Glorious Joy - A Vision For The New Year

In almost every way 2008 has been the worst year of my life...but it has also been the best year of my life in almost every way. I have experienced some of the deepest betrayals but also the most profound healing of my heart wrought by the Holy Spirit and Christ's body, the Church. I have seen dreams die but I have also seen God fulfill His desires for me...desires that fill me with joy. I have wept and I have laughed. I have despaired and I have hoped. I have died and I have truly lived. Such is life under the hand of a sovereign God Who works all things out for my good.

At every moment that I began to see light at the end of the tunnel another devastating blow would be dealt that brought more heartache and more sorrow. With every disappointment would come a lesson from the Lord and these lessons are precious.

"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:6-7

You see, without suffering and trials there can be no growth. Without difficult circumstances and sorrow in this world, our faith would not be so clearly displayed for all to see and Christ would not be so clearly revealed to be the greatest treasure of the universe. This text makes it very clear to us what the purpose of our suffering in this world is - that our faith may be proven to be genuine and that this faith will result in praise and glory and honor for God in Jesus Christ. Let me try to explain:

1. If God is truly your treasure, you will not run away from Him or let go of Him simply because life is difficult and He has brought some painful hardships your way. No! You will cling ever more tightly to Him and you will seek your treasure in Him - letting go of the treasures of this world. In short, God will be revealed to all around you as the all-satisfying and glorious treasure of your life. As you weep tears of sadness but also acknowledge His endless goodness you will show that He is worth losing all things for. As you go through the pain while worshipping Him you will be giving a testimony to the profound worth that is in Jesus Christ. You will find for yourself and show to the world that your joy is found in Christ and in Christ alone. You may lose friends, family, wealth, reputation and all worldly hope, but your joy and satisfaction will come from finding that your faith is genuine and that you belong to Jesus Christ.

"Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:18-21

2. Not only will you faith be proven as genuine and your joy be full because Christ alone is your treasure, but Christ Himself will be praised and glorified as those around you see that He is your treasure. Those who look on (among them may be those who hurt or betrayed you) will see that your joy is not found in this world but in a person, Jesus Christ. That must make them wonder at how worthy and glorious Christ really is and it will cause the angels in the heavenly realms to give praise, glory and honor to God. Not only that, when Christ is your treasure in this way, you are also giving praise, glory and honor to Him.

"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible ad filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:8-9

This text is found immediately following Peter's discourse on the purpose of suffering and is intended to remind us that Christ is honored and glorified as we are satisfied in Him, despite our circumstances. Oh, the joy of knowing Christ and beholding Him by faith. The glorious joy that is felt, experienced and radiated as we look to Him (Psalm 34:5) brings glory, praise and honor to Him. And notice how God is glorified here...by and through our joy in Him. I have said this a million times and I will probably say it a million times more: God's glory and our joy are not two separate things - they are one and the same. God is glorified by our glorious joy in Him; as God is glorified we are filled with joy and as we are filled with joy, God is glorified.

"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever." Romans 11:36

This is my vision for 2009. I want Christ to be honored in my body whether by life or by death; whether in good times or bad; whether I have friends or not; whether I am wealthy or poor; whether life goes my way or my life falls apart...I want Jesus Christ as my treasure and nothing or no one else. I want the world to see how beautiful, satisfying, and glorious Christ is and this will happen as I live my life in Him, cherishing Him as my treasure and worshiping Him in the best and the worst of times...though His worth is most clearly seen in the worst of times.

How great is our God and how worthy of praise, glory and honor! May God fill you with His Spirit in the New Year and may He be your treasure. May you be enraptured with Him and His beauty and may you desire to live in peace with those in the body...not just peace, but an interconnectedness that goes way beyond friendship to oneness in the Body of Christ.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!

Kristian

Reflection

The other day I posed a question that just "randomly" came to my mind to some of the members of my household. I asked them how would it feel to live in a world where you could not see your own reflection at all. Let us say there was no means of seeing your own reflection...no mirrors...no water reflection...no cameras...no apparatus that would allow you to see your image.

I really did not know why this philosophical type of question came to my mind. One of the first thoughts that came to my mind about this question involved the Trinity of God. Where the Bible says in Colossians 1 that Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. So, Jesus is the reflection or image of what God thinks of Himself and at the very same time being a unique eternal person of the Trinity of God.

Although this is true and one could come up with perhaps many different "angles" that fit into the question I posed earlier about reflection. I believe God was speaking to me about a different angle primarily one that deals with the issue of faith.

Let me explain, after this original question came to my mind I had several conversations with various friends over the weekend about faith, prayer, overcoming sin, purity, etc.

This Sunday morning as I picked up the book I am currently reading by A.W. Tozer called The Pursuit of God. I now know what the Lord was trying to tell me through that particular philosophical question that was ingrained in my mind earlier in the week.

