Sun, Feb 26th - 4:32PM

WHO IS THIS JESUS?

"For our citizenship is in heaven; from where also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3.:20):"

   Picking up where we left off last Saturday, it can be seen in this verse that our true citizenship is heaven and not any geopolitical nation or ethnic race here upon this earth.  It is why we are considered to be sojouners on earth, just passing on through until we return to the golden shores of heaven.  Pilgrims all, are we.  Heaven is also where we are to be looking for it is from there that we will see our Lord and Savior return one day.  Not just those who are alive on that day shall see Him coming on the clouds, Scripture plainly teaches that even those who have long been dead shall "see" Him coming in His glory to usher in the Millenial kingdom here on earth.  So Jesus is our Lord, our God, and now we find that He is also our Savior. 

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope (I Timothy 1:1):" Here can be seen the connection being further made that Christ is our Savior and so is God.  They are one and the same Being. Jesus did not only come to teach us things, to show us things, and to die on a cross for us.  Jesus came to give us hope.  All of us need to know hope in our lives sooner or later.  Verse twelve of this chapter of I Timothy gives us just a glimpse of what this hope entails.  Paul thanks Christ Jesus for having enabled him because Paul was judged to be faithful.  For this reason Paul was put into a ministry of service to God and not to the Pharisees.

   Looking at I Timothy 4 and 5 we find Paul writing to us about walking as a "good minister of Jesus Christ."  I won't digress down this path now, just point it out to you as a worthwhile study.  Since we probably should consider ourselves living in "the latter times" be warned that many shall depart from the faith and shall listen intently to half truths that sound nice and logical.  This is the sorry state of what is called apostasy, or a falling away from believing completely in God.  Enough said.

"But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death, and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (II Timothy 1:10)."  "To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 1:4)." "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13);"  Christ came to save us from our sin and also to do away with death.  Not only that, but He came to also bring life and immortality to mankind through the gospel.  That is Good News!  Titus was a convert to Christianity through Paul's efforts and Paul thought of Titus as a "son."  As can easily be seen in all of these verses, the consistency of the message remains true.  Jesus Christ is the Savior and is our blessed hope. Grace, mercy, and peace all come from the same source: God.  Many question exactly who will be appearing at the end of this age.  The answer is found here: the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ as they are one and the same. 

   Looking at Titus 3 we discover Paul's teaching to provide us with guidance on to respond to those in authority over us in governments and the courts.  Upon reaching verse four we then find once again reference made to the love and kindness of God our Savior.  How did He save us?  According to His mercy He saved each and every one of us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit we are told in verse five is the means of achieving redemption.  Through our own efforts and deeds?  No, verse six informs us this was shed upon us by abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.  Being justified by His grace we are then made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  These are the works of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

   In Philemon we find in verses three, five, and twenty-five reminders of from where our grace and peace originate: God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Looking further, we find in the Book of Hebrews what a few of Christ Jesus's intentions toward us are.  "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever (13:8), "Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Chrit; to whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen (13:21)."  Christ intends to continue to work in us each and every day.  He seeks to make us perfect in every good work in order to do His will.  All that we are to do ultimately should be to bring greater glory to Him. 

   Our next stop must be in I Peter where we immediately find Peter declaring that he too, is an apostle of Jesus Christ.  He speaks about election according to foreknowledge of God the Father, sanctification through the work of the Holy Spirit of God, being obedient and being covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.  This is the Godhead revealed to us.  This is the Trinity of God.  We further find evidence of the work that our Savior Jesus Christ put forth upon our behalf.  Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead begot us a lively/living hope to an inheritance that is reserved for us up in heaven.  We are not to worry about losing said inheritance for we are kept by the power of God through our faith until salvation is completed in the final judgment time. 

