News you won't see in controlled mainstream media.

Who is Jesus Christ?

A Challenge to Christians~
By: Andrew A. Snelling, PhD

<http://www.icr.org/article/3338/>

Find your answers from 'Institute for CREATION Reasearch' ~

--The Human Face of God ~~
By: David Wilkerson -

If you're serious about your walk with God, then you want to get to know your heavenly Father. And so you may study his majesty, his power, his glory. But do you know the Lord?

When Christ told his disciples he was about to return to the Father, He said, "Whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (John 14:4).

When the disciples heard this, they were dumbfounded. Thomas replied, "Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and how can we know the way?" (vs.5). In other words, "How can we know where you're going? And if you leave us, how will we ever get to the Father? You told us yourself that you're the only way to him."

Jesus answered him, "If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also; and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him" (vs.7). Philip was befuddled by this. He must have thought, "What does Jesus mean, we've seen the Father? How can we see a spirit? And how can Jesus be God, if we can see him? This is all some kind of incomprehensible riddle." Finally, he blurted out, "...Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us" (vs8).

Jesus knew Philip's request was sincere, so he answered it patiently:"...Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father" (vs.9)

Jesus then turned and addressed all the disciples: "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?..." (v.11). After saying this, He gave them a glorious promise: "At that day [after my resurrection] ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you" (vs.20).

What an amazing converssation! Christ was telling these men, "Look at Me! Don't you see I'm God, clothed in human flesh? I'm the very essence of the Father. All that He is--in nature, substance and character--is in Me. Everything I say and do reveals what He's like. So, when I act and speak, you're seeing Him at work. I've come to earth to show you the face of God!

"I realize you can't comprehend all this now. But when I'm raised from the dead, "I'll show you conclusively who the Father is. I'll mainifest him to you, for He an I are One."

Today, we know Christ's entire ministry was a manifestation of who the Father is. Jesus did only what he saw the Father doing, or what the Father told him to do and nothing else. In fact, Jesus stated outright, "I can of mine own self do nothing..." (5:30). He repeats this assertion throughout the gospel of John.

"I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me,He gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak" (12:49-50). "He that seeth me seeth him that sent me (vs45). " I and my Father are one" (10:30). "...I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but He sent me" (8:42).

The apostle Paul confirms this when he says of Christ,"...God was manifest in the flesh..." (1 Timothy 3:16). Elsewhere, Paul calls Jesus "...the image of the invisible God..." (Colossians 1:15).

A clear picture emerges: God sent his son to show us exactly what He, the Father, is like. So, to know and see God, we first must know and see Christ! (our Creator).
~~~~~~~~~~~~
JESUS IS LORD! JESUS IS GOD IN HUMAN FLESH! We serve a Triune God/ God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
You talk to Him in prayer, He talks to you through His Word. Read it everyday, and He will guide you.

The Sun of Righteousness ~

"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall." (Malachi 4:2)

--This is the very last of the numerous Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. After this, there were four centuries of silence from heaven, as far as inspired Scriptures were concerned. Thus this prophecy must have special significance.

The Messiah ("Christ") is called "the Sun of righteousness" in contrast to "all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly" that "shall burn as an oven" when "the day cometh" (v.1)--that "great and dreadful day of the LORD" (v.5), and it "shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts" (v.1).

The "Sun of righteousness" clearly refers to the coming Savior, for He will come "with healing in his wings." The sun does not have wings, of course, so many commentators think this word refers to the rays of the sun, with their life-sustaining energy. However, the Hebrew word means "wings," and nothing else. It is as though the sun is rising rapidly on great wings, dispelling the world's darkness with its light, dispensing healing to its sin-sick soul.

The "Sun of righteousnes," of course, can be none other than God Himself, for "the LORD God is a sun and shield" who "will give grace and glory" to "them that walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11). It is the Lord Jesus Christ, the "light of the world" (John 8:12) coming "from heaven with his mighty angels [his wings], in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God" (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).

But "you that fear my name" in that day "shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts,...when I make up my jewels" (Malachi 3:17). In the last prophecy of the 'New Testament' (Revelation 22:16), He is "the bright and morning star." ~~
---
ICR
Days of Praise/HMM

Galations 3:29

And if ye (be) Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

The Shed Blood
of Jesus ~
READ/JOHN 1:29-34 -
~~~~
WHEN John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching, he declared Christ to be the Lamb of God (John 1:29).

This concept was actually familiar to the Israelites, since their law required blood offerings as atonement for sin (Lev. 17:11). Jesus became our sacrificial lamb, paying "once for all" the sin debt owed by mankind. (1 Pet. 3:18). His death secured forgiveness and eternal life for everyone who trusts in Him as Savior. With regard to salvation, nothing else is required or acceptable to God.

Jesus was the one who set things right between the Father and man. He died to bring us...

Redemption. This was a word that was used to describe a marketplace transaction--one that buys back something of value. All humanity was in bondage to sin and unable to pay the penalty (Rom 6:23). As our sacrifical Lamb, Jesus willingly died in our place and, with His blood, redeemed us for His Father (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Forgiveness. As God's adopted children, we have been saved by the blood of Christ (Matt.26:28) and permanently pardoned for our transgressions. The penalty for our actions has been fully paid. So at the moment of salvation, our guilt for the sins we committed --past, present, and future--is wiped away. ~~
-----
Meditate on what the Savior did at Calvary (Eph. 1:7). As the sacrificial Lamb, Jesus exchanged His life for ours and gave it up to pay what we owed. His death redeemed us, secured our forgiveness, and gave us a permanent place in God's family.

Thank You, Jesus, for bringing redemption!

In Touch~
Charles Stanley

Headstone of the Corner ~

"The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner." (Psalm 118:22) -

THAT this enigmatic verse is really a Messianic prophecy is evident from the fact that Christ himself applied it thus, "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?" (Matthew 21:42). The Jewish leaders had refused Him as their Messiah, but the day would come when they would have to confess their sad mistake.

Later, addressing them concerning "Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead," the apostle Peter said: "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner" (Acts 4:10-11).

This analogy evidently refers back to the building of Solomon's great temple a thousand years earlier. At that time, each of the great stones for its beautiful walls was "made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building" (1 Kings 6:7).

According to tradition, there was one stone which didn't fit with the others, so the builders moved it out of the way. At last, when the temple tower was almost complete, they found they were missing the pinnacle stone which would cap all the rest. Finally they realized that the stone they had rejected had been shaped to be the head stone at the topmost corner of the tower.

Peter referred to it again in his epistle: "Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious:...Unto you therefore which believe he is precious; but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient" (1 Peter 2:6-8).

ICR/HMM
Jesus is Lord! Jesus is the 'Headstone of the Corner'!

ITINERARY OF
REDEMPTION ~~

Philippians 2:1-11
-----
Let this mind be in
you which was also
in Christ Jesus.
---Philippians 2:5 --
~~~~~~~
IN his book 'The First Man', James Hansen chronicles Neil Armstrong's flight to the moon. The author explains how each astronaut was asked to fill out a report upon completion of the flight. The report listed how they traveled from Houston, Texas, to Cape Kennedy, Florida, to the Moon, to the Pacific Ocean, to Hawaii, and returned to Houston, Texas. What a list of destinations!

There is another itinerary that outshines any trip ever taken. Imagine this itinerary of our Savior, Jesus Christ: Place of origin--the heavenly places; Initial destination--Bethlehem; Mode of travel--the virgin birth; Reason for travel--the redemption of sinners; Return destination--the right hand of the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11 describes Christ's coming to earth to provide our redemption. One Bible commentator considers this passage a hymn of praise to the glory of the Suffering Servant who bacame exalted for His obedience: "Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God,...humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death...Therefore God also has highly exalted Him" (vv.5-9).

Our Lord's extraordinary itinerary of redemption should fill our hearts with gratitude and praise!

Our gracious redemption was carefully planned,
The gulf between heaven and earth has been spanned,
The portals are open, the passage is free,
Oh, wondrous salvation, it's even for me!-
---------------
God broke into human history to
offer us the gift of eternal life.

ODB/DF

"Mary Did You Know" -

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?


Did you know
that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?

This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?

Did you know
that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kissed your little Baby you kissed the face of God?
Mary did you know....Ooo Ooo Ooo -

The blind will see. The deaf will hear.

The dead will live again.
The lame will leap.

The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?

Did you know
that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you're holding is the Great, I AM.

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1oHJR2g7Tw>

Jesus said, "I and the Father are One."

The Branch and the Vine ~-

"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. A branch cannot produce fruit alone but must remain in the vine." JOHN 15:4

--God wants to be as close to us as a branch is to a vine. One is an extension of the other. It's impossible to tell where one starts ant the other ends. The branch isn't connected only at the moment of being fruit. The gardener doesn't keep the branches in a box and then, on the day he wants grapes, glue them to the vine. No, the branch constantly draws nutrition from the vine...

God also uses the temple to depict the intimacy he desires. "Don't you know," Paul writes, "that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?" (1 Cor. 6:19 TEV). Think with me about the temple for a moment...God didn't come and go, appear and disappear. He was a permanent presence, always available.

What incredibly good news for us! We are NEVER away from God!
Just Like Jesus ~
Max Lucado

--A CRUTCH?
2 Corinthians 4:8-15
----
We are hard-pressed
on every side,
yet not crushed.
--2 Corinthians 4:8 -
--
HAVE you ever heard skeptics say that the Christian faith is nothing more than a crutch--that the only reason people claim to trust Jesus is that they are weaklings who have to make up "religion" to get by?

Apparently those skeptics haven't heard about the doctor in one Far Eastern country who spent 2 1/2 years in jail being "reeducated" because he professed faith in Christ. Then, after his release, he was arrested again--this time for his efforts at his church. And perhaps those skeptics haven't heard about Paul. After trusting Christ, he was arrested, flogged, mocked, and shipwrecked (2 Cor. 11:16-29).

These believers were not looking for a crutch. No, they had something deep and essential in their hearts. They had a personal relationship with God--a relationship born of faith in the work of Jesus on the cross. As a result, they became children of the King--eager to sacrifice everything for the privilege of proclaiming Him. They were not limping along looking for something to hold them up.

A crutch? Hardly. Faith in Christ is not about safety and caution. It's about believing Jesus and trusting Him no matter what. It's about taking up a daily cross (Luke 9:23) and living for the Saviour. -

"Take up you cross," the Saviour said,
"If you would My disciple be;
Take up your cross with willing heart
And humbly follow after Me."
---
Because Jesus bore the cross for us,
we willingly take it up for Him.
ODB/DB

--ZION'S HOPE

'A Passion for God, His people,
and His plan for planet earth'

A SPECIAL WORD~
From: MARV ROSENTHAL

[Marv Rosenthal is a Messianic Jewish man. I share with you, his recent newsletter Nov. 2010]
~~~
Dear Citizen of Heaven through faith in Christ alone,-

I greet you enthusiastically in the name of our Lord who is coming soon. Some years ago a colleague and beloved friend of mine began a concert by singing a little chorus which I had never heard before, and which I have never heard again. It began like this:

"He's filling up heaven with sinners..."

And I remember my critical, theological mind said, "Oops! God is not filling up heaven with sinners." And then he sang the second line, which went like this:

"Who've been washed in the blood of the Lamb."

Immediately I realized that he was right. God is filling up heaven with sinners--but they are sinners who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Our world, like Humpty Dumpty, is heading for a big fall and not all the king's horses, nor all the king's men, will be able to put our planet back together again. Only the Son of God can do that. And so, as a mission, we are focused on sharing the love of God, manifested in the Son of God, and made available through the Spirit of God. Salvation was planned by the Father, purchased by the Son, and processed by the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes I feel the magnetism of the world calling us in a myriad of directions--some are not biblical, some are okay but not the best. It is so easy to be led astray. Jesus is the Way; there is none other. Jesus is the Truth; there is no truth apart from Him. Jesus is the Life; He is the source of life and the sustainer of life, without Him there is no eternal life. I am impressed by the fact that there is a definite article before "Way," "Truth," and "Life." He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Years ago I remember reading words on a little plaque that I will never forget:

"I preach as never sure to preach again,
---And as a dying man to dying men."

There is an overwhelming urgency concerning the sharing of the Gospel. What we as a mission are able to do, we're able to do because many who get this letter pray for us, encourage us, and suppport us. They sense the urgency.

I don't pressure you to give. That's not my style, and it's not biblical. I do want to extend to you the invitation and privilege of participating in what the Lord is doing through the missionary staff of Zion's Hope, a ministry to Jewish people and the world God so loves.

May you press on and be found faithful as the days become darker and the opposition gets greater.