The following quote from Tozer really touched me and I hope it is a blessing to you as well:

"Faith is the least self-regarding of the virtues. It is by its very nature scarely conscious of its own existence. Like the eye which sees everything in front of it and never sees itself, faith is occupied with the Object upon which it rests and pays no attention to itself at all. While we are looking at God we do not see ourselves - blessed riddance. The man who has struggled to purify himself and has had nothing but repeated failures will experience real relief when he stops tinkering with his soul and looks away to the perfect One. While he looks at Christ, the very things he has so long been trying to do will be getting done within him. It will be God working in him to will and to do.

Faith is not in itself a meritorious act; the merit is in the One toward Whom it is directed. Faith is a redirecting of our sight, a getting out of the focus of our own vision and getting God into focus. Sin has twisted our vision inward and made it self-regarding. Unbelief has put self where God should be, and is perilously close to the sin of Lucifer who said, "I will set my throne above the throne of God." Faith looks out instead of in and the whole life falls into line."

Is Jesus In Your Boat?

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I have much too be thankful for this year to the Lord. His endless love, abundant mercies and amazing grace in my life are just a few of the many things that I am thankful for this year. As I was reading the Word the other day from Matthew 8:23-27 another thought came to my heart to be thankful for and that is God’s peace in the storm.

For many of us 2008 has been a difficult year full of hardships and storms but God is faithful and good. His peace is available for anyone who would want to come and draw near to Him through faith in Jesus Christ. Here is the passage:

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

There many important points in this text but I will name a few that the Lord put on my heart:

1. The storms of life can come “without warning” and can be furious when it hits your own life in such a way as to rock you. I believe many of us have faced this in one way or another in our lives and in particular this past year.

2. At times when these storms occur it “seems like” God is asleep on us. We ask Lord where are you? How come you will not save us? Don’t you see the power of the storm it is going to kill us?

3. However, God answers us in His timing and tells us to trust in Him. We must look to Him in the storm and put our full hope and faith upon Him for only He can deliver.

4. We must not be afraid when faced with the storms of life. Jesus reminds us to check ourselves to see where we are putting our faith. Are we putting our faith in the stock market, our jobs, the housing market, our government, our own intellect and abilities or are we putting our full faith in God? I believe if we put our full assurance and faith in God during the storm we will not be afraid but instead we will be overcome by love, power and a sound mind.

However, in order to know the peace of God during the storm one must ask themselves “Is Jesus even in my boat”? The only way to face the storms of life and the coming future storms is to have Jesus Christ in the boat of your life. When He is in your boat you have comfort, hope, salvation and deliverance. If he is not in your boat the furious and powerful storm without warning will surely overtake you and you will be lost in the sea.

In your heart today pray to God and receive the newness of life and the peace that surpasses all understanding through His beloved Son the Prince of Peace - Jesus Christ. Let me end with the actual reliable words of Christ in regards to the storm and the many troubles we may face in this life:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27

The Day of Atonement

On the Biblical calendar one of the feasts of the Lord called the Day of Atonement and commonly known today as Yom Kippur falls on our Gregorian calendar on October 8th (sunset) until October 9th (sunset).

I was just meditating today on this Feast of the Lord and what the Bible says about it (read Leviticus 16, Leviticus 23, and Numbers 29 to learn more about this particular Feast of the Lord).

As a summary essentially this Feast Day was marked on the Lord’s calendar as a day when the High Priest would go into the Most Holy Place and make the sacrificial offering for his sins and the sins of Israel. There were very specific commands by God on how the High Priest would prepare himself to enter the Most Holy Place. The Most Holy Place is where the presence of God would rest and because God is Holy anything that was not cleansed and consecrated would ultimately die in His presence.

“The LORD said to Moses: "Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover. This is how Aaron is to enter the sanctuary area….” – Leviticus 16:1-3

"This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or an alien living among you because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins. It is a sabbath of rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance…This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites."
– Leviticus 16:29-31, 34

What we read here in the Torah is only a shadow of the reality which is Jesus Christ. Praise God that He sent Jesus Christ into the world to be our great High Priest and Sacrifice for sin once and for all!

My dear friends let us keep this lasting ordinance in remembering the finished work of Jesus. Let us meditate this day on how His blood has cleansed us from all sin and we not only are sanctified but we can now also enter the Most Holy Place by ourselves and experience the presence of the living God!

Have you experienced God’s presence in your life? If your spiritual life feels dry at the moment which can happen to all of us; I encourage you to step in by faith into the presence of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Take your sabbath rest in Him and deny yourself and experience His life-giving presence today.

I encourage you to meditate on the following excerpts of verses from the book of Hebrews chapters 9 and 10. May the Lord Bless you!

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Blessings,
Emmanuel

Escape through the Kingdom that Cannot Be Shaken

“See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.

And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."

This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;

for our God is a consuming fire.” – Hebrews 12:25-29 (NASB)

I believe we are embarking upon a very prophetic season in God’s calendar. The Lord has been speaking to me in various ways this week as to the “shaky” season this world is about to enter into. Do we as God’s people know that we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken? This should bring us great hope no matter what happens in this world. As we can see in God’s Word from Hebrews there is a shaking which occurs which will shake all created or material things so that what cannot be shaken – which is the Kingdom of God will remain.