  Finally for today, I want you to look at II Peter chapter one.  Peter acknowledges that he considers himself to be a servant and an apostle of Christ Jesus.  He informs us that through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Savior we will have grace and peace multiplied to us.  According to God's divine power has He given to each believer all things that relate to life and godliness.  Christ has given to each of us priceless promises that will enable us to share His divine nature for we have chosen to escape the corruption of this world which is focused in lust.  What is the roadmap to achieving this godliness in our lives upon accepting Christ as our Savior?  Verses 5-7 list them out in the order in which they most certainly must be achieved.  We can't properly love anyone until we find faith in Christ first.  Seeking to obtain knowledge before first learning virtue will lead us into making severe mistakes in judgment.  Upon gaining knowledge we must then become practioners of moderation, or temperance in order to make wise use of our knowledge.  Then we are to learn patience, for this is how we will be able to determine whether or not our knowledge ought to even be implemented.  Godliness follows patience, brotherly kindness follows godliness, and finally we are then able to achieve charity or love. 

  Why is it so important to have these qualities established in our lives as believers?  Verse nine tells us this answer.  Anyone who lacks these things is blind and can't see very far at all, and forgets that he was purged from all of his old sins.  Verse eleven informs us that through this roadmap we will make our calling and election into heaven a sure thing, and our entrance shall be ministered to us abundantly going into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen!

~Eric

Fri, Feb 24th - 12:59PM

WHAT MUST I DO TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN?

"Don't marvel that I said to you, You must be born again (John 3:7)."

   So many people wish to know how to become a Christian, or how to get God to be with them.  Here in this conversation between Christ Jesus and Nicodemus is to be found the nuts and bolts of an answer.  The term "born again" has become all distorted over the past 15-20 years as it became used commonly, even in political campaigns.  Its tremendous meaning has been all but lost to the Christian community at large.  But Christ Jesus said "You must be born again!"  Furthermore, He said it to Nicodemus, one of the most religiously knowledgeable people of that day. 

   Jesus did not say to Nicodemus that "they must be born again," meaning the unbelieving multitudes who were not as instructed in the things of God as they ought to be.  Nor did He say that "we must be born again," meaning all of us mortals including Himself.  No, Jesus said, "YOU must be born again!" 

   The declaration nailed the religious rulers down, even a man like Nicodemus must be born spiritually, born again (literally, "born from above") if he were to ever see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).  Nicodemus asked how this could be, and Jesus said he must be born of the Spirit, supernaturally.  But Nicodemus, just like each of us, was born a sinner and was still a sinner, failed to recognize Christ as Son of man and Son of God.  How could he be born again from his mother's womb?  Preposterous!  The answer came in another imperative statement: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life (Johm 3:14-15)."  If you must be born again then even so must the Son of man be lifted up.  Christ must die for our sins before it can ever be possible that a sinner can be born again.  Since Jesus was lifted up on the cross to die for us, our burden of sin has also been lifted up and placed upon Him.  If we would enter God's kingdom, we must be born again through faith in Him!  There is no other way, there is no other person to turn to.  Narrow is the way and narrow is the gate to eternal life.  Each person must approach the cross of Christ and have the shed blood of Jesus applied to our sin, we come with scarlet stains marring us but we leave washed as white as freshly fallen snow. 

   Yes, there is a rich swath of the Old Testament which helps to flesh out this concept about forgiveness of sin coming only through the shedding of innocent blood.  But it is not my intention to open it all up for you in this devotional for today.  For you, if you wish to understand more, go and find the scriptures which explain all about the tabernacle and the ordinances given in relation to that meeting place.  Also be sure to find and study the scriptures concerning the departure of the Hebrews from Egypt at the end of their enslavement there.

Grace and peace be yours this day! 

~Eric

Sat, Feb 18th - 7:13PM

WHO IS THIS JESUS?

"Him has God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31)."

