Thursday, April 30, 2020

The Important News Today...

He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. Revelation 19:13

...is in a collection of books hundreds to thousands of years old. The Revelation is a tough book to read from the criticism of the churches to the seals, trumpets, vials, and characters that make the Tribulation what it is. However, then we come to the latter chapters and the return of our Lord. That magnificent book written so long ago has the most important news for us today. Jesus returns, and He brings a big army with Him. 

The good news of the Word of God was born in a man at Bethlehem of Judea more than 2,000 years ago. From that time, our Lord has been working to redeem and restore every one of us to God. Soon His work will come to a marvelous climax as He returns to defeat the armies of the evil one gathered at Armageddon. Soon He comes to gather the final fruit from the Earth and establish His eternal kingdom. 

Soon, soon, soon and we wait, wait, wait... and yet, this important news for today cannot wait for us to moan about the times when that time of His return must be so very close. Another season, another year, or perhaps that first unveiling begins today! 

Rejoice in the imminent return of our Lord Jesus!

 Bucky

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

We Are Still Here!

For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Matthew 24:38-39

What? The clouds of crisis begin to lift and the world opens up for business once more, albeit slowly, as the pandemic threat recedes a bit. And we are still here? We know that it must be so, for our Lord spoke on the Mount of Olives that it would be so in our verses for today.

The return of our Lord will be quickly, suddenly, even in an instant. Our Lord Jesus told of how one man would be taken of two working in the field. We know from His story that it was not at opposite ends of a large field where one might be hidden from the other for a time, but two men working together; one left jaws agape and utterly amazed, while the other would be taken, snatched up in the twinkling of an eye. The two men working does not speak of a global lockdown, but business as usual, much like in our verses today. Life as we have known it for centuries goes on in marriages and wedding feasts, until one moment in time is marked by a great snatching away of many. So, yes, we are still here. Working and marrying, worshiping and rejoicing in Christ our Lord until the moment of our passing away to be with Him forever. 

Just a brief moment to repent before that left-behind moment will come suddenly. Repent and live! 

In the love of Christ Jesus,
Bucky

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Answers In Their Bibles

“making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”  Mark 7:13

For those who believe in the Lord Jesus, it hardly seems possible that His word could be made of no effect. Yet for those who do not believe, it is quite the opposite, and indeed the words of the title for today were used dismissively toward our brothers in Christ. God is separating us from the world and the Bible, His word, is the sword doing the dividing. For those who believe, there are indeed answers in the Bible and through His word our Lord speaks to us every day. Without faith, the Bible does not help in the current world, and there is no magic formula to save anyone. In faith, we live in Christ and rejoice in His imminent return. 

In the style of John, I like to compare the attitudes toward the Word of God. Faith makes all the difference between those who dismiss 'their Bibles' and those who read and study our Bibles as the very word of God. This latest crisis shows quite clearly the choice many have made on whether to believe in Jesus or to reject Him. The time for this choosing grows short!

Rejoice in the Lord all ye who believe! 

Bucky

Monday, April 27, 2020

The Proud Need Only Themselves

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.  James 4:10

One thing to remind the self, and our brothers and sisters who need it, is that humbling does not equal humiliating ourselves. So often the new believer thinks that it is somehow holy or pious to constantly despise themselves. Even the veteran soldier of the Lord strong in His armor tends to see every imperfection and make much of it by way of proving humility falsely.  Paul did not tell us to smear mud on the Lord's armor, but to put it on. Some of us stumble at times along the way and show to the world that we somehow missed the bit about mercy, forgiveness, and grace so down on ourselves we are in the depressed moment. We do not show humility in this but forgetfulness of what the Lord has done for us!

The proud need only themselves. You and I need the Lord our God. And in Him we find... wait for it... mercy, forgiveness and grace. Humility is agreeing with the Lord about what He has done in us and where we have been. Our prayer may do well to say, "Thank You, dear Lord, that You have made me not as I was." Wandering morosely in the regretful past does not prove humility before the Lord, it only convinces the unbeliever that he does not want to be us. Standing firm in Christ saying, "I was this sort of thing, but He has made me into a new creature!" shows that we acknowledge our sin before Him and we rejoice in His rebirth of us to a new life. 

We need the Lord; He is making us new!

Bucky

Friday, April 24, 2020

Serving the Lord!

