7th Meditation on Hebrews One - Jesus

   In this meditation Hebrews 1 verse 3 it declares that after the Son had provided purification for sins He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
To me this speaks of a position of power, (right hand) and exaltation (seated on the throne). It speaks of overcoming of rest and of victory. Jesus as the spotless lamb, provided the perfect sacrifice for the purification of our sins. (He had none.) Then, it was finished! He could sit down and rest. His foes were defeated, his sacrifice complete, satisfying God's requirement for removing sins and our guilt. During this process, he who knew no sin became sin, and took upon himself the judgment that was due us. And after his death and burial, He rose. Gloriously victorious and triumphant over sin and Satan!
    So He defeats Satan and the powers of darkness; leads the captives out of captivity; then purchases forgiveness for whosoever will believe. And after bringing His own blood as the payment, once forever into the Holy of Holies, sprinkling it upon the mercy seat, He is now sat down at the right hand of the Father, the Majesty in Heaven. What an amazing demonstration of total love.
   God the Father is here described as the "Majesty".  Majesty is something regal, lofty, or stately in dignity, imposing in character or grandeur, or something supreme in greatness or authority, He is our sovereign, King of kings and Lord of lords.
   How does this apply to us? First, Jesus is supreme. He is over all authority and has all power. He now sits at the right hand of God, Almighty resting in His authority and power. Yet He is approachable. Secondly, His sitting down is a symbol of a finished work. Satan and the powers of darkness are defeated; sin power too is broken and forgiveness is provided to all who will receive it! He is the victorious one! He is triumphant over hell and has provided access for all to the Father of Light.
   If He has done this and we believe it, we too are victorious. We are certainly forgiven. We have access to the Father of Light and our Creator.
   Finally, let us consider this name of God, the Majestic. This is too wonderful. He is breath-taking in his power and might. Nothing is too hard for Him. He is terrible in his wildness and unlimited power. He is wonderful in His grandeur and massive grandeur. Everything and everyone will and must bow before His awesome power and greatness as Lord of Lord. Amazing, incomprehensible and delightful is our God and Father! Think about that!

Jesus and His word.

I’m continuing to meditate on Hebrews Chapter one where it describes the Son of God. It says, He upholds all things by the word of His power.

So this makes me think about the dimensions, the immensity of the power of God. All things… Jesus upholds or ‘holds together’ all things. He sustains all things, just by his powerful word.

In Genesis it says that God spoke and the universe was created. Something was created out of nothing. Only God could do this, but this reveals that Jesus the Christ – very God of very God was the catalyst for creation and continues eternally to hold the universe together.

If God speaks a creative word, nothing can stop it. His ‘word’ will not return void, one of the prophets says, but will accomplish what He sent it to do. Therefore when God sends or speaks a word, it is always with a purpose to be accomplished.

Personally, He holds my life together by His word. By His word He sustains me. Therefore His word is precious to me. It is my source of life, and my spiritual food. My spirit is strong because of this living ‘manna’ that the Lord feeds me daily. He provides but I must gather.

Lord, first let me remember your amazing limitless power. Let me know and believe in it. Secondly, cause me to feed on and trust in and proclaim your amazing truth, the Word of God!

Hebrews meditations: Jesus the express image of the Father

   As I've been chewing on the book of Hebrews I have been falling in love with Jesus again and again. How amazing that it says Jesus is the express image of God's person. How did Jesus say it to Philip? "If you've seen me you've seen the Father." What an amazing Truth! The more we learn of Him and the more we know Him, the more we know our God and Creator.
   So,as Jesus responded to people, that's how the Father would respond. As Jesus was angered by evil, so the Father is angered by sin, injustice and evil deeds; as Jesus wept, so the Father weeps at the condition of mankind and the damage sin has wreaked upon them.
   What does this mean to us? It means that the more we grow in our relationship with Jesus the Christ, the more we learn of the nature of the Father. We learn of Jesus through His words; by His Spirit, through the life experiences we have, whether good or bad, hard or easy, --all of them reveal something new about our Lord and Savior Jesus and therefore our Father and God.
   James 4:8 says if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. I can think of four things that help me draw close to Him. First, as we go through trials and trouble, we cry out to God and in the midst of the heart-ache we discover he is with us. And we begin to see Him in ways we cannot otherwise. We can't know him as the 'Help in time of present need" if we don't have "present need." Secondly, as we spend time hanging out with Jesus in prayer. When crying, laughing, talking, yelling or otherwise  expressing ourselves, we find he delights in it all. He loves to hear us and is very patient! As we read His word we begin to have a framework to think about what is true about God our Father. His word is all true, we just need the Holy Spirit to illuminate it. When this happens, we are changed and we see the Lord, high and lifted up. Finally, I have been on a rediscovery time with the Holy Spirit. So as I do all these things with a heart of worship and adoration the Spirit is opening my eyes to the wonder of God and the amazingness of His person.
   Is it possible to fall in love again and again? He is certainly becoming more wonderful to me.
To know Him is eternal life Jesus said, and to experience Him is joy and real life itself!
   Lord, give me a holy hunger to seek and pursue you today. O, I long to know you more and better, and to realize that the better I know you, the better I will know my Father and God.

