Saturday, March 28, 2015

TO THE COMING OF MESSIAH


Bobservations
by Pastor Bob Lawrenz

God’s Prophetic Word is sought after and studied, often to simply verify the accuracy of God’s own words in our hearts. Such study settles our faith, and resolves human doubt. Amos 3:7 declares that God will do nothing that He has not already told to His servants, the Prophets. What we have taken and believed by faith, is proven in His Word and recorded deeds.

This is vitally important to us as Believers. While we take it on faith that God is true to His Word, there are others we meet who want and sometimes demand evidence for why we believe what we believe. Fulfilled prophecy becomes a foundation for renewing our faith, and for the new faith of others.

Today’s scripture passages regarding Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, are pretty important. For one thing, the event is recorded in all four of the Gospels. Therefore, it is a significant part of the story of His life on Earth. As Messiah, Jesus’ coming was prophesied throughout the Old Testament. David wrote in the Psalms, “In the volume of the book, it is written of me,” but the context of his words show that David was assuredly not speaking of himself; he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write of the One who would inherit his Throne, Jesus. Even David’s phrasing is prophetic: all the information we have about Jesus’ life has been collated into a single “volume’ we know as The Bible. Except that David was Divinely inspired, how could David otherwise know this detail: a single volume?

Today’s celebration of Palm Sunday is a milestone in prophecy. Besides fulfilling Daniel’s prophecy of the 70 weeks in chapter 9 of Daniel, Zechariah’s words in his chapter 9 are also fulfilled on this day, noted on the Jewish calendar as the 6th of Nisan.

The day also recalls another milestone in Jesus’ life, because it is the first day of Jesus’ most difficult week on Earth. From the glory of today, to the humiliation and rejection later in the week, Jesus shows us that He identifies with all that we go through. Whether through family, friends, or co-workers; whether through the religious leaders, or through an oppressive government, Jesus knows our trials, and stands as our steadfast advocate in every situation.

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” - 1 John 2:1 












 

Monday, March 23, 2015

TO ALL GENERATIONS



Bobservations
by Pastor Bob Lawrenz
 
    In Psalm 119 today, verse 90 states, “Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the Earth, and it abideth.” Like every scripture passage, the depth of these few words goes far beyond just what we read. To dig into them is to retrieve what the Lord refers to as “the hidden manna,” from Revelation 2:17. 

    From Genesis, we understand that God made the heavens and the Earth. But then God established them; He established the physical laws of the universe, and those of the Earth itself during His creative acts. Gravity, time, seasons, and the balance-in-nature. Evaporation, and rain give us a cycle of renewal in our water resources, and the function of humans and plant-life give us the renewal of oxygen and other gases in the air. He established radiant heat from the sun to warm us, and gathered waters together into rivers, lakes and oceans to cool us. 

    Colossians 1 tells us the Jesus made all these things, and Jeremiah 31 tells us that He set the whole universe, the sun, moon, and stars into motion. And within the ordinances of the movement of the galaxies is where we find the seasons, and the night and day. It is the spinning of the earth that gives us night and day. It is an ordinance of God, and for our benefit. Beyond Earth, we find the entire star-field following patterns, and again in Genesis, we are told that they are given to us for signs. Job 38 refers to the movement of the heavens as the “Mazzaroth;” all ordinances from God. 

“If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever.”     ~Jeremiah 31:36~ 

    Therefore, the ordinances of God are tied to the existence of Israel, and God’s chosen people. In “establishing” the Earth, God ties the spinning of the planet to the survival of His people. He set the world spinning, and it abides according to the intricacies of the movements of the sun, moon, stars, and planets. 

    The prophecies of the End-Times are at the forefront of the minds of many lately. If you want to know where we are in the end-times time table, keep watch on Israel. God has apparently, made Israel the centerpiece of all Creation.

Psalm 119:90(b) ~ “…thou hast established the Earth, and it abideth.”














Sunday, March 15, 2015

THY WORD IS MUSIC TO MY EARS



Bobservations
by Pastor Bob Lawrenz



    In 2004, Christian songwriters Adam Watts, Andy Dodd, and Jeremy Camp worked together on an album, and one of the songs they came up with is most unusual for a Christian praise and worship album. The title was “Jesus, You Have Carried Me.”

    It is a song of personal introspection, as Jeremy Camp sings the lyrics which gives homage to Jesus’ sustaining grace and power. The melody is a bit eerie, but the words are powerful, Biblical truths:

Jesus You have carried me, When I could not stand
Jesus You have carried me, It's all been part of Your plan
Jesus You have carried me, It's Your footprints in the sand
Jesus You have carried me, It was always in Your hands

    The Poem “FOOTPRINTS” is referenced in the lyrics, and this is exactly the message of today’s passage in Psalm 119: 49-72. And along with today’s Reading, we have an image of God’s faithfulness to Believers, in that He promises to manifest Himself to us.

    The manifestation will not likely be physical, and we may have difficulty putting our finger on exactly what will have happened, but the manifestation will bring peace, and comfort, and assurance to the troubled soul looking to Jesus for deliverance. This is an often repeated theme throughout the Psalms, and it’s an often needed reminder to Christians that Jesus is always within ear-shot of our thoughts, our fears, our worries, and our difficulties. He hears our cries!

