A Wonderful Saviour is Jesus My Lord

While spending time in the hospital again and facing a number of unknowns, I found myself reflecting on the lyrics of the hymn  Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me . I thought I’d share a few thoughts I jotted down during that time. A. “What gift of grace is Jesus, my Redeemer.” I don’t know what you are facing today, and none of us can know what we may face tomorrow. We do know the Lord gives and the Lord takes away (Job 1:21). And we also know that we ought to be able to say with Eli: “It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good (1 Samuel 3:18).” Sometimes we find ourselves saying these things in the midst of what some call “dark providences.” And truly, some things do feel dark. When our bodies fail, when death looms ahead, when loved ones are taken from us - the grief, fear, and pain can be palpable. But as believers, we are not called to stoicism. Even now, we may “put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isaiah 61:3). Even now - in this night season - G...

Originally posted on my previous  blog. "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart. He was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles—one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias (Matthew 17:1-4)." Peter had very recently confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. And just six days before this moment on the mountain, Jesus had begun to tell them that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders. That was when Peter began to rebuke Him - and Jesus responded by saying Peter was savouring the things of men, not of God. Peter had it all wrong. Jesus was going to die. In fact, He told them plainly: if...

Originally posted on my previous  blog.   I’ve been thinking about the words of that old gospel song, “The longer I serve Him the sweeter He grows.” I believe that must be the testimony of every believer. Find a man who has served Jesus seventy years, and he will tell you he has discovered Jesus to be better and sweeter and more lovely with every passing year. That’s certainly been my experience. As the years pass, I am less pleased with what I see when I look in the mirror, but I am increasingly amazed by the person of Jesus. The truth is, others disappoint us, and we disappoint both ourselves and others. Whatever we may have resolved when we first began to follow Jesus, none of us are anywhere near as faithful as we would like to be. We are inconsistent, often distracted, sometimes lukewarm, and never as we ought to be. But Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is always kind, always merciful, always good, always holy, always true to everything ...

Originally posted on my previous  blog. Last night, I dreamed about the parable of the hidden treasure. I woke up thinking especially about the man's joy. Jesus said, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.”​ Our forefathers seem almost universally agreed that the treasure here represents Jesus Himself. Though the parable is a parable of the kingdom, it is important to remember that the heart, the glory, and the joy of the kingdom is the King Himself. It is as men and women put their trust specifically in Him that the kingdom advances. As Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Rather, it is a kingdom marked by the progress and power of the Spirit as He makes men and women “willing in the day of His power.” This is not a kingdom advanced by the might or wisdom of men. Rather, as the gospel is proclaimed, the Spirit gives...

Originally posted on my previous  blog. When the two blind men cried out saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David, Jesus stood still (Matthew 20:30-32).  Though the multitude rebuked them, as if Jesus had more important and pressing matters to attend to, He still took time for them.  He stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you (Matthew 20:32)?  Hugh Martin says that in the biography of Jesus “we have the very Christ himself - the living Saviour - still speaking to us as never man spake, still going about doing good.”  As Martin puts it, when we read the Bible we deal with Him, and He with us.  He says, “The true and living Christ, present with you - secretly and subjectively present in you by his Spirit - deals with you.  And you in the Spirit deal with the true and living Christ, present with you - ostensibly and objectively present with you - in his own holy word and history.”  He added, “Jesus...