Psalm 86:11 David's prayer requests.

   Two prayer requests of David. Psa. 86:11
David cries out to God with two very important requests. First, Teach me your way, O Lord. And secondly Unite my heart to fear your name.
   These requests are core requests if we are going to walk in the Spirit. Or like Paul says in Galatians. "Keep in step with the Holy Spirit."
   The cry, teach me your way, expresses humility. We obviously don't know it all, especially when it comes to God's ways. Isa. 55:9 says, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. We don't like to acknowledge or admit this but it is true nonetheless. As we seek Him with a teachable heart, I believe He will show us not just His acts, but like Moses, His ways. As we learn His ways we will more and more be able to keep in step with Him, walking where He walks, speaking what He speaks and doing what He does. All for the honor and glory of the Father.
   David's commitment is as the Lord teaches him His ways, he will walk in His Truth. This should be our prayer of commitment too. Lord, Instruct us. Your way is the way of Truth, the way of the Spirit. Give me a teachable heart Lord. Tune me in to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Guide and lead me into all Truth.
   The second request is for God to unite his heart to fear or reverence God's name. Unite means to make one, united. Can our hearts be double hearted? Even as the scripture talks about a double minded man that is unstable in all his ways.
   Maybe we should pray this way. Lord don't let me be double hearted and inconsistent in my reverence towards you. Let me consistently honor and revere you. Let my attitude towards you be whole-hearted Father. Cause me to walk in the place of reverence - trembling at your word. For Jesus sake.

Hebrews. More Meditations on Jesus

   Jesus is the brightness of God's glory. Wow! What an amazing thought about who Jesus is. The Son shined brightly with the full glory of God. Of course the meaning of the word glory is light or brightness. The heavens declare this glory; every plant and animal displays the wisdom and glory of God as well. How amazing that those who walked, talked and lived with Jesus Christ saw the light of the Father. (And yet didn't fully see).
   How does this idea of Jesus being the brightness of God's glory impact us? First, no one can see this glory except to whom the Father reveals it by His Spirit. And He is the initiator of every relationship with Himself. It is possible to be, "in His presence", and not see the glory.
   Secondly, "if you've seen the Jesus, you have seen the Father." What God the Father would do Jesus did. What God the creator does, Jesus does. How the Father would respond to us, Jesus responds. The love and compassion of Jesus lived and demonstrated the heart and character of God.
Truly, "God is love." "God is good."
    Thirdly, Jesus was the light that clearly shines out the glory of God. He radiates the Father so that those in darkness may see it, and the blind can see it by the mercy of God. This is the Light, the eternal unquenchable light that brings radiance and revelation to every man, woman and child. This Jesus is the light/ glory/ brightness that shines to the whole earth.
                                  He is the light of the world!

Another Hebrews Chapter One Meditation.
Verse two says, " Through His son (Jesus), God created the worlds." 
What a clear expression of God the Father and Jesus Christ's part in the creation of the universe! Why is this important to us you might ask? If God is the creator/maker of all things in heaven and earth, then we can see two things clearly.
First, "nothing is impossible with God." His creating and sustaining power are unlimited and visible all around us in His creative work on earth. He has provided perfect balance, in quality and quantity to cause creation t work perfectly. He has created instantly/quickly as we see through all of the symbiotic relationships in nature and certainly has created an unfolding time-lapse also in the growing creation around us. These symbiotic relationships could not have slowly developed, they had to be instantly co-operative. I believe He has provided perfect balance in the function of the earth, truly sin and mankind's attempts to be god have been the source of imbalance on the planet. To me the second attribute this reveals is God's amazing provision. god feeds, waters and cares for all living things. Jesus refers to this when He talks about the Father's care for us. Matt. 6:25-31. He provides clothing for the "lilies" and food for the "sparrows", won't He also provide all that we need. Then He declares, "we are more "valued" than flowers and sparrows, so do not fear or worry about food, clothing and a place to stay.
What a wonderful declaration of God's care for us, even for practical things. This is a fundamental truth that we must believe if we are to trust God. As 1 Peter 5:7 says, Casting all your CARE on Him, for He cares for you." This is so important. HE CARES FOR YOU! If we can fully trust this truth many worries and sorrows will dissipate!
Lord, Let me learn to trust your loving care of me and all of those under me to you. Remove the spirit of unbelief and thoughts of doubt, Lord. I declare that your love and power and care are enough!
in Jesus.

