Faced WIth Glory

Scripture Reading: John 1:11-14

I used to do a fair amount of scenic photography. Needless to say a lot of it wasn't very good and the remainder now resides on a hard drive. I was told once by a photography judge that a sunrise or sunset photo never scores well because it is what a lot of amateurs turn in. The judges grow tired of seeing the same old thing. There is a particular waterfall photo of mine I am fond of (yes, on a hard drive) in fact it may be my best photo I ever took, yet, in all this a photo like the above can not be improved upon. Not so much my ability to photograph it is wonderful, but the majesty and reflection of it True Author is most glorious. Being a photographer, Light, interests me. I am interested by its rays, hues, direction, shadowing, it all speaks of the Creator. Look at this photo for a moment. See the glory of gold beyond into the depths of it. Does it make you want to go far into the picture and experience this brilliance? This photo only represents the sun's magnificence. One day we will see the Son's magnificence, there will be no comparison.

Think about this kind of glory. Have you ever defined glory? We think of glory primarily as a tangible visible thing such as a glowing radiant light. Of course this is not wrong as glory can take on that form and does. I think God's glory is the total enrapture of power, wisdom, strength, beauty, holiness, and love in the same person, always the same time, for the same expression. We could expound on how His glory filled the tabernacle, or how His glory is seen in mortal perils, but let's examine this concept of God's glory and what it means to the believer.

First. His Glory is natural. When we say something is natural, or comes natural to us, we mean that it is easy or even indigenous. God did not earn or practice towards glory. God always had every ounce of Glory that He will always possess. That is a staggering thought. God is eminently glorious and glorified by His own works, His creation, His servants, His Son, His Being. To be God equals to be the total personification of Glory. No human can attain this. Satan tried and was thrown out of Heaven. This type of Holy Glory that God has is reserved for Himself. For the believer, we should feel grateful that the type of Glory ascribed to God is not earned, for then none of His promises or character would be true.

Second, His Glory is transferable. Now this may seem to be a contradiction. but it isn't. God can and will transfer some of His own glory into every believer. This is done while we are living on this Earth, and it is done forever in Heaven. God does not horde up what is special to Him. He spared not His own Son, how much more then will He give us glory! We are told that as we work and feed the flock of God, that God will reward us with a Crown of Glory! (1 Peter 5:2-4).
In the Resurrection we will receive Glorified bodies! (Philippians 3:21) John goes on to say that our new glorified bodies will be like His Glorified body! (1 John 3:2) Not only our bodies but our whole spirit will be glorified anew! (2 Cor. 3:18) Even though God will always remain sovereign and ruler of all creation, He shares His riches with us. We are so favored!

Third, His Glory is indescribable. The Glory ascribed to God cannot be fully understood by the limited scope of man's mind. When John wrote the things revealed to Him in Revelation, he had to describe God's glory in terms that are elemental to this sphere. No human definition could be had that totally described the glory, countenance, and wonders of God. The key point in all this though is the realization that God's glory cannot be counterfeited or superseded by any triumph of man. Julius Ceasar, Napoleon, Solomon, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod or any other persons individually or put together can match an ounce of God's glory. The culmination of the sum of ordered design from one leaf fallen from a tree is enough to dispel the accomplishments of a thousand rulers working a lifetime to establish themselves. Should the glory of God be measured or matched in any human way, we all would be in trouble. God though can never be judged by His creation, nor put down by them. His Glory is indescribable, and for the believer that means that we serve the God whose power cannot be equaled and thus we can be assured of His staying, keeping power.

