Beginning

Beginning Genesis 1 John 1:1-18 Revelation 4:11

There are several theories that battle with the question of how life began. In the time we invest here we will touch on two of them. I will discuss two of them, not because of their probability as being truth as much as their prominence at being discussed. There are more people who cling to one of these three possibilities than all the others combined. The third is not just a possibility but the facts that are handed down to us in the Holy Scriptures. I do not hide the fact that I consider it reliable nor do I apologize for holding it in such high esteem.
The crux of the matter is that if you are not predisposed to believe in the Bible as the very Word of God and the very first account of the beginnings of the earth as He sets forth, then you will very likely not believe the rest of the Scriptures as truth either. You will try to explain away the epic heros of our faith like Sampson, David, Elijah and Elisha, Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. You will explain away the truths taught in the plagues brought on Pharaoh and the Egyptians, find a safer place to cross the Red Sea, and say that the lions were already full of human flesh before Daniel entered their den. You will say the three Hebrew men cast into the fire of the furnace was a good story, but not at all true. If we believe the beginning of what God says is true, the middle and final things are just as valid.
These are: The Big Gang Theory
Intelligent Design
Creation with purpose by the three in one God

1. The Big Bang Theory
The first thing that educators who support other possibilities apart from literal creation is the idea of a huge catastrophic explosion or collision that is to have taken place millions, if not, billions of years ago. They will literally pound this concept into the heads of children (I’m trying to be polite). The funniest thing that happened, as they relate this myth, is that instead of this explosion destroying life it created the beginnings of life. I don’t know about you, but I have never seen an explosion that did anything but destroy what was exploded.
Part of the ‘Big Bang Theory’ is the implementation, or mixing, of the ‘Darwinian Theory of Evolution’. They teach this as beginning with cell structure and then moving to bacteria and germs. It then proceeds through a process of mutations to larger masses of cells to create insects and eventually the animal, plants and mammal population we see on the earth today.
The problem with this theory is there are no species to link the various species that we see on the earth at this present time. What I am saying is for the ‘Big Bang’ and ‘Evolution’ to be a probable link to our past, it would need to be taking place in this day and age also. I have never seen a frog-dog, eagle-beagle, or a rat-cat. So, unless these folks can make claims that their missing links include catfish, cowbirds, and seahorses, (which they cannot) they are going to fall short of a complete explanation. The voids that are left are too vast to persuade me and I hope you can say that too. I need more faith to believe in the ‘Big Bang Theory’ than I can possibly muster. It is too much like a fairytale that starts out with, “Once upon a time.”

2. Intelligent Design
‘Intelligent Design’ is perhaps the, the result of collaboration between those who are not duped into believing the fallacies of the ‘Big Bang’ and ‘Evolution’ theories, but are not willing to accept the biblical explanation of creation. They assume by the complexity of the world that it all had to have a designer. However, they do not want to believe giving honor to a supreme God or even a group of gods.
At the very best, the supporters of ‘Intelligent Design’ say that if there was a god who created the world creation is all that he or it did. The God who they see left the world to fend for itself with no rhyme or reason, no point or purpose. This, I find unacceptable also.
When we look at all we can see in this universe, we see so much that is so complex that we marvel at it all. With all the sonagrams, x rays, EEGs, and EKGs, we still do not fully comprehend. I find it impossible to fathom such a complex design without a purpose. It would be like a master artist either painting of sculpting his major artistic creation without planning where it would be placed for display. I can’t buy it.
I see “Intelligent Design’ as one of the most dangerous thoughts supported in the world today. It has enough truth dashed into it to be similar to the biblical explanation and enough lie to send people to a godless eternity in hell fire. It reminds me of the dialogue between the serpent and Eve that led to the downfall of all mankind in the Garden of Eden.

3. Creation with a purpose by the Three in One God
The biblical account of creation makes the best sense. It tells when the universe began. It tells why it began. It covers the complexity of good and evil. It reveals the structural order that is to be followed.
The creation account laid out in the Bible might be a simplistic explanation of the beginning of life, but it is the only one that makes sense. All the scientific discoveries that have been made about the existence of mankind and all the archeological digs that have been made, all work together to substantiate the account found in Genesis and other parts of the Bible.

1. How? God created
1. God says, He did it in six days.
2. The order of creation led up to the final crowning part of the work.
3. Only one species was made int the image of God Himself.

