“God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes; and there shall
be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain:
for the former things are passed away.”
—Rev.
21:4.
The Word of God tells us of the day when tears shall be gone forever. Until we come to that day, we move through this world in the midst of tears. It is okay to cry, and often it can be a healin thing. Let us not scoff at the man who cries. Some of the world’s greatest people have shed tears. Often it is not a sign of weakness. This was a sign of strength. Henry Ward Beecher said, “I knew but two men who boasted that so far as they knew, they had never shed a tear. I watched the careers of those two men. One died in a lunatic asylum, and the other spent his life in the penitentiary.” Don’t boast about your hardheartedness or refusal to shed tears. Instead, pray that God will give you a tender heart which will sympathize with others. Jesus was a Man of tears. Isaiah tells us Christ was “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” On three occasions Christ is pictured as weeping: at the grave of Lazarus, over the city of Jerusalem and in the Garden of Gethsemane. Think of our great Saviour weeping over a city. His heart was torn, and His tears represented His attitude toward a lost world. Who was this One who was crying? The Author of our Bible, the Refuge of our souls, the Hope of our resurrection, the Builder of our Heaven, the Source and Provider of all our spiritual blessings. The Word of God has over 250 names for our Christ, including the Fountain from which we drink and quench our thirst, the Hiding Place for our troubled souls, our Intercessor at God’s right hand, our coming King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the Christ who hung the stars in place and stood with God in the creation of all things. When Christ wept over the city of Jerusalem, why did He weep? First, He wept over Jerusalem because He saw their blind eyes. Christ could see men in their true spiritual condition. He saw them dead in trespasses and sins. He saw them under the wrath of God. He saw them without God and without hope. Oh, that we might have the eyes of Jesus to see the condition of men without Christ! We need to see people as dead in trespasses and sins, sinking into the pit of Hell without our loving Saviour. It is not right that we should consider this so lightly. It is an evil tendency of our day that Christians care so little about the spiritual condition of others. May the Spirit of God cut His way into callused hearts and bring about a compassion for souls which w e have not had before. Let us begin to look upon men and women as lost or saved, and when we think of men lost, let us think of all that it means. Second, He wept over Jerusalem because He saw their rejection of Him. The greatest sin is the sin of rejection. This sin will send men into an everlasting Hell. Christ came “to seek and to save that which was lost”; but when He looked upon Jerusalem, He saw a city which had rejected Him. “He came unto his own, and his own received Him not.” Yes, there were some who did receive Him, but most refused Him, and “Jesus wept.” Third, He wept over Jerusalem because He saw their destiny. We may gloss over the awfulness of Hell, but our Christ could not do so. At any moment the Saviour could look into the pit of Hell and see the awful punishment of sinners. At any moment He could look into the presence of God and see the blessedness of the saved. Therefore, He looked on Jerusalem and saw that many were going to Hell and were missing Heaven, and He wept. Christ saw sinners dying without hope, going to an endless, eternal Hell. He was not troubled about their death but about their death without hope. Man is an eternal soul. He is going to spend eternity either in Heaven or in Hell. Christ wept over a city when He saw the people in their downward course. May we pray for Christlikeness as we view a lost world today. May the tears of compassion fill our eyes as they filled His. Think earnestly upon the tears of Jesus. Thank God, we have a Saviour who cares. He gave us demonstrations of His love when He walked upon this earth. He showed His concern at the grave of Lazarus. He expressed His sympathy when He wept over Jerusalem. He showed His compassion. He healed the sick, raised the dead, straightened the limbs of the crippled and opened the eyes of the blind. He saw the tears of the sorrowing widow as she followed the casket holding the body of her boy. With compassion He looked upon the thief who died by His side and, because of his faith, gave him the assurance of Heaven. Jesus cares! “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” We have tears here, but no tears after God wipes them all away in Heaven. We are journeying toward Heaven, some faster than others it seems. For some it is near; for others it is still a distance away. Christians are going to that place where disappointments will not come, plans will not fail, bodies will not decay, and death will not enter. I want to get just as many people ready for Heaven as I can. Hell is a place where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth”; Heaven is a place of joy, happiness and no tears. |
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Thursday, April 26, 2012
No Tears in Heaven -- But on Earth We Sometimes Must Cry, Just as Jesus Did
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Heaven is Real -- A Place of Indescribable Beauty and Peace -- We Will Walk the Streets of Gold, Beside the Crystal Sea
Biblical Eye Witnesses to Heaven
There are several people in the Bible who have been eye witnesses to heaven before they died. Elijah was caught up into heaven, taken up in a whirlwind and who never tasted death (II Kings 2:1-12). Like Elijah, Enoch who was said to have walked with God, was taken up into heaven without ever tasting death. The apostle John saw heaven through an open door so that he might see and record in the book of Revelation some of the things he saw in heaven (Rev. 4:1).