Fourthly, His Glory is eternal. What good is glory and honor if it dies? I remember a line from an old Errol Flynn movie (1930's) They Died With Their Boots On describing the 7th US Cavalry at the battle of the Little Big Horn. Flynn who played Col. Custer remarked that glory was to be prized above money, fame, women, etc. "because you can take glory with you when it's your time to go." What utter foolishness! Whatever you have in this world stays in this world! Only that which is done for Christ's sake will be rewarded and remembered in Heaven. The Glory of God has no limits of time, place or quality. God's glory has never flickered, never dimmed, never struggled nor ever questioned. Some preachers I have heard say, "Eternity is a long time." No no friends, eternity is timeless. You don't spend eternity, for there is no time to spend and eventually run out. The same is true with God's Glory, it never runs out, never can be spent and not regained. For the believer, we have that certain assurance that because what He has and what He has given to us will last unlike anything we know of in the world.

In conclusion,
We as believer's are so privileged to not only know of His Glory, but to be partakers and beholders of it. We will see first hand true Omnipotence before us. We are so fortunate to have a measure of that same glory imputed to us. We are not treated as orphans or second rate citizens. The Glory of God is unchanging and unique. Though we will never understand the full sum of what His Glory entails, we know that it is not an excuse for harsh governing over us, but is given in fairness and love. We serve a Glorified God and He has chosen us to be a glorified people.

Father thank You that Your Glory is so much more than what we realize. Thank You for the desire to share such an awesome privilege with us. We are unworthy of Your love and fall short of Your Grace and certainly unable to shine in Your Glory. Yet in all these things, You planned we should have all this through Your own dear Son Jesus. Help us to get a grasp on this concept in our lives this week. Thank You that you already see us as we shall be and not what we are now. We love You Lord, thank You for loving us first. In Your Name, Amen.

A Lasting Memorial

Scripture Reading: Joshua 4:4-7

You have probably been places and seen signs along the way that are historical markers. These familiar white signs were originally put in during the Eisenhower administration I believe. Funny, they can be in places where it looks as if nothing significant could ever have happened there. Yet something important to someone, hopefully a lot of people, did happen. These people knew that one day, as in their day, things would be forgotten by the upcoming generations. Since there was no Internet or such media, sticking a sign with a description at the spot of the interest was important.

One such marker of interest to me I found sort of by accident as I was wandering around the vast battlefield of Antietam Maryland. I have seen old maps and photos of the place, and obviously the lay of the land has changed since 1862. I was walking in what was called the "West Woods" section not too far from the Dunker Church. I spotted a large bronze plaque sort of over an embankment and across a paved two lane road that ran the perimeter of the park. As I got closer I noticed the inscription indicated that the 25th Virginia Regiment, CSA had made their last stand here before being overtaken by Federal forces. One of my ancestors was standing in a line of battle, loading and firing his musket. This plaque was all that was left to chronicle a terrifying moment in some person's life. Yet there it stood as a memorial.

The Scriptures relate a similar occurrence where it was commanded of the children of Israel to erect a large grouping of stones as a memorial for what God had did for them. The passage tells us that the men were instructed to relate the delivering power of God to the children who asked what the meaning of these groupings of stones represented. This was God's memorial for man to testify of Himself.

Whether you are old or young, it is good not only to leave memorials but to share the meaning of them as it has been related to you. Memorials may simply be an event in your life you saw God working, or it could be a place where His presence and deliverance was experienced.

Here are some ways a Spiritual Memorial benefits all who share in them.

They spark curiosity in the hearts and minds of those unfamiliar to them. God knew that in the time to come, His works would have lost some awe and ground from among the people. He also knew that a visual illustration would be very helpful to draw attention to the miracle He had performed. Children growing up, never having seen the Jordan river parted would be at a loss to explain a piling of 12 huge rocks in a place where there should not be any such thing. It showed them that someone had once been there and piled the stones up and thus prompted them to know why. Children are curious about the things of the Lord. It is paramount to have a child be educated in God's ways. When a man or woman is grown, rationality and other hindering forces creep in on them. The things of God for whatever reason takes a back seat to jobs, vacation, commerce, etc when a person grows older.

