SHOWERS SENT FROM GOD

May 29, 2018May 26, 2018 | lindamowles

We have had some rain showers this week. Nothing like the severe storms that plague parts of the country at various times of the year. Just showers, maybe some light thunder and a streak of lightning here and there, otherwise just showers.

rain-in-mississippi — Rain is visibly falling in several places as we were driving through Mississippi, and heading toward the storm.

If you live in an area where the land is flat and there are no mountains to interrupt your view of the surrounding terrain, you can see the rain showers as they head your way. We took this picture as we were traveling through Mississippi. While the cloud covers the entire area, the rain showers are visible as darkened spaces from the cloud. The lighter spaces are the areas where the rain has not yet started.

We look forward to rain showers because they are good for the earth. They water the grass and plants, they reduce the pollen in the air (something great for allergy sufferers), and they provide refreshment to all God’s creatures.

Of course, there are some who don’t like showers. Children who want to play outside; people who work outside in the elements; people who have errands, and the rain makes the task more difficult.

Scripture talks about showers as being both a gift from God and a punishment from God.

In the book of Isaiah, we have a beautiful passage which tells of God’s good pleasure and power as He speaks to King Cyrus, a pagan king who was used by God to rebuild Jerusalem:

“Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: … I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things. Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the LORD have created it.”

Isaiah 45:1, 5-8

In Genesis we see the judgment side of God’s use of rain. Here, God is telling Noah that the world will be destroyed by rain because of the great sin and abomination that the people have committed:

“For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.”

Genesis 7:4

Noah and his family were spared because he had built the ark as God commanded and he took the animals aboard so that there was a remnant spared from the devastation of the flood.

Scripture also tells us that God is capable not only of sending rain in judgment but also of withholding rain as a judgment upon His people.

“Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: ‘I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up the heavens so tht there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.’”

2 Chronicles 7:12-14

Then, too, we see the prophet Elijah who told Ahab that there would be no rain and, after three years, the prophet prayed for rain.

“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.”

James 5:17-18

Elijah’s faith was so complete that, after his prayer for rain, when the servant searched the skies for rain clouds six times and saw nothing, he told the servant to look again. That time the response was that he saw: “a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising from the sea”. 1 Kings 18:44 Then Elijah told the servant to run to Ahab and tell him to prepare the chariot so that he would be stuck because of the deluge that was coming. Faith in the promises of God. The prayers of a righteous person have great power!

Rain can be a blessing from the Lord or it can reflect judgment on rampant sin. Rain can come in flooding torrents or in gentle showers. However it comes, indeed even whether it comes, remember that rain is always under God’s control.

When I was a child, we sang a hymn in my home church called “Showers of Blessing,” the words taken from Ezekiel 34:26.

“And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.”

Beloved, look around you and see the showers of blessing that the Lord has already given to you. Look inside you and realize the showers of blessing that the Lord has provided to you through Jesus Christ and His atoning death and resurrection. Look at the evidences of the Holy Spirit, resident within you, when you walk your life as a Christian.

Showers of blessing – they are already here, and the Lord will continue to bless His people as they call upon Him in faith.

Father, I praise Your Name for the blessings You have provided in Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I thank You that You have promised blessings to Your children now and forever more. I bow in reverence and awe at Your love and majesty, Your power and grace, Your judgment and mercy. May I glorify You all the days of my life.

WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM? – Part Two

July 11, 2017June 29, 2017 | lindamowles

In Part One of this post, we considered the question Jesus posited to His disciples disciples: “Who do YOU say that I am?”

In ruminating on this question, we pointed to, and quoted from, C. H. Spurgeon’s sermon, preached on January 7th, 1872, entitled “The Glorious Master and the Swooning Disciple.” In the earlier post we looked at what happens when we have a low opinion of our Lord and Savior. Now, we continue with the text of the sermon and consider the flip side of the question’s answer – if we have a high opinion of the Lord:

If our conceptions of the Lord Jesus are very enlarged, they will only be His due. We cannot exaggerate here. He deserves higher praise than we can ever render to Him. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high is He above our loftiest conceptions. Even when the angels strike their loudest notes, and chant His praises most exultingly on their highest festal days, the music falls far short of His excellence. He is higher than a seraph’s most soaring thought! Rise then, my brethren, as on eagle’s wings, and let your adoring souls magnify and extol the Lord your Savior.

Canterbury cathedral — Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, England

So, what does Scripture say about Jesus Christ? How high is our Lord and Savior?

The Prophet Isaiah testified as follows:

“Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.'”

Isaiah 45:22-23 ESV

Paul, in the New Testament letter to the Philippians, elaborates on what Isaiah prophesied centuries before. Paul, speaking of Jesus Christ, said:

“Therefore God has highly exalted him [Jesus Christ] and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Philippians 2:9-11 ESV. See also Romans 14:11-12.

