The Rock

In Australia there is a very large rock. It is way out into the desert, in the boonies, 200 miles from any place at all. It is called Ayers Rock.

People come from all over the world to see this rock. It's one Big Rock. It has been there for centuries. There is something about that rock that is attractive to people from every nation. Perhaps it's security.

It's been there for millenniums and still stands majestically in sun, rain, and wind. It's stability. It hasn't moved, it's in the same place.

In our ever changing world I believe there is a need to see something that never changes and is not affected by storm, intense heat, or monsoon rain.

However, we look into the Bible, we will see God, our Rock of Ages. In Psalms 71:3 we have these words...

"Thou art my Rock and my Fortress."

David calls God his Rock and many times in scripture God is depicted as The Rock. He is unchangeable, unmovable and strong. He stands forever, never moved by world changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

He is not just THE Rock, he wants to be YOUR rock. David said MY rock.

How does God become your rock? my rock? our rock?

He will become your Rock when you are willing to put your soul in faith on Him. When you receive Jesus into your heart He will come to you, your never changing rock, your fortress for protection and stability. He will be there, strong and solid, and you can trust Him for peace, for protection, and for power.

When Israel trusted God they had peace, protection, and power, but when they forgot, they were defeated.

"Thou has not been mindful of the Rock of my strength."
Isaiah 17:10

Moses singing the song of victory over the enemy says:

"Their rock sold them...
but their rock is not our Rock."
Deut 32:30-31

We are founded on the solid Rock, the Rock of all rocks. And we are founded not on a religious system, priest, or pastor. Our Rock is GOD HIMSELF.

Now sometimes in life those of us on the Rock get a little nervous, fearful, and we tremble. Perhaps you are going through a time of difficulty, storm, or dark clouds and you feel worried and shaky. One poster says with confidence."You may tremble on the Rock but the Rock never trembles under me."

Beloved, when you are afraid, remember. He is our Rock, and we can trust Him.

I was visiting my daughter, she has in the front yard a rather large rock. It has a hole drilled into it from top to bottom and a pump pumps water up and out the top of the rock. I looked out of the window and there on the rock were two small finches drinking the water out of the rock. They were so happy.

I thought of a verse in 2 Corinthians 10:4. "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."

These little birds didn't just look with wonder at water coming from the rock and tremble, they drank from it, got their strength from it, and enjoyed it.

Are you drinking? or trembling? or just looking?

~Bill Gibson
Palisades 11/9/06

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Rock of Ages

A Christian hymn composed by Augustus M. Toplady in 1775. Sung in the video by the Antrim Mennonite Choir, from their album 'Amazing Grace.'

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Abandoned

Steve Brown of Key Life tells of seeing a beat up old car. It was the ugliest car he had ever seen. It was ugly on top of ugly. It had a large gash in the side, one of the doors was being held together by bailing wire, several body parts were missing, and it was covered with rust. And then, on the back bumper, it said:

This is not an abandoned car.

The human race is abandoning cars right and left, and not only that, but babies, children, and grandparents.

A while back we saw the disciples going to the other side of the sea and the storm arose. I am sure you remember that. Well, they got to the other side. And it wasn't a pretty place. It was the place of the tumbs known as Gadara. (Mark 5:1-20)

There they were met by a man. One man, not a crowd waiting and listening, but an Abandoned Man. An uncontrollable and strong man. A very helpless, hopeless, abandoned by humanity to the tombs man.

Jesus came across the sea at night to reach out to one man - this man. Notice, he knew who Jesus was and bowed down to him.

"When he saw Jesus from a distance,
he ran and fell on his knees in front of him."
(Mark 5:6)

Jesus commanded that the evil spirits leave. It was a scary, a totally scary experience. If you have ever experienced such as this, you can testify that it will make your hair stand on end.

Jesus asks the evil spirit his name, "Legion" he answered. There were many, it was an extreme case.

The demons knew who Jesus was and asked to be sent into the swine, and Jesus did. The owners of the swine came to Jesus and saw the man in his right mind sitting peacefully with Jesus.

When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
(Mark 5:15)

The herdsmen saw the evidence of the power of God in a human ilve, heard the story of a deliverance of the greatest magnitude, but they asked Jesus to leave and he left.

Then the man asked to go with Jesus, and Jesus said to him, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."

What does this teach us?

1. No one will be abandoned by God unless he wills to.
2. No one is beyond His help.
3. He will not abandon you.

As sinful as we might be and as bound by chainds of sin, drugs, self, and beyond help, abandoned by society, yet... Jesus will come to you where you are.

You probably never were as bad as that. You have been good - more or less good - but still sin is sin and you are as far away from God in your sin as this man was in his. The Gospel is the Good News! Beloved there is mercy with the Lord.

Another lesson is that Jesus is teaching us, we who have been rescued and received mercy. And it is this: There is a world of people out there needing to hear the Gospel of Jesus. And we are to go where they are and give them the good news.

What can we do at this point in time? Right now?

1. We can pray for our missionaries.
2. We can support missionaries on a regular basis.
3. You can become involved with those in the faraway places right here in your own home right now.

~Bill Gibson
Palisades 10/26/06

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The Healing of a Demon-possessed Man

They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"

Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"

"My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

~Mark 5:1-20
New International Version

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