Sunday School Lesson for December 30, 2012: Christ’s Love for the Church (Ephesians 5:15–6:9)

1 Samuel 1:13

Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk



1 Samuel 1:14

and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”



1 Samuel 1:15

“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD.



Isaiah 28:7

And these also stagger from wine and reel from beer: Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions



Ephesians 5:18

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,



Accept no substitutes. Before Christ, many of us indulged in any number of carnal pleasures in search of a spiritual experience. We were tempted to drunkenness, debauchery, ultimately disaster by the allure of a transcendent experience that would, somehow allow us to escape the bounds of our physical limitations to ascend to some otherworldly existence, if but only for a moment. The verse above, Isaiah 28:7, seems to indicate that that the prophets and priests of ancient Israel were not above imbibing in strong drink as a way to get into the spirit (small ‘s’). In the early church, Paul is warning the new believers at Ephesus not to succumb to the temptation of a temporary ‘high’, but rather, to be filled with the Spirit of God, a prolonged experience with and in the very Presence of God, accessible through the shed blood of Christ Jesus.



Ephesians 1:13

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,



And now that you’ve been filled, stay filled… with worship…



Ephesians 5:19

speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,



God’s idea of a deep, continual spiritual experience:



Ephesians 5:21

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.



A life of submission is spiritual.



Ephesians 5:22

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.



1 Peter 3:1

Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,



Ladies first. Why?



Proverbs 31:30

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.



If there is a reason to draw attention to yourself, should not that reason be godliness? New clothes, fancy outfits, make up, hair, you name it.. nothing more beautifully adorns a woman than the Spirit of God. Partnered with a Godly man, she becomes, in most cases, the ‘better half’ of a real power couple. The first example of covenant on the earth was the marriage covenant. Where is there a more powerful agreement than between a husband and wife who are on one accord.



Ephesians 5:25

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her



Colossians 3:19

Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.



1 Peter 3:7

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.



If the goal is spirituality, how many of us ‘really spiritual men’ are praying regularly with our wives? Do we recognize that that they are co-heirs with us of the Grace of God? While scripture teaches that there are none given in marriage in Heaven, Peter (above) implies that a husband and wife share in the eternal inheritance in Glory. What does that look like? Fellas, love your wives as Christ loves the church and gave Himself for her. If we are blessed with a wife (I am), love her (I do). The Bible tells me that Christ saw me (and you, us) and the thought of us being joined with Him as the Church brought Him joy as He endured the suffering and shame of the cross. Husbands, love your wives like that.



Colossians 3:20

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.



Is this even possible? :)  As a dad, I must believe that it is and I must repeat it over and over, oftentimes to myself. :) The responsibility is mine’s to train them for obedience to their mother and me first, then to the Lord. After all, the whole point of godly marriages is to produce godly offspring unto the Lord. Did you know that?



Malachi 2:13-15

13 Another thing you do: You flood the LORD’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. 14 You ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.

15 Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring.[a] So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.

“Be fruitful and multiply”, He commanded them. God seeks to populate the heavens and the earth with godly people. That will be accomplished through the preaching of the Gospel and through the raising of godly children. He desires to expand and mature his Church from generation to generation. With families as the active units within a church, children have a great inheritance awaiting them if their parents will persevere..

Joel 2:28

[ The Day of the LORD ] “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy

Let me close with this: Our kids have work to do. Kingdom work. God intends that blessings flow from generation to generation, that within the inheritance apportioned to you and your wife, that it would be increased as it abounds to your children and grandchildren.

Be encouraged. God is not finished with us yet. Blessings!

.wb

Sunday School Lesson for December 23, 2012: Alive in the Light of Christ (John 1:1-14; Ephesians 4:17–5:14)

Proverbs 8:27

I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,



Genesis 1:1

[ The Beginning ] In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.



Genesis 1:3

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.





Merry Christmas! We celebrate the birth of Jesus this week, but are reminded in the first segment of this week’s lesson that, before the beginning, He is, and that the day that we celebrate as his ‘birthday’ was, in fact, the day that God launched His plan on earth, in earth in the person of His Son for our redemption. And so we rejoice. We rejoice in the understanding that God saw fit to love the unlovable, to free us from the bondage of sin and cleanse us in his marvelous light. Our hearts sing with joy as we are reminded of the great burdens that have been removed from us by the appearing of His Son. We have been given life eternal, and more than that, we’ve been given a place in which to live it (a new Heaven and a new Earth) and a family (the Church) with whom to share it. More so, our eyes have been opened. We were once blind and could not see. We’ve been given the precious gift of being able to behold Him; Jesus, full of Grace and Truth. More beautiful, more magnificent, more lovely than anything imaginable. Jesus. It is of no wonder that we that we are in awe of Him, that the very thought of Him sometimes takes our breath away. His name is Marvelous, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Savior! The very thought of Him brings joy! Let us be reminded that, while every day is cause for celebration in the life of Christians, Jesus is the reason for this Season!





Psalm 56:13

For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.



Psalm 89:15

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD.



1 Thessalonians 5:5

You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.





In the second part of this week’s lesson, we return to Ephesians, where Paul exhorts us to succumb to righteousness, to give in to Life. To shun the works of evil and live a life of self-control, peace and love in Christ, Jesus. Be encouraged beloved. It is a process. A process that will continue for as long as we abide here on earth. The beauty of our predicament is that Christ is with us. Every moment of every hour, we are not forsaken. Our hope is not in our ability to overcome by ourselves, but rather, our ability to overcome through Christ. Please read the passages below from Ephesians 4 and 5. Paul, “the prisoner of the Lord”, pleads with us to remember what we believe, to practice what we preach and to be ever mindful of whose we are and whom we serve. We are the children of God. We demonstrate that in our behavior before Him and our love towards others. Walk in the light. Celebrate the abundant life He has imparted to you by putting that life on display: a life full of truth, righteousness and godliness. Hate sin, reject darkness, stand for righteousness. Love one another. Live a life of humility before God and man. And….enjoy the journey.





Blessings and Peace be upon you as we celebrate our Savior, Jesus Christ this Christmas!



.wb

Sunday School Lesson for December 16, 2012: Part of One Body in Christ (Ephesians 4:1-16)

Psalm 133:1


How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!



2 Chronicles 30:12

Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the LORD.



Colossians 3:14

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.



I’ve been absent from this space for some time. Please bear with me as I feel my way through. As I write this this week, the nation is gripped in sadness over the death of some twenty seven people, most of whom are children, in the state of Connecticut. Please remember these families in your prayers. In what should be the most joyous time of the year for most of us, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, so often turns into a time of loneness, despair and hopelessness for so many who are overwhelmed by the pressure of day to day life. Both within the Church and without, there are people whose burdens are great. I would point all of us to Christ, who never allows a burden greater than we can bear. The beauty of the celebration surrounding this season is that it allows us to re-calibrate, to re-focus our hearts toward our Lord, to find a place of quietness and comfort in Christ.

In that vein, let us turn our attention to this week’s lesson. Please note that Paul is writing to us from prison. Even so, he regards himself as “a prisoner for the Lord”. Paul encouraged his readers from a place of desperation. Being a Christian in Ephesus in Paul’s day, would not have been an easy task. Ephesus was a place full of ‘spiritual wickedness in high places’. Idolatry was prevalent, as was corruption and greed. Believers were challenged on every hand to compromise their beliefs in order to ‘get along’. It was important to Paul to encourage the believers in Ephesus to bond together in unity and to understand that they were one in and with the Lord of all creation, Jesus Christ. His opening plea for unity points out that there is the strength of their bond was that they are literally part of one Church, one Hope, one Baptism, one faith, one Spirit, one Father; God and one Lord; Jesus. If God is with you, who can be against you? I’m reminded of Elijah asking God to reveal his ‘Host’ to his servant.

2 Kings 6:17

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.



Beloved, it is no small affair to be part of the driving force of all creation. You are never alone. You are never abandoned.

