Author: scott

The Hope of Glory

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27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. – Colossians 1:27

Chosen

As we read through the Bible beginning in Genesis, we see the special relationship between God and His chosen people Israel.  They are the apple of His eye.  God’s choice, however, wasn’t based on any merit.  He tells us in Deuteronomy chapter seven He did not choose Israel because they were the largest nation (most numerous), on the contrary, they were the least.  They did not catch God’s eye because of their good looks.  They did not garner his attention because of their superior wisdom.  Not at all.  They are unique because God chose them.  Plain and simple.

After the fall, God promised a redeemer.  The Messiah had to come from some people.  God chose Israel for that special lineage.  God entered into a covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Despite their weaknesses, God never waivered from His Word.  He gave them the sign of circumcision.  He delivered Israel from Egypt.  He gave them the Ten Commandments.  He raised up prophets among them.  He gave them Priests.  When they asked for it, He gave them a King.  He gave them the special privilege of being His representatives on earth.  They were to be His “missionaries”, pointing the other nations to Himself and His promised Messiah.  If you were a Gentile, you would have felt like you were on the outside looking in.  But with God, there is always more than meets the eye.

Sent

Christ, the promised Messiah, would come, and meet with a Samaritan woman at a well, revealing Himself as the Messiah and turn her into a missionary.  Philip would proclaim the Gospel in Samaria and then be used to convert an Ethiopian Eunuch.  Saul, an enemy of the Church, would be saved and made a missionary to the Gentiles.  Peter would receive a vision and then be sent to the home of Cornelius and as he presented the gospel to a house full of Gentiles, the Holy Spirit descended on them.  Confusion would ensue and a Council would be held, and the Church would “welcome” the Gentiles into the “family”.  God’s mystery was revealed.  While the Jews may be unique in their relationship with God, they were not exclusive.  God’s salvation is offered to both Jews and Gentiles.  A truth that thrilled the heart of Paul.

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. – Colossians 1:12-14

Spirit

Paul encourages the Gentile believers that they have been transferred to the kingdom of God’s beloved Son.  At salvation, we are transferred to the kingdom of Christ, and Christ the King takes up residence in us.  Paul expounds on the fact that Christ is no less than God Himself.  He is our Creator and Sustainer.  He is our Prophet, Priest, and King.  He is our hope.  He has made a covenant with us that He can not break.  It is impossible for Him to go back on His word.

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. – John 14:16-17

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. – Ephesians 4:30

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. – 1 Peter 1:3-5

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. – Ephesians 1:13-14

Hope

Christ in us, the hope of glory.  Our hope is not wishful thinking.  This isn’t like hoping it is going to rain tomorrow or that the Lions might win a Super Bowl someday.  Look at what John, Paul, and Peter wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  Christ will ask the Father and He will give us another Helper to be with us forever.  The Father will not deny the request of the Son.  Further, Paul writes that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption.  Peter goes on to tell us that we are being guarded by God’s power.  To this, Paul adds that the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance.  God doesn’t go back on His word.  He is a covenant-keeping God.  Our Hope of glory isn’t fantasy, it is a certainty.  It could be no more certain if we were already in heaven.  God has guaranteed it.

Hard to imagine, isn’t it?  We who were apparently on the outside looking in were always a part of God’s plan.  Like the Jews, we are not a part of God’s family because of any merit.  Our hope is not in our talents, wisdom, or good works.  Rather, our only hope is in the mercy of God.  In His infinite wisdom, He chose to stoop down and save us and secure our salvation by indwelling us with His Spirit; Christ in us!!  Our hope isn’t future, it is present.  Heaven is ours today because Christ is living in us.  No wonder Paul can write about the riches of the glory of this mystery.  Think of it, we have been delivered from the domain of darkness and now share in the inheritance of the saints in light.  All because of the love of the Father and the blood of the Son.  With the Spirit of Christ in us, we know with certainty that we will be resurrected and see Christ face to face.  Until we see our heavenly inheritance, we will continue to be conformed to the image of Christ who lives in us.

On the outside looking in?  Not at all.  Christ is on the inside looking out for our glory.  What greater hope could we possibly have?

Christ in us, the hope of Glory.

20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. – John 14:20

Captives

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5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. – 2 Corinthians 10:5

Oncoming Trains

Just because you think everyone is out to get you doesn’t mean they’re not.

The light at the end of the tunnel; it’s an oncoming freight train.

Humourous statements to most of us, and yet so indicative of the mindset of many people.  What difference does it make if the glass is half empty or half full if it is poisoned?  And how easily Satan can poison our minds if we don’t take every thought captive.  In the context, Paul is talking about the thoughts of his opponents, but the same principle applies to our thought life.  We often talk about the dangers of the world’s isms; humanism, secularism, existentialism, postmodernism, etc.  Certainly, these are dangerous weapons used by the enemy of our souls.  But have you ever stopped to think that the real danger begins with us and not from without?  We can never become experts in every ism.  We can never become experts in every false religion.  In order to detect counterfeits, we have to be experts in reality.  We have to be students of the Truth.  We have to saturate our minds with Truth.  The more familiar we are with real currency the more quickly we will discern a counterfeit.  In order to destroy arguments and lofty opinions which originate in the pit of hell, we need the knowledge of God.  If we don’t take every thought captive, we will be the captives.

