How Great Thou Art

When I was just a young boy, a hymn that I was immediately attracted to was "How Great Thou Art."  It was first written as a poem in 1885 by a young Swedish pastor, Carl Boberg, as he noticed the creation around him following a fierce thunderstorm.  He only intended what he wrote to be a poem about the awe he felt as he saw God in that creation and was moved by God's wonder, but later music was added.  The hymn was translated into English in about 1925 and made its rounds through the church in England and America.  

In the early 1950's, the church I was a member of in Dallas bought sheet copies of the hymn and pasted them into the front cover of our hymnals.  It was at this time that I became familiar with "How Great Thou Art" and in fact it made its way into my heart so much so that for the past almost seventy years has become a reminder of just how awesome our great and mighty loving creator God really is.

As I read this morning from a newly published expanded translation of Proverbs, *"ProVerbs: Becoming a Pro in God's Wisdom," written by my friend and a pastor, Johnnie R. Jones, I began to sing "my hymn" again.  The Proverbs of Solomon reveal who our God really is and how much He desires for His children to have a taste of His wisdom in order to live out a godly life.  More than just reading words and sayings, God's message in Proverbs, when read over and over and meditated upon, become glimpses into His heart. God says that He wants us to understand Him and His ways for us so that we can become wise and understanding, able to share how awesome and loving He is with those around us.

A Psalm that came to my mind as I read this morning from Jones' book was Psalm 19:14 which says, "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You, my Rock and my Redeemer."  It seems that if anyone is able to really grasp the wisdom of Proverbs and understand how to apply it to their daily life, you must speak it out loud and to meditate upon those words over and over.  We all know what it means to speak words out loud but what does it mean to meditate upon those words?

God created some animals that we call "ruminants."  Those animals, such as a cow, have a complex stomach which is made up of four compartments.  As the cow chews its food, it swallows that food which goes into a first compartment and then is regurgitated to be chewed some more, then swallowed into the second compartment, regurgitated again to be chewed some more, and so on until the food is swallowed into the fourth and final stomach compartment completely processed into nutrition for its body.

It is with this comparison we can better understand the meaning of meditation, or ruminating on God's Word. When we read the Proverbs particularly, or any other portion of Scripture, our goal is to gain the greatest possible spiritual nutrition from those words. That is exactly what the psalmist meant when he spoke of "...the meditations..." of his heart.  For you and for me, to speak the words and then to meditate, or ruminate on them means to extract from the words all that can be gotten for our spiritual health.  Will we ever get everything from them?  No!  And yet we continue to chew on them, over and over, learning to understand more and more of the One who is perfect in love and mercy and grace and peace and who desires to have an eternal relationship with each one of us..

As the old black preacher, S. M. Lockridge said, "Oh, that's my God ... do you know Him?"  And then there are the words of that cute little song sung by the Teddy Bears in 1959, "To know, know know him, is to love, love love him, and I do, yes I do."  Reading the words of Proverbs with the help of Jones' expanded translation, "ProVerbs" is very helpful in learning to "know Him ... and love Him."  This is the greatest of all of life's goals, to know Him and to love Him, "and I do, yes I do."

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* Jones, Johnnie R., ProVerbs: Becoming a Pro in God's Wisdom, S-Y-D Publications, McKinney, Texas, 2020, www.HisAboundingGrace.org

The Preamble to Proverbs

A study of the book of Proverbs must start with an understanding of Wisdom.  Wisdom is not inherent in us because of the sin nature we possess.  So just what does it mean to gain wisdom, where can it be found and why is it so important.  This is best understood by the expanded translation Johnnie Jones has written in his new book, "ProVerbs: Becoming a Pro in God's Wisdom."  Let me quote from page 7 where he writes: 

    "I, Wisdom, am the mind of God, His presence revealed. I exist and inhabit for the express purpose of revealing His desires and purposes. 13To acquire Me requires you to approach Me with awe and exceeding devotion.  You'll have Me when you are repulsed by wicked acts, arrogance and self-glorying. Those who say they speak for Me but make my words fraudulent, are imposters. 14I am top-shelf advice, impeccable judgment, superior discernment, and supreme power.  15Leaders who carefully execute My directives reign in excellence and righteousness.  16In fact, all leaders and military officials who know Me and follow My commands will be victorious.  And the judges who defend and prosecute according to My laws will be respected across the land.  17I am affectionately drawn to those who affectionately draw to Me; and those who diligently seek Me first for answers and understanding, I will be there; I promise.

