Just sharing.

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“The forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”

Ephesians 1:7

Could there be a sweeter word in any language than that word “forgiveness,” when it sounds in a guilty sinner's ear, like the silver notes of jubilee to the captive Israelite? Blessed, for ever blessed be that dear star of pardon which shines into the condemned cell, and gives the perishing a gleam of hope amid the midnight of despair! Can it be possible that sin, such sin as mine, can be forgiven, forgiven altogether, and for ever?

Hell is my portion as a sinner — there is no possibility of my escaping from it while sin remains upon me — can the load of guilt be uplifted, the crimson stain removed? Can the adamantine stones of my prison-house ever be loosed from their mortices, or the doors be lifted from their hinges? Jesus tells me that I may yet be clear. For ever blessed be the revelation of atoning love which not only tells me that pardon is possible, but that it is secured to all who rest in Jesus. I have believed in the appointed propitiation, even Jesus crucified, and therefore my sins are at this moment, and for ever, forgiven by virtue of his substitutionary pains and death.

What joy is this! What bliss to be a perfectly pardoned soul! My soul dedicates all her powers to him who of his own unpurchased love became my surety, and wrought out for me redemption through his blood. What riches of grace does free forgiveness exhibit! To forgive at all, to forgive fully, to forgive freely, to forgive for ever! Here is a constellation of wonders; and when I think of how great my sins were, how dear were the precious drops which cleansed me from them, and how gracious was the method by which pardon was sealed home to me, I am in a maze of wondering worshipping affection. I bow before the throne which absolves me, I clasp the cross which delivers me, I serve henceforth all my days the Incarnate God, through whom I am this night a pardoned soul.

 

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4 Ways to Be the Church in the Age of ‘Social Distancing’

Over the past week, as America has come to grips with the breadth of the coronavirus pandemic, a brand new term has thrust itself into the America vernacular: social distancing. This is the catchphrase employed to attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus and help flatten the curve. In short, everyone needs to stay away from each other and keep to themselves.
But how can you be the church if no one can get together? Social distancing is almost antithetical to the idea of having church. In these strange and unique times, here are four ways you can still be the church in the age of social distancing:

1. Lean into online platforms.

Because of the advances in technology, any pastor with an iPhone and a Facebook account can stream a service or even a Bible study online for their parishioners. People live online, now more so than ever. And with major sports events being canceled, there’s even less compelling shows to watch on tv, driving more and more people online. People are existing online for the foreseeable future, so meet them there. More than just Sunday services, find ways to post online multiple times a week to stay in contact with your church. Small groups can even use one of the myriad online meeting options to have a virtual Bible study together.

2. Leverage the phone call.

In times of catastrophe, the first impulse is to go and check on the elderly and those in distress in person, but social distancing has eliminated that as a viable option. Go to the next most personal option: a phone call. Much more personal than a text message or an email, phone calls give you a verbal (but not visual) interaction. Make it a goal to call every active member in your church during this time of social distancing, just to check on them and see how you can pray for them. That personal touch will mean the world to them.


3. Listen for signs of distress. Social isolation will have some long-term negative consequences for people. There’s a reason the first thing God declared was ‘not good’ was when Adam was alone (Genesis 2:18). Some people will be fine throughout this ordeal, having an existing network of support to lean on. But for some, social distancing will only reinforce their isolation and create a breeding ground for emotional and mental and spiritual struggles. Be on the lookout for signs of distress and offer help and interaction when possible.

4. Leak hope. The news is doing its job of keeping us abreast of the spreading coronavirus pandemic. Social media is not helping our optimism, as it is communicating even more ways that this could result in the end of the world. Our minds are being flooded with hopelessness right now, so be intentional to focus your hope on Jesus so much and so strongly that it leaks out to those around you. In times of distress, people flock to any type of hope. Be a person of hope, and point people to Jesus.

 

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Jesus would reach people of all nations For Unto Us A Child Is Born... Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth __________________ The Saviour would reach people of all nations Prophecy: "And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?" Genesis 18:17-18b ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Romans 5:18,19 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 1 Timothy 2:5,6 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Prophecy: "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." Genesis 22:16-18 NIV ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:25-29 NIV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Seeking the wealth of his people.”

Esther 10:3

Mordecai was a true patriot, and therefore, being exalted to the highest position under Ahasuerus, he used his eminence to promote the prosperity of Israel. In this he was a type of Jesus, who, upon his throne of glory, seeks not his own, but spends his power for his people. It were well if every Christian would be a Mordecai to the church, striving according to his ability for its prosperity. Some are placed in stations of affluence and influence, let them honour their Lord in the high places of the earth, and testify for Jesus before great men. Others have what is far better, namely, close fellowship with the King of kings, let them be sure to plead daily for the weak of the Lord's people, the doubting, the tempted, and the comfortless. It will redound to their honour if they make much intercession for those who are in darkness and dare not draw nigh unto the mercy seat.

Instructed believers may serve their Master greatly if they lay out their talents for the general good, and impart their wealth of heavenly learning to others, by teaching them the things of God. The very least in our Israel may at least seek the welfare of his people; and his desire, if he can give no more, shall be acceptable. It is at once the most Christlike and the most happy course for a believer to cease from living to himself. He who blesses others cannot fail to be blessed himself. On the other hand, to seek our own personal greatness is a wicked and unhappy plan of life, its way will be grievous and its end will be fatal.

Here is the place to ask thee, my friend, whether thou art to the best of thy power seeking the wealth of the church in thy neighbourhood? I trust thou art not doing it mischief by bitterness and scandal, nor weakening it by thy neglect. Friend, unite with the Lord's poor, bear their cross, do them all the good thou canst, and thou shalt not miss thy reward.