We may know this intellectually, but sometimes we fail to see Jesus in the proper light. We see him as the Babe on Christmas, or as a Hollywood actor who walks through crowds with slow and steady gait, dressed in the browns and grays. We see the poor itinerant teacher, without a place to lay His head.

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV

But do we recognize Him for Who He is? Do we think of Him as He really is?

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:1-4, 14 ESV

Did you comprehend that statement of John? The Word, Jesus Christ, was with God before the world was created and through Him were all things created. For the believer, we should do as Spurgeon urged: “let your adoring souls magnify and extol the Lord your Savior.”

A further description of the Word is found in Revelation as follows:

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.”

Revelation 19:11-13 ESV

Who is Jesus Christ? John’s Revelation answers:

“And he said unto me, ‘It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.’”

Revelation 21:6 KJV. Remember Jesus’ statement to the Samaritan woman at the well?

“’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’”

Revelation 1:8 ESV. See also Revelation 22:13.

May we have a high opinion of our Lord and follow Spurgeon’s urging to let our adoring souls magnify and extol the Lord our Savior!

Father, I pray that these words would be edifying and encouraging to those who read them. I pray that You would use Your Word to strengthen those who are struggling today and I pray that You would send Your Spirit to convict us of our sin so that we may rejoice in the strength and majesty of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

FROM VARIETY COMES UNITY

September 20, 2016September 13, 2016 | lindamowles

There are times when I look out the window into our backyard and I am amazed at the creativity of our God. The variety of birds that come to the bird feeder and to the birdbath is wonderful, and it just comprises a miniscule sampling of the birds that He created for His world.

Some are so graceful and fast that our eyes cannot take in their flight unless it is captured in slow motion.

hummingbird-at-feeder-c — Precious hummingbird approaching the feeder.

Others blend in with the surroundings, but they always seem to appreciate the shelter from the snow!

bird-winter-food-c — Little bird taking cover from snow under the bird feeder “awning”!

The cardinal is young and is not yet fully colored, but he will be a brilliant eye-catcher when he is older!

bird-at-feeder — Young cardinal looking around the side of the feeder.

Some are dusty colored and demure in their plumage, but they create such beautiful music with their cooing and rustling feathers when they take wing!

bird-2-c — Mourning dove at the bird bath.

Some are bright in their coloration, and they shine in the sunlight.

used-birds-american-goldfinch-c — Yellow goldfinch standing brightly on a stem.

Each kind of bird brings his own beauty, sound, and sight to the yard. The variety of colors and of sounds from the numerous birds, both visible and hidden in the trees, brings to my mind the description that God gives of His people and His church.

By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’

Isaiah 45:23

“so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Philippians 2:10-11

In the book of Revelation, John records the vision that he had of the end times, of the church and of the activities in heaven. In chapter 5 at verses 9 and 10 we read:

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” [Emphasis mine]

Then, to top it off, that same chapter states in verse 13:

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” [Emphasis mine]

Imagine the sound as millions of voices join in the same song of praise.

Schermerhorn choir and musicians — The choir and symphony ready for the music to begin at the Schermerhorn concert hall in Nashville, Tennessee.

Even now, I get chills when a choir powerfully sings of God’s grace and His love. I cannot imagine the glorious euphony that will be raised when all of us are praising God through song, even those whose voices on earth sounded more like a “caw” than a “chirp”!

Scripture clearly states that through Christ’s blood and his sacrifice, He ransomed us as a people for God, and this group of people is comprised of Christians from around the world, encompassing “every tribe and language and people and nation”. This means that we will worship in different ways and we will sound different in our language, but the meaning will be the same – our God and our Savior will be praised, adored and glorified.

Some may worship in grand and glorious cathedrals.

notre-dame-cathedral-in-paris — Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Others may worship in a wood frame church in the mountains.

cades-cove-church — Wooden church in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.

Just as the creatures in nature are not clones of each other, we are not going to look alike. Just as each creature has its own unique sound/language, we do not all have the same language. But if the God who is worshiped in each of these places is the God of the Scripture, the God who sent His Son to save His people from their sins, all of these folks will join together in one glorious song of praise to the King of Kings, now and for all eternity.

So, why wait until heaven?

Start now – praising the Lord for His glorious creation. Praising the Lord for His wondrous works to the children of men. Praising the Lord for His sovereignty and providence. Praising the Lord for His grace and mercy towards his people through salvation from their sins. Praising the Lord in song or by making a joyful noise. Praising the Lord in your heart and in your soul, as you remember all His kindnesses and mercies showered upon you each moment of every day.

David put it quite succinctly, repeating the imperative throughout the Book of Psalms:

Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 106:1

Father, I thank You for your grace, mercy and love as is evident in your creation that is all around us. i thank You for your Spirit that dwells in each believer in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I praise your holy name for all the gifts and benefits bestowed upon me through no merit of my own, especially salvation through Jesus Christ. I thank You and praise You now, and forever more.