Entering the Temple of God’s Revelation

I’m not sure how you feel about your Bible, but I hope you see it for the treasure that it is. Hear these words from David, “The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of coins of gold and silver. . . . Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. . . . How sweet are Your words to my taste; sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Ps. 119:72, 97, 103)! Years ago I came across the following from an unknown author and it so vividly depicts that precious book that I wanted to share it with you. Read it, mediate on ii and then journey through the temple of God’s revelation.

Many years ago I entered the wonderful temple of God’s revelation. I entered the Portico of Genesis and walked down through the Old Testament art gallery where the pictures of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David and Daniel hung on the way.

I entered the Music Room of Psalms where the spirit swept the keyboard of nature and brought forth the dirge and wail of the “weeping prophet,” to the grand impassioned strains of Isaiah, until it seemed that every reed and harp in God’s great organ of nature responded to the tuneful touch of David, the sweet singer of Israel.

I entered the Chapel of Ecclesiastes where the voice of “the preacher” was heard, and into the Conservatory of Sharon, and the “Lily of the Valley’s” sweet-scented spice filled and perfumed life.

I entered the Business Office of Proverbs and passed into the Observatory Room of the Prophets where I saw many telescopes of various sizes, some pointing to far-off events, but all concentrating on the “Bright and Morning Star” which was to rise over the moonlit hills of Judea for our salvation.

I entered the Audience Room of the “King of Kings” and caught a vision from the standpoint of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

I passed into the Acts of the Apostles where the Holy Spirit was doing his office work in the formation of the infant church, and into the Corresponding Room where sat Paul, Peter, James, Jude and John penning their epistles.

I stepped into the throne of Revelation where all towered into glittering peaks, and I got a vision of the King seated upon His throne in all glory, and I cried, “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

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The First Step of Leadership

What does a leader look like? What are those qualities which are most important for one to have in order for him to develop so as to lead others to greater service to our Creator? Think about the difference in how the world looks at potential leaders and the way God sees them.

What would the world have ever seen in a man who was a failure at age forty and guilty of murder? What would the world have ever seen in that man who fled to a foreign country, took a meaningless job and dropped out of sight for decades? Who would have ever thought that lying dormant within him was the ability to lead a group which numbered in the millions? The world would never have seen Moses as a leader, but God did!

Who would have ever thought that a man who was described as “ignorant, uneducated, common, unlettered,  untrained, common, ordinary, illiterate, and an ignoramus and unlearned” (various translations of Acts 4:13) would ever have any future? Yet when Jesus called James, this is the way the world viewed the lowly fisherman. James, along with Peter and John, became part of the “inner circle” of the apostles! Who would have seen that!

Would the world have ever looked on a young man as having any potential when his own family did not see that in him? When God sent His prophet to Bethlehem to sanctify a particular family in which the next king of Israel was to be found, the youngest son was not there when the time came to anoint the new king! His own family had left him at home to tend the sheep. It appears they thought he might be a good shepherd, but that was about all! God said of him, “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel” (2 Sam. 7:8).

God looks at men far differently from the way the world does when it comes to great leaders. Paul was slow of speech; Peter crumbled and denied Jesus at the most critical time; Amos was a fruit gatherer; Levi was a tax collector. Yet God saw in them far more than the world saw in them.

Now think about yourself and the Leadership Workshop planned for this weekend. Let me urge you to stop seeing yourself through the eyes of the world and see in yourself what God can create there. The beginning step for a great leader for God is a willing heart, dedicated to Him. That kind of heart is up to you. The rest, being molded and shaped into a great leader, is up to Him. Think about this!

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Before There Ever is a Problem

I don’t think there is such as word as “preprovidence,” but it certainly describes a wonderful aspect of the amazing way God cares for us. He works in our lives, and we live believing in His providence. However, we may have limited our understanding of His providence.

I know that the word providence literally means that God sees circumstances and events before they arrive. We talk about providence in the midst of trials, but the word “preprovidence” emphasizes just how far ahead of events God sees them! We often limit our understanding of Him and how He works in our lives.

Take the story of Joseph. It vividly illustrates how that without direct revelation we cannot know for certain that a specific event was part of His working. We learn so much from this story. God lets us see how He worked years before we normally think He does. Joseph, at the time he was being sold as a slave by his brothers, likely did not see God working, but he certainly did later. He told his brothers that God had sent him to Egypt to keep their families from starving—”God sent me before you to preserve life” (Gen. 45:5). Because of His revelation we can know that God was working at least twenty years ahead of the grave problem Jacob and his children faced.

