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Blogs, Jeremy Stopford

Beatitude #5: “Blessed are the merciful”

“SERMON ON THE MOUNT – AND BEYOND !!!”

Jeremy Stopford, Semi-Retired Pastor

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matt. 5:7)

We have come to the 5th of the beatitudes of our Savior’s “Sermon on the Mount” {SOTM!) found in its entirety in Matthew 5-7. With even a casual reading of this verse, it wouldn’t take long to discover what the main words are here: “MERCY” and “MERCIFUL”.

What is YOUR understanding of “MERCY”? Amazingly, I was most surprised to read the word “mercy” in print yesterday in of all places, ESPN! It seems that it appeared in a spring training baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and the Atlanta Braves. In the first inning, the pitcher for Boston threw 23 pitches (!). And then? The Red Sox manager called for the end of the inning! After the Red Sox had their time at the plate, the Braves came back to hit in the second. And guess who was pitching for Boston? YOU BET! The SAME pitcher who pitched for Boston in the FIRST inning! It seems that Major League Baseball has initiated a “MERCY rule” during spring training. Now I must confess, when I was in high school back in the dark ages (well, a few years after Dr. Becker!), the “MERCY rule” was called when one team went ahead by 10 runs. Then the game was over! But here in the major leagues, it is enforced in order to give the spring training pitcher practice!

And MERCY is our word for today!

When YOU hear the word “MERCY” or “MERCIFUL”, what first comes to mind? One of my college professors said that the word “MERCIFUL” describes “someone who has a genuine heartfelt compassion.” However, it means more than just to feel sorry for someone else. That same educator said that the Hebrew word is untranslatable into the English. Why? Because it would literally mean “getting right inside another person’s skin until we can see things with his eyes, think things with his mind, and feel things with his feelings.” The Savior is thus inviting each of us, imploring with each of us, even giving us a BLESSING (you DO remember “BLESSING” don’t you?)! Before we judge another person for whatever word said or action done that disagrees with us, take a moment and…try to see things as THEY see things! Get “inside their skin” and ask yourself, “what has caused them to say what they did, to do what they did, to feel what they did? What?”.

When our Savior talked about “MERCY” or “MERCIFUL”, our Savior’s hearers would immediately have a picture, a taste of what He was referring to! Their minds would instantly go to the image inside the veil of the temple to the “MERCY seat”, a gold plated “box”, if you will, which at one time housed the 10 commandments (yes, the original!), Aaron’s rod that budded – indicating his position as God’s representative inside the veil of the tabernacle, and a pot filled with manna – putting on display a picture of God’s faithfulness to the Israelites throughout their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. I would encourage you to read Leviticus 16:11-16. The people would have a vivid mental image of Aaron as High Priest going once a year inside the veil, carrying a pot of incense (representing our prayer AND God’s holiness), and ministering on behalf of himself AND the people before the Lord. He would confess not only the nation’s sins but also his own! He would be wearing bells at the base of his robe. The people outside the veil would be listening for those bells. For if they DIDN’T ring, it would mean both that would Aaron have died AND that his sacrifices – for himself and for the people – would NOT have been accepted before the Lord.

Do we have to do that today?Do we have SOMEONE Who extended MERCY toward us so that we don’t have to go into a temple and pay for our sins on a regular basis? Do the scriptures have ANYTHING to say about that?

HOW ABOUT THIS:

“For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, FOR THIS HE DID once for all when He offered up Himself.”

[Hebrews 7:26-27]

OR HOW ABOUT THIS:

“But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, HOW MUCH MORE shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” [Hebrews 9:11-14]

SO WHAT’S THAT TO ME?

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, YET WITHOUT SIN. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain MERCY and find grace to help in time of need.” [Hebrews 4:15-16]

OK, LET’S GET PRACTICAL!!!

Our Savior said that the one who is MERCIFUL – who extends MERCY by looking at people through their eyes, hearts, and hurts – is not only BLESSED but will also himself receive MERCY!!!

HOW is that possible. Let’s listen:

“The MERCIFUL man does good for his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.” [Proverbs 11:17]

“He who has PITY [“MERCY”] on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given.” [Proverbs 19:17]

“We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did NOT please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” [Romans 15:1-3]

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness (“MERCY”), considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

[Galatians 6:1-2]

My older brother and I – when we were both MUCH younger – used to get in wrestling matches. Mind you, he is (still!) 8 years older than I. AND he was on the high school wrestling team. So invariably there came a time when there was only ONE WAY for me to get out of his seemingly “death grip”. I had to cry “MERCY!”. Well, you know, I learned the meaning of that word pretty fast! In order for ME to receive MERCY, my brother had to extend MERCY in return. Thankfully, he always did.

And so does Jesus! And so should we!

And don’t forget, Dr. Becker’s 81st birthday is on Monday, March 8.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

Blogs, John Grant

THE GLORY OF GOD

John Grant, Week Nine, 2021

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. Psalm 19:1-2

Once, when Beverley and I were in South Africa on a game safari, deep in the interior, we chased all sorts of animals in their natural habitat. We saw impala, wildebeest, warthog, Cape buffalo, giraffe and hippopotamus, rhinoceroses, elephant, leopard, and hyena. What a sight it was to see!!!!

Later that night there was a total eclipse. We went out on a dirt runway and laid on our backs. When the eclipse was total, we couldn’t see our hand in front of our face, but what we could see was the heavens as we had never seen them before. Without any other light, we could see thousands of heavenly bodies. All I could think about was Psalm 19 where it says, “the skies display His craftsmanship.”

We don’t have to look deep into the heavens as we did to see the craftsmanship of our Creator. They are all around us. In our busy lives, all too often we miss them. In the normal day we tend not to see them, but when we stop and take a really good look, we see them everywhere…. all around us. The fingerprints of God show His greatness.

▪ We see them when He paints the sky of the setting sun.

▪ We see them in the explosiveness of the rising sun from darkest night.

▪ We can see them in the mountain peaks and in the details of the smallest leaf.

▪ We can see them on the ocean shore and in the details of the smallest shell.

▪ We can see them when we can see forever on a starry night.

▪ We can see them in the beauty of thunderclouds building in the distance or in lightning striking over the water during a late evening storm.

