That is the question. Are we saved for eternity or can we lose our salvation by slipping up somehow?
Before I suggest an opinion, maybe we should look at what the Bible has to say. (The preponderance of scripture is what we should look at. In other words, if you can only find one or two verses that seem to indicate one thing, you should allow the preponderance of scripture to override that to some degree.)
Ephesians 2:8 and 9 says: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast."
If we could work for our own salvation, why did Jesus need to die on the cross?
Romans 10:9 and 10 says: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Salvation happens in the heart. It is by faith. It's not a mental experience. It's what you "know" in your heart between you and God.
John 1:12 and 13 says: "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
John refers here to being "born again", which is a spiritual rebirth. (I have personally experienced this rebirth, along with every other truly born again believer. Have you?) This is a work of God. We don't have any power over our own salvation except to accept it. Do we have the power to lose it?
Jesus said in John 3:3 "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:16 says: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
This tells us the reason why God sent His Son. He sent Him because He loves us! AND so that we can believe in Him and not perish! That was the whole purpose of the crucifixion. We should try to get a deep, deep understanding of what the crucifixion really means to us as humans on this planet. Salvation is a gift of God strictly of love and mercy which is so invaluable that nobody could ever attempt to pay the price.
No ritual, no animal sacrifice, no gold or self-punishment can earn the salvation of our souls. There is only one sacrifice that paid that price and that was the death of God's pure Son, Jesus Who suffered torture and mocking hanging on a cross with His arms outstretched to the world.
Once you have received such a marvelous gift, do you think God would take it back? Do you think you can do something so wicked to change God's mind? If you do think that, you must also think that you were somehow "worthy" to receive salvation.
And, I honestly believe that that is the trouble with many so-called Christians today. They think that their own righteousness has some kind of effect on God. What a JOKE.
Our own righteousness stinks. In fact, it's worse than our sins. Our own righteousness is sin, of course, but it's a blind sin.
John 5:24 says: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."
In Romans 3:20, Paul said, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by FAITH of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
24 Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
God doesn't much care who is a bigger sinner, who has the worst weakness or who is cleaner than the other guy. It really doesn't matter to God. Why not? Because we are all filthy. The only good thing about us is Jesus. It's the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from sin. Nothing of ourselves.
The only thing we're supposed to be learning is how to hear from God and obey Him. (He's not going to tell you to do something evil.) Other than that, anything we do right is only because of the Spirit of God living in us. It's a wonderful thing when God is pleased to dwell in human beings so weak and sinful as ourselves.
Romans 5:8 says: "But God commendeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
We were sinners when Christ died for us and WE STILL ARE.
Don't allow yourself to be deceived into thinking that you are not a sinner. You are. We all are. We are all sinners and some of us are sinners who are saved by grace and faith.
Salvation is not something that starts in your mind or ends in your mind. It's not something your mind can even fully comprehend because God's love is greater than our comprehension.
Salvation starts with God. It's a spiritual thing that happens in our hearts and souls. It has nothing to do with our minds. Therefore, nobody can judge another person's salvation. Take care of your own salvation.
Some people misunderstand when Paul says, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." and they think that means we're supposed to somehow help God with our salvation. BAH! God doesn't need our help. Once we are saved, God has finished that part. We no longer have to worry about death or going to hell. We have eternal security.
But, some people have what I like to call "eternal insecurity". They worry that they will lose their salvation. My question to them is, "How?"
What is the one or two things that you could possibly do that would cause God to take away your salvation?
Most people immediately think, "MURDER!"
Murder is a crime in today's society. But, come to think of it, today's society makes exceptions, doesn't it? Guns are put into the hands of young men and women and they are taught how to kill, then sent off to another country to commit murder. (In my eyes, and this is my opinion; calling someone "the enemy" doesn't excuse you from being a murderer.)
I John 3:15 "... and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."
There's a verse that would suggest that if you commit murder, you don't have eternal life. And it may look to some people that there is a possibility that a Christian would lose his salvation if he committed murder.
