Psalms of Ascent Part 5

Psa 124:1 A Song of degrees of David. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;
Psa 124:2 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
Psa 124:3 Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
Psa 124:4 Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
Psa 124:5 Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
Psa 124:6 Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
Psa 124:7 Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
Psa 124:8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

This Psalm again shows the impossibility of the pilgrim making it to the end without the sovereign intervention of God. The pilgrim is almost swallowed, almost, but not quite. As Paul put it, “Persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed…” (2 Cor. 4:9).

We have a very real implacable enemy who is intent on our destruction, he lays all manner of traps to snare us. However above him is God, “Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.” It is God who warns us of the snares that have been laid in our path, and it is God who can deliver us if we are snared.

A snare always has a bait that appeals to something within us. Our enemy knows our weaknesses and he baits his traps well. The fear of the Lord and the counsel of wise men are fountains of life that keep us from these snares (Prov. 13:14; 14:27). As we fear the Lord and head wise counsel, we are made aware of traps and can avoid them. This is the best way.

David who penned this Psalm was snared, but delivered by God through much difficulty. The same God who keeps us from falling can also deliver us if we have fallen if we will call to Him. It is God alone who can show us the snares it is God alone who can break them and deliver us if we have fallen, so when we arrive at our eternal inheritance we will all fall before His throne for what He alone was able to do in bringing us there. Praise His name!

Psalms of Ascent Part 4

Psa 123:1 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Psa 123:2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
Psa 123:3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
Psa 123:4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

This Psalm shows the reliance of the pilgrim upon God. The pilgrim is in distress from complacent people and proud people. Those who have ceased to move forward wonder why anyone else would go on and scorn them. Also those who are proud and are resisted by God have contempt for those who are going on by the mercy and grace of God.

The pilgrim appears to have no other recourse but God. He is waiting earnestly looking for the slightest sign of movement, just as a servant waits for a signal from his master. The pilgrim waits for a sign of mercy, because he knows “it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy” (Rom. 9:16). As we study these Psalms it becomes more and more clear that as we go on with God there will be opposition and the only way we will make it through is the mercy of God. Unto Him be glory forever and ever!

Psalms of Ascent Part 3

Psa 122:1 A Song of degrees; of David. I was glad when they said to me, Let us go into the house of Jehovah.
Psa 122:2 Our feet shall stand within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Psa 122:3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is all joined together as one;
Psa 122:4 where the tribes go up, the tribes of Jehovah, to the testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of Jehovah.
Psa 122:5 For there were set the thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
Psa 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; those who love you shall be blessed.
Psa 122:7 Peace be within your walls, blessings within your palaces.
Psa 122:8 For my brothers and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within you.
Psa 122:9 Because of the house of Jehovah our God I will seek your good.

This next Psalm of Ascent describes the attitude of the true pilgrim toward the Church. There should be a gladness in our hearts to come into the presence of God, and to come into His house. We should be settled into the local church God has ordained for us, and if we are currently not in a church we should seek God for the right church to attend. Our membership and usefulness in the invisible church is shown through our commitment to the local visible church God has for us.

Next is the thought of Jerusalem being a composite city. Historically Jerusalem belonged to none of the tribes, though it lay in the territory of Benjamin, on the border with Judah, yet it belonged to all the tribes. It was the common goal of all the pilgrims. We also should recognize this and seek peace with all who are truly sharing this journey, though they may be of a different denomination or group. We should pray for blessing upon our local church and for the Church as a whole in our land and worldwide, because it is the dwelling place of our God and His tool to accomplish His work in this world.

Psalms of Ascent Part 2

Psa 121:1 A Song of degrees. I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where shall my help come from?
Psa 121:2 My help comes from Jehovah, who made Heaven and earth.
Psa 121:3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
Psa 121:4 Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
Psa 121:5 Jehovah is your keeper; Jehovah is your shade on your right hand.
Psa 121:6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
Psa 121:7 Jehovah shall keep you from all evil; He shall keep your soul.
Psa 121:8 Jehovah shall keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

With the previous Psalm being so depressing, this one is needed as an encouragement. Those who are persecuted for righteousness, under intense and unrelenting opposition cast their eyes upward looking for a source of hope… They find the Lord.

