Father, forgive THEM

These are famous words which Jesus spoke as He hung on the cross, but have you ever wondered who the 'them' were? Let's look at some Scriptures of events leading up to His crucifixion. 

RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE DAY

Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”

Matthew 26:3-5

When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Matthew 27:1,2

The people above were the religious leaders of the day. Those who supposedly knew the Old Testament Scriptures inside out, which told them that the Messiah would come and be a sacrifice (Number 21:9;John 3:14; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53) yet they wanted to kill Jesus - this Man who had showed them up, by pointing out their hypocrisy and their sinful hearts, calling them 'white washed sepulchres (Matthew 23:27). More than likely they were at the cross watching the spectacle. 

PETER, ONE OF THE DISCIPLES 

Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”

Matthew 26:34

Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.

Matthew 26:69-75

Peter, the disciple who was fiercely loyal, who declared Jesus as being THE Christ (Matthew 16:16), who said he would never deny Christ (Matthew 26:35), did deny Christ 3 times, but Jesus forgave him and after His resurrection, Peter was called to spread the message of the gospel - he was fearless in doing that, to the point where tradition has it that he too was crucified. 

THOSE WHO HELD JESUS - RELIGIOUS LEADERS, ROMANS

Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him. And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?” And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.

Luke 22:63-65

So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands.

John 19:1-3

Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.  And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

Mark 15:16-20

These people went all out to hurt and humiliate Jesus. They slapped Him, mocked Him spat on Him, beat Him

FALSE WITNESSES BROUGHT TO TESTIFY AGAINST JESUS

Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.

Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’ ” But not even then did their testimony agree.

Mark 14:55-59

THE CROWD - ORDINARY PEOPLE

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”
Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?”
But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!”
So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.

Mark 15:11-15

The ordinary people who had gathered had been stirred up by the religious leaders - I have read in the past, that they may have been paid to be against Christ. We don't know who the people were, but more than likely they had probably heard Jesus preach, seen His miracles, been those who cheered when Christ entered Jerusalem on a donkey, lay palm leaves on the ground and shouted Hosanna!

All of the people above, from the religious leaders, the Roman governors, soldiers and even the disciples played their part in the arrest. The so called witnesses were liars who had probably been paid by the religious leaders. YET Jesus could look down as He hung in agony (apparently crucifixion was a slow and very painful death) and pray to His Father for forgiveness. Not forgiveness for 'nice' people, but for people who were Jesus's enemies, turncoats, traitors. NOBODY is too much of a sinner to come to the cross and ask for Jesus to turn their lives around, to give them a new heart, to have His light shine into their souls and make them ALIVE in Him! 

Until I became a Christian, I know in my heart that I would have been with the crowd shouting "Crucify Him!" because Jesus and His message is an offense to those who are perishing, we don't like to be told we are sinners BUT only Jesus can change us (Yes, we remain sinners, but sin no longer has dominion in our hearts) because He lived the perfect life we could not and died the death we deserve!

Before I became a Christian - I was one of 'them'! 

Nehemiah's Prayer in Nehemiah 1

I love the prayers in the Bible - they can teach us how we should pray. Nehemiah, in this prayer, had just found out about the state of Jerusalem. He was the king's cupbearer in a foreign country, but the Holy City of his ancestors was in a mess and it affected him greatly.

Nehemiah 1:5-11

 And I said: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’ Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand. O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is a prayer of praise - Jesus' model prayer says that we should praise God first (hallowed be Thy name)

It is a prayer of repentance. True revival in the Church only comes with true heartfelt conviction of sin and repentance. 

It is a prayer of supplication and wrestling with God. I believe that God wants us to wrestle with Him in prayer. Nehemiah reminds God of His promise He made to Moses, not because God has forgotten, but because God wants us to understand Him and His Word, so we wrestle with Him using His promises. 

