A Few Child Questions

Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. Luke 18:17 and Mark 10:15

How much do you suppose this child can pay for the kingdom of God? How many good works will this child do to enter the kingdom of God? What sort of valuable service will the child be able to perform for entry into the kingdom? So, why are we trying so hard to earn, buy or deserve our way into the kingdom of God? We receive it unearned, unmerited, and purchased by the Lord Jesus alone.

Let us rejoice in the Lord always!

Bucky

A Child Is Born

For unto us a Child is born,
​​Unto us a Son is given;
​​And the government will be upon His shoulder.
​​And His name will be called
​​Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
​​Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
  -- Isaiah 9:6

So, one day I wrote about the humanness of Jesus in a down to earth way, but then I feel that guilt it brings and must bring out the divine. After all, how does that baby poop fit with the Prince of Peace? We get both in Jesus of course, and my little mind struggles to encompass them together in one little child. Would the Magi have bowed down to the Child if they had to change His soiled swaddling cloths? They had better! And so must we. Jesus is both the human son of Mary, and the glorious Son of God. Yes, my earthly mind threatens to rebel over that. The problem is not then who Jesus is, but with the earth-born mind. It is no wonder then that we must be reborn in the Spirit of God. When even the thought of the Christ Child as both God and little human baby sets up such a clash for us, we need God's Spirit in us to help us.

We may never figure it out, but we will know He is!

Bucky

Changing The Divine Diapers

And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.  Luke 2:40

Early on a cool morning in Bethlehem, Joseph the carpenter awakened and sniffed the air. 

"Holy... gag! Mary, I think the Son of the Most High needs to be changed again!"

"No way, it's your turn," Mary said, "And I told you that street vendor's meat looked sketchy, but you fed it to Him anyway." 

The divine child giggled from his new crib and made another stinky deposit in the holy swaddling cloths. 

Like our verse for today, we may be tempted to summarize the infancy of the Christ child and move on to the parables and miracles. Mary and Joseph had to be there, and like many new parents, they may have occasionally fed the newborn Son of God something a bit spoiled by mistake. But wait, the newly-reborn Christian might say, didn't God make some provision for that? Maybe we aren't comfortable thinking of the Christ as a human child with all the usual stinks and messes. But human He was and human He died on the cross to save us. 

I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas!

Bucky

The King Asks

But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.
  --Matthew 2:6

If you turn back to Micah 5:2, you will find as I did that this quote is not exact. We can give the priests and scribes a break though since they did pretty well. When the king asks, it can be tough to quote a verse exactly verbatim right on the spot. But they did say 'shepherd' in there, didn't they? Could this have anything to do with a group of shepherds around Bethlehem who saw a great thing one night? Knowing the scriptures and having quotes ready for the situation may help us and others. However, it comes down to what testimony we bear, and the shepherds bore it well by just telling their story. Marvelous and miraculous things happened to the shepherds, and then there were these folks following a star. Testimonies will pile up about Jesus, because in these latter days there are yours and mine too. If a king asks, we must tell him our story.

Have a merry Christmas week! 

Bucky

That's Nothing!

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
  -- Isaiah 9:6

Last night the football game moved along quickly enough that I was still up at the end of the first half. There, I got to see a play that the announcers said happens (or is successful) only about once every half century. As I was pondering that privilege, I could almost hear all the friends of Jesus saying, "That's nothing! Every year we celebrate a thing that only occurred once in all of history." Yes, and what a celebration it is! But speaking of turnarounds, both teams I rooted for last night had the lead when I retired to my reading, only to both lose the games by morning when I got up. This Child is gone from us again, but what do you suppose the 'morning' will bring? Those prophecies in this verse for today do not seem to be all completed just yet.

Have a merry Christmas season in our hope for His return!

Bucky

Came To Pass It Did!

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.  Luke 2:1-3

A decree goes out from the governing authority. Sometimes it may be just interesting, other times completely dull, but once in a while a decree affects everyone and everything. This one from the Caesar was one of those everyone decrees. Joseph and Mary might appreciate the convenience of an online form, had they known about it, at least until all their data was stolen. In their case with the Internet some years in the future, it meant a journey of some distance from their hometown of Nazareth to the little town of Bethlehem. Of course from the scriptures and angelic messages, they probably knew the trip to Bethlehem was a thing going to happen. The decree just helped Joseph move it along, since men sometimes need a little push in the direction they should be going already. 

And in Bethlehem that wonderful birth came to pass and our Savior was born. 

Bucky

Great To Have A Guide

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  Matthew 2:9-10

You are almost to a place, but in an unfamiliar land; GPS doesn't exist yet and maps will come in a few years or so. Someone has kindly pointed out the road to Bethlehem, but that is all you have to go on to find one child who was born sometime in the past couple of years. (Give us a break, it took the party that long to arrive after seeing the sign watched for over centuries.) Well imagine your relief and joy to have that sign you saw back home turn out to be more than you thought it was and you now have a sure guide pointing to the house you want to find! Well, one of these days we all want to find a place called Heaven, and maps or GPS will not help us. But what we saw in Christ when we believed will turn out to be that sure Guide who will return to lead us home, His home and ours. 

Praise God for His Son! 

Bucky

Where Will Ya Be Born?

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  Matthew 2:4-5

Had you been around in 1564 you might have asked me where I would be born, and... Of course we know that is nonsense. However, in the case of Jesus it was told by the prophet Micah hundreds of years before His birth where the Christ would be born. And that, my friends, just leaves me kind of flabbergasted. What does one say to that and many more prophecies of Messiah that all came to pass on that one night in Bethlehem? Let it be and praise to God for the birth of His Son, Jesus!

Bucky

A Troubling Christmas Tale

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:1-2

Things in Jerusalem have been mostly calm for a while, and then one day these men from the East come to town with their question. They seem to have expected Jerusalem to be celebrating this birth. The current king, Herod, stands there thinking, "Wait, what?" It would be a comical scene if they hadn't reacted in a murderous way.

The message of the wise men prompted a troubling of the mind in Jerusalem. The people in power liked things the way they were. Suddenly here come these guys with their talk of a special star and a new king. Troubled minds soon thought up a troubling solution and a young family had to make a midnight journey to Egypt to escape the child-murdering soldiers of Herod.

Not the most charming part of the Christmas story!

Bucky

And Suddenly

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: Luke 2:13

As if the appearance of the angel on a dark night in Judea along with the glory of God shining all around them were not enough of a scare, the multitude of the heavenly host gives those shepherds an 'and suddenly' to go with their fright. Take that you shepherds abiding in the fields by night! Both the angel and the host had wonderful messages of great joy for them, but both were quite startling in their arrival. Those shepherds were going to believe, they never stood a chance to do otherwise. And suddenly their testimony was spreading throughout the region.

Rejoice in the shepherd's story,

Bucky

Naming The Boys

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.  Matthew 1:21 Two sons, two people told to not be afraid, and both given names to apply that their parents might not otherwise have chosen. The names for these two boys were chosen by God and sent by His special messenger. Names can be, and probably are, much more important than we realize in this age. John, with no name like that among his relatives, would go on to prepare the way for the One coming whose sandal strap he was not worthy to loose. Jesus would do as the angel said and save His people from their sins. These two boys were linked from an early age, before both were born in fact. One boy not worthy, and one boy found worthy in time to open the seven-sealed scroll as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. And if I may say it this fine morning,

Great is the name of our Lord!

Bucky

Those Shepherds

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke 2:8

Snoopy might write, "It was a dark and clear night." But for us it was a picture of people going about their job in the hours of darkness we call night. A normal night, not one to expect anything world-changing to suddenly happen as you were just about to fall asleep. What was it about those shepherds that would bring out the hosts of heaven to celebrate? One thing those shepherds likely had was storytelling. Here was a group who would first pay attention and then tell the story. Plus, these shepherds would come and see the Christ child in Bethlehem. We don't know how far out of town they were that night but they did go, and then they praised God when they had seen. Their testimony was simple and their obedience immediate. But what was it about those shepherds? They probably had nothing special in terms of pretty faces, strong bodies, or brilliant intellect, but they were available when the time was right. Plus they obviously were not worried about what people might think when they told their story.

Have a shepherd-like day, and watch out! We might be just going about our usual business this week when...

Bucky

Put Her Away?!

Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. Matthew 1:19

In our age the combination of those words sounds a bit extreme, put her away secretly?! Mary received a visitor from God, one Gabriel, messenger of God by trade, angel to us. Joseph was before his dream apparently told of the impending arrival by Mary. And that brought about a conundrum - what was he to do about his unfaithful wife-to-be? That there was a procedure in place for this under the law or tradition means that it had happened before. Joseph not wanting to make a public example, that is shaming, of Mary is admirable, but in this case it was not enough. And thus Joseph gets the first of several dream messages from angels of the Lord. Mary, unfaithful by appearance, was not at all unfaithful to the Lord her God. It is interesting that the message does not command Joseph to take Mary and complete the marriage, it tells him to not be afraid to do it.

