Paula Wiseman

Faith and life meet in a story

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Blessed Redeemer

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Up Calv’ry’s mountain one dreadful morn
Walked Christ, my Savior, weary and worn;
Facing for sinners death on the cross,
That He might save them from endless loss.

“Father forgive them!” thus did He pray,
E’en while His lifeblood flowed fast away;
Praying for sinners while in such woe–
No one but Jesus ever loved so.

O how I love Him, Savior and Friend,
How can my praises ever find end?
Through years unnumbered on heaven’s shore,
My tongue shall praise Him forevermore.

Chorus:
Blessed Redeemer!
Precious Redeemer!
Seems now I see Him on Calvary’s tree;
Wounded and bleeding, for sinners pleading–
Blind and unheeding– dying for me!

Avis Christiansen, 1895

Read Galatians 3:13-14

(Easter season is not far off. It worth taking some time to consider the wonder of Christ’s sacrifice. We were all blind and unheeding, and yet, He died to rescue us from endless suffering and loss. Precious Redeemer, indeed!)

The Seven I AM Statements: The True Vine

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“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” John 15:1

This is the final of seven I AM statements Jesus made that are recorded in John’s gospel. Each declaration employs a vivid metaphor that encapsulates Christ’s salvation work. But with each statement, Jesus exposes our hearts as well.

Jesus continues His Upper Room discourse to His disciples on His last night with them. In this statement, I AM the true vine, He further tells us His Father is the vinedresser. And in verse 5 we, His followers, are the branches.

But consider the situation for a moment. Jesus is preparing His closest followers for His death, but also to take up His work and carry it on. This is a serious responsibility, one that has the Father’s attention.

Every branch that does not produce fruit, He cuts off.

Every branch that does produce fruit, He prunes to stimulate more production.

So that brings up a simple question. Are we producing or not? And if we’re not producing, what do we need to change. The Greek word for prunes is kathairo, and it means to purge. Think of it like using Marie Kondo’s methods on your life. Does this bring the Father joy and glory? Is it useful for His kingdom? Is it pure and beautiful? If the answers are no, it’s got to go … IF we want to continue to be fruitful.

Theologically, this process is called sanctification, an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit to make us more like Christ.

If that were the only outworking of Jesus’s statement, that would be more than enough to keep us busy, but He goes on.

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5

Jerry Bridges, in his challenging book, Respectable Sins, defines ungodliness as “living one’s everyday life with little or no thought of God, or of God’s will, or of God’s glory, or of one’s dependence on God.”

In other words, ungodliness is the opposite of abiding in Him and producing fruit. And ungodliness gets you cut off.

I am the true vine. My Father is the vinedresser. You are the branches. Will you bear fruit?

Or will you resist making the necessary changes? Will you persist in self-sufficiency?

The guys in that room that night got off to a bumpy start after Jesus died, but then they turned the world upside down.

What about us?

Fruit or no fruit?
Pruned or cut off?
Abiding or ungodly?

 

 

Breathe on Me, Breath of God

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Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will Thy will,
To do and to endure.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Till I am wholly Thine,
Till all this earthly part of me
glows with Thy fire divine.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
so shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life
Of Thine eternity.

Edwin Hatch, 1878

Read Ezekiel 36:22-32

(The breath of God is a poetic expression for the Spirit of God. It is the Spirit who sanctifies us, making us ever more like Christ. In these few short verses, the writer captures that idea, that daily work of forming us, making us more like Christ. He replaces our wants and desires. He purifies us so that we reflect Christ. And He will bring us safely home. For now, may all this earthly part of me glow with Thy fire divine.)

Holy, Chosen, Special

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“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 7:6

Consider this carefully.

A holy people.
Chosen.
A special treasure.

How should you conduct yourself knowing this?
How does this change your perspective on yourself and your challenges?

Holy, chosen and special.
And it’s not just an Old Testament thing.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

So let’s not live downcast and discouraged.
Or powerless and ineffective.
Or undisciplined and unaffected.

