Some Advent Thoughts

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder."  (Isaiah 9:6a)

The American President spoke last night of Islam as, "one of the world's great religions."  It is not.  It is one of the world's great deceptions.  The government will not be upon Mohammed's shoulder.  It "will be upon" Jesus Christ, "upon His shoulder."

Most people interpret our text to be fulfilled some time in the distant future.  How convenient.  Keep the reign of Jesus Christ out of our daily lives, and we can all just go on living with our convenient, feel good religion, all the while running our own lives, our political thinking dominated by the Democrats and Republicans, CNN, MSNBC, Beck,  Limbaugh, rather than the Rule of King Jesus and His "Constitution," the "God-Breathed" Word.  The Bible says that from the time Jesus Christ is revealed in the earth, "the government will be upon His shoulder--not postponed until the Millennium, or after the Rapture, or some other keep-God-out-of-control future.  His reign is now.

In 1962 and 1963, the United States of America, a nation founded upon Judeo/Christian tradition, or another way to put it, a nation founded upon the Old and New Testaments, or another way to put it, a nation founded upon the Bible, decided to reject that foundation and take the prayer of Jesus and the Words of Jesus out of the state school system.  Up to that point, there was at least some demonstration in American life that the reign of Jesus Christ was now, not after we all die.

Most of the revival talk today just means bigger and more gyrating congregations, endless meetings, keeping the Kingdom confined to our parochial ideologies, rather than social and political transformation.  Jesus did not say that the Reign of God is delayed. He said, "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!"--- here, everywhere, now.  Barnes says that there is simply no time restriction implied in this phrase.  I say, The King is here; His Kingdom is here, and, "Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end...."  I pray for, work for, and proclaim no less.

Father, in Jesus' Name, for me, Your reign is NOW!  May my life reflect that.  Amen.
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www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com

Eighteen year old Norwegian, Peter Torjesen, "when he heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2