Paul goes on to reveal God’s purpose for us, that we become mature believers, not tossed to and fro by every challenge that comes our way. I won’t spend much more time here except to say this: a mature body of believers is a body that is poised to deliver the redemptive power of the Gospel to a starving world in Love. Jesus ascended into Heaven, but he left us here. He left us here, with His Holy Spirit in order to minister to the lost, the hopeless, the despair-ate (desperate). Let’s get to work.



Selah,

.wb

Sunday School Lesson for August 5, 2012: Praise for God’s Justice (Psalm 146; Exodus 21–23; Isaiah 58)

Psalm 146:6 (The Message)
Instead, get help from the God of Jacob, put your hope in God and know real blessing!





Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.





Psalm 121:1
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.







        All of mankind benefits from His marvelous benevolence. Those of us called to the Truth have the added benefit of knowing Him from whom our help comes. This Psalm asks us to broaden our experience, to look around us and see who else looks to him for help, sustenance, hope. He causes it to rain on the just; you and I. He also brings the same life giving rain on the unjust; the ‘thems’. Oftentimes, we are closed off to the ‘thems’. We don’t ‘see’ them among us. We overlook ‘them’. There are in our blind spot. They live amongst us, but they don’t often worship with us, therefore we don’t consider them to be part of our ‘family’.





Psalm 146:7
He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free,





Psalm 9:9
The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.





Psalm 103:6
The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.





        But God see them. He sees them and He loves them. I want you to know… that God fights for the weak. He hears and responds to the cry of the poor. In quiet and sometimes not so quiet desperation, they cry out to Him… and He hears. I want you to know… that God yearns for the fatherless, the widow, the outcast, the down trodden.





Psalm 146:8
the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.





Psalm 145:14
The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.





        There are a couple of reasons people find themselves ‘bowed down’. One is voluntary; an act of submission and worship, something we can all use more ofJ. The other is involuntary and comes as a result of the circumstances that life brings our way. There are many who are bowed down among us. They silently bear the pains and burdens of a life gone awry. They are bowed by the weight of the world (figuratively) on their shoulders. God sees them, He sees all that are bowed down and He cares. Whether it is a ‘Mephibosheth’; who was afflicted from his youth, or a ‘Ruth’; a stranger in a strange land, there is room at the King’s table for the least among us.





Luke 4:18
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,



Mark 16:15
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.





        The beauty of what we do is that;’ they’re right here’. There are people among us who need help. Open your hearts, open your minds. Pay attention to your surroundings. Listen to the stories of despair that are around you. There’s something you can do. You’ve been empowered, but for what cause? That cause is before you Beloved. It’s His cause: the plight of the poor, the weak, the hungry. May we (me included) remove the blinders from eyes and see who God sees among us and, in agreement with Him, roll up our sleeves and reach out a helping hand to those who need it. Most of the time, they are just an arms length away.





Shalom,



.wb

Sunday School Lesson for July 29, 2012: Jehoshaphat Makes Judicial Reforms (2 Chronicles 19:4-11)

2 Chronicles 17:3
The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals





2 Kings 3:14
Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you.





2 Chronicles 19:3
There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God.”







            A bit of a preamble: Jehoshaphat was not a perfect man, but he was a godly man; a man who sought after God, as did his father, David (not his actual father, but his spiritual father, in that he followed David’s example in worship). While he was a godly man, he sometimes made the mistake of aligning himself with people of questionable character. After one such occasion, one in which he nearly lost his life, he returned to Jerusalem, and began the reforms that we read about in today’s lesson.







2 Chronicles 19:5
He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.





Ephesians 4:11
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,





        The first impression that I draw from today’s lesson is that Jehoshaphat’s actions to institute spiritual reform in the land of Judah bear a marked resemblance to the way that God establishes order in His Church. Jehoshaphat appointed judges to rule righteously among the people of God. They were to judge not according to reasoning of men, but according to the reverent fear of God. In similar fashion, Christ elevates men and women who have a heart for Him to offices within His Church to provide governance within as it reaches out to the community.





2 Chronicles 19:7
Now let the fear of the LORD be on you. Judge carefully, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”





Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.







        Those men and women appointed by God are given divine insight from God. They are not called to be perfect, but rather to be pure of heart: to have a heart that is searchable, sensitive to the penetrating gaze of our loving Father, who sees everything. Jehoshaphat instructed the men of Judah to keep in mind that when they administered justice, it was not by man’s authority that they did so, but by God’s. It was not a responsibility to be taken lightly. After all, these were the people of God for whom they were responsible.

        Beloved, there are no perfect churches. The people who govern the churches in our various communities are but servants. Thorough the preaching of the Gospel, they offer hope to the lost, a light to those who seek a way out of darkness. As those who come to hear are changed, these servants of God offer sustenance; the very Bread of Life, through the same preaching and teaching of God’s word. They teach us to practically apply God’s principles for living to our daily existence, thus inviting God’s Presence and favor in to our lives personally. They do this, not necessarily by being great leaders, though we oftentimes admire them and emulate them for their perceived leadership abilities. They best accomplish God’s purposes by following Him, by continually and faithfully pursuing the heart and desire of our Father.







1 Corinthians 11:1
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.





1 Timothy 4:6
If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.







        Jehoshaphat brought reform to the land of Judah and, in doing so, he brought revival to the hearts of its inhabitants; God’s people. We too, can individually have a restorative influence on our community at large. Be a light, a mirror of God’s influence in your church, in your home, on your job, in the community you live in. The revival that we long for may be on the very tip of your tongue. God’s Rest awaits us. Be encouraged.





Blessings,



.wb    

Sunday School Lesson for July 22, 2012: A King Acts on a Widow’s Behalf (2 Kings 4:1-37; 8:1-6)

  My dad used to tell me, “Son, if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” “Do something! Right or wrong, be decisive.” “Don’t be a stand up in the road.” Over these last several weeks, I’ve been having something of an epiphany concerning the subject of God’s Justice. This week’s lesson certainly furthers that experience for me personally. It personalizes the concept for me in this manner. There are, all around us, people who, in these uncertain economic times, are facing dire circumstances. Individually, we can all do something to help. We can get involved. Every little bit helps. Don’t just be bystanders. Get in the game.. personally.

        Additionally, we are called on to act collectively on the behalf of the weakest among us. Time and time again, we hear a gospel that tells us that with faith and obedience, we’ll prosper.. individually. I submit to you that, according to what we’ve read over that last few weeks, we have a societal responsibility, a national responsibility to see to the needs of those among us who are the most afflicted, weak or disparate among us. OK! Off the soap box and onto the lesson.







2 Kings 4:9
She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God.





2 Kings 4:16
“About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.”





2 Kings 4:36
Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.”



       

        A little background: Elisha and this un-named woman from Shumen had become friends. She and her husband were a well to do couple in Shumen. I’m not sure how she came to hear of Elisha, but she was taken by him. Drawn to his aura of faith and holiness. So much so, that she petitioned her husband to build a small guest room onto their house for Elisha to stay in whenever he was in the area. Elisha took advantage of the open invitation often. Whenever he was in the area, he stopped by for a meal and fellowship. Over the process of time, this woman received two very significant miracles. She was barren, and Elisha prayed for her to bear a son. That same son died sometime later, and Elisha resurrected him. Trust me when I tell you that whenever Elisha spoke, this woman was listening.





  2 Kings 8:1
Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the LORD has decreed a famine in the land that will last seven years.”



       

        Hard times. Sooner or later everyone is touched by them. This woman left a life of prosperity at the word of the prophet of God. That had to be a tough decision, but she had known Elisha for quite sometime and she trusted him. A ‘Word’ from the Lord does not distress, it soothes. It brings peace. She packed up and left for Palestine.







2 Kings 8:3
At the end of the seven years she came back from the land of the Philistines and went to appeal to the king for her house and land.





Leviticus 25:13
“‘In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to their own property.





        The first thought that comes to mind is, “What gives her the right to ….???” Remember Beloved, we are studying the topic of God’s Justice. God established the principles of Sabbath and Jubilee to guide the consciousness of a nation. When we allow the same principles to guide our hearts we can see perfectly that it was this woman’s right to return to the land of her ancestors and make an appeal for the return of her property. The beauty of this story is that this woman left in faith and returned in faith.