 

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Jesus Commands: Trust & Fear Me



Fear and trust sound like opposites. And yet Jesus commands both from us.
We are much more comfortable with the idea that we are meant to trust Jesus, so I will start there.
Perhaps surprisingly, when you search the gospels in most English translations, you don’t actually find Jesus commanding us to trust him.
One notable exception, however, is found in the Living Bible:

“Don’t be afraid. Just trust me.” (Mark 5:36, Living Bible)

It is interesting to see that trust is an antidote to fear. When Jesus was with his disciples in the boat being buffeted by a storm he asked them “why are you so afraid?” When we learn to trust Jesus our fears may not completely disappear, but they will be eased. Whatever happens to us HE is with us.
Almost all other translations of this verse use the word ‘believe‘ rather than trust. However, in English the word believe doesn’t tend to be strongly associated with the idea of trust. We tend to think of belief being about concepts we are convinced intellectually of. But in Biblical Greek believing, having faith, trusting, and being trusted with something are essentially entwined, and all these ideas are contained in the same word.
So for example, the word that the Living Bible translates as trust in Mark 5, is translated ‘entrusted‘ by many translators in one of Paul’s letters, where the Apostle says

“we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel”
(1 Thessalonians 2:4, ESV)

This verse obviously immediately raises the question will we honour that trust and fulfil the task God has given us. And note that it is not just a task for the evangelists.
But when it comes to Jesus we can be certain that he is worthy of our trust and will not let us down. As we saw in the last article, our greatest confidence that we will continue in our faith is that Jesus himself has promised to keep us and he is trustworthy, always fulfilling his promises.
So I believe it is reasonable to conclude that when Jesus commanded us to ‘repent and believe‘, as I have written about previously, he doesn’t just want an intellectual conclusion in our minds, he speaks to our hearts and calls for a deep sense of trust and confidence in Jesus and his goodness.

Christians believe that God is all powerful, and that he created the universe out of nothing. We believe God created it good, and when it went bad that he started a rescue operation. This culminated in God himself becoming a man, living a perfect life, dying a death he didn’t deserve for us, and then he rose again from death, before ascending into heaven, where he is now preparing an eternal dwelling for us, and he promises to bless us abundantly both now and in the age to come.
If all that is true, then how can we not understand that he loves us?
And if he loves us then we should love him, as we discovered previously. Surely part of love is also trust. And if God has done so much for us already, why shouldn’t we trust him both now and with our future?

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
(Romans 8:31-32)

At times we find it hard to trust God because he doesn’t give us these all things immediately. Trust requires patience and an expectation that all will eventually be well, and that in the meantime God will bless us in all kinds of ways. God’s blessings really are already but not yet.
When I was diagnosed with Leukaemia, although my faith was shaken to some extent, ultimately trust in God prevailed and gave me strength. Its a journey I still walk along and my trust is far from perfect. But without trust in God there is literally no hope for any of us.
When bad things happen to us, then often we are tempted to doubt God’s goodness. We believe that God is all powerful and so we know that he could have stopped what is happening to us. I do find the distinction important between him sovereignly turning bad things around for our good and actually being the author our suffering. This is something I speak about in my post Giving Thanks IN Your Suffering, Not FOR It. However the question still arises which C.S. Lewis puts this way:

“If God’s goodness is inconsistent with hurting us, then either God is not good or there is no God for in the only life we know He hurts us beyond our worst fears and beyond all we can imagine.”
-C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed.

Theologians write “theodicies” to attempt to answer that question. To me the best answer is that Jesus wept & suffered for us.
But we do also believe that he is graciously doing work in us through suffering. Perhaps the best expression of trust in God, and hope that he is at work planning a positive future for us is one of the most famous verses in the Bible:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

The phrase ‘called according to his purpose‘ brings us back to the gospel message. Essentially, if God has given us salvation he can be trusted with our whole lives even when it looks bleak.
There is a powerful link between meditating on the cross and resurrection of Jesus and fanning into flame both trust and hope in us. This is why I put together a playlist of what I call “Gospel Hope“. You can easily listen on both Spotify and Apple Music.
I listen to this playlist often, because I find that it pulls on my heart strings and reminds me that Jesus is worthy of my trust because of his great love for me. No matter what suffering I am going through, he is with me. And he suffered far worse for me.

I am not alone. Nor are you.
Jesus wants to comfort you right now with his love, and fan into flame your trust in him. And, with the comfort we receive from him in our suffering, we are to comfort others. As we shall see later, offering the comfort, love and trustworthiness of Jesus to others is crucial for our salvation. And if we never do it, we should be very afraid, as Jesus takes a very dim view of those who don’t.
There are many Bible verses which show us how trust in God will help us conquer our fears. But we are also called to a greater fear that casts out lesser ones.
Our confidence that Jesus has a secure future in store for us should prompt both our fear and our trust.

The nature of God should inspire trust in us. But it must also inspire fear.
C.S. Lewis links the idea of the fear of God to the idea that God is at work in the suffering he allows into our lives. We can be afraid of surgery and the pain that it will bring us, and so in that sense be afraid of the surgeon. But we can simultaneously trust that the Surgeon is skilled and will inflict damage on us with a view to curing us. In the same way we can both fear and trust God:

“What do people mean when they say, ‘I am not afraid of God because I know He is good’? Have they never even been to a dentist?”
– C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

Some people fear God but think of Jesus as the softer kinder version of God. But we are also called to fear Jesus. Once again as we have seen before in this series, Jesus takes something that the Old Testament applies only to the One True God, and applies it to himself using his title of ‘The Son of Man”. So just as we saw in the article on Jesus demand that we love him, he is claiming equality with God by this. He tells us to fear the one who can destroy us in hell and tells us that it is HIMSELF:

You shall fear only the LORD your God (Deuteronomy 6:13, NASB)
Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:28-33)

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46)

We can see a number of things from these verses.

