What Causes Glory To God?

Through out the scriptures we are given a history of humanity. It's a rather gritty history. Like a poor portrait that fails to cover the flaws so that we see the reality of the person; our heroes-- warts and all are included in scripture.

In the recent study of the incident of Elijah where we see his triumph over the defeat of the prophets of Baal. Shortly thereafter we note his discouragement and flight away from the threats of Queen Jezebel.

"But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper-tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough; now, O Jehovah, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers." (1 Kings 19:4 ASV)

Elijah has gone from triumph to tragedy. However, remember the Apostle Paul who penned these words through inspiration:
"And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ASV)

We as Elijah had done are wont to forget where our power comes from. It isn't who we are, but who our God is. Our strongest point is often our weakest point as well. How often do people glory in their 'strong point' to their downfall?

Just because someone is a great hero, they are not perfect. Another scripture that comes to mind is: "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."(1 Corinthians 10:12 ASV)

All no matter how talented are only earthen vessels. Earthly role models are not perfect.
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves;" (2 Corinthians 4:7 ASV)

• Often the problems come because of erroneous expectations. These can be our expectations for ourselves, or our expectations for others.
• We look at the earthly human story and wonder what is wrong with ourselves and otherselves because we find ourselves struggling, or worse we don't understand the struggles others are suffering. 

There are some take aways here:

• In I Kings we see Elijah in chapters 17 and 18 as strong, productive, victorious, and occupied.
• In I Kings chapter 19 Elijah is weak and famished.
• After being fed by God Elijah is then commissioned by God.

Quite a few years ago (and several times since) I heard a sermon pointing to the sins of different Bible heroes. How each had feet of clay, such as Noah being found drunken (one time after the flood). I'm sure it was meant to encourage each of us that everyone has those feet of clay. However, as a student in a ladies class where Job's wife's famous one time speech is found:
"Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God, and die."
(Job 2:9 ASV)

This dear lady said, "I sure hope I'm not remembered for one foolish statement I make out of my entire life."
Read Hebrews chapter 11. It's known as 'God's hall of faith'. Yes, God's heroes all were earthen vessels, but when it is all said and done, it should never be our weaknesses that define us.

James 5:17 tells us:

"Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months. And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit." (James 5:17-18 ASV)

You and I may be only one lowly person, but we need to remember it isn't who we are but who our God is. 

"Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working." James 5:16

Hallelujah! What a Savior!  

Elijah II

"1)And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the sojourners of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As Jehovah, the God of Israel, liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
2) And the word of Jehovah came unto him, saying, 
3)Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan." (1 Kings 17:1-3 ASV)

This is the first we see of Elijah. It is our introduction, but King Ahab and the people of that day were probably already familiar with the prophet. He was a Tishbite --indicates he was from a town in northern Israel. 

He was a sojourner of Gilead  a common man. A side point here from the Master himself when he asks:

"Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft raiment are in king's houses. But wherefore went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. " (Matthew 11:7-9 ASV)

This was John the Baptizer, a likeness of Elijah. 

"For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, that is to come." (Matthew 11:13-14 ASV)

What were the days of Elijah like? Wicked rulers (Ahab and his wicked queen Jezebel were top of the heap). The foundation of the nation was crumbling, the people worshiped Baal. There was no law and order, no justice from the rulers. (Naboth's vineyard I Kings 21:1-16) These were the days of Elijah. 

We are often reminded that we are all 'common men (and women)'. There have been many perilous times, and will continue to be perilous times until the Lord comes. Psalms 11:3 asks the question:

"3)If the foundations be destroyed, What can the righteous do?"

 -7 and answers:

4)Jehovah is in his holy temple; Jehovah, his throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. 5)Jehovah trieth the righteous; But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. 6)Upon the wicked he will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind shall be the portion of their cup. 7)For Jehovah is righteous; He loveth righteousness: The upright shall behold his face." (Psalms 11:3-7 ASV)

The important thing is not who we are, but who our God is.

Elijah: My God is Jehovah. 

We know who and what was Elijah's God. A burning question is who and what is our God? Do we claim faith in Jesus (Christian), yet live like practical atheists? 

Where is our treasure and who is our treasure? 

"for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also."(Matthew 6:21) 

To Be Continued 

Hallelujah! What a Savior! 

Days of Elijah

 Elijah— his very name elicits mental pictures of strength and courage. He had the courage to face down Jezebel's prophets of Baal in the 'contest on Mount Carmel' and he showed the people that 'Jehovah, he is God'.

Did he think Jezebel would take defeat lightly? Did he think Ahab would be the leader he should have been? Neither of those things happened.

"And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers." (1 Kings 19:1-4 KJV)

"And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. (1 Kings 19:13-14 KJV)

It may have been a lapse in faith. The key may lie in Elijah's answer:

•  It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
• And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 

Some times when we want to make a difference in the world, strife and conflict reminds us we are all but human beings, earthen vessels if you will. Elijah explodes onto the scene back in I Kings 17 where he confronts weak King Ahab. In Melchizedek fashion he has no parentage or earthly lineage. His name Elijah = Eliyahu or 'My God is Yahweh'. We don't know who his 'father' was, only who his God is. We know that Elijah has been jealous for the Lord, and Elijah thinks it's all over. Perhaps he thinks he has failed. Failed God and himself. 

