The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 129:1-3,
They have greatly oppressed me from my youth —
let Israel say —
they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained the victory over me.
Plowmen have plowed my back
and made their furrows long.
But the Lord is righteous;
he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.
As is today, Israel has her many enemies, as the psalmist observes,
from her beginning, "They have greatly oppressed me from my youth..."
Her enemies are seen as "the wicked" who have made their efforts to
destroy her. "Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrow long."
But the psalmist takes heart in the fact that the wicked have never
been successful to destroy Israel completely. He notes that the wicked
have not gained the victory over Israel. This is due to the
righteousness of the Lord who has cut Israel "free from the cords of
death."
This speaks to me of our deliverance by the Lord from our enemies. The
church today is despised by the world, "Do not be surprised, my
brothers, if the world hates you." I John 3:13. We have an enemy in
the devil, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls
around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter
5:8. Our own sinful natures, "So then, I myself in my mind am a slave
to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."
Romans 7:25. We have even had God as our enemy, "When we were God's
enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son..."
Romans 5:10.
Not only were we delivered from God's own wrath through Jesus Christ,
God has delivered us from all our enemies. "Everyone born of God
overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world,
even our faith." 1 John 5:4. Also, "Therefore, there is now no
condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ
Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin
and death." Romans 8:1-2.
God has provided victory over all our enemies in Jesus Christ. As
believers we have been freed from all that might endanger or restrain
us. We have freedom in Jesus Christ to live our lives with and for our
Creator. This will culminate in our safe arrival in the resurrection
of eternal life as members of God's own family with a seat at his
table!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Friday, June 29, 2012
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Where to get your blessing - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 128,
Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
who walk in his ways.
You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your sons will be like olive shoots
around your table.
Thus is the man blessed
who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life;
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem,
and may you live to see your children's children.
Peace be upon Israel.
This "song of ascents" begins with a beatitude and ends with a
benediction. A beatitude is a "state of bliss" (Merriam-Webster). The
online dictionary provides these synonyms for it: happiness,
blessedness, bliss, blissfulness, felicity, gladness, joy, warm
fuzzies (I find this one interesting for a dictionary...). A
benediction is an "invocation of a blessing".
The psalmist tells us the cause for the state of happiness or bliss he
speaks of is "fear of the Lord". Those who fear him will be blessed.
This fear is expressed by walking in the Lord's ways. The blessing is
seen in the fulfillment of reaping the rewards of work, "blessings and
prosperity" as well as a happy and fulfilled family life. In that a
person who fears the Lord is to be blessed, the psalmist provides his
invocation, that is, he calls for this blessing.
There is much more going on in this psalm than material for the
liturgy or the worship leader in a Sunday morning service. The
psalmist tells us the possibility exists for us to reap blessings in
this life from our Creator. Reflecting on that, and knowing that we
don't deserve anything from our God, from whom we have rebelled and
turned our backs on, is stunning to me.
If we make it our choice to fear the Lord and walk in his ways, we
will be blessed. To fear the Lord is to have reverence for him, to
recognize who he is and acknowledge his rightful position in our
lives. The Scriptures have much to say about the fear of the Lord. We
are told, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..."
Proverbs 1:7. Also, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom..." Proverbs 9:10. The fear of the Lord has consequence in our
lives, "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from
the snares of death." And, it enables us to avoid failure and
downfall, "through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil." Proverbs
16:6. The fear of the Lord brings its own reward, "Humility and the
fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life."
We are not guaranteed a prosperous life, a full and happy family life,
and we certainly are not promised escape from the frustrations,
challenges, heartaches, pain and suffering this life can provide at
times. However, during both the good times and the bad times, we will
be blessed by God, strengthened by him, and have all things work
together for our good if we choose to fear the Lord.
The psalmist tells us the fear of the Lord is expressed in walking in
his ways. What is his way? Paul tells us in Romans 3:20-22, "No one
will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather,
through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness
from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and
the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith
in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Fear of the Lord is expressed
when we embrace him in faith. Faith is how we "walk in his ways." So
important is faith that we read in Romans 14:23, "everything that does
not come from faith is sin."
Fearing the Lord is only giving the Lord what is due him. To think
that he blesses us when we only do what is appropriate and rightful by
him demonstrates his love and kindness to us.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 128,
Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
who walk in his ways.
You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your sons will be like olive shoots
around your table.
Thus is the man blessed
who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life;
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem,
and may you live to see your children's children.
Peace be upon Israel.
This "song of ascents" begins with a beatitude and ends with a
benediction. A beatitude is a "state of bliss" (Merriam-Webster). The
online dictionary provides these synonyms for it: happiness,
blessedness, bliss, blissfulness, felicity, gladness, joy, warm
fuzzies (I find this one interesting for a dictionary...). A
benediction is an "invocation of a blessing".
The psalmist tells us the cause for the state of happiness or bliss he
speaks of is "fear of the Lord". Those who fear him will be blessed.
This fear is expressed by walking in the Lord's ways. The blessing is
seen in the fulfillment of reaping the rewards of work, "blessings and
prosperity" as well as a happy and fulfilled family life. In that a
person who fears the Lord is to be blessed, the psalmist provides his
invocation, that is, he calls for this blessing.
There is much more going on in this psalm than material for the
liturgy or the worship leader in a Sunday morning service. The
psalmist tells us the possibility exists for us to reap blessings in
this life from our Creator. Reflecting on that, and knowing that we
don't deserve anything from our God, from whom we have rebelled and
turned our backs on, is stunning to me.
If we make it our choice to fear the Lord and walk in his ways, we
will be blessed. To fear the Lord is to have reverence for him, to
recognize who he is and acknowledge his rightful position in our
lives. The Scriptures have much to say about the fear of the Lord. We
are told, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..."
Proverbs 1:7. Also, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom..." Proverbs 9:10. The fear of the Lord has consequence in our
lives, "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from
the snares of death." And, it enables us to avoid failure and
downfall, "through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil." Proverbs
16:6. The fear of the Lord brings its own reward, "Humility and the
fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life."
We are not guaranteed a prosperous life, a full and happy family life,
and we certainly are not promised escape from the frustrations,
challenges, heartaches, pain and suffering this life can provide at
times. However, during both the good times and the bad times, we will
be blessed by God, strengthened by him, and have all things work
together for our good if we choose to fear the Lord.
The psalmist tells us the fear of the Lord is expressed in walking in
his ways. What is his way? Paul tells us in Romans 3:20-22, "No one
will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather,
through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness
from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and
the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith
in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Fear of the Lord is expressed
when we embrace him in faith. Faith is how we "walk in his ways." So
important is faith that we read in Romans 14:23, "everything that does
not come from faith is sin."
Fearing the Lord is only giving the Lord what is due him. To think
that he blesses us when we only do what is appropriate and rightful by
him demonstrates his love and kindness to us.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
A helpful guide in knowing God's will for our lives - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 127:1-2,
Unless the Lord builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
This passage speaks to me of the futility of pursuing that which is
inconsistent with God's agenda for us on this earth. The life God
gives each of us is wasted on that which is meaningless if we pursue
those things the Lord does not purpose for us. Conversely, we are
blessed if we pursue that which is consistent with his agenda on
earth, "He grants sleep to those he loves."
My thought isn't that God has a predetermined template for each of our
lives, such as what occupation we should pursue, what person we should
marry, where we should live, what schools we should attend, and so
forth. I know many folks think God orders our lives in this way, but
the Scriptures never present that as how God interacts with us. Only a
very few have had their lives ordered by God this way, such as the
apostle Paul, John the Baptist, Elijah, Isaiah and a limited number of
others.
Other than these certain ones God has predestined for his own specific
purposes by making choices for their lives, he has provided the rest
of us with general guidelines to point us in the direction of his
agenda on earth and observes how we use the life he has given us.
Passages such as Paul's counsel on whether to marry illustrates my
point, "If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he
is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he
ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They
should get married. But the man who has settled the matter in his own
mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will,
and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also
does the right thing." 1 Corinthians 7:36-37. This Paul provides in a
passage that is full of directions on marriage. Clearly, God has given
us the capacity for choice-making, provides us with wisdom through his
word, and observes what we do. Paul goes on with more, "A woman is
bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she
is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord." 1
Corinthians 7:39. Guidelines from God and freedom to choose.