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21

Without fear, Joseph was able to do the right thing.

Bucky

With Child

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.  Matthew 1:18

Foretold in Isaiah 7:14, each year we have a new opportunity to believe in the virgin birth, the prophecy of Immanuel. And there is also the chance to doubt it. The prophecy and the action both sit on a small peak. Believe and stand there with it in awe of God, or walk away down the slopes of doubt. For the anthropologist, amateur or professional, the doubt could come from observation of  human marriage. Arranged marriages leave out the boy next door, it is more likely that the neighbor's rooster was allowed into the henhouse one night, to use a barnyard metaphor. For the biologist it might be parthenogenesis, the development of an ovum from an unfertilized egg, which does not happen in humans that causes the doubt. There are a host of other reasons to doubt. Even Mary did not understand how it could work without her betrothed and the whole marriage thing. However, for those who will believe, we know that God is not worried over our likely or unlikely, possible or impossible, but works His own way in the way that He told us through His prophets. 

And His way is often astounding and awesome. 

Bucky

Tough Consequence

When someone told me, saying, "Look, Saul is dead," thinking to have brought good news, I arrested him and had him executed in Ziklag—the one who thought I would give him a reward for his news. King David speaking in 2 Samuel 4:10

That is a tough consequence in our verse for today. Consequences such as that one bring us reason to cherish our constitutional rights, the speech one in particular. The verse also gives us a lesson in not trying to glory in the death of another. What reward should any of us get for bringing the news of death?

Well now I'm down and depressed, gotta fix that right quick!

Praise to God our Father that we did receive some good news, and it is about life, love, and the joy of a Savior! Thank You, dear God for the joy of the glad tidings brought to us in Jesus the Christ!

Bucky

Telling Of His Son

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
​
 ​​“Glory to God in the highest,
​​And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
  -- Luke 2:13,14

Thanksgiving has passed, December is here, and BF-Cyber Monday email ads are still pouring in... oh well, anyway it is Christmas time!

A proud father wants to tell of his son. We call it the New Testament. The news of this Papa's coming Son was so great that He told of it for centuries before the birth by way of prophets. We call that the Old Testament. A testament is also a covenant, and the elder could not be kept, while the newer is one we dare not refuse. This Son fulfilled the elder agreement for us, while by the newer agreement He made eternal life with our God possible. The birth of God's Son was such an event that the hosts of heaven made an appearance to rejoice before the shepherds in the fields.

As we begin this Christmas season, remember the joy of God's goodwill and peace,

Bucky

Doing It Wrong

But he answered one of them and said, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?" Matthew 20:13

As the title of elderly becomes more my own, I seem to do more things wrong. Such as the time I reached to brush a few crumbs off my front with one hand and whacked the plate full of crumbs in my other hand to the floor. Truly the right hand did not know what the left hand was doing, but I think Jesus had something else in mind when He said that. When Jesus told the parable of the laborers and their pay, He wasn't speaking of my elderly fumbling either. This parable tells of some workers having a scale of right and wrong, and then placing their expectations on Him. The boss in the parable didn't go for that, and he showed to the disgruntled expectation-ers that he was not working by their knowledge of good and evil.

As one born later in the work day, I'm glad that we can work for full pay in the kingdom of God!

Bucky

They's Us!

Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance.
  -- Psalm 89:15

You and I may have wondered about those people stuck out in that last blizzard on the highway. Why, we thought, what need drove them to attempt such a foolish thing? Well I met one of them this week, and the statement was, "We thought we could make it." Of course they did, so did everyone else stuck with them. One of those no-one-said-ever things goes something like, "We knew we would get stuck out there in the howling wilderness between Sturm and Drang, but we went anyway." If you or I have never been stuck in a blizzard it is because we have the grace of God to thank for it. Because each time we each thought we could make it was one of those times when just another inch of snow, a swirl of vision-robbing snowflakes, or a slip of a tire was the tiny difference between making it and being one of those poor fools stuck on the highway during a blizzard. Being stuck in a society of go, go, go, is a worrisome thing for us. And, all those people stuck somewhere? Why they's us on a day we thought we could make it. 

Walk in the light of the Lord's countenance! One day it could be you or me stuck out there just trying to get where we were going. 

Bucky

Remember The Law Of Thanksgiving

And when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, offer it of your own free will.  Leviticus 22:29

It's Thanksgiving week so you should be thankful! Uh, remember the law about free will? This week of our Thanksgiving holiday gives many ministers the chance to put the screws to you about giving thanks to the Lord. Sounds like the Pharisees would approve, even as they ignored a certain law in our verse for today. In keeping with God's desire for freely given thanks, the Lord's Prayer Jesus gave to us in His great sermon does not have anything about giving thanks. While some might forget that law, Jesus certainly did not. Freely giving thanks to the Lord means that I do not get to badger you into it or even subtly drive you toward it. However, writing ministers and speaking ministers alike can give testimony by example. 

Thank You, dear Lord God, for my beloved in Christ who read and hear Your word, and rejoice in You in thanksgiving this week. 

Bucky

Take Time To Rest

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
  -- Psalm 46:10

So, I had the verse and I was writing away when I sensed that all was not going well. In place of running with the Lord, it seemed more like I was running into Him. That was yesterday's writing. Therefore, I backed off and kept quiet. At times we think we must be in a continual performance before God, like there is some sort of heavenly quota set for each of us. And you have probably sat before a minister who has confirmed that for you. Yet, both of us (and that minister) forget that Jesus often broke away to find solitude with His Father. Our verse for today points out that God's work does not depend upon you or me. Our job in this verse is to be still and know that He is God. No writing, speaking, singing, or pounding the pavement, just a time to be still and know God more. 

So take time with the Lord to rest from your labors. 

Bucky

Somehow, We'll Know

And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Mark 9:4

Would you know Elijah and Moses if they appeared to you today? Would we even know each other, if we haven't seen one another for these past twenty years? How will we know one another in Heaven when we meet with Jesus there? I do not know! But I do know that somehow Peter, James, and John knew who Elijah and Moses were in that moment on the mountain. Centuries separated the Lawgiver and the prophet from those three disciples, and yet they knew the names that went with the faces. Had our Lord chosen David and Isaiah to meet there, I'm convinced that the knowing would have been the same. And so it will go when we meet brothers and sisters in Christ who we never met on this earth due to time or distance. New name given by our Lord, new incorruptible appearance granted by God, don't try to hide, I'll still be able to find you there in God's Heaven! And great will be our rejoicing in Jesus Christ!

Bucky

The Pull Of Attraction

But every man is tested when he is turned out of the right way by the attraction of his desire. James 1:14 BBE

BBE, Bible in Basic English, of course you knew that already. I didn't. Occasionally I like to explore different translations of the Bible to help me understand the Word. Here is what this verse says in my usual New King James version:

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

Attraction, desire, enticement, all refer to that pull of the flesh for food, clothing, water, sleep, and many other things. Hunger lets a person know it is time to eat something, but a little further down the path comes gluttony. And indeed in the passage James goes on to tell of that slippery slope from attraction to sin and on to death. And it can be difficult to know for sure whether that attraction to a person is simple lust or the sort of pull toward a person leading to love. We even confuse the issue further by telling of our love for foods and other things. As it is a test, we know that failure is an option we may fall into at times. Praise God for His mercy in those tests of attraction that we fail.

Bucky

Hey, Pray!

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:12

Reading along with the story the characters come to a trap, crisis, problem, or challenge of unusual proportions, and we marvel that they do not have a better solution. Easily do we call upon those fictional people to pray to God and call upon His name. Instead they waste time worrying, fretting, arguing, fighting, and running about like those proverbial headless birds. Then life comes a calling to you or me, and we... worry, fret, argue and so on. How is it so easy for us to see the need when it is there on the book page and then be so dense when it is our turn? We need a 'Hey, pray!' from a fellow soldier in Christ, a little intervention from the beloved of our Lord. It happens to the least of us, we get caught up in the problem and forget to call on the One who has the solutions. New believers or well-experienced warriors in the challenges of following Jesus our Lord, each may suffer that temporary amnesia for prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.

Therefore, be on the lookout for your brothers and sisters in Christ, and give them a 'Hey, pray!' when the need comes.

