The Fourfold Witness to Christ
August 29, 2017

"One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established" (Deuteronomy 19:15).

In the Mosaic law, at least two reliable witnesses were required to convict a man of a crime. Jesus Christ was charged with blasphemy, claiming to be the unique Son of God. Not only was there the required double witness, but actually a fourfold witness to the "crime." The witnesses not only agreed that the claim was made but also that the claim was true!

The first was John the Baptist, who said, "I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34). To so testify was John’s very reason for being, for he “was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light" (John 1:8-9).

There was also a second, more potent witness. "I have greater witness than that of John," Jesus said, "for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me" (John 5:36). The great teacher Nicodemus had to acknowledge, "No man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him" (John 3:2).

Furthermore, there was the direct testimony of God from heaven. "The Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me" (John 5:37). "There came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (2 Peter 1:17).

Most importantly, there is the testimony of the Bible. "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39).

We no longer have such direct testimony, but we will always have the Holy Scriptures, eternally proclaiming the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. HMM

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U.S.E. Your Faith
August 30, 2017

"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17).

Today's verse contains a portion of Habakkuk 2:4, emphasizing that those who have been twice-born can live using the same faith that God granted us so that we could believe (Ephesians 2:8.). An acronym for USE can help focus our thoughts.

U—Use what you have. Moses had only a rod when God called him to deliver the nation of Israel (Exodus 4:2-6). We should use the talent and equipment already in our possession, just like the widow of Zarephath, who gave her meagre grain (1 Kings 17:10-16). Daniel used his secular position (Daniel 6:14-23), and Esther used her beauty and bravery (Esther 4:13-17) to accomplish His will.

S—Start doing it. Nothing happens unless we become involved. The priests of Israel participated in the miracle at Jordan when they obeyed and stepped in the river (Joshua 3:5-17). The widow did not reap the bounty until she followed Elisha's instructions and borrowed pots from her neighbours (2 Kings 4:1-7). After the miracle of the oil, she surely wished that she had not limited God's supply. The man who was born blind had to wash as instructed before he could see (John 9:1-7). And those at Lazarus' tomb had to open it before they could see him resurrected (John 11:39). God instructs, we obey, and He performs.

E—Expect it to happen. The centurion understood our Lord's authority when he asked Him to heal his servant (Matthew 8:5-13). The Syrophonecian woman insisted on being healed (Matthew 15:21-26), and the nobleman went home confident that his son had been saved (John 4:46-53).

Circumstances will vary, but God's "formula" does not. HMM III

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God's Grace
August 31, 2017

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).

Although Christ has set the believer free from legalistic bondage, he is now under a still higher law—the law of Christ. It is also called "the law of the Spirit of life" that has made us "free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2).

The law of Christ does not consist of many detailed ordinances that we are duty bound to obey. It is a law that we want to obey out of love for Christ. "Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10). Paul says that "the end of the commandment is charity [that is, Christian love] out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned" (1 Timothy 1:5). James calls it "the royal law," defining it simply as "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (James 2:8.).

Instead of a law bringing us into bondage, it is "the perfect law of liberty" (James 1:25), setting us free from slavery to sin. It not only gives us the desire to please the Lord but also the will and the ability to do so.

It is not as though we are now without law and thereby free to indulge our carnal appetites. Paul explains his own new nature thus: "For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more . . . (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ)" (1 Corinthians 9:19, 21).

In Christ, "the righteousness of God without the law is manifested," and He is "the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" (Romans 3:21; 10:4). But though we "have been called unto liberty," Paul commands us to "use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another" (Galatians 5:13). Thus, to believe in Christ is also to obey Him. HMM

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Righteous Judgment to Come
September 1, 2017

"And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness" (Psalm 9:8.).

Judgment is coming for every person, "as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). Many people don't believe it, and still more don't seem to care, but judgment is coming! Be certain of this. We must all meet God our Maker someday.

Furthermore, "he shall judge the world in righteousness," for He is "of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity" (Habakkuk 1:13). "He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth" (Psalm 96:13; also note Psalm 96:10; 98:9).

All is lost if God judges righteously, however, for "there is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10), and "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them" (Galatians 3:10).

But "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, . . . hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:19, 21). The Lord Jesus, the Son of God, our Creator/Redeemer, has taken our judgment on Himself, and "there is therefore now no [judgment] to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

Consequently, "the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22). God can both judge righteously and yet graciously save all who receive Christ by faith: "Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead" (Acts 17:31). Jesus Christ is not only our Creator and righteous Judge, but also our Redeemer, Mediator, Advocate, and Saviour! HMM

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Life--Light--Love
September 2, 2017

"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not" (John 1:3-5).