Yet, I also believe there are truly born-again Christians who become soldiers. These days they may not even know who they kill or how many are killed by their modern weapons. Do they lose their salvation every time they kill? (I think it must be a terrible, excruciating experience if a truly born-again believer ends up in a position where he must obey the order to kill someone! I'm not for killing.)
Thank God for His mercy. Some day, we will all be completely mind-blown by the extent of God's mercy!
That's what this life is all about: discovering the extent of God's love and mercy! In fact, it's the whole duty of man to believe in God. And salvation is by our belief, by our faith. And our faith is also a gift of God. So, if you don't believe you are saved, you probably aren't.
If you have the love of God dwelling in your heart, don't hide it under a bushel. Don't quench God's Spirit. He's a much bigger God than any of us can comprehend. Spread the joy, people.
That leads me to another question, ha. "If people can lose their salvation by 'committing some unforgivable sin', does that mean that born-again Christians will have to continually evangelize the world over and over, re-winning souls to the Lord of all the souls who have lost their salvation? It would be like putting water into a cup with a hole in the bottom, wouldn't it?
Like Mr. Amazing Man said, "Sometimes I just wish they'd STAY saved!"
Well, I just don't think that God is that silly that He would get us saved and then take it back on account of how naughty we are. He already knows how naughty we are. AND He knows exactly what we are going to do every minute for the rest of our lives. I mean, come on, God knows the past, present and future, doesn't He? He also knows who is going to be saved and who is NOT.
I hope you're one of the ones who is! I am! And I'm not saying that I haven't backslidden or doubted God or even pushed God away sometimes and I may do it again. I'm just saying I was born again. I'm not getting unborn. I don't even think it's possible. Not matter how hard I try to be BAD. That's how merciful God is!
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Sunday, December 8, 2013
The Christmas Story continued...
No, this is NOT the story about Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus and all that... Get with the program, people! Christmas is the Birthday of our Lord. That is what the Christ in Christmas is.
Whether Christ was born on the 25th of December or not, really is not the issue. There are debates about whether we should celebrate Christmas and certainly, putting up a Christmas tree is a great debate. Especially if you figure that there are Buddhists and Hindus who decorate trees and worship the tree as a god. But, if a Christian puts up a Christmas tree, it is NOT to worship the tree. Right? I mean, every believer should realize that. Christians do NOT worship inanimate objects. (things made with men's hands)
And, that includes cars, computers, houses, clothing, etc. Ok, we're straight on that, now.
The story of Christmas is a story told to children but one that amazes adults. It's about a moving star, angels that appear to shepherds, and, of course the virgin birth.
Impossible! A virgin giving birth. Yes, in our natural state and in this life, a virgin birth is utterly impossible. That is why it is called a "miracle". It is supernatural.
The birth of Jesus Christ was supernatural. He was a Superman! I believe He was the ONLY real super man recorded in the history of the world. He had super powers. He was a Super Power. He IS a Super Power. He can do things beyond our wildest expectations and that's really not only the half of it!
Jesus was 50% human only. He had no earthly father!
Let's continue reading because, I'm not the one making this up. It's all in the book. This is what we celebrate on Christmas.
Matthew 2
13 And when they (the three wisemen) were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
DESTROY him? Why? He's a little baby and already, Jesus is a fugitive!
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed in Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my Son.
16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
Sounds like Herod had huge anger management issues. I guess he went down in history as the world's worst baby-killer.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
Whether Christ was born on the 25th of December or not, really is not the issue. There are debates about whether we should celebrate Christmas and certainly, putting up a Christmas tree is a great debate. Especially if you figure that there are Buddhists and Hindus who decorate trees and worship the tree as a god. But, if a Christian puts up a Christmas tree, it is NOT to worship the tree. Right? I mean, every believer should realize that. Christians do NOT worship inanimate objects. (things made with men's hands)
And, that includes cars, computers, houses, clothing, etc. Ok, we're straight on that, now.
The story of Christmas is a story told to children but one that amazes adults. It's about a moving star, angels that appear to shepherds, and, of course the virgin birth.
