Category: Jesus

“I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” Job 42:2

• Unless a young virgin miraculously conceived and gave birth to a baby Boy in Bethlehem, Scripture would not have been fulfilled and salvation would not have come to the world.
• Unless Joseph had taken his wife and Child to Egypt to escape the sword of Herod, Scripture would not have been fulfilled and God’s plan would have been thwarted.
• Unless Jesus was baptized, all righteousness would not have been fulfilled.
• Unless the Holy Spirit led and empowered Jesus, He would not have been able to fulfill His ministry.
• Unless Jesus resisted the devil in the wilderness and throughout His life, He would not have been the spotless Sacrifice for the sins of the world.
• Unless Lazarus died, Jesus would not have raised him back to life for people to have one more proof that He is the Resurrection and the Life.
• Unless Jesus was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, falsely accused, humiliated, beaten, and crucified, Scripture would not have been fulfilled and redemption would not have been purchased.
• Unless Jesus was raised on the third day, God’s Word would not have been fulfilled and our faith would be futile. (I Corinthians 15:17-19)
• Unless Jesus ascended, He would not be reigning at the right hand of His Father.
• Unless the Son was glorified, the Spirit would not have been poured out on mankind… on both Jew and Gentile.
• Unless the Holy Spirit leads, empowers, and comforts us, we cannot live the abundant life Jesus offers those who come to Him.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.” Psalm 127:1

“Remain in Me, and I will remain in you, No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the Vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.” John 15:4

I may not get to write over Christmas Break so I wanted to share a video to watch when you have twenty free minutes.

Click the link and watch The Shepherd, which is the pilot feature of The Chosen video series produced by Dallas Jenkins. If you’ve not watched The Chosen stories, you’ll want to be encouraged by the story of Jesus and His followers in the early years of ministry. You can find all the stories online.

The Shepherd is the Christmas story and it reminds us of the incredible love of God:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paOjgZZDads

I pray you and your family have a wonderful season. We all should count our blessings and try to help a fellow struggler.

Merry Christmas!!

“For to us a Child is born,
to us a Son is given,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
And He will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of His government
and peace there will be no end.” Isaiah 9:6-7

“To be or not to be, that is the question…” William Shakespeare, Hamlet
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” J.R. R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

There are many notable lines in classic books but I can’t recall ever meditating on them for long periods of time. Though gifted writers all, the persons who penned the sentences etched in readers’ memories are all human beings and their written words probably don’t reach the status of ‘life-changing.’

We know human beings wrote the Bible too, but there is a unique quality to Scripture that sets words in a different category. How can a person read the same passage over and over and gain fresh insight previously undiscovered? Why do believers constantly go to Scripture for sustenance? How can unbelievers be convicted and radically changed by encounters with God’s Word?

God’s Word cannot be disconnected from the Father, Son, and Spirit. The apostle Paul wrote: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (II Timothy 3:16-17)

Led by the Spirit, the apostle John calls Jesus ‘the Word’ in his writings: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) And “He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God.” (Revelation 19:13)

The Word of God is supernatural: “For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates to dividing soul and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12-13)

No one handled Scripture as well as Jesus, and He has given us the Holy Spirit to help us “rightly divide the Word of truth.” Many during His days on earth knew the words but missed the Message. “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.” (John 6:39-40) Jesus knew that He is the main Message of Scripture.

Jesus also knew the power of His Father’s written Word. Three times in the wilderness He resisted the devil with: “It is written…” followed by enemy-defeating Scripture. (see Luke 4:1-13) Surely Jesus aims for us to use the same Sword of the Spirit as we stand against the one who “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

I’m a proud Grandpa when I hear our four grandchildren quote memory verses their parents have helped them memorize. David wrote: “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11) My prayer for my grandchildren, my children, my wife, myself, and all of us is to allow the Holy Spirit to bring Scripture to life in the way the Father intends and to let us experience the ‘life-changing’ Message of Christ, the One who loves us and died for us — Jesus, the Word of God.

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4

The Bible says when Jesus returns the archangel will give a loud shout and God’s trumpet will sound. (see I Thessalonians 4:16). When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, there were shouts of ‘Hosanna’ and the religious leaders asked Jesus to silence the shouts of children. Jesus pointed them to Scripture.

The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”…

The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple and He healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things He did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked Him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, ‘From the lips of children and infants You, Lord, called forth Your praise’?” (Matthew 21:9-16)

God must like shouting about His Son. Twenty-five years ago Martin Smith, lead singer for the British band Delirious?, wrote a song encouraging us to do our part:

Men of faith rise up and sing
Of the great and glorious King
You are strong when you feel weak
In your brokenness complete

Shout to the North and the South
Sing to the East and the West
Jesus is Savior to all
Lord of heaven and earth

Rise up women of the truth
Stand and sing to broken hearts
Who can know the healing power
Of our awesome King of love

Rise up Church with broken wings
Fill this place with songs again
Of our God who reigns on high
By His grace again we’ll fly

Shout to the North and the South
Sing to the East and the West
Jesus is Savior to all
Lord of heaven and earth

“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.”
Psalm 95:1

“Shout To The North” ©1995 Curious? Music UK/PRS

It is not good to compare ourselves with others, but it is wise to learn from others. Paul wrote: “Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.” (I Cor 11:1) It is interesting to examine reasons for words and actions. Of course, God alone knows hearts… and what He has accomplished in hearts.

For example, Peter gave the Good Confession when Jesus asked what people were saying about Him: “Who do you say I am?” “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus blessed Peter… but He knew the reason for his friend’s perfect answer: “This was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven.” (see Matt 16:13-20) In other words: “Right answer, Peter! But don’t take credit for it…”

Mary poured out the precious content of her alabaster jar despite the criticism of other believers in the room. Why did she do this? Perhaps Mary was so grateful her brother Lazarus had been raised from the dead that she was willing to offer her most treasured possession. Or perhaps God had revealed the true worth of His Son to Mary because she had once chosen simply to sit at the Master’s feet. (see Luke 10:38-42) Jesus gave another reason for Mary’s extravagant action: “Leave her alone… It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.”(John 12:7)

Sometimes the best examples to follow are those who humbly choose simply to abide in Christ… with no fanfare. Such disciples tend to have an ever-increasing appreciation of God’s amazing work and a willingness to ‘become nothing’ so Jesus can become ‘everything.’ Paul knew he had not arrived (see Phil 3:12-14), but he gave the reason for living the way he did: “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) In other words: Jesus is the Reason.

One day God will honor His children who aimed to listen to the Master’s voice and follow Him. They will be caught off guard by the praise of the King: “But Lord, when did we do this? We only did what You led us to do. Any reason for good in our lives on earth came directly from You. We did not realize when we loved a homeless person, or visited a guy in prison, or took care of a sick friend, or helped feed the hungry or cared for the orphan or served the widow… we were actually serving You. Jesus, You are our Reason… and You deserve all the glory.”

“Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me… Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.” (Matt 25:34-40)