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Need2Know
 Posted:
Thu Nov 20, 2008 8:02 am |
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If Heaven is Perfect, Won't It Be Perfectly Boring?
by Hank Hanegraaff
An all-too-prevalent perception in Christianity and the culture is that heaven is going to be one big bore. Pardon the golf analogy, but I have heard more than one person say that a never-ending repetition of hole-in-ones would make even Tiger Woods want to give up the game. That, however, is far from what heaven will be. Rather, heaven will be a place of continuous learning, growth, and development. By nature, humans are finite, and that is how it always will be. Thus, while we will have an incredible capacity to learn, we will never come to the end of learning. In the words of philosopher Peter Kreeft: "Knowing everything would be more like Hell than Heaven for us. For one thing, we need progress and hope: we need to look forward to knowing something new tomorrow. Mystery is our mind's food. If we truly said, 'I have seen everything,' we would conclude, as did the author of Ecclesiastes, 'all is vanity.' For another thing, the more knowledge, the more responsibility. Only omnipotence can bear the burden of omniscience; only God's shoulders are strong enough to carry the burden of infinite knowledge without losing the joy."
To begin with, we will never come to the end of exploring our Creator. God by nature is infinite and we are limited. Thus, what we now merely apprehend about the Creator we will spend an eternity seeking to comprehend. Imagine finally beginning to get a handle on how God is one in nature and three in person. Or how Jesus Christ can at once be fully God and fully man. Imagine exploring the depths of God's love, wisdom, and holiness. Imagine forever growing in our capacities to fathom his immensity, immutability, and incomprehensibility. And to top it all off, the more we come to know him, the more there will be to know.
Furthermore, we will never come to an end of exploring the Creator's creative handiwork. The universe will literally be our playground. Even if we were capable of exhausting the "new heavens and new earth" (Revelation 21:1), God could create brand-new vistas for us to explore. I love the way A. A. Hodge puts it:
Heaven, as the eternal home of the divine Man and of all the redeemed members of the human race, must necessarily be thoroughly human in its structure, conditions, and activities. Its joys and activities must all be rational, moral, emotional, voluntary and active. There must be the exercise of all the faculties, the gratification of all tastes, the development of all talent capacities, the realization of all ideals. The reason, the intellectual curiosity, the imagination, the aesthetic instincts, the holy affections, the social affinities, the inexhaustible resources of strength and power native to the human soul must all find in heaven exercise and satisfaction. Then there must always be a goal of endeavor before us, ever future.
Finally, we will never come to the end of exploring fellow Christians. Our ability to appreciate one another will be enhanced exponentially. In the words of B. H. Streeter, our love for one another will be of an "intenser quality, will lavish itself on a wide range of persons, and will always express itself more freely and in more diverse ways." Imagine being able to love another human being without even a tinge of selfishness. Imagine appreciating, no, reveling in the exalted capacities and station that God bestows on another without so much as a modicum of jealousy.
Will heaven be perfect? Absolutely. Will it be boring? Absolutely not! We will learn without error — but make no mistake about it, we will learn, we will grow, and we will develop. In heaven, Kreeft eloquently explains, "we remain like the tiny figures in a Chinese landscape: small subjects in an enormously larger objective world." Far from being dead and dull, heaven will be an exhilarating, exciting experience that will never come to an end.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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| Need2Know
Posted:
Thu Nov 20, 2008 12:58 pm |
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Our Anchor is Jesus Christ
by Dr. John Barnett
One of the most feared activities of the ancient world was sailing in a ship across the Mediterranean Sea. Why? Because shipwrecks were so common back then. Many who sailed never returned. The families of would be travelers and sailors most often went with them to the docks and offered farewell sacrifices to the gods; hoping that if pacified safety would be theirs.
The numerous National Geographic documentaries on all the wrecks dotting the Mediterranean sea floor, are a mute testimony to the true danger of shipwrecks to the ancients. Think of the implications of being in a doomed boat. Shipwreck-when what you counted on to get you safely to the other shore--fails you! To "ship wreck" meant that the ship you trusted to take you across the dangerous waters had failed you and you were not going to make it. If you lose your ship in the midst of the sea there is usually no hope, no place to go-and certain death.
Paul uses the word nauageo 'ship wreck' when he describes his own experiences with three failed boats in his travels.
• 2 Corinthians 11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
Amazingly, Paul uses the same word to describe those who thrust away sound doctrine and try to sail on their own and without Christ's way, truth and life.
• 1 Timothy 1:19-20 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck , 20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
The most dangerous shipwreck is not the one that merely endangers your body. Jesus warns that false teaching can sink your soul as well-and Paul names some headed towards destruction.
What can cause a soul to be shipwrecked? False teachers and belief in a false Christ. That was one of Christ's constant warnings. When Christ Returns there is-- Global False teaching, and Deceptive signs and wonders.
• Matthew 24:24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
God's way is:
• GODLY seeking, RESTRAINED from within by the Holy Spirit, ENLIGHTENED by God in our mind and spirit, RIGHTEOUS by God's grace, ASHAMED of sinning, FORGIVEN of all sins, REPENTANT of all known sins in the life, SATISFIED continually by Christ, DISCIPLINED by the work of God's grace, HEEDING God's Word , REAL and not fake, SAVED and sure of it!
How can we avoid shipwreck? By being tied to Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus Anchors our souls in Heaven.
• Hebrews 6:11-12, 18-20 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. NKJV
Christ is our Refuge: v. 18b "we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us" Salvation is laying hold of Jesus. Christ anchors our soul in Heaven . v. 19 "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil" We have continual access to God's presence, not just once a year through a fallen mortal man, but always-at every moment-through our Divine and Immortal Great High Priest, Jesus Christ.
Jesus is our prodromos who has gone to prepare a place for us. Philip Mauro suggests that the picture here is that of the forerunner used in ancient times to help a vessel enter the harbor safely. He would jump from the ship, wade to the harbor, and fasten the strong rope of the ship to a rock along the shore. Then, by means of a winch, the vessel was brought in.
Just so, our forerunner has gone to heaven, where He stands ready to guide us safely into the Holy of Holies. We are fastened to a rock that cannot be moved. Let the storms tear our sails to shreds; let the floors creak; let the gusts of wind attempt to blow us off course; let the tides overwhelm us; we shall arrive safely into the port. Each day we are pulled a notch closer to the harbor by the One who proved He is more powerful than death.
"We have an anchor that keeps the soul Steadfast and sure while the billows roll, Fastened to the Rock which cannot move, Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour's love."