The apostle John, designated as "the other disciple, whom Jesus loved" (John 20:2), used the concept of agape love more than any other New Testament writer, even teaching that "God is love" (1 John 4:8.). Likewise, John tells us that "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5), and he uses the concept of light (phos) more than any other writer.

In just the same way he uses the primary word for life (zoe) more than any other writer and discusses "that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life" (1 John 1:1), identifying Christ as life and the Fountain of life.

Christ, of course, has existed "from the beginning" and is the Creator of physical life on Earth (Colossians 1:16; Acts 17:28). But in a special way, He is "the life" (John 14:6), and, as we see in our text, "in him was life," denoting salvation and eternal life based on His own atonement for sin.

Concerning light, Christ not only created physical light (Genesis 1:3) and later light sources (Genesis 1:14), but He is light, referring to revelation of the things of God to men, for His "life was the light of men."

But most of all, "God is love." The first time John mentions agape love, we are told that "God so loved the world" and that His free and undeserved love drove Him to give "his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). "Herein is love . . . that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10). JDM

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The River of God
September 3, 2017

"Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it" (Psalm 65:9).

The inexhaustible river of God, watering the whole earth, is nothing less than the refreshing rains coming down from the heavens, "visiting" the earth on its amazing journey to the oceans, whence it flows back up to the skies again. This river incorporates all the rivers of Earth, yet it is like no other river, for once it reaches the ocean, it rises into the heavens, there to flow back over the thirsty ground and finally descend once more on its endless journey.

What a wonderful provision is this river of God! Without it, all life on Earth would soon die. Far more valuable than gold, it continually "enriches" the earth on its regular visitations "to satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth" (Job 38:27).

Thereby does God also prepare corn to feed man and beast. The word "corn" in this and other passages probably refers generically to any of the cereal grains that provide the basic foodstuffs for people and animals all over the world. This is implied in the creation passage itself. "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth. . . . And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat" (Genesis 1:29-30).

This is God's wonderful life-giving river. "He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth" (Psalm 104:13-14). The Creator is also the Sustainer (Colossians 1:16-17). HMM

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Man and His Labour
September 4, 2017

"Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening" (Psalm 104:23).

The 104th Psalm is a beautiful psalm of creation and the Flood, supplemented by God's providential care of His creatures in the post-Flood world. Our text makes man's activity seem almost incidental in the grand scope of God's activities on behalf of His whole creation.

Nevertheless, it reminds us of God's first great commission to mankind concerning that creation. "Have dominion . . . over all the earth . . . to dress it and to keep it" (Genesis 1:26; 2:15). This primeval mandate, though still in effect as man's stewardship responsibility for the earth and its creatures, has been seriously impacted by sin and the curse. "Cursed is the ground for thy sake," God told Adam; "in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread" (Genesis 3:17, 19).

And so it is that men and women must work, and the work often is laborious, stressful, and unappreciated. Yet, the divine rule is "that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands . . . That ye may walk honestly . . . and that ye may have lack of nothing" (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). "For . . . if any would not work, neither should he eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

Thus, labour is necessary, even for those who don't know the Lord. But it is far better if we work not just to earn a living but to please the Lord. "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men" (Colossians 3:23).

Whatever our job is (assuming it is honourable), it can be regarded as serving Christ and helping to fulfill His primeval-dominion commandment, and even as helping to lead others to know Him. Therefore, whether the work is easy or hard, we should be "always abounding in the work of the Lord . . . your labour is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58). HMM

http://www.icr.org/articles/type/6/

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How to Respond to Defamation
September 5, 2017

"Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are nɑked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day" (1 Corinthians 4:11-13).

Bible-believing Christians today, especially creationists, have become the object of intense vilification by the news media and by self-appointed spokesmen for the scientific and educational establishments. The natural reaction is to respond in kind.

But this is not the spiritual reaction. "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously" (1 Peter 2:21-23).

We not only have Christ's example before us but also His direct commandment. "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. . . . Love your enemies, bless them that curse you" (Matthew 5:11, 44).

The apostles endured far more insults and opprobrium for Christ's sake than any of us shall ever have to suffer. Yet Paul, speaking for them all, could say in effect "Being reviled, we bless; being defamed, we entreat, even though they call us the filth of the world!"

We can trust the Lord to take care of our reputations, for He is more concerned even than we, and His Word tells us: "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" (Romans 12:19). HMM

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The Father Testifies of the Son
September 6, 2017

"Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again" (John 12:28).

