Daily Bible Reading: John 11:32-57 Jesus Raises Lazarus and the Response of the Priests

In my last two posts from the gospel of John chapter 11, the first was concerning the death of Lazarus, the second was concerning Jesus teaching Martha about the resurrection, specifically that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.  In this post, Mary comes to Jesus, and with power, Jesus raises Lazarus from the grave in the witness of many people.

As the section starts, Martha has gone home and told secretly told Mary that Jesus "calleth for thee" (V28)

V32-36 When Mary came to Jesus and saw him, she fell down at his feet saying "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died"  Mary had faith the Jesus could have healed her brother.  She did not know the wonder and mercy she was about to witness. When Jesus saw her weeping, and that those who came with her were also weeping, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled.   Jesus asked "where have ye laid him?" and they said to Jesus "Lord, come and see."  Then we have the shortest verse in the bible, powerful in its meaning, "Jesus wept"  These two words show the compassionate heart of Jesus.  Some of the people said "behold how he loved him" but others said "could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind have caused that even this man should not have died?" Referring to Jesus as "this man" reveals that they did not believe on Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God.

Jairus' Daughter: a story of faith and trust

Mark 5:21-43   (25-34 is the woman with the issue of blood)

When the Lord was here on earth and did wonderful miracles, he did things that are beyond the powers of men.  The Lord Jesus did these miracles to point to His divinity.  These were things that only God could do.  Jesus' miracles are not recorded in the bible to make us think that we can do the same because we can't do the same, but Christs' power is revealed to encourage us to see that Jesus is God and he can do anything, his power is unlimited.  

Nothing is too hard for Jesus.  As Christians, when we see what an almighty and wonderful Jesus we have it is going to strengthen our faith to really believe and trust in him even when it is hard, and even when the world scorns and laughs and there is opposition.  If we see that Jesus is God and he can do anything, then all the scorn of the world will not make any difference whatsoever to us because we really believe in the omnipotent Saviour.  Spurgeon said:  "I believe what I believe and I will believe it even if I believe it alone."  Not dependent upon what other people think, not dependent upon current opinions or what the crowd thinks, not religious fashion, Spurgeon says that faith that is not dependent upon anybody else, but on Christ alone because  he is such a marvelous wonderful Saviour.  This faith only comes through a personal study of the bible.  We really believe what the bible says because we have pondered the scriptures and God has convinced us that this is true and logical and makes complete sense.  When we really believe that, it is not somebody else's faith that has convinced us, but it's our faith,  what we have come to believe and it doesn't matter if the whole world is against us, it makes no difference whatsoever because we are not relying on other people's opinions or feelings, or relying on other people for support. You can really say with Spurgeon, "I believe what I believe and I will believe it even if I believe it alone."  My faith is in Christ.  And that is the purpose of the recording of the miracles in the bible, because Jesus is God and he can do anything and there is no room for doubt at all.  If the almighty God humbled himself and became confined to a human body, then what is there that God cannot do?  Nothing.

Seriousness is Better Than a Good Laugh

Ecclesiastes 7:1-4

These words in the book of Ecclesiastes were written by a man of whom God says was the wisest man who ever lived.  He was a king, one of the greatest kings in world history.  He was rich, so rich that his riches are beyond description.  He had 700 wives, and 300 concubines.   He experienced all the pleasure he ever wanted, he was looked up to by surrounding kings and queens who paid homage to him.  No kingdom in the history of the world was equal to the glory of King Solomon and his kingdom.  But King Solomon fell.  The bible tells us that his wives turned his heart away from God 1 Kings 11:3-4 "...and his wives turned away his heart.  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God..." and King Solomon built temples to false gods and he began to live only for pleasure and feasting and he made God angry with him and God punished him.  It was after Solomon's fall when he saw his great failings and he turned back to God in his old age that he wrote the Proverbs and the book of Ecclesiastes.  It was after all his experience of life that he wrote these words:

  Eccle 7:1-4 "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.  It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.  Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.  The heart of the wise in in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth."
 
