Possessives

This web site will be my official reference for what to do when talking about possessions of Jesus, Moses, and Miles. It basically says, "Do whatever you want." Do you prefer Jesus's or Jesus'? Do whatever!

Moses's Obedience

Thus did Moses; as the LORD commanded him, so he did. -Num 17:11
Oh I would love to have someone say about me, "Thus did Jeremy; as the Lord commanded him, so he did."

Quote of the Day

Jen Daas has some great comments in her blog. Be sure to check out this post...

'American "individualistic" culture needs to be disciplined out of our hearts so that we can be more like the church in the book of Acts.'

Ancient Rebellion

Num 16:3 They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?"

It's been going on for a long, long time--people denying their sin and insisting on their holiness. It shouldn't be a surprise when we see churches and especially individuals living in blatant sin but saying there's nothing wrong with it. After all, Korah managed to get 250 Hebrew leaders to join him in his revellion. We are all naturally convinced that we are OK, that our hearts aren't wicked, that our desires are mostly pure. But this rebellion is because Moses told the people "remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after" (15:39). When will we learn that our hearts are naturally wicked and our desires are naturally deceived? Following our hearts will only get us into trouble. The only way to life is by following God's heart.

Be Careful Little Eyes What You See

I have the most wonderful song stuck in my head today...

Be careful little eyes what you see
Be careful little eyes what you see
'Cause your Father up above
He is looking down with love
So be careful little eyes what you see

Superior to Angels

having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"? Or again, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son"? - Heb 1:4-5

Both the reason Christ is superior and the evidence that he is superior is his father. His name is superior. He is God's son. The basis is not focused on the begotten-ness of Christ, but on his inheritance. That means that all Christians who are adopted sons are superior to angels. One of the main purposes of angels is "to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation."

Glory of the Lord

Num 14:21 But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.

Wow! The glory of the Lord is going to fill the earth. This isn't merely an expression of "someday it might" or "wouldn't it be wonderful if" or even a statement of fact that it will happen someday. No, this is part of an oath. God is declaring that the certainty of his glory filling the earth is the certainty that the currently living Israelites wouldn't enter the promised land. He also equates this certainty with the certainty of his existence. God lives, so we can be assured his glory will fill the earth. Do you want historical proof that God's glory will fill the earth? The Israelites wandered the desert until they all died...

God spoke

Heb 1:1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,

"Our fathers" - The Old Testament was written as a message to our fathers, not us. We can learn much from it, but we always must remember we are not the primary audience. When Jeremiah relays "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope," we must know that was not written as a promise to us but to our fathers. We can learn valuable lessons about God's character that apply to us, but we can't apply the promise to us directly.

Tense

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. -Heb 10:14

The tenses in this sentence are worthy of meditation....

"has perfected"

• The perfection Christ purchased 2000 years ago continues. He bought it in the past, but it continues to apply every day in the present.
• The perfection was completed--it's not "is perfecting" where he is still working, but that the perfection was completed in the past, yet it is ongoing.

"are being sanctified"

• Our sanctification is not complete. Christ is still working our sanctification out in us (even though we have been perfected already).
• This is a passive voice--we aren't the ones doing the sanctification; rather, Christ.

I certainly haven't wrapped my mind fully around this one. How can we be perfect yet still need sanctification? Clearly, I'm missing something in my understanding of Christ's work and the differences between perfection and sanctification.

Obsolete and Growing Old

In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. -Heb 8:13

It's so wonderful that Christ did not come just to enhance the Old Covenant. He didn't come to help us keep the Old Covenant. He didn't even come to say, "Keep the Old Covenant as best you can, and when you fall short pray to me and I'll make it better." No he came to fulfill all the Old Covenant's requirements on our behalf and give us a New Covenant. He fulfilled the demands of the Old Covenant--living sinlessly and bearing our punishment of death. Now, what hold can the Old Covenant possibly have on us? Oh, it's a wonderful New Covenant, where God has written his laws on our hearts and minds, and he makes this covenant with anyone who calls on his name.