2. Why? For God’s pleasure
1. God wanted to love someone who would love Him.
2. God wanted a redeemed creation.
3. God wanted it to last forever.

3. Good (godliness) vs Evil (selfishness)
1. The fall in the garden was not a flaw in God’s plan.
2. The law was given to show man how very self-destructive and sinful mankind is.
3. It was planned that Jesus would to come to earth to redeem us before the beginning.

Conclusion:
Just as there was a beginning, there will be an ending.
The Bible warns us of a final judgement.
There is an urging to live a godly life and not be discouraged when we are disciplined in God.
There is a hope of eternal life and a glimpse of our final future.
We need to ask ourselves these questions:
Have I been redeemed?
Am I willing to be disciplined?
Do I have and eternal future in Christ?

The First Noel

The First Noel Luke 2:8-20

What, do you suppose, the shepherds were discussing that night when the Angel of the LORD appeared to them so long ago? These men had probably chased thieves and wild animals away from their flocks in days gone past. Where they boasting about how their adversaries had taken flight as they were chased away by the shout of their voice, the throwing of stones, or the painful impact of a shepherds crook coming down on them?
Somehow, I just don’t get that kind of image in my mind. What I imagine is a somber and serious, even earnest desire to have a closer relationship with God the Creator. These men were not scholars of the Torah. However, they were, no doubt, believers in God who had been to the temple often and had celebrated the various rites and feasts all other Hebrews observed. I can nearly hear their conversation as they talk with one another about the promise of the Messiah.
They really don’t understand all that is said concerning the coming of the Messiah, The Chosen One. Yet, they believe and trust the some day when the time is right God will fulfill the prophecies concerning Him. Did they recall the passage in Isaiah that indicated:
“Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
If they did, I’m not so sure they understood the passage completely the way it would be fulfilled. I wonder if we aren’t like that today ourselves? Some of us are extremely adamant and sure of ourselves when it comes to the prophecies are yet to be fulfilled. We are sure of how and when Christ will return. Some of us are even so sure of ourselves that we seem to be literally demanding God to do it our way.
We should remember that we should stand in awe and see what God will do in these times. I think that some of us will be standing in joyful awe and some of us will be standing in dreadful awe.
To be sure that we are standing in joyful awe we need to take a look at what happened so long ago on that “First Noel.” Let’s ask ourselves what did those humble shepherds do that we should be using for a model for our own spiritual and Christlike behavior?

“The First Noel” was to certain shepherds. Why?

1. These people were hard workers and common people. KID
1. Know who you are.
2. Identify with how you are like others.
3. Never forget, we are all common people in the eyes of God.

2. These people were aware of their own need for a Savior. WIN
1. Be aware of your weaknesses.
2. Be aware of your consistent inconsistencies.
3. Be aware that you need God to make you what you want to be in His eyes.

3. These people would tell everyone they met what they had experienced. PIE
1. Don’t be persuaded by political trends.
2. Don’t be intimidated by someone else’s power.
3. Don’t be enticed by potential or persuasive wealth.
4. These people were obedient.
1. Witness the announcement.
2. Act on what you know.
3. Spread the news.

If this is the first time you have heard the Good News and understood what it meant for you, you can have a new start in you life today.
Come to the Savior, who is Christ the LORD.
He will accept you just as you are. He will make something beautiful of your life today.
He will give you something worth sharing with everyone you meet.
“God is with us” was the announcement the angel gave to the shepherds.
He is still here with us today.

God with us

Matthew 1:18-25

This time of year one can easily get caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas. Getting the lights and lawn decorations up before it gets too cold. Don’t forget all the shopping and sending out cards. The frantic people scurrying from store to store looking for the right gift, then there’s all the wrapping afterwards. After all that shopping and wrapping you have to get the tree up so you will have somewhere to put the gifts. There is also all the TV specials, movies and music just for Christmas. Ah yes and packing the gifts, cookies, kids and wife in the car to visit family. Oh and don’t forget the snow we have to have a white Christmas, it just wouldn’t be Christmas if there wasn’t snow just think how awful Christmas would be without snow. When I was a kid I would really be upset if we didn’t have snow for Christmas. You know the sad thing is most people today get so caught up in all their Christmas activities and don’t even take a moment to stop and really remember why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. Several years ago in Sunday School class our teacher gave us a book one year for Christmas it was called “The Greatest Gift” Christmas eve that year I was so excited about being able to open all my presents the next morning I couldn’t sleep. I pulled out that book and read it I then realized that I was getting all caught up in the commercialization of Christmas I lost sight of what Christmas really is about; it’s Immanuel, God with us.