How do we survive opposition, slander and everything else? We have a keeper Who never sleeps. We are watched day and night in our entrances and exits. Christ promised to build His Church in spite of the opposition from hell’s gates, and we can know that as we go on with God we will have opposition, but we will have a power stronger than the strongest opposition with us.

This Psalm relates also to the continued existence of Israel even in the face of all the persecution that they have faced worldwide. They are kept until their turning as a nation to Christ at His second coming.

Psalms of Ascent Part 1

Psa 120:1 A Song of degrees. In my trouble I cried to Jehovah, and He heard me.
Psa 120:2 Deliver my soul, O Jehovah, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.
Psa 120:3 What shall be given to you? Or what shall be done to you, O false tongue?
Psa 120:4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of broom.
Psa 120:5 Woe is me, that I live in Mesech; I dwell in the tents of Kedar!
Psa 120:6 My soul has long dwelt with a hater of peace.
Psa 120:7 I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

The Psalms of degrees or ascent were pilgrim songs that were sung as the journey was made toward Jerusalem for the feasts. In a sense these are road maps showing certain things that we will encounter on our own path to Zion, God’s ultimate for our lives.

The first Psalm begins with an appeal to God, because of slander and falsehood. A mere perusal of these psalms will show that it is only in the midst of intense opposition that this journey can be accomplished. Those who go on with God will face fiendish opposition from people who hate peace. We have an implacable enemy of our souls who stirs up men against us. His greatest weapon is words, words like sharp arrows that wound and fester.

From the onset this journey on with God is laid out as being difficult, we will face people who are willing to say any sort of slander, and believe the worst.

In the natural this Psalm lays out the history of Israel, dwelling among Mesech and Kedar (Mesech was a northern barbarous group living around the Black Sea, and groups from that area periodically invaded the Middle East, Kedar was the descendant of Ishmael that Mohammed claimed descent from and thus refers to the muslim nations in general). Natural Israel is surrounded by these nations and as we see even today is not even acknowledged as a nation by them. This will be the state of affairs until Christ returns, with much talk of peace, but no true peace.

Knowing Your Enemy

In World War II, The Germans had an elite SS Force known as the Brandenburg SS. These were an educated and highly fit fighting force who also could all speak 4 languages fluently. They were deployed into enemy zones prior to German assualts in enemy uniform to aid in confusing the enemy. Two of the main times they were used was in the prevention of the destruction of bridges in Holland by impersonating Dutch soldiers still on the other side, and also in their impersonation of American MPs during the battle of the Bulge.

To survive in war it is essential to recognize your enemy, with that in mind let’s look at 1 Peter 2:11, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul…”
Peter tells us that we are in a war against fleshly lusts. Do we know our enemy? Many times we do not. We play around with ungodly desires as if they were our harmless friends: desires of materialism, desires of popularity, desires of lust. These are not harmless, these are making a war against our very soul. Like enemies in our own uniforms they sweep deep into our heart and prepare the way for the onslaught of darkness.

Remember, you are a pilgirm and a stranger here. Recognize the desire for what it is… a fleshly evil enemy of you and God, and deal with it, or it will deal with you. Fight the good fight and may God be with you!

Christ’s Unanswered Prayer

In John chapter 17 Jesus prays for all His disciples present and future, that they would be kept in the world, and sanctified through the Word, then He prays something extraordinary… Joh 17:20-23 “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.“

Christ prays for unity on the basis of glory. That the glory of God which had been given to Christ would be upon them and that it would effect a unity among them. So that they might be one even as the Father and Son are one.

