Ice and Snow

Johnny Bench is probably the best hitting catcher of all time with a career .267 batting average. That means he failed 73% of the time. If he would have carried that average into a career as a weatherman, he'd been the greatest meteorologist of all time. I check the weather like anyone else, and I know they do their best to predict the somewhat unpredictable, and I treat it as such, a guess based on the best data they have at the moment. And that's a 3 day forecast. Why anyone would believe the same group of people can predict what the weather is going to be like in 20 years is beyond me.

Besides baseball and being wrong about the weather, another favorite American pastime is complaining about the weather. Sometimes I think we watch the forecast so we can prepare our hearts for how best to complain about it. But really, Christians should praise the Lord for the weather He sends us. To be sure, I have my favorites, but the Lord sends us the weather He wants us to have. In fact, it's a point of praise and source of comfort in the 147th Psalm. The Lord heals the brokenhearted, binds up our wounds, and lifts up the meek. Can the Lord Jesus really do that? Well, he is the same God who made the stars, knows their number, and knows the name He gave them. You can buy a certificate and name a star, but God already has named them. God is all powerful and loves his people. Those two facts should comfort you.

Psalms 147:16-18, "He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold? He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow." I was thinking about this verse early Thursday morning. I walked outside to see if the weatherman was right. Everything was covered in white, as if someone laid wool over the earth. It was rather peaceful. No trucks rumbling down the road late for work. Just the quiet of a snow fall. Snow dampens sound waves, so that's why it's so quiet after a big snow. That's also the Lord's blessing to us. We got a little bit of ice and that's my God as well. He sends the ice like crumbs of bread. And, maybe, by the time you read this, the snow is already a distant memory. The Lord will cause the wind to blow and warm air will make its way to the region, the snow will melt and make its way to the creeks and rivers and the waters will flow. That's the way the world works and as long as Earth remains, that's how it will continue to be (Genesis 8:22). Snow, ice, and frigid cold come from God. And so does the Spring, which is just around the corner. The Lord is faithful.

Poor in Spirit

Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3). A startling opening to the Lord's sermon. Don't miss the point by missing a key word. It's not material poverty that makes you blessed and noble. Jesus clearly says, "blessed are the poor in spirit." Spiritual destitution is the point, not low on funds. Still, being a spiritual beggar is the beginning of happiness? The world says you should feel good about yourself. The last thing you should do is see something deficient in yourself? But worldly wisdom is foolish and empty (1 Corinthians 3:18-23). Jesus doesn't say we need to learn to be poor in spirit or become minimalist and give away all possessions, but the truth is, we need to understand how spiritually poor we truly are. It deals with our relationship to God and our view of ourselves. Poor in spirit is recognizing our spiritual state before God. It's to be humbled before God, knowing our sinful condition and knowing we are sinners before a holy God begging for mercy. Psalms 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

It's not having some weak points – but destitute of good thing within. If I have a bad attitude, I can change my attitude. Many quit drinking every day. Gamblers can call the hotline West Virginia has plastered on billboards on their way home from the casinos. But what if the problem is me? What do you do when you come to see there can be no reformation? What happens when you realize you do wrong because that's who you are? Blessed are the poor in spirit, who sees they are not worthy for the kingdom and come as a beggar to the king, pleading for mercy.

King Jesus has pronounced that all who come to Him, contrite and poor in spirit, renouncing their pride, and seeking pardon will be saved (Isaiah 57:15). The poor in spirit see the riches of God and the alms of grace in Christ. When we are poor in spirit, Christ is high and lofty. When we see that there truly in us is no good thing, when we see how helpless and hopeless we really are, when we realize that we have nothing to offer God, our best efforts are sinful in His eyes, our greatest praise is folly in His ears, when we have nothing in our hands to bring Him, then we are poor, and when we then look to the Lord Jesus for grace, He will give us life. James 4:10, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

I won't sugar coat it – you have a sin problem and the diagnosis is really bad (Romans 6:23). But until you realize your poverty of spirit you won't see the need for the Saviour. You see the kingdom by finding grace in the King. Christ will provide rest for your impoverished soul (Matthew 11:28).

