SATURATING YOUR LIFE WITH THE WORD OF GOD
When we were born, we came equipped with some wonderful features as standard equipment. We were given complex receiving stations designed to collect and process stimuli that would be needed for us to function rationally. In order to saturate our lives with the “word of God” we need to utilize some of our unique and standard equipment features.
As we receive the spoken Word of God and the written Word of God into our lives, we will be utilizing our minds, our emotions, and our wills -- with the cooperation of our eyes and our ears. In order to illustrate this phenomenon, we will employ a commonly used diagram of interfacing circles linked in unity and dependency. Notice how the written or spoken Word of God is received simultaneously by the function of our minds, our emotions, and our wills, or volitions).
By this process, the stimuli of the Word of God are received into our lives. The incoming information is assimilated and organized toward a course of action and the “will” is employed regarding our Faith vs. Unbelief reception sequence. Our conscious part of the deal is to simply enjoy the hearing, reading, studying, and even memorizing the written or spoken Word of God.
Now, when it comes to experiencing the Living Word of God in our lives, we are in for a real treat! An experiential and observable miracle takes place in the believer’s life. Jesus Christ, himself, the actual incarnate “Living Word” enters by His Spirit into our very being and takes up residence in our Heart – our Spirit:
For in Christ there is all of God in a human body; so, you have everything when you have Christ and you are filled with God through your union with Christ. (Col. 2:9,10 TLB)
For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants. (Phil. 2:13 TLB)
We get to experience all of that miracle activity, while we are simply soaking up and saturating our lives with the Word of God. The Written and Spoken Word penetrates and influences us from the outside in! Also, the indwelling Spirit of God enters into our heart or Spirit and penetrates and influences us from the inside out! When it comes to the Word of God and our ability to grow and mature in knowledge and understanding of reality and truth – my motto is: The More, the Better!
That certainly makes things more understandable, when the Bible states:
Christ in your hearts is your only hope of glory. (Col. 1:27 TLB)
That is so uncomplicated and beautiful!
Story Time:
Before we leave this subject of God’s Word, I just have to share with you one of my favorite unorthodox stories that happened to me in Beijing, China. We are instructed to memorize the scriptures and hide them in our minds and hearts, so that they can be our sword and protection in our times of need. Over the years, Anna Marie and I have memorized some of our favorite verses and chapters and quote them together quite often wherever we find ourselves. I do understand the admonition to learn the scriptures for our good – but this situation took a little different twist!
I was staying at the big Swiss Hotel in Beijing, and had set my alarm for an early wakeup and departure from the hotel in order to catch my early flight from the Beijing International Airport. After being gone for nearly a month, I was thrilled to be on my way back home to beautiful Evergreen, Colorado. The hotel concierge made sure I was loaded into a taxi headed for the airport. I was the only passenger. As we pulled away from the hotel, the driver pointed to his watch and rubbed his eyes. Even though he didn’t understand English and I did not understand Chinese, we were communicating that he had been driving taxi the day before and all night, and now he was very tired.
So, it was not a big surprise to me as we pulled onto the large concrete highway headed for the airport, that the driver’s head was nodding and he was dozing at the wheel! After a couple of unacceptable wanderings and quick jerks of the steering wheel to get us back into the correct lane – I decided it was time to engage this fellow in a lively conversation in order to keep him awake all the way to the airport. I was in the back seat, and slid over directly behind him and put my hand on his shoulder. He jumped a bit and began laughing and talking very fast. He knew that I knew he was dozing. We needed an invigorating conversation. Whether he understood a word of what I was going to say, or not, we were going to have a conversation based on King David’s biblical presentation of 91st Psalm.
I began – “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in him will I trust.” As I would speak, I would enunciate very clearly and vary the speed, volume, and pitch, as if I were telling him my most favorite story in my repertoire. At the end of each phrase, I would emphasize the last word, and the inflection of my voice would go up – while I would pat or grip his shoulder.
He would take the signal and laugh and start in on his answer to my question. I had no foggy idea what he was saying – but he did. As soon as he started to slow down in his narrative, I would start in on my next phrase: “Surely, He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from noisome pestilence . . .” Off we would go again. The driver was thoroughly enjoying himself, using hand gestures and occasionally glancing at me in his rearview mirror.
I really enjoyed the part where it was my turn, and I began: “For He shall give his angles charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hand, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” Our conversation was absolutely wonderful – one of the best I have ever had!
Do you have any idea how long you can stretch out the quoting of the 91st Psalm? That’s right! From the Swiss Hotel in Beijing, all the way out to the Beijing International Airport!
As we pulled up in front of the airport check-in doors, I paid my new Chinese taxi driver-friend the required fare – and then a good tip for such a wonderful and unforgettable experience.
As I took my suitcase and walked into the terminal, I think I could hear the angels that had been assigned to me to protect me on my way home to Colorado. I think they were saying something like, “Did you hear all that – that was an absolute hoot! Just wait until the Good Lord reads our report on our assignment. It will absolutely make his day! – glad the Jacksons took advantage of memorizing Scripture when they had a chance.”
Next Week: Magnificent Miracle of Humans
I BELIEVE . . . Discovering the Word of God Part 1
In the previous segment we were instructed that truth was to be found in the “Word of God.” That being the case, it would certainly behoove us to get busy discovering and saturating ourselves with the Word. That is how we will discover truth.
We were invited and encouraged to passionately pursue that relationship by becoming involved in personally gaining knowledge and understanding of God’s truth, that would be found in the Word of God:
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.” (Ps. 19:1-2)
The Holy Bible is referred to as the Written Word of God. It is the aggregate of the recorded messages made available to us for revelation.
The overall theme of the Holy Bible is the redemption and restoration of human individuals back to the state of affairs for which they were created in the first place. In later segments of this study, we will look closely at what that state looked like before; how and why the separation took place, and the procedures and requirements necessary for reconciliation throughout eternity.
The Holy Bible shows that God had a plan already set into motion, whereby He would reveal Himself to us on the instalment basis. It was a plan where, through the personal tutoring of the Holy Spirit, we would be guided back into an intimate relationship with Him. He would personally reveal to us who He is, His plan for redeeming us, and His plan to help us develop into the individuals He had created us to be.
For God’s secret plan, now at last made known, is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the mighty, untapped treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Col. 2:2 TLB)
We have access not only to the Written Word of God, but God also provided us with the Living Word of God. He sent his only begotten son to this earth to live among us. Humans were allowed the incredible experience of personally seeing, and touching, and hearing, and eating with, and talking with, and personally learning from, Jesus the Christ. While here on earth, Jesus extended an invitation to each individual, both there and then, and also in the future, to receive Him into his or her heart to live forever. He would actually come to live inside that individual by the power of the Holy Spirit, in a beautiful experience of pardon, power, reconciliation, and beauty.
Through the personal revelation of God to individuals, they may come to know God, not as a mere force or law, but as a Supreme Personality who created individuals specifically for communication and intimate friendship with himself.
Since humans were created for personal and intimate relationship with God, it is reasonable to suppose that God would make disclosures of himself to human individuals.
The revelation of God to individuals by the Written Word, the Living Word of the life of Jesus, and the witness and affirming Word of the Holy Spirit within the heart of the believer, is directed expressly to the principle of faith in that individual person. The faculty and functions of faith and believing is the highest exercise of the individual, and calls into action the full range of powers and capacities of the mind, emotions and will.
When, by faith and believing, we invited Jesus Christ into our life and asked him to be our “Savior”, we became a child of God. We were born into the family of God by the Holy Spirit, and we embarked on a new adventure, and a new relationship with Jesus Christ.
