Stopping to Say “Thank You” on Memorial Day

Aimee Herd (May 28, 2012)

“We owe it to the fallen not only to never forget them for their sacrifice, but also to celebrate the freedom that they so [selflessly] and so ultimately defended for our sake.” –Robert J Pape, Jr.

Last week I ran across a blog that succinctly conveyed all that I was hoping to as I thought of putting together an article for Memorial Day.

I realize that the Memorial Day weekend is normally spent enjoying an extra day off from work, and anticipating warmer weather and the start of summer.

But, the day itself—set aside to honor the fallen veterans of this country—has an important purpose. Writing for the Plainview Patch [NY], Robert J. Pape, Jr. begins his blog with the familiar, striking words of President Lincoln:

“It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Pape then notes how those words are just as true today as they were back in 1863, when first spoken.

“Far too many of these brave souls made the ultimate sacrifice,” continues Pape. “The cost of our freedom is indeed high. To these honored dead we pause on Memorial Day to reflect on the sacrifice made by them; many not older than their early twenties, who performed extraordinary service with bravery and resolve under circumstances most of us can’t even imagine. Hopefully, we will always keep their sacrifice in our minds eye by not taking our freedom for granted and never abusing the freedom which has been entrusted to us.

“So, as the unofficial start of the summer begins, let us take a break from our work routine and enjoy the company of family and friends at picnics and barbeques and of course the wonderful parade down Main Street. …We owe it to the fallen not only to never forget them for their sacrifice, but also to celebrate the freedom that they so [selflessly] and so ultimately defended for our sake.”

Source: Robert J. Pape, Jr. – Plainview Patch

http://www.billygraham.org/specialsections/Graffiti/graffiti.asp?utm_source=PFONThankYouEmail&utm_medium=Eblast&utm_campaign=PrayForOurNation

The Believer’s Walk as Revealed in the Song of Solomon – Chapter 4

This book was written by Solomon to recount his love relationship and marriage to a lovely young Shulamite maiden. It is also a portrait of God’s relationship with Israel. The Song of Solomon is cherished as a guide and an inspiration for the Bride of Christ, the Church, and her relationship with the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and seeks to lead the believer toward a closer and more OBEDIENT walk with the Lord. The Song of Solomon became one of the five scrolls of the third part of the Hebrew Bible, each of which was read publicly at one of the annual Jewish Feasts. This one was assigned to be read at the PASSOVER. Passover also marks the beginning of the journey to the Promised Land.

• Jesus indicated in John Chapter 15 that obedience is the highest form of love. The forth chapter of the Song of Solomon attests to this statement. The bridegroom’s words of adoration and love increase since the bride left her comfortable world to follow Him to battle.

We cannot DIRECT the wind, but we can ADJUST our sails

Climbing the Mountain of Faith

1Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead. 2Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.

Her eyes are called “Doves Eyes”. The teeth spoken of pictures the church as washed, unified in spirit and bearing fruit.

3Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.

“Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely”. The mouth is a looking glass that reveals the contents of the heart, Mt.12:34. Just as Rahab’s scarlet thread hung over the wall of Jericho to express the faith within her house, Joshua 2:18-21, so the lips of the bride’s mouth open wide to proclaim the faith within her heart.

4Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.

In the natural a bride who was militant or warlike would not be appealing. However, for the bride of Christ, militancy is a most gracious quality and necessary to complete her portrait of beauty. In Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary MILITANT implies a FIGHTING disposition with extreme devotion to a cause. Related words include AGGRESSIVE and ASSERTIVE. Aggressive emphasizes the disposition to DOMINATE by determined pursuit. Assertive stresses SELF-CONFIDENCE and BOLDNESS in action.

5Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.

The breast (bosom) is the seat of emotions. Two speaks of balance and evenness. Lilies always indicate purity and wholesomeness. Our emotions can be misleading, but balanced by THE WORD and the leading of the HOLY SPIRIT they too can feed among the lilies of purity and wholesomeness.

• The next voice is the voice of the bride. Having been encouraged and strengthened by his words of praise, the bride makes a vow.

6Until the day break and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.

Where would she go? “To the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense”. “Until the day break” or until the rapture call, the bride vows to dwell in the mountain of the Lord. You will recall that myrrh is a precious herb that is both fragrant and bitter. When we surrender our will, we are conceding to both the fragrance of the consecrated life and the bitterness of the Cross. Frankincense also is a very fragrant herb used for worship in the temple and also very bitter. The message is clear: we are called into His calling having counted the cost, Luke 14:25-30. The cost includes both the bitter and the sweet; both the Cross and the Resurrection.

7Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. 8Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards.

