Immanuel

Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 4:9-11

The theme of our VBS this year is to introduce the kids to some of the names of God. It’s a difficult topic and has led to some deep discussions about the nature of God. I have a group of kids who want to know more about Him so they can understand Him better. So far we’ve learned about Elohim – the Creator, El Elyon – the Lord Most High, and Immanuel – God with us (whom we know as Jesus).

The kids asked some hard questions while they were trying to put all these concepts together. One question we struggled with was how God can be everywhere. They looked around the field where we were gathered in groups under tents and tried to picture God standing in each tent. They clearly see Jesus with us, but how can He be with the kids in the other tents at the same time? God, of course, has revealed Himself in His creation and I was able to use air as an example of one thing being everywhere to help them understand. (Yes, one of the boys brought up molecules, but he got the concept.)

Then we went on to talk about God being in Heaven. God is in Heaven sitting on a throne, so is Jesus sitting on the same throne or does He have a different one? How can Jesus be the same as God when God was present as a dove at Jesus’ baptism?

Hard questions with no easy answers, but we all agreed that we can’t expect to completely understand God. After all, He’s God.

The throne question made me curious, so I looked up the verses I could find about the throne of God. Setting aside the imagery ones about the heavens and His people being his throne, I focused on the visions of Isaiah, Daniel and John. I didn’t really find any clarity (did I really expect to?) but one thing has emerged for me.

Jesus is the Son of Man who approaches the Ancient One. He has authority, honor and sovereignty and His rule is eternal.

Only God is sovereign and only God is eternal.

I may not be able to explain this very well to my kids because I don’t understand it very well myself. But I know that Jesus is God.

Jesus made me. He’s Elohim – the Creator.

Jesus is my Lord. He’s El Elyon – the Lord Most High.

And Jesus is with me. He’s Immanuel – God with us.

It makes me want to worship with the ones who lay their crowns before the throne. Jesus is worthy to receive glory and honor and power.

Wayne and I have reached the age where we have to acknowledge that our parents are aging. We have a lot of mixed emotions we have to work through. For years we've been independent adults with respectful, but equal, relationships with our parents. Now we're finding that they need more support from us and the balance of give and take is shifting.

It makes me ponder how aging changes us in our relationship to God. I'm blessed that my father has shown the way in that, as he has in so many other steps along the Christian walk. A few years ago I wrote this poem about him, but I suspect it could apply to many godly men and women in their older years.

Daddy

You falter on the terrace, who once grew fruitful gardens.

You shuffle in the hallway, who once trod jungle paths.

You waver in the doorway, who once befriended all.

You who encouraged many, fear you’ve been forgotten.

You who comforted grief, mourn the one who’s gone.

You who inspired hope, despair your failing health.

You who managed people, doubt your usefulness.

You who loved deeply, covet a friendly touch.

You prayed God’s blessing on us all, and still you pray.

You obeyed the Great Commission, and still you tell.

You preached the Word of God, and still you teach.

You remain our comforter, encourager, inspiration.

You remain a preacher, teacher, lover of the Word.

You remain a disciple, servant, child of God.

You remain our father, grandpa, elder.

You remain a builder, leader, friend.

You have fought the fight; run the race.

You await the crown of righteousness.

Well done.

Give Your Father Joy

Proverbs 23:22-25

I’m blessed that my father is still in this world. I don’t get to see him often, but it’s such a comfort to know he’s here loving and praying for me and available when I need his wisdom. But sometimes I forget that I’m here to love him as well. Children are a blessing from God. That’s me, God’s blessing to my father.

So naturally, I should do whatever I can to bring him joy. The wisdom of Proverbs tells me how to do that.

Listen to him. 

Daddy has lived a long life of serving God and he has great stories about his experiences and about the people he’s known. I like his stories, but like many older people, he tends to repeat them. That shouldn’t matter. It brings him joy to share his walk with God. It brings me pleasure to hear about it. 

Get the truth and never sell it.

I learned God’s truth from my parents, but as I began to grow up I encountered different interpretations of the Bible and I explored new ideas. Because I was grounded in the truth I didn’t stray and I have realized that the more I read the Word, the more my father’s understanding of it is confirmed. When Daddy and I talk about the Bible, I can tell this brings him joy.

Get wisdom.

My father is a wise man. I’ve come to him for advice many times and I’m always impressed with his knowledge of scripture and his ability to apply it to my circumstances. I love that I’m the one who’s blessed when I listen to him.