This is the last of three remarkable occasions during the earthly ministry of Christ when God the Father spoke directly from heaven concerning His only begotten Son. The first was at His baptism. "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17; also, Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22). This thrice-recorded testimony was given primarily to the forerunner, John the Baptist, who said, "And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost" (John 1:33).

The second was to three chosen disciples at the transfiguration. "Behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" (Matthew 17:5). Years later Peter recalled, "This voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount" (2 Peter 1:18).

Finally, the Father spoke in the words of our text for the day, in direct response to the prayer of His Son at the beginning of the final week before His crucifixion. The message was to His Son but for the people. Jesus said, "This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes" (John 12:30) as He spoke of His imminent death on the cross.

When God spoke from heaven, the message was to assure and encourage His own dear ones: John, the disciples, and Jesus Himself. But it has also become an exhortation to all people for all time. Jesus Christ is God's Son, and God is glorified in Him. Hear Him! HMM

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Preaching Against False Teachers
September 7, 2017

"But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matthew 18:6).

Jude, an earthly brother of our Lord, had become a leader in the early church by the time he wrote his epistle. He had intended "to write unto you of the common salvation” but instead was compelled by God's Spirit to write and "exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith” (Jude 1:3) against the onslaught of false teachers. He writes "to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him" (Jude 1:15).

Few categories of people are so summarily denounced in Scripture as false teachers, those who teach error from within. Nearly every biblical writer echoes God's hatred of them and their work. Here, Jude refers to Enoch’s ancient teaching to demonstrate the fact that God has always hated false teachers and has warned them of their doom. Unfortunately, many of today's pulpits and “Christian" airwaves are filled with false teachers and their teaching, leading many astray.

But this is also a lesson to be learned by any who would teach, even born-again, God-gifted teachers. Error is a serious thing in God's eyes, and a Bible teacher must continually submit to God's Word and Spirit to discern and teach only truth. Evidently, it would be better for those teachers, seminarians, and others who espouse errors such as humanism, evolution, and other false concepts that a millstone were hung about their necks and that they drowned in the depth of the sea than to lead astray those “little ones” in their influence. JDM

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Preaching Against False Teachers
September 7, 2017

"But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matthew 18:6).

Jude, an earthly brother of our Lord, had become a leader in the early church by the time he wrote his epistle. He had intended "to write unto you of the common salvation" but instead was compelled by God's Spirit to write and "exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith” (Jude 1:3) against the onslaught of false teachers. He writes "to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him" (Jude 1:15).

Few categories of people are so summarily denounced in Scripture as false teachers, those who teach error from within. Nearly every biblical writer echoes God's hatred of them and their work. Here, Jude refers to Enoch's ancient teaching to demonstrate the fact that God has always hated false teachers and has warned them of their doom. Unfortunately, many of today's pulpits and "Christian" airwaves are filled with false teachers and their teaching, leading many astray.

But this is also a lesson to be learned by any who would teach, even born-again, God-gifted teachers. Error is a serious thing in God's eyes, and a Bible teacher must continually submit to God's Word and Spirit to discern and teach only truth. Evidently, it would be better for those teachers, seminarians, and others who espouse errors such as humanism, evolution, and other false concepts that a millstone were hung about their necks and that they drowned in the depth of the sea than to lead astray those "little ones" in their influence. JDM

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The Three Appearings of Christ
September 8, 2017

"When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory" (Colossians 3:4).

The wonderful promise of this text actually refers to the third appearing of Christ. The New Testament speaks of His past appearing, His present appearing, and His future appearing. These three appearings are all set forth in one fascinating passage of Scripture, Hebrews 9:24-28, where three different Greek words are used in reference to the three appearings.

1. His past appearing. "Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Hebrews 9:26). Here the Greek word is phaneroo, meaning "become apparent after being hidden.” His appearing had been prophesied since the beginning of the world (Luke 1:67-70), and finally He had come.

2. His present appearing. “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us" (Hebrews 9:24). The Greek word here is emphanizo, which means "manifest or declare openly." He is now our "advocate with the Father" (1 John 2:1), where He "also maketh intercession for us" (Romans 8:34).

3. His future appearing. "Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (Hebrews 9:28). The Greek in this case is optomai, meaning "gaze at face to face."

Our text (Colossians 3:4) speaks of His future appearing at the Second Coming. However, here the Greek for "appear" is again phaneroo, the same as used for His past appearing in Hebrews 9:26, as discussed above. This usage assures us that His future appearing will be just as real to us as His past appearing was to His first disciples. And when He shall appear, we shall appear with Him in glory! HMM

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By Man Came Death
September 9, 2017

"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:21-22).

