Gods Modern Day Martyr: 2018

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Go To The Mountain Top!

He took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray, and as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering... they saw his glory Luke 9:29-32

If I have found grace in thy sight, show me thy glory.
Exodus 33:13

When Jesus took these three disciples up into that high mountain apart, He brought them into close communion with Himself. They saw no man but Jesus only. And it was good to be there.

Heaven is not far from those who tarry on the mount with their Lord. Who has not in moments of meditation and prayer caught a glimpse of opening gates? Who has not in the secret place of holy communion felt the rush of some white surging wave of emotion-a foretaste of the joy of the blessed?

The Lord had times and places for quiet converse with His disciples, once on the peak of Hermon, but often on the sacred slopes of Olivet. Every Christian should have his Olivet.

Most of us, especially in the cities and towns, live at high pressure. From early morning until bedtime we are exposed to the whirl. Amid all this commotion, how little chance for quiet thought, for God's Word, for prayer and heart-to-heart fellowship!

Daniel needed to have an Olivet in his chamber amid Babylon's roar and idolatries. Peter found his on a housetop in Joppa. And Martin Luther found his in the "upper room" at Wittenberg, which is still held sacred.

If we do not get back to visions, peeps into heaven, consciousness of the higher glory and the larger life, we shall lose our religion. Our altar will become a bare stone, unblessed by visiting from Heaven. Here is the world's need today-"men who have seen their Lord."

Come close to Him! He may take you today up into the mountain top, for where He took Peter with his blundering, and James and John, those sons of thunder who again and again so utterly misunderstood their Father and His mission, there is no reason why He should not take you.

So don't shut yourself out of it and say, "Oh, these wonderful visions and revelations of the Lord are for chosen spirits!" They may be for you!

Go to the mountain top!!

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

My Prayer For You

Lord Jesus, I ask in Your Name, a request to keep my friends and family safe in this struggle to bring to light the dark forces of evil. As they open their eyes to the truth, let not their hearts be troubled, but give them understanding that You have told us these things must happen.

Help us to see the Enemy when he attacks so that we can recognize when he does. Give us the wisdom to know that we fight an invisible foe who is stronger than we are and we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against the powers of darkness and the rulers of evil, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers in the present age. Let us understand that we are fighting against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Thank You, God, for providing the armor we will need today and everyday, including the breastplate of righteousness You provided, the belt of truth, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is Your Word.

In the Mighty Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Ephesians 6:12-17

Sunday, April 1, 2018

He Is Risen!

The Glory of Easter lives on. The tomb where they laid His body is empty. The stone has been rolled away. The Son of Man has ascended and is seated at the right hand of God the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. This we know. This we believe. It is to this great truth that we bear witness.

We can believe this truth. This truth is the most important of all truths. Our mission will not be completed until Jesus Himself returns and reigns in righteousness and justice. Yet we undertake this mission with a sense of that same invincible hope that inspired those who peered with amazement into an empty tomb, saw the risen Savior face to face, and then proceeded to turn their world upright. We pray that you and your family will be especially blessed this resurrection Sunday. We thank you for your prayers for us. And we say: He is Risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Saturday, March 31, 2018

The Final Cry

We will never be able to fully comprehend the spiritual aspect of Christ’s suffering and shame, but medical studies have shed glimpses of light on the physical agony and all the horror that Jesus endured on the cross.

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Hebrews 12:3

Sweating Drops of Blood
And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:44

The Scourging
Jesus, battered and bruised, dehydrated, and exhausted from a sleepless night, is taken across Jerusalem. It was there, in response to the cries of the mob, that Pilate ordered the condemned Jesus to scourging and crucifixion. Preparations for the scourging are carried out. Jesus is stripped of His clothing and His hands tied to a post above His head. The Roman legionnaire steps forward with the flagrum in his hand. This is a short whip consisting of several heavy, leather thongs with two small balls of lead attached near the ends of each. The heavy whip is brought down with full force again and again across Jesus’ shoulders, back, and legs.

Nailed to the Cross
The beam is placed on the ground and Jesus is quickly thrown backward with His shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square, wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly, he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexion and movement. The beam is then lifted in place at the top of the posts and the titulus reading “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” is nailed in place.

The Agony
As the arms fatigue, great waves of cramps sweep over the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push Himself upward. Hanging by His arms, the pectoral muscles are paralyzed and the intercostal muscles are unable to act. Air can be drawn into the lungs, but cannot be exhaled. Jesus fights to raise Himself in order to get even one short breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically, He is able to push Himself upward to exhale and bring in the life-giving oxygen.

Hours of this limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from His lacerated back as He moves up and down against the rough timber. Then another agony begins. A deep crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart.

The compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues—the tortured lungs are making a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air. The markedly dehydrated tissues send their flood of stimuli to the brain. Jesus gasps, “I thirst.”

Final Cry
He can feel the chill of death creeping through His tissues. With one last surge of strength, He once again presses His torn feet against the nail, straightens His legs, takes a deeper breath, and utters His seventh and last cry, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.”

Monday, February 5, 2018

Angel Food

As much as we worry of an economic collaspe, may I remind you, build your Ark, but also remember...

Psalm 78:25
Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.

AngelFood