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

There were those who wanted to return to the ways of Egypt, and then there were those who wanted to stand fast where they were, and finally there was Joshua; now he knew that he could not get along in a hostile world without the Lord his God. It was a time of choosing, and Joshua embraced the change and the chance to serve the Lord of Israel and his house was coming with him. 

Choose for  yourselves, Joshua said. He did not force the choice on anyone or his house, but Joshua did declare for the Lord as his choice in that moment. We have the same choice in our age, but we have the power of the Spirit of God to help us believe in His Son. I respect those Gentiles of the ancient times before Jesus sent His word out from Israel. They did not have the scriptures of the Law and the prophets to give them the word of God, and yet some of them chose God. There were Romans who believed before Jesus went to the cross to save them. As the Risen Lord Jesus walked the land for a brief time, there were Gentiles seeking out the Word. After Pentecost the number of believers grew as the Spirit of God moved them to faith. And stubborn old Israel still chose the world. 

The time when many in Israel will choose to believe in Jesus has begun, and we are blessed to be here to see it. 

Amen. Come Lord Jesus!
Bucky

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Not Long Now

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.  Revelation 19:11

The names He was called leave us with no doubt as to the identity of this warrior. And we who believe in Him look up in hope that heaven will open right now and bring this one back to us. And then we stop...wait, no, He will bring the church home to Himself first in the twinkling of an eye. Yes, this event John saw in our verse for today is the start of that final war where the enemies of God have gathered themselves together at a place known as Armageddon. Whoops, it's spelled with one 'r', I was trying to use the pirate version of this tale. 

It is interesting to think back to that huge starting event as told in "Left Behind" by Lahaye and Jenkins. In that novel, the Rapture took place and many died in car accidents. I wonder if they would write it up the same now given how easily rush hour around the world was called off, and how quickly air travel shrank by 95-99% at American airports. I wondered once or twice that God might not arrange for the Rapture a bit better than what the authors of that long ago book imagined. After all, one purpose of the church being taken so suddenly is to gain the attention of those left behind. It would do a lot less good if so many of them died as collateral damage from the event itself. Well, I need wonder no longer, the Rapture could indeed occur with the world nearly or completely shutdown, and all it would take is one little bitty critter called a virus. 

Great is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Bucky

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Ways Before The Lord

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD,
And He ponders all his paths. Proverbs 5:21

There we were, masked and rifling the grocery store shelves, and no one thought to call the police. In fact, one of the sheriff's deputies joined us. In another time this might be remarkable. But the making of my first masked grocery store trip is old news in this time. I didn't even try any masked jokes since by now the store clerks have likely heard every stick up and masked bandit joke anyone could think up. I am glad today that my ways, masked or just a little fuzzy in the face, are before the Lord always. 

There was a time in life when I would have squirmed to think that the Lord was watching me at all times. Now, years after the salvation of Jesus worked His will on me, I am glad that every step on every path and way that I might take is watched over carefully by the Lord. Furthermore, I am glad that the Lord directs my paths, especially in those days or times when the path seems hard for me, or even hard on me, and yet faith says to me that the Lord will make all of this work for my good. 

Great are the ways of the Lord!
Bucky

Monday, April 20, 2020

Loving Us To The End

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. John 13:1

We in this age have some concern over 'to the end' as it would appear to us that the end must come very soon. The disciples also has some concern over this for the same reason, but that would come later for them. At this point, as Jesus our Lord kneels before them to wash their feet, they are still struggling to believe that He is really going to die right there in Jerusalem. One has to wonder at their blind spot, and then one has to wonder if we might not have a similar lack of sight in something our Lord said. Don't look to me; if this is so, then I have the same blind spot as you. Nothing is coming to mind by way of a revelation. 

However, there is one great thing we are given - His love to the end. That which we had in the beginning, we have until the very end. The love of the Lord is everlasting and steadfast. We do not have to get up worrying over whether God still loves us today. We know from His word that He does. We may feel a bit of despair from the weeks of forced home time, but the love of God has not stopped flowing down from His throne. God is here in us in the Spirit loving us to the end. 

And let us love one another, as He said,

Bucky

Saturday, April 18, 2020

Day Of Our Death

A good name is better than precious ointment,
And the day of death than the day of one's birth; Ecclesiastes 7:1

On the day we observed my mother's birth, the rumblings of this current crisis were mostly out there on the coast, California and Washington. China was still where most of the news was coming from and we saw overseas travel restrictions the next day. Out here it was still mostly a storm way out on the horizon or even over the horizon. My sister just celebrated her (39th!) birthday a few days ago, and my how things have changed. Masks, hand-washing, restrictions on everything, and a mad hoarding of TP rule the land right now. I haven't shaken a paw or a hand for weeks. My birthday is two weeks away and there is hope for an easing of many restrictions by then. Will it be so? Some states have already extended their restrictions past that day. 