Bucky

Prayer, Quietly

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.  Matthew 6:6

From the great sermon of our Lord on the mountain, we have this instruction on prayer. And in these latter years we might parse and parcel this one verse to start in on others with more instructions. "You shouldn't pray in church!" the zealous one says to the pastor. "Sorry, but I need this room for a prayer room," the well-meaning father says as he takes over a child's bedroom. And who among us hasn't held our hands out for those open rewards? In the great sermon there are other instructions on prayer, including that manner of prayer we are to use. Also, the instruction in our verse today came from avoiding those public prayers that only call attention to the prayer shouter and caused the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. Not every public prayer is or was done for that reason.

If we want to pray in the secret place, what better door to shut than the mouth, and what better secret room than that of the mind where only God will hear? Have a prayer with the Father, quietly. 

Bucky

He Makes Us

This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”  Romans 1:17 NLT

Sometimes we may fall into thinking that we have something useful to offer the Lord our God. As if the Almighty could somehow have need for an all-weaky to do something for Him. But that sort of depressed thinking doesn't take into account the love of the Lord! So, as we have nothing to offer up to Him but our old sinful selves, God gave us the Good News and set about making us into something His Son can bring home to Him. As Paul tells us, by faith we become a great accomplishment of the Lord. In other words, He makes us something. Something righteous, something grand, something wonderful in Christ the Lord who is called Wonderful. 

So heads up, Christians, and let us resume our march to the Holy City! 

Bucky

Endure Hardship Gratefully

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 2:3

While we would mostly like to avoid hardship, it is hardship that makes us most proud of our service. If a veteran can recall no hardship from their service, they probably think they somehow did it wrong or were cheated. In this world hardship seems to go with service of any type. This is not to say that service cannot be rewarding and even enjoyable at times. One way to gain reward from service is with a grateful heart. That isn't an easy thing to do. But who can help us with that? The One who saved us of course, our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ!

And we also have the great privilege of praying one for another, what a loving service that is!

Happy Veterans Day! Thank you for allowing us to serve you.

Bucky

Targeted Generosity?

Let my plea come before you;
deliver me according to your word.
-- Psalm 119:170

I read about a plea going out last night by way of thanks to the responders this morning. No, the actual plea was not seen or made public it seems, nor the reason for the plea except for the mention of 'fire'. You have likely seen these before on social media, and it can be frustrating to our curiosity. "What happened?" one commenter noted on the post; no doubt speaking for a great many other readers. But I get it too. People can be quite generous, even overly so, when a disaster happens. Stories of mountains of donated clothing abound in the aftermath of disasters. A family who has just lost their house doesn't need to be burdened with several hundred pounds of used clothing. So targeted generosity may be wise at such a time. If a few can take care of the need, then there is no need to ask from hundreds. Which brings us to pleading with our Lord in prayer.

We know by faith that we will receive from our Lord just what we need. And, even if we do not know the names or the story, we can plead for the needs of those the Lord knows well.

Just pray!

Bucky

P.S. My 'plea' search led me to a scripture with the highest number of digits I've ever used, I think!

Appreciating The Good Shepherd

What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?  Luke 15:4

In our verse for today we can easily see a great difference in appreciation for the shepherd between the 99 sheep that were left and the 1 sheep that was lost. The larger group might even go so far as to call the shepherd a traitor for leaving them behind. While the one will of course feel a great love and appreciation for the shepherd. Even more appreciation might be felt from a sheep that was lost in a tough place versus one only lost a little bit. We follow our Lord Jesus in applying this metaphor to ourselves. When Jesus found you, just how lost were you? Those lost greatly will tend to feel the greater appreciation. However, do not give up on the 99, while the Spirit helps them to deal with temptation, they too will feel a great appreciation when the Good Shepherd returns bearing that one lost sheep. And all 100 will rejoice with the Savior when we are led into His home and pasture. 

Let us rejoice in the Good Shepherd!

Bucky

Melting Heaviness

My soul melts from heaviness;
Strengthen me according to Your word.
-- Psalm 119:28

These past few months have seemed rather long due to a thing going on that I won't name this morning. Whether you are pleased or disappointed at the projected result, turn to the word of the Lord and be strengthened. Rejoice or seek relief in the word of God as you read and study. Outside my window Nature either celebrates or covers its grief in a blanket of new snow. Up in Heaven, God's throne was neither built up nor tilted down by the result of that thing I won't mention for your sake. And God's planned day for the return of His glorious Son? That day is still coming at the appointed time no matter what our feelings are this grey morning. So, to those who are happy and those who are sad:

Great is the Word of our Lord God!

Bucky

Your Own Didn't Know You

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. John 1:10-11

Tomorrow we face another presidential election. For a moment, imagine that neither of the big party candidates win and you do. While your first thoughts are still running along the lines of "Eeek! No! No!" the electoral college meets and confirms that you are indeed the president-elect of the United States. In January there is a big ceremony and, finally calmed down a bit, you take the oath of office and move into the White House. One of the first things you must do is to bring the big armored car and a few of those folks in dark suits back to your hometown for a visit.

However, things are strange at home. No one seems to care, the police leave a parking ticket on the limo, and your principal and teachers cast doubt on your claim to be president. At church, the preacher says your election never happened, and names you a fraud in the strongest terms. Finally, before you can leave town the Secret Service is forced to arrest the police chief and all the town officers when they try to arrest you for impersonating the office you know that you now hold! What sort of delusion has a hold of your hometown?

We know of course that Jesus faced a similar dilemma. The One who came to save the world couldn't get a single 'Hallelujah!' in His hometown of Nazareth. The religious authorities refused to believe His divinity all over Judea, Galilee, and other Jewish places. And, even those precious twelve followers would fail to believe until after He died, rose again, and ascended in their sight back to His Father in Heaven. Even to this day it is easier for us Gentiles to believe in Him than His own people in Israel.

Praise God that we are allowed to believe in His Son!

Bucky

You Must Seek

But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go. Deuteronomy 12:5

Seeking a place was put into the Law of Moses way back in the days when Israel had not possessed the promised land yet. A search, but why didn't the Lord just tell them where to go? You do know what happens when even a righteous authority tells us what to do, don't you? A journey of seeking though, that would give the Israelites a bit of that control the rebellious heart longs to hold. Jesus told Israel much the same thing years later when on the mount He said, "Ask, and you shall receive. Seek, and you shall find..." As born sinners we do not like to be told what to do, but we do like searching for treasure or a nice place to live. We love to seek for treasures in the Lord's word, but tell us that we must read 5 chapters per day and the mind finds all sorts of excuses to avoid a good habit.

It's like the Lord God knows us.

Bucky

Doing The Impossible

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 CSB

In Matthew 19 we are presented with the Master leading us through a series of impossible situations. Marriage and divorce, the relationship in a marriage, eunuchs - born, made, and for the kingdom of heaven, little children coming to Jesus, commandments, wealth and giving it all up to follow Jesus, and the business of those possessions. Near the end, we come to our verse for today, and it shows how among all those things of life we will run into something that prevents us from entering heaven on our own. Whether it is a commandment already violated, fear of being poor, or any of those others, we need the Savior to overcome our impossible.

God our Savior is overcoming the impossible in us!

Bucky

End The Annoyance With Finality?

The one who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I also will love him and will reveal myself to him. John 14:21 CSB

So if good works and rules will not save anyone... hmm, works and rules, sounds like the basis for a religion there, what do you think? After writing that the rules will not save, inevitably I must take up the other side of the question. "So, no rules, then that means I get to do anything I want," says the old man of the flesh with some glee. There would come that temptation to become a law unto ourselves. It would likely go so far that the person who merely disagrees with us in an irritating fashion would face the wrath of our lawlessness. We might end the annoyance with finality.

Hold on a bit, end the annoyance with finality?!! That sounds like murder, surely that isn't what salvation brings? Jesus didn't save us to be a bunch of thugs, did He? Of course not, and as our friend Paul said, "May it never be so!" While rules, commandments, civil regulations, or even the Law of Moses won't save us, Jesus did give us those greatest commandments from the Old Testament. Both of these commandments tell us to love, and they just happen to fulfill the Law and the prophets too! That brings us to our verse for today.

Keep His commands and love!

Bucky

Making Us

I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.  Philippians 3:9 NLT

We have nothing to offer God, so He makes us something. It comes to us often that those who do not believe in Jesus often think they have much to offer God by way of righteousness. They are in their own estimation good people, righteous people, often and sometimes even Christian people. Here Paul the former Pharisee tells us that he does not count on his training in the law or deeds of self-righteousness but faith alone in Christ alone. I fear that for many of us too much rule preaching may cause us to go from faith in Christ back to counting on self righteousness. Let us not, I plead, trace Paul's journey in the wrong direction. 

Faith in Christ for our salvation!

