The Reason for Owning a Bible

The Crushing of our Lord

Wenceslaus Hollar, Jesus on the Mount of Olives, Print, NGO Image, National Gallery of Art, Public Domain

When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.
(Luke 22:40-44, NASB)

The Garden located on the side hill of Mount of Olives called Gethsemane derives its name from the Hebrew word for “Olive Press.” How remarkable that this garden so named was the place Jesus favored in His coming to His Father for times of prayer and fellowship.

The Son continually sought blessing, direction and relationship with His Heavenly Father in all matters assuring that He might be in constant and complete unity with His Father’s will. On all the occasions up until this point, the Son had never had any difficulty with the Father’s will but now massive amounts of untold heaviness were pressing in and on the body and spirit of the Son. It was a time of extreme and unbearable crushing in this place of “The Pressing.”

The Son staggers under the weight of the judgment about to come upon Him. Although He never wavers in His submission to His Father … yet He does plead for a possible release from the course of destiny now before Him. Some people explain the hesitation on the part of the Son as coming from the tremendous pain, torture and suffering that was about to come upon the Savior because of our sin and the sin of the world.

These are significant pressures but quite possible the massive heartache and agony that was crushing the Savior, came from knowing He would bear the weight of the sin of the world and the knowledge of the abandonment that was to happen when the Father accepted the Son's freely laying down His life on the cross as He bore the sin of the world through His death. While in the realm of His deity, Christ could not die ... He did die in the flesh. Yet, somehow in the deepest of all mysteries, as Christ both in fulfilling the prophecies of David (Psalm 22) and as He cried out to His Father for abandoning Him on the Cross (Mark 15:34) because of the sin of the world that He was bearing, He would experience in the flesh a sense of separation from His Father while somehow still abiding as divine in the unfathomable unity and love that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit had continuously lived in without beginning or end.

The abandonment of the Father of Jesus in the flesh was required for the redeeming of all people for all time. It a great and indescribable love the Father has for us that even while we are hopelessly lost in our sins, He loves us (Romans 5:8). It was an incredible love that demanded our Heavenly Father accept the death of His beloved Son and allow the crushing weight of the sin of the world to be imputed to Him to save a world of sinners. It was an incredible love our Savior had for us to lay down His life and to submit to this unfathomable crushing for our sins. We cannot imagine or comprehend the crushing that took place in the Garden of Gethsemane to our blessed Savior but we can be ever so thankful for the forgiveness and freedom it gives us. What was pressed out in the place of “The Crushing” were the first steps of our Savior in willingly walking towards the giving of His life on the cross and the amazing gift of our salvation. Thanks, be to God!

 

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5, NIV)

 

Suggested Reading … Luke 22; Isaiah 53

Revised and Republished Devotion which was Originally Published - April 2, 2015

Seeing beyond what our eyes can see.

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV).

We have to trust our eyes. We use them to understand and navigate our daily world, activities and responsibilities. We use our eyes to see beauty and yet at the same time our eyes see things that are unpleasant.  Our eyes both gather data and filter information allowing us to make decisions and choices around us.  They can also be a determining factor in how we perceive our own attractiveness and value. Those that have lost their ability to see with their eyes will have to rely on their other senses to facilitate what they cannot see using those senses as their eyes unto their world. Yet our eyes can also deceive us in our own thinking, adding a sense of permanence to what might be temporary. Thus we have to be careful with what we look at and how it we use it, for our eyes guide and guard our heart at the same time.

Beyond our physical eyes … we all have spiritual eyes as well. These eyes sense, gather and filter via our conscience the colors and hues of right and wrong in our living.  If we are reborn unto God and His Spirit lives in us, we not only reborn to sense right and wrong but we are reborn to desire the life of God and His instructions and desires for us.  Thus our spiritual eyes should help us perceive and avoid things that are harmful, evil and would lead us away from God and grieve His Spirit which is alive in us.

Still, even as our physical eyes can be clouded by physical problems in our eyes; our spiritual eyes can be clouded by spiritual problems that turn us away from God’s purposes and desires and may let us formulate opinions and values that might be faulty.  We might see ourselves as stronger and more invincible then we are.  We might value the things as permanent and yet they might be the most temporary of all things.  Sufferings and difficulties might seem of no value and yet they might develop our faith and character as they someday will bring the eternal blessings of God to our lives. Only God can give us a deeper and more truthful understanding of the things around us in any given moment or season as we trust Him in faith which is far beyond what our limited spiritual eyes can now perceive.

We were created for more than what our physical eyes can see and we need to let our spiritual eyes be completely open to the faithfulness and goodness of God.  Much of what God desires to give us, cannot be seen or perceived at any given moment in time but as we obey and trust Him in faith, we will find that He is working in us to give us what is of eternal value and blessing.

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11 KJV).