What's in a Man

But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. - John 2:24-25

We would all be better off if we knew what Jesus knew: Humans are not trustworthy. Oh yes, most of us are trustworthy to a degree. But every one of us lets others down from time to time--some more frequently than others. We are selfish, shortsighted, and finite. Trusting other completely is a guarantee of disappointment. Only God can be trusted completely.

Young Jesus

Joh 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

Joh 1:26 John answered them, "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know,

Joh 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Joh 1:31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."

Joh 1:33 I myself did not know him...

Why don't we have much written about Jesus between his birth and when he was about 30 years old? From these verses, it's clear that nobody knew who he was. I wonder what happened to the wise men and shepherds who knew he was God as a baby. Maybe an angel told them to come back in 30 years, but clearly they weren't following him all over the place.

So nobody knew who Jesus was. They saw him as Joseph and Mary's son. Even John the Baptist, his cousin didn't know. Then one day while John was out baptizing as usual, he saw Jesus, and God revealed to him that Jesus, his cousin, is the Messiah. What was the purpose of John's ministry? To reveal Jesus as the Messiah to Israel.

Have a Good Day

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. -Psa 118:24

When I pray, "Lord, make today a good day," what should that really mean? What I usually mean when I say that is for God to remove all trials, difficulties, and challenges and give me blessings, riches, luxury, and ease. I don't think it's wrong to pray for these things, but I also don't think we should expect to receive them frequently. God has revealed his will, and (unfortunately for how we usually think) God's definition of blessing usually involves trials and persecution.

What I should mean by this little prayer is for God to make today good, like he makes all days good. I should be praying that God change my spirit to see the day as good, regardless of any trials and persecutions, and rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad because he is the Lord. I should mean, "Lord, let me see how good you are today."

New World Record

Some people wonder what I do at work... I recently completed a project that takes multiple images and stuffs them into a single file. Last night we tested its limitations and successfully created a single file that is over 5GB! Yeah, that's big. I wonder how long that will take to transfer across a network...

It's a Boy!

My first male nephew was born yesterday! Say hi to Miles David Huston.

Congratulations

Congratulations to the following blogs that have been added and upgraded on my blog. Be sure to check them out!

New:

• Mrs Rosenzweig - An old married woman who always has something fun to say. Proof that the old adage is true: Take a woman's piano and she will take your car.
• Jen Daas - Only read her page if you want to be challenged in your faith. Blessed is the woman who fears the Lord!

Upgraded:

• EP's Life - You never know what you'll get here, ranging from Unexpected Blessings to Submissive Urination.
• KC Illini - The most articulate engineer I know. Not only does he have something to say, but he says it well. He's even regularly published in a newspaper.

To the Praise of His Glory

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. -Eph 1:13-14

Why did God send the Holy Spirit? We are told that He seals us and is the guarantee of our inheritance. Ultimately though, the reason the Holy Spirit was sent is "to the praise of his glory." We are chosen so we will be holy and blameless before him (v 4). He predestined us for adoption "to the praise of his glorious grace" (v 5-6). We have an inheritance according to his purpose "to the praise of his glory" (v11-12). And he even sent the Holy Spirit "to the praise of his glory" (v13-14).

It's about time I learned this lesson:

• I exist for the praise of God's glory.
• Corollary: It's not about me, my wife, or my daughter.

Redemption in Him

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace - Eph 1:7

This verse is so wonderful because it explains so much about Christianity. The main point of the sentence is "we have redemption." That statement should make even the oldest Christian smile--how can it get old to know we are redeemed? And in case we aren't sure what "redemption" means, Paul tells us it's "the forgiveness of our trespasses."

What I really love about this verse is how Christ centered it is. There is no doubt about how we get this redemption (forgiveness), at least if you read the surrounding verses to know "him" means "Jesus." Paul explains our forgiveness with three Christ-centered prepositional phrases:

1. "In him"
2. "Through his blood"
3. "According to the riches of his grace"