Community Compass

 5 The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears,
       and I have not been rebellious;
       I have not drawn back.

 6 I offered my back to those who beat me,
       my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;
       I did not hide my face
       from mocking and spitting.

 7 Because the Sovereign LORD helps me,
       I will not be disgraced.
       Therefore have I set my face like flint,
       and I know I will not be put to shame.  Isaiah 50:5-7

The previous words are applied to the coming Messiah.  Can you imagine that they were written 700 years before Jesus would come?  As I read this passage this morning, my heart was challenged with the determination that Jesus had to do His Father’s will.  What a picture of love!  Christ would be obedient to His Father even to death on a cross (Phil 2:8)!

Jesus was on a mission in which He would not be deterred.  He “set his face like a flint.” Luke 9:51 states that He looked steadfastly toward Jeruslem where He would be crucified.  He would not fail in His mission to save us.

 Note the opening words of verse seven of our text: “Because the Sovereign Lord helps me.”   Jesus glorified His Father not only by His obedience to Him,  but His dependence on Him!  What a lesson for us to learn!  Face all of the hardship of an antagonistic world with steadfast determination and unflagging dependence upon our Lord.  It is not in our own strength that we overcome, but in His.

“Our places will be empty soon. Cheer the aged, console the desponding, help the poor, for they will soon be beyond your reach.” - Charles Spurgeon

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:26-34

Outside my office window is a wire that runs from one part of the building to another. Once in a while I have some small “visitors” who love to sit on the wire and check out the scenery. Then after they rest for a while they flit off to some other place. These little commons birds are often reminders to me not to get overly concerned about things that are beyond my control. And they often seem to show up at just the right moments.

We have some bird feeders in our backyard . For a long time we haven’t filled them and the birds went away. After deciding that we would like to have these critters back, we filled them. It didn’t take long for them to come back. How’d they know? Did they tell their buddies “Hey, Reemtsmas finally got their act together and put the food back in the feeders?” No. God takes care of them. And He takes care of His own children. too. He tells us that we are of much greater value than the birds.

Our church sign is surrounded by beautiful flowers. I appreciate their beauty but I am not a gardener. The lady that planted them is a very good gardener. She planted them, cultivates them and at times waters them. I appreciate her efforts. She would be the first to admit that she didn’t create their magnificent colors. She only made a way for them to show off their own beauty. It would be ridiculous for us to assume that, when no one was watching, she secretly painted them with different colors and patterns. No, in these delicate plants, Another has done His work for all to see.

Next time you see one of these little birdS in your yard, thank God for His watch care over you. When you look at the beauty of the flowers, realize that they are wonderfully supplied by their sovereign Maker. Then concentrate on seeking His kingdom rather than worrying about stuff you can’t change. If it’s good enough for birds and flowers, it’s certainly good enough for you. Amen.

Doctors feel fine on ships because they are accustomed to see sickness.
Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?
Don’t believe what you hear about fleas and ticks – it’s all lice.
Don’t expect to eat something fancy when you’re flying because it’s plane food.
Drinking too much coffee can cause a latte problems.
Driving on so many turnpikes was taking its toll.

On April 15, Pastor Vic Vicera, his wife, Beth; and Pastor were shot at when an unknown assailant stormed Pastor Vicera’s home in Mindanao, Philippines, and started shooting. Pastor Vicera was killed in the attack.

According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts, “Pastor Vic and his wife, Beth, and Pastor Noli were having a conversation early that evening. They were talking about their plans to minister in a Muslim tribal area, when suddenly the killer came in and started firing at them.”    (Read more)

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.   1 Peter 3:8

One of the greatest joys of the Christian life is to have a sense of belonging, a community of like-minded believers.  God loves it when we all get along. Psalm 133:1 states “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!  In contrast, God hates it when there is discord and envy among believers. Proverbs 6:19 declares that one of the seven things that are an abomination is when somebody “sows discord among brethren.”

Today’s passage tells us to “live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.”   Verses 1-7 mention the wife and husband relationship.  Then Peter talks to all believers in regards to living in peace with each other.    What are the things that cause great relationships with fellow believers?

1.  Harmony -  This word means to “have the same mind.”  To think the same thing. This doesn’t mean we all ought to be clones of each other, but we should strive for the same goal – to please the Lord.

2. Sympathy -  This literally means “to suffer together.”   How often do we take the time to listen to people’s problems with our hearts?   Remember the old saying” “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

3.  Love -  This is “brotherly love.” It’s from the word Philadelphia. Think of fellow believers as your brothers and sisters.  Treat them as you would your own relatives (hopefully you treat your relatives well).   We are in God’s family.  Yes, we have our differences, but we are commanded to love those who are in the family of God. Love those for whom Christ died and are now in the family.

 4.  Compassion – This is a great word. Literally it means “good bowels.”  It has the idea of a sense of the inner yearning and feeling great compassion for someone.  It means to be tender-hearted.

The first century was cold and hard-hearted. Christianity, with its tenderizing influence upon the heart, had not had time nor opportunity yet to make much of an impact upon the callous heart of man. Today we have as a result of its benign influence hospitals, homes for the aged, charities of one sort or another. And yet how callous our hearts are to another’s pain. Only the overflowing love of God and the experience of much suffering in one’s own life can fit us to really sympathize with others in the sense of feeling their pain ourselves, thus suffering with them.  – Kenneth Wuest, Word Studies from the Greek New Testament

As family members, the members of Christ’s body must look out for one another.  Take time to encourage another believer.  Be a blessing.

After a hiatus, I’m back at blogging.  I’m going to try to post on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  I’ll be on vacation from June 24 through July 5.

A Golfer walks into the pro shop at the local course and asks the golf pro if they sell ball markers.

The golf pro says, “Yes, they are just $1.00 each. “

The guy gives the golf pro a dollar and says he’ll take one.

The golf pro opens the register, puts the dollar in the tray and with a big smile hands the guy a quarter.

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*
http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh

HT. Crosswalk.com

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:4-5

Can you imagine the day where there will be no more tears, sorrow or pain? Years ago, former Beatle, John Lennon, wrote a song called “Imagine.” The song is a wish for world peace and tranquility. The first words of the song are “Imagine there’s no heaven…”. It goes on to preach a message of world utopia through a “brotherhood of man.” The song has a beautiful melody, but is totally devoid of any biblical truth.

It’s sad to know that John had it all wrong. Almost from the very beginning, mankind has known nothing but sin, pain, sorrow and fear. Romans 5:12 states

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.

Mankind is incapable of creating any lasting peace. We are fundamentally marred by our sinful nature. Only God can restore us to a right relationship with Him and with others. He made that possible through the Lord Jesus Christ dying on the Cross for our sinfulness. Those who accept His free gift of forgiveness and salvation are transformed into “new creations” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Our text in Revelation is tells us that GOD will make all things new. We look forward to the blessed day when we will be with Him in whose presence is fullness of Joy (Psalm 16:11). God is the only one that can make things right. The whole book of Revelation speaks of the misery and war caused by rebellious mankind. Yet, in the end, Christ wins. Those who know and love Him will be with Him forever. IMAGINE THAT!