MY ROCK IS CHRIST

“...that spiritual Rock that followed them...that Rock was Christ.”

(1 Cor. 10:4) 

A large rock rests in front of my mobile home with the inscription, "Christ Is My Rock." Everyone in the court sees it on their morning and evening walks, plus any and all who come to our door. I want to testify to the whole world that, “On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

I have many dear friends who believe Peter is that Rock, but Moses tells us, “their rock is not as our Rock,” (Deut. 32:31) Paul, in the above text, tells us Who that Rock is. Jesus told Peter he was a “stone” (Jn. 1:42), not “The Rock.” Peter tells believers, like himself, they’re “stones” (1 Pet. 2:5).

I thank God I have under me a “sure foundation,” Christ the Son of God and God the Son, not a vacillating man as Simon Peter, or any other flimsy hope.  In the worst of storms I am not standing on a small pebble on the beach, so to speak, but on the Rock of Gibraltar. CHRIST IS MY ROCK!

“Never, never pin your whole faith on any human being: not if he is the best and wisest in the world. There are a lot of nice things you can do with sand; but do not try building a house on it.”

(C.S. Lewis)

ORIGINAL INTENT

ORIGINAL INTENT

“Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. Jesus saith...Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”

(Lk. 9:49-50)

One of my late wife’s favorite quotes was by Oswald Chambers, “Never try to make your experience a principle for others, but allow God to be as creative and original with others as He is with you.” Evidently the disciples, as we, had the problem of wanting all others to carry their stamp upon them. For them, to “do like” meant to “be like.”

But God is not in the Toy Soldier business, nor does He operate a Cookie Cutter Factory. It seems He creates then throws away the mold. You need not worry anyone ever showing up wearing a like garment as you; if they do, to be sure, it was made upon their own work table. Once the product is made, the pattern is discarded. The sign in the window reads, “Discontinued.”

To be sure, all of us from time to time need some rough places sanded, dangerous square corners rounded, and a little touch-up paint here and there in our lives; but this by no means takes away our individuality. Only the devil and those under him want us to be copycats, thus losing our divine given distinctiveness. What a blessing to be “ONE OF A KIND”! Ain’t nobody just like you.

"FUNCTION ACCORDING TO YOUR ABILITY!"

(rds)

 

THE QUESTION OF MAN

What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?..What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?..LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!..But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?”

(Job 7:17;Psa. 8:4;144:3;Heb. 2:6)

Four times in scripture we find God being asked the question about “Man.” Job, David, and the writer of Hebrews were each concerned with the subject. This sublime creature, the pinnacle of all God’s divine works in creation, who fell to the lowest of the low, thus becoming this putrefying, loathsome, depraved specimen. This “thing” brought multiple disgraces to God’s marvelous grace. Why would a Holy God take thought of such as him? “I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me”

Great worldly men think it below them to give attention to those considered inferior in their sight. Yet the God of glory condescended, humbled Himself and became a man, like us (a sinful nature being the exception). O, such love, such compassion, that He would so identify with us poor little worms (Job 25:6) in saying of Himself, “I am a worm…” (Psa. 22:6). As the song says, “Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?” YES! YES! YES! Bless His Holy name forever and forever!

He set His affection upon us not because of what we are but who we can become, in Christ Jesus. He saw us in Christ, thus “We are accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:3). My son, Andrew gave me a moving illustration that I believe makes my point. It seems a sinner was standing before God and Satan was present. The accuser of the brethren kept asking God why He did not condemn him for his wretchedness. God's answer to him was, “Because my Son keeps getting in the way.” O, love that will not let me go!

Don't Mistake the Two

"Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly." 

(Phil. 2:23-24)

There is a special trust in God that has to do with specific things, times, situations, etc. Then there is an general overall trust, which involves our day to day living. Some people confuse the two, and as a result create a crisis out of every event that arises.

Does this sound inconsistent? "I trust in the Lord, but I'll have to wait and see how things will go with me." It isn't if you are referring to the latter type of faith I mentioned above. Yes, if the former. In this second type of faith there is no "claiming" a promise, but calmly awaiting an outcome. He did not know whether Nero would condemn or acquit him. He did not possess a particular faith for deliverance, but one of submission.

Sometimes we have to trust the Lord and just wait and see; this is not unscriptural or unspiritual! 

KING JESUS

“...thou King of saints.”

(Rev. 15:3)

Among the lyrics of this God-glorifying song sung in heaven are these four stirring words, “...thou King of saints.” Not just “King of Kings,” but more personal and intimate, “King of saints.”Sometimes we’re told, “Make Jesus King of your life,” but this is a misnomer; He is already King! All anyone can do is to recognize and submit to His Kingship.