When Solomon wrote those words he was inspired by God the Holy Spirit, this is the teaching of God.  The message can be summed up in one sentence.  Seriousness is better than frivolity.  Here is a paragraph of relevance to our entertainment-crazed generation.  The four verses are  a series of paradoxes, apparent contradictions, they state the complete opposite of what the majority opinion is in this world.  That is to be expected because when it comes to the real meaning of life and real life values, the world is always wrong because the unsaved world does not know the author of life.  They do knot know the one who came to give us life in all its fullness so therefore its obvious that they are going to be wrong in their view of life.

God Is...

In this day of the compromising church, emergent teaching and pastors who teach “feel good” sermons, what does the bible say about who God is?  Is he only a God of love?  Who is God to the believer, the Christian, Who was he to the saints of the old testament?  Who is God to the unbeliever?

Regarding Abraham, Gen 21:22 “, God is with thee in all that thou doest:”  Hebrews says that Abraham was a man of faith Heb 11:8,10 “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went….  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”  Notice that Abraham obeyed the command of God when he was called out.

Deut 33:27 “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: ”

2 Samuel 22:33, the words of king David, after his sin with Bathsheba, after his repentance, “God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect”

Psalm 48:14, pure comfort to the believer “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death”

Psalm 59:17 “Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.”

Psalm 74:12 “For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.”  This verse certainly shows that it is God who saves, not men who save themselves by “making a decision”

Psalm 89:7 “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.”  God demands reverential fear, fear of who he is, the Sovereign and mighty God.

Proverbs 30:5  “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”   The bible, the word of God, is to be trusted.  But this does not include the modern versions that twist and change the true word of God.

The following verses show that the LORD God is more than love:

Deuteronomy 4:24 “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God”  

Deut. 6:4-7 teaches that it is not enough to hang on the fact that God is love, the Israelites were, and believers are commanded:  “thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might and these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up…”   Do you think upon the Lord during the week? or only on Sunday.  Do you love him? do you talk to others of  the word of God?

Psalm 7:11 “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.”

Nah 1:2 “God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies”   This verse should make the unbeliever cringe.

Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness”

Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”  This is another verse that should prick the heart of the unsaved.

This verse offers hope to the lost:

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Why Study Heaven?

This is Part 1 of a series by Paul Dowling  on the subject of Heaven.

Why Study Heaven?

Rev 22:1-6  

Glory, Paradise, or Heaven..  we are not studying the atmosphere, the universe or space, but God's dwelling place.  Why study heaven?  Because life in this world distracts us and blots out thoughts of heaven.  Things closer to us are seen to be bigger than eternity but they are not.  

Another reason is that through misunderstanding heaven it doesn't appeal to as many people as it should.  You may say "How could heaven not be appealing"?  Some may find it boring, they suppose it to be like a church service that goes on and on, while sitting on a marble seat.  Such a view has limited appeal and is childish.  Some are apathetic about heaven, clumsy at understanding its beauty.   But that is not the biblical view and that is another reason why believers should study heaven from the bible and look at the true biblical portrait.

Another reason is because we can know about it.  1 Corin 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him"  Some people use this text to say we don't know about heaven, you can't picture it, you can't hear it, you can't imagine it so why consider it.  But they need to read the next verse, 10 .  "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."   Natural man can't imagine the things that God has prepared, but God has revealed them to believers by his Spirit through his word, the bible.  That is the limit that God has told us about heaven and we can know what he wants us to know.   We are duty bound to study heaven because God has revealed it and whatever God has revealed, we are to study.  

We should study heaven because it is a powerful evangelistic weapon.  Look at the world around you, there is a dis-satisfaction with materialism.  Look at people's faces, are they happy?  They are not happy at all, most of them.  There is no joy in materialism, it does not bring happiness or contentedness.  If this life is it, and all we have and we live and then we die and it is over, that is depressing.   How appealing in that situation is heaven..  time is just a vapor but your soul lives forever and can live forever with God securely in heaven, satisfied in a place of indescribable beauty.  A new Paradise where every lie, deceit and wrong has been purged.  What a powerful evangelistic weapon therefore, heaven is.  God offers sinful human beings an eternity of happiness, what a glorious possibility. 

What Is It to be Sealed With the Spirit?

