"Born To You"

"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)

This Baby was, "born to you."  The shepherds, and later the "Wise Men," could have refused the revelation, but they chose rightly.  

Everything we read in the Bible is, "to you."  Now whether we receive the, "to you," or not is our decision---------- our decision.  While this can be wonderful, it is also tremendously frightening; my decisions will, not may, affect my destiny.  Now some people do not like this theology, the theology which includes man's decisions.  It sounds so God-honoring to say that it is all God.  It is not.  God did his "All" when He created the Universe, revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, took our sin, "in His Own Body on the tree," rose again.  But to become a part of all He has done and is doing we must make a decision, i.e., to surrender to Jesus Christ, or surrender to ourselves, to attempt a pick-and-choose life style, or "pick" only one choice, absolute total obedience to Jesus Christ and His "Law-Word."

Christmas is about giving, God's Gift of Himself in Jesus Christ, and our giving of gifts in thanksgiving and remembrance of that wonderful night so long ago, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."  And it was, "this day," so very long ago, This Life, His Shed Blood, His Cross, Resurrection, His Soon Return, and my choice to reject or accept His All, which determines my eternal destiny.   http://youtu.be/Ubw5N8iVDHI

Father, in Jesus' Name, I choose You.  I choose You every day, every moment, for you have chosen me in Jesus.  Thank You.  Amen.

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Today's Unreached People Group: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com
Iran's Next Move? www.apf327.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "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

A Kingdom Commentary

"Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him." (Psalm 72:11)

If we do not get our text out of the Sunday School class, out of the Bible Study class, out of the closed sessions of Sunday morning services, the modern church will have no more relevance to the global struggle than "Bachelorette."

Definition of Islam:  "Submit, Surrender"
I have no doubt that if the people pictured above would read my writings, they would attempt this.  The following is from an online article:
"Over the last 1400 years, 270 million non-believers were murdered by Muslim jihadists.  Islam destroyed the Christian Middle East and Christian North Africa (To this day, Christians are almost non existent).  It is estimated that upwards of 60 million Christians were slaughtered during this conquest.  Also, half the Hindu civilization was annihilated and 80 million Hindus murdered.  Islamic jihad also destroyed over 10 million Buddhists."

This is "the real world" in which you and I live.  This is Islam since its founding 1500 years ago.  Against some of the contemporary "experts," I say that Islam is not the problem.  Islam was a late comer in human history and simply gave a religious "flavor" to the age-old Arab war of hatred against Jews, Western Civilization, and all who will not submit and surrender to the attempt to establish an "Arab World Empire."  In the last generation, the Arab Islamism has renewed, and is daily strengthening, its resolve to annihilate world Jewry, defeat the West, and triumph over all world religions.  What its Islamic bedfellow failed to do when stopped at the gates of Vienna, it is right now renewing that effort.  Also, what is and has been latent in the Germanic People Group, is beginning to emerge once again.  I have a warning:  Those who think "never again" is a magic formula for victory, yet do nothing to fight the evil, will once again find themselves on "boxcars."

Our text today reveals that there are no multiple rulers in God's economy.  Nowhere in the Bible does the Holy Spirit endorse the reign of multiple kings, religions, political systems.  The Bible declares, "Yes, all kings..,all nations shall serve Him," our King, Jesus Christ.  There is no shared hegemony.  The American Constitution does not rule, the world of political and religious correctness does not rule, egalitarianism does not rule.  Only King Jesus and His "God-Breathed" Word rules.  While Matthew 28 has been used to promote church evangelism, it is also a declaration of war.  "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."  The intent is clear-- to see, "every creature...saved and come to the knowledge of the truth," in Jesus Christ, and yes, to bring all humanity under the reign of Jesus Christ.   While, "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal," we do have weapons, "truth,..righteousness,..the gospel of peace,..the shield of faith,..the helmet of salvation,..the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God,..all prayer and supplication in the Spirit...with all perseverance.... Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth."

Don't allow yourself today to be boxed into a religious blind.  The Reign of God is overcoming men and nations.

Jesus shall reign where'er the sun

does his successive journeys run;

His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,

Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

Behold the islands with their kings,

And Europe her best tribute brings;

From north to south the princes meet,

To pay their homage at His feet.

There Persia, glorious to behold,

There India shines in eastern gold;

And barb'rous nations at His word

Submit, and bow, and own their Lord.  (Isaac Watts) 

Father, in Jesus' Name, "Thy Kingdom come.  Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven."  Amen.