• Compare the first four words of (v1) with the first four words of (v7). What word has been added? “ALL”. When we manifest a willingness to give “ALL” to Him, the Lord will call to us and challenge us to even higher places of spiritual life.

Amana, Shenir, and Hermon are three of the highest peaks among the mountains of Lebanon. Lions’ dens and the dwelling places of Leopards represent places of authority and power. The fierce elements of spiritual warfare are also suggested by this picture. Clearly, the call to the maiden is to come up higher. The words “WITH ME” tell us that we do not tread these high places alone!

9Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.

The bridegroom’s response to her willingness to go with him tells us what is truly pleasing to the Lord, Heb.11:6. God created man for fellowship and to share in His glory. John 15:15; 17:21-22. Therefore, when we are willing and obedient to proceed to His high mountains and partake in both the danger and the glory of the Lions’ dens, it ravishes the heart of God.

One eye refers to the maiden’s spiritual vision and her willingness to see the beauty of the bridegroom’s high calling. The chain about the neck concurs with Solomon’s words in Proverbs 1:7-9, where chains about the neck are linked to obedience through the fear of the Lord.

10How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! How much better is thy love than wine! And the smell of thine ointments than all spices!

What does the bridegroom commend in the first two exclamations? “THY LOVE”. Not until the bride manifested willingness and obedience did the bridegroom celebrate and extol her love to him, John 14:15, 21, 23.

11Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

The lips of the bridegroom’s spouse “DROP AS THE HONEYCOMB”. It requires a great deal of work for bees to manufacture even the smallest amount of honey. The believer must have experienced the labor of following the Lord and have climbed many mountains to obtain such lips as the honeycomb.

Sanctified speech is spiritual grace that is learned through the labor of discipline. What does he say of her garments? “LIKE THE SMELL OF LEBANON”.

Garments speak of external appearance. It is interesting to note that the smell and not the sight of the garments are mentioned. Outwardly, an obedient and willing Christian may not look any different, yet there is a sweet fragrance about their life.

12A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

She is called three things “A GARDEN ENCLOSED, A SPRING SHUT UP, A FOUNTAIN SEALED”. This figurative language expresses a picture of the sanctified life. When we keep ourselves wholly set apart exclusively for the Lord’s pleasure and His work, we are not as an open field but as a garden enclosed. Our fruit and inner fountain are not for random public use, it is the Lord’s, Romans 14:8.

13Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, 14Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:

The enclosed garden is further described. The various plants and trees mentioned reveal fruitfulness, beauty and fragrance. This reminds us that everything lovely in our life comes with spiritual maturity.

16Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

The maiden calls for two winds to blow upon her garden “NORTH AND SOUTH”. The north wind is a frosty and whipping wind that can bring treacherous storms. The south wind is a mild, gentle and pleasant breeze. When we have labored and planted fruit, we are confident that whatever winds sweep across our garden they will only serve to release the inner fragrance.

http://youtu.be/4YwPQNUrYZM

(To be continued…)

The Believer’s Walk as Revealed in the Song of Solomon – Chapter 3

• This book was written by Solomon to recount his love relationship and marriage to a lovely young Shulamite maiden. It is also a portrait of God’s relationship with Israel. The Song of Solomon is cherished as a guide and an inspiration for the Bride of Christ, the Church, and her relationship with the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and seeks to lead the believer toward a closer and more OBEDIENT walk with the Lord. The Song of Solomon became one of the five scrolls of the third part of the Hebrew Bible, each of which was read publicly at one of the annual Jewish Feasts. This one was assigned to be read at the PASSOVER. Passover also marks the beginning of the journey to the Promised Land.

WARFARE Is Not an Option, We Simply Must Learn To FIGHT

Climbing the Mountain of Faith

¹By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.²I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

• The word “night” is plural in the Hebrew indicating that she sought Him night after night. What Happened? “She Found Him Not”.

³The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? ⁴It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

• She asks the watchmen of the city “Saw Ye Him Whom My Soul Loveth?” When she finally found him “She Held Him, and Would Not Let Him Go Until She Had Brought Him into Her Mother’s House”.

• The maiden brought her Solomon home to rekindle their love. The believer must not only find the Lord and return to Him but also return to the House of God.

⁵I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

• Intent on cementing their relationship, the bride repeats her charge to all forms of distraction to leave her undisturbed in her time of repentance and restoration.

Neither the bride nor the bridegroom is speaking in the next few verses but the daughters of Jerusalem. The daughters of Jerusalem represent our testimony to others (the world).

⁶Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

• They ask “Who Is This That Cometh Out Of The Wilderness Like Pillars Of Smoke, Perfumed With Myrrh And Frankincense?” (“This” is feminine in the Hebrew. The words that follow refer to the bride’s coming.)