Joseph learns 4 very important things here about God’s plan for him and Mary. First we learn that what is conceived in Mary is from the Holy Spirit. Second the baby is a boy. Third He is to be called Jesus, and fourth He will save His people from their sins. Joseph got the answer to why there is Christmas; Jesus came to save His people from their sins. Sometimes we think of Christmas as just the fact that Jesus was born of a virgin in a manger in Bethlehem but it is more than that. Jesus came for a reason and Joseph was told that reason in verse 21.

Let me give you a more detailed reason lets start with John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” Jesus came to give His life so that we might be forgiven of our sins and have access to the Father. Mark 15:38 tells us that during Jesus’ Crucifixion “the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” This is an important point and when I really think about it I get really excited. Ever since the fall in the Garden of Eden man has not had access directly to God until Jesus’ work was completed. The torn curtain signifies that man has direct access to God now no more having the priest go in to the Holy of Holies. Jesus is preparing a place for us He will return for us and take us to be with Him forever. We find this in Revelation 21:3 it reads: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them, They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.” After Jesus returns and the Judgment is complete God will dwell with us. So then the reason Jesus came was to give His life for us so that we could be forgiven and after His Second coming dwell with God forever.

The prophet in verse 22 and 23 Matthew mentions is Isaiah who spoke about the Messiah’s birth about 700 years before it happened. Isaiah 7:13-14 reads “Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.” This is the true meaning of Christmas; Immanuel, God is with us.

For those of us who are saved God is with us today the Holy Spirit living inside of us molding us and making us more and more like Christ each day. Maybe you don’t know Jesus maybe you have never taken the time to confess your sin to Him and ask Him to come in to your life. Or maybe you are like I was and thought since I go to church and live a good life I am a religious person and I’m going to heaven. Wrong you have to know Jesus not just know about Him. He wants to have a relationship with you that is the meaning of Christmas. If you don’t know Jesus you can. Romans 10:9-10 tells us “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” That is all there is to it. Confess, Believe be Saved. Jesus is waiting, won’t you come to Him today?

Let the Redeemed of the LORD Say So

Psalm 107:1-7

Everyone who has joined themselves to the cause of God in Christ Jesus has a purpose; a calling that God has laid upon their life. Everyone is called to be a witness of what God has done in their life and to verify who the Son of God actually is.

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say this—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3 those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.

We have a marvelous example of witnessing from the first chapter of the book of John. It is the pattern for witnessing that is laid out by example by John the Baptist.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.
[It is hard to fully understand what is being said here, but let me try to paint you a vivid picture:
The Son of God is not merely the offspring of God the Father.
The Word of God is the Son of God.
The Holy Spirit is God.
The Son of God is God.
God the Father is God.
In all this, we are talking about one God who reveals Himself in three various ways.]
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
[Jesus of Nazareth, the baby in the manger in Bethlehem, was and is the God of creation]
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
[Jesus of Nazareth, the baby born to the Virgin Mary, was and is the life giving light of the world.]
5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
[If you are honest, you have got to admit to the fact there are some things you just don’t know. There are some things I won’t fully comprehend until I get to see Jesus face to face in heaven. The apostle, the one who Jesus loved, John who wrote this book of the Bible is not trying to reconvict you and me because there are some things we don’t understand. He is referring to the fact that people then and now do not understand the full ramifications of what took place in the short life on earth of the person known as Jesus of Nazareth.]
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
*Where do you come from?
[Where John came from is of the highest importance for us to stress. John came from God, and if you have accepted the payment for your sins that was offered up by the giving of Gods only Son on the cross of Calvary, then you are also a representative of God the Father as John the Baptizer was. There are people who are watching your every move and they will question every word and deed that you do. Some will try to expose you as a fraud; that is what will happen when your life radiates the presence of God.]
7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
*What is your purpose?
[The purpose that motivated John needs to be the motivating factor in every believer in Jesus Christ. We need to let God have full control of our lives. Here is how to do just that:
Recognize your sinful nature and the sin it has led you into.
Accept the payment for sin that is provided in God through Jesus Christ death and resurrection and His ascending back into heaven.
Live a life pleasing to God with the life of Christ Jesus as your example that you follow.
Remember, this is not just a good way to live; it is not even the best way to live; it is the only way to live eternally.
Because “the wages of sin is death,” and sin is any other path I might try to take other than the one God has provided through Jesus Christ.]
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
*Don’t put on appearances.
[Just as John made it clear that he was not the Christ, we need to be ever so clear that we are just sinners who are saved by grace. It might be good to let people know when they are in our presence they should be wearing hard hats, because there is active construction going on and the process won’t be completed until we are at home with Christ our LORD in heaven.]
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
*Point people to Jesus
Even though He made everything that was made, even His unique creation did not recognize Him.]
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
*Show others the value of Jesus with your works as well as your words.
[Even by His own he was not received. That is like you going home to your family for Thanksgiving or Christmas and having Mom and Dad, Sister and Brother, Aunt and Uncle, lock all the doors to the house and refuse to let you in to take part in the celebration.
Remember, there was no room at the inn for Christ to be born. There are people today who are locking the doors to their hearts and refusing to let Jesus into their lives.]
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
* Let people know what God is offering them.
[By receiving Jesus we become God’s dear children, heirs of God and co heirs with Christ. In receiving Him we reject the love of the world.]
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word Becomes Flesh

