This Great Christ Jesus - This One Mediator

There was a time when Jacob was sent by his father Isaac to the land of Paddan – aram, to take a wife for himself there.  It was the land where the people of Jacob’s mother dwelt.  We know her as Rebekah.  The day had arrived and Isaac sent Jacob off with the blessing of Abraham upon him and his descendants.

At some point in Jacob’s journey he had come to a place where he decided to spend the night.  While there he had a dream.  In this dream there was a Ladder set upon the earth with its top reaching into the heavens.  The angels of God were ascending and descending upon it.  Before leaving the following morning Jacob named the place Bethel.

It was about two thousand years later that our Lord Jesus met with Nathanael – one who would be among the chosen twelve.  Upon seeing Nathanael drawing towards him Jesus exclaimed, “ Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!”  Nathanael asked how it was that Jesus knew of him.  Jesus answered and said to him, “ before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”  Nathanael was astonished, confessing to the Lord that surely he was the Son of God.  The Lord responded with these words.  “ Hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” 

And so, who was it that the Ladder in Jacob’s dream would be representing?  Doubtless it was our Lord.  But what does the  matter speak to us of?  It’s telling us that it is none but our precious Lord Jesus, who in his Spirit stands upon the earth, while reaching even to the heavens.  In this he has become the One and only Mediator between heaven and earth.  By this he joins every believer to the Father – in and through the Person of himself.  But what is the purpose of the angels ascending and descending upon him?  No doubt, this is to do his bidding in whatever the matters may be.  At times it may be for them to attend to we believers, who are members of his body – connected by and through the Spirit.  No doubt this is why Hebrews 1:14 reads, “ Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?”

Nevertheless, I’m sure that Bethel – the place of Jacob’s Ladder, is not the only place  where the Spirit of Christ fills all space between heaven and the surface of our world.  It would only make sense that the totality of earth’s atmosphere is filled with the presence of the Spirit of Christ Jesus, since He is God the Son, and in Him are no limits.  True that today He is seated at the right hand of the Father.  Yet by His Spirit He fills all that is of the earth and beyond -  even all of the heavens of God.

J. Pecoraro

The Paths of God

For every believer there is a course to follow – and on it should the eye always remain.  It is all that we are called to; It is all that we should desire; it is all that we must come to know.  And so we gaze intently at His holy Word, while our path becomes full of light before us.  Eagerly must we set our feet upon the paths of God, that we may search them out.  In a world only in part yet full of wonder, should we not ever explore them?  And as we travel on He broadens the way; then more splendid grows the Light.

Love and Power and Glory and Beauty envelop the way of the adventurer that treads the paths of God.  I am careful to set my foot in no place wherein my Captain has not first made me a way.  For it is He alone that goes before us and makes ready every byway that must receive us, formed and fashioned by the Almighty’s hand.  Though He goes before me, it is not every path that is pleasant.  Many are they that become darkened for reason of approaching storms.  For we must not only know the joys and delights of the One who leads us, but also the trials and the burdens and the heavy heart which were once known by Him.  These are roads stony and not smooth, slippery and not easy to hold to.  Still, His sure and steady hand is ever stretched out behind Him, and to it we hold in those dark places where the tempest rages and heavy rains sting the face of the one who treads the paths of God.

But it is not long and there appears a silver lining, so that soon every ominous cloud makes haste, obeying the will of their Master on high.  Ahead lies a season of refreshing and fellowship divine with the One who our souls love – the One who we are joined to forever.  Again do we drink from brooks of living waters and eat of the bountiful fruit of the land.  Together under setting sun do we taste of the wine of our desire.  Once more life is good. Our path is full of light again; in this light do we bask all the day.  We catch hold of the wind and on it we ride to wondrous heights – heights not ordinarily encountered by most who tread the paths of God.

Lonely are the heights of heaven, those roads that great souls travel, where the hush of true holiness falls.  Here like pure snow it covers all the land.  This is sanctuary, a world hid away from all others.  Those to be encountered in these places are but a few, but when one’s way does cross with the way of another, most wonderful is that meeting.  So glorious are the heights of heaven for those who tread the paths of God.