We can see those same fingerprints in the birth of a baby, in the flight of a butterfly, in the eyes of a child and in the life of a saint. Truth is, God’s fingerprints are all around us and all over us. The Master Creator molded and made us and everything.

Let’s stop for a moment and breathe… and take off our worldly goggles and see the world around us and see the creation and fingerprints of God. Let’s stop for a moment and praise Him for His imagination and creativity. Praise Him for being our Great Creator. He is everywhere if only we have the spiritual eyes to see.

Will you look for Him and for His works today?

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

The direction of our lives is decided more by the daily choices we make than anything else. And these choices are more influential to the person we are becoming than we often realize. Habits become ingrained, automatic, and often slowly creep into your life so subtly that they become routine. So, if you want to change your life, start by changing one thing that you do each day. The Minimalist

— o —

7 Rules of Life

1) Make peace with your past so it won’t mess up the present.

2) What others think of you is none of your business.

3) Time heals almost everything, give it time.

4) Don’t compare your life to others and don’t judge them. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

5) Stop thinking too much, it’s alright not to know the answers. They will come to you when you least expect it.

6) No one is in charge of your happiness, except you.

7) Smile!! You don’t own all the problems in the world.

— o —

Disposition is important to our overall wellbeing. Harvard Medical School published a finding that an optimistic attitude contributes positively to one’s physical health. In fact, “humor is good medicine.” They conclude that optimism produces “behavioral advantages” and “biological benefits.”

— o —

Sometimes when there is nothing more to say… God’s Word says it all.

No matter where we may find ourselves in life’s journey.

No matter if we have stumbled and fallen and find ourselves in the valley of life.

No matter if we are climbing the highest of mountains striving to reach the apex of life.

No matter young or old, sick or healthy, poor or wealthy, near or far away.

No matter where we may be or what we may be going through.

God’s Word says it all.

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine. John C. Maxwell

BACKSLIDDEN HAPPENS WHEN YOU ALLOW ANY OTHER DESIRE, AMBITION, OR PREFERENCE TO TAKE FIRST PLACE IN YOUR HEART AND IN YOUR LIFE. Dan Shock

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy. Dale Carnegie

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

With every blessing, there is a testing. Ken Whitten

The reason angels can fly is because they take themselves lightly. G.K. CHESTERTON

Don’t wait. The time will never be just right. NAPOLEAN HILL

Blogs, Jeremy Stopford

Beatitude #4: “Blessed are the hungry and thirsty”

FROM THE SERIES: “SERMON ON THE MOUNT – AND BEYOND !!!”

By Jeremy Stopford, Semi-Retired Pastor

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”(Matt. 5:6)

Hungry and thirsty. Are those terms with which you are familiar? Even in the midst of this pandemic, and many of our local restaurants are either closed or in limited capacity for dining, one can still go through the McD’s “drive-thru window” and order beaucoup dollars worth of food! Do we really understand in our US of A what hunger and thirst are?

Funny what one remembers when thinking of “hunger” and “thirst”. I have 2 most vivid images. The first was at a boys camp in Wentworth, New Hampshire where I spent 3 summers (8 weeks each!) as a camper and one summer as an assistant counselor. Seems like every night there was something going on in the auditorium. Without fail, there would always be a skit night!

One of the classics was a simple one, yet it has huge meaning! A boy was crawling on his stomach across the stage. Slowly. Panting. Crying out “Water! Water!” With bated breaths. As he crawls for seemingly a LONGGGG time, up ahead he sees what initially he thinks is a mirage. But it is not! It is another camper with a glass of water! In kindness, the camper with the water gives the crawling camper the glass of water. With water in hand, the crawling camper shouts “THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!” His life has been spared. He then…reaches into his back pocket, pulls out a comb, puts it in the glass, and with wetted comb he parts and puts his hair back into its original beautiful style. Hmmm.

The second was a few years later. When as a freshman at my first and only year at St. Lawrence U (before the Lord called me to Bible College!), one of the highlights of each day was the evening meal in the cafeteria. Mind you, the year was 1971. We must have been experiencing a food surplus. And several friends of mine and I always looked forward to one meal in particular: cube steaks! 1/4 inch thick. 3 inches wide. 5 inches (or more) long. And…we could eat as many as we wanted! So my dining buddies and I would have a contest. And I need to remind you that THOSE WERE THE DAYS when I could eat and eat and NOT gain weight. Oh, those WERE the days. (Not so any more!). I don’t think I ever won the contest – I usually ended at around…you bet, 10 cube steaks. My friends easily ate 11 or more. Hungry? I don’t think so.

But for the listeners of the Sermon on the Mount, they knew exactly what our Savior meant when He alluded to “hunger”. In Jesus’ day, a working man’s wage was the equivalent – NOT of $15 an hour – but of our 3 to 5 CENTS a day. So after pushing away from the dinner table after one of his wife’s good meals, he certainly wasn’t what we would call today “stuffed”. He was not full. But at least he had eaten. And when the Savior said “thirst”, the picture was even more vivid than that! Immediately most of them would remember those tragic days when they were caught out in the desert areas during one of those sand storms. They were just trying to get home at a decent hour. But not that day. When the wind started blowing HARD, and the sand started a-whipping, all they could do was wrap themselves in their outer coats and hope for the best. It wasn’t too long before their eyes were caked shut, their ears were plugged, and worst of all their mouths were full of the dreaded hot sand. Death might have been considered a blessing rather than suffer the fulness of a Middle Eastern desert storm. Jesus’ listeners understood “thirst”.

Jesus’ hearers understood very well both hunger and thirst.

Yet Jesus was saying that His listeners are to hunger and thirst for…righteousness. Perhaps that was a foreign term to them. Perhaps it is a foreign practical term for you. “Righteousness”, in technical terms, means “the establishment of God’s will among men so that justice, honesty, and right dealings will prevail.” Huh? Like I said, “technical” terms. In practical terms, it means that we are conforming to the pattern of living which has been demonstrated to us by the Son.

