Category: Jesus

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Advent: Seeing Christ in Scripture

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Advent Series from Titus

The more focused you are the more you can see is a truth that crosses all dimensions. For example, if you are focused on the images in a telescope you can see not just a mix of stars but if you look closely you can see particular stars. That is how it is with scripture. The more focused you are the more you are apt to see the Christmas narrative in each and every book. They say that Christ is found in every book of the Bible but until you focus you might miss the details that the authors have pointed out.

Ch 1: God, who does not lie promised the hope of eternal life before time began. John 1, in the beginning, was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was fully God. In him was life and the life was the light of mankind.  God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen? [Num 23]

Ch 2: The grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all people. We wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Luke 2: Simeon waiting in the Temple “for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples.

Ch 3: We are saved not by works of righteousness but on the basis of his mercy …poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. Note from Dr. Constable: God poured out His Holy Spirit on believers richly. He did this first at Pentecost (Acts 2), but He does it since then whenever individuals experience conversion (cf. Rom. 5:5).

Keep looking! Keep your eyes open to see Jesus in the OT and revealed in the NT! Happy Advent!

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Being a Tour Guide

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Ezekiel 40  Many of us have visited museums or art galleries where a tour guide or an audio guide “fills in the blanks” that we might miss. The prophet Ezekiel is in Jerusalem and encounters a man who will be Ezekiel’s tour guide of the new Temple. Before he begins the tour he gives Ezekiel these instructions:

“Son of man, watch closely, listen carefully, and pay attention to everything I show you, for you have been brought here so that I can show it to you. Tell the house of Israel everything you see.”

Jesus was the disciple’s tour guide for three years. He told them to have open ears and open eyes because they would be tasked to tell the good news after he would be gone. But, God would not leave them without a new tour guide in this new task. Their new tour guide would  be “ the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name; He will teach you everything, and will cause you to remember everything I said to you.” [Jn 14]. and like the healed demoniac, they were to: “Go to your home and to your people and tell them what the Lord has done for you, that he had mercy on you.” The task is the same for us:

We know who we were and who we are now.

Pray for opportunities to be a tour guide to those who need to hear the gospel message.

Image Credit: Flickr

 

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Satan’s Lies Never Change!

Ezekiel 28 Recently a rich and powerful man was found in sin. He was incarcerated and found that when all was said and done, his piled-up riches, and wisdom were unable to protect him from the enemies crouching at his door. His false façade of “self-exaltation” came crashing down and in that cold cell he, like the leader of Tyre, died alone. Satan’s lie never changes.

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Satan has dangled this lie before men: “you will be like God.”  Like many, the rich man and the leader of Tyre, fell hook, line, and sinker trusting in their riches, position, power, and wisdom. Satan’s lies never change. James reminds us that when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin and when sin is full-grown, it gives birth to death. Have you fallen for Satan’s lie? Do you think all your riches, good works, and worldly wisdom will prove you are righteous? Beloved, God says there is none righteous, no not one. Your one-way ticket to heaven is through Jesus alone. He is the way, the truth and the life and no man comes to the Father but by Him.

Over and over God has said to men, I have left you here so you will see and know that I am the Lord. Like Pharaoh’s magicians, the rich man and the leader of Tyre saw the finger of God but chose to believe Satan’s lie and now face an eternity apart from Christ. Beloved, gods don’t die but humans do and apart from Christ will face eternal separation from God.   Learn this lesson: he who exalts himself shall be humbled.

What will you choose?

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Is God your Coach?

ezekiel 20 coach2aEzekiel 19 to 21

If you are an avid sports fan you are familiar with this scenario. The coach calls the team to the bench and then gives a pep talk or a scolding, depending on the score. The team high fives and returns to the field or floor. Yet, the coach’s words go by the wayside. We hear whistles and calls for a time-out and the coach again gives his team the plays to follow. But, once again the team seems to forget the coach’s words for once again they flounder and fail. The scoreboard reflects this lack of teamwork and following the playbook.

Ezekiel’s illustration of Israel is like that game. The Israelites coach is God and He gives the plays but when they return to the field it is as if they want to do their own thing. Instead of following the plays God has for them such as honor the Sabbath and put away idols, they rebelled and outwardly said yes but in their heart said: “we will be like the nations who serve gods of wood and stone.” As their coach, God rages in heaven yet in his mercy He calls them back to the bench over and over.  Why is God so patient? It is because of His love and so they know He is Lord.” He is the Royal Coach. His playbook is never wrong.

Discipleship is like this illustration. Jesus is the coach and you as the believer are part of the team. If you follow the playbook you will hear “well done!” but if not you soon will see the other team winning.

So the question is this: Is God/Jesus your coach and if He is, are you following His playbook? Whose side are you on?

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It Isn’t Just Faith!

Jeremiah 47 to 49  The countries of Moab and Ammon had been protected for centuries by the mighty hand of God. When the children of Israel left Egypt, God said they could not walk on their ground or even ask for a morsel of bread from them. And so,  Moab and Ammon stood by and watched as Israel walked on by. Just because Israel was forbidden to ask does not mean Moab and Ammon could not have offered. Yet, they never offered a crumb or a drop of water.

Centuries later when the Babylonians entered Israel their hatred rose to new heights. They waited until the land was stripped bare. Then like looters, they sought to take possession of the land and its riches. God’s anger rose in his nostrils. This time God would no longer protect them but allow them to be treated as they had treated Israel. They would feel the pain of the Babylonians as well, in fact so much so that today there is not a remnant of them to be found.

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These chapters remind us of the story of the rich man and Lazarus of Luke 16. The rich man walked by Lazarus each day to and from his duties elsewhere. He never offered a crumb of bread to the beggar Lazarus who laid at his gate. He had much but offered nothing. When death darkened the door of each man, only one was found in Paradise: Lazarus.

Beloved, when God places those in need at our doorstep, we must reach out and offer that crumb. God is watching.

We reveal our faith by what we do not just by what we say.

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The Character of God

Gleanings from Psalm 25: Are you one of those people that only reads the “red letter” words of the Bible? If that is you I encourage you to read beyond those words to know the true character of God from Genesis to Revelation. He is not hidden but is waiting to reveal Himself to you.

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Do you say I cannot fathom the God of the OT? If that is true, then it is because your eyes are blinded with scales. Reach out to Him so He may remove your scales and then you can look deep into His character and you will see a God who cannot tolerate sin yet is upright and instructive. He is the God of compassion and lovingly kind.  This is the God of the OT as well as the God of the NT.

What is the secret of the harmony of the God both of the OT and the NT? It is found in vs 14 “the secret of the Lord is for those who fear him.” If you really want to know this God you must fear him both literally and figuratively. Then you can, like the psalmist say “one thing I have asked of the Lord, one thing I seek, one thing is true: God is God and there is none like him. He will protect me and conceal me from the enemies about me. He is the same yesterday as he is today as he will be tomorrow.

Who is God to you? Is he the ogre that many people jest about? OR is he the God who is worthy of our praise.  Who is God to you? He is there in all 66 books just waiting to reveal Himself to you.

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