I think it is clear that the Church has not yet entered into this prayer, “That they may be one, even as we are one.” The importance of this prayer cannot be overemphasized, it was one of Christ’s last acts before His crucifixion when He was pouring out His very heart to His disciples. His love for unity and hatred for disunity is seen in Proverbs 6:17-19 where the last abomination in God’s sight is those who sow discord.

It is my belief that this prayer will be fulfilled in the last day revival, it clearly is not fulfilled in the Church at present. It must be fulfilled because Christ prayed it in accordance with the will of the Father and from the context it must be fulfilled on earth though, of course, the Church is united in heaven. It is the glory that God will send that will unify us.

One thing we must understand is the nature of the unity. Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one. It therefor is essential to understand the Trinity. If The Father and Son and Holy Spirit are merely different manifestations of one person then what would this mean for this verse? It would follow, that we are to become some sort of pantheistic global soul, a unity of submerged and lost identity.

However, when we properly understand the Trinity the picture of the unity becomes clear. Three persons one will, one substance, one God, One in purpose, one in humility, perfectly one. What sort of unity are we called to? A unity in glorifying another not ourselves, even as Christ glorified the Father, and the Spirit glorifies the Son. The Father does not glorfiy Himself the Son does that, the Son does not glorify Himself the Holy Spirit does that. The Spirit does not defend Himself, instead the Father and Son do. In this unity we will always be individuals, but with a will submitted to the will of the Father, laying down our lives for each other. We are all unique, but joined together in one body each performing our own function. As we each focus upon Christ and His plan for our life we learn to function with others. As long as we focus on Christ and run after Him, He will show us any thing in which we need to change (Php 3:15).

In the end in spite of ourselves, Christ will have a perfect Bride. Praise His Name!

Thoughts On Proverbs 26:23

“Fervent lips with a wicked heart are like earthenware covered with silver dross.” (NKJV).

The silver dross spoken of here is an oxide of lead that was separated in the old refining process, it was used to glaze pottery. At first glance it would make the pot appear to be silver, but on closer inspection it would be found to be only earth.

Fervency in speech is attractive like silver. Zeal and charisma in speaking will draw people, but if the heart of the speaker is wicked, it will end in disillusionment and sometimes even destruction.

Hitler had fervent lips and they swayed a nation. He held before them the silver vessel of a utopia, where every wrong (real or imagined) that the German people had ever suffered would be righted. Millions of lives later, the deception wore off and those who followed him found instead that they had been responsible for the systematic extermination of millions of people. They also found that they had brought the just retribution of the world upon themselves in bombed-out cities, and for many years, a divided land.

It would help us all to remember that it is not the vigour of speech that makes a cause right, but the underlying principles on which it stands. A silver vessel is still silver, even if it has been somewhat tarnished and is black instead of shiny, and the truth remains true whether held in silence or broadcast in eloquence.

On a more personal level to those of us who use our tongues to preach the Gospel, we should remind ourselves that our eloquence in the pulpit is no substitute for goodness in our heart. Let us be fervent like a shining silver vessel, but let our hearts also be silver in goodness, that we may be a vessel fit for every good use. Unto Him be glory in the Church!

Thoughts on Isaiah 54:16

“Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.”

When we are in a time of difficulty, we often need to remind ourselves that it is God who creates the smith. God knows the temperature of our trial and He has His smiths use their bellows to heat it up to just the right temperature to make us malleable.

He has also created those who desire to destroy us. If we are in His hands we need not worry, He will use them to work in us.

God used Esau’s anger and desire to destroy Jacob to drive Jacob to despair so that he would wrestle with God. After God had done His work, He turned Esau’s heart away from killing Jacob. Psalm 76:10 says, “Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee, the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain.” God truly is over all!

The Parable Of The Unjust Steward (Luke 16:1-13)

Before we look at this parable I would like to give a disclaimer. I have always had a unique take on verse 9, and in Theology unique is often not good. For thousands of years men have studied the Scriptures and if your idea seems unrepresented in commentaries there is often a reason.