*Let them know what it is like to be born of the Spirit.
[It is not a physical thing, it is not a mental, thing, and it is not a ritual or religious thin that makes one born anew. It is a supernatural spiritual bonding between one who desires to belong to God and God Himself accepting that person as His own. It is like the most beautiful adoption that has ever taken place, where God Almighty, who created me, with all my flaws and imperfections and called me His son. He gave me a new name that no one knows (I think it’s His last name).
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
*Tell them God can relate to their suffering.
[It is the most amazing thing, and it has been missed by those who have rejected Jesus as the Son of God. He, Himself, the Creator oft he universe, became His own Son by manifesting Himself in the womb of the Virgin Mary. God took on the form of a man so that mankind might be more capable of relating with God. He suffered every ache and pain we ever suffer. He knew what we ate. He knew sleepless nights. He knew what it was like to be a baby, a child, a pre-teen, a teenager, and an adult. He was despised and rejected, a man of sorrows.
Of course we beheld His glory as the only begotten of the Father. This baby, boy, and man was the Father come to earth in the form of a man.]
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”
*Give the people what you understand.
[John understood who Jesus was. He knew Jesus was God in the flesh.]
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
*Huh?
[The idea of “race for grace,” is literally stated as grace upon grace, or that God’s grace to us has been piled up.]
18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
*Let people know that if they want to know what God is like, look at Jesus of Nazareth.
19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
* Tell people who you are.
[I am a nobody and nothing, but I serve the living God who is my everything.]
21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
And he answered, “No.”
22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
23 He said: “I am
‘ The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “ Make straight the way of the LORD,”’
as the prophet Isaiah said.”
*This is the wilderness where we have been called to raise our voices saying, “Get ready to meet God!”

Let the Redeemed of the LORD Say So

Psalm 107:1-7

Everyone who has joined themselves to the cause of God in Christ Jesus has a purpose; a calling that God has laid upon their life. Everyone is called to be a witness of what God has done in their life and to verify who the Son of God actually is.

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say this—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3 those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.