As our High Priest, Jesus serves as our anchor, who forever keeps our souls from drifting away from God-and becoming shipwrecked.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:00 am |
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The God that Gives Us Living Hope
by Dr. John Barnett
Our Great and Mighty God has His Hand reaching down from Heaven to each of us. He says to us:
• I am your Creator (Isaiah 42:5).
God made you just like you are to do what no one else can do. You are my special, precious child. Trust Me, follow Me, worship Me. We need to from our spirits respond to Him as Creator by saying to Him:
I will trust You Lord; and I will follow You Lord; and I will worship You Lord.
• I am your Sustainer (Isaiah 42:6).
God wants to hold your hand and keep you. Trust Me enough to grab My Hand, and love Me enough to let Me shine through your life. We need to from our spirits respond to Him as Sustainer by saying to Him:
I want to by faith, from this moment forward, start reaching up each new day I live and hold onto Your Hand to show that I really do trust You; and I want to love You so that others see Your love in me.
• I am your Redeemer (Isaiah 42:7).
God bought and paid for with Christ's blood, a great price. Realize anew that you are not your own, you belong to Me. Decide anew that what you say, where you go, what you wear, and how you fill your time needs to bring honor to Me as your God. We need to from our spirits respond to Him as Redeemer by saying to Him:
Thank you for buying me, I am unworthy of Your love; and I belong to You so I want You to be pleased today with what I say, where I go, what I wear, and how I spend my priceless moments of life.
• I am your Revealer (Isaiah 42:9).
God has spoken in this Word you hold. He leads you through His Word, comforts and keeps you with His Word, and changes you into more usefulness only by His Word. He says, "Let My Word fill your mind and life". We need to from our spirits respond to Him as Revealer by saying to Him:
I want to get into Your Word today and spend time with You my Lord; and I want to feel your comfort; and I want to follow Your will for my life; and I want you to change me a little more to be like Jesus today than I was yesterday.
• I am your Leader (Isaiah 48:17c).
God has given to us the pathway we are to follow in life (Psalm 16:11); and He alone is the guide we can safely follow. The Lord wants to guide and keep us; and often, it is much more than we want to follow and trust. We need to from our spirits respond to Him as Leader by saying to Him:
I want to follow Your Path. I will submit to You as my Leader today. And when the path gets rough, or I begin to fear, I want to reach up again and take Your Hand stretched out to me.
• I am your Peace-Giver (Isaiah 48:17).
God has told us over and over that great peace belongs to all who will love and obey His Word (Psalm 119:165). He offers peace that flows like a river through every part of our lives; and He offers a cleansing wave of His grace across the beaches of our lives--so that we can walk on each new day of life with a fresh, new beginning. We need to from our spirits respond to Him as Peace-Giver by saying to Him:
I want Your peace every moment. Keep me in that perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3), and I will do my part-I will keep my mind focused on You. When I feel restless I will repent of whatever wickedness prompted that feeling, look back at You and thank you for Your river of peace, and waves of righteousness.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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| Need2Know
Posted:
Mon Nov 24, 2008 10:22 am |
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TIME TO TALK
Joshua sent some of his men from Jericho to spy out the town of Ai . . . Joshua 7:2 (NLT)
Let me start by giving some historical perspective. Joshua had been given the responsibility of leading the children of Israel into the land God had promised them long ago. Their quest began with an astounding victory over the city of Jericho. Israel looked invincible, and the town of Ai was next on their list.
Compared to Jericho, Ai was nothing-an afterthought. Joshua sent a few men to spy it out, and they all agreed that only a few soldiers were needed in order to secure victory. But Israel suffered a humiliating defeat instead. The reason they lost is another study for another time, but what we need to notice for now is that Joshua suddenly found himself plunged into the trial of his life. Watch what he does next:
Joshua . . . bowed face down to the ground before the Ark of the LORD until evening. Then Joshua cried out, "Oh, Sovereign LORD . . . " (Joshua 7:6-7 NLT)
When pushed to the brink of collapse, Joshua cries out to God. He prays. That's important to note because leading up to the ill-fated attack on Ai, we don't see Joshua talking to God about it in advance. There's no seeking of divine direction or guidance; it's all a matter of Joshua and his men calling the shots. But all that changes after suffering this loss. Now, Joshua is talking to God, which was the first step in getting Israel back on track.
Suffering has a way of getting us to reestablish communication with God. This doesn't mean problems will be avoided just because we pray, but it does show that our trials can serve a positive purpose by forcing us to our knees.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Mon Nov 24, 2008 10:34 am |
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Face-to-face with Jesus
...His Countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
-Revelation 1:16,
There are so many pictures of Jesus in our minds. From Sunday school lessons to 'The Jesus Movie', we have countless images that float by us in life. God's Word gives us the only exact picture of Christ's face in the entire universe.
As the apostle John prayed and adored God through His Son, Jesus Christ, he heard a sound and turned-it was Jesus! But it was not the Jesus he was used to seeing, or that we think of in pictures and movies. It was the transformed Lord Jesus Christ!
First, John saw Jesus' eyes, which were as flaming fires penetrating like laser beams. Then he heard the voice of Jesus, thunderous and big, bigger than anything on earth. After that he saw His face of glory shining "like the sun"-and it changed John's life!
Something fascinating about Jesus and the sun is revealed in the first chapter of Genesis. On the fourth day of creation, God said, "Let there be lights ... in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth"; and it was so. Then God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also (Genesis 1:14-16).
Just by Jesus speaking a few words, the sun suddenly appeared ninety-three million miles out from earth! Isn't that absolutely amazing? It just flamed to life. Traveling at the speed of light, it may have taken about eight minutes for the first warmth and light from the sun to get to the earth. Then the moon started reflecting that light on the backside of the planet. That is phenomenal!
One of the most amazing statements in the Bible is the last five words of verse 16: He made the stars also. In that short sentence God describes what scientists cannot comprehend-the limitless expanse of the rest of the universe. Jesus put some of those stars in spiral galaxies, some of them in beautiful filmy nebulae, and others of them in clusters of galaxies. Then he made one hundred billion stars just in our own Milky Way Galaxy. It's almost written like a postscript..."He made the stars also."
Among those many stars, our sun is an average "yellow" star. It is in the middle as far as size, temperature, and brightness. As you read this, think of what it must have been like for John to see Jesus' face shining "like the sun":
In the Orion constellation there are two stars of note. Rigel is 15,000 times brighter than our sun, and thus hotter and so on. Antares is 36 million times bigger! At the center, or core of our sun, things are incredibly hot. The atoms stripped of their outer electrons are so densely packed it is absolutely dark and intensely hot. In fact, it is 16 million degrees centigrade.
