News you won't see in controlled mainstream media.

-Christ The Creationist
By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be” (Mark 13:19).

In predicting a future judgment on the unbelieving world, the Lord Jesus referred to “the beginning of the creation which God created,” thus affirming the Biblical doctrine of supernatural, sudden creation. In the pagan world of His day evolutionism was dominant almost everywhere. The Epicureans, for example, were atheistic evolutionists. The Stoics, Gnostics, Platonists, and others were pantheistic evolutionists. None of the extra-Biblical philosophers of His day believed in a God who had created all things, including even the universe itself.

But Christ was a creationist, and the much maligned “scientific creationists” of today are following His example and teaching. He even believed in recent creation, for He said, speaking of Adam and Eve, that “from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female” (Mark 10:6). The pagans all believed in an eternal cosmos, but Jesus said it had a beginning, and that man and woman were a part of that beginning creation, following which, “the sabbath was made for man” (Mark 2:27).

He also believed that the “two accounts” of creation (Genesis I and 2) were complimentary, not contradictory, for He quoted from both in the same context. “Have ye not read,” He said, “that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female [from Genesis 1], And said For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? [from Genesis 2]” (Matthew 19:4–6).

There may be some Christians who are evolutionists, but there is no such thing as “Christian evolution,” for Christ was a creationist!

--ICR/HMM
-THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD!

-Instant Creation
-By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together” (Isaiah 48:13).

This is one of many passages in Scripture which not only tells us that God is Creator of both Heaven and Earth, but also that He created them instantaneously. Creation is not a “process,” but a miraculous event! With a wave of the hand, so to speak, God simply called them into being.

This is also the testimony of the incomparable account of creation in Genesis. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). This primeval testimony does not say: “From the beginning, God has been creating heaven and earth” as theistic evolutionists would say. Creation of all things was an event completed in the past.

The divinely inspired psalmist agrees: “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. . . . For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:6,9). “For He commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them for ever and ever” (Psalm 148:5,6).

Furthermore, according to our text, when God spoke into existence the Heavens and the earth, they both proceeded to “stand up together!” He did not create the Heavens 15 billion years ago, then the earth only five billion years ago, as some creationists allege. They stood up together! “In six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is” (Exodus 20:11).

It is important to recognize the recent creation of all things, not only because God said so, but also because the multi-billion-year framework of cosmic evolution, pushing God as far away and long ago as possible, is merely the modern pseudoscientific way of getting rid of Him altogether! Christians should not compromise with such a system!
--ICR/HMM
-------------
Please also see below, Instantaneous Creation!
Here is an article from the Institute for Creation Research: Instantaneous Creation (http://www.icr.org/article/2036/)

-The True Gospel

---
"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel." (Galatians 1:6)

There is only one true gospel (meaning "good news") in Christianity, but there are many false gospels. Various cults have proposed such concepts as the social gospel, the prosperity gospel, the full gospel, and others, but it is dangerous to attach adjectives or other modifiers to the gospel unless these are specifically attached to it in the Scriptures. There are enough of these, however, to emphasize that the true gospel does have many facets. God's "good news" is always about Christ--His person and work--but His work is from eternity to eternity, and He is both the mighty God and perfect Man. Therefore, with Paul we can say, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16).

The gospel is the "everlasting gospel," focusing on Him as the one "that made heaven, and earth" (Revelation 14:6-7). It is also the "gospel of the kingdom" (Matthew 4:23), focusing on Him as the coming "King of kings" (Revelation 17:14).

It is the wonderful "gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24) and "the gospel of your salvation" (Ephesians 1:13). Thus it also is the true "gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15), reconciling man to God.

Because Christ is God, this "gospel of Jesus Christ" (Mark 1:1) is surely the one true "gospel of God" (Romans 1:1).

This is the gospel which we have been commissioned by Christ to preach "to every creature" (Mark 16:15), so we need no other. And since it is, indeed, "the glorious gospel of the blessed God" (1 Timothy 1:11), we should never desire another. It meets every spiritual need for time and eternity.
--ICR/HMM

-Sudden Creation

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6) -

Even a superficial reading of the account of creation in Genesis 1 and 2 impresses the reader with the idea of suddenness. God simply called the universe into existence from nothing and then quickly set about the rapid formation of certain features, interspersed with other direct creative acts. All of the events, whether creative or formative, seem to have happened over a brief period of time, such as the formation of the plants (Genesis 1:12), the animals (v. 20), and the sun and stars (v. 16).

Even aspects that were evidently formed by a process such as the continents and oceans (v. 10) and humankind (2:7, 22) seemingly took no great length of time.

This is especially true of the creation of light. "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light" (1:3). No slow and sporadic arrival of light from distant stars is mentioned, nor a gradual heating up of the sun as interstellar gas collapsed and fused. Some evangelical advocates of the old-earth concept hold that God slowly cleared the atmosphere of left-over interstellar, dust which allowed the light from the sun and stars to penetrate to the earth.

But, if Scripture alone is our authority, then it happened suddenly and spectacularly. As discussed in our text, it happened just as suddenly and just as supernaturally as a new creature is created out of a dead creature at the moment of salvation. Sanctification may be a life-long matter, but "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature" (2 Corinthians 5:17), literally creation. No more time is required for the transformation than for darkness to turn into light at the Creator's command.

--ICR/JDM

-The Divine Designer

"Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?" (Isaiah 40:12)

The answer to this rhetorical question can only be God, the divine Designer of all the intricate interrelationships of His great creation. Four of the disciplines of natural science are implied here, and in each case a key principle of that science is anticipated.

The emphasis is on the precision of the divinely allocated quantities of each component. First, there is the precise balance of the waters of the earth between the oceans, rivers, groundwater, and atmospheric waters. Hydrology is the science of earth’s waters, and life on earth is dependent on the fine tuning of the components of the hydrologic cycle. "He looketh to the ends of the earth. . . . To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure" (Job 28:24-25).

The atmospheric heaven also has been carefully dimensioned in size and composition to make life possible, as formulated in the science of meteorology.

The "dust of the earth" is nothing less than the basic chemical elements out of which all things are made. The accuracy with which elements combine with each other is based on their valences, and all of this is involved in the study of chemistry. The principle of isostasy ("equal weights") is the fundamental principle of the science of geophysics, involving the weights of mountains and hills, continents, and ocean basins.

God does not deal in chance and caprice, even with inanimate physical systems such as mountains and waters. Not even a sparrow can "fall on the ground without your Father" (Matthew 10:29).
--ICR/ HMM

-Eternal Things
-By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (II Corinthians 4:18).

One of the most difficult handicaps for a Christian to overcome is spiritual nearsightedness. It is easy to see temporal things, but hard to think on eternal things.

Paul, however, in the midst of an extremely busy and difficult temporal life, somehow did manage to keep his sights on that eternal life to which he was called. The wonderful redemption which Christ purchased for us with His blood is nothing less than “eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12); and therefore “He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). Consequently, as joint-heirs with Him, “they which are called . . . receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15). He is, surely, the “God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus” (I Peter 5:10) and has there provided for us “everlasting habitations” (Luke 16:9).

All of these eternal things—eternal redemption, eternal salvation, eternal inheritance, eternal habitations, and eternal glory—are of infinitely greater value than the temporal things which crowd our minds and limit our goals. They are all a part of the wonderful eternal life we have already received through faith in Christ. It is significant that the phrase “eternal life” (or “everlasting life,” which is the same Greek phrase) occurs no less than 44 times in the New Testament. God speaks of it often, and so should we!

The very first eternal thing mentioned in the Bible is the “everlasting covenant” God has made with all men (Genesis 9:16). The last is the “everlasting gospel” to be preached to all men (Revelation 14:6).
--ICR/HMM / Everlasting God / By: Lincoln Brewster /
<http://youtu.be/jP2nz6PG8KM>

-The Living Word/The Word of Life

"Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain."
--(Philippians 2:16)

There is such beautiful correlation between the Living Word (Christ) and the written Word (the Bible) that certain Scriptures could well apply to either one. Such is the case with our text. The Philippians were exhorted to hold forth the Word of life, which presumably could mean either Christ, the Living Word, or else the Scriptures, which speak of eternal life.

The same dual meaning can be discerned in such texts as 2 Timothy 4:2 ("Preach the word") and Hebrews 4:12 ("The word of God is quick, and powerful"). In fact, there are many beautiful figures of speech that are applied in the Bible to the ministries of both Christ and the Scriptures in a believer's life.

For example, Christ is "the light of the world" (John 8:12), but also, "the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light" (Proverbs 6:23). Similarly Jesus said, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35), but He also said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4).

The Lord Jesus Christ said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink" (John 7:37). God also promised that "as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, . . . So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth" (Isaiah 55:10-11).

Both are described as the very personification of truth. Jesus said, "I am . . . the truth," and He prayed to the Father, "Thy word is truth" (John 14:6; 17:17). Finally, both must be received: "receive . . . the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21), for "as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God" (John 1:12).
--ICR/ HMM

-The Infinite Jesus
-Read: Philippians 2:5-11
---
-The virgin birth of Jesus is a miracle, but it does not mark His beginning. Christ existed long before He was born in Bethlehem. As John 1:1 tells us, "In the beginning was the Word [Jesus] and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Debating the scientific probability of the virgin birth seems rather pointless when we're talking about the firstborn of creation by whom all things were created (Col. 1:15-16). It isn't logical to say, "I believe in Jesus" or "I believe in God" and then reject the fact of Mary's virginity. The God of the Bible is certainly capable of causing such a miracle. And that is exactly what He did. Jesus laid aside His glory, was born a human, and carried out the Father's redemption plan (Phil. 2:6-11).

If Jesus had come to earth still wrapped in His glory, no one would have been able to look directly at Him. Divine radiance is too great for human eyesight--which is the same reason Moses had to be protected from seeing anything more than God's back as He passed by (Ex. 33:18-33). But what Jesus didn't set aside was His deity. He was fully man, so He experienced temptation, pain, and sorrow and therefore knows how we feel. Yet He was also fully God, and He came to earth to show us what the Father is like (John 14:9)

Jesus was born of a virgin woman. Those two words convey a wealth of information about His dual nature on earth. One tells of His divinity; the other, His humanity and ability to sympathize with our weaknesses (Heb. 4:15). It adds up to an eternal Savior who looks on us with mercy and love. ---

-GLORIFYING GOD!
--Luke 2:13-20

"Then the shepherds
returned, glorifying
and praising God for
all the things that
they had heard and
seen, as it was told
them."--Luke 2:20
---
On the fist Christmas, the shepherds heard an angel announce the birth of the Savior, Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11), followed by a "multitude of the heavenly host praising God" (vv.13-14). After they found Mary, Joseph, and the Baby in Bethlehem, the shepherds couldn't help telling others about this Child (v.17).

"The shepherds went back to work, glorifying and praising God for everything that they had heard and seen, which had happened just as they had been told" (v.20 Phil.).

They had been changed by their real world, the Savior had come. They now carried the Good News about Jesus in their hearts and voices.

May we too take God's love, grace, and mercy into the real world this Christmas and every day of the New Year, 2013!

May the grace that we encounter
At this time of Christmas cheer,
Not be true just in this season
But remain throughout the year.
----
-TAKE THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS WITH YOU EVERYDAY! /
JOY TO THE WORLD![Unspeakable Joy!] With: Chris Tomlin<http://youtu.be/tC3SwhJsLqU>

-WHY JESUS CAME TO EARTH~

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
---John 3:16-17

I want you to try and picture those moments in heaven just before God the Son left His throne of majesty and came to earth as a baby. Think about it: The angels in heaven understood the life that lay before Him. The Father was putting Him on a path that would lead to humiliation and death. And Christ Himself knew the pain He would endure on the cross. It must’ve been so hard.