Get discipline.

I remember coming into the dining room when I was a very young child. The breakfast dishes hadn’t been cleared yet but the room was empty. I got caught licking the jam off a piece of leftover toast. My punishment was not being allowed another treat with the rest of my siblings because I had already had mine. I’d like to say I learned from the experience, but I’m afraid I’m sometimes still that little girl indulging herself when no one is looking. But God is at work transforming me through discipline and I know that Daddy is pleased when he sees the evidence.

Get good judgment.

Daddy drives all his kids crazy when he has to make a decision like buying a car. He researches all the options and then talks them over with each one of us many times, telling us what everyone else thinks. His decision making can be agonizing, but in the end he makes good decisions. I’ve learned to slow down and think through my own decisions because of his example.

Be godly.

After walking with God for 75 years, my father is as close to being a godly man as anyone I know. It makes me proud to be his daughter and I hope that he can take joy in watching me grow towards godliness as he has. 

I love Daddy and I hope that these things in me make him happy. As I bring my earthly father joy, I know that my Heavenly Father is also pleased.

God Speaks Bible

One of the most important training tools I learned to use when I was teaching workshops to college students was a box of scented markers. I would divide the students into small groups and give them an assignment. I gave each group an easel with newsprint and a box of the markers. The markers turned them into kids again, as they uncapped each color and waved them under their noses to see if the smells were authentic . . . purple grape, green apple, brown cinnamon, blue blueberry, cherry red and lemon yellow. When they were ready to focus on the task, I explained that they were to write their ideas and thoughts on the newsprint, using different colors for different parts of it. Although they thought this was for fun, it was critical to the communication process. Writing their words on the newsprint made the conversation visible.

God has made His conversation with us visible.

He’s written it down in the Bible. All of it, of course, is His Word, but in some places we read the words He spoke to a particular person or group. Those parts could be put in quotation marks. Red letter Bibles use color instead of quotation marks for the words of Jesus. How exciting to turn to the Gospels and see Jesus’ conversations jump out at you. But what if you could see lots of colors on the pages; would it turn you into a kid again?

Now there’s a <a href="http://www.godspeaksbible.com/">Bible</a> that might just do that. The <a href="http://www.godspeaksbible.com/">God Speaks Bible</a> highlights <a href="http://www.godspeaksbible.com/">God speaking,</a> in both the Old and the New Testaments. Jesus’ words are still in red, but God speaking is in purple. And to make it even clearer, when men speak God’s words in the third person their words are brown and passages about God speaking are in green. To round out the palette, God’s messages through angels, visions or dreams are in blue and God’s miracles are in gold.

Reading this Bible could turn you into a kid again, as if you were reading God’s Word for the first time. Like my students you could uncap each color to smell the sweet message from your Creator, then focus on the work of making it visible in your own life. The God Speaks Bible could become one of the most important spiritual training tools on your bookshelf.

Want to help promote the reading of God's Word and encourage people to learn how to hear God's voice? Imagine a color coded study Bible and multi-media application highlighting when God speaks to you. Operation Light Force (OLF) is a ministry devoted to equipping people to do what Jesus did, setting captives free, healing and preaching. Richard Mull is the President and Founder of OLF and the General Editor of the God Speaks Bible and many other books and was featured on TV and media. Help us spread the word.

Pray with Joy

Philippians 1:3-11

There are special people that I pray for with joy – my husband, my daughter and son-in-law, my son and daughter-in-law, my father, my sisters and brother and their spouses, my close Christian friends, my pastor. I love praying for them because I love them. But what makes it a joyful activity is that these people and I share the same purpose. As citizens of the Kingdom of God we are committed to spreading the good news. 

Another of my joys is knowing that these people also pray for me – especially my father. I am so blessed to know that he prays for me daily and that God has promised that “the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (James 5:16) His prayers are comforting because I know that although God has begun a good work in me, it won’t be finished until He returns. In other words, I have a long way to go.

So . . .

If anyone is moved to pray for me, this is what I want them to pray:

That my love (for God and others) will overflow more and more 

That I will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding of God’s ways and His Word

That I will understand what really matters (the Kingdom of God and His righteousness)

That I may live a pure and blameless life until the day of Christ’s return 

That I will always be filled with the fruit of my salvation which is the righteous character produced in my life by Jesus Christ

That I will bring much glory and praise to God

I’ll joyfully pray the same for you.