Wednesday, December 14, 2016

The Living Stone

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GraceLutheran Church Deniston TX.

December- Messiah

                                   
“As you come to him, the living stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe ‘The stone the builders rejected/ has become the capstone.’”  1 Peter 2:4, 7 (NIV)
           
            “Peter is writing at a time when Christians are increasingly viewed with suspicion. Their failure to participate in many civic events (which characteristically involved the worship of pagan deities) is commonly misunderstood, and believers are even classified as ‘haters of humanity.’” (1.)

            Jesus becomes very precious to those who spend time getting to know Him. The Apostle Peter tells us of a process believers go through as they mature in Christ.

            Maybe you saw this story on the news. It takes place in central Indiana. The small town of Knightstown erected a Christmas tree in the center of town as they have for several years. On top of the tree, they placed a lighted cross. One person objected and sought the help of a group dedicated to ‘protecting civil liberties ’of the people of our nation.

            The town council studied the matter and chose to remove the cross. At the next council meeting, the members will consider an ordinance to no longer have the cross on the community Christmas tree.

            When I read of the council’s decision, I thought that people could display crosses themselves. That is just what the townspeople have done. Two women made a quantity of them and gave them to anyone who wants one. Other citizens have placed crosses in their yards with messages painted on them. Windows in businesses have put crosses in their windows. Last night on the news, there was a video showing all these scenes and one of a pick-up truck with a lighted cross standing in the front of the bed and above the cab.

            These townspeople have shown their faith in Jesus. They have become “a spiritual house” in a time when the believers need something to revive them in the face of the events of our world.
           
            As a personal witness to Jesus, on my little 18 inch high Christmas tree has a wooden cross on the front of it to honor the efforts of those fellow believers.
           
            May we all grow closer to Jesus and become ‘spiritual houses’ for Him and honor God every day.  


  




1.      The Discovery Bible, Zondervan, Grand Rapids

a.       © 2004, page 1636 

Monday, December 12, 2016

Son of Man

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http://www.knowing-jesus.com/

December: The Messiah


                        “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming out of the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations, and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” Daniel 7:13 (NIV)

             Daniel, the prophet to the exiles, had this vision. He saw the Son of Man come from the sky. He must have felt very blessed to see this event, even as a vision.

            Daniel chose to refer to God as ‘the Ancient of Days.” He does this because age inspires veneration and conveys the impression of majesty. (1.)

            The Son of Man received from God authority to act as God would act. The Son of Man had all power. He received honor from every peoples and nation.
            Even today, Jesus still has the authority of God to act on His behalf. I was in college when the buzzword for the times was, “God is dead.” Something in me didn’t want to believe it. Fairly early in our marriage, I met a young woman whose husband was a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War. I listened but, again, I did not comment on what she said. A few days later I saw a bumper sticker on their car. It read “Our God is not dead, sorry about yours.” I thought at the time that someone was being brash about the issue. As I got older, I saw God working in many different ways. A dead being is not able to work. Jesus still reigns.

1.       The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, © 1988, Moody Press, Chicago, Ill.  Page 60


God Alone

  Jesus and the children at our church's prayer walk.          I will both lie down in peace and sleep;  For You alone, O LORD make ...