It is within that freedom to choose that Solomon, who wrote this
psalm, contemplates the wasted effort of pursuing that which is
inconsistent with the Lord's agenda. What we build, what we watch
over, what we expend our efforts on, if not consistent with God's
purpose for our lives becomes life wasted.
What is God's purpose for our lives, here, "under the sun", then? What
is his agenda? When taken as a whole, the sixty-six books that
comprise our Bibles make abundantly clear: God is building his
kingdom. From his command to Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful and increase
in number; fill the earth and subdue it." Genesis 1:28, to Jesus'
command to the church just before his ascension into heaven, "All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to
obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always,
to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20, we see that this life
is all about God building his kingdom.
This life can be likened to a maternity ward in a hospital from the
perspective of God's agenda. He is building his kingdom. He wants us
to make babies: give them physical birth and then participate in,
hopefully, their second, spiritual birth, John 3:3 through the gospel.
The Son of God clearly told us why he had come to planet earth, "The
Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10. This
is God's agenda we are presented with in the Scriptures. God pursues
his agenda and he pursues it in the context of his own character and
nature, "Let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and
knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and
righteousness on earth, for in these I delight." Jeremiah 9:24. Love
and justice.
Activity we pursue that is inconsistent with God's agenda and God's
character is life wasted. Activity we pursue in furthering God's
agenda, consistent with his character is life blessed by God.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 127:1-2,
Unless the Lord builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
This passage speaks to me of the futility of pursuing that which is
inconsistent with God's agenda for us on this earth. The life God
gives each of us is wasted on that which is meaningless if we pursue
those things the Lord does not purpose for us. Conversely, we are
blessed if we pursue that which is consistent with his agenda on
earth, "He grants sleep to those he loves."
My thought isn't that God has a predetermined template for each of our
lives, such as what occupation we should pursue, what person we should
marry, where we should live, what schools we should attend, and so
forth. I know many folks think God orders our lives in this way, but
the Scriptures never present that as how God interacts with us. Only a
very few have had their lives ordered by God this way, such as the
apostle Paul, John the Baptist, Elijah, Isaiah and a limited number of
others.
Other than these certain ones God has predestined for his own specific
purposes by making choices for their lives, he has provided the rest
of us with general guidelines to point us in the direction of his
agenda on earth and observes how we use the life he has given us.
Passages such as Paul's counsel on whether to marry illustrates my
point, "If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he
is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he
ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They
should get married. But the man who has settled the matter in his own
mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will,
and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also
does the right thing." 1 Corinthians 7:36-37. This Paul provides in a
passage that is full of directions on marriage. Clearly, God has given
us the capacity for choice-making, provides us with wisdom through his
word, and observes what we do. Paul goes on with more, "A woman is
bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she
is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord." 1
Corinthians 7:39. Guidelines from God and freedom to choose.
It is within that freedom to choose that Solomon, who wrote this
psalm, contemplates the wasted effort of pursuing that which is
inconsistent with the Lord's agenda. What we build, what we watch
over, what we expend our efforts on, if not consistent with God's
purpose for our lives becomes life wasted.
What is God's purpose for our lives, here, "under the sun", then? What
is his agenda? When taken as a whole, the sixty-six books that
comprise our Bibles make abundantly clear: God is building his
kingdom. From his command to Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful and increase
in number; fill the earth and subdue it." Genesis 1:28, to Jesus'
command to the church just before his ascension into heaven, "All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to
obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always,
to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20, we see that this life
is all about God building his kingdom.
This life can be likened to a maternity ward in a hospital from the
perspective of God's agenda. He is building his kingdom. He wants us
to make babies: give them physical birth and then participate in,
hopefully, their second, spiritual birth, John 3:3 through the gospel.
The Son of God clearly told us why he had come to planet earth, "The
Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10. This
is God's agenda we are presented with in the Scriptures. God pursues
his agenda and he pursues it in the context of his own character and
nature, "Let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and
knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and
righteousness on earth, for in these I delight." Jeremiah 9:24. Love
and justice.
Activity we pursue that is inconsistent with God's agenda and God's
character is life wasted. Activity we pursue in furthering God's
agenda, consistent with his character is life blessed by God.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
The joy of returning - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 126:1-3,
When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion,
we were like men who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
"The Lord has done great things for them."
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
One of the "songs of ascents", thought to be sung by the sojourners
who returned to Jerusalem three times a year for the appointed feasts
the Lord placed on their calendar that called for their gathering,
Psalm 126 is one of many that was to be sung as they made their way up
to Jerusalem. The psalm captures the joy and unmistakable
acknowledgement and appreciation for all the Lord had done for captive
Jews. The psalm recalls these captives returning to their intended
homeland the Lord had provided them - a homeland they had lost due to
their own sinful choices in rejecting their God - and now God has made
a way for their return.
I can't help but see in this psalm the joy, the acknowledgement, and
the heartfelt appreciation that will be expressed by the Lord's people
as they enter into the resurrection at the end of the age as family
members with Jesus Christ in his kingdom. One day all who have
embraced Jesus Christ in faith will experience that joy of return. A
return to what God originally intended for us in the garden of Eden.
Just as the Jewish captives who returned to Zion, made possible by the
God they had once turned their back on, so we will return to what God
designed for us, made possible by the very same God we had turned our
back on in sinful rebellion.
As we return, I can't help but think the angels will proclaim, "The
Lord has done great things for them." Peter tells us, "Even angels
long to look into these things." 1 Peter 1:12. The way of return to
the Lord has been made for us through Jesus Christ, who said, "I am
the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me." John 14:6.
Pretty exciting to think of, wouldn't you say? I am certain we will be
"like men who dreamed. Our mouths... filled with laughter, our tongues
with songs of joy."
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 126:1-3,
When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion,
we were like men who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
"The Lord has done great things for them."
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
One of the "songs of ascents", thought to be sung by the sojourners
who returned to Jerusalem three times a year for the appointed feasts
the Lord placed on their calendar that called for their gathering,
Psalm 126 is one of many that was to be sung as they made their way up
to Jerusalem. The psalm captures the joy and unmistakable
acknowledgement and appreciation for all the Lord had done for captive
Jews. The psalm recalls these captives returning to their intended
homeland the Lord had provided them - a homeland they had lost due to
their own sinful choices in rejecting their God - and now God has made
a way for their return.
I can't help but see in this psalm the joy, the acknowledgement, and
the heartfelt appreciation that will be expressed by the Lord's people
as they enter into the resurrection at the end of the age as family
members with Jesus Christ in his kingdom. One day all who have
embraced Jesus Christ in faith will experience that joy of return. A
return to what God originally intended for us in the garden of Eden.
Just as the Jewish captives who returned to Zion, made possible by the
God they had once turned their back on, so we will return to what God
designed for us, made possible by the very same God we had turned our
back on in sinful rebellion.
As we return, I can't help but think the angels will proclaim, "The
Lord has done great things for them." Peter tells us, "Even angels
long to look into these things." 1 Peter 1:12. The way of return to
the Lord has been made for us through Jesus Christ, who said, "I am
the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me." John 14:6.
Pretty exciting to think of, wouldn't you say? I am certain we will be
"like men who dreamed. Our mouths... filled with laughter, our tongues
with songs of joy."
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Monday, June 25, 2012
The Lord watches over us - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 121:1-8,
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm —
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
This is Psalm 121 in its entirety. It is a beautiful little psalm and
speaks to the care the Lord has for those who are his. No matter what
we face in this life, he is watching over us and keeps us safe from
harm.
I might be tempted to assume no difficulty, no trial will come my way
in this life. This is not the case. This psalm speaks of the Lord
watching over us as we go through times of difficulty. The help we
read of in verse one speaks of occasions where we need help, in the
midst of trials and difficulties. One doesn't need help when
difficulty does not show itself. It is to the Lord we need to find our
safety, to find our strength, to find our help.
I am reminded of a time when Paul faced difficulty. He said, "We do
not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we
suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far
beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened
that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.
On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as
you help us by your prayers." 2 Corinthians 1:8-11.