Romans 3:23-26 says:

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. [my emphasis]

My hunger and thirst for righteousness is possible ONLY because the One for Whom I hunger and thirst IS altogether righteous! Even though I am not sinless, I can conform to His image because, well, HE is righteous, HE is sinless, HE is my Pattern!

So I need to ask myself at least 4 questions:

#1 Am I blessed? Am I truly happy? Do I have a GOD JOY which is dependent upon GOD HIMSELF? IF I have that kind of happiness, that kind of blessedness, then and only then I can fully appreciate the BE-attitudes (as Warren Wiersbe would write) given to us by the Savior!

#2 Do I recognize my true needs? Jesus said the truly blessed – the truly God-happy – person is the one who has a hunger and thirst. We should be reminded of the words our Savior used shortly after the feeding of the 5,000 (men PLUS women and children, or perhaps closer to 20,000 people!). He said,

“Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” John 6:27

Shortly afterwards, He followed this up with an amazing dissertation of one of His great I AM statements. He said:

“…’I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.’ “ John 6:35 [my emphasis]

#3 Do I have eternal goals? Some one wisely observed, “if you aim at nothing, you surely will hit it!” It is good to admit that we are hungry and thirsty. AND it is good to admit that we hunger and thirst for substance, for truth in application in our lives. Jesus said that the one who is blessed is the one who hungers and thirsts for…righteousness. This is substance. [for a longer discussion on this subject, I would encourage you to read Proverbs 8, where the Lord tells us that the true things of eternal substance have been in existence since the creation]. Do I hunger and thirst to follow the Pattern of living that our Savior showed? Is His Word a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path? (Psalm 119:105).

Mark 8:34 says, “When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” The ones hearing Jesus’ message immediately knew what He was saying. All along the roads to Jerusalem were Roman crosses standing – some with their condemned victims in various stages between life and ultimate death. And they knew that those crosses were dragged by their victims to their final place of death. Jesus is saying that my eternal goals need to rest around His Word and His glory. Paul said, “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31). We need to have eternal goals.

#4 Am I really satisfied? Jesus said that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled or “satisfied”. How will I know that I am filled with God? I will want to please God in every way: in thought, in word, in deed, in action! I will be filled! And when I am filled, I will be really satisfied with God alone!

In 1875, Clara Teare Williams wrote a song which wonderfully describes the hunger and thirst of which our Savior speaks in Matthew 5:6:

All my life I had a longing

For a drink from some clear spring,

That I hoped would quench the burning

Of the thirst I felt within.

Refrain:

Hallelujah! I have found Him

Whom my soul so long has craved!

Jesus satisfies my longings,

Through His blood I now am saved.

Well of water, ever springing,

Bread of life so rich and free,

Untold wealth that never faileth,

My Redeemer is to me. Refrain

Blogs, John Grant

“TRUST”

WEEK 8, 2021

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Upon turning to the age of 100 recently, a former U.S. Secretary of state had this to say about trust: I’ve learned much over that time, but looking back, I’m struck that there is one lesson I learned early and then relearned over and over: Trust is the coin of the realm. When trust was in the room, whatever room that was — the family room, the schoolroom, the locker room, the office room, the government room or the military room — good things happened. When trust was not in the room, good things did not happen. Everything else is details.

Schultz, now considered to be America’s elder statesman stated a lot of wisdom. He’s one of only two Americans to have held four cabinet posts – State, Treasury, Labor and OMB. America needs leaders of this stature. Our world needs more of this kind of leadership. While Schultz wrote about great wisdom, the Bible writes about even more.

According to King Solomon, wisdom is gained from God, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” Proverbs 2:6. … “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” Proverbs 3:5-6. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! Psalms 111:10

Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered. Proverbs 28:26. Don’t trust your own mind, but get wisdom from above. It must be an important goal for all Christians, as it appears 367 times in the King James Bible.

It’s been said that knowledge comes from education, but wisdom comes from experience. Wisdom is knowing what you don’t know. Knowledge will bring you to power, but wisdom brings respect. As Malcom Forbes said: The dumbest people I know are the ones who think they know it all. Real knowledge is the ability to know ones ignorance.

Be careful to not think you know anything just because it has been written, this is particularly true in this supersonic, cyber powered world of rapid factual transmission of allegedly false facts and news. Investigate on your own and be sure that the Bible is the best place to begin.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

A Christian pastor in China was recently imprisoned and fined for refusing to join the state-supported church. A mob attacked the homes and shops of Christians in Egypt. Terrorists slit the throats of three Christians in Indonesia and beheaded a fourth.

Pew Research Center reports that government restrictions on religion have risen 65 percent since 2007, when Pew began its survey. The level of social hostility has doubled over this time.

Could that ever happen in America?

— o —

THE PANDEMIC:

Wherever you live in the world, you have likely encountered a global pandemic, social isolation, economic slowdown, and civil unrest. Whether or not you have been personally affected by any of these factors, you almost certainly know someone who has. Mental well-being has suffered as a result.

In the USA, according to the CDC:

• 40% of people have experienced a mental or behavioral health condition related to the coronavirus epidemic.

• 1 in 4 have experienced symptoms of depression—4X higher than previous years.

• 1 in 10 had considered suicide at some point during the last 30 days—an increase of 100% from previous years.

• 13.3% of Americans have begun or increased substance use to cope with stress related to the epidemic.

Our mental well-being suffered greatly during 2020.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Jesus came to save you from yourself. Jake English

Noah was locked in an ark while God was preparing a whole new world. During these days, God is doing the same for each of us.

A world that is different, but one we know little about. Martha Moore

Considering the current state of the World, Truth and Tradition have never been more important.

***

Blogs, Jeremy Stopford

Beatitude #3: “Blessed are the meek”

“SERMON ON THE MOUNT – AND BEYOND !!!”

By Jeremy Stopford, Semi-Retired Pastor

In recent months, one of my most favorite shows to watch – and it is NOT on regular TV programming – is “The Chosen”. This is a private production of the earthly life and ministry of the Lord Jesus as seen through the writers of the Gospels.

What makes this production unique is that it is being produced with NO funds from Hollywood – no million dollar endowments to underwrite the program. It is 100% dependent upon…the donations of followers AND upon the “paying it forward” as one watches each of the episodes.

