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit Who bless the people. Each of the six verbs, two verbs per line, is filled to overflowing with layer upon layer of rich meaning and purpose.

The LORD keep you. The verb to keep is drum-beat of Psalm 121. There the LORD watches over (another meaning of to keep) His people, guards (another shade of meaning of to keep) them day and night, and the psalm ends with the assurance it is the LORD Who keeps His people at their going out and their coming in.

Once the people of Israel had been set free from their bondage in Egypt by the Mighty Hand of the LORD, the LORD promised: “I send an angel before you to guard you on the way” (Exodus 23:20). The verb rendered guard in English, is that same verb to keep.

In the New Testament, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to guard and keep the people of God in Christ. The Holy Spirit is the deposit, the Spirit is the seal guaranteeing our eternal inheritance (Ephesians 1). As the hymn writer stated it, “How vast the benefits divine which we in Christ possess”.

I will extol you, my God and King,
    and bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you
    and praise your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,
    and his greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation shall commend your works to another,
    and shall declare your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
    and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
Psalm 145:1-5 ESV

https://youtu.be/BJSXSw-M8mQ

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

October 3, 2021 -- Numbers 6:24-27 -- Walking in showers of blessings

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

24 The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
27 “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”
Numbers 6:22-27 ESV

Today is Sunday. Get to church live-link church or Zoom into a service. Savor the blessings of the LORD. The blessing of the LORD consists in the fact that He has chosen people for Himself in love (Ephesians 1:3-4). The Word of God makes known to us the mystery of His will (Ephesians 1:8). The blessing of the LORD, consists in the fact that once we were not a people, but now we are the people of God, given the beautiful gift of belonging. This is the glorious promise of blessing given to Abraham and those who are grafted into the family of Abraham through his seed, our Lord Jesus Christ.

The blessing of the LORD consists in the fact that by His Spirit He will guard you in this great and wonderful salvation until Jesus returns. We are prone to wander. We are likely to throw off all these rich blessings because we are so infantile. Like the faithful Father He Is, God gives to us His Spirit so that sin is restrained, so that our lusts desires and taste for sin change to the point that former sins become repugnant to us.

Dearest family in Jesus Christ, this is the briefest glimpse of the blessings which the LORD, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, pour out on us, His people. Delight in Him. Worship Him. Give thanks with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Teach others of the blessedness that comes to all who are in Christ.

Oh, the depths of he riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are His judgments ad how inscrutable His ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord,
   or who has been His counselor?
Or who has given a gift to Him
   that he might be repaid?
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. 
To Him be the glory forever! Amen.
Romans 11:33-36 ESV

https://youtu.be/UiJiDphZvbs

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

Oct. 1, 2021 -- Numbers 6:22-27 -- Truly Blessed

22 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
24 The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
27 “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”
Numbers 6:22-27 ESV

The words of the text today contain the Aaronic Blessing (specifically the v. 24-26). In our Reformed-Presbyterian tradition, worship services end with a Scriptural blessing. By His great grace God our Father has allowed me to be a minister for 28 years, and counting (October 26 is the anniversary of my ordination). One of my congregants has noted “This must be a favourite of yours, you speak the Aaronic Blessing a lot”. He was quite right. It is one of my favs. There are many reasons for this.

Notice the threefold repetition of the Name, LORD. It is a reference to the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Consider also that the LORD instructed His priests to put His Name on His people, the assurance it is not the man who is blessing the people who are gathered, it is the LORD Himself Who brings His blessing to them. Do you get the sense the LORD longs to bless His people? You should. That is what is being communicated. Are you listening? Are you receiving the great blessings He has in store for you?

Savour this today. Here’s the explanation for such meditative delight: The LORD of heaven and earth has put His Name on you! He has declared His great love for you, through the work of Jesus Christ. He is guarding you in the love of Jesus Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit.

With the prophet Micah, we declare, Who is the God like You? You delight to show mercy! You have cast all our sins into the depths of the sea and show us Your faithfulness. With the Psalmist we cry out “Blessed be the LORD, my rock, He is my steadfast love and my fortress.” With the Samaritans convinced by the testimony of the woman at the well, we call to You “we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this Jesus is the Savior of the World.” Triune God, may our words and actions, our thoughts and the things we choose not to engage in, all bring praise and honour, blessing and glory to You. Amen.

Micah 7:18 & 19, Psalm 144:1,2; John 4:42

https://youtu.be/NjOGX5zT8KU