Pastor Buddy’s Blog

Journal,

It was at the Campbell Creek Cemetery. I had completed the graveside service and  was walking over to where my kinfolk were  buried, when I heard someone shouting, “Buddy Martin! Hey, Buddy Martin!”

Looking around I saw a fellow coming towards me that I had known from my youth. I hadn’t seen him in years. Like me, Johnny was one of the rough-and-tumble set. He walked up to me, looked me straight in the eyes, and said, “Buddy Martin, I figured if God could save you, He could save anyone. I’ve given my life to Jesus.”

That was several years ago and Johnny has since gone to be with the Lord. But I’ve never forgotten that scene at the cemetery. In fact a number of people from my youth have expressed their amazement that Buddy Martin had become a preacher. What they didn’t know was that behind all that rough exterior was just a teenage boy trying to appear bigger than what he really was. He didn’t have a clue as to what life is really about.

The backside of all this was that in the 50s, I had garnered quite a reputation. This was during the time of James Dean, Pat Boone, Bobby Darin, Johnny Horton, duck tails, black leather jackets, hula hoops and coonskin caps.  To measure up you had to create an image of both coolness and badness. Well, I had both. I had built a reputation of toughness, and was also involved in a rock band called ‘the Dizzy Cats.’

But that really isn’t the issue. I wasn’t cool. I was just a wandering soul in need of a Savior. What really counts is how the Lord can take a life of sin and darkness and turn it into a life made beautiful.

God made something beautiful of my life…

It is not enough to say that I was born in sin. That is the story of humanity. For me the journey of sin simply followed me into the Navy. And coolness wasn’t a great thing in the Navy. So, for four years things only spiriled downward. Pretty much all the things that sinners did, I did. (You know the drill; drinking, carousing, and visiting places I never should have gone.)

But I do recall when life suddenly seemed to come crushing down on me. I was running out of steam. There was this terrible void inside me. Everything had lost its taste. Of course you know all about that. If you are a believer, my story is your story.

What made the difference? The difference is that Jesus found me and turned my life around. This next picture says it all.

Before I go any further, take time to listen to this song by Bill and Gloria Gaither;

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ar-sPqVmOSc

Here are the words  –

 Something Beautiful

Something beautiful, something good;
All my confusion He understood.
All I had to offer Him
Was brokenness and strife,
But He made something beautiful of my life.

If there ever were dreams
That were lofty and noble,
They were my dreams at the start;
And the hopes for life’s best
Were the hopes that I harbored,
Down deep in my heart.
But my dreams turned to ashes,
My castles all crumbled,
My fortune turned to loss;
So I wrapped it all in the rags of my life,
And laid it at the cross.

Something beautiful, something good;
All my confusion He understood.
All I had to offer Him
Was brokenness and strife,
But He made something beautiful of my life.

With all the afore in mind, let me share a devotional story from the Bible.

Its about a Man called Wonderful…

Isaiah said,

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.”

After writing this, the prophet continues with,

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isa9:2,6)

The prophet was calling the backslidden nation back to God. As he writes of judgments, suddenly He speaks of God’s Christ. This happens often. And here and there we hear the prophet write, “A virgin will be with child.” And again, “With righteousness He will judge the poor.” And again, “He was pierced through for our transgressions.” And again, “Ho! Everyone who thirst, come to the waters.”

Is there no wonder that the book of Isaiah is referred to as the fifth gospel. Of course Isaiah was not alone. God’s message of redemption was interspersed throughout Moses and the prophets. And this is a major reason why the religious leaders who rejected Jesus were without excuse. Jesus said to Pilate, “He who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” (John 19:11)

Jesus is the only person in the history of the world who perfectly fulfilled and is fulfilling the prophets, that is, in time and in description. Even the prophets themselves were mystified by what they were hearing and seeing in the Spirit, concerning Jesus Christ.

Peter said that the prophets of old made careful searches and inquiries about the grace to come. The Lord let them know that what they were to write was not for them. It was for a people yet to come. And added to this we have the angels. Angels are absolutely astonished over God’s work in Christ for our redemption. (Cf. 1Pet1:10-12)

And so, it is the word ‘wonderful’ that sets the stage of the coming of Jesus. The ancients said that one hallmark of Messiah would be His working of ‘wonders’. Perhaps it would help to get a bearing on what the ‘wonderful’ or ‘wonder’ actually means in the Scriptures.

The Hebrew term for wonderful is ‘pili’ or, ‘pali. Variations on this word include ‘pala’, that is, marvelous, and ‘pele’, or wonder. The idea behind each of these words is that of something hard to grasp, or, something incomprehensible. The apostle Paul said that the peace that comes to us through Christ is beyond ‘comprehension.’ Peter adds to this in saying that our walk with the Lord is “joy inexpressible and full of glory.” (Cf. Phil4:7; 1Pet1:8)

The Hebrew word ‘pali’ and its companion words speak of things that only God can do. This is why Jesus said of the religious leaders, “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen Me and My Father as well.” (John 15:24)