How hot is "16 million degrees centigrade"? A piece of the sun the size of a pinhead would kill you one hundred miles away because of the heat radiating from it! The energy radiated from the sun in one second is more than all the energy used on the earth since Creation!
So, on a Sunday, 1,900 years ago on Patmos-a barren speck of rock just sixteen miles square and fifteen miles from nowhere in the Mediterranean Sea-John heard a voice and turned and saw the face of Jesus shining like the sun! And what did that do to him? It flattened him: When I saw him, I fell at His feet as dead (Revelation 1:17).
What happens when a person comes face-to-face with Christ in all His power and glory? It smites us with an overwhelming sense of our humanity: our fallen nature and our weakness. Do you remember Isaiah's response when he saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and heard the seraphim crying out: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" (Isaiah 6:3)? He said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! ... for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts" (Isaiah 6:5).
A face-to-face encounter with Jesus Christ cannot help but strike us with His majesty and His glory. As His creatures, we would want to respond by worshiping Him, and that is exactly what John does. Have you met Jesus face-to-face? Have you responded in heartfelt worship? A genuine encounter with Jesus Christ is life changing!
My Prayer for You: Father in heaven, from the depth of our beings, from the center of all we are, we want to be found worthy when we stand before You face-to-face; we want to be there clothed in Your righteousness. We don’t know when You are going to come or call us home. It could be that the days written in Your book for us end this week. We pray that we would therefore be those who live for You, Lord Jesus, a life that is true and right. I pray that You, Holy Spirit, will put Your finger into the hearts of each one of us and point out those untoppled idols, those unforsaken sins, those unrestrained areas of flesh in our lives, and that we would say, "Lord, I don't want to be found living, talking, acting, or doing that in my last moments when You come or call for me that would be counted sinful." I pray that we would make those choices while we're thinking about getting ready to stand before You with all the redeemed, with all the angelic hosts, saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." We love You, Lord! Captivate our hearts we pray! In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:14 am |
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The Safest Spot in the Universe
The safest spot on earth is just outside Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is a super secure military command center called NORAD. There in the Rockies, under Cheyenne Mountain, a mile deep in the granite corridors, is the heart of America's missile defense center.
The main entrance to the complex is approximately one-third of a mile from the North Portal via a tunnel which leads to a pair of steel Blast Doors each weighing 25 tons. Behind the 25-ton blast doors is a steel building complex built within a 4.5 acre grid of excavated chambers and tunnels and surrounded by 2,000 feet of granite. Excavation began for the new NORAD Combat Operations Center in Cheyenne Mountain in May 1961. The excavation was nearly complete one year later.
Built at the height of the Cold War and able to withstand any bomb blast, chemical or biological weapon--it is self sustaining for those inside for two years. But only if you are able to get there in time to avoid the attack.
The safest spot in the universe, that is even safer than Cheyenne Mountain, is also the closest. Closer than that military center, closer than your safe room, closer than a shelter, closer than anything else--is the refuge God has designed.
Jesus Christ our hope, our refuge, and our salvation--is one thought away, one prayer away. He is as close as a cry, as close as an out-stretched hand, or an upturned heart. Anyone, anywhere can instantly arrive in that safest of all places--from any location.
Turn to Hebrews 6 as we look again at these precious words of security, comfort and hope!
Hebrews 6:17-20 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
This refuge is the safest spot in the universe. But how do we get there? God's Word says we come by "laying hold of the hope set before us" --v. 18--. What is that hope? It is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
1 Timothy 1:1. "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope."
The safest spot in the universe is in the embrace of Jesus. The only way to have assurance of salvation, a strong confidence, and a steadfast hope, is to seek refuge in God by embracing Jesus Christ, who is our only hope of salvation[1].
So how near is Christ? To answer that let me share the following story that was told by Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951) who traveled for more than 50 years as a home missionary, evangelist and Bible teacher. He was pastor of Moody Memorial Church, a visiting professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and the author of more than 60 books and pamphlets. The following is a tract he wrote called "The Way of Peace".
Dr. Charles Berry was one of the first of the so-called New Theology men, who preached salvation by character rather than by the atoning blood of Christ, salvation by ethical culture rather than by personal faith in the Lord Jesus, salvation by reformation rather than by regeneration. Popular, eloquent and personally pleasing, he attracted large audiences, who hung upon his words and depended upon him as their spiritual mentor.
But a great change was seen in his preaching, which resulted from a new experience with God, which revolutionized his thinking. In telling his friend Dr. Jowett about it, he said that late one stormy night, as he was preparing to retire, the doorbell rang. When he went down and opened the door, there stood a poorly dressed young woman who asked if he was the minister. Upon being assured that he was, she begged him to go with her at once to get her mother in.
He thought that she meant that her poor mother was out in the storm and the darkness in an intoxicated condition; so he demurred, saying he could hardly be expected to go out and get her mother in and suggested that she see a policeman who might give the help required.
The girl explained that her mother was not drunk and added, "You must come with me. My mother is dying, and she is afraid to die. She wants to go to heaven, but she doesn't know how to get in." I told her I'd get a preacher to take her in. "Do come, Sir, and get my mother in."
He now understood that the dying woman needed someone who could show her the way of salvation, but he hesitated, thinking it was hardly a case for him. He urged the girl to go to a missionary living near the wretched locality in which she lived. But she refused. She insisted she wanted a real minister and begged him to go with her. "Do come, sir. I want you to get my mother in before it's too late. Please, sir, do come with me."
At last he consented to go, and the girl led the way to one of the worst sections of the city. In this miserable neighborhood she took him into a tenement house and up a rickety flight of stairs to a poverty-stricken room. Downstairs many men and women were drinking and carousing, and the air resounded with horrid oaths and vile language. The minister found the poor woman lying on a miserable makeshift of a bed, evidently near to death.
"I've brought him!" exclaimed the daughter. "I've got the minister from the big church where the swells go. He'll get you in, Mother. Just do what he says." "What can I do for you, my poor woman?" he inquired as kindly as he could. "Why, sir, I'm dying, and I want you to get me into heaven. I've been a great sinner, and I don't know how to get in." The minister began to speak of the necessity of a good life, of building a noble character, and how goodness always paid in the end. "You don't understand, sir!" she cried. "That won't do! I'm dying and I've lived a bad life. It's too late for me. Oh, can't you get me in?" He tried again and gave some good advice and endeavored to comfort her by expressing the hope that all would be well if she would only seek to lead a Christian life. "That won't do!" she exclaimed. "I'm a poor sinner! I've no time to lead a Christian life. I'm dying and I want to go in. Oh, can't you tell me how I may get into heaven?"