Above all it's a faithful and reverent prayer. Nehemiah remains respectful and reverent. He knows who he is coming to - his Creator and the only One who can solve this crisis. Nehemiah works for a king who has early power, but he knew that the One he was praying to has ultimate power over everything! Kingdoms rise and fall at God's command! 

Let us come to our Creator, Lord, Master, King with reverence, casting all our cares on Him. 

Daniel's Prayer in Daniel 9

 I'm going through the book of Daniel atm and this morning I read his prayer in chapter 9 and as I read it, I thought this could be a prayer for our current world today! 

Daniel 9:3-19

³ Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. ⁴ And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, ⁵ we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. ⁶ Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. ⁷ O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.

⁸ “O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. ⁹ To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. ¹⁰ We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. ¹¹ Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. ¹² And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem.

¹³ “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice. ¹⁵ And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have done wickedly!

¹⁶ “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. ¹⁷ Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. ¹⁸ O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. ¹⁹ O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

In Daniel's prayer there serious supplication where Daniel denies himself anything worldly (he fasts and puts on sackcloth and ashes - symbols of mourning, grief and sorrow).
He praises God with reminders that He is great and awesome, One who keeps His covenant. God is full of mercy with the ones He loves and who obey Him.
Daniel repents on behalf of the whole of those in captivity. They have departed from Him - i.e. from His precepts and judgements. They haven't listened to those God had sent to warn them, the prophets. They were a disobedient people.
Daniel asks the Lord to hear him, to shine upon His sanctuary which lays desolate. The supplications weren't presented because of any righteousness in the people of Israel, but because Daniel knew the Lord is merciful - slow to anger, but swift to hear. 

It would do good for all Christians in the West to pray a prayer like this one. Western civilisation is crumbling before our very eyes because we are a disobedient people. 

Let's pray for God to send His Holy Spirit in power and majesty, that many may have their eyes opened and see the glories of the Lord!  

 

Passage copied from: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel%209%3A3-19&version=NKJV

Letters of Love

Somebody once said: 

"The Bible is God's Love Letter to the World!" 

Yes the Bible is full of some heinous things BUT God's Word doesn't gloss over our sins. What God's word does is reveal our sin sickness to us and show us the cure - Jesus Christ. 

Q. Is the world in a mess? 

A. Yes it is, we only have to open our internet browsers on news pages or read the newspaper, watch the news on TV to see how bad things are. R*pe, murd*r, domestic abuse, mass shootings, st@bbings, wars, rumours of wars, kidnappings sickness, de@th etc.

Q. Why does God allow such things if He is a loving God? 

A. God isn't a dictator - in Genesis He gave humanity dominion over the whole of the earth, He has also given each and every one of us a conscience, so we are 'without excuse' (as Romans 1 says). We live in a broken and fallen world and God has never promised us a free ride. He has never said we would never get cancer, children and babies will never get ill - sickness and de@th is part of our condition in this world and nobody is exempt! 

If God had said in His word "everyone will be cancer free and live long, healthy lives!" That wouldn't be love! God has given us the diagnosis and the cure through His word! 

This brings me to the post title - Letters of Love. I have set up a YouTube channel with that name. I am wanting to post Christian content on it. Please keep this venture in your prayers that I may honour Christ in all I do! 

Have a fabulous weekend 

Xxxx

Jesus Christ

 Jesus Christ:

• stilled the storm with speech - His creation listened to Him
• healed the Centurion's servant without even being there - distance was no problem
• fed 4,000 and 5,000 people with little resources - His resources are infinite
• healed the paralysed - the man was let down through the roof so lack of movement is no problem
• gave the blind sight - He gives the spiritually blind, spiritual sight
• made the deaf hear and the dumb speak - He does the same for us spiritually
• healed the woman - she only touched His garment
• raised the dead
• gave women back their dignity and place as God wanted it
• turned water into wine
• cast out demons - the spiritual world has NO authority over Jesus Christ
• paid the penalty for our sins while not being a sinner
• gave Himself up to death
• rose Himself from the dead

He will hold me fast (Hymn by Ada Habershon)

 VERSE 1

When I fear my faith will fail,

Christ will hold me fast;

When the tempter would prevail,

He will hold me fast.

