Our Glorious Christ!

Jesus Christ is so pure. He has no blemish, stain, spot of sin, defilement, lying, deception, corruption, error, or imperfection (1 Pet 1:18-20)

Jesus Christ is so complete that there is no other God besides Him (Isa 45:5); He is the only begotten Son (John 1:14, 18); all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Him (Col 2:3); the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him (Col 2:9); He is the heir of all things(Heb 1:2); He created all things and all things were made by Him, through Him, and for Him (Col 1:16); He upholds all things by the word of His power (Col 1:17; Heb 1:3); He is the firstborn of all creation (Col 1:15); He is the exact representation of God (Heb 1:3).

He is the only Mediator between God and Man; He is the Sun that enlightens; the Physician that heals; the Wall of Fire that defends; the Friend that comforts; the Pearl that enriches; the Ark that supports; and the Rock to sustain under the heaviest of pressures; He is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty on high (Heb 1:3; 8:1); He is better than the angels (Heb 1:4-14); better than Moses; better than Aaron; better than Joshua; better than Melchizedek; better than all the prophets; greater than Satan (Luke 4:1-12); and stronger than death (1 Cor 15:55).

He has no beginning and no end (Rev 1:17, 18); He is the spotless Lamb of God; He is our Peace (Eph 2:14); He is our Hope (1 Tim 1:1); He is our Life (Col 3:4); He is the living and true Way (John 14:6); He is the strength of Israel (1 Sam 15:29); He is the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star (Rev 12:16); He is Faithful and True (Rev 19:11); He is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb 12:1-2); He is the Captain of our salvation (Heb 2:10); He is the Champion; He is the Elect One (Isa 42:1); He is the Apostle and High-Priest of our confession (Heb 3:1); He is the Righteous Servant (Isa 53:11).

He is the Lord of Hosts, the Redeemer-the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth (Isa 54:5); He is the Man of Sorrows (Isa 53:3); He is the Light; He is the Son of Man (Matt 20:28); He is the Vine; He is the Bread of Life; He is the Door; He is Lord (Phil 2:10-13); He is prophet, Priest and King (Heb 1:1-3); He is our Sabbath rest (Heb 4:9); He is our Righteousness (Jer 23:6); He is the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6); He is the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet 5:4); He is Lord God of hosts; He is Lord of the nations; He is the Loin of Judah; the Living Word; the Rock of Salvation; the Eternal Spirit; He is the Ancient of Days; Creator and Comforter; Messiah; and He is the great I AM (John 8:58)!

Ref: John MacArthur Study Bible, 1997, p 1831-The Glories of Christ

Happy New Year 2016

Happy New Year 2016! Be blessed through these most precious words of God!

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV- 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Galatians 2:20 NIV-

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Philippians 3:13-14 NIV-

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 

O My Crucified Lord and Savior!

One question that has bothered me this past year has been how we can help those of us who are suffering especially when they think that no one understands them, not even God in Heaven. Well, God has ministered unto me powerfully through a story which I just came across on this very Christmas morning.

The story is from the playlet titled “The Long Silence”. I cannot wait to share it. Here we go:

At the end of time, billions of people were scattered on a great plain before God’s throne.

Most shrank back from the brilliant light before them. But some groups near the front talked heatedly-not with cringing shame, but with belligerence.

“Can God judge us? How can he know about suffering?” snapped a pert young brunette. She ripped open a sleeve to reveal a tattooed number from a Nazi concentration camp. “We endured terror…beatings…torture…death!”

In another group a Negro boy lowered his collar. “What about this?’ he demanded, showing an ugly rope burn. “lynched… for no crime but being black!”

In another crowd, a pregnant schoolgirl with sullen eyes. “Why should I suffer” she murmured, “It wasn’t my fault.”

Far out across the plain there were hundreds of such groups. Each had a complaint against God for the evil and suffering He permitted in His world. How lucky God was to live in Heaven where all was sweetness and light, where there was no weeping or fear, no hunger or hatred. What did God know of all that man had been forced to endure in this world? For God leads a pretty sheltered life, they said.

So each of these groups sent forth their leader, chosen because he had suffered the most. A Jew, a Negro, a person from Hiroshima, a horribly deformed arthritic, a thalidomide child. In the center of the plain they consulted with each other. At last they were ready to present their case. It was rather clever.

Before God could be qualified to be their judge, He must endure what they had endured. Their decision was that God should be sentenced to live on earth- as a man!

“Let him be born a Jew. Let the legitimacy of his birth be doubted. Give him a work so difficult that even his family will think him out of his mind when he tries to do it. Let him be betrayed by his closest friends. Let him face false charges, be tried by a prejudiced jury and convicted by a cowardly judge. Let him be tortured.

“At the last, let him see what it means to be terribly alone. Then let him die. Let him die so that there can be no doubt that he died. Let there be a great host of witnesses to verify it.”

As each leader announced his portion of the sentence, loud murmurs of approval went up from the throng of people assembled.

And when the last had finished pronouncing sentence, there was a long silence. No one moved. For suddenly all knew that God had already served His sentence.

This was indeed a most touching illustration to me! I am encouraged to carry on with my pilgrimage together with my crucified Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as we move forward into the New Year 2016 and beyond.

Brothers and sisters, like the apostle Paul said: "I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!