• The repentant bride is seen coming out of the wilderness having made a sacrificial offering; therefore, she is seen “As Pillars Of Smoke”. So different does she appear because of her new commitment that the daughters of Jerusalem cry, “Who Is This?”

⁷Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.⁸They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

• It is not only the bride who is seen but the bridegroom as well. They are together in a procession. The bed refers to a hand carried chariot. The mood of the procession is not one of love, but of warfare. In what are the valiant men experts? “WAR.”

¹¹Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

• Now that the bride has agreed to go with Solomon into battle, their wedding day is assured. Apparently, Solomon’s mother took part in the ceremony. In Scripture typology, the mother represents Israel (Rev.12:1-2; Gal.4:26).

When the wedding march (the Rapture) begins for Christ and His bride, God will turn back to Israel and she will begin to serve Him again. Thus, Israel will rejoice “In the day of His Espousals/wedding day”.

http://youtu.be/_zcNqxobJW8

(To be continued…)

The Believer’s Walk as Revealed in the Song of Solomon – Chapter 2

• This book was written by Solomon to recount his love relationship and marriage to a lovely young Shulamite maiden. It is also a portrait of God’s relationship with Israel. The Song of Solomon is cherished as a guide and an inspiration for the Bride of Christ, the Church, and her relationship with the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and seeks to lead the believer toward a closer and more OBEDIENT walk with the Lord. The Song of Solomon became one of the five scrolls of the third part of the Hebrew Bible, each of which was read publicly at one of the annual Jewish Feasts. This one was assigned to be read at the PASSOVER. Passover also marks the beginning of the journey to the Promised Land.

The DISCIPLINE of the Lord Is Not Forced OBEDIENCE

Climbing the Mountain of Faith

¹I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys.

• The bridegroom calls Himself “The Rose Of Sharon, the Lily of the Valleys”. The rose is considered to be the zenith among all flowers. The lily has always been a symbol of purity. In the lowlands of humanity where the swamps of human degradation abound, there is a spotless lily, Christ the Lord.

²As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

• The bride is called “The Lily among Thorns”. And so the church should be, so very different from the world and so pure that she resembles a lily among thorns.

³As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

• The bride compares her beloved to “The Apple Tree among the Trees of the Forest”. The apple tree “viewed” as the king of fruits is here described as sweet, fragrant and suitable for shade.

• The fruit was used figuratively to show how precious we are to God. The bride described “THE TASTE OF HIS FRUIT AS SWEET”.

⁴He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love.

• The king takes his maiden “To the Banqueting Table”. At a banqueting table no ordinary or common foods are served. A banquet is a feast of the choicest foods.

• When we enter into close fellowship with the Lord we will no longer be restricted to a common prayer and study life, but we will find delicacies in THE WORD served in grand abundance (Prov.15:15).

⁶His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me.

• The bride describes the bridegroom’s all encompassing care and protection as “His Left Hand Is Under My Head, And His Right Hand Doth Embrace Me”, Deu.33:27.

⁷I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

• The maiden charges the daughters of Jerusalem “That Ye Stir Not Up, Nor Awake My Love, Till He Please”. Solomon’s maiden was insisting that the other women not disturb this precious time of intimacy. We too, must insist that the cares of this world not disturb and destroy our time alone with the Lord.

v.8 begins a transition in our story. Of course there is more to Christianity than just building a love relationship with the Lord. However, our relationship must be established FIRST in order to hear His call to go further. From henceforth, the bride is called out of her protective place to follow Him and to serve Him in the power of the resurrection.

⁸The voice of my beloved! Behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.

• The bride hears “The Voice of Her Beloved! Leaping upon the Mountains, Skipping Upon the Hills” portrays Christ the bridegroom coming in majesty and power.

⁹My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice. ¹⁰My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. ¹¹For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; ¹²The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; ¹³The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

• Where did the bridegroom stand? “Behind Our Wall”. What did he call to her? “Rise Up, My Love, My Fair One, And Come Away”.

What time of year did he tell her it was? “Springtime”. Springtime has always been symbolic of the resurrection. The Lord calls to His people to rise up and come away from the self-life and enter into the springtime of His resurrection power.

¹⁴O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

• The bridegroom’s request of the maiden “Let Me See Thou Countenance, Let Me Hear Thy Voice”. Solomon speaks of a day when he went to call his Shulamite bride to come to the palace. For some reason, although she heard his voice, she did not respond. Some Christians assume that if they feed in the Lord’s green pastures (read their Bibles and go to church) and dine at His banqueting table (read books, listen to tapes and watch Christian television), then the will of God has been done in their life, Ecc.12:12.

