PROBLEMS OF THE WORLD COULD BE SOLVED
It is June 10th 2009. The world goes on with its wars, fighting
and bloodshed here and there. The "swine flu" is again spreading,
now the WHO organization is close to calling it a pan-demic. We
have corruptions in Governments, the latest is Britain with PMs
charging the tax payer for all kinds of small to large things,
which is not anything new for Governments in the Western world,
and that individual greed, that people think they are justified
to let the tax payer pay. The Middle East - Palestinian and
Jewish problems far from being solved, despite Mr.Obama and Mrs.
Clinton speaches to Israel's Mr.Nat. boy to urge that the
Palestinians have their on land and country. North Korea is still
ignoring the rest of the world and pushing forward with short and
long range missiles and the nuclear bomb. Whatever "sanctions"
the UN will proclaim is a shout into never never land, whatever
embargo the UN brings against North Korea, it will be like water
off a duck's back, it should be obvious by now to the world, that
North Korea will not reverse its plan to be a nuclear power of
the world.
I was reading today a little magazine I receive once a month. A
couple of relatively short articles state the answer to world
problems. I will share them with you.
......
THE LAW
by Don Robson
For me, it is particularly annoying that the church presents the
Law as "fulfilled" in Jesus Christ, in spite of everything that
the Bible has to say on this subject. They like to reference the
two summarizing laws that Jesus gave. "Love the Lord Thy God with
all your heart, mind and soul and love your neighbour as
Love speaks for itself. Galatians 5:22-23. 'But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no
law."
Paul has written great discourses on the subject of the Law,
especially in Romans, chapters 2 through 8. It is not my purpose
to repeat any of Paul's persuasions but only to mention that the
Law is intended for our carnal bodies, and the law of the Spirit
is for our spiritual bodies. Our bodies of flesh are dead to the
Law and sin but we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. One
of His summaries of the Law is found in Galatians 3:24:
"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ
that we might be justified by faith."
Well, what of the Law? The great king David had a view of the Law
expressed in his 19th Psalm 19:7-11 "the law of the Lord is
perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple. The statutes of he Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring
forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous
altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, much fine
gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover, by
them is your servant warned: and in keeping them there is great
reward."
For your consideration, I would like to suggest that David was
not referring to the rewards of the afterlife. I think he was
saying; keep the agricultural laws and you will reap bountiful
crops; keep the dietary and health laws and enjoy excellent
health, keep His laws on sexual behaviour and He will bless the
fruit of the womb, keep His laws of war and enjoy conquest: over
all enemies: keep His economic laws and enjoy prosperity. David
and Solomon, his son, administered the law faithfully, and led
the kingdom to its greatest glory. What an example for our
political leaders! 0, that they would find their way back to
Christ and His Laws.
Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount took the practice of the Law to
new levels. He was defining ways to keep the Law in spirit rather
than the letter. We are familiar with these, regarding lusting
after women, the second mile, giving more than asked, love your
enemies and many others. But He did say something else. Matthew
5:17-18. "Think not that I come to destroy the law or the
prophets: I come not to destroy [the law] but to fulfil [the
prophets] For verily I say unto you, until heaven and earth pass,
not one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,
till all be fulfilled." In my reckoning, this last phrase, "till
all be fulfilled" refers to the time that Jesus has turned the
Kingdom over to God, that He may be All in All, and the last
enemy, death, is destroyed.
Matthew records the visit of the rich young man who came to Jesus
asking what he must do that he may have eternal life. Matthew
10:17-19, "And He said unto him, Why callest me good? There is
none good but one, that is, God: but if thou will enter into
life, keep the commandments. And he said unto him, Which? Jesus
said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery.
thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour
thy father and mother; and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself." Here, Jesus is obviously referring to the Ten
Commandments. But it is argued that the commandments do not
matter because we are living under grace, grace being the
forgiveness of sins (transgression of the law is sin) through our
belief in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. But wait, Peter
has cautionary advice! Peter 2:15 18, "For so is the will of God,
that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of
foolish men. As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of
maliciousness, but servants of God." Ferrar Fenton translates
this as "As free men, though not using your freedom as a pretext
for vice:, but like servants of God." If I may express it in
today's language. "Do not use grace as a justification for sin."
And did Jesus respect the law? Forgive me for such a foolish
question. Jesus had given the nation Israel a bill of divorce
.... Christ laid down His life so that He could remarry the
redeemed nation, Israel. That is following the law to the letter!