I could never keep my hold

Through life’s fearful path;

For my love is often cold;

He must hold me fast.

REFRAIN

He will hold me fast,

He will hold me fast;

For my Savior loves me so,

He will hold me fast.

VERSE 2

Those He saves are His delight,

Christ will hold me fast;

Precious in His holy sight,

He will hold me fast.

He’ll not let my soul be lost;

His promises shall last;

Bought by Him at such a cost,

He will hold me fast.

VERSE 3

For my life He bled and died,

Christ will hold me fast;

Justice has been satisfied;

He will hold me fast.

Raised with Him to endless life,

He will hold me fast

‘Till our faith is turned to sight

When He comes at last!

CREDITS

Words: vv. 1-2 Ada Habershon (1861-1918), Public Domain.

Jesus died for His enemies! In love He went to the cross for those who hated Him!

Was thinking this morning (27th June 2021) about the compassion of Christ! How much He endured to save a people for Himself! 

No other figure in any religion EVER endured so much suffering for their enemies! 

Jesus Christ went to the cross to take the penalty (death) for those who naturally hate Him! 

The compassion He showed! Not just those people in His day, but millions, if not billions throughout the ages!

He suffered the shame of a cruel death, a painful death so that He may win a people for Himself! 

Romans 3:23 tells us that we have ALL sinned and fall short of God's glory, then Romans 6:23 tells us that the penalty (wages) for those sins is death (eternal death), but Jesus Christ took God's wrath and judgement upon Himself so that His people may have everlasting life and stand faultless before the throne! 

Who else has done that for their friends, let alone their enemies? 

Mohammed went through the Arabian Peninsular massacring people who wouldn't accept his new religion - Jesus Christ bore OUR punishment on the cross - He died that His people might live!

Buddha exchanged clothes with a poor man but he didn't die for his enemies - in fact Jesus became poor that WE might become rich! Jesus Christ gives us His robes of righteousness so that we are acceptable in His Father's sight. 

The gods of the world don't die for their enemies - only Jesus had a heart overflowing with compassion for His enemies, so much so that He endured the cross and suffered the pain and anguish of God (His Father) turning His back upon Him so that God wouldn't turn His back on sinners! 

THIS is the message of Christianity - God so LOVED the world (the world which hates Him) that He GAVE His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should NOT perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16)!

No religious figure has died for those who despised and hated them, but Jesus Christ died for those who despised and hated Him - He looked down from the cross and said "Father forgive them (those who mocked, scorned, scourged Him and who hammered big iron nails into His hands and feet), for they know not what they do!" 

Would you die for your enemies? Would you die for the people who hate you, the people who annoy you? Jesus died for those who hated Him - such love!!

The Feeding of the 5,000 and the Feeding of the 4,000 - Same miracles? or Different?

I saw a comment on a YouTube video where a person of Islam said that the Feeding of the Five Thousand and the Feeding of the Four Thousand people were contradictions in the Bible as they were the same miracles. If one looks at the two accounts, one will see that they are, in fact, carried out on two separate occasions therefore are different miracles. The chapters the person cited were from Matthew 14:13-21 [Five Thousand] and Matthew 15:32-38 [Four Thousand].

Let's take the first account - The Feeding of the Five Thousand Matthew 14:13-21:

Back in Chapter 13 and verse 54 we are told when He had come to His own country... [Nazareth - about 25km approx 15.5 miles West of the Sea of Galilee]. Chapter 14:1-12 tells of the beheading of Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist. From verse 13 the account of the Feeding of the Five Thousand begins. 

When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.(14:1a) - we're not told where the deserted place was, but there was more than likely a lot of deserted places in that area. 