1. Hell is real, and is far worse than anything we can suffer on earth.
2. Jesus is the one who decides who goes to hell. Piper explains this:
   

   “Jesus spoke of hell more than anyone else in the Bible. He referred to it as a place of “outer darkness” where “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 8:12). In other words, all the joys that we associate with light will be withdrawn, and all the fears that we associate with darkness will be multiplied. And the result will be an intensity of misery that makes a person grind his teeth in order to bear it. . .
   Therefore, give heed to Jesus’ clear demand to fear the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Hear it as a great mercy. What a wonderful thing it is that Jesus warns us. He does not leave us ignorant of the wrath to come. He not only warns. He rescues. This is the best effect of fear: It wakens us to our need for help and points us to the all-sufficient Redeemer, Jesus. Let it have this effect on you. Let it lead you to Jesus who says to everyone who believes in him, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).” (What Jesus demands from the world (p. 92, 98). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books)

3. Compassion towards others is one of the criteria Jesus uses on judgement day. Perhaps Social Justice is more important than many of us think. It seems he really meant it when he said that love is the greatest commandment and expects that if we have been born again we will be characterised by this love and compassion to others who are most in need.
4. Our fear of God is somehow linked with a lack of fear towards the circumstances we face. The Sparrow verse exists not on its own but in a fear of God sandwich. If you fear HIM, then you need not really fear anything else. Because God is precisely the sort of being that is infinitely worthy of our fear, he is also infinitely worthy of our trust. And we can be confident that because he is also for us, he will not allow anything bad to befall us, unless he will turn that around for our ultimate good. We both trust and fear God so we don’t have to really fear anything else.

How fascinating is that verse about the sparrows. We see that as there is no conflict between trust and fear, in fact that the two are entwined. As is so often the case Piper expresses this so clearly:

“There is a real fear of him that can coexist with sweet peace and trust in him”
–Piper, J. (2006). What Jesus demands from the world (p. 95). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

The idea of fear of the Lord being entwined with positive emotions is found also in Psalm 2 where we are told:

“Serve the Lord with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭2:11‬-12

Serve and rejoice.
Fear and trembling with joy.
Affection for the very one who has wrath.
Refuge found in the same one who may cause us to perish.
When it comes to Jesus, we can trust the very same one we fear.
We come to the most powerful being in the universe. He is significant. Why would we not be afraid as we are called into his presence?
Wouldn’t we be at least a little nervous if summonsed into the presence of the Queen of England? What if when we met her we found she was a loving grandmother figure eager to welcome us into her family as she has done with those who have married her children and grandchildren? She wouldn’t stop being queen even if we were adopted into her family.
Similarly a lack of fear in God demonstrates a disdain for his glory, it is as though we think he is insignificant.
A key passage in understanding the fear of God is Psalm 36. Tim Keller reflects on this psalm explaining his concept of how we all too often “shrug at God“:

“Fearing God (verse 1) is not mere belief in him. It is to be so filled with joyful awe before the magnificence of God that we tremble at the privilege of knowing, serving, and pleasing him.
Sin shrugs at God. Its essence is failing to believe not that he exists but that he matters. This attitude is deadly. Fear of God and self-understanding grow or diminish together.
Indifference toward God is a form of self-conceit (verse 2) and self-deception (verse 2). To feel no need for God is to be out of touch with reality—such people have “ceased to be wise” (verse 3). What starts as mere overconfidence can grow into dishonesty and cruelty (verse 4). Sin is spiritual cancer.”
Keller, The Songs of Jesus (image: Flickr)

The Apostle Paul takes up a similar theme of mixing faith in God with fear of him when he says:

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
(‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:12-13‬)

We fear because God is at work in us.
We trust because God is at work in us.
We work hard to learn how to obey because we know God is at work in us.
And he works in us for good not evil.
And so we see that,

Our peace does not come from our removing the God of wrath from our thinking, but from his removing his wrath from us. He has done that by sending Jesus to die in our place so that, for everyone who believes in Jesus, God’s wrath is taken away.
– Piper, J. (2006). What Jesus demands from the world (p. 95). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

The bible is full of references to fear of God. We simply cannot escape it or explain it away. Here are a few more to be meditating on:

• The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10)
• “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. . . For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:19-22, 30-31)
• 
  
• “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord . . . Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:14, 28-29)
• “We make it our aim to please Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. (2 Corinthians 5:9-11)

Fear and trust combined make respect.
I will close this article with the words of one of the psalms which talk both of the fear of God, and us taking refuge in him with great trust and confidence of the protection he offers us:

Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in his heart;
there is no fear of God
before his eyes.
For he flatters himself in his own eyes
that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;
he has ceased to act wisely and do good. . . .
Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds. . .
How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings
(Psalm 36:1-3, 5, 7)

 

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Jesus would be betrayed by a close friend... For Unto Us A Child Is Born... Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth __________________ Messiah would be betrayed by a close friend Prophecy: "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me." Psalm 41:9 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: "But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing." Luke 22:21-23 __________________ The exact price of His betrayal would be 30 pieces of silver Prophecy: "And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord." Zechariah 11:12-13 Fulfillment: "Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they convenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15 __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Spices for anointing oil.”