Obviously it is an unique program. Season 1 consists of 8 one to two hour “episodes”, taking us from the birth and early ministry of the Lord Jesus through the calling of the first of His disciples. The cost for each season is seemingly (humanly speaking!) prohibitive, but so far The Chosen production is “paid for in full” through the beginning of Season THREE.

You can watch the 8 episodes “for free” on YouTube. Or you can google search “the chosen” and you will find many ways for the viewing of each of the 8 episodes of Season 1. OR you can go to “www.thechosenmerch.com” and find many opportunities to purchase and/or support this great ministry.

Why do I give free advertising to this unique production? Because they have just begun the taping of…the Sermon on the Mount! They brought in thousands of “extras” to be in the crowd. Neat. IF you have an account in Facebook, you may want to check out “The Chosen” to get a more detailed background.

We are in the study of the “Beatitudes” from the Sermon on the Mount. Remember? “Beatitude” is the direct translation from Latin of WHAT? Yes, “Blessed”! Good job! Today we are at Beatitude #3:

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5)

As a little boy, without a doubt my favorite television program was “Superman”. Oh I thoroughly digested the show! All 3 foot tall and 60 pounds wet of me looked up to the “Man of Steel” who was “faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locamotive, able…”! Well, you know. Now mind you, the “Superman” I watched was NOT the Christopher Reeve version. No, no! It was the George Reeves “Superman” of “Adventures of Superman” from 1952-1958. Of course, the show was taken from the comic book creation. But this little boy could not get enough of this show. And the KEY to the show? Superman could disguise himself among the mortal humans simply by putting on a suit and…a pair of glasses! And with that suit and pair of glasses, the “Man of Steel” became a “mild mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper”. He went from super to…MEEK. He was clumsy. He was bumbling. He was the partner of Lois Lane, who saw in her Clark Kent anything BUT a “man of steel” but a “man of meekness”.

Remember the basis for the Beatitudes? Our Savior is encouraging His disciples to be “blessed”. This means that those who follow Him will have His JOY, a joy not dependent upon circumstances but upon an intimate relationship with HIM! So why is our Savior encouraging the people to be “MEEK”? Am I to be like Clark Kent? Am I to be a bungling idiot, disguising the true strength of the Lord of my life?

In New Testament times, it was a common word, meaning:

(1). “Mild”, of things

(2). “Tame”, of animals

(3). “Gentle” or “pleasant”, of persons

(4) “Kindly” or “lenient”, of activities or punishments. For example, laws may be severe, but judges can at times show leniency.

So what about in Matthew 5:5? I want to be like Jesus, don’t you? But He didn’t have a secret identity! He wasn’t STRONG when doing miracles but MEEK when dealing with people! He was MEEK at all times! So once again the question is asked, “how am I to be ‘meek’”?

Jesus is quoting from Psalm 37:11, a passage which would be most familiar to His hearers:

“But the meek shall inherit the earth,

And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”

Jesus’ hearers would know that the HOPE of Israel is to one day be in the promised kingdom of peace – the millennial kingdom where their Messiah and King will rule them from the Throne of David in Jerusalem. The Lord Jesus is presenting Himself in the Gospel of Matthew as…that promised MESSIAH! He is sharing with them the reality that right before them is the fulfillment of their HOPE! But in the meantime, He is offering to them NOW His JOY (remember, “BLESSED”). And a part of that joy is His changing me into one who is MEEK.

So then HOW do I display a “MEEK” spirit? By application, I will be showing “good will toward all men, and reverent obedience towards God.” I will not be harsh, self-assertive, nor covetous. I will not be one who tramples upon those with whom I do not agree. [“Not ME!”, you say]. I will be one who will be in submission to the will of God at all times. And in order to do THAT, I will be attentive to the Word of God at all times! I will be a regular student of the Word! I will “seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness”, as directed in Matthew 6:33. Do YOU seek Him first – first thing in the morning? First thing throughout the day when a decision must be made?

But wait! I need an example! I can’t do this by myself! HOW can I be meek? WHO is there today who I can follow who already is MEEK?

The One you need to follow was right in front of Israel! Years after the SOTM was preached, the Lord Jesus was at center stage as He rode into Jerusalem in what is now known as His “Triumphal Entry” – just days before His crucifixion! Quoting from both Isaiah 62:11 and Zechariah 9:9, in Matthew 21:5 the writer Matthew describes this scene:

“Tell the daughter of Zion,

‘Behold, your King is coming to you,

Lowly [KJV: “MEEK”], and sitting on a donkey,

A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”

The Lord Jesus was presented as Messiah to Israel one more time. And what did the children shout? Quoting Psalm 118:26, their cry was Matthew 21:9:

““Hosanna to the Son of David!

‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’

Hosanna in the highest!”

And yet just a few days later, the shout of the people would be, as recorded in John 20:15:

“CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!”

“WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR!”

Our Savior exhibited a meek spirit. Israel wanted at that time a King to take the place of the Roman government. They did NOT want a Messiah to rule and reign in their hearts on Israel’s Throne. They rejected the MEEK ONE.

But what about us? How is He displayed to us? Matthew once again shares it well in one of the most wonderful invitations in all of Scripture, as found in Matthew 11:28-30:

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle [KJV: “MEEK”] and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Why is this so wonderful an invitation? The mighty Son of God, the One Who would go to Calvary’s tree for my sins, is inviting me to come to Him at any time. He can do that because He is not afar off. Although He is indeed High and Mighty as God the Son, yet He is lowly to meet me – and YOU – wherever I am, in whatever situation I am in.

Are you under conviction that you are a sinner in need of a Savior?

Jesus said, “I am meek. Come to Me – I will take you to the cross for your trust.”

Are you overwhelmed by the conditions of society and of our times?

Jesus said, “I am meek. Come to Me – I will take you to the cross for your trust.”

Are you hurting financially because of the loss of income?

Jesus said, “I am meek. Come to Me – I will take you to the cross for your trust.”

Are you in distress over a loved one who is ailing – or perhaps has passed away?

Jesus said, “I am meek. Come to Me – I will take you to the cross for your trust.”

Is there a situation in your life that you think NO ONE can handle?

Jesus said, “I am meek. Come to Me – I will take you to the cross for your trust.”

