Communion? Or, Communion?

Communion is one of two ordinances that we are to celebrate. However, there is a problem! These two ordinances seem to have been sidetracked by Satan. It seems that what he has accomplished is for us to major on the ceremony rather than the reality. How many times is communion something we only do as a habit and do with little or no thought? Consider some breathtakingly beautiful place that you’d love to see. You have a great photograph of it; but one day you travel and see it for yourself. The picture is nice; the reality is far beyond the picture in beauty and splendor. The “cup” and the “bread” are very good reminders, but nothing like worshipping Him Whose love moved Him to endure the horror inflicted on His body and Whose blood completely washes away sin’s terrible staining of our lives. Instead of a ritual, a routine, put your heart into partaking in a worthy manner. Praise Him; express your gratitude; offer Him your profound love. Discipline yourself to realize that you are in blessed, Holy, communion with our glorious Savior. What an honor and privilege! Don’t fall into the trap of sub-consciously wondering how long before the benediction. This special time isn’t just part of the program. Seize the moment! In I Corinthians 11:24-25, Jesus Himself, we are told, said…. “Take, eat: this is My body….broken for you: this do,….In remembrance of Me…. this cup is the  new testament in My blood…..this do….in remembrance of Me.” “Wounded for Me,” a hymn by W. G. Ovens and Gladys W. Roberts gives us this stirring reminder: “Wounded for me, wounded for me, there on the cross He was wounded for me; gone my transgressions, and now I am free, all because Jesus was wounded for me. Dying for me, dying for me, there on the cross He was dying for me; now in His death my redemption I see, all because Jesus was dying for me.” Selah! Don’t let remembering be lost in the routine; let Him have your complete focus and love.  Ron

Questions? E-Mail me at knowingtheway1@gmail.com

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Triad of Truth-3

Atonement accomplished, adoption, official. Now, what? Anticipation awaits the time. Let me remind you that Biblical hope is anticipated certainty! We, who have truly experienced the new birth, walked out of God’s “courtroom” justified, freed from all condemnation! Praise God! Then, wonder of wonders, He adopted us! We are now His co-heirs with His son, Jesus! Now, He is preparing us for the moment of inheritance! This excerpt is from J. B. Phillips’ “The New Testament In Modern English” (A paraphrase). “….whatever we may have to go through now is less than nothing compared with the magnificent future God has planned for us. The whole creation is on tiptoe to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their own” (A paraphrase of Romans 8:18-19).  God, the All Wise Father, is grooming us for that day! He loves, teaches, trains, models, challenges, corrects, disciplines, encourages, blesses, shapes, conforms, and even gives some rewards, here and now. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (I John 3:2). “Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, sing His mercy and His grace; in the mansions bright and blessed, He’ll prepare for us a place. While we walk the pilgrim pathway clouds will overspread the sky, but when traveling days are over, not a shadow, not a sigh. Let us then be true and faithful, trusting, serving every day; just one glimpse of Him in glory will the toils of life repay. When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory.” (“When We all Get to Heaven” By E. E. Hewitt). Selah! Here and now, He is preparing all of us who have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior for the time when our anticipated certainty becomes glorious reality!   Ron

Questions? E-Mail me at knowingtheway1@gmail.com 

Triad of Truth-2

You have just left the courtroom. (See yesterday’s post). The Judge comes up to you and says that He wants to talk with you. You stop and listen. He astounds you with this statement: “I am the One you committed the crimes against; I forgive you! I was the One Who paid your penalty; I love you and I am adopting you into My family! I have planned a wonderful life for you and you will be a co-heir with My Son! What an inheritance it will be!” Talk about undeserved grace! You have become a child of God! What an adoption! Yesterday, you were pardoned; Then, given an exalted position! What a family that you belong to now: God’s Forever Family! All the responsibilities, rewards and joys are now yours and you have the Holy Spirit to guide and to lavish your life with all the blessings of sonship. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with (Him), that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:16-17). We can relate to Haldor Lillenas’ triumphant hymn, “Wonderful Grace of Jesus.” This is the praise of all who have been, and all who will be, adopted: “Wonderful grace of Jesus, greater than all my sin; how shall my tongue describe it, where shall its praise begin? Taking away my burden, setting my spirit free; for the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me. Wonderful grace of Jesus, reaching the most defiled, by its transforming power, making him God’s dear child, purchasing peace and heaven for all eternity—and the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me. Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus, deeper than the mighty rolling sea; higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain, all-sufficient grace for even me! Broader than the scope of my transgressions, greater far than all my sin and shame; Oh, magnify the precious Name of Jesus, Praise His Name!”Selah! And, it doesn’t stop here! There is more! Let’s see what God brings to mind tomorrow, if He enables.   Ron

