Angels

It will not be but a few days and the wrapping paper will be piling up on the floor.  We all have many family traditions.  We have tried to keep some old family traditions going and we have tried to start some new ones too.

It is common to hear someone speak of the angels singing at Christmas time.  Well, I am sorry to be the one who brings you bad news; but, if you find in the Bible that the angels sang I would like to know.  I do not find it anywhere.

My point is not to be a Mr. Grinch or Mr. Scrooge.  I point this out to us because I want you and I to both be persons of truth.  The truth is that it is not in the Bible.  Notice the words often quoted at Christmas time in Luke 2:10, “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”  The angel said. There is no singing by said angels.  In my sanctified imagination I can hear these angelic beings singing heavenly.  However, I must be accurate when it come to the truth of Scripture.  God used angels mightily in the Scriptures to bring message, protect and a host of other things.  When it comes to singing, I just don’t find it.

This year; especially at Christmas time, let’s seek to be Biblically correct.

So, how are you doing?

Mary Did You Know?

It will be less than a week and the wrapping paper and tape will fly through the air as presents are opened.  This is the one day of the year that some people look forward to.

If you were a young Jewish girl there was another day that you looked forward to.  This is the day that Messiah would come.  The reason these girls looked forward to it was because they dreamed of being the one God used to birth Messiah into this world.

As you and I now know, Mary was that chosen vessel.  Many religions want to put far too much emphasis on Mary.  Oh, I do not seek to discredit her because she was blessed above all other women in this world.

Here is the thing.  Even as blessed as Mary was, she was still like you and I.  After the greeting of her cousin Elisabeth, Mary sought to take the spotlight off her and put it where it rightfully needed to be.  Look at Luke 1:46-47, “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”  I think it is interesting that the word “magnify” means to make or declare great; increase or (figuratively) extol.

Mary directed the praise where it should go.  Then she makes a declaration that we all need to take notice of.  In verse 47 Mary tells of her need of a Saviour.  She said, “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”  Mary was acknowledging that she was a sinner and needed a Saviour just like you and I.

So; my friend, it does not matter how highly you think of yourself.  The fact is that you and I need a Saviour.  The Saviour of the world came humbly as a babe, wrapped in grave clothes and was laid in a place that animals ate.  He did all this for you and I.  He came to us so that we could come to Him.

Will you trust Jesus Christ as your Saviour today before it is eternally too late?  Do not take a chance and step out into eternity without having an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ.  He love you and died for you.  Trust Him today.

So, how are you doing?

Joseph’s Example

For several years now I have wanted to study the life of Joseph the husband of Mary.  I think he is someone that we need to take notice of and we don’t.  From what I read in the Scriptures he was a level headed and a thinker.  I think this for many reasons.

When Mary became pregnant he could have legally put her away; but, he did not.  I believe (as I have been told) that Joseph was probably an older man.  This would account for much of the way he handled what was going on in his life at this time.

He was an obedient man.  Look at Luke 2:4, “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)”  He was required to do this and he did it.  According to the account of Scripture he did it without complaining or anything.  This is very unlike us today.

The more I read and learn about Joseph the more I would like to be like what I know about him.  Now I must reflect on my own life.  Is there anything about me that would make others want to be like me?  Oh my.  I really don’t want to think about this.  I am afraid of the answer, truthfully.  I know there are some that would call me a hypocrite and for that I am ashamed and deeply sorry.  Yet, there are those on the other extreme that might think I walk on water (like my children).  The truth be known, I am a man of flesh and blood just like Joseph.  As long as I live in this body of flesh I will war against sin and that is the truth.  With God’s help I can overcome sin; but, only with God’s help and His Spirit can I accomplish it.

So, how are you doing?

No Biggie

A little boy wrote in a class assignment in a Christian school, “When the wise guys from the east side arrived they found Jesus and the manager.”  I thought about this as I was contemplating all the Christmas parties different people are having.  Mind you, my invitations must have been lost in the mail.

We spend countless hour and even dollars in an attempt to make everything perfect.  I don’t know about you; but, I have never hosted “the perfect party” and I have never attended one either.  So, why go to all of the pain and agony?  We want to impress our friends and family.  Plain and simple.  We want them to have an enjoyable time and deep down inside we want our party to be the talk of the town in a good way.

This seems to me to be quite a contrast to our LORD.  The King of kings and LORD of lords humbled Himself and became like us.  He was in human flesh as He lived and walked on earth.

In stark contrast, His entrance into this world was humble and not the event of the year.  It was truly the event of all time and eternity, truthfully.  Look at Luke’s description in the book named for him in Luke 2:12, “And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”  There was no fanfare.  This was His humble beginning as He was living life in obedience to His Father.  He was moving toward the cross.

So, how are you doing?

Hold Fast 7

Today we will bring our current series of blog posts to a close.  Yet, the truth we are going to look at today could be the most important.

We must “Hold Fast to the Second Coming”.  In Jesus’ day the Jews wanted to make Him their King right then.  They wanted deliverance from the Roman rule.  Yet, Jesus did come to deliver them it was not from the iron fist of Rome.  He came to deliver them from the iron fist of the wicked one, the devil.  He came to deliver the Jews from their sin.

The sad reality is that they did not believe in Him then and they have a veil over their eyes.  The Jewish nation is still looking for Messiah to come the first time; but, He has already been here.