These verses, coupled with others throughout the Old and New Testaments, teach a very important principle not fully appreciated by those Christians who would hold that man evolved from lower animals or even that his tenure on Earth was preceded by millions of years. For if the earth is old, then death is part of the natural order of things, and billions upon billions of organisms have lived and died, struggling for existence, surviving only if they were "fit."

Taken at face value, however, the Bible indicates a far different scenario. Evidently, at the beginning, all living creatures (i.e., conscious life as opposed to plants and non-conscious “animals”) were created to live forever. There was no death, for all were designed to be vegetarian (Genesis 1:30). God had warned them of disobedience to His one command: "For in the day that thou eatest thereof [i.e., of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil] thou shalt surely die" (or more literally, "dying thou shalt die”) (Genesis 2:17). All of creation was placed under the Curse of death at that time, the animals (3:14), the plants (v. 18), the ground (v. 17), and mankind (vv. 15-17, 19); all would be dying. Sadly, as we know all too well, this situation continues today (see Romans 8:22).

But if death is a part of the created order, what can our text mean? Furthermore, if death was not specified as the penalty for sin, what does the death of Christ mean? Belief in the concept of the old earth destroys vital doctrines, including our redemption through Christ's death.

Thankfully, the reign of death and the Curse will end one day (Revelation 21:4; 22:3) as God restores the creation to its intended state. JDM

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Earnest of the Spirit
September 10, 2017

"Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 5:5).

This is a fascinating concept and a wonderful reality. The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is said to be an "earnest"—that is, a pledge or deposit—on an ultimate fulfillment of a magnificent promise from God Himself. The word translated "earnest" (Greek arrhabon) is essentially a transliteration of its Hebrew equivalent (arabown), translated "pledge" in the Old Testament (see Genesis 38:17-20).

Now if the guiding presence of God, through the Holy Spirit, is merely an earnest payment, the fulfillment must be glorious beyond comprehension. This "selfsame thing," as our text calls it, is a wonderful "house which is from heaven," the spiritual body we shall receive when we go to be with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:1-2).

The phrase also occurs in 2 Corinthians 1:22: "Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." In context, the earnest payment here is associated with the "sealing" of God and the assurance that "all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen" (v. 20).

The third and last use of this word in the New Testament is in Ephesians 1:13-14: "In whom also trusted . . . after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession." We are "joint-heirs with Christ" (Romans 8:17), and He is to inherit all things.

Thus, the Holy Spirit, a present possession of all who have received Christ as Saviour, is also God's pledge of a glorious future—a perfect body, a great inheritance, and the certain fulfillment of all of God's gracious promises. HMM

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BlueAngel444:


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Deliverance from Fear
September 11, 2017

"I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears" (Psalm 34:4).

There are many things in such a world as ours that can bring fear into human hearts—fear of want, fear of war, fear of rejection, fear of the dark, and a multitude of others. Some fears are rational, some are foolish, but all are very serious to those who experience them.

The good news of the gospel, however, can set us free from every fear. Remember that fear entered the world when sin entered the world. "I was afraid," Adam explained when God found him hiding in the garden after eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:10). The second reference to fear in the Bible, on the other hand, was when "the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward" (Genesis 15:1). The Lord protects us and provides for us; we have His Word and need "fear no evil" (Psalm 23:4).

At least 19 times in the New Testament we hear the words "fear not" or "be not afraid" on the lips of Christ. Whenever phobias beset us or fears discourage us, deliverance is ours when we seek the Lord. Then "we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Hebrews 13:6). Even if we must sometimes "suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled" (1 Peter 3:14).

Perhaps the greatest fear of all is the fear of death, but the Lord delivers us even from this fear, for He has conquered death. In His glorified body, He has said, "Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death" (Revelation 1:17-18). HMM

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Dark Sayings of Old
September 13, 2017

"I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us" (Psalm 78:2-3).

Most people do not think of parables—especially the parables of Christ—as dark (i.e., hidden) sayings but rather as figurative illustrations to help people comprehend some spiritual teaching. But Christ used parables to conceal truth, not to reveal truth! "Therefore speak I to them in parables," He said in response to the disciples' question as to why He was speaking in parables, "because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand" (Matthew 13:13). The principle is this: a person must first believe and obey the light he has already received before God will give him further light. "For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath" (v. 12).

Thus, the parables of both Old and New Testaments are not of any obvious interpretation. They require study, meditation, and obedience to comprehend, but then they bring great blessing. "Every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old" (v. 52).

