“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
God incarnate became a man, and He died for our sins and rose the third day. Don’t let that ever cease to amaze you! God very God, the Almighty Creator of the universe, humbled Himself and became a human being, clothing Himself in flesh. Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, was born as a baby in Bethlehem, fulfilling hundreds of Old Testament prophecies. The joy of Christmas is that God loves you so much that He Himself came to die on the cross and rescue you from your sin. He is the Holy One–the Messiah! He came to save us, and He died and rose so that we can have eternal life with Him. What a miracle–what a Savior! What a God we serve!
Philippians 2:5-8
5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Merry Christmas to you and your family! May you draw closer to our precious Lord and Savior this new year!
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.“
What is our purpose? Why are we as believers here on this earth? More specifically, FOR WHAT PURPOSE did God choose us in particular among all people–to redeem us by His blood and sanctify us to Himself?
A look at the book of Ephesians, particularly chapter 1, answers this question. Let’s look at the two specific and clearly laid out reasons God chose us to be His.
To be holy and without blame before Him in love. Many times, in our modern day, people overemphasize “making a decision for Christ.” “Pray the prayer and you’re saved” is the mentality. But the truth is that the first moment the Holy Spirit leads us to put faith in Christ is only the beginning. WHY did God choose us to be His children? Why did He choose us “in Him before the foundation of the world”? To be holy and blameless in Him. Becoming a Christian means dying. It means dying to our sinful nature and the old man. It means crucifying the flesh and dying with Christ. It means leaving our past and sinful nature. A prayer does not save us. Christ Himself saves us by grace through faith, NOT of ourselves (Eph. 2:8). Faith without works is dead (James 2)! God gives us faith in Him, and He redeems us. Faith is not a one-and-done thing! Faith is living and active! We must LIVE OUT our faith, bearing fruit for Jesus. He saves us not so we can just keep living however we want to. Our old selves have DIED, and we no longer have anything to do with them. The first purpose for our salvation is HOLINESS. We are to be set apart from the world, spotless and blameless, pure and holy, consecrated to His use alone. The Greek word for without blame (ἄμωμος) is translated as a sacrifice without blemish. Going to Romans 12:1-2, we discover what the sacrifice is. It is ourselves–a holy, living sacrifice to the Lord. This is what He chose us for–in Him–before the foundation of the world! He predestined us for HOLINESS and BLAMELESSNESS. We have no place mingling with darkness and the world. We must be completely set apart and consecrated for His service.
To the praise of the glory of His grace. The phrase “to the praise of His glory” is repeated three times in Ephesians chapter 1, as relating to the purpose for which God chose us to be His children, predestining us before the foundation of the world to adopt us as His own. The second purpose God has for us in Christ is for His praise and to His glory! All things are of Him and through Him and to Him. He is worthy, always entirely worthy of all our worship and adoration. All that we do should always be for His glory alone. When we praise Him, we bring Him glory. When we live in holiness, fulfilling our purpose, we bring Him glory. When we endure suffering with patience, we bring Him glory. He has called us to bring Him glory. He has saved us for the sake of His glory. Everything He does is for the glory of His name. Strong’s concordance describes the Greek word for glory (δόξα) as a “most glorious condition, most exalted state.” The glory of God should be our end purpose, our chief goal in life. And as we pursue holiness in Christ Jesus, who has purchased us with His precious blood for this very reason, we bring glory, honor, and praise to His name.
Now that we know our purpose in Christ, are we living it out? Let us reevaluate our lives. In what ways do we need to be separate from the world–set apart and consecrated in holiness to our Master? In what ways do we need to rededicate our lives to solely seeking after His glory and praise in all things? This is our calling. This is the reason our Lord and Master chose us to be saved. This is the reason He purchased us on the cross, suffering the ultimate penalty for our sins. He has done so much for us. Can we not fulfill the purpose to which He has called us?
Lamentations 3:40
Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD.
Ephesians 1:4-7
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace…
“I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 12:1-3
The Bible tells us to. In Genesis chapter 12, God promised Abraham that those who blessed his descendants would be blessed, and vice versa. This was never a conditional promise, and God never set a time limit for the “expiration” of this verse.
Jesus Christ came to the earth as a Jew. Jesus Christ was born of the seed of David according to the Law (Gal. 4:4, Matthew 1). He came as a Jew, and His main earthly ministry was to the Jews. (Matthew 15:24) Salvation is of the Jews since the Savior came from the Jews. (John 4:22)
Israel is God’s special people. We are to be imitators of God (Eph. 5:1-2). God has numerous times declared that Israel is His special chosen nation. Scripture clearly states that even in New Testament times, God has not cast away His people. (Romans 11:1-2: “I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.”) Even though the Jewish people as a whole have rejected their Messiah, God has not rejected them, and the nation of Israel still plays an essential role in God’s plan for history.
Jesus Christ, God incarnate, loves Israel. As previously mentioned, Christ’s earthly ministry was nearly entirely focused on the Jewish people. Salvation came first to the Jews who spread the Gospel to the Gentiles.
Israel will play a key role in God’s plan for the future of the world. There are many prophecies in Scripture concerning Israel’s future salvation and her role in end-time events. In fact, these events will center around Israel.
Even if you take these most important factors out of the equation, there are significant practical reasons for the US to support Israel.