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5)

Blogs, John Grant

THE WALL

Week Seven, 2021

By retired Senator John Grant

Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit. Proverbs 25:28

The concept of the wall is prominent in the Scriptures. The Book of Nehemiah tells of the rebuilding of the wall that surrounds the city of Jerusalem. The Book of Revelation, when describing the new Jerusalem, places great emphasis on the wall that surrounds the holy city and on the twelve foundations of the wall.

There have been walls throughout, the most notable in our time was the wall that separated east and west Berlin. Its dismantling marked the beginning of the end of the “Cold War.”

I walked through the Brandenburg Gate only a few months after the beginning of the dismantling. As I took in the sight of the massive wall, I bent over and picked up a small part of the wall, and today, it sits on my desk as a reminder of how people and nations can become divided and ultimately reconciled.

Another wall needs to be removed as well – the wall between humanity and God. That barrier was built in the Garden of Eden when a man and a woman committed the first act of rebellion against God (Genesis 3). And we all have continued that rebellion ever since. Can you visualize that impenetrable wall? Isaiah 59:2 says: “your sins have cut you off from God.”

Jesus’ death and resurrection, however, has made reconciliation with God possible. All those who accept Christ’s sacrifice for sin will have the barrier of sin torn down and be reconciled to God. He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation. (Ephesians 2:14).

What are the walls in your life and how do they separate you from fellowship with God? We need to remove what we think we need and replace it with what we actually need.

God wants us to submit to Him by humbling ourselves and praying, as we seek His face and turn from our wicked ways. Then the wall between us and God comes down and He not only hears us and heals us, but He promises to forgive our sin and heal our land.

Of how our sins both individually and as a nation need to be forgiven and of how our land in these divisive times needs a healing. Remember it all begins with you!

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Some of the world’s greatest men and women have been saddled with disabilities and adversities but have managed to overcome them, observed author and evangelical leader Ted W. Engstrom.

Engstrom offered these illustrations to prove his point.

• “Cripple him, and you have a Sir Walter Scott.”

• “Lock him in a prison cell, and you have a John Bunyan.”

• “Bury him in the snows of Valley Forge, and you have a George Washington.”

• “Raise him in abject poverty, and you have an Abraham Lincoln.”

• “Subject him to bitter religious prejudice, and you have a Benjamin Disraeli.”

• “Strike him down with infantile paralysis, and he becomes a Franklin D. Roosevelt.”

• “Burn him so severely in a schoolhouse fire that the doctors say he will never walk again, and you have a Glenn Cunningham, who set a world’s record in 1934 for running a mile in 4 minutes, 6.7 seconds.”

• “Deafen a genius composer, and you have a Ludwig van Beethoven.”

• “Have him or her born black in a society filled with racial discrimination, and you have a Booker T. Washington, a Harriet Tubman, a Marian Anderson, or a George Washington Carver.”

• “Make him the first child to survive in a poor Italian family of eighteen children, and you have an Enrico Caruso.”

• “Have him born of parents who survived a Nazi concentration camp, paralyze him from the waist down when he is four, and you have an incomparable concert violinist, Itzhak Perlman.”

• “Call him a slow learner, ‘retarded,’ and write him off as uneducable, and you have an Albert Einstein.

All of these examples speak to the power of persistence and the quality of determination. It’s a trait we see in the apostle Paul, who overcame a “thorn in the flesh,” misrepresentation by false teachers, beatings, stoning, imprisonment, and numerous hardships in his missionary travels. We get a glimpse of his indomitable spirit from Philippians 3:13-14.

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:25-26

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today. Abraham Lincoln

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:25-26

Let’s not make changes, let’s make only improvements. Wally Byam

The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men. Aristotle

At night we tie the dog up and let the kids run loose. Ken Whitten

***

Blogs

“Blessed are those that mourn”

Jeremy Stopford, Semi-Retired Pastor

“SERMON ON THE MOUNT – AND BEYOND !!!”—Beatitude #2

(Otherwise known as “Oh Happy Mourning!”)

Ok! We are well into our series on the “Sermon on the Mount” (remember our abbreviation? That’s right – SOTM). Our Savior is up on a…MOUNT, training His disciples, yet also being heard by the surrounding multitudes. He is giving instruction with a two-fold purpose. First, He is giving a vision for the end of times, the way life WILL be! And second, He is giving a challenge for the present day, the way life SHOULD be!

He begins His sermon with a series of nine teachings, each one beginning with the word “Blessed”. Remember what it is translated from in Latin? You bet! “Beatitude”. Last week we looked at “blessed are the poor in spirit”. ME, POOR? Almost makes you want to leave now, doesn’t it? But what is Jesus’ teaching? First, the poor in spirit is one who is completely dependent upon the One Who alone is worthy of his dependence! And second, the Lord Himself has his everlasting care upon the one who, although may be bankrupt from the world, is a treasure in God’s sight! Hey, now that is special to be considered a treasure – NOW!

Ok, so what’s next?

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

At first glance, this is a most morbid verse. All of us have experienced mourning in some fashion, haven’t we? The WORLD is experiencing tremendous mourning NOW, aren’t we?

We have all become way too familiar with the scientific term, COVID-19. We’ve learned about masks – place them over your mouth AND nose! We have learned the generic term about the sacrifice of a multitude of occupations, a term we may have never known before: FRONT LINE WORKERS.

And, yes so sadly, funeral homes have been most busy. In our area of central New York alone, one area funeral home set a record for most families it served in one month – in the entire history of that funeral home. And mind you, our area counties are not major population zones.

So when you hear that that mortician served the families of 24 people from ONE area nursing home during that month – well, that certainly is sorrow multiplied. Worldwide, well over 2 MILLION DEATHS since COVID-19 was first begun. With that became a familiarity with a new term – PANDEMIC – a term perhaps last used during the plague of…1918!

In the United States alone, over a period of just over 12 months, over 463 THOUSAND lives have entered eternity. Can we get a grasp on that total? And again sadly, some of those 463 thousand may be people you knew, even from your own families.

“THOSE THAT MOURN”. We understand that phrase all too well today don’t we?

