God’s Missionary Heart

Scripture

I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.

~Isaiah 56:7, NLT

Quote

“God’s love is like the ocean: we can see it beginning but we can not see its depth or its end.”

~Image Quotes

The “them” in Isaiah 56:7 is in reference to us the Gentiles. God had miraculously and mysteriously brought the Jews home from exile but He promised to bring others to join them. In the same breath, Isaiah denounces the leaders of the Jews. He said, “You leaders are not doing your job. Instead of warning My people, you are blind and ignorant. You are like watch dogs who don’t bark. You lay around like a lazy dog who sleeps all the time. You are greedy dogs who never get enough. You have no understanding and you seek your own pleasure by taking advantage of others.”

Israel misinterpreted their call and responsibility. Isaiah made it crystal clear in 42:6, “I, the LORD, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations.

Israel failed to demonstrate God’s righteousness and they failed to be a light to the nations but Jesus did not fail. He did what Israel failed to do. Israel will eventually be a light, a guide to the nations but if will be a new Israel with Jesus as King and you and I will be a part of this great kingdom.

• Thank you Jesus for the cooler air: it is refreshing!
• BUMPER STICKER OF THE DAY: “Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot.”
• Full schedule today: Deacon’s meeting at 8:15, LCBS at 9:15, Worship at 10:15, Kids leave for camp at 11:30, Pastor’s Search Team meets at 4:00, VBS Commencement at 5:00 and picnic to follow.
• I got to visit four families yesterday. I’m slow because I get to talking and stay too long. Every visit I have made has been excellent. I haven’t heard a complaint yet: I have had a couple of close calls or near misses. We had a great time at Emily and Sean’s last night. I think I’ve finally got the boys figured out.
• Children leaving for camp today and will be back Friday. We have a record number going. I think it is 26 plus counselors.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY

 

God Doesn’t Play Trivial Pursuit

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SCRIPTURE

And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid.

~Luke 12:7, NLT

QUOTE

Fear is False Emotions Appearing Real.

~Zig Ziggler

We all feel intimidated by larger than life situations such as cancer, divorce or a family member addicted to drugs, it is easy to give in to doubt, fear, discouragement and sometimes despair. During these difficult times, the most stabilizing factor in our lives is the assurance that Jesus loves us and that He cares about the tiniest detail in our life. He even knows how many hairs we have on our heads and that includes nose and ears. Too much detail, right!

Big and little are a part of our vocabulary and thinking but not God’s. To HIM nothing is big or small which means nothing going on in your life is  trivial to Him. This is why Paul said in Philippians 4…Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.

• Well folks, you did it again. We had enough food to feed an army. I appreciate it and I know the Holladay family appreciates it. I want to thank those who prayed for us. I did not think I could do the service without at least one emotional breakdown but God’s grace was sufficient. I will miss Kenny dearly but I cannot tell you how relieved I am that he is not suffering anymore. No more pain for Kenny, no more, ever!
• A special thanks to all the ladies who prepared food, to Jennifer, Mandy, Sheila and June for serving. The ladies from Friendship were a tremendous help and they also helped with food and drinks. We want to thank Matthew Tyler Vest for running the sound and Sylana for lining him up. Joe and I were about to panic.
• Today we pray for a troubled world: Islam has raised its hideous head once again. ISIS murdered an airline pilot. Islam is a religion of darkness [ignorance] and hate which glorifies murder and violence. How intelligent do you need to be to know that murder is wrong?
• THE GATHERING TONIGHT at 6:30 with supper at 5:30 and AWANA at 6:15.
• GOLDEN GIRLS this Saturday at 9:00 at Cracker Barrel in Hartselle.
• Kane Hogan is in the picture below, see if you can find him. When you do, say a prayer for him.

To Be Loved

SCRIPTURE

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.

~John 3:16, NKJV

QUOTE

I knew that somewhere “out there” God loved me but I struggled emotionally to feel His love in a personal way. I knew that Christ died for me but He dies for everyone else too.

~Christy Bower

COMMENTARY

I think most of us understand where Christy is coming from: the very concept of God loving all of us is overwhelming and there are times when His love does seem so infinite that it cannot be personal. The reason a young lady searches for a young man and vice versa is our human longing to be loved uniquely. We want to be loved by someone who loves us more than they do anyone else. Jesus died for me but He also died for you and billions of others. How can a love so infinite and inclusive be personal?

First of all, things that are impossible with man are possible with God. Not only can He love everyone without partiality, He can love us personally and uniquely. Study the lives of those who were in Jesus company on earth and you will see that each had a unique relationship with our LORD. No one loves you like Jesus. Your love for Him is also unique. You love Him in a different way than you love your spouse, children, family or friends. When He created you, He made you unique and no one else in creation has the same genetic make up and conditioning. It is that uniqueness and His infinite ability that makes His love for you special and unlike any other in the entire universe. There are no clones, no duplicates: God is not a cloner or a duplicator–He is a CREATOR.