• The bride speaks of a wall between them v9 and the bridegroom is twice forced to call for her response, vv.10, 13. We can become like Peter on the mount of transfiguration who wanted to build a tabernacle and stay in the presence of God, while human need was crying out at the bottom of the mountain, Luke 9:38. Many Christians are still seated at the banqueting table delighting in the banner of Hid love when there is much work to be done for the Lord, and the call has come to go to work in the field, Mt.9:37-38.

¹⁵Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

• While remaining in her place of comfort the maiden discovered “Her Vines Have Tender Grapes and the Little Foxes were spoiling them”.

• The little foxes hide under the leaves of the vine and when all is quiet they eat the tender fruit and slip away unnoticed. The maiden’s observance recorded here is direct instruction for the believer. It is the little things that spoil our vine and keep us from responding to the Lord’s greater call. These little areas may hide from everyone’s eyes, except the Bridegroom’s.

• Foxes are very fond of tender young grapes. If they are permitted to remain in the vineyard, they will eat away at the tender fruit of our relationship with Jesus, and our spiritual growth will be hindered, Gal.5:9; I Cor.5:7.

¹⁶My beloved is mine and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.

• Here the bride reveals that she is confident in her position and that she knows just where to find the bridegroom. This points to an overconfident attitude. An attitude that often yields to a common deception; that we can respond when WE choose and not as HE chooses.

¹⁷Until the day break and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.

• She asks her beloved to “Flee Away until the Day Break”. The maiden didn’t respond to Solomon but thought that she could call to him later. Poor foolish bride! And poor foolish Christian if we think we can determine the time of our response.

• The Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man (Ps.103:9). You’re have heard it said, “It’s never too late to serve God.” that’s partly true. “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance,” but THE OPPORTUNITIES are not (Ro.11:29).

http://youtu.be/CvIxwc90BEI

 

(To be continued…)

The Believer’s Walk as Revealed in the Song of Solomon – Chapter 1

This book was written by Solomon to recount his love relationship and marriage to a lovely young Shulamite maiden. It is also a portrait of God’s relationship with Israel. The Song of Solomon is cherished as a guide and an inspiration for the Bride of Christ, the Church, and her relationship with the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and seeks to lead the believer toward a closer and more OBEDIENT walk with the Lord. The Song of Solomon became one of the five scrolls of the third part of the Hebrew Bible, each of which was read publicly at one of the annual Jewish Feasts. This one was assigned to be read at the PASSOVER. Passover also marks the beginning of the journey to the Promised Land.

The Proof of DESIRE is in PURSUIT

Climbing the Mountain of Faith

¹The Song of songs, which is Solomon’s.

By divine record we are informed that King Solomon wrote 1005 songs (I Kings 4:32). However, he entitled this story “The Song of songs”. Just as the inner sanctuary of the temple was the Holy of holies and Christ is King of kings, so this book is indeed “The Song of songs”.

• The story begins with Solomon’s bride speaking.

²Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.

The bride’s intense longing is expressed as desiring “The Kisses of His Mouth”. We are all familiar with the kisses on the cheek. Even so, our longing will increase from seeking mere kisses on the cheek, occasional blessings, to pursuing a closer and more intimate relationship with Christ through His Word.

The bride says that His great love is “Better Than Wine”. Many times in Scripture wine represents the joys of the world. Once we have tasted of the kisses of His mouth, the meat of the Word, how far better is the love of God than all the pleasures of the world.

³because of the savor of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.

The virgins love the king because “Thy Name Is As Ointment Poured Forth”. His name has not been kept as bottled ointment but rather as ointment poured forth upon His people who now find new identity and power through the name of Jesus.

⁴Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

The bride says to the king “Draw Me”. As we serve the Lord, we become increasingly aware of the fact that “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” Mt.26:41. We not only need to desire Him, but we need to be drawn.

How do the virgins respond? “We Will Run After Thee”. The king takes his running bride “Into His Chambers”. When the king brings us into his chambers, we have entered into the secret place of the Most High, Psalm 91:1.

⁵I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. ⁶Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

The maiden had attended to other vineyards: job, ministry, and etc, but what vineyard had she left unkept? “Her Own Vineyard”; represented by the disregard for her complexion. If we are successful in all other areas of life, but neglect to attend to THE WORD, the source of our spiritual complexion, we have failed to keep the most important vineyard of all. Our vineyard can bring forth much fruit by abiding in the vine, THE WORD, John 15:5-7.

The maiden stated in v5 that “I Am Black”. She recognized that she did not have her own beauty, but through the love of the king she could declare to others “O Ye Daughters of Jerusalem” that she was lovely. The tents of Kedar were dark in appearance but the curtains of Solomon were delicate fine linen.

