Thunder

“And from the throne proceed flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder.” Revelation 4: 5. One of the things I like best about Oklahoma is the thunder storms. I thrill to the hard rain, the low roll of thunder followed by the flash of lightning. Then the loud boom, which shakes the ground and the house. I feel the power of God and yet I realize that this is only an infinitesimal fraction of that power. In our own solar system Jupiter’s red spot is a storm that can swallow the earth whole. On a 12 inch scale, Earth would be one inch away from the Sun, Pluto 3 ½ feet. The nearest star other than the Sun would lie 4 ½ miles away! Our sun is only one lonely star among several hundred billion throughout the universe. Our galaxy is one amongst millions. Yet the Sovereign Almighty God who created all this became a man and lived among us! He was born not in a palace but a stable. He cried. His wonderful mother not much more than a girl herself cleaned him. He grew. He played. He worked. His muscles ached. He hungered. He ate. He was thirsty. He drank. He grew tired. He slept. He showed anger. He laughed with our children on his lap. He prayed. He fasted. He had compassion. He healed us. He fed us. He forgave us. He told stories. He taught. He taught us how to love. He showed us how to love. He told us to pray for those who persecute us, to love our enemies. He washes our feet and told us to do likewise. And then we killed him. I hear thunder.“And I looked and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.You are worthy to take the scroll,And to open its seals;For You were slain,And have redeemed us to God byYour bloodOut of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,”Revelation 4: 6, 7, 9.

Communion

“And they heard the sound of The Lord God walking in the garden…” Genesis 3: 8. (NASB)“Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the son’s of Israel; and they beheld God, and they ate and drank.” Exodus 24: 9-11. (NASB)These are a few verses that tell of times when Heaven and Earth were one, the seen and the unseen. God walks and talks with man. God even dines with men. I like these verses for they show what God wants from us. He wants us to be with Him. Heaven and Earth, the seen and the unseen, united together. In the garden, sin and rebellion separated man from God. On the mountain top the elders of Israel enjoyed God for a short time but again sin and rebellion separated them from the Eternal One. Once off the mountain top Israel turned from the living God and worshiped a man made god of gold. In the very first chapter of Ephesians we read how God had us in mind long before the foundations of the world were created. He has always wanted us to be with Him, eternally with Him in fellowship. God wants us to be with Him so much that He gave His own son to accomplish it. God became man, God came to earth physically. In the first chapter of 1st John, the elderly disciple speaks for all the first generation Christians who were with Jesus. John writes, “That which was from the beginning which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked at and our hands have touched…The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it.” 1 John 1: 1-2. (NIV) That first generation of Christians also walked, talked and dined with God. My motive for this post is simple. It is the same as John’s motive for writing 1 John. “We’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. We want you to enjoy this too.” 1 John 1: 3-4. (The Message)

Danger

“Forgive seventy times seven.” Matthew 18: 22. There are many times in scripture that what I read disturbs me. When I first read, Jesus wants me to forgive others infinitely, continually and completely, I think to myself, I can’t do it. This is impossible! Then I remember that Jesus doesn’t tell us to do anything that he doesn’t do himself. The greatest danger to my fellowship with Christ is when I sin and must ask him to forgive me for something I have asked forgiveness for time and time again. When this occurs I am so ashamed. Thoughts come to me that he will not forgive, that there is a limit. He is so holy. He is righteous. He is perfect. He also is love and he is merciful. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sin and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1: 9.
Another danger is if I do not forgive. After Jesus tells Peter to forgive seventy times seven he tells the parable about the unmerciful servant. The servant after being forgiven a large sum of money by his master did not forgive a small amount that was owed to him. The master finds out and “in anger turned him over to the jailers to be tortured.” Matthew 18: 34. I have been in that prison, the prison of anger, bitterness and resentment. There is no happiness or joy in that place. Jesus paid a heavy price so that we may be forgiven. He “being the very nature of God”, “made himself nothing, and taking the very nature of a servant.” “He humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross!” Philippians 2: 6, 7, 8. Torture. To not forgive shows us as insincere and ungrateful for what He did.