Nevertheless, admitting that I may be wrong in my interpretation, let me point out that there is a difference between error and heresy. In our human fallibility we may take a verse in a way that it is not intended, or misinterpret it and yet still not be going into heresy. John Calvin refused to use Genesis 1:26 as a proof Scripture for the Trinity, not because he doubted the Trinity, but because he felt it was sufficiently ambiguous. He also did not feel it was necessary as so many other Scriptures showed it.

Ireneaus had a good knowledge of Scripture and was the first person that we know of to compare the four gospels to the four heads of Ezekiel’s vision. However in Book III of his Against Heresies, he gives an original rendition of 2 Cor. 4:4, where he interprets “Of this world” as being in reference to the unbelievers. Hence he interprets it as God blinding the unbelievers (who are of this world). This was the interpretation of this verse by many of the Church fathers. While it does follow along with some of the Apostle Paul’s other grammatical practices, I believe it to be an error. I would not call it a heresy, because belief one way or another on it would not cause a schism. That God blinds men is clear from Scripture, that He uses the devil as His instrument is also clear.

Luk 16:1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

From what follows it would appear that the steward was not unjustly accused of so doing.

Luk 16:2-4 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

As Wesley bring out in this passage, it is interesting that the steward was ashamed to beg, but had no shame in cheating. When people choose to act dishonestly, they lock themselves into a prison that keeps them from acting honestly. He was unfit for honest hard-work, and begging was beneath his dignity. The fact that cheating was not shows something of his character.

Luk 16:5-8 So he called every one of his lord's debtors [unto him], and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

The steward’s method of assuring for his security in the future is to fraudulently alter the receipts owed to his master so that he would have his master’s debtors in his debt. Worldly people often take great pains to advance their gain, though it be only temporal, as opposed to many Christians who are far more complacent about true gain.

Luk 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

The sense that I take this verse in is that Christ is stating it in a tongue and cheek manner. Paraphrased as “Go on, use ill-gotten gain to get friends, and when it fails, as it will, what will be the eternal result?”

This is the sense I take this verse, admittedly it is not a common interpretation of it, but I feel it does follow the sense. In the following verses the Lord then teaches the importance of our faithful handling of the money He entrusts us and our inability to serve two masters.

It is possible that I am wrong on my interpretation of this verse, however even in that event, it is clear from this parable that Christians should take care to be upright in our use of money and make sure that we get the maximum eternal reward out of what we have been entrusted. May God grant that we all do that! As John Wesley said, “Gain all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can.”

The Folly of Making Someone Look Like Us

As human beings, we have tendency to judge everyone by ourselves. We, either consciously or unconsciously, place ourselves as the standard of life and conduct for those around us. To a degree this is not bad, and is normal, but if taken to an extreme it can ruin the work of God.

The Apostle Paul compares the church to the body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12, and uses this comparison to address the various divisions which the church was battling at that time. In verses 19 He says, “And if they were all one member, where [were] the body?” If all of us had identical ministries and acted in uniformity, rather than unity, where would the body be? Of what would it be composed? What would it look like?

Imagine if in our body, we had a limb that began to grow, the rest of the body didn’t grow, just hat limb. Imagine that this limb, say a hand, overwhelmed all the rest of the limbs until all their was was a pair of legs with a hand on top. Would it win a prize in a beauty pageant or a freak show?

I know that sounds far out, but it is a trap we easily fall into. We want others to be like us, to act like us, to think like us in every way. However, if all Christians were like us the church would not be a better place (we all think it would be whether we realize it or not). It would be a monster... The irony of trying to make others into ourselves is that in our success we fail. If we succeed in making them into what we want, they will never be able to be what God wants. We create a uniformity, but fall short of unity. Every believer is unique, and created by God for unique purpose, they will never be happy in another position and there will be no grace for it either, because God only gives grace to accomplish His will. To attempt to make others into what we are is a sin, it is pride and esteeming ourselves to highly, it also is rebellion against God who formed that person for another purpose.