  18 I, Wisdom, possess all the wealth and recognition you need, because what is mine is eternal -- is enough -- and raises your actions to an increased level of godliness.  19My reward is like cherished offspring: the gift of intimacy.  The more of Me you possess, the greater your yield. 20I will guide you down the path of God's standard of life -- a life deep in the center of His will.  21Your life in Me will become a storehouse of all things eternal, and when you share Me through your overflow, I will fill everyone who receives Me with spiritual treasures forever-more."

ProVerbs 8:12-21 *

As we traverse the pages of Proverbs, it is from this preamble that we build our greater understanding of God -- of His thoughts and will in our lives.  James wrote the following, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting..." (James 1:5-6a). 

Once we have gained the wisdom which is a "gift" from God, it is then that we will truly abide in Him, because it is as Jesus Himself said, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciple" (John 15:7-8).

So true wisdom, wisdom from above that comes from the throne of God and is showered down on all who diligently seek after it.  God is worthy of our praise and glory and as we serve Him wisely. We need not ever waver in our commitment to our ultimate destiny --- eternity in heaven with Him.  It is for this we were created!

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* Jones, Johnnie R., ProVerbs, S-Y-D Publications, A publishing ministry of His Abounding Grace Ministries, Inc., McKinney, TX, 2020, pg. 7.  www.HisAboundingGrace.org

When Christians Disagree

 Romans 14:1 – 15:7

“Disunity has long been a major problem with God’s people. Even the Old Testament records the civil wars and family fights among the people of Israel, and almost every local church mentioned in the New Testament had divisions to contend with.

“The Corinthians were divided over human leaders, and some of the members were even suing each other (1 Cor. 1:10-13; 6:1-8).  The Galatian saints were “biting and devouring” one another (Gal. 5:15), and the saints in Ephesus and Colossae had to be reminded of the importance of Christian unity (Eph. 4:1-3; Col. 2:1-2). In the church at Philippi, two women were at odds with each other and, as a result, were splitting the church (Phil. 4:1-3).  No wonder the psalmist wrote, ‘Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity (Ps. 133:1).’

“Unfortunately, we have similar problems today with many gray areas of life that are not clearly right or wrong to every believer.  Some activities we know are wrong, because the Bible clearly commands them. But when it comes to areas that are not clearly defined in Scripture, we find ourselves needing some other kind of guidance.”  Warren W. Wiersbe, “Be Right: How to Be Right with God, Yourself and Others,” pp. 161-162.

“Martin Luther said, ‘A Christian man is a most free lord of all, subject to none.  A Christian man is a most dutiful servant of all, subject to all.’  Under the lordship of Christ, we are to balance Christian freedom and Christian responsibility.  A number of principles informing us how to strike the delicate balance may be gleaned: (1) we dare not be judgmental in disputable or gray areas (14:1-5).  (2) We must all stand ultimately only before God (14:10).  (3) Each individual should be convinced in his own mind as to the rightness or wrongness of action (14:5).  (4) One must not put a stumbling block in the way of his brother (14:13).  (5) One must always act in love (14:15).  (6) One must pursue actions which promote peace (14:19).  (7) One must seek to edify others by his own actions (14:19).  (8) One must do only that which can be done in faith (14:22, 23).  (9) One must seek to glorify God (15:6).  (10) We must always accept one another, even when we disagree over doubtful things (15:7).” Believer’s Study Bible, p. 1618.

When we spend our time trying to correct everyone else, we fail to get our-own-selves right before God. As recorded in Matt. 7:5, Jesus spoke to this very issue when He taught, “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” 

A thorough study of Romans 14 and 15 reveals the real freedom that each believer holds under the grace of God.  In Rom. 14:10, Paul said, “Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.”  Look back to what Martin Luther said, ‘A Christian man is a most free lord of all, subject to none.  A Christian man is a most dutiful servant of all, subject to all.’  We are responsible to God, subject to no one else, yet at the same time we are to be a servant to all.

Paul wisely closed this section in verse 7 of Chapter 15 where he wrote, “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”.

God is Not Through with Israel

In a study of Romans 11, the apostle Paul writes to the Jews in the church in Rome to encourage them by asking a rhetorical question in verse one, "...has God rejected His people?"  He then uses a double negative translated "By no means!"  Just as he wrote in chapter 6, verse 2, his use of the double negative is a form of speech which might be translated, "No! Not Never!"  Now we know that an English professor would likely frown at saying it like this, but what Paul is trying to do is to get the Jews attention. You Jews, Paul writes, have not been rejected by God, nor will you ever be rejected.

