Captain of the Host – 20 August 2020, Anno Domini

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ND it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? 14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? * 15 And the captain of the LORD’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so. (Joshua 5:13-15)

            Though some Bible scholars may disagree, I believe there is absolute biblical evidence to show this Captain of the Host of the Lord was none other than the pre-Incarnate Christ! Who else is presented in Scripture leading the Host of Heaven, and who else, as a man, is deserving of worship?

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ND I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.  (Revelation 19:11-16)

            Joshua was standing on the frontier of the city of Jericho perhaps assaying his battle plan to breach the tall walls that fortified the city. It is likely that Joshua’s plan would never materialize, for God had another plan which would have made no sense to Joshua. It was God who would bring the walls of Jericho down and not Joshua and his army.

            As the faithful Joshua surveyed the approaches to Jericho, he spied a stranger before him with sword drawn as for battle. Joshua was courageous and undaunted by the first glimpse of this figure, but he would later fall down and worship this image of God. He went right up to the man whose sword was drawn  (that took courage) and asked if he was friend or foe. The stranger’s answer was not directed to the choice Joshua offered, i.e., friend or foe, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. Man is feeble in character and resolution. God is not on any man’s side. No, if men will have the security and protection of the Lord, they must be on the Lord’s side! Christ is our Captain, and He will lead the Armies of Heaven on His return, not come as a humble little baby. He is our militant Captain, and the Captain of Mercy and Grace to us:

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OU made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honour, and did set him over the works of your hands: 2:8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned wit h glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 2:11 For both he that santifies and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. (Hebrews 2:7-11)

Notice Joshua fell down and worshipped this figure (I say ‘figure’ because He was not mortal man). But worship is not acceptable to any other than God. We have two examples of the angel rebuking John the Revelator for kneeling in worship to him with the added counsel – worship God (only). 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See you do it not: I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit  of prophecy. And 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to wors hip before the feet of the angel which showed me these things. 22:9 Then says he unto me, See you do it not: for I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.  (Revelations 22:8-9)

Another time came Moses to the environs of Mt. Horeb when he came across the Burning Bush. Notice the similarity of counsel from God in the Bush to that given Joshua by the Captain of the Host of the Lord: 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 3:4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh here: put off your shoes from off your feet, for the place whereon you stand is holy ground.  3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. (Exodus 3:2-6)

            Let us now examine the peculiar nature of the term used here – ‘CAPTAIN.’ This is a military term and suggests that militancy must also be practiced by the people of God. A Captain is a leader of men. In the American military, a Captain is a Commissioned officer. He is commissioned by the President of the United States to act in his capacity as a leader with the authority of the President. So is the minister and laity of the Church commissioned by God to act on His behalf as directed in the Great Commission: 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 28:19 Go all of you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20) This represents the apostolic commission which the Church has been remiss in following – either in works, or in truth.

            Likewise, our Lord Jesus Christ was commissioned by the Father for His earthly ministry: 12:48 He that rejects me, and receives not my words,  has one that judges him: the word (o. logos) that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 12:50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. (John 12:48-50)

         As you can see, God delegated His work to His Son to fulfill according to the Councils of Heaven before the worlds were made. Jesus was faithful to His Father’s commandments in every tiny detail. Likewise, our Lord commissions us to act on His behalf in the world by carrying forth His message to every race, tongue and tribe of peoples scattered throughout the continents of the world and to the isles of the sea.

            I once had the privilege and honor to serve as a captain in the Army. One of my responsibilities as company commander was to keep an account of every soldier assigned on the muster rolls. A captain must know his men, and so does Christ know His followers. He, too, keeps a Muster Roll in Heaven. It is entitled the Lamb’s Book of Life in which every name of the faithful are inscribed. the sheep hear his voice: and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. (John 10:3-5)  A good soldier follows his captain into any arena of combat. In fact, that is the Infantry Slogan at Fort Benning – ‘Follow Me!’

            Our Captain is a Warrior and a man of war. 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.Exodus 15:3; but He is also the Captain of our Salvation and the Bishop of our souls. 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10)

            Are you seeking to get the Lord on YOUR side; or do you seek to forever stand on the LORD’S side?

The Secret Place of the Most High – 19 August 2020, Anno Domini

 

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E that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand;but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.  9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;  (Psalm 91:1-9)

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OR in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. (Psalm 27:5)

            When we were very young, we never ran to the security of our house when a threat such as a mean dog or a loud thunderclap arose. What did we do? We always ran to our father’s side for we knew wherever our father was we would find comfort and safety. Our father was big and strong, and plenty able to defend us from every imaginable threat – or at least so we supposed. Certainly, our father would protect us to the utter extent of his strength, but there are many sorrows and fears that arise in life that are beyond the power of a mortal father to address. But there are no threats or dangers in this life that are beyond the power of our Father in Heaven to neutralize. He is our fortress, shield and buckler; and, yes, His wings are strong and broad in covering His children from all evils.