While Paul was on the Damascus Road on his way to persecute Christians, He saw heaven open up but whether this was heaven itself or just the first heaven where he saw the light, we can not be sure. Acts 9:3-4 described what Paul saw, “As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Heaven is for real and it exists today in every sense of the word.
I am sure you have read or heard about many who have died and seen heaven for themselves. They describe such a realm that is beyond description. Some who died and came back to life revealed seeing their lost loved ones in heaven, their family, friends, and some even their pets. This is difficult to prove, yet the sheer number of these who have seen heaven and came back from death is hard to refute. Only they themselves know this for certain. But the Bible does describe some of what heaven is like in the scriptures. It is, from the human standpoint, indescribable (I Cor. 2:9).
John was carried away to heaven in Revelation chapter 21 and this chapter is perhaps the best description of heaven that we know of; at least the heaven that will be seen by those who are Christ’s today. John describes it in Revelation 21:10-27:
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.
14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia [or 1,400 miles!] in length, and as wide and high as it is long [1,400 miles wide and tall!].
17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits [that is 200 feet!] thick.
18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.
19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst [these last two stones are unknown or only exist in heaven today].
21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.
25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.
26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.
27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelation 21:7-8 shows the fate of those not going to heaven: “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Heaven is a free gift. To not accept it is to seal your fate forever. To accept it is to be with God in heaven for eternity in joyful bliss. Right now if you ask Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, ask for the forgiveness of your sins, admit you are a sinner in need of saving, and place your faith and trust in Him, He promises to never, ever forsake you. He will keep you in His own hand and never caste you away, even if you die (John 6:37, 10:28-29). If you do this right now and you will see heaven for yourself. And you will be with the Lord our God forever and ever.
While Paul was on the Damascus Road on his way to persecute Christians, He saw heaven open up but whether this was heaven itself or just the first heaven where he saw the light, we can not be sure. Acts 9:3-4 described what Paul saw, “As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Heaven is for real and it exists today in every sense of the word.
I am sure you have read or heard about many who have died and seen heaven for themselves. They describe such a realm that is beyond description. Some who died and came back to life revealed seeing their lost loved ones in heaven, their family, friends, and some even their pets. This is difficult to prove, yet the sheer number of these who have seen heaven and came back from death is hard to refute. Only they themselves know this for certain. But the Bible does describe some of what heaven is like in the scriptures. It is, from the human standpoint, indescribable (I Cor. 2:9).
Biblical Descriptions of Heaven
There is a constant chant of holy angels that are continually proclaiming Holy, Holy, Holy over the throne of God. The Mercy Seat in heaven where God sits is surrounded by magnificent angels full of glory and power that proclaim and bless the holy name of God without ceasing. Some of these are described as beasts, full of eyes, with six wings and neither rest day or night in their proclaiming the holiness of God (Rev. 4:8-11).Heaven Descends to the Earth
After the Kingdom of Heaven begins on earth, after Christ’s return, the New Jerusalem descends out of heaven and heaven, in the New Jerusalem, will then be on earth. Revelation 21:1-2 describes this: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” The very tabernacle of God will be with humans then and heaven is any place where God is at (Rev. 21:3). All pain, suffering, and tears will absent there (Rev. 21:4).John was carried away to heaven in Revelation chapter 21 and this chapter is perhaps the best description of heaven that we know of; at least the heaven that will be seen by those who are Christ’s today. John describes it in Revelation 21:10-27:
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.
14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia [or 1,400 miles!] in length, and as wide and high as it is long [1,400 miles wide and tall!].
17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits [that is 200 feet!] thick.
18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.
19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst [these last two stones are unknown or only exist in heaven today].
21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.
25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.
26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.