The multitudes heard where Jesus was and came to Him with their sick and healed them. 
In v 15 we see it's evening and the disciples wanted Jesus to send the people away to buy food for themselves as they [the multitudes] would have been hungry. 

Jesus was going to test the disciples' faith - they had seen many miracles (even that day they had seen Jesus healing many sick), so here was going to be an amazing one.  Jesus tells the disciples to give them something to eat, but they only had five loaves and two fish and that wouldn't feed five thousand+ people! 

Jesus commanded the people to sit down on the grass [Greek word 'chortos'] [chortos means: (1)the place where grass grows and animals graze; (2) grass, herbage, hay, provender [of green grass; of growing crops] ]

The disciples took the bread and fish to Jesus and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. Matthew 14:19b

After the people had eaten the disciples ...took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Matthew 14:20b

Verse 21 tells the reader how many people had been fed. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. So in fact there were more than 5,000 fed, that day. 

Let's look at the second account - The Feeding of the Four Thousand Matthew 15:32-38

Jesus had come from Tyre and Sidon (Matthew 15:21), He skirted [NKJV] (came nigh [KJV]) the Sea of Galilee and went on a mountain and sat down there. Again great multitudes came to Him and there is a list of those whom they brought to Jesus (v30): lame, blind, mute, maimed and many others. The multitude marveled at the miracles Jesus performed and they glorified the God of Israel.

In verse 32 Jesus said I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way. Now comes the test for the disciples who had seen the previous miracle - will they turn to Jesus and say - guess what we have bread and fish again, or will they not have remembered/learned from the last time?

Verse 33: Then His disciples said to Him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?"  

Oh dear they had forgotten! This time there were 7 loaves and a few little fish (v34)

v35 says: So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground [Greek word ge] [ge means: (1) arable land; (2) the ground, the earth as a standing place; (3) the main land as opposed to the sea or water; (4) the earth as a whole [the earth as opposed to the heavens; the inhabited earth, the abode of men and animals] (5) a country, land enclosed within fixed boundaries, a tract of land, territory, region] 

v36: And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude

v37: So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of fragments that were left.

v38: Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. Again there were more than 4,000 who were fed. 

Let's look at both these accounts now:

Matthew 13 - Jesus had come from Nazareth (v54)
Matthew 15 - Jesus had come from Tyre and Sidon (v21)

Matthew 14 - Jesus went to a deserted place [eremos]
Matthew 15 - Jesus went to a mountain [oros]

Matthew 14 - it was evening and the people had only been with Jesus that day
Matthew 15 - the people had been following Jesus for 3 days

Matthew 14 - they had five [pente] loaves and 2 fish [dyo ichthys]
Matthew 15 - they had seven [hepta] loaves and a few little fish [ichthydion]

Matthew 14 - Jesus told them to sit on the grass [chortos]
Matthew 15 - Jesus told them to sit on the ground [ge] 

Matthew 14 - 12 [dodeka] baskets of fragments remained 
Matthew 15 - 7 [hepta] baskets of fragments remained

Matthew 14 - 5,000 [pentakischolioi] men were fed (besides women and children)
Matthew 15 - 4,000 [tetrakischilioi] men were fed (besides women and children)

As we see from the passages and the comparison above - these were 2 different occurrences. The disciples had to learn lessons over and over again (as we all do). We also have to remember that although these events were only 1 chapter apart - it could have been months between each one and as Jesus was performing many miracles all the time, the disciples could have easily forgotten the former one. 

Unity and All Lives Matter

I have been a Christian for nearly 30 years, this year and as I have gone on with my walk, I have grown to understand so much of the gospel. Christ's coming to earth and what He has done for millions (if not billions) of people throughout the past 2,000+ years. One of the things He has done is to UNITE different groups of people together. 

It doesn't matter whether you are Jew, Gentile, Male, Female, Slave, Free, Black, White - Jesus UNITES those people groups who may not have got on before. 