Dr. Berry did not know what to say or how to comfort her. At last he thought, "Why not tell her what my mother used to tell me? Why not give her some of the simple texts and Gospel stories I learned as a child?"
With this in mind he began to repeat some of the precious Gospel verses telling of God's love for sinners and of the Savior who had died to redeem. The woman listened eagerly. "That's it! That ought to get me in, shouldn't it! Did he die for sinners? Then that should get me in."
Stirred to the depths of his own being he told the story of the cross as he had not preached it for years. Like a thirsty soul, she drank in the living water. Finally, he knelt and prayed with her. She trusted Christ for herself. Her fears were allayed, and she entered into peace. "Jowett," said Dr. Berry years afterward, "I helped get her in that night, and while I was helping to get her in, I got myself in also!" [6]
And once into the arms of Jesus, what do you get? Turn back to Joshua 20 and note somewhere these six truths for those who flee to the safest spot in the universe. When you get there, to Him, you find the perfect refuge has so much to offer us. Jesus can be for any and all of us today the perfect refuge.
"And they [assigned] Kedesh in Galilee in Mount Naphtali, and Shechem in Mount Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. And on the other side [of the] Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh. These were the cities assigned for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person without intent might flee the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation." (Joshua 20:7-9)
• KEDESH is not only a city name it also means a "holy place" or "righteousness".
• SHECHEM is not only a city name it also means "shoulder".
• HEBRON is not only a city name it also means "fellowship".
• BEZER is not only a city name it also means a "stronghold" or "fortress"
• RAMOTH is not only a city name it also means "exalted" or "heights"
• GOLAN is not only a city name it also means "separated."
Christ is the closest, safest, and only Refuge for the unclean; Christ is the closest, safest, and only Refuge for the weary; Christ is the closest, safest, and only Refuge for the homeless; Christ is the closest, safest, and only Refuge for the helpless; Christ is the closest, safest, and only Refuge for the hopeless; and Christ is the closest, safest, and only Refuge for the tempted.
Have you fled to the safest spot in the universe? If not, do so today. If you have, look around-Christ wants to be your moment by moment perfect refuge!
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Mon Dec 01, 2008 10:37 am |
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The Value of God's Word
I read an interesting story about an old miner who had lived the life of a hermit deep in the mountains of Colorado. When he died, some of his distant relatives came to collect his valuables.
They arrived to find a miner's shack with an outhouse behind it. Inside the shack, there was an old cooking pot, some mining equipment, and a cracked table with a three-legged chair that stood next to a tiny window. A well-used kerosene lamp stood as the centerpiece on the table.
As the relatives gathered up the miner's possessions, loaded them in a truck, and got ready to drive away, the miner's old friend came walking up. He called out to them, "Do y'all mind if I take what is left in that old shack?"
"Oh, no," they said. "Take it. We have all the valuable stuff. You can have whatever is there." The man thanked them, and off they went.
He walked over to his friend's shack, went in, and looked around for a little bit. Then he reached under the table and lifted up one of the floorboards. Little by little, he lifted out all of the gold his friend had discovered over the previous decades—millions of dollars' worth of gold.
Apparently, the old miner had died with only his true friend knowing his actual worth.
In the same way, our friend, Jesus Christ, wants to make Himself known to us, but we can be like a distant relative sometimes. Yet, if we would get to know Him better, we would discover the riches that He has for us.
And where are these riches? They are in His Word. Jesus said, "In the volume of the book it is written of Me" (Hebrews 10:7 NKJV). In Psalm 19, we find a description of the great value of God's Word in our lives.
First of all, we find that God's Word is perfect: "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul" (v. 7 NKJV). This phrase, "the law of the Lord," is a Hebrew term that is used to define Scripture. It is speaking of all of God's Word. So we could also translate it to say that the Word of God, or even the Bible, is perfect.
This is in direct contrast to the flawed, imperfect reasonings of humanity today. As society changes, we don't need to flow with the winds of change. We can stand on the firm foundation of God's Word.
Second, we see that the Word of God transforms us: "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul" (v. 7, emphasis mine). The word convert could be translated, "reviving, restoring, transforming."
God's Word will revive you. It will restore you. It will transform you. You may find yourself in a situation in which you are revived, restored, or transformed by verses you've read a day or a week before, because you had established the discipline of regular Bible study in your life.
Third, we discover that the Word of God gives incredible wisdom: "The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple" (v. 7).
The Hebrew word used here for simple comes from a root word that speaks of an open door. It is the idea of a person whose mind is like an open door. He or she has no control over what comes in or what goes out.
This verse is saying that if you study it, if you memorize it, and more importantly, if you apply its truths, God's Word will make a wise person out of a simple one.
Fourth, we learn that the Word of God is right: "The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart" (v.  . In Hebrew, this means that the Bible has given us the right path to follow. We don't have to lose our bearings in the fog of human opinion.
That is why we need to read through the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter.
Fifth, we realize that keeping the Word of God makes us happy: "The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart" --v. 8--.
Sometimes people are afraid that if they do what the Bible says, then they will be unhappy. But just the opposite is true. By living what the Bible teaches, you will live a happy life.
As you study, as you memorize, and as you read and obey the Word of God, your life will be transformed, and you will be a successful Christian.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Tue Dec 02, 2008 9:03 am |
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The Lamb of God
"Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt."
— Exodus 12:13
It's interesting that when God instituted the ordinance of the Passover in Exodus 12:3, He told the Israelites to take a lamb. Then in the next verse He tells them to take the lamb. And then finally in verse five, He tells them to take your lamb.
When you stop and think about it, you can see a progression in this passage of Scripture of how a person comes to see Jesus. First, Jesus is a lamb. Then He is the lamb. Then He is your lamb.
Coming to Christ first begins with our recognizing that Jesus is some kind of religious figure with some kind of message of significance. We're not really sure. We may have a general respect for Him, but it's from a distance. He simply is a lamb.
Then Jesus is the lamb. There comes a moment in our lives when we recognize that Jesus is unique from all other figures in history. He's more than a prophet, more than a teacher. He is actually the Son of God—deity in human form. He becomes the "Lamb of God," as John the Baptist said, "who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).