The closer we draw to the Lord the more conscious we become that we are arrayed in fine linen and made to be glorious, Eph.5:27. In Rev.19:7-8, the Bride of Christ, at the marriage supper of the Lamb, will be wearing “Fine Linen, Clean and White”.

⁷Tell me, O thou whom my soul loves, where thou feeds, where thou makes thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turns aside by the flocks of thy companions?

The maiden ask the bridegroom to tell her “Where Do You Graze Your Flock and Where Do You Rest Your Sheep at Noonday?” The maiden specifically requested the place of the noonday feeding. When the ancient shepherds in the east fed their flocks, they took them to the grassy riverbeds and springs when the heat of the noonday came. Therefore, the richest food was to be eaten at noon. We should covet earnestly the finest possible spiritual food, I Cor.12:31.

As lovers of God’s Word we should be in earnest pursuit of the rich grasses of the noonday feeding. For the shepherds of the east it was a difficult journey down the steep mountainside to the cool river valley. Likewise, to feed delicately on spiritual things may require extra labor to obtain the rich valley grass necessary to continue the inner chamber relationship with the Lord.

The maiden ask the bridegroom “Why Should I Be Like One Who Wanders Beside the Flock Of Thy Companions?” Why should the church be like one who wanders outside the blessings of God – the rich grasses of the noonday feeding?

⁸If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.

Solomon calls her “O Thou Fairest Among Women”. In Deu.32:10; Ps.17:8, God’s people are called “The Apple Of His Eye”, an old English expression referring to the pupil of the eye. The phrase is used symbolically of something cherished, precious, and protected.

The king tells the maiden to “Go Thy Way Forth By The Footsteps Of The Flock”. The footsteps of the flock refer to the pathway trodden by other saints who have also chosen to pick up the Cross and follow Him.

⁹I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.

To what are we compared? “A Company Of Horses In Pharaoh’s Chariots”. The horses of Pharaoh were reputed to be the best in the world. Along with their great beauty, they were strong, swift and courageous in battle!

¹¹We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

“WE” speaks of the trinity of God. “Borders Of Gold With Studs Of Silver” refer to the crown being prepared for us that we will receive when in the eternal presence of God.

¹²While the king sits at his table, my spikenard sends forth the smell thereof.

The maiden perceives that the king could smell “Her Spikenard”. Spikenard was a very costly ointment that was extremely fragrant. It was a plant not native to Israel but imported at great expense. At His great expense, the Lord has planted the Christ life within that makes us lovely and fragrant with a savor far beyond any earthly plant.

¹³A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.

The maiden says that her beloved is to her “A Bundle Of Myrrh”. Myrrh was a highly fragrant and costly spice imported to Israel. At great cost, our Savior was imported from afar and is highly fragrant to all who know Him. Myrrh was used to deaden pain, as walking with the Lord comforts us through the heartaches of this life. Myrrh was very bitter to the taste and refers to the cross we must bear as we serve Him, Mt. 10:38. Myrrh was used medicinally and was a cure for many ailments as our great Physician is health and healing to all who believe in Him.

To those who experience these various aspects of the Lord’s character, He is truly a bundle of myrrh; The Balm of Gilead; The Bread of Life; The Lamb of God, Jer.8:22; Gen.37:24-26; Gal.3:13; Is.53:5.

¹⁵Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.

Hearing her loving evaluation, the king responds wholeheartedly and says of her eyes “Thou Hast Doves’ Eyes”. Eyes are the window of the soul and have always been recognized as the place where character can be seen. The dove is the emblem of simplicity, innocency, and fidelity. We have been washed in the blood of Jesus and made to be innocent and pure like the dove.

¹⁷The beams of our house are cedar and our rafters of fir.

Solomon’s bride refers to the beautiful and strong wood to build their home together. When we are living close to the Lord, we too are building a strong and lovely home for His habitation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whjZTug_O-Y

(To be continued…)

Landmark Ruling: Alabama Supreme Court Says Each Person has a “God-given Right to Life”

Ben Johnson (February 22, 2012)

“Medical advances since Roe have conclusively demonstrated that an unborn child is a unique human being at every stage of development.” -Justice Tom Parker

(Montgomery, Alabama)—In a landmark legal case that established the right of a mother to sue if her unborn child wrongfully dies before viability, today the Alabama State Supreme Court unanimously ruled that “each person has a God-given right to life.”

A concurring opinion issued by four judges specifically stated that Roe v. Wade’s viability standard “should be rejected by other states until the day it is overruled by the United States Supreme Court.”