Poisonous Fruit

Remember when God was leading his children to the promise land?  God told Moses to send spies into the land of Canaan to check out the land.  Moses selected one man from each of the twelve tribes of Israel and sent them with simple instructions.  Check out the land.  Check out the people.  Be of good courage.  And finally, bring back some fruit of the land.  After forty days they brought back their report along with some fruit.  Unfortunately, ten of them left their courage behind.  All twelve of the spies agreed that the land was fertile, “flowing with milk and honey”, and they produced the fruit to verify it.  Unfortunately, ten of them also brought back some poison as well as the fruit.  To them, although the land was fertile, the people were formidable.  They were so large and strong that in comparison, they were as grasshoppers.  Unfortunately, they made the wrong comparison.  The people may have been large and strong, but compared to God they were less than grasshoppers.  The ten fearful spies did not take their thoughts captive, instead, they were captives to their thoughts.  Instead of confidence in God, they poisoned the people with their fears.  We may have been miraculously delivered from Egypt, but that light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming freight train.

Promises & Power

What does God think of our fears?  Despite the numerous promises He has given us and the power He has manifested we still harbor doubts.  Instead of destroying dangerous arguments we allow them to take seed.  Instead of obliterating lofty opinions we entertain them.  Instead of taking destructive thoughts captive, we allow them to mutiny the ship.  We live in fear that everyone is out to get us because we believe the lies of the world instead of the Word of God; which is a form of rebellion.  Listen to the words of Joshua and Caleb, the two brave spies who had a healthy knowledge of God.

“The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” – Numbers 14:7b-9

Proper Perspective

Joshua and Caleb saw the same land that the other ten spies saw.  They saw the same people and carried home the same fruit.  For forty days they shared the same experiences with these men in Canaan.  But while the other ten spies allowed their imaginations to run rampant Joshua and Caleb took every thought captive and ran them through the filter of Truth.  As impressive as the people of Canaan were, they were no match for their Creator.  Unfortunately, the poison had already taken effect on the people.  Instead of being convinced by the argument of Joshua and Caleb, the people wanted to stone them.  But they were stopped from doing so by the glory of the LORD.  The Great I AM had heard and seen enough.  It was time to put things in a proper perspective.  For those that doubted and despaired, death outside of the promised land would be the result of the poison.

For forty years the nation would wander.  The ten rebellious spies, along with those they influenced, would all die before their descendants would be allowed to enter the land flowing with milk and honey.  A whole generation would perish because they chose to believe the word of men more than the word of God.  If ten out of twelve are in agreement they couldn’t possibly be wrong, could they?  And you thought public opinion polls were something new.  Just another one of Satan’s weapons.

Pure Thoughts

As I write this we are about to turn our calendars over to another year.  Many people will be making and breaking resolutions.  Some things never change.  The isms will be just as busy in 2018 as they were in 2017.  The counterfeits will be in full circulation.  The arguments and lofty opinions will be bombarding us.  Now is as good a time as any to look to the Captain of our souls and stop the mutiny.  Before we can destroy the arguments of our “opponents”, we need to do some house cleaning.  We need to take the negative thoughts that have taken us captive and throw them overboard.  Time to let go of the forgiven sins.  Time to bury the debilitating regrets.  Our sins have been forgiven and buried in the depth of the sea (Micah 7:18-19).  We have been washed by the blood of Christ and made a new Creation.  We have been given the mind of Christ and some simple commands.  Take every thought captive and think about what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, etc. (Philippians 4:8).

God wants His children to have minds that are pure, not poisoned.  It starts by having a healthy knowledge of God and then taking every thought captive.  We need to allow the Holy Spirit to remove the errors in our thinking.  God is bigger than our enemies, whether they are within or without.  Nothing is too difficult for Him.  May we enter 2018 with the confidence of Caleb.

30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” – Numbers 13:30

Come Before Winter

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21 Do your best to come before winter. – 2 Timothy 4:21a

Bad Weather

Paul is in prison.  He is cold.  He is lonely.  Death is imminent.  He has instructed and admonished his spiritual son Timothy.  He has given him warnings and encouraged him to faithfully preach the Word.  Now he ends his letter with personal instructions.  He has been deserted by many and wants Timothy to come to him soon (v. 9).  He wants Timothy to bring his cloak, books, and parchments.  And Mark also.  But bad weather is coming.  He, therefore, encourages Timothy to come before winter. Time is of the essence.  If he procrastinates it may be too late.  The window of opportunity is quickly closing.  Now is the time to act.  Come before winter.  There will be no sailing when winter sets in.

Paul knew his time on earth was short.  Before his departure, he wanted to make certain arrangements.  He was cognizant of his needs and wanted to make sure they were met.  Now was no time for self-deception.  Winter is coming, there is a chill in the air, please bring my cloak.  I need to keep my mind sharp and focused, please bring my books.  I still have more to write, please bring my parchments.  Death is quickly approaching, please come and bring Mark as well.  Faithful Luke is with me, but I need all the moral support I can get.  Christ awaits me on the other shore, but no man wants to walk to the water’s edge alone.  Not even Paul.  Hurry Timothy, before the last ship sails.

Good Friends

We read Paul’s letters and we are introduced to numerous people who were a part of his ministry.  Despite his great talents and gifts, Paul was no Lone Ranger.  John Mark, Titus, Stephanas, Timothy, Fortunatus, Silas, Epaphroditus, Luke, Barnabas, and Epaphras all played a role in Paul’s life and ministry.  Unfortunately, others like Demas abandoned Paul and the faith.  Certainly, there were others not recorded but you get the point.  We were never intended to live the Christian faith in isolation.  We need each other, especially when winter is coming.

One of the most plagiarized sermons is one entitled, Come Before Winter, given by the late Clarence Macartney.  The sermon was so powerful that it is estimated Pastor Macartney delivered it over sixty times always with incredible results.  Men and women alike would be moved to tears by this powerful sermon.  I highly recommend that you look it up for yourself and read it.  The message is certainly timeless.  Pastor Macartney colorfully expounds on Paul’s admonition; there is no time like now to act, don’t procrastinate and live with unnecessary regrets.  Even worse, don’t procrastinate and die with unnecessary regrets.