Impossible! A virgin giving birth. Yes, in our natural state and in this life, a virgin birth is utterly impossible. That is why it is called a "miracle". It is supernatural.
The birth of Jesus Christ was supernatural. He was a Superman! I believe He was the ONLY real super man recorded in the history of the world. He had super powers. He was a Super Power. He IS a Super Power. He can do things beyond our wildest expectations and that's really not only the half of it!
Jesus was 50% human only. He had no earthly father!
Let's continue reading because, I'm not the one making this up. It's all in the book. This is what we celebrate on Christmas.
Matthew 2
13 And when they (the three wisemen) were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
DESTROY him? Why? He's a little baby and already, Jesus is a fugitive!
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed in Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my Son.
16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
Sounds like Herod had huge anger management issues. I guess he went down in history as the world's worst baby-killer.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Matthew 2
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Now, this just blows me away, really. These guys show up from far away and they want to go to do what? To worship WHO? A BABY! Can you imagine? I have a lot of questions about this. First of all: How do they know that this king is King of the Jews? How do they know that that's HIS star? And, if they are not Jews, why would they want to worship him? And why would they care about a king that is born to the Jewish nation? Too many questions...
I have a gut feeling that these three wise men were very wise indeed. They were led of God. They had the humility to fall down at the feet of a baby by faith that He was going to be a great King some day. And they put their faith into action by giving the best gifts they could offer.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
I can understand Herod being troubled, but shouldn't the Jews in Jerusalem been happy about it?
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judae: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor that shall rule my people Israel.
So, the chief priests and scribes knew their scriptures. They knew where the Messiah would be born. Why didn't they go and look for Jesus, too? They could have followed the star, couldn't they?
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
A moving star! How about that?
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Those guys were jumping up and down! They were excited!
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
They were really hearing from God. They were led of Him, warned of Him and obeyed. Who WERE these guys? I mean, I know they were star-studiers or astrologers or wisemen who came from the East, but, WHO were they to be so in tune with God at a time like this?
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Now, this just blows me away, really. These guys show up from far away and they want to go to do what? To worship WHO? A BABY! Can you imagine? I have a lot of questions about this. First of all: How do they know that this king is King of the Jews? How do they know that that's HIS star? And, if they are not Jews, why would they want to worship him? And why would they care about a king that is born to the Jewish nation? Too many questions...
I have a gut feeling that these three wise men were very wise indeed. They were led of God. They had the humility to fall down at the feet of a baby by faith that He was going to be a great King some day. And they put their faith into action by giving the best gifts they could offer.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
I can understand Herod being troubled, but shouldn't the Jews in Jerusalem been happy about it?
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judae: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor that shall rule my people Israel.
So, the chief priests and scribes knew their scriptures. They knew where the Messiah would be born. Why didn't they go and look for Jesus, too? They could have followed the star, couldn't they?
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
A moving star! How about that?
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Those guys were jumping up and down! They were excited!
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
They were really hearing from God. They were led of Him, warned of Him and obeyed. Who WERE these guys? I mean, I know they were star-studiers or astrologers or wisemen who came from the East, but, WHO were they to be so in tune with God at a time like this?
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Matthew 1 continued...
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
Joseph was thinking about hiding Mary so that she didn't get stoned to death. Imagine the humiliation of it all. God certainly was not considering the Jewish law in this case because by getting Mary pregnant, it just raised a heck of a lot of questions. I mean, what would her parents say? Anyone who knew her must have been ashamed of her.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
Do you have dreams that you can remember when you wake up? Sometimes God will speak to us through our dreams. It seems God has a better opportunity to talk to us while we are asleep. So, I suggest you keep track of your dreams that you feel are significant. I do. I write them in a little book. Sometimes, I don't get the interpretation until much later and that little book has been a source of guidance and inspiration to me.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
(It is also written in the Koran or Qua ran that Jesus is the Messiah and a Messiah is the One who saves us from sin.)
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Not only is Jesus the Messiah, but He is God. (says so right there)
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
There's one man who knew he was marrying the right girl because God TOLD him to marry her.