Romans 10:14
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?





Matthew 18:20
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”





2 Kings 8:4
The king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, and had said, “Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done.”





        Gehazi was called into the king’s presence to….. preach. The Lord, God knew this woman was coming. It was time for Him to set the environment. Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, who was the servant of the Lord stood before the king and told him of all of the wonders wrought by the ministry of Elisha. Where God’s Word is, God’s Presence will be. Where God’s Presence is, there will be power.





2 Kings 8:5
… “This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.”  





Acts 17:26
From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.







        Many believers believe that nothing happens by accident. They also don’t believe in ‘chance’ or ‘fate’, which are really references to the worship of false gods in times past. While these terms are used commonly in our culture, they should not govern our consciousness. The bible tells us time and time again that God providentially guides all of the affairs of man. Particular those men and women who are called by His name.







2 Kings 8:6
The king asked the woman about it, and she told him. Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, “Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.”







        Upon meeting this woman spoken of by Gehazi, the king returned all of her property to her and remarkably all of the profits that the land wielded during her absence. This is the ‘exceedingly, abundantly” way of the blessing of the Lord. As I stated before, she left in faith and she returned in faith. She had no reason to believe that God would not restore to her what was rightfully hers. She was in alignment with the Law of God and the Prophet of God. As believers, we too can reasonably expect that when we align ourselves with the Word of God, He will act on our behalf to our benefit.

        However, this verse is as much about king Joram as it is about the widow. Joram was the second son  of the evil king Ahab to ascend to the throne of Israel. The first son, Ahaziah was so evil that the Lord shortened his reign over Israel as well as his life. His parents, Ahab and Jezebel were possibly, the wickedest of rulers over Israel. While Joram was evil, he was not as evil as those of his family who preceded him. In this passage of scripture, while the king has not requested an audience with Elisha, he has requested that Gehazi appear before him to tell him of Elisha. Why? The reasons could be many. Elisha and Joram had a contentious relationship in the beginning of their ascension to leadership roles within the kingdom of Israel. Perhaps Joram sought a mending of the relationship, at least on a professional level. Maybe.

        Whatever the case, when Gehazi begins to preach, he sets the table for a miracle. Joram simply aligns himself with the Word of God. In doing so, for a few brief moments, he becomes a vessel for the sovereign will of God. Throughout scripture there are numerous examples corrupt leadership. In the gospel, Jesus’ primary antagonist were the leaders of Israel. What distinguishes Joram in this lesson is not his character or his virtue, but his willingness in this singular moment, to execute the law of God according to the will of God….just for a moment. Joram used the power of his throne and the authority that accompanied it to benefit the people of God in exactly the way God intended. There is an argument to be made, that government is allowed by God for God’s purposes. In this series of lessons, God’s law commanded that Israel’s government be just and merciful, especially toward the least of it’s citizens.





Amos 5:24 (The Message)
Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That's what I want. That's all I want.





Titus 3:1 (The Message)
[ He Put Our Lives Together ] Remind the people to respect the government and be law-abiding, always ready to lend a helping hand. No insults, no fights. God's people should be bighearted and courteous







Enjoy the lesson!



.wb

Sunday School Lesson for July 15, 2012: Solomon Judges with Wisdom and Justice (1 Kings 3; 2 Chronicles 9:8)

1 Timothy 4:12

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.











“The Boy King”







Solomon was eighteen to twenty years of age when he ascended to the throne as King of Israel. Basically, one day he’s graduating from high school and the next, he’s being thrust to the apex of national recognition. Nor did this transition come easily. There had been, quite literally a life and death struggle for the throne of David, a struggle between brothers. This was not an easy transition. But suddenly, Solomon finds himself the leader of God’s people.











1 Kings 3:9

So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”











Solomon prayed for and received wisdom from God, but careful attention to this passage demonstrates some amount of Godly wisdom on Solomon’s part to begin with. He prayed for wisdom. That, in and of itself was …wise. Beloved, how many of us make God our first resort rather than our last? Faced the enormity of leading God’s chosen people, Solomon sought the LORD, God Almighty for help. God heard Solomon and blessed him with Wisdom.











Isaiah 11:3

and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;











The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Young Solomon’s reverent fear of God positioned him in the stream of God’s consciousness. As long ha he maintained an attitude of personal reverence to the Lord, it would remain so. All of Israel was watching the boy king. Could he continue his father’s legacy? Could he lead so great a nation? The people of God watched and waited with anxious anticipation. The first major test of his mettle came early.











Job 16:19

Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high.











1 John 2:1

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.











Two young mothers, one child dead, one child remaining between them; theirs were the worst of circumstances. It’s easy and somewhat natural for us to make a number of assumptions about them; their character, their poor choices, bad decisions. Often times, when we encounter people from underbelly of society, our first impression is that they somehow deserved it; that they could have done better, been more responsible. As humans, we often rush to judgment. As Christians, we think of it as a right, a sacred duty to condemn those who are not like us (uh-oh). The beauty of this story is that these two women had an audience with the king. God causes it to rain on the just as well as the unjust. That tells me that God’s desire for mercy is beyond our ability to completely comprehend. The word that comes to mind is …. ‘Grace’. God extends his grace and mercy to all, regardless of their station in life. Ultimately, that’s why his judgment is pure. Hell was not made for man. Let us not be so quick in determining who among us belongs there.











Matthew 25:41

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:











2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.







--







1 Kings 3:23

The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’”











Two women heatedly arguing in the presence of the king. Mercy! The first test of Solomon’s leadership ability was right here. Could he maintain control of his court? Ever had to break up a fight? It can be a real act of courage to step in and take authority over a situation that is devolving or has devolved in to violence. Young Solomon breaks up the argument by interjecting himself into it. Rather forcefully.











1 Kings 3:24

Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king.











I can imagine that suddenly, both women are wondering if being before the king at this particular moment was the right place for them to be. The king, a sword; judgment could be swift and merciless. Solomon was in complete control at this point; all eyes on him. That is as it should be. There will come a day when we each stand before the judgment seat. Let us be reminded that in that moment, it won’t be about us. This won’t be our ‘moment’ on the big stage of eternity. It will be about Him, our Father God, who sits on that throne before which, we stand.











1 Corinthians 13:8

Love never fails…..











At the end of the day, love prevails. The difference between a godly king and an ungodly one is that, in all likelihood, there would have been an execution that day. The baby would have been killed, or maybe both women executed, or maybe just the women whose baby died. What is of note at the end of this story is what is missing. If justice prevailed and the baby was returned to his rightful mother, what was the fate of the other mother? After all, didn’t she somehow deserve punishment? Beloved, we’ll never know. Not in this life. That’s a good thing. Ultimately, the take away for this story is that where there is godly wisdom, all peoples benefit, regardless of their station in life. Solomon’s wisdom established God’s righteousness for a nation. True justice; God’s justice will always contain elements of compassion and mercy, even towards the most unworthy among us (Oh! That’s me! Oh my! Thank God for Jesus!). Beloved, there is room at the Cross for you.











Enjoy the lesson!!







.wb

Sunday School Lesson for July 8, 2012: David Embodies God’s Justice (2 Samuel 23:7; 1 Chronicles 18:14)

Exodus 15:11

Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?











2 Samuel 23:1

[ David’s Last Words ] These are the last words of David: “The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse, the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, the hero of Israel’s songs:











2 Samuel 23:2

God's Spirit spoke through me, his words took shape on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke to me, Israel's Rock-Mountain said, "Whoever governs fairly and well, who rules in the Fear-of-God, Is like first light at daybreak without a cloud in the sky, Like green grass carpeting earth, glistening under fresh rain." And this is just how my regime has been, for God guaranteed his covenant with me











Acts 13:22

…. he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’











Exactly how did David embody God’s justice or rather God’s just-ness? He simply acted with a reverent fear of God, nothing more. He was not a perfect man, far from it. Time and time again, we read of his failures, his miss-steps and his lapses in judgment. But along with that we also know that David was a man after God’s heart. What does that mean? The meaning could be two fold really: a) one who has a heart like God’s or, b) one who seeks God’s heart.