But then we go a step beyond that, and He becomes our lamb. We receive Him as our Savior and as our Lord.
There are many people today who acknowledge that Jesus is God. They acknowledge that He is in heaven. But they have not yet embraced Jesus as their Savior.
It is not enough to know that Christ died. It is enough when we recognize that Jesus died for our sins, then we repent from our sins, and finally, we receive Him as Lord. Only then is Jesus your lamb.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:35 am |
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Walking in the Light
Isa. 50:10: Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God (NIV).
In a world of darkness, it’s easy to lose sight of our path. At times, we may feel like we are stumbling through life, trying to feel our way in the dark. But the hope for believers is that there is light, and it is found in the Lord!
Don’t get discouraged living in a world of darkness. We will experience God’s full glory in heaven soon enough. Until then, obey the Lord. He promises to light your way. By living in obedience to Him and following His leading, we can be an example of hope to our children as they go through life.
Try not to get discouraged by the things of this world. Rely on God as the lamp unto your feet.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Thu Dec 04, 2008 9:30 am |
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The Greatest Gift of All
I heard that someone actually tried to calculate how much it would cost to give the gifts named in the classic Christmas song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas." The grand total came to about $15,000.
Some items were affordable, like a partridge in a pear tree for $34.99. Six turtledoves will run you somewhere around $50. Six geese-a-laying will cost around $150.
But the price takes off when you add 11 pipers piping. That is $1,000 right there. Then there are the 12 drummers drumming. With current union scale for musicians, they will run you another $1,000.
The price really soars when you get 12 lords-a-leaping. We are talking $3,000 for them. Granted, I don't know where you would find them, but they are very expensive.
Still, the real message of Christmas is not the gifts that we give to each other. Rather, it is a reminder of the gift that God has given to each of us. It is the only gift that truly keeps on giving, so I want to point out four things about it.
First, it is surprising. When Christmas rolls around, you often try to figure out if certain people have bought that gift you really wanted. Maybe you already know what they bought, because they didn't hide it very well. Or maybe you uncovered it by accident-or maybe not.
But when the day comes and you open the present, you have to pretend you're surprised. Yet all along, you knew what it was.
God's gift to us, however, was a complete surprise. It was not expected, and as you examine it more carefully, you realize how great a gift it actually was.
Second, God's gift came to us in the humblest of wrappings. What would you think if you saw a gift under your Christmas tree that was wrapped in newspaper and tied up with string? At first, you would probably assume that a guy wrapped it.
But think about God's gift to us. Jesus was not born in a palace of gold; He was born in a stable. He was clothed with rags. He was laid in a feeding trough.
Yet these things do not, in any way, diminish the story of Christ's birth. If anything, they help us realize the great sacrifice God made for us. God's gift to humanity, the ultimate gift of eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ, came in the simplest and humblest of wrappings.
Third, we don't deserve this gift. At Christmas, we give gifts to those whom we care about, who have been kind to us over the past year, or who have given us a gift first. We don't give gifts to the person who has been slandering our name or to the angry neighbor who never has a kind word to say.
Yet God gave us His gift when we were His enemies. He didn't give this gift to us because we deserved it. In fact, it was just the opposite. The Bible tells us, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8 NKJV).
Fourth, the gift tells us something about the giver. When you want to give someone a gift, you start thinking about it ahead of time. Hopefully, you try to find what that person wants or needs.
When God decided to give us the gift of eternal life, it wasn't something that He just thought of on the fly. Long before there was a town called Bethlehem, a garden called Eden, and a planet called Earth, a decision was made in eternity that God would send forth His Son, born of a woman, made under the law, to redeem those that are under the law.
The Bible says that He was slain from the foundation of the world --Rev. 13:8--. Make no mistake about it: this gift that God has given to us was the most sacrificial thing He possibly could have offered.
So Christmas isn't about those gifts that you have under your tree right now. All of those things will be gone one day. All that will be left after this life is the human soul, and that will live forever. We will put so much stock in what we have, but this is all going to pass away.
Life is about what happens beyond the grave. Life is about knowing the God who made you and who gave you the greatest gift you will ever receive.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Fri Dec 05, 2008 8:57 am |
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God in a Manger
One of the glories of Christmas is the glorious response of those who witnessed Christ's birth. They offered Him pure and glorious worship! Ascribing glory to Christ.
• Adoring His beauty.
• Bowing in utter unworthiness at His love and gracious beneficence.
• Casting treasures at His feet.
• Lifting our hearts and voices before Him
• Magnifying His name.
And what does Matthew 2 record as the first reaction to the birth of Christ? Worship. Shortly after the birth of the Messiah, Babylonian magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem and inquired of King Herod where the real king of the Jews was to be born.
The immediate reaction of the theologians of Herod's court who knew the Scriptures well-was "in Bethlehem." What is amazing is that as they recited these words they showed the terrible condition that though they knew the Scriptures, they did not believe them! What a sad indictment upon these Bible students that they did not even bother to travel the five or six miles to Bethlehem to see their Messiah.
But one person in the crowded court believed the Scriptures! Herod believed the Scriptures! That is why he dispatched a corps of butchers to Bethlehem to slaughter innocent children, in hopes of destroying this rival to his throne. But he was too late. The magi had come and gone and Jesus was by now safe in Egypt. Another group also believed, those magi believed the Scriptures. They had traveled several hundred miles to worship this Babe. They were guided to Bethlehem by a supernatural celestial phenomenon--and by the Scriptures. Apparently, their ancestors had been instructed by Daniel the prophet about the coming Messiah. . . When they saw the Child, they fell down and worshiped him. This was God in the flesh. They could do no other.
And they gave him gifts--gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This was an unusual present--by any standards. The gold, of course, we all can understand--but the frankincense and myrrh were odd. Perhaps this means these wisemen had been exposed to Isaiah's prophecy which foretold that "nations will come to your light, and kings to your rising. . . They will bring gold and frankincense, and will bear good news. . . " (Isa. 60:3, 6). This exposure and their response explains the frankincense, but not the myrrh.
To the ancients myrrh, like frankincense, was a perfume. But unlike frankincense, myrrh always seemed to have the smell of death. In the ancient world, it was used to embalm a corpse. Jesus himself would be embalmed with this very perfume (cf. John 19:39).
• How could the magi be thinking of Jesus' death when they brought the myrrh? The only way was if they knew of it from Daniel's prophecy (9:24-27). In the ninth chapter of Daniel we read that the 'Messiah will be cut off' and this 'will make atonement for iniquity' and ultimately 'bring in everlasting righteousness' (9:26, 24).