            In a sense, we enjoy even greater intimacy of protection than His wings. We abide in His Heart, and He abides in ours. No worldly power can enter in to threaten that abode in Christ. He does not sojourn as if a visitor, but He ABIDES in the Temples of our souls. This is the very Secret Place of the Most High – a place of security, joy, and hope of which the world cannot know or intrude.

            The 91^st Psalm is a psalm of encouragement throughout the long, dark night of our souls. It is preceded by a prayer of Moses (90th Psalm) which extolls our attention to our sins and the detriment they afford to our souls. That 90th Psalm sets the stage for our understanding of the wages of sin; and the 91st Psalm informs us the security that is made available in Christ where the penalty for sin has been satisfied by a Beautiful Savior and Redeemer.

            It is the Godly love instilled in every believer by the Holy Ghost that, like Christ, we should have compassion on sinners whose hope is forlorn and whose souls are dead in trespasses and sins. We can relate to that unfortunate state of the soul for we walked in the same darkness ere the Light of the World lighted our path and brightened our steps. The close and intimate relationship we enjoy in Christ defines that Secret Place of our souls. This is not merely addressed in many of the Psalms, but throughout the Bible. That which our Beloved Teacher, the Holy Spirit, wishes us to remember with certain soundness, he reiterates over and over again. Repetition aids recall is a principle of learning of which God is the Master Teacher.  9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little. (Isaiah 28:9-10)

            It is within the hidden chambers of the heart the Holy Ghost makes His Temple at the moment of conversion. There is none stronger in protection and security – none able to satisfy the thirst and hunger of the soul with such complete grace and harmony of spirit.

            The outward appearance of piety may be deceiving. But the perfect representation of our Lord Jesus Christ is defined in the Wilderness Tabernacle. Within it was decorated in fine linens, silk, gold, silver, and burnished brass. But to the world viewing the Tabernacle from the outside, it was perhaps the most common in attraction of all structures – in fact, it was covered outside with goat hair. This presented a very plain and uncomely appearance compared to the beauty of the inner courts. This perfectly depicts our Lord whose outer appearance was common and ordinary, yet His divine Spirit and Soul was invested in beauty, compassion and love. 

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OR 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. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:2-7)

            There is an old Gospel song which asks: “Where  can I go but to the Lord?” The question is rhetorical since there is no other savior or redeemer to whom we may make appeal. He is the place of safety and our Ark of Salvation to which we must flee to avoid the coming day of wrath. As surely as that Ark of Noah rose higher and higher in the flood waters above the ruin and devastation below, so shall the believer in the Ark of Christ be lifted up in like manner on “the terrible day of the Lord.”  5  For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. 7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. (Psalm 27:5-7)

            Every home has a ‘secret place’ of meeting with God – the prayer closet. It may be an enclosed structure in the house, merely a veil of covering, or a quiet and solitary place at which we can meet our Lord in prayer face-to-face. 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.  (Matt 6:5-6)

            In His earthly ministry, even our Lord had a secret place of prayer to His Father in Heaven: 35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.  (Mark 1:34-35) Why did our Lord resort to a solitary place? Because the Voice of our Father may be drowned out in the hustle and bustle of the busy thoroughfare. When the noise of barter, trade and entertainment is blasting in our ears, it is not easy to hear that still small voice which spoke to Elijah. 7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. 9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

            Until the heart is still and attentive in prayer, it is unlikely that we will hear the Voice of the Lord though He is able under every circumstance to open our ears. Enter into that “secret place of the Most High” and make your appeal directly to the Lord of Mercy and Grace. His ears are not stopped by any extraneous circumstance.

Hymns of the Church - I am Dwelling on the Mountain – 18 August 2020, Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)

This is a beautiful devotional hymn not only for its depth of meaning, but the beauty of its poetry. It was composed by William Hunter around 1859. The tune by is Rev JW Dadmun. The descriptive nouns and adjectives employed are expressive of the natural beauty of God’s Creation and the manner in which He places an appreciation for that beauty in the souls of believers.

I am Dwelling on the Mountain,

I am dwelling on a mountain,

Where the golden sunlight gleams

O’er a land whose wondrous beauty

Far exceeds my fondest dreams;

Where the air is pure, ethereal,

Laden with the breath of flowers,

That are blooming by the fountain,

’Neath the amaranthine bowers.

Chorus:

Is not this the land of Beulah?