Seven billion people on earth, all different. Only God knows how many billions of stars are floating around in space and no two are alike. How many septillion snow flakes have fallen–all unique. Our God is an awesome God!

EXTRA

• Folks, I don’t know what is up with this posting. I did it the same way I always do but it kept posting the web page instead of the blog. If it does this again, just scroll down on the blog roll and click on Bro. Jack’s Blog.
• If we go to the movies as a group again, I am sitting by Floyd. I love the Geico Camel and I also like the lizard. When the camel came through the theater, I thought it was hilarious but no one in my section laughed other than me. I was so embarrassed. I heard later that Floyd laughed, good for her! I  would love to have that camel come to DBC and work as a greeter. That bird knows everybody.

Yahweh

SCRIPTURE: He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. [Acts 17:24-25, NLT]

QUOTE: Don’t get in a boxing match with God, your arms are far too short. ~J.W. Johnson

COMMENTARY: The Athenians thought that Paul was a hayseed. If they used our terms they might refer to him as a redneck. Paul was a brilliant man and I doubt seriously that he felt intellectually inferior to the Athens crowd. These folks had rather sit around the square and hear the latest gossip than work. Not only were they lazy, they were also pagans and Athens was covered with pagan idols. Paul seen one idol that had this inscription, “The Unknown God”. Paul used this as a conversation starter and shared with them some facts about the one true God: [1] He is the creator of all things. [2] He is the giver and sustainer of all life. [3] He can not be contained in a human temple. [4] He cannot be imaged in an idol. [5] And He is the Eternal Self-existent One who has no needs and cannot be influenced in terms of His attributes.

The O.T. name for God is Yahweh. It is the Hebrew verb for being. It means He is uncreated: He always was, He is and He will always be. What can man do to make Him more holy, more loving, or more powerful? The answer is nothing: we have no influence on any of His attributes. He is who He is and that will never change. So relax, you can’t make God more loving: He is love, perfect, infinite love. He wants you to love Him with all your heart and soul but that will not change who He is or what He intends to do.

EXTRA: Today is Seth’s birthday, he will be 19 around 4:00 pm this evening. Today is also day 50 of his Marine boot camp with 39 days to go. Since it’s his birthday, why don’t we all pray for him. Great Idea: I like that!

The Sparrows

SCRIPTURE: “Do not fear therefore; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” [Luke 12:7, NKJV]

QUOTE: God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.~Augustine

COMMENTARY: Sparrows are small, brown, crusty, common, pesky, cheap birds. The poorest of the poor used birds for offerings. The poor could not afford lambs or calves and the very poor could not afford doves. Sparrow were common and cheap, less than a dime a dozen. You could buy 25 sparrows for a dime. In this sin cursed world that we live in, the emphasis is on the rich and famous. We Americans do not bow to kings as they once did in Europe but we do worse, we bow to rock stars, movie stars and athletes. If you think we live in a classless society, think again or visit Washington D.C. There are elitist among us and yes we still have peasants as well. One reason the elites did not like Jesus was that He spent too much time with the peasants, the “Sparrows of Society”. Jesus hobnobbed with the common people. I don’t know that He had many friends who were rich and famous. Zacchaeus was rich but certainly not famous. Sparrow are unattractive little birds who are prone to make a mess. They don’t have the color of a cardinal nor the beautiful plumage of a peacock nor do they know how to strut like the cock but God cares about them because Jesus said, “Not one sparrow is forgotten by God.” I am not a peacock, I am a common sparrow. I am not rich and I will never be famous. The Sparrows of Society are devalued, disrespected and sometimes despised but the good news is: we are loved by someone infinitely greater than all the elites combined.  I had rather be a common sparrow and know Jesus as to be rich and famous and be lost.

EXTRA: By God’s marvelous grace, I had a couple of divine appointments yesterday. Someone has been praying for me: who ever it is, keep it up. Charlie Thompson carried me to CB for a B’day breakfast and that is when I found out about Mrs. Eloise Maddox sister. I went from CB to Peck and had a wonderful visit with Eloise, Annette and Jan. They are the sweetest people on earth. Then by God’s providence, I had lunch with Mrs. Martha Newby in the company of Mr. James, Jimmy and Jerry. It was a flash back. I use to eat at that table five times a week. Mrs. Martha does not throw anything away are rearrange her furniture ever. She had the same tooth pick holder on her table that she had 50 years ago. Probably same salt and pepper shaker. Mr. James called on me to say the blessing. It was a thick atmosphere, I could barely pray.

James and Martha Newby