27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
How You Can Go to Heaven
There is only one way for you to see heaven and Jesus Christ is the one and only access to it (John 6:44, Acts 4:12, 16:30-31). There is no other way possible to get to heaven but by the Son of God. Getting to heaven is a one-way trip. If you die before the rerutn of Jesus Christ you will go directly to heaven and be in the presence of God. If you never see heaven, you will most certainly see hell and that is also a one-way trip from which there is no return.Revelation 21:7-8 shows the fate of those not going to heaven: “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Heaven is a free gift. To not accept it is to seal your fate forever. To accept it is to be with God in heaven for eternity in joyful bliss. Right now if you ask Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, ask for the forgiveness of your sins, admit you are a sinner in need of saving, and place your faith and trust in Him, He promises to never, ever forsake you. He will keep you in His own hand and never caste you away, even if you die (John 6:37, 10:28-29). If you do this right now and you will see heaven for yourself. And you will be with the Lord our God forever and ever.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
May the God of All Comfort Give You Comfort When Hard Times Come, and When Tragedy Strikes
We live in a broken world, affected by sin and evil. Sometimes that brokeness entreats upon us and we are shaken to our knees.
Such happened this week, when a little baby less than two weeks old lay in great sickness, with a terminal infection, at the University of Iowa health center. The best doctors in our state could not save him.
His young mother, a member of our church is devasted, along with his father, and both families of grandparents, uncles and aunts. Our church has a broken heart.
Our hearts go out to Meagan and Michael, to the Parsons and Norland families, in the passing to heaven of little Kennedy. It is all so very sad, so hard for human hearts to take. Please join me in praying for them.
Confusion ..... Shock .... Despair...... Disbelief ...... Heart breaking grief -- these are the emotions they are feeling. They were overjoyed at the miracle of new life, new birth -- but now they are forced to grieve and pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.
In times like these I have heard people ask, "How could God allow this to happen?" It is a natural question, rising from our human sadness. But we have to understand that there are good and evil forces at work in this world. The brokenness of our earth is at work in the sad and hurting things of the world. The Bible tells us that in God's perfect world to come there will be no more tears, no more sadness.
"3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him opr her that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7He or her that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his or her God, and he shall be my son, she will be my daughter." Revlations 21:3-7
In that coming bright day these parents will be re-united with Kennedy again. It is a promise we believe in. God will bring His young ones home to Him. But the tragedy of it all remains, shocking our senses, and shattering our hearts.
What Should You Do When Tragedy Strikes?
Put Your Faith in God, and Keep Your Faith in God
When one thinks about sustaining faith, he can learn from the story of Job. The Bible says that Job was a perfect man, a righteous man, a man who turned from evil. Nonetheless, in one fell swoop everything that had meaning and purpose or made sense for Job was lost.
The Sabeans rustled all his oxen and donkeys and killed all the herdsmen. Fire struck the sheep and the shepherds and burned them up. The Chaldeans raided the camels, carried them off, and put all the drivers to death. A whirlwind swept across the desert, struck his eldest son’s house, and killed all of Job’s sons and daughters while they were dining.( Job 1:13-19)
To top if off, Job broke out in running sores from head to foot, and in disgust his wife said to him. "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!" (Job 2:9)
There he was. Job the righteous. Job the affluent. Job the successful. Job the powerful. Everything was gone. His world had crashed. Everything was wiped out.
What would you do? What would you do if you lost it all? What would you do if your children were taken from you? What would do if your spouse said, "Curse God and die?"
Look at Job and his response. Here was a sick man sitting in an ash pile. Notice his action: "Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshipped" (Job 1:20).
He remembered the source of His strength. He remembered the hope of his future. He remembered that God said that He would never leave him nor forsake him. It is rather strange, isn’t it? Everything was lost, and Job fell down on the ground and worshipped.
In essence, Job is saying, "Even though, tragedy has struck my life and I’ve lost it all, I trust God and I know that everything will be all right." We read of his profound faith in ....
Job 19:25,26 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God.
May we encourage people in tragic situations to keep your faith and to remind them that they are not alone. I believe that God will supply us with a power that is greater than ourselves to bring us through the difficulties that we face.
Notice what Job did. Notice what he did not do. He did NOT lose faith in God.
Job 1:20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship It is rather strange, isn’t it? Everything was lost, and Job fell down on the ground and worshipped. In essence, he is saying, "Even though, I’ve lost it all, I trust God and I know that everything will be all right in the long run."