Amy Hamilton sued after doctors repeatedly failed to administer ultrasounds. When an eventual ultrasound showed her child was unusually small and had developed a small fold at the back of his neck—a possible sign of severe anemia and hydrops, which can cause congestive heart failure—she requested to be referred to a perinatologist at another clinic but was refused.

On March 10, 2005, her son was stillborn.

A lower court had ruled that, since the child had not yet reached the stage that it could survive outside the womb, she could not pursue a wrongful death claim “for the death of [her] non-viable fetus.”

Today, the Alabama Supreme court’s Hamilton v. Scott ruling rejected that understanding, which was based on Roe v. Wade. Instead, it cited the 1973 Alabama Supreme Court decision Wolfe v. Isbell, which ruled “that from the moment of conception, the fetus or embryo is not a part of the mother, but rather has a separate existence within the body of the mother.”

In footnote three, the justices quoted the Alabama state constitution before concluding that its “words, borrowed from the Declaration of Independence—affirm that each person has a God-given right to life.”

In his concurring opinion joined by three fellow justices, Justice Tom Parker stated, “I write separately today—to emphasize the diminishing influence of Roe’s viability standard,” which he described as “arbitrary,” “incoherent,” “based on inaccurate history,” and “mostly unsupported by legal precedent.”

“Medical advances since Roe have conclusively demonstrated that an unborn child is a unique human being at every stage of development,” he wrote. As such, the belief that women should not be able to sue if their unborn child is below an ever-changing medical standard “should be universally abandoned” and “rejected by other states until the day it is overruled by the United States Supreme Court.”

Source: LifeSiteNews

NY Knicks’ Jeremy Lin: Tearing Up the Court, and Quietly Displaying a Solid Faith in Jesus

Aimee Herd (February 17, 2012)

“I listen to [Christian music] just to remind myself why I’m playing the game, and to remind myself I’m playing to glorify God. I just really try to focus on that.” -Jeremy Lin

(New York)—In the past couple weeks, Harvard graduate and NBA point guard, Jeremy Lin, has been at or near the top of sports headlines.

While he had some stellar performances during college games, he was un-drafted when it came to playing basketball professionally, though later picked up by the Golden State Warriors. After eventually ending up with the NY Knicks, it wasn’t until he finally was brought in off the bench that his game really began to shine.

The points Lin has been racking up during the last week of games has caused the media buzz around the 23-year-old to inherit an official term: “Linsanity.”

An article in the NY Times, written by Michael Luo, noted just how important Lin is to the Asian-American community as a whole (since he is the first American player in the NBA to be of Chinese or Taiwanese descent), but especially for Asian-American Christians. (Photo credit: Richard Perry/The New York Times)

Jeremy Lin was plugged into the Harvard-Radcliffe Asian American Christian Fellowship during his last 2 college years, and it seems to have served him well, as he now emerges from public anonymity into the glaring spotlight of media attention.

Similar to football’s Tim Tebow; Jeremy unashamedly, but very naturally, shares about his faith in Jesus Christ, and how it helps to keep him focused on and off the court.

A YouTube video captured Lin discussing some of his favorite music artists—all of them Christian—and how listening to Hillsong music keeps him from getting too hyped up before a game.

“I listen to them just to remind myself why I’m playing the game, and to remind myself I’m playing to glorify God. I just really try to focus on that,” explained Lin.

In another video testimony, Lin ran down a list of “things that had to have happened” for him to get into the NBA, over which he had no control, but which he recognizes as “God’s fingerprints” all over his life “from top to bottom.”

In the testimony, Lin talks about a difficult time when he was playing with the D-league (prior to him going to the Knicks), and how he struggled to hold onto his faith in the face of disappointments with his performance and playing time. Lin adds that in the end he learned that he had to “give it all up to God” and allow Him to be His focus.

Says Lin, “Playing for great stats and everything is nice, but that satisfaction and happiness is only from game to game; it’s very temporary. …That stuff [and all the perks associated with playing in the NBA] brings temporary happiness, but it doesn’t bring eternal joy.”

Watch that video testimony by CLICKING HERE.

Source: Michael Luo – NY Times

The Effects of Sound

Sound and light travel on the same spectrum but at different frequencies.

When “…sound reaches a certain frequency, it becomes light.” Then  anything below the speed of light would fall within the sound spectrum.

Genesis 1:26, “And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” Then couple that with Genesis 1:3, “And God said…”

The first likeness that we can identify with in God is that He is very sound-oriented.

God created man with five physical senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch). The first sense that’s developed in man is the sense of hearing, and that occurs in the seventh month of pregnancy.