God loves the world so much He sent His only begotten Son – Jesus Christ into the world so that whosoever believes and trusts upon Him would not perish but have eternal life. God sent Jesus into the world not to condemn the world but to save the world through Him. The Kingdom of God is at hand in the person of Jesus Christ. Do you trust Him with your life today?

So, even though God is love and loves the world He also has other divine attributes. Many of us including myself at times forget that the Lord is the Righteous Judge. We forget that He is Holy and despises sin, and that He is a God of justice and He will vindicate His Name amongst the nations of the world. We cannot forget how many times God has judged nations in the Bible. Yes, I fully believe that God is love and that He is full of compassion, kindness, redemption, forgiveness but He is also Holy and Just. Just look at all the stories in the Old Testament and you will find that the true and living God is a “jealous God”.

“Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” – Exodus 34:14

With this in mind let us humble ourselves and hold to His Hand during this season. I am not writing this as to cause fear in people but I am writing this to show you there is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken at all! It is the Kingdom of God which we can be a part of through Jesus Christ the Savior of the world. As the text in Hebrews states because of this understanding let us have gratitude and thankfulness in our hearts toward God so that we can be of service to Him. We must live our lives with reverence and awe toward the Lord our God. Do you have a holy fear of God in your hearts? Not a fear as to be frightened or scared but a fear that causes you to say God is awesome. If you do not I encourage you today to ask the Lord to put this awful fear in your heart. The Bible says in Psalms 34:7 – “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”

If you do not have a fear of God and a relationship with Him please come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible says those who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

On the other hand if you “think” you have a relationship with God by believing in Jesus intellectually or historically but you do not have a love for Him and a relationship with Him I pray that you would ask God to give you eyes to see and a new found desire to seek Him with all of your heart so that you may know Him and be known by Him.

“Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' – Matthew 7:22-23

Let us heed the call of the Almighty and escape and flee from the wrath which is to come. Trust and have faith in God. Do you live with a hope in Him knowing His Kingdom cannot be shaken? The Bible says the kingdoms of this world will come down, and they shall in the end be the Kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ.

I want to conclude by saying we must be alert, watchful and prayerful particularly during this coming season. Let us live in such a way as to live as people who have hope and may we not be caught off guard. Allow the Hope of Glory to shine in you and through you. Draw near to Jesus.

In the words of our Savior from Luke 21:34-36 –

"Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap;

for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.

"But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."


Maranatha!

Blessings,
Emmanuel H.

Solus Christus

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 5:19-20


Yesterday during our church prayer meeting we read and sang a song about the preeminence of Christ. Singing unto the Lord and just declaring who He is can touch your heart in the deepest of ways. When we look to “Christ alone” who is the author and perfecter of our faith our circumstances and trials in life fall in comparison to His majesty. We sense the beauty of His presence knowing that He loves us and He is for His people.

I believe it is a vital part of our spirituality to make “confessions and heart-felt declarations of faith” in Christ. We need to be Spirit-led in our worship of God in which by the Holy Spirit in us Jesus Christ is exalted.

So, I encourage believers everywhere to open our mouths in praise, prayer and song not only in church services but in our own daily lives outside of church and declare the glorious Truth who is Christ Alone.

I would like to leave you now with the song that we sang and spoke to one another as outlined in the verse above. This lifted my heart and encouraged me greatly and I hope it does for you as well.

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

Blessings,

Christ-Exalting Generosity

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 6:1

True generosity is a rare thing indeed. To receive a gift that is given anonymously and is given with no strings attached and with no expectations in return is to receive a gift from God.

My wife and I have recently received just such expressions of God's love for us. One gift was given quietly with clear direction to not tell anyone and we were told that this was a gift from God to show us that He loves us and cares for us. Another gift was given in a similar way and on both occasions I have sensed God's love for me and my wife through the gifts.

We have been recipients of generosity before but most of these acts have been very different from these most recent experiences. Usually there have been strings attached or the generosity has been brought up later, in front of others, in order to make a point of how nice and kind the person has been to us. The previous experiences left me feeling dirty, defiled and used. These more recent experiences have left me feeling loved, appreciated and cared for by God Himself.

I praise God for all of the experiences of generosity from people - whether they were given with a pure heart or from sinister motives. But I do pray for those who announce their generosity and lord it over the recipients because Jesus calls such people hypocrites and makes it very clear that such generosity may be used by God, but it is not from God.

When we rob God of His glory by announcing our acts of righteousness we have already received our reward and there will be no reward for us in heaven. If that is our pattern of generosity we are in serious trouble because it reveals not a love for God but a love for our own glory; it reveals not a love for people, but a love for our own reputation. To give in such a way is to break both commands that Jesus gave us - to love God and to love people. It ought to be sobering for us all to realize that kindness done in the open for all to see is considered by God to be on the level of robbing Him of His glory.

"Thus when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be done in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Matthew 6:2-4

Thank you, Lord, that You love us and care for us. Thank you, Lord, that You have given us good and perfect gifts from Your saints who desired for You, and You alone, to be glorified in their giving. Their gifts have caused us to weep for joy and to shout praises to Your name because of the love that You have placed in their hearts for us - Your love for us.

Blessings,


Kristian