It is almost overwhelming when we start to get our mind around the fact that the God of the universe and of all ages since “forever” past, and into the future ages of “forever” forward, would invite us personally to become intimate friends with Him, and be able to learn how much He loves us and what He has in mind for us in the future. All of that knowledge and understanding is now made available to us through His Word – His written Word, His living Word (Jesus the Christ), and the interpretation and tutoring of the Holy Spirit of God.
Before anything else existed, there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God. He created everything there is – nothing exists that he didn’t make. Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind. . . And Christ became a human being and lived here on earth among us and was full of loving forgiveness and truth. (Jn. 1:1-4, 14)
That’s absolutely amazing! The Word that God used to speak the worlds into existence, the Word that was written down and has come to us through history, and the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us, is not something different in character and identity at all – in fact, all are one and the same.
Wow!
Next Week: Saturating Your Life with the Word of God
I BELIEVE . . . What is Truth? Part 2
_______________________________________________________
For your information: Just a quick reminder as to what this “I BELIEVE . . .”
Series is all about – Earlier, we had done a 20-part series on “Goodness.”
There was an overwhelming response, along with requests for a deeper dive
into some of the concepts presented. I was requested to try to simply put
into the vernacular what my beliefs are regarding some of those concepts.
“I BEIEVE . . .” is my attempt to do just that. As C.S. Lewis once wrote: “If you
cannot turn your faith into the vernacular, either you do not understand it or
you do not believe it.”
O.K., let’s proceed with the project -- JWJ
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It is important to explore, understand, and embrace the idea of absolute truth in all areas of life – including faith and religion. The concept of truth is the golden thread that runs through and holds together the entirety of the holy scriptures:
Thy word is truth from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgements endureth forever. (Ps. 119:160 KJV)
I am the way and the truth and the life. (John 14:6 NIV)
But when he, the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. (John 16:13 NIV)
Succinctly stated: God is absolute truth and truth apprehended is the knowledge of God. The way that we humans apprehend God is through revelation – or divine self-disclosure.
God has made accessible to us such truth about himself as is necessary for us to learn about his plan of redemption – his plan to bring us back to him – even though we had wandered off a very long way.
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. (2 Corinth. 5:19 KJV)
In other words: Revelation is the way God confronts us with his redeeming purpose. So, every revelation has a built-in demand for a response to that revelation.
Faith is the name we give to the response when we agree with the revelation.
Unbelief or Doubt is what we call it when we reject the revelation of truth.
Truth is embodied in the living word – the Lord Jesus Christ – and mediated by and through the written Word – the Holy Bible.
Mental and Emotional Assent has to do with reason, intellect and feelings. When we are confronted with a certain concept of truth, we may respond with acknowledgement and a nod of recognition, saying something like: “Oh, that’s cool” or “Oh, that sounds reasonable.”
Acceptance and Obedience is next in the process – it has to do with our positive, willful, or volitional response regarding values and choices. That’s where we might say, “Yes, I buy that!”
It becomes necessary for us to move through the revelation and faith process so that we choose now what will make sense forever, because the future is simply the result of what we do now.
Unbelief or Rejection – or even procrastination, complicates the experience of life and from that point, reality will begin to get “messy.”
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. (Rom. 1:8 NIV)
But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. (Rom. 2:8 NIV)
Our positive response to divine revelation includes our rational assent and our obedience – a faith and belief in the truth. Truth, of course, is of positive value only when it is believed:
But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. (2Thess. 2:13 KJV)
The Holy Spirit, referred to above, is the Spirit of Truth in God who reveals and communicates truth. The Spirit works to maintain the truth that has once been accepted by the believers. The Spirit faithfully, and continually, guides the believers – and hates and punishes lies and falsehoods:
But when he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak Only on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me (Jesus) by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make known to you. (John 16:13-15 NIV)
God is perfect truth because His nature is pure love; and that pure love is the essence of the very character of God.
As we, the people created in the image of God, embrace truth, then our character becomes good because our character is the sum total of all we decided, by choice, to accept. As we move through our personal spiritual maturation, we will find that Christianity is not just a series of certain individual pieces of truth patched together, but truth is the TRUTH – about all reality!
One word of good advice: In your journey of TRUTH, don’t go fooling around, for goodness sake, with “half-truths.” Remember the little formula: ½ Truth + Anything = A Lie!
Next Week: Relationship between Truth and the Word of God
I BELIEVE . . . What is Truth? Part 1
Recently, I heard of a university student standing in front of a noisy crowd, yelling into a microphone, “TRUTH is whatever I believe to be TRUTH; and I am the one who determines what is TRUTH! I believe I am a female frog - and that is the TRUTH – if you don’t like it – then I hope you croak on it!
It seems that in our present culture, we have assumed a position of entitlement that would allow us, as individuals, full right and authority to judge reality in terms of how it would exclusively benefit us, according to our own desired story line or narrative of reality.
Expedience seems to be the new referee judging and calling the shots. Culture seems to give a green flag to being able to say whatever needs to be said at a given moment that will advance the desired scenario. All the while, the truth may be clear down at the other end of the playing field.
Do you suppose that it is even possible to put aside our subjective notions long enough to discover and embrace objective reality?
Perhaps, an even better question might be, whether it is possible to ever put aside our need to manipulate such perceived or desired outcomes, long enough to discover and embrace objective reality or truth? I have observed that arrogance obstructs wisdom, and selfish interest is, perhaps, one of the most common impediments to the discovery and acknowledgement of truth.
I grew up with the idea that Truth is conformity with reality or fact regarding that which is - that which has been - or that which shall be. Regarding the subject of truth, I have become totally convinced during my lifetime, that Who you determine God to be, will absolutely determine your concept of truth.
Even though some folks would like to see themselves as truth-declaring gods, yet, there is still that nagging intuition that a verifiable fact is something more than just a thought in the head of the thinker. Two contradicting propositions cannot both be true in the same way, in the same place, at the same time. There has to be such a thing as recognizable reality.
I like the way that C.S. Lewis approaches the issue that truth is just a figment in the mind of the person thinking the thought. He explains that the reason why your idea of New York is truer or less true than mine is that New York is a real place, existing quite apart from what either of us thinks. If when each of us said “New York” each meant merely “The town I am imagining in my head,” how could one of us have truer ideas than the other?
C.S. Lewis then suggests something quite obvious and quite profound – if there are disputes regarding New York, then simply go visit the place and determine which of the two accounts of it is closer to the reality – so that the city being imagined in the one head can be rejected in the favor of that being imagined in the other, for good and sufficient reasons. In other words, what is empirically real, regardless of the pre-supposed thoughts in either head? Truth must be an account of New York that is closer to the real place that exists quite apart from what any one of us thinks. Is that account true? Does it correspond to the way things actually are in the real world?
One of the apparent problems with seeking truth is that it takes effort, energy, and integrity to try and ferret out truth - and in so many instances, individuals are simply too lazy and undisciplined to diligently seek and find truth. The temptation is to get sidetracked in our pursuit and lose our way, or else we acquiesce to our biases and end up manipulating the facts in order to build our own narrative. It is so easy to begin majoring in deflected questions about race, gender, class, or power.
Instead of putting the effort into determining whether something is true or false, it is more fashionable to argue that an issue is “not culturally significant”, or “more practical”, or “racially unfair”, or “way outmoded”, or “not academic”, or “bigoted”, or homophobic”, or. . . whatever!
Extending the possibility of ever actually discovering and embracing a universal reality allows for the acceptance of the argument that there is “no such thing as real truth.” At that point, anything and everything must be allowed to be true.