          I’m thinking this morning about this verse in Hebrews 1 and how God our Father expressed his love to Jesus, “This is my son.” and gave his approval by saying “well-done”, and finally,  Hebrews declares, “appointed him heir of all things.”

We know an heir inherits everything designated in the will and inherits nothing without it being stated. But what does the phrase, all things, include? All power in heaven and earth belong to Christ; all wisdom, all of creation; all flesh, all honor and glory are His. Surely all means all that is good, right, pure and holy, because this is the nature of our God and Father. It must also mean all the resources of heaven.

When the scriptures say, “All things are yours, “(1Cor. 3:21) to the believers in Christ, it is in Christ Jesus that this is true. Truly those in Christ Jesus should lack no good thing.  Indeed we are ultimately blessed and provided for, as Paul says in the book of Romans, “if He God did not withhold Christ, how shall He not with Him freely give us all things.” (Rom. 8:32) This then is a generosity beyond our comprehension.

Thank you Father for sending your Son, Jesus and showing through Him a life lived in the fullness of God’s generosity and abundance. Thank you that he freely received and freely gave. Thank you that all things are His, and through Him, all things are ours as well.

Wonderful Qualities of Jesus found in Hebrews Chapter One

March 31, 2015
Wonderful qualities of Jesus found in Hebrews chapter one.

1.      God speaking to us through Jesus is very important. First, it is important because Jesus only spoke what the Father told him to speak. (John 12:49-50) Therefore we have both accuracy, words straight from God the Father and a clear expression in those words of God’s character and nature spoken through Jesus. Because Jesus words are truly from God our maker and creator we need to pay more attention to them. They have weight. They are Truth. Later in Hebrews it says “for this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” (Chapter 2:1)  And in the same book it says, For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Chapter 4:16) So God’s word is powerful and speaks right to where we live. And now we have these amazing words of Jesus.

Secondly, I think we need to read Jesus words in the gospels as someone speaking from a relationship of intimacy we have great difficulty in comprehending. Yet I believe this father/son relationship and the intimacy expressed in the life of Jesus was not only real but one of the key expressions about who God was that Jesus wanted to communicate to all humanity. This is what God the Father is truly like. “If you have seen me you have seen the Father.” Loving Father; favored Son, delighting in one another, pleasing one another, living for one another, encouraging one another, and honoring one another.

Jesus, I thank you that you are speaking to your people still. You spoke clearly 2000 plus years ago as you walked on this planet and now you speak to us daily through your Spirit and your Word. And the words you speak are Spirit and life to us. (John 6:63)

Thank you for continually and patiently adjusting our perceptions and aligning them to truth, to heaven’s reality. Would you continue to renew our minds and bring the transformation we so desire? Our cry is to be like You, Lord. Help us to believe like you believe, help us to think like you think, help us to live like you lived, through the Holy Spirit.

