life

  • twenty children

     

    John 3:1  Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2  This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3  Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4  Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5  Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”


    twenty children

    twenty children ~ a vapor ~ breathe no more
    impending judgment at heaven's door

    how many escaped sin's fatal blight?
    how many tasted Love's Pure Light?

    how many entered the path of Life,
    blood-bought transport to Peace from strife,

    delivered from the pow'r of darkness,
    once blinded, graced with spiritual sight?

    how many felt the Spirit's quickening wind,
    received full atonement, forgiveness of sins?

    who can stand before God clothed in fleshly works alone?
    even babes need the covering of the Lamb's righteous robe

    Romans 3:19  Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20  For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

    21  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22  the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24  and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25  whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26  It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

    27  Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28  For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29  Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30  since God is one. He will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31  Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

    apart from His offering, a hostile relation –
    but Christ was made sin for our reconciliation

    II Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19  that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

    Christ Jesus set forth to be a propitiation
    to all who believe, God's pow'r of salvation

    for every tongue, tribe, language and nation
    glad tidings:  the Gospel proclamation!

    Isaiah 61:
    8  For I the LORD love justice;
    I hate robbery and wrong;
    I will faithfully give them their recompense,
    and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
    9  Their offspring shall be known among the nations,
    and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;
    all who see them shall acknowledge them,
    that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed.

    hear their songs of praise and everlasting joy:
    the old men and old women, the girls and boys...

    10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD;
    my soul shall exult in my God,
    for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
    he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
    as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
    11  For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
    and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
    so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise
    to sprout up before all the nations.


    Zechariah 8:4  Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. 5  And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.

    Romans 5:1  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2  Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

    Psalm 118:
    14  The LORD is my strength and my song;
    he has become my salvation.
    15  Glad songs of salvation
    are in the tents of the righteous:
    “The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,
    16  the right hand of the LORD exalts,
    the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!”
    17  I shall not die, but I shall live,
    and recount the deeds of the LORD.
    18  The LORD has disciplined me severely,
    but he has not given me over to death.
    19  Open to me the gates of righteousness,
    that I may enter through them
    and give thanks to the LORD.
    20  This is the gate of the LORD;
    the righteous shall enter through it.
    21  I thank you that you have answered me
    and have become my salvation.
    22  The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone.
    23  This is the LORD's doing;
    it is marvelous in our eyes.

    on judgment day, before Christ's throne
    no soul can stand but through Christ alone

    the first Advent, He came to provide salvation
    the second He comes as the Judge of all nations

    Hebrews 9:24  For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25  Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26  for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27  And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28  so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

    today He calls all to repent everywhere
    will you mock the risen King, would you dare? 

    be saved, you sinners, from the wrath to come
    hear Him, believe on Him, God's only begotten Son

    Acts 17:29  Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30  The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31  because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

    32  Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.”

    all flesh is as grass, your glory as the fading flower
    confide in Christ, be raised from death to life this very hour!

    I Peter 2:6
    For it stands in Scripture:

    “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
    a cornerstone chosen and precious,
    and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

    Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

  • Advent # 8: WHY HAS JESUS COME? "so that [we] might be WITH HIM" ~ Mark 3:14

    I Peter 3:18
    For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God...

    Mark 3:13-15
    And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him.
    And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be WITH HIM
    and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons...

    In the midst of myriad preparations
    Have you missed the blessèd consummation?

    Cookie baking, choir practices
    Bellies stuffed, but hearts are restless

    Trimmed the tree, hung the greens
    But have you glimpsed the Savior's sheen?

    Aromas swirling, rising, lifting, fireplace crackling
    Have you heard the voice of the newborn King?

    Christmas parties, ladies' teas
    Have you felt the Spirit's breeze?

    Advent programs, pageants, nativity scenes
    Your calendars bloated, your souls are lean

    Lists were made, the presents all bought
    But was The Unspeakable Gift sought?

    Gift exchanges, shopping madness
    Is that heaven's joy and gladness?

    Hear your Bridegroom's sweet plea and lamentation:
    "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten

    "Open to Me, take My yoke, find My rest,
    Lay your weary head upon My breast.

    "Precious blood for thee I freely shed
    To bring My bride to My Marriage Bed

    "Deliver you from the power of darkness
    Carry you safely across the great gulf fixed

    "To lavish upon you ev'ry spiritual pleasure
    O! sister, made alive, seated with Me together

    "In the heavenlies:  Satisfaction! Full Delight!
    Behold your Bridegroom! Love's Pure Light!