I remember hearing a missionary who worked for Christian Witness Israel, saying that in Israel there are former Jews and Muslims (Israelis and Arabs) worshipping together, fellowshipping together, loving one another because of Christ! 

In the churches I have attended we have blacks, whites and Asians worshipping together, loving one another, having fellowship with one another. 

I read in Corrie ten Boom's book The Hiding Place, that after the war she went around places preaching the love and forgiveness of Christ in churches. After one talk a man came up to her to shake her hand - he was one of the guards in Ravensbruck, the concentration camp where Corrie and her sister Betsie were put because they hid Jews in their house/watch shop. Her sister Betsie died in the camp! She found it difficult, at first, to shake his hand, as she remembered the horrors of the camp, but after praying for a heart of forgiveness, she shook his hand and felt the warmth of Christ's love flowing through her!  Jesus unites, heals and repairs relationships! 

ALL Lives Matter and if only people would build bridges instead of thick walls... 

Jesus built a bridge between God and man! In our natural state we are enemies of God and there is a massive gulf caused by our sin which only Christ through His death on the cross can bridge!

Why Christianity?

I love hearing about and reading about other religions, but why is Christianity the one faith I have held onto? Please read the whole passages of Scripture quoted, for context.

A. Christianity changes people - not on the outside, but on the inside. A person can ritually clean themselves from top to bottom, can clean their clothes, every single moment of every day, but all that does is - clean your outside. When the Holy Spirit convicts somebody of their sin [falling short of God's standards as laid out in Scripture]  and they repent - He enters into their soul/heart [innermost being which is unseen] and cleanses them

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

We become new creations - He gives us a new heart.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

No religion does that.

B. There were witnesses. The world's religions have some kind of book or script giving their adherents instructions, or people can read the history of the religions, but how many have witnesses?

In the Old Testament (the Jews call the TaNaKh - Torah [Teaching], Nevi'im [Prophets], Ketuvim [Writings]) the prophets had witnesses to their miracles, in the New Testament Jesus Christ had thousands of witnesses to His miracles and teachings. He had witnesses to His crucifixion - He even had the witnesses who were guarding His tomb, then 500 people after His resurrection. The apostles had witnesses to their miracles as well!

The feeding of the five thousand (read Matthew 14) - 5,000 MEN (that was without the women and children) witnessed this.

The casting out of the demons - (read Matthew 8)

The healing of the man with the withered hand (Mark 3)

The healing of the woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9)

The healing of the lame man (Acts 3)

The rising of Eutychus (Acts 20)

C. God comes to dwell within His people (this is linked with point A)

John 14:17  ...for He [the Holy Spirit] dwells with you and will be in you.

1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

D. It's vibrant, dynamic, living because we worship the living God (Read my post HERE)

Ephesians 2:1, 4, 5 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins... [in our natural state we are dead to God - we don't know Him, we can have our own ideas of who He is, but they are OUR ideas] ...But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses...

E. New eternal perspective (don't just live for this age)

As Christians our hope is in the future. We are pilgrims in the world, heading for a better place. Our perspective on the world changes because we have God dwelling in us. We now are friends with God, whereas before we were enemies (we may have believed in Him, but we didn't rest on His finished work in Christ)

F. All religions have humanity working for them - pray so many times a day, give this, do that, but Christianity is the ONLY faith which has God doing something for humanity.

Romans 5:6-8 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

G. Christianity doesn't exactly put forward an appealing message:

Matthew 10:22a And you will be hated by all for My name's sake...

Matthew 24:9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.

John 15:18 If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you

Acts 14:21,22 And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they turned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."

If you're trying to recruit people to your way, surely giving a more appealing message is the way to go.

What a burden religions place on their adherents whereas God has said - My work is complete - you were once My enemies, but now you can freely come to Me and be My friends, My children (God is a Christian's Father) because Christ has paid the price YOU should have paid.