So what made Him go? It was love. God loved the people of this planet, and knew Jesus was the only way we could be saved from the consequences of our sin. And our planet – a little speck in the great universe – was loved so much that God became a man. We didn’t deserve Him, but we got Him.

It’s been well said, “God doesn’t love us because we’re valuable; we’re valuable because He loves us.” No truer words have been spoken. Jesus didn’t come into the world because He found us attractive. No, He came into the world so that we might become holy and blameless in the eyes of God.

Our Lord experienced so much hardship by coming into the world. But He knew it was worth it, to rescue us from the dominion of darkness and bring us into His Kingdom!

-JESUS CAME BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US. PRAISE HIM THAT BY ACCEPTING THAT LOVE, YOU’RE MADE HOLY IN GOD’S EYES.

--Our Heavenly Appointment
-Read | 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

-Each tick of the clock brings us one second closer to our heavenly appointment with the Lord Jesus. As believers in Christ, we will stand before Him one day and give an account for our lives. At that time we will be held accountable for our actions and recompensed for the choices we made while on earth, whether good or bad (2 Cor. 5:10).

This is not a judgment of condemnation. At salvation, when we acknowledged Christ as our Savior, all blame was removed from us (Rom. 8:1). In taking our place on the cross, Jesus bore our sins and experienced the wrath of God against our iniquity (1 Peter 2:24). As a result, the penalty for our sin has been fully paid.

When we stand before our Lord, He’ll look to see which of our choices were in keeping with His will. Every act of obedient service, whether large or small, will be remembered and rewarded.

Colossians 3 gives us a picture of who we are to be and how God wants us to live: our minds should be focused on things above, not earthly matters (v. 2). And we are to get rid of anger, malice, and slander, clothing ourselves instead with compassion, kindness, and patience (vv. 8, 12).

Since the Lord holds us accountable for our actions, it is urgent that we replace ungodly patterns with righteous ways. Both inward attitudes and outward behavior matter to Him. When facing decisions each day, seek scriptural guidance and godly counsel. Then reflect on which choice would please God.

-ENDLESS HALLELUJAH! ...to our King JESUS!
----

--Joseph’s Adopted Son
-By: Paul G. Humber, M.S.
--
“. . . Espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. . .” (Luke 1:27).

-Some wonder how the Lord Jesus could be a descendant of David through Joseph and at the same time virgin born. Mary may well have been of David’s line too, but when Joseph accepted Jesus into his family, there was no contest. Mary’s Son was entitled to all the rights and privileges of being Joseph’s legal heir; therefore, Jesus was of David’s house, also!

According to Old Testament marriage law, a man could have an heir without contributing the biological seed. “And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of His brother which is dead, that His name be not put out of Israel” (Deuteronomy 25:6). In other words, a man who died without child could have an heir without contributing personal seed.

The Lord Jesus was a very special gift to the house of David. Hundreds of years prior, one son was removed from David’s line (II Samuel 12:16) because of his sin. But now, almost a millennium later, a wonderful gift arrives in David’s house. Even David’s sin can finally be removed. “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

Isaiah had prophesied much earlier, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder. . . . Of the increase of His government there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever” (Isaiah 9:6,7).

Gabriel said, “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:32,33).
--ICR/PGH/ ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS NAME!

---

-JESUS CHRIST OUR HEALER ~~

We read in JOHN Chapter 5 about "The Healing at the Pool of Bethzatha" (TEV). Our God, Jehovah Rophe', is the God that heals. He always heals, whether on this side of eternity, or in the Celestial City [Heaven], with Him and all the saints gone ahead of us. We must trust in His perfect will.

....This story shows that Jesus asked the man that was lame/paralyzed, "Do you want to get well?" We must first admit to the 'want/need', and wait for His will. "Sir, I don't have anyone here to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am trying to get in, somebody else gets there first."

Jesus said to him, "Get up, pick up your mat, and walk." Immediately the man got well; he picked up his mat, and walked.
Let's listen and watch what takes place next......

--The Divine/Human Word

--"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son." (Hebrews 1:1-2)

The title of the Word of God is given both to Jesus Christ as the Living Word (John 1:1-3; Revelation 19:13), and to the Holy Scriptures as the written Word (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12; etc.). They are so perfectly synchronous that what is said of one can usually be applied also to the other.

Both are human, yet without error; both are divine, yet can be comprehended by man. "God was manifest in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16). "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (2 Peter 1:21). "In him is no sin" (1 John 3:5), "The Scripture cannot be broken," and "all Scripture . . . is profitable" (John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:16).

Furthermore, each is eternal: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever" (Hebrews 13:8). "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven" (Psalm 119:89).

Each brings regeneration and everlasting life to all those who believe. "He saved us, by the washing of regeneration . . . through Jesus Christ our Saviour" (Titus 3:5-6). "God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" (1 John 5:11). "Being born again . . . by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Peter 1:23). "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39).

Finally, judgment comes by both Christ and the Scriptures. "The Father . . . hath committed all judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22). "The dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books" (Revelation 20:12). Both Christ and the Bible are vitally important to each Christian and must be studied, understood, known, loved, trusted, and relied upon in every human endeavor.

--ICR/ HMM

--IS THIS THE GENERATION?
--By: David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]
---
-The whole world is frightened, perplexed and confused. Even the saintliest Christian must be wondering about all the prophetic events rapidly unfolding. I know that believers all over the world are asking themselves a question that I, too, am pondering: Are we in the last decade of human history? I do not know, but one thing is sure: We have seen an acceleration of world events. Suddenly, without warning, the Iron Curtain fell. Almost overnight, Eastern Europe was free. Seemingly in a flash, the Soviet Empire—once threatening the United States—was brought to the brink of disintegration and utter turmoil.

Could it be that in the same sudden manner, the antichrist world leader will be revealed? Could it also be that God has come to the end of His patience with the sins of North America, as happened with Sodom and Gomorrah?

Frightening bankruptcies in our savings and loan organizations, mounting national debt, diseases and nationwide plagues—are these all signs that our country is entering the corridor of a divine curse as outlined in Deuteronomy 28? Read what God does to the nations that sin against the light. You can see it happening right now!

Are we already in the early stages of the biggest depression in our history? The Great Depression of the 1930s has been regarded as the worst ever, but many economists believe we are on the brink of a depression that will make our worst look tame by comparison.

Is God even now beginning to cut off our supply of bread? Is He bringing ruin upon us, as He did upon Jerusalem and Judah because of their sins? In Isaiah 3:1-6, you will find that God does cut off bread and massive unemployment results. When judgment fell in Zion, "there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast" (Zachariah 8:10). Will there be massive unemployment as God judges America's sins?There is a sense of danger in the air; every situation seems volatile. There is a feeling that the world is on a course from which there is no turning back. There is talk of wars, race wars, holy wars. Israel is feverishly preparing for war as never before, gearing up for a final conflict.

Is this the day that Jesus predicted when men's hearts will fail from overwhelming fear as they behold the frightening things happening on the earth? Could it be we really are the generation that will behold the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ? Have we come to such a point in human history that it can now be said, "This generation shall not pass away till all these things come to pass"?

-Will it indeed happen in our time?~~
--------
-"Even so, Come Lord Jesus!"

--JESUS: The Final Payment

-"By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14). No more sacrifice needs to be made. No more deposits are necessary. So complete was the payment that Jesus used a banking term to proclaim your salvation. "It is finished" (John 19:30). Tetelestai was a financial term used to announce the final installment, the ultimate payment.

Now, if the task is finished, is anything else required of you? Of course not. If the account is full, what more could you add? Even saying the phrase "forgive our debts" does not earn grace. We repeat the words to remind us of the forgiveness we have, not to attain a forgiveness we need....

For some of you these thoughts about bounced checks and God's grace aren't new, but aren't they precious? Honestly, have you ever been given a gift which compares to God's grace? Finding this treasure of mercy makes the poorest beggar a prince. Missing this gift makes the wealthiest man a pauper.

Again, many of you knew that. I pray the reminder encourages you.

But for others, this is more than good news...it is new news. You never knew there was a roof of grace. And what a grand roof it is. The tiles are thick and the beams are sturdy. Under it you are shielded from the storms of guilt and shame. Beneath the covering of Christ, no accuser can touch you and no act can condemn you.

Isn't it good to know you don't have to stand outside in the storm anymore?

"But is it big enough for me?" you ask. Well, it was big enough for one who denied Christ (Peter). One who mocked Christ (the thief on the cross). One who persecuted Christ (Paul). Yes, it's big enough for you. Though you've spent a lifetime writing insufficient checks, God has stamped these words on your statement: 'MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU.'

Picture, if you will, a blank check. The amount of the check is "sufficient grace." The signer of the check is Jesus The only blank line is for the payee. That part is for you. May I urge you to spend a few moments with your Savior receiving this check? Reflect on the work of His grace. Look toward the roof. Its beams are from Calvary and the nails once held a Savior to the Cross. His sacrifice was for you.

Express your thanks for His grace. Whether for the first time or the thousandth, let Him hear you whisper, "Forgive us our debts." And let Him answer your prayer as you imagine writing your name on the check.

Perhaps I best slip out now and leave the two of you to talk. I'll be waiting in the hallway of the Great House of God.~~
-(From: The Great house of God/ By: Max Lucado)

-Jesus and the Flood

"For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (Matthew 24:38-39)

-The Lord Jesus Christ not only believed in the special, recent creation of all things by God (note Mark 10:6-8), but also in the worldwide Flood of Noah's day, including the special preservation of life on the Ark. The Flood in which He believed was obviously not a "local flood," for He compared it to the worldwide future impact of His Second Coming.

Neither was it a "tranquil flood," nor a "selective flood," for Jesus said, "The flood came, and destroyed them all" (Luke 17:27). It is clear that He was referring to--and that He believed--the Genesis record of the great Flood! There it says that the whole earth was "filled with violence" (Genesis 6:13), having first been filled with people, and that the resulting world-cleansing deluge was so cataclysmic that "every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth" (Genesis 7:23). Indeed, "the flood came, and took [literally 'lifted'] them all away."

This is what Jesus said, and what He believed, and therefore, those who are truly His disciples must also believe this. The destructive effects of the Flood can still be seen today, not only in the biblical record, but also in the abundant evidences of cataclysmic destruction in the rocks and fossil graveyards all over the world. To refuse this evidence, as do many modern intellectuals, can only be because they "willingly are ignorant," as Peter said in referring to this testimony (2 Peter 3:5).

--ICR/ HMM / INDESCRIBABLE! / Chris Tomlin
<http://youtu.be/8FlIchSJoOA>

-CROWNED
WITH GLORY

-Psalm 8
----
What is man that You
are mindful of Him?
--Psalm 8:4
---
The Voyager I spacecraft, which was launched in 1977, is on the outer edge of our solar system more than 10 billion miles away. In February 1990, when Voyager I was almost 4 billion miles from us, scientists turned its camera toward earth and took some pictures that revealed our planet as an almost imperceptible blue dot on a vast sea of empty space.

In the immense reaches of our universe, Earth is just a minuscule speck. On this seemingly insignificant pebble in the ocean of galactic objects live more than seven billion people.

If this makes you feel insignificant, God has some good news. Tucked into one of David's psalms is a rhetorical question that can allow you look up at the sky and rejoice. Psalm 8:3-5 tells us that we are superstars in God's eyes: "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,...what is man that You are mindul of him?...You have crowned him with glory and honor." God--who spoke into existence a universe so vast that the Hubble telescope hasn't found the end of it--created you, and He cares deeply for you. He cared enough to ask Jesus to leave heaven to die for you.