In Song of Solomon Chapter 8, the beloved has grown in her relationship with the Lord and has responsibility over younger siblings, in verse 9 speaking of one of these she says, “If she [be] a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she [be] a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar.” Note, the wisdom here... what is done is to aid the person in improving the ministry and gift of God which He has already formed in them, not in making them something else.

In Israel there were 13 tribes, 12 are found in Revelation, with Dan, the apostate tribe being removed from the list. The fact that there are 24 courses in David’s tabernacle and 2 groups of 144,000 in Revelation leads to the conclusion that there will be the 12 natural tribes (after their restoration) and the 12 spiritual tribes in heaven. Indeed, in Revelation 21 we are told that the New Jerusalem has 12 gates with the names of the tribes on them, one for each tribe, with an angel at each gate. Interestingly enough, in our modern scale of music there are 7 full tones and 5 half tones in an octave ( the eighth beginning the next octave) ie... 12 tones. I do not think that there is a song in the world that can be played using only one of those notes, but if you use all of them at the right time, anything can be played. Each tribe has its own resonance and is made to play a certain note, as we each become what God calls us to be, beautiful music can be made.

On a personal note, about four years ago the Lord spoke to me the name of my spiritual tribe. I had not ever thought of it, but one night right after I had finished praying, as I was about to go to sleep, He spoke. When He did, I looked up that tribe, and I began to understand myself. Things about me that I had wondered about... is that just my personality, or do I need to change? Things I had been unhappy with myself about, became clear. That was how God had made me, for a specific purpose. So, instead of decrying those traits, now I love them, because they please God. Without those traits I could not fulfill my ministry. I have no desire that others should be like me... believe me one of me is plenty, a little goes a long way. I do have a desire though, that you should be like Christ. Also that I may be like Christ. If we all grow to the full stature of Christ there can be no complaints. Amen.

Thoughts on the Letters to the Seven Churches

Recently, while I was reading this portion of Scripture (Rev. 2-3), I noticed something I had glossed over before. The Title that Christ gives to Himself for each of these Churches is very interesting.

To Ephesus He is the one who holds the Seven stars in His hand, and who walks among the seven Candlesticks, showing both his knowledge of their lack of love and also His ability to remove the candlestick unless they repent.

To Smyrna, He is the first and the last, who was dead and is alive. This is very appropriate for Smyrna, because they to were facing death, and were to be faithful to death. He shows forth His own death and resurrection to encourage them as to theirs.

To Pergamos, He is the one who has the sharp two-edged sword. This is the word of God, which can divide between the truth and the errors that were found in Pergamos. It also is the sword which He promises to bring against those who continue in their errors (Rev. 2:16).

To Thyatira, which had a firmly rooted problem of immorality and false doctrine, He is the one with eyes of flaming fire and feet like bronze. His eyes search the hearts of that Church and none can hide.

To Sardis He is the one who has the Seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. They need the Seven Spirits because they are alive only in name, and lack the true life of the Spirit.

To Philadelphia He is the one with the Key of David, who has power to open and shut irrevocably. He uses this power to open a door for this church.

To Laodicea He is the faithful and true witness, who always remains full of zeal and neither waters down the truth nor allows His zeal to cool. Laodicea has need of both these things.

I find it interesting that Christ’s self-revelation is linked to the need of His Church – truly He is all we need and we are complete in Him!

George Wishart – A Prophet of The Reformation

In 1543, Wishart was studying in Cambridge and apparently during that time became converted. In 1544, he determined to return to his native Scotland and preach the Gospel there. He preached for a short time at Montrose and then went on to Dundee.

