Wood

The LORD the Everlasting Light

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“Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.

Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

Thy people also all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.” Isaiah 60:15-22 (KJB)

This is a prophecy, and promise to the people called Israel who was Jacob. It is not a promise to the  Church. This will be a result of the work of God’s grace through the Messiah of the Hebrew people, and their realization that He is the Messiah, and He is Jesus Christ.

Blessed By The Presence

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“And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.” 2 Samuel 6:11 (KJB)

When God is present in an individual’s life that individual is blessed by God.  When that person is blessed by God their whole family is also blessed by Him.

The ark of the covenant was the presence of God as Israel journeyed through the wilderness for forty years.  Is still, during David’s reign, as David conquers Jerusalem, and calls it the “City of David”.

I do not know about you but I enjoy, appreciated, and I am thankful everyday for the blessings of God.  What we must love though is not the blessings, but the Blesser.

Kind David, in a hurry, decided to move the ark to Jerusalem, and did not seek out the proper mode of transportation.  He chose rather to move it the same way it was moved the last time it was moved; and that was the Philistine way – on a cart pulled by cows (1 Samuel 6:4-12).  God’s people must always seek to do things in God’s prescribed order.  Because of David’s grave error Uzzah died.

Until David discovered the God-way of moving the ark Obed-Edom and his family were greatly blessed by God’s presence.

The ark is a material object made of wood and gold, with the mercy seat resting atop it made of solid gold.  The wood represents the perfect, sinless, guiltless man, and the gold is a picture of His Deity.  It is an Old Testament picture or type of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  And HIs presence among His people.

When Jesus came and gave Himself a sacrifice for the sins of the world, paying our sin debt to God, He has made it possible for Adamkind to be in the very presence of God, and He with us.  Every moment of every day He is present with us.

Be blessed by the presence of God in your life through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ the Son of God, who is God the Son.

Fire in Your Mouth

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“Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the LORD’S. For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against Me, saith the LORD. They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not He; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: and the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them. Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make My words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.” Jeremiah 5:10-14 (KJV)

It seems to be a trend among people today. If we hear a word contrary to what we believe a mass of people will lie about it and deny it. Even if it is true there is much lying and denial; especially if it is according to the word of our Lord and God.

The people of Jeremiah’s day; the people to whom he preached denied God. They lied about God. God had said that judgment was coming. The prophets of the people said, “There is no judgment coming. We are God’s people. The temple will stand forever.” God was telling the people the words of their prophets were going to fail, and fall to the ground.

GOD says through His prophet Jeremiah that judgment was going to come from the north from a foreign invader. The people denied it, and the prophets lied about it. It came just as God said it would.

To lie and deny does not make the truth untrue. No matter how hard you try to be positive about a negative truth; it is still true.

The people who were “Not the LORD’S” would call prophets of God the wind, and God says that His Word will not fail. They will be put to shame.

The Word of God is powerful, and shall not fail. Deny it all you want. Lie about God all you can; however the word will still stand, even after you fall, and perish. God will have His way even after your ways fail.

God has done all that is in His power to do to redeem to Himself a people who love Him. That redemption is provided through the cross of His Son Jesus Christ. Believe Him and live. Deny Him and perish. Your choice.

Day 6 – The Glory of the LORD

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On this sixth day of February 2012 my reading covered Exodus 21 – 34.  For me it was an hour’s worth of reading.  I know that means I am a slow reader.  Part of that time was spent in pouring me a cup of coffee with hot chocolate mix mixed in at half way through which was after chapter 27.

God of creation and all things; LORD of hosts, and Israel is the God of Glory and grace.  My how we need grace.  How I need grace.

Chapter 21 begins with additional laws concerning judgments, and handling conflicts among the people.  God also gives some rules for dealing with perversity, and obscenity among people and animals (22:16-20).

Following these rules God gives Moses the designs for building a place for “God’s dwelling” among the people – the Tabernacle in the wilderness.  He gives Moses His design for worshipping Him.  He begins with the inner Tabernacle, and in particular with Himself with the Ark of the covenant and mercy seat (25:10-22).  The table of shewbread (vv. 23-30).  The Menorah (vv. 31-40).  True worship must begin with God.  It cannot begin with music, or even preaching.  It must forever begin with God.

Chapter 26 deals with the goat skins that will be needed for the Tabernacle covering, and linens, and blue, scarlet, purple.  Silver is needed for the “foundation” of the movable tabernacle. Very intricately detailed by the heavenly Designer.  I pray you will be reading these chapters and will see that all these things of the Tabernacle in the wilderness point us to the Messiah of Israel.  The gold and the wood of the ark point us to the God-man Jesus the Christ; Jesus of Nazareth.  The shewbread shows Jesus as the Bread of Life (John 6:35-58).  The lampstand [Menorah] shows us Jesus as the Light of the World (John 8:12; 9:5).