Look at God's creation and praise Him that He crowned you with glory through His Son Jesus.~~

We praise You, Father, for Your creation which reaches
beyond our imagination, for the spellbinding night
sky with its vast array of lights, and for loving each of
us enough to send Jesus to be our personal Savior.-----

-WE SEE THE POWER OF GOD'S CREATION; WE FEEL THE POWER OF HIS LOVE.=/STILL By: Hillsong

------

--The Indwelling Christ
"And they glorified God in me." (Galatians 1:24)

One of the greatest doctrines of the Christian faith is the amazing truth that the Lord Jesus Christ indwells each believer, through His Holy Spirit. "Christ liveth in me," said the apostle Paul (Galatians 2:20) and, since that was true experientially as well as doctrinally, he could invite people to see Christ and hear Christ and follow Christ by seeing and hearing and following him. This might seem incredibly arrogant if it were not real.

He could say, for example, that "it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me" (Galatians 1:15-16). And he could say, as in today's verse, that those who heard him "glorified God in me." He also commanded, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you" (Philippians 4:9).

The Lord could say to His disciples, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9), and no one thinks it inappropriate, because He fully manifested the heavenly Father in word and deed. Similarly, Paul said that "the truth of Christ is in me" and referred to "Christ speaking in me" (2 Corinthians 11:10; 13:3), noting that Christ was "mighty in me toward the Gentiles" (Galatians 2:8).

This was not boasting, for Paul acknowledged that "in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing" (Romans 7:18). Still, he was bold to exhort, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Now the same Spirit of Christ who dwelled in Paul also indwells all true Christians, for "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Romans 8:9). We should be able to say with Paul, in practice as well as theory, that "Christ liveth in me."
--ICR/HMM

--The Wonder of His Love
--By: Henry Morris III, D.Min.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (&#8201;John 3:16&#8201;)

This poignant passage has become one of the most well-known of all Bible verses in the English-speaking world. Via national television, the reference routinely appears on placards in demonstrations and banners in stadium bleachers and in the eye-black of famous athletes. But sometimes, as the adage says, “familiarity breeds contempt.” Perhaps a quick focus on this marvelous promise would encourage you and your family.

The key to this verse is the little adverb “so.” The end product—everlasting life—and the means, His only begotten Son, are absolutely important. But it is the quality of God’s love that is stressed. It is how God loved us that governs this promise.
-Continue reading by clicking on this link...Here is an article from the Institute for Creation Research:
The Wonder of His Love (http://www.icr.org/article/7234/)

--Guard Your Fellowship with Jesus!

"LOOK! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." (Revelation (3:20)

JESUS stands at the door and knocks. That's a great image to use in an evanagelistic presentation--and it's undoubtedly true--but that's not the context of the verse. No, the words of Jesus to the church at Laodicea appeal to the congregation to stop shutting Him out. They have been indifferent to Him, and their lukewarmness is nauseating to God. They have been having their feasts, specifically the Lord's Supper, without His Presence. They are a church going through the motions but not filled and empowered with the Presence of the living Lord. This "body of Christ"' is behaving as though it is lifeless.

That can easily happen to our congregations too. We go through the motions and "do church" by habit rather than by the Living One spontaneously moving in and through us. We have programs and policies that take on a life of their own, slowly marginalizing the Jesus who birthed the church to begin with. If we aren't careful, the church becomes an impersonal organization rather than a living organism.

Guard your fellowship zealously with Jesus! --not to keep it in its patterns and habits but to keep it responsive to each breath of the Spirit. The picture of Jesus standing outside of His own church is tragic. Not only does that disappoint Him, it leavs His people without their source of Life. Any fellowship that isn't experiencing superanatural fruit is missing Jesus. Without the Presence, it's nothing more than a club or committee. With Him, it's a 'Living Temple of God'.

"Jesus, I open the door to You and invite You into the fellowship of those I worship with. We need You. Without Your Presence, we have no reason to exist. Please enter in, eat with us, and let us enjoy Your friendship and life.Amen"~~


--HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD! Darlene Zschech

-How to Know You're Ready for Eternity~~

"And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." -1 John 5:11
---
-WHEN SIR WILLIAM RAMSAY was executed in 1683, the English patriot took his watch out of his pocket, gave it to his doctor on his way to the gallows, and said, "Here, take my timepiece. I have no need of it now, for I am dealing with eternity."

Your time is ticking. And if you just put your hand on your heart, you can feel those heartbeats as if they were saying, "Quickly, quickly, quickly, quickly." Then one day, they stop. And while death is sure and life is so brief, God gives you this life as an opportunity to prepare for the future because everyone will live forever somewhere.

My soul and your soul will go on endless, dateless, and measureless throughout all eternity. You'll be alive a thousand years from now. You'll be alive 10 billion years from now, either in Heaven or Hell. So don't miss this opportunity!

So, here's the question I have for you today: Are you ready for eternity? Are you ready for that day you move from this life to the next? The only way to be 100% sure is to confess in your heart that Jesus is Lord and trust in Him for the forgiveness of your sins. When you do that, you'll be ready to come, face to face with our Creator Jesus the Christ, our crucified Savior. Jesus is alive right now!

Every person will one day enter Eternity. So make sure you're ready by trusting Jesus Christ to forgive your sins. Jesus is Lord!

--Daily Word/ Jack Graham

-WONDERFULLY
-MADE!

-Psalm 139:13-18
---
Marvelous are your
works, and that my
soul knows very well.
--Psalm 139:14
----
-WHILE getting an eye exam recently, my doctor hauled out a piece of equipment that I hadn't seen before. I asked him what the device was, and he responded, "I'm using it to take a picture of the inside of the back of your eye."

I was impressed that someone had invented a camera that could do that. But I was even more impressed by what my doctor could learn from that picture. He said, "We can gather a lot of details about your current general health simply by looking at the back of your eye."

My doctor's comment amazed me. It is remarkable that a peron's overall health can be measured by the health of the eye. What care the Lord has taken to place these details in the bodies He has created! It immediately brings to my mind the words of David, the psalmist, who reveled in God's creativity: "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well" (Ps. 139:14).

The enormous complexities of our bodies reflect the genius and wisdom of our great Creator. The wonder of His design is more than breathtaking--it gives us countless reasons to worship Him![/color]
---
-ALL LIFE IS CREATED BY GOD AND BEARS HIS AUTOGRAPH.
--ODB/BC/ INDESCRIBABLE! / Chris Tomlin

-ALREADY
-SETTLED!

-1 John 5:10-15
---
These things I have
written to you who
believe in the name
of the Son of God,
that you may know
that you have eternal
life.--1 John 5:13
---
LIFE is often like observing live sporting events. There are shocks and surprises, frustrations, and fears, because we are unsure of the outcome. Followers of Christ can draw comfort, however, from the fact that though many of life's situations are uncertain, our eternal outcome is settled by the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.

The Apostle John wrote, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God (see text)... "Life may present us with surprises along the way, but because of Christ's work we can have peace. He has already settled our eternal outcome.
-----
-I asked Jesus,
How much do You love me?"
And Jesus said, "This much...."

Then Jesus stretched one hand to the right
and the other to the left and had them nailed
in that position so you would know He died loving you and me.

-Yes, He spread His arms and died for us. ALL OF US!"
---
-Peace rules the day when Christ rules the heart!

-ODB/

-LIKE JESUS

-1 John 2:5-11
---
-Sometimes we make the mistake of viewing the Bible as a list of rules. Certainly obeying God (John 14:21) and spending time with Him are important, but not because we need to be rule-keepers. Jesus and the Father had a loving relationship.

When we have a relationship with God, we desire to spend time with Him and obey Him so we can become more like Jesus. John said, "He who says he abides in [Jesus] ought himself also to walk just as He walked" (1 John 2:6). He's the example we can follow.When we want to understand how to love, or how to be humble, or how to have faith, or even how to set our priorities, we can look at Jesus and follow His heart.

Even David remembered the past by contemplating the good that God had done, "meditate on all [His] works; ...muse on the work of [His ] hands" (Ps. 143:5). As we call to mind the loving-kindness of the Lord, we can see His blessings through the years.

These blessings are the memories that foster the highest good. They evoke a deep longing for more of God and more of His tender care. They transform the past into a place of familiarity and fellowship with our Lord.

I have promised you My presence
With you everywhere you go;
I will never, never leave you
As you travel here below.~~
----
-FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST IS THE SECRET OF HAPPINESSS NOW AND FOREVER!
ODB/DR & AC

-On March 24th we will celebrate Palm Sunday. Then, on March 31st we celebrate Easter! (2013)= JESUS IS ALIVE!
------------------
-"AND IT
WAS NIGHT"

-John 13:21-30
---
Having received
the piece of bread,
[Judas] then went
out immediately.
And it was night."
--John 13:30
---
-DURING a business trip to Philadelphia, I attended an evening service on the Thursday before Easter--a service of Communion and Tenebrae (darkness) held in a chapel lit by candles. Following the bread and the cup, a passage was read aloud from the gospel of John, one candle was extinguished, and we sang a hymn about Jesus' journey to the Cross. This was repeated 14 times until the chapel was completely dark. In silence we knelt in prayer and then left one by one without speaking.

The darkness of this type of service can remind us of the dark elements surrounding Jesus' death. Think of His last meal with the disciples (John 13:21-30) as He explained that one of them would betray Him. Only Jesus knew it was Judas. "Having received the piece of bread, [Judas] then went out immediately. And it was night" (v.30).

On the darkest evening of Jesus' life, He agonized in prayer in the Garden, faced a wrongful arrest, endured humiliation at the hands of religious leaders, and winced at Peter's denials. Yet He moved faithfully toward the Cross where He would die for our sins.

Jesus endured darkness and death to give us light and life. Praise Him for what He did for us!

-See, from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
---
-Calvary reveals the vileness of our sin and the vastness of God's love.~

--AT CALVARY! THANK YOU, JESUS!

--SHOUT OF TRIUMPH!

--John 19:28-37
---
-It is finished!
----
-Those who witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus saw His hours of agony and heard Him cry out in a loud voice, "It is finished!" as He gave up His spirit (John 19:30). His final words from the Cross were not a cry of painful defeat but a shout of triumph, because He had accomplished all that the Father sent Him to do.

When Jesus died, He shared in what all of us must experience. But far beyond that, He did what none of us can do. He paid the price for our sins that we might be forgiven and have eternal life through faith in Him.

"It is finsihed!" was the Lord's shout of victory because now, through Him, we can escape the power of sin; we can live and be free.

Because of Jesus' sacrifice for us, we call the day of His death Good Friday.

-I have been to the Cross where my Savior died,
And all of my life is made new--
In the person of Him I am crucified.
I have been to the Cross. Have you?
---
--JESUS DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE!

--ODB/DM

---- Jesus: The Son of Man
--- ---
-He lived among us. He donned the costliest of robes; a human body. He made a throne out of a manger and a royal court out of some cows. He took a common name--Jesus--and made it holy. He took common people and made them the same. He could have lived over us or away from us. But He didn't. He lived among us.

He became a friend of the sinner and brother of the poor. He touched their sores and felt their tears and paid for their mistakes. He entered a tomb and came out and pledged that we'd do the same. And to us all, and to all the frightened Freds of the world, He shared the same message. "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me...I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:1,3).

And how do we respond?

Some pretend He doesn't exist. They occupy themselves with a study of the piano and ask no questions about the Maestro.

Others hear Him, but don't believe Him. It's not easy to believe that God would go so far to take us home.

But then, a few decide to give it a try. They venture out of their corners and peek up through the opening. Each day they look toward the sky. They, like Simeon, "wait for" and "look forward to" the day Christ comes (2 Peter 3:11).
They know there is more to life than the belly of a piano, and they want to be ready when Christ comes.

--From: When Christ Comes/ ML

--The Obedience of Christ

"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." (John 5:30)

Christ is our great example in all things--even in that of obedience to the Father and His will. As the perfect Son, He obeyed His Father in all things. "I do nothing of myself," He said, "but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And He that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him" (John 8:28-29).