    Hope and comfort come from our turning to God in everything. It is the Believers expectation of Jesus to supply for all our needs, but to also “smooth our ruffled feathers” when the world imposes the unexpected upon us.

    And when the Lord brings resolution to us, there is an awe and a desire to worship Him because of His mighty works and abilities. Another popular song comes to mind, from Lenny LeBlanc :  “NO HIGHER CALLING” –

There is no higher calling, No greater honor
Than to bow and kneel Before Your throne
I'm amazed at Your glory, Embraced by Your mercy
Oh Lord I live to worship You
  
God’s Word is like music to our ears!














Saturday, March 7, 2015

DARKNESS VS. LIGHT

Bobservations
by Pastor Bob Lawrenz

   Among Christian Churches, one wonders why there are so many different denominations. The Creeds of many of these denominations teach of one God, one Lord, and one salvation. There is uniqueness to each denomination, yet all are supposed to be based in the teachings of Jesus Christ. 

    Our Creed here at Whitestone regarding denominations is found on the back of your bulletin: “We are not a denominational Church, nor are we opposed to those that are. We choose to remain independent because of doctrinal differences that have led to division rather than unity within the Body of Christ.” 

    To that end, we are really quite inclusive, and tend to not put more emphasis on one doctrine of the Bible more than another. In other words, we find in the scriptures that there is a balance in God’s Word that takes exception to one doctrine being promoted over another. God’s Word is whole and complete in itself, and it sometimes takes careful study between scriptures to find the balance that God has provided through a number of different Bible scribes. 

    To that end, we also find that the Bible’s scribes often wrote to specific groups of people for very specific errors in which their faith was being lived. The unfruitful works of darkness in one church were not necessarily the unfruitful works of darkness in another. The church at Ephesus had difficulties that were different from the churches of Corinth and Thessalonica. All the churches each struggled with their own local cultural entanglements. 

    This is further born out in the 2nd and 3rd chapters of the Book of Revelation, as John records admonishing encouragement for each of the seven different churches which were in Asia. All had problems unique to themselves. 

    We cannot read a single verse in scripture with any accuracy unless we have the context in which it was written. In our reading today, Paul offers a doctrinal truth about the differences of light and darkness (Eph. 5:11). But he offers it in the context of that church’s error: Idolatry, and the culture of the goddess Dianah of the Ephesians (Acts 19).

“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope
of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, and Father
of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” ~Eph. 4:4-6


















Sunday, March 1, 2015

Enter Into HIS Rest!

Bobservations
by Pastor Bob Lawrenz

  Psalm 119 presents us with unparalleled truths.  It also presents us with human frailties in every verse.  Romans 7 reveals Paul's personal struggle between the Law and the Flesh, a weakness we can all attest to.  It's that same spiritual battle as Paul, but it's the victory in Christ Jesus we seek!

  Hebrews 4:40 says, "For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his."  This verse came up during men's prayer recently.  If we could just appreciate even a smidgen of the verse!

  All of God's power rested on the seventh day.  The work of Creation was complete.  As I prayed about this verse later, I was struck with the fact that God Himself rested, but much of what He had created has carried on to this day.  When God created the world, He set it spinning.  It's still spinning.  It's one of the physical laws, and will continue until God stops it.  God rested and the world still spun.

  As gravity was established, it continues today.  It too is physical laws of science.  God created it with the word of His mouth, and scriptures tell us that His word will stand forever.

  God has set other things in motion and they are still moving forward, yet He Himself ceased from His creative works.  I speak of prophecy and all of its facets.

  God's works are wondrous, mighty, awe-inspiring, and able to stand the test of time.  Yet under the heavens, there is a time for every purpose, as stated in Ecclesiastes 3.  Solomon writes there of the human condition, and human works.  Because WE are alive only temporarily on Earth, so too are our works.  Upon death, every man's works cease.  The human hope is only found in Jesus as His work of Salvation continues on a daily basis.  Eternal beings create eternal works.  Mortal beings create temporary works.

  As Believers, we are called to let our works speak of our faith, but as some point, our works will stop, and Christ's rest will take us over.  This is the assurance we hold onto.  When Jesus set the work of salvation in us, it will remain, and carry us through into His presence.  Enter into HIS rest!


"For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have
sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest:  although the works
were finished from the foundation of the world."   ~ Hebrews 4:3 ~

                                                                 

PRAYER ALERT!
                                                                 

2 Chronicles 7:14


"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, 
and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; 
then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, 
and will heal their land."

As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to address Congress Tuesday, March 3rd, please pray for the Lord to protect him and strengthen him, giving him the right words for such a time as this.

The premier will speak Monday at the AIPAC conference just a day before his much anticipated address to a joint session of the US Congress.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited by House Speaker John Boehner to address a joint session of Congress. It will be an occasion for Netanyahu to deliver his views on the nuclear deal with Iran that the White House and its European partners are attempting to craft. It is a deal Netanyahu does not like or trust.

President Obama wants the speech canceled. He has made it clear that he won’t meet with Netanyahu. His senior officials are telling journalists, off the record, that a speech by Bibi could wreck Israeli-American relations, leave the Jewish state friendless and veto-less at the U.N. and unprotected from the aggression of the ayatollahs in Tehran.

The only assured fact that we have is that Jehovah God, Jesus Christ, is in control.  Pray this week, especially for Prime Minister Netanyahu.  May the will of the LORD be accomplished.










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