Who is Jesus?

And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God (Re 3:14–15).

Jesus is the Finality, “the Amen”

Jesus is the Reality, “the Faithful and True Witrness”

Jesus is the Vitality, “the Beginning of the creation of God”


~ source Stephen Olford

Two Kinds of Storms

Storms of Correction

When Jonah disobeyed God he went in the wrong direction, the oppositve direction of what God wanted. So God corrected the wayward prophet by causing a fierce storm to bear down on Jonah and the sailors. This was God’s loving way of helping Jonah get back on the right path. Jonah was wrong and God redirected him by sending him back in the right direction using a “Storm of Correction.”

But sometimes believers experience hard times, not because they have done anything wrong. Sometimes God puts believers in a storm for another reason. These are called . . .

Storms of Perfection

The disciples enjoyed a postcard perfect day with Jesus. There were miracles, parables, and dramatic deliverances. Then the Lord said, “Let’s go over to the otherside.” A storm came up so violent even experienced fishermen feared for their lives. The Lord calmed the storm inspiring the disicples to respond, “Who can this be that even the wind and waves obey Him?” It was scary at the time, but the Lord was using a disturbance to grow their faith. They were spiritually strenghend because of their “storm of perfection.

Wise Christians must discern the nature of their trouble, praying “God Is this a a storm of correction? Or a storm of perfection?” Different storms require differenct responses!

When God wants to Drill a Man

“When God wants to drill a man,

And thrill a man,

And skill a man

To play the noblest part;

When He yearns with all His heart

To create so great and bold a man

That all the world shall be amazed,

Watch His methods, watch His ways!

How He ruthlessly perfects

Whom He royally elects!

How He hammers him and hurts him,

And with mighty blows converts him

Into trial shapes of clay which

Only God understands;

While his tortured heart is crying

And he lifts beseeching hands!

How He bends but never breaks

When his good He undertakes;

How He uses whom He chooses,

And with every purpose fuses him;

By every act induces him

To try His splendor out

God knows what He’s about.”

~ Anonymous

How to Live a Blessed Life

According to Psalm 1, we can live a happy life! And the way to do so is simple and straight forward:

  • WE MUST BE SEPARATED FROM THE WORLD, v 1

watch where we step, stand, and sit

  • WE MUST BE SATURATED WITH THE WORD, v 2

  • WE MUST BE SITUATED BY THE WATER, v 3

water is a symbol for the Spirit of God


Source: Jack May

The Face of Jesus

No one has ever seen God, but people have seen Jesus and Jesus shows us the nature of God. According the prophetic foresight of Isaiah we know something of what Jesus looks like.

  1. JESUS HAS A STRONG FACE, Isaiah 50:7

  2. JESUS HAS A SYMPATHETIC FACE, 53:3-4

  3. JESUS HAS A SCARRED FACE, 52:14

  4. JESUS HAS A STOIC FACE, 53:14

  5. JESUS HAS A SAVING FACE, 45:22.

Shofar

In scripture the sounding of the ram’s horn, the shofar, was associated with two events. Every Hebrew knew when they heard the trumpet blast it was important. One of two things were about to happen.

  1. A going forth in war

  2. A gathering for worship

When Jesus returns there will be a trumpet blast signaling two events, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and the Heavenly Angels bringing judgment on the wicked.

Three Steps to Being Restored to Active Ministry

Psalm 51 tells of David’s restoration to ministry. He gives us a roadmap for us to get back in the game.

  1. There must be honesty about personal sin. This is so unusual because the normal thing is to blame others. We’ve got to own up to our sin and David does that. Notice how many times David says “me” and “my.” Will you and I do the same or will continue to make excuses and scapegoat others?

  2. There must be confidence in God’s cleansing power. Notice the many cleansing verbs in this Psalm, blot, cleanse, wash, restore, purge, renew. Based on the perfect shed blood of Jesus, God alone has the power to remove guilt and shame regardless of how heinous our sins may be.

  3. There must be an emphasis on inner purity. David’s real problem was not dirty hands or feet, bu inner corruption and that’s where we struggle too. Jesus is more concerned about our inner life than our outer show. God desires “truth in the inward parts.” This includes the heart and the spirit of a person. Outwardly we may appear clean and decent, but God is probing deep into our thoughts and affections. He wants these to be cleaned up.

David was able to come back after his moral fall. The Psalm ends with him singing, teaching, and worshiping. You and I also can come back after we have fallen. Be honest about your sin, believe that God can cleanse you, and invite the Holy Spirit to probe deep within your being.