SOMEBODY BIGGER THAN YOU OR I![]()
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God is infinitely bigger than you or I. The student of the Bible can but stand in awe of His might, and His works. He often uses men to accomplish astounding feats of faith, but it is always in His power, and not in the power of human endeavor alone. Few, very few are privileged to be trail blazers as was Moses of old. So, it is somewhat easier to identify with Joshua as a successor to someone who has gone before us. One can only imagine what burden was in the heart and mind of that great man as he contemplated the looming battle of Jericho. He had led the army of Israel in battles during the 40 years of wilderness wondering, but he always had Moses to look to, and to lean on. Now, the ball was squarely in his court. Jericho lay before Israel as the first battle of conquest of the Promised Land. This was big, really big, and it would be no surprise to learn that he could have been feeling mighty small for task.![]()
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Admirably, he sought solitude for contemplation and prayer as the enormity of his responsibility pressed heavily upon him. It was in that environment that something quite unexpected happened. There appeared before him a person with a drawn sword. This led Joshua to question the character before him as to whether he was for Israel or an enemy from Jericho. The answer he received brought gladness and huge relief. The stranger said, “Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.” Joshua 5:14-15.![]()
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As it was marvelous to Joshua, so it is to the people of God today. We are not alone! God gives us great and mighty things to accomplish, and we often wonder how we are going to get them done. The survey of strength, resources, and wit are too often turned inward on self. Let it be remembered that only God can do the work of God. People are instruments in His hand, blessed to be used of Him, but it is God who clears the way. It is God Who empowers His Word. It is God Who works on human hearts, and it is God who gives the increase. If the increase eludes or seems more insignificant that it should, it just may be that we have not yielded ourselves to the Captain of the Host of the LORD! His way is not our way, but it always accomplishes just what He wants done. He should be explicitly trusted in every endeavor, in confronting any obstacle. ![]()
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He is infinitely bigger than you or I.
SERVANTS ARE FOR SERVICE![]()
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The wisest son of Adam, Solomon, once said, “For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.” Proverbs 30:21-23.![]()
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Servants come in all sizes, shapes, and attitudes, but the common denominator of them all is that of service to others. While it may be opined that all men are servants to someone or something, it is nevertheless true that there is a difference between a servant and a ruler. Such differences are attributable to the Creator Who, as Paul said, “Made of one blood all men and appointed the bounds of their habitation.” Acts 17: 26. Not only did He do this, but He also created the three major, distinct races of men in the offspring of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.![]()
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“Shem” means “Name or monument,” “Ham” means “Dark, swarthy,” and “Japheth” means “Fair.” Shem is the father of the Hebrews and many other nations through Abraham, and the relatives of Abraham of which scant knowledge is available. Ham produced such offspring as Phut (black as tar) Canaan, etc. Japheth produced the Scandinavian people of light skin, eyes, and hair. However from these three many nations have evolved through wars and other forces of amalgamation. Still the predominant categorization of earth’s population remains basically threefold: Caucasoid, Negroid, and Mongoloid despite a mixture of these in some countries. A point is being driven forward, so let the wise think with me!![]()
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Some of the offspring of the early progenitors are not noted as having any specific, outstanding marks or characteristics given by the Creator. Others are. He pulled from the descendants of Shem, our father Abraham, and blessed his seed through Isaac with covenants of faith, law, and church. He divinely characterized the offspring of Ishmael as wild people who would dwell in the midst of their brethren. Gen. 16:12. He further placed a curse on the descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham, making them a servant of servants. Gen. 9:25. These things are not this writers thoughts or constructs. They are the Creator’s record.![]()
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Suppose that one should arise having the combined characteristics of the offspring of both Canaan (servant) and Ishmael (wild man). Moreover, consider that such an one were somehow exalted to become a ruler. That would certainly make the wise sayings of Solomon take on more present meaning. “. . . the earth is disquieted . . . and cannot bear. . . for a servant when he reigneth. . .” Such a ruling servant would be interested in his own agenda, creating disruption and mayhem rather than compassionate good for the people. Certainly, that should be more than enough to cause folks to pray: “Lord, please deliver us from the rule of a servant., but help us to be better servants for you.”![]()
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Do you consider yourself to be a bond-servant to Jesus? Servants, after all, are for service!
SEEING WHAT OTHERS CANNOT SEE![]()
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A most interesting verse of scripture occurs in Isaiah 53:2, “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” ![]()
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Here are two views of the Lord Jesus in His earthly life: the first is that of the Heavenly Father. He sees Jesus, His only begotten Son as a young, lush, altogether beautiful, highly desirable plant. The other view is that of humanity. It is that of a dry root sticking up out of the ground, having no form nor comeliness to be desired. He was simply a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, from which men turned away. Two views, so very different. How could that be?![]()
Men almost always look at the visible. God looks at the invisible. Men are slow to learn that it is always the invisible that is important, and that it is the invisible that makes the visible what it is, whether of great or of little esteem. Those who judge from the visible get it wrong most all of the time.![]()
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Judging from the visible is the devil’s game. He intends to deceive with glitter that is far from gold; with mirth that ends in sorrow; with prosperity that ends in poverty; with love that is absent of commitment. “Just see all these visible things that can be yours.” To the Christian, herein lies the hypocrisy that James talks about in his epistle. James 2:1-10. Herein lies also the lure of the prodigal son, and the ways of the world under Satan, its god.![]()
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On the other hand, true wisdom allows one to see what other cannot see. Such wisdom is not of human origin, but comes from God. James 1:5. The most historical example of this is the ancient king, Solomon who was given wisdom excelling all men before or after him. Wisdom is the aspect of life that allows one to see beyond the visible, and by that become the big, eternal winners in life. It was seeing the invisible that allowed Elisha to be calm and confident in the face of an overwhelming military invasion of his city. 2 Kings 6:17. This is the key to the success of Moses according to Hebrews 11:27,”...for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible” Consider also our father, Abraham of whom it is said, “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Hebrews 11:10-16. “...wherefore God is not ashamed to be call their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”![]()
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What are your guide and decision making processes operating on, the visible….or…..the invisible?
IDENTIFYING THE "NEWNESS" OF BIBLE MENTION ![]()
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2 Cor. 5:17, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.” To the large percentage of modern Christianity, this simply means being born again, and that it all. But, perhaps more is intended. Consider it! ![]()
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The new birth certainly is new or it would not be so called. But the newness of it is individual extending all the way back to Eden. But what about an afterward misdirected life, or perpetual infancy in the Lord? Obviously, something more is here referenced as “new” in the writings of Paul. It is the New Testament or New Covenant that God has with His people. It is for each born-again child of God to follow the Lord Jesus Christ in scriptural baptism, church fellowship (regularly) and in learning of His ways (being an active disciple). What have you learned about the ways of God for mankind since your new birth experience? ![]()
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As we learn of Him and His ways, we, ourselves, become transformed more and more into the image of His Dear Son, as 2 Cor. 2:18 puts it, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” By this ongoing acquisition of knowledge, life, goals, desires, and hopes grow, and change in transformation to His wonderful Word and Will. This is obvious and observable to those looking at us in our homes and communities.![]()
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Pity those stagnated in spiritual life and understanding. It should never be so! If any man be in Christ (the anointed), all things are become new. To be “in Christ” is to be into the things of Christ. Jesus is “The Anointed (Christ)” and His body, (his church) is also Christ (Anointed) by the same Holy Spirit. As we fellowship in a Bible-believing, New Testament Church, we learn, and are so transformed in spiritual understanding that we marvel and rejoice at the wonderful new things that somehow had escaped our attention before. Let every believer study and pray to acquire and radiate His newness of life. ![]()
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FOR THOUGHT: Do you realize that the newness of this age is not the new birth, but the newness of information and understanding of God’s will and way revealed in the New Testament which when believed results in a New Testament church? There is much “New” to both seasoned and initial believers. What have you learned recently that is new to you?