THE BRIDE OF CHRIST

“A man will leave

his father and mother

and be united to his wife,

and the two will become one flesh.

This is a great mystery:

but I speak concerning Christ

and the church.”

Ephesians 5:31-32 KJV

~~~~~~~

Sixty years ago on the 30th day of January Donna and I were married in her home church, West Center Street Baptist in Madison, SD. It was 20 degrees below zero, but our hearts were anything but cold. I sang to her “I Love You Truly” and before God and witnesses we promised each other “to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”

 Marriage between a man and a woman has been God’s design from the beginning of time. As precious and meaningful as the husband and wife relationship can be, it is but a shadow of the infinitely deeper and eternal relationship between Christ and His Church (true born-again believers) - “The Bride of Christ”.

 In New Testament times the Jewish custom was for the bridegroom to leave his father’s house to visit the home of his prospective bride and negotiate her dowry with her father. Once the price was paid the bride belonged to the bridegroom. However, she stayed at home and got herself ready for the wedding, while the bridegroom went back to his father’s house to prepare a place for his bride. When all was ready, the bridegroom came back to get her. Though she didn’t know when he would return, she prepared herself for the big day - continually looking for his return.

 Wow, what an illustration of Christ, the bridegroom, and His bride, the Church! He came to this world to become one of us, yet without sin. Incredibly, He chose us to be His bride. Giving himself up for us on the cross He paid the dowry, making us His very own. After His resurrection as He was getting ready to return to His Father’s house, He encouraged His followers by telling them, I am going to prepare a place for you. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. Some day, He is coming back to take us, His bride, home. We don’t know when it will happen, but it will happen!! First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

 When our bridegroom comes for us, He will be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords - HALLELUJAH!!! (click on this link and let it bless your heart).

THE LORD BLESS AND KEEP YOU

“The LORD bless you
and keep you;
The LORD make His face
shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV
~~~~~~~

This passage is probably the most famous blessing in the entire Bible. Aaron, the high priest, and his sons were instructed to pronounced it over the people of God. We recognize it as a blessing that is often spoken over a congregation by the pastor at the close of a worship service. Even though it is known as a benediction, I believe it can be very meaningful at the beginning of a new year. We are so familiar with it, it is easy to miss the depth of the meaning of the words. Allow me to bless your 2011 by paraphrasing these verses with the help of some Hebrew scholars.*

“May The LORD God who exists from all eternity bless you with gifts that meet your deepest needs, and may He like a Sheppard guard and protect you as He builds a hedge around you to keep you safe from the devourer.

“May the loving face of our eternal LORD; shine on you, warming your soul and spirit and driving away any darkness that may still linger in the corners of your life.

“May The LORD God who exists from all eternity be gracious to you making your life beautiful with warmth, love, friendships, community, and the material things you need.

“May The LORD God who exists from all eternity set His loving face on you, and give you peace (shalom);a peace which expresses itself in completeness, wholeness, and perfection; a peace which includes health, and soundness of body and soul; a peace that is rest, tranquility, and harmony; surrounded by prosperity and is a stranger to agitation and discord.”

May this blessing surround and fill your life throughout 2011 and all your years and days to come!

Click on link below to hear the Tyler Junior College
A Cappella Choir sing:

THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

*For those interested – here are the Hebrew scholars’ notes which I used to roughly paraphrase Numbers 6:24-26.:

When we see the word LORD in capital letters it stands for (Yahweh) God’s name which literally means “He who exists.” Bless in this passage is (barak) which means to “kneel down” and conveys the idea of respectfully kneeling down to present a gift. Keep is (shamar) which here refers to the guarding and protection a Sheppard provides for his sheep at night by building a hedge of thorny brush. Face (paniym) reflects the Hebraic sense of motion as the face reflects many different moods, emotions and thoughts. Shine (or) means to "give light" – “enlighten.” Gracious (hhanan) “A place of beauty”. Nomad camps consisted of many family tents, arranged in a circle, and were viewed as a place of beauty. Not just the appearance of beauty but the action, a place of warmth, love, friendship, community and sustenance. Coutenance (paniym) means "face." Give (siym) literally means to "set down in place." Peace (shalom) means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.

IT IS GOOD TO GIVE THANKS!