Blessed, blessed land of light;

Where the flowers bloom forever,

And the sun is always bright?

I can see far down the mountain,

Where I wandered weary years,

Often hindered in my journey,

By the ghosts of doubt and fears;

Broken vows and disappointments

Thickly scattered all the way;

But the spirit led unerring

to the land I hold today. [Chorus]

I am drinking at the fountain,

Where I ever would abide,

For I’ve tasted life’s pure river,

And my soul is satisfied;

There’s no thirst for earthly pleasures,

Nor adorning rich and gay,

For I’ve found a richer treasure,

One that fadeth not away. [Chorus]

Tell me not of heavy crosses,

Nor the burdens hard to bear,

For I've found this great salvation

Makes each burden light appear;

And I love to follow Jesus,

Gladly counting all but dross,

Worldly honors all forsaking

For the glory of the cross. [Chorus]

Oh! the cross has wondrous glory!

Oft I’ve proved this to be true,

When I’m in the way so narrow,

I can see a pathway through;

And how sweetly Jesus whispers,

“Take the cross, thou need’st not fear,

For I've trod the way before thee,

And the glory lingers near.” [Chorus]

            1 I am dwelling on a mountain, Where the golden sunlight gleams O’er a land whose wondrous beauty Far exceeds my fondest dreams; Where the air is pure, ethereal, Laden with the breath of flowers, That are blooming by the fountain, ’Neath the amaranthine bowers. Every believer resides on higher ground than the common mass of humanity. They are lifted there by the Word and Spirit of God. The Light of God constantly bathes their inner being where no man can enter. That Land of Promise which Moses beheld from Mt. Nebo is as a wilderness compared to that Land to which every saint of God has His destiny. The breath of the Holy Spirit serves as a continual fragrance to those whose love is fixed above. The flowers of faith always bloom near the Fountain of Life which is symbolic of our Lord. The amaranthine flowers are those wonderful flowers of purple tint that never die.

            2 I can see far down the mountain, Where I wandered weary years, Often hindered in my journey, By the ghosts of doubt and fears; Broken vows and disappointments Thickly scattered all the way; But the spirit led unerring to the land I hold today. [Chorus] When we are too close to the world, we often see the marred remnant of God’s Creation – marred by sin and ruin; but from the mountaintop, we have a better perspective of the true beauty of His original art. The higher we ascend the mountain, the less there is of the world about us. We do have memories of our sinful past, but this serves as a reminder of what God has done to change us and make us new. Down on the lowly plain of the world below the mountaintop, we can see all the ill-winds and broken roads which we formerly traveled in our self-wills. But the Holy Spirit, at the moment of our salvation, has lifted us from that muddy path of old and placed our feet on the solid ground of the mountain peak.

            3 I am drinking at the fountain, Where I ever would abide, For I’ve tasted life’s pure river, And my soul is satisfied; There’s no thirst for earthly pleasures, Nor adorning rich and gay, For I’ve found a richer treasure, One that fadeth not away. [Chorus] We need drink of the Water of Life daily while traversing this wilderness pilgrimage. In fact, we must make our homes by her flowing waters. There is no water that satisfies as the Water of Life which our Lord provides. Those things that once bore an overbearing and unquenchable appeal now seem as paltry rags of the depraved. The old silken robes we cherished, and gems of exquisite charm, no longer bear a value to us – we have donned the Robe of Righteousness provided by Christ to cover our sins (filth). That Robe never fades and shall be our wedding garment at the last day.

            4 Tell me not of heavy crosses, Nor the burdens hard to bear, For I've found this great salvation Makes each burden light appear; And I love to follow Jesus, Gladly counting all but dross, Worldly honors all forsaking For the glory of the cross. [Chorus] Do you believe your cross too heavy to bear. Could you bear that cross of Christ as He ascended Mt. Calvary? His cross was a combination of every man’s cross added together. If it were given, could you carry a one-hundred-pound sack of gold twenty feet? You would do so if you had to move a mountain! So, this burden of compassion for others, and love of the lost, must not be so heavy as to quench your devotion. Following Christ is the Way of sacrifice, but it is tinged with glory and joy. At your last breath, you will not regret not having that last fling on the town, or amassing more money – no, your thoughts will turn to those eternal considerations that loom larger than any earthly consideration. Will you close your eyes in peace and joy, or go screaming and struggling into the dark doom that is the reward for a life of sin unrepented?