Yours sincerely in His love and grace, -

Marvin J. Rosenthal
-------------
E-Mail - <info@zionshope.org>

Worldwide Web - <www.zionshope.org>

Toll-Free Phone - 1-888-781-ZION
1-888-781-9466

The Lord Christ
November 15, 2010

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24)

This is the only verse in the Bible where our Savior is called "the Lord Christ." Actually, His three primary names ("Lord," "Jesus," and "Christ") are combined in eight different ways in the New Testament.

"Jesus" was His human name, speaking especially of His mission as suffering Savior. "Christ," equivalent to the Hebrew "Messiah" (meaning "anointed"), speaks of His office as God's chosen King. As "Lord" He is sovereign Creator and ruler of the universe; victorious over all enemies, even death itself.

"Lord Christ" is the only one of the combination forms of His name which omits the human name. Apparently the reason is that, in this passage, the emphasis is altogether on His exalted position as sovereign Creator and eternal King and the seriousness of our service to Him.

Our service is to be rendered not to men--not even to the man Jesus in His perfect humanity--but to the Lord and the Christ--the Lord Christ, Creator of all things and King of kings. "Your labour is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58) for He is "heir of all things" (Hebrews 1:2) and thus can dispense "the reward of the inheritance" to His faithful servants who are "joint-heirs with Christ" (Romans 8:17). The inheritance is ours because of our position in Christ; the reward is given for service for the Lord.

Because of whom we serve, whatever we do should be done heartily! This is the Greek word psuches, usually translated "soul," or "life," as well as "heart." If there is anything we cannot in good conscience do with full heart to the Lord, then it should not be done at all. ~~
---
Days of Praise
ICR/HMM

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
By: David Wilkerson

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD
OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:5–6).

God gave the prophet Jeremiah a revelation of Jehovah Tsidkenu (pronounced Je-HO-va Sid-KAY’-noo) in a time of crisis similar to the one we face today. So, what does this mean for us, in practical terms? What is this righteousness he’s the Lord of— and how are we to know and understand Jesus in this role?

Paul gives us some insight into God’s definition of righteousness in several passages.

• “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness”
(Romans 4:3).

• “Faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness” (Romans 4:9).

• “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Galatians 3:6).

Each of these verses refers to one thing that Abraham did to attain true righteousness: he believed.

Finally, Paul provides the Lord’s definition of righteousness.

“[Abraham]staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for
righteousness” (Romans 4:20–22).

The Bible could not make this matter any clearer.

Righteousness is believing the promises of God, being fully persuaded He will keep his word.

-He Calls Your Name

“The Son of Man came to find lost people and to save them.” Luke 19:10 NCV
--
God will do what it takes—whatever it takes—to bring his children home.

He is the shepherd in search of His lamb. His legs are scratched, His feet are sore, and His eyes are burning. He scales the cliffs and traverses the fields. He explores the caves. He cups His hands to His mouth and calls into the canyon.

And the name He calls is yours.


--Max Lucado

The importance of remaining steadfast until the last day!
BY: Pastor Jack Graham

"The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."
-- 1 Peter 4:7-10-

On November 10, 1942, Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Great Britain in the midst of World War II, stood up to give a speech. After experiencing several crushing defeats against the Nazis, the British forces and their American allies had finally achieved several key victories and it appeared the tide of the war was turning against Hitler.

In this speech, Churchill said,
"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

These words would echo forever in the annals of history because they give a clear picture of the kind of person Churchill was. He warned against being overly confident while at the same time assuring the people that there was indeed hope.

I really think that when the apostle Peter wrote today's
passage, he was doing the same thing. He gives assurance here that the end is coming, that day when Christ will return. And at the same time, he encourages steadfastness in Kingdom work.

The Scripture is clear that you and I live in "these last days" (Hebrews 1:2) and that there are also "last days" to come (2 Peter 3:3). But until that moment when Christ returns (and be assured he will!), we should focus on the work of the Kingdom, which means obeying God and loving others.

CHRIST WILL RETURN. BUT UNTIL THAT DAY, BE BUSY DOING THE WORK OF THE KINGDOM! -

--FRIENDING ~

John 15:9-17
--
You are My friends
if you do whatever
I command you.
--John 15:14 --
---
THE social networking Web site Facebook.com was launched in 2004 as a way for college students to connect with each other online. It is now open to people of all ages, and currently there are an estimated 500 million users. Each user has an individual page with photos and personal details that can be viewed by "friends." To "friend" a person means opening the door to information about who you are, where you go, and what you do. Facebook friendships may be casual or committed, but each one is "by invitation only."

Just before Jesus was crucified, He told His disciples: "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:14-15).

Unselfishness, oneness of purpose, and confident trust are the hallmarks of true friendship, especially in our relationship with the Lord. Christ has taken the initiative by giving His life for us and inviting us to know and follow Him. Have we responded to the Lord Jesus' invitation of friendship by opening our hearts to Him with nothing held back?

Friendship with Jesus,
Fellowship divine;
O what blessed, sweet communion--
Jesus is a Friend of mine.
---
Jesus longs to be our Friend.
He tells us, "In this world you WILL have tribulation, but cheerup because I have overcome the world!"
We will have a lot of storms while on this planet, yet we can Praise Jesus even in the storms!

"Praise You in This Storm" By: Casting Crowns ~

-DEVOTED
~to~
-JESUS
--
By: Oswald Chambers
---
There is a difference between devotion to principles and devotion to a Person. Jesus never proclaimed a cause: He proclaimed personal devotion to Himself--"for My sake."

Discipleship is based not on devotion to abstract ideals, but on devotion to a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Consequently the whole of the Christian life is stamped by originality. Whenever the Holy Spirit sees a chance of glorifying Jesus, He will take your whole personality and simply make it blaze and glow with personal, passionate devotion to the Lord Jesus.

You are no longer devoted to a cause nor [are you] the devotee of a principle, but you are the devoted love slave of the Lord Jesus. No man on Earth has that love unless the Holy Ghost has imparted it to him. Men may admire God and respect Him and reverence Him, but no man can love God until the Holy Ghost has shed abroad that love in his heart (see Romans 5:5).

Jesus puts all this blessedness of high virtue and rare felicity on the ground of "for My sake." "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake" (Matthew 5:11). It is not suffering for conscience' sake or for convictions' sake, or because of the ordinary troubles of life, but something other than all that--"for My sake."


"Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake" (Luke 6:22).

Jesus did not say, "Rejoice when men separate you from their company because of your own crotchety notions," but "when they reproach you for My sake."

When you begin to deport yourself among men as a saint, they will leave you absolutely alone; you will be reviled and persecuted. No man can stand that unless he is in love with Jesus Christ. He cannot do it for a convition or a creed, but he can do it for a Being whom he loves. Devotion to a Person is the only thing that tells; devotion to a Person, not devotion to a creed or a doctrine. ~~
---
Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Bible teacher and a speaker marked by deep insight and vivid expression. He is best known today for the book, "My Utmost For His Highest," which was compiled by his wife, Biddy, after his death.

--YOU ARE MY HIDING PLACE

By: Selah

'Let the weak say I am strong, in the strength of the Lord.'

I will trust in You.

Jesus, What a Beautiful Name / By: Darlene Zschech
'Forgiveness, security, power and love--Grace that blows all fear away...

Jesus What a Beautiful Name! -

JESUS: The One Who Gave Himself for Us ~

~~"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
--
A twenty-five-word parade of hope: beginning with God, ending with life, and urging us to do the same. Brief enough to write on a napkin or memorize in a moment, yet solid enough to weather two thousand years of storms and questions. If you know nothing of the Bible, start here. If you know everything in the Bible, return here. We all need the reminder. The heart of the human problem is the heart of the human. And God's treatment is prescribed in John 3:16.

He loves. He gave. We believe. We live.

The words are to Scripture what the Mississippi River is to America--an entryway into the heartland. Believe or dismiss them, embrace or reject them, any serious consideration of Christ must include them. Would a British historian dismiss the Magna Carta? Egyptologists overlook the Rosetta stone? Could you ponder the words of Christ and never immerse yourself into John 3:16?

The verse is an alphabet of grace, a table of contents to the Christian hope, each word a safe-deposit box of jewels. Read it again, slowly and aloud, and note the word that snatches your attention. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

"God so loved the world..." We'd expect an anger-fueled God. One who punishes the world, recycles the world, forsakes the world...but loves the world?

The world? This world? Heartbreakers, hope-snatchers, and dream-dousers prowl this orb. Dictators rage. Abusers inflict. Reverends think they deserve the title. But God loves. And He loves the world so much He gave His:

Declarations? Rules? Dicta? Edicts?

No. The heart-stilling, mind-bending, deal-making-or-breaking claim of John 3:16 is this: God gave His Son...His only Son. No abstract ideas but a flesh-wrapped divinity. Scripture equates Jesus with God. God, then, gave Himself. Why? So that "whoever believes in Him should not perish." (From 3:16 by Max Lucado) ~
--
--------------------------

Our God is An Awesome God! By: Michael Smith

Our God is an awesome God

He reigns from heaven above

With wisdom, power, and love

Our God is an awesome God! --



"Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven.

"But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven." Matthew 10:32-33- JESUS

-EXALT HIM !