Ephesians 1:9-14; Romans 10:14-17

The child of God is blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ.  It doesn't matter whether the child of God feels or understand the blessings or not, Christ hath blessed us V3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."  Its something that Christ has done and we don't do it.  We are blessed in mind-blowing ways, in that we have been chosen in Christ from before the created order, we are blessed in that we are chosen to be holy and blameless before God.  In that we are adopted as God's beloved children and we are blessed in that it has been predestinated that we would inherit the inheritance of Christ.  We are blessed in that by grace we have been made acceptable in the presence of God, in that we have been bought by the blood of Jesus, all our sins are forgiven.  What blessings.  To do these things for us, God has abounded in his mercy and grace.  And more than that God has illuminated the saved, revealed his will to us and also the true believer has true unity in Christ presently.  One in Christ.  The body of believers is united.  We have been predestinated to bring God praise and glory.  

Another blessing is after we believed:  the sealing of the Holy Spirit.  Christ's people are sealed with the Holy Spirit.  V12-14 "That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."
 
You trusted when you heard the gospel, you were sealed after you believed, and what is it to be saved by the Holy Spirit?

Godly or Ungodly?

Psalm 1

Out of all the countless number of people in the world and all their outward differences they are all one race, the human race.  Out of all those people there is one division, one dividing line that is not merely cosmetic, one dividing line that is real.  The bible plainly teaches that all the people in the world are divided into two groups.  Whatever group you are in is going to determine where you will spend eternity.  This one division between men is described as the saved and the lost, saints and sinners, child of light or child of darkness, believer or unbeliever.  Psalm 1 describes this division of humanity in detail.  This psalm gives all obvious physical and practical differences and evidences of who is in which group.  You can't read Psalm 1 and be confused about who is godly and who is not.  It is plain as day.  Psalm 1 describes the godly person and the ungodly person in unmistakable terms inwardly and outwardly.  Someone who is blessed and someone who is not.   You need to learn which group you are in because it is of drastic importance to your welfare in eternity.  Are you godly or ungodly?  What does Psalm 1 teach?

V1-3  "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."    Here is the person who is blessed.  The word blessed means someone who is enjoying God's special favor.  The godly person does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly.  The word counsel means advice.  The godly person does not follow the advice of ungodly people, they don't walk in that way.  The advice of the ungodly in our society is this:  don't be moral, do what you want.  Don't talk about sin.  The godly person will not take that advice because he does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly.  The word walk means the path of life, the direction.  If you are godly you don't take your direction from the ungodly.  The godly person's life is different.

The Temptation of Christ

Matthew 4:1-11, Psalm 91:1-12

Imagine the Son of God, working alone in a carpenter's shop in Nazareth..Jesus worked in this shop until he was 30 and then there came a day when the Lord Jesus left the carpenter shop, when he told his mother it was time for him to leave. There came a day when the public ministry of Jesus Christ began. On that day Jesus set out on a path set by God, a path for his life and that path would lead him to a tortured crucifixion even though he would never commit a single sin. That path would take him on a destiny that was planned by him and for him before the world was even made. The mission upon which eternal life or everlasting torment for the human soul depends. 

Jesus would live 3 more short years and accomplish a goal that would make him the Saviour of a countless multitude who will gather around the throne of glory in heaven. But also a mission that would make him the object of scorn, derision and hatred from the world. Nothing is more important than the life and death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is his life, beginning at these 3 years and the things he did and how he suffered and died, and his present intercession that sorts out the sheep from the goats. That is what sorts out the children of God from the children of the Devil. This whole purpose of Christ from his baptism by John and when the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove, when God spoke audibly from the glory and said Matthew 3:17 ..."this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased". And then Jesus was led into the Judain wilderness to be tempted of the devil, the temptation of Christ. Let us consider the passages concerning the temptation: Matthew 4:1-2 "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered."

Rejoice, Its a New Year

It was early to bed last night, and after being awakened at midnight by the noise of many fireworks, it was back to sleep and waking up this morning refreshed and happy that a new year has begun.  It's a day to rejoice for these reasons:

a fresh new start

the days are getting longer

Spring is coming

most of all, for Christians each day is one day closer to the Lord Jesus Christ's return

for myself and my husband perhaps the Lord will lead us to a church that holds to the old paths.  (Jeremiah 6:16 "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls...).