Live like you are holy, chosen and special.
Proclaim His praises.

The Seven I AM Statements: The Way, the Truth and the Life

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Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

The last three of the seven emphatic I AM statements Jesus makes in the Gospel of John are made in private. The declarations that He is Good Shepherd, the Door of the Sheep, the Light of the World and the Bread of Life were all made in front of the crowds. But beginning with the Resurrection and the Life, the statements were made in private. It should not be a surprise that these fuller, deeper revelations come to those closest to Him. Even so, each statement employs a metaphor to describe His salvation work. But in each of the conversations or discourses, He also exposes us.

Sometime, read through John 13-17 in one sitting. It will only take a few minutes. Now try to imagine hearing it all for the first time. Information, doctrine, revelation, encouragement, and instruction are packed into those chapters. Seminaries offer courses on this Upper Room discourse that require weeks of intense, graduate-level study to mine the riches of what Jesus discloses. Even those are insufficient. Tucked in there is an exchange that reveals how clueless the disciples were. But in all honesty, we would be just as clueless if the Holy Spirit were not helping us out.

In the preceding chapter, Jesus had announced His betrayal, His departure, and Peter’s denial. Then comes, “Don’t be troubled by this. Yes, I’m leaving, but I’m leaving to prepare a place for you. And you know the way to where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (John 14:4-5) That’s when Jesus responds, I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. He answers both of Thomas’s protests.

Jesus’s entire mission has been to bring us to the Father. Not to heal people-although He did. Not to give us great words to live by-although He did. He came to bring lost people back to the Father, to restore the relationship we destroyed through our rebellion.

Thomas and the guys were far more focused on what Jesus’s words meant for them. How would their lives be impacted? What changes would they have to make? Not to mention, how were they supposed to make sense of all this?

Jesus draws their attention back to the kingdom work, work that He was turning over to them. “Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12

We have quite a bit in common with Thomas. Jesus says, you know where I’m going and you know the way. You know the mission you’ve been given and you know how to accomplish it. We have been tasked with bringing people to the Father. That is through Jesus Christ and His atoning work.

But too often we respond, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I don’t know where to start. If only Jesus would be clear.

That’s kind of how Philip stalls and dodges. Well, if you would show us the Father, then we would understand. I’m waiting on a clearer revelation, on a sign. If the Holy Spirit would just make it known.

How long have we been believers? What sign are we waiting for? What prodding or prompting does Jesus still need to give?

He has given all the information, all the tools we need. I AM the way, the truth, and life. No one comes to the Father, but by Me.

The only question is, will we take that up as our mission or will we dither about the temporal impact that commission has on our life rather than the eternal impact it has on those who need to come to the Father?

 

 

 

Pentecostal Power

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Lord, as of old at Pentecost
Thou didst Thy power display,
With cleansing purifying flame,
Descend on us today.

For mighty works for Thee, prepare
And strengthen every heart;
Come, take possession of Thine own
And nevermore depart. [Chorus]

All self consume, all sin destroy!
With earnest zeal endue
Each waiting heart to work for Thee;
O Lord, our faith renew! [Chorus]

Speak, Lord! before Thy throne we wait,
Thy promise we believe,
And will not let Thee go until
The blessing we receive. [Chorus]

Chorus:
Lord, send the old-time power, the Pentecostal power!
Thy floodgates of blessing on us throw open wide!
Lord send the old-time power. the Pentecostal power.
That sinners be converted and Thy name glorified!

Charles H. Gabriel, 1912

Read Acts 2:1-4

(For mighty works for Thee, prepare and strengthen every heart. Preparation can sometimes be a challenge. It’s slow, time-consuming and keeps us from getting underway. It often requires discipline and self-denial. Consider preparation required for a race or a test. Aren’t the results worth it? So what stops us from preparing or surrendering to God’s preparation regimen to accomplish mighty works for Him? Isn’t the display of His power and His glory worth it?)

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