Some New Thing

Recently, in a devotional, Pastor Cornelius Fon in Cameroon wrote:

“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Act 2:41-47 KJV)

“Oh God have mercy upon us the preachers who have turn Your church to something that even You can not recognize. How we have gone very very far from the Church that You ordained. Materialism, egotism, selfish tendencies, worldliness, compromise, and what can I add or leave out… The Church a Body of Love has been transformed to something else. No doubt no power in the church today until preacher go to the devil for powers to do the work of God. What a shame and an insult to You, Most High. Have mercy O God, let your cleansing broom sweep pass making obvious all who are truly Yours and the hirelings. Heavenly Father, we need a renewal and revival in the lives of the preachers so that church now can be The Church.

“Please, fellow preachers and saints of God, we all need to mourn and wail for the misrepresentation we are doing. You in particular may not be involved but search deep in your heart, what have you done about those doing it. Have you cried out like Elijah? We need to mourn for the present day church, repent and allow Jesus to be Lord over His Church. We have to preach against sin, preach holiness and righteousness, preach the grace, in fact we have to preach the Kingdom of God and nothing else. May God help us to be God pleasers and not man pleasers.”

Pastor Cornelius’s devotional brings to mind what I was told of the origins of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, California. Pastor Chuck Smith pastored a Four Square Church in the 1960s. The Church’s district office was running a campaign to increase Church membership, to fill the pews, so to speak. Sounds all to familiar, doesn’t it. Now this bothered Pastor Smith, and he sought the Lord Y’shuaJesus about it. He was directed to this same scripture, Act 2:41-47, Pastor Cornelius has directed us to. Particularly, Pastor Smith read verse 47:

And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Acts 2:47

Well, Pastor Smith believe G-d, and his small church began to swell to the point that the denomination’s office noticed and questioned him. I understand the office was not pleased to hear from Pastor Smith that he didn’t do anything, just trusted that G-d’s word was as good then as it is now. Insubordination for some such heresy. Pastor Smith left the denomination not long afterward.

Now, as then, when the people of G-d begin to trust in the Word of the Lord, things happen, and resistance is met.

Reading Pastor Cornelius’s devotion also brought to mind this passage from Acts:

For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear, some new thing.

Acts 17:21

It seems always the same. People want to be entertained. In the Church Realm these days, people move from church to church looking for better worship, more “meaningful” preaching, and, yes, something they haven’t heard before, some new thing. We have “Big Box” churches in America gather in seekers to have their ears tickled. Too many of these churches have long, elaborate worship services and never once mention the Name of Jesus. The preaching tells us more about how we can feel good about ourselves than how we must feel about our relationship with Messiah, like that we ought REPENT while we have the opportunity! We need to hear how we can grow and live as Messiah in our modern world, not how we can transform our modern world into our corrupt, fallen image of what it should be.

No longer do I wonder why most Americans don’t seek to be saved; they’ve learned they don’t need salvation, that they’re perfect, god-like already. The only thing I wonder at is why we would bother trying to evangelize a stiff-necked, fallen people living in cities saying they’re building a better world, building a “Purpose Filled” P.E.A.C.E. The city dwellers are like the people of Sodom in the days of Abraham and Lot. It doesn’t surprise me at all that so many American’s are fleeing to what is now known as the “Redoubt” states, comprised of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and a few more. They are fleeing the coming wrath that will be poured out upon all flesh for arrogance in the face of the Almighty G-d. If not for the few, humble servants of the Lord, who live as strangers among the heathen, this wrath would surely have already come upon the Earth.

May the Lord rightly bless His People.

Simply Listen, Preach Jesus

Progressing through the Book of the Acts of the Holy Spirit (Acts), I’ve stopped often to think about various passages. I’ve made some notes, too. I’ve just neglected to share them here, in JonahzSong. But today may be a good day to return.

In the midst of Acts chapter eight, without so much as a paragraph break, I find the Holy Spirit whisking away Philip to the desert. Many have fled the city to some desert place; usually it is to fast and pray, or perhaps to be tested. But Philip immediately comes to a caravan and is instructed to join himself to it. He discovers a man from Ethiopia, who’d been to Jerusalem to worship, reading from the book of Isaiah 53:7,8:

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Philip approaches the man, asks if he understands this scripture. The man replies that he can’t except with a guide. The Bible is too complex for him, he needs help. Matthew Henry puts it this way: “The eunuch in a sense of his need of assistance, desires Philip’s company (Act_8:31): “How can I understand, says he, except some one guide me? Therefore pray come up, and sit with me.” (1.) He speaks as one that had very low thoughts of himself, and his own capacity and attainments. He was so far from taking it as an affront to be asked whether he understood what he read, though Philip was a stranger, on foot, and probably looked mean (which many a less man would have done, and have called him an impertinent fellow, and bid him go about his business, what was it to him?) that he takes the question kindly, makes a very modest reply, How can I? We have reason to think he was an intelligent man, and as well acquainted with the meaning of scripture as most were, and yet he modestly confesses his weakness. Note, Those that would learn must see their need to be taught. The prophet must first own that he knows not what these are, and then the angel will tell him, Zec_4:13. (2.) He speaks as one very desirous to be taught, to have some one to guide him. Observe, He read the scripture, though there were many things in it which he did not understand. Though there are many things in the scriptures which are dark and hard to be understood, nay, which are often misunderstood, yet we must not therefore throw them by, but study them for the sake of those things that are easy, which is the likeliest way to come by degrees to the understanding of those things that are difficult: for knowledge and grace grow gradually. (3.) He invited Philip to come up and sit with him; not as Jehu took Jonadab into his chariot, to come and see his zeal for the Lord of hosts (2Ki_10:16), but rather, “Come, see my ignorance, and instruct me.” He will gladly do Philip the honour to take him into the coach with him, if Philip will do him the favour to expound a portion of scripture to him. Note, In order to our right understanding of the scripture, it is requisite we should have some one to guide us; some good books, and some good men, but, above all, the Spirit of grace, to lead us into all truth.”

So, Philip does as requested.

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

Acts 8:35

The thing is, there is a simplicity to Philip’s ministry. First, Philip listened to the Spirit of the Lord. Second, he followed what he heard. Third, Philip listened to a man who is truly seeking G-d, and understanding. Finally, Philip preached Jesus.

Back to basics. Keeping it simple. People who truly seek, are saved. Praise the Lord.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Earlier this Morning. . .

. . . I pull myself out of bed early to prepare the day. Make oatmeal for my wife, who just hopped into the shower. Let the dogs outside. Set out some things for my wife to make a salad for lunch. Cut up an apple, put it in a baggie for my wife to take with her on her drive to her office. Make sure my daughter is getting up. She is almost out of bed. Return the the kitchen. Make two turkey and cheese breakfast burritos and pour a glass of orange juice. That’s my daughter’s breakfast, which I take to her. Room Service. Knock on her brother’s door, ensure he’s getting out of bed.

Now, at last, coffee for me in the kitchen. Read Psalm 118.

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success!

Psalm 118:24,25

Pray a praise for the Psalms. Pray for the family, immediate and extended. See my wife off. Clean up the counter, put away salad items. Daughter comes into the kitchen, ready to go. Son follows, wanting breakfast, which earlier he’d declined. He pours cereal into a bowl. It Will Be To Go, Right! I say.

All in the truck, we drive merrily toward their school, radio plays Country tunes today. Near the school, wait at a signal light for the left-turn arrow. An electrical company van in front of us is two car lengths behind the car in front of him. The arrow is green. The van doesn’t move. Honk! Not beep. HONK! Son says I over reacted. Says I drive like him, slow. Explain there’s a difference. Van needed to know it is time to drive, PERIOD. Son says again I over react, that I do it all the time. He is now getting under my skin. Feeling irritated. Annoyed.

Drop the kids at their high school. Drive toward home. Long stretch of two-lane road with 45 mph speed limit. Another van, mini-van, in front of me. Drives 35. No passing zone. Finally, I’m turning just ahead. Arg! He turns where I’m turning. We turn. Okay to pass now. Pass. Zoom past. Drive 48 now. Leave him in the dust. Don’t feel better. Worse, actually.

Home. Irritated. Annoyed. Lord?

Oatmealraisins (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I prepare my oatmeal and think to myself, “Maybe, it’s all because I’m not doing what I should be doing. It’s a reaction to not serving the Lord the way I should.” I’ve thought before that perhaps I need to return to the truck driving ministry.

Yet. . .

Ashamed. I was ashamed at my reaction to the utility van that wouldn’t go fast enough at the green light. Ashamed and didn’t want to feel the shame at having my boy point it out. So I became annoyed. I tried to explain it all away. I carried that irritation onto another van driving too slow for my taste.

Inhumanity is a horrible thing. Being truly human is being truly perfect. Some how, having been around six decades now, I should know better. Should behave better. I should be perfectly human in all ways. Especially in driving. I’m a professional driver, after all. I have a commercial driver license. I can drive the big rigs. I’m good at it, too.