Exodus 35:8

Much use was made of this anointing oil under the law, and that which it represents is of primary importance under the gospel. The Holy Spirit, who anoints us for all holy service, is indispensable to us if we would serve the Lord acceptably. Without his aid our religious services are but a vain oblation, and our inward experience is a dead thing. Whenever our ministry is without unction, what miserable stuff it becomes! nor are the prayers, praises, meditations, and efforts of private Christians one jot superior.

A holy anointing is the soul and life of piety, its absence the most grievous of all calamities. To go before the Lord without anointing is as though some common Levite had thrust himself into the priest's office — his ministrations would rather have been sins than services. May we never venture upon hallowed exercises without sacred anointings. They drop upon us from our glorious Head; from his anointing we who are as the skirts of his garments partake of a plenteous unction.

Choice spices were compounded with rarest art of the apothecary to form the anointing oil, to show forth to us how rich are all the influences of the Holy Spirit. All good things are found in the divine Comforter. Matchless consolation, infallible instruction, immortal quickening, spiritual energy, and divine sanctification all lie compounded with other excellencies in that sacred eye-salve, the heavenly anointing oil of the Holy Spirit. It imparts a delightful fragrance to the character and person of the man upon whom it is poured.

Nothing like it can be found in all the treasuries of the rich, or the secrets of the wise. It is not to be imitated. It comes alone from God, and it is freely given, through Jesus Christ, to every waiting soul. Let us seek it, for we may have it, may have it this very evening. O Lord, anoint thy servants.

 

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Living in Quarantine: 4 Lessons



None of us ever expects to be quarantined. I certainly didn’t. But following a bone marrow transplant in 2015, I was secluded for four months in hospital housing. Except for my wife, no visitors were allowed. Even after moving home, I remained in quasi-isolation for another eight months. Why? Because my immune system was susceptible to germs and viruses.

With this personal history, what advice can I give to those who are being quarantined by the coronavirus today? Or to those who are being told to shelter in place?
Up front, it is important to acknowledge just how abnormal all this feels. Being unable to talk with others face-to-face is simply unnatural. Taking care of ourselves first – before others – is contrary to the fiber of our faith. Being disallowed to hug those we love violates every instinct in our bodies. Such restrictions make us feel restless, frustrated, and incomplete.
However, as I look back on my year of isolation, all was not all doom and gloom. Though crimped, I found ways to live a meaningful life. Hopefully, my journey can encourage others during these challenging days.

Be Still
A flaming extrovert, I am more inclined towards hyperactivity than sitting still. Yet suddenly, I was thrust into a very different life – one of quietude and reflection. I found myself journaling more, praying more, and reading more. In what could have been a desolate time, I was surprised by how much my sense of the Lord’s presence and overall spirituality deepened. My rediscovery of the spiritual discipline of solitude lifted my soul even as my body was restricted.

Being isolated by the coronavirus presents a similar opportunity. After muttering “if only I had more time” for so many years, a window is open to go deeper in our faith. Being quarantined is an invitation to a richer spiritual life. Rather than rushing ahead as usual – such as binge watching yet another Netflix series – why not relish this odd season as a gift of reflection?
The apostle Paul modeled how to handle involuntary seclusion. Moving abruptly from a high-speed lifestyle to a dank (and very lonely) Roman prison, he learned how to be situationally flexible. Writing to the Philippians, he ruminated: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.”

Establish New Routines
When our daily patterns of work, church, and family gatherings are disrupted by quarantine, it’s tempting to dispense with any sense of orderliness at all. Far too easily, we drift into random activities. While it may initially feel good to have no set calendar, a sense of emotional drift and purposelessness slowly settles in if we flounder too long.


When cancer treatment roadblocked my regular routines, I began to establish new ones. Quiet times were elongated. A daily crossword puzzle followed breakfast. When fit enough to work again, I did so online. Zoom became my best friend.

New routines should also include exercise. Walking, my favorite activity, clears our heads, lowers our blood pressure, and lifts our spirits. Out-of-doors, we are mostly safe from the virus. Breathing fresh air is the perfect antidote for cabin fever. Of course, if health care professionals confine us indoors, we must heed their advice. Whenever possible, however, we should seek to find regular times and places to walk (or run or bike).

Serve Others
Even when isolated, we need to find meaning. And the best way to do so is to help others. This may include calling an older friend or family member. Or it may involve completing a long-delayed project that will bless others – such as drafting a family history, painting, writing poetry, or putting together a photo album.
For many, serving also includes caring for the person we live with. Relationships can either grow or regress in such times. My wife, Mary, and I were cooped up together in a 1,000 square foot cancer housing apartment. While this sounds like a recipe for marital disharmony, it actually brought us closer together. If our love could flourish under such dire circumstances, I am optimistic that the same is possible for others.

Lean Into Hope
It is only human to imagine that today’s experience will extend forever. For many, the virus presents a first brush with mortality. But we must never lose hope in God’s goodness and sovereignty. He is fully aware of the events swirling around us.
Let us not squander this crisis. Rather, may it serve as a sober reminder of our status as sojourners on this planet. May we take this opportunity to prayerfully reassess our sense of purpose, priorities, and values.

Just as the isolation of my transplant eventually passed, so the coronavirus will run its course. And, when that happens, we will once again hug family members, attend church, go to school, celebrate with friends, and join work teams.
In the meanwhile, may we find encouragement from the apostle Peter:
“Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you… Stand firm in the faith… After you have suffered a little while, he will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

 

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Jesus would work miracles For Unto Us A Child Is Born... Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth __________________ Messiah would be a miracle worker Prophecy: Say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. Isaiah 35:4-6 NIV ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: Jesus healed the blind "And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way." Mark 10:51-52 KJV ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: Jesus healed the deaf There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!"). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. Mark 7:32-35 NIV ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: Jesus healed the lame One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?" "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. John 5:5-9 NIV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels.”