Winter Is Coming

How are your relationships?  Is there someone you need to forgive?  Is there someone you need to ask forgiveness?  Ice is forming on the water.  It could be soon that the last ship sails.  Don’t wait until it is too late.  Don’t live with regrets.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encouraged his listeners to put a higher priority on reconciliation than leaving an offering.  What good is a gift on the altar if there are anger and strife in the heart?  Paul was in bondage against his will, but how many of us live in an unnecessary bondage caused by strained relationships?  In our pride and stubbornness, we harbor dangerous emotions.  Jesus’ advice was the same as Paul’s admonition, don’t delay.  Drop your gift and run.  Be reconciled as quickly as possible.  There is nothing to be gained by putting it off.  Reconciliation may be extremely humbling.  It can be awkward.  But the reward will far exceed the cost.  No time like the present to bury the hatchet and avoid any unnecessary regrets.  Paul knew this from experience.  During his ministry he had a falling out with Mark.  Now, before winter, he wants to see his brother in the Lord one more time.

Speaking of relationships, how is your first love?  Is the joy there?  Is the peace there?  If not why?  Are there sins to confess and turn from?  In 1 John chapter one, John makes a distinction between walking in the light and walking in darkness.   According to John, if we claim we do not sin, we are deceiving ourselves.  Like Paul in Romans chapter seven, life is often a frustrating struggle as we know what is right yet too often do what is wrong.  Rather than living in deception and denial, John encourages us to constantly confess our sins.  Unconfessed sins hinder our fellowship with our First Love.  John goes on to tell us in the fourth chapter of his first Epistle, that we can only love God because He first loved us.  May Demas be a sobering reminder to us.  The pull of the world is strong.  Don’t grieve the heart of God.  Surrender the secret sins of your heart.  Like the prodigal son learned, your loving Father awaits you with open arms.  Now is the time to come to your senses and leave the swine behind.  Don’t deprive yourself or your Creator the fellowship you were created for.  Come before winter.

Don’t Delay

Maybe you have never placed your faith in Christ.  Perhaps you think Christianity is a fraud; just a crutch for the simple-minded.  I would challenge you to weigh the claims of Christianity against whatever you hold as the ultimate authority in your life.  Pick up a Bible and read the Gospel of John for an account of the life and death of Christ.  Read the book of Romans and see how Paul systematically unfolds God’s plan of redemption.  Read the Book of Genesis and see the account of creation and how sin entered the world.  Sin that blinds and enslaves every man.  How do you explain the evil around you?  How do you explain the evil in your heart?  Sin is a disease that every person carries.  Apart from God, what hope do you have to combat it?  May God incline your heart and mind to His Truth as you read it.  Psalm 95 says if you hear God do not harden your heart.  Paul tells us now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.  Don’t delay.  No one escapes death.  Christ laid down His life so you could have life eternal with Him in heaven.  He now awaits on the other side of deaths river waiting for those who have put their faith in Him.  Death is imminent.  Be cognizant of your need.  Now is no time for self-deception.  Now is the day of salvation.  Don’t die with an eternal regret.  Come before winter.

“Before winter or never! There are some things which will never be done unless they are done “before winter.” The winter will come and the winter will pass, and the flowers of the springtime will deck the breast of the earth, and the graves of some of our opportunities, perhaps the grave of our dearest friend. There are golden gates wide open on this autumn day, but next October they will be forever shut. There are tides of opportunity running now at the flood.  Next October they will be at the ebb. There are voices speaking today which a year from today will be silent. Before winter or never!” – Clarence Macartney

Immortal, Invisible

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17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen. – 1 Timothy 1:17

Back to the Beginning

Today, we come full circle.  We have spent some time looking at some of the attributes of God and this is the verse we started with.  Being no theologian I had to look at the attributes through a layman’s eyes and using layman terms.  That is not only a disclaimer, it is also my apology to any theologians out there.  I am not smart enough to impress you with my knowledge, but I have tried to impress you with our God.  In the process, we have looked at His immortality, immutability, eternality, omnipresence, omniscience, omnipotence, wisdom and holiness.  Theological words which simply mean, we are not God.  And it is best to remind ourselves of such.

Point Taken

In early 2000, I was involved in a meeting for the Pregnancy Center our church supported.  We were joined by a special guest whose life has been devoted to pro-life ministry.  Typical of meetings, we got off on a rabbit trail.  Somehow we ended up in a discussion about contemporary Christian music.  I told you it was a rabbit trail.  Our special guest let us know his opposition to much that is called Christian music when he stated, “You can take many of the songs written today and replace God with your girlfriend’s name and it would still make sense.”  And for punctuation, he added, “I would like to see you try that with Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise.”  End of the rabbit trail.  Naturally, I had to look him in the eye and ask, “How do you really feel about the subject?”  Just kidding!  He made his point loud and clear; my wife is not God!!  And she has a lot of company, which includes you and me.

Sorry Rich, No Ritz

In his famous song, Awesome God, the late Rich Mullins begins with this line, “When He rolls up His sleeves, He ain’t just putting on the ritz.”  No offense to Rich, the tune may be catchy, but I’ve always struggled with that line.  I think it is representative of what our special guest was referring to.  Despite the title, there seems to be a lack of reverence or awe.  But let’s be honest with ourselves, music writers and music label companies are putting out what sells.  Their business, like any other, is based on supply and demand principles.  Hard to point a self-righteous finger at them when they are only reflecting the “Christian” market.  Instead of having a lofty view of God, too many of us want to bring Him down to our level and assign our attributes to Him.  But when we study His incommunicable attributes, such tendencies should diminish.