Job 19:25,26 Fo I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God.
Pray for God's comfort in your situation. Prayer rises over earthly limits, prayer steps over the boundaries, it surpasses the limiting factors, it causes you to rise above the hindrances, it helps you to cope with the uncontrollable.
Express Your Complete Trust in God.
That is where faith comes in. You have to believe that His word is true. You have to trust. There are four things that I want to share with you about trust:
a. When we trust God, we can expect God to work all things out for good.
Whatever is going on, we must remember that God is working out for your good. I am not saying that everything that happens to you will be good. There will be pain. There will be suffering. But, I believe that God takes those pains and blends them with His grace and produces good out of bad situations.
In the darkest moments of our lives together, Patty and I have claimed ...
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Many times we have had to say, "God we do not understand it; We don’t like it; but we put our trust in you and we believe that you will work all things together for your good in the long run.
The Bible gives hope into difficult situations. The Word of God can transform you and give you the energy to press on in the face of your opposition. You can press on with confidence that God is going to make everything good.
We can be confident that God’s word is true. God will help us in our grief. He will help us to carry on. Don’t lose hope. Put your confidence in Him.
c. As we trust God, we can expect the Spirit to make intercession when we are having problems.
Jesus is our advocate. In John 14, Jesus said, "I will not leave you as orphans, but I will send you a comforter, the Holy Spirit. He will be with you and will walk along side of you." The Holy Spirit is provided to make intercession when we are having problems. ..
Romans 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our heart knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
God’s Spirit will connect with your spirit and everything will be all right.
d. As we trust God, we can expect God to keep us in His love. God will keep you in his love. Paul says in
Romans 8:35, 37-39:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or the sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, angels nor demons, things present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all of creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Glory be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
We are not immune from tragedy, but neither are we alone. Call on God. He wil be with you.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Praise the Lord that Through Him We Have the Certain Hope of Eternal Life!
Faith, hope and love are the fundamental, enduring qualities of a Christian. Notice that Paul addresses his thanksgiving to God, recognizing that He is the one responsible for these traits. Their faith was in Jesus Christ - not in themselves, the church or their good works, but faith and trust in Christ who is the source as well as the object of our faith.
This faith “in” Christ showed itself by love for all fellow believers, not just their personal friends.
There are three types of love in Greek:
ErosChristians need to major in agape love. If we don’t love fellow believers, how will we love God? If we don’t love God, how will we love fellow believers?
The passionate, lustful kind of love - the word erotic comes from that. This word is never used in the Bible.
Phileo
Friendship, brotherly kind of love - often used.
Agape
Genuine concern care consideration and compassion for another in spite of who or what they are. Desiring the best for them and being willing to help them achieve it.
Faith is the soul looking upward to God; Love looks outward to others – the hope we have looks forward to the future.
We have hope because Christ conquered death. He arose! He ascended to heaven!. Without Christ’s ascension and His present intercession there on behalf of believers, they would have no hope.
“For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men” (l Corinthians 15:16-19).
So the great good news of the gospel is the fact that Christ died for our sins, was buried but rose again. Praise God we have the certain hope of eternal life.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Come Holy Spirit -- Fill Us With Your Love!
THE HOLY SPIRIT
Recently a teen aged young woman asked me, , “Who is the Holy Spirit?”
Good question. All of us Chtistians need to ponder the answer to that question. The Spirit seals us unto redemption and empowers us for service.
The biblical answer to this question is threefold. First, the Holy Spirit is divine. Second the Holy Spirit is a unique person of the Godhead. Third the Holy Spirit has a unique role in the Godhead.
John 14:25, 26 “These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
Here, Jesusassures them that the Father will send the Holy Ghost/Spirit in Jesus’ name for the continued efforts of the disciples.Verse 26 is one of the few verses in the Bible that mentions the three persons of the Godhead–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We spend a lot of time learning about God the Father. We spend a lot of time learning about Jesus the Christ.We don’t spend as much time studying about the Holy Spirit.Perhaps this is the reason that this subject is so misunderstood in the religious world today.
A brief word about the Godhead. The word “Godhead” refers to all three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It comes from “Godhood” and it refers to the Deity of God.They are ONE. All share the same purpose. So it is sometimes difficult to see the distinctions between the three.