I am finding that it is reality that rewards us in the search for truth. There is no experience quite like diligently searching for truth and actually finding it. It is such a delight to watch an individual who begins to grow in confidence and integrity as he or she begins to experience the understanding and reality of truth, rather than trying to conjure up a case in order to sell their own agenda or pet whim.
There seems to be a conscientious and scrupulous longing to find authentic truth rather than needing to rely on just the expedient thing to say. There seems to be a desire in humans to want to know things and to find out universal reality, simply for the sake of knowing.
Humans, having been created in the likeness or image of the God of Truth, seem to long for fellowship and identity with the God of Truth. That entails not just the knowledge but also the embracing of truth and the rejection of the lie – it’s more like a moral obligation to discover and embrace truth. It appears that every attempt at a philosophy, or some other approach that reduces truth to merely a subjective state of mind, almost dehumanizes us and tends to cut us off, not only from God, but from all that is good and real.
The importance of truth cannot be overstated. The seeking, and discovering, and embracing truth is not just an issue of intellectual curiosity, but of moral and spiritual life and death. Morals and values are, therefore, objective realities and not just subjective feelings or suggested perceptions.
In a paragraph above, I stated that “Who you determine God to be will absolutely determine your concept of truth.” The most critical truth to be discovered and embraced, or rejected and discarded, is the truth regarding Almighty God, the eternal source of all reality.
All individuals, therefore, have the moral obligation to investigate his claims very seriously. C.S. Lewis reminds us that Christianity claims to give us the presentation of facts that will instruct us regarding what the real universe is like. That account of “how things really are” may be true, or may not be true at all. Once the question is presented to you, then your natural inquisitiveness must stir something inside you and make you want to know the answer. If Christianity is untrue, then no honest person will want to believe it, however helpful it might be. If it is true, every honest individual will want to believe it – even if it gives that person no help at all.
So, we don’t just get by with judging truth just because we can argue that the idea is “more practical”, or “more fair”, or “or it seems better for the present culture”, or “more appealing”, or even “more academic.” Truth has to come before any use we might make of it.
Today, it appears that our culture’s social Marxist-leaning advocates would conspire to render truth claims as nothing more than subjective responses and cynical power plays. But truth for the Christian, is a serious intellectual matter that can never be only intellectual. It must include the entire individual’s body, soul, and spirit, if there is to be fulfillment of the relationship between the individual and the Creator. In that fulfilled individual, truth will simultaneously grant knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, it will spark and revitalize the emotions, and it will embolden and quicken the individual’s will or volition.
I want to close this first segment on “What is Truth?” by going clear back to Francis Bacon’s Essay on Truth in 1625:
“The inquiry of truth, which is the lovemaking or wooing of it,
The knowledge of truth, which is the presence of it,
And the belief of truth, which is the enjoying of it,
Is the Sovereign good of human nature. . .
Certainly, it is heaven upon earth to have a man’s mind
move in charity, rest in providence, and turn upon the poles of Truth.
Next Week: Truth Apprehended is the Knowledge of God
I BELIEVE . . . Who is God ? Part 5
(Seven More Names)
Jehovah - Nissi
Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord Our Banner (Exodus 17:10-15). We travel, advance, and fight under God’s banner of Kindness, Justice, and Righteousness. The Israeli army recognized the idea of fighting beneath God’s banner and when they soundly defeated the Amalekites they paused and took sufficient time out to build an altar of stone to the Lord and named the altar Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord our Banner.
The banner (flag) gives the faithful warrior a feeling of hope and a recognizable focal point as he engages in the conflict. It becomes the rallying place and symbol of courage, confidence, and clarity as the battle rages. It also becomes a trustworthy reference point to look back upon when needing to draw new confidence for future battles.
Jehovah - Rohi
Jehovah-Rohi: The Lord Our Shepherd (Ps. 23:1). “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want . . .” Throughout the scriptures the image of the good and true shepherd is used to forecast and illuminate the compassion, attentiveness, and faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah toward people on this earth. “And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.” (Mark: 6:34). “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.” (Hebrews 13:20).
My journeys around the world allowed me to learn many interesting things about the behavior of shepherds and sheep. I recall the guides in Israel and Palestine explaining to us about the way the shepherd, after a day of allowing the flock to graze and feed, would lead the sheep into the fold for the night. The sheep would instinctively check out the enclosure for openings in the fence line. When they were convinced that there was no way they could get out and that there was no way a predator could get in, they began to relax and settle in for the night. Traditionally, the shepherd, himself, would close up the gateway of the fold by laying across the entry. He would sleep there. He would become the gate. If a sheep decided to wander out of the fold, or if a predator endeavored to sneak into the fold to attack a sheep, each would have to deal with the shepherd first.
The imagery was very vivid in my mind as I learned about the behaviors of the shepherds and the sheep. I totally identified with the sheep. I recalled how as a young flock-member I resented being confined and penned up. I rebelled at the authority person parking himself in the gateway, knowing full well that he was there not to “protect” but to stymie and curtail the fulfilling of the adventure he knew I would have if I could just get out of that fold and freely adventure out beyond in the freedom of the world on the other side of the fence. The confinement became the challenge. I would figure a way to successfully get past the shepherd. I would find a way to achieve my happiness.
As the other sheep would begin to relax and lay down, I would nonchalantly wander up to the gateway where the shepherd would be guarding the entry. Then I would turn around and carefully pace back toward the rear of the enclosure. I would carefully count every step and calculate the distance. How far would I have to run, and at what speed would I have to be traveling to silently jump and fly right over that shepherd and make it over into the beckoning adventures of the outside? Late one evening I had my chance. I took it! Within seconds I was airborne over the gateway. My distance, trajectory, speed, decent, landing . . . everything. . . it was all so perfect. I asked myself why I had wasted so much time in the past miserably corralled in that pen by that shepherd? Now, at last I was free!
I had never been out in the territory at night. How does one know where one is supposed to be going in the middle of darkness? I found myself going slower and slower. That was stupid because I had a lot of territory to discover . . . so I kicked it into a higher gear and took off twice as fast. Now, I was really covering the distance. It all felt so good. But I couldn’t see where I was going. Oh well, I could figure all that out when it got light again. All the feelings were so new and exciting.
Ooops . . . Oh no . . . I didn’t see that ewe turn! I don’t think that at this speed I can keep from going down over that embankment! How did that happen? . . . Ouch, that really hurts . . . those prickly thorns are getting all wadded up in my coat and skin . . . Wool I’ll be! I’m stuck, I can’t wiggle! Who’s going to help me out of this mess? Oh no . . . I think that was the scream of a mountain lion . . . how did he figure out so fast that I was in trouble . . . now I’m really in trouble . . . My mamma once told me that their whole catty culture is built around eating the “fat of the lamb” and succulent little chops. Now I’m scared out of my mind!
Maybe if I yell out someone will hear me . . . it’s my only chance. My coat is all stuck in these thorns and that mountain lion is on his way to eat me! “Baa, Baa, does anybody hear me? OK, Baa, Baa, . . . I am a Baaaaaaaaaad, Baaaaaaaaaad little sheep, I gonna die. . .Will someone please come and save this Baaaaaaaad sheep?
At that moment the awakened shepherd hears the voice of his errant, baaaaad sheep, jumps to his feet, leaves the other sheep in the fold and heads out to find the lost sheep. When he locates this thorn-punctured and bleating sheep he puts himself in peril, climbs down over the embankment, untangles my wooly coat from the thorns and hoists me back up to the trail. The shepherd then gently lifts this wounded sheep up on his shoulders and secures my feet on either side of his own head. The shepherd has found and saved the sheep that had become foolishly lost. Triumphantly, the shepherd walks back to the fold, enters the gateway, lowers this sheep to the ground and tends to my wounds. The kind shepherd then takes this young stupid sheep and nestles me down by my concerned mother and family members for some counseling and correction. This episode really shouldn’t happen again.