And in redeeming the nation on the cross, He fulfilled all the
Law's requirements of blood sacrifice for sin once and for all!
Did He fulfil the prophets? I think it is best summed up on the
walk to Emmaus with two disciples. Luke 24:25-27, "Then He said
unto them, 0 fools and slow of heart to believe all that the
prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these
things and enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and ALL
the prophets, He expounded unto them in ALL the scriptures
concerning Himself."
So, there we have it; Jesus met all the requirements of the law
and fulfilled all the prophecies contained in the Old Testament.
I would like to end this essay with the Scripture which expresses
Jesus' love of the Law and His commitment to it before the world
was! Psalm 40:6-7:
"Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire; mine ears hast
Thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast Thou not
required. Then, said I, Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it
is written of me, I delight to do Thy will, 0 my God, yea Thy law
is within my heart."
......
THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM
Courtesy the Cradle Call
There are many times that Jesus says "I AM". I am the way, and
the Truth and the Light. I am the true Vine. I am the Bread of
Life. I am the Light of the World. I am the Door. I am the Good
Shepherd. It is the last two of which I have been thinking this
week in relation to the Twenty-third Psalm. David, the shepherd
boy, who learned early about the green pastures and still waters,
knew well the responsibilities of a good shepherd who had to be
watchful by day and by night.
There have been many poems written, many songs sung, many
pictures painted about the shepherds and their sheep in Biblical
times. Sheep were so important to their living and a man's wealth
was often measured by the size of his flock. The sheep were
offered as a sacrifice, used as food, the milk was of great
importance and the wool supplied many needs. The shepherd's
clothing was made to fit his needs, a loose garment in the folds
of which he could carry a lost or new born lamb, a cloak of
sheepskin or wool that was protection by day or night.
Jesus said: "I am the Good Shepherd", and in the famous picture
He is seen out in front guiding and leading the sheep, not
driving them. A good shepherd guarded his flock at all times. He
carried a staff to direct and guide the sheep and bring the
wanderers back to the fold. Jesus said "I am the Door." There was
no door to the sheepfold or enclosure and at night the shepherd
lay across the opening ready to protect his flock from man or
beast, with his rod ever ready for use. Each morning and evening
as the sheep went through the opening, they were counted as
they passed under the rod. Jesus said: "I know my own and my own
know Me." So it is from actual experience with awkward,
bewildered, helpless sheep and lambs that David sings, on his
crude harp-strings of the Good Shepherd's faithfulness and of his
own helplessness.
A veteran stage star was asked to entertain at a large dinner
party one evening. A ripple of excitement ran through the crowd
of prominent and important guests as the great actor rose to
speak. He chose the 23rd Psalm, and recited two verses before the
audience realized they were in the presence of a master
performer. He finished the recitation in a thunder of applause,
and the crowd gave him a standing ovation as he walked to his
seat. The next speaker was an elderly white-haired man, bowed and
worn by long years of patient labour as a missionary ... "I too,
would like to recite the Shepherd's Psalm," and he began quietly.
Then turning his face upward a little, and closing his eyes, he
began ... When he was through, all was quiet. No one said a word.
There was no applause, but there was not a dry eye in the room.
Afterwards, a man approached the great actor. "I don't
understand," he said, "you both said the same thing. Your
presentation was perfect in every way, yet, when he spoke in his
halting, imperfect manner, people were moved too deeply for
words. What made the difference?"
"I think I have the answer," replied the actor."I know the words,
but he knows the Shepherd."
......
Published in the June 2009 "Thy Kingdom Come" - a magazine from
the Association of Covenant People, Burnaby, B.C. Canada.
......
Note:
And there it is friends, in simple easy to understand language,
yes as I've said before many times, a child can understand. The
answer to the world's problems, the answer for all leaders of
nations, is in the simple believing of the Word of God, and
following the instructions of Jesus Christ, having Him as the
Shepherd of your life, leading you, guiding you, protecting you,
from all spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical harm. If the
leaders and nations of the world had Jesus as their guiding
Shepherd, and would obey His words, then truly peace, joy,
happiness, love, and true freedom form sin and its penalty, would
reign in abundance all over this world.
We continue to pray, "Thy Kingdom come, thy WILL be done on earth
as it is in heaven."
Entered on this Website June 2009
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