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 











 

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.”

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!