God's choice of Abraham, the progenitor of the people of Israel was never to be a short term election.  Rather, His promises to Israel have never changed as some might believe. God has future plans for the people of Israel in a future kingdom over which "King Jesus" will rule for 1,000 years.  Romans 11 reassures them that God is not through them, nor will He ever be through with them.

"When, in the fulness of time, God sent His Son"... as a Jew, born of a woman to redeem all people by means of His sacrificial death, burial and resurrection.  This selfless act of God's love made it possible through His choice of Israel, and through His Son, to extend His mercy and grace, not only to the Jews but to all people.

In the old times, God's plan was always to extend mercy and grace to those who would believe in Him.  Following Jesus' sacrificial payment for sin, God fulfilled His promise to all who would believe...that promise would be fulfilled in adding many millions to His family.  "Mercy and Grace" have come from God and when Jesus returns for His Bride, the Church at the rapture, that is when He calls us home to be with Him, there will be a cleansing through great tribulation, Satan will be defeated and all who reject Him will eventually be judged.  God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David will be complete. 

Paul's words of encouragement to Israel...to the Jews...is that God never fails to keep His promises.  And, to those of us who are not Israel, we can take great comfort from this fact.  If God fulfills His promises to the Jews, we can be assured that He will fulfill His promises to all of us: "If you will confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)  "There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:39)  "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord."  (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

These are wonderful words of encouragement for the Jews, and for us.  By them we can be confident that whatever God says, He will do.  You see, God is not finished with Israel!

The Promise of Revival

I recently wrote about "The Apathy in America," which presents a picture of how the majority of people are sitting on the periphery, very troubled, yet doing nothing to really affect change. Now I don't want to present myself as having too negative of an attitude toward the plight of America and concomitantly the church, so let me broach another subject, that of Revival.  Someone has well said that what we all need is revival...a God-sent Revival.

In 1966, Dionne Warwick recorded a blockbuster song, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, that spread like wildfire across the globe.  The title of that song is "What the World Needs Now is Love," and it goes on to say it "...is love sweet love, not just for some but for everyone."  The premise of the song is that "love" is the answer to every problem that we encounter.  I would agree, in part, with one caveat, that love generated by you or me is not enough to make any significant change.

About 2,000 years ago, the Bible says that God showed us His kind of love by sending His only Son, Jesus (who in fact is the second person of the God-head) to pay the penalty for our sin.  Perfect God required a perfect sacrifice as the propitiation (the payment) for that sin and only He was qualified to make the sacrifice.  So, let's see...if you and I are imperfect and we cannot approach perfect God, then, though I cannot comprehend this level of love, I accept the gift that God has given, by faith.  This is the kind of love that "the world needs now...for everyone!"

Now back to the statement that what the world really needs is a "God-sent Revival."  Since man has moved so far away from God by worshipping the idol of self and in most part he has no concept of God's kind of love, then Revival may not be what the world really needs.  Before one can be revived to something he once had, he must have once had it.  Re-read that statement.  Actually, what the world needs is not revival, but rather a God-sent awakening!

An awakening can and will happen only after the church in America and around the world first has a God-sent revival.  As history has revealed, this has happened time and time again when God's people become convicted  enough with their own failure and of the movement of the world away from God. They then get on their knees and confess to God that failure to be what He wants them to be (His people doing His will for His glory).  They then begin to plead for revival in their own lives and in the church locally, in America and around the world.  God's promise is that "He will hear from heaven, He will forgive their sins...and then (only then) will He heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:13-14).

A God-Sent Revival in the church will then be followed by an awakening across the land.  Isaiah the prophet cried out for God to split open the heavens and come down to reveal Himself again so that the world might see who He really is (Isaiah 64:1-2). God did this when Jesus became a man, died on a cruel cross, was buried in a grave, and then He conquered death by comng back to life.  This He doesn't need to do again (once was enough for all-time) but what we do  need now is for the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Triune Godhead, to bring change to our world. We need a God-sent Revival followed by a God-sent Awakening before the prophesied end of the world as we now know it when Jesus comes as conqueror and King.