Thank you, Jehovah-Rohi!
Jehovah – Rophe
Jehovah-Rophe: The Lord Our Healer (Ex. 15:26). He is the Great Physician who heals the physical and emotional needs of his people. His healing extends to both the body and the soul: in the body by protecting from and curing diseases, and the soul by pardoning iniquities. “If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear, and keep his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord who healeth thee.” (Exodus 15:26)
“Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.” (Ps 103:3)
“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” (Ps. 107:20). “Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5).
Have you ever been sick and faced certain death – and then felt the miraculous touch of the Healer Divine that restored you once again to full health? I have. I can hear ringing in my ears, the words of the team of three doctors who told me, “We can’t culture what you have . . ., and we don’t know what it is . . . we are running out of options! If there are plans you need to make, papers you need to sign, last minute affairs you need to take care of. . . you better do it, because your body systems are quickly shutting down!
Then, Jehovah – Rophe miraculously intervened. He drew close to me and touched me and healed me! I shall never forget it: neither in this life, nor in the next.
Jehovah – Sabaoth
Jehovah-Sabaoth: The Lord of Hosts (listed 285 times in the Bible): The Lord of the angelic armies with universal sovereignty over every foe, both spiritual and earthly. Jehovah-Sabaoth displays the desire and willingness of God to become intimately involved in directing and protecting his people. “He shall give his angles charge over thee to keep the in all thy ways . . .” (Ps. 91:11). He will accomplish what he determines to accomplish.
One night in a display of historic force the king of Syria sent a huge army of thousands of chariots, snorting horses, and wild-eyed soldiers to wipe out the army of Israel at the city of Dothan. The little servant of the prophet Elisha got up early the next morning and went outside. There were troops, horses, and chariots too many to count. He went back inside in a panic and hollered at Elisha, telling him of their eminent destruction.
“Don’t be afraid,” Elisha told him. “For our army is bigger than their army.” Then Elisha prayed, “Lord open his eyes and let him see the size of your army and the surety of our salvation!” When he went back outside the servant’s eyes were opened to God’s provision. Suddenly he could see the numberless forces of God’s mighty hosts, the countless horses, and the blazing chariots of fire for as far as his eyes could see. That day the overwhelming victory belonged to Jehovah-Sabaoth. (2 Kings:6).
Jehovah - Shalom
Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord Our Peace: “Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it ‘Jehovahshalom’” (Judges 6:24). The word Shalom carries with it the connotation of “to be complete” or “sound.” Also included is the idea of “the absence of strife.” The principle of peace is carried into the New Testament as seen in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth peace, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Jehovah - Shammah
Jehovah-Shammah: The Lord Who is Present: (Ezekiel 48:35). “. . . and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘The Lord is There’” It was to become the symbolic name for the earthly Jerusalem, indicating that God has not abandoned Jerusalem, leaving it in ruins, but there will be a restoration and the Lord will be there, and his presence will be discernable. The Lord Jehovah is not just omnipresent, but it is his desire that his presence will be recognized, and his people will be equipped to sense and know his presence in their personal lives.
Jehovah - Tsidkenu
Jehovah-Tsidkenu: The Lord Our Righteousness: (Jer. 3:6, also Jer. 33:16). “In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.” This concept is likewise carried forward in the New Testament: “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” (1 Cor. 1:30). It is God alone who provides righteousness to mankind through the person of his son, Jesus; who became sin for us, “. . . that we might become the Righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21).
Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom,
Let not the strong man boast of his strength,
Let not the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who would boast, boast of this; that he knows and understands me that I am the one who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on this earth and in these things, I delight, saith the Lord of Hosts” (Jer. 9:24).
Jehovah - Hoseenu Jehovah - Rophe
Jehovah - Jireh Jehovah - Sabaoth
Jehovah - M’Kaddesh Jehovah - Shalom
Jehovah - Makkeh Jehovah - Shammah
Jehovah - Nissi Jehovah - Tsidkenu
Jehovah - Rohi
Next Week: I BELIEVE . . . What is Truth? Part 1
I BELIEVE . . . Who is God? Part 4
In the last segment, we ended by quoting part of the 91st Psalm:
I will set him on high because he has known my name. He shall call upon me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him, with long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. (Psalm 91)
What did he mean when he said, “. . .because he hath known my name?” What is his name and why is that so important to know his name?
In my studies, I’ve learned a little secret that I would like to share with you: If you would like to know what God would like you to know about himself . . . check out the names he calls himself. They are concise and succinct descriptors of his characteristics and attributes and they come from the only one who really ought to know!
For example: When God was sending Moses to deliver His message to Pharaoh of Egypt, Moses implored, “But who shall I say sent me?” God simply told him to tell the fellow that YHWH (or Yahweh) which means “I am that I am” has sent you. In other words, . . . my name is, “I exist” – in the past, in the present, in the future. God was revealing something eternally important about himself – chiefly that he exists exclusively on the both sides of “now” and has all sufficiency of life in himself throughout the vast foreverness of forever. He is also known by such names as Elohim, Adonai, and El Shaddai:
Yahweh GOD – “I am that I am”
Elohim LORD God
Adonai Sovereign LORD
El Shaddai Almighty God (completely able to accomplish anything)
God, is referred to hundreds of times in the scriptures as “Jehovah” either as a reference to himself or referred to by others. The varied nuances of his name become insights into who he is; what he does; how he thinks; and how we should respond. And if God really wants to make a point in describing who he is, he uses a compound method where he places a hyphen, or slash between his name, Jehovah, and the name used as the descriptor.
Encountering these compound descriptive names is like being handed a precious gem stone with the instructions to methodically rotate the treasure and view each individual facet of the stone. As the individual facets are examined a whole new and exciting revelation of the uniqueness of the gem stone opens up and a new appreciation for the whole stone is exponentially enhanced.
At one point, Anna Marie and I chose eleven of these compound names and memorized them. We love to make it into a little game to try to identify characteristics of our everyday situations and then connect them up with one of the compound names of God. I am going to share those eleven names/descriptors here in alphabetical order so that it will be easy for you to remember them:
Jehovah - Hoseenu
Jehovah-Hoseenu: The Lord our Maker, The Creator: (Ps. 95:6) There is nothing that exists today that was not designed, engineered, and brought into existence by the Lord our Maker. He is the Creator of everything. It is almost impossible for the human mind to dare fathom this truth. Jehovah-Hoseenu is not only the indefatigable maker of everything that exists, but he is also the sustainer of all things, all systems, and all functions that are in existence. I may be the only viewer who will go to the IMAX theater to watch the movie about the Hubble space telescope and sit there and cry like a baby! My heart and my head have a hard time grasping the magnitude and wonder of the experience. The telescope focuses on the farthest object in view, then travels to that point. When the spaceship arrives at that destination the telescope focuses in on not less, but a million times more out there than was ever seen before. Where, oh where, does his created vastness end? Only Jehovah knows.