There are three specific references in the epistles to the obedience of Christ. One of the most profound passages in the Bible is Hebrews 5:8: "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered." How could the omniscient Son of God have to learn anything? There are some things that cannot be learned in books but only by experience, and obedience in hard circumstances is surely one of these. Jesus learned obedience by actual experience.

Christ obeyed His Father even after praying that the bitter cup might be taken away. "Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross" (Philippians 2:8).

Had He been disobedient, as was Adam, we could never have known salvation. "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous" (Romans 5:19). Jesus was, indeed, always perfectly obedient to His Father's word, "leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps"(1 Peter 2:21).

As our text emphasizes, His obedience consisted simply of seeking and following the will of His Father in all things. "Not my will, but thine" (Luke 22:42).

--ICR/HMM

--JESUS: AUTHORITY AND POWER
---- ----
-There are many examples of Jesus' authority, but I'll just mention one of my favorites. Jesus and the disciples are in a boat crossing the sea of Galilee. A storm arises suddenly and what was placid becomes violent--monstrous waves rise out of the sea and slap the boat.

The very storm which made the disciples panic made Him drowsy. What put fear in their eyes put Him to sleep. The boat was a tomb to the followers and a cradle to Christ. How could He sleep through the storm? Simple, He was in charge of it.

"Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace, be still!' And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, 'Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?'" (Mark 4:39:,40).

Incredible. He doesn't chant a mantra or wave a wand. No angels are called, no help is needed. The raging water becomes a stilled sea, instantly. Immediate calm. Not a ripple. Not a drop. Not a gust. In a moment the sea goes from a churning torrent to a peaceful pond. The reaction of the disciples? Read it in verse 41: "they feared exceedingly, and said to one another. 'Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"
--From: The Great House of God/Max Lucado


-FOREVER REIGN/HILLSONG

--King Of Kings And Lord Of Lords
--By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.
--- ---
“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:14).

There is coming a time—perhaps not too far in the future—when all the kings and other rulers of the world will “have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” (Revelation 17:13), the great humanistic world system of the last days, whose Satan-possessed leader will then have power “given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations” (Revelation 13:7).

Only one opponent will remain, the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, against whom “the kings of the earth . . . take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Psalm 2:2,3).

So they will proceed to “make war with the Lamb,” but they will lose! At the final “appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. . . . He shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords” (I Timothy 6:14,15). He, who as God’s sacrificial Lamb, has taken “away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), is greater than all kings and rulers.

No longer as the submissive Lamb before His shearers (Isaiah 53:7), but as the “Word of God,” out of whose once-silent mouth now “goeth a sharp sword” with which He shall “smite the nations.” He will have “on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:13,15,16).

Indeed, the kings and leaders of the whole world will think they can successfully “make war with the Lamb,” but He “shall overcome them.” In that great day that is coming, it will be far better to be with Him, than with them!

--ICR/HMM / KING OF LOVE <http://youtu.be/ENK04pDfnFA>

-PERFECT LOVE

--John 13:5-17
---
I have given you an
example, that you
should do as I have
done to you.
--John 13:14
---
FOR thousands of years, the Jewish people had only the Law telling them what to do and what not to do. But then came Jesus Christ, who showed them how to live the life God had been telling them about all along. Jesus didn't just say, "Be humble"; He "humbled Himself" (Phil. 2:8). He didn't just say, "Forgive others"; He forgave us (Col. 3:13). He didn't just say, "Love God and your neighbors"; He demonstrated love by His actions (John 15:12).

Christ's perfect example of love shows how great God's love is for us and how we are to show His love to others.
----------
-LOVE IS GOD'S WILL IN ACTION!

--ODB/JAL

--All About Jesus
--Read | Revelation 21:10-27 (Please Read)
--
-All of us have sinned, and our transgressions demand atonement. Because of this, God the Father sent His Son to die in our place and pay our sin debt in full. We are forgiven on the basis of the price He paid, and if we accept His sacrifice on our behalf, our names will be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Christ’s death on the Cross paved the way for us to go to heaven. Because He died, not only can we live for eternity, but we also get to enjoy a personal relationship with the Lord while we are here on earth. It’s all wrapped up in the Cross. It’s all about Jesus.

Have you ever acknowledged your sin against God? Are you willing to ask Him to forgive you—not on the basis of who you are or what you’ve done, but based on the simple truth that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, went to the Cross in your place?

If you are willing to confess your sin, turn from it, and yield your life to the Lord, the Holy Spirit will come into your heart and seal you forever as a child of God. You can live the rest of your life knowing that no matter what happens, as you travel the peaks and valleys of life, you are forever safe in the arms of Almighty God—and eternal life in His presence awaits you.

When you think about what Jesus endured in order to atone for your sins, the only appropriate response is humble gratitude. Pray that the Spirit of God will penetrate any arrogance or resistance so you can truly acknowledge, privately and then publicly, that the Cross is our only hope.

[If you've never met Jesus, He is, at this moment, knocking on the door of your heart. He longs to have a personal relationship with you. Won't you invite Him into your heart and life now? You can use the following prayer or your own words:

"Lord Jesus, I believe You are truly the Son of God. I confess that I have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed. Please forgive my sins and allow me to live in a relationship with You from now on. I receive You as my personal Savior. Thank You for saving me, Lord Jesus. Help me to live for You. Amen. ]

--In Touch
We will gladly send you our free All Things Are New kit to help you take the next step in your relationship with God. Contact our Customer Care department at 800-789-1473, or visit <www.intouch.org/god> for more information.

-GOLDEN EAGLE~

-Psalm 145:1-7
---
I will meditate...
on Your wondrous
works. --Psalm 145:5 -
---
MY son Mark and I were leaving the Clyde Peterson Ranch in Wyoming to head back to Michigan. In the distance we spotted a huge bird sitting in a solitary tree overlooking a steep canyon. As we approached, the golden eagle leaped from the tree and soared out over the canyon, the golden streaks in its feathers shimmering in the morning sun. Its immense size and beauty filled us with wonder. We felt privileged to witness this magnificent demonstration of God's awesome creativity.

Creation displays God's "wondrous works" (Ps. 145:5). And when we stop to meditate on those works, we can't help but be awed as our minds and spirits are moved to reflect on the character of the God who created them.

That golden eagle told my son and me a story of the creative genius of our mighty God. So does the flitting songbird, the doe with her playful fawn, the pounding surf, and the delicate little flowers such as bachlor's-button and Spring beauty. In the most unexpected moments and out-of-the-way places the Lord shines His glory in this world in order to reveal Himself to us. Those serendipitous moments are opportunities to "meditate...on [His] wondrous works" (v.5)

This is my Father's world,
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas--
His hand to wonders wrought.
---
-ALWAYS BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR THE WONDER FROM OUR CREATOR!

ODB/DE

-He Is the Owner and Creator!

-"Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. But if a man be just . . . he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD." (Ezekiel 18:4-5, 9)

What an awesome statement! The eternal Creator of all mankind asserting His ownership over each man's soul to do with it what He deems proper.

What is the worth of one eternal soul created in the image of God? The Creator is the owner of the cattle on a thousand hills. Indeed, the earth and all the galaxies are His, but there is something about a soul that is of far greater worth. A soul can choose, can worship its Maker, and can reflect the very nature of God. Nothing else in all creation has these powers. Yet He owns all souls. He has an unquestionable right to them, and they will never be taken away, for He has created them. Furthermore, their numbers are growing, for He has given His subjects the command and power to reproduce. At each conception He supplies a newly created, eternal soul. Truly, His wealth is great!

How should we respond to His ownership? By obedience! By choosing to act according to His will as revealed in reason, our conscience, and above all, in His written Word, we ascribe to Him the glory due Him. We must jealously guard our affections, reserving the adulation which He deserves for Him alone. We must lovingly care for His creation, including the many fellow souls whom He brings across our paths.

Above all, we must avail ourselves of His gracious provision of mercy and forgiveness through the redemptive work of His Son, Jesus Christ. At that point, He performs another creative act, for "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature [or creation]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

--ICR/JDM

--- Resurrection Hope
--- By Charles F. Stanley

What is Easter about? Greeting cards speak of “renewal,” “the promise of spring,” or even “God’s love.”
To believers, however, these sentiments fall far short of the power and victory of Easter—Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

Does it really matter if Christ rose from the dead? Some would argue it doesn’t. But I submit to you that if Jesus didn’t conquer death, Christianity is a lie. Without the Resurrection, the most eloquent sermon is empty; sin still holds us captive; and our faith is nothing more than wishful thinking (1 Cor. 15:13-14,17).

The Resurrection is a fact. Those who are not quite sure, and who do not trust the Bible story, can go to the library and investigate the records of the time written by Josephus, a Jewish historian.

And for those of us who do believe the Bible is an accurate account of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have much to rejoice about.

For many years, our church, First Baptist Atlanta produced a three-hour dramatic performance about the life of Jesus. Many of those years, the civic center has been sold out for all performances. It was the highlight of the Easter season for thousands of people. I enjoyed it immensely.The basic script was “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” Each year it ended with the ascension of Jesus.

Each year as I sat there and anticipated the Resurrection scene, I felt as if I would explode with excitement. I felt tense during the trial and the beating of Jesus. I got angry at the Roman soldiers (who are my church members!) as they yelled at and hit our Savior. I grew weary and sad during Gethsemane and the Crucifixion scenes. I became exhausted after those scenes because they seemed so real to me.

Then, the music would change. And women would run across the stage looking for Jesus, wondering where His missing body could be. Women weep. Disciples shook their heads. Jesus’ mother is pondered. I recall wanting to stand to my feet and shout, “He’s risen, just as He said!” I never have said that, and I’m sure those around me were grateful. But I’ve wanted to.

The strangest feeling overtook me one year. As the disciples peered into the tomb and as angels hovered nearby and they cradled His folded grave-clothes in their hands, I wanted to get up and walk up on to the stage to look in the tomb, too. I knew it was empty, but I wanted to experience the thrill that those first disciples must have felt when they walked into the empty tomb.

We can’t imagine their despair and then their feeling of utter amazement and victory.

His resurrection assures our resurrection.
There would still be the sting of death if He had remained dead. But He was the firstfruits of resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20). He paved the way for us.

Of course, we grieve when someone we love is taken in death. But we grieve differently from the way the world does. We do not grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13). We can look forward to a wonderful reunion someday with them and with the One who died—and lives—for us!

If He had remained dead, we would have nothing.

No hope. No faith. No comfort.

But we have a living Savior, who transcended the laws of death and smashed them forever.

A little girl took a caterpillar and put it in a metal box that once held Band-aids. She shut the lid tight to keep the caterpillar in and then went on her way, virtually forgetting about her wonderful catch. The caterpillar spun a tight cocoon inside the box.

One day, when the girl was at school, her mother was cleaning her room. The mom opened the box to see what treasure the little girl had hidden. Out came a beautiful butterfly.

The mother closed the bedroom door tightly, so she could show this creation to the little girl when she came home. She could hardly wait. She met her daughter at the door and said, “Guess what! You’ve kind of become a mother!”

The child couldn’t imagine what on earth her mother was talking about. But then the mother slowly opened her daughter’s door and showed her the butterfly basking in the sunshine on the window sill.

Butterflies, although a beautiful illustration of new life emerging out of something seemingly dead, do not adequately portray the Resurrection. Jesus was not in some flimsy metal box. He was in a sealed tomb with guards standing nearby. He was wrapped in a cocoon of death, yet He broke free.

The stone was rolled away from the tomb, not so Jesus could get out but so the world could look in. His resurrection assures yours. Because He lives, you will live forever.

-HE'S ALIVE!