Even at the birth of our Savior, the shadow of the cross is already falling over his face. . .
And what does Matthew record as the first mention of reaction to Christ? Worship. Listen to the Holy Scriptures as they pull back the cloak of time. With vibrant freshness listen to Matthew describe this hallowed moment with such unforgettable words. God enters time and space as an infant!
Look at Mt. 2 and the Magi they:
"Came"
"Saw"
"Fell down"
"Presented"
That worship is a presentation of our gifts to God. We read that these wise men "presented unto Him gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh." The significance of these gifts is beautiful. Gold speaks of Deity. Frankincense gives forth its perfume only as it is brought into contact with fire. Myrrh speaks of suffering, and is associated with the death and burial of our Lord. Thus these wise men, by the gifts they presented to Him, expressed first, their faith in His essential and eternal Deity; second, their appreciation of the fragrance of His sinless life which should ascend, as a sweet perfume, to His Father; and third, their estimation of the virtue and value of His vicarious sufferings, by which the redemption of humanity should be accomplished.
Have you pondered the hands of baby Jesus?
Those tiny infant hands had been busy once. Though now in pink perfection they clasp a mother's finger they once flung out the curtain of the heavens. Sprinkled across space the myriads of stars, galaxies, pulsating quasars and filmy nebulas. Those miniature hands so soft and tender had already brought forth the craggy mountain heights and shaped their majesty. Then they dug deep into the fresh dirt of the garden and scooped out the dust from which the first human was fashioned in the very image of God. Those hands of Jesus lifted the lifeless dust and breathed into that bit of earth the breath of life.
Those hands that touched lepers with the touch of acceptance, love and healing we worship you oh Lamb of God who came to us in our pits of sin and rescued us.. Those hands that gave sight to blind and sightless eyes we worship you oh Savior who opened our eyes that we may see You. Those hands that touched cold and lifeless ones and brought them to life, we worship you oh Redeemer who touched our cold and lifeless hearts and diffused quickening life giving grace that we might become Your sons and daughters.
Have you pondered the face of baby Jesus?
That little babes upturned face so peaceful and gentle with the soft flush of a newborn had already shined with the strength of a million suns in heaven. That face so unimaginably radiant had been the sole object of angels, seraphs and cherubim's wonderful worship. That face now quietly slumbering had looked at Creation and said it was good. Then had seen the rebellion of Lucifer, the defection of a third of the angels and the fall of mankind. That face had for the past 4,000 years been brazenly cursed at, sinned against and fled from.
That pure, soft unblemished face nestled close to the warmth of His mother, would soon know sweat and dirt as the dusty hillsides of Galilee and Judea were tirelessly crossed. That face would know the adoring gazes of grateful ones healed and fed. The deceitful looks of plotting and betraying enemies. The looks of wonder from faltering disciples. But most of all, the loving gaze of the Heavenly Father as with constant devotion the Father saw His one and only Son slip away for extended times of prayer, communion and reflection with Him.
Tonight let us worship him. That soft and creamy complexion would be marred.
• More than any human ever was He was Isaiah 52:14 Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; (NKJV)
• That face so loving, so compassionate was Isaiah 53:2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. (NKJV)
• Always remember the babe is always the Lord of Glory! Revelation 1:14-18 Beautiful baby we worship you as the Lamb slain for our sins. Hands of Love, Face of Joy . . .
Have you pondered the feet of baby Jesus?
Those kicking, wiggling feet so soft would soon be callused. The dirt of the earth He had made knew its Creator. But the life breathed into clay humans did not.
Those feet that walked in Eden's splendor calling out for the hiding, fallen first family, would criss cross the Promised Land seeking and saving lost ones. Then those feet would be stopped. In the dead of night they would rise from kneeling and turn to face a scattering flock and a seething mob. Those feet would walk to phony trials, mock hearings and wicked dens of torture. Then with blood drops staining those feet they would trudge till they collapsed on the way to Calvary.
Those feet that had walked the wings of the dawn, that had stood in the chariots of the thunder clouds, that had walked with Enoch and Abraham, and had crossed the expanse of the universe. Those feet that had left the streets of heaven were now crudely pushed onto rough splintered wood. Pressed and held by the hands of one of His own creatures now stained with sin. The Holy One of God would be spiked to a tree He had created by a creature He had come to rescue.
• Philippians 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (NIV)
• At your feet we come, bow down and fall before you. Revelation 15:3 and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. (NIV)
The theologians of Herod's court did not believe the Scriptures. They were fools. Herod believed, but disobeyed. He was a madman. The simple shepherds and the majestic magi believed in this infant Savior-and it was reckoned to them as righteousness. May we follow in their train.
O Holy Night
1 O holy night! the stars are brightly shining-
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and darkness pining-
Till He appeared, gift of infinite worth!
Behold the Babe in yonder manger lowly-
'Tis God's own Son come down in human form:
Fall on your knees before the Lord most holy!
2 With humble hearts we bow in adoration
Before this Child, gift of God's matchless love,
Sent from on high to purchase our salvation-
That we might dwell with Him ever above.
What grace untold-to leave the bliss of glory
And die for sinners guilty and forlorn:
Fall on your knees! repeat the wondrous story!
3 O day of joy, when in eternal splendor
He shall return in His glory to reign,
When ev'ry tongue due praise to Him shall render,
His pow'r and might to all nations proclaim!
A thrill of hope our longing hearts rejoices,
For soon shall dawn that glad eternal morn:
Fall on your knees! With joy lift up your voices!
O night divine-O night when Christ was born!
O night divine-O night, O night divine!
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:26 am |
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Read Matthew 1-2
Have you ever thought about giving something away every day of the year leading up to Christmas? These daily gifts could be called our "Christmas projects," one per day, every day till Christmas. Just think of the fun of being able to say "Merry Christmas" in July!
Here are a few suggestions:
Mend a quarrel.
Seek out a forgotten friend.
Write a long overdue love note.
Hug someone tightly and whisper, "I love you so."
Forgive an enemy.
Be gentle and patient with an angry person.
Gladden the heart of a child.
Find the time to keep a promise.
Make or bake something for someone else. Anonymously.
Release a grudge.
Listen.
Speak kindly to a stranger.
Enter into another's sorrow.
Smile.
Laugh a little.
Laugh a little more.
Take a walk with a friend.
Lessen your demands on others.
Play some beautiful music during the evening meal.
Apologize if you were wrong.
Turn off the television and talk.