A heart like God’s heart, what might that look like? In that we have God’s Word, the Bible available to us, you would think that God’s heart would be easily found out. That’s not necessarily the case. The number of interpretations about the will or intent of God are as numerous as the number of kinds of churches that have existed since the Cross. Factor in the number of different sects of Judaism that grew out of the Hebrew people and you can certainly conclude that no one group or ‘church’ has all the answers. That is as it should be. There is only one Jesus. If any one group or denomination or person laid claim to all divine knowledge what else might they lay claim to?



But a heart is a unique in that each of us has one. Only one. In that God is not a respecter of persons; each heart is individually fashioned to be conformed to the likeness of the heart of its Creator, God. How does that play itself out in real life? There are a couple of ways that come to mind. The first or most significant way is through the ‘born again’ experience. Regardless of darkness of your past or the hopelessness of your present, if you give your heart to Christ, He will change it. Let there be no doubt. Jesus is a ‘heart fixer’ and a ‘mind regulator’. The other way that God conforms a heart is through heritage. This is how David came to know God.











1 Samuel 16:18

One of the young men spoke up, "I know someone. I've seen him myself: the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, an excellent musician. He's also courageous, of age, well-spoken, and good-looking. And God is with him."











The Bible doesn’t say much about Jesse, the father of David, except that he was the father of David! We know that Boaz and Ruth were the great grand parents of David, but in all likelihood, David never met them. Obed, David’s grandfather, has no prominent mention in scripture. We don’t know much about Jesse and nothing of his wife, but we can surmise a little about Jesse from what we know about David. David was a shepherd, a musician, a young man of courage and character. And he was a worshiper of God. All of this happened in the household and under the tutelage of … Jesse. David learned godliness at home. David learned God consciousness (there is a difference) at home. David’s relationship with God started in the house of Jesse. He learned to hear God at home. He learned to trust God at home. He learned to pursue God at home. Am I belaboring the point? Children learn by example. Their first examples come from home. In a home where there God fearing parents, the hearts of the children are ripe for purpose of God to be sown into them.











Malachi 2:15

… God, not you, made marriage. His Spirit inhabits even the smallest details of marriage. And what does he want from marriage? Children of God, that's what. So guard the spirit of marriage within you. Don't cheat on your spouse.











David exemplifies the second case as well; one who seeks after the heart of God. Somewhere, somehow, David had gotten God’s attention. They, God and David, were in a developing relationship. How, where, when, why? I don’t know, but somewhere along the line, God acknowledged and honored David’s worship and pursuit by speaking clearly to him. Two or three people come to mind when speaking of this kind of relationship with God: Abraham - the father of faith, Jacob / Israel – who became wrestled with God and prevailed and Moses – the Deliverer of God’s people. David followed the example of these great men of God in his pursuit of God, in his desire for intimacy with God. There’s hope for you and I beloved. The same kind of intimacy that David shared with God is available for the believer that will pursue Him. Not only is that intimacy available to the believer (you and I), but God desires that very same intimacy with us, with you.











Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.











Allow to close with this final thought: by the end of his life, we all find some stuff out about David that we might not like to have known. His shortcomings were and are eternally recorded in Scripture. What then set David apart as a just ruler of God’s people? At the end of the day it comes down to a couple of things: He set an example for the people of God of a purity of worship, worship from the heart. When you read the psalms attributed to him, you get it. Everyone does. David laid a path in Psalms that is easy to follow. Secondly, he said what God told him to say and did what God directed him to do (mostly). The ‘saying’ is important. Out the heart, the moth speaks. Out of the heart are the issues of life. David ‘Blessed’ the people God put under his rule. He blessed them with the Word. You and I have that same opportunity. Not only may we bless one another with our words, but we offer hope to the lost, the hurt, the down trodden, through the preaching of the Gospel; God’s Holy Word. Speak the Word beloved, in season and out. Let you’re your words be seasoned with grace. Let your heart be conformed to the likeness of your Father, God’s heart and you will do well.











Selah,







.wb















2 Samuel 23:2

God's Spirit spoke through me, his words took shape on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke to me, Israel's Rock-Mountain said, "Whoever governs fairly and well, who rules in the Fear-of-God, Is like first light at daybreak without a cloud in the sky, Like green grass carpeting earth, glistening under fresh rain." And this is just how my regime has been, for God guaranteed his covenant with me

Sunday School Lesson for April 1, 2012: Jesus Testifies to the Truth (John 18:28-38)

Wayne’s two cents worth







Deuteronomy 21:22-23
[ Various Laws ] If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole, 23 you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse.





           

            As far as they were concerned, He was a threat. He was a serious threat. Just a few short days earlier, thousands had followed Him into Jerusalem, declaring His majesty, rejoicing in His triumphal entry. Each day He remained, He remained a threat to their ‘religious system’, their livelihood. He had to be dealt with…permanently. But why crucify Him? Why not just stone Him? After all, they were accusing Him of blasphemy, were they not? There was no graver sin against God. What they were accusing Him of was the pinnacle rebellion. Worthy of death, why not simply stone Him, as they intended to stone the woman caught in adultery.

        In their minds, stoning was sufficient. It would only accomplish their immediate purpose; ridding themselves of Jesus, but what of His followers? There were thousands of them, from near and far. Many had come from great distances to see Jesus. No, stoning wouldn’t stop a movement, but crucifixion would. It was imperative that they not only stop Him, but that they stop; absolutely stop the movement that He began. Crucifixion served that purpose. According to Scripture, anyone hung on a pole was accursed of God. Surely if He were crucified, it would demonstrate that God of Heaven had deemed Him accursed. That would destroy the movement. His followers would have to resign themselves to their authority, lest they too fall under the ‘curse’ of God.





Galatians 3:13
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” 





            We can rejoice in the fact that ‘God is in control’. No matter how dire the circumstances, God is in control. Truly Jesus was hung on a cross, and in so doing, became accursed….for us. By allowing Himself to endure the shame of the cross, he redeemed us from sin and took away our shame. That was God’s intent all along: to make a way where there was none. On this dark evening in Pilate’s courtyard, the die was cast in Eternity. In spite of the lies, the scheming, the manipulation, God’s will was about to be accomplished. That’s good news beloved. If God be for you, who can be against you? This may sound odd, but Jesus left Pilate’s courtyard that evening in victory. From this meeting, He was on a direct path to the cross and to the joy that His Father had set before him before the beginning of time. 





John 18:33
Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”





        Surely Pilate was familiar with the Jewish prophecies concerning a ‘Messiah’. He had to be. It was his job. So tonight it was his job to determine whether or not Jesus presented a threat to his authority and to Rome’s. Was he the king of the Jews? It’s interesting that after a brief exchange of words with Christ, Pilate exclaims that indeed; Jesus is a king. That’s remarkable. What ever there is about Jesus’ bearing and demeanor, Pilate recognizes him as someone of authority, much as the centurion had (Matt. 8). In one brief moment Pilate acknowledges Jesus as a King, a ruler and he takes Christ at his word that he has no intent of overthrowing roman governance.. I would argue that what Pilate beheld in Christ was absolute Purity; purity of character, heart and purpose. Pilate found himself standing in the presence of someone who was at perfect peace, or rather, someone who exemplified the very meaning of peace. Peace. It’s why Jesus’ next words are so important:





John 18:37b
... Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”





        This is where the rubber met the road…for Pilate. Each of us experiences a certain truth based on our circumstances and understanding. Pilate’s truth was different from the Pharisee’s truth, which was different from the truth of the common Jewish citizen of that day. There is Truth that is higher that any other. Jesus is that Truth. To know Him as Savior is to know no greater Love. To acknowledge Him as Lord is to know no greater Truth. Pilate suddenly found himself questioning his own understanding truth. That’s how it works for everyone to whom the Holy Spirit presents the Gospel; the Truth. As it turns out, the words trust, true, and truth are related and they are related… related to the word …. Faith. When you find something to be true, you put your faith in it, you trust it. When challenged by a greater truth, you must exchange the truth you previously trusted for that which is greater. The alternative is to settle for something less than the greater truth you’ve been offered. Beloved, in Christ we are presented with ultimate Truth, are you willing to forego all that you’ve know before to accept what He offers? Paul’s words below perfectly express how we ought to choose. Selah: (Pause, think, meditate on this!)