I don't have many goals but one of them is to eat healthier, mostly fruits and vegetables and no beef and another is to go for a walk everyday as I really need more exercise.

The old year and all of its trials and troubles are gone and Philippians 3:13,20 are perfect verses:

".....this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ."

Below is a beautiful sunrise, taken from our front yard.  A new day, and a new year has begun.

The Mystery of the Gospel

Ephesians 3:1-14 

The apostle Paul was a great man in intellect, in the gospel, and in his zeal for the promotion of the gospel across the known world at that time.  He was a man who trusted in providence, commissioned by God to do what he was doing, felt privileged to preach the gospel, had concern for other people, was in fellowship with God even though he was writing this epistle from prison.  What type of message did he preach?  Paul preached a revealed message that came to him by revelation.  It was and is a message that is revealed by God and therefore it is God's message.  If it is God's message it doesn't need to be adjusted by men and women who are sinful.  

Paul preached a message that was and is:
A mystery:  V3-4, 9  "How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ). And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ."  The message was a mystery, a hidden thing.  Mystery means "a thing that is not obvious to the understanding"  The gospel is not an obvious message contrary to what "easy believism" teaches.  It is profound.  General revelation is not enough, the creation is not enough to bring you to salvation.  It leads you to believe in a creator God if you think logically, but how we can know God through general revelation remains a mystery.  We need special revelation to get to know the creator God.  This is found in the word of God through the prophets and apostles.  The bible's message is profound and mysterious.  It tells us of a holy God who is sinless and perfect.

What is God? God is a spirit: infinite, eternal and unchanging in  his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.  How can this God justify sinners who are guilty and remain just and holy?  It doesn't make sense that he could or would, but that is exactly what the message of the bible is. A mystery that we would not know otherwise, that God can and does justify guilty sinners upon certain conditions.  And he does it in a way that his justice and holiness is retained.  That is profound and amazing, not obvious, a profound mystery explained.   This marvelous message has been shaken by some modern evangelists who say "You want to be saved? It is O so simple, repeat these words after me".  But no! It's not O so simple.  It's a profound, amazing message that God can and does save sinners.  God can save sinners and give them a perfect righteousness, blotting out all their sins by punishing all those sins on his only begotten Son.  He takes sinners into his own family even though they were and are guilty as charged.  That is not "O so simple, repeat these words and raise  your hand".  The gospel is about a message that brings you into an encounter with the living Christ, by grace through faith you receive him and it changes your life, you repent of your sin and trust him.  It is a mysterious, profound, amazing message.  It is about Christ becoming the Lord of your life, it is not "O so simple".  Modern techniques cheapen the mystery and the profundity of the gospel.  They make it into a man-made "easy peasy" ritual, perform this, that and the other and you have your insurance policy to heaven but that is not what Paul preached.

Psalm 34: I Will Bless the LORD at All Times

This is a very beautiful Psalm, full of faith and trust, and of the importance of a reverential fear of the LORD for who he is.  I believe that the Psalms is where the poetic beauty of the King James bible shines forth.

Psalm 34  (I do not put in the verse breaks, I would rather let the words flow.)
I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.  My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.  O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.  I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.  They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.  This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.  O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.  O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.  The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.  Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.  What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?  Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.  Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.  The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.  The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them from all their troubles.  The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.  Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.  V20  He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.  Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.  The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

__________________________

V20 is probably prophetic speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross where none of his bones were broken.

Psalm 25: Unto Thee O LORD

Further to my post a day or so ago regarding the words  "I Am" as used in positive thinking, as contrast here is a Psalm of David that shows the heart of a man devoted to the Lord but who was also a man who had sinned regarding Bathsheba and her husband Uriah (2 Samuel 11) and acknowledges that sin before the Lord asking for mercy and forgiveness.   Opposite of positive thinking,  Psalm 25 is a beautiful psalm of  requests, dependence and trust.  David's requests to the Lord are highlighted.
Here is Psalm 25:  (KJV)

Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.  O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.  Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.  Show me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.  Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; (added by me - David's relationship with the Lord is a personal one)  on thee do I wait all the day.  Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.  Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.  Good and upright is the LORD, therefore will he teach sinners in the way.  The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.  All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.  For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.  What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. (added by me - Proverbs 16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps).  His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.  The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him (added by me - a reverential fear for who God is) and he will show them his covenant.  Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.  Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.  The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring me out of my distresses.  Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.  Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.  O keep my soul and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.  Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait no thee.  Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

Two Simple Words: I Am

I Am - two simple words.    Yesterday I was waiting for our local news to start and caught the last couple of minutes of Dr. Phil's show with Joel Osteen on it promoting his book regarding I am.   In looking up a review for the book online today, it seems to me that that Mr. Osteen's book is about positive thinking - I am this, I am that, I am (put in the word of your choice).
However,  the words "I am" are very precious in the bible, the word of God.  How are the words "I am" used there?  here are a very few and these all speak of deity:

Genesis 17:1 "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect"

Exodus 3:14 "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."

Exodus 20:2 "I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage."

What does the Lord Jesus say about himself?

John 6:35 "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."

John 8:58 "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am."

John 9:5 "......................I am the light of the world"

John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."

And what do men say about themselves using "I am" in the bible?

Psalm 6:2 "Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed."

Psalm 40:17 "But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God"

Psalm 119:141 "I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts."

Note that  none of the verses quoted above regarding what men say about themselves are lifting themselves up in a positive way, but they know that there hope is in the Lord, not in themselves.

Therefore, rather you should say, I am a sinner, and I need the Saviour, and then repent and call upon the Lord Jesus Christ who will save your soul.   All the positive thinking in the world will not  bring you to heaven, if you do not recognize your need of the Saviour, and repent of your sins, you are condemned to that place of torment.  The choice is yours.

The Translation of the Authorized King James Bible: Why It Was Important Then, and Why It Is Important Now

It is right that Christians should take time to consider and reflect upon the origin, use and acceptance of the Authorized version of the bible also known as the King James.  It is also necessary because of the implications arising from such a study.   For 1300 years English speaking people were without a bible and during that time idolatry and superstition reigned.  This was known as the Dark Ages.  We should value the privilege we have to read the King James bible that we have now.

There was a pressing need of an acceptable, reliable and good translation that would be of great use to the cause of Christ,  from Hebrew and Greek into English.  The King James bible was authored by the cream of English scholarship. (for detailed information regarding these scholars please listen to the audio of this sermon linked to at the bottom of this post.)  When these men were all summoned to engage in the King's business we must remember that this was to be an international enterprise.  The translators were grouped into companies and not committees, because this was to be an imperial project, done publicly for English speaking people across the world.  Once the companies had finished their work it was sent to a final group of 12 that examined the entire translation before publication.   These men were not perfect, they were like you and I except God gave them certain abilities he did not give to us.  What did they think of themselves?  There were many chosen for this task that were greater in other men's eyes than their own, these were men that sought the truth rather than their own praise.  They were not interested in themselves.  They were humble.   These men were not ashamed at what they believed.  

There were rules which governed them:

1-5 emphasizing continuity with previous work done (Tyndale, Wycliffe, the Geneva Bible; (these were bibles which were despised by authorities and hated for their spread of the word of God across the land).  The translators were to make use of all that was done before. 

6-7 regarding commentary and explanation.  Cross references had a double purpose, to assist in understanding the text and also to demonstrate that it was one bible, a unity and a harmony in God's revelation.  It's all God's word, it's all authoritative, it's all from God, from Genesis to Revelation.

8-15 regarding the mechanics of translation.. there was a resolution of disputes, then the completed work was sent to a group of 12 that examined the entire translation.

The Authorized King James: Loved, Hated or Ignored

I’m quite sure that most people will see the title of this post and pass it by, but please bear with me because the subject is very important, whether you know it or not.  In Christianity today, there are few in number that still hold to their King James bible.  Most have been caught up by promoters of the new versions,  who use the excuse that their version is based on “older and better” manuscripts, (or so they believe) or else that it will be “easier to understand”.  Why did this happen? and what are the consequences? My next post will be notes from a sermon regarding the history of the King James and why it is so important.