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Read Full Article from which the above photo came: www.apf327.blogspot.com

Today's Unreached People Group:  www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "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

One Eye On the Past and One Eye on the Future

"Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven." (Psalm 85:11)

There is a lot of trumped up, false, hypocritical, and deceptive criticism about Presidential hopeful, Newt Gingrich's statement on the wrongly named palestinians.  His statement was true; palestinians "are an invented people."

I majored in history in the university and the history of doctrine in graduate school.  Those majors have served me well.  They have enabled me to spot fraudulent claims of modern politicians, religionists, pseudo- everythings coming out of Hollywood, and any other source of distortion and lies.  I repeat what Brother Charles once said, "If you don't have a sense of history, you cannot go on," i.e., go on in truth and discernment. 

There is a very real sense than when, "Truth shall spring out of the earth... righteousness shall look down from heaven."  Where there is no truth, there can be no righteousness.  Falsehood will beget unrighteousness, and God's rejection.  It only when I get honest with myself that I will come to Jesus Christ, Who is, "The Lord our Righteousness."  It is only the people absolutely surrendered to Jesus Christ who can recognize honesty, the truth, and escape the deception which is increasing and will over take the earth in, "the last days."  History is truth and is not affected by those who try to rewrite it; it is done.  And in its finality it is a witness of, "Truth."  May God help us to learn from it. 

I have heard a lot of people say over the years say that history bores them.  If you are among them, I highly suggest a conversion.  History is fundamental and, yes, foundational to every aspect of our lives.  The Bible is history, and history, my friend, is not a bad word.  What I just wrote is in the realm of history now and affects what I write next.  Our heritage, our faith is history affecting our future.  America is where it is today, and where it may yet go, because it has ignored its history.  When that happens, any people group and/or person is headed for disaster.  All testimonies are historic proofs of Christ's faithfulness.  Okay, I guess by now you get the point.  What you and I learn from the past will enable us to navigate the surging rapids of the river ahead.  "Truth," and, "Righteousness," await the, "Pure in heart."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I embrace the past because it is a witness to Your Faithfulness.  Maybe I can say, Help me to keep one eye on the past and one eye on the future.  Amen.
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Interview with Daniel Pipes on the "invented people" remark of Gingrich and Daniel Pipes article at:                               www.apf327.blogspot.com
Unreached Peoples of the Day:       www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com

(if clicking on this does not work, just enter it in your search bar)

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "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

None Is Without the Need of Mercy

"Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me; fighting all day he oppresses me." (Psalm 56:1)

This is not only "a Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath."  It is a Psalm for all who have suffered oppression of any kind from any one or any government. 

I went through Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem to the victims of the attempted German state sponsored genocide of the Jews.  I saw a video testimony of a Jew who through it all, even in the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, found joy and peace in the verses of the Torah.  Somehow I think if God's mercy could extend in such hellishness, surely the mercy of our Lord can extend to you and me-------- in anything.     

There are Followers of Jesus Christ whom I have known over the years who have been oppressed by family members, employers, people over them in the work place, even religious leaders.  Whether an oppression seems small or great to others, to the oppressed it is no small thing.  Oppression can lead to depression, health issues, and just an overall discouraging life.  But David knew the source of deliverance, "Be merciful to me, O God..."  History reveals that deliverance from, "man [who] would swallow me," does not always mean getting away from such.  Millions of Followers of Jesus over the centuries have lived and died under oppression.  Yet in the midst of it all, there was He Who alone is Mercy, Jesus Christ.  

May you or someone you know is experiencing, "....Fighting all day he oppresses me."  Call out, "Be merciful to me, O God...."  Now to the super spiritual, this is just too simple a prayer.  But I would rather be a part of David's lineage than theirs.  Jesus Christ is merciful; He has always been merciful, and always will be to the end of days. 

"Therefore, since we do hold and engage in this ministry by the mercy of God [granting us favor, benefits, opportunities, and especially salvation], we do not get discouraged (spiritless and despondent with fear) or become faint with weariness and exhaustion." (2 Corinthians 4:1, Amplified Bible)

Father, in Jesus' Name, Your, "mercies are new every morning."  I ask for and thank you for today's needed mercy.  Amen.

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Today's Unreached Peoples: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com

Newyt Got It Right: www.apf327.blogspot.com  

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "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