Revelation 12:7

War always will rage between the two great sovereignties until one or other be crushed. Peace between good and evil is an impossibility; the very pretence of it would, in fact, be the triumph of the powers of darkness. Michael will always fight; his holy soul is vexed with sin, and will not endure it. Jesus will always be the dragon's foe, and that not in a quiet sense, but actively, vigorously, with full determination to exterminate evil. All his servants, whether angels in heaven or messengers on earth, will and must fight; they are born to be warriors — at the cross they enter into covenant never to make truce with evil; they are a warlike company, firm in defence and fierce in attack. The duty of every soldier in the army of the Lord is daily, with all his heart, and soul, and strength, to fight against the dragon.

The dragon and his angels will not decline the affray; they are incessant in their onslaughts, sparing no weapon, fair or foul. We are foolish to expect to serve God without opposition: the more zealous we are, the more sure are we to be assailed by the myrmidons of hell. The church may become slothful, but not so her great antagonist; his restless spirit never suffers the war to pause; he hates the woman's seed, and would fain devour the church if he could. The servants of Satan partake much of the old dragon's energy, and are usually an active race. War rages all around, and to dream of peace is dangerous and futile.

Glory be to God, we know the end of the war. The great dragon shall be cast out and for ever destroyed, while Jesus and they who are with him shall receive the crown. Let us sharpen our swords to-night, and pray the Holy Spirit to nerve our arms for the conflict. Never battle so important, never crown so glorious. Every man to his post, ye warriors of the cross, and may the Lord tread Satan under your feet shortly!

 

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This is the Day that the Lord Has Made, We Will Rejoice and Be Glad in It?


As a boy we sang, “This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. . .” That seemed impossible to sing today, as so many of us are struggling, hurting. I thought especially of our folk in our hospitals giving medical care to the suffering. They are weary already, though in places like Houston the problems are just beginning. If we are to mourn with those who mourn, then today does not seem like a rejoicing sort of day.
There is a temptation to think that even though this day seems dreadful, we should just change our confession and wish the world into a different state. If we sing very loudly, with sincerity, that today is God’s day, then won’t God hear us and make everything great?

Avoid Magical Thinking
This may be a great way to end Peter Pan: if we all believe and clap our hands Tinkerbell will not die. Magical thinking is bad theology. God is God. He loves His children too much to let us manipulate Him. God is not sitting in His holy heaven waiting for us to give just the right amount to a ministry or some other trick. We must avoid magical thinking. God is a person, not a force that can be used with the right spells .

He is not waiting for us to ask using some Christian incantation. Words count, but the good God is waiting for any sign that the prodigal is coming home. He will see us from a long way off and come running to us. He is not moved by our “right words,” but by a heart turned toward Him, giving us more than we deserve, because He loves us. God gives us what we need to live happily for eternity, our heart’s true needs, not necessarily what we would ask. In the story of the lost son, Jesus tells of a young man who squandered everything his dad gave him. When the son headed home, he merely wished to be a servant. He did not get his wish, but something much greater!
God is all-powerful, so we cannot force Him to do anything. He is sovereign and good and He will give us our heart’s desire if it is best. In our broken world, where so many events trigger other events, we cannot possibly know what is best. God does. Prayer is good for us and He delights to let us participate in His divine plan, but there is no magical formula, no set of right words, that can force God to do as we demand.
He does not need anything, so he cannot be bought off. Scripture and history show God answering all kinds of prayer. Told he need only “believe,” one man said that he believed and then asked Jesus to help his unbelief!


Magical thinking is out: suffering is real and we cannot speak it out of existence. How can this be the day the Lord has made?

Physical and Metaphysical Reality
Context helps us understand. Psalm 118 begins with the Psalmist admitting he is in trouble, but when he cried to the Lord, the Lord heard him and delivered him. Sometimes such a deliverance is literal: God defeats some physical enemy. What if this does not happen? The poet points to a deeper, a metaphysical reality. The Day of the Lord is coming when:

22The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
23This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
26Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
27God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
28Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
29O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Physical reality is not yet in tune with metaphysical reality, yet God exists. He can bring us to a greater place than this present moment in the merely physical cosmos. There is another, higher world where perfect justice is the rule. God will bring the physical and the metaphysical into alignment. We can acknowledge the pains and sorrows of today, even mourn, but also rejoice that there is a Temple. The house of the Lord runs on God-time where the resolution of all human suffering is done. The only day there is an eternal Day of the Lord: paradisaical, joyful, reality.

The person who knows both worlds can take joy even in hard times without denying the times are hard! We are in the world, but not of it!
In the person of Jesus the “stone which the builders refuse is become the head stone of the corner.” He is the temple if torn down on a bloody Good Friday will be rebuilt on Easter Day. Jesus is alive and the promise of a total resolution of the tensions between what is and what ought to be. He returned to the eternal Day where He prepares to make all things new.

 

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The Epicenter of Pandemic: COVID-19



One of the things we are hearing in the midst of this pandemic is people wanting to take the time to really consider their lives, their choices, and their perspective.

New York is now the “epicenter” of the pandemic and there are all sorts of stories about what is happening in the city. We saw an article about a train being set on fire. There was one about how New York is so empty, there is nobody on the streets and subway cars are empty. Of course, the very next one was about how New Yorkers aren’t social distancing properly and showed crowded subway cars and many people on the streets.
All of these are true. They are all part of the story. It is very hard to paint an entire picture in one brief stroke of the pen. When we hear only part of the story, we assume we are seeing the entire narrative.

