Nobility through Generosity.

"Behold, a king will reign in righteousness,
And princes will rule with justice."
Isa. 32:1

There is an eschatological sense to this verse and the ones following it.  There is a beauty to this promise and an inherent crying out of the soul, "O Lord Jesus, come quickly!"  All around we see sin on display and those in power doing things that make our heads shake with disbelief.  We look at most areas of government and can identify with Marc Anthony's exclamation, "O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts, And men have lost their reason."  (The Life and Death of Julius Caesar Act 3, Scene 2)

See also the joys and blessings that will follow from this King reigning in righteousness:

• There will be shelter from the wind,
• There will be water in place of desert,
• Eyes will see,
• Ears will hear,
• There will be knowledge and understanding
• And stammering tongues will become fluent and clear.

In that day!

But I don't think that this verse is purely eschatological only.  I think it can apply now.  Does this king reign?  Yes.  He is called Lord.  Who are His subjects? All creation!  Especially the holy angels and His people—His blood-bought chosen ones.  If we call Him Lord, and do what He commands, then He is reigning in our hearts.  Wherever Jesus reigns, there will be all these blessings: shelter, no longer dry and barren, no longer blind nor deaf, but filled with knowledge and understanding, readily able to speak truth clearly.

We see this wherever Jesus went while here on earth.  He healed the demon-possessed man and suddenly he was no longer wild, uncontrolled and naked.  Instead he is seated, fully clothed and in his right mind.  (Mark 5:15)  The kingship of Jesus brings peace and blessing.

There is yet another outcome of this King reigning in righteousness.  You will become noble.

       "But the noble make noble plans,
           and by noble deeds they stand."  Isa. 32:8

This is in contrast with the vile or the scoundrel of verses 6 and 7.  But it is very interesting to see that the word noble as found in the NIV translation is rendered liberal in the KJV.  It has nothing to do with politics of today but means a sense of generousness and being able to give freely.  It is only when Christ is reigning in our hearts that we are most free to give unto others without ulterior motives.  Jesus told His disciples, "Freely you have received, freely give."  (Matt. 10:8)

The Christian, living under the Lordship of Christ, see that he has nothing of his own and that all that he has ultimately comes from God (1 Cor. 4:7; James 1:17) and is thus able to think of others instead of himself.  It is pride that causes us to be inward-focused to the exclusion of others.  To the extent that Christ reigns in our hearts, pride is driven out and we become more other-focused.

Truly that is very noble!  Nobility comes through generosity.  It is better to give than to receive.  Put what you have to work for the King.  That is fit tribute you then will bring!

Out of My Darkness

Dark the night that chilled my heart;
Deep the weltschmerz* of my life;
     Running blind—
     Running lost—
Helpless in deformities rife.

Cast upon a barren Mother,
I faced the glaring Blackness alone;
     Straining eyes—
     Blinded eyes—
Cold upon my face a lone fly droned.

 Sharp were the Tongues of Truth that spoke,
Prying on my nail-shut coffin:
     Awesome Truth—
     Awesome Light—
Stark lay I in my hordes of Sin.

Loving was the One who raised me up,
Breathing into my dust His Righteousness:
     Gracious Face—
     Loving Face—
Object am I of unbounded Love expressed.

Thanks be to God for His priceless Gift—
The redeeming Blood of His own Son:
     Thank you, Lord—
     Praise to Your Name—
Give Glory to God for all that He's done!




* Weltschmerz—"a term coined by the German author Jean Paul and denotes the kind of feeling experienced by someone who understands that physical reality can never satisfy the demands of the mind."  See link.

Stand!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
    Eph 6:10 - 13

 

 O my soul,
When life beckons you sit and take your ease,
                 stand.
When wearies tire you out so that not one step more is possible,
                 stand.
When dreams lie dashed and smashed,
       aspirations choked and cloaked with doubt,
                 stand.
When heartache, pain, despair,
       disappointment, sorrow or care push you down,
                 stand.
When voices all around you tell you to compromise
       give up beliefs and turn your eyes
       away from the Heavenly Prize,
                 stand.

How can I stand?
   For I am weak, frail and fallible.
   My heart is bleak, pale and malleable.
        I would surely fail.

But my heart says of God, "Seek His face!"
   Oh, Your face will I gladly seek.
You compass me about with songs of deliverance,
   Giving hope, strength, might and clout to me, the weak.

By Your Power I can stand.
By Your Spirit I can resolve.
By Your victory I can advance,
      conquer, occupy, fortify,
          hold my ground, acquire, complete—
                 stand!



So then, O my soul,
Look not within upon your feeble strength,
  But look upon Him who is within
Then shall you go forth in strength
  That is not sapped by day's bustle and din.

Then standing you shall stand,
   Undaunted ev'n by Hell;
For you shall taste His rest  
   And in His strength prevail.