Some Bible teachers say, “He was a prophet, He is a priest, He will be King.” But the truth is He is the eternal King, 1 Tim. 1:17. Divine Royalty has marked his personage from eternity to eternity! He was born a King, He lived as a King, He died as a King, and He returns to this earth as King. He never once denied His Kingship.

Harry H. Ironside brings out a blessed thought in his book on the Song of Solomon. He teaches the bride’s shepherd lover turns out to be the King, in disguise. This is not difficult to accept. Mary thought Him to be a gardner. But no matter the outward adorning, He always had the heart of a KING. That of a Lion King, if you please.

As a babe He exchanged swaddling clothes for that of an ordinary childs; as an adult He took up the common man's garment, that of a workman. First, of a carpenter, then a shepherd; after His ascension he wears the garb of a priest; and at His coming back to earth He adorns His royal crown and apparel, that of KING of Kings and Lord of Lords!

“ME! A CHILD OF THE KING, IT’S BEYOND ALL COMPREHENSION!”

OH,YES YOU CAN!

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

(Phil. 4:13)

You cannot only do what you can do but you can do what you can’t do, if God tells you you can. When Jesus bade Peter to walk on water, then he could. When He summoned the paralytic to take up his bed and walk, then he could. When the Lord told Paul he could live out the rest of his life with a thorn in his flesh, then he could. “I can’t,” never did anything!

In my meditation recently this thought came to my mind, “The impossible is only possible to those who believe the impossible to be possible.” I had a dear preacher friend who preached for me annually, when I was a pastor. Bill was born with multiple sclerosis. He used to say, “‘I can’t’ is not in the handicap’s dictionary.” And neither should it be in the saint’s.

THERE IS POWER IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB

“Ye were...redeemed...with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

(1 Pet. 1:18-19)

You don’t hear much of that most blessed song, “There is Power in the Blood,” in the churches of this age. This no doubt accounts for the powerlessness among anemic professing Christians today. It’s His Blood that gives life to the saint. To do away with it is certain death.

The remedy for sin can only be found in His blood, Heb. 9:22. You cannot be justified but by His Blood, Rom. 5:9. There is no communion with Christ without the Blood, 1 Cor.10:16. Peace comes through the Blood of Christ, Col. 1:20. The one way to have a clear conscience is Jesus’ Blood, Heb. 9:14. We enter God’s presence only by His Blood, Heb. 10:19 There's no sanctification apart from the Blood, Heb. 13:12. You can’t have fellowship with our Lord without His Blood, 1 Jn. 1:7; Your heavenly robe must be washed in the Blood of the Lamb, Rev. 8:7. And you’ll never overcome Satan apart from the power of the Blood of the Lamb! These are just a few references showing the Power of the Blood of Jesus.

There will never be a day in our lives, as a Christian, that we will not be in need of His Precious Blood. The blood flowing through my body gives me physical life; the Blood of Jesus Christ give me spiritual life. Take from me these two and I die a double death.

The thing that makes Jesus’ Blood so powerful is the fact that He did not receive it from earthly parents, but His Heavenly Father, Acts 20:28. The Blood of God’s Lamb was God’s Blood; it was Divine! Hence, it has all the power of God behind it! Ah, my friend, go on your way today singing, “NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!”  

The Obscure Life

"...thy Father which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly."

(Matt. 6:4,6,18)

To many Christians, an obscure life means an obsolete life. We all are prone to think public figures are the only ones greatly used of God. This is because what they do can be seen by all. When will we ever wake up to the truth God generally does His best work behind closed doors? When we pray, it is to be behind closed doors. The widow was told to "shut the door upon thee and thy sons," when the miracle of the oil was multiplied. Elisha also, when raising the young child, we are told, "...went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD."

The following are some quotes by Oswald Chambers: "The curse in Christian work is that we want to preserve ourselves in God's museum"; "God buries His men (and women) in the midst of paltry things, no monuments are erected to them"; "It takes Almighty God Incarnate in you to peel potatoes properly, and to wash heathen children for the glory of God"; "Some saints cannot do menial work and remain saints because it is beneath their dignity"; "Remain true to God in your obscurity, and remember you are not the designer of your destiny"; " It takes Almighty grace to take the next step when there is no vision and no spectator." David killed a lion and a bear with no one in the grandstand! 1 Sam. 17:34-36.

The most important part of our life is that part that only God can see."

AN OLD DISCIPLE

“There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.”

(Acts 21:16)

Those who correspond with me by email are familiar with the above term, “An Old Disciple” ; it is the benediction if most of my letters. It impressed me years ago, while just a young man, and means even more to me now as an aged saint. We know little of Mnason from the scripture, and most comments are speculation. But, at the end of the day all we really need to know about him is found in the three words quoted. One thing we can be certain of: he was unwavering over the years; and still learning.