BUT WAIT! How can the Savior possibly state that we are “BLESSED”?

Let’s analyze a few words. “Mourn”. What does it mean to “mourn”? It means “to lament, to be sorrowful, to show grief or to have sorrow – especially in referring to the dead.” Do people mourn in different ways? The Bible indicates that those who love Jesus as Savior can mourn in a way which is far different than those who don’t know Jesus. How can that be? There is a key two word phrase which makes the distinction! Both the Christian and the non-Christian alike sorrow, mourn for those who have passed away.

But the key phrase is “NO HOPE”. Listen to the pointed words from 1 Thessalonians 4:13: “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have NO HOPE.”

The Apostle Paul was confronting a very real problem in the new church at Thessalonica. In this young church, already a number of believers had died – perhaps some of them died as a result of being persecuted for their faith! So those still living believers were wondering, “where did they go? Is that all there is to life – when I die, I go into the grave, and that’s it? Even if I believe in Jesus?”

Paul wisely said, “well, it is true that when we die we usually have some kind of service for our loved one. But our hope doesn’t die in the grave! Our hope is in the risen Lord Jesus! Those that are “without Jesus” are “without hope”. But those that loved Jesus as Savior? Well, well! They are HOME WITH THE LORD! Can’t be better than that! And if we loved Jesus, too, one day we will be re-connected with them in glory!

But those that have not placed their eternal faith and trust in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus as their eternal hope – well, they are without God and without hope (see Ephesians 2:12). WITHOUT God. WITHOUT hope. An eternity with no God and no hope. Perhaps the only “hope” that an unbeliever has this side of eternity, when THEY are in the midst of mourning, is in their “circumstances”, in their “feelings”, in their baseless “hope”. So sad. Is there anything more sad than that?

BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!!! “Blessed are those who mourn…FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED”!!!

OK class – what does it mean to be “comforted”? One Biblical professor wisely noted, true “COMFORT” means “God calling us, and literally holding us near to Him, turning desolation into consolation”. HOW does that happen?

It happens in at least one of two ways. The first way is that God Himself is our comfort! What is the ONE passage of Scripture that appears at most funerals. Of course! Psalm 23. Let’s look at a couple of its treasures. Verse 1: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” That’s the New Kin James Version. Have you read the New Living Translation lately. Verse 1 says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.”

Do you remember Christmas time? I sure do. TODAY – almost 50 days AFTER Christmas 2020 – my wife and I put in tubs for storage downstairs the last of the Christmas 2020 decorations! (Only to put them back up in 9 months? Hmm.). But Christmas brings back one vivid memory which re-occurs every year! In our country, most of us are fortunate enough to receive MORE than one present. And when that LAST present is open, what ALWAYS happens? ALWAYS! There is that tug on the heart. There is that looking around. There is that non-verbal question: IS THERE ANY MORE? But when the Lord is my Shepherd, “I have all that I need”. Jesus is the “Good Shepherd” – and He wonderfully states in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” He comforts us because He is. He is my personal, comforting, ever present Good Shepherd.

And what does verse 4 say? “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.” I remember when we once were the ones needing comfort. We were in line in front of our loved one’s beautiful casket. A dear friend from our first pastorate came through the door. She came up to me. She didn’t say a word. She wrapped her arms around me. And. She. Squeezed. We both cried. Only when both of us stopped crying, did she utter words of comfort. THAT’S what Psalm 23:4 is talking about. It is as if the Lord takes the shepherd’s tools – His rod and His staff which He wisely uses to lovingly care for His sheep – and wraps them around the hurting sheep and just holds them. He. Gives. A. Squeeze. He doesn’t need to say a word. His presence is our comfort.

And don’t forget verse 5a. The entire psalm, of course, is a comfort and blessing. But the beginning of verse 5 is often overlooked. It says, “You anoint my head with oil…”. That’s GREAT – but what does it MEAN? Throughout the day, the wise and caring shepherd is always looking over his sheep. And sometime during the day he inspects each sheep: for matted hair and for those ever present wounds. And then what does he do? Does he simply pat the sheep on the head, kiss the hurting sheep on the nose (like Momma did!), and say “poor baby – you’ll be ok soon.”??? No, NO! He anoints the hurting sheep’s wounds with an oily balm that is specifically designed to heal. And the Wise Shepherd of the sheep anoints His sheep with the healing balm of His Holy oil – the Holy Spirit – Whose daily anointing is the healing, not only of the wounds of the heart, but also the wounds of the soul.

The second way that “comfort” occurs? Those who are mourning get involved with the work that our deceased loved one left behind! Perhaps that one was a missionary. Maybe you can’t go to their field, but perhaps you can GIVE your financial “mites” to their work so that others can go! Perhaps there was an area in the local church in which your deceased loved one or friend served regularly. Perhaps you could take their place! Paul calls that being “baptized for the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:29). Or perhaps you could PRAY for those who are working in those ministries on the field or in the local church.

WHAT’S THE POINT? Those that MOURN will be COMFORTED! The church needs to understand that true comfort, true joy, comes not in circumstances or in wishful thinking, hoping that things get better. Rather, true comfort comes in an intimate relationship with Jesus, the Good Shepherd of our souls.

IS HE YOUR COMFORT TODAY?

Blogs, John Grant

WHAT OR WHO IS YOUR GOLIATH?

John Grant, Week Six, 2021

The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:37

These past few months have been difficult for all of us, one way or another. Some have had health problems and even death in their families. Others have lost employment or even the business they had worked so hard to build up.

Difficulties hound all of us throughout our lives and they have since Eve bit into the apple. As I have looked around and talked with people recently, I have noticed they face their difficulties in a myriad of ways.

How to face our difficulties is illustrated multiple times in the Bible, but no better example there is better than the story of David and Goliath.

David and Goliath

The Israelites and the Philistines were at war with one another. The Philistines greatest weapon was not mechanical. It was human… a great big giant named Goliath. He could kill anyone.

Here’s what we learn from this story:

▪ The battle is the Lord’s and He will provide.

▪ David ran into the battle and not from it.

▪ David used what he had and did not lament over what he did not have.

I can’t help but to think how David victoriously faced Goliath. Fighting this overwhelming giant in the name of the Lord. Fighting and winning for God’s glory. Fighting and winning in God’s strength.