Psalm 46
---
..I am God;
I will be exalted.
--Psalm 46:10 --
~~~~
BE still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations" (Ps. 46:10). These words from a song sung long ago at the temple in Jerusalem remind us of one of our main tasks--worshiping our awesome God.

One way to do that is to meditate on His many attributes. Exalt God, for He is faithful, eternal, all-knowing, just, unchangeable, gracious, holy, merciful, longsuffering,impartial, and infinite. Our God is perfect!

Exalt God also by realizing He is all-powerful, almighty, personal, righteous, unsearchable, wise, triune, accessible, self-existent, glorious, and compassionate.

Another way to worship God is to contemplate His names. Exalt God, for He is Creator. He is Love. He is Redeemer. He is Shepherd. He is Savior, Lord, and Father. He is Judge. He is Comforter. He is Teacher. He is I AM. Our God is the Mighty One.

Dwell on His identity. God is our shield. Our stronghold. Our light. Our strength. Our sustainer. Our rescuer.

Meditate on God's attributes. Contemplate His names. Dwell on His identity. Adore Him. Respect Him. Honor Him. Love Him. Exalt Him. Use the rest of your life getting ready to worship our awesome God forever!

O worship the King,
All glorious above,
And gratefully sing
His power and His love. --
----
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
---Psalm 150:6

ODB/DB

--The Storyteller
Psalm 78:1-4

"Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable." (Matt.13:34)

~~Jesus used stories to communicate truths He wished to teach. The parables He told stayed long in His first hearers' minds, the same way they do with us when we hear or read them now. Crowds followed Jesus to hear Him talk, forgetting entirely what time of day it was or even if they ought to stop and eat. Isn't that how it is with a really good story?

When God sent His Son into this world in human flesh, His "illustration" was complete. His people hardly imagined that Jesus' life--from the humble birth as a baby in Bethlehem to the cruel death on the cross at Calvary--was the story they'd had glimpses of for thousands of years.

The greatest tragedy was when many did not realize that the very Creator of the story of their lives was right in their midst. Don't miss Him as He speaks to and beckons you. ~
-- -
I love to tell the story
'Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and His love. ~~

Haven Today ~

Jesus the Bible Teacher
--
"And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures." (Luke 24:44-45)
--
On the day of His resurrection, the Lord Jesus had given a wonderful session of Bible teaching to two of His followers on the road to Emmaus. "Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24:27). Later that same evening, Jesus appeared to the eleven apostles and the other disciples, probably in the upper room, and gave a similar study to all of them together, as summarized in our text above.

We can learn much from our Master Teacher concerning how we also should teach the Bible, for it was He, through "the Spirit of Christ" (1 Peter 1:11), who in effect wrote the Bible in the first place.

Note in both cases, for example, that the whole Bible speaks of Christ in prophecy, or type, or in other ways. Note also that He began with the writings of Moses, which means first of all the account of creation and primeval history which is the foundation of all the rest.
--
It is evident, too, that He regarded "all the scriptures" to be of divine authority, which "must be fulfilled," either at His first coming or His second coming. He believed implicitly in plenary inspiration of the Bible, as well as the miracle of fulfilled prophecy.

Finally, even in the case of these closest followers, it was essential that the Holy Spirit "open . . . their understanding" if they were really to "understand the scriptures."

All who would hope to be teachers of the Word today should teach as Jesus taught, for He is our teacher.
--
ICR/HMM

An Ungoverned God
By: Max Lucado

“God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”
I John 3:20

You and I are governed. The weather determines what we wear. The terrain tells us how to travel . . .

God—our Shepherd—doesn’t check the weather; He makes it. He doesn’t defy gravity; He created it.

God is what He is. What He has always been. God is Yahweh—an unchanging God, an uncaused God, and an ungoverned God.

"Therefore everyone who confesses me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 10:32-33
---JESUS ~~

Do YOU love Jesus?! Then shout it to the world! He's coming soon and he will separate the wheat from the tares. (Believers from the UNbelievers)..

He bled and died to take away my (and your) sin. Praise Him!



Hallelujah! HOW GREAT THOU ART!!!

JESUS, OUR APPROACHABLE SAVIOR
By: Max Lucado

Many of the names in the Bible that refer to our Lord are nothing less than palatial and august: Son of God, The Lamb of God, The Light of the World, The Resurrection and the Life, The Bright and Morning Star, He that Should Come, Alpha and Omega.

They are phrases that stretch the boundaries of human language in an effort to capture the uncapturable, the grandeur ofGod. And try as they might to draw as near as they may, they always fall short. Hearing them is somewhat like hearing a Salvation Army Christmas band on the street corner play Handel’s Messiah. Good try, but it doesn’t work The message is too majestic for the medium.

And such it is with language. The phrase “There are no words to express. . .“ is really the only one that can honestly be applied to God. No names do him justice.

But there is one name which recalls a quality of the Master that bewildered and compelled those who knew him. It reveals a side of him that, when recognized, is enough to make you fall on your face.

It is not too small, nor is it too grand. It is a name that fits like the shoe fit Cinderella’s foot. "JESUS".

In the gospels it’s his most common name— used almost six hundred times. And a common name it was. Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, Jeshua, and Jehoshua— all familiar Old Testament names. There were at least five high priests known as Jesus.

The writings of the historian Josephus refer to about twenty people called Jesus. The New Testament speaks of Jesus Justus, the friend of Paul, and the sorcerer of Paphos is called Bar-Jesus. Some manuscripts give Jesus as the first name of Barabbas.

“Which would you like me to release to you—Jesus Barabbas or Jesus called the Messiah?”

What’s the point? Jesus could have been a “Joe.” If Jesus came today, his name might have been John or Bob or Jim. Were he here today, it is doubtful he would distance himself with a lofty name like Reverend Holiness Angelic Divinity III. No, when God chose the name his son would carry, he chose a human name. He chose a name so typical that it would appear two or three times on any given class roll. “The Word became flesh,” John said, in other words.

He was touchable, approachable, reachable. And, what’s more, he was ordinary. If he were here today you probably wouldn’t notice him as he walked through a shopping mall. He wouldn’t turn heads by the clothes he wore or the jewelry he flashed.

“Just call me Jesus,” you can almost hear him say.

He was the kind of fellow you’d invite to watch the Rams-Giants game at your house. He’d wrestle on the floor with your kids, doze on your couch, and cook steaks on your grill. He’d laugh at your jokes and tell a few of his own. And when you spoke, he’d listen to you as if he had all the time in eternity.

And one thing’s for sure, you’d invite him back.

It is worth noting that those who knew him best remembered him as Jesus. The titles Jesus Christ and Lord Jesus are seen only six times. Those who walked with him remembered him not with a title or designation, but with a name—Jesus.

Think about the implications. When God chose to reveal himself to mankind, what medium did he use? A book? No, that was secondary A church? No. That was consequential. A moral code? No. To limit God’s revelation to a cold list of do’s and dont’s is as tragic as looking at a Colorado road map and saying that you’d seen the Rockies.

When God chose to reveal himself, he did so (surprise of surprises) through a human body. The tongue that called forth the dead was a human one. The hand that touched the leper had dirt under its nails. The feet upon which the woman wept were callused and dusty. And his tears. . . oh, don’t miss the tears. . they came from a heart as broken as yours or mine ever has been.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.”
--
So, people came to him. My, how they came to him! They came at night; they touched him as he walked down the street; they followed him around the sea; they invited him into their homes and placed their children at his feet. Why? Because he refused to be a statue in a cathedral or a priest in an elevated pulpit. He chose instead to be Jesus.

There is not a hint of one person who was afraid to draw near him. There were those who mocked him. There were those who were envious of him. There were those who misunderstood him. There were those who revered him. But there was not one person who considered him too holy, too divine, or too celestial to touch. There was not one person who was reluctant to approach him for fear of being neglected.

Remember that.

Remember that the next time you find yourself amazed at your own failures.

Or the next time acidic accusations bum holes in your soul.

Or the next time you see a cold cathedral or hear a lifeless liturgy.

Remember. It is man who creates the distance. It is Jesus who builds the bridge.

“Just call me Jesus.”--

A CLEAR VIEW
Matthew 5:1-12
---
Blessed are the pure
in heart, for they
shall see God.
--Matthew 5:8 -
---
THE Gran Telescopio Canarias, one of the world's most powerful telescopes, sits atop an extinct volcano on La Palma, Canary Islnds. Inaugurated in July 2009 by King Carlos of Spain,it offers astronomers an unusually clear view of the heavens. Located at 7,870 feet, the telescope is above the cloud cover, where the prevailing winds are dry and turbulence-free. Here, near the equator, scientists can study all of the Northern Celestial Hemisphere and part of the Southern.

Jesus chose a mountainside to teach His followers about the characteristics of a life yielded to God. There He taught them that attitude, not altitude, was the key to having a clear view of the Father. Tucked into the passage known as the Beatitudes, Jesus said: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matt. 5:8). This is not just for the few who try to achieve it, but for all who will humbly receive it.

To have a heart that is clean in God's eyes, we need to accept the Father's pardon through Christ His Son. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse [purify] us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

A mountaintop is a great place to see the stars, but to clearly see God requires a change of heart. ~~
----
To get a clear view of God, focus on Jesus Christ.

ODB/DM


Thank you Russ, Laura, and Herb Allure for allowing the Lord's Word to go around the WWW, through you! Blessings!

--Wonderful Maker
By: Jeremy Camp
--
'You said, Let there be light...You saw that it was good.

'You made the world, you saw that it was good...

You sent your only Son for you are good ,

What a wonderful Maker, what a wonderful Saviour!

Jesus Christ, the Son of God
**John 20:30-31

In today’s verses, John wants us to know “that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (v. 31). But why is it so important that we believe He is God’s Son? The most obvious reason is because our salvation, and therefore our eternal destiny, depends upon our faith in this truth. But after salvation, Christ’s divine identity should continue to affect us.

For one thing, the Son offers a deeper understanding of the Father. Since Jesus is both God and man, He is uniquely qualified to help us in this way. As we study His life, the aspects of God’s character and ways that are difficult for our human minds to grasp come to life through Christ’s teaching and example.

He also shows us who we can become. The Lord is committed to transforming each of His followers into the likeness of His Son. Though we’ll never reach perfection or attain Christ’s divine attributes, His character can be worked out in our lives as we yield to the Holy Spirit. Jesus is our example for godly attitudes, words, and actions.

One other way Christ affects us is by inspiring our gratitude. Recognizing the sacrifice He made for us in leaving the glories of heaven to become our Savior fills us with praise and thankfulness.
--
Let Jesus motivate you to live in purity. Since He abides within every believer through His indwelling Holy Spirit, selfish and sinful thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions have no place in our lives. Be mindful that He is always with you, and let Him direct your choices and purify your life.

--In Touch

A Man Worthy of Our Praise
Matthew 8:23-27
--
The men traveling with Jesus on a stormy Galilean night said something that ought to make us sit up and take notice. “What kind of a man is this . . . ?” If we ask ourselves that same question, we will start to see the big picture of who Jesus is instead of concentrating on the “slivers” of personality revealed by individual stories.

When the wind, which has been funneled through a narrow gorge, pushes out over the Sea of Galilee, the water becomes turbulent. Jesus and His disciples were caught in just such a dangerous storm while making their way to Gadara. Waves crashed over the deck of the wooden boat. The experienced seamen onboard were certain that death was imminent.

But Jesus was sleeping. He was resting quietly during a storm so frightening that the Greek word used to describe it is seismos—from the same root that gives us the phrase “seismic activity” for earthquakes.- What kind of man is this who can sleep while the boat heaves and pitches?

The answer is: the One who created the seas and knows how a storm brews and what energy causes a wave to stay in motion. That’s the kind of man: a divine Being cloaked in humanity, who rebuked the winds and sea so that they became perfectly calm.

Scripture indicates that both the air and the water were instantly stilled. Such is the power of Jesus, the Creator and Lord over the universe. Taken together, all the Bible stories about Jesus reveal the “big picture” that He is the only man worthy of glory, honor, and praise (Dan. 7:13-14).

--In Touch

"The Man"- Worthy of Our Hope
1 Peter 1:3-5
---
Christ’s resurrection is not open for theological debate. There are many people who think it’s sufficient to believe that Jesus lived and died. However, the Savior’s restoration to life is central to what He claimed about His identity and to Christianity as a faith. Picking up on our question from yesterday’s devotion, we must ask what kind of man is this who rose from the dead?

The answer is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who died for our sins and rose again because death had no power over Him. The resurrection validated Jesus’ whole ministry. All along, He said and did things to reveal Himself as Lord. When the Lamb of God—the perfect sacrifice for sin—conquered death, He confirmed His identity. Who but the Creator could return Himself to life?

We could also answer the question by saying that the kind of man who returns from the dead is 'One worthy of our hope'. Since Jesus Christ affirmed God’s power to give His followers eternal life, their earthly existence is not marching toward an end; rather, it is the opening chapter of a beautiful and infinite relationship with God. Paul said that at death, Christians are absent from their bodies and present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8). So the best is yet to come!

Apart from Jesus’ resurrection, there is no hope. Those who chase after their own versions of immortality have no assurance of life after death, because there is none. Yet believers face death with the confidence that nothing can separate them from the love of God. Death is just a short trip home. --

--In Touch ~

ON TRIAL BEFORE PILATE
By: Max Lucado
--
The most famous trial in history is about to begin.

The judge is short and patrician with darting eyes and expensive clothes. His graying hair trimmed and face beardless. He is apprehensive, nervous about being thrust into a decision he can't avoid. Two soldiers lead him down the stone stairs of the fortress into the broad courtyard. Shafts of morning sunlight stretch across the stone floor.