This is a true statement that what the church needs is a God-sent Revival!  What the world needs is a God-sent Awakening so that they can see what true love really is, love that is found in God's heart and that comes from God alone. Then, and only then, can I agree with Dionne Warwick that "What the World Needs Now is Love"...it's the true kind of selfless love that comes from God ..."not just for some but for everyone."

"For God loved the world so much that He gave us His only Son so that whoever believes in Him might not perish but that they might have eternal life" (John 3:16).

GOD'S DESIGN FOR MARRIAGE

Most every little girl fantasizes what she will look like in her new white wedding dress as she walks down the aisle to be married to her "Prince Charming."  On the other hand, most boys look at girls with a guttural expression like "yuk!"  That is until he sees the one girl that causes his eyes to bug out and his heart to melt.

Marriage is so much more than two love swept young adults who are entering that commitment without a clue as to what its all about.  A wise pastor/counselor will spend multiple sessions with the engaged couple helping them to get a grasp on reality, that is without scaring one or both away, long before the marriage ceremony.

The commitment of two very different people, in love though they may be, who are from different families and who are from two different places was visualized in a song whose lyrics said that women are from "Venus" while men are from "Mars."  So it is that the couple, which is so very different from each other, is off on an educational journey of learning so much that is totally new about life and forgetting so much about unreal expectations.  Both will remain distinct because each has been created in the image of God...yet the "two shall become one" as they meld their two personalities into one which is stronger and enhanced.  Separate they are weak but like iron ore when melded (by heat) with carbon become strong steel, when the two individuals become one, they too are so much stronger.

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church in Ephesus, helped the church in that place, and he helps all people of subsequent times, to understand the very basic relationship of the man and woman in marriage.  Lets look briefly at that passage of Holy Scripture and see just what it is that God intends for the marriage relationship to look like.

Before I begin this brief Spirit-led instruction on marriage, I want to tell you that the first priority before a Godly marriage is that each individual must have a personal relationship with God.  If you do not have that relationship, your marriage will be a tuff, rocky road. The Word of God tells us that "God so loved the world (that's you and me) that He gave His One and only Son (Jesus Christ) so that whoever would believe on Him might have eternal life" (John 3:16).  Jesus lived a perfect life on earth and died a horrific death to pay the penalty for your sins and mine.

Someone once described this act of God's Son as "He paid a debt that He did not owe, because we had a debt that we could not pay."  God is Holy...perfect and without any flaw...and He cannot have a relationship, which He has desired to have from creation, with you because you (and I, and all men and women) are flawed by sin.  Sin is failing to live up to the God standard of perfection.  That's why only Jesus could pay the price for that sin since He alone is sinless.

In order to have that relationship with God, which in and of itself is a very special gift from Him, we are told in Paul's letter to the Romans, chapter 10:9-10, that "if you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and its is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved."  And verse 13 says, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

If you have never received the "free" gift of salvation, and you really want that for your life, you can do it right now.  Just pray to God, "I accept Jesus as Lord of my life and I believe in my heart that You were raised from the dead for me.  I want to thank you God for saving me and for giving me everlasting life in a relationship with You."  If you have done this I want to personally welcome you into the family of God.

Now, having done this, if you have a Bible, I want you to open your Bible to the New Testament book of Ephesians and read from chapter 5. (If you do not have a Bible, you should purchase one, or you can contact me and I'll see to it that you get one.)  Ephesians 5:2 says that we are to "live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ." Now comes the instructions for living together as husband and wife.

"...submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.  For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.  For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church.  He is the savior of his body, the church.  As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.  For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up His life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's Word. He did this to present her to Himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.  In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body."

As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." (Ephesians 5:21-31)

You wives may question the requirement that you are to submit to your husband.  Yet, I believe that you will find it an easy thing to do if your husband truly loves you as he follows the loving example of Christ who demonstrated His love for the church (that's all who believe in Him) by sacrificing His life for her.  How can all this be done?  Remember, the prologue to this instruction is that we are to "live a life filled with love." And, its not just the wife who has to submit but both the wife and the husband are to "...submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

When this balance gets out of whack as one or both of the partners decides to think more of themselves than they think of the other, hurt feelings and broken hearts result causing the breakdown of the covenant that was made in the vows taken at the beginning.

Divorce often is the result of the broken vows...not just because of infidelity...it is more than that.  The directive that "the two shall become one" devolves into the one becoming two!  However, there is always hope for reconciliation, especially for the marriage of two people who have given their lives to Christ.  You see, in Him, all things are possible.  It will take much work from both, maybe some valuable Christian counselling, but in the end, the effort will be worth it all and God will be glorified in the process.

The next verse in that passage of Scripture from Ephesians 5, verse 32, says, "This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one."  As we learn to live together as husband and wife, we learn the eternal lesson of the relationship of Christ and the church.  He gave His life for her and she (we) submits to Him as Lord and Savior.  Marriage when lived in relationship with each other is the training ground for so much more than a few decades of living together.  Rather, it is the preparation for an understanding of just what it will be like to live with Christ in His kingdom and through everlasting life.

The Apathy of America

I am in  the process of re-reading Dr. David Jeremiah's timely book, Is This The End?  This book was published four years ago and it seems to be even more applicable today. Chapter four of his book is entitled "The Apathy of America" where he opens up the reality of how America is very like the nation of Israel as revealed in the Old Testament book of "Judges."  Dr. Jeremiah calls our condition "a downward spiral" from which it becomes very difficult to pull out.

He quotes Erwin Lutzer, pastor emeritus of the Moody Church in Chicago, where he writes about how quickly apathy can return after a period of renewal:

"When the 9/11 terrorist attacks happened, "God Bless America" signs were everywhere, even on marquees on porn shops.  Everyone thought that surely God could be trusted to come to our side in this war against terror. . . . But once our nation felt secure again, God was safely tucked away, church attendance declined, and the so-called wall of separation of church and state was built a notch higher. . . . The God of the Bible will not endlessly tolerate idolatry and benign neglect. He graciously endures rejection and insults, but at some point, He might choose to bring a nation to its knees with severe discipline."

"Dr. Jeremiah further writes: Imagine what would happen to the moral and spiritual health of America if the true church of Jesus Christ suddenly vanished.  We don't know how may true Christians would disappear. of course, but estimates suggest the the US population might be reduced by a much as 70 percent (this may be an exaggerated percentage).  More devastating than the number would be the absence of the Holy Spirit, who empowers Christians to be salt and light in society (Matthew 5:13-16). Without the Spirit's influence, all hell would break loose in America - literally - sending this nation into a devolution from which it would not recover (2 Thessalonians 2:5-12)."

The past two weeks of protests over the horrific murder of George Floyd have devolved into chaos as peaceful protestors exercising their Constitutional right to gather and speak out against injustice have been overtaken by "anarchists" seeking to take advantage of the circumstances and bring America to her knees.  Multiple cities all over America have fallen prey to these Satanic activists whose whole scheme is to stir up the emotions of obtuse, senseless and illogical individuals who blindlessly follow those who lead from behind.  

It is the responsibility of the church to stand up for truth and pour light on Satan's schemes being worked out in the streets of our cities.  America is acting like a formerly great symphony orchestra which is out of tune.  Dr. Jeremiah wrote that "the nation has lost its pitch by removing God from its life, thus producing dissonant chords of cynicism and apathy.  Into this cacophony of hopelessness, God calls His people to sound a clear A so the world can hear above the discord the heavenly note of hope."  It is the church which needs to wake up to her calling to be an instrument of change, an instrument of hope in the midst of our dying culture and society.

In this chapter, Jeremiah writes that "the church has a living hope as pilgrims."  This world is not our home . . .  indeed, we are just pilgrims passing through on our way to an eternal home with our Creator and Savior.  It is our deep responsibility and opportunity to rescue as many from this world and bring them with us . . .  of those who will accept the gift of life from God.

This living hope of which Dr. Jeremiah writes is seen in his subtitles:

• Our Living Hope Rests in the Power of the Resurrection
• Our Living Hope Rests in the Promise of Our Reward
• Our Living Hope Rests in Our Protection Until Christ's Return

He says that "if we are diligent to reflect that hope to our neighbors, we may find that it is too early to write-off America.  Even if Christianity becomes a minority, we must remember that only ten righteous men would have saved Sodom...We Christians could well be the rudder that turns America's ship out of the doldrums of apathy and into the security of commitment," and might I add out of darkness and into the true Light of God's grace.

Is it too late for America?  It is never too late until God has had enough and sends His Son to retrieve His church in an event know as "the Rapture."  You and I do not know when this will occur . . . we do know the season or signs of the time and it seems that that hour could be very near.   Since we do not know when that time will happen, what we do know is that we are to reach out and touch as many people as possible with God's love. (John 3:16)