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to the Most High.
It is good to proclaim
your unfailing love in the morning,
your faithfulness in the evening.
Psalm 92:1-2 NLT
~~~~~~

Tradition has it that after the pilgrims had learned (with the help of the Indians) how to survive in this country they celebrated the harvest with grateful hearts. President Washington, as well as several other Presidents, made one-time Thanksgiving holidays. President Lincoln was the first to make it an annual observance on the last Thursday of November. In 1939 President Roosevelt set the fourth Thursday of November as our National Thanksgiving Day (approved by congress in 1941).

So last Thursday according to American tradition we observed Thanksgiving Day. Many families got together to catch up on the latest happenings in the lives of loved ones and feast on turkey and all the trimmings. It most likely was a good time of expressing gratitude for the good things the Lord has given this past year.

Our Scripture tells us, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord.” It is good and right because expressing thanks to Him honors and glorifies Him and acknowledges that HE is the source of the good things that we are enjoying. Sincerely giving thanks to the Lord not only pleases Him but it definitely has a very positive effect on our lives. It fills us with a sense of peace and an awareness of His favor, along with a desire to live close to Him.

Ingratitude on the other hand turns a cold shoulder to the Lord – taking for granted all the blessings that He so graciously gives. It’s an attitude which flows from a proud heart that feels it deserves all the good that happens in life and quickly grumbles and complains when anything unpleasant comes along. What an insult to a loving Father who consistently showers us with His unconditional love. And what a negative person, ingratitude turns us into – someone no one enjoys being around.

So it becomes quite obvious that expressing thanks to the Lord is the way to go not only once a year on a National Holiday, but every day all day long. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening. There is so much to be thankful for – spiritually – physically – materially - relationally and on and on. If we get to feeling a bit sorry for ourselves we need to be reminded that our Lord’s love endures forever, so whether we are on the mountain or the valley - It is (always) good to give thanks to the Lord!!


The song FOREVER by Chris Tomlin will stir your heart to give thanks.

GOD NEVER CHANGES

“Whatever is good and perfect
comes down to us from God our Father,
who created all the lights in the heavens.
He never changes
or casts a shifting shadow.”
James 1:17 NLT
~~~~~

In the last four or five weeks we have observed major changes in our surroundings. From temperatures in the 80’s to hard frost, and even snow for some of you further north. Leaves on trees have changed from lush green to golds, reds and browns, and have been falling for some time now. It would truly be sad if this were the end, but we know fall is followed by winter, and winter is followed by spring, and eventually it will be summer again. Why does this happen year after year? Because, God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them mark off the seasons, days, and years.” Genesis 1.

In relation to the earth, the sun is fixed in place. The earth revolves around the sun once every 365 days and as a result we experience day and night every 24 hours, and the four seasons every year. The changing shadow on the sundial is not an indication that the sun is moving, rather it shows that the earth is moving.

In a sense, God is like the sun. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. If His light is hidden from us, and we find ourselves in the dark, it indicates that we have allowed the “world” to come between us and Him. When we experience spiritual “winter” it is because we have turned our face from Him.

God has always been good and perfect and will eternally remain the same. Every good and perfect thing that happens to us has its origin in Him – whether He uses people, nature or supernatural means, it ultimately is from Him. He can even use our spiritual “nights” and “winters” brought about by our carelessness and bring good out of them - if we acknowledge our errors and turn back to Him.

Our wonderful God never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He has been and will always be - loving, merciful, patient, and forgiving. No matter what we are going through, we can count on Him to be faithful! He doesn’t change!! ”In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens….. They will perish, but you remain forever. They will wear out like old clothing. You will fold them up like a cloak and discard them like old clothing. But you are always the same.” Hebrews 1.

Listen to the song HE NEVER CHANGES and let it bless your heart.

I WILL BE WITH YOU

“Do not be afraid,
for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name;
you are mine.
When you go through deep waters,