Suggested Bible Reading ... 2 Corinthians 4 & Psalm16

The Warm Place

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17, NIV)

In most places on the earth there are seasons where life in its elaborate and complex multifaceted forms unfolds and enfolds with times of new life, growth, rest and the passing away of what was before. In most places there are also changes in the temperatures of the seasons and the colors that associated with each of those chapters of the year. As each season transitions from the old to the new, people might long for a particular season to linger or for the new season to come with haste. For instance, as winter passes with its white and cold, people long for the new life of spring and are anxious for the warmth of summer.

As the seasons change and as we go through good days and bad, it is always good to remember the faithfulness of God in the days that have passed by. No matter what you have gone through, He was there with you. As you look back on the blessings and what you have been privileged to be granted as gifts of grace, we can be thankful. As your life changed and as you aged, felt joy or adjusted to difficulties or pain … He has not changed. His mercies were upon you.

It is a comfort to know the warm place that we have in our relationship with our gracious Heavenly Father. It is not a place of coldness nor is it a place of extreme uncomfortable conditions such as searing heat but a place of true warmth and joy.

His love is steadfast. His interest which is ever protective and ever watchful … it has never turned from gazing upon your life. His loving comfort is always being applied through the presence of the Spirit and is even now being applied, even if we are just slightly aware. Yet we are given more, as our God, also brings new mercies to us to add to all we have. Amazing! Be thankful for His great love, no matter what the season and know this same love is the only real hope for all the seasons to come. This is by far the most important reality and truth of His great love for us as His children. As we dwell with our Heavenly Father in the relationship as His child, it is a warm place of comfort, strength and provision beyond compare. Take time to rest in the warm place, God will always provide. It is a warm place like no other.

“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:21-23 KJV).

Made Precious

Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us (Romans 5:1, NLT).

We can hold in our hands, objects that are deemed precious because of their intrinsic value in their content such as precious metals or jewels. We can also hole in our hands, things that have become precious in their rarity as they have accumulated or been assessed great values such as antiques, collectible items of countless variety and substance. 

We can treasure in our hearts and memory: moments, occasions and seasons in our relationships with others that become precious because we both value and esteem them in the highest regard because of their meaning, significance and rarity.

Yet what is most precious in our time on this earth is being precious to someone or having someone precious in our lives. It is in these invaluable relational aspects of connecting and becoming beloved or having someone beloved in our lives, that we find the most precious of all that is precious.

Even beyond our relationships with those precious to us, is the most precious of relationships with our Shepherd, Savior and our Heavenly Father. To be named precious and held as precious by Jesus as our tender Shepherd brings comfort in the most of discomforting moments. To be redeemed by a dying Lord even though we are completely unworthy, sinful and hopeless in our position and to be made holy and precious by His loving sacrifice is absolutely indescribable. To be considered precious by the Living God liberates us with a living hope beyond compare.  Finally when we realize we are beloved and precious as a child of the Heavenly Father, we find a security and peace in our spirit and soul that is simply amazing. What an amazing thing it is to be loved and precious in our relationship with the Living God!  Amazing, simply amazing!

Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life (Isaiah 43:4, ESV).

Suggested Reading … Isaiah 43

The Greatest Treasure in the World

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.” “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!” (Matthew 13:44-46, NLT)

If we come across a great treasure … would we not go after it with abandonment? Would we not do everything we could to claim it or do whatever is required to possess it? Would we not sell everything else, sacrifice of our time and efforts and possibly be willing to even mortgage the future because we realize the true value and worth of the treasure to us?

The true treasure of a relationship to God and to be part of His kingdom as His child through Jesus Christ is the “Greatest Treasure” one can find on this earth and yet it goes beyond our days on this earth. Thus it has more value than all the treasure of the earth. It is totally priceless. Having a relationship with the Living God as our Heavenly Father is so great and so astounding in comparison to any other treasure on the earth that to evaluate, assess, or appraise the contrasting importance to other treasures would border on absurdity and madness. Yet the “Greatest Treasure” in the world is often not even noticed or claimed even though it is freely available to all by the grace of our Savior for the taking.

Other times the priceless treasure of knowing Christ is set aside for treasures of the earth that will pass away with as valuable as moth ridden useless cloth or old rusted metal. Other times the priceless treasure of being a disciple of Christ is abused by neglect, carelessness and lack of appreciation of its real and eternal value. Other times people worry about the cost of the sacrifices in possessing the treasure of Christ while at the same time holding unto the useless treasures of the world. The greatest treasure in the world is being a child of God through Jesus Christ! When we truly seek, follow, respect and trust in Christ with all our heart … we will find and realize He is the greatest treasure and sweetest reward in this world and the only treasure which will go with us into eternity. There is no other treasure like it! There is no other treasure like it!

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21, ESV)

Suggested Reading … Matthew 6

The Dwelling Place

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2, NIV)

God purposes for a relationship with us as His children are not for us to come and call on Him from time to time at our convenience as a place of visitation. His love is unlimited and extravagant for us (1 John 3:1) and His desire in that  great love is abundant provision, powerful protection and to lavish upon us favor and grace as His children.