When Moses was on the Mount receiving these instructions and heavenly designs the people down below were growing restless, beginning to complain; and due to this began crying out for Aaron to build them a “god”.  They have previously said, “All that the LORD says we will do”.  Now they are in abstract rebellion against Him.  And Moses pleads for the people;

“And the LORD said unto Moses, ‘Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, ‘These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.’  And the LORD said unto Moses, ‘I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.’  And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, ‘LORD, why doth Thy wrath wax hot against Thy people, which Thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?  Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘For mischief did He bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from Thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against Thy people.  Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Thy servants, to whom Thou swarest by Thine own self, and saidst unto them, ‘I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.’  And the LORD repented of the evil which He thought to do unto His people.”  Exodus 32:7-14 (KJV)

Moses knew the LORD; and he knew the LORD is holy and had every right, and could with one word extinguish the nation from the face of the earth.  The heart of Moses was one with the heart of God; because he is pleading for the grace of God to win out and glorify Him.  The glory of God is at stake.  That is what the pleading of Moses for the people is about.

In another place Moses pleads for God’s mercy and grace for the people, even to the point of his own destruction in their behalf;

“And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, ‘Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.  Yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.”  32:31-32

We need to realize that the law was given to show us our sin, our weaknesses, and our need of God’s abundant grace.  We all have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23); and stand in need of grace given us freely by God through His Son Jesus Christ; who died on the cross for our sins, was buried carrying the guilt and condemnation of sin away, and rising bodily from the grave; justifying us forever.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Precious Faith in the Fire

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1 Peter 1:6-7

“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” (KJV).

Precious is our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Precious can mean rare, and when you number the people of the world to the number of people who are in Christ Jesus it will be seen just how precious it is.

The word “Precious” is described in THE MIRRIAM/WEBSTER Dictionary as being, “Of great value”. In Greek it is “timios“, here it is from E-Sword – “G5093

τίμιος

timios

tim’-ee-os

Including the comparative τίμιώτερος timiōteros and the superlative τίμιώτατος timiōtatos; from G5092; valuable, that is, (objectively) costly, or (subjectively) honored, esteemed, or (figuratively) beloved: – dear, honourable, (more, most) precious, had in reputation.” Valuable, costly, etc. By this definition surely we have reason to rejoice in and out of sorrow, tribulation, and all our trials.

There are many trials and temptations within this world and in our daily lives. This faith that is “More precious than gold” can and will endure the fires that will try us. These trials and temptations often become heavier than we ourselves can bear. Rejoice in knowing that these trials are only for “a season”, and that the promises of God for glory will come to pass. It is quite assuring to know that even though “gold that perishes”, but our faith in Christ Jesus though tried with fire will be “found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”. This is talking about when our Lord comes again to receive His own unto Himself.

The word of Jesus is being fulfilled when He said, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NKJV). It is the faith that endures trials and tribulations which will glorify Jesus. If your faith is in faith then it will be a misplaced faith, as well as a foolish faith. Faith does not make what you believe to be true. Faith is believing what is true to be true, and carrying out what you believe. Let me try and illustrate; If you believe that you make the teachings of Jesus to be true because you believe them to be true, then your faith is in error. On the other hand if you believe that the teachings of Jesus are true, because Jesus said them, and He said they are true, then, your faith is genuine, and that faith is able to stand in the fires of trials and rejoice.

It is the faith in Jesus Christ that is “More precious than gold” which will endure and glorify Him. Gold put through the fire becomes more pure, thus, the faith which endures the fire is made pure, and strong. “If your faith cannot be tested, then, it cannot be trusted” (Unknown). In the fire the “Wood, hay and stubble” (1 Corinthians 3:12), Paul mentions will be burned up. The precious things like, gold, silver, precious metals, and gems will be made purer, and will glorify Jesus. How is your faith? If you are trusting anything (such as your faith in faith), or onyone other than Jesus, it will not stand in the fire.

-T.A.

The Horrible Thing

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Being told that the word God gives you is going to be as fire and the people to who you speak as the wood would be a very serious thing.  This is what has happened to Jeremiah.  In verse 14 of chapter five Jeremiah is told just that; “…I will make My words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.”

The weeping prophet I am pretty sure would have been weeping, sorrowing over these words.  He had probably been weeping over the spiritual condition of His people.  Their spiritual and moral condition was not good.  They had an impending threat against them which they were oblivious of.

It is amazing how in a blessed society, of any age, or time how people begin wandering away from the One who has blessed them and begin attributing their blessings to human ability, or human achievements, or maybe even a religion of sorts, and their “faithfulness” to perform their rituals at the expense of truth and faithfulness to the One who has called for their faithfulness.  Those things are what had happened in Judah, Jerusalem.

These things have happened in the world today in nations who once knew God, but have turned away from him.  When they have done so they progressively become prone to dismissing evil actions as being good.  Many of them will claim a rich history of faith, but have none now.  It is a very sad thing when our Creator must speak words of judgment against us to call us back to Himself.

Hear the words of God to the prophet –

“Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.  Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.  And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.  Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you.  And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.  Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,  Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:  Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?  But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.  Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.  For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.  As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.  They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.  Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?  A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;  The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?”  Jeremiah 5:15-31 (KJV)

The LORD will not leave sin in the midst of those who profess His name.  He will deal with those sins that offend Him.  Those things which offend Him seem not to offend wayward people.  Forsaking Him is the one thing that many seem to be doing today.  It is, however, wonderful to know that there are many who are also coming to Him, and many who are faithful to Him.  What is your relationship with the LORD today?  How is your fellowship with the LORD today?