Bucky

Seeking Signs

But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.” Mark 8:12

Lately I have been reading quite a few end times sort of novels, you might call them Christian adventure stories. One thing they have in common are big signs and miracles, just like the Pharisees wanted back in their day. By our Lord's deep sigh in His spirit this morning, I see that He would rather see faith from us. Faith does not require those big signs and miracles, but only the relatives of faith. Who could those relatives be? They are trust, confidence, belief, and assurance. You may even name a few more, it's a rich family. We began our faith by believing in Jesus, and continue by trusting in Him. We can even have a childlike faith with bold confidence! Jesus, after rising from the tomb, told Thomas that those who have not seen and yet have believed in Him enjoy are blessed.

Great is His faithfulness, and great too is our faith in Him!

Bucky

An Answer To Fit Any Time

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3

The disciples brought the question to the Lord and for once they may have been overwhelmed by the breadth and depth of His answer. And yet, what in the answer matched their question? All of it and none of it. The disciples, like us, probably looked for something like, 'on the third day of the month of Tebeth, after the day of the new king of Israel comes to pass, then the beginning of the end will come.' Today those who face strong difficulties in life may look for a date that comes within the next few months or years. Those looking forward to a life in marriage, career, or other events may want it a bit further out, say a hundred years after their grandchildren's time. However, Jesus gave to the disciples and to us an answer to fit any time. In Matthew 24:4-13 there comes a detailed answer that any generation of the followers of Christ will recognize as having been fulfilled. And yet, there is no way for us to tell any difference between that passage and the first five seals of the Revelation in chapter 6 as they follow the same pattern. So, what do we see now to help us? Well, it may have begun already over in another place and we have too many distractions to see it, or the end may not begin for another couple hundred years or so. It is for us a great reason to trust in Jesus every day and to endure to the end, our own or the world's.

Have a great day in Christ Jesus! (Yes, even after all that I just laid on you!)

Bucky

Heaven and a Renewal

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Revelation 21:1

We yearn to be with our Lord God and so we yearn for Heaven, but that does not appear to be our forever home. In our verse for today we are given John's witness of a renewal of both Heaven and Earth. In the next verse John gets to see the holy city, the New Jerusalem coming down onto the new Earth. It is rather amazing how little we know of our future home with our Lord. But at the same time it is also amazing what we can know from the word of God. This city was measured with a height of 1,500 miles. We are impressed by Mount Everest which at 29,032 feet is a small fraction of that or just shy of 5.5 miles in height. And so, what we can know of this amazing new Heaven and its city is also almost inconceivable to us. 1,500 miles to the top, how many steps are in that main stairway?

Heaven, a place we can know, but we don't know. Our experience is just too puny!

Bucky

The Story, Starring - A Donkey?

Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written. John 12:14

Horses do not get all the big roles in the Bible, just most of them it seems. Donkeys figure prominently in a couple of big stories including the triumphal entry into Jerusalem by the future King in our verse today. The breakout role for a donkey may have been under Balaam when his donkey got to have a speaking role in Numbers 22. It is perhaps to make up for getting struck three times and threatened with death for innocently refusing to assault one of God's angels that a donkey would be chosen to bear the King of kings into Jerusalem in the gospels. However, in both cases the star was a man while the donkey had what was a supporting role. What an honor though to bear the servant of all as He went to Jerusalem to lay down His life to save many.

That young donkey deserves a medal, but it didn't save us. Jesus did!

Bucky

Opinions Are Common

Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me,
I also will declare my opinion.'
  -- Job 32:10

Listening to a rock star of decades back making known his opinion, I thought my opinion of his opinion and realized that mine was equally worthless at the least. As the old saying goes: opinions are like elbows, and everybody has a couple. If in your opinion the old saying doesn't go quite that way, then go ahead and have your opinion too. Perhaps then we should seek God's opinion. But wait! Is it even possible for God to have an opinion? As every word spoken by our Lord God is by definition the word of God, can we even call it an opinion? According to the Oxford Languages dictionary, opinion is: a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. Obviously the not necessarily bit is for us, while it is clear that every opinion of God would be fact or knowledge.

So, if God were to tell a joke... Augh! My mind...popping... exploding! A subject too big for this short writing this morning. Have a great day in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

Two Lots Of Fish

Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. John 21:11

Two stories of the Lord Jesus providing a miraculous catch of fish, one in Luke and one in John. In one case, two boats are not sunk but the number of fish is not told. In the case of our verse for today, the number was counted by someone and so is the size of the fish noted, and in this case the net remains unbroken. The first case came early in our Lord's ministry at the calling of the disciples, while the second from John came after the resurrection. In both cases though, professional fishermen had caught nothing in a night of labor just before the big catch. We see the miracle of bounty and want that, but how often do we consider that the Lord also provided for nothing for a long period of time first? To spread a net and catch nothing at all could happen, once, twice, but all night? Nothing at all, not even a junk fish or two? The hand of the Lord may provide to us in our endeavors a long night of nothing to prepare us for the big catch.

Watch for Him!

Bucky

Standing On The Precipice Of History

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
And he will turn
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.
  -- Malachi 4:5-6

These are the closing words of the Old Testament in the Bible. Another prophet, Amos, had foretold of a famine of hearing the words of God, and Malachi closed out the writing of the word. Centuries would pass before John the Baptizer came in the spirit and power of Elijah, but he was not Elijah. The famine had ended though, and John is the herald of the New Testament. I wonder at times though if Malachi knew that he stood on the precipice of history as the final prophet of the age? I wonder if Malachi and John met in Heaven with a 'Hey, Brother!' as the famine of the word ended with the coming of Jesus? Maybe we will get to ask them soon.

The famine has ended, as Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

Bucky

You Follow Me

Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”  John 21:22

Is the election over yet? Three more weeks from tomorrow? Ahhh, no, say it isn't so! The disciples took from our verse for today something that humans have looked for since their earliest times - immortality. John wrote to set them straight on that since what Jesus said was about comparisons. "You follow Me," Jesus said to Peter to remind us not to worry over God's will for others as we walk with Him. We can easily be led astray worrying over another believer's circumstance. While there are followers of Jesus who are wealthy in faith, there are also those who are just plain old wealthy. What is that to us? We follow the Lord Jesus! For most of us comparisons with other believers will not work out anyway. Living that way we will end up too much this or not enough that until we are depressed and anxious all the day long. Follow Jesus. 

To each of us He has said, "You follow Me."

Bucky

Takes Away The Sin

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"  John 1:29

Has a nation ever chosen a lamb as its national animal? Perhaps a small nation who didn't want to attract the unwelcome attention of powerful neighbors with their lions, bears, or eagles, might do so. We generally do not look to a lamb to stimulate respect for our strength in others. And yet, here comes the Son of the Almighty, and John said to look at the Lamb. The Jews at that time were fully expecting the Lion to come and chase out the Romans. They got the Lamb. To those who are given the ability to believe in Jesus though, Lamb sounds exactly right. 

Gentle, humble, and Savior, the Lamb of God! 

Bucky

You Need Some Euangelion

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.  Matthew 24:14

As always it seems, there are plenty of bad tidings to tell of this morning, and our news media has become proficient at telling of it. So, you need some euangelion this morning. That odd-looking term I used is the Greek for gospel, which means glad tidings. You and I need some glad tidings this morning, and our Lord promises that His glad tidings will be preached in all the world. Just a quick glance at all the different religions active in the world today makes that promise quite a bit of good news all around. But His glad tidings are not just a geographic quota to be filled. There are the promises of eternal life, love, joy, peace, and righteousness. An end to sorrows, grief, despair, and sadness comes as a further promise of joy unending in our Lord Jesus. For the lonely there is the hope of close companionship, and for those in pain or fear there is an end to the old things. Why there is even talk in Isaiah of predator and prey animals lying down together with a little child leading them. 

It's about time for some good news, and Jesus is just the man for the job!

Bucky

His Way

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It's better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. Mark 9:43 NLT

In our studies of historical peoples we have read of those who prepared the corpse for a successful afterlife with horse, weapon, money, and even wives and servants. Imagine having all of this prepared for you, but no hands! Of course Jesus knew when He said this that hands don't just take off on their own to do sin. When it comes to dismemberment for preventing sin, the head would seem to be the place to start. But that causes other problems such as being rather permanent. He who has ears to hear... cannot hear when his head has departed his body. The message here seems to be about priority. Is your priority entering God's kingdom in Heaven, or is it to be with the sinners in Gehenna, that Greek name for Hell? Eternity sounds like such a dreadful long time to be in a place of fire and brimstone.

Of course we know from the Word that salvation comes by faith in Christ Jesus, and not (sigh of relief!) by dismembering our sinful bodies. Praise God for His way!

