I'd Rather Have Jesus

"Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways." Proverbs 28:6 (ESV)

Billy Graham preaching the Gospel

George Beverly Shea in action!

I remember as a young 11 year old in 1966, Billy Graham came to London, capital of the UK, where he held a Crusade, I think it was for 10 days, in the great exhibition centre, Earls Court, the last night moving to Wembley Stadium, our largest football ground. Night after night, people came in their thousands to hear the Good News of Jesus preached simply and plainly, with an appeal at the end for people to come to the front of the hall to commit or recommit their lives to Jesus. Many people came to know Jesus as their Saviour as a result of that great event.

It was my privilege to be taken by my parents to hear this great American preacher. There was no reason for me to go forward after the appeal at the end. I had already committed my life to Jesus at the age of 8 and been baptized at the age of 10. What made a tremendous impact apart from the fact that the man who spoke seemed so normal even though he came from America and said a lot of things that seemed to relate to a young boy living on a tiny island thousands of miles away, was the music. There was a singer called George Beverly Shea who sang the following words with great feeling and an obvious 100% commitment to their message.

I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold,

I'd rather be His than have riches untold;

I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands,

I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand

Than to be the king of a vast domain

And be held in sin's dread sway;

I'd rather have Jesus than anything

This world affords today.

The simplicity of the tune was such that it didn't detract from the words being conveyed by a man in his mid 40's who was well dressed and obviously meant every word which he sang. It certainly made an impact on someone who came from a poor background in a small village where we lived a contented and care-free life playing outside without any fear and knowing that we were safe and loved by our parents and extended family.

I think something became ingrained in my thinking at that point, and that is that there are two very distinct sets of values, involving earthly treasures and wealth and heavenly treasures. During our life time on earth, which is short, we have to make a choice about which we are going to set our hearts on, because, as Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21 (ESV).

So the choice we have to make in our life is to follow Jesus who took on Himself the form of a servant and owned nothing or to hanker after the things that are for this life only. We have been taught a salutary lesson about earthly investment in the last few years, and many of our bankers, financiers and wise investors are looking for alternative investments.

Those of us who follow Jesus as our Saviour and Lord have effectively chosen an alternative investment, one that involves laying up treasures in Heaven. The way in which this is contrasted with the world's way in the opening Proverb quoted is very stark, it is better to be poor and walk in integrity than rich and crooked in our ways. I have to challenge myself on a regular basis, with the last two lines of the verse in this hymn. Can I honestly say today, here and now, "I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today?" If we are involved in the King's work, serving Jesus and reaching out to others with our hearts and lives to share His love and compassion, then the King will provide for our needs according to His riches, and He owns everything.

Some Thoughts and Comments on Psalm 145

David playing the harp

PSALM 145

1Praise. By David: I will praise you to the heights, my God, the king; I will bless your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless you; I will praise your name forever and ever. 3 Great is ADONAI and greatly to be praised; his greatness is beyond all searching out. 4 Each generation will praise your works to the next and proclaim your mighty acts. 5 I will meditate on the glorious splendor of your majesty and on the story of your wonders. 6 People will speak of your awesome power, and I will tell of your great deeds. 7 They will gush forth the fame of your abounding goodness, and they will sing of your righteousness. 8 ADONAI is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and great in grace. 9 ADONAI is good to all; his compassion rests on all his creatures. 10 All your creatures will thank you, ADONAI, and your faithful servants will bless you. 11 They will speak of the glory of your kingship, and they will tell about your might; 12 to let everyone know of your mighty acts and the glorious majesty of your kingship. 13 Your kingship is an everlasting kingship, your reign continues through all generations. 14 ADONAI supports all who fall and lifts up all who are bent over. 15 The eyes of all are looking to you; you give them their food at the right time. 16 You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. 17 ADONAI is righteous in all his ways, full of grace in all he does. 18 ADONAI is close to all who call on him, to all who sincerely call on him. 19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. 20 ADONAI protects all who love him, but all the wicked he destroys. 21 My mouth will proclaim the praise of ADONAI; all people will bless his holy name forever and ever.

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I was greatly blessed by hearing some excellent exposition and comment on this Psalm yesterday whilst visiting my mother's church and what a wonderful Psalm it is in uplifting and exalting our great God high above everything and all principalities and powers that ever have been, are now or ever shall exist. David declares here that he is resolved to bless God every day for ever and ever. As followers of Yeshua, are we resolved in our hearts to do the same as the example set by the Psalmist King of Israel who most likely wrote the original musical setting to this Psalm? How I would love to have heard that original performance, but unfortunately the CD hadn't been invented then.