How often we knock on the door of the shelter of His love only to be lured away by glitter of false abodes that offer only momentary comforts and elusive provisions. How often we slip in the shelter of God’s provision and protection only become dissatisfied and walk out the back door because we think there are better accommodations in other locales.

We cannot find rest for our eternal spirit in the transitory dwelling places that surround us nor can we really find a place of guaranteed shelter for all the days of our lives.  We cannot find refuge and relief for our soul from the assaults against us in a fallen world, in our fractured, frail and fruitless attempts at self-preservation that we hobble together as defensive protection.  We can only build up or bolster together so much structure to protect us from the harmful and destructive forces around us.

God does not want us to visit Him from time to time.  He wants us to dwell and abide with Him.  He wants to shadow us with His favor.  He wants us to trust Him and His ways that we might always have true rest.  He longs to offer His protection and provision in all things and for all times.  

There is no refuge, fortress or shelter that will satisfy our soul and spirit as a dwelling place. We were created to dwell with God and through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ we can abide with Him every day on this earth and  throughout the countless days of eternity.

Suggested Reading … Psalm 91 

Our God is a Great God!

Desiring the Spirit of God.

“Do not be filled up with the empty beverages of the earth focused life … these only lead to foolish living and endless unfulfilled stupors, but desire the eternal nectar of the Holy Spirit so that you may be filled to overflowing with the presence of God in every aspect of your life and find the countless blessings He wants to give you (Paraphrase - Ephesians 5:18).”

We seek so much of what the world values as we live our lives out on this earth.  Many times we are seeking clichés, fame, fortune and fanfare which in the end are very shallow in significance and empty of any lasting value.  God’s purposes and plans and the leading He brings through His Spirit take us to attributes and new life brimming with great significance and overflowing with eternal value.  What would our lives be like, if we truly desired more and more of the direction of the indwelling presence, fruit and ministries of the Spirit of God?

The Holy Spirit creates new in us, crusades beside us, comforts us in all times, clarifies us, convicts us, and completes us by bringing forth new revelation while deepening our understanding of the revealed and eternal Word of God by His abiding and living presence in our spirit, heart and mind.

The Holy Spirit is “The Creator” as creates us as a new creation and brings forth fruit in that new creation.  He is “The Crusader” because not only does He battle alongside us and His power is endless, as He is God. The Holy Spirit is “The Comforter” because He speaks the truth and brings the promises of God to us at all times. He is “The Clarifier” as He teaches us and deepens our relationship with the Living Christ.  He is perfect as “The Convictor” of sin because His convicting is perfectly and completely true serving only the purposes of God in sanctifying us.  The Holy Spirit is “The Completer” of all prayers as he carries and completes all prayers before the throne of God and is the seal of our inheritance of eternal life.

The Holy Spirit is God and what He gives us, is truly beyond our comprehension. The Holy Spirit is Christ alive in our life, thus we should be as desperate for Him as we are for air itself. In order for us to be fully alive in the spirit, we must breathe deeply of the Holy Spirit.  Desire ever more of Him and yield your heart, soul, mind and spirit to Him, and you will never be disappointed. He will fill you over and over again, and you will overflow with the richness and bounty of all He will give to you.

Suggested Reading – John 14

What would it be like ... if we were truly like God?

In many countries, little children wander the dirty streets picking through the rubbish thrown in corners of buildings and doorways, ever looking with fragile hope for something to eat or any items of value. In wealthier places, teenagers with cell phones connected to the world … long for an ever allusive friend to connect to, who would not just speak words of concern but would truly care.  In a darkened room sitting on the corner of bed, a woman weeps stinging tears as the walls push in with impending misery as her marriage breaks apart as her desperate shaking hands try to reach out for her fleeing husband.  Across the city in a glittering building of steel and glass with windows clear and open for everyone to see and yet no one can perceive the man contemplating the taking of his life because possessing everything he dreamed of,  is not enough to anchor  his soul in the storm that rages in his search for meaning in his existence.

There are real people who are abandoned, helpless, hopeless, neglected, forgotten and empty, yet full of discouragement, desperation, desolation and despair. Still, there is a truth that remains. There is a Heavenly Father overflowing with mercy, compassion, grace, hope and love that they don’t know of or cannot find. Still, there is a truth that remains.  There is a Heavenly Father overflowing with mercy, compassion, grace, hope and love that they don’t know of or cannot find.  His love is unwavering and without end in the scope of being merciful (Lamentations 3:22).  This Father sees the fatherless, broken and lonely and longs to love them (Psalm 68:5). He longs for all to find Him and the hope only He can give to anchor the soul (Hebrews 6:19).

God’s great love is lavished on His children (1 John 3:1) not as a possession, but as a gift of comfort and strength (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). It is to be given to others as freely as it was given to us.  If God’s love does not flow from us, it gives evidence that He is not really in us. What would it be like, if we were truly like God?  The world around us is waiting!

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1 John 4:7-8, KJV)