And then there is this Solomon fellow who writes that I shouldn't be spending so much time on birthdays, but looking forward more to my day of death. How morbidly interesting. However, there is only one way, the way, for me to hate this life and rejoice in the day I pass from it to what comes after. He is the way the world refuses to see as it pursues an extension of this life with every resource. He is the way, the truth, and the life; let us all come to the Father through our Lord Jesus! Amen.

Bucky

Friday, April 17, 2020

We Are Come

And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.  Judges 15:12

Are you feeling a little restricted yet? Perhaps even as though a few cords have been tied around your life? Even in the remote little towns on the plains we have felt the challenges of this latest crisis. We have gone along with this so as to not imperil others. Samson, had a question for his would-be captors, and we can read it in the verse for today. 

Read further in this story from ancient times and we will discover that the question was not for his benefit, but for that of those who would bind the mighty man. The Philistines would later find that a bound Samson and his Lord were still too much for them to conquer. So it is with us in this time. Many can easily over come you or me; others can overcome you and me, but none can overcome us and God...except at certain times. Could this be one of those times when the world powers are allowed by God to overcome us? (God Himself is never overcome of course.) It may be, but always those times are under God's control. Samson would go on to experience one of those times of trial, until the Lord strengthened him one last time and he brought the house down. 

We may not be a mighty Samson, but we abide in a mighty Savior!

Bucky

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Leave Not the Tabernacle

You shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die, for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you.” And they did according to the word of Moses. Leviticus 10:7

Something was going on outside. Aaron and his sons were given a stern instruction seen in our verse today. It seems so simple, and yet the first thing our rebellious nature would want to do is to go outside...and die. Note that this is the same command given to Adam and Eve - don't eat from this tree, or you shall surely die. Paul tells us the same thing when he writes that the wages of sin is death, and we are tempted right then to do the unlawful thing and get paid for it. We have examples all around us right now of those who do not want to lock down and mask up. The threat is overstated and overblown, they say, and they go outside the tabernacle in a manner of speaking. 

This latest threat may be overstated, I do not know, but what is this thing in us that immediately rebels against commands that would save us from death? Why do we need a savior so badly? Heh, that wasn't even subtle. What a blunt lead in! 

Yes, to all who have known his or her rebellion before the Lord's commands, we rejoice in the Savior our Lord God has sent to us. If the Lord were to send a message this morning that I was to not go outside the house upon pain of death, something in me would immediately want so very badly to go outside. Praise God for the atoning death of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Only in Him can this human nature be overcome and mortified. Only in the Christ is this inner rebellion forgiven before it even has a chance to rise up. Now, take up the sword of the Word, and quit letting that rebellious thing speak its piece! 

Have a grand day in our glorious Savior, Jesus the Christ,

Bucky

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Home Again Empty

 I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” Ruth 1:21

There is likely one or two persons out there with a similar complaint right now. A career may have begun and had come to a critical point where the rewards were just about to overcome the debts incurred in getting to that point, and suddenly Covid-19. It is interesting how similar our complaints have been at times in this life. Went out full, came home empty, it's the Lord's fault. I wonder if the prodigal son had some moments like this in that pig pen? (See the story in Luke 15:11-32)

From Job to Ruth to David and many others, the Bible records the gripes and complaints against the Lord our God, and we would at times fit right in with those stories. The current world climate is a good time to seek out those with complaints against the Lord, and it will be an easy search. Many will have that same sort of complaint; I went out full and came home empty. Why did the Lord do this to me?

 

Our faith states it differently. This current time is a test, I was always empty and in need of a Savior. Praise God too for this affliction, though He may not be the source of it, that brings so many to stop ignoring Him and to question Him, even if their communication begins with a gripe or two. In faith we rejoice in the expectation of great things from our God as so many who do not believe suddenly demand an answer from the God they had formerly ignored. Once the door is opened, we know that the Lord our God will send His Savior in to have a loving chat with all those who want an answer. 

In the love of the Savior, Jesus Christ,
  Bucky

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Time For A Regeneration

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5

It is always tempting to think that somehow my good works will someday surpass some total of my evil and unfaithful deeds, and I will be allowed into Heaven. Did that work out for Adam?