Ravvi Zacharias once commented to know God, one needed a "sense of wonder" afforded in childhood. I have found this so true. Man loses his sense of total wonder and unquestionable belief in God as he or she grows older. Things that make one curious are not so appealing as children grow into adults. But when that curious nature is ripe and something the child perceives but cannot catalog in their forming knowledge of growth can relate to, you have an open avenue of sharing the Gospel with them. They will in most cases want to know what you have to say. They want to be educated because of their unfamiliarity. Curiosity in the heart of anyone, child or adult is the opener to hearing from God. We want to know God. We want to know His love, power, character, etc. When we see an act that can only be attributed to God, we allow Him to be shown to us. Our curiosity is the opening for reception.

They allow a wonderful deed(s) of faith to be explained. As curiosity becomes attention, the person interested in the things of God must be explained not only the details, but how these came to pass in a personal matter involving you. It is good to give instruction "by the book," as it were. Definitely we should live by The Book. However, God desires us to know Him personally and not just academically. I think this is why the subject of History is so boring to many people. You can read all about it in books and online articles, but it has little impact on you as you in most cases can't relate to the circumstances or have visited the places, or are a part of the culture of which you are studying. The Bible is no different. In fact, the Bible is largely a historical book with life changing applications and prophecies. I say that not to demean its importance to the level of secularism, rather though to give a parallel. When the Bible comes alive to a person it does so when one who explains it comments on the knowledge of it, and then in turn tells the person how it has personally impacted them just recently on grounds they can relate to. This is precisely what God meant for the stones. He wanted the fathers to tell of how He delivered them and to relate His attributes of omnipotence and grace as they experienced then, and as the children would experience later. When attention is captivated, the story, the application and the object (memorial) all flow together to make a lasting impression on the person. They will never forget what God desires to tell them.

They keep alive the importance of a life or event long after it has passed and nearly forgotten. Lives and events are not meant to be forgotten. I remember once strolling through a graveyard where some very ancient graves were. They were not decorated and their inscriptions were faded nearly off. I looked at them and looked at the more modern graves and thought what a shame it was to be neglected. The reason was all that ever knew the person has died off and removed from memory. God never forgets a single life. He has known the names of the billions of people who have passed through this life. He wants us to remember people and ways He has worked through. God does nothing for kicks or for the lack of nothing better to do. Everything and every way God acts is for purpose. To forget His purposes enacted through His people, who may be forgotten after many years, is a sincere insult to Him. Life is precious and should be honored in practice and memory. Never forget those who sacrificed so you have what you do. Never forget as well God who made your provisions possible. If necessary make a memorial commemorating His goodness to you. Keep it detailed so other will see it and be encouraged. Even though the events of the past may be long gone, God still is who He is and still works the same way. He delivered Israel from the Jordan river, He delivers His people today from hard experiences. The same God uses the same power to deliver the same type of people (His) in the same way, for the same everlasting praise and glory due Him.

They instill faith in God and His unchanging character. A memorial is meant to be lasting. Monuments to certain cultures and places have been in existence for long periods of time. However, all earthly memorials will pass because time passes and has a way of eroding what is erected. God however supersedes time and decay. This is one crucial area that sets Him apart from everything and everyone else. But the most important aspect is that God Himself does not change. Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever. Nothing can claim that. This is what makes the hope of God so sure and the ruin of the world so undesirable. Nothing promised of God shall ever fail. Such hope, such promise is the one thing that men ought to trust in. Anytime we place our faith in man or his works, we find ourselves building a skyscraper on shifting sand. It is very interesting that God used "rocks" to define His deliverance of Israel. Rocks are the one element of this world that does last. This denotes His power and the strength of His Person. Repeated visits to the "memorials" of Scripture will build rock solid faith in the reader. This is precisely what God desired of the forthcoming generations of Israel. Such is the same desire towards each of us.

Are there Spiritual Memorials in your life? Are you pointing someone towards the One who really makes all the difference. Consider this as you consider the years of your life.