We have a marvelous example of witnessing from the first chapter of the book of John. It is the pattern for witnessing that is laid out by example by John the Baptist.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.
[It is hard to fully understand what is being said here, but let me try to paint you a vivid picture:
The Son of God is not merely the offspring of God the Father.
The Word of God is the Son of God.
The Holy Spirit is God.
The Son of God is God.
God the Father is God.
In all this, we are talking about one God who reveals Himself in three various ways.]
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
[Jesus of Nazareth, the baby in the manger in Bethlehem, was and is the God of creation]
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
[Jesus of Nazareth, the baby born to the Virgin Mary, was and is the life giving light of the world.]
5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
[If you are honest, you have got to admit to the fact there are some things you just don’t know. There are some things I won’t fully comprehend until I get to see Jesus face to face in heaven. The apostle, the one who Jesus loved, John who wrote this book of the Bible is not trying to reconvict you and me because there are some things we don’t understand. He is referring to the fact that people then and now do not understand the full ramifications of what took place in the short life on earth of the person known as Jesus of Nazareth.]
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
*Where do you come from?
[Where John came from is of the highest importance for us to stress. John came from God, and if you have accepted the payment for your sins that was offered up by the giving of Gods only Son on the cross of Calvary, then you are also a representative of God the Father as John the Baptizer was. There are people who are watching your every move and they will question every word and deed that you do. Some will try to expose you as a fraud; that is what will happen when your life radiates the presence of God.]
7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
*What is your purpose?
[The purpose that motivated John needs to be the motivating factor in every believer in Jesus Christ. We need to let God have full control of our lives. Here is how to do just that:
Recognize your sinful nature and the sin it has led you into.
Accept the payment for sin that is provided in God through Jesus Christ death and resurrection and His ascending back into heaven.
Live a life pleasing to God with the life of Christ Jesus as your example that you follow.
Remember, this is not just a good way to live; it is not even the best way to live; it is the only way to live eternally.
Because “the wages of sin is death,” and sin is any other path I might try to take other than the one God has provided through Jesus Christ.]
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
*Don’t put on appearances.
[Just as John made it clear that he was not the Christ, we need to be ever so clear that we are just sinners who are saved by grace. It might be good to let people know when they are in our presence they should be wearing hard hats, because there is active construction going on and the process won’t be completed until we are at home with Christ our LORD in heaven.]
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
*Point people to Jesus
Even though He made everything that was made, even His unique creation did not recognize Him.]
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
*Show others the value of Jesus with your works as well as your words.
[Even by His own he was not received. That is like you going home to your family for Thanksgiving or Christmas and having Mom and Dad, Sister and Brother, Aunt and Uncle, lock all the doors to the house and refuse to let you in to take part in the celebration.
Remember, there was no room at the inn for Christ to be born. There are people today who are locking the doors to their hearts and refusing to let Jesus into their lives.]
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
* Let people know what God is offering them.
[By receiving Jesus we become God’s dear children, heirs of God and co heirs with Christ. In receiving Him we reject the love of the world.]
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word Becomes Flesh

*Let them know what it is like to be born of the Spirit.
[It is not a physical thing, it is not a mental, thing, and it is not a ritual or religious thin that makes one born anew. It is a supernatural spiritual bonding between one who desires to belong to God and God Himself accepting that person as His own. It is like the most beautiful adoption that has ever taken place, where God Almighty, who created me, with all my flaws and imperfections and called me His son. He gave me a new name that no one knows (I think it’s His last name).
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
*Tell them God can relate to their suffering.
[It is the most amazing thing, and it has been missed by those who have rejected Jesus as the Son of God. He, Himself, the Creator oft he universe, became His own Son by manifesting Himself in the womb of the Virgin Mary. God took on the form of a man so that mankind might be more capable of relating with God. He suffered every ache and pain we ever suffer. He knew what we ate. He knew sleepless nights. He knew what it was like to be a baby, a child, a pre-teen, a teenager, and an adult. He was despised and rejected, a man of sorrows.
Of course we beheld His glory as the only begotten of the Father. This baby, boy, and man was the Father come to earth in the form of a man.]
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”
*Give the people what you understand.
[John understood who Jesus was. He knew Jesus was God in the flesh.]
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
*Huh?
[The idea of “race for grace,” is literally stated as grace upon grace, or that God’s grace to us has been piled up.]
18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
*Let people know that if they want to know what God is like, look at Jesus of Nazareth.
19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
* Tell people who you are.
[I am a nobody and nothing, but I serve the living God who is my everything.]
21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
And he answered, “No.”
22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
23 He said: “I am
‘ The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “ Make straight the way of the LORD,”’
as the prophet Isaiah said.”
*This is the wilderness where we have been called to raise our voices saying, “Get ready to meet God!”

The Blessing

The Blessing

There is an obvious difference between physical blessings and spiritual blessings.

Back in Genesis we read about the blessings that Jacob passed on to his descendants.

It is the classic story ending of the old adage, “What goes around comes around.”

First Jacob desired to see Joseph and his children Ephraim and Manasseh so he could bless them before he passed on to the Lord. Jacob continued the tradition that defied tradition that was handed down from Abraham through Isaac, and then through the deception Jacob and Rachel had pulled off on Isaac in disguising Jacob like Esau.

Evidently it had now become so ingrained in his mind, he now gave the greater blessing to the younger Ephraim.

Even when Joseph tries to correct his father Jacob insists that he has done as the Lord has directed him.