.wb





Philippians 3:8
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,





Philippians 3:12
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Sunday School Lesson for March 25, 2012: Nicodemus Learns of New Birth (John 3:1-25; Numbers 21:4-9)

A word to my friends: You’ve all been a great encouragement to me during this dry spell. My pen dried up for a minute. No one to blame but myself. Time to get back to my first love. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement. I can see Jesus in you.


 John 3:13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.


 John 3:15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”


 John 3:19a This is the verdict: Light has come into the world..


While there are many great lessons in the Gospel of John and several significant truths in this third chapter, the intent of writers of this set of Sunday School lessons is to introduce you and to have you focus on the person of Jesus. Who is He? Where did He come from? What is His purpose? What uniquely qualifies Him for this purpose? In essence, the focus is not on the full message of the Gospel, but rather the most significant message of the Gospel. To quote the old hymn, “Everybody ought to know… who Jesus is”. The beauty of this passage is that Jesus declares Himself to Nicodemus and to us. He provides the record. According to His Word, He came from Heaven. That was different. Many before Him declared that they were called by God, but Jesus declared that He came from God. That He is God, literally One with God. The truth is: only He can make that claim. If you’re going to get to know Him, you’re going to have to get to know Him as God, not anyone else. Very God is how theologians have defined Him. Messiah was the expectation, nothing less. He is the Desire of the ages. Careful study and interpretation of the Scriptures, strict adherence to the traditions of old planted and nurtured within the culture of the Jews an unquenchable Hope for One who would deliver them. He had been typified in their history by the great patriarchs and heroes of their past, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Samson, and on and on. The people of Israel were clearly awaiting His appearance.

With His words and the miracles that He performed, He filled the requirement. They marveled at His words; He spoke as one in authority. They knew His earthly heritage, but His wisdom was greater than any they had ever encountered. There where never any questions from Him, except rhetorical ones. Never did he utter any doubt. He knew whereof He spoke. It was evident. That authority extended into the unseen realm, where even the devils trembled at the sound of His voice.

As far as the miracles were concerned, never had the miraculous come so close, become so personal. He opened blind eyes, He healed the lame, the sick.. He personally fed thousands. These were all miracles of deliverance. Miracles from a Savior; a personal Savior. A savior who can know you so intimately that He can then minister to you personally, individually. With the ability to speak to your deepest need, He is able to save you, to change you, to redeem you personally…to the uttermost. The beauty of the gift that Jesus offers is that He’ll save you from destruction, then change you at your very core, so as to present you spotless and perfect before His Father in eternity. Isn’t that good news?

The conclusion of the matter is clear: Jesus is the Light of all creation, the express image of the Father throughout. That great Light, from which all things were created, has come to us to heal. We are only required to believe. Have faith Beloved. God has not left us alone. Messiah has come. He told us so …Himself.


 Shalom, .


wb


John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Sunday School Lesson for March 18, 2012: Water Turned to Wine (John 2:1-12)

John 2:4
Jesus saith to her, `What -- to me and to thee, woman? Not yet is mine hour come.'







Genesis 23:15
“Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”







“On the third day” – John 2:1. I could write a volume about all of the truth that I see in this lesson. Time doesn’t allow it in this venue. Another time perhaps. Allow me to focus my attention primarily to the interaction between Jesus and His mother, Mary. John 2:4 is a difficult passage to comprehend. What’s really going on there? First of all, a couple of observations: (1) Would Jesus rebuke or disrespect His mother in any way? Short answer: no. (2) What are the circumstances surrounding this exchange between Jesus and Mary? Jesus and His disciples are guests at a wedding in Cana. This was probably a family affair of some kind, possibly a near relative of Jesus was either the bride or groom. Mary was obviously acting as one in authority in this event. Had she assisted a brother, sister or cousin in the planning and carrying out of the marriage ceremony of one of their children? Probably something like that. If so, this was an important event to Mary. She had a strong desire to see the ceremony ‘go off without a hitch”. Isn’t that just like a mother? Yes. So, at a point when the ceremony isn’t nearly over, it comes to Mary’s attention that the wine is gone. There is no more. For the mothers who were hosting this event, this could have been quite embarrassing, for the family as well as for the young bride and groom. It is with this backdrop that Mary approaches her son, Jesus.

There’s an air of urgency in her statement, “They have no more wine.” Can’t you feel it? This is important to her. No eternal consequences here, just the concern of a mother, someone who has children of her own and can empathize on the deepest level with the family of the groom. Jesus will encounter people throughout His ministry who have a personal need that seems almost inconsequential in the eternal scheme of things but, in the moment, seemed overwhelming to the person with whom He was dealing. Here comes the good part. Listen to Jesus’ response. I’m going to carefully paraphrase Jesus’ words, so as to bring His heart into focus. Listen:… , “Dear woman, what is that between you and I?”, or, “Dear woman, such a small request. What is that between me and thee?”, or maybe, “Dear woman, why wouldn’t I? Such a small thing between us.” Did you catch it? Jesus is more than happy to honor such a small request from His mother. Wouldn’t you be? This speaks to the relationship that Jesus had with His mom. Beloved, because of what Jesus did at the cross, we do not approach the throne of our Father, God as strangers but, as children. We literally come before the throne with a blood tie to the King of Glory. As a teenager, I got my first job at a chemical company where my dad had worked for a number of years and where he still maintained many vital relationships. How many of you have had a similar experience?

“My hour has not yet come.” Jesus made statements like this often, mostly referring to the fact that the cross was the big, upcoming event in His future. How does that apply here? I think Jesus is simply telling Mary, “OK mom, but I don’t want to draw a lot of attention to myself.” or, “ I don’t want to make a big deal out of this.”

Why this interpretation? For me this offers a good bit of insight into the heart of the Lord. When we hear “Jesus loves you”, we can take that personally. Jesus loves us and cares about us. He cares about our ‘care abouts’. That’s why we can go to Him in prayer about our children, our money, our health, and our circumstances. None of these things have ‘eternal’ consequences, but scripture teaches us, that when we line our lives up according to His precepts (His Word), He will give us the desires of our heart Relationship. When a toddler comes to mom or dad, they come with arms waving above their head. The arm waving helps them to stay balanced as they waddle toward their parent. The arms up and waving also indicate that the child his coming to the parent with expectation. They are coming with the expectation that that the parent will lift them up and take them into their arms and bring them up close where they and give and receive one of those ‘big slobbery kisses’. You know the ones I’m talking about? Relationship. Faith works by Love. Of course you can come to Jesus, arms waving high above your head, as you try to maintain your balance. I can see Peter, walking on water, half believing what’s transpiring all around him in that moment. What does water feel like beneath your feet? About the closest thing I could compare it to would be walking on a waterbed. Wouldn’t that cause a little arm waving trying to maintain you balance? I can see Peter becoming a little overwhelmed by it all, you know: that sinking feeling. “What a mess I’ve gotten myself into.” Can you relate? I can hear Peter cry out, “Lord, save me.” Isn’t that where the prayer of necessity comes from: from someplace deep within our desperation?

What was Jesus response? Before He said something, He did something: He reached out His hand and caught Peter. Isn’t that good news? He saved Peter from drowning, He healed Jairus’ daughter, He raised Lazarus from the dead, He healed the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter. He opened blind eyes, He caused the lame to walk, the dumb to speak and deaf to hear. And it all began right here, at a wedding in Cana, where He turned water into wine at His mother’s request. Relationship. A few weeks ago, we discussed the Fruit of the Spirit. Love, Joy, Peace. Patience, Kindness, Goodness. Relationship. Faith works by, miracles come out of, healing comes out of … relationship. Selah.





.wb





Psalm 37:4
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.