Questions? E-Mail me at knowingtheway1@gmail.com

Triad of Truth-1

Some thoughts from J. I. Packer’s book “Knowing God” prompted today’s (and the next two days’) posts. Today, let’s think on “Atonement:” We are guilty of being sinful in our natures; we are guilty of sinning; we are guilty of rebelling against God! We stand convicted and condemned for violating God’s laws. The penalty must be paid! There is no way we can pay it. But God’s love and grace provided a way for the penalty to be paid for us. All who receive Jesus as Savior and Lord find that their penalty has been paid in full. All others will have to pay the penalty themselves and it is a very “stiff” penalty. In short: Hell, forever! Make it personal: You are charged with the most serious of all crimes; you have been found guilty; no lawyer on earth can help you; you will pay! Someone (Jesus) steps forward to the Judge of all (God, the Father) and says that you received His gift of salvation and He has paid the penalty for you. The Judge speaks: “All charges have been dropped; your penalty is paid completely; you are free!” If you have grasped the seriousness of your crimes and guilt, imagine the sense of relief that washes over you. You can truly say, “Thank God!” For all who trust Jesus with their lives and trust what He did for them, Paul, in Romans 5:1, declares: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” William R. Newell expresses the wonder of full pardon in his hymn, “At Calvary” in these words: “Years I spent in vanity and pride, caring not my Lord was crucified, knowing not it was for me He died on Calvary. By God’s Word at last my sin I learned. Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned, till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary. Now I’ve given to Jesus everything, now I gladly own Him as my King, now my raptured soul can only sing of Calvary. Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan! Oh, the grace that brought it down to man! Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary. Mercy there was great, and grace was free; pardon there was multiplied to me; there my burdened soul found liberty at Calvary.” Selah! This is only part of the experience. The Judge that declared you “free” has plans for a stunningly wonderful future for you. Find out more tomorrow, God willing.   Ron

Questions? E-Mail me at knowingtheway1@gmail.com

Full Acknowledgement

Royalty: Kings, Queens, Princes, Princesses, etc. politicians, educators, lawyers, business and industry leaders, judges, atheists and agnostics, religious people, false teachers,etc. all human beings will fall before God and willingly, or in grudging frustration and in huge fear, fully acknowledge Jesus as Lord. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (things) in heaven, and (things) in earth, and (things) under the earth, and (that) every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ (is) Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). Those who have never received Jesus as Lord and Savior will face the most horrible moment of their existence! In their hearing will be the voice of the Judge of all, pronouncing eternal banishment from His Presence forever in Hell! But, Oh, for those who know Him, what rejoicing as they are welcomed into His Holy Presence and the glories of Heaven forever! Dear reader, in which group will you be in that critical moment? The hymn “He is Lord” tells us that: “He is Lord, He is Lord! He is risen from the dead and He is Lord! Ev’ry knee shall bow, ev’ry tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Selah! In less than 60 seconds your eternal fate could be “locked in” forever! The only time we can be sure of which group we will be in is right now. If you have not surrendered yourself and your life to Jesus, I urge you from the depths of my heart to settle it while you are able; it could be, and might be, your last opportunity.   Ron

Questions? E-Mail me at knowingtheway1@gmail.com

Entering the “Presence!”

We are able to freely enter the “Presence of God” by, “a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh.” (From Hebrews 10:20). This is the blood-bought, blessed privilege of all who have surrendered to Jesus as Lord and Savior. But, how are we to approach our Father and our God? In Psalm 100, the Psalmist tells us: “….come before His Presence with singing…..enter into His gates with thanks-giving, (and) into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, (and) bless His name, for the LORD is good….” This is added to in Philippians 4:6, with additional instructions: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” This kind of inter-action with our Father in Heaven brings joy to Him and rich blessings to us. Never settle for “rote” prayer; talk with and listen to Him. Sit with Him and be “taken” with Him! This hymn title: “Near to the Heart of God,” speaks to the wonder of such a Father as ours: “There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God, a place where sin cannot molest, near to the heart of God. There is a place of comfort sweet, near to the heart of God, a place where we our Savior meet,  near to the heart of God. There is a place of full release, near to the heart of God, near to the heart of God, a place where all is joy and peace, near to the heart of God. O Jesus, blest Redeemer, sent from the heart of God, hold us, who wait before thee, near to the heart of God.” (“Near to the Heart of God”- by Cleland Boyd McAfee). Selah! Rejoice in His Presence; Receive of His grace; Rest in His love and wisdom; Relax in His proper provision!  Ron

Questions? E-mail me at knowingtheway1@gmail.com

An Appointment

An appointment is when an agreement is reached on a time to meet together. Often a reminder is provided so that we don’t forget to keep the appointment. We have an appointment with God each day. Often, the Holy Spirit prompts us to remember our daily appointment with God. Why do we hold back? I think too many have fallen for Satan’s “slick trick” that prayer is a “religious” exercise or duty.  So, being busy, we decide that we need to “skip” the appointment today. For a Spirit taught believer, this appointment is far beyond the honor of being invited to “the Oval Office!” Would we turn down an invitation to meet with the President? Not likely! Why do we pass on the honor of an invitation to meet with the King of kings? We might be stressed to think of being ready to meet the President. God, however, invites us to come with courage and why we can come with courage: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Wow! Think carefully on such a tremendous outcome of such an appointment! How apropos these lyrics in, “He Has Made Me Glad”-By Leona Von Brethorst: “I will enter His gates with Thanks-giving in my heart; I will enter His courts with praise. I will say, “This is the day that the Lord has made!” I will rejoice and be glad in it. I will rejoice for He has made me glad.” Selah! He awaits your coming; keep your appointment and enjoy His welcome, caring and help and don’t forget to give Him the praise for His wondrous greatness and love!   Ron

Questions? E-mail me at knowingtheway1@gmail.com