The "dark sayings" of Scripture are not to be associated with occultism or darkness, of course. The word in Greek simply means something hidden from the world but transparent to eyes of faith and love. "We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. . . . Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. . . . But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Corinthians 2:7-8, 10). HMM

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Who Gets Weary
September 14, 2017

"Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding?" (Isaiah 40:28).

Everyone gets weary, and everyone must rest. Even in Eden before sin came into the world there was a weekly day of rest, and each day of work in the Garden was followed by a night of rest in sleep. The Lord Jesus Christ, in the days of His sinless human flesh, occasionally became "wearied with his journey" (John 4:6) and had to rest. On one occasion, He was so weary that during a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee He was "asleep on a pillow" (Mark 4:38) while the disciples tried to keep their ship from destruction. He once advised these fretful and busy disciples to "come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while" (Mark 6:31). We sometimes need to come apart before we fall apart!

In the New Jerusalem, with our new bodies, we perhaps will not need rest and sleep, for "there shall be no night there" (Revelation 22:5). In our present frail tents of clay, however, we do need rest, for God made us so. In one area of life, on the other hand, we are twice admonished to "not be weary in well doing" (Galatians 6:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:13).

And when we do get weary, and perhaps are not yet able to stop and rest, we can draw on God's strength, for He "fainteth not, neither is weary." "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:4). "Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:30-31). HMM

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Life in Christ
September 15, 2017

"In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4).

A host of biochemists and other scientists have tried for over a century to determine how life evolved from non-life. Such a quest is absurdly impossible, for the simplest imaginary self-replicating system would be infinitely more complex than the most elaborate machine ever designed by man. Life can come only from life. The first human life, indeed the first living system of any kind, could only have come by special creation from the living God. "For I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14).

Thus, "in him we live, and move, and have our being," and He is "not far from every one of us" (Acts 17:28, 27). The Lord Jesus Christ is the one "by whom also he made the worlds" and who now is "upholding all things by the word of his power" (Hebrews 1:2-3). The beating of our hearts, the breathing of our lungs, the very atoms of our bodies are continually sustained by Him. Were He to withdraw His power for a moment, life would cease and all light would become darkness. Even those who reject Him and blaspheme His name owe their very existence to His power and grace.

"As the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself" (John 5:26). Life is "in him"; He alone can conquer death and raise the dead. "As the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will" (v. 21), for as "the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit" (1 Corinthians 15:45).

Thus, "he that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John 5:12). Through faith in His sacrificial death and resurrection life, "ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Henceforth is Christ Himself "our life" (Colossians 3:3-4). HMM

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Fruitless Trees and Fruitless Lives
September 16, 2017

"He was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it" (Mark 11:12-14).

Many detractors of our Lord have pointed with glee to what on the surface seems like a fit of petty anger on Christ's part, spawned by His selfish appetite. In reality, it was probably unrealistic to expect figs at that time of year, a fact that He must have known quite well.

Perhaps the key to the whole passage is in the fact that "his disciples heard it." When we look at the surrounding passages, we see that Christ was using the barren fig tree to teach His disciples something they desperately needed to know. This might be called a living parable.

Our Lord had just come from His triumphal entry into the city, having been proclaimed as King by the multitude (vv. 7-11), knowing their shallow adoration would soon turn into cries for His death. Leaving the fig tree, he drove the money changers from the temple grounds, having recognized that they were not only exploiting all the Jews who entered but had taken over the court of the Gentiles, using it as a shortcut through town (v. 16) and a place of business (v. 15), thus denying the possibility of true worship to all, both Jews and Gentiles.

The fig tree was an object lesson on barrenness, typifying the Jewish nation's condition in spite of their privileged heritage. This type of hypocritical fruitlessness receives condemnation (vv. 20-21), exhibits a lack of faith (vv. 22-23), and hinders our prayers (vv. 24-26).

Our desire must be to bear much fruit in our worship, in our faith, in our prayers, and in our lives. JDM

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That Which Endures Forever
September 17, 2017

"But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment" (Psalm 9:7).

This world will eventually pass away. The law of entropy assures us, in fact, that everything decays and dies. Atheistic scientists have even calculated that the very protons of which matter is composed will eventually disintegrate. And the Bible itself also tells us that the present earth and heaven "shall wax old as doth a garment" and "shall perish" (Hebrews 1:11).

But God Himself is eternal! As our text confirms (and many other texts agree), "the LORD shall endure for ever." And that is not all! His glory will remain! "The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works" (Psalm 104:31). And His great name will never change. "His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him" (Psalm 72:17). That also means that His righteousness will never change. "His righteousness endureth for ever" (Psalm 112:3).