Ego wants me to think of myself as perfected. PRIDE! I sorta keep forgetting I’m a sinner saved by Grace. Humanity is perfection. Inhumanity is flesh.

But, all is not lost. There’s a song I recall that has a line that sums it up the hope, “He’s not finished with me yet.”

By G-d’s grace we are saved from the punishment we deserve for our sin. By G-d’s mercy we are blessed with good things, things we didn’t earn.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Photo credit: Chiot’s Run)

Children, we are. We stumble. We fall. He picks us up. He washes our face. He says it’ll be okay. Then He gives us an oatmeal cookie! Praise His Holy Name!

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine upon y’all throughout this beautiful week.

Last Night. . .

. . . the remains of the Thanksgiving turkey sat already sliced along side cranberry sauce and stuffing, ready for sandwiches if we ever get hungry again. Earlier we’d shared a quiet meal, just immediate family, as extended family live far away. I drove my son to a friends home, where he’d been invited to share in a fabulous desert his friend’s mom prepared for their Thanksgiving supper. On the drive home I realized my own thankfulness.

Thoughts rattled through my mind of my own high school visit to girl’s home during a holiday. Charlene. She eventually became my first girl friend. I remember that she liked Elvis Presley, had an older brother who’d raced motorcycles. Charlene was a year older, could drive, and had a blue Cadillac. She was sweet and her parents were kind to me. One time when I was visiting her, brother said something or other, to which Charlene said to me, “Don’t mind him, his nose is out of joint.” I said something about no wonder he’s upset if his nose is broken. She laughed. Then gently explained that an out-of-joint nose meant–bad mood. That was a long time ago. I was young. I was immature. I remember there was a song that I liked, that I shared with Charlene, about following a rainbow, following dreams. She asked me if I wanted to follow some rainbow somewhere. I guess I did. We broke up. Eventually I followed the elusive rainbow and discovered there’s no pot at the end of the rainbow, just a rusty kettle, an empty, rusty kettle. It’s so very easy for me to spend moments wallowing in regrets for what i perceive of as bad choices I’ve made. Yet last night, I remembered so fondly G-d’s gift of knowing Charlene, who had invited me to her house one holiday when I was home from military academy, who became someone very special in my life, though she may not have realized it, and whom I hurt just because I was me, am me.

So last night, alone on the drive back home, I found thankfulness in within myself for the true bounty of the Lord’s work in me, in life. I thought how totally blessed I’ve been despite many wrong turns, blind alley ways, dead end streets, I have thought my life’s path has taken. There have been many things I’ve done, many roles I’ve filled. In all, and through all, whether or not I listened, the still voice of G-d spoke to me through His Spirit. The Lord, my G-d, our G-d, has loved me through all my wanderings, meanderings, and loves me yet. And G-d. . .

. . .knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Job 23:10

This morning, early, I am at peace feeling surrounded, encompassed by the grace our Heavenly Father extended to me through His Son, our Savior, our Lord, Y’shuaJesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit. I am blessed, not because of what I’ve done, but because of all the Y’shuaJesus did on my behave. And it is through Y’shuaJesus that I am sealed, my name being written in the Book of Life. Praise the Name of the Lord, Y’shua!

Thank You, Lord.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Present Truth

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

2 Peter 1:12

“We must be established in the belief of the truth that we may not be shaken by every wind of doctrine, and especially in that which is the present truth, the truth more peculiarly necessary for us to know in our day, that which belongs to our peace and which is more especially opposed in our time. The great doctrines of the gospel, that Jesus is the Christ, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, that those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved, and all that believe in God must be careful to maintain good works. These are the truths the apostles insistend on in their day. These are faithful sayings and worth of all acceptation in every age of the Christian Church.” -Matthew Henry

It seems to me that one might easily write these “present truths” on a card, kept ready to refer to when anyone states anything regarding the maintenance of our religion. These are our Standards, by which all is to be judged. We will weed out deceptive thinking before it embeds in our souls. We may use this present truth to purge false and damaging ideas from our being.
Have a great day and weekend. Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Contemporary Christian Music

Symbol of Christianity, white version. — The Cross of Y’shuaJesus, Lord and Savior. (Photo: Wikipedia)

While digging rocks out of Georgia red clay to lay a pipe to channel rain water away from a garden area, I listened to some contemporary Christian music playing from my truck. After a while I switched it back to Southern Gospel. Big difference. One thing that is so very apparent to me is that listening to many of the Contemporary Christian songs I might be listening to any rock station, not specifically Christian.