Father, thank You that every page of Your Word stands unbroken as a Memorial to Your Character and Person. We look to You for our sustenance and strength. Help us always to remember Your provision and Truth as go throughout life. Thank You that we shall see You as we have been told of You, face to face. One day our hope in You will be complete and the memorial will be experiential forever. Praise Your Name Most High. Amen.


Image source

Lest Darkness Overtake Poem

Scripture Reading:  John 12:25

Hello all, 

As you who subscribe know, I normally don't do two postings a week.  However, regarding the storms we had last night in WV, I found myself without power as thousands did.  I used to live in a rural area and was quite used to total darkness after all the lights were out.  Now living in a city where there is some form of light always shining, it was sort of weird to experience a total black out, not able to see the hand in front of my face.  It was sort of disconcerting spending a night in total darkness.  But I am reminded that this is what every person without Jesus Christ will experience forever.  10 hours was bad enough for me (of course I had candles and flashlights) but just imagine eternity (no ending) where no Light is and no Help or Hope.  So in all this, I used to write poems a lot and sort of fell off from doing it, but I felt compelled to form these words in the wake of our power outage due to the storms. Excuse my meter and literary inabilities, this is just what flows from my head.  I would like to share it with you.  

PS

Please take time to read the Scripture passage above too.

LEST DARKNESS OVERTAKE

By Jon Browning

Have mercy on a sinner Lord

  A sinner in darkness indeed.

Life's work and life's credits

  Are man's selfish creed.

Fill me with they Grace and Love

   Sweep o'er me Thy Power.

Save me from the wicked one,

   And the darkness abiding in the evil hour.

Should darkness come and a soul overtake,

   Lord what hope is there

Where no Light of Yours doth break?

   Light from Heaven dispels the darkest sea,

Ever shining, ever pointing towards

Our Hope, Our Salvation, Our Eternity.

Run swiftly towards this Light O searching soul,

  For the Light is visible and fading fast.

Bask in its glory and let it fill you complete and whole,

Cast away sin's garments with darkness did it thee infect,

  Lest darkness find you helpless for eternity,

For so great a salvation you did neglect.

O Light of Christ thou art my glory sure.

  From darkness I did flee

My soul will never walk its dark paths evermore.

Keep shining for my brethren even just a little while,

  Plead with them tenderly 

To sail from this world's despairing isle.

Let me have a lantern and fill it with thy Light so free

  Call to others in the darkness

For they to come and with us spend eternity.

An Open Book

Scripture Reading: Romans !6:25-27

Have you ever had it said of you, "I can read you like an open book!"? This denotes our transparency in demeanor and character as well as our openness to others in lifestyle and habits. For some folks that is okay, for others that is not very comforting to think that we are that open.

God's Word on the other hand welcomes this openness. God's Word is an Open Book to all those who desire to know Him. In times past many religious leaders of the day desired to shut out God's Word from the general public knowledge by not allowing an English translation. They did this because they knew that if God's Word were made known freely to man, this man would in turn not allow the injustices afforded by the "church." It is sad that today God's Word is available to everyone, but now its not desired to be looked into as it was during the days of old.

Do you consider the Bible to be an open or shut book? What I mean by that is simply do you understand and receive what the Bible has to say about different areas of life? Granted that not anyone at all points knows every concept and aspect of the Bible's teachings with perfect clarity and understanding. There are hard to perceive passages no doubt. However, the life changing message in all points is freely understood by all men that even a child can understand it. So if the message of the Bible is so simple, you may wonder why you may not understand it.

The key to unlocking the "mystery" of the Scripture is calling on the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Savior. When one does that in sincere faith of the heart, the Holy Spirit comes in and develops a relationship between man and God that cannot be had any other way. Then the Holy Spirit (at the same moment) unlocks the Truths of Scripture to your understanding, Truths that once seemed like foolish religious nonsense. This is the first step in growing with God's Word.