It is not just with the scope and vastness of Jehovah’s gigantic accomplishments in space that we creatures are overwhelmed. His works are equally overwhelming in all things tiny and invisible. I will neither get into things molecular, nor try to explain the marvels of DNA structure and function. But I would ask you to stop for a second and rub together your thumb and forefinger. Can you feel it? Those are the tire treads on your flanges. Every 30,000 miles or so, I have to drive my car into my local tire shop and have the attendants replace my tires because I have worn off all the treads. They tell me the tires are “slick” and “bald” and they are dangerous and life threatening because they will no longer properly “grip the road.” But in Jehovah’s world, I have never needed to go into the heavenly hand shop and have my fingers and thumbs replaced so that I could successfully hold on to a slick glass of ice tea. He grows my needed finger-treads from the inside out. And he is so creative that no two sets of finger-treads are of the same design for the billions of people he has created. Let us be reminded again that there is nothing that exists today that was not designed, engineered, and brought into existence by the Lord, our Maker and Creator. Jehovah-Hoseenu.
Jehovah – Jireh
Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord Who Provides: (Gen. 22-14). Not only does Jehovah create, and sustain everything that exists, but he also makes available the distribution possibilities of all things. “But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). Jehovah is the source – everything else is a resource.
Everything I have today has come to me as a direct gift from God, or is the by-product of a gift exchange. I am taking something that I now possess and am trading it for something additional that I need now, or perceive I will need in the future. But, let there be no confusion, it all came from God in the first place.
Jehovah – M’Kaddesh
Jehovah-M’Kaddesh: The Lord Who Sanctifies: (Ex. 31:13). God has made provision and it is his desire to clean me up and allow me to live a holy life here on earth so that one day I can go to a holy heaven and live with a holy God forever. Nothing impure, sinful, or unholy will ever be allowed to enter into his heaven. God says that it is our sin that separates us from him and he offers to purge us, cleanse us, and set us apart, dedicated to be holy on this earth as a sign between God and us that we are keeping his statutes and allowing the Holy Spirit to live the life of Jesus Christ through us to the glory of the Father.
Throughout history, from the time of Jesus’ ascension on the mount of transfiguration upward into heaven, some folks have endeavored to usurp the simplicity and beauty of Jehovah-M’Kaddesh by lowering the high bar of simple holiness and purity of life. Lowering the high bar may serve to increase the weekly attendance of the group, but it doesn’t do much for changing the world for goodness.
Jehovah-M’Kaddesh simply proclaims God’s demand for holy living by declaring: “But just as he who called you is holy, so be ye holy in all you do: for it is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” That’s not “if”, “maybe”, or “someday” . . . that means be holy now.
So, what’s the alternative to living a righteous life? Let’s investigate another compound name for Jehovah used to describe who he is and what he does.
Jehovah – Makkeh
Jehovah-Makkeh: The Lord Who Smites: (Ezek. 7-9). “I will not look on you with pity or spare you; I will repay you in accordance with your conduct and the detestable practices among you. Then you will know that it is I the Lord who strikes the blow.” When the occasion calls for it, Jehovah is not opposed to smiting. He did it in the garden of Eden. He dramatically did it at the flood.
Another memorable incident of Jehovah-Makkeh’s smiting took place at Kadesh Barnea (Num. 14). Moses had led the children of Israel to the entrance of the promised land. It was time to enter and claim the land. Aaron, the high priest and brother of Moses, and Miriam, their sister, decided to start a little rebellion against Moses’ authority, saying that Moses was not the only person who was authorized to speak for God. They saw themselves as equally entitled and deserving of the position. However, for their indolence, Miriam was instantly smitten with leprosy and her flesh began to rot away. Moses incessantly begged God to restore her health and seven days later she was returned to perfect health.
Before entering into the promised land at Kadesh Barnea, Moses appointed twelve men (one representative from each tribe) to infiltrate the enemy territory and bring back a strategic assessment that would help in their invasion. They were given forty days to complete their report. Two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, came back with a glowing report and encouraged the entering into the promised land immediately. The other ten spies said that it would have been better for all the children of Israel to have stayed in Egypt rather than letting Moses foolishly lead them and their families into certain and sure death. “There are giants in that land and we are but grasshoppers; we must choose a new leader who will take us back to our secure bondage in Egypt.”
God told them that they would all wander in the wilderness for the next forty years (one year for each day of their rebellious assessment trip and report). Not one person of their entire nation who was alive that day, except for Caleb and Joshua, would ever experience entering into the promised land. They would all die within the next forty years in the desert.
A short time later, the same people decided to revolt against the authority of Aaron being the chief priest. Their insolence even splashed over into another rebellion against Moses. This time Jehovah-Makkeh would smite them in an unusual way because of their contempt for the Lord. The very ground under the feet of the rebels split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them with their households and all Korah’s men and all their possessions. “They went down alive into the grave, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community” (Numbers 16:33). Then a fire came out from Jehovah and consumed the additional 250 men who were offering incense. Messing with the God who smites is being stuck on stupid!
Next Week: Seven more names for you to memorize
I BELIEVE . . . Who Is God? Part 3
(Continued)
Jesus continues by pointing out that the model including the factors of insight, opportunity, and obedience has been in existence since the creation of mankind. Now, however, God, the Heavenly Father of everything is desiring to ratchet up the whole thing and is including and setting into motion another factor regarding his relationship with his prize creation of mankind. To the factors of insight, opportunity, and obedience, he is adding another factor; Intimacy.
“Wait a minute, please,” I inject. “Let me see if I can respond to what I think is being offered here. Are you suggesting that if my family and I take up the offer to become partners in this enterprise of helping to establish God’s Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven, that we would be in some way involved in an intimate relationship with God the Father, himself? Would we really have access to an intimate relationship with God the Father, and with Jesus Christ, and also with God, the Holy Spirit . . . Intimacy? Intimacy?”
Jesus explains, “Oh yes, God the Father has cut through every other level of intimacy known before in history and is saying that beginning now, you have the privilege of not just calling him Almighty Father Creator of a heaven and earth . . . or even Heavenly Father, but now you are instructed to call him Abba Father . . . or . . . “Daddy.” It is an intimacy akin to that of the eternal Father with his only begotten son! Intimacy!
I am just a very simple man. But I instantly have a picture in my mind portraying how I see intimacy. Let me see if I can articulate what I am seeing in my mind:
The streets of heaven are paved with gold, but I envision the sidewalks and hallways of heaven being shiny marble from some exotic quarry from some neighboring galaxy. They are slick and polished a hundred times more glossy than the fancy granite countertops in the richest castle on earth. As a happy-hearted boy, I run full speed down the hallways. I am just in my stocking feet and when I reach maximum speed, I lock my legs and slide lickity-split just as far as I possibly can. Then, I pick up my speed again by running some more. This time I come to a corner, slide around the corner and into a huge vaulted room. Again, I run and then slide across the room to a gigantic chair. I drop the things I have been carrying down to the floor and scramble up the side of the chair and onto the lap of my father.
I throw my arms around my father and boisterously holler, “I love you Heavenly Father.” Then, I realize what I just said, and with no less enthusiasm I blurt out again, “I love you father.” He looks at me with an endearing smile and immediately I am engulfed in this tsunami of intimacy and love. I bury my face into his soft neck, tighten my grip as if I had never hugged anybody else in the world, “I love you Daddy. You are my very own Daddy and I love you more than I will ever love anything else . . . I love you Daddy!”
I continue to sit on his lap and we just sit there and talk about stuff. Pretty soon, he starts to get up. I smoothly slide down his leg to the floor. I scamper over to the place where I had dropped the things I had been carrying when I slid into the room. I had been carrying my screwdriver and my hammer. I grabbed my screwdriver and hammer in one hand and I reached up to take hold of my Daddy’s hand with my empty hand. I tipped my head up and looked into his face. “Can I ask a great huge favor? I don’t know what you do all day. But I just want to be with you. I really just want to be with you. I solemnly promise that I won’t chatter a lot or interfere with any of the important business . . . I just want to be with you.”