Wired to Worship

Forgive me for repeating myself, but God created those of us that belong to the human race with very unique needs.  Created in His image, we were knitted in the womb hard-wired to need fellowship with the Eternal.  Our hearts beat for the stability of a God that doesn’t change.  Our minds seek a God that is all-knowing.  Our souls need an anchor who is omnipresent.  Our hope rests in a God who is all-powerful.  We are made to worship a God who is perfectly Holy.  We have to agree with Rich Mullins, He is an awesome God.  We just need to recognize how much above us He is and approach Him with reverence.

Again, I know this is repetitive, but a proper perspective of God is paramount.  Without it, we don’t have a proper perspective of ourselves, sin, and the work of redemption.  To diminish any of these perspectives is to “rob” God of the glory He deserves.  If we make God like us, we cheapen the cross.  Bringing God down to our level waters down the plan of salvation, the greatest display of God’s wisdom.  When we properly see the attributes of God, we see Him as we should, High and Lifted up; but with loving eyes cast down on us and arms extended wanting to lift us up.

Up or Down?

Rather than bringing God down to our level, we need to recognize that part of the way we bring glory to Him is by being conformed to the image of His Son.  In other words, an improper view of God is not only unfair to Him but unfair to us as well.  Our Immortal, Invisible, Only Wise God wants to conform us to the image of Christ.  Think about that.

Would you rather pull God down to earth, or have Him lift you up into the heavenlies?  Why do we insult God by attributing to Him finite knowledge, when in actuality He wants to give us the mind of Christ?  Why do we shorten the arm of God by limiting His power, when in actuality He wants to give us access to Resurrection power?  I realize that we are limited and can never become God.  But more importantly, I recognize that I can never limit God and make him like man.  In thought or in song.  I don’t want to be guilty of denying Him His honor and glory.  As the great hymn says, “Thy great Name we praise… O help us to see”

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, thy great Name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all life thou givest — to both great and small;
In all life thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish—but nought changeth thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render: O help us to see
’Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.

The Holiness of God

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15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy. – Isaiah 57:15

Holy Holy, Holy

When we think of the holiness of God, we think of His purity.  The fact that He is morally perfect.  God is distinct or set apart.  Sin cannot touch Him and He cannot sin.  Habakkuk tells us that God’s eyes are too pure to look on evil (Hab. 1:13) and Job tells us that God cannot do evil or wrong (Job 34:10).  And then there is Isaiah’s classic account:

6 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!” – Isaiah 6:1-3

In his classic, The Existence and Attributes of God, the Puritan Stephen Charnock devoted over a hundred pages to the holiness of God.  Fine print by the way!  Quite a daunting task, but how does one know when he has exhausted the topic?  More importantly, how do sinful men living in a fallen world begin to grasp the concept of holiness?  We were conceived in sin.  The moment we took our first breath our lungs were filled with contaminated air.  Purity is beyond the realm of our existence and experience.  God’s holiness places Him so far from us that comprehension of His holiness seems unattainable.  When it comes to understanding it, what hope do we have?  Christmas!!

Silent Night.  Holy Night.

In His humility, Christ exchanged His heavenly throne for a dirty manger.  The “exact representation” of the nature of God brought divine holiness to earth.  He was not conceived in sin as we are, rather He was conceived by the Holy Spirit.  Although sinless, in baptism He identified with lost sinners.  The angels that adored Him in Heaven, announced His birth on earth.  The shepherds left their post to worship the Lamb.  At His consecration, righteous Simeon held his Salvation and was content to die in peace, while faithful Anna beheld the redemption of Israel.   The three wise men traveled far to pay reverence to the King.  As instructed, Mary named Him Jesus, but Isaiah told us His name is Holy.

Holy Encounters

Holy encountered Evil in the desert, and although tempted, He never sinned.  He called sinful men to follow Him, but He never entered into their sin.  When the scribes and Pharisees brought the adulteress woman to Him, the stones they held in their hands were no match for His holiness.  Their hypocrisy was exposed and the woman was forgiven.  Jesus would dine with sinners and tax collectors (a special class of sinners apparently) but would always remain pure.  The great Physician came to call the morally sick, but He was immune to their disease.  Christ’s flesh may have veiled His holiness for a season to prevent humanity from being consumed, but His nature was always pure.  On the Mount of Transfiguration, His inner circle got a glimpse of what Christ’s flesh was covering.  A purity that no launderer could duplicate.

Holy Works

Jesus touched and healed lepers.  He commanded and raised the dead.  He rebuked and cast out demons.  He restored the sight of the blind.  He opened the ears of the deaf and loosened the tongue of the mute.  The Truth had come to set men free.  Heaven’s Light came to dispel Hell’s darkness.  Holiness came to earth so we could relate to it.  We may not completely comprehend it, but Christ has revealed it to us nonetheless.  Holiness wore our flesh.  He breathed our air.  Human blood flowed through His veins.  He made weddings and ruined funerals.  He walked with us.  He talked with us.  He slept with us.  He shook our hands.  He kissed us.  He held our babies.  He shared our laughter.  He cried with us.  He was tempted like us.

He NEVER sinned.  Holiness never can.

Christ shared in our humanity, but He did not share in our sin.  Instead, he went to the cross and took the punishment for our sin.  Even in His “trial”, the verdict was always the same, “I find no fault in this man.”  No one ever could.  He was holy, holy, holy.  And forever will be.

Holy Lesson

Jesus was prepared for His death with perfume.  His body was cleansed and covered with myrrh, aloes, and spices.  He was laid to rest in an unused tomb.  It is good to be clean, but it is better to be pure.  As Jesus taught His disciples, holiness is not external.

20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” – Mark 7:20-23

Defilement comes from within, not without.  Jesus was never defiled because unlike us, He had no evil within.  There is an old adage that says, whatever is at the bottom of the well will eventually come up in the pail.  Jesus’ well was pure.  Nothing but holiness ever came up in the pail.  His thoughts, words, and actions always revealed His holiness.  How can sinful man possibly grasp the holiness of God?  Because of Christmas.