The entire story about what is happening in New York today is, like always, complicated. There are people serving and people taking advantage. There are met and unmet needs. There is hope and despair. There are people singing from their windows and people robbing one another.
The hard truth is that every day we face complicated, strange and mysterious realities. Every day, we have to choose.
There are forces in both the physical and spiritual world that make life dangerous, fragile, and confusing. But these forces are not the last word on our existence.

What Perspective Will You Choose?
The true center of this situation is not geography or statistics. The heartbeat of this day is about choice. Our decisions are the epicenter of the pandemic. What choices will we make? What perspectives will we choose?


Every day, including the day you will never remember and the day the NBA shut down, is an opportunity to make choices. And our fundamental choice is this: in whom (or what) will we place our trust.

Circumstances are an invitation. They welcome us into an awareness of how fragile and out of control we really are. This, ultimately, is not a cause for fear. It is a reality check. It awakens us to the truths we too casually ignore when things are “good” or “normal”.
There is so much to concern us. There is also so much to be thankful for. The transcendent truth through it all is that we have choices to make and they matter. There are consequences for the decisions we make, repercussions for our perspectives, both for ourselves and for the people around us.
There is power in a pause. A deep breath. To remember the choices set before us and to examine where our trust is placed.
You are in the epicenter of this pandemic. You have to decide what you are going to say, think, and do. You have to decide how to spend your days, how to share your stories, and which narratives are true.
The circumstances are tragic. But they are, nonetheless a mirror and an invitation. And an opportunity. After all, historically speaking, tragedy is a fertile ground for spiritual revival.

 

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Jesus would conquer death For Unto Us A Child Is Born... Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth __________________ Messiah would conquer death for all time Prophecy: "He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it." Isaiah 25:8 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" 2 Timothy 1:10 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Prophecy: "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes." Hosea 13:14 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Acts 2:23-27 __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.”

Psalm 107:8

If we complained less, and praised more, we should be happier, and God would be more glorified. Let us daily praise God for common mercies — common as we frequently call them, and yet so priceless, that when deprived of them we are ready to perish. Let us bless God for the eyes with which we behold the sun, for the health and strength to walk abroad, for the bread we eat, for the raiment we wear. Let us praise him that we are not cast out among the hopeless, or confined amongst the guilty; let us thank him for liberty, for friends, for family associations and comforts; let us praise him, in fact, for everything which we receive from his bounteous hand, for we deserve little, and yet are most plenteously endowed.

But, beloved, the sweetest and the loudest note in our songs of praise should be of redeeming love. God's redeeming acts towards his chosen are for ever the favourite themes of their praise. If we know what redemption means, let us not withhold our sonnets of thanksgiving. We have been redeemed from the power of our corruptions, uplifted from the depth of sin in which we were naturally plunged. We have been led to the cross of Christ — our shackles of guilt have been broken off; we are no longer slaves, but children of the living God, and can antedate the period when we shall be presented before the throne without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

Even now by faith we wave the palm-branch and wrap ourselves about with the fair linen which is to be our everlasting array, and shall we not unceasingly give thanks to the Lord our Redeemer? Child of God, canst thou be silent? Awake, awake, ye inheritors of glory, and lead your captivity captive, as ye cry with David, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” Let the new month begin with new songs.

 

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Jesus would rise from the dead For Unto Us A Child Is Born... Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth __________________ Being killed, Messiah would rise again from the dead Prophecy: "I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 10 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope." Psalm 16:8-10 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: "He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. Luke 24:6,7 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Prophecy: "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand." Isaiah 53:10 Fulfillment: "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, 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 __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Behold, all is vanity.”

Ecclesiastes 1:14

Nothing can satisfy the entire man but the Lord's love and the Lord's own self. Saints have tried to anchor in other roadsteads, but they have been driven out of such fatal refuges. Solomon, the wisest of men, was permitted to make experiments for us all, and to do for us what we must not dare to do for ourselves. Here is his testimony in his own words: “So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.”

“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” What! the whole of it vanity? O favoured monarch, is there nothing in all thy wealth? Nothing in that wide dominion reaching from the river even to the sea? Nothing in Palmyra's glorious palaces? Nothing in the house of the forest of Lebanon? In all thy music and dancing, and wine and luxury, is there nothing? “Nothing,” he says, “but weariness of spirit.” This was his verdict when he had trodden the whole round of pleasure.

To embrace our Lord Jesus, to dwell in his love, and be fully assured of union with him — this is all in all. Dear reader, you need not try other forms of life in order to see whether they are better than the Christian's: if you roam the world around, you will see no sights like a sight of the Saviour's face; if you could have all the comforts of life, if you lost your Saviour, you would be wretched; but if you win Christ, then should you rot in a dungeon, you would find it a paradise; should you live in obscurity, or die with famine, you will yet be satisfied with favour and full of the goodness of the Lord.

 

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Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Holy War



Entry into Jerusalem (Annunciation Cathedral in Moscow), Wikimedia; {{PD-US-expired}}
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11). On this day, we celebrate Jesus in his humble glory riding a donkey into the city of David, as the crowds and children cry out, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9; ESV). The crowds threw palm branches on the path before Jesus to celebrate him as their approaching King (Matthew 21:8), who came to bring lasting peace and gracious justice.