Even though the Bible is comprised of 66 books and so many thousands of pages, it is inexhaustible in it's teachings and depth. One can read the entire Bible cover to cover, and then read it again and glean new revealed Truths every time. The passages of Scripture reveals hope, correction, prophecy, life wisdom and a host of other things. None of them stand hidden or locked away from the student who desires to know them.

Why is the Bible so open? Simply because it is a reflection of its Supreme Author. God desires above all that mankind should know Him personally. Its one thing to know about something, but quite another to be knowledgeable of something in its ways, patterns, thoughts, intents, character, and nature. God has no intention of keeping us in the dark about Who He is. Only the deceptive do such to hold an advantage over the weak minded. Of course there are things about God He has not revealed, but we know that those things, because of His holiness, is guarded for our good and not for our detriment.

Secondly the Bible is so open because God desires us to know exactly how we are related to Him and stand with Him. At this point, the Bible doesn't seem to be so appealing to some. The Light of the Good News and the way God worked and works in the Old Testament teachings spotlights our sinful condition. It can make man feel uncomfortable and wretched. This is the best news man can hear, but few accept it, because they will not read farther to seek the remedy for their soulst. However, if the Bible only told us what we want hear, still the inevitable judgement was coming and we would all wash out never knowing what was really important. God would be so cruel if He had not told us ALL the story. Every story, every verse, every application is geared towards one thing...how you and I measure up with God and His plans for us. Of course no one can measure to the holiness of God, but we can desire to know where we stand with Him as we see Him relating to us and we to Him.

Thirdly, God desires the Bible to be open so that we may have constant access to His help and assurance. Along with words of correction and judgement comes the beautiful mountains of hope and help. The Psalms are particularly used to help the hurting and the hopeless. Unlike a man's counselling office, God does never close nor does He weary of hearing the broken lives of His people. God does not say that we should come back at a more convenient time. With God, we can petition Him for our help and as we read His Word we notice similar situations and how God's unchanging Character shown through. Mankind is used to limitations and posted hours. God has never considered giving man only half of His "ear" but will come to all them that sincerely desire to follow Him. Imagine being put out of your home and no one to turn to. Imagine life with no where to turn. This is the same horrors God desires for us to avoid as He stands ready to help.

Fourthly, the Bible is open because no man can shut it up. The more man tries, the more the Bible is proclaimed. The Bible has multiplied and grown that it is global in its circulation. Even after thousands of years of fighting and disputing, no one party has prospered by trying to take the Bible out of schools and homes. The more men try to squelch its Truth, the more loudly it shouts. God's Word is the living representative of God in the physical sense. We can see it with our eyes and hear it with our ears. The Word is Living. Who God is, is testified in His writings. This is why man cannot silence the Bible, for he has no power to silence the Living God. The church of God grows best under persecution. We don't like that idea of persecution, but after while in Glory, we shall see the wondrous results.

Finally, the Bible is an Open Book so that no reason man will ever have to claim ignorance of his condemnation. No one will ever say in the Day of Judgement, "I didn't know." With the Internet, Radio, TV, printed material now for centuries, man is without excuse. Should God have only decided to let His Book be seen by a privileged few, then He would be unjust. However, in the last days, all men everywhere will hear what God says. God leaves man with the greatest hope freely before all men. It is up to man to decide whether to trust in it or not. Either way, God is just because He is an Open God with an Open Word.

The Bible is widely available all over the world and is saturated in its distribution in America. Is the Bible welcome in your heart? Do you find its Truths to be something you desire? Never has man had something so wonderful be so available and not hindered by prejudice or any condition. Thank God for His Wonderful Gift that gives man Hope, Strength and Warning as it is needed, freely.

Let the Bible be open to your heart today.

Lord Jesus, thank You for such an awesome book with a special love for me in your Heart. Help us to desire to read Your Word more often and every time we do, grow us in the knowledge of You and encourage us beyond measure. Thank You for your love for us. May we reciprocate that same love as we focus on Your Word. Amen.