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.

The Mature Christian

The last post has got me to thinking of how little faith and lack of maturity in Christ that we church members have. We show it by all of the church hopping. When we leave a church because we do not get our way, it demonstrates our lack of maturity. When we leave a church because we don't like the new pastor as well as the old one, it demonstrates our lack of maturity. When we leave a church because someone has hurt our feelings, demonstrates a lack of maturity. When we leave a church because we may not particularly like some of its members, we demonstrate a lack of maturity. If we cannot love in the church what makes us think we can love people outside of it?

Our love for God will prove insincere,
Our love for the world will prove ineffective,
until our love for one another proves indisputable.

Black, White, Asian, and all other nationalities must be able to love,worship and work together. Blue collar and white collar, management and labour must be able to worship together. Rich and poor, contemporary and traditional, old and young must learn to worship together. Paul makes it clear in Ephesians that there are no walls in Christ Jesus. If we cannot love in the church what makes us think we can love people outside of it?

My church has gone though and is going through the same struggles that most other churches do. The church has had four pastors in seven years. We are working through, like most churches, having contemporary and traditional forms of worship. The church has a large senior citizen membership as well as a growing younger membership. Through it all members have come and gone. People who were close to each pastor have left. People have left because of the difficulties inherent in having contemporary and traditional services. But through it all there are also members who have stayed and continued to do the work of the church. They have chosen to remain and love all even when they disagreed with the decisions that were made. They are mature Christians. If we cannot love in the church what makes us think we can love people outside it?

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
Romans 12:10

Though He Slay Me

“Lord, Son of David have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” Jesus did not answer a word. Matthew 15: 22, 23. He ignored her. She was not insulted; her need was greater than her pride. This Canaanite woman knew who could meet her needs. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” verse 23. She was persistent; she continually kept following after them to get to Jesus. Not only that but she was persistent in the presence of many, many who were condescending to her, and these many were the people who were closest to Jesus. Once again it didn’t matter her need was larger than her pride; her love for her daughter was greater than insult. He answered, “I came only to the lost sheep of Israel.” verse 24. Jesus tells her that he is here only to help certain people. For the third time she does not give up. The women came and knelt before him. Lord, help me! verse 25. And now what does Jesus do? He calls her a dog. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” verse 26. Was she hurt, was she crushed? No, she only knew the need of her daughter and she knew that Jesus was the only one who could help her. Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him. Job 13: 15. Her answer to Jesus seems even to have surprised him. Yes, Lord,” but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” verse 27. Then Jesus answered, “ Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” verse 28.
One of the great difficulties for us when we read this passage of scripture is that it seems so unlike Jesus. We can’t believe he could act in such a way, that he would respond in such a rude manner to this poor needy woman. Sometimes though Jesus would act much like an actor on stage to bring out the best in people. After the resurrection on the road to Emmaus Jesus acted like he was traveling further than the two disciples so that they would invite him to stay with them for the evening. Luke 24: 28-29. Jesus acted to bring out the best in this Canaanite woman so we could learn from her.
Is our need for Jesus greater than our pride? No matter how good the church there are always some in it who will ignore you. There are always people in it who are condescending because you’re not the right type of person, you don’t wear the right clothes, you’re not in management, or you don’t golf. Some of these people may even be in positions of leadership. But you must have fellowship, don’t let a few people keep you from experiencing all that God has for you. You can’t go it alone. Don’t let your pride keep you from your needs being healed. And her daughter was healed from that very hour. verse 28.