Many expected Jesus to deliver them from their Roman oppressors in keeping with their Messianic expectations. Like his disciples, they had no idea that Jesus would bring peace and justice paradoxically through the Roman symbol of oppression—the cross. In less than a week from Palm Sunday, Jesus would bear nail marks in his hands. How did they respond to his strategy for bringing about victory, when they saw it all play out? How about us?
Like the crowds, we may respond well during Palm Sunday celebrations. For instance, you will find many churches marking the occasion by distributing palm branches to those gathered for worship. This is a helpful, symbolic act. Palm Sunday helps us look back and forward at the same time: we look back to Jesus’ first coming leading up to his sacrificial death for the sins of the world followed by his resurrection to new life. We also look forward to his second coming, when he returns to rule the world with a just peace. At that time, multitudes from among the nations will worship him (See Revelation 7:9-10).


Not everyone marks Palm Sunday joyfully, though. In Matthew’s Gospel account, for example, many do not cast palm branches before Jesus’ path. They do not approach Jesus with an open hand of praise, but a closed fist, as revealed behind the scenes and within a few days (See the following accounts of how some of the rulers, people, and Romans reacted to Jesus: Matthew 21:15, 45-46; 26:1-5; 27:15-31). How do you and I approach Jesus today—with an open hand revealing our palms, or a closed fist?
As with the rulers noted in Matthew 21, we might not be able to see Jesus working wonders if we are consumed with power and control, whereas the blind, lame, and little children can truly see him (Matthew 21:14-15). These vulnerable ones have everything to gain and nothing to lose as a result of Jesus, whereas these leaders fear losing their grip on power, which they hold onto tightly with a closed fist. They cannot reach out and touch Jesus, like those longing for him, though they long to seize him and do him in (Matthew 21:45-46). What about us? Did we journey with Jesus through the season of Lent with his disciples simply to take matters into our own hands, like Judas did in his conspiracy with the establishment?


In our individualized, privatized religious culture, we may find it difficult to grasp the political overtones of all that transpired during Holy Week, which really initiated God’s holy war against idolatry, pride, and injustice. In Jesus’ day, there was no separation of church and state, or more accurately, temple and state. Going back to the time of God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt through Moses and Aaron, God tabernacled with his people. Later, King Solomon built a temple for God’s glory to dwell in Jerusalem, the city of his father, King David. Now here’s David’s greater Son, Jesus, riding into Jerusalem as a humble prince of peace. The crowds cheer because they recognize Jesus as David’s greater Son (Matthew 21:9). Immediately following this event according to Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus cleanses the temple (the second temple, which was reconstructed in remembrance of Solomon’s). Kings and priests as well as prophets all shared the same public space in Jewish history. Jesus intertwines and integrates all three functions of king, priest and prophet in his own person.
It is worth noting that the Roman Emperor also operated as a priest in addition to king. Here’s what N.T. Wright has to say about Tiberius, who like Caesar Augustus before him was hailed as divine:

After Augustus’s death, he too was divinized, and his successor, Tiberius, took the same titles. I have on my desk a coin from the reign of Tiberius (there are plenty of them, readily available). On the front, around Tiberius’s portrait, it says, “Tiberius Caesar, son of the Divine Augustus.” On the back is Tiberius portrayed, and described, as “chief priest.” It was a coin like this that they showed to Jesus of Nazareth, not long after he had ridden into Jerusalem, when they asked him whether or not they should pay tribute to Caesar. “Son of God”? “High priest”?…[1]

While many of the Jewish authorities wished for their Roman oppressors to be overthrown, they sought to trap Jesus at points by trying to get him to challenge Caesar’s authority as divine king and chief priest, as indicated here (Matthew 22:15-22). Politics and religion were not separate, but one.

The Jewish religious establishment also questioned Jesus’ authority to cleanse the temple. Matthew’s Gospel transitions immediately from Jesus’ triumphal royal entry on Palm Sunday to his priestly temple cleansing scene (Matthew 21:12-17). A few chapters later Jesus weeps over Jerusalem during Holy Week. Why? Rather than turn to him for his kingly and priestly rule of peace—which would have brought about their deliverance, the Jewish nationalists determined at an opportune time to pursue direct confrontation with Rome in pursuit of liberty from its tyrannical power. In Luke’s Gospel, the lament over Jerusalem immediately follows the triumphal entry and immediately precedes the temple cleansing:

And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation (Luke 19:41-44; ESV).

Wright observes that Jesus

…continues with the warning of what was going to happen to Jerusalem, because, as he says, “You didn’t recognise the time of your visitation by God.” This is the moment, and you were looking the other way. Your dreams of national liberation, leading you into head-on confrontation with Rome, were not God’s dreams. God called Israel so that through Israel he might redeem the world; but Israel itself needs redeeming as well. Hence God comes to Israel riding on a donkey, in fulfilment of Zechariah’s prophecy of the coming peaceful kingdom, announcing judgment on the system and the city that have turned their vocation in upon themselves, and going off to take the weight of the world’s evil and hostility onto himself, so that by dying under it he might exhaust its power.[2]

Here we witness Jesus’ form of holy war. It does not involve an eye for an eye retributive pursuit of justice, but grace. Wright’s own teacher G. B. Caird argued that “Evil is defeated only if the injured person absorbs the evil and refuses to allow it to go any further.”[3] This is exactly what Jesus did. He took the evil and hostility upon himself and exhausted it, as Wright notes. As a result, Jesus’ embrace and embodiment of grace threatened the logic and foundation stone of the Roman system of retributive justice, otherwise known as the Pax Romana or Roman peace.[4] If redemption is stronger than evil, hostility and retribution, having exhausted them, Rome rules the shadowy old world order, not the new age reality of the Messianic kingdom. Palm Sunday with its exemplification of Jesus’ humble lordship, gracious disposition and redemptive and equitable rule begins Holy Week. It also sweeps us up in Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem on a donkey to bring about God’s holy war. As the New Testament proclaims, the resurrected Jesus will conquer the world’s hostility by reigning in cruciform glory.