    "My fair one! Rise up! Open to me!
    Flame of Jehovah burns ardently!

    "Awake, My love, forfeit not the consummation:
    For I have desired thee before world's foundation!"

    I Peter 1:14-21
    As obedient children,
    do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,
    but as he who called you is holy,
    you also be holy in all your conduct,
    since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

    And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds,
    conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,
    knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers,
    not with perishable things such as silver or gold,
    but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

    He was foreknown before the foundation of the world
    but was made manifest in the last times for your sake,
    who through him are believers in God,
    who raised him from the dead and gave him glory,
    so that your faith and hope are in God.

    James 4:4-10
    You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?
    Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
    Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says,
    “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?

    But he gives more grace.
    Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

    Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
    Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
    Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
    Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
    Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

    Deuteronomy 10:15-16
    Yet the LORD set his heart in love
    on your fathers
    and chose their offspring after them,
    you above all peoples,
    as you are this day.
    Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart,
    and be no longer stubborn.

    His bride's rightful response:

    Isaiah 63:15-19
    Look down from heaven and see,
    from your holy and beautiful habitation.
    Where are your zeal and your might?
    The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion
    are held back from me.
    For you are our Father,
    though Abraham does not know us,
    and Israel does not acknowledge us;
    you, O LORD, are our Father,
    our Redeemer from of old is your name.
    O LORD, why do you make us wander from your ways
    and harden our heart, so that we fear you not?
    Return for the sake of your servants,
    the tribes of your heritage.
    Your holy people held possession for a little while;
    our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary.
    We have become like those over whom you have never ruled,
    like those who are not called by your name.

    Song of Solomon 8:6-7
    Set me as a seal upon your heart,
    as a seal upon your arm,
    for love is strong as death,
    jealousy is fierce as the grave.
    Its flashes are flashes of fire,
    the very flame of the LORD.
    Many waters cannot quench love,
    neither can floods drown it.
    If a man offered for love
    all the wealth of his house,
    he would be utterly despised.

    the Bridegroom's strong assurance:

    Zechariah 1:13-14
    And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
    So the angel who talked with me said to me,
    ‘Cry out, Thus says the LORD of hosts:
    I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion.’

    From Dafydd Morris' second address to the 2007 Reformation and Revival Fellowship Conference, "Why Should Jesus Send His Spirit? Part 2 - Song of Solomon 4:12-5:1 ~ starting at around the 16:00 point (emphasis mine):
       And so, from the stress placed on fellowship in Scripture and communion, we gather that there must be something in that for the Lord Jesus Christ. Because look how keen the Bridegroom is for fellowship. He comes courting, doesn't He? And He's so ardent in His courting. Courting that lukewarm Church at Laodicea. We're amazed at that, aren't we? The way that He still desired strongly to come in and to sup and to have communion. There's so much that was unattractive about that Church –– not seeing its own need at all:  awful, awful self-sufficiency and complacency. Yet the Bridegroom comes knocking [*knocking on podium*], and His voice is heard and calls, and He desires to come in, to sup and to dine!

       And we've got that of course, in the Song. We have Solomon as a type of Christ, saying to the Shulamite, a type of believer – the Church, "Let Me see thy countenance," He says. "Let Me hear thy voice!" Now, that's ardent courtship isn't it? Warm love. Passion. That's what it is.

       And, the Lord Jesus Christ in the days of His flesh chose His disciples for His fellowship, His communion, for His friendship, that they would be WITH HIM. That's why He chose them. Something very basic. Mark 3 and verse 14:  "So that they would be WITH HIM.
     
       And our Lord seems to relish that companionship. We find it very difficult to believe. We know what the disciples were, they were slow and unbelieving, at times not catching on to what He was speaking about, misunderstanding Him, and all of that. And then we find it difficult to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ should ardently want their company, don't we? And we find the same with ourselves, don't we? We have a glimpse – we know what we are, in part, anyway, and we have difficulty taking on board that the Lord Jesus Christ  should ardently desire to be with us. But He did desire the company of those disciples: "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place," He said. "Come on and rest awhile. I want to be with you. I want to speak to you." And it was a sorrow to Him to contemplate losing that fellowship:  "Will ye also go away?"