The same is true of Moses. At the burning bush his life was transformed. He likely thought that he would die as an old man tending sheep in Midian. Yet when confronted by God he felt so unfit, especially in his ability to speak before others. What Moses did not know was that even before the Lord appeared to Moses He had said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses” (Exo. 4:27). God solved the problem before Moses even knew He had one!

So as you think about the providence of God, don’t think that God waits until some problem confronts you to begin solving it. Do not think of providence in this manner. There is the “preprovidence” of God—obviously solving problems before we are ever aware of them. This is how God works. This is providence! We don’t need a new word to describe how He works. The old one is sufficient, provided we understand it. God works far ahead of the circumstances in our lives.

You know, it’s fascinating to think that God is working right now in your life to solve problems that you don’t even have. He is truly an awesome God!

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The Truly Important People

The focus of the morning news is the surgery of the leading senator of our land. I am confident that over the next few days there will be many updates and interviews by the media. His surgery and recovery will be the focus of many of the popular talk shows. I realize why this happens, but I wonder if it really makes that much difference.

Why is it that we tend to make so much of the events in the “important” people of our day? What difference does it really make which celebrity is no longer shacked up with his or her “lover” and is now living in a sinful relationship with a new significant other? Why is it so wonderful that another superstar has “come out of the closet” and revealed their sexual perversion? Why are events in the lives of the high and mighty more significant than any others?

I am confident that heaven’s view of all of this is vastly different from ours. Our society focuses on the rich and famous and on those of presumed nobility. Even though these existed in Biblical times, the Scriptures place no emphasis on them. Why? Is there a message our society needs to learn from this? More importantly, is there a message that every Christian needs to learn?

Have you ever noticed Jesus’ attention was not on the “important” people but on those who are unseen by most individuals? Think about the attention He paid to Zaccheus, Lazarus and his two sisters, Lazarus the beggar, the Samaritan woman at the well, Bartimeus, the Syrophonecian woman, Legion, the “sinful” blind man, Levi, the widow of Nain, the adulterous woman, the child He sat in their midst, and the widow with two mites. Where is the emphasis on the Caesars? The Herods? The Roman officials? What a contrast between those heaven sees as important and those the secular world honors!

The same is true throughout the New Testament. The world would never have given a second look to those mentioned in the sacred text. It ignored people like Lois and Eunice, Epaphroditus, Antipas, Priscilla and Aquila, Crispus, Onesimus, Lydia, and Onesiphorus—the list seems endless!

What does this have to do with you? Everything! When heaven looks down on what is happening in our country it sees you! His eyes are over you! His ears are open to your prayers! His special providence is for you! His angels surround you! His hedge is about you! It is not about the high and mighty; it is all about you!

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Because She Refused to Drink

Scott Shanahan is a missionary in Pohnpei, the capital of the Federated States of Micronesia. This past Sunday was one of those days you can never forget. Before worship began, a young lady, Sarah, indicated that she was thinking seriously about being baptized, and at the conclusion of the service she came and asked to become a Christian. As she was being baptized in the ocean, Scott asked if there was anyone else who wanted to make a commitment to the Lord. Kodaro, a gentleman with whom they had been studying, walked into the water and was united with Jesus. There was so much joy as these events transpired.

But the story does not end there. As Scott and Rebecca were driving members to their homes their last stop was to drop off Charleen. She is a 15 year old young lady who lives with an aunt, but has been basically on her own since the passing of her mom.

Read Scott’s own words describing what happened. “Charleen had a very upset look on her face and seemed like she was not going to get out of the truck. We asked her what was wrong and she would not say anything. I put the windows up and pulled a little down the road and we asked her again what was wrong. She waited a few moments and then started crying. She finally spoke up and told us that three of the girls that were waiting with the big crowd were waiting to beat her up. It turns out that on Wednesday she went to a party and they were drinking alcohol. Charleen refused to drink with them and they told her they would be waiting for her on Sunday. . . . We took her to John’s house and he is going to look after her. However, the situation is very bad because Charleen basically has no one to look after her. Please be praying that this situation will be defused and that our young sister will be safe.”

The words of Jesus so vividly describe what happened. “Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). Charleen’s light at that party stood in marked contrast to the lives of those around her. The easiest course would have been to go along with what was happening, but it would have been the wrong course. Our lives as Christians seem so easy when compared to Charleen’s.

I’ve never met Charleen, but from thousands of miles away I respect her and admire her faith. She is an example to many, both young and old. Keep her in your prayers!

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