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Joseph was thinking about hiding Mary so that she didn't get stoned to death. Imagine the humiliation of it all. God certainly was not considering the Jewish law in this case because by getting Mary pregnant, it just raised a heck of a lot of questions. I mean, what would her parents say? Anyone who knew her must have been ashamed of her.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
Do you have dreams that you can remember when you wake up? Sometimes God will speak to us through our dreams. It seems God has a better opportunity to talk to us while we are asleep. So, I suggest you keep track of your dreams that you feel are significant. I do. I write them in a little book. Sometimes, I don't get the interpretation until much later and that little book has been a source of guidance and inspiration to me.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
(It is also written in the Koran or Qua ran that Jesus is the Messiah and a Messiah is the One who saves us from sin.)
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Not only is Jesus the Messiah, but He is God. (says so right there)
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
There's one man who knew he was marrying the right girl because God TOLD him to marry her.
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Matthew 1
Since this is a blog for "new" believers or those who want to grow spiritually and are starting at square one, I want to encourage you to continue reading the New Testament. I'll try to walk you through it as much as possible to keep you focused on what you're reading. Reading the Word is what some might call an acquired or developed 'taste'. Maybe you need to try it a few times before you can appreciate it fully enough to make it a habit.
Maybe it's a little like eating durion. Now, the first time I ever tasted durion, I just flipped! But, I think it's because there was a seasoned durion lover introducing me to the odd, smelly fruit. Yes, it was smelly! And it was pokey! It looked like one of those spike balls used in ancient warfare. So, the first appearance and the first impression could have been a turn-off if I hadn't been encouraged by someone with experience.
Durion! They say it smells like hell and tastes like heaven. To me, the smell is just not that bad. It's overpowering, yes. But, when I smell durion, I know there's a delicious fruit nearby, waiting for me to sink my greedy teeth into its luscious, soft and sumptuous meat. Well, anyway, back to the Word.
You may be one of those people who believes in Jesus, believes in salvation and the idea of Jesus being God's Son sent to earth to die for our sins, but you have a difficult time picking up the Bible and actually reading it. If so, I want to encourage you that, because the Bible is not just a regular type of book, you may need to approach it a little differently. Give yourself time. Develop a taste for it. But, especially, ask God to show you something personal for you alone that applies to your life at this time in particular.
Once that happens to you, you'll be hooked! You'll want to go back again and find something else that God wants to show you. It's like having your own private fortune-teller. (Now, I know the devil has given fortune-telling a bad name.) God is not a wanna-be psychic gypsy telling your future. Not at all! He is the King of Kings Who has a detailed interest in you and your future and would like to tell you all about it!
He knows where you came from, why you came here, where you're going and the best way to get there!
So, let's approach Matthew with an open mind and heart and an attitude of faith, hungrily seeking to know God and thereby learn deep truths about ourselves at the same time!
1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Note: Now, since Jesus did not have an earthly father, one can only assume that Mary was also of the seed of Abraham and David and that she married a man who was a cousin or other distant relative.
2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
Note: Here we see that there are other nationalities entering into the Jewish blood. Uriah was a Hittite, so it stands to reason that his wife, Bathsheba, was a Hittite. Now, it seems the Hittites were Black. Also, you can see Ruth joined the Jewish family although she was a Moabitess. It was her faith in her mother-in-law's God and because of her love for her mother-in-law, Naomi that Ruth joined the Jewish faith. She became a predecessor of Christ totally through faith.
7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;
14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Mattan; and Matthan begat Jacob;
16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
Ok, now you might say, "THAT was BORING!" And I ask myself, "Why did Matthew put the entire genealogy of Christ in the first chapter of Matthew?
And it occurs to me that it really shows any disbeliever that Jesus Christ had that lineage, he existed in the annals of history and he was indeed, a real person! He was born! He lived! And he died! And it's pretty difficult to deny the existence of the man, Jesus Christ. He has been recorded in Jewish history and therefore, in the history of the world. (By the way, the Jews kept very accurate records of history.)