Dynamic faith

The other day I was pondering on the Christian faith and I was excited to think that it is dynamic and living! 

When somebody accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, something wonderful happens - they are raised from spiritual deadness into everlasting life through Jesus Christ. Not only are they raised from spiritual deadness, but their spiritual eyes are opened and they receive new and dynamic sight, not only into the present hope, but into a future hope of glory. Their perspective broadens. 

The Holy Spirit enters their souls and they become a temple of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament God dwelt in the tabernacle (first of all) and then the temple. Only the High Priest could enter into the Holy of Holies, once a year, to offer atonement for the sins of Israel. God's Shekinah glory was in the Holy of Holies, but during Christ's crucifixion, the veil into the Holy of Holies was ripped from top to bottom because it was no longer needed. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in every redeemed believer! Now every believer can gain entry into the very courts of heaven and bring their prayers and petitions to God their Father because of Christ's finished work and because they have God dwelling within them.  

1 Corinthians 6:19,20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God  in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

John 14:15-18,26 If you love Me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you. 
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 

Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens,  Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

Every believer is brought out of spiritual darkness into a glorious spiritual light! 

Matthew 5:14a You are the light of the world...

Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord...

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 

It's this time of year again...

...when the anti Christmas brigade are out and about preaching that Christmas is pagan! Well what about the names of the months of the year and the days of the week? We use those, well, daily/monthly! Should Christians change those names?

Months of the year:

January - named after the Roman god Janus
February - named after the Roman festival of purification - Februa
March - named after the Roman god of war - Mars
April - taken from the Latin word for open (as flowers do in spring) - aperire
May - named after the Greek goddess Maia
June - named after the Roman goddess Juno
July - named after Julius Caesar
August - named after Caesar Augustus
September - 7th month (in Roman calendar)
October - 8th month (in Roman calendar)
November - 9th month (in Roman calendar)
December - 10th month (in Roman calendar)

The days of the week:

Monday - Moon's Day
Tuesday - Tyr's Day (Tyr was a Germanic/Norse god of war and sky)
Wednesday - Wodin's Day (the Norse all-father god and master of runes)
Thursday - Thor's Day (Thor was the Norse god of battle and strength)
Friday - Frigg's Day (Odin's wife and goddess of fertility)
Saturday - Saturn's Day
Sunday - Sun Day

The above have pagan origins yet I don't hear any Christians kicking up a stink about those! 

I celebrate the incarnation of Christ - not His birthday, just the fact He came from heaven (we don't know when He was born, but personally, I think a dank, dark, dreary time of year is a great time to celebrate The Light of the World bursting onto the scene to forgive our sins).

Hebrew Days of the week and their meanings

Sunday	Yom Reeshone יום רשון	First day
Monday	Yom Shaynee יום שיני	Second day
Tuesday	Yom Shlee´shee יום שלישי	Third day
Wednesday	Yom Revee´ee יום רביעי	Fourth day
Thursday	Yom Khah´mee´shee יום חמישי	Fifth day
Friday	Yom Shee´shee יום ששי	Sixth day
Saturday	Shabbat שבת	Rest

source [above and below]: http://www.yashanet.com/library/hebrew-days-and-months.html

Babylonian vs. Biblical Calendars

This table is divided into two sections because of the changes made in the calendar as a result of the Babylonian exile.  After the Jews were exiled from Judah to Babylonia in 586 B.C.E., they adopted Babylonian names for the months of the year. Nevertheless, they still have important meanings in whole scheme of things.  Not only do most of the names of the Babylonian months have appropriate meanings, but there is also an important theme that applies to these months (Babylonian or Biblical).