Beholding Holy

Cling to the cross.  For our Holy One is high and lifted up.  He inhabits eternity, and His glory fills the earth. O Holy Night.  O night when Christ was born.

Who could have guessed the baby in Bethlehem’s manger could reveal the holiness of the Creator of the universe?  This Christmas take time like Simeon to behold your Salvation and join the angels in singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy.”

“Great and amazing are your deeds,
    O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
    O King of the nations!
4 Who will not fear, O Lord,
    and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
    All nations will come
    and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.” – Revelation 15:3b-4

Two Evils

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13 for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
    the fountain of living waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
    broken cisterns that can hold no water. – Jeremiah 2:13

Yuck!

Years ago a cousin of mine was driving up North, in the dark, with a friend.  As they were talking my cousin’s friend reached down and picked up a bottle of what he thought was a cola.  You can imagine his surprise when he found out it was not a soft drink that he grabbed for refreshment, but rather a bottle of tobacco spit.  I don’t mean to gross you out, but I think we need to realize the shock factor in what God is communicating through Jeremiah.  What my cousin’s friend did inadvertently, God’s children do intentionally.  God finds it disgusting.

Forewarned

16 And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. – Jeremiah 1:16

Before God gives Jeremiah the illustration of the living water and the broken cisterns, He declares judgment against His people for forsaking Him and fashioning idols.  We are not left speculating what has brought the ire of God.  Despite the blessings He had lavished on Israel, they had a serious problem with idolatry.  Despite the faithfulness of God, Israel was unfaithful.  Jeremiah chapter two begins with God recounting the relationship He had with Israel as He led them out of Egypt, guided them through the wilderness, and then brought them into the promised land.  But Israel decided to forsake God and dig their own cisterns.  Listen to God’s response.

“What wrong did your fathers find in me
    that they went far from me,
and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? – Jeremiah 2:4b

Drawbacks

In an area, such as a desert, where water sources are scarce, a cistern was practical.  A cistern would be dug out in order to catch and retain rainwater.  Although practical, they did have their drawbacks.  First, and foremost, it was not in and of itself a water source.  Being a receptacle, it was dependent upon rainfall for a source of water to hold.  In addition, cisterns were often known to leak.  Between a lack of rainfall and problems with cracks, the water supply of a cistern was often inadequate.  When they did retain water, it was often stagnant.  Imagine a body of still water exposed to great heat.  In addition, vermin would often fall into cisterns and die.  Not very appealing is it?  But desperation calls for drastic measures.  Unfortunately, Israel wasn’t desperate, they were ungrateful.

Foolishness

I have always been fascinated with cowboys.  As a young boy, I loved reading books about Sam Houston, Wild Bill Hickok, James Bowie, Wyatt Earp, etc.  Who knows what my legend might have been if Santa had only brought me a holster belt and a set of revolvers with pearl white handles?  Perhaps I would have received them if I hadn’t asked for a white horse also!!  But in all of the Westerns I watched, not once did I see a parched cowboy walk into a saloon and turn down a cold drink, only to walk to the end of the bar, pick up the spittoon, and begin to drink from it.  Sounds laughable, doesn’t it?  Yet how often do we do it in real life?

Longings

God has created humanity with a longing that only He can fulfill.  As Christians, we have the fountain of living water residing within us, but too often we are not content.  We are ungrateful.  We turn from God and start digging.  And God is disgusted.  Like Israel, we reject the living water and dig broken cisterns to satisfy our longings.  In our foolishness, we fill our cisterns with sin that is quickly stagnant.  We try to fill our cisterns with material things, but they rot and decay and leak out the cracks.  When it rains, we are happy for a season, but more often than not we are depressed by droughts.  How much pride can we take in a shallow body of warm water, polluted with dead rats floating on the surface?  God is priceless and yet we chase after worthlessness.  God has led us out of our spiritual Egypt.  He will lead us through the wilderness, and He promises to accompany us to the Promised Land.  He has promised to never leave us or forsake us, yet how quickly we are to forsake Him.

Questions

It is intimidating to be interrogated by the Creator of the universe, but it is healthy for us.  We need to look at Jeremiah 2:4b quoted above and ask ourselves the question, “What wrong did I find in God, that I went far from Him?”  When has God ever failed you?  When has He ever been unfaithful to His Word?  Then why would we logically turn from Him and commit two evils?

Satisfaction

I am not sure what cisterns you are digging to compete with the Fountain of Living Water, but there is no time like the present to abandon them.  Sin will never satisfy.  The world will never give us joy.  It is time to stop rebelling and stop doing worthless work.   Leave the cisterns to the rats and return to your first love.

“I remember the devotion of your youth,
    your love as a bride,
how you followed me in the wilderness,
    in a land not sown.” – Jeremiah 2:1b

Everything you need to satisfy your spiritual thirst is available in the Fountain of Living Water.   Don’t turn from Him, trust Him.  That thirst you need to be quenched was His idea.  He wants to fulfill it.

63 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. – Psalm 63:1

Fleeing Leaves

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36 And as for those of you who are left, I will send faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a driven leaf shall put them to flight, and they shall flee as one flees from the sword, and they shall fall when none pursues. – Leviticus 26:36

Balanced View

As students of the Bible, we need to recognize that all of it is God-breathed.  As such, it is our responsibility to read the Bible in its entirety and to grapple with all of it, from Genesis to Revelation, and ask God what He wants to reveal to us about Himself.  As we prayerfully read the Bible, we want to “interrogate” the text.  Asking questions of the text as we read forces us to slow down and engage our minds, thereby increasing our understanding and retention.