As he enters, Syrian soldiers dressed in short togas yank themselves and their spears erect and stare straight ahead. The floor on which they stand is a mosaic of broad, brown, smooth rocks. On the floor are carved the games the soldiers play while awaiting the sentencing of the prisoner.

But in the presence of the procurator, they don't play.

A regal chair is placed on a landing five steps up from the floor. The magistrate ascends and takes his seat. The accused is brought into the room and placed below him. A covey of robed religious leaders follow, walk over to one side of the room, and stand.

Pilate looks at the lone figure...

"Are you the king of the Jews?"

For the first time, Jesus lifts his eyes. He doesn't raise his head, but he lifts his eyes. He peers at the procurator from beneath his brow. Pilate is surprised at the tone in Jesus' voice.

"Those are your words."

Before Pilate can respond, the knot of Jewish leaders mock the accused from the side of the courtroom.

"See, he has no respect."

"He stirs the people!"

"He claims to be king!"

Pilate doesn't hear them. Those are your words. No defense. No explanation. No panic. The Galilean is looking at the floor again.

Something about this country rabbi appeals to Pilate. He's different from the bleeding hearts who cluster outside. He's not like the leaders with the chest-length beards who one minute boast of a sovereign God and the next beg for lower taxes. His eyes are not the fiery ones of the zealots who are such a pain to the Pax Romana he tries to keep. He's different, this up-country Messiah.

Pilate wants to let Jesus go. Just give me a reason, he thinks, almost aloud. I'll set you free.-

His thoughts are interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. A messenger leans and whispers. Strange. Pilate's wife has sent word not to get involved in the case. Something about a dream she had.

Pilate walks back to his chair, sits, and stares at Jesus. "Even the gods are on your side?" he states with no explanation.

He has sat in this chair before. It's a curule seat: cobalt blue with thick, ornate legs. The traditional seat of decision. By sitting on it Pilate transforms any room or street into a courtroom. It is from here he renders decisions.

How many times has he sat here? How many stories has he heard? How many pleas has he received? How many wide eyes have stared at him, pleading for mercy, begging for acquittal?

But the eyes of this Nazarene are calm, silent. They don't scream. They don't dart. Pilate searches them for anxiety , for anger. He doesn't find it. What he finds makes him shift again.

He's not angry with me. He's not afraid . He seems to understand. -

Pilate is correct in his observation. Jesus is not afraid. He is not angry. He is not on the verge of panic. For he is not surprised. Jesus knows his hour and the hour has come.

Pilate is correct in his curiosity. Where, if Jesus is a leader, are his followers? What, if he is the Messiah, does he intend to do? Why, if he is a teacher, are the religious leaders so angry at him?

Pilate is also correct in his question. "What should I do with Jesus, the one called the Christ?" (Matthew 27:22)

Perhaps you, like Pilate, are curious about this one called Jesus. You, like Pilate, are puzzled by his claims and stirred by his passions.

What do you do with a man who calls himself the Savior, yet condemns systems? What do you do with a man who knows the place and time of his death, yet goes there anyway?

Pilate's question is yours. "What will I do with this man, Jesus?"

You have two choices.

You can reject him. That is an option. You can, as have many, decide that the idea of God's becoming a carpenter is too bizarre-and walk away.

Or you can accept him. You can journey with him. You can listen for his voice amidst the hundreds of voices and follow him.
--
__________________________
From This is Love: The Extraordinary Story of Jesus
By: Max Lucado

The Amazing Prophetic Claims of the Lord Jesus Christ
By: Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.
--
There are so many strong and clear evidences of the perfect and unique truth of Christianity that those who remain skeptical were said by the great apostle Peter to be "willingly ignorant" (2 Peter 3:5), and by the apostle Paul to be "without excuse" (Romans 1:20). The great king David concluded that only "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God" (Psalm 53:1), and wise king Solomon asserted that, "The fear of the Lord" is the very "beginning of knowledge" and "wisdom" (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10).

Innumerable evidences of creation can be found in the study of science and of God's providence in the study of history, but undoubtedly the greatest evidences of all are in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The miracle of His virgin birth, His sinless life, His mighty works, His incomparable teachings, His volitional death as the necessary and sufficient sacrifice to redeem us from sin and death, and then His glorious bodily resurrection from the grave and ascension back to heaven are true facts of history which can only be explained by the revealed truth that He was God incarnate, the eternal Word made flesh, the Creator who became our Savior and has promised soon to return as our King of kings and Lord of lords. He was indeed the virgin-born babe whom we sing about at Christmas time, but He is infinitely more than that.

And then there are His amazing claims about the future effects His ministry would have on the world! The evidences do not end with His return to heaven, but continue to pour forth year after year in the ongoing fulfillment of His remarkable prophetic claims.

His Indestructible Words

For example, consider the humanly incredible words of the Lord Jesus in the following prophecy.

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away (Matthew 24:35).

The same claim was also recorded by two other gospel writers (Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33). It would be hard to miss!

But how could any mere man (if that's all He was) ever make such an outlandish prophecy? He must have been either mad or a king-sized deceiver! As far as human credentials were concerned, He seemingly had none. His supposed father was an ordinary carpenter, he had no formal education and had never held any kind of office; He had written no books or any other writings, so far as we know. He lived in the despised village of Nazareth and had never traveled to other lands. He had a few disciples, but they also were unlearned and unimpressive, and the political and religious leaders of the nation were plotting to silence Him before He could recruit any others. It seems absurd for such a man as this Jesus, from Nazareth, to presume to claim that His teachings would survive His own short life-span, let alone outlast heaven and earth.

But His words have, indeed, endured for well over nineteen centuries, and they are now known and taught all over the world. This is nothing less than an amazingly fulfilled prophecy. The earth is still here, of course, but looking more fragile every day, and there is no doubt remaining that the words of Christ will last at least as long as the earth remains.

The Lord Jesus also asserted that the collection of words we know today as the Old Testament would last forever in the following remarkable claim.

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Matthew 5:18).

This also was a tremendous prophecy, and so far this also is still being fulfilled. The ancient Hebrew Scriptures were meticulously copied by hand by trained scribes, generation after generation, until finally the invention of the printing press made accurate reproductions easy and plentiful.

The prediction of permanence for the Scriptures had been often made in the Old Testament itself. For example,

The words of the LORD are pure words: . . . Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever (Psalm 12:6-7).

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever (Isaiah 40:8).

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89).

Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever (Psalm 119:160).

Christ, in His wonderful wisdom, accepted and reinforced this eternal character of the Old Testament, but then He had the audacity, it would seem, to give His own words the same everlasting authority. "Never pass away, indeed!"

Could any prophecy have ever seemed so foolish and impossible to come true? Just a few days after He made it, He was executed as a blasphemer. His Jewish countrymen rejected His words; the Greeks and Romans ridiculed them and killed His disciples who tried to preach them. Then, five centuries later, Mohammed and the Muslims distorted them and wedged some of them into their own militaristic religion, conquering with the sword much of the known world. One major group of professing Christians forbade all but their indoctrinated clergy even to possess or read His words, and eventually the pseudo-intellectualism of the evolutionary humanists attempted to destroy them altogether by explaining them away.

Yet despite all the bloody persecutions, Bible burnings, and evolutionary dissimulations through the ages, the words of the Lord Jesus in particular and the Judeo-Christian Scriptures in general have been more widely known and distributed around the world than any other book in history. "My words shall not pass away," He said, and this amazing prophecy has been and is still being wonderfully fulfilled. That fact is in itself proof of His omniscient deity.

His Magnetic Death

Another remarkable prophecy had to do with Christ's imminent crucifixion and death. Several times, He had told His disciples that He would soon be crucified and then be raised back to life on the third day. But then He added another strange note to the prediction.

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me (John 12:32).

As to what He meant by being "lifted up from the earth," the narrator, John, explains.

This he said, signifying what death he should die (John 12:33).

He had already told them that He would be crucified (e.g. Matthew 20:18-19) in Jerusalem, but now he used a seemingly unlikely expression "lifted up" instead of the more pragmatic "crucified."

Jesus had used the same word three years earlier in talking with the Pharisee Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish council and highly respected teacher in Israel.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:14-15).

It is obvious that the Lord is here suggesting some kind of parallel meaning (or typological meaning) of His imminent crucifixion to the strange record of the brazen serpent impaled on a pole back in Moses' day.

"Fiery serpents" had slain many Israelites in the wilderness because of their sinful complaining against God and Moses. When they repented, any one who had been bitten could be healed by simply looking upon the impaled serpent (Numbers 21:4-9), thus showing saving faith in God's Word. The spiritual picture is one of sin being judged by slaying the serpent, as it were, transferring the death penalty from the repentant and believing sinner to the one that would otherwise have been the instrument of death. Thus "seeing" in faith, the slain substitute would provide healing and restoration.

Similarly, those who would look in faith on Christ lifted up to die on the cross would receive forgiveness and salvation unto eternal life.

But just how would the sight (in the mind's eye, of course) of Christ dying on the cross "draw all men" unto Him. Death by crucifixion was a hideous death, about as repugnant a sight as could ever be imagined. It was normally the type of death pronounced on wicked criminals--such as the two men crucified at the same time as Christ.

Yet this strange prophecy has also been remarkably fulfilled. The old, old story of Jesus on the cross has become, not an ugly tale of a dying criminal, but a love story, a story of God so loving the world that He gave His only begotten Son, and a story of Christ so commending His love toward us that, while we were yet guilty sinners, He died for us (see John 3:16; Romans 5:8).

And it has indeed drawn men and women and children in every nation to Him, just as He prophesied it would.

The cross has become a symbol of love and caring, not merely of sin and death. It adorns church steeples and ladies neck chains and humanitarian organizations everywhere. It still does speak of sorrow, even marking many gravesites, but also of hope, for the testimony of the empty cross is also one of ultimate victory over death. Although Christ was lifted up to die on the cross, it is empty now, and so is the tomb where they buried Him, for He is alive for evermore at the right hand of our Father in heaven.

He has truly been "lifted up," not just on the cross to die, but then also lifted up in His Spirit from Hades, where He had descended for a time to proclaim His victory to the spirits in prison (1 Peter 3:19), then lifted up in His resurrected and now glorified body from its three-day rest in the tomb, and then finally lifted up to the heaven of heavens beyond the starry sky.

It is significant that the Greek word for "lifted up" (hupsoo) can also mean "exalted" and is often so translated. For example, listen to "Peter and the other apostles" proclaim fearlessly to the priests from whom they had been hiding only a few days before:

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:30-31).

Lifted up was He to die, but now in heaven exalted high! (Philippians 2:8-9). And all who are drawn to Him in faith and who then look up on Him as their Prince and Savior shall never perish but have everlasting life.

His Guiding Light

There are still other amazing prophetic claims made by the Lord Jesus which would be absolutely incredible for anyone to make but God Himself.

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12).

It is the sun, of course, that provides the physical light for our world, as well as all the complex of radiant energies that sustain life in the world. Not only light to see by and heat to move by, but also (through photosynthesis) food to live by and (through energizing the hydrologic cycle) water to survive by. In fact, all energy utilized on the earth except its radioactive minerals and its own internal heat comes ultimately from the sun.

And here the Lord Jesus even compares Himself to the sun, claiming that He will be the world's spiritual light just as the sun is its physical light. Surely such a claim could only be made by an insufferable egomaniac or by a man completely out of His mind, His skeptical listeners must have thought.

That is, if the claim were not true! But it has proved true for almost 2,000 years. Jesus Christ has been the spiritual light of the world. More great art and literature have been inspired by Him, and more beautiful music written about Him, then by or about any other man in history. More hospitals, more schools and colleges, more charitable organizations, more missionary outreaches to the poor in many nations have been established by His followers in His name than any other. People observe Christmas and Easter all over the world because of Him,even those who do not believe in Him. And most nations fix their calendars around His birth.

Furthermore, there are millions upon millions of people who gladly testify that He is indeed the light of their personal worlds. Those who follow Him have not walked in darkness but have had the light of life. They have individually experienced the reality of that wonderful promise in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." They have believed His indestructible words, been drawn magnetically to His cross, repented of the sins which helped place Him there, and rejoiced in His bodily resurrection which assures them of justification before their holy Creator God, and their lives have been changed. Ever since they trusted Him, He has indeed been to them the light of life and they no longer walk in darkness.

Along with His guiding light, He has been to them the bread of life and the water of life, fulfilling two other amazing prophetic promises.

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever (John 6:51).

Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14).