This reminds me of Joshua when Israel is defeated at AI; and God's answer to Joshua:

7)"And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord Jehovah, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over the Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to cause us to perish? would that we had been content and dwelt beyond the Jordan! 
8)Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after that Israel hath turned their backs before their enemies! 
9)For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will ... cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do for thy great name? 
10)And Jehovah said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore art thou thus fallen upon thy face? 
11)Israel hath sinned;..." (Joshua 7:7-11 ASV)

God gently tells Elijah he's not finished yet. God commissions Elijah to anoint Hazael King over Syria, anoint Jehu to be king in Israel, and anoint Elisha prophet after Elijah. God tells Elijah:  

"And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. 

(1 Kings 19:17-18 KJV)

To be continued.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Praise God

 "Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed."  Ecclesiastes 8:1

Many times in my life I have wondered about people: Why did they do that?

"Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also." (Matthew 13:24-26 KJV)

Wheat is what we make bread out of. It's a good, useful grain. Tares are wheat look alike weeds, not merely weeds in the wheat. What is the significance of wheat look alikes and not just weeds in the wheat? Well, 'the wheat brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also'. It adds credence to Jesus words 'by their fruit ye shall know them'. The wheat and tares looked much the same until fruition. 

 If you read the remaining account in Matthew 13:27-30 the wheat and tares grew together until the harvest and the 'fruit' appeared. At that time the tares were gathered and burned. The wheat was gathered into the barns. 

***

I'm the kind of person that sees the light at the end of the tunnel and that's where I'm headed. What you see is what you get, so to speak. I have to be careful because when people ask me what I think, often I tell them honestly. Good or bad there it is. 

Not all people are like that. People don't appear with signs that tell others who and what they are. A few years ago a catch phrase was, 'sustainability'. Now people are warned not to use that phrase. Or if you hear that phrase, back away. Why is that? It denotes an agenda. 

I have a sparrow trying to build a nest in a chink in my siding. To me that's bad, to him that's good. Agendas are like that. People with agendas are out to change something, either for the good or for the not so good. And which it may be is often is hard to discern. Like the tares in the wheat we must look beyond how pretty and green the idea may be today, but what will its fruit be tomorrow, or some time down the trail of time. 

July 31, 1930 a radio program called, 'The Shadow', made its debut. One of the lines that came from that show was, "Who knows what evil lurks in the minds of men? The Shadow knows! I have wondered why the so called 'Progressives' have sought the changes they have pursued. Those changes have not made our country better by any means, just made our country different. 

The end they are pushing for is social engineering. They have removed Jehovah God as the ruler of our nation, (and yes, in the beginning Jehovah was considered the head). Originally our rights came from God, and God was the standard setter. Now that the Progressives have (attempted to) remove(d) Jehovah, who do they want to replace him with? Themselves of course, and that makes them the decider of our 'standards'. That makes them the judge of who can do what, who is eligible for 'life, liberty, and freedom'. 

Back to the wheat and the tares. Here is Jesus own explanation of the parable:

• "He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 
• The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 
• The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 
• As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 
• The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 
• And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."  (Matthew 13:37-42 KJV)

That is frightening. It calls the Progressives out for what they are--children of the wicked one. Not really progressive at all. It also warns them and all who would follow them to repent, turn back, don't go that way. That end will not be good. It also gives children of light a warning, and a calling.

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:21-23 KJV)

"Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart discerneth time and judgment:" (Ecclesiastes 8:5)  

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Do You Know the Cost?

"Now there went with him great multitudes: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it? Lest haply, when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish."  (Luke 14:25-30 ASV)

Minnie Pearl, a performer on The Grand Ole Opry, would come out on stage with a loud, country sounding "HOWDEE". She wore a hat with a $1.98 price tag dangling from it.

Counting the cost.

As in anything else in this life, if it isn't worth your everything it isn't worth anything to you. Not to say a new car, boat, or new clothes and jewelry can't be expensive, yet most everything has it's limits. There isn't much that I value over my family and true friends. Would I trade the life of one of my loved ones for a car? Of course not, nor any other worldly item would be worth the life of a loved one. 

Yet, the love of God and Jesus should be above any other tie. When Jesus says to 'hate your own father, mother, wife, children, etc. he's meaning to love them less than our love for Him. If we honestly love God and Jesus above all else, we will love our father, mother, wife, children, and brethren so much more than we would love them if we had put them first. 

