December 29th - All Justified by Faith

"Now faith is an assumption of what is being expected, a conviction concerning matters which are not being observed." (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith means we assume what the Bible says is true and will come to pass even though we are not currently seeing it in our present world.

"Being, then, justified by faith, we may be having peace toward God..." (Romans 5:1)

We do nothing to acquire faith, it is a gift to us by God that allows us to hear and believe the message of truth, the good news of our salvation. We are justified when we believe God.

"...we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will...it is by grace you are saved, through faith, and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works..." (Ephesians 1:11-2:10)

Having faith is not as easy as it sounds...

"...unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I WILL NOT believe...Eight days later...Jesus came and stood among them...Jesus said to Thomas...stop doubting and believe. Thomas replied, My Lord and my God." (John 20:25-28)

The majority of us  are like Thomas, we must SEE to believe. It is not our fault, that is just the way God made us. Nevertheless, it is right (just) for us to have faith that...

"...in Christ all will be made alive...the last enemy to be abolished is death...so that God may be All in all." (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)

December 28th - Crude Matter or Luminous Being?

"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter" - Yoda

As I get older, I anticipate more frequently the change that is coming to this "crude matter" of flesh and blood.

"Thus also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is roused in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is roused in glory. It is sown in infirmity; it is roused in power. It is sown a soulish body; it is roused a spiritual body." (1 Corinthians 15:42-48)

We all have corruptible bodies of flesh and blood which eventually wear out, some sooner than others. But when the final trump has sounded, all of us will become "luminous beings" - changed into an immortal image of Christ in a new "glorious body".

"Lo! a secret to you am I telling!...we all shall be changed, in an instant, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump." (1 Corinthians 15:50-51)

"Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body." (Philippians 3:20-21)

We are not luminous yet, just crude matter - but a glorious transformation is our destiny!

December 27th - Back to the Basics

As each new year comes upon me, I remember the basics in my thoughts and meditations about God and our Lord Jesus Christ. I remind myself of the good news of God that I “accepted” concerning Jesus His Son.

“Now I am making known to you, brethren, the good news which I brought to you...I gave to you what I accepted, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was entombed, and that He was resurrected the third day according to the scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

When I focus on the grace of the “good news” I have peace with God and a hope for the world in which we live. I start each new year remembering the good news that I accepted as a child, the "indescribable" and wonderful free gift of His Son who will deliver me and my family from death by resurrecting us to immortal life. I then make a New Year’s resolution to live another year in appreciation for His unmerited favor, and resolve to do the best I can to treat those I encounter during the new year with a measure of the grace given me.

“For the saving grace of God made its advent to all humanity... thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (Titus 2:11; 2 Corinthians 9:15)

December 26th - We Do Not Get to Vote on Who God Saves

"Out of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things" (Romans 11:36)

"...in accordance with the riches of God’s GRACE He made known to us the mystery of His will... to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ…according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will." (Ephesians 1:7-11).

God knew from the beginning that Jesus will save humanity from their sins and bring unity to all things. 
I suppose that is why we are instructed to pray for ALL humanity, not just the people we like.

"I am entreating, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, pleadings, thanksgiving be made for all humanity, for kings and all those being in a superior station, that we may be leading a mild and quiet life in all devoutness and gravity, for this is ideal and welcome in the sight of our Saviour, God, Who wills that all humanity be saved and come into a realization of the truth. For there is one God, and one Mediator of God and humanity, a Man, Christ Jesus, Who is giving Himself a correspondent ransom for ALL." (1 Timothy 2:1-6)

I do not get to vote on who gets saved - and neither do you! Yet, it is my sincere belief that when the plan of God is consummated, all creation will have been saved out of death, confessed that Jesus is Lord,  and enter the New Heaven and New Earth.

"For let this disposition be in you, which is in Christ Jesus also, Who, being inherently in the form of God, deems it not pillaging to be equal with God, nevertheless empties Himself, taking the form of a slave, coming to be in the likeness of humanity, and, being found in fashion as a human, He humbles Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, also, God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the name that is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should be bowing, celestial and terrestrial and subterranean, and every tongue should be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11)

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:1-5)

December 25th - Merry Christmas!

"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the holy spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”)."(Matthew 1:20.23)

As I think about the baby Jesus and celebrate of His birth I cannot help but remember what John said about Him...

"Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

 We are all sinners in Adam by birth and condemned to death...

"...through one human sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all humanity...through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all..." (Romans 5:12)

Yet by the Grace of God we become saints through the one act of righteousness of this baby boy - Jesus Christ our Lord!

"...even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all humanity....so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.." (Romans 5:12-21)

"For the GRACE of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all humanity...and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners..." (Titus 2:11; 1 Timothy 1:14-15)

The baby grew up, saved sinners in His blood shed for us, returned to heaven - and He is coming back again - soon I hope!

Merry Christmas Humanity - Sinners by Birth, Saints by Grace!

December 24th - Merry Christmas Eve World

"Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) 

William Blake once said… “When I tell the truth, it is not for the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending those that do.”

Jesus once said... "when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Those statements pretty well sum up why I continue to post my thoughts on the Scripture. I no longer argue with people who are offended by the truth that Jesus, the "Lamb of God" took away the sin of the world. I realize that only by the grace of God will they discover the truth in this age - regardless of how often they go to Church, or Synagogue, or Mosque. 

Nevertheless, wen I encountered the truth about the "Lamb" I realized it is far more glorious than the religious men would have me believe…and it is for their sake I often list the Scriptures about "the Lamb of God" who came 2,025 years ago, and saved the world:

"God shows His love for us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His son.” (Romans 5:10) 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

"Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the good news I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand...Of first importance is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." (1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4)

“For even as in Adam ALL are dying, thus also, in Christ shall ALL be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22)

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself not counting their sins against them.” (2 Corinthians 5:19) 

“And having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile ALL unto Himself.” (Colossians 1:20)

“God our Savior…wills that ALL people be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4)

 "...there is one God, and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all." (1 Tim. 2:5-6)

“Trust in the living God, who is the Savior of ALL humanity.” (1 Tim. 4:10)

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

 "Prescribe and teach these things." (1 Tim. 4:11)

I no longer limit the victory of the "Lamb of God" to the few who join assemblies. Doing so was the sad result of favoring the doctrines of men over the word of God. I believe in the Lamb whose birthday we celebrate tomorrow and say with the outcast Samaritans who met Jesus outside the camps of religion…

"It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:42)

Merry Christmas Eve!

December 23rd - Merry Christmas Israel!

"For a Boy, He is born to us; a Son, He is given to us, and the Chieftainship shall come to be on His shoulder, and one shall call His name Marvelous; Counsel to the master shall He bring, unto the Chief, well-being. To the increase of the Chieftainship and to the well-being there will be no end; on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to brace it with right judgment and with justice, henceforth and in the future eon, the zeal of Yahweh of hosts, it shall achieve this."  (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Although Israel does not celebrate the birth of Jesus as their Messiah and Savior, nevertheless, He is the Messiah and He will establish the throne of David on this Earth when He returns. 

His earthly parents were Mary and Joseph, both descendants of King David.

"Joseph, son of David, you may not be afraid to accept Mary, your wife, for that which is being generated in her is of holy spirit. Now she shall be bringing forth a Son, and you shall be calling His name Jesus, for He shall be saving His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20-21)

The Hebrew word translated Jesus is "Yahshua" and means "Yahweh, salvation." His birth was announced by an Angel to a few Jewish shepherds watching over their flocks outside Bethlehem, the city of David.

"And the messenger said to them, "Fear not, for lo! I am bringing you good news of great joy which will be for the entire people, for today was brought forth to you a Savior, Who is Christ, the Lord, in the city of David. And this is the sign to you: you will be finding a Babe, swaddled and lying in a manger. And suddenly with the messenger there came to be a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,"Glory to God among the Highest! And on earth peace, among men, delight!" (Luke 2:10-14)

For 2,000 years millions of people among the nations of the world have believed Jesus is the Messiah and Savior of the world. However, most in the nation of Israel have never believed Jesus is their Messiah. Nevertheless, God will eliminate their sin, and all other sins, when Jesus returns to rescue them.

"For I am not willing for you to be ignorant of this secret, brethren, lest you may be passing for prudent among yourselves, that callousness, in part, on Israel has come, until the complement of the nations may be entering. And thus all Israel shall be saved, according as it is written, arriving out of Zion shall be the Rescuer. He will be turning away irreverence from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them whenever I should be eliminating their sins." (Romans 11:25-27)

Merry Christmas Israel!