Let’s come back to Isaiah. Keep in mind that Isaiah said his name would be called ‘Wonderful (pele) Counselor.’ This means that Jesus would Himself be a wonder, that He would do wonders, and that He would provide wonderful counsel. The reason is that the things Jesus did and will do, are things that can only be done by God. With this in mind listen to these Old Testament Scriptures:

“Who is like You among the gods, O Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?” (Exo15:11)

“I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders (pele) of old.” (Psa77:11)

“You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples.” (Psa77:14)

“He wrought wonders (pele) before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.” (Psa78:12)

“Oh Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; for You have worked wonders (pele), plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” (Isa25:1)

Now think about all the things that Jesus did. He opened blinded eyes. He walked on water. He turned water into wine. He spoke and the seas became calm. He raised the dead. He cleanse lepers, and healed every form of disease. In fact John completes his gospel in saying, “There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25)

But once again, it is Isaiah who gives the greatest expression to a child to be born. He said a child would be born to us, a son given. Messiah would be a human baby. He would die as a Son. Thus we hear John say, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”

What kind of message is this? How could it be? Yes, it is incomprehensible. And this is why we sing song such as, “I don’t know why Jesus loved me. I don’t know why He cared. I don’t know why He gave His life for me. Oh but I’m glad. So glad He did.”

Isaiah said of this Son, that the government would rest on His shoulders. This was fulfilled both at the baptism of Jesus, but especially in His resurrection. At His baptism, the Holy Spirit came down from heaven and rested on Him. The Holy Spirit speaks of divine government. Of course in His ascension, Jesus took His place in glory. Isn’t it interesting how the Bible closes with a picture of one throne. It is called the throne of God and of the Lamb.

What will His name be called? Isaiah said, “Wonderful Counselor.” This can be translated as ‘One counseling wonderful things.’ What else? His name shall be called ‘Mighty God.’ The Hebrew is El Gibbor. This is an adjective for Warrior God. Mighty!

What else? His name shall be called “Eternal Father.” One of the ancient Greek translations says, “Father of the age to come.”

We can compare this to Hebrews 1:3, which says, “And He [the Son] is the radiance of His [the Father's] glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.” The issue is that it is only in the Son that we can come to know the Father.

What else? His name shall be called “Prince of Peace.” We can translate this as ‘Prince of Soundness’, or, ‘Prince of Completeness’, or, ‘Prince of Perfection.’ All this is contained in the Hebrew word ’shalom.’

In the new covenant all these expressions come to be realized. Our perfection is in Jesus. Our completion is in Jesus. He is our peace. He is our soundness. Speaking in the Old Testament, the Wisdom of God says, “Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.” (Pro8:12)

Have you found Jesus to be the Man called Wonderful? Sure you have. Every true believer finds that He is wonderful, and that He works wonders. As for His wonders, let me share another story from my experience in the ministry. (I have hundreds.)

It happened in 1975. I was in the parking lot talking with one of the elders of the church. Suddenly we heard this tremendous noise. Coming straight for us was a tornado. The trees were whipping and twisting. What we didn’t know is that just a mile down the road the tornado had struck a small country store. The lady heard the noise. She walked into the center of the store. When it hit, the roof blew completely off. All four walls fell outward. But the lady was unscathed.

And here it comes straight for us. The elder jumped in his truck and sped away. I looked at our trailer home parsonage, realizing that my wife and children were inside, I began running towards the trailer. The tornado hit, knocking me to my knees. I watched the front porch of the parsonage disappear. Our metal storage building smashed in the woods. (We have pictures.)

Two ‘wonderful’ things happened. As I began to run, I heard the Wonderful Man speak to my heart, saying, “Satan would like to destroy you, but he cannot. I have you in the palm of My hand.” Wonderful had spoken. The issue was settled.

The second ‘wonderful’ thing that happened, is that the trailer home itself did not even tremble. Betty told me that the trailer did not move the slightest. My wife and children were well protected.

Well, we all have our stories of God’s wonders. But what was the greatest wonder in all of redemption history? The Man called Wonderful spent forty days appearing to the disciples. He said of them, “You shall be My witnesses.”

No disciple ever denied Jesus. They knew that Jesus did not begin as a babe in a manger. Jesus is the eternal Son of God. He has always been. He is the heart of the Father revealed. And the prophets said the Wonderful One was coming.

Through Micah, God said, “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” (Micah 5:2)

Isaiah actually saw Him. He said, “In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.” (Isa6:1)

So is it not true? Don’t you have wonderful stories to tell about Jesus? Is He not the One who lights up your life? Were you not in darkness before you met the Lord?

A Jewish convert to Jesus once asked me what I considered the most important message that I ever preach. I responded with just one word. Jesus! There is no other message. If what we are sharing is not about the Man called Wonderful, what we have to share does not belong to the gospel. Paul said that in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col2:3) And Paul said that we have this treasure in earthen vessels.

All things that Isaiah said about Jesus are true. And isn’t it interesting how the prophets could be writing about one thing, then suddenly their thoughts would arise to God’s Christ. Why not? Jesus Christ is what life is all about. And God’s people of old had a longing in their hearts for Messiah to come. They knew that this One would somehow actually be God with us.

Just something to think about.

And if God could save Buddy Martin, He can save anybody.

Blessings,

Buddy