5 Oh! the cross has wondrous glory! Oft I’ve proved this to be true, When I’m in the way so narrow, I can see a pathway through; And how sweetly Jesus whispers, “Take the cross, thou need’st not fear, For I've trod the way before thee, And the glory lingers near.” [Chorus] The tiny cross you bear – is it not the reward of a believer whose burden is made light by our Lord? If it grows too heavy, it may be made much lighter with a dose of renewed faith. We are unable to bear our crosses in our own paths and wills – we must follow our Lord whose shoulders are broad to share our burdens, and His Way is filled with glistening hope! 

AOC Sunday Report - Tenth Sunday after Trinity

Happy Tenth Sunday after Trinity as the seeming endless Green Season bakes on here in the Northern Hemisphere.

The AOC Sunday Report can be downloaded RIGHT HERE!

There are, as always, excellent sermons today from Bishops Jerry and Roy, as well as Revs Jack and Bryan.  I really liked Jack's, but I heard it. They all read very well.

Every week there are a long list of people who need your prayer, this is no exception.  Today I ask that you pray for Amy and her father Bill as he prepares to leave this earth for home, and for Shamim who never gives up and needs much prayer and for Bob; work out from there.  Please pray for our respective countries as we fight through the real and artificial horrors of the Covid 19 virus.

There really is an EPIC week ahead, and I know you have heard this before, but you won't have a clue how good it can be unless you let that Third God Guy guide you.

Godspeed,

Hap

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

United States of America

Sermon Notes - A New Kind of King - Tenth Sunday after Trinity - Saint Andrew’s Anglican Orthodox Church - 16 August 2020, Anno Domini

The Tenth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

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ET thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of thy humble servants; and, that they may obtain their petitions, make them to ask such things as shall please thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. (Psalm 66:18)

There is an interesting account in the life of the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte at the zenith of his power. A distraught mother approached the military genius with a plea for mercy and pardon for her son. The Emperor responded that the young man had committed two separate offenses deserving death, and justice demanded the sentence to be carried out. “But it is not justice for which I ask” responded the distraught woman, “but it is mercy that I plead for my son.” “But your son does not deserve a grant of mercy!” Napoleon replied. “Sir,” she answered, “If my son deserved mercy, it would not be mercy, and mercy is all that I seek!” “Well, then,” replied the Emperor, “I shall grant mercy,” and he pardoned the woman’s son.

The Collect for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity makes a petition in two points: 1) that God open His ears of mercy in hearing our prayers, and 2) that the Holy Ghost will conform our hearts and desires to ask for those things only that are pleasing to God. 

Opening God’s Ears of Mercy

Mercy is a powerful characteristic that gives birth to unmerited grace. It is worth noting that God’s ears are ‘merciful.’ This is not a casual description of God’s ‘ways’ but rather a magnification of a salient characteristic of God – His Ears are FULL of mercy to hear our prayers. Why do we need mercy? It is because justice would condemn us all to the fires of Hell. We do not become sinners at a certain time because we exercised our free will to sin – we are born sinners and are yoked with a nature that can do no good. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. (Psalms 51:5) The only so-called free will that we have is a will to sin. When we have been brought into a close relationship with Christ, our wills to do good are no longer ours, but His. Apart from the imputed righteousness of Christ, we continue as born sinners, and are sinners by our very natures inherited from the blood of Adam. So justice we must escape if we will live, and it is mercy and grace that is the only remedy for our sinfulness. 

“LET thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of thy humble servants.” Is there anything that will stop those ears of mercy in being attendant to our prayers? The 18^th verse of the 66^th Psalm quoted above is one cause that God will not hear our prayers. If we are NOT humble servants, but rather have hearts populated by sinful thoughts (even thoughts that do not materialize in sinful actions) God will not hear our prayers. If the sinner's free will rules in his heart, God has no reason to be merciful or to hear the prayer. Once our eyes and ears are open to God, His will be open to us. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. (John 9:31) 

Even an obedient and humble child may petition the parent for some candy or sweet that is not wholesome for his health. The child knows not the food pyramid and the harm in neglecting it, so the parent knows better and will deny, at times, the innocent, but unhealthy, request of the child. God does so as well. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (James 4:3) If we expect God to listen intently to our prayers, we must deport ourselves as sons and daughters belonging to a great King, and mindful of our familial responsibilities to that Sovereign Parent. If our hearts are to receive the abundance in blessings for which we plead, those hearts must not be brim-full of thoughts of iniquity or malice. They must be hearts empty of the world and full of the Spirit of God and His Mind. We dare not ask an urgent favor of one with whom we have had bitter quarrels, but we are very likely to run to the feet of one with whom we have long been friends –one whose mind is consistent with our own thinking. Why is this so? Because like minds are more generous to one another. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor 2:16)  Many good and honest men and women have resolved to be righteous, and with earnest intent; but they discover that their free wills cannot achieve righteousness. Before a moment passes they find themselves dogged by many sinful desires and words. If we will be righteous, we must rid our hearts of our human free wills, and take on the Mind that is in Christ to do HIS will and not our own sinful wills. Having that MIND will open the ears of mercy in Heaven to our prayers. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (Phil 2:5)