My own history with the King James began when I was in grade 4, back in the day when the school day began with a bible reading from the King James and a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer.  The teacher asked me to memorize Psalm 23 and I am still struck by the beauty of the poetry of this most well-known and loved of Psalms.
Lets compare it with Young’s Literal Translation which is also in the public domain.

Psalm 23:1-6  Young’s Literal Translation
 Jehovah is my shepherd, I do not lack, In pastures of tender grass He causeth me to lie down, By quiet waters He doth lead me.  My soul He refresheth, He leadeth me in paths of righteousness, For His name’s sake,   Also — when I walk in a valley of death-shade, I fear no evil, for Thou art with me, Thy rod and Thy staff — they comfort me.  Thou arrangest before me a table, Over-against my adversaries, Thou hast anointed with oil my head, My cup is full!  Only — goodness and kindness pursue me, All the days of my life, And my dwelling is in the house of Jehovah, For a length of days!

Psalm 23: 1-6  King James
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

In the examples above, both of them are quite close in meaning, although the Young’s suggests a time period in the last verse, “for a length of days” while the King James is comforting in  that David believes that he will “dwell in the house of the LORD for ever”.  But more importantly, which one would be easier to memorize?  In the King James, the words flow in poetic beauty as it does throughout all of this bible (I won’t call it a version).

What is the Bible? God's Inspired Word

2 Timothy 3:13-17  "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

The doctrine of scripture, or what is the bible, is what we are studying.  A true understanding of what scripture is will direct you on the true course of your Christian life.  It will put scripture in authority over you and guide you, but if you are unsure or wrong on the doctrine of scripture, if you are wrong on what is the bible, you will not remain on the true course in the Christian life.  You will find that the scripture will not guide you in vast areas of your life because if you don't have a true understanding of what scripture is.  You will end up supplanting scripture with your own ideas, your own tastes, likes and dislikes.  All heresy and apostasy comes from a wrong view of what scripture is, what the bible is.  People want to ignore the bits of the bible that they don't like on the basis of their own reason, their own mind.  They come to judge and sift the bible and say that bits are cultural and don't apply.  Error in the doctrine of scripture is the cause of all of this.  

What is the bible?  Scripture or the bible is God's inspired word.  It is God's inerrant word, that means it contains no errors.  It is God's infallible word, that means that whatever scripture speaks on, it is right or correct on that subject.  Scripture is the word of God.  But do we really see the implications of this?  we must really believe that, we need to get that, scripture is the word of God.  If we don't get that and understand what it means, we will end up adding our own ideas.  It is not the word of the apostle Paul, the prophets Isaiah or Jeremiah, not the word of the apostle John, it's the word of God.  The bible does not contain God's word like the liberals say, that is nonsense.  The bible does not contain God's word, the bible IS the word of God, therefore it is not wrong on miracles, or sodomites, or judgment, or anything it speaks on because it is God's word.  That is why there is no true Christian who can say, "O but that's just Paul, that's just his opinion", no true Christian will ever say that.  It's not Paul's opinion at all, its the word of God, not Paul.   People who do this show that they do not believe that the whole bible is the word of God.   Evangelicals  need to stop playing word games and say that they believe the bible is the word of God "but"..  you either believe that the bible is the word of God or you do not. The bible is the word of God and that is what Christians believe.

Lamentations: The Church's Funeral Lament

In the book of Lamentations is the wee word "how".  How, says Jeremiah, has it come to this?  A question that he then proceeds to answer.  The occasion of the writing of Lamentations (a lament, a wailing) was the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah by the Babylonians in 588BC.  Lamentations is the churches funeral lament.  The destruction, or chastisement of the old covenant church.  The destruction that Jeremiah preached on during his 40 year ministry, it had repeatedly been his sole message for 40 years.  It happened.  The ruin that he predicted in the whole book of Jeremiah, the ruin he spoke on was mocked by the false prophets, it was not believed and was scorned by God's people.  Jerusalem has now fallen and Lamentations was written.  Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon ordered that Jerusalem should be razed to the ground.  The temple was entered into, defiled and burnt as was everything else.  The fire burned for 3 days. 