Matthew 14:30
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”





Matthew 14:31
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him…





Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.





1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Sunday School Lesson for March 11, 2012: The Word Became Flesh (John 1:1-18)

Allow me a moment to thank everyone who gave to ‘Baby Lyra’ over the last two weeks. We collected $380.00, which I will send to Lee Ross next week via Western Union. Pedro’s trip to Clark was delayed and he wanted to have the money be available to Lee Ross and his family as soon as possible. I have to get the logistics pinned down and I’ll get it sent. Allow me this observation. I witnessed the ‘blessing’ of giving in this effort. I observed in the faces and demeanor of some of you the very real God like quality of ‘joy in giving’. It’s as though the gift was in the gift. It’s difficult to explain, but I hope you understand what I’m trying to say. May God richly bless you. I’m honored to call you ‘friends’.



………………………………





Strong’s number: 3056 - Lo/gov



Translated word: Logos





1. its use as respect to the MIND alone

a. reason, the mental faculty of thinking, meditating, reasoning, calculating

b. account, i.e. regard, consideration

c. account, i.e. reckoning, score

d. account, i.e. answer or explanation in reference to judgment

e. relation, i.e. with whom as judge we stand in relation

1. reason would

f. reason, cause, ground

2. In John, denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, the personal wisdom and power in union with God, his minister in creation and government of the universe, the cause of all the world's life both physical and ethical, which for the procurement of man's salvation put on human nature in the person of Jesus the Messiah, the second person in the Godhead, and shone forth conspicuously from His words and deeds.



A Greek philosopher named Heraclitus first used the term Logos around 600 B.C. to designate the divine reason or plan which coordinates a changing universe. This word was well suited to John's purpose in John 1





John 1:1 (Amplified)
IN THE beginning [before all time] was the Logos ( Christ), and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God Himself.





I was blessed by last week’s lesson. Last week, Lady Wisdom offered an eyewitness account of the miracle of Creation. She peeled back the veil and revealed to us the person of Christ and his direct involvement in bringing about all that we can see and comprehend, as well as all that we cannot. This week John, the Revelator does the same. In this brief opening verse, John introduces his readers to the Messiah. John is writing to Gentiles of Greek and Roman heritage who were steeped in a culture of reason and philosophy. Their culture had begun to evolve away from polytheism of one sort or another toward a concept of reason as the force of order in nature. They correctly concluded that there must be some overarching all powerful law of order, thus the term: Logic. John, in one deft statement, introduces Christ, the Messiah of Judaism, as the Logos: the very personification of the source of all that is. He proclaims that Christ is the author of order and reason, that he (Christ) is the source of ultimate truth, thus the title: The Logos.

The very elements for the preaching of the Good News reside in these few verses. ‘In the beginning’ points to Christ’s deity and absolute authority. The terms light and life identify Christ as the singular source for life and truth. The reference to darkness and mankind’s love for it identifies our predicament without Christ: We were born in sin and shaped in iniquity, hopelessly separated from right standing with God and hopelessly adrift in a never ending search for meaning.

But the Logos came in the flesh in the person of Jesus and dwelt among us. He provided a path whereby all might be saved. The requirement: believe in Him. Then He did one more thing: He sent a preacher. Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Logos. But how will we hear without a preacher. God chose to save the world through the foolishness of preaching the Gospel.

Why does this matter to you? Beloved, God loves us. He loves us so much that He devised a plan to save us that was so absolute that it would take His Son to carry it out. Jesus left the pinnacle of Heaven to come here and redeem us unto Himself. That’s love. No matter what we’ve done, how low we’ve fallen, Jesus can reach us. No matter our hurt, our problems, our unanswered questions, Jesus is the answer. He is the life. He is the light (truth). That He is identified as the Logos means He is absolutely capable of meeting our every need, no matter how dire. It also means, remarkably, that He cares so deeply for us that He wants to. His great desire is that all might come to Him and be saved. Welcome to the Gospel of John.



.wb





John 6:29
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”





John 6:68
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.





Hebrews 7:25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them

Sunday School Lesson for March 4, 2012: Wisdom’s Origin (Proverbs 8:22-35)

James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.





Ephesians 1:17
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know

him better.





Proverbs 3:19
With Lady Wisdom, God formed Earth; with Madame Insight, he raised Heaven. They knew when to signal rivers and springs to the surface, and dew to descend from the night skies.







I’ve always had trouble teaching Proverbs 8 mainly because it deals with the personification of what we would deem a ‘character’ trait: Wisdom. Furthermore, rather than being personified as a ‘man’, Wisdom is personified as a woman in these passages. This created something of a dilemma for me, in that, I’m always looking for ‘Christ’ in Scripture. At first glance, this passage seemed to be the perfect compliment to John 1:1-2 where Jesus is identified as the Eternal Word: The Logos of God. It didn’t seem to line up. Why would God refer to yet to be revealed ‘Christ’ in the feminine person here in Proverbs? He didn’t. Not on the way you think. It’s OK. I didn’t get it for a long time either. Allow me just a few observations. First of all, in the time of the writing of the Proverbs, the worship of male and female deities was quite common. Baal and Asheroth, Ra and Isis: major deity ‘pairs’ that were worshipped in the countries surrounding Israel. Yet, uniquely, the God of Israel revealed Himself consistently as ‘One God’; singular and supreme. From the beginning he represented Himself as the singular source of all creation. However, throughout the Old Testament He provided glimpses of His Triune nature: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, both three and one. The Trinity stands as the great revealed ‘mystery’ of Scripture. You have to take the concept by faith.

So when ‘Lady Wisdom’ makes her appearance here in Proverbs, God is revealing something of His ‘nurture’ (play on words). After all, in creation, both male and female came from Him. Beloved, Eve came out of Adam. What might Adam have ‘looked’ like in the Spirit before that happened? In Genesis 17, when God cut covenant with Abraham, He revealed Himself to Abraham as ‘God Almighty’, in the Hebrew: ‘El Shaddai”, which some have given to mean literally: ‘Father Mother God’.

So, back to Jesus; I’m still trying to find Him in here. If you will allow me a little ‘sanctified liberty’, I think I found Him. What if God, enthroned in Heaven, remained so during the very creation? What would the implications be? One postulate might be that… When ‘Lady Wisdom’ references the ‘’Lord’ in the latter parts, the reference may have been to our Lord, Jesus: The Living Word. The Logos : the very Power of the Living God. Might ‘Wisdom’ have been revealing Jesus to us? I believe so, the same as John does in the very beginning of his Gospel. I’m just saying. It would make some sense, in that the Spirit of God, or the ‘Holy Spirit’ was hovering over the waters in Genesis 1:1 and did not act creatively until the Logos came forth, “Let there be light!’. So then, might ‘Lady Wisdom’ be revealed then as the Holy Spirit; the third person of the ‘Godhead’? If so, it would absolutely establish the Holy Spirit of God as the origin source of heavenly wisdom and the provider of it. The primary role of the Holy Spirit in the Church is to magnify Jesus.

Subsequently, those who find ‘Wisdom’ find life. They find ‘Blessing’. Those who follow after her, who practice her ‘way’ become reflections of her, or rather ‘Them’, or rather, Him (Christ). Beloved, in the same way that ‘Lady Wisdom’ reveals the majesty and preeminence of the Lord here in Proverbs, may the Holy Spirit manifest the Glory and Power, Grace and Mercy of our Lord Jesus, the Christ, in your hearts. May you grow in the knowledge of Him and find Favor and Blessing under the shadow of the Almighty. May He cause His face to shine upon you!





Blessings,



.wb



p.s. Thanks Eric! J (giving honor to whom honor is due).





John 1:1-2
[ The Eternal Word ] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.







1 Corinthians 1:30
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.





Proverbs 14:33
Lady Wisdom is at home in an understanding heart

Sunday School Lesson for Feb. 26, 2012: Bearing the Fruit of Redemption (Galatians 5:2–6:18)

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.