Then also "his mercy endureth for ever." All 26 verses of Psalm 136 end with this wonderful assurance, and the same promise occurs 16 other times as well. If God's perfect righteousness will last forever, then His great mercy must also endure forever, and we shall continue to thank Him for His everlasting mercy in all the ages to come.

Next, God's Word will endure. "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven" (Psalm 119:89). "But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you" (1 Peter 1:25).

Finally, because God is forever, we also shall live forever. "His seed shall endure for ever" (Psalm 89:36). "The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever" (1 John 2:17). HMM

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Never Like This
September 18, 2017

"And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel" (Matthew 9:33).

In His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus was fully human (except that He did no sin). He probably looked and acted very "average," yet He continually performed works of healing and other miracles that were utterly different from those magical deeds attributed to the many conjurers of the day. When the man "sick of the palsy" was instantaneously and completely cured, he "went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion" (Mark 2:12). It was no wonder that Nicodemus, Israel's greatest teacher at the time, acknowledged to Jesus that "no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him" (John 3:2).

It was the same with His teachings. When officers were sent to arrest Him because of these teachings, they came back empty-handed, reporting simply that "never man spake like this man" (John 7:46).

His words and deeds were uniquely from God, and those who saw and heard Him should have known this. It was appropriate that when the time came for Him to fulfill Zechariah's prophecy concerning the coming of Israel's King, entering Jerusalem on a donkey, He had to "find a colt tied, whereon never man sat" (Mark 11:2) to serve as His kingly chariot. Others before Him had come into the city on donkeys but never like this, on an unbroken colt.

And when He died, He had to be buried in "a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid" (John 19:41). His birth was different, as were His life and death and burial, from those of other men, and "there is none other name . . . whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). HMM

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Blind Hearts
September 19, 2017

"Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart" (Ephesians 4:18).

It is a tragedy for a person to have blinded eyes but infinitely worse to have a blinded heart. No one ever willfully chooses to be sightless, but spiritual blindness is a product of the human will.

After Christ had given sight to the man born blind, the Pharisees still refused to believe, so Jesus said to them, "For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. . . . If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth" (John 9:39, 41).

Like these ancient intellectuals, it often seems that modern intellectuals are incurably blind. They profess to teach science and philosophy of the highest complexity, but their understanding is darkened and their hearts are blinded when it comes to the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. As Paul says: "If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

Even very religious people, people who believe in God as Creator, may blind themselves when confronted with the truth that the Creator must also become their Saviour. "But their minds were blinded . . . even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart" (2 Corinthians 3:14-15).

Nevertheless, Christ came as "the light," and when anyone will simply in faith "turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away" (2 Corinthians 3:16), and the gospel will "shine unto them" (2 Corinthians 4:4). HMM

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The House of the Lord
September 20, 2017

"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple" (Psalm 27:4).

The theme of the house of God is prominent in the book of Psalms. The phrase "the house of the LORD" occurs seven times, plus once each for "the LORD's house" and "the house of the LORD our God." There are three references to "the house of God," one to "the house of my God," and one to "the house of our God." Then, "thy house" is mentioned 11 times, making a total of at least 25 explicit references to the house of the Lord in the book of Psalms alone.

Many of these passages refer, of course, to the actual temple in Jerusalem. On the other hand, since it was in the temple's holy place that the Shekinah glory dwelled and where the high priest met once each year with God on behalf of the people, there naturally follows a personal metaphorical application with the house of the Lord referring to the spiritual presence of the Lord in the life of each believer.

In our text, the psalmist expresses as his highest desire that of continually dwelling in God's presence all the days of his life. A number of the other references express the same holy desire, and the New Testament response is that, indeed, "ye are the temple of God, and . . . the Spirit of God dwelleth in you" (1 Corinthians 3:16).

It is wonderful to "dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life," but that is not all we can look forward to. The glorious concluding assurance of the 23rd Psalm is even greater. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever" (Psalm 23:6). HMM

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Things to Be Aware
September 22, 2017

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Matthew 7:15).

There are three Greek words translated "beware," all of which stress watchfulness and potential danger. In a world under the control of Satan, there are many of his devices that can deceive and undermine the faith and life of the unwary Christian.

Our text cautions against false prophets who appear to be true prophets (or teachers, or pastors) but whose apparent spiritual teachings are subversive of biblical truth. John warns that "many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1), and Jesus said they "shall deceive many" (Matthew 24:11). Jesus also warned that His followers should "beware of . . . the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees" (Matthew 16:12). These sects have their respective modern counterparts in the hypocrisy of legalists and the skepticism of liberals, both of which are destructive of true biblical faith and life.