Bucky

The Start Of Something

So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.  Exodus 12:14 

Moses did not know at this time that the Lord not only began the feast of the Passover, but in time would also start the celebration of communion. It was at the Passover that Jesus told His disciples to take the bread and the wine in remembrance of Him. I wonder if there will be another celebration added to this when Jesus returns? Perhaps the celebration of the wedding of the Lamb and His Bride will take place at the Passover too. We may be looking ahead to something new that began way back in the days of Moses, or Adam! 

An everlasting ordinance for a celebration of God's work, that's wonderful!

Bucky

He Saw And Believed

Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. John 20:8

Thomas has been called by a derogatory term among believers. But it would appear from our verse for today that young John might also deserve that name. He too had to see and then believe. Due to his statement, we add the name 'Doubting' to Thomas, but all the disciples had to see before they would believe it. So, why do we in our age have to go by their testimony for our belief? That is what Jesus wanted from His disciples as well, to believe in Him because of His testimony. None of the disciples were present outside of Bethlehem when the Heavenly Host praised God. Only the Baptizer saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove on Jesus. But the disciples all needed testimony, teaching, miracles, death, and finally resurrection before they would believe. Before He ascended to the Father, Jesus imparted one blessing that none of the twelve disciples can enjoy:

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

Rejoice that we have not seen and yet have believed!

Bucky

You Will Decide

You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways. Job 22:28

Often we are told that answers to prayer may be in the form of yes, or no, or even wait. But another answer to prayer may be that you or I will need to make a decision. If we take our verse for today, all sounds good and righteous in our decision. However, after yesterday you will note that this comes from Job, and from the same chapter, which means that it is ol' Eliphaz still speaking. Oh no! Yes, Eliphaz has told Job that after he returns to God and when he agrees with God, then all will be right and happy. But that big assumption of Eliphaz still hangs out there over Job, that he was not with God already and that all these terrible crimes against the poor man are punishments.

Therefore, how does that bear on our current circumstances? An answer to prayer may be that a decision is required and God will be with us either way we go. Or, it may be that we have a sin that has put us in a place where the Lord would not have us go in either direction from where we are and we do need to return to Him. If you are standing in righteousness as Job was, make the decision and have no fear. If on the other hand, the assumption of Eliphaz is correct in my case or yours, then stop, leave the decision and come to God in prayer and repentance.

Oh, that darn context!

Bucky

Is God Invested In Us?

Can a man be profitable to God,
Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?
-- Job 22:2

References to Job, such as our verse for today, must be used carefully. For many verses in Job come from those friends of his who wanted to show that he had sinned and his punishment was deserved. God, as we recall, had boasted that Job was blameless and upright. Now there is a character reference! When we read what appears to be an erudite question from Job's companions, we may want to read on before answering. For example, the very next question from this Eliphaz goes: Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? And we say, "Yes! Absolutely!" For we know that God is indeed invested in us and delights when any of us choose righteousness over sin. Just how much God invested in us can be seen at the cross where His Son gave His life to save us.

May His investment have a great return on it!

Bucky

Neither Let It?

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  John 14:27

There are those times when we treat the words of Jesus like some kind of magical incantation, and then we wonder why it didn't work on us. This verse in particular holds a couple of those faith action commands with 'let not' and 'neither let it'. This leads us to understand that the words of our Lord Jesus are participatory for us. He gives to us His peace, but we have work to do in not letting the heart where the trouble likes to set be troubled. You are right; He did not say it would be easy. We also have our work cut out for us in not letting it be afraid. And with what the news media likes to shovel our way in this age, that is not an easy faith action either. 

However, with prayer and the Word of God, we have good help in this!

Bucky

The Old Believer's Boast

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Let's take inventory: Am I weaker today because it takes longer to do what I used to do, or it hurts way more to do what I once did, or I just flat out can't do what I was able to do not so long ago? Getting older is not without its frustration. As older believers in our Lord Jesus, we have something those young 'uns don't have yet, lots of reasons to boast of our weaknesses. Where once we might boast of how much we could lift or press, now we have no cause to boast of that sort of thing. Praise God for the opportunity to show off the sufficiency of His grace! Where once we might have impressed someone with dexterity of hand or smoothness of motion, now we can tell of the perfecting of God's strength in our infirmities.

Evidently, like John testified, I must become less as He becomes greater in me!

Bucky

Still Feeling A Bit Dumb?

Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. John 10:6

This verse for today follows a particular teaching of our Lord Jesus, but it could be tagged on to a great many of them. If you feel a bit dumb this morning over a passage of scripture or a teaching of Jesus from the gospels, join the club! We all have much to learn in Christ our Lord, and we have the company of those twelve disciples as they are the 'they' in this verse. With about three years of direct teaching from the Man Himself, still those disciples struggled to understand the teachings of Jesus. Many times they probably felt like we do, just a bit on the dumb side. Therefore be patient in the Lord. Does your rushing mighty wind (Acts 2) feel more like a slight breeze? Patience, the disciples had to wait for a time too. And, our Lord may not do things the same way for everyone who comes to believe in Him.

Trust in His way and timing!

Bucky

One Who Testified

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.”  So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.  And many more believed because of His own word.  John 4:39-41

Early in His travels, Jesus our Lord went to Samaria to meet with one particular woman at a well. If you have seen the newer TV series, The Chosen, you watched a delightful portrayal of this woman's transformation in Christ. While the disciples follow their rabbi, this woman goes out and testifies of the Christ. Where many of His fellow Jews refuse to believe, this woman helps to bring a Samaritan town to believe in the Lord. Between the testimony of one and His own word, Jesus found faith in a place that would shock the Jewish religious leaders when word got to them, as it surely did. And so we testify, because like this little Samaritan town, we never can tell where the Word of God may take root and grow. 

Rejoice in the Lord always,

Bucky

His Prayers

As You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. John 17:2

In John 17, Jesus prays, and unlike many previous times when He went out away from the disciples to pray, we get to hear what our Lord Jesus said in prayer to our Lord God. Authority over all flesh, we want it, we seem to remember it through our family line going back to Adam, but that dominion was lost to sin. You may have felt the desire to be at peace with all the wild beasts as in Isaiah 11, but that is for a future time. But while we worry over peace with the wild things, Jesus takes His authority and gives eternal life. Wow, His prayers are so different from mine.

Have a prayerful day in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

A Silent Testimony

And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Matthew 8:4

"See that you tell no one," would appear to contradict later commands to spread the good news. However, we can read that this command was given to just one person and not even the disciples, and at a time prior to the commission at the end of Matthew's gospel. While the testimony was to be silent this time, there were actions commanded by Jesus to testify of His healing. We too may be led by the Lord's Spirit to speak out at one time, while to show our faith by actions at another time. This may appear to contradict the teachings of your favorite evangelical preacher from these latter days.

As a writer from the word, I can tell you that it is easier for me to grab a verse or two from the Bible and fire off a singular solution for your testimony. As Jesus our Lord made the commands according to His time and timing to the healed leper here and the disciples there, we too should go to Him in prayer inquiring each time. The Spirit of our Lord will guide us to a showing or a telling, or even a combination at any given time as we follow our Lord bearing the good news.

Showing or telling, it's still a testimony!

Bucky

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

Not quite in the spiritual state of the eternal yet, John has an interesting mix of tenses going on here in our verse for today. The end of our Lord's life on the cross was as we all know now not the end at all. And John would be the one who visited Heaven to receive the Revelation and learn of a different end. However, whichever end John spoke of, Jesus still loved and loves us all to the end.

We also want to know as Jesus knew that we will depart from this world to the Father, and we can in Christ our Lord since He made that trip first.

Endless is the love of our Lord Jesus!

Bucky

Who Are You?

Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”  John 1:19

Who am I? Last night I dreamed of heavily-armed squirrels, and their little backpacks were so cute too! So the answer to that question could be some sort of crackpot or screwball in my case. As I watched season 4, episode 2 of The Chosen last night before bed, I have no rational explanation for that dream. John the Baptizer had a better testimony when the priests and Levites came to ask our question this morning, "Who are you?" For us, well some of us are still trying to come up with an answer to that question. Or are we? John gave us an example to follow, and we can use it well. We are not the Christ, but we represent Him, and, like John, we are not worthy to untie His sandal straps. And our testimony is not made up of a job, or a career we chose, or how many times we had peculiar dreams of armed rodents, but of what our Lord Jesus has done for us.

May God guide and bless us in our testimony of Christ!

Bucky

To His Glory

When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” John 11:4

Monday again? Already? Yes, I am in that stage of life when the weeks and months seem to go by rather quickly at times.

In this verse for today there is a great deal to unpack. Jesus said that Lazarus' sickness was not unto death, and yet we know from the story that He waited so that Lazarus would die before He arrived. This would not be the only time that disciples of Jesus both then and in our day have not understood what Jesus said. We also know from the story that Lazarus spent one more day in the tomb than Jesus did. Is there something we can learn from that? One thing we can take from this verse is that those who believe in Jesus are not exempt from fatal illness. And? Yes, don't forget the other part, that Jesus to His glory and God's is also able to restore and revive us from that place we see as death.