Treat someone to an ice-cream cone (yogurt would be fine).
Do the dishes for the family.
Pray for someone who helped you when you hurt.
Fix breakfast on Saturday morning.
Give a soft answer even though you feel strongly.
Encourage an older person.
Point out one thing you appreciate most about someone you work with or live near.
Offer to baby-sit for a weary mother.
Let's make Christmas one long, extended gift of ourselves to others. Unselfishly. Without announcement. Or obligation. Or reservation. Or hypocrisy.
This is Christianity, isn't it?
When you give yourself, the gift never has to be returned.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Thu Dec 11, 2008 9:14 am |
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More Than a Man
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God . . . Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)
Perhaps you're someone who has only thought of Jesus in human terms. From His birth in Bethlehem to His agonizing death on the cross, you've seen Jesus as a fellow member of the human race. This view isn't inaccurate because God's Word reveals that Christ was every bit as human as we are. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that He is our faithful High Priest who is capable of sympathizing with our weaknesses and that He was tempted on all points like we are, yet He never gave in to sin. So it's accurate to think of Jesus as a human, but it's incomplete. He is also God.
Maybe you're seeing this for the first time, but pay attention to how the Bible addresses Jesus as Mighty God. There's no hidden meaning here, no symbolic or secret interpretation of what this is saying. It means exactly what it says. Jesus, the Child who was born, the Son who was given, is in fact Mighty God. Hang on, Pastor Bob! How is this possible? Wasn't it God who sent Jesus to us? Does this mean God sent Himself? In a way, yes.
The Scriptures show us that there is only one true and living God. Yet in His nature, He consists of three separate and distinct persons-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Bible scholars use the word trinity to describe this reality, and it shows how God was both the sender (the Father) as well as the One sent (the Son).
It's important that we understand this because when we do, Jesus (and Christmas) will take on a whole new significance in our hearts. We won't view Him as a man who lived and died a long time ago but as the Mighty God who reigns in eternity, who is alive at this very moment, and whose life is to be celebrated.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Fri Dec 12, 2008 10:28 am |
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Mighty to Save
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God . . . Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)
Now that we've established Jesus' identity as Mighty God, let's spend the next few days discussing His abilities as Mighty God. The very word Mighty infers a set of abilities that are special and unique. It draws attention to the fact that He can and we can't. And at the top of this list is His mighty ability to save.
At some point, we're all going to die. I know this isn't a very rosy or Christmas-like thing to say. But it's true. The numbers don't lie. Ten out of ten people die, without exception. All of us need to come to grips with the fact that we're going to cross the line of death. When we do, then what? Well, the Bible tells us we'll face God's judgment in order to determine where we'll spend eternity. The judgment will be very simple: those who have not surrendered their lives to Jesus to pay the price for their sins will face eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire, and those who have given their lives to Jesus will experience eternal joy and peace in heaven.
We all sin on a regular basis (Romans 3:23). And because we're sinners, we can't save ourselves or anyone else. People who are totally bankrupt can't pay off their own debts, much less cover the debts of others. When it comes to the all-important subject of eternal salvation, we can't help ourselves because we need help ourselves.
We can't, but Jesus can. He has the power to save because He lived a sinless life. Jesus earned heaven on His own merits and has the power to cover our sins and save us if we will simply repent and place our faith in Him.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:51 am |
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Mighty to Satisfy
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God . . . Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)
Next on the list of our Mighty God's abilities is His ability to satisfy us. Have you come to the realization yet that it's impossible to satisfy yourself? Solomon did. In his day, he was the wealthiest man alive. He partied harder than anyone else under the sun in the pursuit of satisfying himself. Here's how he put it in his own words: I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives. I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. . . . I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds. So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. (Ecclesiastes 2:3-9 NKJV) And here's what he concluded at the end of his epic efforts:
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. (Ecclesiastes 2:11 NKJV)
In the end, he was empty and dissatisfied. That's because men and women can never satisfy themselves. Revelation 4:11 tells us that we were created for God's pleasure and purposes. In other words, we're missing out on our God-designed destinies when we chase after our own agenda. We can only find satisfaction through Him as we pursue His plan for our lives by doing "His thing" rather than "our own thing." So if you lack a sense of satisfaction this Christmas season, check whose agenda you're pursuing. Is it His or yours?
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
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Posted:
Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:54 am |
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Mighty to Support
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God . . . Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)
A hurricane came through my neighborhood a few years ago. The damage could have been a lot worse, and I'm very thankful to the Lord that it wasn't. However, I, along with many other homeowners, found myself in the middle of a natural mess that needed to be cleaned up. Amidst this mess was a rather large tree that had been blown parallel to the ground by the punishing winds. I called a friend of mine who specializes in these things. After assessing the situation, he told me that the tree didn't need to be removed but needed to be supported. It wanted to stand upright but was crooked. When given the proper support, it would regain its strength and be able to stand straight.
You can probably see where I'm headed with this illustration. As our Mighty God, Jesus is capable of supporting us and making sure we stay on the straight and narrow, even when circumstances threaten to make us crooked. I'm not just referring to those seasons when the winds of life howl and rip away at us, but during every season of life. Jesus is diligently supporting us so that we might be spared from stumbling in sin so that He can proudly present us before a holy audience in heaven:
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy . . . (Jude 1:24 NKJV)
From time to time, people will share with me how they continue to struggle with a certain sin. They just can't seem to stop. And in one way or another, I let them know that they can't. They need to ask Mighty God to come alongside and provide them with His support because only He can provide the kind of support that can straighten out our crookedness.
Don't get bent out of shape during this season. Lean on the Lord because only He can provide the supernatural strength to stay straight.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:56 am |
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Taking a Stand
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.
— Daniel 1:8–9
Under Babylonian rule, Daniel turned his back on the luxuries of the king's court because eating defiled food would have been a compromise of his faith. God honored Daniel's stand and gave the chief of the eunuchs great respect for Daniel, because Daniel's stand impressed him.
Daniel's life is living proof of what the Bible says in Proverbs 16:7, "When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him" (NIV).
It is so rare to find people who believe in something today. When someone says, "I believe this is right—and this is a stand I'm going to make," nonbelievers may sort of laugh at them.
But I believe, that in many cases, deep down inside, some nonbelievers are impressed. They don't see that kind of thing anymore—someone who actually has convictions and believes in something.
They may argue with you. They may challenge you, but in many cases, they don't argue because they disagree. They argue with you in order to find out if you really believe what you say you believe.