No ordinary man, be he ever so talented and powerful, could ever make such promises and then make them come true in human lives, but the Lord Jesus Christ is no ordinary man. He was true man, of course, in every way a man as God intended man to be, but He was also God the Creator, the eternal "Word . . . made flesh" (John 1:1, 14), and He can and does fulfill all His amazing claims.

The Master Fisherman

"Follow me," He said, "and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). These words were spoken to His first followers, and they did follow Him, and they did become true soul winners--Peter and John, Thomas and Philip, and the others. But later He also imposed what seemed an impossible commandment upon his small group of theologically untrained and politically naïve Jewish laymen:

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).

Not only did He make what seemed an impossible demand, but then followed it up with a correspondingly incredible prophecy.

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).

These fearful, uneducated, provincial Jews were thus expected to take the gospel of their internationally unknown and locally hated leader to "every creature" and "unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Impossible! Ridiculous! It could never happen. Surely in just a few months, their whole movement was bound to collapse and soon be forgotten.

Yet, today, all over the world His gospel is indeed being preached--not only by thousands of trained and dedicated missionaries, but also by radio, television, movies, videos, books, and now even by the Internet. The twelve whom He first called have multiplied greatly; today some of every nation and almost every tribe and tongue now call Jesus Christ their Savior and Lord. This impossible prophecy has, like the others, been wonderfully fulfilled.

The Invincible Church

Now all these Christian believers called out of every nation and every walk of life obviously come with many different interests and backgrounds, as well as languages and customs. But they all have one vital motivating purpose in common. They have all believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Redeemer and Savior.

As such, they all belong to "the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven" (Hebrews 12:23). This wonderful body of believers is now growing all over the world, with some passing daily into the heavenly assembly above while others are being added to its numbers here on Earth: "Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:25-27).

And, as this growing assembly is seeking to preach the gospel to every creature, even to the uttermost part of the earth, they are perpetually encountering all kinds of opposition, orchestrated and energized by Satan, who would destroy them all if he could.

But he cannot! The Lord Jesus has made yet another amazing prophetic promise:

And Jesus answered and said unto [Peter], . . . upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:17-18).

The "rock" which the gates of hell cannot withstand is nothing less than the great confession that had been verbalized by Peter but which has been shared by all true disciples of Christ in all the centuries since. "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).

The true deity of Christ and the Father/Son relationship that He shares with God the Father have been opposed bitterly right from the beginning, along with the fact and the meaning of His death and resurrection. The Jewish and Roman persecutors have failed to stop it and so have the Moslem hordes, the Communist and Nazi butchers, and even the rationalism of the pseudo-intellectuals.

But who could have imagined that those unimpressive first eleven disciples could possibly be the vanguard of a great army that would eventually penetrate the very gates of hell itself? They would deliver one by one multitudes of souls who were almost entering hell's darkness out into the beautiful light of God's redeemed world. The true church of the true Christ has indeed been victorious time after time in its battle with Satan over the souls of men, and Christ's unlikely prophecy has indeed been fulfilled again and again and again.

There are many other fulfilled prophecies that first came from the Lord Jesus (e.g., the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans followed by the world-wide Jewish dispersion) but the ones we have already considered surely make the point. These prophecies, seemingly so impossible and even foolish when uttered, have become an amazing testimony to the omniscience and omnipotence--therefore the full and unique deity of the one who made them two thousand years ago--as we watch them all being fulfilled today, before our very eyes.

Dear reader, if you have not already found Him to be the light of your own life, you would surely do eternally well to receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith as your Savior from sin and hell, trusting Him with the destiny of your soul. He has proved beyond doubt that He can and will keep His Word!

* Dr. Henry M. Morris (1918-2006) was Founder and President Emeritus of ICR.

--THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD -
By: Citipointe -

[video:youtube][/video]

There is only one God

My sin, it falls at your feet

My soul to You I seek..

The One who gave it all!

Our King!

-Christ Our Sin
-By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself” (Hebrews 7:26,27).

Again and again we are told two things in Scripture: first, that Jesus Christ was without sin of His own; second, that He died in substitution for the penalty of our sins. He was utterly “separate from sinners,” yet “He offered up Himself” to die for our sins.

It is clear that He “did no sin,” but then He “bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (I Peter 2:22,24). Nor did He have a sin-nature, for “in Him is no sin” (I John 3:5). Further, He “knew no sin,” yet God “hath made Him to be sin for us” (II Corinthians 5:21). He did no sin, knew no sin, and had no sin, but He was made sin, and bore our sins!

“Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (I Peter 3:18). “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). In many ways, these great themes appear time after time in the New Testament. Here is another: “Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold. . . . But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (I Peter 1:18,19).

Yet it is in the Old Testament (Isaiah 52:13–53:12) that we find the fullest exposition of this incomparable truth. For example: “He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to . . . make His soul an offering for sin. . . . My righteous servant (shall) justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:9–11).

Therefore, since He died for us, we should live for Him.

ICR/HMM

-A MATTER
OF OPINION?

Matthew 16:13-20
---
[Jesus]said to them,
"But who do you say
that I am?"
--Matthew 16:15 -
---
We live in an age dominated by all kinds of public opinion polls. Decisions are being driven by the crowd, and some of that is good. Surveys can inform us about people's experiences with products, helping us make wiser purchases. Opinion polls can give government officials a sense of how their policy initiatives will be received. While information gleaned is a matter of personal opinion, it can be helpful in shaping decision-making on a variety of levels.

But when it comes to the most important question for all eternity, a public opinion poll cannot give us the answer. We must answer for ourselves. In Matthew 16, Jesus took His disciples to Caesarea Philippi and asked a question about public opinion: "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" (v.13). The answers were varied, and all were complimentary--but none was adequate. That's why Jesus then asked His disciples, "But who do you say that I am?" (v.15). Peter got the answer right: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (v.16).

Public opinion cannot answer the one question that will determine your eternity: Who do you say that Jesus is? If you agree with Scripture, and place your trust in Christ, you will have eternal life.

It doesn't matter what the crowd
Believes about the Lord.
What matters is: Do you believe
What God says in His Word?
---
Opinion is no substitute for the truth of God's Word.

ODB/BC

There Is Holy And Then There Is Holy Holy Holy!

There is no alternative thingy and it's not about public opinion either as opinion is no substitue for the truth of God's word.

Well said!

Messianic Rabbi Shares How He Accepted Yeshua As Messiah.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdZP0UPoFVo

It Is The Living Truth!
"You are the Christ, the Son Of The Living God" said Peter.

-Abiding Words

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." (John 15:7)

In order for the words of the Lord really to abide in us, it seems clear that we should commit as many of them to memory--not only in our minds, but in our hearts--as we possibly can. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart," the psalmist said, "that I might not sin against thee" (Psalm 119:11).

There are many promises of blessing to those who have God's Word in their hearts. "For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips" (Proverbs 22:18). "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; . . . Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:1, 5).

Both the apostle Paul and the apostle Peter have noted the importance of Scripture memorization. Paul says: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Colossians 3:16).

Peter's exhortation is as follows: "This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets |i.e., the Old Testament Scriptures|, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour |i.e., the New Testament Scriptures|" (2 Peter 3:1-2). The words "be mindful" mean essentially "recall to mind." -

Since the Scriptures cannot be recalled to mind unless they've first been installed in the mind, and since they cannot abide in our hearts unless we first hide them in our hearts, it is surely pleasing and honoring to God that we learn "by heart" as much of His Word as we can.
-- HMM

-MASTER
CRAFTSMAN ~~

Jeremiah 18:1-10
---
The vessel that he
made of clay was
marred in the hand
of the potter; so he
made it again...as
it seemed good to the
potter.--Jer. 18:4 -
---
We all have past hurts, sins, regrets, if-only's ....

Our great God works in our lives. He is the greatest Master Craftsman of all, taking the wasted pieces and broken shards of our lives and restoring them to worth and meaning. The prophet Jeremiah described this when he compared God's work to that of a potter working clay: "The vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel.."

No matter what messes we've made of our lives, God can remold us into vessels that are good in His eyes. As we confess any sin and submit ourselves in obedience to His Word, we allow the Master to do His redemptive work in our lives (2 Tim. 2:21). That's the only way for the pieces of our brokenness to be made whole once again.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay;
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
---
Broken things can become blessed things
if you let God do the mending.

ODB/bc

-The Incarnation of Christ

"Christ Jesus...being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men."- (Philippians 2:5-7)

"Great is the mystery of godliness," Paul exclaimed as he summarized the incarnation (1 Timothy 3:16). No mere words, even those inspired by God Himself, can completely express what transpired when "the Word was made flesh" (John 1:14). There are, however, a few clues in this marvelous Philippians passage.

The choice of the Greek word morphe to express what Jesus possessed prior to His becoming the God-Man is important. This "form" of God is not the Greek word that one would choose to express the visible or outward shape--that word would be schema. Morphe emphasizes the character, the being, that makes the being what it is.

Interestingly, morphe is also used to tell us that Jesus took on the "form" of a servant: "|He| made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:7). Jesus "voided" the morphe that He rightfully possessed as God and "received" (passive) the morphe of a servant or slave (doulos). Then, "in the likeness |homoioma, similitude| of men" He came to be |ginomai, to come into existence|."

We may never fully understand what transpired in the councils of Triune eternity. But this we can know and believe: Jesus became man for men, and He alone saved us from our sin and justly granted us eternal life.
--HMM III

-The Eternal God

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." (Psalm 90:2)

This verse was written by Moses as the children of Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land. Perhaps the most basic of all the attributes of God is that He "inhabiteth eternity" (Isaiah 57:15). He is "from everlasting to everlasting," the God who ever was and ever shall be.

Creatures of time cannot really comprehend the idea of past eternity. "But who made God?" children ask. "Nobody made God," we answer. "He always was." The alternative would be to believe in the eternity of "space" and "matter," but these in themselves are utterly incapable of producing our complex universe. God, however, is an adequate First Cause to explain all the effects of our infinite, intricate cosmos.

There are many other Scriptures assuring us that God has always been. "Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting" (Psalm 93:2). He is "the everlasting God, the Lord" (Isaiah 40:28). And this truth applies to God the Son as well as to God the Father. The Lord Jesus could say, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (Revelation 22:13).

We find it somewhat easier to contemplate the fact that God will live forever. Still, certain foolish men have imagined that God is dead, but "the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king" (Jeremiah 10:10).

The most glorious fact of all is that this living God did also become man, in the person of Christ Jesus, and He did die. But He soon defeated death and now can say: "I am alive for evermore" (Revelation 1:18). And now, since "we believe that Jesus died and rose again, . . . so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:14, 17).
--HMM

-God's Bestseller
-REDEMPTION!
Romans 11:29-36

"Surely your wrath against men brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained."
(Psalm 76:10)-

The story of redemption is not God's frantic attempt to retrieve the broken story line of humanity and steer it back to a positive conclusion. Redemption is the story, the heart of the original script. God is not the author of sin, and He never tempts anyone to sin. Yet He ordained the fall in His perfect plan for the world. Since God does all things for His glory and our good, this must bring Him honor, and must work for the best for His children.

We know that God hates sin, and He teaches us to hate sin; yet He decided that we should know Him better as forgiven sinners than we would if we had never sinned. How could we marvel at His patience if we did not provoke Him time and time again, only to find Him faithful? How could we know the cleansing blaze of repentance and restoration if we had not trampled on His love repeatedly, only to be welcomed back into the open arms of a forgiving Father? How could we know Jesus if the need for a perfect life and death as payment for our sin never existed?
---
"The unchangeableness of God's love is more illustrated by the multiplied pardons He bestows on us, than if we needed no forgiveness at all."
(John Newton)

--Haven Today

-JESUS: The Shepherd Who Cares
for Us and Guides Us --
By: Max Lucado

Aren't we glad Christ didn't call Himself the Good Cowboy? But some do perceive God that way. A hardfaced, square-jawed ranch-hand from heaven who drives His church against its will to places it doesn't want to go.

But that's a wrong image. Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd. The Shepherd who knows His sheep by name and lays down His life for them. The Shepherd who protects, provides, and possesses His sheep. The Bible is replete with this picture of God...

Eighty percent of Jesus' listeners made their living off of the land. Many were shepherds. They lived on the mesa with sheep. No flock ever grazed without a shepherd, and no shepherd was ever off duty. When sheep wandered, the shepherd, found them. When they fell, he carried them. When they were hurt, he healed them.