“I know that you are Jehovah Hoseenu and that you design, engineer, and create everything that exists. If you just happen to be planning to create a new planet or something today, would it be possible that I might get to help a little bit . . . I brought along my screwdriver and hammer just in case. I know that you make things that last forever, but maybe I could tweak something a little bit and maybe we could even get another eighteen months added on to the warranty. I just want to be with you.
He looks down into my eyes, smiles coyly at me and gives me a quick wink. We turn and start walking as he affectionately squeezes my hand. “Oh, yes,” I say respectfully, “I know I said I wouldn’t chatter if I could come along, but there is one more thing before we get started. “Do you remember that little girl out in southwest Idaho that you created named Anna Marie? You created her especially for me about a year after I was born. You saw me and knew that I was really going to need a lot of help to make it. So, you gave her to me. And then you gave us a love for each other that lasted all of our lives.
We would be riding in the car down on earth, or talking at the breakfast table, and I would say to Anna Marie, ‘The very first thing I am going to tell my Abba Daddy when I see him in heaven, is thank you for such a wonderful gift that has lasted for a whole lifetime.’” And then I will start singing to him:
Oh, God, you are my father, each morning I will seek your face.
My soul cries out for your mercy; I long for a touch of your grace.
Though it seems I’m often surrounded by a dry and desolate land;
Yet, I behold your power and glory and I know that I’m safe in your hand.
Your love is better than life, and my heart longs to offer you praise,
So, I’ll lift up my hands and I’ll worship you, and be satisfied all of my days.
When I make my bed in the darkness, I will sing with joy a new song,
And recall all the times that you’ve rescued me,
And I’ll worship you all my life long.
(Paraphrase of Psalm 63 by Paul Johnson)
Then, Anna Marie and I will begin quoting together the 91st Psalm that we memorized shortly after we were married:
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and fortress, my God, in him will I trust. Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust. His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flyeth by day, nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come neigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Because thou hast made the Lord my God, even the most high, thy habitation, there shall no evil befall thee. Neither shall any plague come neigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder, the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under foot.
Because he has set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him. I will set him on high because he has known my name. He shall call upon me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him, with long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. (Psalms 91)
What did he mean when he said, “. . .because he hath known my name?” What is his name and why is that so important to know his name?
Next Week: Same story continued
I BELIEVE . . . Who is God? Part 2
(Continued:)
Everything is now changed. Can you even imagine – the only begotten son of God taking his breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the breast of the young Jewish mama? And the Jewish mama, along with the honorable wood worker husband, must teach the young lad how to talk, how to walk, and how to feed himself. They teach him sanitary habits, when to go to bed, when to get up, how to dress, how to keep his room clean, and the necessary respect for elders, friends, and neighbors. Later, he must learn how to even get along with siblings and other tribe members, like the Jewish mama’s cousin, Elizabeth, and maybe even her son, John.
Here’s a word picture I would like for you to consider depicting the young boy as he grows up in the community: The lad rolls out of bed, washes his hands and face and joins his family for breakfast. He excuses himself from the table, again washes his hands and face and brushes his beautiful hair. He then puts on his little cloak, adjusts it just right, walks across the living room floor heading for the door. He bends down, slips on his sandals, and latches them. As he stands, he turns toward his pretty Jewish mother. She embraces him, runs her young fingers through his gorgeous hair, kisses him on the forehead, and sends him on his way.
On his way to where? On his way to where? She sends him off to the Jewish Rabbinical School. Can you even imagine – the local Rabbi in the city of Nazareth who is assigned to teach the only begotten son of the Father all about God? But the lad was a careful learner, and indeed, later became a Jewish Rabbi, himself.
At some point, however, I would suspect that the only begotten son of God, the creator of everything, would just run flat out of patience with the goofy behavior of earthly humans. But, no. We don’t see that at all. He was kind, warm, compassionate, engaging, and even gentle. He would reach out and draw others in. He would entreat and include. And that is where I began to personally identify with this story.
It was this same Jesus who would personally come to me, upon occasion, and pursue and entreat me. “Jim, I would like for us to get better acquainted. You know, we are brothers and I love you very much. You know, all of God’s children have but one Father, and you and I are joint heirs of everything that meets your eye. In fact, that is why I have come to you today. Our Father has sent me to you to tell you that you have found favor in his sight and wants you to know that you, your son Doug, your son Jay, and your grandson Jace are invited to the big house where he would like to get even better acquainted with you. He is also eager for you to get better acquainted with him.
Our heavenly Father wants you to know that it is absolutely appropriate to offer to you a partnership opportunity in an enterprise that will include bringing his kingdom to this earth, even as it is in heaven. “Are you serious?” I would ask. “Out of all the people who have ever lived, why should we be so privileged? The way I have it quickly figured is that God has emitted literally billions of never-dying souls into the procreation process of passionate couples who ended up having little babies. Just think of how many people there have been throughout history. Are you sure that he wants to offer to me and my little family a partnership opportunity in his enterprise?”
Jesus picked up on the conversation, “You seem to forget that we know everything there is to know about you. We know that you are a true believer and worshipper. We also know that you have faithfully read the holy scriptures and through that you have learned that God the Father Almighty has worked in partnership with human individuals ever since he first created man. He has partnered with kings, and priests, and generals, and common people, and prophets. That’s not new.”
He then continued, “You also are aware that those relationships always operate on a common model. That common model includes the factors of: Insight, Opportunity, and Obedience. You see, the Holy Spirit of God gives a person an insight. Then he sets about engineering the circumstances so that the person gets a very real and very personal opportunity to respond with obedience or disobedience regarding that insight. How that person responds during that opportunity makes all the difference in the world. That response sets into motion results and consequences that will alter eternity. Here’s the way it usually works:
Let’s say that God gives a certain young man an insight. God then goes about engineering that person’s circumstances so that the fellow has a very distinct opportunity to respond to that insight that he received for his daily life. But in that opportunity the young man responds, “Oh, I am so close to having this whole thing figured out. I now know the formula of how to accumulate and amass all the gold, all the girls, and all the glory that I will ever need in my entire lifetime. Don’t bug me just now. I can’t afford to be distracted from my formula and my dreams. Just go away.” Blam! History is made.
Or, God might give an insight to a certain lady. He then engineers her circumstances so that she is presented with a very valid opportunity to respond to the insight God had given to her. She sees clearly what needs to be done, but responds, “That makes a lot of sense. I know that is what I ought to do, but there are so many things I just don’t know about. I think I will just wait and see how all this works out in the future. I sort of like how everything is going now. Blam! History is made. She just chose not to obey regarding the insight. She has now set into motion “lag-time” and postponed obedience is non-the-less disobedience in the long term.
Again, God may give a compelling insight to an individual, then engineer the circumstances giving that individual a timely opportunity to respond to that insight with either obedience or disobedience. When the individual considers his situation, and contemplates the God given insight that has just been received, he jumps at the chance to obey immediately. “Yes, yes, what an exciting concept. I can do that. I will gladly pursue that opportunity immediately! I want to be faithfully involved in everything that will help me become exactly what God had in mind for me when he created me. I want to be eager and on tip toe to get started on this new insight. Blam! History is made. Eternity will not be the same from that point on.