But even in heaven’s heights do wars occur, and so one must remain vigilant.  Whether in high or low places; whether in the sunshine or the storm; whether in the morning or in the noontide, war may suddenly be waged.  And so at all times and in all places seven swords will be needed.  With these we are able to lay waste the enemy.  And these are the seven swords that we must never be discovered without.  They are Faith and Hope and Love; they are Knowledge and Wisdom and Understanding.  And the last and seventh sword is the sword of the Person of the Spirit.  It is He that makes sharp the blades of the other six; and that by the working of His own blade, so that they may become of powerful effect.

But one Day every sword shall become a plowshare; and as these become changed so will their purpose become radically different.  Instead of tools to bring down an enemy to the ground, they will serve to bring the elect up from the ground.  Then they will be implemented in such a way so that the good fruits of the Father’s election become grown and harvested; and whoever may taste of them shall be nourished and strengthened.

And in those days the heavy rains will no longer sting the face of the one who treads the paths of God.  Nor will the storms bring anything to ruin anymore.  The tempest will never again blow with relentless fury.  Then, as it is written, “All of the rough places shall become smooth, and every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low.  Made straight in the desert will be a highway for our God, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed.”  Yes this is the future and surely this is the certain hope for all who tread the paths of God.

“For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.”

J. Pecoraro                                      

The Wild Stallion

A wild stallion once was I,
Running the grasslands, spirits high.
And though my life was filled with ease,

A greater one I could not please.

This greater one, a son of man,
Desired to put me on his land.
To break my will, and to break my heart,
And require of me my every part.

So why did I take to such a notion
Of boundless loyalty and devotion?
Had I become witless, or did I merely need change,
For life had grown wearisome on that range?

One brisk autumn morning a rider drew near,
But somehow I knew there was nothing to fear.
Unlike other times when I’d just run away,
I willfully laid down my freedom that day.

There were hard times ahead and stubborn was I
For the ways of the free do not easily die.
But my master was gentle and loving and kind
And when the task was complete there was newness of mind.

I no longer run for my own foolish pleasure.
I’ll reveal you a secret, an invaluable treasure.
A horse of the wild may run freer and faster,
But the horse that’s fulfilled is the horse with a master.

J. Pecoraro

A poem that I wrote for a message I gave back in the nineties.  And I guess I can say it's my testimony.

Separated From The Separated

 As believers in the Triune God, we have no doubt heard how He has called us to be separate from the world.  But remember that this is but a spiritual separation, since daily we find ourselves mingling with the people of the world.  Although, one day, a separation will come to pass both spiritually and physically, as we are caught up to the heavens to be with Him.  Until then, we have only become separated from unbelievers by and through the Spirit.  Yet are all separated unto our God to the same degree?  I would think not.

Do you remember when Joshua, Caleb, and ten other men were chosen to go spy out the land that their God desired for them to conquer?  When they returned ten of the men reported that Israel would be no match for what awaited them beyond the Jordan.  Only Joshua and Caleb believed that the God of Israel would deliver their enemies into their hands.  Were the other ten cowards?  They couldn’t have been, since out of a great number of Israel’s fighting men these ten were picked to go spy out the land.

I’d say that there wasn’t any way that the ten could have been cowards.  But they instead had another problem.  They couldn’t see how victory in Canaan would be humanly possible.  Though I’m sure that Joshua and Caleb also believed this.  Yet the difference between these two and the other ten was that they were not considering the human factor.  In their hearts they had cancelled it out, believing that it would be none but their God who would deliver to them the victory. 

Personally, I can see how all twelve of these fighting men would have been separated unto God over and above all the other soldiers.  However, there were two that stood out from the ten – separated from the separated; walking more near to their God than the others through faith.

It is much the same with the Body of Christ in the world today.  All who make up His Body have been separated unto their God.  But this doesn’t mean that there haven’t been some who have drawn more near to the Godhead than great numbers have done.  But then there will be those who will soar to greater heights still in the Holy One.  And so the ascents will continue on and on.  No doubt, the greater the ascents become, the fewer there will be who will abide in them.

Then there will be the Son.  It is He who is our High Tower, breaking through into the heavens with His own - setting each one in their place.  Glory be to the Son forever.  Even eternity will never reveal the mystery of Him, nor the mystery of His great love.

J. Pecoraro