Psalm 85:10 teaches, “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. ” Here are some definitions from G. Campbell Morgan: Mercy — the tenderness which bends over in love. Truth — integrity and uprightness, that which is stable and builds Righteousness — a straight line without deviation. Peace — absolute safety. Because of man’s sin, a reconciliation becomes necessary. The nature of God’s reconciliation is “unto Himself.” Colossians 1:20 Reconciliation has this meaning: “an exchange; change in relationship; the bringing into fellowship things that have opposed.” “The reconciliation of things on earth is that of their restoration to the government of God, and the consequent restoration of a perfect order throughout the world, of man, and of all that is beneath him in the scale of being; “Healing of the wound. Closing of the breach. The gathering together into one of all things that have…
Category: <span>Healing Cross</span>
” Contrary to popular expectation, Christianity offers no simple solution to man’s problems or to the integration of his personality; it does promise the abiding presence of Christ…..There is no offer of ease, but the promise of grace for the experience.” Morris A. Inch from his book, “Psychology in the Psalms.” As an illustration of this premise I thought of the story of Jesus, walking on the water. Matthew 14 records this for us. “Immediately (Jesus) made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.” “And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, “ The disciple were sent on ahead. The crowd which Jesus had been teaching were dismissed. Jesus went alone to be with His Father. The excitement of being with Jesus…
When we get to our after-death resurrection, we will not have a sin nature. I see that quite easily. However, in my present before-death state, I see myself, “black but comely” as did the Shulamite woman in Song of Solomon 1:5-6. Baked by the scorching sun, dwelling among rival siblings, forced to oversee the family business, and all of it neglects personal development — her own vineyard. Song of Solomon is telling the story of a woman traveling from earth to heaven — but all of it transpires while still on earth. Her vehicle is not a horse, wagon or car. No, her road consists in the imagery of her mind, in which she paints a picture of the “New Creation” daily. The journey beholds the glory of the Lord, as in a glass, and then she is changed into that selfsame image. See 2 Corinthians 3:18. Much is expressed…
In Isaiah 57:10, “Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way.” What way are these folks in? Jeremiah 9:5 gives a clue : “they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.” Therefore God says in, “Jeremiah 15:6, “I am weary with repenting.” and God’s prophet shouts, in Jeremiah 6:11 “I am weary with holding in: But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” Jeremiah 20:9 Jeremiah explains the weary way in 2:24, “A wild ass used-to the wilderness, that snuffed up the wind at her pleasure;” The weary are those who chase after the wind, the wild donkey, the free-breathing of wind. In Hosea 12:1, “Ephraim feeds on wind, and follows after the east wind: he daily increases lies and desolation.” “For they have…
Some have written about trains and boats and long journeys; T. DeWitt Talmage illustrates the crossing from earth to heaven too. His tale is called, “The ferry boat over the Jordan.” Talmage’s allegory details it, but I must quote the main points only. He begins: “Every day I find people trying to extemporize a way from earth to heaven. They gather up their good works and some sentimental theories, and they make a raft, and they go down.” “Skepticism and infidelity never yet helped one man to die.” “I invite all the ship-carpenters of worldly philosophy…in 10,000 years they shall never be able to make a boat to cross this Jordan.” No, says Talmage, “…the boat will have to come from the other side” “Blessed be God, there is a boat coming from the other shore.” “pardon, mercy, pity, ministry of angels, power to work miracles, Jesus….from the other shore.” “I…
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb! Oh the blood of Jesus — it will never lose it’s power. Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power, are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Would you be free from your burden of sin? There is power in the blood, power in the blood. “Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the Passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when…
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God”, Hebrews 4:14 I’m listening to a song entitled “Almost Home.” Yes us believers are almost home. However, Jesus is passed into the heavens, already. Oh, our Savior and destiny-carrier is seated in Heaven at the Father’s right hand. We, in Him, are there with Him. Nevertheless, we must put on our helmet, “the hope of salvation” — because we still must endure hardship as good soldiers of Christ down here. “Let us hold fast our profession.” The verse completes itself with, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;” Isaiah 63:9 reiterates, “In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them,…
“All of your days have already been written in God’s book; when you go through a disappointment, don’t stop on that page, stay the course, keep believing; you may be tired discouraged and frustrated, but don’t give up on your future, God is faithful.” Dee dee Gee. Quietly bearing wrongs done to us, we must continue unscathed . Easier said than done, we need desperately to find a way to be quiet. Some lessons on keeping quiet: Proverbs 14:7 All things are adverse to a foolish man; but wise lips are the weapons of discretion. (don’t speak in the heat of anger.) Proverbs 18:13 He that answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame unto him. (do you have all the facts?) Proverbs 14:9 Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy acceptance. (Don’t make a joke about sin and rebounding from it.) Proverbs…
God’s handiworks fold up, but He never changes. This we know for sure. “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but you remain; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.” Hebrews 1:10-12 Many, Christians and non, see this folding, and some see it today: Christopher Lasch has made this observation about our day, “the natural limits of human power and freedom… has become inescapable.” “Younger Americans today are perhaps the first generation to be certain that they are and will be ‘worse off’ than their parents.” “…optimism in progress is doomed.” I am convinced the prophets of doom have to be taken seriously. Maurice…
Slobs make messes, Pigpens dust-up and dirty all they get near, humans squirt out “humanity” which touches fellow and foe. Friends, ugly to me are the self serving cries-for-help of the complacent complainer and blamer of Peers and protégé’s. Some Media-types favor the “reality” stories over tales that end in harmony. They promote the spew of hatred. Outrage is a favorite theme. After all, news must be sold! Proverbs 30:11-14 shares a progression: “There is a generation that curse their father, and doth not bless their mother. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.”…