Jacobs Thoughts and Doings

Anna Ruth, on an ordinary day, can make 4 of these baby tams that will be distributed in MCC bundles for use in our great, wide world!

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.

2 Peter 3:10 – 12

I hear very little such talk these days here in our culture.  We evidently are not aware of what will happen, when the end of our physical world is a reality.  Then a new thing will happen, a new heaven and a new earth will appear.

My mind has no problem with these words, except that I have never fully digested their meaning – when earth and heaven as we know them will disappear – gone!  Then what?  A new heaven and a new earth will appear.  How can we understand the meaning of this?  The times are in God’s hand.  Our minds cannot fully understand what will appear.  Our planet as we know it will be no more – therefore time, as we know it, will vanish and an entire new way of viewing reality will be upon us.

I find that I am consumed by what is happening on this earth now.  If I am not careful, I omit completely the new reality for the redeemed.  Our culture knows nothing of that reality so it cannot even think of using language like this.

If this revelation is for us – how shall we live?  The Word tells us, where righteousness reigns.  That binds heaven and earth together.  Moses spoke of righteousness.  Jesus paid the price so that we can live where righteousness reigns.  And the new earth and the new heavens will proclaim the same thing – God’s righteousness reigns.

“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

I am impressed this morning by the strong contrast – “die to sins and live for righteousness.” How do we go about that?  The answer is in Jesus, by his wounds you have been healed. 

It all goes back to Jesus, dying on the Cross to forgive our sins and to usher into our lives the blessed Holy Spirit.

I am amazed, again, that the price has already been paid by Jesus and He now extends the invitation to inherit the blessing.  That is to you and me, the offer is there.

We had nothing to do with working out our own salvation.  So, friend, we stand before one of the most wonderful facts – Jesus died for my sin long, long ago.  I simply inherit its blessing. By his stripes we are healed.  Not our stripes!  But His! How could I ever doubt that?

Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.  This is the bread that came down from heaven.  Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.

John 6:57, 58

Our culture is not used to think like this.  It seems absurd and without any significant meaning.  Yet it is undoubtedly one of the mightiest revelations of Jesus Christ – killed, raised and at the right hand of God now. Having made this point Jesus declares that he is the “bread that came down from heaven.”  He is eternal food for the soul of all mankind. All who feed on Jesus will live forever.

All of us who believe are blessed beyond measure. I know it is hard to take hold of this truth.  Only those who love Jesus can understand it. It is opaque to all others.  I refer to the entire revelation of Jesus but particularly how we relate to him.  Hold on.  We are to eat Jesus.  That sounds preposterous but it is truth, always and forever!

The promise stands whether we take advantage of it or not.  Jesus is made to us food that gives eternal life.

As I write this I must admit that I embrace this truth only because Jesus proclaimed it as truth.  Eat Jesus?  That is exactly what Jesus said.  Now, my soul, believe and allow Jesus to change your life.

 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

John 17:14 – 16

Jesus is praying this prayer as the disciples are with him at that last supper.  He prays for them in their hearing!  I find this interesting.

Jesus if facing unbelievable challenges and hate.  In this moment he reminds his disciples that as He, Jesus, is not of this world, so they are not of this world because they have been rescued by Jesus Christ.  They are in this world, physically, but their souls, hearts and minds live in a new reality where Jesus is Lord and Master!  They will soon see Jesus in the throes of temptation.  As we read in Isaiah 53 Jesus was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.  Truly, Jesus, while in the world, is way beyond this world.

That also describes you and me, followers of this Jesus.  We are not of this world, but we are born again of that which is beyond this world, in the very heart of God.  The Lord who saved us knows all about this.  He was despised, etc., because he was of heaven.

At this point Jesus prayed that the saved ones should know their new standing before God, newly washed by the Blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God!

So we stand with Jesus, in this world but not of this world.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20, 21

My little mind can barely understand this passage, one of my favorites in the New Testament.  I will share my thoughts, etc.

God is able!  It is to Him that we pray.  He is able, has the power and wisdom, shall we say, to do more that we are even capable of asking!  How is this possible, we might rightly ask?  The answer is simple, the power of almighty God is working in us!  That is how.

We know God and we receive by faith his promises.  We do not conger up what God can do.  That, friend, is what is revealed to us by the Spirit of the Lord.  It is truth, simple and profound, revealed to us by God’s marvelous grace.

God’s power works in us as we repent of self-effort and trust completely in Jesus to release that power in us and for us.  That is in the plan and purpose of God.  It cost God Calvary but it is, in a real sense, free for you and me.  It changes us marvelously.

Let us glorify the Lord who is at work among all believers in the world, for He is in us, the church, to glorify Jesus Christ throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.  I add my hearty Amen!

The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

John 10:2 – 3

Allow me to share a few thoughts about calling the sheep.

First, this shepherd is welcome to use the gate, false shepherds are not.  They must find a devious way!

Second, this shepherd is not a hireling, but he owns the sheep!  They are his, all of them.  As owner of the sheep the shepherd pays careful attention to the needs of each sheep.  They are so different!

Third, the sheep respond only to the voice of their very own shepherd. They will not follow the enticing insinuations of another.

Fourth, their very own shepherd leads them.  That shepherd is responsible for each sheep. On their own those sheep are hopelessly lost.

I hear a verse ringing in my ears, the sheep talking, “The Lord is my shepherd.”

Jesus, I am a most thankful and willing sheep.  I am in your flock because you bought me with your own blood.  Lord Jesus, I know you care for me, beyond my reckoning, and I owe my all to you.

And, Jesus, thank you for using my very own personal name!

This is the under side of a small squash, from our neighbors.  I love to see what I haven’t seen or appreciated in nature, like this small gourd.

 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits.

Canticles 4:16

I have been thinking about this great verse from the Song of Solomon – the ways of God. It is in today’s Daily Light.  The writer sees how spices grow.  They need north wind and south wind, both.  I have no clear understanding of the spiritual meaning of this picture, but the writer identified his own walk with God as experiencing the change of weather, of season, as the spices grow and flourish in the land, in his garden.  I assume the north wind is warm and moist, the south wind hot and energizing.  Maybe.

In any case, the gardener must know the ways of the winds and employ them to make the garden produce what is just right for the human needs. As I grew up, I was fascinated by how much the farmers kept talking about the weather.  My dad sold cars, I was acquainted with that.  Weather was no big thing for him. But in life, this parable or picture of the vineyard shouts with meaning.

Several things are required, selecting and planting the grape vine, tending it, protecting it and hovering over it to make sure we are doing all we can to make it grow and produce fruit – wine. That is our part. God’s part has to with the changes in the seasons, in the weather patterns, etc.

I note that the fruit of the vineyard is for the one whom the farmer loves, the one who is invited into this garden to eat the pleasant fruits.  That is, of course, you and me. May this picture speak volumes to us!

The medical people were pleased to see my red blood cells were doing very well.  How satisfying.  I have injections for the past many months, increasing the dosage slowly.  It now appears as though I am about where a normal person should be!  Anyway, I am glad for this and hope it remains so.

Thanks for your loving prayers.