I’ve never seen this until today. Never heard it taught until I saw it below in the lesson summary by Dr. Stone. Allow me to state, and then expand the thought. Dr. Stone observes that there are three groups of fruit of the Spirit. I have never heard this taught, but it is clearly in line with scripture. The nine gifts of the Spirit break out into three groups of three: They see, something, say something and do something. In the case of the fruit of the Spirit, there appears to be a similar pattern: three groups of three. Let’s take a closer look.





Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,





Romans 5:1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ





Luke 7:47
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”





The fruit of redemption:





Love, Joy, Peace: these first three are literally first fruit. When you are freed from the bondage and torment of sin, these three are most likely to be the result: the love of God is shed abroad in our heart, peace and joy begin to redefine our character. In essence, they show something. They reveal images of the Kingdom in you and through you.





Ephesians 4:2
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love





Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.





Galatians 5:13
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another





Fruit of service:



The next group of three does something: they minister. Patience, kindness, goodness; these all come to fore as we reach out to others, first, our brothers and sisters in Christ, then to the lost who would have no hope unless someone showed them the way. This group will be important, in that without them, who would put up with you? Spiritual gifts not tempered with spiritual fruit is like sounding brass or tinkling cymbals.







Romans 8:15
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.





Luke 7:47
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”





The fruit of worship:





The third group emphasizes this point: Faithfulness, gentleness, self control exemplify someone who is walking in the shadow of the Almighty. They exemplify the growth of worship in the heart of the believer; fruit borne out of an attitude of gratitude and reverence. As we come to a place of worship, our spirits are renewed and we find more love, joy and peace flowing from our hearts, kind of a never ending cycle. To worship is to enter into the very splendor and glory that is the throne room of Heaven.





John 15:5
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.





Jeremiah 17:7-8
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.





May you be fruitful!



Selah



.wb

Sunday School Lesson for Feb. 19, 2012: Inheriting Abraham’s Promise (Galatians 3:15–5:1)

Romans 7:7
[ The Law and Sin ] What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”





I have a close friend who also teaches Sunday school. He contacted me after the last lesson and told me, “Brother Wayne. You need to more clearly delineate the difference between the law and grace, between legalism and faith.” You see, he’d encountered a couple of people in this past week who, even though they were reading and teaching the same lesson he was (Galatians), were demonstrating in their review of the lesson particulars that they just weren’t getting it. He was frustrated and a little exasperated by what he was hearing. In a very gentle way, he entreated me to come a little harder, to press the point a little more firmly. Personally, I thought I was doing OK but, here goes.



The verse above points to the fact the purpose of the law was to be a mirror. A mirror to the human soul and nothing more. Righteousness cannot come by a mirror. Rather, a mirror should bring condemnation. It does for me anyway. After fifty something years, I don’t find much of what I see in the mirror very flattering. That’s the point. The Old Testament law was a mirror to the nation of Israel and to us that reveals the most unflattering things about us. Things God already knows. What’s God’s purpose in giving us this mirror? He wants us to come into agreement with Him about our need for Him. That’s it. I can’t state it any more simply. The law existed in two tiers. One tier was the do’s and don’ts, the laws and rules by which the nation was to be governed corporately and individually. The second tier was the ceremonial system that brought you to before God at various times for the purpose of sacrifice and repentance or for celebratory purposes. In the law of governance, God exposed our sin and our iniquities. In the ceremonial law, He provided the path toward temporary redemption.





Psalm 50:13
Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?





Hebrews 10:4
It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.





It was called ‘The Day of Atonement’. Once a year, all the people were gathered together. The high priest would go before the lord with a sacrificial offering to make atonement for the sins of the nation…for the previous year. It did not justify or make righteous. It’s effectiveness before God only lasted for the duration of the ceremony. No longer. After all, the ‘atonement’ part of the process, the part where god wiped away your sin was secondary in God’s eyes. The primary purpose of this ceremony and every other ceremony in this system was to reveal the pre-incarnate personage of Christ. Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. God wanted us to know that. Repeatedly, through His word, His law, His ceremonies, He presented to the nation of Israel the Promise. The Promise of a Savior, a Messiah who would come to repair the breach that sin had wrought





Matthew 5:17
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.





Matthew 5:20
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.





Matthew 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.





Jesus’ words above cause me to stop and, like Peter, wonder aloud, “Lord, how can I do this? How can I be ‘perfect’? Who can be saved?” The key comes in Jesus’ words to the rich young ruler…





Matthew 19:21
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”





In this one statement Jesus puts forth not one, but two distinct spiritual principles. The first is the law of sowing and reaping. Sell all you have and give to the poor and store up for yourself treasure in Heaven. The second: follow Him. The first principle, applied singularly, has been practiced by philanthropists through out history. There is a blessing associated with giving. It is preached and practiced in every culture, religion and at every level of the economic strata. However, in and of itself, giving has no redemptive power. The second principle: following Christ is unique to and a unique privilege of the Redeemed. This is the focal point for how justification by faith is arrived at. The patriarchs of the Old Testament: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, Joshua, Isaiah, Daniel, David, Enoch, Noah and many others who make up that great cloud of witnesses mentioned in Hebrews were able to see, by faith, the coming of the Day of the Lord: The Messiah. A day when God would forever remove our guilt and shame, write His law upon our heats and make us one with Him. A day when we could look up at the cross and live. A day where we would be able to behold Jesus, full of grace and truth: the very personification of Love.





Numbers 21:9
So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.





Is it really this simple? Look up and live? It’s absolutely that simple. If you can simply accept that when Jesus died on the cross, that was enough to make you completely righteous before God, you will be saved. God simply asks that we hold on to that singular ‘belief’ and not add the burden of a performance based system that takes the focus off of His ‘gift’ and puts the focus on us and what we’re doing to earn His favor. Paul warned the Galatians that to do so would be the equivalent of being ‘bewitched’; Paul’s words, not mine’s. In The Book of Hebrews, the writer warns that to rely on performance rather than Jesus alone was to descend into ‘unbelief’. Beloved, Christ alone: our hope of Glory.



One last thing:





1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.





I misunderstood this verse for a good part of my Christian journey. Most Christians have. Most of us believe, at some level, that when we sin, each time we sin, we somehow fall from Grace.. and that we must, before time runs out, get before God and say, “I’m sorry.” To extend this thought to it’s illogical conclusion and to hasten the argument, in essence, we’re only as ‘good’ as our last, “I’m sorry.” Did you catch that? This takes us back to the principle of atonement’ and it’s inevitable insufficiency.

Beloved, this verse is me standing in the mirror and coming to agreement with God about my insufficiency, my ineptness, my shortcomings, my missing the mark. This is me standing in the mirror and agreeing with God (looking over my shoulder in the person of the Holy Spirit) about my need for a Savior: Jesus. When I stand before Him and confess that I am a sinner in need of a Savior, I acknowledge that Jesus was, Is and always will be the single reason why I can stand in the Presence of a Holy God. One word: “Jesus”. That’s my confession. Without Jesus, I am nothing. With Him, I live. While there is a place for the acknowledgement and confession in individual sins, God’s righteousness does not come and go with my ups and downs. He cleansed me when I accepted His Son. That cleansing is both continual and everlasting. And it is constant, just like God. He gives His gifts without repentance. He’s not looking to take it back. Blessed be the Name of the Lord: Jesus.





Blessings,



.wb



(I hope this was clear enough :) )





Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.





Romans 10:10
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.





Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Sunday School Lesson for Feb. 12, 2012: Blessed with Abraham - Freed from the Law through Christ (Galatians 3:1-14)

Galatians 5:9
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.





Matthew 16:12
Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.





Hebrews 10:1
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.





Hebrews 10:38
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.





A toxic mix: faith plus the law. I get it. A little law keeping and a little Holy Ghost and, “Wooooo wee!”, you start feeling like ‘Super Christian’: able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, heal the sick, raise the dead, just whatever. But there’s two serious problems. One: you could get puffed up, prideful, “Look at me.”, “See how wonderful I am?”, “You better recognize.” Beloved, the Bible says that God resists the proud. Who wins that wrestling match? God’s glory may not be shared. He’s not looking to share His throne with me. He’s God all by Himself. Or, number two: you could be crushed under the weight of the false expectation that legalism can create. Burdened unnecessarily by a standard that no man can live by. Walking around with so much guilt and shame because we recognize that we just can’t measure up. Beloved a misunderstanding of the Gospel: of what Christ did will burden you with a deeper despair than before you came to Christ.