4) The Holy Spirit is a person with personal characteristics. The Holy Spirit is refered to in the New Testament with masculine gender pronouns. The Holy Spirit is not an “IT.”
Who is the Holy Spirit?
I. First, the Holy Spirit is Divine–He is God/Deity.
1. The Holy Spirit shares all the attributes of God.
1) Omnipresence — Psalm 139:7-12 “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.”
2) Omniscience — Isaiah 40:13, 14 “Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?”
3) Grace — Hebrews 10:29 “Spirit of Grace”
4) Powerful — Romans 15:19 “Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”
5) Eternality — Hebrews 9:14 It was through the “eternal spirit” that Christ offered himself to God.
The Holy Spirit is mentioned as being in a divine relationship with the Father and the Son.
1) Ephesians 4:4-6 as there is one Lord and one Father, there is one Spirit as well. They are all three mentioned together as part of the godhead.
2) The Holy Spirit is one with the Son.
a. Isaiah 11:1-4 “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.”
b. John 1:33 “And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.”
c. John 3:34 — Spirit given without measure. “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.”
3) The Holy Spirit is one with the Father.
a. Isaiah 48:16 when the Father sends, the Spirit sends as well. “Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.”
b. Matthew 10:19, 20 when the Spirit speaks, the Father is speaking. “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.”
3. The Holy Spirit is worthy of Worship.
1) Praise for His goodness. Psalm 143:10 “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”
2) Praise for His work in creation. Psalm 104:30 “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.”
II. The Holy Spirit is a unique person of the Godhead.
1. He manifests the attributes of an individual personality.
1) He speaks. 2 Samuel 23:2; Ezekiel 11:5; Matthew 10:20; Acts 8:29; Acts 10:19; Acts 13:2
2) He acts. Acts 8:39 Took Philip so that the Eunuch saw him no more.
3) He leads. Matthew 4:1 Lead Jesus to be tempted of Satan.
4) He calls. Acts 13:2 Called Paul and Barnabus unto a specific work.
5) He guides. John 16:13; Acts 11:12 Guide the Apostles into all truth. Guided Peter to the house of Cornelius.
6) He forbids. Acts 16:7 Forbade Paul and company to go into Asia.
7) Can take a unique form. Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22 (bodily shape)
8) He makes intercession. Romans 8:27
9) He knows. 1 Corinthians 2:11 Knows the mind of God.
10)Makes decisions. Acts 15:28 Seemed good to us AND the Holy Spirit.
2. Although he is part of the godhead, he stands in distinction to the Father and Son.
1) Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 4:21– To the son. “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”
Monday, April 9, 2012
What Can Wash Away My Sins? Nothing But the Blood of Jesus!
THE BLOOD
One night in a church service a young woman felt
the tug of God at her heart.
She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as
her Lord and Savior.
The young woman had a very rough past, involving
>alcohol, drugs, and prostitution.
But, the change in her was evident. As time went
>on she became a faithful member of the church.
She eventually became involved in the ministry,
>teaching young children.
It was not very long until this faithful young
woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son.
The relationship grew and they began to make
wedding plans.
This is when the problems began.
You see, about one half of the church did not
>think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor's
son.
The church began to argue and fight about the
matter.
So they decided to have a meeting.
As the people made their arguments and tensions
increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand.
The young woman became very upset about all the
>things being brought up about her past.
As she began to cry the pastor's son stood to
speak.
He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife
to be. He began to speak and his statement was this:
"My fiancee's past is not what is on trial here.
What you are questioning is the ability of the
blood of Jesus to wash away sin.
Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial.
So, does it wash away sin or not?"
The whole church began to weep as they realized
that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the
past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters.
Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the
Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other
>person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely.
If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of
trouble.
What can wash away my sins?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus! End of case!!!!
"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall
sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."
Psalm 55:23
>Happy Easter -- He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed!
Easter Joy
To show us how to live,
How to put others first,
How to love and how to give.
That God sent Him to do;
He took our punishment on Himself;
He made us clean and new.
Calling angels from above,
But He chose to pay our price for sin;
He paid it out of love.
But the cross did not destroy
His resurrection on Easter morn
That fills our hearts with joy.
Like His, is just a rest. We'll be forever with Him
In heaven, where life is best.
Think of Him in all we do.
Thank you Savior; Thank you Lord.
Help us love like you!
By Joanna Fuchs
Happy Easter -- He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed!