Of course, the line of Jesus ends with his death because he didn't have any children. (That's contrary to the crazy fictional story called "The Da Vinci Code".)
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
Seven is a number God seems to love to use and twice seven is obviously fourteen. Looks like Jesus came right at the appointed time. And, He will come again right at the appointed time, as well!
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
That's the essence of the story of Christmas. That's the reason for Christmas. That's the meaning of Christmas. In fact, if I may be so bold, I think one should not celebrate Christmas unless they believe in the virgin birth of Christ and that three wise men were led to the Holy Baby by a star. If you don't believe that, why celebrate Christmas at all? Why make a mockery of the celebration of the birth of the Christian God Man?
That, of course, is not to say that many, many millions do celebrate this day without believing in the truth of it's origin. Ok, I know and most of us know that the true Birthday of Christ is unknown and that this day was chosen for questionable reasons. BUT, the fact of the matter is that the name of the holiday is "Christmas" and it was intended to be a recognition of the day of the birth of Christ as proclaimed in many wonderful carols and songs sung throughout Christendom over the centuries.
Nowadays, it's all about Santa Claus and buying gifts. Yes, we have succeeded in making a travesty out of Christmas. People are seeking "comfort and joy" without seeking the Giver of comfort and joy. They are seeking the gifts but not the Giver.
When you find the Giver and fall in love with Him, you'll forget about seeking the gifts. He alone can satisfy the deepest yearning of every heart for true love and peace.
"Peace on earth toward men of good will..."
Maybe it's a little like eating durion. Now, the first time I ever tasted durion, I just flipped! But, I think it's because there was a seasoned durion lover introducing me to the odd, smelly fruit. Yes, it was smelly! And it was pokey! It looked like one of those spike balls used in ancient warfare. So, the first appearance and the first impression could have been a turn-off if I hadn't been encouraged by someone with experience.
Durion! They say it smells like hell and tastes like heaven. To me, the smell is just not that bad. It's overpowering, yes. But, when I smell durion, I know there's a delicious fruit nearby, waiting for me to sink my greedy teeth into its luscious, soft and sumptuous meat. Well, anyway, back to the Word.
You may be one of those people who believes in Jesus, believes in salvation and the idea of Jesus being God's Son sent to earth to die for our sins, but you have a difficult time picking up the Bible and actually reading it. If so, I want to encourage you that, because the Bible is not just a regular type of book, you may need to approach it a little differently. Give yourself time. Develop a taste for it. But, especially, ask God to show you something personal for you alone that applies to your life at this time in particular.
Once that happens to you, you'll be hooked! You'll want to go back again and find something else that God wants to show you. It's like having your own private fortune-teller. (Now, I know the devil has given fortune-telling a bad name.) God is not a wanna-be psychic gypsy telling your future. Not at all! He is the King of Kings Who has a detailed interest in you and your future and would like to tell you all about it!
He knows where you came from, why you came here, where you're going and the best way to get there!
So, let's approach Matthew with an open mind and heart and an attitude of faith, hungrily seeking to know God and thereby learn deep truths about ourselves at the same time!
1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Note: Now, since Jesus did not have an earthly father, one can only assume that Mary was also of the seed of Abraham and David and that she married a man who was a cousin or other distant relative.
2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
Note: Here we see that there are other nationalities entering into the Jewish blood. Uriah was a Hittite, so it stands to reason that his wife, Bathsheba, was a Hittite. Now, it seems the Hittites were Black. Also, you can see Ruth joined the Jewish family although she was a Moabitess. It was her faith in her mother-in-law's God and because of her love for her mother-in-law, Naomi that Ruth joined the Jewish faith. She became a predecessor of Christ totally through faith.
7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;
14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Mattan; and Matthan begat Jacob;
16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
Ok, now you might say, "THAT was BORING!" And I ask myself, "Why did Matthew put the entire genealogy of Christ in the first chapter of Matthew?