We learn from this Psalm that David praised God for His work in Creation, abounding goodness, compassion and righteousness. Here David declares in verse 10 that all God's creatures and faithful servants will bless Him. He then goes on to declare His kingship and the fact that His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, in stark contrast to the passing and fading governments of the kings and presidents of this world. Do you know and recognize the Kingship of God in your life today?

We then discover in verse 14 that God is a support to all who fall and lifts up those who are bent over or stooped. In verses 15 and 16 we see that He is our provider of food and clothing and satisfies the desires of every living creature. Have you experienced His provision in your life, particularly during hard times?

In verse 19 we see that He fulfils our desires and hears the cries of those who call out to Him, and responds by saving them, as He did when the Israelites needed deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Have you known His saving hand and deliverance in your own personal experience? Do you know what it is to be set free from sin and slavery to sin, addictions or bad habits of one kind or another?

If you cry out in your need, whatever it may be today, God will bring deliverance, salvation, healing and wholeness through the perfect sacrifice of Yeshua who died to take away our sin and reconcile us to God. You will then be only too willing and prepared to praise God and bless His holy name for ever, day after day, just as David declared he would in this wonderful Psalm.

This article was originally written for the Messianic Faith and Public Policy group on Facebook.

Some thoughts on Micah 5

MICAH 5

1 Now gather yourself in troops, you who are accustomed to being in troops; they have laid siege to us. They are striking the judge of Isra'el on the cheek with a stick. 2 But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of Y'hudah, out of you will come forth to me the future ruler of Isra'el, whose origins are far in the past, back in ancient times. 3 Therefore he will give up [Isra'el] only until she who is in labor gives birth. Then the rest of his kinsmen will return to the people of Isra'el. 4 He will stand and feed his flock in the strength of ADONAI, in the majesty of the name of ADONAI his God; and they will stay put, as he grows great to the very ends of the earth; 5 and this will be peace. If Ashur invades our land, if he overruns our fortresses, we will raise seven shepherds against him, eight leaders of men. 6 They will shepherd the land of Ashur with the sword, the land of Nimrod at its gates; and he will rescue us from Ashur when he invades our land, when he overruns our borders. 7 Then the remnant of Ya'akov, surrounded by many peoples, will be like dew from ADONAI, like showers on the grass, which doesn't wait for a man or expect anything from mortals. 8 The remnant of Ya'akov among the nations, surrounded by many peoples, will be like a lion among forest animals, like a young lion among flocks of sheep - if it passes through, tramples and tears to pieces, there is no one to rescue them. 9 Your hand will be raised over your enemies; all your adversaries will be destroyed. 10 "When that day comes," says ADONAI, "I will cut off your horses from among you and destroy your chariots. 11 I will cut off the cities of your land and lay waste your strongholds. 12 I will cut off sorceries from your land; you will no longer have soothsayers. 13 I will cut off your carved images and standing-stones from among you; no longer will you worship what your own hands have made. 14 I will pull up your sacred poles from among you and destroy your enemies. 15 I will wreak vengeance in anger and fury on the nations, because they would not listen."

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Micah, in these prophetic words foretells how Isra'el, though oppressed by many foes with which it was surrounded (as is still the case today) will be delivered by a future ruler, to be born in an insignificant village, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, home of one of the smallest clans of Y'hudah.

We know that this prophecy also points forward to the coming of Jesus, King David's greater son. The wise men were aware of Micah's writings and were simultaneously watching the signs in the heavens. They were led to follow the star to find the new born king. There they were able to present their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, representative of His royalty, pleasing sacrifice to God and death and burial.

We know with hindsight that this was not the end of the story, but that He rose again, ascended into Heaven and has been exalted to the highest place, having conquered sin, the world, Satan and all his hosts and the ultimate enemy, death.

In verse 5 in the ESV translation it says "And He shall be their peace." What wonderful news this is to us today, that we can have peace through putting our faith and trust in Him and His perfect sacrifice for sin. We can also know forgiveness from sin and look forward to an eternity spent in His presence. I pray that we may know His peace in our hearts at this time and share this peace and Good News with our families and friends. Also, like the wise men, let us bring our offerings of praise and worship, in a spirit of gratitude and offer our lives in service to Him, who has given us everything.

This article was first written for the Messianic Faith and Public Policy group on Facebook