Very relevant to today's humanistic intellectualism is the warning of Colossians 2:8: "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." This is the Bible’s only reference to philosophy, here evidently equated with "vain deceit."

Finally, the apostle Peter says, "Beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness" (2 Peter 3:17). In context, Peter is referring to those Christian brethren who have distorted the Scriptures in order to seek an accommodation with the naturalistic worldview of establishment intellectuals (2 Peter 3:3-6, 16). Thus, Peter, John, and Christ Himself would urge constant wariness on our part. HMM

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The Creation of Plants
September 23, 2017

"And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so" (Genesis 1:11).

One of the favourite biblical arguments used these days by Christian advocates of an old earth comes from a forced interpretation of this verse. While the verse seems to teach "sudden" creation, old-earth advocates interpret the verse to necessitate an indefinite time period, at least long enough for seeds to grow up into mature, seed-bearing plants. Plants differ widely and are thought to have evolved all throughout Earth history. The third day, then, must be understood as long enough to witness the appearance of all "kinds" of plants and is equated with a vast stretch of geologic time. However, there are many biblical problems with this view—a few of which follow.

Scripture teaches that "in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is" (Exodus 20:11; see also Genesis 2:1-4; etc.), and no meaning other than a solar day is biblically defensible. The "herbs" and "trees" mentioned can only mean small or woody plants that supposedly arrived late on the evolutionary scale, for the same words are used to identify food plants on Day Six.

Furthermore, the verb "bring forth" (Genesis 1:11) is also used when God made animals, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature" (v. 24), on the sixth day. It cannot be referring to the growth of a seed out of the ground but rather must imply the sudden creation of both plants and animals in abundance.

Such compromises are impossible biblically and are quite unnecessary. There are no true facts of science that are incompatible with the young-earth teaching of Scripture. We can be sure of its teachings. JDM

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Singing Garments of Life
September 24, 2017

"The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing" (Psalm 65:13).

This is the concluding verse of the beautiful 65th Psalm, climaxing a remarkable series of testimonies about God's providential care of His creation. In this final figure, the lands are pictured as clothed in beautiful, living garments—garments that shout and sing in joyful praise to their Maker.

The figure would be better appreciated in biblical times or in certain lands (e.g., New Zealand) today where flocks of sheep are so abundant that they literally seem to cover the pasture lands in wool. The flocks first provide a metaphorical garment for the pastures, then literal clothing for men and women. Similarly, the fertile valleys are everywhere arrayed in golden grain, which later provides food for both the animals and human beings.

And "the sounds of the earth are like music," as the song so eloquently expresses it. For those with ears to hear and eyes to see, praise is everywhere being offered up to our great Creator and faithful Sustainer by the very creation itself.

Jesus also spoke of the beautiful garments of creation: "And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" (Matthew 6:28-30).

The verse following our text, therefore, appropriately exhorts, "Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands . . . All the earth shall worship thee" (Psalm 66:1, 4). HMM

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God's Rescue
September 25, 2017

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1).

These are familiar terms within the Psalms, often glossed over because of their frequent use. Light is often associated with truth throughout the Psalms (Psalm 18:28; 36:9; 43:3). But it also indicates the provision of clarity (Psalm 37:6; 38:10; 112:4) and understanding (Psalm 119:105; 119:130), and even favour with God (Psalm 4:6; 44:3; 89:15; 90:8.).

This psalm is a song of joy about God's marvelous deliverance and may very well demand the broadest application possible. The Lord does provide truth for me as I search His Word—and sometimes that truth just pops into my head and heart when I most need it. He surely grants clarity and understanding to me. That is the primary ministry of the Holy Spirit on my behalf (John 16:13-15). And who can ignore the favour we receive in our salvation Ephesians 2:8?

The "rescue" of the Psalms is often set in terms of a military rescue, but it is also applicable to the eternal rescue from sin that is the ultimate focus of the Word. God is said to be the horn of our salvation (Psalm 18:2), a shield (Psalm 18:35), the rock (Psalm 89:26), our strength (Psalm 140:7), as well as my joy (Psalm 51:12) and my truth (Psalm 69:13). These descriptions draw a picture of protection, as does the phrase "strength of my life" in our text. It is consistently used in the Psalms of a rock or fortress that provides safety from enemy attack. All of these settings emphasize the often sudden and unexpected rescue of God's people from sure defeat at the hands of an enemy. HMM III

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God's Boldness
September 26, 2017

"When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident" (Psalm 27:2-3).