   Here we find the beginning of the revelation of another facet of Christ Jesus natur.  God has exalted him to be a Prince along with being a Savior.  As is well known among men, a prince often times is also a lord among his subjects.  "Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as He did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God (Acts 11:17)?"  Here we find the term "Lord" being applied as a title to Jesus.  Jesus came as the Anointed One of Israel, the Messiah.  He also came as the Lord of lords.  "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they (15:11)."  Salvation still comes through Christ Jesus and none other, both to the Jews and to the Gentiles.  "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1)."  Our faith/belief justifies us and we become reconciled with God and gain peace through Christ Jesus who is our Lord.  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23)."  I am touching facets of what is known as "The Romans Road" to salvation.  Here we discover that the cost of sinning is death.  Eternal life is a gift from God through Christ Jesus our Lord due to His substitutionary death for us upon the cross at Calvary.  This is the outgrowth of John 3:16, it is how God's love of us became expressed in the reality of our world.  "But you put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof (Romans 13:14)."  I understand not fulfilling my lusts, but what is this "putting on" stuff?  Is it like a costume?  Or a mask?  I will say that it is more like putting on a suit of armor.  If you wish to protect yourself from Satan and his inevitable attacks upon you, then you must wear the armor of God, which is Christ Jesus.  Fleshly works are not an adequate defense against spiritual attack.  Being a "good" person merely leaves you vulnerable to attack by Satan.  This all works towards illuminating why Jesus hammered home the point that salvation and eternal life in heaven come by entering into the narrow way which leads to the narrow gate.  Moving to the left or to the right will only succeed in leading you astray of finding the narrow gate at the end of your journey through life.  Satan only desires to redirect your steps by a fraction of one degree for he understands that over time that small deviation will have become rather huge and you will no longer be walking alongside God and will be all alone again.  So be vigilant!  Obey the commands of your Lord!  Follow in His footsteps and follow His commands.  Are you tempted by fleshly desires?  Then do not wallow in close proximity to places that cater to those desires.  Addicted to porn?  Then remain far away from it, take steps to stop yourself from having access to it.  Addicted to drugs?  Then take steps to keep it out of your home, away from your kids, and does not come in via yours or your kids' friends when they visit you at home.  Just as an alcoholic can not live with bottles of booze everywhere in their home, none of the rest of us can resist temptations by keeping them close to us every day. 

   This next section of text covers a related sensitive topic, so I will expand upon it now rather in some other posting.  We find it in the Book of Ephesians in the fifth chapter: "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it (Ephesians 5:21-25);"  Here is laid the foundational concepts of the relationships between husband and wife, husband and God, and between believers.  Believers are to submit themselves to one another meaning there is to be no high esteem placed upon certain individuals and not upon others as well.  Wives are to submit to their own husbands, not to every man they happen to meet.  Plus, this to be done "as unto the Lord."  Lord Jesus must be held in the forefront of our minds in everything which we do.  I am to do my job as if God is my boss.  I am to love and serve my wife as if she is God.  My wife is to do the same concerning me.  I am the head of my wife, but Christ Jesus is my head.  I do not have carte blanche to do to my wife whatever I feel like doing to her.  I can choose to do so, but it will not be condoned by God or anything in His Word.  Likewise, the Lord Jesus Christ is the head of His church and He is the One to whom all praise and worship is to be directed and not to any single person on this planet.  So even as the church of believers is subject to Christ, so too wives are to be subject to their husbands.  Finally, just as Christ Jesus so loved the world that He died on the cross to pay for all of our sins, so too husbands are to love their wives.  I must be willing to die for her, just as Christ died for me.  Just as Christ was willing to serve His disciples, so too I must be willing to serve my wife.  These things then lead to much reduced tension, irritation, miscommunications, and strife in my relationships in life.  I will be happy with my wife, she will be happy with me.  My brothers and sisters in Christ will be happy with me and I with them.  Christ will be happy with me and I with Him. 

   That is all for tonight beloved.  Next time I shall continue on with passages from Philippians, I Timothy, II Timothy, Titus, Philimon, Hebrews, James, and others.  All are to help formulate this picture in our minds of the Lord Jesus Christ and exactly how pervasive His influence in the Scriptures actually is.  May His grace be with you, may you submit yourself to His authority in your life, and may peace be abundant in your heart.  As the Scriptures point out, no man knows what tomorrow may bring.  If you haven't decided yet what to do about Jesus, I urge you to take time now.  Once you go to sleep tonight you have no control over what might happen to you.  A stroke could take you in your sleep and you will never wake up again.  Something could fall out of the sky and crush your home and you.  An intruder could invade your home and murder you in your sleep.  All of these things are possible, and are uncontrollable by you.  But you control making a decision about Christ Jesus and your eternal destination.  If you die tonight, will you be in heaven?  Do you know for sure?  I hope so.  Go in peace.