Sabbatical

    For the next 3 months I get the privilege to rest, renew and draw closer to God. I so appreciate my local church for allowing me to do this. I know that others on the team are carrying extra load to make this happen. I feel honored and blessed.
     So, as I contemplated what to do with my time I quickly came to the realization that it's not really my time. So I asked the Lord what he wanted me to do during this season. Two things, even three stood out to me. First God wants me to spend more time being intimate with him. Secondly, I am to feed copiously on his presence and his word. (Out of this I am working on an encouragement study for small groups and a devotional on the book of Psalms.) thirdly, I felt like the Father was going to reconnect me with some old associations and be renewed in fellowship with them. (Amazingly, in the last two weeks I have connected with three people I haven't dialogued with in 20 to 40 years and will be able to during this time.)
     I also am going to be doing some fun and practical things like: finish my workshop, clean out my garage, learn how to airbrush paint better, write some worship songs and practice the guitar more consistently. Should be a blast. Ronda, my wife, wondered if I might get bored. But I told her I have too many things to accomplish to be able to be bored!
    Already I have had some great God- moments; a young woman walked up at the bookstore and told me how my testimony at a Celebrate Recovery, long ago, inspired her to believe that she could change and get off of drugs and begin a new life. Then she told me that just the day before she had been thinking about me, out of the blue! So encouraging.
     Here's the passage of scripture I decided to work on memorizing; Eph. 2:4-8 - "But God (After listing our horrendous condition before we knew and trusted Christ), being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ..."
There is much more but I am being overwhelmed by the thought of God our Fathers' mercy and love bestowed on us. How amazing! While we were his enemies, he loved us and showed us his wonderful mercy. He is so kind and good and gracious!
May we never forget that daily he loads us with benefits and loving guides and counsels us. May we come to fully trust and wholeheartedly rely on the strength of that love.

Sabbatical

.   The church where I serve has given me the privelege of taking a 3 month Sabbatical. I feel extremely blessed, knowing that others on our staff are taking extra load of responsibility to make this happen. 

    I thought about what I might do during this time and realized that God had some ideas about what I should devote my time to during this season. I felt like he gave me three things to focus on. First, use this as an opportunity to draw closer to the Lord. (I'm doing this by spending more time in prayer and worship and His word.) Secondly, it seemed right to sow copious amounts of God's word into my life, so everyday I'm reading devotionals, memorizing scripture, and reading God's word. Finally, I sensed that the Lord was going to orchestrate events to reconnect with old friends and share mutual encouragement . ( In the last 2 weeks, amazingly, I have re-connected with some old friends that I haven't heard from in 20 to 40 years and arranged to meet with them.)

    Already I feel like my Father in heaven is rejuvenating me. I've been sleeping better and spending more time and effort loving on my wife. I'm also starting to run again on the local running path. 

    During this time off I also wanted to make sure Ronda, my wife, and I had good "us" time together. We are! I'm taking her to Hawaii in March and to Boise to see her folks in February and then to Carmel, California in April. What a blast we will have enjoying family and friends and each other!

    So, this blog is a letter of information and appreciation for this amazing God- opportunity these next 3 months.

Heart Change in Psalm 73

1-12-15
I thinking about Psalm 73 and the struggle Asaph the writer goes through. The psalms begins with a focus on the seeming prosperity of the wicked and he becomes dis-heartened. As he says, "My feet had almost slipped."  But in the flow of the psalm it seems that he realized how off-focus he was. In fact it was when he came into God's presence in the sanctuary that his complaint changes to a reminder of how blessed he is. And he sees the end of the wicked lifestyle. Here are seven revelations he got.
1. I am continually with you, Lord. And he drinks in the presence of God. Isolation and loneliness flee.
2. You have taken hold of my right hand. He is secure. His is being guided and led by this hand. This is such a gentle reminder of God's care.
3. With your counsel you will guide me. When we call on Him He promises wisdom and guidance. then takes us by the hand.
4. Afterward receive me into glory. As we walk with him and listen to his voice he takes us from glory to glory, from one bright place to another. With God is light and brightness, with Him is a walk so glorious it's breathtaking. And in the end: all the glory belongs to Him!
5. whom have I in heaven but you? and there is none on earth I desire besides you. The rhetorical question is answered immediately. Or course there is no one besides him in heaven, even more importantly, his is our all consuming desire. As one verse says, the desire of ages.
6. My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. How wonderful, knowing the flesh, we know we will fail, but our God is our strength, even the strength of our heart.
7. And he is our portion! Amazing. He is our life and light and all in all. He is our all now and our all in heaven and our all forever. truly he is all we want.
This change in heart for Asaph changed the outcome of the psalm. Instead of complaining or sitting in confusion he began to see clearly from heavens perspective. God is our everything: our righteousness, our good , our refuge and our strength.

If you have become discouraged. If you feel like your trying to walk with God and it's too hard and doesn't seem to fix things. Read this psalm again and let your perspective by changed.

Lord, Help us when we get discouraged or distracted to change our focus, off of our problems and onto you. Help us to rest secure in your care and protection, your love and grace.
for Jesus sake.