Physical Blessings:

In chapter 49 Joseph has called the rest of the family to his bed side and he passes on his blessing.

As I read this portion of Scripture, couldn’t help but sense Jacob’s obvious irritation with some of his children.

Genesis 49

Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons

1 And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:

2 “ Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob,
And listen to Israel your father.

3 “ Reuben, you are my firstborn,
My might and the beginning of my strength,
The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.

4 Unstable as water, you shall not excel,
Because you went up to your father’s bed;
Then you defiled it—
He went up to my couch.

5 “ Simeon and Levi are brothers;
Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.

6 Let not my soul enter their council;
Let not my honor be united to their assembly;
For in their anger they slew a man,
And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.

7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;
And their wrath, for it is cruel!
I will divide them in Jacob
And scatter them in Israel.

8 “ Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise;
Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
Your father’s children shall bow down before you.

9 Judah is a lion’s whelp;
From the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He bows down, he lies down as a lion;
And as a lion, who shall rouse him?

10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

11 Binding his donkey to the vine,
And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
He washed his garments in wine,
And his clothes in the blood of grapes.

12 His eyes are darker than wine,
And his teeth whiter than milk.

13 “ Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea;
He shall become a haven for ships,
And his border shall adjoin Sidon.

14 “ Issachar is a strong donkey,
Lying down between two burdens;

15 He saw that rest was good,
And that the land was pleasant;
He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden,
And became a band of slaves.

16 “Dan shall judge his people
As one of the tribes of Israel.

17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way,
A viper by the path,
That bites the horse’s heels
So that its rider shall fall backward.

18 I have waited for your salvation, O LORD!

19 “Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him,
But he shall triumph at last.

20 “Bread from Asher shall be rich,
And he shall yield royal dainties.

21 “ Naphtali is a deer let loose;
He uses beautiful words.

22 “ Joseph is a fruitful bough,
A fruitful bough by a well;
His branches run over the wall.

23 The archers have bitterly grieved him,
Shot at him and hated him.

24 But his bow remained in strength,
And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob
(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),

25 By the God of your father who will help you,
And by the Almighty who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.

26 The blessings of your father
Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors,
Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.
They shall be on the head of Joseph,
And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.

27 “ Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
In the morning he shall devour the prey,
And at night he shall divide the spoil.”
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing.

Physical blessings are passed in regards to:

1. How you impress the blesser (Yes! I do know there is no such word as blesser.)

2. How you behave

3. How blessed the blesser has been

Spiritual Blessings:

Galatians 3:14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

I Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Spiritual blessings are passed on in regards to:

1. Our relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ

2. Treasures the world cannot understand or see

3. How much we desire to share the blessings of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ

Henry Nowuen tells of a time when one of the residents at his home for mentally and physically challenged people came to him and requested he bless her.

He reached out his hand and began to place it on her head. When she avoided his touch he was puzzled.

She insisted that she wanted a real blessing and he was to do it at the service that evening.

He struggled to understand what this emotionally and mentally challenged woman was asking him to do for her.

As the service that evening was drawing to a close he mentioned (with great caution) the ladies name and told the other thirty some attendants about her desire to receive a blessing. As he called her to come forward, he again extended his hand as if he would place it on her forehead. This time however, she not only avoided his hand but walked directly into him and grasped him in her embrace.

He finally figured out what she wanted, and he put his arms around her and gave here a blessing that was specific to her and her spiritual gift of making people of the home and visitors feel welcomed.

I want to pass on a spiritual blessing to you.

May you grow in the knowledge of God through Jesus Christ our LORD.

May you learn to share the blessings of your relationship with Him so others might know Him too.

May you all inherit all that God wants you to have in Christ Jesus.

If Jesus is the Answer, Then What is the Question

1If Jesus Is the Answer, Then What is the Question? John 3:16

In Philip Yancey’s book, “The Bible Jesus Read,” he recalls growing up in the state of Georgia. He remembers graffiti on sides of barns and bridges, rocks and roadsides. They were either Scripture direct from the Bible or reference to the biblical text. Just before writing this book he was driving through the state and observed that some sceptics had added their own graffiti to the mix. Where one person had written, “Jesus is the answer,” another had scrolled, “So what’s the Question? Yancey goes on to reflect that, even though that person might have written the statement in a smart-aleck mood, he might have hit on something very concrete that we, as believers should be constantly thinking about. He reflects that there are three questions each of us had to have answered before we came to, or can come to, solid trust in God through Jesus Christ.
He suggests these three questions to ponder.
Do I matter? Does God care? And Why doesn’t God act?
During the next few minutes, let’s look for some answers to these hard questions.