 

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Jesus would be abandoned and left For Unto Us A Child Is Born... Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth __________________ He would be abandoned and left by His followers Prophecy: "Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help." Psalm 22:11 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: "All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. "And they all forsook him, and fled. " Mark 14:27,50 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Prophecy: "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." Isaiah 53:3 Fulfillment: And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew." Matthew 26:73-74 __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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''The Lord mighty in battle.”

Psalm 24:8

Well may our God be glorious in the eyes of his people, seeing that he has wrought such wonders for them, in them, and by them. For them, the Lord Jesus upon Calvary routed every foe, breaking all the weapons of the enemy in pieces by his finished work of satisfactory obedience; by his triumphant resurrection and ascension he completely overturned the hopes of hell, leading captivity captive, making a show of our enemies openly, triumphing over them by his cross. Every arrow of guilt which Satan might have shot at us is broken, for who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Vain are the sharp swords of infernal malice, and the perpetual battles of the serpent's seed, for in the midst of the church the lame take the prey, and the feeblest warriors are crowned.

The saved may well adore their Lord for his conquests in them, since the arrows of their natural hatred are snapped, and the weapons of their rebellion broken. What victories has grace won in our evil hearts! How glorious is Jesus when the will is subdued, and sin dethroned! As for our remaining corruptions, they shall sustain an equally sure defeat, and every temptation, and doubt, and fear, shall be utterly destroyed. In the Salem of our peaceful hearts, the name of Jesus is great beyond compare: he has won our love, and he shall wear it.

Even thus securely may we look for victories by us. We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. We shall cast down the powers of darkness which are in the world, by our faith, and zeal, and holiness; we shall win sinners to Jesus, we shall overturn false systems, we shall convert nations, for God is with us, and none shall stand before us. This evening let the Christian warrior chant the war song, and prepare for tomorrow's fight. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.

 

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4 Reasons Why Keeping Secrets Can Destroy Your Marriage



In my lifetime, I’ve experienced many reasons to mistrust partners stemming from my own background or being lied to. However, in recent years I’ve learned that keeping secrets from your partner is really a form of betrayal and leads to a lack of trust and intimacy in a relationship.

I used to believe that a breach of trust was something that couples could bounce back from quickly but I’ve gained insight about the ways this isn’t usually the case. For instance, most marriages don’t survive big betrayals or even a series of smaller ones. My current view is that finding healthy ways to be vulnerable, express your thoughts and feelings, and be honest with your partner, is the best way to build a trusting relationship. Vulnerability is the glue that holds a relationship together over the long run.

But is lying by omission or keeping a secret the same as lying? First, you want to consider how your partner would view your secret if he or she found out and you failed to tell them about it. Also, if you feel guilty or uneasy about not disclosing information to him or her, it’s a red flag you need to be honest or forthcoming about something you’ve kept a secret.

For instance, Christine failed to inform her husband Justin that she had charged twenty-five thousand dollars on her credit card for clothes and items for their new home. She explains: “I didn’t really see a reason to tell Justin because I was planning on paying off this debt but he saw my credit card bill laying on the kitchen counter and got very angry at me. I see now that I was becoming more emotionally detached from Justin and we stopped being intimate. But I just didn’t want him to judge me harshly or leave because he is very conservative with money.”

When I attempted to explore with Christine the reasons why honesty is essential to a trusting relationship, she put it this way: “I guess I never saw myself as being dishonest but I do feel guilty.” At this point, I asked her to consider that mistrust erodes the quality of any relationship and that keeping crucial information secret from Justin isn’t a way to build trust and intimacy with him. During our sessions, Christine realized that keeping secrets is a form of self-sabotage because she loves Justin and wants to build a future with him and keeping secrets was driving a wedge between them.

In fact, recent research shows that one in five people are keeping a major secret, such as infidelity or money troubles, from their spouse in Brittan. Surprisingly, a quarter of respondents in this study said they kept this secret for more than twenty-five years. Further, one in four of those people who kept a secret in this study said that it was so big; they worried that it would destroy their marriage. Common secrets reported include money troubles, viewing pornography, and various forms of betrayal such as infidelity.


When your partner withholds important information from you regardless of their reasons, it’s normal to feel betrayed. Experts agreethat trust can be easily broken and hard to repair. For many people any form of deceit can be a deal breaker and even cause a couple to divorce.

4 reasons why it’s a bad idea to keep secrets:

1. Keeping secrets is the same thing as being dishonest. Honesty is always the best policy and most of us have a moral code which tells us that keeping secrets is akin to lying. For most of us, being dishonest is only acceptable when we are in dire straits – like trying to save someone’s life. Yet some people rationalize that they need to keep secrets or their relationship will end.
2. Often keeping secrets creates more problems in a relationship. The more time that passes, the harder it is to fess up. When people keep secrets or tell lies, they often have to tell other lies to cover up the first lie. They dig deeper and deeper into a hole of dishonesty.
3. Keeping major secrets is a form of deceit and it breeds mistrust. Further, once a person loses trust, it is hard to regain it – especially for those who have been betrayed by a parent or former romantic partner or spouse.
4. People are hurt by secrets and lies and this can destroy a relationship. It’s hard to feel emotionally connected to someone when you catch them in a lie or find out that they’ve kept a secret from you.

Mistrust is a lingering feeling in the back of your mind that your partner does not truly love you, or may abandon you. So much about trust is walking the talk. Your partner may tell you he/she loves you, but do his/her actions support that? All too often, when people aren’t feeling safe enough in a relationship to be honest and open with their partner, it’s because they don’t believe that their partner truly loves them or they are overly protective of their own interests.