Starting right does not guarantee one will end right. If you doubt me, ask Demas, along with a host of other turncoats. It takes sinew of soul to see it through to the end as a follower of Christ. To be true to God over a long period of time one needs to settle his life in concert with Christ, not build it on shifting sand. Prior to departing this life to face the One he loved and served Paul said, “I have kept the faith.”  Andrew Bonar wrote, “Very few keep to the end the edge that was on their spirit at the first.”

Jacob told his brother Esau, “Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly,” Gen. 33:14. Many of us, like Jacob, now have a limp in our spiritual step-we can no longer stay up with our brethren. We may not win the race but we can finish our course! We can remain faithful to the end. It is not difficult; you just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Many have found as they near home they find themselves running. Something about “HOME” revitalizes a person!

“OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE, THEY JUST FADE AWAY.”

(General Douglas MacArthur )

THE TENDERNESS OF PAUL

“For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.”

(2 Cor. 2:4)

One old divine wrote, “When Paul wrote, he dipped his pen in tears.” Paul was a tender man, contrary to the belief of some. I was led to believe by one of my earliest mentors he was a harsh, hard man. Many who allow their natural temperament to interpret the Bible fall into this quagmire.

Most certainly Paul was a man’s man; he had a tough hide but at the same time a tender heart. They’re compatible in the best of men! Only weak saints need to flex their spiritual muscle but not so with a strong one, for it is obvious to all. Inferiority always manifests itself as superiority!

You can tell a lot about a person from their vocabulary. Some oft-used words by Paul are: love, tenderhearted, kindness, goodness, gentleness, charity, longsuffering, etc. Jesus said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good...for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh,” Lk. 6:45.

“The tenderest MAN who ever lived (Christ), possessed the strongest convictions.”

(rds)

A GOD HONORING REQUEST

“And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”  

1 Chron. 4:10

Jabez's request was a God honoring one; he was strictly concerned with the spiritual. It is apparent he loved God and hated sin. It can truly be said of him, “Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips,” (Psa. 21:2) His interests were God’s interests!

Why is it many aren’t blessed as Jabez? Could the answer be, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts”? (Ja. 4:3) It seems to me the request of James and John’s mother, which was not granted, had the old flesh connected to it. (Matt. 20:20-21)

Job was wrong when wanting to die and saying, “Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!” (Job 6:8) Still, it is a noble desire when the motive is right. The difference between Jacob and Esau was one requested a blessing, the other pottage.

“An appetite for the spiritual will always be satisfied.”

(rds)

MENTION MY NAME TO GOD

“...without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers…[I] Cease not...making mention of you in my prayers...always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers...making mention of thee always in my prayers.”

(Rom. 1:9; Eph. 1:16; 1 Thess. 1:2; Phm. 1:4)

Not only did Paul mention, in a collective way, the seasoned believers in the church at Rome and those at Ephesus, but the newly formed assembly at Thessalonica as well. But he also prayed for individual saints, mentioning them by name, such as Philemon and Timothy, as well as others. Jesus prayed collectively and for individuals like Simon Peter.

Wouldn’t you have loved to have heard Paul, the old prayer-warrior, call out those names? Most of his prayers were for others; you might say this is the unselfish side of prayer. I believe Paul was at his best, not necessarily in his preaching or writing, but when praying. Can it be said of us that we are at our best when we’re a, prayer? (Especially intercessory prayer!)

What a sweet smelling savor to hear a child’s bedtime prayer naming off different people; the aged saint sitting alone in their rocker, head bowed, mentioning loved ones by name; and, that weak voice from a sickbed calling out the name of that wayward loved one. Some can no longer bow their knees but they do in their hearts. That’s what counts.

“There are a host of people with the same name, but don’t worry, God knows the one you’re referring to.”

(rds)

THE PROBLEM OF FORGIVENESS

“...for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it...forgave I it in the person of Christ.”

(2 Cor. 2:10)

A lady I once pastored was going to be a missionary. In her second year of Bible school while she was just a teen during summer vacation, her uncle molested her, leaving her with child. This destroyed any hopes of her desired vocation. Many years had passed since the incident, but still she could never find it in her heart to forgive him for this despicable act.

After coming to me for counselling and having listened to her heart-wrenching story I asked her two questions. The first, “Do you love Christ?; and secondly, “What would you do for the Lord Jesus? My former inquiry was answered with, “With all my heart!, the latter, “I’d do anything for Him!” I then asked, “Will you forgive your uncle for Jesus’ sake? A tearful YES!  was her reply.

Many super saints, so to speak, blessed at birth with a naturally pleasant nature, think forgiveness is an easy deed, but when wronged in the right area of their life they find just how humanly impossible it actually is. True Biblical forgiveness is not going directly to the culprit, but going through Christ. Any other type of forgiveness is in the flesh and profiteth nothing, says our Lord, Jn. 6:63.