To show us how to live,
How to put others first,
How to love and how to give.
That God sent Him to do;
He took our punishment on Himself;
He made us clean and new.
Calling angels from above,
But He chose to pay our price for sin;
He paid it out of love.
But the cross did not destroy
His resurrection on Easter morn
That fills our hearts with joy.
Like His, is just a rest. We'll be forever with Him
In heaven, where life is best.
Think of Him in all we do.
Thank you Savior; Thank you Lord.
Help us love like you!
By Joanna Fuchs
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Melanie Person: We Can Hear the Lord Saying "Well Done, My Good and Faithful Servant!"
Melanie Person 1959 - 2012
The Native Alaskans that adopted me in Alaska had a saying when a wonderful person went to be with the Lord. They would say, "A great tree has fallen, and the whole forest mourns." In my own churches this past week a great tree has fallen, and we all mourn, even as we rejoice in her promotion to God's army in heaven. Melanie Person was a remarkable Christian woman.
Here are remarks given at her Celebration Service:
We come here today to remember Melanie Person, to celebrate her life, to rejoice that she now lives with the Lord, to thank God that because of the miracle salvation in Jesus Christ we will surely see her again.
Melanie was a longtime leader of church and community. She meant so much to the family of this church, and the Lone Rock Presbyterian Church. We mourn her passing with her family and friends, but we also are so very thankful for the blessing of her life and rejoice in all the ways she touched so many people with her hard work and service and kindness.
What is more, we celebrate the promise of the resurrection and the assurance that this faithful Christian, is even now resting in the arms of God, through the power and glory of Jesus Christ Our Lord. Melanie had a long and wonderful life here on this earth, and we rest in the belief that she is in a better place, with God.
We take comfort in the Christian conviction that nothing in this life can compare to the vast joy we will experience with God on the other side of the veil. Melanie is in that joy now, reunited with other loved ones and friends. May that thought give the family and friends and the church she loved so dearly, much comfort.
I have been a pastor, in one way or another, for nearly 26 years now – in Florida helping my own father, in Alaska, in Lancaster, Wisconsin and in Burt and Woden. In that time I have been privileged to walk with many families in this final walk that we all have to make. Yet I have never seen any more courage in the face of a difficult illness, and still consistent caring for others and service to God, than I saw in Melanie Person. She never stopped working for the mission of Christ, right to the very end of her time on this earth.
We wanted Melanie to stay longer, and we told the Lord that. We prayed for healing and more good days here. But, God showed forth a purpose and a call for Melanie to come home to be with Him. She is in that better place, rejoicing with God. But we miss her deeply.
As I look back on it all, God Melanie to teach us many lessons, to show us how a good woman dedicates herself to God gives herself over to the Lord. We are confident that Melanie has now received ultimate healing . No more pain. No more tears. Just full healing and restoration with God.
Melanie left this earth with dignity and honor, in the midst of his families great love, with the comfort of thousands of prayers from Burt and Kossuth county on her behalf. Melanie lived life to its fullest. She left us in the hands of God. And the fact that we believe that because Jesus lives, Melanie continues to live, too, with God.
Melanie wrote an award winning essay at the age of 18, that we have shared with you who have come to pay respects to her and the family. The truths she expressed in this essaycontinued to frame her life, as she married Dale, raised a great family with him, began a highlysuccessful career, The essay is about the miracle of salvation and it is entitled, "The Decision That Changed My Life." That most important decision led het to follow Jesus all the rest of her years here on earth.
Melanie helped many people come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Her work as a Sunday School teacher and youth director helped youth discover and deepen their faith. Her ministry of
encouraging Bible reading, prayer and study was a profound encouragement for hundreds of adults. Her card and book mark ministry touched many folks in deep ways. Melanie lived for Jesus, putting God first, and loving and caring for others. Melanie simply did what God calls on all Christians to do – to follow Jesus, love others, and to serve family, church, and community as God gives us the opportunity to do so. May we carry on that legacy of sharing the love of Jesus.
Praise God for the life and legacy of Melanie Person. We will miss her so very, very much. But one day, in that bright tomorrow in God's own time, we look forward to seeing her again. See you then, Melanie!
Praise God for the life and legacy of Melanie Person. We will miss her so very, very much. But one day, in that bright tomorrow in God's own time, we look forward to seeing her again. See you then, Melanie!
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