In reality, they desperately want to have a moral grid in their life. They want to have a set of convictions. They want to have a set of beliefs—and they don't have them.
So those people who may be giving you the most grief, may be the ones who are really seeking spiritually. They are the people who really want to know what life is all about.
Daniel ate vegetables and water instead of the luxuries of the king's table. He gave up a few things—but a little with God is better than lots without Him.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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Posted:
Mon Dec 15, 2008 12:09 pm |
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But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. (Proverbs 4:18, 19)
There are two ways that are set in contrast. One is the way in which the righteous go. There is another way, the way the lawless go. It is a way of darkness. It reminds us of the broad way that our Lord described, which I believe has been misunderstood.
I can remember when I was a boy that we would be taught about the broad way and the narrow way. Now if they had asked me which way I wanted to go, I would have said immediately, "I think you could have a lot more fun on the broad way." Unfortunately, I think that is the impression most often given. However, that is not accurate at all. The picture is altogether different.
The broad way is a wide one today. That is where the mob is. The crowd is having a "vanity fair" down that way all the time. The carnival is going on. Down there is the place where they indulge the flesh, and they call it the way of liberty. We hear today that we are living in a new age in which we can do as we please. That is certainly a broad way - that is, at the entrance. But notice that this broad way gets narrower and narrower and narrower. The way of the lawless is the dark way. "The way of the wicked is as darkness." There are the bright lights at the entrance, but down a little farther there are no lights. The people don't even know what they are stumbling over. That is the broad way that the Lord Jesus described. It is just like going in at the big end of a funnel and then finding that it gets narrower and narrower until finally it ends in destruction.
In contrast, the narrow way is very narrow at the entrance. The Lord Jesus said, "... I am the way ..." (John 14:6, italics mine). It is so narrow that it is limited to one Person: Christ. No one can come to the Father but through Him. You just can't find a way any narrower than that. Peter said, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Jesus said, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture" (John 10:9). The entrance is narrow, but after the entrance the way gets wider and wider, leading to an abundant life here and on into the light of heaven itself. My friend, we need to enter into the narrow end of the funnel, and that end is labeled, The Lord Jesus Christ.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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| Need2Know
Posted:
Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:17 am |
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How Heaven Saw Christmas
Now a great sign appeared in heaven -- Revelation 12:1 (NKJV)
What do your Christmas cards look like? Chances are you haven't gotten one that resembles the scene described in the passage below:
And a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. (Revelation 12:1-4 NKJV)
But if we could see the birth of Jesus from the heavenly perspective, this is what it would have looked like. The woman mentioned in this vision is none other than the nation of Israel. This is made clear when you connect her detailed description with Joseph's dream in Genesis 37:9-10. The Child that the woman gives birth to is the Christ-child. The fiery red dragon is a reference to the devil, which is positively identified as the dragon in Revelation 20:2.
Let's not forget that the world had been under the devil's dominion since mankind's fall in the Garden of Eden. Satan was bent on preventing Christmas from happening because he knew that with the coming of Christ, humanity would be restored to God, death would lose its sting, and the devil's reign of terror would finally cease (Hebrews 2:14).
Seeing Christmas from heaven's perspective helps us appreciate the spiritual stakes involved with Jesus' birth. The nativity was not a passive event; it was an aggressive assault. It was an all-out invasion on enemy-occupied territory. Every bow in the arsenal of darkness was bent in this little baby's direction, yet He still triumphed. We can be eternally thankful that He did triumph as we give Him our everlasting praise and adoration.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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| Need2Know
Posted:
Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:14 am |
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What's In A Name?
"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 (NKJV)
It's hard for us to appreciate the impact that this must have had on Joseph. Not only would his wife bear a child that wasn't his, but that child would also bear a name that wasn't his. In biblical times, it was customary to name a new child after a family member (Luke 1:61), and Gabriel broke protocol as he commanded Joseph to go outside of the family in order to name the child "Jesus." But as always, God had a very deliberate reason for doing something that seemed completely out of the ordinary.
The name "Jesus" is rich with significance. The Hebrew equivalent "Jeshua" literally means "the Lord is salvation." Nothing could be more appropriate for the One who came to this world for the expressed purpose of providing salvation for humanity. Jesus' entire existence was dedicated to saving us from our sins, and His very name reminds us of His complete commitment to us in this regard.
Knowing this should have a two-fold effect on us. First of all, it causes us to meditate on our security in Christ. We can truly rest in the fact that we are safe in the keeping of One who saves-by virtue of who He is. His name is Jesus, and even now He lives to intercede on our behalf (Hebrews 7:25).
It also should cause us to emulate His example. The more we understand what the name of Jesus means and how the Savior has served us, we should naturally desire to serve others. Whether it's a matter of bearing another believer's burden or leading the lost to the Lord, our lives are to be service-oriented in all that we do (John 13:15).
There's a big difference between what you do and who you are. Salvation isn't just something that Jesus does but it is something that He is. It is part of Jesus' inherent nature to save and serve us, as His very name reveals.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 9308
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| Need2Know
Posted:
Thu Dec 18, 2008 7:48 am |
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From the Cradle to the Grave
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger. Luke 2:7 (NKJV)
There are two instances in the life of Christ where His body is handled and laid down by others. The first occasion was when Mary tenderly laid her newborn son down in the manger that was serving as a makeshift crib. The second instance was when Joseph of Arimathaea laid Jesus' scourged and crucified body down in his own garden tomb.
When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock. (Matthew 27:59-61 NKJV)
There are some striking similarities in both of these events. For one thing, they are bookmarks on either end of the most amazing life to have graced this poor planet. There was also a woman named Mary and a man named Joseph present in both cases. And we can't miss the fact that both of these resting places for the Savior's body were borrowed.
Jesus borrowed just about everything that He used in this life. As a matter of fact, when you examine the life of Christ, you see that the only possessions He had were the clothes on His back. Even these were eventually stripped away from Him (Matthew 27:35), leaving Him with absolutely nothing in terms of material wealth. From the cradle to the grave, Jesus never spent time accumulating possessions for Himself. Instead, He dedicated His life to serving and meeting the needs of others.
The application for us during the Christmas season is painfully plain to see. There's nothing inherently wrong with receiving the blessings that may come our way over the holidays. However, at the same time, we need to guard our hearts because we are creatures that love to collect and accumulate the things of this world. When this becomes more important to us than helping others, we fall short of Jesus' example.
Before we allow this to occur, we need to reflect on the type of lifestyle the Lord led and ask Him to help us increase our standard of giving instead of our standard of living.
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N2K
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