If you are among the great host who has experienced some hideous and hurtful deed from another and trying to find forgiveness in your heart, STOP! You’re not to forgive for your sake; YOU ARE TO FORGIVE FOR HIS SAKE! Any and all things done in a saint’s life is to be “for HIS sake!” And this includes forgiveness. Even God Himself forgives for Christ’s sake,“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.” Eph. 4:32;5:1.

Be honest with God. Tell Him, “Lord I will not, I cannot forgive; but for you Lord Jesus, and you alone I forgive all wrong ever done me by any and all.” O, the peace that will flood your soul. It will be Springtime in your spirit; the birds will sing once again!

"Forgiving the one who wronged you may not change them, but it most certainly will you!"

(rds)

PRENATAL CARE

“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was  none of them.”

(Psa. 139:13-16)

Darling David tells us God was in and a part of his life before he was born; so says the Word of God! If you disagree, you disagree with the likes of Isaiah, “The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name...And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant,” Isa. 49:1,5. And God tells Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations,” Jer. 1:5.

I am not attempting to argue for some divisive doctrine of a scholar but to convey a blessed truth from the scripture. James tells us, “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world,” Acts 15:18. Without question Man is His greatest work. Ever detail of our lives was known unto God, in eternity past; even to the most minute detail. God foreknew, therefore He predestined, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,” Rom.8:29. He knew who would be drawn and attracted to a dying Saviour!

We love Him, says John, because He first loved us; and we chose because we were chosen. Like when I was a boy and we’d play baseball, two of the guys would choose up sides. When you were chosen you could choose if you wanted to play for that side. There is, and always has been, a heated debate over the term, “Irresistible Grace.”My position is that it can be resisted, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye,” Acts 7:51. But may I add, I couldn’t; IT WAS IRRESISTIBLE TO ME!

INSIDE THE MOST HOLY PLACE

“Thus shall Aaron come into the Holy place.”

(Lv. 16:3)

When Aaron passed into the Holy of Holies, he did not leave his humanity outside the veil. He took what he was inside with him. As I so often say, “We can’t run from our humanity.” Sicknesses, growling stomachs, cuts and bruises, aches and pains, and weariness, all enter into the most Holy place with us, along with our sins, failures, and idiosyncrasies.

God is not surprised by those things He discovers in us. His loving kindness is not turned away because of finding these shortcomings. It is not what we are, but what we are becoming that mostly concern Him. He is making us into the image of the Lord Jesus. Each of us, His children, are ultimately going to bear all the characteristics of His firstborn Son.

“Come, ye weary, heavy laden,

Bruised and broken by the fall;

If you tarry till you're better,

You will never come at all.

Let not conscience make you linger,

Nor of fitness fondly dream;

All the fitness He requireth

Is to feel your need of Him.”

DISTRACTED BY DISTRACTIONS

“And this I speak for your own profit...that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.”

(1 Cor. &:35)

The context of the above scripture concerns marriage, but it has a far-reaching practical principle hidden within it also. The world, the flesh, and the devil will use any and all means to distract us from our attention upon our Lord, not only by evil influences but good and legitimate ones, even the spiritual — anything but the main thing.

This three-headed enemy of our souls main concern is to cause our minds to wander far from the God we love. These terrible three adversaries know that if they can keep our thoughts occupied with anything other than omnipotence, they’ve succeeded in their mission.

They desire to rob us of the most precious thing man can ever have on this earth, PEACE! “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isa. 26:3). It can be truly said of that man who thinks upon God, “the end of that man is peace,” Psa. 37:37.

“ Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”

(2 Cor. 10:5)

GOD AND GRANITE

“ I prayed unto the LORD, saying, Ah Lord GOD! behold...there is nothing too hard for thee...Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying...is there any thing too hard for me?”

(Jer. 32:16-17;26-27)

Although there are harder materials, one of the hardest natural stones on earth is granite, hence the old adage, when referring to a person or thing, “They’re harder than granite.” Jeremiah in his dire situation reminds God that nothing's too hard for God, which our Lord affirms. Dear reader,  are you this day, so to speak, between a rock and a hard place? Then look to God!

When Abraham and Sarah were waxed old and way past childbearing, God promised them a son, Gen. 18:10. Sarah, like many of us, used her natural reasoning, which brought on a laugh, verse 12. But God always gets the last laugh, Prov. 1:26. God asked her that all-important question, that sooner or later we all must answer, “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?” verse 14.

There is no question too hard for Him to answer; ask the Queen of Sheba, (1 Kgs. 10:1,3). There is no saying too hard for Him to interpret: ask His disciples (Jn. 6:60,56,63). There is no prayer too hard for Him to answer; ask Elisha (2 Kgs. 2:9-10). There is no heart too hard that He cannot soften it; ask His people Israel (Ezk. 26:36). Remember: He is God of the jackhammer!