Pastor Buddy’s Blog

6 a.m. - Up and at um. Me and CJ had our morning round. Newspaper, coffee, then settling in time for my devotion. Of course General Claudius Josephus has his normal spot on our leather love seat. Head next to? lap as always.

Can’t help but notice all the gray hair underneath his eyes and around his muzzle and ears. Neither can I help but notice all the gray hair that is starting to sprout out on my head.?

Actually I shaved my head with my electric razor so my grandson wouldn’t feel he had shaved his head in naught. He heard that I was going to lose my hair. Not everyone does lose their hair. Looks like I was going to be one of those ‘not everyones.’

Have to tell this on CJ and Betty. The only furniture CJ is permited on is our love seat. Every morning and at times in the afternoon and evening he will lay next to me. But not when Betty is sitting there. Which is most of our evening time together.

Anyway, CJ gets up from the floor and heads for the kitchen door so as to let us know he needs out. Betty ‘gets up’ heads to the door and CJ does a turn around, heads for the love seat. What a hoot. Betty beats him to the seat.?

Read an interesting article in the paper. Looks like Rapides Parish will consider a ‘no kill’ policy for our animal shelter. I saw where earlier? Caddo Parish was looking at the same venue. It really touches my heart. I’d like to have a part in that. Don’t know what it will be. I’ll keep my eyes and ears attuned.

I don’t think anyone could love animals more than me. I’ve come to realize that animals, and especially dogs, are highly intelligent. They have feelings of affection. They desire to please their human friend. In fact certain kinds of animals have saved humans on a great many occasions.

I recently read where elephants saved a number of people when the tsunami hit the far east. As the elephants began running away from the sea area, they picked up tourists and others and carried them to high ground. Tell me what that was all about? How many stories have you read about dogs saving someone, or about dogs allowing baby cats to nurse with their litter of pups? (Vice versa.)

Oh, nuff on the dogs.

Had another wondrous devotion in Nehemiah 12:46,47. It? says:

“For they [priests and Levites] performed the worship of their God and the service of purification, together with the singers and the gatekeepers in accordance with the command of David and of his son Solomon. For in the days of David and Asaph, in ancient times, there were leaders of the singers, songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God.” (nasb.)

For you students of the New Testament, this portion is going to sound very familiar. What many may not realize is that Christianity is based on a concept of restoring the ‘fallen booth’ of David, according to an ancient prophecy. I’ll share on that in a moment.

The reason our Hezekiah portion sounds so familiar is because the apostle Paul referenced this Davidic worship in his letter to the Ephesian Church. Notice:

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another is psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.” (Ephesians 5:18-20 nasb.)

8:50 am Back to this later. Need to make my ‘after chemo’ trip to Cabrini for my white cell booster shot.

Been getting calls to check up on me. Seems the blog being down has given concern for my wellbeing. More folk read my journal that I suspected. Puts gladness in my heart.?

? 9:40? am - Back to ‘House of David Christianity.’

Let me? share briefly on this wonderful mystery. David set the stage in many ways for the new covenant. When the tabernacle of Moses was at Shiloh, David put another tabernacle in Jerusalem. He provided a new feature of worship, with singers, musicians, and so forth.

It was also in the tabernacle (often called ‘booth’) that David had visions and encounters with the Lord Jesus.

The prophet Amos gave a prophecy concerning the ‘booth of David’ that belongs in line with the Isaiah prophecies concerning the Lord Jesus. In the council of Jerusalem, where the apostles met to determine how to work with all the Gentiles who were coming to know the Lord, James the brother of Jesus, referenced the Amos prophecy. Listen to what happens:

“All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

“After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, ‘Brethren, listen to me. Simeon [Peter] has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from the Gentiles a people for His name. With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,

“‘After these things I will return, and I will rebuilt the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuilt its ruins, and I will restore it, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,’ Says the Lord, who makes these things know from long ago.” (Acts 15:12-18 nasb.)

There is a sense in which the Church can be reckoned as the tabernacle of David. This is especially true when we read about the prophecies given to David concerning his ‘Greater Son’, that is, Jesus Christ, who will sit on David’s throne.?

There is much to be said about this area, but the thing I wanted to point out is that Christianity is built on the pattern of the tabernacle of David, and not on the tabernacle of Moses.

10:20 a.m. - Working on a study for our Hebraics-Foundation group entitled HF167 - The Fallen Booth of David. It will be a more indepth study on the subject line for this entry. Readers are welcome to subscribe to the study group. Go to:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hebraic-Foundations/

(If you subscribe be sure to complete the questionnaire.)

I’ve been doing a lot of counselling on the internet and by phone? of late. It is always such a joy? to help folk when I can. Had a call this morning from a sister? in Pennsylvania.? Her calls are for? pastoral counsel. ? She calls me because of our similar religious background.

11:15 a.m. - Had my morning inspiration time with Lane. You can mark this man down as a man after God’s own heart. In fact we have quite a few of those? folks at Christian Challenge. I am so thankful for the discipleship base that had been put in place in our ministry through the years. Only a true disciple can know the true joy of serving the Lord with a whole heart.

12:15 p.m. - Time for lunch. Believe I’ll close out my journal for the day. Got plenty of catching up on other things.

Sending love your way,

Buddy