The prophet is being told that an army is coming which will destroy the nation, the temple, the way of life that they have grown so comfortable with, and yet so lax in sin.  They have presented themselves as a godly people without worshipping God.  They have turned their backs on fellowship with God.

Fellowship with God comes through faith in Christ Jesus.  Fellowship with God is walking with Him.  The prophet Amos asked the question, “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3)  That simply means that to walk with God we must walk in agreement with Him.  You aren’t walking with Him when you aren’t walking obediently.

In the middle of this Scripture we do find a promise. It is this, “Nevertheless, in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you.” (v. 18).  Even with judgment lurking at the door; they have the promise of God that He is not finished with His people.

I have said it before, and believe it to be a quote from Charles H. Spurgeon that, “God will not allow His children to sin successfully”.  When we sin against Him the Holy Spirit within us will afflict us, make us very uncomfortable with our sin, and bring us back to Him.  We cannot dwell/live with sin in our lives.  To live with sin in our lives, and remain unconvicted, unrepentant, and unmoved would say quite loudly that we are not His.  When we are His God will do whatever is necessary to bring us back into fellowship with Himself; even to the point of taking our wealth, our health, our family, our friends, or our freedom.

This is how the LORD worked in Judah and Israel.  This is also how He can and does work in the lives of Christians.  He is the One who is holy, righteous, and undefiled; and He will have His people to be holy, righteous and undefiled as well.  When He speaks we better listen and obey.

How did Judah and Jerusalem end up with this looming threat over their heads?  Verses 30 and 31 tell us;  “A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, the priest bear rule by their means; and My people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?”

People turning their backs on God because the prophet (preacher) and the priests (the spiritual leaders) do not proclaim the word of the LORD, but their own visions, dreams, hopes [empty] and desires.  They have wanted a following for themselves rather than a holy people for God.  They have feared the people rather than God.

Within Christianity every child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, His death, burial and resurrection; is a priest of God.  We all have access to the very throne of grace, before the face of God.  When we fail to have personal time before the throne we fail God, and the people we are witnesses to.

I wonder sometimes just how many churches and pastors there are in our country and the world who actually proclaims the word of God in the language of the people, from the throne of grace?  By our silence of God’s word we condemn the people. We don’t help them with a message of prosperity, self helps, and or self praise.  The word of God is what is needed in today’s world.

-Tim A. Blankenship

An Assuring Word

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There is many a time that preachers can become discouraged, down-hearted, and just plain ole depressed. All people have those moments, and the men God calls to proclaim His Word are definitely no different.

The prophets were given God’s message to proclaim to God’s people. Jeremiah the prophet of God is known as the “weeping prophet”; because his heart is so often broken, and his eyes come to tears because of the backsliding of the people. There are times he doubts, fears, and is troubled, and God always comes through with words to encourage him; though sometimes, those words may also be disturbing.

Take for example the following:

“Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.” Jeremiah 5:14 (KJV)

The man of God who proclaims the Word of God should do so with the burden of God’s Word on his heart; yet with joy knowing that God will complete His Word – it will be fulfilled. Many of the words of the prophets and the prophecies we have written in God’s Word comes across many times as being negative; however it is all proclaimed with a positive outcome in sight.

The prophet wept over the sins of his people, proclaimed the message of God’s Word with power and conviction; and at the expense of his life’s comforts and his life.

Look at God’s Word to Jeremiah; “Because ye speak this word…”. God is declaring Jeremiah faithful in preaching. “…Behold, I will make My words in thy mouth fire…”. Fire burns; it burns the fuel that is added to it; and where there is no fuel the fires dies out. Again, God commends Jeremiah for speaking “My words in your mouth…”. The ‘words’ being fire means that God will accomplish what the prophet has spoken. It is very discouraging to the preacher to know that he is preaching God’s Word, and feel that God is not moving in the messages. When the preacher/prophet sees God moving in the lives of people, and is hearing God promising him that He will accomplish His Word; that encourages and blesses the preacher.

One of the sad things about the message of the preacher is knowing that it will affect people differently. Some will leave with anger concerning the message, and in most cases God will still continue working to cut away, the burn away the dross, and deal with that sin or sins in that life. Others will hear the preacher preaching the Word of God, and believe, and begin practicing the Word which they have heard.

The words in the mouth of the prophet made fire… and God continues, “…and this people wood…”. Wood is fuel for the fire. This is a sad element of the prophet of God. That God through this preacher would devour this people in their sins. It brings no pleasure to God’s prophet; but pain. Yet, there is this fulfillment of knowing that God is accomplishing His purpose and glory through this painful message.

Be assured pastor and preacher of the Word of God; God will accomplish His word. Every word will be fulfilled; and God will be glorified. He is glorified in the message of the cross of Jesus Christ; His Word has been fulfilled in the death of Christ, His burial, and His bodily resurrection. Preach Jesus; His cross, burial, and bodily resurrection.

-Tim A. Blankenship