While there an interesting event occurred, as he was preaching he was interrupted by one of the chief men of the town, who told him not to trouble the town any more. Wishart replied, “God is my witness, that I never minded your trouble but your comfort; yea, your trouble is more grievous to me than it is to yourselves: but I am assured to refuse God's Word, and to chase from you His messenger, shall not preserve you from trouble, but shall bring you into it: for God shall send you ministers that shall fear neither burning nor banishment. I have offered you the Word of salvation. With the hazard of my life I have remained among you; now you yourselves refuse me; and I must leave my innocence to be declared by my God. If it be long prosperous with you, I am not led by the Spirit of truth; but if unlooked-for troubles come upon you, acknowledge the cause and turn to God, who is gracious and merciful. But if you turn not at the first warning, He will visit you with fire and sword.”

He left Dundee shortly afterwards. Four days later, a severe plague broke out and many of the townspeople began to die. When Wishart heard of this he returned to Dundee, in spite of attempts by his friends to prevent it, to see if they would be more responsive. They were, and many were then converted.

An attempt was made on his life there, by a priest who had a dagger concealed under his cloak. He was waiting for Wishart at the bottom of the pulpit after he had finished his sermon, but as Wishart went to him and grabbed the dagger that was in his hand but still hidden in his sleeves as he said, “My friend, what would you have.” The priest was startled and confessed his intentions. Wishart then had to intercede on his behalf as the people wanted to kill him.

Later a letter was sent to him as he was in another place to lure him into a trap. He began to go, but shortly said, “I will not go; I am forbidden of God; I am assured there is treason. Let some of you go to yonder place, and tell me what you find.” They went and discovered the plot. He then told them that while he would die by Cardinal Beaton’s hand it would not be in this manner.

Shortly before his martyrdom, he was heard by two of his friends to be praying one night very fervently. They asked him about it and he told them that his warfare was nearing it’s end, and asked them to pray that he might not shrink from it in the end.

He was burned at the stake on March 1, 1546, but shortly before this was done he saw Cardinal Beaton, watching the proceedings from the top of the castle, and told one nearby that he who was so at ease now would soon, be cast down ignominiously. This shortly came to pass.

The Rock

Here's a song that I just wrote. I recorded it on my mp3 player (Thanks again to all you who chipped in to buy it for me). The recording is now being uploaded to my multiply site. Please let me know what you think... the quality isn't the best.

G C G D
Moses struck and water flowed,
G C G D em
Showing forth Your very blood,
C G D
That You gave on that tree,
Em C G D
Flowing forth to cover me,
G C D
And supply my deepest needs

Chorus:
G-em-C-D G-em-C-D
You, You are my Rock, (Echo)
G-em-C-D G-em-C-D
You, You are my strength, (Echo)
G-em-C-D G-em-C-D
You, You are my hope, (Echo)
G-em-C-D G-em-C-D
You, You are my everything


G C G D
A sacrifice once for all,
G C G D em
Saving grace to all who call,
C G D
No more struck now you live,
Em C G D
Intercession for us You give,
G C D
To do a work in our lives


G C G D
A hiding place from the wind,
G C G D em
As I’m hidden in Your hand,
C G D
The tempest rages around,
Em C G D
But in Your presence I am found,
G C D
In Jesus my all in all

The Labourers in the vineyard ( Matthew 20:1-17)

Here’s just a few thoughts I was having on this parable.

There are three main interpretations of this parable which are valid.

The first one is comparing the various times in which one comes to the knowledge of Christ, and if they diligently work for Him, whether it be in youth or old age, if they are faithful from that time forward they are rewarded.

The second one compares the times to dispensations in the gospel, the first being with John the Baptist, going on to the day of Pentecost. In one sense this is a valid application, for while some were called of God during the time of John (like Andrew and John), others came later in Christ’s ministry. (James and Jude, the brothers of the Lord, in all likelihood only became disciples after the resurrection). However, at Pentecost all who had faithfully laboured, and waited in the upper room received the same blessing of the Holy Spirit.

The third one is the one I was thinking about recently, and is the one that I would like to apply to our lives today. I believe that in some ways we are in this parable now. Some of us are labouring in the vineyard of God and are waiting earnestly for God to send the revival He has promised and to see the reward for our labours.

