Pastor Buddy’s Blog

Journal,

This morning on my way to Cabrini for my blood test for chemo tomorrow, I made a surprise visit to my minister buddies at Christian Challenge. Boy do I miss those guys. We have such a swell group of pastors. Been meeting for a Wednesday morning prayer breakfast for a number of years. (Rotate between churches.)

Our group includes Baptist, Pentecostal, Non-denominational, Methodist, Wesleyan, Nazarene, and anyone else who cares to join us. It isn’t a large group, usually ten to twelve of us. But we’ve developed a friendship through the years where we leave our denominational hats outside the door.

Perhaps there is a lesson to be had. Over the years we bonded as brothers. The interesting thing is how we now see one another. We see each the other as belonging to the same Lord Jesus. None is more saved than the other, more spiritual than the other, or more in tune with heaven than the other. Wouldn’t be nice if all ministers could come to this realization. Course that can’t happen when we look at one another from a distance.

Anyway, I surprised everyone and got bunches of hugs as a reward.

Let’s see — Received a beautiful card from my great-niece Jessicaand her husband Allen. Sent a wedding picture of them and myself. I performed their wedding in August, 2006. What a treat. Wow, how time flies when you are having fun.

Come to think about it, I’m not only a great uncle but I’m a great-great uncle. Well, the only thing better than being great, is being great, great. Can I get an amen on that?

One of the most awesome readings in the Scriptures is where David speaks by the Spirit of Christ in Psalm 22. Wish I had time to do a walk through on this one Psalm. Perhaps I can share just a bit on where David gets, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (v1)

The prophets of old were God’s very, very special men. This is why the New Testament places such a stress on the prophetic writings, and why Paul instructs us to never exceed what the prophets had written.

Here is the reason — In setting down redemption history, the prophets were literally speaking from the mind of God. It was as though God was thinking His thoughts in them. This means that the prophets wrote across history in what can be termed ‘prophetic perfects.’ Here is what Peter said about the prophets:

“As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

“It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent frolm heaven–things into which angels long to look.” (1Pe1:10-12)

Did you notice who was speaking in the prophets? It was the Spirit of Christ. Did you also notice the heart of the message. It was about the grace of God that would come with the new covenant. 

The keynote of the new covenant can be written in one word, grace. How hard it is for our human minds to grasp such a subject.  Paul explains it simply by saying, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph2:8,9)

Paul put our salvation in a past tense mode. We are not going to be saved. We have already been saved. There is much to be said here but I’ll leave that be for now.

So as David writes, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” what was flowing through his pen were the actual words and thoughts of the cross. This is why if you really want to know what went through the mind of Jesus while He hung on the cross, then read Psalm 22.

It doesn’t stop there. The entire Psalm reaches from the cross, into the resurrection, and on into the final redemption program of God for all of mankind. Now note how Psalm 22 begins its conclusion:

“All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will worship before You.” (v27)

This Psalm is quoted in a number of places in the New Covenant.

Let’s make a special connection. Psalm 22, Psalm 23, and Psalm 24 go together. Psalm 22 is the Psalm of the cross that takes us from the cross and to the end of age.

Psalm 23 is the Psalm of the Christian walk, that is, the Psalm of the Good Shepherd. It fully expresses the true journey of faith that begins in this life and carries us into eternity. Notice verse 1 and then the concluding verse.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

Now verse 6 –

“Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Remember what Jesus said about the house of the Lord.

“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you … that where I am, there you may be also…”  (Jn14:2,3)

Psalm 24 is also important. This is the Psalm of the millennium. It has to do with the second coming of Jesus to set up His kingdom on earth. Listen to bits of this Psalm:

“The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.” (v1)

And again,

“Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.” (vv7,8)

A fuller picture is given of Jesus ‘mighty in battle’ in Revelation — “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war … His name is called The Word of God … On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘King of kings, and Lord of lords.” (Rev19)

There is so much more to be said about all these Psalms. Really makes for wonderful meditations.

Well, think I’ll go ahead and shut down for the day. Talk with you later.

Blessings,

Buddy