As we face our giants, as we face our fears and our concerns, as we face what life throws our way, let’s try to stand as David stood. Stand with strength and confidence in the Lord. I know that it is far easier said than done. We can see that in the fear and trepidation of all the other warriors who heard and saw Goliath. But David stood strong. Strong in the Lord. An example of how we can and should face our Goliath, knowing that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Remember to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”

As you face your Goliath, give Jesus your burdens and your fears, concerns, issues, illnesses… Trust in Him and He can and will give you peace beyond understanding and confidence, courage and strength to face your Goliath, with stones and sling in hand… “For the battle is the Lord’s.”

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

In America’s Expiration Date, Cal Thomas makes this prophetic statement: “Given the history of other empires and great nations, the decadence that now is tightening its grip on America almost guarantees our demise, or at the very least a radical decline that will leave the country devoid of the liberties we now enjoy, but are rapidly exchanging for a license to do whatever we wish.”

God destroyed the nation of Israel because of its sins (Amos 9:8). The less we fear divine judgment, the more we should (cf. v. 10). If a tiny virus can bring the world’s greatest superpower to its knees, what about the judgment of an omnipotent and holy God?

But as we discern and grieve for the sins of our nation, we must remember that it is always too soon to give up on God. And never too late to intercede for a mighty movement of His Spirit.

Methodist minister Samuel Chadwick wrote, “Satan dreads nothing but prayer. His one concern is to keep the saints from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, he mocks our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.”

Will you make Satan tremble today?

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Live by faith, not by fear. Ken Whitten

Waiting is like putting your gear in neutral when you feel like stripping your gears. Howard Hendrix

God doesn’t call a machine or artificial intelligence to do His work, He just calls people like you and me if we are truly His disciples. Dwight Short

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages. George Washington

While we were wishing for a return to the old normal, God wants to create a clean heart and a new normal. Why not let Him? Dwight Short

When the prayer police come through your neighborhood, will you be arrested for spending too much time on your knees?

Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential. Winston Churchill

Blogs, Jeremy Stopford

“SERMON ON THE MOUNT – AND BEYOND !!!”

Beatitude #1: “Blessed are the poor in spirit”

Jeremy Stopford, Semi-Retired Pastor

We will recall that Matthew 5:2 introduces the famous “Sermon on the Mount” (“SOTM” for short) with the words, “He [Jesus] opened His mouth and taught them…”. He was having a wonderful teaching exercise with His disciples.

But He was also challenging the “multitudes” (v. 1) who were perhaps curiously listening to what this so-called Prophet had to say. Jesus’ words were just as authoritative as when the mouth of the Lord was opened throughout the Old Testament, and the eternal wonderful truths were put to print. I am challenged! Do I treat Jesus’ words as “eternal truths that need my life’s attention”?

This is the “Sermon on the Mount” because, well, “He went up on a mountain.” OK, that’s easy to grasp. But what is the purpose of this sermon, and of these familiar sayings of blessings? The purpose of the SOTM is two-fold. First, it is designed by our Savior to give future direction for the coming “kingdom of heaven.” Throughout the gospel of Matthew, He is offering Himself to the nation of Israel as their promised Messiah. He is showing to them what such a “kingdom” really would be like with Him as their King of kings and Lord of lords.

We know from John 1:9, “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” Jesus offered Himself to Israel as their promised Prophet, Priest, King, Messiah. Ultimately, they “received Him not” – they rejected Him and willingly allowed Him to be crucified on the cross. “We have no king but Caesar” was their cry. The SOTM is for the future “kingdom of heaven”, the millennial kingdom, so promised and will be so given to Israel.

Until then, the SOTM is for us! It is a guideline, an open view to Jesus’ heart. Remember Charles Sheldon’s book, “In His Steps”? The classic line of that book is the question, “what would Jesus do?”. I wonder if Mr. Sheldon’s estate gets any royalties for the use of “WWJD”? I doubt it. Each beatitude, each portion of the SOTM, gives Jesus’ heart toward how He hopes those who love, worship, and live for Him respond to the daily challenges of life. Do I live with the insight, “what would Jesus do?” Do I?

But why are these often viewed “pithy sayings” in verses 3-12 referred to as “Beatitudes”? The word of introduction to each line is “Blessed”. Its translation in the Latin is, you guessed it, “Beatitude”! In the Greek, the word “blessed” is a most unusual one: “makarios”. “Well,” you say. “That’s Greek to me!” Sure is! But the Greek language is a most beautiful language. It is often a most descriptive one. When we have ONE word to describe something, the Greek has words of imagery painting classical paintings to surround the subject with color!

“Makarios”. Doesn’t it just roll off your tongue? It means, simply, “happy”. But it is BOLDLY DIFFERENT from our English word for “happy”. Our English word contains the 3 letters, “hap”, which in itself means “by chance”. The English word basically means a creation of an attitude caused by the happenstances – or chance – of life! If I were to ask you, “are you happy?”, it might really mean, “by CHANCE is everything going all right in your life?”.”

Should the Christian be governing his life “by chance”? No, no! That’s why God created the wonderful word “makarios”. It is a GOD JOY! It is GOD’S kind of “happiness” which is not dependent upon “happenings”. It is dependent upon…GOD HIMSELF! Perhaps the BEST understanding for us would be JOYFUL! This “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22) is a God-thing, as it were, created by Him for His purposes.

And each of those evidences of God’s guaranteed joy is seen in the 9 beatitudes of Matthew 5.

The first beatitude is POOR IN SPIRIT. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

We read this beatitude and we understand SOME of it! “Blessed” = God happy! A happiness which is created by knowing the true God and enjoying Him and His sweet fellowship each day. “The kingdom of heaven” = a kingdom to which a believing member of Israel would look forward to; but it is also a kingdom which represents the kind of attitude and people that God wants His children to be. “OK, I understand all that.” But “POOR in spirit?”. Who wants to be poor?

There are at least two different understandings of the word “poor”, aren’t there?

The first refers to someone who AIN’T GOT NOTHING! He’s so poor [“how poor is he?”]. He’s so poor that he is ABSOLUTELY poor! He is physically poor. He has no influence, will make no mark in society. He can’t even carry the load – his is a bankrupted life.