Asking for Those Things Pleasing Unto God

What things may a child ask that is pleasing to a human parent? “Dad, I am having trouble with a bully at school. Will you give me some advice?” or, “Mom, many girls in the sixth grade wear make-up. They ridicule my plain appearance. How should I respond?” These are simple pleas for help in real problems that confront the child. The parent realizes the seriousness to the child of such problems and is pleased that the child came to the parent for help. The parent desires the same result as the child – the bullying to be dealt with, or the daughter to be equipped to deal with the wrong kind of peer pressure at school. The petition is a reasonable one seeking good results and not harmful ones. God is exactly like the parent in hearing the petitions of His children. He is pleased when we ask for those things that He is already inclined to grant even before our asking. The lectionary readings today reflect, in the Gospel of Luke 19, the immeasurable mercy of Christ over Jerusalem as He wept over the city. He wanted so desperately to grant them mercy, but they had a different MIND and would have none of it. The problem with our prayers is that they are often too ME-centered. Give ME a promotion at work; give ME the new house I am seeking to acquire; give ME some stellar gift that sets me apart and above my fellows. These prayers ask things that are not pleasing to God to grant. But if we ask for those things that will bless God’s heart and are in conformity with His own Will, how rich and profound will be our blessing. What is that greatest blessing of being of one Mind with God? And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:7) We, too, must be willing and able to bear a cross of suffering for others as Christ has born for us: Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind (1 Peter 4:1) Which mind? The Mind of Christ. If ever you are confronted with an honest moment of doubt as to whether or not an action or thought is Godly, just imagine that Christ is standing right beside you (for He is). Does that thought change the context of doubt for you? Reader, are you a humble servant in your prayers? Do you seek to ask for those things only that you know to be pleasing to God? If you do not know that which is pleasing to God, then that forms the basis for another very Godly prayer, doesn’t it?

This Collect sets an excellent example of a prayer that God will love to hear. The petition is not for personal advantage but uttered from humility, and a sincere desire to ask only for those things pleasing to God. The wisdom inherent in such a prayer is this: that our minds be conformed to that of the Mind of Christ so that the things we ask are really those things which He is predisposed to grant and consistent with His favor.

“…..and I dwell in the House of the Lord Forever” Ps 23:6b

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ND when He was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; 38. Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. 39. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto Him. Master, rebuke Thy disciples. 40. And He answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. 41. And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, 42. Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 43. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 44. And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. 45. And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; 46. Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. 47. And He taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief ofthe people sought to destroy Him, 48. And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.’ (Luke 19:37-48)

This trip to Jerusalem is the last in the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, but, in spite of His knowing of His coming Crucifixion,  His will is steadfast and unflinching.  He “went on before His disciples.” A good leader always leads his men and does not follow in the safety of the rear echelon.

Luke 9:51 says, “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem .”

This is a rare form of courage that is beyond our understanding.

In Luke’s account of this event, the emphasis is upon the Royalty and Kingship of Christ.

First

The narrative brings into prominence Christ’s part in originating the triumphal entry (vs. 30-34). He sent for the colt with the obvious intention of stimulating the people to just such a demonstration as followed.

Notice the Lord’s own preparation and command of the events to follow: (Luke 19:30-36)

³⁰ Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. ³¹ And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. ³² And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. ³³ And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? ³⁴ And they said, The Lord hath need of him. ³⁵ And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.. ³⁶ And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way 

The nature of His dominion is as plainly taught by the humble pomp as is its reality.

            A pauper King, who makes His public entrance into His city mounted on a borrowed ass, with His followers’ clothes for a saddle, attended by a shouting crowd of poor peasants, who for weapons or banners had but the branches plucked from other people’s trees, was a new kind of king.

We do not need Matthew’s quotation of the prophet’s vision of the meek King coming to Zion on an ass, to understand the contrast of this kingdom with such a dominion as that of Rome, or of such princes as the Herods.

We see at the beginning of our text how the disciples and all the people began to praise Christ and welcome Him as King. 

We witness a contrast here in the crowds of people: The Disciples proclaiming Him to be King, and the background filled with hostile spies.

This was unlike any of his actions before. He had previously downplayed his role as King of Kings, but now knows the time is near to proclaim it out of the mouths of babes and commoners.

Second

Look at this humble procession:

We have the humble procession with the shouting disciples and the background of hostile spies.

