Fairest Lord Jesus - Maranatha Celtic

"From Days of Eternity"

"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.  His goings forth are from the days of eternity."  (Micah 5:2, NASB)

The moment you and I stepped into Jesus Christ, at that same moment Jesus stepped into you and me.  And, what took place in that great "transaction" was that we stepped into Eternity in Jesus, Who Is, "from the days of eternity."

We tend to speak of "before" we surrendered our lives to Jesus and "after" we surrendered our lives to Jesus.  In Jesus Christ, however, there is no before or after.  The Bible calls it, "Eternal Life," as in what the Interlinear Bible tells us, "God love the world this way: He gave [Himself in] His only Son...," and, "whoever believes in (surrenders their life to Jesus) has (right at that moment, not in some future sense, not "shall have" but) "I have, I hold, I possess eternal life."  Yes! we do. 

There is a very real sense in which our King and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Only One, "from days of eternity," in and through Jesus' shed Blood, His death and resurrection, "grafted" you and me into, "from days of eternity."  Remember that the Bible tells us about what happened at our New Birth.  You are not today where the Enemy may be attempting to tell you.  Rather, Father, "raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." 

Yes, and glory to the Living Triune God, when we think of our lives, the pain and pleasure, the sadness and rejoicing, "God-Breathed," Reality declares to us that right now, whatever we may be going through, you and I are literally above the clamor of the world, above the trials.  We are right now, "in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."  Join the heavenly chorus.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for the overcoming victory of This.  Amen.

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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Remember: It's Not Dreary Christ--It's Merry Christmas

"....Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord."  (Luke 2:10, 11)

The tree is lit; one of my favorite Christmas Carols is playing, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen;" it's snowing here, as in, "just like the ones I used to know," and all accompanied by some great memories of childhood Christmases.  There was that year I got a Lionel Steam Locomotive, then the year I got the Bee Bee gun, and another year of that glorious Flexible Flyer sled, which, by the way, could get up to delightful speeds.  And, O, the great Christmas Day traditional dinner at Grandpa and Grandma Barnette's house.  As we would drive up to the house, that turkey smell would come out and drag you in.  But it's really about even more than this, right?

So now what?  I pray that you have such great memories, and not dwell on any which may not be so pleasant.  It was just a couple of days after Christmas, 1969, that we discovered something was wrong with Stephen.  You know the rest of the story.  The, "Now what?" for me is that I want to encourage any who have difficulty at this time of year, a time which is supposed to be full of, "love and joy come to you," but they don't.  Do not allow the Enemy of our souls to defeat you in sorrow, grief, resentment, sadness.  Our Lord Jesus Christ Who appeared in that Bethlehem stable will again appear.  As the Scripture tells us, "so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him."

The, "Salvation," spoken of in this Hebrews 9:28 passage is the deliverance from, "this present world," system.  It is destined to be the deliverance from suffering, pain, despair, sorrow, as in, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."  This is nothing other than the, "salvation to those who are waiting for Jesus."  What you and I are now living is, "....the former things...."  Keep pressing on and in, my friend.  The glorious "latter things" are coming.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for what David thanked You for, "Who am I, O Lord God?  And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?"  Amen.

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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Correction

He is 33 years old!

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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

You Go, Guy! Yippee

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever....Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the scales....All nations before Him are as nothing, and they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.....He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless....Even the youths shall faint and be weary....But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.  They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."  (Isaiah 40: 15 & 17)

I watched Monday Night Football last evening.  At one point, a 32 year old running back started off on what was to be a 90 yard touchdown run.  I was amused at my reaction.  When he broke into the clear, I started cheering, "You go, guy."  I kept waiting for the younger corner backs who were chasing him to catch him; they didn't.  I just starting laughing.  I guess it was an old guy cheering on another "old" guy--- a great moment. (Some are probably thinking, "Wow!  We need to pray for you!")

Maybe what I saw last night was a sort of illustration of today's text.  Everything apart from Jesus Christ is, "a drop in a bucket,..counted as the small dust....All...are counted by Him less than nothing....Even the youths shall faint and be weary."  That 32 year old running back is one of the best in the league, but he will not be able to do what I saw indefinitely. 

Yet in the face of our "withering" life, notice the "Good News" recorded in our text.  "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.  They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."  Yes, this is for the young and old in the Church.  Some may say, "Well, this doesn't help me now."  It should.  Everything, "withers," and, "fades."  In Jesus Christ, however, there is no withering and no fading.  I cannot now, "....run and not be weary...."  But because of Jesus' Death and Resurrection, "That Day," is coming.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for this great promise.  Amen.

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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"....Whose mind rests on You."

"You will keep him in perfect peace ('completeness, soundness,') whose, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."  (Isaiah 26:3)

The NASB says, "The steadfast of mind you will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You."  The Interlinear adds for, "stayed/steadfast," the Words, "leans, rests, support."  Apparently, there is a direct connection between, "peace," and what our mind, "leans," on, "rests," in, and relies on for, "support."  This cannot be feelings.  Feelings come and go; not so, "the peace of God."

Thinking about the Godhead, attempting to imagine Him comes from our limited selves.  I have no other suggestion today concerning, "perfect peace," than to keep our minds full of Jesus' Words.  Any other mental activity is futile.  All of the "stuff" which bombards Christendom about "peace" that is not centered in, "The Word of God," is empty.  Man keeps looking for alternatives to the Bible "way."  There are none. 

The Bible tells us to be, "....transformed by the (literally) completely change of your mind."  Only the Words of Jesus', the Bible can do that.  And only when I allow the, "Words of God," to, "completely change...[my] mind," can I know, "perfect peace." 

Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to, "pursue peace and holiness," only as You tell me to.  Amen.

 

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.'"

Hebrews 12:2