--Breath and Spirit

"Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein." (Isaiah 42:5)

God the LORD (Elohim Jehovah) is here identified as the Creator and organizer of all the universe, the heavens, and the earth, and all things therein. In context, He is also identifying Himself as the One sending forth "my servant" to be given as "a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles" (Isaiah 42:1, 6), the coming Messiah of Israel.

He who does all these things also gives every person born both breath and spirit. The "breath" (Hebrew neshumah) is that "breath of life" which God breathed into Adam's nostrils when He created him at the beginning. Even those who do not believe in God must depend on Him for their very breath, since "he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things." Therefore, He is "not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:25, 27-28).

He also gives each person a spirit (Hebrew ruach), a word used first of all in reference to the "Spirit of God" (Genesis 1:2). It is this attribute in particular that constitutes the created "image of God" in man (Genesis 1:27). The higher land animals all possess "the breath of life," along with man (Genesis 7:22), but only men and women are created in the image of God, each with an eternal spirit.

Man's breath and spirit are closely related, and sometimes the words are used almost interchangeably. When the breath departs from a person's body at death, the spirit also departs with it, but the latter "shall return unto God who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7). The breath also will be activated again on the coming resurrection day.

--ICR/HMM / HOLY SPIRIT RAIN DOWN/ HILLSONG ~~

----

--God's Perfect Way

--"As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him." (2 Samuel 22:31) -

This is the 30th verse (out of 50) in David's great "song of deliverance," evidently considered by God to be of sufficient importance to have it included twice (2 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18) in His written word. Its testimony is greatly needed.

One of the most common excuses given by men for rejecting the God of the Bible is their opinion that His ways are unfair. Even Christians are prone to complain at the way God deals with them. But the fact that we may not understand God's ways hardly gives us the right to pass judgment on them. He often reminds us in His word that His way is perfect and His word has been tried and proved, again and again. "For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth" (Psalm 33:4). "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul" (Psalm 19:7).

We need to settle it in our hearts that, whether we understand them or not, God's ways are always perfect. What He does is right, and whatever He says must be true by definition. His ways are always in the context of eternity, but we leap to judgment in terms of present inconvenience.

His perfect way is seen most fully in Christ, and His truth is heard most clearly in Christ, for "I am the way," He said, and I am "the truth" (John 14:6). Yet Christ's way was through the Cross, and His truth was opposed by the father of lies (John 8:44).

God's way for us may also lead us into suffering and great opposition, but His way is always perfect, and His word is tried and true. If we trust Him through it all, He will be our buckler as He was for David. "Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him" (Proverbs 30:5).

"Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator
of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.

He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Yet those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not grow weary, they will walk
not grow faint." ISAIAH 40:28-31

ICR/HMM/ WINGS AS EAGLES/ PHIL DRISCOLL

--This Same Jesus
--By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8).

When the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, then later ascended into heaven, His body was immortal, no longer subject to death-yet it was a physical body, capable of being seen and heard and touched, even capable of eating with His disciples.
He was clearly recognizable, yet could quickly ascend from earth to heaven and could pass through a solid wall. As He ascended, two angelic messengers said: “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). He was immeasurably different after His resurrection, yet Peter could also proclaim “that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).

Furthermore, even when He returns and assumes the eternal throne of the universe, He will still be the same. “But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: . . . they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail” (Hebrews 1:8,12).

This was the same Jesus whom John the Baptist identified at the beginning of His earthly ministry. “He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost” (John 1:33).

In fact, before His baptism, and even before His incarnation, He was the same. “In the beginning was the Word, . . . The same was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1,2).

This same Jesus who lived among men, identified by John the Baptist as the Son of God, and who died on the cross, is the eternal Word by whom all things were made, as well as the resurrected Savior and coming King. Jesus Christ is truly “the same yesterday. and today, and for ever.”

--ICR/ HMM

--UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE --
--1 Corinthians 2:12 - 3:3
---
"I just don't understand the Bible." That's a comment I hear quite often, even from believers. It is no mystery why those without Christ are unable to comprehend Biblical concepts, but why do those who know Him struggle? Some people think a seminary education is the answer, but I've met several trained Pastors and Teachers who didn't really understand the Word of God. They knew facts but had no excitement for the Scriptures or for the Lord.

The key is not education but obedience. As we act on what we read, the Holy Book comes alive, and we begin to hear and understand the voice of God. However, if we have not obeyed what He's previously revealed to us, why would He give us His deeeper truths? "The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him" (Ps. 25:14). So who are "those who fear Him?" They're the ones who obey His commandments and are promised "a good understanding" (111:10).

Living a fleshly lifestyle amounts to disobedience before the Lord. It will cloud our eyes, diminish our ability to hear, and fog our thinking. Although we, as believers, have full access to the mind of Christ, attachment to our own sinful ways can prevent us from tapping into the rich treasures of wisdom that are found in His Word.

As you read the Scriptures each day, look for God's instructions. Then with reliance upon the Holy Spirit, commit to do what He tells you. When you obey His voice, He will reveal deeper truths, and your understanding will grow. Soon your time in the Word will become a delight instead of a duty.~~

--In Touch

-There is Only One Way to Become a Child of God~~

--Christ's Blood: The Necessity
--Read | Romans 3:21-26 -(Righteousness Through Faith)

-Romans 3 communicates the very heart of Scripture. Apart from the cross of Christ and His atoning death, no one can be declared righteous.

In other words, there is only one way to become a child of God—through the blood of the Savior (John 14:6). Good works and right living will not earn the Lord’s favor, because every person inevitably sins, and a sinner cannot enter the presence of holy God. The shedding of Christ’s blood on the world’s behalf made it possible for anyone to be cleansed of sin and have a relationship with the Creator. The only requirement is trusting Jesus as Savior.

For God to be just, He must remain true to His own principles. His holiness dictated that “the soul who sins will die” (Ezek. 18:4). The penalty for sin—namely, death—had to be paid in a way that was acceptable to God.
He explained through Moses why a blood sacrifice was required: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement” (Lev. 17:11). A life must be given for a life to be spared.

On that basis, the heavenly Father provided a perfectly sinless sacrifice for all mankind. The only way God’s justice could be satisfied and His holiness could be maintained was for Jesus Christ to take our guilt and sin upon Himself and die in our place.

When we say that there is only one way to the Father, we mean that a person must believe Jesus Christ died as a perfect sacrifice. To trust in anything else is to ignore God’s holiness and the admonition of His Word (Acts 4:12).
--In Touch/
NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD/ By: The Swift

----

--STAR SHEPHERD

-Ezekiel 34:11-16
-----
Why do you say,...
"My way is hidden
from the LORD"?
--Isaiah 40:27 -
---
IN the Spring, shepherds in Idaho move their flocks from the lowlands into the mountains. Thousands of sheep move up the passes into the high country to summer pasture.

My wife and I came across a flock on Shaw Mountain last week. It was bedded down in a meadow by a quiet stream--a scene that evoked memories of Psalm 23.

But where was the shepherd? The sheep appeared to be alone--until a few broke away from the flock and began to wander toward a distant gully. Then we heard a shrill whistle from above. Looking up, we saw the shepherd sitting high on a hill above the sheep, keeping watch over his flock. A mountain dog and two Border collies stood at his side. The dogs, responding to the shepherd's signal, bounded down the hill and herded the drifting sheep back to the flock where they belonged.

In the same way, the Good Shepherd is watching over you. Even though you cannot see Him, He can see you! He knows you by name and knows all about you. You are the sheep of His pasture (Ezek. 34:31).
God promises that He will "seek out" His sheep, "feed them in good pasture," and "bind up the broken" (vv.12,14,16).

-You can trust in God's watchful care.

I trust in God, I know He cares for me
On the mountain bleak or on the stormy sea;
Though billows roll, He keeps my soul,
My heavenly Father watches over me.
---
The Lamb who died to save us
is the Shepherd who lives to care for us.

--ODB/DR


-The Lord is My Shepherd/ Keith Green [Psalm 23]

--Heaven: Our Eternal Home
--(Read John 14:1-4)
----
-JESUS warned His disciples that He would soon be going away. However, the Lord also promised to return someday and take them to a home that He'd have prepared for them (John 14:3). This verse confirms to us that Heaven is a real place.

According to the Bible, Christians have citizenship in paradise (Phil 3:20), our treasure is stored there (Matt. 6:20), and it will be our eternal home (1 Thess. 4:17). God is not describing a celestial dream world. Rather, all believers can confidently look forward to being gathered there, in a tangible dwelling place.

Immediately after physical death, the Christian's spirit enters God's presence(2 Cor.5:6). At some point, after divine timing is fulfilled for Tribulation and Judgment, the Lord will renew all things. Our bodies will be resurrected as immortal, pain-free, and vigorous sheaths for our spirits (1 Cor. 15:42). Later, the earth will be changed into an uncorrupted Paradise, and we'll also have access to a Heavenly City--the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:10-27).

In these two spheres of Heaven, God's children will spend eternity serving and worshipping Him. Despite misconceptions about reclining on clouds and playing harps, we won't be sitting around, doing nothing! We will rest, but this holy respite is from all the things that make life on earth so wearying--temptation, heartache, trials, and pain.

Paradise is beyond our imagination, but we do know the believer's life goes on: as citizens of Heaven, we'll be serving and praising the Lord. And together with other saints and our Lord Jesus, we'll enjoy unlimited energy and perfect harmony. We will have the peace of God, that transcends all human comprehension.~~

--Thine, O Lord

"Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all." (1 Chronicles 29:11)
---
This is one of the great doxologies of Scripture, originally a part of King David's prayer at the time of Solomon's coronation as his successor. Although David and Solomon were the greatest kings of Israel, and two of the greatest kings in the world of their age, David rightly acknowledged that the Lord Himself was the true King, not only of Israel, but of all heaven and Earth. He is head, the supreme ruler, over all.

This is the first occurrence in Scripture of the great testimony of worship: "Thine is the kingdom." In the modern world, however, there are relatively few who acknowledge Him as King of creation. Except for a small minority, most people believe that the universe has evolved and man is king.

But David's prayer will be echoed again in the great prayer of the cherubim: "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4:11). Then, soon afterward, "the four and twenty elders" utter their prayer: "We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty . . . because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned" (Revelation 11:16-17).

Someday, every knee will bow and every tongue shall confess Him as King of kings and Lord of lords. "Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. . . . Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. . . . Blessed are all they that put their trust in him" (Psalm 2:6, 10, 12). In that day, "there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him" (Revelation 22:3).

--ICR/HMM

--Fellowship with the Father and With the Son~

". . .and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3) -

One marvelous reason for which God has adopted us (Ephesians 1:5), indeed part of the very "calling" to become God's children, is to fellowship (1 Corinthians 1:9) with the great God of creation!

Jesus prayed (John 17) that we, His chosen disciples, might have the same kind of relationship with the Heavenly Father that Jesus Himself had throughout eternity. Our minds may not totally grasp that wonder down here—except as we try to understand something of the key of walking "in the light" (1 John 1:7).

The nature of light in our universe gives us clues:
Light is unchangeable; one cannot make light dark.
Light exposes everything (reveals and brings clarity).
Light is the sustainer of all life as we know it.

The nature of darkness is also very instructive:
Darkness is driven away by the smallest spark.
Darkness covers everything (hides and obscures).
Darkness will kill all life as we know it.

"The path of the just is as the shining light. . . . The way of the wicked is as darkness" (Proverbs 4:18-19). The promise of fellowship with God is that He "will lead them in paths that they have not known" and that He "will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight" (Isaiah 42:16).