The disciples eagerly caught at the meaning of bringing the colt and threw themselves with alacrity into what seemed to them preparation for the public assertion of royalty, for which they had long been impatient.

  

Luke tells us that they lifted Jesus on to the seat which they hurriedly prepared, while some spread their garments in the way — the usual homage to a king:

How different the vision of the future in their minds and His! They dreamed of a throne;  He knew it was a Cross. Round the southern shoulder of Olivet they came, and, as the long line of the Temple walls, glittering in the sunshine across the valley, burst on the view, and their approach could be seen from the city, they broke into loud acclamations, summoning, as it were, Jerusalem to welcome its King.

Let’s examine verse 39: And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto Him. Master, rebuke Thy disciples..

The Pharisees were not there to add anything to the celebration.. They were there to undermine Christ. They still do so! The modern pulpits are filled with men who are willing to allow Christ to be mentioned, only, “please do not make so very much of Him.” They are always with us to deter us and prevent our full blossoming of Faith.

Does the Gospel depend, in any respect, on the effort of mere men? Not at all. Whatsoever the Lord decrees, it shall come to pass. If no man speaks the Word of Truth, then the very Stones will cry out!

41. And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it,

Why did Christ weep over Jerusalem? He saw the future of that city. 40 years later.

            He saw the massed Roman Armies under Titus coming to encircle and to suffocate the City, He saw trenches dug about its perimeter and battlements erected against its walls.

He saw the starving children within her seiged walls, and the inhabitants eating their young for famine…..and ….He wept!

At the moment of His triumphal entry, we see Him plunged into utter sorrow for the people of Jerusalem. That sorrow is a sign of His real manhood, but it is also a part of His revelation of the very heart of God. The form is human, the substance divine. 

The man weeps because God pities. Christ’s sorrow does not hinder His judgments. The woes which wring His heart will nevertheless be inflicted by Him. Judgment is His ‘strange work,’ alien from His desires; but it is His work. 

The eyes which are as a flame of fire are filled with tears, but their glance burns up the evil.  Note the yearning in the unfinished sentence, ‘If thou hadst known.’ Note the decisive closing of the time of repentance. Note the minute prophetic details of the siege, which, if ever they were spoken, are a distinct proof of His all-seeing eye. And from all let us fix in our hearts the conviction of the pity of the judge, and of the judgment by the pitying Christ.

45. And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; 46. Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

I want each of you to imagine that this little church decided to abrogate our policy of not conducting fund-raising enterprises. Suppose that we held a bake sale or yard sale here in the yard of our church. Suppose many people were coming to buy our merchandise and we were looking at the hope of building a new edifice. “Except the Lord buildeth the house, they labor in vain that buildeth it.  ”Suppose a good man of the community comes without warrant or warning and begins to turn our money tables over and chase us off the property with a cane. How would we react?

But that is exactly what Christ does in the Temple. The Church is not our private property to raise ill-gotten money. It belongs to God! He will provide the resources for its building by the love of the people, not their merchandising. The Church is a House of Prayer and not merchandise. Let the other churches transgress His will, we shall not.

How was the reprimand of Christ received by the preachers of that community?

Read for yourselves: 47. And He taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy Him,

48. And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.’

Let us trust in the Lord for all our provision and we shall be well. 

Amen

Hath God Said? – 14 August 2020, Anno Domini

 

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OW the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.   Genesis 3:1-5

 

            What has God said to His faithful remnant upon the earth today? Has He somehow changed His manner in dealing with Israel of the Old Testament Church and Israel of the New Testament Church through some imaginative dispensational means? Or has God spoken and it is finished? Has He uttered and it was made certain? Is the Mind of God as uncertain from day to day as that of the feeble mind of man, or are His Words Immutable and unchangeable in reflecting the Mind that is the same yesterday, today, and forever? 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. Hebrews 13:8,9 Has a single jot or tittle of the Scriptures been altered from the day of its utterance by God to this very day? No, despite man’s attempt to ‘justify himself’ in altering shades of meanings and even whole verses of God’s Word, that Word is also on record in Heaven where the soiled finger of man cannot reach. No man can finally change a single letter or syllable of that Word. 

 

            The fleshly and carnal attractions of the world are constant in their appeal to the eyes and hearts of men and women in the same sense as that experienced by Eve at Eden. The words that God has pronounced (all for our well-being), and those we would prefer to believe, are in constant war in our vessels of clay. The modern church twists the clearly stated Word of God into such twisted meanings that they become the very opposite of that which the Lord has proclaimed.