Therefore, does Jesus not see that period of time each of us may spend in the grave as death? Perhaps not. But we learn in this verse that the resurrection of a man who died in the way that we see as dead is for the glory of God and to glorify the Son. And? Yes, and it also shows to us that through Jesus that death thing is not permanent! So, if your illness or mine does take us to the place where we rest in death, no worries! Jesus will come in His perfect time to fetch us back to His place of life.

Rejoice in His good news!

Bucky

One Among You

John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”  John 1:26-27

From the testimony of John, it would seem that Jesus may have come one day before His baptism to hear John preach. Or, it may be that John referred to Israel as a whole as the 'among you'. In either case, the Pharisees did not immediately begin looking around for the long-awaited Messiah. Which would have been the natural thing to do in a group when the preacher points out that the one you've been looking for is right there among you. Unless, of course, the Pharisees didn't really want to find the Messiah. From about three years of interactions between the Pharisees and Jesus, we can confidently say that is true, they did not want to see or find the Messiah. Even when John pointed out the man in verse 29 on the next day, no one among the Pharisees ran to spread the good news. One of John's disciples did run to tell his brother though, and the choosing of the 12 disciples of Jesus began. 

What a person does when the Messiah is pointed out to them testifies of their faith. May we all be filled with faith in Jesus!

Bucky

A Man Changed

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Our verse for today comes from a man who, along with his fellow disciples, had quite failed to understand or believe what Jesus had said about His coming death and resurrection. Years later, John would write these magnificent words about our Lord Jesus. What marvelous change Jesus had made upon this man who had been called from the fishing trade in Galilee. And yet we know from the gospels that the change took more than three years under the personal discipleship of our Lord Himself, a visit with the Lord in His glory along with Elijah, Moses, and the voice of God; some time with the risen Savior, and then an outpouring of the Spirit of God in a most startling manner. So, given that we must learn by faith from John's testimony of all that. If your anticipated change after being saved by the Lord has not seemed to go as far or as fast as you might like... be patient and wait on the Lord!

We are His work in progress!

Bucky

Reminders Needed

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. Titus 3:1-2

Today we observe a moment of silence for those whose lives were taken on 9/11. You do not need a reminder of this date, and you can probably tell me where you were when the news first broke of the terrorist attacks. For other things in our walk with Jesus, we need a reminder now and then. One of those reminders that Paul wrote to Titus in a letter, will be tested on us no matter which of the candidates debating last night becomes the next President of the United States. Of course there could yet be a candidate who was not invited to the show that takes the election from 'out of nowhere'. When the election is decided, we will need to be ready to speak evil of no one, as Paul wrote, and to be peaceable. This scripture for today lays out several things that are not so easy for us to do in politics or in anything else. There is only one answer for that: take it to the Lord in prayer!

Peaceable love to you in Christ our Lord!

Bucky

Seeing Something Wrong

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children. Matthew 11:19

That time of the year has come when mornings say 'autumn!' but the afternoons still vote firmly for summer. The two main political parties have put forth their candidates for the next president of the United States, and they are busy shelling each other with words and ads. Each party wants us to see something very wrong with the other's candidate.

As Jesus took the good news of His ministry to the people of Israel, some of them could not abide the change. These religious leaders thought they saw something wrong in this new rabbi and took to pointing it out with some derogatory labels. While a couple of those old-time labels might seem tame to us, each of them, true or not, attempt to take away from the perfection expected of the Messiah. The religious leaders wanted the people to see something wrong with Jesus. To put a play on words: sadly, it was those religious leaders seeing something wrong who failed to recognize the Messiah.

If we believe in Jesus today, somebody will see something wrong in us too. Be ready to be called some names.

Love to you in Christ our Lord!

Bucky

Thorns Of Fame

Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.  John 12:42-43

We should not underestimate the allure of fame on those struggling to believe in Jesus our Lord. Having never had even the tiniest sliver of fame, I cannot estimate what it meant to those long ago rulers or those who live with it today. In fact, I'm so infamous that even people I know from phone calls do not recognize me on the street. Wait, is 'infamous' the right word?  However, for those who have experienced fame, I have observed that they do not often want to give it up. Here in our two verses for today, we see the thorns of this world reaching out to grab and strangle the faith of these rulers. A warning for us to beware of those thorns of fame. 

Keep the faith in Jesus!

Bucky

You Know It

But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Matthew 20:25

Jesus, by way of introducing something new, began with what the disciples and we already know. At work, in school, by the government, and even in the church, you and I have felt the ruling ways of the Gentiles. Here in the United States we were born into a nation that is rather full of them; Gentiles that is. In Judea and Galilee at this time the disciples had the example of that Roman Empire and its ruling over them. You know it, they knew it, and Jesus began from a comfortable place for all of us in that common knowledge. And then came the new stuff!

Want to be great? Be the servant. We could see from here all twelve disciples being brought up short in their headlong charge to be great in the kingdom of heaven. Be the servant, how much does that slow our rush to greatness?

Love to you in Christ our Lord!

Bucky

The Kingdom Has Come

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. Mark 1:15

In Mark, this is how Jesus begins His ministry. By the Spirit of faith, I see that there is no more waiting, the time is fulfilled. And, since the kingdom of God is at hand, then Jesus as God has come in the form of a man who can be seen, heard and touched. Repent speaks to all that I was and believed in before Him. Repenting of all of that, I turn to the Lord Jesus and set aside all unbelief for faith in Him alone. And this belief in the gospel is to believe in the good news of Jesus Christ. And finally this statement forces that choice we heard from C.S. Lewis: This man making this enormous statement is a crackpot who actually believes it though it cannot be true, or he knows that it is false and he is the worst of liars, or, all of it is perfectly true and He is the Son of God. He is who He is, but we each must make that choice to believe or to deny.

So, from faith to faith we follow our Lord Jesus,

Bucky

Remember This

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the
heavenly host praising God and saying:

​​“Glory to God in the highest,
 ​​And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
  -- Luke 2:13-14

By my estimate this morning, it will take less than a minute on any news site to get a person feeling down in some way. Frustration, disappointment, anger, sorrow, or some other negative emotion quickly follows the first or second news article we see. And since this is a presidential election year in our nation, there is fuel for your fire no matter which side of the political spectrum you live on.

And so I ask that we all remember this event in the history of our faith today. As the angelic host spoke to the shepherds that night, the nation of Israel lived under the Roman occupation, and they didn't much like it. Along with the Roman presence, they also had religious oppression from their leaders, financially crippling taxation administered by their own particular traitors - the tax collectors, and the worries and difficulties of everyday life. They had at least as much to complain about as we do in our day. Therefore, when things look rough for us today, do as Jesus said here,

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. Luke 21:28

Glory to God in the highest!

Bucky

The Gauntlet Of Criticism

But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. John 12:7

Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead and was dining in his home when Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anointed our Lord's feet with costly oil of spikenard. John records one criticism, but knowing people as we do there was likely much more from those gathered there. While running the gauntlet of criticism from at least one of His disciples, Jesus also saved Mary from further grief, and then dropped another of His bombshells that seemed to go off leaving the disciples unfazed. Burial? Yo, disciples! Did you all miss that bit about His burial?

Before we become overly critical of those disciples, we also have that instinct to correct with reactionary criticism. What might we miss in a sermon or study by way of a quick remark that we think shows off our sharp wit or great intellect?

Praise God for the word of God, the promise that He will expose and fix our every fault.

Bucky

A Fantasy Verse?

In that day the LORD with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea.  Isaiah 27:1 ESV

In that day, the Lord says by His prophet the actions that He will take. We cannot point to a date on the calendar, but by faith we can know that it will come to pass. By our knowledge that we think we know in this world, this verse for today comes way out of a fantasy novel. Serpent, dragon, sword, and slayage - just what we look for in the fantasy genre. However, as we read through the Bible, the Lord does not seem to be given to writing fantasy. Many of His prophecies have come to pass, while others we await with eager anticipation or a bit of anxious concern. The prophecy where His Father's house has many mansions - eager anticipation, the one about 100-lb hailstones - anxious concern. Leviathan - definitely one to let the Lord God handle with His sword. 

Trusting in Him!

Bucky

Waiting Faithfully

His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. John 12:16

The way of faith does not come easily to us. Writing about the time near the end of our Lord's ministry to Judea, John confesses that the disciples were dull of hearing even after three years of following the Lord Jesus. At this moment in the scriptures, John and the others watch as it appears that with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus will be made king and bring in the new reign of Messiah. But our Lord had already told them what would happen in Jerusalem at this time. The disciples expected what Judea expected - king in, Romans out, peace and prosperity all around. But Jesus had clearly said, handed over to the Gentiles, humiliated, scourged, lifted up and killed, only to rise again. John confesses the disconnect between their expectation and what Jesus had been saying all along finally came to a close when it happened, just as Jesus said it would happen.