It’s not just the repetitive nature of the song and the bump bump bump electronically repeated beat. It’s the central lack of focus. It’s that there isn’t a focus upon the Lord Y’shuaJesus. In one song, the singer wanted to know how he was seen by some unidentified “you.” It could have been a song about a man wanting to know how a woman thinks of him. It all really started turning my stomach. And I began to wonder if I, in writing, mention the Name of the Lord Y’shuaJesus often enough.

The Name of the Lord is holy. The Name of the LORD is above all names. The LORD is G-d; The LORD is One. To the Jew, rather than mispronounce the Name of the LORD, He is referred to as simply, and reverently, The Name, H’Shem. We who believe Y’shuaJesus is the Messiah, are able to say the our Lord’s Name, and should do so more often.

Praise the Name of the Lord Y’shua! May He bless you today as you reverence His Name.

Being Still

Tired I am. It’s been a long couple weeks. After beginning a remodel job, things got hectic.

It’s slower this week, though. In my head I had somethings to say about America’s Labor Day, which was last Monday. I didn’t take the time to sit down and put it onto this electronic paper. So, Labor Day is over and done with and I’ve missed an opportunity to make some timely comments.

Oh, well. , ,

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 46:10

Even during these hectic times, it is nice to sit for some moments, being very still. It’s not Eastern meditation. It’s not yoga or any mystical exercise. It’s simply being still. Prayer. Sure, thats good and often either proceeds or follow moments of stillness. It’s letting go of every thing and really knowing that the Lord IS G-d.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine . . .

Shaking my head and wondering if I’ll ever learn

Left knee-joint from behind, showing interior ... — Left knee-joint from behind, showing interior ligaments. (Lateral meniscus and medial meniscus are cartilage.) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lately my knees have been bothering me quite a bit. Arthritis, or something. I’ve had trouble with my feet on and off since I was a kid, too. There was a time, in the mid-70s that a doctor wanted to take apart my foot and sand the bones. I politely declined his invitation.

Despite the problems, up until a few years ago I was in fairly good shape, running and riding a touring bicycle that I’d built.

Needless to say, but with my knee joint issues, I’m no longer running, and rarely ride my bike. This week I’ve been doing a lot of odd jobs, and going up and down stairs is a real strain. At any rate, I dropped my two high schoolers off at their school, and stopped afterward at a grocery store. Waiting at the cashier to checkout, a fellow came up behind me. He may have been sixty years old, or so. His face sported a nice tan. He kept his white hair short and neatly trimmed. I noticed his running shoes, short running pants, and nice white shirt. He looked like he could be headed out to run or maybe play tennis. I thought of my aching knees and got to feeling pretty old. Then I noticed his arm. He had a towel draped over his left arm, and a large bag of ice on top of it. The cashier asked him what happened to his arm. He didn’t say at first, saying it was a bit of a story. She said something nice to him about hoping it would get well. It was then that the fellow confessed that he had had some problems at his morning dialysis appointment. The women said that in her “past life before the grocery store,” she had been a nurse and knew about things, but didn’t want to go back, liking the grocery store better. She was very compassionate, though, in her tone. The fellow said, “In my past life I was healthy, and I’d go back to it right away.”

My attitude reminded me of an old Joan Bias song about being angry for not having shoes, then seeing a man with no legs. I regretted my discontent at my aching knees, and my envy at his apparent athletic abilities. Compared to that fellow, I’m in terrific health, terrific shape.

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

Philippians 4:11

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine . . .

A Stone Retaining Wall

Some years ago, while living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, I needed to do something about a rather steep hill alongside the driveway leading to the house. During rain storms, for about twenty feet or so along the drive, water flowed down the bank eroding the soil, which washed into the drive. My solution was to build a small retaining wall out of some small, flat stones that I removed from the back of the house. The irregularly shaped stones, carefully placed adjacent to one another in a row, made the first row. The second row I placed so that it was set back several inches as well as each stone overlapping the gap formed between the stones in the first row. The third row I set likewise. Finally, after ten or so rows, the wall was done.

The most important part of the job, I discovered, was in selecting the precise stone to fit particular place in the wall. In some cases, I would pick up a stone, try it, then set it aside. Occasionally, I did this several times before the “right” stone was found to fit. I tried, once, to break a stone and force fit it. It broke in the wrong place, and both pieces were set aside until their right place became apparent.

The Apostle Peter, in his first letter, wrote about Y’shuaJesus being a living stone.

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious. . .