 

For example: is it possible to find any scripture passage that condones or advocates homosexual marriage? Yet, a growing number of churches today find that wicked and filthy sin to be wholly compatible with God’s Will. Not many years past, I wrote a ministerial letter strongly condemning homosexual marriage as an afront to that first institution of God (marriage) that was intended to foreshadow His last sanctioned institution of the state of Marriage existing between Our Lord, as Bridegroom, and the Church as Bride. (Shadows of Sodom).  

 

The letter went out on our national media platforms and I received many comments of support; however, I also received some vicious responses as well. Some were fairly confusing. I received a phone call from a rather proud and arrogant homosexual who insisted that I knew nothing of the subject I had addressed. I am proud to say that I do not, however, I told him I would take God’s word for it as being a sin. He claimed to be a Bible-believing Christian who was involved in a same-sex union. He told me that practicing homosexuality was no different than eating shrimp. I must admit, that comment baffled me. I asked for an explanation. He stated that the old food laws on shell-fish, etc., had been done away by the New Testament, and so had God’s ban on homosexuality. Really? I asked, and what of Romans 1, 1 Cor 6:9-11, etc. He had no answer for that but persisted without qualification in his ‘shrimp theory.’

 

The Great Deceiver seldom makes a frontal assault on the Word of God. He most often begins with a question of God’s Word: Hath God said? Once he has established even a slither of doubt as to whether God has said or not, he progresses to the next stage of outright denial of God’s Word.  He is doing so today in the clever manipulation of Bible translations to question the text used by the early fathers as well as that used by the great English and Continental Reformers. They have dug up some manuscripts of the past that the early church rejected and which are full of deletions and disagreements with one another. These they claim to be superior to the stronger wording of the Received Text. (Geneva Bible, KJV, Great Bible, Bishop’s Bible, Coverdale, etc). These ‘new manuscripts’ are sometimes referred to as the Minority Text because these are based on only five primary textual manuscripts – the Sinaiticus and the Vaticanus being their primary evidence. These disagree in many points with each other. Where verses would appear in the Received Text, the Minority Text manuscripts often leave a blank space. Why? There are nearly 5,000 manuscript evidences underlying the Received Text (or Ecclesiastical Text as the late Dr. Theodore Letis liked to call them). These agree in all points with each other. So, I will stand by the Bible (Received Text), for which men were willing to go to the burning stake, over those whose copyright for profit depended upon how many changes the translators could make to obtain official approval.

 

I once attended a church at which some of the women were dressed in evening gowns.  The preacher mounted the pulpit and began to preach about King David. His text was taken from 2 Samuel 6. He read, 20  . . . And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!  21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. 22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. (2 Sam 6:20-22)

 

Following this reading, the organist began playing a waltz-like hymn and the preacher began to dance a waltz with some of the women in evening dresses proclaiming if David did so, it is acceptable in church as well for the preacher to dance with the young maidens. He did not say so at the time, but I presume, since David did so, it would be acceptable as well to commit adultery, and to murder the husband of the woman with whom that sin was committed. At least the preacher did not go so far as to remove his outer attire. Naturally, I departed the premises after a talk with that ‘minister.’

 

The devil has told us that we need to adapt to the times – that societal values have changed and we need to keep abreast of them. He has told us that young people will not brood the quaint and Bible-centered hymns of the ancient church. If we desire to get the youth into churches, we must adopt the kind of sensual music that will appeal to them. We must let our barriers down concerning sex outside of marriage and simply go along with the ‘crowd.’ Do you feel that way, friend? I know where the ‘crowd’ is headed. They are on that broad thoroughfare that leads to destruction. If the youth lack appreciation for reverent music and the Holy Bible, our responsibility is to educate them up to an appreciation thereof – not lower the standards of the church to the street level in language, worship, and music. All of my teens love the KJV and the classical hymns of the Church. Youth are easily convinced if we simply teach them the meaningful difference in hymns and barroom ballads.

 

Hath God said Thou shalt not commit adultery? What does that mean except what it explicitly says? Hath God said, Thou shalt not lie? Tell that one to the proliferation of lying politicians among us today. 

 

How is it possible for the churches to redefine the clearly stated words of God to mean precisely the opposite of their clearly defined words? Is there not a cause?

 

Shall we continue to recognize the Lord Jesus Christ as the Only Begotten Son of God (KJV), or simply as a one and only Son not unlike the others who are the called, sons and daughters of God (most new versions). (compare John 3:16 – KJV & NIV)

 

3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: 4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? 5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. 6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. (Psalm 12:3-7)

 

The Lord has not failed in His promise to preserve His Holy Word to all generations. Man may try to amend them, but they are recorded in Heaven beyond his reach to defile.