It is natural to want to skim over passages that may seem less relevant or perhaps make us uncomfortable, but that doesn’t leave us with a “balanced” view of God.  For instance, most of us dwell on and memorize God’s promises, but place much less emphasis on His threats or warnings.  Also, if ninety percent of a passage is about the character of God and ten percent about the consequential blessing of man, we will tend to emphasize the ten percent that is about us.  To keep our pride in check, it is healthy to remind ourselves of the gap that exists between God and fallen man.

Decisions & Consequences

Leviticus chapter twenty-six is perhaps one of those chapters many of us would naturally like to skim over.  After briefly pointing out the blessings of obedience, God lays out very graphic warnings of the consequences of disobedience.  The children of Israel have been given commandments, and now they must choose whether or not to take God seriously.  Like Adam and Eve, they are faced with a choice.  Does God mean what He says and are we willing to accept the consequences of disobedience?  Read the chapter for yourself and look at the consequences.  Panic, wasting disease, fever that will consume the eyes and make the heart ache, you will plant but your enemies will eat the produce, you will be struck down and ruled by enemies, despite hard work fields won’t produce, wild beasts will be let loose attacking children and livestock.  If this doesn’t lead to repentance, then they will face pestilence and be delivered into hands of enemies, their supply of bread would be broken.  If their hearts are still unmoved, they would then eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, their idol temples would be destroyed and they would be dispersed among their enemies and their cities would be laid waste.

Windblown Leaves

What could the remnant who survived such consequences expect for a reward?  Fear.  Cowardice.  Faintness of heart.  So much so that they would flee from a windblown leaf.  Though not pursued by a sword-wielding enemy, they will stumble over one another in panic.  How can a guilt-stricken man ever expect to stand in the presence of an almighty God if he can’t even hold his ground against a leaf blown off a branch?  Obviously, he can’t, but it is amazing how easily we deceive ourselves.

Look closely again at the list of punishments for disobedience.  The world would look at these and use them as ammunition against God.  I will grant you this is not a pleasant list.  Wasting diseases, pestilence, starvation, and cannibalism are not things a loving God would dole out, are they?  Obviously, they are.  We like to extol that God is love, but we want to reserve the right to define what love looks like.  God is the author of love.  He is the source of perfect love.  The type of love that casts out fear.  But He is willing to use fear to drive us to Himself.

Stubborn Hearts

When I look at Leviticus chapter twenty-six, I am amazed at the stubbornness and rebellious nature of man’s heart.  The chapter begins with God commanding the Israelites not to make and worship idols, to keep His Sabbaths, and to revere His sanctuary.  In contrast to the list of punishments threatened above, obedience would have resulted in timely rains, abundant produce, sufficient food, safety, peace, rest and boldness.  In addition, they would have victory over their enemies, would be fruitful, and God would establish His covenant with them.  Further, God would set His tabernacle among them and walk among them.  On paper, the choice looks easy.  But I can hear Satan whisper, “Does God really mean it?”.  History proves He did mean it.  And He still does.

God is a consuming fire.  His wrath is real.  The wise person doesn’t try to “tame” God but rather possesses a healthy fear of Him.  I believe the church, and therefore society by extension, is suffering because we have domesticated God.  Too often we don’t want to take God at His word.  Instead, we want to make the Bible say what it doesn’t; or not say what it does.  And like the Israelites, we suffer the consequences.

Rakes

Let’s pause for a moment and consider the darkness which man lives in.  Doing so helps us to keep a proper perspective.  What is the depth of our depravity?  Think for a moment about the way God pursues His children in this chapter.  Why are they being punished so?  Not because of any flaw in the character of God.  To the contrary, His intention is their restitution.  He wants their disobedience to be replaced by obedience.  Look at the drastic measures He is willing to take to see His children restored.  In other words, the severity of God is just one aspect of His love!!  An aspect whose exercise is necessitated because of our sin.

God doesn’t want His children fleeing from driven leaves.  On the contrary, He wants them to live in the boldness that He gives to His children who are living in obedience to His will and in the security of His love.  But He will take drastic measures to get us to that point.

Don’t accept a watered-down definition of love.  Don’t embrace any other God than the God of the Bible.  Just make sure your view of Him is balanced.  And thank Him for not giving up on us.

22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God… – Romans 11:22a

The God of Endurance and Encouragement

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4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 15:4-6

Race of Faith

The Apostle Paul is fond of equating the Christian faith with running a race.  A theme also used by the author of Hebrews.  Experience teaches us that this race we are in much more closely resembles a marathon than a sprint.  Accordingly, perseverance is more of a necessity than speed.  I know your thinking of Aesop’s fable The Tortoise and the Hare.  Slow and steady wins the race.  But my focus today isn’t so much about winning the race.  Rather I want to encourage you to finish the race.  If you want to think of yourself as a tortoise that’s fine.  Just keep your eye on the finish line and keep moving on.  To do so we need endurance and encouragement.  And God gives us each.

Endurance and Encouragement

In today’s passage, Paul tells us that the things written in former days were for our edification.  As we run the race of Faith, the Scriptures, which definitely includes the Old Testament, were written to give us endurance and encouragement.  This combination breeds hope.  Something we all need.  It is hard to run when the winds are blowing hard and the rains are pelting us.  We like to run in calm weather and mild temperatures, but that isn’t up to us.  Every time we think we hit our stride, we step into a pothole.  A marathon is a long run.  We must be prepared, physically and mentally.  We must have the resolve to push on regardless of the pains.  As we run the race we will see people drop out.  Perhaps some of them will be our siblings or close friends.  Often they will encourage us to quit as well, telling us it is not worth it.  But it is.

God’s Faithfulness

As you think back on the course you’ve run so far, how many obstacles have you had to overcome?  Where did you find your source of strength to go on with the race?  I am confident your hope was rooted in Truth.  Our course is lined with other Saints who encourage us and support us.  They do so by reminding us of God’s faithfulness to His children.  We look at the trial and temptations of Abraham, Moses, Job, David, Daniel, Habakkuk, etc. and we see how God was so faithful.  We read Isaiah, Jeremiah and the authors of the New Testament and we are edified by the instructions and exhortations that equip us to live godly lives in a fallen world.  Every time Satan tries to trip us up, God’s Word has an answer to give us hope.