Unchanging Gracious Loving God

Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13: 8. Since God is the same today as He has always been, God’s character in the Old Testament should match that of the New Testament. It seems that the difference between the Old and New Testaments is one of perspective. The Old focuses more on Israel and God’s dealing with the nations on Israel’s behalf. God protects Israel, from whom will come salvation for all nations and all men, Jesus Christ. The New Testament focuses on Christ life, death, and resurrection. It tells of the spread of the Gospel, the good news, the church. It is concerned with only one kingdom, the Kingdom of God.In the Old Testament the relationships between God and the individuals who trust in Him are lovely. In the book of Genesis, I like the passages where God takes care of women who are in bad situations by no fault of their own. I love the verbs attributed to God. Sarah’s pregnant maidservant, Hagar, runs away. Sarah has become jealous and abusive because of the pregnancy. God is so gracious. In chapter 16 scripture states that God found Hagar, God heard Hagar, God answered Hagar. The Angel of God appeared to Hagar. God’s grace was so great that it gave Hagar strength to do what God wanted her to do, go back and put up with the abuse. Hagar was so amazed that she calls God the “God who sees me!” God was also gracious to Sarah for He fulfilled His promise to her and she in her old age became pregnant with Isaac.Leah and Rachel were sisters married to the same man because of the deceit of their father. Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Scripture states in chapter 29 that God realized Leah was unloved. God opened her womb. God saw her misery. God heard her prayers. God gave her sons. God is so compassionate, He didn’t stop there. In this rivalry both sides felt hurt, both sides felt pain. God was gracious to both. Rachel also had children from her maidservant and then herself. Rachel says of God, “He took my side, He vindicated me, He listened to me, He gave me a son, He remembered me, He rewarded me.” The God of the Old is the God of the New, the same love and the same gracious acts.So Jacob sent word for Rachel and Leah to meet him out in the field where his flocks were. He said, “I notice that your father has changed toward me; he doesn’t treat me the same as before. But the God of my father hasn’t changed; He’s still with me.Genesis 31: 4-5

Thats My King!

Character Trait

There is a character trait that God likes, hard work. Not just hard work but hard work for the stranger, for the alien. Please do not confuse busyness and work. Busyness clutters life and makes it unenjoyable. Work brings joy and a sense of accomplishment(I cant believe I just wrote that) especially when done for God. The young girl Rebekah was asked by Abraham’s servant for a drink of water, a very easy task, but she also watered his 10 camels. They were large pack camels and had just completed a long journey. One camel can drink up to 20 gallons of water!This task must have taken a tremendous amount of labor. All the while the servant sits and watches! Because of her kindness, because of her hospitality, because of the hard work for someone she did not know, she would be chosen to marry Isaac, Abraham’s son.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:46-48

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13:2

Abraham The Father Of The Faithful

Did this man know happiness? Probably now and again as when Ishmael and Isaac were born or as when God stayed his hand in the land of Moriah. But that was not what mattered. His destiny, his cross, if you like, was to show faith, to lift himself time after time from the floor of disappointment and despair and return to the fight of life, to hear the tremendous promises and yet be content with the flimsiest of fulfillments before he died, to follow desperately God’s retreating shadow because he knew there was nothing else worth following, to lay down his pilgrim’s staff while still in the valley of deep darkness, seeing only the faintest rays of the suns rising on the distant hills. What an example is there for us whose faith is fitful and fleeting and cold and selfish, hardly deserving the name.

John C. L. Gibson The Daily Study Bible Series, Genesis. Westminster Press.


And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:5-6

Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for yourself, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. Genesis 15:13-15

So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? John 6: 67-68

Get Through It

Noah got through a cataclysmic flood. All who entered the ark came out alive at the other end of that cataclysmic event. They entered the ark and "the Lord shut them in." Noah and family did not get through it unscathed. Think of the years of ridicule he went through while building the ark. Think of all the friends and family that Noah and his family lost due to the flood. Think of the devastation of the land after the waters departed. They had to start all over again.



Today we are going through what seems like cataclysmic times, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, crime, recession, depression etc. etc. etc. Let God help you get through it. Let God help you endure. Let God help you start all over again. Let God share in your burdens. Go to Christ. Start that relationship with him on a daily basis. Pray, read and meditate on the scriptures and he will speak.



"These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood. In other words, life continues, they got through it, and so shall we.



Genesis 7:16

Genesis 10:1