Or maybe you’re somewhere in between, up one day, down the next. It’s time to get off the emotional roller coaster that a performance based ‘gospel’ can become.





Hebrews 4:9
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.





“Say What?”





Hebrews 4:10
For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. (caps mine’s}





“Press your point Preacher.”





Hebrews 4:11
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.







The point is: Jesus did it all. He freed us from the law of sin and death. Our job now is to work at rest, to hold fast to our confession of…faith! Can you do that? Holding fast to your confession means that you know that you are Blessed! You are Blessed just because. Blessed because of who you are and because of whose you are. Blessed because before you knew Him, He loved you. Blessed because He still loves you …madly. Blessed because.. He saw you from a great distance… and He came running to greet you. To put His robe on your shoulders and His signet upon your hand. Blessed because He’s given you a name; a name that no one knows but Him....and you when He speaks it. Blessed I tell you! You showed up at the Well of Life. Thirsty… and He gave you to drink. Out of your belly flow rivers of living water.. Blessed! You didn’t even know… that He’d marked the doorpost of your heart with His precious blood. Blessed I tell you! Blessed!



And for that, we are grateful. That gratefulness pours itself out over His feet. That gratefulness is a sweet, sweet fragrance that fills the throne room where we kneel in worship. That gratefulness expresses itself in acts of kindness to others. That gratefulness helps us to maintain and attitude of humility before Him and before our fellow travelers. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord. Truly you are worthy of all of our praise. Honor and Glory and Power abide with You. And You make Your abode in us. Thank you Lord. (Blessed I tell you! Blessed!)





Blessings,



.wb





Matthew 5:6
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.





Romans 11:36
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.





Titus 2:13
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Sunday School Lesson for Feb. 5, 2012: Justified by Faith in Christ (Galatians 2:15-21)

Habakkuk 2:4
“… But the righteous will live by his faith.”





Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.





Matthew 7:14
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.







The next four lessons are drawn from Paul’s letter to the Church at Galatia. The Galatian Church had been infiltrated by Judaizers. These were people who were Jewish by birth who had come to faith in Christ, who wrongly clung to the Mosaic law as a means to complete justification. Paul was compelled to defend the true Gospel of Jesus Christ in the strongest terms possible. For you and I, that’s a good thing. Paul’s entreaty to the Galatians brings passion and clarity to the topic of justification by faith…alone. Paul opens the letter by declaring that his calling is of God, not man (Ch.1: v1). He continues by declaring that Jesus rescued us from this evil age (Ch 1: v3). He then flatly chastises the Galatians for having listened to and received ‘another gospel’. He goes on to issue a dire warning: If anyone preaches a message contrary to the message he had delivered to them, they were cursed by God.

Strong stuff. Thankfully. You see, in the clearest terms possible, Paul makes the argument for justification by faith alone, a concept many believers struggle with daily. There is an innate desire within all of us to be liked. Often times, in order to accomplish this, we feel the need to do something or to give something: a gift, a token, a favor, something that will cause those, whose affection we seek to like us, really like us. We can mistakenly approach God in the same way: somehow thinking we have to do something, somehow pay God for His righteousness. This is a mistake, a fatal mistake. Righteousness cannot be acquired by keeping rules or engaging in any number of religious practices. Righteousness can only be had by faith. Faith in what Christ accomplished at the cross. To add anything to what Christ did is to diminish what Christ did. Anything added to the Gospel diminishes it.

That’s good news. What’s left then is simply for the believer to believe. Nothing more. Simple faith in God, the belief that you can trust Him with your very soul: that what Christ accomplished at the cross was enough to catapult you into Glory is what most pleases God. That simple trust acknowledges that His plan for Mankind is perfect and just and holy. With that acknowledgement, we offer the purest kind of worship. We worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. I do not frustrate the Grace of God by trying to be something or do something. I simply am a Christian by faith in what Jesus did for me at Calvary: He bore all my shame and guilt. He nailed it to the cross. He declared that He was finished, that His work was complete, and then He rose from the grave, thus defeating the power of death, hell and the grave. I trust (have faith) that what He did is enough. Thank you Lord. Blessings.





.wb





Philippians 3:3
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.





2 Corinthians 4:3
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:





Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest

Sunday School Lesson for Jan. 29, 2012: Israel Is Delivered from Egypt (Exodus 1-15)

Daniel 4:2
It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.





Psalm 126:2
Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”





Psalm 9:1
I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvelous works.





Psalm 22:3
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.





Luke 19:40
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”







Every living thing was created for the praise of God’s glorious grace. In fact, I’ll go one further and state that everything was created for the praise of God’s glorious grace. Everything. The Bible says “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” This was God’s intent from the beginning. Worship of God of our own free will is a privilege and a gift given to every person, but worked out in the life of every believer. Every believer has a song of Salvation, a song of worship to the Lord. Oh that all of mankind would praise the Lord. As I write this, I must acknowledge that this blog is three weeks behind. I have a desire to catch up, just not the time. Subsequently for the last several weeks, my challenge has been, “do I write based on my leanings from the time the lesson was dated or do I write in ‘the present moment?” Though this lesson is three weeks old, just last week America and the world lost a great singer with a great voice: Whitney Houston. She’s not the first entertainer to die so tragically, nor will she be the last if Jesus tarries. But I have a short testimony about Whitney I’d like to share.

The year was 1996. I got home late on a Saturday night from our church’s Christmas concert. It was right before midnight and I’m flipping through the channels. I catch the last few minutes of ‘Saturday Night Live’. Penny Marshall of ‘Laverne and Shirley’ fame is closing the show. She thanks everybody for watching, and then she introduces Whitney Houston. I’m caught a little off guard, but I notice right away that as the band is warming up, there is a Mass Choir warming up as well. I would later find out that this was Georgia Mass and that Whitney was promoting her new movie: “The Preacher’s Wife’ and its accompanying sound track. Immediately I sensed ‘the anointing’, the very essence, the very Presence of God as these sisters in the choir warmed up. I was transfixed. Whitney started singing ‘I go to the Rock’ with Georgia Mass filling in the chorus. It was a moment. A moment I’m sure that secular TV had not planned for. Whitney didn’t make through the entire song with her composure intact. By the end of the song, both she and the choir were ‘caught up’ in the Spirit. The broadcast cut away to commercial, and when they returned, Penney bid the audience good night, then she bid Whitney good night. The cameras panned over to the stage. The band is still playing, the choir is jumping and Whitney is just standing there with her face inclined toward heaven, with both hands up in the air and tears streaming down her face. Completely silent, she didn’t acknowledge Penney or the audience. She just stood there, eyes closed, tears streaming down. She was all in, completely overwhelmed by the Spirit of God, the anointing.

True worship exposes our vulnerabilities, our weaknesses before God. In true worship, we are unguarded and unashamed. In true worship, we come ‘just as we are’ into the presence of a Holy, Holy God. One of the marks of true worship is that in a very public place, we can have a very private, very intimate encounter with a very loving God in the person of Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Whitney was having that moment. I was privileged to be a witness to it. I’m honored to be able to share it with you. I don’t have a heaven or hell to put Whitney in. Her personal, very public struggles have given all of us much to ponder over the last several years and especially over the last week. I thank God that He gave me this single moment of her life to remember. I will always cherish it. As tortured as the end of her life had become, I hope that she has re-discovered her voice…before our Father in heaven. May she rest in Peace.





Shalom,



.wb





p.s. Thank you for all of your prayers and kind thoughts. My wife, Patsy completed her last chemotherapy treatment about a week and a half ago and she is slowly regaining her strength. Keep her in your prayers.





Isaiah 26:1
In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.





Job 5:9
He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.





Isaiah 12:2
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.





1 Corinthians 14:15
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.





Psalm 150:6
Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.