Strength Renewed

As Paul points out, not only do the scriptures give us endurance and encouragement, but so does God Himself.  We know that God’s Word is alive and it serves as the means for Him to impart His endurance and encouragement.   Accordingly, this places the character of God as the ultimate basis of our hope as we run the Christian race.  In Isaiah chapter forty, the character of God is exalted.  At the conclusion of this chapter, we see some of the encouragement Paul was referring to.

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
    his understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the faint,
    and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,
    and young men shall fall exhausted;
31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:28-31

Spirit of Unity

Please read Isaiah chapter forty in its entirety.  While you are at it you might want to read Job chapters thirty-eight through forty-two.  Our God of endurance and encouragement is more than sufficient to see that we finish the race.  But He is also concerned with the how.  He wants us to run the race in a spirit of unity.  There is no room in the Christian life for prejudices.  Competitions and comparisons are carnal.  John the Baptist was not in competition with Jesus, and neither were Apollos or Peter.  Christ is not divided.  And neither is the glory of God.  With Christ as our example, we are to persevere in the Father’s will for the Father’s glory.  We want to finish the race so we can “cast our crowns” at His feet.  Our God of endurance and encouragement wants us to continue the race in harmony so we can glorify Him with one voice.

Convictions are important, but let’s not allow them to become a stumbling block to ourselves or our fellow Christians.  Paul began Romans chapter fifteen by encouraging the strong to bear the infirmities of the weak.  He also encourages us to please our neighbors and edify them.  And then he pointed out that Christ is our example in this regard.  Rather than pleasing Himself, He took our reproaches.  In this race we are in, we not only have the endurance and encouragement of God, we also have the example of Christ.

Let us Run

Are you feeling tired in your faith?  Do you ever feel like dropping out?  If you don’t, others do.  As you make your way to the finish line encourage your brothers and sisters in the faith to press on.  If they have fallen, lift them up.  If they are limping, let them lean on you.  Remind them to keep their eyes on God.  And, if you see the hare along the way you might want to wake him up and encourage him to find a steady pace.  The more that cross the finish line the better.

Do you suppose if we live in harmony we will sing in harmony?  There is only one way to find out.  Keep looking to our God of endurance and encouragement.

…and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. – Hebrews 12:1b

A Firm Foundation

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24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” – Matthew 7:24-27

Foundations

As He concluded the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus, the Son of a carpenter, used this illustration about the importance of a firm foundation.  A house is too valuable of an investment to recklessly build on something as unstable as sand.  The wise builder constructs his house on a firm foundation.  With such a foundation nature can beat on a house with rain and wind and not knock it down.  None of us would want a house that does not have a solid foundation, but are we as concerned about the foundation of our home?  Jesus, the Son of God, has equipped us to have a solid foundation for our home.  He is the Rock we build on.  If we are wise.

Dangers

The world is rough.  The world is dangerous.  Our children are constantly beaten by Satan’s wind and rain.  We have all seen the statistics regarding teen pregnancies, teen addictions, teen depression, teen suicides, etc.  We tend to point the finger at the break down of the family unit and the numerous children being raised in single-parent homes.  But sometimes it is healthy for us to look at the hand that is doing the finger-pointing.  This is not a guilt trip.  I am not really concerned about toe-stepping or hurt feelings.  There is too much at stake to worry about such things.

Decisions

As parents, what kind of foundation have we given our children?  Do we shower them with unconditional love?  Do they know the security that comes from parents that love each other?  Do they know that we love them enough to set boundaries?  Do they know that discipline, tough love, will result if boundaries are crossed?  Do they know that we trust them enough to give them the freedom to grow, often by falling?  How do they see us respond to trials?  Are our homes filled with gossip?  Do our children see in us a true reverence for God and respect for His Word?  Do they know that even though their parents aren’t perfect, our faith rests on the Rock?  Our Savior who left His home so we could have a firm foundation for ours.

Priorities

When you read the Gospels, you have to be impressed with how intentional Jesus lived.  I am convicted every time I contrast His lifestyle with mine.  It is so easy to go through the motions day after day making sure the bills are paid and the house is maintained.  In other words, I devote so much of my time to the things Jesus tells us are secondary.  My home is supposed to have priority over my house.  The decisions I make and the life I live are setting the foundation for the lives of my children and now grandchildren.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us that being is more important than doing.  We might fool others, but we can’t fool our children.  They are watching the walk much more closely than the talk.  And they are going to imitate us more often than not.  The world is rough.  The world is dangerous.  What type of foundation are we giving our children?

Legacy

I like trees.  I appreciate the size and strength of a white oak and the distinct shape of a pin oak.  Who isn’t impressed by the vibrant colors of crab apples in the spring and maple trees in the fall?  Not to be outdone, are the ornamental trees such as Japanese maples that show off their colors all summer long.  Years ago I heard of a Chinese proverb that says, “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago.  The second best time to plant a tree is now”.  I am not sure how long ago this proverb began but I am guessing it originated before the invention of the spade.  At least as we know them today.  To make up for lost time I have had numerous trees spaded in my yard.  Although the trees are much larger than saplings, I know that I will not be around long enough to enjoy the hardwoods in their “prime”.  I will enjoy them while I can, but I hope they will be enjoyed by my children and theirs after them.  That is the beauty of leaving a legacy.  Such is the foundation of our home.