Pray and Don't Despair

   

  

Once upon a time (Luke 18:1-8), there was a big city judge who didn't care what anyone thought. A lot of people say it – this many lived it. He didn't fear God or man. By and by, there was a widow who came to the judge and wanted him to help her with her problem, she needed justice. But she was a poor and powerless widow. She didn't have any political pull or financial influence. In other words, this judge had no reason to pay any attention to her, so he didn't. But, she didn't stop asking. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. He said, "I don't regard the opinion of God or man. I do what I please. But this woman is going to wear me out. I'll answer her request just so she'll stop asking. 

Matthew Henry said this parable has the "key hanging at the door," so we don't have to wonder what's inside or crack the code to make our way in. Sometimes parables are difficult to understand. Sometimes they are easy to understand and difficult to apply. The Lord provides the meaning and the application at the beginning so we know what it's about before we get started. Spoilers ahead. Now that we know what it's about, we proceed following the rules to parables. Not every little detail in the parable has to have meaning. Sometimes a city is just a city. Keep your imagination in check. Parables usually have one main point so stick to it and you won't go wrong. Here, it's pretty straight forward – you should always pray and not despair. Two points, we ought to always pray (Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). And when we pray, don't  be spiritless and give up in hopelessness.

In verse 7, Jesus says to listen to the unjust judge. This man didn't care for truth or righteousness. He didn't care for the widow, but still, he answered the request. But God is a good judge, a righteous and a holy king. If an unjust judge hears and answers, how much more shall a loving God? God hears the prayers of His elect in Christ and answers according to His good will.  Jesus said the Father will avenge His people, or vindicate and to show justice, though he bear long with them. God hears, though he might not answer the way we want. Or God might not answer in the timing we want. Sometimes God says no, but sometimes God says no before he says yes. Christian, pray and don't give up, don't despair. Pray, and don't lose heart. Have you trusted in Christ? Then have confidence, because God is good. Have confidence, because the Father sent His only begotten into the world to save sinners. Have confidence because God has chosen you unto salvation, and unto glory, and He who did that great work of Grace, will not leave the lesser things in this life undone. 

There is a purpose to the Bible

  There is a purpose to the Bible. Well, actually, more than one purpose. Indeed the Scriptures point us to Christ, but they also do more than one thing. 2 Peter 1:3-4, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” The Bible pertains to life and godliness. How to live, how to have life, and how to live in this world. What God has promised, and what God forbids and commands of his people. The Second London Baptist Confession says,  “The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of men.”

Psalm 119 is a song in the Bible, about the Bible. The Psalmist loves the Word of God and tells us what we ought to think about the Bible, deal with the Bible, and believe about the Bible (119:140). From this one song, you learn the Bible is true (119:151) and you can trust it (119:42) because it is stable and fixed (119:89) and perfect (119:96). Since it is fixed, it will fix you too (119:38). You’ll never be ashamed by believing the Bible (119:31). We learn from the Bible what is right (119:75) and then how to think rightly (119:66). God will teach you how He blesses and the way to happiness (119:1-2). A counselor to guide us (119:24) and it strengthens us when we are weak (119:28) and in this world of trial and tribulation, it gives hope (119:43). It’s sweet to the soul who loves the Lord (119:103).

The Bible is a great treasure, but only if you read it.  B.H. Carroll said,  “In this Book alone I found the origin and destiny of all created things and beings — hear alone the nature of man, and his relations to God, the universe and fellow man, out of which arise all his obligations and aspirations, and in conformity to which lie his usefulness and happiness. This book alone discloses man’s chief good and chief end. I saw it as the only living oracle, replying instantly and freely in simple, unambiguous language to every interrogatory propounded by life’s problems and perplexities.”