When the Wine runs out – 13 August 2020, Anno Domini

 

 

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ND when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.  (John 2:3-10)

 

            This was the first miracle wrought by our Lord and is testimony of the profound importance the Lord places upon the marriage institution (being and the express image of that relationship existing between the Church and her Bridegroom – the Lord Jesus Christ). The time frame is the season of Passover (Spring). 13And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  (John 2:13) There can be no doubt that the beverage consumed was fermented wine. We know this for several reasons, but two only will suffice for this devotion:

 

1.     No one consumes such an abundance of pure grape juice at a banquet. Whatever that drunk, it made them merry so much so that they could not tell the quality of the wine served last;

 

2.     The season of Passover is in the Spring. The grape harvest occurs in the fall in the Holy Land. No grape juice could remain unfermented over a period of six or more months. 

 

            So, when the wine was exhausted, Mary appealed to her Son to satisfy the deficit. This He did by transforming six large earthen pots of water (brim-full) to wine. It was the very best wine which was to be the last served.

 

            The red grape wine is symbolic of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for us as a propitiation for our sins. The red color, moreover, is symbolic of that same sacrifice. It represents His sinless blood! Just as the wine of grapes gives a warm and joyful physical sensation, so does the blood of Christ impart a spiritual joy beyond and warmth beyond our imaginations to comprehend. And the wonder of it all is that He often saves our best wine for last.

 

            We often go through life with varying degrees of commitment and devotion to God – not that we lose faith – but that we are distracted by troubles in the world and of the heart.  When we do so, we are as the Prodigal Son going into a far country where we are ill-treated by strangers who love us not. Just as the Prodigal came to himself after a time of want, degradation, and depravity, we come to our senses and return on that long road of abandonment which we journeyed in leaving the presence of the Father. We never ceased to be His child, but we placed ourselves outside His arms of grave and protection for a time.

 

            Having mortal frames susceptible to the false illusions of the world and its shiny temptations, we may have forgotten that we are His child. The same elements of the world that drew us away from our Father are the ones that may awaken our spirits to our profound need. The mist and vapors covering the illusions that drew us away began to fade away and we begin to see clearly the ugliness of those things which drew us away in the first place. So we return. He has never forgotten us but watches day and night the road on which we departed. As we emerge on the horizon, ragged and covered in filth, He recognizes us and runs to meet us. 

 

            Those temptations that have deceived and entrapped us are the wines of the world – the riotous atmosphere of the drunken pub. But those wines will expire along with the false hopes they promised, and we are left without wine to endure the hurtful challenges of the world. It is that moment – the time when we are holding on to the last knot in the rope – that our Lord comes to us in renewed soul and spirit, and we cry aloud – Save Me! There is no more of our old wine left to tide our drunken spirits on, so we must call out in desperation for succor.

 

            Our Lord is a Lord of Miracles and Mercy. He will turn our empty jars into overflowing wine of gladness. Instead of the depravity of drunken stupor, we become drunk on the heavenly wine of His Word and Spirit. That is the true spiritual Wine of His Spirit unmixed and unadulterated by any mixture of water as is done in the taverns by men. 22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: (Isaiah 1:22)  Our Lord does not mix His wine with water, He converts His Water of Life to the very Blood of Life: 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. (Leviticus 17:11)

 

Our frail works are all as filthy rags. We can in no wise atone for our own sins being evil as we are in imagination. There are no good works we can perform that can save us – only the blood sacrifice of a righteous Lord. 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Living Word, and His Word is our Bread of Life which we must consume daily for our health. His Blood is our soul’s Spirit which is our teacher and companion to call to our remembrance all things written about our Lord in His Word.

 

There are two salient verses on the nature of the wine of the Lord upon which Illyricus comments:

 

1.     8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.

 

2.     17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. (Isaiah 51:17)

 

The wine of the Lord must be fully consumed in its time of visitation – there is no stale wine or blessing. But  His wrath is consumed in leftover dregs which we have rejected through disobedience of His Word. So, says Illyricus: As the cup signifies its part of the cross and castigation, which God in His own time distributes or gives out to everyone: so the dregs of that draught do signify the most bitter part of the calamity or punishment.

 

The Lord counseled we shall drink from the same cup from which He drank. Our Holy Communion Service observes that fact in the elements of Bread and Wine. The Cup from which our Lord drank led, ultimately, to His resurrection and ascension; however, before those events there stood, brooding and singular, that terrible Cross of pain and suffering, death and burial. Perchance our cups may lead to hardship, rejection by society, and even death, but after – the resurrection.

 

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ND he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.

 

Bearing our crosses daily and following Jesus may lead to places we would rather not go, but go we must if we follow Him. 

 

Perhaps it is time to shed ourselves of that old wine of the world with its maladies and derangements and take up the best wine which our Lord offers in the Spirit.