The story is told in brief, but Adam did one sin, and that was it. The death penalty came by way of this sin and any righteous record on his part was not even considered. Out of the garden, sinner! No paradise for you this day. There was no weigh station where Adam could place his good works on one side to offset the weight of his one act of taking that forbidden fruit from Eve. He was cast out. 

That is how well our good deeds and righteous works will balance out just one sin. One. No cancelling out one for one, no opposite good deed making up for one sin. Just that one act of disobedience to God, and the scythe of Death begins its swing toward the neck of the sinner. Yes, it is time for a regeneration, for that is our only hope. A new life without sin, but we're going to need mercy first. A setting aside of the punishment of death for each and every sin on our record. But that mercy must have provision to satisfy justice, God's justice, or it will not last for eternity. Maybe if someone would volunteer to take that penalty so that all the others could live? We're on to something here! 

Of course that good news of the salvation by way of faith in Jesus is spelled out in the Bible, the Word of God. Read in the Gospels of how our Lord Jesus died to save us, obtaining mercy for us at the cost of His life. Rejoice in the promise of eternal life that He earned for us on the cross! 

In Christ we live,
Bucky

Monday, April 13, 2020

Dining With The Lord

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20

A dinner date has been set by the word of the Lord, but where was Peter? Probably still in Jerusalem on that Easter Monday, but soon he would depart for Galilee by his Lord's instruction. In Galilee would be a meeting that Peter needed very much. 

One cannot imagine the guilt weighing on Peter even after he knew of the Lord's resurrection. It was Peter who led the disciples in swearing their allegiance to the Lord Jesus, and Peter who denied with an oath that he even knew Jesus outside the place of our Lord's trial. Three times Peter denied his rabbi and His Lord in that courtyard at a time when Jesus the man needed a friend to stand with Him. How much easier might have been our Lord's burden with one human friend there we will never know. But Peter bore a load of guilt to Galilee for a dinner meeting with our Lord. 

Bring some of that fish, our Lord told Peter, as He prepared the fire for dinner with His guilty disciple. What healing of mind and spirit our Lord effected there on the shore of Galilee with Peter, who did outside that court what you and I will likely never be in a position to do, for our Lord will only stand trial before the earthly authorities that one time. The next time our Lord comes it will be as the conquering King of kings and Lord of lords. 

As Peter was healed over a dinner with the Lord, so are we able to do so by opening the door of our heart. Rejoice in the risen Lord on this Easter Monday!

Bucky

P. S. Be wary as those stimulus checks arrive. There will be those who want to steal that 'free' money from you. Be very careful of those e-mails! This was told to me in a dream this morning, so please be alert.   Bucky

Friday, April 10, 2020

Locked Down In The World We Know

But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.  Genesis 39:21

Each of us by now has felt a little of what it must be like in prison. We are not living in the land of the free right now, that's for sure. Even an avid homebody such as myself has run into the restrictions. I'm taking today off work as I have done for Good Friday in years past, but there will be some projects that cannot get done. "I can run down to the hardware store for this thing that isn't really needed...no, you won't. That thing can wait." That thought has already been here and done that with me today. While others struggle to maintain a circumstance that will slow down the spread of the virus, it is not right for me to go out for any less than necessary things. Projects that I only want to get done must wait. 

Joseph likely had a great many projects in the works in his master's household, of which he was the chief servant, until an infamous allegation was made and the man was imprisoned. We have our projects too, and in this locked down environment we too must have some patience. The Lord has shown us mercy too in that we are locked down in our homes and do have permission from the governing authority to do certain necessary things outside the home. While we send up some gratitude to God for His mercy, all of us may want to remember what our Lord Jesus was doing on this day back in His day. 

It is difficult to think of anything more restrictive than death, and our Lord was probably in the tomb today. There is plenty of debate among the scholars, but Friday of that holy week was likely day two of the three our Lord would spend entombed in death. And yet, scourging, crucifixion, a mortal lance wound, death, and the grave were the Lord's victory over sin. What?! Yes, that is what makes our Easter celebration such a strange holiday. All the things our Lord Jesus suffered were payment for the sin of the world, and by this we have the mercy and grace of God in place of the justice we deserve. It is His victory indeed! 

Have a wonderful Good Friday and rejoice in Jesus!