~Eric

Wed, Feb 15th - 12:58PM

WHAT ABOUT FAITH HEALING?

"And Jesus went about all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people (Matthew 4:23)."

   This is the very first mention of "the gospel" in the New Testament, significantly Christ emphasized the long-range future aspect of the gospel, the kingdom.  On the day when the kingdom of heaven is established here on earth, all types of sickness and even death itself will be eternally healed, when the earth's centuries-long curse, pronounced originally back in Genesis 3:17, is finally removed (Revelation 22:3).  In illustration of this future deliverance, Jesus demonstrated His power by supernaturally healing great multitudes of needy people.

   The very next verse in Matthew 4 elaborates upon the ubiquity of His healing ministry.  Healing was provided for the full spectrum of disease and illness which afflicts mankind.  No one was omitted.  Everyone was healed of every infirmity of every kind, as long as they had faith.  If we have no faith in Christ then we shall have no evidence of God's power in our life.  Prayers will remain dead upon the floor, no answers forthcoming.  Spiritual vacuum will remain in our hearts and the vain imaginations of man will seek to fill the void. 

   We must realize that nothing was impossible, or too hard, for Christ to cure: not psychatric disorders, demon possession, genetic disorder, or contagious disease.  But it was not this way later in His earthly ministry (Mark 6:5) nor in that of the apostle Paul (II Timothy 4:20) or the other apostles (Matthew 17:14-16).  Obviously the huge scope of this initial healing ministry of Christ Jesus was intended to serve as  a "type" and as a promise of what will happen worldwide and eternally when His kingdom arrives, and His will is done here on earth as it is in heaven.  This healing ministry also served to provide evidence that Jesus was the Messiah, and fulfilled Old Testament prophecy concerning the coming Lamb of God.  Meanwhile, this record serves to assure us that He who came preaching the gospel of the kingdom should be received by faith right now, as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.  Faith healing is not a business.  It is not something from which to make financial gain/profit.  It is also not something in which only a select few get to be healed while the rest remain wanting.  A true faith healer would be found in a hospital healing everyone who is there.  A true faith healer would be found in nursing homes healing everyone.  But we do not find this to be the case today, do we?  Faith healers are found at tent revival meetings, where they are able to control who comes forward for "healing."  It is a means of conning people out of their money through the use of donations to the faith. 

   Remain faithful in serving the Living God.  Continue in doing good works.  Continue to have a song upon your lips each and every day.  Do all things as unto the Lord, not to human masters.  Pray continually for those who do not know Christ, for those who do not understand God's Word.  Pray fervently for these things.  Grace and peace be with you.

~Eric

Sat, Feb 11th - 9:47AM

WHO IS THIS JESUS?

   I want to investigate what the Bible teaches about who Christ Jesus is.  This will be rather long in nature since there is much scripture that comes to bear upon this question.  Where do we begin?  Perhaps we need to start at Matthew 1:1:

"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." 

   This chapter opening up Matthew lays out the lineage of Jesus.  Jewish people in that time period placed immense importance upon knowing from whom they had descended.  It was kept track of meticulously.  So in the opening verse we are informed of whom Jesus had descended from.  This is important from a human standpoint since it places Jesus in the line of kings.  He could hardly claim to come as the King of the Jews if he were not born into the royal line. 