Meaningless. It is meaningless to tell others 'we should love Christ first because he loved us and died for us'. It won't mean anything to them if they have not love. Consider:

•  "If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments." (John 14:15 ASV)

• "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46 ASV) 

I don't know how the love of God becomes implanted in the hearts of the children of men. I have seen the results, but some hearts never allow it to take root and grow. That is a sad phenomenon. How much better lives are when built on the true foundation of Jesus and His teachings:

"Every one that cometh unto me, and heareth my words, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who digged and went deep, and laid a foundation upon the rock: and when a flood arose, the stream brake against that house, and could not shake it: because it had been well builded. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that built a house upon the earth without a foundation; against which the stream brake, and straightway it fell in; and the ruin of that house was great." (Luke 6:47-49 ASV)

"The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly." (John 10:10 ASV)

Jesus knew the cost and he paid it anyway. He paid a debt He didn't owe; We owed a debt we couldn't pay. That either means everything to us, or it means nothing. Abundant life is your choice.

Hallelujah! What a Savior! 

More From Later

     “What an elegant house. It looks like something out of a magazine,” Julius said.

            The old woman leaned against the counter. “As a bride the first home I had was a cabin. The first years, we didn’t have running water. Our bathroom was a little room—about forty feet out the kitchen door at the end of a long path.”

“Ha, ha,” Julius laughed. “You mean one of those old outhouses?”

She smiled. “And our children were half raised before we had what many people today would call necessities. In time things became easier. Easier, not better. Water in a faucet doesn’t make life better, just different. As Charles Spurgeon wrote, Happiness does not consist of how much you have, but how much you enjoy….”

The above is an excerpt from my coming book, "If I Should Die". 

As I have confessed I grew up through the 1950's, 60's and became an adult in the 1970's. Just as the 'old woman' in the story said, times have become easier, but not better. As I look around me I wonder why...

• why does everyone just expect married folks to be two income families?
• why do so many people say, 'we just can't live on one salary'.
• why do people believe they have less money than families had during the depression?
• why do we have less time for our friends and families than any generation before us? (so it seems)
• why do we always seem to want to 'get somewhere', but we're never quite sure where that somewhere is?
• why do we never know when 'enough is enough'? 

"The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, Yea, four that say not, Enough: Sheol; and the barren womb; The earth that is not satisfied with water; And the fire that saith not, Enough." (Proverbs 30:15-16 ASV)

Through the years ordinary people in this country have allowed things to happen. With a shrug of the shoulders we ask, 'who am I, and what can I do'. We feel helpless against the Goliaths of this world and rightly so. One of the reasons we rob Peter to pay Paul is who we've chosen to be our gods. Our lives are dominated by the 'horseleaches of this world. 

Many years ago before my children were in school an acquaintance whose son was in high school complained to me about a class that had become known as 'sex ed'. She had gone to view the content of the class to see if it was suitable for her Christian son. She was shocked and dismayed at what she saw. It's just pornography, she told me, but what can I do? They say he must take this class in order to get his diploma and graduate. 

At that moment I realized several things. Even though I appreciate education, there are some things more important to me than graduation and a diploma. And, especially in this country where we value our freedoms and liberties, no government entity should sit on a throne of power and force us to do something which we find abhorrent and repulsive, because some things are right, and some things are wrong, and some things are more important than graduation and a diploma.
What can we do? Here are some suggestions:

• Pray to Jehovah God,  "And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven, and said, I beseech thee... (Nehemiah 1:4-5 ASV)

• Take a long hard look at your life, where you are now, and where you want to go and ask God's blessings on your journey. "O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who delight to fear thy name; and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day..." (Nehemiah 1:11 ASV)

Stop following the horseleaches of this world. Stop letting the horseleaches dictate how you live. Remember:

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?" (Romans 8:31 ASV)

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

New Post on: Another Day

I saw a monarch butterfly today. So many memories come from this sighting. The first year we homeschooled I had dill growing in my herb garden to go with my homemade dill pickles. Except wouldn't you know it swallowtail butterflies like dill (and carrots). We cut the dill heads with the caterpillars and put several in jars to watch them eat...and turn into chrysalis...and eventually the finished butterfly. They are truly a wonder. 

Many years ago when we still watched 'Doctor Who', there was one show on a species that tried to dominate and eradicate a second species that the first species believed was substandard. The second species was (it runs in my mind) an insect-like being. In the end it turned out that the second species was in a 'stage' in their life cycle, and similar to butterflies at the end of their stage they turned into something like a creature of light and beauty. They just had to get through the ugly stage first. 

In comparison, we humans seem to need our earthly struggles, and yes, even sometimes stages of ugliness. The more we turn toward the light of God's love and teaching the more ugliness we leave behind for true beauty.  

What we begin with is what some religious circles call 'man's fallen nature'. I read recently of a woman who had 'struggled' with the idea of humans having a fallen nature...until her child reached the two year old mark. Now, apparently, she has come to a new understanding.

I digress, however, the scriptures let us know that people are not born 'wicked' per se, but they become wicked with the wicked choices they make. 

"Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions."  (Ecclesiastes 7:29 ASV)

Yes, life is a struggle, but if we hold on as Christians it will be worth it. 

If any man's work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire. 
(1 Corinthians 3:14-15 ASV)

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward. For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God." (Romans 8:18-21)

"For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth?" (Romans 8:22-24)

Hallelujah! What a Savior!