Sometimes faith shows or tells us ahead of time, and we fail to get it like the disciples. Other times faith may not show the specifics or give a date, and we must wait faithfully. But know that God is good and loving, and be patient in Christ! All that He has said will come to pass.

Bucky

Don't Wanna Face Judgment

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:14-17

Yesterday our scripture passage told of one method that a person might be separated into a group and be welcomed to the kingdom. As Jesus in the great sermon on the mount was at that time going to the people of the old covenant, He spoke of works and being judged by them. For us as Gentiles, this method and judgment may not even be available to us. Plus, it is fraught with peril in that failure to abide by all the law, of which us Gentiles may not even have a full copy, could cost us everything in the judgment.

If one thinks that our Bible contains the entire law of Moses, well maybe it does and maybe it doesn't. The Israelites in Judah during the reign of Josiah found the book of the law given through Moses. The story is told in 2 Chronicles 34. We might wonder how God's people could even lose such a thing, but they did! For us today, it means that we dare not even count on having the old covenant of works in its entirety as a long, long time has passed between the days of Moses and our days here in the 21st century after Jesus. So, what is this other way, a new covenant perhaps, that we can seek in order to be saved?

In our scripture passage today, Jesus met with the teacher of Israel, Nicodemus, and gave to him the new covenant. The covenant which Jesus would deliver again at the Last Supper, signed and sealed in His body and blood the next day. We can read up from the bottom in the passage of how the world might be saved through Jesus, not condemned by Him (which the Law does so well), by God's love, through His death on the cross (lifted up), and have that eternal life we all desire. Finally, verse 18:

Whoever believes in Him is not condemned.

Therefore, as Paul will tell us later in his letters:

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

No condemnation means to us: be saved in Christ and don't worry about that judgment. Seems like His way is the better way to me!

Bucky

P.S. Heavenly persimmons! Dis a big 'un!

No Wolves Allowed

All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. Matthew 25:32

The Son of Man tells of His glory at the end, and of a separation of goats from sheep. No wolves are mentioned in the prophetic story. Yes, there are tales (pun intended), novels, and movies of how it is better to be the wolf than the sheep. But at this judgment it seems that the sign 'no wolves allowed' has been clearly posted. A person may choose to be a goat or a sheep, but it is the sheep who are welcomed into the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus then goes on to outline some choices of charity and love. So, are we back to good works for entry into the kingdom of Heaven? Isn't there a way to be saved and then do these good works? Yes, Jesus said He is the way, we had better learn about that tomorrow.

In Christ our Lord,

Bucky

Shining His Light

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

There are some impressive resumes in Hollywood. So luminous are they to the world that they are known as stars. So, is it then the light of accomplishment we are to shine to the world? Could it be the light of a pretty face? What if I don't have either of those? Jesus had said to them in v14, "You are the light of the world." Given that multitudes were mentioned earlier in the chapter, they were likely not all either pretty or accomplished. Perhaps the whole Hollywood thing is on the wrong track.

In John 8:12, Jesus gives to us this explanation:

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Ah, Jesus is the light we need to shine and we gain that light of life by following Him. That squares with Isaiah who told us, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light." Born in darkness, we cannot produce a light of ourselves. By following our Lord Jesus, we shine with His light.

Have a bright shining day in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

Giving What We Get

Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
-- Matthew 5:7

Upon conviction of our sin by the Holy Spirit, we earnestly desire a couple of things from God. One we find in our verse today, part of the great sermon Jesus gave to us on a mountain. Another is forgiveness and it too has a condition of giving. Later in the same sermon, Jesus tells us:

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15

Our greatest needs require us to do the same for others. Mercy and forgiveness come from believing in Jesus. For without faith in Him we have no hope of obtaining the mercy and forgiveness we most desperately need. And to receive His great gifts, we are to do the same for others. It's a sharing it all around sort of experience He gives to us!

Sharing the love in Christ our Lord,

Bucky

Unlikely Statements

Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” Matthew 12:24

Pharisees, that group of dunderheads who never seemed to get it right. The problem is that they were not, dunderheads that is. The Pharisees spent a lifetime learning and debating the Law and the prophets. As a group they were among the more educated of the nation of Israel. So, why then would they put forth such unlikely opinions as the one in our verse for today? One possibility is that when your group decides to oppose everything a person says or does without any reflection or consideration, you may end up saying some fairly unlikely things. It is not a stretch to look at our political climate these days and see similar things going on. However, the Pharisees had decided to oppose the Son of God, not just some politician of a different stripe. These Pharisees were not going to come out of this looking sharp and erudite.

Praise God for His patience with us,

Bucky

It Is Sufficient?

Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”  John 14:8

One wants to ask dear Philip if it would really be sufficient for him. We may fall into that trap as well. If one more miracle would be sufficient for faith, would it be faith? If one more gospel  was discovered buried in a cave near the Dead Sea, would that be enough for you to believe? If Jesus were to meet me like He did Paul outside Damascus, would that do it for my faith to be strong and mighty? When we see that Philip had been with John the Baptist and then following Jesus for years by this time, we see the trap of that 'just one more sign' sufficiency. Jesus even notes the length of Philip's training in faith next in the scriptures when He says, "Have I been with you so long..." For us these many years later, we have the assurance of one final blessing:

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.  John 20:29

Be blessed in Christ our Lord,

Bucky

Not That One

Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” John 14:22

Judas, surnamed Thaddeus, gets a mention in our verse for today by his other name. One can see why Thaddeus might have preferred to not be known as the other Judas given the connotation of betrayal associated with that name. John even adds (not Iscariot) to his name to make sure we know it wasn't that other one. But too much on this name thing and we might miss his great question: Why not?

Look at how many people in the gospels saw the manifested Christ and refused to believe in Him. The disciples received more of our Lord's word than anyone, more by far than we read in the four gospels, and they were barely believing by this point. A manifestation after His resurrection it seems would be wasted on those who refused to believe. However, it would be just the thing for the small group who believed in Him somewhat but not quite enough for the death and resurrection Jesus had spoken several times to break through their doors of unbelief. And so the risen Christ manifested Himself to them. God be praised!

Bucky

How Does One?

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:3

How does one get a person to the house of the Father of Jesus? We don't need to worry over that, Jesus said that He will do it. Jesus was not once in the years of His ministry recalled to Heavenly Headquarters for a planning meeting. How does one keep things on track without it? Why think so small: how does one, oh, create a world? According to the Bible, God spoke and it was. An insight was given to me the other night that God never had to consider more or less difficult, harder or easier, less expensive or more, or any other of our many worrisome things when He created everything. When Jesus goes home to prepare that place, He does not consider whether He can or not, nor does He leave trail markers to Earth to make sure He can get back. What our Lord does is just so different from the preparation, planning, and praying we must do for the big projects in life. He speaks, and it is done.

So, the time comes soon when we will go with Him to that place He prepares. We know because He said so.

Bucky

Be Clean!

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. John 14:30

These days it seems like everything Jesus said comes under attack, and this verse for today does not escape the war. Some would have us believe there is no ruler of this world that Jesus mentions. However, Jesus said it, and so we must be aware of this world's ruler. But what did He mean by "he has nothing in Me?" What could this be? One thing that Jesus did not have, and that we have too often, would be sin. Could it be that every sin is leaving something in us that this world ruler could manipulate, utilize, aim at, or something? Hmm, all the more reason to let the Spirit of our Lord cleanse us completely!

Grace and love to you,

Bucky

You May Believe

And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.  John 14:29

We can read throughout the gospels of the disciples and their inability to get past what they had been taught about how the Messiah would come and what he would do when he got there. Jesus tells them in our verse for today of how they would need to see this thing before they would believe it. We might even laugh now and again over those poor stubborn disciples and their not getting it. But this verse stopped being about them almost two thousand years ago. I have to wonder, as I'm sure you have, what about the end times prophecies have we got wrong by way of what we think we know? What will you and I have to see before we believe that was told in the prophecies quite plainly? The next time we study those end times prophecies, let us ask the Lord for a learner's perspective and hear what the Teacher will tell us. 

Like those disciples, are we watching it and refusing to know it? 

Bucky

The Spirit Of Kings

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.  John 14:16-17

The prophets of Israel received the word of God, and kings were anointed to receive the Spirit of God... though not all of them opened the door of their heart. Now Jesus took these few fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot, and other disciples and promised them the anointing of kings - the Spirit of truth. And who did He just say was the way, the truth, and the life? Yes, Himself, and so it is His own Spirit who will come to them at the prayer of the Son. And the promise of this new Helper is forever. Were they, are we, humble enough to accept this anointing from the King of kings? 