It is interesting when you read of revivals in the past that often some of the people who prayed the hardest to see the move of God oppose it when it comes. Why? Because they see God promoting people who did not labour as they did. V12 “Saying, These last have done only one hour's work, and you have made them equal to us, who have undergone the hard work of the day and the burning heat.”

Right now we are still in the heat of the day, and God’s Word and standards are being reviled in the world, but the day will come as the Gospel works that multitudes will rush into the Kingdom. When that happens, many will be raised up who did not struggle as we have had to for the glory, and when we see that it might stumble some of us to grumble like those in the parable. “Lord, How can you reward that person, I bore the hard work, he has just sprung up overnight.”

To counteract this remember 2 things:

1. It is God’s vineyard. He can do what He wants in His vineyard. The important thing is not who He uses, but that He gets His harvest in. Amen!
2. God’s acceptance of others is not His rejection of us. He will faithfully reward us what is our due. If we are thankful for what God has given us, we won’t have a problem with what He gives others.

Anyway those were just the thoughts I had, may God grant that we all are faithful and cheerful labourers in His glorious vineyard.

The Labourers in the vineyard ( Matthew 20:1-17)

Here’s just a few thoughts I was having on this parable.

There are three main interpretations of this parable which are valid.

The first one is comparing the various times in which one comes to the knowledge of Christ, and if they diligently work for Him, whether it be in youth or old age, if they are faithful from that time forward they are rewarded.

The second one compares the times to dispensations in the gospel, the first being with John the Baptist, going on to the day of Pentecost. In one sense this is a valid application, for while some were called of God during the time of John (like Andrew and John), others came later in Christ’s ministry. (James and Jude, the brothers of the Lord, in all likelihood only became disciples after the resurrection). However, at Pentecost all who had faithfully laboured, and waited in the upper room received the same blessing of the Holy Spirit.

The third one is the one I was thinking about recently, and is the one that I would like to apply to our lives today. I believe that in some ways we are in this parable now. Some of us are labouring in the vineyard of God and are waiting earnestly for God to send the revival He has promised and to see the reward for our labours.

It is interesting when you read of revivals in the past that often some of the people who prayed the hardest to see the move of God oppose it when it comes. Why? Because they see God promoting people who did not labour as they did. V12 “Saying, These last have done only one hour's work, and you have made them equal to us, who have undergone the hard work of the day and the burning heat.”

Right now we are still in the heat of the day, and God’s Word and standards are being reviled in the world, but the day will come as the Gospel works that multitudes will rush into the Kingdom. When that happens, many will be raised up who did not struggle as we have had to for the glory, and when we see that it might stumble some of us to grumble like those in the parable. “Lord, How can you reward that person, I bore the hard work, he has just sprung up overnight.”

To counteract this remember 2 things:

1. It is God’s vineyard. He can do what He wants in His vineyard. The important thing is not who He uses, but that He gets His harvest in. Amen!
2. God’s acceptance of others is not His rejection of us. He will faithfully reward us what is our due. If we are thankful for what God has given us, we won’t have a problem with what He gives others.

Anyway those were just the thoughts I had, may God grat that we all are faithful and cheerful labourers in His glorious vineyard.

Blogging Again

Well, after a season of not much activity, I am blogging again. I had been hoping to be able to publish at least twice a month, but that isn’t going to be likely, however I will still see if I can come close to that.

I finished teaching Romans, it went fairly well, I think (How do you gauge it, I wasn’t listening to myself, and I only know if I covered questions that were asked, not unasked ones that students might have had.)

Mom is teaching the Comforter now, so Dad is grading papers from the previous weeks and I am helping cook. Today is a Wednesday so I have more time, because we fast lunch. We have nearly 30 students here which is good, our maximum capacity is about 34, so it is a nice size. When the Bible school first started 6 years ago, most of our students took the courses in Chichewa, only about 3 out of 30 could understand enough English to do the courses in English. Now over 10 out of the 30 in this class are able to study in English (it is so much nicer to be able to interact without an interpreter). It is also a younger class than in previous years.