Here we see the psalmist's words lived out. Paul suffered hardships
such that he "despaired even of life". However, he who watches over
our lives, our "coming and going", was who Paul looked to and found
not only his deliverance but also that the Lord used the hardships
Paul faced to bring about Paul's reliance on God. The Lord used it as
a learning experience for Paul to develop qualities he would need.
No matter the trials we face, the Lord watches over us and brings
about only good things for us, "And we know that in all things God
works for the good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose." Romans 8:28.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 121:1-8,
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm —
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
This is Psalm 121 in its entirety. It is a beautiful little psalm and
speaks to the care the Lord has for those who are his. No matter what
we face in this life, he is watching over us and keeps us safe from
harm.
I might be tempted to assume no difficulty, no trial will come my way
in this life. This is not the case. This psalm speaks of the Lord
watching over us as we go through times of difficulty. The help we
read of in verse one speaks of occasions where we need help, in the
midst of trials and difficulties. One doesn't need help when
difficulty does not show itself. It is to the Lord we need to find our
safety, to find our strength, to find our help.
I am reminded of a time when Paul faced difficulty. He said, "We do
not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we
suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far
beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened
that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.
On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as
you help us by your prayers." 2 Corinthians 1:8-11.
Here we see the psalmist's words lived out. Paul suffered hardships
such that he "despaired even of life". However, he who watches over
our lives, our "coming and going", was who Paul looked to and found
not only his deliverance but also that the Lord used the hardships
Paul faced to bring about Paul's reliance on God. The Lord used it as
a learning experience for Paul to develop qualities he would need.
No matter the trials we face, the Lord watches over us and brings
about only good things for us, "And we know that in all things God
works for the good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose." Romans 8:28.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Friday, June 22, 2012
Where happiness is found - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 106:3,
"Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right."
The psalmist identifies certain ones as having something we all
desire: blessedness. Being blessed isn't a term we often use in the
context of today's public discourse. "Privileged", "lucky",
"fortunate", "happy" are some of the words more commonly heard, but
approximate the same idea. What the psalmist expresses here is very
similar to what Jesus said in his sermon on the mount. Among his
beatitudes, Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit
the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be
shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:5-10.
In each of these beatitudes, Jesus gave the reason why those who are
meek, who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who are merciful, who
are pure in heart, the peacemakers and those who are persecuted
because of their righteousness are blessed. Why? Because they are the
ones who will inherit the earth, they will "be filled", they will be
shown mercy, they will see God, they will be sons of God, because
theirs is the kingdom of God. Those who have these things are truly
blessed, privileged, fortunate and happy.
Both in what the psalmist says in Psalm 106:3 and in Jesus'
beatitudes, I see the arrival at the blessed or happy estate not as a
result of what is observed in ones life, that "maintaining justice",
"constantly do what is right", being meek, hungering and thirsting for
righteousness, being merciful, being pure in heart, being a
peacemaker, or living one's life in a righteous manner bring the
blessed state, but rather manifest something very important. Those
whose lives are marked by these things demonstrate they have become
God's children and that they are being conformed to the image of Jesus
Christ, Romans 8:28-29.
God predestined that all who embrace Jesus Christ in faith will go
through a spiritually maturing process. The perfections of Jesus
Christ are what God begins to build in our lives when we become his
children. We become his children by embracing him in faith, "To all
who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right
to become children of God...". Once we do, the process begins.
It is the fruit of that process that is identified by the psalmist and
Jesus in his sermon. When the fruit is observed in our lives, our
blessed position is acknowledged: ours is the kingdom of God.
I realize that on many Sunday mornings sermons are preached that if we
would be a peacemaker, we would be blessed, or if we would be pure in
heart, we would be blessed. But that misses the point. Blessedness
comes because we are God's children, blessedness comes because we will
see God. Living changed lives, maintaining justice, doing what is
right, and so on, reflects we are in the process God's has predestined
for those who are his: we are being conformed to the likeness of his
Son. When that fruit is observed, the blessed estate needs to be
acknowledged.
This is where true happiness is found. This is how a blessed life
becomes ours: embracing Jesus Christ in faith, bringing us into God's
own kingdom. How wonderful he has made the opportunity ours!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 106:3,
"Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right."
The psalmist identifies certain ones as having something we all
desire: blessedness. Being blessed isn't a term we often use in the
context of today's public discourse. "Privileged", "lucky",
"fortunate", "happy" are some of the words more commonly heard, but
approximate the same idea. What the psalmist expresses here is very
similar to what Jesus said in his sermon on the mount. Among his
beatitudes, Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit
the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be
shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:5-10.
In each of these beatitudes, Jesus gave the reason why those who are
meek, who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who are merciful, who
are pure in heart, the peacemakers and those who are persecuted
because of their righteousness are blessed. Why? Because they are the
ones who will inherit the earth, they will "be filled", they will be
shown mercy, they will see God, they will be sons of God, because
theirs is the kingdom of God. Those who have these things are truly
blessed, privileged, fortunate and happy.
Both in what the psalmist says in Psalm 106:3 and in Jesus'
beatitudes, I see the arrival at the blessed or happy estate not as a
result of what is observed in ones life, that "maintaining justice",
"constantly do what is right", being meek, hungering and thirsting for
righteousness, being merciful, being pure in heart, being a
peacemaker, or living one's life in a righteous manner bring the
blessed state, but rather manifest something very important. Those
whose lives are marked by these things demonstrate they have become
God's children and that they are being conformed to the image of Jesus
Christ, Romans 8:28-29.
God predestined that all who embrace Jesus Christ in faith will go
through a spiritually maturing process. The perfections of Jesus
Christ are what God begins to build in our lives when we become his
children. We become his children by embracing him in faith, "To all
who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right
to become children of God...". Once we do, the process begins.
It is the fruit of that process that is identified by the psalmist and
Jesus in his sermon. When the fruit is observed in our lives, our
blessed position is acknowledged: ours is the kingdom of God.
I realize that on many Sunday mornings sermons are preached that if we
would be a peacemaker, we would be blessed, or if we would be pure in
heart, we would be blessed. But that misses the point. Blessedness
comes because we are God's children, blessedness comes because we will
see God. Living changed lives, maintaining justice, doing what is
right, and so on, reflects we are in the process God's has predestined
for those who are his: we are being conformed to the likeness of his
Son. When that fruit is observed, the blessed estate needs to be
acknowledged.
This is where true happiness is found. This is how a blessed life
becomes ours: embracing Jesus Christ in faith, bringing us into God's
own kingdom. How wonderful he has made the opportunity ours!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Thursday, June 21, 2012
What if God were replaced? - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 102:12,
"But you, O Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through
all generations."
The psalmist observes that the Lord, on his throne, will never have
end. The Lord will never be demoted, he will never need to be replaced
as he will never pass away. The Lord will remain forever and forever
be seated on his throne. This is an important point.
What if the Lord had a successor? What might he be like? Would his
successor's perfections be necessarily the same as our God's, in
justice and love? Perish the thought! How could anyone bear the
thought that "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us
all" and has, along with his Son, graciously given us all things...
might pass from the scene? Romans 8:32. Unbearable!
No, we have, along with the psalmist, an unyielding confidence that
our God remains forever and will always be on his throne.
What does this mean for us? Certainly important among things to
consider is that there never will be a change in how life will be
ordered in the resurrection. Starting out one way will never be
scrapped for some new regime. Another important consideration is that
as we develop our own understanding and relationship with the Lord
today, it is something that is lasting, that we can build upon, never
to contemplate we might have to start over with someone else.
Scripture tells us that together with God the Father, God the Son sits
at his right hand for all eternity. "When this priest [Jesus Christ]
had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the
right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made
his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever
those who are being made holy." Hebrews 10:12-14. Jesus Christ, God's
Son lives forever, just as God the Father. Because of this the writer
of Hebrews says, "Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent
priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to
God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."
Hebrews 7:24-25.
Among the cults is a doctrine that men become "Gods", if they persist
in their religious traditions beyond a certain threshold. How
creatures think they can become their own creators is certainly
incoherent. Only God is God and he sits enthroned forever. No one will
ever take his place. Man is a created being and will never become God.
There is a reason why some so-called "Christian" groups are called
cults: they embrace vile teachings that must be rejected and renounced
by those who know the truth.
For us, knowing our God lives forever and will forever sit on his
throne, with Jesus Christ, his Son, at his right hand forever
establishes a confidence and an assurance in all we know of him.