Next Week: Same story continued
I BELIEVE . . . Who is God? Part 1
YOUR CONCEPT OF GOD WILL DETERMINE
YOUR CONCEPT OF YOURSELF
YOUR CONCEPT OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOUR
GOD AND YOURSELF WILL DETERMINE
YOUR PHILOSOPHY OF ECONOMICS
YOUR PHILOSOPHY OF ECONOMICS WILL DETERMINE
YOUR BEHAVIOR AND YOUR CHARACTER
YOU ARE WHAT YOU BELIEVE
WHERE YOU SPEND YOUR NEXT LIFE
DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN THIS LIFE
Dr. James W. Jackson
In the previous segment, we shared the episode highlighting the life, death, and memorializing of North Korea’s Great Leader Kim Il Sung. I hope the incident helped us realize the foundational necessity of choosing, honoring, worshiping, and serving a god who is not dead – but a God who is alive right now – who has always been alive, and will be alive forevermore.
Now, let’s give our attention to discovering even more about just who this living, loving God is:
In my eighty years of wandering around on this earth, I have been impressed with how eager God is to have us learn about Himself. He does not try to hide away in shrouds of mystery and seclusion, as I would have guessed. Rather, in all of nature and even in sacred recorded messages of history, He is everywhere – and he is not silent. Psalms 19 states that “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” In other words – even creation talks!
He knows all things, He is present everywhere at all times, He is the eternally existing and self-sufficient one – He needs absolutely nothing outside Himself. Ooops! I was almost tempted there to get off on a seminarian and traditional line of discussing our beliefs. Our agreement at the beginning of this project was that I would endeavor “to write down and share in the vernacular – our own layman’s terms” – some of the concepts and beliefs of our Faith. So, let’s give it a try:
Perhaps a good place to start would be at the commonality intersection of my kids. I am so very thankful for – and extremely proud of -- my two sons.
Earlier, in this presentation, we quoted the Apostle’s Creed, where we observed that Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, “The third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; . . . “
While there, He reached his long arm into eternity and laid hold of the never dying soul of Douglas Jackson and infused that soul into the procreation process of Jim and Anna Marie Jackson. When his days were accomplished, he was born and we, as proud parents, had sense enough to realize that he was a gift from God. We gathered our friends, planned a celebration, and in public view gave the child back to God the Father, maker of heaven and earth.
When our son, Jay Winston was born, we did the same thing; we gathered our friends, planned a celebration, and in public view gave the child back to God.
In fact, when Jace, our grandson was born, we did the same thing; we all gathered our friends, planned a celebration, and in public view we all gave the child back to God the Father.
As you can tell, I am very proud of my sons and grandson.
Now, in my early childhood, I had learned of a son who was a part of history. There had never been a son like him, and there would never be another son like him in all history! “Wait,” you might say, “Just who are you talking about?”
He was the only begotten son of God the Father Almighty. “I have heard of him, but I don’t know what ‘only begotten son’ means.”
Let’s see if we can explore what “begotten” includes . . . God the Father, Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, is not limited in his creativity to birth canals and procreation positions. When it came to his only son, he did not just bequeath or even infuse his characteristics, his descriptors, or his distinctives into another created entity. But rather, he actually took from himself, from his very essence, and begat his only son.
It was both proper and correct for his only son to later say, “If you have known the Father, then you have known me.” Well, of course! Or, another time the son would correctly say, “If you have seen me, then you have seen the Father. Well, of course! On another occasion, the only begotten son said, “I was with the Father from the very beginning.” Well, of course! Please note that he did not say “From the beginning of time . . .”, “or the beginning of the earth . . .”, or the beginning of mankind . . ., he simply said “form the beginning”. In the sixth chapter of John’s gospel the only begotten son declares, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” Additionally, in the 10th chapter of John’s gospel, the only begotten son declared, “My Father and I are one.” Well, that finally makes sense!
So, we have the Trinity, and at some point in history, it was determined that the only begotten son would enter into the human race. We would say, “Impossible; the creator who created the creation cannot just enter into the creature that was created by the creator or the . . . impossible!” While you are trying to figure that out, try this on for size:
There was a young Jewish girl, maybe even as young as fourteen years old, who was pledged to an entrepreneurial woodworker in the city of Nazareth. Being pledged in that culture was a bit more involved than just going downtown on Friday night and purchasing an engagement ring. The teenage girl was still a virgin and the woodworker was an honorable man with integrity. He also had a good business, customers, and a good resume and credit score.
The other things we know about the Jewish girl is that she loved God more than anything. It was also said of her that she found favor in the sight of God. We are also informed that she had conceived of the Holy Spirit. That is entirely a different matter for eternal consideration. The affects of conception can be observed and there is a certain timeline attached to the consequences. The seed had begun to develop and grow. That factor would suggest the need for some direct heavenly intervention.
So, God visited the honorable wood worker one night in the form of a dream. He announced that his young lady was pregnant and would give birth to a baby, and the baby would be a boy. He was not to rush over and blab all this information to the leaders of the local religious institution. The Church leaders would simply have her taken out and customarily stoned her to death on grounds of adultery. Neither was he to put her away into seclusion or hide her away. He was not to harm her in any way, but rather, was to protect her, stay close to her, and make sure he was with her at the time the baby was delivered. He was also given the responsibility at the time of birth to announce that the baby’s name was “Jesus” and that he would save his people from their sins.
Just think, always before, God had been up there somewhere in heaven, and man had been down here somewhere on earth. But now, it was going to be “Emanuel”; God with us. . . right here where we are - God would be with us!
When the prenatal process had been accomplished, it was time for the baby to be delivered. Can you even imagine – the only begotten son of God, who had been with God the Father from the beginning, now is in the form of a little baby boy working his way down through the birthing canal of the young teenage Jewish virgin. As he bursts out into the world of humans, the well-rehearsed anthem orchestra hits the downbeat and the angel choirs explode into a chorus of exuberant praise. Nothing like this had ever happened before. From here on out everything would be different. And over there in the center of that dusty old barn is the entrepreneurial wood worker excitedly telling everyone that the baby boy’s name shall be “Jesus – the Savior of his people.”
Next Week: Same story continued
I BELIEVE . . . He's Alive!
Right at the outset, The Christian Faith presents an astounding and exclusively unique claim, "Then he placed his right hand on me and said: 'Do not be afraid, I am the first and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades'." ( Rev. 1:17-18)
Years ago, Anna Marie and I memorized what is known as the Apostle’s Creed. Over all these ensuing years, we have quoted that collection of words to each other in many different countries around the world. As an introduction to this “I Believe . . .” project, let’s review those words of the Apostle’s Creed:
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
He descended into Hades.
The third day He arose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of the saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
That is a whole lot of “I Believe . . .” in that tiny group of words.! I’m certainly glad that there are, likewise, a whole lot of additional words and plenty of explanations available to help us understand the necessary precepts needed to discover and embrace the creedal concepts.
For me, one of the most critical factors to consider, is the one mentioned in the very first paragraph, above: “Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades’.”
What difference would it make to me if the god I decided to pursue, and worship, and obey was as dead as a door knob? How would that affect my accountability to goodness? How would that affect my confidence level in concepts regarding truth? What effect would that have on my ideas of liberty, equality, and freedom?
It is, indeed, an awesome concept that the God we decide to love, honor, and serve, is a living, loving person who is the center of consciousness. He is one who confronts his family and followers in a living encounter, one who has purposes and designs for goodness. He speaks, acts, and gives us an opportunity to experience a Personal Reality with a Living, Loving God. He is not a dead god, but is the God who is alive and very interested in sharing his life with me today.
I had an unusual experience a few years back, that really reinforced, for me, the unique need of perusing and embracing a loving God who is presently alive and will continue to be alive forever and forever:
Of all my travels to more than 150 countries in this old world, my adventures in Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) were, perhaps, some of the most mysterious and unforgettable. I realize now, just how exceptional those eight trips into the country turned out to be. I was told at the time that I was one of fewer than 200 Americans to have been invited to DPRK, and none of the rest had ever been allowed to travel outside the capital of Pyongyang.