   We also find in Matthew the evidence for the various claims of Jesus.  Jesus claimed to be the Son of God and the Son of Man.  The opening genealogy lays the basis for Jesus being the Son of Man, for His humanity.  "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 (Matthew 2:3)."  Here are the multitude of wisemen appearing upon Herod's doorstep seeking the new born King of the Jews.  "The King" is one of the divine titles which is why it gets used in the worship of the Church (I Timothy 1:17), but Christ is never called "King of the Church."  He is "King of the Jews" and Lord and "Head of the Church"(Ephesians 1:22-23).  These wisemen traveled from the eastern lands searching for this prophesied King.  Where did they come by their information?  It has been conjectured that they were from the land of Babylon where the Jews had been in captivity.  Many of them did not return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city but chose to remain where they were.  While the nation was in captivity they taught their beliefs to the Babylonian intellectuals who could read.  The leadership there had witnessed the miracles during Daniel's lifetime there and clearly understood that Jehovah had power which was evidenced in this world of ours.  The Old Testament scriptures clearly spoke of the coming of a King of the Jews and that there would be a clear sign in the heavens that would pinpoint His location.  Once they saw the star in the nighttime skies they hit the road impersonating Leonard Nimoy.  King Herod obviously took this very seriously since he immediately ordered the death of every single male child from two years of age on down in Bethlehem and the region surrounding it.  So is established Christ's claim to being the "King of the Jews."  Others recognized His claim from the time of His birth.  "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11)."  This furthers the claim by Jesus.  Angels came and declared to the shepherds out in the fields tending to their flocks of sheep that Christ had been born that very day.  Their Savior had finally come to set them free from sin, not from under the rulership of the Romans.  We can also find over in John 1:41 that Andrew clearly understood that Christ was the Messiah who was to be sent to them from God.  "Christ" is not a last name, but it is a title.  We also see this distinction in John 4:42, "And said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of your saying: for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."  It is clearly shown that it is Jesus the Christ, and not Jesus Christ.  Of note here is the term "world."  This comes from "kosmos" which means "mankind."  So we must keep in mind that when the world is bein spoken of in the New Testament it is not the physical globe necessarily, but it very often means mankind as a whole.  Jesus the Christ is the Savior of mankind and not of the physical planet. 

   I will stop right there for now.  I shall continue this study next time.  Grace and peace be yours this day!

~Eric

Thu, Feb 2nd - 12:15PM

The Holy Spirit dwelling within us?

"For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.  Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your heart, as in the provocation, as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, and saw My work.  Forty long years was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known My ways: to whom I swore in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest (Psalms 95:7-11)."

   I know, I know.  This text does not even mention anything about the Holy Spirit living within anyone.  But bear with me.  Is it mere coincidence that these verses are quoted almost verbatim in Hebrews 3:7-11?  Both writers are referring to the 40 years of wandering by the children of Israel out in the wilderness. 

   The Hebrews passage provides us with an important insight into biblical inspiration.  Verse seven begins "as the Holy Ghost says" showing us that God was actually the real author of the psalm.  Then the exact same phrase is quoted again in Hebrews 3:15, this time simply introduced by "it is said."

   Then it is quoted still a third time in Hebrews 4:7, where it tells us that God was "saying in David" this grave warning.  The same Scripture was attributed both to David and to the Holy Spirit.  That phrase "it is said" becomes equivalent to "God says."  All of this clearly affirms the divine inspiration of the Old Testament Scriptures.

   The fact that the same warning, "harden not your hearts," is cited three times in the space of 19 verses, all quoting the original warning found in Psalm 95:8, must mean that God considers it quite important that we do not harden our hearts towards Him.  A hardened heart has no place for the Spirit of God to reside.  A hardened heart has no place for faith in Christ.  A hardened heart has no room for compassion towards those in need.  It is possible that even a child of God can become so involved in the cares of this world and in doubts concerning God's Word that he/she effectively becomes useless to God and must therefore wander and die out in the spiritual wilderness, just as did the Hebrews so many years ago.  It is tragic when this does happen, for that child of God never knows the great blessings of a life of obedient faith to Christ Jesus.  Our hearts must focus upon what is right and true: "The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart (Psalm 19:8)."  Our hearts therefore should rejoice at God's Word, not be hardened against it.  

   As in the days of the Old Testament when God's Holy Spirit would communicate with the prophets, so too today God speaks to individuals through His Spirit which now dwells within each and every believer in Jesus Christ.  Where in times distant past God only allowed His Spirit to be within individuals for very short periods of time, since Christ's substitutionary death and resurrection upon our behalf, God's Spirit remains within born again individuals always.  This is why we can know that Jesus spoke the truth when He said that He would never leave us nor forsake us and would be with us until the very end of this age. 

   Grace and peace be with you all this day!

~Eric