Therefore, "let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation" (1 Thessalonians 5:8). Since we were "sometimes darkness" (Ephesians 5:8) but have been delivered from "the power of darkness" (Colossians 1:13), we should no longer "fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Ephesians 5:11).
--ICR/ HMM III

--JESUS CHRIST OUR CREATOR~

-God's Seven Wonders ~

Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live.
--- [Psalm 63:3-4]

~There were seven wonders of the ancient world, and from time to time we read about the seven wonders of the modern world. But God has His seven wonders too.

The first is the wonder of God's love. The Almighty God, the Creator of the whole universe, loves you and is interested in you as if you were the only person who ever lived. Even when we sin against Him, He still wants to put His arms around us and say, "I love you."

The second is the wonder of God coming to live among us. God became a man--and that man was Jesus. He took on flesh so that He might know our trials, heartaches, and temptations. He understans us.

The third is the wonder of the Cross. Jesus died for you and for me. Far more than His excruciatingly painful physical death, He suffered spiritually when God laid on Him your sins and mine. He who had never known sin took the penalty for all our sin.

-What wondrous love is this!

--HOPE For Each Day/BG

--JESUS CHRIST OUR CREATOR

-God's Seven Wonders, Part II

-"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)~

THE fourth of God's seven wonders is the wonder of conversion. The word conversion means "to change, to turn." You cannot convert yourself: you have to have God help you repent. The Holy Spirit helps us say no to sin and yes to Christ--giving us a new life.

The fifth wonder is the gift of peace and joy that Christ gives. God's wondrous love and the gracious forgiveness He offers through Jesus Christ bring peace and joy.

The sixth wonder is God's plan for the future. I look forward to that day when Jesus will return. What a glorious day that will be when we see Him face-to-face!

The seventh wonder of God is your own commitment to Jesus Christ. He has come to save you, but He won't force you to make that commitment. Have you committed your life to Him--totally and without reserve?

Love, the incarnation, the Cross, conversion, peace and joy, God's plan, your commitment to Jesus--God definitely is the God of wonders!--
<http://youtu.be/iiYejm_O6JU>

--Made in Christ

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Many men would boast of being "self-made" men, but no Christian can do this. Everything we are that is truly worthy and eternal was made in us by God through Jesus Christ. Our text is clear on this. We have been made righteous in Christ, but this was only because God made Him to be sin for us.

When He made us righteous in Christ, He also "made us accepted in the beloved" (Ephesians 1:6). Furthermore, we were "made nigh by the blood of Christ" (2:13). The contexts of these passages make it abundantly clear that our being made righteous, accepted in Christ, and nigh to God, is all of grace; we did nothing to merit such privileges.

This is not all. At the same moment, He also has "made us meet ['fit'] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light" (Colossians 1:12). That we in our poverty should be made joint-heirs with Christ once again is only by His unmerited grace. "Being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:7).

In promise now and in full reality later, He has "made us kings and priests unto God and his Father" (Revelation 1:6). Positionally, we even share His throne, for He "hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6).

Without Him we are nothing; but in Him we have all things. He is "made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30). Truly, in salvation as well as in creation, "it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves" (Psalm 100:3).

--ICR/ HMM

--JESUS' SACRIFICE:
PAYMENT IN FULL ~~

--Psalm 51
------
A church deacon once confessed a horrible sin in a social media site. After giving a description of what he'd done, the man commented, "I know there's a price to pay for this sin now. And that price is death."

Not only was his heart broken over what he had done; he also knew that the effect on his friends and family would be devastating. And yet, overshadowing his remorse was fear. He'd become afraid of God, believing that the sovereign Lord of the universe was now "out to get him."

What would you say to this believer? Does his statement reflect an appropriate view of God's response to sin?

It's true that Romans 6:23 clearly teaches that "the wages of sin is death"; however, this sorrowful young man had overlooked the all-important second half of the verse: "but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." If our Father gives us a gift, we can trust that He will never take it away; it becomes ours to keep--that's what a 'gift' is. We did nothing to deserve it, so we can do nothing to lose it. It all rests on God's initiative.

Moreover, a greater theological principle is at work here. If the believer's sin after salvation could require death--or any form of punishment--then Jesus' sacrifice was insufficient. However, the Bible tells us that Jesus' death was wholly sufficient and a once-for-all payment of mankind's sin debt. (Heb. 10:10).

Either Jesus' blood does cover our sins, or it doesn't. There's no middle ground. The Holy Spirit, Christ's words, and biblical testimony clearly assert that it does.
Jesus died on the Cross to set us free from sin, and to set us free to love and live for Him. Take that 'gift' from Him, and don't ever worry about Him taking it back. You are saved once and that's enough for you to be a follower of Christ. As Jesus said in the Bible repeatedly, "Go, and sin no more."

--Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!The Creator of the universe, and all man-kind, has already paid our sin debt. Please receive His gift and live for Him every day.

---IN TOUCH

--- Son of Man
--By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." (Revelation 14:14)

This is the last of some 87 New Testament references (84 in the four gospels, one in Acts, none in the epistles, two in Revelation) to Christ as the Son of man. Here we see the Son of man coming on a white cloud from heaven (just as He had ascended into heaven after His resurrection) as the conquering King of all the earth.

What a contrast is this to the first New Testament reference to the Son of man. "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head" (Matthew 8:20). From humility and poverty on Earth to power and riches in heaven, and for all eternity—this was His journey when Christ left His heavenly glory to join the human family.

In between the poverty and the power lay the whole human experience, for He "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). Finally, as Son of man He must die for man's sin, for "the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again" (Luke 24:7). Even in heaven He is still the Son of man, for Stephen saw Him thus: "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God" (Acts 7:56).

There is, indeed, a great man in the glory! Christ called Himself "the Son of man" much more often than "the Son of God," though He will eternally be both, the God/man. He delights to identify with those whom He has redeemed, for He "is not ashamed to call them brethren" (Hebrews 2:11). "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" asked Jesus. Then we say, with Peter, "Thou art . . . the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:13, 16).

--ICR/HMM

--THE CREATOR~

--Have you ever wondered....

***If the story of Creation is true?

***Why God bothered to create you?
--Read: Nehemiah 9:6; Job 26:7-14; Acts 14:15-
---
IN the beginning, God breathed life into Adam. God formed each living thing out of nothing. God's color palette is richer than any human artist's. His brush strokes are light and precise. The Bible praises God for His creativity. He left His stamp of craftsmanship on each one of us.

When He created you, He deliberately chose the shape of your face and the color of your eyes. In addition to your physical features, He combined a unique mix of talents and traits. And since that initial moment of creation, He has watched you ever since. Anyone who would labor so much to form you would naturally care enough to lead you the rest of the way through life. You are His child, His artwork.

Perhaps you've wondered why He bothered creating you. What can you possibly give to God that He doesn't already have? Certainly, you can't bring Him power, glory, or holiness, but you can bring Him one thing that He dearly wants--yourself. You are the masterpiece that the Great Artist treasures.

"By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." -Hebrews 11:3 ~~

--Some personal applications:

***What does it mean to you that you were created in God's image?

***For what can you choose to praise the Creator today?

--For a more in-depth study read: Psalm 8

"Only in seeking his Maker does a man truly become man. For in seeing his Creator man catches a glimpse of what he was intended to be. He who would see his God would then see the reason for death and the purpose of time. Destiny? Tomorrow? Truth? All are questions within the reach of the man who knows his source. It is in seeing Jesus that man sees his Source."

--Max Lucado

-FEAR OF WITNESSING~~

"And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all not teach in the name of Jesus." Acts 4:18,29; 5:29

WHY are most of us reluctant to witness to others? FEAR. But in the face of fear, the apostles courageously answered that they "ought to obey God rather than men," and they prayed, "Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word."

But today we fear ridicule more than physical harm. Such fear is out of character for real Christians. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
If we love the Lord and those He died for, we must learn to conquer our fear of men.

But some, because of their high position, refused to take an open stand for Christ. "Among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."

May God give us the courage of Paul. "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ," he wrote, "for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."

--Scripture:
Acts 4:18,29; 5:29; 2 Timothy 1:7; John 12:42-43, Romans 1:16 ~~ NEVER BE ASHAMED OF YOUR CREATOR!

--Jesus Christ Our Creator~

--Christ in Suffering and Triumph
-By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8).

In the final book of the Bible occur seven great “I am” assertions by the glorified Christ, all speaking of His ultimate victory. However, in the Book of Psalms occur seven vastly different “I am” statements by Christ, all speaking prophetically of His sufferings. These are in four of the wonderfully fulfilled Messianic psalms, all written 1000 years before Christ, yet each psalm cited in the New Testament is fulfilled by Christ.

“But I am a worm, and no man” (Psalm 22:6, comparing Christ to a mother “scarlet worm” who dies that her young may live, and in so doing, gives off a scarlet fluid which protects and nourishes her young).

“I am poor and needy” (Psalm 40:17).
“I am . . . a stranger unto my brethren” (Psalm 69:8).
“I am full of heaviness” (Psalm 69:20).
“I am poor and sorrowful” (Psalm 69:29).
“I . . . am as a sparrow alone upon the house top” (Psalm 102:7).
“I am withered like grass” (Psalm 102:11).

In contrast to these lonely sufferings of Christ, there are the glories that shall follow. The first of the seven “I am’s” of Revelation is our text above, and four of the others proclaim the same great truth (Revelation 1:11,17; 21:6; 22:13).

-The self-existing one, the “I am,” Jehovah, the Lord Jesus Christ, who created all things (Alpha) will one day triumph and make all things new, forever (Omega). Listen to the other two wonderful testimonies: “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore” (Revelation 1:18). “I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star” (Revelation 22:16).

--HMM/ICR

--The Name of the Lord

"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." (Exodus 3:14)
-
This unique name of God was given to stress the truth that He is timeless. The name "LORD" (Hebrew YHWH = Yahweh, or Jehovah) is essentially the same, conveying the truth that He is the eternal, self-existing One.

The Lord Jesus Christ appropriated this divine name to Himself when He told the Jews: "Before Abraham was [i.e., 'was born'], I am" (John 8:58). Correctly assuming that this statement was nothing less than a direct claim to identity with God, the Jews immediately (but unsuccessfully) attempted to stone Him to death as a blasphemer.

As the I Am, the Lord Jesus Christ is, indeed, everything, and He has revealed Himself to us under many beautiful symbols. It is well known that there are seven great "I am's" in the gospel of John, each of which is rich with spiritual depth of meaning. They can be listed as follows:

**"I am the bread of life . . . the living bread" (John 6:35, 51).
**"I am the light of the world . . . the light of life" (John 8:12).
**"I am the door of the sheep" (John 10:7).
**"I am the good shepherd . . . |who| giveth his life for the sheep" (John 10:11).
**"I am the resurrection, and the life" (John 11:25).
**"I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).
**"I am the true vine" (John 15:1).

It is well known that this magnificent self-assertion of the Lord permeates the whole Bible, from its first use in Genesis 15:1, "I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward," to its final occurrence in Revelation 22:16, "I am . . . the bright and morning star." And all these beautiful figures help us to pray more fervently "that God may be all in all" (1 Corinthians 15:28).

--ICR/HMM

---THE OTHER
EIGHTY PERCENT~

-Psalm 69:29-36
----
"Let heaven and earth
praise Him, the seas
and everything
that moves in them."
---Psalm 69:34-

-RECENTLY I saw a billboard stating that 80 percent of all life on Earth is found in the seas. That staggering number is difficult to process, largely because most of that life is out of sight.

As I considered this, it reminded me of how much greater God's creation is than we typically appreciate. While we can easily have our breath taken away by a majestic mountain range or a panoramic sunset, we sometimes fail to see His extraordinary work in the details that require more careful study and examination. Not only is much of God's creation hidden by the oceans, but other parts are also too small for our eyes to observe.

From the microscopically small to the unsearched reaches of the Universe, it is all the work of our Creator. In those magnificent structures--seen and unseen--God's creative glory is revealed (Rom. 1:20).