1 Peter 2:4

Peter compares Y’shuaJesus to a stone that is “disallowed” by men. While I built my wall, I set aside stones, but eventually found a place for them. In Peter’s letter, we see that Y’shuaJesus is not just shown as set aside, but disallowed. As far as humankind is concerned, Y’shuaJesus has no place in society; people have no need for Him. Yet, as Peter tells us, G-d selected Y’shuaJesus to be the perfect stone for our world.

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

1 Peter 2:6

The picture Peter wants us to see is a building in which G-d sets Y’shuaJesus as the chief corner stone. According to the Heritage Dictionary, a cornerstone is a stone at the corner of a building uniting two intersecting walls. Such a stone, often inscribed, laid at a ceremony marking the origin of a building. It is also an indispensable and fundamental basis: the cornerstone of an argument.

Some years ago, I recall a sermon in which the pastor said it wasn’t cornerstone at all, but cap stone. He went on to describe the building of a stone arch, and how the masons picked up and tried many stones to get them to fit into place as they built the wall, discarding ones that didn’t fit. In the end, a discarded stone is used to form the cap, the last stone placed, that holds the arch together. While that illustration is interesting, and for some time thought it accurately described the scripture’s intent, it is wrong. As I’m thinking about it now, it really misses the mark, so to speak. It has the masons selecting and discarding, and finally picking up a discarded stone and finding that it fits. That’s a bit arrogant. But then isn’t that what so much preaching is about these days: making Y’shuaJesus fit into our lives?

In the scripture, G-d selects the stone the builders’ discarded. That means if the builders continued, they’d build something false, without a true foundation. Those builders are “confounded.” They are mistaken. The building must begin with the cornerstone and the cornerstone is selected by G-d.

When we come to know Y’shuaJesus as Lord, it is often described as being born again. If we take Peter’s illustration of Y’shuaJesus being the cornerstone selected by G-d, then our lives before Messiah need to be rebuilt with the Lord as our cornerstone. We must build our lives based upon Y’shuaJesus. We must build our lives based upon His Truth.

And from time to time it’s not a bad idea to re-examine the building of our lives to see if it’s coming along according to G-d’s architectural drawings, and not ours.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Back to Basics—Five

Two more points in my reading of Ezra that I initially suggested were: G-d’s prophets must stir up the people AND appeal to non-Jewish leaders to honor previously granted commitments to G-d’s people while declaring they are following the G-d of Israel; Once again, a non-rebellious, non-Jewish leader looks reasonably into the records and sees that the Jews are entitled to rebuild their temple, and commits to help also.

In my reading of Ezra, even though the rebuilding of the Temple had been objected to, and the Jews ordered to stop work, it continued. Perhaps it continued only very slowly. Perhaps it was problematic even among the Jewish Returnees. I can image some Jews saying to others who might be working on the Temple, “Hey, we have orders not rebuild. We have to honor those orders.” I can also imagine some Jews beginning to side with the non-Jewish residents of the area, even telling them when building is going on so that protests can be made. Non-Jews then would be telling the Jews not to follow G-d’s desires, not to follow after G-d’s heart, that the king had ordered them to stop.

Finally a couple of men begin to see things from G-d’s perspective, and encourage actively rebuilding the Temple. And this time, these wise men appeal to the king based upon King Cyrus’s decree. And they win. The decree is located in the archives, and permission is granted to continue the building. Not only does the current king, King Darius, allow it to begin, he helps fund it.

Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place. Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered. And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail: That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

Ezra 6:7-10

King Darius even desires prayers be made for him and his sons. Once again, a non-Jewish leader has reverence for the Lord, G-d of All.

Ezra provides a picture of Restoration. It models getting back to the basics. Once apart, we must get back to a stable place from where we can begin to celebrate in the Lord in the Community of Believers. We can then rebuilt our selves as Temples of the LORD. It seems clear that today, as Believers, we will go through periods in our lives in which we find resistance to our focus. And as we begin to slow down our work, our hope is that G-d will send someone to encourage us in our journey, our seeking, of G-d’s heart. We seek G-d’s heart and His Temple in us is restored.

There are other lessons in the remaining chapters of Ezra. There is another group of exiles to return. There are more corrections to be made in the religious observance of the Jews in Israel. It is like this for us, too. We ascend a tower, following a circular stairway. We look out a window each new level, and see more of the landscape then previous levels. We continue on. We will do this our entire lives, until the Lord calls us to Him, in death or in His return to Earth. We grow. And every now and then we must take a time in which we return to the basics, renewing our vows and journey with our Messiah, Y’shuaJesus.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .