The Carpenter's Chapel (4)

Amen. Thank you Jim

God Bless

Sheila

 

Excellent!

 

Saturday, June 5, 2004

"Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand."
(Isaiah 53:10)

Today it seemed fitting to comment on Jim's last post right here in this devotional. Jim, quite accurately, spoke of prophecy as not only being foretelling, but, also, forthtelling. Forthtelling of God's word is what, hopefully, you hear from preachers and teachers of God's word today. But now we look at a passage from an inspired writer named Isaiah, who, definately, by a gift from God, looked some 600 years (from his point of view) into the future and give in great detail what would happen to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In this one verse, found in the wonderful 53rd chapter of Isaiah, there is this amazing prophecy
of the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ in attonement for our sins, His resurrection from the dead, and the resulting salvation of many lost sinners. This Old Testament chapter contains probably the most complete and cogent exposition of the saving work of Christ on the cross to be found in the Bible.

How could it "please" the Lord to bruise His only begotten Son? It could only be because of the great work this would accomplish. Then, indeed, "the pleasure of the Lord" would be realized.
As to the Son,"He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied." (Is. 53:11a)

After the Father had allowed the enemies of His Son to "bruise Him" to death, it would be soon known that this was actually "an offering for sin" and that, having satisfied the requirements of God's holiness, the Son "shall prolong His days." Though He died and actually "made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death" (v.9), death could not hold Him. As He would later proclaim: "I am alive for evermore."
(Rev. 1:18)

And because He has done this, He "shall see His seed."
"For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings"
(Hebrews 2:10)

 

Amen. Thank you Charles.

God Bless

Sheila

 

Oh - what a Savior!
Oh - what a salvation!

Thank you Charles

 

What a wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord

Thank you Charles

 

Sunday June 6, 1944
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
for His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For you are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the
presence of mine enemies;
You annoint my head with oil;
my cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
(Psalm 23)

Yes, I know, it is 2004. I had a real struggle today as to whether I would write about another messianic prophecy, as I did yesterday, or talk about the sacrifice those men made 60 years ago today on the beaches of France. I had actually decided that I would give the messianic prophecy one and then I wrote, without thinking, "1944" for the date.

Psalm 23 is one of those great passages of scripture that gives such great comfort and assurance to us when we are facing a difficult time in our lives. I cannot imagine a more difficult time than those men, sixty years ago, were facing as they waited off shore. Among those many troops I could imagine that this passage, the Lord's Prayer, or other passages, were on the minds and lips of many of them. It is doubtfull that many atheist went ashore that day.

Now some may say that we should never go to war for any reason. The Jehovah's Witness that I used to worked next to was of this opinion. I even asked him, pointing to the flagpole outside, "You mean that it would not bother you at all if, instead of the Star and Stripes on that pole, there was a swastika?" He shook his head and said, "Human government doesn't matter."
Now to that I must disagree. Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach for for any people. It is doubtful that there would be much righteousness under a world-wide fascist government. One can only imagine the horrors the world would have faced if the Axis powers had been victorious.

Now I would not dare to say that our form of government is God's favorite form of government. No,I would think that it is safe to say that God's favorite form of government is the one where His Son, The KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS rules this planet. He has not chosen, as of yet, to exercize that right, and so we must settle for second best and, IMHO, we do have the second best.

But let me present a caveat here.
We have been given a lot. Shall not much then be required? Does not great freedom mean great responsibility? Even more sobering: Can sin, immorality and apathy do what the Nazi's could not do?

 

Charles,

You've given me pause to think on our past - with thankfulness in my heart.

You've also given me pause to think on our future - and I shudder to think of what may be because of the many sins of America!

Thank you!

 

Thank you Charles.

Oh that we take nothing for granted and constantly call on Him in whom we can trust.

God Bless

Sheila

 

Monday 7th June 2004

It is good to be back. Thanks to Watchman and Jim for “filling in” for me.
When we last saw Christian he had just defeated Apollyon. We now find him approaching a deep, dark valley; the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

We want to pause today just for a moment to note Christian’s determination in spite of evil reports. Bunyan uses the illustration of the evil report brought back by ten of the twelve men sent to spy out Canaan. We find the incident in Numbers 13v27-33. The spies all agree that the land is a great land, flowing with milk and honey and great fruit. They also agree that giants live in the land, and the cities are strongly defended. Here is where the opinions differ. The ten spies report is above, “The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature…” But look at Caleb’s suggestion – “Let us go up at once against the people, for we are well bale to possess it.”

What was the difference? Simple, it was fear. The fear factor is the great defeater of the Christian life. It need not be, for God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind.

Now for an application to us. How do you respond when you face a situation that you know is going to be difficult. We are not talking about the trails that suddenly come upon you, but about going into a difficult time KNOWING what is ahead? Are you like the ten spies, or like Caleb. I fear that we as Christians face dark days to come. How will you face the difficulties. Will you be like Caleb, saying “we are well able” and like Christian who says “that is my way…” Or will you be like the ten spies who said “we are not able…”?

Lord, when the dark days come, help me to be a Caleb and head into them with faith that You are able to give the victory!

 

"For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." (1John 5:4)
Thank you Roger, good to see you back!

 

Thank you Roger.
How did your two sets of meeting go?

 

The first was a Baptist World Mission fellowship - super time of edification.

The meetings near London went very well too. God really seemed to deal with some hearts, including mine.

 

Amen. Thank you Roger. Welcome back.

 

Jim wrote:

Well said my friend - I just wish that more of our friends understood that truth!

Thanks for a great devotional!

 

Amen! What depth of thought. Thank you my brother!

 

Wednesday, 9th June, 2004

Things have become very dark for our Christian pilgrim. Here he is facing the very power of Hell itself. He has taken up the weapon “All Prayer” and has cried out to the Lord for deliverance. In that strength he goes on.

Have you ever been in Christian’s place, not knowing whether to go on or turn back? There come times when it gets so bad that we might say “is it really worth it? Christian took comfort in the victories he had already won, then makes a great determination – “I will walk in the strength of the Lord God!”

When we try to proceed in our own strength, defeat is always certain. We must look to a greater source of strength. This strength was part of Paul’s prayer for the church at Ephesus, “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His spirit in the inner man.” (3v16)

Even more specific is Paul’s account of his own strengthening when he wrote to Timothy. “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and preserve me to the heavenly kingdom; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Perhaps today you are just about ready to give up. Your strength has failed you over and over again. You want to go on, but there is a desire to go back. Once you have decided to follow Christ there is no turning back. Determine to walk in the strength of the Lord alone. O, and by the way. If you think God’s strength may run out, look back up to its source in Ephesians 3v16 – “According to the riches of His glory.” God’s strength is there for you, all you need to do is to step out by faith claiming His power and His power alone.