As we grow to understand the wonder of creation, it must always point us to the Creator Himself--and call us to worship Him. As the Psalmist said, "Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them" (Ps. 69:34). If creation itself gives praise to the Creator, we can and should certainly join the chorus. What a mighty God we serve! Oh Lord, How Great Thou Art!-

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the Universe displayed!
-----
-THE WONDER OF CREATION CAUSES US TO SAY, "WHAT A MIGHTY, POWERFUL GOD WE SERVE! LORD, HOW GREAT THOU ART!

--ODB/BC
<http://youtu.be/mHqgQjJrxI8>
-----

-JESUS DIED FOR YOU!

---- /
"He lived among us. He donned the costliest of robes; a human body. He made a throne out of a manager and a royal court out of some cows. He took a common name--Jesus-- and made it holy. He took common people and made them the same. And the best part of all, Jesus our Redeemer, gave up His life on the Cross for forgiveness of our sins. He did it for you. He did it for me. What will we do for Him? By dying on the Cross, Jesus paid our sin debt. Yes, He took all of your sins and mine, and nailed them to the Cross of Calvary.

What Can Wash Away My Sins? "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus." /= If you have not asked Him to come into your heart, why not do it today? You may not be here tomorrow. You will be a totally different person, and will want to serve the King of all kings, Jesus the Crucified/Risen Lord and Savior. He's ALIVE! He is coming back! Many of the notorious Theologians and Pastors believe Jesus is coming soon. Only the Father knows.

Please get right with Him, before He comes, and must serve the sentence for each and every person, "For what reason should you be allowed to enter the Heavenly Jerusalem, the Celestial City"? There is only One person and one way. ~~
<http://youtu.be/8paf2NvZAZM>

--SEEING GOD IN
FAMILIAR PLACES ~~

--Isaiah 6:1-6
----
-The whole earth
is full of His glory!
---Isaiah 6:3-
---
--BECAUSE of where I live, I'm treated to spectacular displays of the magnificent, creative glory of God. Recently, on a drive through the woods, I was struck with a breathtaking display of deep rich reds and a variety of yellows that decorated the trees of Autumn--all artfully arranged against the backdrop of a brilliant blue sky.

And soon, as the temperatures plummet and winter blows in, I'll be reminded that no two snowflakes are ever the same as they pile on top of one another to create a rolling landscape of pristine white drifts. After that will come the miracle of Spring, when that which seemed hopelessly dead bursts into life with buds and blossoms that will grace the meadows with a multitplicity of colors.

Wherever we look in the world around us, we see evidence that "the whole earth is full of His glory!" (Isa. 6:3). What is amazing is that the creation that surrounds us is damaged by sin (see Rom 8:18-22), yet God has seen fit to grace our fallen landscape with these loving brushstrokes of His creative hand. It serves as a daily reminder that the beauty of His grace covers our sin and that His love, our awesome Creator's gift to us of the beautiful earth and majesty of His splendor, is always available to us.
--------
-NEVER PASS UP AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY
NATURE'S BEAUTY--IT'S THE HANDWRITING OF GOD! ~

--OCB/JS
<http://youtu.be/jjxPG_mRHDs>

--JESUS, OUR LIFE PRESERVER ~
--John 3:16-18 (recommended reading)

PICTURE a muddy river, swollen with rain and rushing over rocks. You've fallen into that dirty water and cannot fight the current for long. Your head goes under once, then twice, and both times you come up sputtering after swallowing some of the filth. A third dunking might kill you. Suddenly, from the shore, someone throws a life preserver, which floats past your chest. Will you grab it?

The answer seems obvious--of course you would! But too often people drowning in the world's fast-moving current refuse to grab onto the 'Spiritual Life Preserver: Jesus Christ.' He died on the Cross for all humanity, but individuals have a responsibility in salvation. A person must recognize his or her own helplessness and acknowledge the need for Christ. That means the new Christian accepts Jesus' sacrifice as true and personal, believing that there is no other way to be rescued.

It isn't necessary to understand everything about faith and the Bible in order to be saved--God will ensure that His children learn whatever they need from the Holy Spirit. However, it is critical to realize that we cannot save ourselves.

Can you point to a time in your life when you received Jesus Christ as your Savior? God is calling, longing for you to recognize your need for Him and to pray for rescue from sin. He is faithful to answer by saving you and making you blameless before Him.

God is offering you a life preserver and waiting to pull you to eternal safety. The choice is yours. Will you choose Christ and live? ~~~
--In Touch--(Jesus, Be Lifted High!)
<http://youtu.be/lW0QJfcmqYQ>
--------

-The Difference between
-Faith and Works ~~~

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
---(Ephesians 2:8-9) ~

-Isn't it funny how there are basically two kinds of religions in the world? There are those religions of works, which are false religions. And then there is religion by faith, which is true religion. Those are the only two categories: works-based religion and faith-based religion.

Now, a religion of works says 'do'. It tells you that if you accomplish 'XYZ' in your life, you've done well. I you haven't, then you've done poorly. That's how works-based religion determines the success of the follower.

But the faith-based religion, the religion of Christ (which is not a religion but a relationship) has already been done. It takes into account the fact that God is so holy and man is so sinful that there's no amount of good works we can do to even come close to success. That's why Jesus came...to live the life we couldn't and give us His righteousness as He took away our sin.

When Jesus cried out, "It is finished," He said, "DONE!" The work of salvation has been accomplished. And because of His faithful obedience which took Him to the Cross, you can now have life in His name by placing your faith in Him! Jesus is the only way to Heaven. Jesus paid the price that we could not pay, so we can live eternally with Him.

--Christ did the work you couldn't do so that you can have eternal life. So thank Him today for that wonderful gift! Hallelujah! What a wonderful Savior!-"We are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works, so that no one may boast."[Eph. 2:8]

--PP/JG / = "GRACE" by: Michael Smith
<http://youtu.be/IxMUPY5VKYA>
----------

-- YOU CAN BE SURE THE BATTLE IS WON!

"When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." -
--JOHN 19:30

There are many people in the world today who don't know that the war against condemning sin is over. They're still fighting and struggling, trying to overcome sin on their own, but the mission has already been accomplished. JESUS WON OUR VICTORY ON THE CROSS!

You see, when Jesus went to the Cross, He didn't die for a possibility of salvation. He didn't give His life on the outside chance it would work. No, He came to earth, humbling Himself, and died willingly in your place so that for all who know Him, there would be a guarantee of eternal salvation.

All you have to do is accept the victory of Jesus Christ--what He accomplished for you upon the Cross. When you do, peace will come into your heart and the war will be done. Just as He proclaimed on the Cross, "IT IS FINISHED!"
Hallelujah! What a wonderful Savior! Blessed Be Your Name!
--PP/JG
<http://youtu.be/PnWKehsOXu8>
--------

--HUBBLE, ZOOS,
AND SINGING
CHILDREN ~~

-Psalm 148
----
'Praise Him, all you
stars of light!'
---Psalm 148:3
----
WHAT do the Hubble Space Telescope, a zoo, and singing children have in common? According to the teaching of Psalm 148, we could conclude that they all point to God's magnificent creation.

The idea that God created our world is often questioned, so perhaps it's a good time for a reminder of the praise we and all creation should heap on our heavenly Father for His magnificent handiwork.

Hubble can help us with that through its eye-popping pictures of our universe. Every one of those brilliant photos points to stars that focus attention on God's creative majesty. "Praise Him, all you stars of light!"

A visit to a zoo points us to the great diversity of wildlife God created. We look at verses 7 and 10 and say thank you to God for sea creatures, wild animals, insects, and birds.

And a few minutes of watching children singing praises to God symbolizes the truth that all people of earth should lift their voices in honor of our Creator (vv.11-13).

Stars, animals, and children: "Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted" (v.13). Let's join in saying thanks for His creation. "Praise the Lord!"-
------------
-CREATION DISPLAYS GOD'S POWER! PRAISE HIM ALL THE EARTH! PRAISE HIM ALL CREATION!
<http://youtu.be/jwWOH_ZRtSg>
------

---God Of The Cosmos
--By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee” (Nehemiah 9:6).

---------
These are the opening affirmations of the prayer of the Levites after the return of the Jews from captivity in Babylon and the completion of the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah’s leadership. This prayer followed immediately after a great revival of Bible reading led by Ezra, the priestly scribe (Nehemiah 8:1–18; 9:1–3).

The natural outcome of such a return to the word of God by all the nation was this great national affirmation that Jehovah was the true Creator of all the universe. He had created all things in Heaven and in Earth even the stars!

Such an acknowledgment was especially significant for a people who had just emerged from more than 150 years of captivity in Babylon—the very center and archetype of the polytheistic evolutionism of the ancient world. Furthermore, the Jews had been sent into captivity in the first place, because they had fallen into the same sin as the Babylonians—that of blasphemously worshipping the “host of Heaven.”

But now God’s people had recognized and acknowledged once again that this very host of Heaven had been created by God, and that the faithful host of Heaven (the unfallen angels) still worshipped this same Creator God who had now brought His people back to their promised land.
If mighty angels worship their Creator, how can we do less?

Herein is an important lesson for our own nation today. A true national revival must begin with a great renewal of sincere Bible study, with a foundational emphasis on the basic fact of special creation, recognizing that control of all things must be by the true God of the universe.

--ICR/HMM/ AT YOUR NAME (YAHWEH, YAHWEH!)
<http://youtu.be/il-bJjeiOhY>
----------

--THE END?

--1 Corinthians 15:50-58
------
But thanks be to
God, who gives us
the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ.
--1 Corinthians 15:57-
------
EVERYTHING in this world eventually comes to an end, which at times can be disheartening. It's the feeling you get when you read a book that's so good you don't want it to end. Or when you watch a movie that you wish would go on a little while longer.

But all things--good and bad--do come to "The End." In fact, life ultimately does come to the end--sometimes sooner than we expect. All of us who have stood by the casket of a loved one know the painful emptiness of a heart that wishes it wasn't over yet.

Thankfully, Jesus steps into the fray of terminal disappointments, and, through His death and resurrection, He interjects 'HOPE' for us. In Him "the end" is a prelude to a death-free eternity, and words like "it's over" are replaced by a joy-filled "forever." Since our bodies are not an eternal reality, Paul assures us that "we shall all be changed"' (1 Cor. 15:51) and reminds us that because of Christ's conquering work we can confidently say, "O Death, where is your victory?" (v.55).

So let not your heart be troubled. Our sorrow is real, but we can be filled with gratitude because God "gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (v.57).
--------------
-In Christ, the end is only the beginning! You O Lord, Are the Famous One! Great is Your Name in All the Earth!

--ODB/JS-/ FAMOUS ONE! - By: Chris Tomlin
<http://youtu.be/jwWOH_ZRtSg>
---YOU NEVER LET GO! / MATT REDMAN
-------------
<http://youtu.be/y83-vMeWc9E>
------------

--THE WORD OF LIFE~~

--1 JOHN 1-9

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The Life appeared; we have seen Him and testify to Him, and we proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 JOHN 1-9 ~~~=JESUS IS THE WORD OF LIFE!
--------/ NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD--Matt Redman
<http://youtu.be/8paf2NvZAZM>

--JUST THE WAY YOU ARE!

"In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus."
--Philippians 2:5

~~It's dangerous to sum up grand truths in one statement, but I'm going to try. If a sentence or two could capture God's desire for each of us, it might read like this:

'God loves you just the way you are, but He
refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to
be just like Jesus.'