Billy

Recieved this in my email.
Subject: New Orleans--Billy Graham

Subject: Billy Graham In New Orleans Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2007 16:21:15 In what might prove to be the crowning achievement of an illustriouscareer in ministry, the 85-year-old evangelist, Billy Graham shocked the16,300 in attendance at the Celebration of Hope crusade in New OrleansArena on Sunday Night. Touted in advance as possibly his lastevangelistic crusade, Graham invited the packed house of evangelicalChristians and the hundreds of new converts to join him on the one milewalk from the arena to New Orleans' infamous Bourbon Street. "While we have seen God do tremendous things here the past couple ofevenings. Yes, it is true that a great healing and a great manysalvations have occurred within the confines of this auditorium. Stillyet, there lies a great mountain in this city which needs to beconquered." Then taking from the Biblical Book of Joshua Chapter 14 he read, "I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strongthis Day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then,so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Nowtherefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day,"his voice suddenly sounding more forceful than during his 22 minutesermon. "I last preached in the City of New Orleans in 1954 and I felt then thatthere was some unfinished business. Tonight, in what very well might bemy last evangelistic service, I aim to finish that business and lead asmany of you that would follow me to the multitude of lost souls that fillBourbon Street tonight. That is my mountain ! That is where we shall see the harvest!" said Graham as the stadiumerupted in cheers that lasted the next several minutes. Utilizing awaiting mobility scooter, the elder Graham joined his son and heir to theministry, Franklin across the Arena floor and through the opened doorsleading towards the French Quarter. In a show of solidarity anddetermination reminiscent of civil rights marches of the 1960's, nearlythe entire capacity crowd joined in the 20 minute trek while singing,"When the Saints Go Marching In". As the march crossed Canal Street and headed northward towards BourbonStreet, many onlookers stood in stunned silence as the massive crowd ofpeople began singing in unison the Christian hymn, Amazing Grace. Uponentering the west end of Bourbon Street, Billy Graham was soon recognizedby partiers. Soon those joining in the march began to approach those partying onBourbon Street with the Gospel message that they had heard preached justa half hour before. Graham himself joined with a group of local streetevangelist in ministering to a man who had survived Hurricane Katrina inthe lower 9th Ward. Within 30 minutes the entirety of Bourbon Street was packed withChristians and the once blaring music of nightclubs and strip joints hadbeen replaced by weeping and worship as people poured out their drinksand sought prayer from the Christians who were now reaching out to them."I have never seen anything like this in my life," said 20 years NewOrleans Police Department veteran, Tom Phillips. "This is unbelievable!We thought a riot was going to break out, but this looks more like arevival than a riot!" Two hours later, a glowing Graham sat back down on his scooter andsmiled. "Now I know how the Apostle Paul must have felt at the end of hisministry. Do the work of an evangelist; make full proof of thy ministry.For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is athand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have keptthe faith." Hours later hundreds of Christians remained on the street ministering tothe many people eagerly waiting to receive prayer and ministry. NewOrleans will never be the same. And the press remained mute on this "newsitem?" Did anyone see it on TV/hear it on radio/read it in the paper? Why are wenot surprised? Can't have THAT just prior to a major election, now, canwe? Well, just on a whim, spread the news, anyway. It cost our elderbrother, Billy Graham, more than any of us know to make that effort. Theleast we can do it publicize it. "I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find outthere isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and find out there is."

Example

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance of a man, humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Philippians 2: 5-11.
To me this is one of the most exciting passages of scripture. My heart beats a little faster when Paul writes that every knee should bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus is so wonderful, but Paul uses this as an example which we should follow in our relationship with others. This is how we should behave toward other believers. Paul writes in these verses that Jesus did four things and expects us to do them as well.
1. He made himself nothing.
2. He took the very nature of a servant.
3. He humbled himself.
4. He became obedient.
When we are asked to do as Jesus did the passage becomes daunting. It is our very nature to exalt ourselves, to be self important, to be dominating and to do as we please.
It is clear we are unable to do this without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Do we really believe that we can do nothing without Christ? If we do we will pray. The very act of prayer is an act of humility. If we cannot humble ourselves before God how are we going to be able to humble ourselves before man? If we do not pray then we are trying to be self-sufficient and we will never be able to obey.
The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 2 what we should be like with other believers. Is this how we are when we gather at our local church? “Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also to the interest of others. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure children of God. Philippians 2: 2-4, 14.” Let us pray.

Bread

Wherever the words of Jesus echo in the Old Testament scripture I always take a closer look. “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord? Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” Proverbs 30: 8-9. This reminds me of the Lords Prayer when Jesus instructing us how to pray say’s “Give us today our daily bread.” Matthew 6: 11. For me it is quit clear from scripture that we are not to pray for more than we need. Continuing in chapter 6 of Matthew, Jesus teaches that we are not to worry about tomorrow concerning what we are to eat or drink or what we are to wear. He ends his comparison to us with the lilies of the field: So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we drink?’ Or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things and your heavenly Father knows you need them. Matthew 6: 31-32. Please beware of wrong teaching. Jesus compares the pursuit of material possessions with paganism. It is of the world and not of God’s kingdom. King David also assures us, “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.” Psalm 37: 25-26. My favorite scripture concerning wealth and poverty comes from the Apostle Paul and should be our attitude as well. “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want, I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13. May the presence of Christ be with you and me.

List

“And they devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2: 42. Luke gives us this list of four practices of the young church. First they devoted themselves to the teaching of the Apostles. We have the Apostles teaching through scripture. We, like them, must set aside time for their teaching.
I like to watch sports and forensic shows on television. I like to read biographies and books on American history. If I’m not careful I can neglect the Scriptures. I have found that I can read one or two fewer books a month and watch less television to study God’s word. Maybe this can work for others also. Second they devoted themselves to fellowship. I have heard it said, by some who won’t join a church, “it is full of hypocrites” or they “don’t believe in organized religion.” The church is full of imperfect people who know they need help. I am one of them. We cooperate together in doing God’s work and growing in Him. Yes we know we are hypocritical at times but with God’s grace and love we will grow more consistent in our life with Christ. Is Christ body disorganized? Jesus, Peter, John, Paul, James, all the New Testament teaches unity and love between believers. I cannot have fellowship by myself. I need other believers to share in the breaking of bread, to participate in Communion. I need to spend time with other believers to be loved and love on a level one cannot find in the world. If you are one who has been hurt by some in the church, please read the June post entitled Slain. I urge you to find a local church and join us.
And they prayed. Prayer for me is the most difficult on the list. Do what you must from your heart. Pray the Lords Prayer. Pray the Psalms. Use a book of prayers. Bring everything to God. Pray and pray some more. If we are to grow and become more like Jesus then we like the early church must devote ourselves to Him. Then “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1: 6.