Whatever it is we learn of him, whatever it is we come to know of him,
whatever it is we establish with him is a foundation that will remain
forever!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 102:12,
"But you, O Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through
all generations."
The psalmist observes that the Lord, on his throne, will never have
end. The Lord will never be demoted, he will never need to be replaced
as he will never pass away. The Lord will remain forever and forever
be seated on his throne. This is an important point.
What if the Lord had a successor? What might he be like? Would his
successor's perfections be necessarily the same as our God's, in
justice and love? Perish the thought! How could anyone bear the
thought that "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us
all" and has, along with his Son, graciously given us all things...
might pass from the scene? Romans 8:32. Unbearable!
No, we have, along with the psalmist, an unyielding confidence that
our God remains forever and will always be on his throne.
What does this mean for us? Certainly important among things to
consider is that there never will be a change in how life will be
ordered in the resurrection. Starting out one way will never be
scrapped for some new regime. Another important consideration is that
as we develop our own understanding and relationship with the Lord
today, it is something that is lasting, that we can build upon, never
to contemplate we might have to start over with someone else.
Scripture tells us that together with God the Father, God the Son sits
at his right hand for all eternity. "When this priest [Jesus Christ]
had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the
right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made
his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever
those who are being made holy." Hebrews 10:12-14. Jesus Christ, God's
Son lives forever, just as God the Father. Because of this the writer
of Hebrews says, "Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent
priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to
God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."
Hebrews 7:24-25.
Among the cults is a doctrine that men become "Gods", if they persist
in their religious traditions beyond a certain threshold. How
creatures think they can become their own creators is certainly
incoherent. Only God is God and he sits enthroned forever. No one will
ever take his place. Man is a created being and will never become God.
There is a reason why some so-called "Christian" groups are called
cults: they embrace vile teachings that must be rejected and renounced
by those who know the truth.
For us, knowing our God lives forever and will forever sit on his
throne, with Jesus Christ, his Son, at his right hand forever
establishes a confidence and an assurance in all we know of him.
Whatever it is we learn of him, whatever it is we come to know of him,
whatever it is we establish with him is a foundation that will remain
forever!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
God's message to us - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 98:10,
"The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness
to the nations."
How has the Lord made his salvation known and revealed his
righteousness to the nations? He has crafted his gospel message and
revealed himself through creation. He uses these together to call a
lost and fallen world to himself.
Paul tells us, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message,
and the message is heard through the word of Christ." Romans 10:17.
God has crafted a gospel message that can reach into the darkest
heart. The gospel is a unique message in that it contains a certain
power from God, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the
power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the
Jew, then for the Gentile." Romans 1:16.
This message is attended by God through his creation as a message to
lost and fallen mankind that he has something to say, "Their voice has
gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."
Romans 10:18 where Paul quotes Psalm 19:4. In Psalm 19:1-4 we read,
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of
his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night
they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their
voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their
words to the ends of the world."
Paul points to this as why sinful man is culpable for his rejection of
the gospel. Since God's creation speaks of God, when God's message is
given and ignored, it isn't because lost and fallen mankind is unable
to understand or accept his gospel. "The wrath of God is being
revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men
who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known
about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For
since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal
power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from
what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:18-20.
Jesus tells us why lost and fallen mankind refuses to accept the
gospel. In his conversation with Nicodemus he said, "This is the
verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead
of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates
the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds
will be exposed." John 3:19-20. It is because some cling to their sin
they refuse to respond to the gospel.
However, some will respond to the gospel and embrace Jesus Christ in
faith. "whoever lives by the truth comes into the light", John 3:21.
It is these the Lord has chosen for himself. When asked if I believe
in election, I always respond, "Of course I do! God has chosen for
himself all who will embrace him in faith in response to his gospel
message!" As Jesus said in John 5:24, "I tell you the truth, whoever
hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will
not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." We also
read in John 1:12, "To all who received him, to those who believed in
his name, he gave the right to become children of God".
What more could God have done to make a way for us into his family?
How wonderful he has provided all an invitation to join him!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 98:10,
"The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness
to the nations."
How has the Lord made his salvation known and revealed his
righteousness to the nations? He has crafted his gospel message and
revealed himself through creation. He uses these together to call a
lost and fallen world to himself.
Paul tells us, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message,
and the message is heard through the word of Christ." Romans 10:17.
God has crafted a gospel message that can reach into the darkest
heart. The gospel is a unique message in that it contains a certain
power from God, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the
power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the
Jew, then for the Gentile." Romans 1:16.
This message is attended by God through his creation as a message to
lost and fallen mankind that he has something to say, "Their voice has
gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."
Romans 10:18 where Paul quotes Psalm 19:4. In Psalm 19:1-4 we read,
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of
his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night
they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their
voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their
words to the ends of the world."
Paul points to this as why sinful man is culpable for his rejection of
the gospel. Since God's creation speaks of God, when God's message is
given and ignored, it isn't because lost and fallen mankind is unable
to understand or accept his gospel. "The wrath of God is being
revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men
who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known
about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For
since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal
power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from
what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:18-20.
Jesus tells us why lost and fallen mankind refuses to accept the
gospel. In his conversation with Nicodemus he said, "This is the
verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead
of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates
the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds
will be exposed." John 3:19-20. It is because some cling to their sin
they refuse to respond to the gospel.
However, some will respond to the gospel and embrace Jesus Christ in
faith. "whoever lives by the truth comes into the light", John 3:21.
It is these the Lord has chosen for himself. When asked if I believe
in election, I always respond, "Of course I do! God has chosen for
himself all who will embrace him in faith in response to his gospel
message!" As Jesus said in John 5:24, "I tell you the truth, whoever
hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will
not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." We also
read in John 1:12, "To all who received him, to those who believed in
his name, he gave the right to become children of God".
What more could God have done to make a way for us into his family?
How wonderful he has provided all an invitation to join him!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Where is Jesus Christ today, what is he doing? - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 22:69,
"From now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the
mighty God."
At daybreak, following Jesus' arrest, the council of the elders had
Jesus led before them to question him. As he confirmed to them he was
the Son of God, Jesus made this comment, that he would be seated and
the right hand of God Almighty.
Seated at the right hand of God indicates authority, honor, dignity
and rule. It speaks of power and strength. It is the exalted position
of any possible relative to God Almighty.
Peter spoke of where Jesus was following his ascension into heaven,
"He [Jesus Christ] must remain in heaven until the time comes for God
to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy
prophets." Acts 3:21. In his sermon on Pentecost, Peter told the Jews,
"God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the
fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the
Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see
and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, 'The
Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet."'" He is at the right hand our heavenly
Father. Peter also says in 1 Peter 3:22, "... Jesus Christ, who has
gone into heaven and is at God's right hand —with angels, authorities
and powers in submission to him." Just prior to his ascension into
heaven, following his resurrection, Jesus told his followers, "All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me..." Matthew
28:18.
In speaking of God's great power, Paul said, "That power is like the
working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he
raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the
heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,
and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but
also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and
appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his
body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."
Ephesians 1:19-23.
So what is Jesus doing in heaven? Paul tells us he speaks to our
heavenly Father in our behalf, "Christ Jesus, who died —more than
that, who was raised to life —is at the right hand of God and is also
interceding for us." Romans 8:34. The writer of Hebrews says,
"Therefore he [Jesus Christ] is able to save completely those who come
to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."
Hebrews 7:25. We also read in 1 Timothy 2:5-6, "For there is one God
and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave
himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper
time." Jesus Christ, as God the Son, is in heaven as our mediator with
God the Father. As our mediator, the writer of Hebrews says, "But when
this priest [Jesus Christ] had offered for all time one sacrifice for
sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits
for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he
has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Hebrews
10:12-14. Because of this, Paul can say, " In him [Christ Jesus our
Lord] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and
confidence." Ephesians 3:12.
Paul struggled in his desire to leave this life to join Jesus Christ
in heaven, but knew it was best he continued in his labors for the
infant church. In his letter to the Philippians he said, "For to me,
to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the
body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I
do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with
Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that
I remain in the body."
The day is coming when all who have embraced him in faith will join
Jesus Christ in heaven at his lofty position at the right hand of God
Almighty!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 22:69,
"From now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the
mighty God."
At daybreak, following Jesus' arrest, the council of the elders had
Jesus led before them to question him. As he confirmed to them he was
the Son of God, Jesus made this comment, that he would be seated and
the right hand of God Almighty.
Seated at the right hand of God indicates authority, honor, dignity
and rule. It speaks of power and strength. It is the exalted position
of any possible relative to God Almighty.
Peter spoke of where Jesus was following his ascension into heaven,
"He [Jesus Christ] must remain in heaven until the time comes for God
to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy
prophets." Acts 3:21. In his sermon on Pentecost, Peter told the Jews,
"God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the
fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the
Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see
and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, 'The
Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet."'" He is at the right hand our heavenly
Father. Peter also says in 1 Peter 3:22, "... Jesus Christ, who has
gone into heaven and is at God's right hand —with angels, authorities
and powers in submission to him." Just prior to his ascension into
heaven, following his resurrection, Jesus told his followers, "All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me..." Matthew
28:18.
In speaking of God's great power, Paul said, "That power is like the
working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he
raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the
heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,
and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but
also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and
appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his
body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."
Ephesians 1:19-23.
So what is Jesus doing in heaven? Paul tells us he speaks to our
heavenly Father in our behalf, "Christ Jesus, who died —more than
that, who was raised to life —is at the right hand of God and is also
interceding for us." Romans 8:34. The writer of Hebrews says,
"Therefore he [Jesus Christ] is able to save completely those who come
to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."
Hebrews 7:25. We also read in 1 Timothy 2:5-6, "For there is one God
and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave
himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper
time." Jesus Christ, as God the Son, is in heaven as our mediator with
God the Father. As our mediator, the writer of Hebrews says, "But when
this priest [Jesus Christ] had offered for all time one sacrifice for
sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits
for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he
has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Hebrews
10:12-14. Because of this, Paul can say, " In him [Christ Jesus our
Lord] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and
confidence." Ephesians 3:12.
Paul struggled in his desire to leave this life to join Jesus Christ
in heaven, but knew it was best he continued in his labors for the
infant church. In his letter to the Philippians he said, "For to me,
to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the
body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I
do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with
Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that
I remain in the body."
The day is coming when all who have embraced him in faith will join
Jesus Christ in heaven at his lofty position at the right hand of God
Almighty!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Monday, June 18, 2012
Jesus, our Passover Lamb - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 22:1,
"Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching…"
Here is how Luke begins his account of the betrayal, arrest,
crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It all happened at the
time of the celebration of the Passover.
We read about the Passover in Exodus 12. There the Lord told Moses and
Aaron to commemorate it as a festival for all generations to come.
Enslaved in Egypt, the Lord told the Jews he was going to destroy
those who enslaved them and set them free. However, the Jews needed to
take some of the blood of an animal to be sacrificed and apply it to
their door frames. That way when the destroying angel came to strike
down the Egyptians, he would "pass over" the Lord's people and not put
them to death.
The account of the Passover, inaugurated on the night before the Jews
were delivered from Egypt, is rich with symbolism and helps explain
what God was going to do to redeem mankind from his own justice. Jesus
Christ, the sacrifice who paid the penalty for all our sins would come
and take our punishment upon himself. Enslaved to the eternal death
our sins bring from God's justice, freedom is now available for all
who have applied, in a figurative sense, Jesus Christ's blood on
themselves by embracing him in faith.
As with the Passover celebrated by the Jews in Egypt, all mankind must
"apply" the blood of the Lord's sacrifice to their own lives in order
to be freed from his justice, otherwise face God's wrath. "They have
washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
Revelation 7:14. "To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins
by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his
God and Father —to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen."
Revelation 1:5-6.
Clearly, the timing of the Lord's passion with the Passover was
predetermined and arranged by God. How fitting that Jesus' betrayal,
arrest, crucifixion and resurrection came at the time of the Passover.
Paul observes, "Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." 1
Corinthians 5:7.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 22:1,
"Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching…"
Here is how Luke begins his account of the betrayal, arrest,
crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It all happened at the
time of the celebration of the Passover.
We read about the Passover in Exodus 12. There the Lord told Moses and
Aaron to commemorate it as a festival for all generations to come.
Enslaved in Egypt, the Lord told the Jews he was going to destroy
those who enslaved them and set them free. However, the Jews needed to
take some of the blood of an animal to be sacrificed and apply it to
their door frames. That way when the destroying angel came to strike
down the Egyptians, he would "pass over" the Lord's people and not put
them to death.
The account of the Passover, inaugurated on the night before the Jews
were delivered from Egypt, is rich with symbolism and helps explain
what God was going to do to redeem mankind from his own justice. Jesus
Christ, the sacrifice who paid the penalty for all our sins would come
and take our punishment upon himself. Enslaved to the eternal death
our sins bring from God's justice, freedom is now available for all
who have applied, in a figurative sense, Jesus Christ's blood on
themselves by embracing him in faith.
As with the Passover celebrated by the Jews in Egypt, all mankind must
"apply" the blood of the Lord's sacrifice to their own lives in order
to be freed from his justice, otherwise face God's wrath. "They have
washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
Revelation 7:14. "To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins
by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his
God and Father —to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen."
Revelation 1:5-6.
Clearly, the timing of the Lord's passion with the Passover was
predetermined and arranged by God. How fitting that Jesus' betrayal,
arrest, crucifixion and resurrection came at the time of the Passover.
Paul observes, "Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." 1
Corinthians 5:7.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Jesus' resurrection: an announcement to the world - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 24:5-7,
"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has
risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in
Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful
men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'"
These are the words spoken by the "two men", angels, to the women who
had gone to tend to the body of Jesus following the Sabbath. Jesus had
been crucified on the day before the Sabbath and his unprepared body
had been placed in a tomb. Now returning to the tomb, they found it
empty.
This is the account of Jesus' resurrection. This, together with the
testimony of many to whom he appeared following his resurrection form
the basis for a core belief of all who follow Jesus: he arose from the
dead! Paul tells us, "Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day
according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then
to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of
the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though
some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the
apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally
born." 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.
Death entered the human family as a judgment of God when Adam and Eve
sinned in the garden of Eden. Since all people die (and remain that
way from the perspective of life here "under the sun"), Jesus'
resurrection reveals something to me that is very important. Because
he rose from the dead, I have complete assurance that Jesus' sacrifice
of himself satisfied God's justice. By placing my trust and faith in
him I can now have God's forgiveness.
Jesus foretold of this. "From that time on Jesus began to explain to
his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at
the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and
that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."
Matthew 16:21 "Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the
twelve disciples aside and said to them, 'We are going up to
Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests
and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will
turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified.
On the third day he will be raised to life!'" Matthew 20:17-19. At the
last supper Jesus offered a cup to his disciples and told them, "Drink
from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured
out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
The resurrection of Jesus was something verified and witnessed to by
many. It confirms to me what is unseen, God's justice satisfied, by an
event that is well-attested to. It forms a core belief that must be
embraced if one is to follow the Lord and enter into his family. "If
you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is
with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with
your mouth that you confess and are saved." It is all about placing
our faith in who Jesus Christ is and what he has done.
How wonderful is this crowning event of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ! What a wonderful way for him to announce to a world blind in
its darkness what he said on the cross, "It is finished." John 19:30.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 24:5-7,
"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has
risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in
Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful
men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'"
These are the words spoken by the "two men", angels, to the women who
had gone to tend to the body of Jesus following the Sabbath. Jesus had
been crucified on the day before the Sabbath and his unprepared body
had been placed in a tomb. Now returning to the tomb, they found it
empty.
This is the account of Jesus' resurrection. This, together with the
testimony of many to whom he appeared following his resurrection form
the basis for a core belief of all who follow Jesus: he arose from the
dead! Paul tells us, "Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day
according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then
to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of
the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though
some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the
apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally
born." 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.
Death entered the human family as a judgment of God when Adam and Eve
sinned in the garden of Eden. Since all people die (and remain that
way from the perspective of life here "under the sun"), Jesus'
resurrection reveals something to me that is very important. Because
he rose from the dead, I have complete assurance that Jesus' sacrifice
of himself satisfied God's justice. By placing my trust and faith in
him I can now have God's forgiveness.
Jesus foretold of this. "From that time on Jesus began to explain to
his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at
the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and
that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."
Matthew 16:21 "Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the
twelve disciples aside and said to them, 'We are going up to
Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests
and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will
turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified.
On the third day he will be raised to life!'" Matthew 20:17-19. At the
last supper Jesus offered a cup to his disciples and told them, "Drink
from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured
out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
The resurrection of Jesus was something verified and witnessed to by
many. It confirms to me what is unseen, God's justice satisfied, by an
event that is well-attested to. It forms a core belief that must be
embraced if one is to follow the Lord and enter into his family. "If
you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is
with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with
your mouth that you confess and are saved." It is all about placing
our faith in who Jesus Christ is and what he has done.
How wonderful is this crowning event of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ! What a wonderful way for him to announce to a world blind in
its darkness what he said on the cross, "It is finished." John 19:30.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Who made Judas do it? - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 22:3,
"Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve."
As Jesus' earthly ministry draws to a close, we find one of his
followers engaged in an act of betrayal. Judas Iscariot seeks out the
Lord's enemies, the chief priests and officers of the temple guard. He
agrees to hand Jesus over to them for thirty silver coins.
Why would he do such a thing? We are told, "Satan entered Judas,
called Iscariot, one of the Twelve." Judas betrayed Jesus after Satan
entered him. As we read the full account, however, we find that these
bumbling steps of the wicked are exploited by the Lord to accomplish
his purposes: to offer himself in the courtroom of God as a substitute
on our behalf, to pay the penalty for our sins. This he did by dying a
miserable death on a cross. A step in that process was to have himself
placed in a position where this could be carried out. Judas' part was
to betray Jesus to those who would put him to death after the mockery
of a trial.
Why Judas? Why did Satan enter into him? Some suggest, in an effort to
shore up an incoherent theology, that God decided he wanted to take
one of the followers of Jesus, have him possessed by Satan to make him
betray Jesus and then condemn him in a way it would have been better
he had never been born, Matthew 26:24, "Woe to that man who betrays
the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."
Clearly, this betrays a faulty understanding of the just nature of
God.
God has a keen sense of fairness and is entirely just. Paul observes
this when he says, "God 'will give to each person according to what he
has done.' To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor
and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are
self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be
wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human
being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but
glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew,
then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism." Romans
2:6-11.
Although not recorded for us, Judas placed himself squarely in the
cross-hairs of God's judgment. Whatever self-seeking, rejecting the
truth, and following evil he pursued, it landed Judas in the horrific
position of becoming possessed by Satan, resulting in his betrayal of
the Son of God.
Some will point to Romans 9 where Paul discusses God's use of Esau and
Pharaoh for his own purposes. Misunderstanding that God chose these
two for evil and prompted them to evil to carry out what he desired,
they mistake God for being the author of evil, and one who would
manipulate some people such that they will suffer an eternity in a
fiery lake of burning sulfur for no cause of their own. What seems to
be forgotten is what James tells us, "When tempted, no one should say,
'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he
tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he
is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it
gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to
death."
I have heard all the nuanced hair-splitting arguments that God didn't
make certain men sin, but he removed his "hand of restraint" so they
would yield to their own sinful impulses. Somehow the whole argument
is lost on me when I find that the Scriptures point to people making
their own decisions while these "theologians" have God making all the
decisions.
God doesn't cause anyone to sin. We are altogether more than capable
of doing that on our own. It is when we yield to our sinful impulses
that we place ourselves under the power of sin and the devil.
Nevertheless, while we are in the midst of our sin and while Satan is
in the midst of his schemes, God is entirely capable and does exploit
it all for his own godly and righteous purposes.
An example of this is Haman in the book of Esther. His story is a
classic case of this process. His own foray into self-seeking,
rejecting the truth, and following evil leads to his own destruction
and a very fascinating chapter in Israel's history. Ten short chapters
and a very compelling read. Check it out!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 22:3,
"Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve."
As Jesus' earthly ministry draws to a close, we find one of his
followers engaged in an act of betrayal. Judas Iscariot seeks out the
Lord's enemies, the chief priests and officers of the temple guard. He
agrees to hand Jesus over to them for thirty silver coins.
Why would he do such a thing? We are told, "Satan entered Judas,
called Iscariot, one of the Twelve." Judas betrayed Jesus after Satan
entered him. As we read the full account, however, we find that these
bumbling steps of the wicked are exploited by the Lord to accomplish
his purposes: to offer himself in the courtroom of God as a substitute
on our behalf, to pay the penalty for our sins. This he did by dying a
miserable death on a cross. A step in that process was to have himself
placed in a position where this could be carried out. Judas' part was
to betray Jesus to those who would put him to death after the mockery
of a trial.
Why Judas? Why did Satan enter into him? Some suggest, in an effort to
shore up an incoherent theology, that God decided he wanted to take
one of the followers of Jesus, have him possessed by Satan to make him
betray Jesus and then condemn him in a way it would have been better
he had never been born, Matthew 26:24, "Woe to that man who betrays
the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."
Clearly, this betrays a faulty understanding of the just nature of
God.
God has a keen sense of fairness and is entirely just. Paul observes
this when he says, "God 'will give to each person according to what he
has done.' To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor
and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are
self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be
wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human
being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but
glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew,
then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism." Romans
2:6-11.
Although not recorded for us, Judas placed himself squarely in the
cross-hairs of God's judgment. Whatever self-seeking, rejecting the
truth, and following evil he pursued, it landed Judas in the horrific
position of becoming possessed by Satan, resulting in his betrayal of
the Son of God.
Some will point to Romans 9 where Paul discusses God's use of Esau and
Pharaoh for his own purposes. Misunderstanding that God chose these
two for evil and prompted them to evil to carry out what he desired,
they mistake God for being the author of evil, and one who would
manipulate some people such that they will suffer an eternity in a
fiery lake of burning sulfur for no cause of their own. What seems to
be forgotten is what James tells us, "When tempted, no one should say,
'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he
tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he
is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it
gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to
death."
I have heard all the nuanced hair-splitting arguments that God didn't
make certain men sin, but he removed his "hand of restraint" so they
would yield to their own sinful impulses. Somehow the whole argument
is lost on me when I find that the Scriptures point to people making
their own decisions while these "theologians" have God making all the
decisions.
God doesn't cause anyone to sin. We are altogether more than capable
of doing that on our own. It is when we yield to our sinful impulses
that we place ourselves under the power of sin and the devil.
Nevertheless, while we are in the midst of our sin and while Satan is
in the midst of his schemes, God is entirely capable and does exploit
it all for his own godly and righteous purposes.
An example of this is Haman in the book of Esther. His story is a
classic case of this process. His own foray into self-seeking,
rejecting the truth, and following evil leads to his own destruction
and a very fascinating chapter in Israel's history. Ten short chapters
and a very compelling read. Check it out!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Fulfilled prophecy - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 24:44,
"This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must
be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the
Prophets and the Psalms."
This is something Jesus told his followers when he appeared to them in
Jerusalem following his crucifixion and resurrection. He told them
that in the Scriptures it was written that he would suffer and rise
from the dead on the third day. He went on to say that the Scriptures
also said that repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in
his name, beginning in Jerusalem.
The "Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms" is a reference to the
Bible, as far as it had been developed at that point in time. It is
the same material we have in our Old Testament, arranged somewhat
differently with some of the books configured differently as well,
e.g. Lamentations was appended to Jeremiah, 1 and 2 Samuel considered
one book (as well as Kings and Chronicles). But, the same material as
we have it and a careful study of it reveals many prophecies
concerning the Christ who was to come: Jesus, the son of Joseph and
Mary, the Son of God.
The prophecies begin with the first book of the Old Testament, in
Moses' writings (Genesis 3:15) and continue throughout. Among the
many, some that are fascinating to me are Jeremiah 23:5-6; Isaiah
9:2-7; Micah 5:2; Isaiah 7i:14; Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 52:13-53:12;
Deuteronomy 18:15; Isaiah 61:1-2; Isaiah 28:16 and so many more!
Studying these prophecies is truly life-changing.
Here is what makes the Bible so unique and different from any other
so-called religious writings. It is authenticated through so many
prophecies that are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Some are fulfilled and
some yet remain to be fulfilled when Jesus Christ returns. Peter
explains that the Scriptures are inspired by God, and as such are
therefore fulfilled with precision and accuracy. He said, "Above all,
you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the
prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the
will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the
Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:20-21. Also Paul taught, "All Scripture is
God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
What a treasure we have in our Bibles! All there, provided us by God!
We should all take great interest in what is found within its pages!
As the resurrected Christ told us, "Everything must be fulfilled that
is written about me…"! What is found there is exciting and
fascinating. Look them up and see if you don't find all these
prophetic utterances contained within the Scriptures fulfilled with
startling accuracy!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 24:44,
"This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must
be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the
Prophets and the Psalms."
This is something Jesus told his followers when he appeared to them in
Jerusalem following his crucifixion and resurrection. He told them
that in the Scriptures it was written that he would suffer and rise
from the dead on the third day. He went on to say that the Scriptures
also said that repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in
his name, beginning in Jerusalem.
The "Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms" is a reference to the
Bible, as far as it had been developed at that point in time. It is
the same material we have in our Old Testament, arranged somewhat
differently with some of the books configured differently as well,
e.g. Lamentations was appended to Jeremiah, 1 and 2 Samuel considered
one book (as well as Kings and Chronicles). But, the same material as
we have it and a careful study of it reveals many prophecies
concerning the Christ who was to come: Jesus, the son of Joseph and
Mary, the Son of God.
The prophecies begin with the first book of the Old Testament, in
Moses' writings (Genesis 3:15) and continue throughout. Among the
many, some that are fascinating to me are Jeremiah 23:5-6; Isaiah
9:2-7; Micah 5:2; Isaiah 7i:14; Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 52:13-53:12;
Deuteronomy 18:15; Isaiah 61:1-2; Isaiah 28:16 and so many more!
Studying these prophecies is truly life-changing.
Here is what makes the Bible so unique and different from any other
so-called religious writings. It is authenticated through so many
prophecies that are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Some are fulfilled and
some yet remain to be fulfilled when Jesus Christ returns. Peter
explains that the Scriptures are inspired by God, and as such are
therefore fulfilled with precision and accuracy. He said, "Above all,
you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the
prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the
will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the
Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:20-21. Also Paul taught, "All Scripture is
God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
What a treasure we have in our Bibles! All there, provided us by God!
We should all take great interest in what is found within its pages!
As the resurrected Christ told us, "Everything must be fulfilled that
is written about me…"! What is found there is exciting and
fascinating. Look them up and see if you don't find all these
prophetic utterances contained within the Scriptures fulfilled with
startling accuracy!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Monday, June 11, 2012
The offensive and objectionable blood of Christ - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 22:20,
"In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup
is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.'"
This statement by Jesus at the "last supper" is a part of what he
inaugurated, that which became the basis for our celebration of
communion or the Eucharist. Paul quotes Jesus here in his famous
passage in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, "For I received from the Lord what
I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed,
took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This
is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the
same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new
covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance
of me.' For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you
proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."
It is the part about his blood, that which provides the basis for this
"new covenant" that captures my thoughts this morning. I have heard
from time to time over the years that any religion that focuses on
blood sacrifice is offensive and objectionable. However, throughout
the Scriptures we are told that without blood, there is no forgiveness
of sins. "For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given
it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the
blood that makes atonement for one's life." Leviticus 17:11. We also
read in Hebrews 9:22, "without the shedding of blood there is no
forgiveness."
The reason for this is that God is not only a god of love, mercy and
kindness, he is also a god of justice. Sin must be paid for and this
is the horrific reality we are all born into: because we have all
sinned, we all face God's judgment and that judgment is found in a
fiery lake of burning sulfur, Revelation 21:8. Because Jesus never
sinned, he was uniquely qualified to die in our stead. This is the
point the Scriptures teach us, right from the beginning in the
writings of Moses on through to the end of the New Testament. In
Revelation 5:9-10, we read about a song "the four living creatures and
the twenty-four elders" sang, "You are worthy to take the scroll and
to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you
purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and
nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our
God, and they will reign on the earth."
Jesus "purchased men" from God's judgment by shedding his blood on a
miserable cross for us! He paid the penalty for our sins and so his
blood becomes the basis for the new covenant. This new covenant God
has provided makes a way for us into his family, a place at his table:
eternal life! How wonderful the precious blood of Jesus Christ that he
poured out for you and me!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 22:20,
"In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup
is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.'"
This statement by Jesus at the "last supper" is a part of what he
inaugurated, that which became the basis for our celebration of
communion or the Eucharist. Paul quotes Jesus here in his famous
passage in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, "For I received from the Lord what
I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed,
took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This
is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the
same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new
covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance
of me.' For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you
proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."
It is the part about his blood, that which provides the basis for this
"new covenant" that captures my thoughts this morning. I have heard
from time to time over the years that any religion that focuses on
blood sacrifice is offensive and objectionable. However, throughout
the Scriptures we are told that without blood, there is no forgiveness
of sins. "For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given
it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the
blood that makes atonement for one's life." Leviticus 17:11. We also
read in Hebrews 9:22, "without the shedding of blood there is no
forgiveness."
The reason for this is that God is not only a god of love, mercy and
kindness, he is also a god of justice. Sin must be paid for and this
is the horrific reality we are all born into: because we have all
sinned, we all face God's judgment and that judgment is found in a
fiery lake of burning sulfur, Revelation 21:8. Because Jesus never
sinned, he was uniquely qualified to die in our stead. This is the
point the Scriptures teach us, right from the beginning in the
writings of Moses on through to the end of the New Testament. In
Revelation 5:9-10, we read about a song "the four living creatures and
the twenty-four elders" sang, "You are worthy to take the scroll and
to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you
purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and
nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our
God, and they will reign on the earth."
Jesus "purchased men" from God's judgment by shedding his blood on a
miserable cross for us! He paid the penalty for our sins and so his
blood becomes the basis for the new covenant. This new covenant God
has provided makes a way for us into his family, a place at his table:
eternal life! How wonderful the precious blood of Jesus Christ that he
poured out for you and me!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Arm yourself, literally - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 22:35-36,
"Then Jesus asked them, 'When I sent you without purse, bag or
sandals, did you lack anything?' 'Nothing,' they answered. He said to
them, 'But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if
you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.'"
It is often thought that those who rely on the Lord most completely
are the spiritual ones most completely. We often hear it said that we
just need to move ahead and trust the Lord to provide. Sometimes I
have heard it said it is a matter of faith that we move ahead
unprepared. I've seen this in a shortage of building funds: go ahead
with the addition even though there isn't money. A shortage of funding
for a new staff member at our church: go ahead and hire that youth
minister. You get the idea…
Scripture tells us the Lord will provide. "Therefore I tell you, do
not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your
body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and
the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air;
they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew
6:25-26. The Lord provides. I am also reminded of the admonition in
Philippians 4:6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to
God."
However, there comes a point where we can presume upon the Lord in
error to provide for whatever it is we are pursuing. We can at times
assume our agenda is his agenda. It takes some wisdom to know when
that threshold is being approached. It is one thing to refrain from
anxiety over the daily needs we face (betraying a lack of faith in God
our Provider), another to presume upon him, thinking his goals are
ours. I've seen a few building programs of churches go belly-up.
One aspect of this shows itself in the decisions we make regarding
insurance and preparation. Do I need to have some extra food stocked
up, just in case? Or, should I just trust the Lord to provide if
catastrophe strikes? Should Christians be "preppers"? Should I provide
for my own defense or the defense of those who are dependant on me in
the event of personal threat?
Luke 22:35-36 provides some interesting guidance. From it I learn I
need to plan and make preparations in order to pursue what God asks of
me. Providing for my family is an important part of that. "If anyone
does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate
family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 1
Timothy 5:8. He isn't going to provide it all. A part of completing
what he has asked of me is to procure the means to get it done.
I don't know that I have ever heard a sermon on "if you don't have a
sword, sell your cloak and buy one". I have heard plenty on turning
the other cheek…
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 22:35-36,
"Then Jesus asked them, 'When I sent you without purse, bag or
sandals, did you lack anything?' 'Nothing,' they answered. He said to
them, 'But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if
you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.'"
It is often thought that those who rely on the Lord most completely
are the spiritual ones most completely. We often hear it said that we
just need to move ahead and trust the Lord to provide. Sometimes I
have heard it said it is a matter of faith that we move ahead
unprepared. I've seen this in a shortage of building funds: go ahead
with the addition even though there isn't money. A shortage of funding
for a new staff member at our church: go ahead and hire that youth
minister. You get the idea…
Scripture tells us the Lord will provide. "Therefore I tell you, do
not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your
body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and
the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air;
they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew
6:25-26. The Lord provides. I am also reminded of the admonition in
Philippians 4:6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to
God."
However, there comes a point where we can presume upon the Lord in
error to provide for whatever it is we are pursuing. We can at times
assume our agenda is his agenda. It takes some wisdom to know when
that threshold is being approached. It is one thing to refrain from
anxiety over the daily needs we face (betraying a lack of faith in God
our Provider), another to presume upon him, thinking his goals are
ours. I've seen a few building programs of churches go belly-up.
One aspect of this shows itself in the decisions we make regarding
insurance and preparation. Do I need to have some extra food stocked
up, just in case? Or, should I just trust the Lord to provide if
catastrophe strikes? Should Christians be "preppers"? Should I provide
for my own defense or the defense of those who are dependant on me in
the event of personal threat?
Luke 22:35-36 provides some interesting guidance. From it I learn I
need to plan and make preparations in order to pursue what God asks of
me. Providing for my family is an important part of that. "If anyone
does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate
family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 1
Timothy 5:8. He isn't going to provide it all. A part of completing
what he has asked of me is to procure the means to get it done.
I don't know that I have ever heard a sermon on "if you don't have a
sword, sell your cloak and buy one". I have heard plenty on turning
the other cheek…
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Monday, June 4, 2012
Seeking Jesus and getting nothing - Ruminating in the Word of God.
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 23:8-11,
"When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time
he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he
hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many
questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the
teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then
Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him."
Here is a man who took great interest in Jesus, but to no avail. His
interest was in the miracles Jesus performed and apparently little
else other than having some questions answered. He had a personal
encounter with him and it made no difference in his life. How is this
possible? After not getting what it was he was interested in, he was
reduced to ridiculing and mocking the Son of God. Herod missed the
reason Jesus came - it was not for entertainment.
Perhaps this is instructive of an important point. Jesus "came to seek
and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10. What is lost are the souls of
mankind. All have sinned and all face condemnation following this
life. Jesus came to pay the penalty for the sins of all and to offer
God's forgiveness if we place our faith and trust in him. Jesus said,
"Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life
and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."
John 5:24. When we embrace Jesus Christ in faith we are forgiven all
our sins and immediately enter into God's family. Our outcome,
following this life, changes from a fiery lake of burning sulfur
(Revelation 21:8) to heaven itself.
There may be many reasons why someone might take an interest in Jesus.
Just as Herod's interest in Jesus' miracles resulted in nothing for
him, so those who approach Jesus for some other reason than to find
forgiveness, to embrace him as the Son of God and trust in the
sacrifice he made of himself on that cross, it will do little good. He
can be sought for developing good, ethical principles. He can be
sought to bring peace to the world. He can be sought to bring
financial security, he can be sought for health, he can be sought to
provide a job, a spouse, sanity to our families, direction for our
children. While it is certainly true that he can provide all these
things, if these are the things sought and not Jesus himself for who
he is and what he has done, our interest in him will do just as good
as it did for Herod.
This morning I am reminded that Jesus came first and foremost as our
Savior, not as an errand boy to tend to our wants and desires. He
loves us and has tremendous compassion for us. He does many things for
us. But if we don't approach him as the savior of our souls, we just
may find ourselves in Herod's shoes.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 23:8-11,
"When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time
he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he
hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many
questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the
teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then
Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him."
Here is a man who took great interest in Jesus, but to no avail. His
interest was in the miracles Jesus performed and apparently little
else other than having some questions answered. He had a personal
encounter with him and it made no difference in his life. How is this
possible? After not getting what it was he was interested in, he was
reduced to ridiculing and mocking the Son of God. Herod missed the
reason Jesus came - it was not for entertainment.
Perhaps this is instructive of an important point. Jesus "came to seek
and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10. What is lost are the souls of
mankind. All have sinned and all face condemnation following this
life. Jesus came to pay the penalty for the sins of all and to offer
God's forgiveness if we place our faith and trust in him. Jesus said,
"Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life
and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."
John 5:24. When we embrace Jesus Christ in faith we are forgiven all
our sins and immediately enter into God's family. Our outcome,
following this life, changes from a fiery lake of burning sulfur
(Revelation 21:8) to heaven itself.
There may be many reasons why someone might take an interest in Jesus.
Just as Herod's interest in Jesus' miracles resulted in nothing for
him, so those who approach Jesus for some other reason than to find
forgiveness, to embrace him as the Son of God and trust in the
sacrifice he made of himself on that cross, it will do little good. He
can be sought for developing good, ethical principles. He can be
sought to bring peace to the world. He can be sought to bring
financial security, he can be sought for health, he can be sought to
provide a job, a spouse, sanity to our families, direction for our
children. While it is certainly true that he can provide all these
things, if these are the things sought and not Jesus himself for who
he is and what he has done, our interest in him will do just as good
as it did for Herod.
This morning I am reminded that Jesus came first and foremost as our
Savior, not as an errand boy to tend to our wants and desires. He
loves us and has tremendous compassion for us. He does many things for
us. But if we don't approach him as the savior of our souls, we just
may find ourselves in Herod's shoes.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Friday, June 1, 2012
Perfect and merciful justice - Ruminating in the Word of God.
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 23:18-23,
"With one voice they cried out, 'Away with this man! Release Barabbas
to us!' (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in
the city, and for murder.) Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed
to them again. But they kept shouting, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' For
the third time he spoke to them: 'Why? What crime has this man
committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty.
Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.' But with
loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their
shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released
the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder,
the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will."
Pilate wanted to release Jesus after the leaders of the Jews brought
him to them. Pilate found no cause for the death penalty. Together
with the people, the chief priests and the rulers insisted Jesus be
crucified. They said, "Away with this man!", "Crucify him! Crucify
him!", and "insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their
shouts prevailed."
Anything but justice took place that day as the mob demanded the Son
of God be put to death. Falsely arrested and accused, Jesus was put to
death for no crime he had committed. And, yet, the greatest act of
justice was accomplished on that day, justice this crowd knew nothing
of.
The Son of God came to planet Earth for this very act: to die on
behalf of all mankind. Taking the punishment of all, he took our place
and suffered in our stead. Justice was accomplished in the court of
God, justice satisfied by the payment Jesus Christ made. Mankind now
has a way into God's family. All this by predetermined design and
artful manipulation as Jesus carried out his earthly ministry.
Jesus said, "The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Luke 19:10. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "He [Jesus Christ]
sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself."
Hebrews 7:27. As such, Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the
life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 23:18-23,
"With one voice they cried out, 'Away with this man! Release Barabbas
to us!' (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in
the city, and for murder.) Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed
to them again. But they kept shouting, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' For
the third time he spoke to them: 'Why? What crime has this man
committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty.
Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.' But with
loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their
shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released
the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder,
the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will."
Pilate wanted to release Jesus after the leaders of the Jews brought
him to them. Pilate found no cause for the death penalty. Together
with the people, the chief priests and the rulers insisted Jesus be
crucified. They said, "Away with this man!", "Crucify him! Crucify
him!", and "insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their
shouts prevailed."
Anything but justice took place that day as the mob demanded the Son
of God be put to death. Falsely arrested and accused, Jesus was put to
death for no crime he had committed. And, yet, the greatest act of
justice was accomplished on that day, justice this crowd knew nothing
of.
The Son of God came to planet Earth for this very act: to die on
behalf of all mankind. Taking the punishment of all, he took our place
and suffered in our stead. Justice was accomplished in the court of
God, justice satisfied by the payment Jesus Christ made. Mankind now
has a way into God's family. All this by predetermined design and
artful manipulation as Jesus carried out his earthly ministry.
Jesus said, "The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Luke 19:10. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "He [Jesus Christ]
sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself."
Hebrews 7:27. As such, Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the
life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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