• We can find an example of this in Luke 1:30-41 when Gabriel appeared to Mary. In v.36 “…thy cousin Elisabeth, hath conceived: and this is the sixth month with her…” v.39 “And Mary arose and went into a city of Juda.” v.41 “…when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped within her womb.” That was the beginning of the seventh month.

Just as air is necessary to support physical life, sound is necessary to support spiritual life – for sound is a spiritual force.

Before man was created there was no material world or sound as we understand it. I remember B.B. Hankins saying, “…natural, physical  matter is the lowest manifestation of the power of God that exists.”

When we reverse the process and frequencies reaches the speed of light we dematerialize, according to Astronaut Neil Armstrong, and enter the 4th dimension or realm of the spirit.

Shalom

http://youtu.be/2w_fdyLRvmE

I’d Rather Have Jesus; George Beverly Shea at 103

Dan Wooding (February 7, 2012)

He has been honored by the Guinness Book of World Records for having sung before more people 220 million—more than anyone else in history.

(Montreat, NC)—It is hard to believe that George Beverly Shea is 103, but this amazing man celebrated this great achievement Wednesday, February 1, 2012 in Montreat, North Carolina, where he lives with his wife Karlene, and close to his dear friend, Billy Graham. And while he won’t be partying like a teenager, the youthful centenarian will celebrate the day in the company of his family and in quiet reflection, reading greetings from around the world now pouring in to him.

He says he is especially thankful for the dear people with whom he has ministered and traveled the world since the day he met Billy Graham. “For all these years, the fellowship of the BGEA team has been precious as I have sought to serve the Lord,” says Shea.

“Bev” Shea holds the record for singing to the most people in person because his wonderful bass-baritone has been a part of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Team for so many years. He has been nominated for 10 Grammy Awards, won a Grammy in 1965, was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame by the Gospel Music Association in 1978, and in 1996 was also inducted into the National Religious Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Bev Shea also was honored by The Recording Academy who honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in conjunction with the 2011 GRAMMY Awards.

Some time back, I interviewed Bev about his extraordinary life in which he has recorded over 70 albums of timeless songs and classic hymns. One of his latest at the time was a CD called “I’d Rather Have Jesus” (Word Records), which is a 20-song treasury celebrating his life and ministry.

Excerpts from the interview follow:

On how he first met Billy Graham, Shea says: “One morning, there was a rap on my office door. I looked out and there was a tall young man with blond hair and we shook hands. He was 21 and I was 31. It was Billy Graham and he had traveled in from Wheaton College on a train just to say ‘hello.’ He said that he listened to my morning hymn show called ‘Hymns From The Chapel.’ That’s how we first got acquainted.

He spoke about an experience with England’s Queen Mother. “I never got to meet her before she passed away in her sleep in March, 2002,” Bev said. “But back in the fifties when she was Queen, she and King George VI [her husband] decided to visit Washington, DC, and Mrs. Roosevelt entertained them at the White House.

“There was some entertainment that night. They had Chief White Feather, an Indian who was an opera singer. He sang two arias and then, when the audience wanted more, he said, ‘May I sing something from my heart’ and then he sang, ‘I’d Rather Have Jesus,’ the song I had the privilege of writing the music to, but not the words; they were written by Rhea Miller. After he had sung that song, the Queen looked at him and said, ‘That song bespeaks the sentiment of my heart and that of my husband.’ Isn’t that beautiful?”

When asked how he would describe his friend, Billy Graham, he replied, “If he’d never met the Lord, he still would have been a gracious gentleman. But he met the Lord, and He transformed his life at a young age, gave him that great gift of just interpreting the Word and bringing in the net.”

He said that he and Billy Graham keep in touch regularly. “He called me on the phone just the other day,” he said. “He lives just a mile away from me.”

What an example, that he, Mr. Graham and the other veteran, Cliff Barrows, are for those who think we should retire at 65!

Source: Assist News Service

MAN’S FIRST DIMENTION – THE SPIRIT

Kenneth E. Hagin

Man is a spirit who possesses a soul and lives in a body. Man’s spirit is that part of him that knows God. He is in the same class with God because God is a Spirit and God made man to fellowship with him. God made man for His own pleasure. Man is not an animal. In order to fellowship with God, man must be in the same category with God. Therefore, just as God is a Spirit, so man is a spirit.

We can’t fellowship with animals because they are in a different kingdom , a different class than we are. But we can fellowship with one another, and we can fellowship with God because we are the same type of being.

Jesus told the woman at the well in Samaria,

• “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth,” John 4:24. We cannot know God or touch Him physically. He is not a man. He is a Spirit. We cannot communicate with Him mentally, for He is not a mind. He is a Spirit. But we can reach Him with our spirit, and it is through our spirit that we come to know God.