And the second? The second “poor” is someone who is “poor IN SPIRIT”! How is that different from the first poor? The one who is “poor in spirit” may have all the realizations of our first poor character. However, he has come to an amazing conclusion: “I may be poor. I may be bankrupt. I may have NO HOPE IN THIS WORLD. But I have a RICH GOD! I trust the everliving One Whose wounds for me plead.”

So if I’m “poor in spirit”, why am I described as “blessed”? Why am I described as one whose happiness, whose joy is found not by chance or good circumstances? Why am I one whose true joy is found not in myself but in the Lord Himself? Why am I blessed? What do the scriptures say?

“You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor.” (Psalm 68:10b)

“He will bring justice to the poor of the people;

He will save the children of the needy,

And will break in pieces the oppressor.” (Psalm 72:4)

“Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction,

And makes their families like a flock.” (Psalm 107:41)

“I will abundantly bless her provision;

I will satisfy her poor with bread.” (Psalm 132:15)

What unites each of these verses with our first beatitude? Is not not a two-fold fact? First, the poor in spirit is one who is completely dependent upon the One Who alone is worthy of his dependence! And second, the Lord Himself has his everlasting care upon the one who, although may be bankrupt from the world, is a treasure in God’s sight!

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”.

Ask yourself: from where comes my happiness? My family? My trophy spouse? My good golf game? My sports team winning the Super bowl (go Dolphins?). Or is my true happiness found in the Lord…Himself…Alone!

And ask yourself: am I “poor in spirit”? Is my eternal and daily dependence upon the One Who alone is worthy of my eternal and daily trust, as evident by His dying love for me at Calvary?

Finally, ask yourself: am I living for THIS earthly kingdom? Or am I living for the “kingdom of heaven”?

“This World Is Not My Home”

Written by Albert E. Brumley, 1905-1977

This world is not my home

I’m just passing through

My treasures are laid up

Somewhere beyond the blue

The Angels beckon me

From Heaven’s open door

And I can’t feel at home

In this world anymore

Chorus: Oh Lord, you know

I have no friend like you

If Heaven’s not my home

Then Lord what will I do

The Angels beckon me

From Heaven’s open door

And I can’t feel at home

In this world anymore

I have a lovin’ mother

Just hovering up in Gloryland

And I don’t expect to stop

Until I shake her hand

She’s waiting now for me

In Heaven’s open door

And I can’t feel at home

In this world anymore

Blogs, John Grant

JOY

January 3, 2026

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! (Psalm 100)

What could possibly be the right thing to give my bride for her birthday? I thought and thought and finally came up with a way-out idea. I decided to buy her a dog. I picked out a cute one at the dog store and brought her home. I hid her in a box and put a note on my bride’s desk that said my name is Joy and I love to play hide and seek. Come and find me. She did and they bonded instantly. They have been joined at the hip ever since and the little puppy has been every bit of her name, “JOY GRANT”

The Bible says a lot about joy, 155 times, in 38 books of the Bible. Joyful is mentioned 25 times. In the book of Job, one of Job’s friends utters some insightful words: “…the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?” (Job 20:5). There can be no true joy apart from God. Joy is a prominent feature of the true worship of God in the Old Testament. Wherever people know, love, and worship God, His love instills a joy, that only He can give, into the hearts of His worshipers (I Chronicles 15:16) Merriam-Webster defines ‘rejoice’ in this way, ‘to feel joy or great delight’.

Here are the five Biblical highlights on joy:

▪ Joy Is A Gift From God

▪ Doing God’s Will Increases Our Joy

▪ Circumstances Cannot Take Away Our Joy

▪ The Only Thing That Can Steal Our Joy Is Sin

▪ Christians Should Rejoice Always

What are you grateful for today? Will you take time to thank Him?

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

A Baptist minister named John Harper was on board the Titanic when it sank in the Atlantic Ocean in April 1912. He had a seat on a lifeboat alongside his sister and six-year-old daughter, but gave it up so he could stay on the sinking ship to preach to its doomed passengers. He even gave his life jacket to another passenger, who miraculously survived the disaster.

Rev. Harper continued sharing the gospel on the ship as it sank and then with those in the freezing water before he died. His daughter, Annie Jessie, went on to become the longest-living Scottish Titanic survivor.

Before the Titanic set sail, Pastor Harper wrote a letter to another clergyman, dated April 11, 1912. He thanked his fellow minister for his kindness when they had been together recently and closed his note, “The warriors are with me here and are doing well so far on the journey. With kindest love, your loving auld Pastor, John Harper.”

The letter recently sold at auction for more than $55,000. Its author’s sacrificial service after he wrote it was beyond price. Jim Denison

— o —

At night we tie the dog up and let the kids run loose. —Ken Whitten

John 14:12 records what we have to imagine was one of the most shocking things the disciples ever heard Jesus say:

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Upon hearing this, the disciples must have been floored. They had seen Jesus give sight to the blind, feed the five thousand, and raise Lazarus from the dead. We’re going to do “greater things than these” Jesus? Yes.

— o —

We are called to…

… Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength

… Love Your neighbor as yourself

… Take up your cross and follow Him

… Go therefore and make disciples, teaching and baptizing them

… Love as you have been loved

… Forgive as you have been forgiven

… Do the work of Him who has sent you as long as it is day. For night is coming when no one can work

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

If being a Christian is a criminal offense, is there enough evidence to place you in jail or just enough for you to receive a warning ticket for acting like one?

Did you ever wonder what worship might look like if we began singing songs to God instead of just singing about God?

Moral Therapeutic Deism – worshipping a creator God who blesses people who are good, nice, and fair and helps believers be happy and feel good about themselves.

Jesus did not come into this world to save us from hell, rather He came to save us from sin. —Ken Whitten

One-time Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz said, “Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.”

We can’t learn from the problems of our past if we refuse to shine a light on them and acknowledge them. —Dineen Wasylik

Now go therefore and make a difference… Be a world changer and glorify God through it all. —Marty Stubblefield

Are you failing, surviving, or thriving? —Jim Denison

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)