I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.”
Isaiah 43:1-2 NLT
~~~~~~

When God created us, He made us social beings that need others to interact with. And that is especially important when we find ourselves going through difficult times. Today’s scripture passage tells us how God has made provision for such times. We belong to Him not only because we are part of His creation, but even more so because He has ransomed us – He bought us to be His personal possession. And now He calls us by our name and assures us, “You are mine - I will be with you.” No matter what we go through in this life, we are never alone, He is always with us!

Having this personal relationship with Him doesn’t mean that we are exempt from difficult and scary times. His admonition, “Do not be afraid,” shows us that He wants us to focus on His promise instead of on what strikes fear into our hearts. He will be with us in every situation no matter how threatening it may be. He will not allow His ransomed ones to be destroyed.

When we are in deep waters way over our head, and our feet can’t touch bottom anymore, He will be there with us, holding us up and bringing us to solid ground again - all the while calling us by name, and reminding us that we belong to Him.

In rivers of difficulty with strong currents about to pull us under – no matter how hopeless the situation may look - His assuring promise is “I will be with you . . . you will not drown.” We are not alone in the struggle, He is holding our hand, He will not allow us to go under.

Even in the midst of the fire of oppression when we go through fiery trials, He will not allow the flames to destroy us. He is with us through it all, like the fourth man in the fiery furnace of Daniel 3.

Deep waters – rivers of difficulty and fire of oppression are allowed in our lives not to harm but to strengthen and purify us. Remember His word to us is, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. . . I will be with you.”

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Click on DO NOT FEAR and let it bless your heart.

A SPIRIT OF POWER, LOVE, AND SELF-DISCIPLINE

“For God has not given us
a spirit of fear and timidity,
but of power,
love, and self-discipline.
So never be ashamed
to tell others about our Lord.”
2 Timothy 1:7-8 NLT
~~~~~~

From time to time as we deal with people we face situations in which we feel intimidated or downright afraid. Some people are gripped with fear in front of a large crowd. All of us have found ourselves in a small group or even with just one other person, afraid to speak up lest we looked like a fool or be rejected. This sort of timidity and fear is especially common when we are attempting to tell unsaved people about the Lord. Some of us may feel threatened by negative feelings because of past failures or perhaps by actual demonic influences. Today’s Scriptures comes right to the point, God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity. Wherever that kind of hindering emotion may come from, it is not from God! What God has given us are three positive gifts which fully equip us so we will not be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.

First, He has given us a spirit of power. In Acts 1 Jesus told His disciples, You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere. To effectively tell others about the Lord, takes more than human ability, it takes the power of the Holy Spirit; and God has graciously given that power to every believer. We need to be reminded of that awesome reality every time we share the Gospel in word or deed – it’s not just us – it’s the power of God’s Spirit working though us!

Secondly, God has given us a spirit of love. This of course is not a reference to romantic love for someone of the opposite sex, but rather an unconditional God-like love for people. God’s unconditional love expressed itself most clearly through the sacrifice of His only Son for us who had turned our backs on Him. With that kind of love in our hearts we are enabled to witness to the lost no matter what it may cost.

Thirdly, God has given us a spirit of self-discipline. We may struggle with feelings of inferiority and fear at the very thought of sharing our faith. We don’t need to be controlled by such negative thoughts. Self-discipline is the ability to bring those impulses under control, and it’s one of God’s gifts to us!

THE BIBLE - GOD'S TEXTBOOK

“All Scripture is inspired by God
and is useful to teach us
what is true and to make us realize

what is wrong in our lives.
It corrects us when we are wrong

and teaches us to do what is right.

God uses it to prepare and equip his people

to do every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
~~~~~~

The Bible is by far the bestselling book of all time. An estimated 6,000,000,000 copies have been printed in more than 2,000 languages and dialects. More than 100 million are sold world wide every year. There is no other book, which is used by millions of people every day, parts of which were written over 3000 years ago, yet it still shapes lives today! What is it about the Bible that makes it so special?

As we learn from Paul’s second letter to Timothy, both the Old and New Testament writings are inspired by God. “Inspiration” simply means “God-breathed.” God breathed His changeless Truth into the hearts of chosen prophets and apostles - so what they wrote was actually The Word of God. The various writings brought together became God’s textbook for His people which will never become obsolete. It provides us with all we need, to know Him, and live a life that pleases Him.

The Scriptures are God’s perfect standard by which we can learn what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. The writer of Hebrews adds, For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. In other words, it speaks to our conscience and convicts us when there is sin in our lives. 1 John assures us, If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Scripture is filled with promises that can fill our lives with peace and joy and a wonderful sense of fulfillment. However, to benefit from God’s Word we must respond to it in a positive way. It’s not enough just to know what it says. James cautions us, don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. But if you do what it says, then God will bless you for doing it. Our key verse assures us, God uses the Scriptures to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. There is nothing that can take its’ place; it alone is able to equip us to do all that God has planned for us to accomplish.