When it comes to leaving a solid foundation for our children, there are no spades.  We can not go back in time.  We can not go back twenty years for a do-over, but we do have today to plant new seeds.  I am not one for making New Year’s resolutions, nor am I one to accept the status quo.  Won’t you join me in looking at the foundation of your home for the sake of the children?  Perhaps an honest evaluation will find cracks to be patched.  I am confident all of us have areas of our life where the garbage needs to be carried out to the curb and left for God to spread as far as the east is from the west.  We all have sins of omission and commission that need to be repented of.  If none come to your mind, ask your children, they are watching your walk.  Chances are, for good or bad, they are going to build on the foundation you and I are leaving them.

Urgency

When Jesus returned to the Father to prepare our future homes, He did not leave us alone.  He left us His Words to build on and His Spirit to enable us.  He knows the importance of firm foundations whether for our souls or for our homes.  The legacy is up to us.  Will we be wise and live intentional lives obedient to the Word of God or will we allow the enemy to set our agendas and let the chips fall where they may?  If so, Christ has already warned us, there will be a fall and it will be a great one.  The winds are blowing and the rain is coming, today is a good day to plant those seeds and patch the cracks in the foundation.  Your children and grandchildren will thank you and your Father will be glorified.  Families and firm foundations were His ideas.

The Gift of God

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10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” – John 4:10

Christmas Season

Christmas season is in full swing.  The Christmas tree is up and decorated.  The wrapping paper is out and ready for service.  Some gifts are actually wrapped and will soon make their way under the tree to tempt the grandchildren.  Christmas music is playing basically every waking hour.  The Christmas cards are coming in and being displayed.  There is snow on the ground and a fire in the hearth and the mantel is serving as the manger for the nativity scene.  In honor of the season, I am writing about John chapter four, the most famous Christmas passage.  Okay, so it isn’t exactly Luke chapter 2, but it is a great reminder of the meaning of Christmas.

35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” – Acts 20:35

Christmas Visions

Remember the excitement that the Christmas season held for you as a child?  We could hardly contain ourselves as December 25th slowly approached.  What would “Santa” bring this year?  What latest toy or game would satisfy the longing of our little hearts?   Hearts that could barely contain the blissful anticipation as we greedily tore open our presents.  As soon as one gift was unwrapped it was set aside to free our hands for the next.  The first “proverb” every child knows is, “the more the merrier”.  Isn’t “more” the true meaning of Christmas?  But, how soon did life return back to “normal” once the final gift was unwrapped and the floor was covered with torn wrapping paper?  A letdown was inevitable as we realized that reality did not match our expectations.  Toys break.  Game pieces get lost.  Puzzle pieces disappear with as much certainty as socks.  But December 25th will roll around again and visions of more gifts will dance in our heads.  Too bad Santa and the Christmas tree too often compete with the baby in the manger.

Three Wise Men

Guided by a star, the three wise men were led to a young Christ.  Although just a baby, they wanted to show Him the reverence He alone was worthy of.  Upon seeing Jesus, they fell down and worshiped Him.  In humility they gave Him valuable gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh.  As God in the flesh, Christ was not in need of their material possessions.  Accordingly, the wise men were not giving to meet Christ’s need, but rather to fulfill their own.  By giving such valuable gifts they were proclaiming their willingness to forego all earthly possessions that might compete with their devotion to Christ.  In Christ, they had found the pearl of great price (Matt. 13:45-46).  The only source of real joy.  How could gold, frankincense and myrrh compete with Him?

One Sinful Woman

Guided by a penitent heart, the sinful woman was led to a “dying” Christ.  Despite the social taboos, she wanted to show Jesus the worship He was worthy of.  Despite her perceived unworthiness, the sinful woman boldly entered the home of a Pharisee and anointed the feet of Jesus with an alabaster flask of ointment.  It is possible that this ointment was her most valuable possession, but the value of the ointment was irrelevant to her.  She could not bear the weight of her sins any longer.  While others were condemning her, Jesus offered forgiveness.  With a friend like Jesus, what did it matter what others thought of her?  With tears of joy she cleaned the feet of her Savior who cleansed her soul with His blood.  In Christ, she had found her hidden treasure (Matt. 13:44).  How could a flask of ointment compete with Him?

Gift of God

Guided by the will of His Father, Jesus entered the realm of the enemy.  When Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman at the well she is desperate.    Five men have come and gone in her carousel life.  Born into the “wrong” race, born the “wrong” sex, worshiping the wrong way, she is carrying a jar that reflects her soul.  Empty.  The Samaritan woman is all around us.

How many people will celebrate Christmas without recognizing, much less celebrating Christ?  They want the latest toys and games to satisfy the longing of their empty hearts.  As the carousel goes around they try to find fulfillment in various ways, but the result is always the same.  Disappointment.  Reality does not match expectations.  With greedy hands they vigorously unwrap life’s presents repeating the childhood proverb, “the more the merrier”.  But instead of joy they keep going back to the well with an empty jar.  As their lives spin out of control, Jesus simply says, “If you knew the gift of God.”

Accept the Gift

As we look around us this Christmas season, we need to learn a lesson from the wise men and the sinful woman.  Decorations are nice.  Music is enjoyable.  Exchanging gifts is fun.  But instead of focusing on the gifts under the Christmas tree, take a long look at the manger scene.  The baby wrapped in swaddling cloths is truly the reason for the season.  He is the Gift of God.  He alone is worthy of our worship.  He doesn’t want our gifts.  He desires and deserves us and our reverence.  He is the pearl of great price and the hidden treasure that will fill our hearts with joy and never disappoint.  When we accept the gift of God, we will see that reality exceeds expectation.  How can anything this world has to offer compete with Him?

Do you know the gift of God?  Jesus laid down His life so that we might have abundant life.  In His life and death He modeled, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”.  From the Samaritan woman we can also learn a valuable lesson.  It is wise to accept the Gift God offers!!

Merry Christmas.

15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! – 2 Corinthians 9:15