Bucky

Thursday, April 09, 2020

There's A Man I Want You To Meet

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Matthew 9:6

The Son of Man is how Jesus referred to Himself throughout Matthew. As Adam is 'the man', Jesus called Himself a Son of Adam. That is only the first stunner in this verse though. What was that bit about forgiving sins on this earth? Power and the authority, it would seem, as the authority to forgive sins against God can only come from God. It would appear obvious to us that this man must be God too, but did it seem so clear to those gathered there in that place? And then we know from this story that the paralyzed other man did just as commanded. 

I have been over the whole thing about weeks and months of stretching, twisting, learning to walk again, and all that pain and fun known as rehab that our Lord's power of command utterly walked right over. This Son of Man didn't just heal that paralyzed fellow to the point of starting rehab, He healed him on the spot and completely. And this is how we know, our Lord said, that He had the power on earth to forgive sins. This man had the power to do that. So, what was that whole thing involving the stripes, the cross, the death and that empty tomb thing we celebrate this weekend? 

Unless you know a certain 2,000 year old, formerly paralyzed, young man walking around speaking the old Aramaic, that man had to face death just as we do. The man was healed and forgiven, but something else had to be done to banish Death and the Grave from being our final resting place. This is why we celebrate the Man who was God come down to us on earth, and died on the cross to rise again on the third day. Please, take the time during this crisis to meet in the Bible this Man who took our sins and buried them at the Cross. 

In the love of Christ,
Bucky

Wednesday, April 08, 2020

Overwhelmed?

Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless,
And you undermine your friend.   Job 6:27

It is at about this time that for many of us the virus/lockdown thing may become overwhelming. We can see the possibility of the disruption to life ending a ways out there, but it seems so far away. For many, paychecks have been missed and relief by way of unemployment or stimulus money has not yet arrived. They hear about how much help is coming, but with nothing in hand to use for the necessities of life, they are seeking other ways to provide for the family and being told to stay home where the need is presented to them each and every minute. And now a holiday, a formerly joyous celebration, is upon us that will be different than any other we have seen. 

It is interesting that in searching the New King James version for the word 'overwhelm' that two books have two instances of the word in each: Job and Daniel. Both of these men had suffered terrible losses in life, and both had large burdens placed upon them. For both came the infamous dark night of the soul when emotion and spiritual pain overwhelmed the men of God. Job was overwhelmed with his loss and suffering; Daniel was overwhelmed by visions of the future and felt the loss of his nation most keenly. Both men were also righteous men of faith in God. 

So, suffering and overwhelmed one, you are in good company with your faith in God and righteous standing in Him through the grace of Jesus Christ! Continue earnestly looking to our Lord in prayer, and rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus this weekend. 

Yours in Christ Jesus,
Bucky

Tuesday, April 07, 2020

Have I Dared To Judge God?

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
 “Who is this who darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?  Job 38:1-2

The question is sure to come up during this virus crisis: why did God let him/her die? 

Jesus our Lord spoke of not worrying over things that we need, for God takes care of the birds and the flowers which neither plant seeds nor harvest crops. Then a separation comes to us. A loved one is lost. Someone says, "He's in a better place now!" So why did we say that he is lost then? The point I am fumbling and bumbling toward is this: looking down at the dead body, how do we judge that God did not take the best and most tender loving care of the deceased, and is not even now doing so in that better place? Have I dared to judge God when I call the deceased lost? 

Like Job, we start blubbering toward an answer at this point. "I meant 'lost to me', not lost forever," and then we realize that the separation is only temporary and that our loved one is by no means lost who has believed in Christ the Lord. We will mourn those who pass in this time, as we have done before and will after. We also rejoice in the Lord for those who are called home to Him. And let us not see death as a criticism of God, when it was man's rebellion that brought death into the world. 

Great is our Lord, who has overcome death and the grave for us!

Bucky

Monday, April 06, 2020

Not The First Time

"Take heed in an outbreak of leprosy, that you carefully observe and do according to all that the priests, the Levites, shall teach you; just as I commanded them, so you shall be careful to do." Deuteronomy 24:8

My dear mother called yesterday, and we spoke for two hours about the many events happening in our little town. Uh, no. Mom did call yesterday, but there are no events here, no happenings to pass along. We are under stay-at-home orders like most of the world is at this time. 