Sheep aren't smart. They tend to wander into running creeks for water, then their wool grows heavy and they drown. They need a shepherd to lead them to "still waters" (Psalm 23:2). They have no natural defense--no claws, no horns no fangs. They are helpless. Sheep need a shepherd with a "rod and ...staff" (Psalm 23:4) to protect them. They have no sense of direction. They need someone to lead them on "paths of righteouness" (Psalm 23:3).

So do we. We,too, tend to be swept away by waters we should have avoided. We have no defense against the evil lion who prowls about seeking who he might devour. We, too, get lost. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6).

We need a shepherd. We don't need a cowboy to herd us.
We need The Shepherd, Jesus, to care for us and to guide us.

And we have One. One who knows us by name.~ ~
---
From: "Traveling Light", by Max Lucado

-Listen to His Touch
-Mark 5:21-42

"...a man came along who was covered with leprosy.
...Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.
'I am willing,' he said. 'Be clean!'
And immediately the leprosy left him." (Luke 5:12-13) -

The musical genius embodied in Ludwig van Beethoven astounds me. When only 20 years old, he began going deaf, yet continued to compose some of the world's most magnificent classical works. It is understood he attached a wooden pole to his piano's soundboard so he could "listen" to the vibrations by clenching the rod with his teeth. He listened through touch.

One day, surrounded by a noisy crowd, Jesus "heard" the desperate touch of a very sick woman. She believed if she could just make contact with the miracle worker's cloak, she would be healed. At the very moment she did, Jesus "realized that power had gone our from him" (Mark 5:30) and did not disregard it. He knew her touch had been filled with both need and faith, so He pronounced complete healing over her. Over and over again we read in the Gospels of Jesus touching those in need, even the
leprous "untouchables," and how their bodies responded to Him.

Jesus touches our deepest need, too. Trust Him, and know the healing of His touch.
---
When Jesus passed a leper colony, He heard them shout, "Unclean, unclean!" His righteous life and payment on the cross wiped them--and us clean!

--Haven Today

-IN THE BEGINNING, AGAIN ~

-Easter and God's New Creation ~
-By: Winn Collier

Our throwaway culture teaches us to toss whatever we've used up and to discard whatever has lost its shine. But from the very beginning, we discover that God is not a throwaway God. When the tragedy of Eden ruptured the Lord's friendship with humanity and polluted His beautiful work, He did not abandon creation. Death--this vile reality we humans were never intended to experience--infected the world, and immediately God began the rescue. He had created life, and now He would recreate life. ~~

Theologian Vigen Guroian explains, "We think we have a resurrection because we had to have a cross, but I think we have a cross because we had to have a resurrection." The truth is, we had to have both, but Guroian makes his point well. The resurrection is not an afterthought or the exclamation point that punctuatees the rest of Jesus' ministry. Rather, resurrection is the pinnacle event--that moment in which the totality of God's intentions become visible. Death had marred all of creation and all of creation would now be healed. Death would trample down death, as the ancient Christians sang in their Easter services. And then, once death had met its doom in Jesus, new creation would commence. All things would be made new. Jesus would walk out of the tomb, signaling that death was not the ultimate victor.

The Apostle John narrates this vivid story. After Jesus' betrayal and beating and violent death, John tells us that Joseph of Arimathea had requested the Lord's body and secured a tomb. The horrific day ends with these simple, sorrowful words: "...they laid Jesus there" (John 19:42).

A dark tomb. Sealed tight. The Light snuffed out.

But not for long. The next words slice through the grieving and the gloom. Mary Magdalene discovers the tomb, open and evacuated (20:1). The Light had broken free.

John, ever the image-crafter, framed his gospel as a new Genesis story, commencing with the iconic words repeated from the Bible's opening line: "In the beginning" (1:1). Genesis recounted the seven days of creation, and now John begins to recount a new creation week. John tells us (twice for emphasis) that Jesus rose from the dead on "the first day of the week" (20:1,19). God had created once, and now, in Christ, God would create again.

Through Jesus, life stood again at the center. Because He crushed death, we can live. Through Jesus, the hearts of men and women, the land, human society--everything ruined by the fall will be recreated. God won't throw a single thing away. He will make all things new.~~
----
Article from: In Touch / April 2012

-Gospel by Revelation

"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:11-12)

In writing to the believers in Galatia, Paul was concerned that they were "so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel" (v. 6).

What was Paul's gospel that he was so concerned about? "Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever" (vv. 3-5). Furthermore, he added that "if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (v. 9). They were not to listen even if Paul or "an angel from heaven" (v. 8) preached another gospel.

Paul's gospel, on the other hand, was "not after man," i.e., not the sort of thing that men would make up. Human religions are all man-glorifying and God-degrading, blurring the difference between the two and tempting man with the age-old taunt: "Ye shall be as gods" (Genesis 3:5). In contrast, the gospel which Paul preached recognized man's utter sinfulness and worthlessness and rested in a glorified Christ for His finished work.

Paul had not "received it of man." This was not the tradition among his people. "Neither was I taught it," said Paul, even though he had been taught extensively in the religion of Judaism. On the contrary, he was taught the gospel "by the revelation of Jesus Christ." We can therefore not only be sure of its accuracy, but, also with Paul, join in the "ministry, which [he] received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24).

--ICR/JDM

-Lives that Matter
-1 Corinthians 15:35-38

"Therefore, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Cor.15:58)

From Christ's living presence, Paul understood that he was commissioned to introduce others to Jesus. Some would believe. Some wouldn't. Some would be intrigued, and others would attack him.

Still, he warned, if just for this life Christ was their hope, they were to be pitied more than all. He was desperate for them to know the truth that had utterly transformed him, that Christ's risen life changed him now and for eternity. No wonder he wrote to the Philippians in 3:10-11;
"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection of the dead."

With that as our mental image and anchor, every day can be one of joy, sharing life rich in Christ with others. When our daily tasks are motivated by our risen Lord, it is always labor that bears fruit for eternity. And even when we grow weary, we know that He who began a good work in us is faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6)

-We can personally know Christ and the power of His resurrection today.

-YES! Jesus wants to be a personal Lord and Savior to His followers. Now that's really living, "Christ in me, the hope of glory!"

--Haven Today

--Majestic in Holiness
-Exodus 15:11-18

To understand what holiness is, notice how the word is used in the Bible. In the Old Testament it is used only in relation to God or what He has sanctified (made holy). It refers to something being different and set apart from other things. In this sense God is holy because He is unlike mankind. (Hosea 11:9)

The temple also was holy because it was different from other buildings, set apart for the worship of God. The Sabbath day was holy, again set apart from the other days of the week. The entire Jewish nation was holy because God chose them out of all others to belong to Himself and be His people. different and set apart from the others.

When we think of holiness, we probably think of purity. This association is fitting, especially as the whole Bible unfolds, leading up to the embodiment of holiness in the birth and life of Jesus Christ. No clearer picture of holiness could be given. All of the Old Testament's foreshadows of holiness came to be in our Majestic, Awesome, Wonder-Working Savior JESUS!
---
"Lord, Help us learn to appreciate your holiness and share it in our daily lives."
--Haven Today / YOUR GREAT NAME, JESUS! / By: Natalie Grant

-The Fourfold Witness to Christ
-By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established” (Deuteronomy 19:15).

In the Mosaic law, at least two reliable witnesses were required to convict a man of a crime. Jesus Christ was charged with blasphemy, claiming to be the unique Son of God. Not only was there the required double witness, but actually a fourfold witness to the “crime.” The witnesses not only agreed that the claim was made, but also that the claim was true!

The first was John the Baptist, who said “I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34). To so testify was John’s very reason for being, for he “was sent to bear witness of that Light, That was the true Light” (John 1:8,9).

There was also a second, more potent witness. “I have greater witness than that of John,” Jesus said, “for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me” (John 5:36). The great teacher Nicodemus had to acknowledge: “No man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with Him” (John 3:2).

Furthermore, there was the direct testimony of God from heaven. “The Father Himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me” (John 5:37). “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 importantly, there is the testimony of the Bible. “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39).

We no longer have such direct testimony, but we will always have the holy Scriptures, eternally proclaiming the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
--ICR/HMM

-The Bread of Life
-Exodus 16, John 6:30-51(recommended reading)

"I am the bread of life." (John 6:48)

Nearly 1,500 years before the events of John 6, God used Moses to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt. For the 40 years that followed, God fed an estimated 1 million men, women, and children as they journeyed in the desert to the Promised Land. He did this by sending bread from heaven. Having just fed a crowd of 5,000 Jesus takes the opportunity to show that 'He is the true bread from heaven'. What was only a shadowy allusion before was now perfectly revealed in Him.

The Israelites who ate the manna (bread) God gave them in the desert all died (6:46). But Jesus is the bread God gives, "who comes down from heaven" (6:33), and those who eat of it "will live forever" (6:51).

How may we receive this bread? By believing entirely in Jesus Christ. If He is the bread, how do we "eat" Him? As we set out to make everything He is and everything He taught the very "foods" we desire to live by, we show that we long to know Him as our source of life.
He is our sustenance, the daily bread we need.
---
Lord Jesus, You alone are the true bread of life, the bread of heaven. May we hunger to know and love you more each day.Amen~

--Haven Today/ Bread of Heaven/ 'Til I Want No More
<http://youtu.be/RcWMLZdS4rE>

-JESUS: THE BREAD OF LIFE
-By: Max Lucado

-Can you see why Jesus called Himself the Bread of Life?

I can think of one other similarity. Consider how bread is made. Think about the process. Wheat grows in the field, then it is cut down, winnowed, and ground into flour. It passes through the fire of the oven and is then distributed around the world. Only by this process does bread become bread. Each step is essential. Eliminate the plant, and you have no wheat. Eliminate the winnowing, and you have no flour. Eliminate the fire, and you have no product. Eliminate the distribution, and you have no satisfaction. Each step is essential.

Now, consider Jesus. He grew up before the Lord "as a tender plant" (Isaiah 53:2). One of millions of boys on the planet. One of thousands in Israel. One of dozens in Nazareth. Indistinguishable from the person down the street or the child in the next chair. Had you seen Him as a youngster, you wouldn't have thought He was the Son of God. You might have thought Him polite or courteous or diligent, but God on earth? Not a chance. He was just a boy. One of hundreds. Like a staff of wheat in the wheat field.

But like wheat, He was cut down. Like chaff He was pounded and beaten. "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities." (Isaiah 53:5). And like bread He passed through the fire. On the Cross He passed through the fire of God's anger, not because of His sin, but because of ours. "The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).

Jesus experienced each part of the process of making bread: the growing, the pounding, the firing. And just as each is necessary for bread, each was also necessary for Christ to become the Bread of Life. "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" (Luke 24:26)

-From: A Gentle Thunder
-By: Max Lucado / ABOVE ALL ~ ----
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ts2pXxZQKM&feature=colike>

-Is Not This the Son of the Carpenter?

"And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears."
-- Luke 4:21

Jesus stood before the people as a living expositor of the prophecies concerning Himself. Explaining the words He had read, He spoke of the Messiah as a reliever of the oppressed, a liberator of captives, a healer of the afflicted, restoring sight to the blind, and revealing to the world the light of truth. His impressive manner and the wonderful import of His words thrilled the hearers with a power they had never felt before. The tide of divine influence broke every barrier down; like Moses, they beheld the Invisible. As their hearts were moved upon by the Holy Spirit, they responded with fervent amens and praises to the Lord.

But when Jesus announced, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears," they were suddenly recalled to think of themselves, and of the claims of Him who had been addressing them.
They, Israelites, children of Abraham, had been represented as in bondage. They had been addressed as prisoners to be delivered from the power of evil; as in darkness, and needing the light of truth. Their pride was offended, and their fears were roused. The words of Jesus indicated that His work for them was to be altogether different from what they desired. Their deeds might be investigated too closely. Notwithstanding their exactness in outward ceremonies, they shrank from inspection by those clear, searching eyes.

Who is this Jesus? they questioned. He who had claimed for Himself the glory of the Messiah was the son of a carpenter, and had worked at His trade with His father Joseph.

They had seen Him toiling up and down the hills, they were acquainted with His brothers and sisters, and knew His life and labors. They had seen Him develop from childhood to youth, and from youth to manhood.
Although His life had been spotless, they would not believe that He was the Promised One.~~~
----

-Chosen Children
--
There’s something in you that God loves! Not just appreciates or approves—but loves. You cause God’s eyes to widen, his heart to beat faster. He loves you and accepts you.

Don’t we yearn to know this? God, do you know who I am? In the great scheme of things do I count for anything? So many messages tell us we don’t. We get laid off at work, turned away by the school. Everything from acne to Alzheimer’s leaves us feeling like the girl with no date to the prom. We react. We validate our existence with a flurry of activity. We do more, buy more, achieve more. Always, wrestling with the question, “Do I matter?”

All of grace, I believe, is God’s definitive reply. “Be blessed, my child. I accept you. I have adopted you into my family.” Adopted children are chosen children! Trust God’s love for you!