1. Do I matter?
Psalm 8
1 O LORD, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
4 What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels,[b]
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field,
8 The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.
9 O LORD, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

2. Does God care?
Ezekiel 33:11
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?


Why doesn’t God act?
Daniel 10:11-13
11And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.
12Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
13But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. 1And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.

12Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

13But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

Think of the entire book of Job. God never tells Job about the contest of Job's faith and trust in God that was set up in chapters 1-3. God never tells Job why he has suffered. God only restored Job.

You are important to God .

He created you and sent His Son, Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for your sin.

Your answer or deliverance might be on the way but delayed as in Daniel's case.

Perhaps we might not receive an answer as to why God doesn't act. Remember, His goal for us is eternal life, not to provide us with gifts or answers in this life.

If you need more assurance of God's love and purpose for your life, contact me at 740-385-6460
or e-mail me at the address on this site.

God loves you and I do too!

In the Spittin' Image of God

n the Spittin' Image of God Romans 8:14-21

If you're living like you should,

If you're growing like you could,

In His image you'll become,

As the Father, so the son.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Two Greek words: 'teknon' and 'huois'

these words are used in this text to depict the 'sons of God' and the 'children of God'.

There might be a particular reason the both words are used in this passage.

Some scholars suggest that one might imply a closer relationship with 'huios' as the sons of God in verse 14 that that of 'teknon' in verse 16.

The point I'm going for here is that some children bear a closer image to their parents than other children do.

In the physical world, I bear some resemblance to my Kenneth Keith Carter. Some folks would go so far as to say that I remind them of him in my physical appearance; I personally don't see that. My dad was over six feet tall during his prime years. Through a series of serious back and spinal injuries, he shrank to just under six feet tall prior to going to the Lord in 1969. My father's hair was blond. My father was very mechanically minded, and could make anything he needed for house he lived in or the vehicles he drove with either a piece of wood or a hunk of metal.

In contrast I have never been taller than five foot eight and three quarter with high-heeled sneakers. My hair has always been this very dark brown. I tend to bee much more word oriented that he was. My history with plumbing is well documented by the leaky pipes that someone else had to fix. While I might enjoy working on a trinket or toy, I tend to get very frustrated working on vehicles. I like to read and write.

Things that my dad and I have had in common are quite a few. We shared a love for the game of baseball and we both played it to some degree of success. We both enjoyed plants and animals and just being in the wild. We have the same sound to our laughter. We share a love of people and are willing to receive those who have hurt us emotionally and love them too. There are times that my fun-loving humor has gotten me into trouble with my wife, but that's my dad in me. There were times when my father was around that I would pick up the phone at his house and the person at the other end would think they were talking to Kenny. The biggest identical imagery that we have is our love for God and the ways of God.

In the passage that we just read, that is the identity we are going to be looking at: how and in what ways do we mirror the image of God and remind those we rub shoulders with of His very presence.

I. Children of God

1. We are all made in the image of God, and being made by Him in creation, we are all His children.

2. We all bear some resemblance to God in that we are basically creative creatures.

3. Even though some might not recognize it, we all have a deep desire to draw close to God and be more like Him.

2. Sons of God

   1. Some of us have when the extra step and accepted the forgiveness of sin that was offered through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

   2. Some of us have taken His goals and purpose as our own goals and purposes.

   3. Some of us have an aura about you that displays the presence of God.

3. Will the Real Christian Please Stand Up? (17-19)

If we are going to display the image of God as the 'huios', sons of God we are going to do it in this manner:

1. We are going to be intimate with God, as in verse 17 “whereby we cry 'Abba', Father.”

2. We are going to share in His sufferings. (17)

3. We are going to share in His glory. (17)

4. We are going to recognize the worth of it all. (18)

5. We are going to conform to His image. (19)

6. We are going to be the delight of the rest of creation. (20-21)

Are you as close to God and you want to be?

Are you as close to God as you need to be?

Are you the spitting image of the Father?

If you are not all that you know you should be, you can do something about it today.

Come to Him at this altar of prayer and meet with Him.

He is real, He loves you, and He has a wonderful plan for your life.