And then to train to be kings in His service.

Bucky

Our Astounding Lord

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”  John 14:7

I find it interesting that the disciple responding to this amazing statement is the more experienced of the group. Philip first followed John the Baptist as a disciple, and then left John to follow Jesus. That alone fills out quite the resume of discipleship! And yet, all of that experience does not make Philip able to grasp this thing Jesus said to them. 

"If you had known," Jesus said. And indeed, if we know a person's parents, and knew him as a child and later as an adult, we might think we know him quite well. The beginning of this statement points to something more about Jesus. As His father is God, then this shows something before His birth in Bethlehem. And this prior life with the Father speaks not to a reincarnation thing but an incarnation thing. Then our Lord declares, "and from now on..." but Philip and the other disciples are left with only the dust of understanding as our Lord astounds them yet again. 

And so, by Philip's experience, we know the Father God is seen in Jesus the Christ!

Lord help us to understand.

Bucky

Getting The House Ready

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  John 14:2 

Another famous verse from John 14 today, and it is the one involving mansions. Now the original word was the more simple, dwellings, but we do not need to over analyze this. We could easily translate it as: the place where My Father lives has plenty of space for everyone, I'll go and get it ready for you. Now, Jesus, often called a carpenter, had a job description that covered a lot more ground. His job was to build and repair things, and more. So, imagine for a moment you had the skills of plumbing, masonry, architecture, painting, electrical, HVAC, and whatever else is needed to build a dwelling place, plus carpentry of course, and you had an unlimited budget to prepare a new dwelling for your beloved to make a new home. Working as a real estate assistant for the past decade, I can imagine quite a bit, but it is not nearly enough! All we need to recall to put a joyous tint on the light of today is that almost 2,000 years ago Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives and has been getting dwelling places ready for us all that time. Oh my!

Have a delightful day in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

Kept In Love

If you love Me, keep My commandments.  John 14:15

The old wine was the law, held in the old wineskin of the Covenant with Israel. That covenant offered great benefits for obeying the commandments of the law, but also great punishments for disobedience. And Israel tried both at great length throughout the Old Testament. Jesus brought new wine in the form of His greatest love which paid the penalty that God's justice required for sin. Now the way to obedience can come by love and not fear of breaking the law. In the first three chapters of the Revelation, Jesus sends word that for those churches wanting to go the old law way, the punishments are still available. However, the preferred way in our verse today looks to be love of the Christ and His love for us. So, obedience of the law, still a thing - but let us try the love route with Jesus. 

Grace and peace to you in Christ our Lord!

Bucky

Low Hanging Fruit?

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

After the events of the early part of this week, I had to think of what day it was for a moment. This week seems full already, but it is only Wednesday. So, I'll just grab a low-hanging fruit from the tree of the Word this morning...or did I? This famous verse requires a response since it begins with who said it. However, it is the quoted words our Lord Jesus spoke that make all the difference. If one believes in Jesus, then that one must believe His word. And this word in this verse allows no options. "I am," claims three singular things that are joined together; there is no 'or' allowing for any to pick and choose from among them. Also, those three things are all the thing, not a thing, allowing for no mistake between things that might appear to be the same type of the things. Whew, don't try to quote that one too fast! Then, that last sentence tells all seekers that there is a guard at the gate leading to God the Father. And this guard tells of inclusion only for those going through Him, 'no one' means no exceptions and no other ways.

Clear and simple, just as we like it!

Bucky

Greater Than I

You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I. John 14:28

While it might be fashionable in politics to call oneself humble, I don't think anyone has been taken in by that sort of claim. In contrast, Jesus, who had said earlier in this chapter of John that His Father does the works, tells His disciples that the Father is greater than Him. So, besides the works, how was Jesus less than God the Father? Was Jesus a man who had to walk from place to place, while God was everywhere at all times? The works show that Jesus was not the Almighty, as God is. Whereas God remains undying, does lesser mean that Jesus will suffer death? Perhaps even on a cross at the hands of the Romans? Well, yes, but no one forced it on Him. It was done in the greatest of love!

So, He has gone to the Father, and that's where we want to go, and He is the way. That's great!

Bucky

Asking The Question

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”  John 14:5

Thomas earned a familiar name having to do with his stance on needing physical contact before believing a thing had happened, but here he stands in for us and asks the question. It is a question that might be stated another way to all those who say they will go to Heaven when they die. Where is this Heaven? One might ask them. Do you fly there? You have never flown (without the use of mechanical devices) in your life, how are you going to suddenly begin flying after death? Thomas did not understand that Jesus meant His death, resurrection, and ascension, nor did the other disciples at that time. So, Thomas asked for all of us that question: Where is my Savior going, and how do I get there? Of course we know that great answer our Lord gave in the next verse:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Bucky

Keeping House With Them

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. John 14:23

Yikes! Jesus and His Father are coming to live with me today. How clean is my house? What food should I fetch from the grocery store? As with many verses of promise, we may find it easy to skip over a couple of conditions that must happen first. Love appears to be the first conditional thing in this verse today. Have we like Peter loved Him more than these? While it is tempting to answer that one quickly, perhaps a bit of reflection on every person and thing in our lives might be better for us. Next comes keeping of His word. Jesus helps us with that by stating that if we have the first one down, the second will follow, and then all of the remaining action in this verse comes from our Lord and His Father.

Therefore, the first question we must ask of our Lord: What is this 'love' you speak of?

Bucky

There Is One

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. John 14:30

The King James version uses 'prince', but the scary thing isn't the exact title, but that there is one. And either word, prince or ruler, speaks to a position of power. From all the way back in Genesis 3, any reader of the Bible has known that there is an enemy, a tempter, or the Hebrew term satan, meaning adversary. There is even a proper name, Satan, for the Adversary, which first appears in 1 Chronicles 21:1 and is blamed for tempting King David into an unauthorized census which would cost 70,000 men their lives. So... how do we little humans resist such a one as that? Well, don't dwell on the enemy. Go to the Almighty in prayer. Seek the Savior. Run to the Good Shepherd, little sheep!

There is one, but we have our Good Shepherd,

Bucky

Can A Man Do Those Works?

Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. John 14:10

John 14 tells the story of one of those moments in time where Jesus granted us a revelation. How did our Lord heal with His word, a touch, a bit of mud, or on His authority while at a distance as with the Roman officer? Here in our verse for today we have the answer from the Lord, His Father who dwells in Him does the works. Which also answers our questions concerning the works we can't seem to do. We do not have that ability, the Creator does. There is no shame now since Jesus told us that He didn't do them either, it was His Father. So, now how important are those prayers of supplication to the Father?

Prayer to the Lord, answering our needs from the dawn of time!

Bucky

Getting Anywhere With This?

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.  John 14:12

Reading the works of Jesus in the gospels, and then looking at this verse today, I don't see this happening right now. But, in which direction am I looking when I say that? Do I see my abilities reduced by age and injury as the driving force? If so, then I will never be the fulfillment of these greater works. However, the verse begins with our Lord's assurance and ends with His action. My ability has nothing to do with it. Even the next verses only bring action to my part in the asking, which is something any of us can do and do quite often. So, if I am trying to do greater works in my strength, then the explanation for the apparent lack of progress would seem rather obvious. And it does not matter whether that strength is physical, mental, or spiritual. The greater works are not coming by my strength. That's a relief! The fuel tank of my strength seems to have a slow leak in it. 

Praise the Lord for His strength!

Bucky

The 'Or Else' Belief

Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. John 14:11

Jesus here in this verse today commands belief from His disciple. First comes what appears to be a more desired 'believe Me', and then He offers an 'or else' belief. His miracles, as we call them, amaze and delight us, but the impression here is that Jesus desires our belief in Him without those works first, and only if necessary should Philip and us readers use those works to believe in Him. All of the disciples were witness to many miracles of healing and authority by Jesus, and it probably never got old for them. However, believing in Him is all the miracle we and those disciples need to be saved.

And quite the miracle it is too!

Bucky

Bursting The Old Wineskin

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?" John 14:9

The disciples stand in for us in various ways throughout the scriptures, and this time it is Philip. And he seems to be struggling with something that Jesus thinks he should know by that time. Jesus told them the parable of the new wine and old wineskins, and yet the disciples struggled with bursting the bonds of the old. And one old lesson they had been raised on was this:

But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” Exodus 33:20

Philip was still alive, Jesus said he had now seen the Father, and now the new wine struggled to burst through the old stiffened wineskin of what Philip knew from his early training.

Praise God for the wine of the new covenant in our Lord Jesus!

Bucky