       So, if we come back to the central thesis in these addresses, that it is in the Lord's own interest to pour out of His Spirit, how is the Lord Jesus Christ going to get the company He wants, the companionship, the fellowship of His bride, if He does not pour out the Holy Spirit so that there is the matchmaking?

    * * *

    Psalm 85:4-6 (KJV)
    Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.
    Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
    Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?


    O! Lord Jesus, pour out of Your Spirit!     Make Your face to shine upon us again, as in the ancient days, that Your people might ardently desire to be WITH YOU. Teach us to savor, relish and treasure our companionship and fellowship WITH YOU, that we might rejoice in You!

    "Alleluia! And for his marriage feast prepare, for ye must go and meet him there."

    ~ from "Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying" by Philipp Nicolai, 1599, tr. by Catherine Winkworth, 1858, 1863, emphasis mine

    HT for the reference to Mark 3:13 from Dafydd Morris' message "Why Should Jesus Send His Spirit? Part 2," available at http://www.reformationandrevival.org/pastconferenceaddresses.html

    Related posts...

    my other Advent posts on "Why Has Jesus Come?" ...

    other related posts:

    Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Emphasis mine.

    Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

    Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hunt,_William_Homan_-_The_Light_of_the_World_-_1853-54.jpg / {{PD-Art|PD-old-100}}

  • "the treasure you can never find in a mall" ~ Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift!

    You trying to figure what to do with your life
    You make a lot of money, hope you doing it right
    because the money is God's, you better steward it right
    Stay focused! You ain't got no ride?
    Your life ain't wrapped up in what you drive,
    the clothes you wear, the job you work,
    the color your skin – naw you Christian first.
    People living life for a job,
    Make a lil money, start living for a car,
    get em a house, a wife, kids, and a dog
    When they retire, they living high on the hog –
    but guess what? – they didn't ever really live at all:
    To live is Christ and that's Paul I recall,
    To die is gain, so for Christ we give it all!
    He's the treasure you can never find in a mall!

    ... I refuse to waste my life
    He's too true ta chase that ice
    Here's my gifts and time cause I'm constantly trying to be used to praise the Christ
    If He's truly raised to life,
    then this news should change your life
    And by His grace you can put your faith in the place that rules your days and nights.

    Don't wanna waste my life, life, life...
    Don't wanna waste my life, life, life...
    Don't wanna waste my...
    Don't wanna waste my...
    Don't wanna waste my...

    (Lyrics from Lecrae's "Don't Waste Your Life," emphasis mine)

    http://youtu.be/9N01-mNO0us ~ Features an excerpt form John Piper's sermon "Boasting Only in the Cross"

    * * *

    Isaiah 32:9-10
    Rise up, ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye careless daughters; give ear unto my speech.
    Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come.

    From Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on Isaiah 32:9-10 (boldface mine):

         In these verses we have God rising up to judgment against the vile persons, to punish them for their villainy; but at length returning in mercy to the liberal, to reward them for their liberality.

         When there was so great a corruption of manners, and so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might well be expected, and here is a warning given of such times coming. The alarm is sounded to the women that were at ease (9) and the careless daughters, to feed whose pride, vanity, and luxury, their husbands and fathers were tempted to starve the poor. Let them hear what the prophet has to say to them in God's name: "Rise up, and hear with reverence and attention."

         Let them know that God was about to bring wasting desolating judgments upon the land in which they lived in pleasure and were wanton. This seems to refer primarily to the desolations made by Sennacherib's army when he seized all the fenced cities of Judah: but then those words, many days and years, must be rendered (as the margin reads them) days above a year, that is, something above a year shall this havock be in the making: so long it was from the first entrance of that army into the land of Judah to the overthrow of it. But it is applicable to the wretched disappointment which those will certainly meet with, first or last, that set their hearts upon the world and place their happiness in it: You shall be troubled, you careless women. It will not secure us from trouble to cast away care when we are at ease; nay, to those who affect to live carelessly even little troubles will be great vexations and press hard upon them. They were careless and at ease because they had money enough and mirth enough; but the prophet here tells them, (1.) That the country whence they had their tents and dainties should shortly be laid waste: "The vintage shall fail; and then what will you do for wine to make merry with?  The gathering of fruit shall not come, for there shall be none to be gathered, and you will find the want of them, 10.