“But when the appropriate time had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights. And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls “Abba! Father! (Galatians 4:4-6) / MERRY CHRISTMAS! (Forget the "X")

From GRACE/ML=/ DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?



-O HOLY NIGHT!

-PLOWSHARE
CHRISTMAS~

-Isaiah 2:1-4
---
They shall beat
their swords into
plowshares...;
neither shall they
learn war anymore.
-Isaiah 2:4
---
IN his book Christmas 1945, Matthew Litt tells about the first peacetime Christmas celebration in the US after World War II. The New York Daily News alerted readers to expect a fleet of warships in New York Harbor: "Christmas Day will find a mighty armada, consisting of 4 battleships, 6 carriers, 7 cruisers, and 24 destroyers." But instead of waging war, the military ships hosted 1,000 needy children.

The children's measurements had been taken previously so that perfectly fitted navy-blue coats and woolen caps would be gift-wrapped and awating them aboard the ships. These vessels of war had been transformed into carriers of compassion.

The prophet Isaiah predicted a future day of Christ's reign of peace on this earth: "They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (2:4). Christmastime serves as a reminder that the Prince of Peace will ultimately bring a time of global calm and compassion.

As we celebrate the first coming of the Prince of Peace and wait for his second coming, we are reminded of our privilege to serve as His "carriers of compassion."
--ODB/DF
----
-True peace comes from the Prince of Peace, JESUS!/
-SPECIAL CHRISTMAS COMPILATION with the GAITHERS, etc, etc.
ENJOY!

--I Come Quickly = [suddenly]
---
"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:20)

This is the next-to-the-last verse in the Bible, and it contains the last promise in the Bible. The final promise of the Lord is that He would come back to earth again "quickly," but it has been almost 2,000 years since He made the promise, and He hasn't come yet. Evidently, the word "quickly." as He used it, did not mean "immediately."

As a matter-of-fact, this promise appears no less than six times here in Revelation (Revelation 2:5, 16; 3:11; 22:7, 12, 20). The first three are in Christ's messages to the churches at Ephesus, Pergamos, and Philadelphia, respectively. The last three are in His final message to all churches (Revelation 22:16).

The Lord Jesus has not forgotten His promise for "all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" (2 Corinthians 1:20). Furthermore, many spiritual believers in every previous generation have been looking for His coming "quickly," as He promised, yet they all have died before its fulfillment.

It seems evident that "quickly" must be understood in the sense of "suddenly." It may well be "in such an hour as ye think not" (Matthew 24:44), and it will occur "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Corinthians 15:52), when it happens.

It does seem that all the signs of the nearness of His sudden coming are being fulfilled today, except perhaps one. "And the gospel must first be published among all nations" (Mark 13:10), "for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14).

Even this is now being done, it seems. In any case, it is vitally important that we "abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we . . . not be ashamed before him at his coming" (1 John 2:28). "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"

--ICR/ HMM

--Doxology to the King

-"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17)

In this stirring doxology to the One who allowed him into the ministry (vv. 12-13), whose grace "was exceeding abundant" (v. 14), who "came into the world to save sinners" (v. 15), who showed mercy and longsuffering, and who grants "life everlasting" (v. 16), Paul uses several majestic descriptive terms. Each deserves our attention.


The King eternal. God's sovereign kingship is in view here. The phrase literally translates, the "King of the ages." "But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king" (Jeremiah 10:10). He is the King, and we must stand in submission to Him.

Immortal. The Greek word used here implies more than mere exemption from death. A fuller meaning would include total incorruptibility; i.e., the inability to be stained by either decay or death. What a comfort to realize that the believer's crown in glory will be likewise incorruptible (1 Corinthians 9:25), as will his resurrection body (1 Corinthians 15:52).

Invisible. God is a Spirit, and as such cannot be seen. He has chosen to appear on numerous occasions, most notably as Christ, but is usually unseen, the primary meaning of the word. Christ "is the image of the invisible |same word| God, the firstborn of every creature" (Colossians 1:15). Seen or unseen, He merits our praise.

The only wise God. God is unique in His existence and wisdom, "God only wise" (Romans 16:27). He stands alone, solitary, apart from all others.

Surely to this eternal, incorruptible, unseen, unique, wise, sovereign King belongs "honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

--ICR/ JDM

-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/ WHOM SHALL I FEAR!

--Jesus: Doorway to the Father
--Read | John 14:6-11 (Recommended Reading)
----
A significant percentage of westerners profess to know God and therefore call themselves Christians. Yet many of them do not believe in Jesus or His claim to be the Son of God. The fact is, a person cannot know the Father and be His child unless he or she has received Jesus Christ as Savior and entered into a personal relationship with Him.

Jesus is the doorway to salvation. It’s not enough to “know God” in the sense of simply realizing there is a supreme Deity. Without faith in Jesus, it is impossible to come to the Father (John 14:6). Since God is holy, He can’t tolerate sin in His presence. But all people are sinners (Ps. 53:3; Isa. 53:6). Jesus died in our place to pay our debt and thereby bridge the gap between impure man and holy God. Any person who receives His sacrifice for sin is forgiven, declared righteous, and welcomed into fellowship with God.

Jesus is the doorway to revelation. He was the earthly representation of His Father in heaven. Christ’s life among men provides the most complete picture we have of the Father. Jesus’ actions, choices, and teachings reveal how the Almighty thinks and what He desires from us.

And the faith God values is the belief “that Christ died for our sins according to scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

Jesus said that He and His Father are one (John 10:30). Omitting Christ from religious beliefs or practice leaves people with an inaccurate view of the Creator. We are saved not by works but by faith, through grace (Eph. 2:8-9).

--In Touch

--Beneath the Waters--(I Will Rise)~

--The Word of God
came to John the son
of Zacharias in the
wilderness.
--Luke 3:2--
-----
--MOVERS and shakers are people climbing the ladder of influence and success. Luke 3 mentions seven prominent leaders who exercised control in the society of their time. Roman Emperor Tiberias Caesar held the power of life and death over people in his far-flung empire. Pontius Pilate represented Rome as governor of Judea; while Herod, Philip, and Lysanias kept people in line at the regional level. Annas and Caiaphas served as high priests, taking their religious authority seriously.

While these power brokers flexed their political muscles, "The Word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness" (v.2). Who could seem less important than this obscure man living in the desert and listening for God's voice? What could John the Baptist possibly accomplish by "preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins"? (v.3) Yet multitudes came to John seeking truth, turning from their wrongs, and wondering if he could be the Messiah (vv.7,15). John told them, "One mightier than I is coming...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (v.6).

John's life helps us understand what it means to be significant in God's eyes. Like John, may everything we say and do point others to Jesus.~~
------
--Our surrender to God precedes His significant work in our life. Let's point others to Jesus the Christ!

---ODB/DM/ BENEATH THE WATERS / (I Will Rise) ~ Hillsong
<http://youtu.be/4Djso8bNLM8>
---------

---Exalting the Anointed One

“The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.” (1 Samuel 2:10)

This is a remarkable prayer, uttered under divine inspiration by Hannah, thanking God for the miraculous birth of Samuel. It contains the first explicit reference in the Bible to the Messiah (“anointed,” in the Hebrew, is Messiah, equivalent to the Greek “Christ”). Hannah’s prophetic prayer predicts the ultimate exaltation of Messiah over all the adversaries of the Lord to the very ends of the earth.

Hannah also prophesied the coming of the Lord’s great King. Yet this was during the time of the judges, long before the people of Israel even began to request a king.

In fact, the entire prophecy is the first of many similar prophecies throughout the Bible which look forward to the return of the Lord “out of heaven” to judge all nations, to destroy His enemies, and to establish His anointed one as King of the earth.

There is nothing comparable to this prophecy in the earlier books of the Bible, but it is a theme often emphasized in the psalms and in the books of prophecy, as well as in the New Testament. For example, note David’s great prophecy: “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed. . . . Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath. . . . Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. . . . and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession” (Psalm 2:2, 5-6, 8).

There are many similar later prophecies, but it is significant that the first one also contains the first mention of Messiah, and that was from the lips of a humble, but devout, mother.
--ICR/HMM/ HOLY AND ANOINTED ONE~~
<http://youtu.be/bkW_PhFw0zM>
------------

--JESUS IS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY! --
---[Luke 9:18-10:42]

~~Jesus is the ultimate authority. God told His disciples--and us--to listen to Him!

[In Luke 9]...God isolated the authoritative voice of history and declared. "This is my beloved Son. Hear Him."

-It's the first scene of the final act in the earthly life of Christ. Jesus has taken three followers on a prayer retreat.

"He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening" (Luke 9:28,29).

Oh, to have heard that prayer. What words so lifted Christ that His face was altered? Did He see His home? Hear His home?

Maybe Jesus needed comfort. Knowing that His road home will pass through Calvary, He puts in a call. God is quick to answer. "Behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah" (v.30).

The two were perfect comfort givers. Moses understood tough journeys. Elijah could relate to an unusual exit. So Jesus and Moses and Elijah discuss "His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem" (v31).

Peter, James, and John, meanwhile, take a good nap. "Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. ...Peter said to Jesus, 'Master, it is good for us to be here, and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,' not knowing what he said" (vv.32-33).

What would we do without Peter? The guy has no idea what he is saying, but that doesn't keep him from speaking. He has no clue what he is doing but offers to do it anyway. This is his idea: three monuments for the three heroes. Great plan? Not in God's book....

Peter's error is not that he spoke, but that he spoke heresy. Three monuments would equate Moses and Elijah with Jesus. No one shares the platform with Christ. God comes with the suddenness of a blue norther and leaves Peter gulping. "This is My Son!" Not "a son" as if He were clumped in with the rest of us. Not "the best son" as if He were valedictorian of the human race. Jesus is, according to God, "My Son, My Chosen One," absolutely unique and unlike anyone else, "Hear Him!" (v.35)

--From: Next Door Savior/ML

--Who is Jesus to you? The world sees Him as one of many. But Jesus is not one of many, He is the only One. What does that mean to you? ~~~
<http://youtu.be/RScsuyCbNNg>

"For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." [JOHN 3:16]


Please click on the below link for the ICR story. MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and all your loved ones, in Christ Jesus name! /
The second link is for the song, "All Hail the Power of Jesus Name"!

<http://www.icr.org/home/resources/resources_tracts_godsonlybegottenson/>
<http://youtu.be/of_8E1PudSQ>
--------------

--An Introduction to Christ
--Revelation 1:4-8 /Recommended Reading~

The first chapter of Revelation gives a compact description of the Lord. In verses 4 to 8, John condenses the wonder of Jesus Christ to the bare but beautiful essentials of who He is:

Jesus Christ is the faithful witness. Jesus came to earth to more fully reveal the character and ways of the Father (John 14:9). The miracles He performed validated His claim to be the Son of God.

Jesus Christ is the first-born from the dead. The Savior bore our sins and died on the cross, was buried, and rose again on the third day. His resurrection proved that eternal life is possible for us, too, as Jesus taught in John 11:25: “He who believes in Me will live even if he dies.”

Jesus Christ is the ruler of the kings of the earth. It is the Lord who raises men to power, just as it is He who removes them (John 19:11; Rom. 13:1). Meanwhile, believers have access to a higher authority. In God’s throne room, we can beseech Him on behalf of our nations and lay claim to His promises.

Jesus Christ loves us and released us from our sins by His blood. Note the change of tense in John’s writing. The Lord’s love is ever-present, but He has freed believers from their past. Both the penalty and power of sin have been broken.

When people ask you about Jesus, introduce Him by guiding them through this mini-biography. In just a few sentences, John describes Christ’s character, divinity, and authority. The disciple was not timid about proclaiming the Lord. We shouldn’t be shy, either, when we serve so great a Savior.

--IN TOUCH = All Hail the Power of Jesus Name! C Tomlin
<http://youtu.be/8ZeOeNlCg9o>
-------------

--What would life be like if Jesus had not come?

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
---Galatians 4:4-6

The birth of Jesus Christ is one of the most pivotal events in all of history. Even from a secular perspective, the world would look so much different if Jesus hadn’t been born.

For one, we wouldn’t use His birth to calculate the year all over the world. Also, Christianity would never have spread, meaning the world would look extremely different in a geopolitical sense. Many other religions, like Islam for example, would also look very different because they are founded on some of Jesus’ teachings as well.

Not only that, the lives of followers of God would also be very different. We would still be living under the Law of Moses, which would bind us to obedience to rituals instead of living by the power of God’s Spirit in our lives. It’s hard to even conceive how much our lives would be different had Jesus never come!

But thank God that 2,000 years ago, a baby was born who would change the world forever. And it’s by the gift given to us on that Christmas so long ago that we’re able to live in the freedom of grace. Give God the glory for His wonderful gift of Immanuel – God with us!

THANK GOD FOR THE IMMEASURABLE GIFT OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE WORLD!
--PP/JG / Immanuel, God is With Us
<http://youtu.be/y-cTyDtqpmU>

--Who Is God Really?

"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
--Isaiah 9:6

Years ago, I remember standing in a check-out line at the store when the cover of a popular magazine caught my eye. On it, I saw a beautiful picture of a faraway galaxy and underneath it the question, “Who is God?”

That question is the question of the ages. Since the dawn of humanity, Christians and non-Christians alike have sought more and more insight into that question. And though we as believers know God through the person of Jesus Christ, fully understanding who He is and how He works is a process that’s never complete.