So we know that God is a Spirit. And yet God, who is a Spirit, took upon Himself a man’s body. Jesus was God manifested in the flesh.

• “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…,” John 1:1-3, 14.

When God took upon Himself human form, He was no less God than when He didn’t have a body. Man, at physical death, leaves his body. Yet he is no less man than when he had a body. We see this in Christ’s account of Lazarus and the rich man at death,

• Luke 16:19-31, There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

In Paul’s epistle to the church at Thessalonica we see a glimpse of man’s three-fold nature.

• “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” I Thessalonians 5:23.

Another version translates this verse, “I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This three-fold man is to be preserved “entire,” without blame at the coming of the Lord. That will be a great day, for when the Lord comes, this whole man – spirit, soul and body – salvation, new birth,  will be preserved “entire.”

We have a new spirit now, for our spirits are born of God. But we will have a new body “at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.” We have a new life now, but we will have a new body then.

• The Bible talks about salvation in the past, present and future tense. When it talks about salvation in the past tense, its connected to the “new birth.” When it speaks of salvation in the present tense, its connected to the “renewed mind” Romans 12:2. When it speaks of salvation in the future tense, its connected to the redemption of our bodies.

More than one Old Testament prophet prophesied concerning Israel that God would establish a new covenant with the house of Israel. This new covenant is the New Testament as we know it. Through the prophet Ezekiel God said,

• “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes and you shall keep My judgments, and do them” Ezekiel 36:26-27.

Ezekiel was prophesying the new birth. When a man is born again, the spirit (which is the real man) is born again and the old man is gone. The old hard, stony heart is gone. He is a new creature, as Paul said in II Corinthians 5:17,

• “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

The words “heart” and “spirit” are used interchangeably in the scriptures. Your heart is your spirit. When the Word of God speaks about the heart of man, it is speaking of the spirit of man.

Peter talked about the “hidden man of the heart.” He was telling us not merely to be concerned with outward adorning,

• “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and a quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price,”   I Peter 3:4. This is the real man. It is not the outward man, the man of flesh and bones; it is not the body. It is the inward man.

Paul referred to the “hidden man of the heart” – man’s spirit – as the inward man.

• “…Though our outward man perish (another version says ‘is decaying’), yet the inward man is renewed day by day,” II Corinthians 4:16. The outward man, or the body, is growing older and “is decaying,” just as the house you live in is decaying and needs constant upkeep and repairs. But the real you is not getting older, for Paul said, “…yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

You will never be any older than what you are right now. You are no older now than you were a few years ago. You know more now than you did then, but you are not any older. Your hair may become grayer and you may get a few more wrinkles, but the real you will never become old. For the inward man is renewed day by day.

Then Paul went on to say,

• “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal,” II Corinthians 4:17-18. You may be going through some kind of trial which is making your life miserable from the natural standpoint. But remember, it is just for a moment. For we look forward to something far more wonderful which will last, not for a moment, but for eternity.

“While we look not at the things which are see, but at the things which are not seen…” The outward man is seen, but the inward man is that hidden, unseen man. Too many people are defeated in life because they are looking at the wrong things. All they ever see is physical. Smith Wigglesworth once said “I’m not moved by what I see. I’m not moved by what I feel. I’m moved only by what I believe.” The only way we can look at the unseen is by faith.

The first verse of the next chapter is a continuation of what Paul was saying here. When Paul wrote this epistle it was all one long letter to the church at Corinth. Man has divided it into chapters for easier reference. Talking about things that are not seen and about the inward man, Paul said,

• “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens,” II Corinthians 5:1.

The “earthly house” that Paul talks about here is, of course our physical body. He says that if our body is “dissolved…” if it dies and is placed in a grave, decays and goes back to dust, that is not the end. “…We have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens…” He is referring to the spirit of man, the inward man, that is eternal.

Paul continues on this subject further in this same chapter.

• “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord,” II Corinthians 5:6-8. In v.6 Paul said, “we are always confident;” then again in v.8 he said, “we are confident…” Paul knew what he was talking about. He was confident that while “we (the inward man) are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.” But when we (the inward man, the real man) are “absent from the body,” we are “present with the Lord.”

Living in the natural, physical world as we do, it is difficult to realize that the spirit world is far more real than this natural world. We think of people as existing only in their physical bodies, and when they are dead as no longer existing. However, the scriptures tell us that the real man is the inward man, the hidden man of the heart, that he is an eternal being. He will live on long after his “earthly house” has returned to dust.

Death in the scriptures does not mean the cessation of life as we understand it. It means separation from God.