The Necessity of the Wrath of God

The Necessity of the Wrath of God

"This is a supreme necessity in the interest of the universe. Prisons are
in the interest of the free. Hell is the safeguard of heaven. A State that
cannot punish crime is doomed; and a God Who tolerates evil is not good.
Deny me my Biblical revelation of the anger of God, and I am insecure in
the universe. But reveal to me this Throne established, occupied by One
Whose heart is full of tenderness, Whose bowels yearn with love; then I am
assured that He will not tolerate that which blights and blasts and damns;
but will destroy it, and all its instruments, in the interest of that
which is high and noble and pure."
~Studies in the Prophecy of Jeremiah, pg 248, G. Campbell Morgan



"Have we realized that to deny the justice of eternal punishment is also to repudiate
the grace of God? If endless misery be unjust, then exemption from it must be the
sinner's right, and if so, his salvation could never be attributed to grace, which is
unmerited favor!"
~Arthur Pink, Eternal Punishment


If we understand not God's wrath and His infinite displeasure at sin and the sinner, then there is no way that we might understand and appreciate the Infinite Mercy bestowed upon those who believe and trust in Christ's atoning work on Calvary.

Hell is not the absence of God. Rather it is the absence of all of God's benevolent attributes, such as kindness, mercy and love; and the full presence of God's attributes of anger and justice.

There are over 162 references in the New Testament alone which warn of hell.
Bear in mind that over 70 of these references were uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ himself!
There must be something to it if the founder of Christianity referenced it so often!  (Other terms used include eternal destruction, a place of fire, or of weeping and gnashing of teeth.)

• Matt. 3:7-12
• Matt. 5:22, 29 - 30
• Matt. 7:13, 19, 23, 27
• Matt. 8:12
• Matt. 10:15
• Matt. 11:24
• Matt. 12:36-37
• Matt. 13:30, 40-42, 47-50
• Matt. 18:7-9, 34
• Matt. 21:41, 44
• Matt. 22:13
• Mt. 23:33
• Matt. 24:51
• Matt. 25:12, 30, 41, 46
• Matt. 26:24
• Matt. 27:5, 45
• Lk. 16:23 
• etc.

All Things Means All Things!

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
                          Rom. 8:28

Most of us know that verse and even pull it out from time to time either to comfort someone who is going through a trial or to find comfort in the midst of our own personal trial.  But how many of us stop and think about this verse—this all-encompassing verse—as applicable in every area of our life?

(I should include the disclaimer here that I am not nor have I been suffering from worry over things that happened to me as a child.  I merely happened to remember a specific occasion where my parents had said "No" and I had no understanding of why.)

Nevertheless I was recently reflecting on how I was raised.  There are things that my parents decided—for one reason or another—that we children should not do.  Why?  Some I don't know.  Others I have a small understanding why.  But what about the result?  Am I deprived because I didn't go to a certain party with friends? or didn't get to go to a certain amusement park? or a whole host of other "what-ifs"?

No, I had to come to the conclusion that God is sovereign and that He orchestrates all things for my good.  If this verse is true (with many others throughout Scriptures that teach the same thing) then even my parents' choices for me that I didn't like still worked out for my good—if I really love God and am one of His children.

This really is a freeing thought.  No more angst over why I didn't get to go to the amusement park.  No more anger over a confrontation where my parents exerted their prerogative and mine was defeated.  No!  It has all worked and is working for my good.

How?  I don't know all the ways.  But here are at least two:

1) I learned to obey and to submit to authorities.  That's good.  That is exactly what the Bible tells children to do.  (Eph. 6:1 - 3)  And God's command includes a promise that it will go well with the child that obeys.

2) I Cor. 6:12  "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."  Just because something is technically not wrong doesn't mean that it's best.  Even things that are very good should sometimes be avoided.  (For example, exercise is good, but I shouldn't miss work to do it.)  I'm sure my parents had some over-arching ideal in their mind that saw what I was asking to do did not fit in with the way that my character needed to be developed.  Of course, it probably didn't parse out neatly like that, but God is behind it and still brings good out of it in my life.  (No, I'm not sanctioning blindly obeying even if it's a sin.)

This understanding should translate to all of our relationships where we are under some other authority: at work, in terms of being a citizen, relating with a pastor or elder.  Can we look at what our authority has said then, seeing it is not sin, trust God to work the situation out for His glory and our good if we but submit and obey?

But it also made me think of the incredible responsibility that is placed upon me as a husband and father.  I know that I've messed up many times.  I've made poor choices, reacted either passively or inappropriately.  I've sinned in thought, word and deed.  That is a heavy load to think about—especially in view how it can and does affect those around me and those under me.

Yet, God's promises, like his gifts and his calling, are irrevocable.  (Rom. 11:29)

This promise still stands.  If my family is called by His love according to His purpose and if they truly love Him, then all things (even my mistakes) are being used for their ultimate good and God's ultimate glory.

Someone once said: "You want to see all the good parenting that you can do by yourself?  Look at the character flaws and sins of your children.  You want to see what God can do through you and in spite of you?  Look at the good things that your children are doing."

To God alone be the glory!