To understand the message of Lamentations we must sit in the smoking ruins of the old covenant church.  We must sit in the rubble of Jerusalem in the desolation of Judah.  We must smell the stench of the thousands upon thousands of the dead.  The funeral pyres were like mountains as they burned.  Mountains of God's covenant people.  And then we may say like Jeremiah "How has it come to this" even though he knew the answer.  He knew the answer even before he commenced his ministry because God told him that the people would not listen to him, they would not repent..  At one point God told Jeremiah to stop praying for them.  After 40 years of preaching and after 40 years of being hated by the church of his day, when the judgment comes he still weeps for the church because he cares for the church and he is one of the very few people who does care hence his utter grief at the destruction of the church in his day.

The instrument of God's judgment:  Lamentations 1:1-7 "How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!  She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.  Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.  The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.  Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.  And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.  Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths."
 
 God does not send fire down from heaven, but he uses as an instrument of judgment, the church's enemies.  He uses the heathen, he uses her adversaries.  And this we will find as a scriptural principle that God's favored instrument for chastening his people when they sin is the heathen whom he brings into their midst.  And what happens?  They desecrate the worship of the church.  The heathen come in not to worship but to plunder, to get something for themselves.  But note, its the churches pagan enemies.  There are only two types of people in the world, God's people and pagans.  Everything that is not true Christianity is paganism.  The church's enemies come in and God uses them to chasten and corrupt the church.  

The Days of Noah: The Ark and the Heart of God

Genesis 6:3,5-7,13-22

Noah and the flood were both historic, Noah was a real person, a man of faith, a preacher of righteousness, a family man.  His world was a real world, a sinful world that was characterized by certain things: an evil mind-set, the thoughts and imaginations were only evil continually.  It was a foul society, a violent society.  It was also characterized by perverted religion that had corrupted the true religion.  This society was characterized by materialism and pleasure.  Those are the conditions for calamity.  That is the type of lifestyle that brought the flood.  In the light of those things, it all led to something.

What did it lead to?
Gen 6:6 "And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart."    grieved means to suffer pain in one's own heart.  It grieved God at his heart, that is what it led to, grief.  God is not sitting up there in heaven uncaring about the people he created, he is grieved at their behaviour and their lifestyle like you are when your little children grow up and they scorn and mock and throw off the standards that you have tried to teach them..  Don't think less of God, it grieved him at his heart.  It also led to judgment pronounced and carried out.  Gen 6:7,13 "And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.  And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth."  There are consequences for sin and rebellion and the consequences taught in this passage teach a very important lesson, a lesson that is largely forgotten today even in churches where they have a view of a God that has just one attribute and that is love.  That is a heresy.  Sin leads to consequences.  This passage teaches us the consequences.  God is warning mankind of the limitation of his mercy and grace.  

This passage teaches that human beings through their willful sin and willful neglect of salvation can put themselves beyond grace.  Beyond God's mercy.  By gross willful rebellion you can put yourself in the place where God says, "it is now over for you, there is no possibility of recall.  Beyond grace, mercy and redemption forever.  Where the only thing is judgment.  Noah's world was in precisely that position.  120 years and that is it, God says "enough"  There is a limit to God's mercy and grace.  And how much grace has been poured on you week by week, unbeliever.  How many times has God spoken to you in grace and mercy.  But you have scorned his love, rejected his forgiveness.  The lesson this passage is teaching is very simple, you need to be aware that the grace of God is not everlasting.  If God's grace was everlasting the flood would not have come.  If you are not a Christian, one day, if you continue rejecting the gospel, one day you will be one day too late.

Wild Rose with Matthew 5:8

This photo was taken in summer at the walk way of Somenos Marsh in the Cowichan Valley.  I loved the textures of this wild rose against the sturdiness of the fence and it reminds me the beauty of the pure in heart who will see God.

Cowichan River Trail in Autumn with Proverbs 2:8

The trail beside the Cowichan River is particularly beautiful in Autumn when leaves are blowing in the wind and the trail is strewn with them.  and even though this path is not very narrow, it is a reminder to me of Proverbs 2:8, that God preserveth the way of his saints and keepeth the paths of judgment.