The reality is that He will be coming again, soon for His children.  He will return and we who know Him as Saviour will be snatched away or caught up with Him in the clouds.  The truth that Jesus is coming again is as sure as Jesus.  It is a done deal.  It is not a matter of “if”.  It is a matter of “when”.  Our responsibility is to be ready for His second coming and to help as many as will be prepared for His second coming.

Look at Revelation 2:5, “But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.”

So, how are you doing?

Hold Fast 6

It is sad; but, we have become a people of entitlement.  We expect someone else to provide for us.  To give us what we want.  This is far too often way more than we need.  There is a deep and wide chasm between want and need.  As I progress in years I am very, very slowly learning this truth.

It has been said that within the Church that 20% of the people do 80% of the work.  I can see this.  It should not be this way though.  It should be 100% of the people doing 100% of the work.  I know, I know, dream on Preacher.  Just because it is not the reality does not negate the fact that it should be the reality.

We need to “Hold Fast to our Service”.  Look at Hebrews 12:28, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:”  I like the phrase “serve God acceptably”.  It is not just being busy in the ministry.  It is; as Jesus said we are to be “about my Father’s business”.  He was not referring to carpentry; unless, you want to say it is carpentry to build the Kingdom of God.

We need to get back to an old fashioned Christianity where God’s people served Him with all their heart and soul.

So, how are you doing?

Hold Fast 5

We live in a day where it is dark and turned upside down.  What used to be evil is now the normal thing to do.  We have departed from good and right.  We have left moral and we are running swiftly to amoral (no moral).

We should expect sinners to sin.  I mean really.  The rub comes in when Christians sin.  It is like we cast aside what we believe.  It is like we have not made a profession of faith in Christ.  Then it also damages the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Today I want to look at the truth of Hold Fast to our Profession.  Look at Hebrews 4:14, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.”  The word “profession” means acknowledgement.  We need to hold on to our acknowledgement.  Sometimes we think it is easy to let go of the fact that we are Christians.  I am guilty of it and I am sure that you are too.

We have all been in situations where we let our flesh take over and “checked our Christianity at the door” so to speak.  This should not be!  We need to hold on to our profession or acknowledgement.  The writer of Hebrews also give more counsel in Hebrews 10:23, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”  We need to keep standing on firm ground and stop wavering.

So, how are you doing?

Hold Fast 4

The day we live in is a dark day for sure.  One thing that brings me much sadness is how America has forsaken God.  We have forced Him out of our schools and there is a daily onslaught to remove Him from every aspect of American society.

Today I want to exhort you to “Hold Fast” to Christ.  Look at Hebrews 3:6, “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.”  When disaster hits where do we go?  We cry out to the LORD Jesus Christ.  We cry out, “Oh God save me!”  We must get back to that attitude before tragedy strikes.

Too many people are letting go of Christ.  The great thing is that no matter if we let Him go, He will never let us go if we are His child.  This makes me extremely thankful!

People have replaced Church attendance with entertainment both inside and outside the walls of Church buildings.  We have replaced tithing with excessive spending.  We have replaced the Holy Spirit of the Living God with feelings.  In other words, we have replaced the real thing for the most counterfeit.

It is high time for you and I to get back to where the Word of God says we need to be and when we get there we need to “Hold Fast” to Christ.

So, how are you doing?

Hold Fast 3

As we continue our series on “Hold Fast” I want to take time to look at something else that we need to “Hold Fast”.

Have you ever; like me, sat in Church and heard a great sermon?  Sure you have.  Do you remember what that sermon was?  I know.  I cannot either.  This bothers me terribly.  I mean the Pastor takes time to be in God’s Word and works diligently in his studies.  He is ever listening for the Spirit of the Living God to speak to him and as soon as the service is over it is gone.  This is bothersome to me to say the least for me and for my listeners.  At least in this blog you can go back and search it out if you are moved to do so.

So many times we are like a funnel in a negative way.  We let the truth come in and flow right on out.  Some that are in Church just sit, soak and sour.  God help us!

Look at I Corinthians 15:2, “By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.”  The word “keep” means to hold down (fast).  We need to “Hold Fast” the truth of God.  We too often let the truth slip and this is dangerous ground.

So, how are you doing?

Hold Fast 2

There is an old saying in the realm of married men that goes, “You can be right or you can be happy.”  I am not going to go there today in this writing.  I am; however, going to continue the thought of “Hold Fast”.

We live in a world that has flip flopped.  The Bible warns us in the last days that men (and women) will call evil good and good evil.  We should not be surprised.  I guess if you neglect the reading of God’s Word then you might be surprised.

There are some things in life that are just wrong.  It does not matter if congress pass a law against it or for it.  Some things are wrong.  One hot topic I will mention is abortion.  I do not apologize for my stand on the subject.  Abortion is murder!  As one man said, “It may be legal; but, it is not lawful.”  This is right on point.

We have lost our moral compass in our day.  The sad reality is that we don’t even care.  I mean even in the Church we have lost our moral compass.  We have left off the Word of God and brought in some “version”.  We have substituted Christ-centered music for rock and roll.  We have changed worship to some emotional melting pot.

Churches are sadly giving up on righteousness.  This is sad!  It is gut wrenching.  The Church is the Bride of Jesus Christ.  He died for the Church.  We have let His Church become some unholy, unrighteous social club for saints and sinners alike where there is no difference.

We need to be like Job of old.  Look at Job 27:6, “My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.”  The words “hold fast” here mean to fasten upon, to seize.  Now there is an idea, Church.  Get a firm grip on the truth of God’s Word and hold fast or fasten upon It and seize It!

So, how are you doing?