Over 2,000 years ago, wise men looked to the heavens and saw a star that made them ask that same question: “Who is God?” These men who came from a very different culture and religion than the Jews somehow knew that this star heralded the birth of the King of the Jews. And not only that, but this King was deserving of worship – a divine King!

These men asked, “Who is God?” and found Him lying in a manger. It must have been quite a surprise for a divine King to be found in such humble circumstances. Yet, because of their faith, the magi knew the Lord when they found Him.

If you want to know who God is, look no further than Jesus Christ. In Him, the fullness of God dwelt in bodily form (Colossians 2:9). Know Jesus, and you’ll know God.

-IF YOU WANT TO KNOW GOD, KNOW JESUS, IN WHOM THE FULLNESS OF GOD DWELLS IN HUMAN FORM.

--PP/JG =/Rose of Bethlehem / By: Selah
<http://youtu.be/SmjIcpIzHxo>

---The Body of Christ
----Ephesians 4:11-16

--All the people who gather to worship in churches around the world form one body—the body of Christ. Jesus is the Head. Paul described Him as "the beginning, the first-born from the dead" (Col. 1:18). He takes priority in the church and in the lives of every believer.

At salvation, you become a part of the body, no matter what your local church's membership rules may be. By receiving the Savior, a person is made one with Jesus. Therefore, if you're a believer, you are a breathing and active part of Christ, who is at work on earth through His followers. The church is Jesus' feet to carry the gospel message, His arms to care for those in need of love, and His hands to uphold the weak.

Christ's physical body underwent terrible pain and persecution. His church body cannot expect a cozy, easy existence either. Being Jesus to the world means making sacrifices, accepting ridicule, and loving our enemies (Heb. 13:16, Matt. 5:44). God called us to spread the gospel, but that doesn't mean people always like what we have to say. Sin and accountability aren't popular messages. Yet being trendy and well liked is not the point. We're here to carry out the work and mission of God, even when doing so is uncomfortable.

The spiritual makeup of the church is linked to its mission. The Gospel cannot be spread except through the strength and wisdom of Jesus Christ, the Head. The body of believers is united with Him through the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. He reaches the world through His church and its members. It is up to us, His people to tell others about His love, grace, mercy, and the only Way to salvation, in Christ. ~~
--IN TOUCH

---He Canceled the Record
--Jesus Christ paid our sin-debt!

How would you feel if a list of your weaknesses were posted so that everyone, including Christ Himself, could see? Yes, Christ has chronicled your shortcomings. And, yes, that list has been made public. But you’ve never seen it. Neither have I.

Come with me to the hill of Calvary. Watch as the soldiers shove the Carpenter to the ground and stretch His arms against the beams. One presses a knee against a forearm and a spike against a hand. Jesus turns His face toward the nail just as the soldier lifts the hammer to strike it. Couldn’t Jesus have stopped Him?

Through the eyes of Scripture we see what others missed but what Jesus saw. Colossians 2:14 says, “He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross!”

--From: He Chose the Nail/ML= JESUS MESSIAH!
<http://youtu.be/5WlFX8BNQQw>
-------------

--THE DWELLING OF GOD~~

--John 20:1-18~~
"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and..[He] will be their God.'"
--Revelation 21:3

--The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central point in God's great story of the rescue of His people. Jesus came to set us free! Hosanna in the Highest!
--HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!
<http://youtu.be/Ht5QvAMDMzE>
----------

--WAS JESUS JUST A MAN OR MUCH MORE?

'And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.'
--John 1:14

-Years ago, U.S. News and World Report magazine had a cover story entitled, “Who is This Man?” In the article, speculation and scholarship were mixed together from a variety of people about who exactly Jesus was. Some said He was just a man; others said a prophet; and Christians said He’s God Himself.

But in all the speculation about Jesus, some basic facts are almost universally accepted. For example, almost everyone agrees He was a Jewish carpenter who lived at the beginning of the first century in Nazareth. He was the son of Mary and Joseph, taught unconventional ideas about God, was crucified on a Roman cross, and was believed by many to have risen from the dead.

Yet, we, as Christians, go further. Not only was He a carpenter in the physical sense, but also in the metaphysical sense. The Son of God didn’t just make tables and boxes. The Bible says all things are made by Him. Jesus wasn’t just a son; He was the Son. He wasn’t just crucified; He died for sinners. He wasn’t just believed to have risen from the dead; He’s alive today!

Jesus is easily one of the most revered people in all of history. He was a man… but He was also much more: God. And thanks to His life, His death, and His resurrection, we can have life too. Thank God for sending Christ for you!

-JESUS WAS A MAN… AND MUCH, MUCH MORE. THANK GOD THAT HIS LIFE, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION GIVE YOU NEW LIFE.
--PP/JG = / JESUS MESSIAH By: Chris Tomlin
<http://youtu.be/FwJzTV1uurU>
----------

--Jesus, the Perfect God-Man
--Read | John 20:30-31
-"Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name."(NIV) ~~

--People’s attitudes toward Jesus Christ tend to fall into three categories. First, there are some who don’t believe He is God. They reject, diminish, or ignore His character and lifesaving work, claiming He was simply a good person. Second, there are some who intellectually acknowledge Jesus is God’s Son but have no personal relationship with Him. Third, true followers believe Christ is Savior (Rom. 10:9). Through genuine faith, believers are made part of His family.

Ephesians 2:1-2 says that before salvation, we all are spiritually dead and living according to our sin nature. Those who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus remain in that state. But when a person places faith in Him, spiritual birth takes place; he or she is made alive in Christ and becomes a new creation who is no longer to live according to the flesh (John 3:3; Eph. 2:5; 4:24).

Our position in the Lord affects everything about us—attitudes, emotions, conversation, and conduct. The ungodliness of our culture no longer fits who we are. As believers, we are to grow in Christlikeness, embracing ideas, thought patterns, and activities that please God, while rejecting all others.

Jesus is the perfect God-man, who willingly took our sins upon Himself and experienced divine wrath in our place. God accepted His death as full payment for our sins, and He raised Jesus from the dead to a position of divine glory (Eph. 1:20). His Spirit now lives within us. So understand who Jesus Christ is, and let that knowledge strengthen your commitment to be like Him.

--IN TOUCH = / This Is Amazing Grace! / Phil Wickham
<http://youtu.be/cgsbaBIaoVc>
--------

--JESUS--The Perfect
---God-Man ~~

--John 20:30-31
---
-People's attitudes toward Jesus Christ tend to fall into three categories. *First, there are some who don't believe He is God. They reject, diminish, or ignore His character and lifesaving work, claiming He was simply a good person. **Second, there are some who intellectually acknowledge Jesus is God's Son but have no personal relationship with Him. ***Third, true followers believe Christ is Savior (Rom. 10:9). Through genuine faith, believers are made part of his family.

Our position in the Lord affects everything about us--attitudes, emotions, conversation, and conduct. The ungodliness of our culture no longer fits who we are. As believers, we are to grow in Christlikeness, embracing ideas, thought patterns, and activities that please God, while rejecting all others.

Jesus is the perfect God-man, who willingly took out sins upon Himself and experienced divine wrath in our place. God accepted His death as full payment for our sins, and He raised Jesus from the dead to a position of divine glory (Eph. 1:20). His Spirit now lives within us. So understand who Jesus is, and let that knowledge strengthen your commitment to be like Him.~~

--In Touch~~/ THE POTTER'S HAND
<http://youtu.be/4q3Yj_CuH2c?list=PLAG2Ncjd9ekI-g9f-9Al2UqXQ4thDkEG_>

--JESUS-GOD'S
-PERFECT GIFT ~~

--Read: Romans 5:6-21

-JESUS is God's precious and perfect gift to us. Heaven sent, the present was willingly given at great cost because we were in desperate need. This remarkable gift from God is....

-**UNIVERSAL AND PERSONAL~
-Through Jesus, the Father offers salvation to the entire world, one person at a time (John 3:16). Whoever receives the Son discovers His unlimited worth.

-**PREVENTIVE~
-When Jesus becomes our personal Savior, we are granted forgiveness and are set free from condemnation for our sin (Rom. 8:1). This divine gift prevents us from having to face eternal death, which would mean permanent separation from God.

-**ETERNAL~
-What Jesus brings us lasts forever. From the day of salvation, Christ's Spirit indwells us and remains with us. As permanent members of God's family, we have an inheritance in Heaven that can neither spoil nor perish (1 Peter 1:3-5).

-**FULL OF LOVE~
-Unconditional love is what motivated the Father to sacrifice His Son in our place. None of us deserved it. At some point, we've all sinned (Rom. 3:10)-we have turned away from God to follow our own desires. In spite of who we are, God set His affection on us and proved it through the life and death of His Son, Jesus. By His love, we've been rescued from bondage to sin and are being transformed into the people He designed us to be.

If you haven't accepted God's offer of salvation, today can become your spiritual birthday. If you already belong to God's family, you know the value of the gift. Won't you tell someone today about this marvelous present?
[Romans 10:9-10]
--IN TOUCH~~/ 'Your LOVE IT KNOWS NO END' ~ / Hillsong ~
<http://youtu.be/Tu258qXd4js>
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--Who is Jesus Christ?

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

---What It Really Means to Trust in Jesus~~
--"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?" (Psalm 56:3-4)

-It's one thing to believe in Jesus. It's another to give your life totally to Him. The Bible tells us, "The devils believe and tremble."

--Trust in Jesus by surrendering your life to Him and putting everything fully in His hands. One of these days, we all will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to give an accounting of our lives here on earth.

There is another part, however. Those who do not believe in Jesus, and trust Him to take control of their lives, will go straight to the 'Great White Throne Seat' of Jehovah. From there, they will be sent to the bottomless pit. The abyss, better known as Hell. Every person on this earth has to make that choice (individually). You can not get in by being born of Christian parents, going to church, catechism, or doing good deeds for people.

The only way in is through the blood of Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus has already paid your 'sin-debt'. All he asks of you is to confess you are a sinner in need of Him the Savior, and He will help you to follow in His steps. You can not do this on your own. "We know that we are children of God and that the whole world is under control of the evil one."
--(1 JN. 5:19)
No one can beat the devil, except Jesus Christ. He has already done that, by dying a brutal death on the Cross for you and for me.
--Please put your Trust in Jesus now, tomorrow may be too late. = TRUST IN JESUS / By-Third Day
<http://youtu.be/3M__eHGicWc>
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--STONES CRY
----OUT!

-Luke 19:28-40
--------
'I tell you that if these
should keep silent,
the stones would
immediately cry out.'
--Luke 19:40
------
--EVERY year it seems that Christmas becomes more commercialized. Even in nations where the majority of people call themselves "Christian," the season has become more about shopping than worshiping. The pressure to buy gifts and plan parties makes it increasingly difficult to stay focused on the real meaning of the holiday--the birth of Jesus, God's only Son, the Savior of the world.

But every holiday I also hear the Gospel coming from surprising places--the very places that so commercialize Christmas--shopping malls. When I hear "Joy to the World! The Lord is come; let earth receive her King" ringing from public address systems, I think of the words Jesus said to the Pharisees who told Him to silence the crowds who were praising Him. "If they keep quiet," Jesus said, "the stones will cry out" (Luke 19:40 NIV).

At Christmas we hear stones cry out. Even people spiritually dead sing carols written by Christians long dead, reminding us that no matter how hard people try to squelch the real message of Christmas, they will never succeed.

Despite the commercialism that threatens to muddle the message of Christ's birth, God will make His Good News known.
------------
--Keeping Christ out of Christmas is
-as futile as holding back the ocean's tide.~~

--ODB/JAL~~
--------
-Ask yourself, 'Am I afraid to express my love for Christ Jesus, the man who died on a cruel, brutal Cross, to save me from spending eternity, apart from Him? Or can I shout it out, "Our God.... is greater, our God is stronger, our God is higher than any other. Our God is healer, our God is awesome in power, our God, our God!" + + + / Chris Tomlin~
<http://youtu.be/NJpt1hSYf2o>

---JESUS ONLY

“. . . all things were created by Him, and for Him.” Colossians 1:16

--Do you want to know the meaning of everything? It is Jesus only. You may think that is an overstatement. We live in a great big universe, billions of light years in expanse, and the Bible tells us that “all things were created by Him, and for Him” (Colossians 1:16). There is nothing made that was not made by the Lord Jesus. The answer to creation is Jesus only.

People say that the world needs saving, but what the world really needs is redemption.

So where is redemption going to come from? It’s not from a creed, code, or cause but from Jesus only. The entire universe, the plans of God, and the sweep of all the ages, comes down to two words—Jesus only.

When was the last time you shared your faith? Maybe today you can begin a conversation with someone about the expanse of the universe. Who knows where that spark of truth will lead?
--Adrian Rogers~~
[Is Jesus God? Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Muslims, Allah (Mohammed), Joseph Smith, Buddhism, and many others throughout the ages insist that Jesus never claimed to be God, therefore (they believe), it is blasphemy to put these words in Jesus' mouth.)
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) ~~ What are you going to do with this Man, called Jesus the Christ? Your answer determines where you spend eternity.
<https://youtu.be/Wa-dzR943po>
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--Never Another Like the Lord Jesus Christ~

--BIBLE MEDITATION:
“And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands.”
--- (Hebrews 1:10)

--DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Nobody knows the exact date of Jesus’ birth, and yet His birth has divided all of history to A.D. and B.C. He never, so far as we know, wrote a book, and yet more books have been written about Him than any other person. He never painted a picture or composed any poetry or music that we know of, and yet He has been the inspiration of the greatest music, art, and poetry that the world has ever known. He never had any formal education, yet more schools, colleges, universities, and seminaries have been founded in His name than any other person who ever lived.

That’s who the Lord Jesus is, and never has there been another like the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus is our Savior, Lord, Master, Redeemer and King above all other kings. He will not share His name or status with another. HE IS CREATOR!- (See Colossians 1:15-20)

--ACTION POINT:
--Please Read/ Hebrews 1:1-14. Marvel at His majesty! Praise His omnipotence!
--Adrian Rogers~~/ Jesus, Only Jesus ~ (Phillips, Craig, Dean)
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2mh6SSV7fE>
----