God loves you just the way you are. If you think his love for you would be stronger if your faith were, you are wrong. If you think his love would be deeper if your thoughts were, wrong again. Don't confuse God's love with the love of people. The love of people often increases with performance and decreases with mistakes. Not so with God's love. He loves you right where you are. ~~~

--Just Like Jesus/ML=[My Jesus I Love Thee, / Paul Baloche]
<http://youtu.be/iAqaOXqW1gI>

--THE CHOICE IS OURS~~

"I will make you my promised bride forever. I will be good and fair; I will show you my love and mercy."
--Hosea 2:19

~~~For all its peculiarities and unevenness, the Bible has a simple story. God made man. Man rejected God. God won't give up until he wins him back.

~~God will whisper. He will shout. He will touch and tug. He will take away our burdens; he'll even take away our blessings. If there are a thousand steps between us and him, he will take all but one. But He will leave the final one for us. The 'CHOICE' is ours.

Please understand. His goal is not to make you happy. His goal is to make you His. His goal is not to get you what you want; it is to get you what you need. "JESUS!!"

--A Gentle Thunder/ML

--RUN TO JESUS!

-"If we live, we are living for the Lord, and if we die, we are dying for the Lord." (Romans 14:8)

--Want encouragement and motivation? Think back to the moment when you first saw love of JESUS CHRIST. When you were separated from Christ you knew only guilt and confusion, and THEN---A LIGHT! Someone opened a door and light came into your darkness, and you said in your heart, "I am redeemed!"
/////
RUN TO JESUS! Jesus wants you to go to Him. He wants to become the most important Person in your life, the greatest Love you'll ever know. He wants you to love Him so much that there's no room in your heart, in your life for sin. Jesus has redeemed you from the curse of the Law, SIN IS GONE! Give Jesus full residence in your heart and LIFE! RUN TO JESUS! ~~~~
<http://youtu.be/WrSwSG65ggY>
-----------

--THE HEART OF JESUS~~~~

--"The Son does whatever the Father does."
--JOHN 5:19

~~The crowning attribute of Christ was this: his heart was spiritual. His thoughts reflected his intimate relationship with the Father. "I am in the Father and the Father is in me," he stated (John 14:1)...

Jesus took his instructions from God. It was his habit to go to worship (Luke 4:16). It was his practice to memorize Scripture (Luke 4:4). Luke says Jesus "often slipped away to be alone so he could pray" (Luke 5:15). His times of prayer guided him. He once returned from prayer and announced it was time to move to another city (Mark 1:38). Another time of prayer resulted in the selection of the disciples (Luke 6:12-13). Jesus was led by an unseen hand...

The heart of Jesus was spiritual. Jesus said, "I and the Father are One." (see Colossians 1:15-20)-'Supremacy of Christ'~

--GRACE FOR THE MOMENT/ML-/ Hallelujah! Praise the One Risen Son of God!=BEFORE THE THRONE!

<http://youtu.be/0HmbJhk_jaU>

-JESUS CHRIST OUR CREATOR!

--SEE WHAT GOD HAS DONE!

--"The heavens tell the glory of God!"
--Psalm 19:1

~~HOW vital that we pray, armed with the knowledge that God is in Heaven. Pray with any lesser conviction and your prayers are timid, shallow, and hollow. But spend some time walking in the workshop of the Heavens, seeing what God has done, and watch how your prayers are energized.....

Behold the sun! Every square yard of the sun is constantly emitting 130,000 horse power, or the equivalent of 450 eight-cylinder automobile engines. And yet our sun, as powerful as it is, is but one minor star in the 100 billion orbs which make up our Milky Way Galaxy.

Hold a dime in your fingers and extend it arm's length toward the sky, allowing it to eclipse your vision, and you will block out fifteen million stars from your view....By showing us the Heavens, Jesus is showing us his Father's workshop....He taps us on the shoulder and says,"
"Your Father can handle that for you."

--The Great House of God/ML / OUR GOD IS GREATER!/ C.Tomlin
<http://youtu.be/jbqPQkH5HYA>

--OUR FEARLESS
CHAMPION~~ JESUS!

-Matthew 8:23-34
-------
-Why are you fearful?
--Matthew 8:26
----
Left to ourselves, we are up against a lot of fiery dragons in our lives.

In the story of the disciples in the storm-tossed boat, I'm struck by the fact that the only one who was not afraid was Jesus. He was not afraid of the storm, nor was He afraid of a crazy man in a graveyard or of the legion of demons that possessed him (Matt. 8:23-34).

In the face of fear, we need to hear Jesus ask, "Why are you fearful?" (v.26) and be reminded that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5-6). There is nothing that He can't overcome and therefore nothing for Him to fear. So, the next time you're haunted by your fears, remember that you can rely on Jesus, our fearless Champion!
------
-In times of fear, call out to Jesus, our fearless Champion.

--ODB/JS / You Never Let Go! Matt Redman~
<http://youtu.be/RB1NJV3rG6k>
------------

---Recognizing The Son Of God
--By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (II Peter 1:17).
--
Most people today consider Jesus Christ to have been a great man, but will not believe He is the unique Son of God. Nevertheless, He is indeed God’s only begotten Son.

Before His birth, the angel Gabriel predicted it. “That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). John the Baptist identified Him: “And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34). His disciples recognized Him. “Nathanael answered and saith unto Him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God” (John 1:49). “Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). John said that the very purpose of his gospel was to demonstrate “That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31). After Christ’s resurrection, even Thomas exclaimed: “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).

The powers of darkness grudgingly acknowledged who He was. “And unclean spirits, when they saw Him, fell down before Him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God!” (Mark 3:11). Even the centurion who supervised His crucifixion had to confess: “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54). Most important of all was the testimony of God the Father from heaven to Christ’s Sonship, both at His baptism (e.g., Mark 1:11) and on the Mount of Transfiguration as Peter records in our text.

Therefore it is necessary for our salvation that we also believe this. “He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

--ICR/HMM
<http://youtu.be/sF_t1vFPrN8>
------------

--GOD IS FOR YOU!

"He will rejoice over you. You will rest in His love; He will sing and be joyful about you."
--Zephaniah 3:17

~~GOD is 'for' you. Turn to the sidelines; that's God cheering your run. Look past the finish line; that's God applauding your steps. Listen for Him in the bleachers, shouting your name. Too tired to continue? He'll carry you. Too discouraged to fight? He's picking you up. God is for you.

God is for 'you' Had he a calendar, your birthday would be circled. If He drove a car, your name would be on His bumper. If there's a tree in heaven, He's carved your name in the bark...

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?" God asks in Isaiah 49:15 (NIV). What a bizarre question. Can you mothers imagine feeding your infant and then later asking, "What was that baby's name?" No. I've seen you care for your young. You stroke the hair, you touch the face, you sing the name over and over. Can a mother forget? No way. But "Even if she could forget,...I will not forget you, " God pledges (Isa. 49:15).

--Grip of Grace/ML=/ SING OVER ME!
<http://youtu.be/LFxdY2vBGL4>
----------

--A GIVING COMPETITION~
--TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

--2 Corinthians 9:6-15
---------
Thanks be to
God for His
indescribable gift!
---2 Corinthians 9:15
-------
A TELEVISION commercial I enjoy at Christmastime shows two neighbors in a friendly competition with each other to see who can spread the most Christmas cheer. Each keeps an eye on the other as he decorates his house and trees with lights. Then each upgrades his own property to look better than the other's. They then start competing over who can give the most extravagantly to other neighbors, running around cheerfully sharing gifts.

God's people aren't in a competition to see who can give the most, but we are called to "be ready to give, willingly to share" (1 Tim. 6:18). The apostle Paul instructed the church at Corinth: "Let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7).

At Christmastime, as we share gifts with others, we remember the generosity of God toward us--He gave us His Son. Ray Stedman said, "Jesus set aside His riches and entered into His creation in a state of poverty in order to enrich us all by His grace."

-No gift-giving could ever compete with the Lord's extravagance. We thank God for the indescribable gift of JESUS!
---------
-Sing praise to the Father, Creator and King,
Whose mercy has taught us a new song to sing;
Who made us, and loved us though rebels and lost,
And planned our redemption at infinite cost.
-----------
~~NO GIFT IS GREATER THAN THE GIFT OF CHRIST HIMSELF! --

--ODB/AC=/ TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
----------------
<http://youtu.be/bBjvzDq1dM8>
-------------

--IS JESUS ALL POWERFUL AND ETERNAL?
--<www.AIG.org>
--The Supremacy of Christ~

--"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the Cross." [Colossians 1:15-20]~~
-----
Jesus being the Son of God implies that He is equal with God the Father. The Apostle John stated that Jesus “said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God” (John 5:18). Jesus said, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). Fully understanding this truth would be impossible with our finite minds, but God’s Word reveals a great deal about this topic. Remember, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6) "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

For instance, the Bible states that the Father is the Creator (Ephesians 3:9), and it also declares God’s powerful and eternal attributes (Revelation 11:17; Psalm 90:2). Then in Colossians 1:15–16, Paul writes about Jesus being the image of God, and hence, the Creator. Now, in verse 17, Paul continues to describe Jesus and His power.

Since Jesus is the Creator, He “is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” As Paul wrote in Colossians 1:16, Jesus created all things—the invisible and visible things. Therefore, Jesus is before all things in existence, and in His power He upholds all things. In other words, Jesus is eternal and all-powerful. These attributes of Jesus are continually declared and magnified in passages such as the following:

". . . who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Hebrews 1:3)

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)

These passages of Scripture give us a taste of how the Son is equal with the Father. Even death could not stop the almighty Lord who is also “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). As we read Scripture, we must keep in mind Jesus’ unending, powerful attributes.

As the Creator, Jesus also knows all things. For example, Jesus even knew the thoughts of the scribes (Matthew 9:4) and the whereabouts of Nathanael prior to meeting him (John 1:48). Through Jesus Christ, believers have salvation, and when we get to heaven, we can look forward to learning more from an all-knowing, all-powerful, and eternal God!~~~/ INDESCRIBABLE! / C.Tomlin
<http://youtu.be/pDap_CV2Y3Q>
-----------

--MY SOUL MAGNIFIES THE LORD JESUS, OUR CREATOR AND REDEEMER!
--HEBREWS 1:1-10
-----
"GOD, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son.
And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
But unto the Son he saith, 'Thy throne, O GOD, is forever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy Kingdom.
(vs.10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands."
--MY SOUL MAGNIFIES THE LORD! By: Chris Tomlin
--- /
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3EG0iCKcxQ>

--God's Glory Magnified~~
--PSALM 8
---------
"O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the Son of man that thou visitest him?

For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet;

All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

-O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth!" ~~~/ "I Know My Redeemer Lives"
<http://youtu.be/lhE-06hjpJY>
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---The Brightness of the Glory

“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3)

This verse constitutes one of Scripture’s most magnificent declarations of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us examine the phrase “the brightness of his glory.”

The word for “brightness” is used only this one time in the Bible and means, literally, “out-radiating.” The word picture conveyed is of the energy overflow from the sun. The sun constitutes a tremendous generator of energy, more than adequate to sustain all processes on Earth. However, these energies would be utterly useless for any such noble purpose if they could not somehow be transmitted from sun to Earth. They are transmitted, however, through the remarkable radiant energy known as sunlight, or solar radiation.

It is this figure which the writer is using. As the sun’s rays are to the sun itself, so is Christ to the Godhead. He is “the light of the world” (John 8:12). It is He whose “goings forth” have been “everlasting” (Micah 5:2). His glorified countenance is “as the sun shineth in his strength” (Revelation 1:16). The Lord Jesus Christ is the life-giving radiation of the ineffable glory of the eternal One, from whose face one day the very heaven and earth will flee away (Revelation 20:11). “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings [or ‘outspreadings’]” (Malachi 4:2).

And through this One who mediates God to us, we can enter boldly into His presence. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
--ICR/HMM=/ I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD-The Truth Shall Make you Free- [Movie]
<http://youtu.be/9R5VwxvUUvI>
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