And it occurs to me that it really shows any disbeliever that Jesus Christ had that lineage, he existed in the annals of history and he was indeed, a real person! He was born! He lived! And he died! And it's pretty difficult to deny the existence of the man, Jesus Christ. He has been recorded in Jewish history and therefore, in the history of the world. (By the way, the Jews kept very accurate records of history.)
Of course, the line of Jesus ends with his death because he didn't have any children. (That's contrary to the crazy fictional story called "The Da Vinci Code".)
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
Seven is a number God seems to love to use and twice seven is obviously fourteen. Looks like Jesus came right at the appointed time. And, He will come again right at the appointed time, as well!
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
That's the essence of the story of Christmas. That's the reason for Christmas. That's the meaning of Christmas. In fact, if I may be so bold, I think one should not celebrate Christmas unless they believe in the virgin birth of Christ and that three wise men were led to the Holy Baby by a star. If you don't believe that, why celebrate Christmas at all? Why make a mockery of the celebration of the birth of the Christian God Man?
That, of course, is not to say that many, many millions do celebrate this day without believing in the truth of it's origin. Ok, I know and most of us know that the true Birthday of Christ is unknown and that this day was chosen for questionable reasons. BUT, the fact of the matter is that the name of the holiday is "Christmas" and it was intended to be a recognition of the day of the birth of Christ as proclaimed in many wonderful carols and songs sung throughout Christendom over the centuries.
Nowadays, it's all about Santa Claus and buying gifts. Yes, we have succeeded in making a travesty out of Christmas. People are seeking "comfort and joy" without seeking the Giver of comfort and joy. They are seeking the gifts but not the Giver.
When you find the Giver and fall in love with Him, you'll forget about seeking the gifts. He alone can satisfy the deepest yearning of every heart for true love and peace.
"Peace on earth toward men of good will..."
Friday, November 8, 2013
How Often Should I Read the Word?
How often should I read the Word? As often as possible. David said, "Thy word has been my meat both day and night..."
Live on the Word. Live in the Word. Live by the Word. It's the only thing that will last. It's the only knowledge that really counts.
Education is important. I believe that, too. There are lots of things that are good to know! And when we use the stuff we know along with LOVE, we call the combination of knowledge and love wisdom. So, in my estimation, the more knowledge one has garnered, the more love they need to acquire to be able to use that knowledge.
Why?
Because, ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys: Knowledge without love is a bad thing. Most often it leads straight to pride (and I mean the bad, rotten, devilish kind of pride), arrogance, self-righteousness, power-tripping, oppression, and all the sins humans fall into.
Another thing the Bible says is: "With all thy getting, get understanding." And understanding, is like wisdom. It has to be knowledge with love because in order to "understand", you have to be willing to get under and humble yourself to listen.
And why is it so difficult for proud people to listen?
I think, when I don't want to listen, it's when I feel superior to the one who is trying to give me information. My pride gets in the way and I don't concentrate and pay attention to the details of what that person is saying. I "assume" that I already know what they're going to say or that I already know everything they already know and more. That's pride. Pure pride.
Identifying the problem often helps us to overcome it, doesn't it?
Pride is one of the biggest problems of Christians.
We're too proud to ask. We're too proud to listen. We're too proud to admit a mistake. And, we're WAY to proud to apologize. That would be admitting a mistake that caused harm or hurt to someone else and that's very difficult to admit.
I have found that the best way to overcome these kinds of pride is to look them straight in the eye and just DO it. Admit I'm not perfect, I make mistakes, I may have hurt your feelings, I screwed up and I AM SORRY.
It may seem like the hardest thing in the world to do, but it does get easier with practice. It can be very liberating. Just don't buy into all the condemnation the devil would like to pile on your plate after you realize you have made a mistake.
Get used to it! You're gonna make lots more mistakes before this game is over.
So, keep reading the Word. Learn what it says. Try to have "understanding" and "wisdom" when you're reading it and applying it to your life. And LOVE it.
You can fall in love with the Bible. You sure can. It's a Lover that will never leave you. The Words of God will never fail you, forsake you or disappoint! Fall in love with Jesus! Fall in love with the Word. They are One and the Same.
What a wonderful God we have! If you don't know that, you haven't read his Word!
Read it! Live it! Love it! Quote it! Memorize it! Put it to the test!
That's what this life is all about. That's what this all boils down to.
Live on the Word. Live in the Word. Live by the Word. It's the only thing that will last. It's the only knowledge that really counts.
Education is important. I believe that, too. There are lots of things that are good to know! And when we use the stuff we know along with LOVE, we call the combination of knowledge and love wisdom. So, in my estimation, the more knowledge one has garnered, the more love they need to acquire to be able to use that knowledge.
Why?
Because, ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys: Knowledge without love is a bad thing. Most often it leads straight to pride (and I mean the bad, rotten, devilish kind of pride), arrogance, self-righteousness, power-tripping, oppression, and all the sins humans fall into.
Another thing the Bible says is: "With all thy getting, get understanding." And understanding, is like wisdom. It has to be knowledge with love because in order to "understand", you have to be willing to get under and humble yourself to listen.
And why is it so difficult for proud people to listen?
I think, when I don't want to listen, it's when I feel superior to the one who is trying to give me information. My pride gets in the way and I don't concentrate and pay attention to the details of what that person is saying. I "assume" that I already know what they're going to say or that I already know everything they already know and more. That's pride. Pure pride.
Identifying the problem often helps us to overcome it, doesn't it?
Pride is one of the biggest problems of Christians.
We're too proud to ask. We're too proud to listen. We're too proud to admit a mistake. And, we're WAY to proud to apologize. That would be admitting a mistake that caused harm or hurt to someone else and that's very difficult to admit.
I have found that the best way to overcome these kinds of pride is to look them straight in the eye and just DO it. Admit I'm not perfect, I make mistakes, I may have hurt your feelings, I screwed up and I AM SORRY.
It may seem like the hardest thing in the world to do, but it does get easier with practice. It can be very liberating. Just don't buy into all the condemnation the devil would like to pile on your plate after you realize you have made a mistake.
Get used to it! You're gonna make lots more mistakes before this game is over.
So, keep reading the Word. Learn what it says. Try to have "understanding" and "wisdom" when you're reading it and applying it to your life. And LOVE it.
You can fall in love with the Bible. You sure can. It's a Lover that will never leave you. The Words of God will never fail you, forsake you or disappoint! Fall in love with Jesus! Fall in love with the Word. They are One and the Same.
What a wonderful God we have! If you don't know that, you haven't read his Word!
Read it! Live it! Love it! Quote it! Memorize it! Put it to the test!
That's what this life is all about. That's what this all boils down to.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
The Word is Here to Stay!
In the words of Jesus Christ, our Lord,
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."
Think about it!
I believe you would have to say that what Jesus is saying here is that the WORD is going to outlast everything. And, in my own puny understanding, doesn't that also mean that the WORD is more important than this planet we live on?
(In fact, the planet that we live on is a direct result of the WORD.)
Now, if there is any doubt that Jesus actually said this or that He used these exact words, it has been written and recorded not just in the book of Matthew, but also in Mark and Luke in exactly the same words. If you don't believe me, you can read it yourself.
Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."
Mark 13:31 "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away."
Luke 21:33 "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away."
Word for word, these three verses are the same. The only difference is that one has a comma rather than a colon.
And that's all I want to say about that!
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."
Think about it!
I believe you would have to say that what Jesus is saying here is that the WORD is going to outlast everything. And, in my own puny understanding, doesn't that also mean that the WORD is more important than this planet we live on?
(In fact, the planet that we live on is a direct result of the WORD.)
Now, if there is any doubt that Jesus actually said this or that He used these exact words, it has been written and recorded not just in the book of Matthew, but also in Mark and Luke in exactly the same words. If you don't believe me, you can read it yourself.
Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."
Mark 13:31 "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away."
Luke 21:33 "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away."
Word for word, these three verses are the same. The only difference is that one has a comma rather than a colon.
And that's all I want to say about that!
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