I had been favored to meet and get acquainted with Great Leader Kim Il Sung, Supreme Leader of DPRK. For some reason, he had sent the signal out that I should be respected and honored. I was hosted on the national train and by automobile to many different places throughout the enigmatic and covert country. I made it known early on that I was a Christian – a follower of Jesus – and that any time I was in DPRK over a Sunday, I would like to attend the Pongsu Church in Pyongyang, (I had learned from my research that Kim IL Sung’s mother had been a devout Christian, and that Great Leader had built the Pongsu church in her memory, and that hidden within the Constitution of DPRK was a phrase stating “freedom of religion”).
Indeed, every trip to Pyongyang, that included a Sunday, I was accompanied by government interpreters to the church and allowed to worship with the handful of DPRK Christians. Great Leader Kim Il Sung was an intriguing person to watch and study. He was a most charismatic and “benevolent” leader – while at the same time being an absolute and unquestioned dictator. Everything he did, whether taking all the land and possessions from the people, to building great and grand monuments to himself, he consistently convinced them that he was only doing it for their good and to take care of them in his great kingdom.
It seemed to me that it was possible that Great Leader had taken the biblical principles and teachings from his childhood and had assumed the attributes of Jehovah God as his own. He had become their absolute protector. . . their absolute provider . . . he had successfully become their God. As the new generations came on, their only response was to worship him for all the good and miraculous things he had done for them. I had one woman tell me, “Why would I want to go to your heaven . . . as long as I have Great Leader Kim Il Sung, I have heaven now, here on earth.”
In 1995, I returned to DPRK with my son, Jay Winston Jackson, for another two weeks stay in North Korea. Great Leader, Kim Il Sung had just recently died. On Wednesday evening, we were notified that on Thursday morning, September 7, Jay and I were to wear our dark suits and white shirts and be ready to be picked up following breakfast.
When our government hosts arrived, they gave us back our passports and Mr. Rim informed us that we had been chosen to ride with them to a newly constructed trolly station on the other side of Pyongyang. When we pulled into the station, there were several hundred military officers in full dress uniforms standing around waiting for something. There were also a few civilians wearing black suits and white shirts mixed into the crowd. It had started to rain, so we stayed sitting in the car. I could feel at least a thousand eyes on us as we got out of the car and took our place in a single line. You have to remember that most of the military had never seen an American man except in training films where they were taught the best and fastest ways to kill us in hand-to-hand combat. They had no outside TV coverage, no outside newspapers, no contact with what was happening outside their borders. So, when they would encounter a real, live, American man within reach of where they were standing, it was no wonder they at least stared.
We eventually made it up to the front of the line and stepped under a couple of big blue umbrellas. There, our hosts showed the others their passports and explained who we were and showed our passports. The officials nodded and motioned us through. Jay and I still did not know where we were going. Now, we were queued up in front of a trolley station with a smaller group of high-ranking military personnel and a few civilians.
Soon a trolley, nicer than any other I had ever seen in Pyongyang and nicely painted a green color, pulled into the platform and military women directed us on board. I asked Jay if he had figured out where in the world we were going. About 3 miles away our trolley pulled into another platform and we exited and began a walk for about another mile. In the meantime, the men had asked for our passports back.
The pedestrian road led us to a huge new marble complex. We later found out it was called the "Kumsusan Memorial Palace." I doubt that a couple hundred million dollars would have covered the new construction . . . and it was still being built. Soon we guessed it. We had been chosen to be some of the first ever to personally view the body of Great Leader Kim Il Sung lying in state. But we were not through with the ceremony yet.
As we approached the new white marble walkway (literally acres of white marble patio) we walked over an area that washed our shoes . . . too bad if your sox got wet. After waiting in single file line for a long while we were eventually led inside through a very big set of hand-carved wooden, double doors, twenty feet tall . . . through the entry rooms and eventually, into a very large marble room where at one end was a pure white alabaster statue in a standing position about 30 feet tall of Great Leader Kim Il Sung. Three-by-three the military marched up within fifteen feet of the statue, saluted, turned and marched out. The experience made me shiver. Here was a pure white statue with back lighting of blended red, pink, blues to white graduating from bottom up in an all-marble room in an all-marble building.
When it was our time to approach the statue, we were lined up side by side about seven in a straight line. We all walked up together, paused, turned right and exited through another set of tall hand carved doors. From there the single file line headed up three flights of marble stairs cordoned off by bright gold ropes. Coming down the other corresponding stairway was another single file line . . . mostly military officers. All the women officers were crying. As I approached the top of the third landing there was a sound of huge air blowers. Before we were allowed entrance into the next room we had to pass through a short hallway where there were high powered air jets blowing from both sides. Little did they care if it nearly blew the hair off your head . . . there was no loose dust on us when we entered the room.
Jay and I had been afforded a great honor that day. We had been placed near the front of the line to view the body of Great Leader Kim Il Sung. We had been put in a conspicuously visible place of privilege in front of many of the military generals and heads of the North Korean government. We were the only Americans to be there and be so honored.
At the top of the stairs was another extensive room constructed of black and gray marble that was very highly polished. In the very center was a glass-covered marble display shelf and table with Kim Il Sung lying in state. Soft organ music was playing some of the Korean patriotic songs which I recognized from the Friendship Music Festival. The lighting techniques were extremely effective and there were four stations around the glass coffin where we were to stop and pause in respect.
After making a full circle of the body we exited out the rear and back down the long marble stairways. Jay and I were overwhelmed with the unspeakable privilege and honor that had just been afforded us. I really was glad that Jay had a chance to be part of such an unusual occasion of world history.
When we were finally back in our car with our official hosts, Mr. Rim and Mr. Chun, the silence was broken by a very interesting comment by Mr. Chun, “Dr. Jackson, you see how our people love and worship our Great Leader, Kim Il Sung. Now, you can see, he is our God. Dr. Jackson we are assigned to go with you and interpret for you every time you are in Pyongyang on Sunday. You go to the Pongsu church that believes Christianity. When we are there with you, the people talk about Jesus Christ, and they say that he is God. Why don’t you believe that our Great Leader, Kim Il Sung is God?”
I took a deep breath. “The Christians at the Pongsu church have had a personal experience with the God of the whole universe. That God wanted us to know that he loved us so much that he sent part of himself – his only son – to live with us and give us that message. But many of the people on earth hated him and decided to kill him and bury him. But you can’t kill the God of the universe, and Jesus Christ, his only son, came up out of that grave and was alive. He spent time with his friends and followers and told them that they too could love him and join him and live with him forever and forever in heaven. Although, Jesus Christ ascended back up into heaven, yet, he is still alive on this earth and lives inside all the people who believe in him as eternal God.”
I quietly went on, “You now ask me very directly, why I believe like the Christians at the Pongsu church . . . I will answer you honestly and directly – I want to accept, and honor, and worship a God who is alive. When I began believing that He is God and that he came to live inside of me, everything in my life changed and I have never been the same since. Mr. Chun, we just finished paying respect to Great Leader, Kim Il Sung. He always treated me very well, and I have been greatly honored by him. But we just walked around all four sides of the glass and marble case where he lies. He will not emerge alive, and soon you will be expected to transfer your love, and respect, and expectations to Dear Leader Kim Jong Il. When he dies, you will be expected to look to another. I really want to worship a God who is right now, and forever will be, loving and alive.”
Things were very quiet in the car for a while. Then Mr. Chun spoke again, “Dr. Jackson, you have said many strong words. It will be necessary for us to think on them seriously. Thank you for being honest with us.”
“Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades’.” (Rev. 1:17-18)