It is good to see progress in all areas here since I left 4 years ago. It shows the faithfulness of God and also gives us hope for the areas that are still so needy.

The Leading of God

One thing I’ve found myself praying recently is the psalmists prayer from Psa 43:3 “Oh send out Your light and Your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill, and to Your tabernacles.”

It’s a cry of the soul for the fog which obscures the way to be lifted and for the beacon which ever shines on the hill of Zion to be seen by the pilgrim travelling there. Sometimes are way is unclear, and we need to cry out to see the way through. We also need to persevere and press on. As it says in Psa 97:11, “Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.” These are crops which can take time to grow, but as we continue they will grow up and we shall see their fruit. “To the upright there arises light in the darkness.”

Since I still am unsure of what my course is after my time in Malawi and since I am still seeking God for a broader idea of His plans for me on many levels, I just want to remind myself to carry on. To be patient in well doing, as Rom. 2:5-7 speaks of. If we continue patiently in well doing we will reap glory, honour, immortality and eternal life.

This is more of a personal note to myself than anything else, but it doesn’t hurt to remind myself that no matter what happens I must do what is right, if I do God will lead me by His light. Sometimes I may not feel very hopeful, but if I abandon what is right, what hope do I have? If I do what is right, eventually I will reap both light and gladness, what a harvest!

Anyway, God bless all you readers out there. May you also reap His light as you continue in His ways.

Sunshiny Day

Yesterday dad and I worked on afixing barbed wire to posts at the top of our wall. Most of the wall had been done already, it was just the last side that needed to get done. It was the first sunshiny day we’ve had since I got here to do it in (It isn’t called the rainy season for nothing, it’s been raining bucket-loads). It was really hot and humid and now I have a sunburn in several places (including my scalp – now that I’m almost 30 my hair doesn’t cover like it used to). It feels good to have one project out of the way though.

In spite of the rain we have only had 2 power outages so far and they were of very short duration (under 30minutes). So that’s something to be very thankful for.

Tomorrow, I will be speaking to a group of teenagers from the surrounding area, I still need to prepare for that.

Columba – the Hawk turned Dove

Columba lived in the middle of the sixth century and was an Irish missionary to Scotland who personally founded the monastery at Iona, and was responsible for the founding of many monasteries in Scotland and Western Europe. Names associates with his movement include Dallan Forgaill, credited with writing “Be Thou my vision” and later missionaries including Anskar, known as the Apostle to the North, one of the first missionaries to Denmark and Sweden.

Columba means “dove” and in later life he was called “the dove.” However, he wasn’t that way in the beginning, by all accounts in his youth he was a hot-head. His missionary endeavours did not begin in the usual way, his began with a war. He had been involved in copying a book that he had borrowed from someone from another area, and after a dispute over the terms of the loan of the book, both groups got enflamed and went to war. After many people had been killed in the dispute, Columba saw the error of his way and left Ireland in self-banishment to Scotland vowing he would not return until he had seen at least as many conversions as there were casualties in the war.

He wandered somewhat in Scotland eventually establishing his abode on Iona and setting up a community there. From this place much of Scotland and even other parts of the British Isles were evangelised. Columba, himself, gained a reputation for wise counsel and apparently flowed in the prophetic office. I have read accounts of several times when he prophesied of various things to people who came to him. The most noted thing though was that he became known as a man of peace, Columba the dove.

His last day was spent transcribing the Psalms, followed by the evening devotions during which he collapsed. He died shortly afterwards with a peaceful countenance.

I think the best lesson to learn from this man is that how you start is not the most important thing, but how you end. He may have been a hot-head in his youth, but in the end he became a calming influence on those around him and his work remained and was a light to the nations for the next 200 years.