Even a trip to the grocery store appears fraught with dire peril in this time, but it isn't the first time. Way back in the Law of Moses we find the law set down for an outbreak of a certain plague that was feared by all. The commandment begins with a 'carefully observe and do all', and the all was taught to an earthly authority - a group of people that the Israelites could see and hear every day. And among the Israelites were likely those who were too smart to do all according to what they were told and shown. And it is also quite possible that these proud ones did not survive the plague. What is worse is that these same ones might have kept the plague going when obedience would have ended the thing. 

Let the tombstone not read, "The plague came, and he was so smart that he died of it." 

For the love of our neighbors, we obey! 

In Christ the Lord,
Bucky

Saturday, April 04, 2020

Quick! Check Israel

 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. Revelation 11:6

A plague? Quick! Check Israel to see if the two prophets have shown up! We can read the story of these prophets of the end times in Revelation 11. However, my take on that story is that the plagues are sent by them after they have a chance to speak. Our brothers and sisters in Israel would be very quick to report that the two had appeared, for it is one of the signs we look for to denote the Tribulation. 

Do we really? Reading Revelation 11, I see that it begins with a 'Then', which is a sign of order. John in his receiving of the Revelation from the Lamb of God made note of many 'then's' and 'and then's' to show that the Lamb was in control all the way from start to finish. The judgments are numbered and things that must happen first are told, such as the trampling of the holy city by the Gentiles for 42 months.  

Though it may seem like it these past few weeks, the Lord has not ceded control to anyone. All is ordered; all is under His command. 

Love and joy to you in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

Friday, April 03, 2020

We Are Concerned, and Talking!

But we don't need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another. 1 Thessalonians 4:9

Paul writes that he does not need to write, and he doesn't! For God taught us the importance of what is coming out now in this time. We are communicating from a physical distance much more than we did before this thing started. Even just the short interrogatory message: "Are you okay?" shows our love of one another. We are learning to be careful of what goes around in social media and not re-posting just anything that shows up in our feeds. We are missing the conversations and worship services we once had with the church congregations. Even the chance meeting in the grocery store that we must cut short or avoid entirely becomes more precious to us in this time. It is the big crisis that is bringing them seeking the Lord! 

Love is shown in this opportunity to share the good news of Jesus in so many ways. But, oh!, the challenge for some who cannot meet face to face and talk about the love of Jesus. No talking, it must be done by showing. I see no problem for us though. We are creative because our Father God is creative, and we will find ways to show the love of Jesus in this time of physical separation. 

God bless us, one and all! 

Bucky

Thursday, April 02, 2020

Caught In The Narrows

Then the Angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. Numbers 22:24

We do not need the full story here to gather one overwhelming point about whoever might be involved in it: they are going to have to meet this angel now. Whether to attempt to go over or through, but going around is no longer an option with the pathway narrowed and blocked. Of course, an Angel of the Lord is probably a most powerful enemy should one attempt to go through. To go back is an option that many would take. To later tell that one did not want to take on an angel in a contest of strength is no dishonor to even the mightiest of us. However, the narrow path speaks of a meeting the Lord would have us see through to the end. 

This current crisis is too much for any one of us. We might rather not meet it, but the pathway is narrow now and we are going to stand before this challenge to see what message the Lord has for us. Traveling out to one of the places where many are infected to 'meet the challenge head-on' is probably not the wiser course of action. Attempting to run out into the hills and hole up for a season may not be possible for most of us. Nature, as many have found out, in the wild is not very forthcoming with the food and comfort. However, standing boldly before the Lord's messenger to hear the message will soon be a choice for each person as the boundaries of the crisis map close in around us.  

There is one message that is always before us in any crisis: Jesus the Christ has come down to us in the flesh and died upon the cross bearing our sins. Believe in Him and be forgiven! 

In the love of Christ Jesus,
Bucky

Wednesday, April 01, 2020

Sheep, Do You Understand Your Shepherd?

And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. John 10:16

Have you chosen a wrong path somewhere in life? Did you stray from one flock to another? Are you a prodigal sheep right now wondering how to get home? Let us try together to understand our Good Shepherd just a bit more on this day. 

Our Lord Jesus was born into a Jewish family in a town in what was known then as Judea. (Roman for something like, Place where we keep all the Jews.) And yet our Shepherd's mind was not on his sheep in that fold alone. No, our Lord was thinking about you and me even as He taught many miles and years away from our time and place. And we will become one flock with our brothers and sisters in Israel; it is His promise. 

There are many other wonderful promises from our Good Shepherd for us to understand. Begin in the Gospel of John, and let us understand our Shepherd more each day! 

Love in Christ Jesus,
Bucky