Mo. # Babylonian Calendar Meaning of Babylonian Months Theme of Month (Babylonian & Biblical) Biblical Calendar Meaning of Biblical Months (Harvesting Schedule) Biblical Feasts 1 Nisan ניסן Their flight Redemption, Miracles Abibאביב Ripening of grain[Barley, Wheat] Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits 2 Iyyar אייר (natural) healing Introspection, Self improvement Zivזו Splendor or Radiance [Flowers] (Barley harvest)    3 Sivan סיון Bright - their covering Giving of Torah 3rd (Wheat harvest) Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) 4 Tammuz תמוז Hidden - giver of the vine (A Phoenician deity) Sin of the Golden Calf, guarding of the eyes 4th       5 Av אב Father Av the Comforter 5th       6 Elul אלול A vain thing - nothingness Repentance 6th (Fruit harvest)    7 Tishri תשרי Beginning (from reishit) Month of the Strong or Month of the Ancients Ethanimאיתנים Ever-flowing streams Rosh HaShannah, Yom Kippur, Succot 8 Kheshvan חשון Eighth The Flood (of Noach) Bulבול Produce (in the sense of rain)    9 Kislev כסלן Security, trust (Restful) Sleep 9th       10 Tevet טבמ Good (from "Tov") Divine Grace 10th       11 Shevat שבט meaning unknown Tree of Life 11th       12 Adar אדר Strength Good Fortune 12th       13 * Adar II אדר ב  13th

* Additional month added during Leap Years.  About every 2nd or 3rd year.
There are 7 leap years in a 19 year cycle.

Christmas - symbols

Reading people's opinions about Christmas - it was originally a pagan festival hijacked by Christians, but could each symbol be seen in the light of Christ's incarnation?

Tree - and it can remind us that Jesus came to die on a 'tree' for our sins. 
Each branch could be a picture of the church, with Christ being the trunk (vine) and His people, the branches.
Red baubles could be symbolic of His blood, 
Gold for His kingship, 
Purple for royalty too, 
Silver for the price paid at Calvary. 
Green is a peaceful colour so could remind us that He is the Prince of Peace, 
Blue, the colour of the heavens, where He resides! 
Star on top, symbolises the star from the east or even the Bright and Morning Star*!

Ok maybe it might be spiritualising it somewhat, but it doesn't have to be pagan!  

*Jesus is called the Bright and Morning Star so maybe the star the wise men followed, was visible during the day and that's what made it unusual! 

Revelation 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

2 ladders in 2 pits (posted on my FB status)

Yesterday, I was thinking about other religions vs true Christianity!

There are 2 pits - both the same size, both have the same ladders in them, both are murky and dark (if I could draw, I would do a picture), each ladder leads to the top of the pit, but the first picture had a fluffy cloud with god written on it, but the second has a hand reaching down into the pit!

The ladders, in both pits, have a rung or 2 at the bottom with things like, "gave money to charity", "pray x number of times a day" etc, but above those are broken rungs which have things like - bitterness, jealousy, adulterous thoughts, hatred, anger, malice etc. Even the rungs with the good we do would be weak!

Anyway, the point being, however hard we try, we cannot reach God - not even the gods of other religions - they require such heavy burdens - do this, do that, be good - yet we never know if our works have been enough, so at the bottom of the pit we remain, but with true Christianity, God reaches down and lifts us out of the pit, out of the horrible clay, one psalm says He lifts us out of the dunghill (KJV) and sets us with the princes:

Psalm 113:7,8 

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.

Psalm 40 says He lifts us out of the horrible pit, out of the miry clay and sets our feet upon the rock and puts a new song in our mouths:

Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord;

And He inclined to me,

And heard my cry.

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,

Out of the miry clay,

And set my feet upon a rock,

And established my steps.

He has put a new song in my mouth—

Praise to our God;

Many will see it and fear,

And will trust in the Lord.

We do nothing to earn our salvation - Christ did it all at Calvary! With other religions, the way is burdensome, but with Christianity, Christ took our burdens upon Himself, He lived the life we could not and died the death we deserved! As well as putting a new song in our mouths,  Zephaniah 3:17 says:

The Lord your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing. 🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