    "Rise up... hear ... give ear..."

    I Corinthians 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example,
    but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. (ESV)

    "Prayer Answered by Crosses"
     by John Newton

    1 I asked the Lord that I might grow
    In faith, and love, and every grace;
    Might more of His salvation know,
    And seek more earnestly His face.

    2 'Twas He who taught me thus to pray;
    And He, I trust, has answered prayer:
    But it has been in such a way
    As almost drove me to despair.

    3 I hoped that in some favored hour,
    At once He'd grant me my request;
    And, by His love's constraining power,
    Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

    4 Instead of this, He made me feel
    The hidden evils of my heart,
    And let the angry powers of hell
    Assault my soul in every part.

    5 Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
    Intent to aggravate my woe;
    Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
    Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

    6 Lord, why is this? I trembling cried;
    Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
    'Tis in this way, the Lord replied,
    I answer prayer for grace and faith.

    7 These inward trials I employ
    From self and pride to set thee free,
    To break thy schemes of worldly joy,
    That thou mayst seek thy all in Me.

    * * *

    Holy God,

    Humble us,
    Crumble us,

    Break our schemes of worldly joy,
    Blast our gourds, every vain toy,

    So we might have no other gods before Thee,
    To no other bow or bend the knee,

    The trembling, broken, contrite soul
    The only soul made fully whole

    Set free to seek our all in Thee,
    And find our all in all in Thee

    Only the single-eyed
    Can be fully satisfied

    Cast aside the night
    For unswerving Delight

    To the Bridegroom I cleave and cling
    In Christ I boast! To Christ I sing!

    For You, O Christ, are the True Vine, the vintage that never fails to supply,
    For You, O Christ, are the Living Water, the wellspring that never runs dry

    For You, O Christ, are Everlasting Light, Who never fails to brighten,
    For You, O Christ, are Exceeding Joy, the thirsty soul to gladden

    Right hand embrace,
    Fruit sweet to my taste

    All-surpassing Excellence,
    Refreshing Radiance

    Eternal Treasure,
    Unbridled Pleasure

    Never a disappointment
    O! Bountiful Ointment!

    J.A. Alexander's rendering of Isaiah 29:19:

    And the humble shall add joy (i.e. shall rejoice more and more) in Jehovah,
    and the poor among men in the Holy One of Israel shall rejoice.

    II Corinthians 9:15
    Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
    Thanks be unto God for his inexpressible gift.     (ESV)
    Thanks be unto God for his indescribable gift. (NKJV)

    What are you doing with God's unspeakable, inexpressible, indescribable Gift, the Lord Jesus Christ?

    Do Isaiah's words describe you? Are you being careless? Do you prefer worldly, earthly gifts over and above Him?

    Do you draw near with your mouth, giving thanks to God with your lips only, while your heart is set upon the world and far from Him?

    Isaiah 29:13 And the Lord said:...
    this people draw near with their mouth
    and honor me with their lips,
    while their hearts are far from me,
    and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men...

    Mark 7:6  And he [Jesus] said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

    ‘This people honors me with their lips,
    but their heart is far from me;
    7  in vain do they worship me,
    teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’"

    Luke 11:35
    Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness.

    Related:

    Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

    Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

    Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

    Lyrics are subject to US Copyright Laws and are the property of their respective authors, artists and labels. Commercial use prohibited.

    "Prayer Answered by Crosses" accessed from http://www.hymnary.org/text/i_asked_the_lord_that_i_might_grow / Public Domain. I capitalized the references to the Godhead.

    Photo credit: Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Queensgate_Shopping_Centre_-_geograph.org.uk_-_528123.jpg  / CC BY-SA 2.0 - Attribution: Tony Atkin.

naphtali_deer

About me...

Christian hedonist in training. Pressing on to know more and more of the joy of the LORD. Pleading with God to rend the heavens and revive and refresh my own soul, as well as His Church, to His praise, honor and glory.

Thank God. He can make men and women in middle life sing again with a joy that has been chastened by a memory of their past failures. ~ Alan Redpath

My other websites

tent of meeting: Prayer for reformation & revival

(See also Zechariah821. Zechariah821 is a mirror site of tent of meeting, found on WordPress)

deerlifetrumpet: Encouragement for those seeking reformation & revival in the Church

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