The wicked were ready to "eat up" the flesh of David. Whatever may be in view as the setting of this psalm, it surely warns of a pending catastrophic event in David's life. The use of this poignant phrase in the Old Testament often relates to physical destruction of a people at the hands of a military conqueror (Numbers 24:8; Psalm 53:1-5; Jeremiah 5:15-17).

In the New Testament, however, the emphasis seems to be on spiritual, mental, and character destruction (Galatians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 12:20). The biblical message is consistent. No matter whether the Scriptures record an actual event or they use the examples of history to illustrate a spiritual truth, the results are the same. At the apparent peak of the enemy's power, the enemies of God "stumbled and fell."

All godly soldiers should be aware of their own insufficiency. As the conflict is building and the strength of the enemy becomes known, only a foolish braggart assumes that his own resources are enough to bring about victory—especially so when we face the great Adversary and "accuser of the brethren" (Revelation 12:10).

Observation that the host is surrounding and war is rising demands that the child of God not casually enter into Kingdom affairs in ignorance of the enemy or of his potential. Rather, David rests "in this [God's strength] will I be confident." The bold warrior is bold because he is focused. HMM III

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God's Dwelling Place
September 27, 2017

"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life. . . . For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me: he shall set me up upon a rock" (Psalm 27:4-5).

David is absolutely confident that in God's dwelling place is the security of his life and the surety of his purpose. It is there that David will find the beauty of the Lord and will be able to inquire for the necessary instructions. There in God's presence will "the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us" (Psalm 90:17), and there will wisdom dispense her "ways of pleasantness" (Proverbs 3:17).

The descriptions of God's dwelling place are often given in military terms. David was a warrior. The New Testament Christian is often challenged to think like a soldier. Therefore, it is certainly fitting that the Scriptures are full of these portraits of protection and deliverance. The God of salvation and deliverance hides us from the eyes of the enemy. We are kept "as the apple of the eye . . . under the shadow of thy wings. From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about" (Psalm 17:8-9). "And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD" (Psalm 27:6).

Today, the desperate saint need go no farther than his own prayer closet to be in direct contact and under the sheltering "pavilion" in His secret tabernacle. HMM III

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The Urgent Prayer
September 28, 2017

"Hear, O LORD; when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me, When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation" (Psalm 27:7-9).

David's prayers were urgent, intensely demanding God to deliver or protect him from immediate circumstances that were threatening to "eat him up." Many prayers for help in time of trouble are very similar.

Although there is no requirement to pray out loud, there does seem to be a consistent pattern in these prayers that cry out for help in desperate times: the petitioner cries "with my voice" (Psalm 3:4; 27:7; 77:1; 142:1). Perhaps the need is so great that one forgets to be formal and just blurts out the need. Possibly the urgency of the situation is so immediate that all concern for what others may think is obliterated. Maybe, when we use our voice in our prayers, more of our "being" is involved in the praying.

Whatever the circumstances or reasons may be, the Scripture seems to bear out the need to vocalize our petitions. The widow who would not leave the judge alone (Luke 18:1-8.) and the friend who pounded on the door for food at midnight (Luke 11:5-10) are two classic parables that encourage us to insist and to persist in our prayers before the Lord.

Even when every resource we have at our disposal fails, even when those closest to us desert us, God promises, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not" (Jeremiah 33:3). HMM III

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The Urgent Faith
September 29, 2017

"When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up" (Psalm 27:10).

The preceding verses to our text bear out that David was almost shouting his prayer to the Lord. His need was urgent, the circumstances were fearful, and David was not attempting to impress the crowd around him with his religious piety. An urgent need demands an urgent expression!

Such urgent expression, however, should not be understood or suggest that shouting is sufficient to move the Lord to hear. Jesus warned against using "vain repetitions" and "much speaking" as a substitute for genuine petition (Matthew 6:7). The Creator certainly understands the human condition. Our dear Lord Jesus "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). We are clearly told that we are to seek Him with our whole heart.

This kind of prayer is like thirsting for the Lord's help "in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is" (Psalm 63:1). This kind of prayer reaches out with the soul to "desire thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early" (Isaiah 26:9). God does promise that the seeking prayer will be responded to! "Those that seek me early shall find me," Wisdom promises in Proverbs 8:17. "I will hearken unto you," the Lord says. "Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:12-13).

It is the "effectual fervent prayer" of the righteous man that "availeth much" (James 5:16). HMM III

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