Israel is America’s strong ally. Historically, Israel and America have worked side by side. This is no different from the present! The leaders of both countries have great relationships and work closely together.
Israel is very smart and up-to-date on technology, making them a valuable country to have a good relationship with.
Israel’s location in the Middle East gives the US an ally in that turbulent area of the world.
God has made it abundantly clear that His children in Christ must support and bless His chosen nation, Israel. That fact alone ought to convince us that we must do so and stand boldly for the Jewish people.
I hope this post equips you to better understand and defend your position on Israel!
Psalms 122:6 (NKJV) Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
Or in Hebrew: Shaalu Shlom Yerushalayim! (Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!)
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.
A little booklet by John MacArthur, Found: God’s Peace, casts these famous verses in an entirely new light. As Christians, we’ve probably all heard them a time or two, and thus, they can easily be overlooked due to how well we know them. But the question stands: how often do we actually put these verses into practice?
MacArthur explains what it means to humble ourselves under God’s hand: “The key is never to contest God’s wisdom but instead to accept humbly whatever God brings into your life as coming from His hand.”
Humbling ourselves under the hand of God equals accepting everything, even trials and pain, as coming from His perfect plan. Instead of getting angry or bitter, it means trusting and submitting. Instead of continually questioning “why?” it means saying “Lord, I do not understand what You are doing. But I trust that it is good–in fact, it is best for me–and it is for Your glory and my good, ultimately.”
Of course, we all struggle, and there are times we face doubt and questions. That is common; go to the psalms and you will find that other men of God struggled with the same things. But at the end of most lamenting psalms, you will find declarations of praise and trust. Even in the book of Lamentations, which is a declaration of mourning and sorrow, we find some of the most beautiful verses in Scripture: “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
That is what truly makes a person of God–not someone who never struggles with their faith, but someone who does not stay there but always comes out victorious, humbly and joyfully submitting to God’s will in all things.
It is most certainly not an easy practice. But may we pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help us peacefully and joyfully submit to His will! What a God we serve, that we can trust Him wholeheartedly, for He always does what is best for us, for our good and more importantly, for His glory.
*Note: I wanted to mention that Dr. MacArthur’s recent passing is deeply sorrowful for those of us on earth who have been impacted by his life and ministry. I have been so blessed by his materials and am thankful for the man of God he was. Praise the Lord for his life and legacy, and may the Lord help his ministry to continue going strong!
Recently, I read some writings by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, one of my personal heroes. If you do not know much about him, I hardly know where to begin in describing his life to you. Rather, I will have to refer you to one of my favorite books ever: Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas. Once you start digging into the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, you will find yourself challenged, inspired, and encouraged in your walk with Christ.
Bonhoeffer wrote a prayer to encourage his fellow prisoners at Christmastime in 1943. It ministered to me greatly, and I thought I’d share it with you. Enjoy!
MORNING PRAYERS
O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you;
I cannot do this alone.
In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways,
But you know the way for me.
O heavenly Father,
I praise and thank you
For the peace of the night;
I praise and thank you for this new day;
I paise and thank you for all your goodness
and faithfulness throughout my life.
You have granted me many blessings;
Now let me also accept what is hard
from your hand,
You will lay on me no more
than I can bear.
You make all things work together for good
for your children.
Lord Jesus Christ,
You were poor
and in distress, a captive and forsaken as I am.
You know all man’s troubles;
You abide with me
when all men fail me;
You remember and seek me;
It is your will that I should know you
and turn to you.
Lord, I hear your call and follow;
Help me.
O Holy Spirit,
Give me faith that will protect me
from despair, from passions, and from vice;
Give me such love for God and men
as will blot out all hatred and bitterness;
Give me the hope that will deliver me
from fear and faint-heartedness.
O holy and merciful God,
my Creator and Redeemer,
my Judge and Saviour,
You know me and all that I do.
You hate and punish evil without respect of persons
Proverbs 25:11 (NKJV) A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
Here are a few of my current favorite quotes. Enjoy!
Quotes from some of my favorite books:(If you pick up one of my books, you are sure to find some of these quotes underlined heavily! 🙂)
“Only when we have become completely oblivious of self are we ready to bear the cross for His [Christ’s] sake. If in the end we know only Him, if we have ceased to notice the pain of our own cross, we are indeed looking only unto Him.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer (The Cost of Discipleship)
“We pay no attention to our own lives or the new image which we bear, for then we should at once have forfeited it, since it is only to serve as a mirror for the image of Christ on whom our gaze is fixed. The disciple looks solely at his Master.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer (The Cost of Discipleship)
“A true Christian is one who has not only peace of conscience, but war within.” –J.C. Ryle, Holiness
“And no man can grow in holiness except he abides in Christ. Christ is the great root from which every believer must draw his strength to go forward.” –J.C. Ryle, Holiness
“Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.”–Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment
“For, in the first place, no man can survey himself without forthwith turning his thoughts toward the God in whom he lives and moves; because it is perfectly obvious, that the endowments which we possess cannot possibly be from ourselves; no, that our very being is nothing else than subsistence in God alone. In the second place, those blessings which unceasingly distill to us from heaven, are like streams conducting us to the fountain.” -John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion
Random quotes I came across (therefore, I do not neccessarily endorse the author/publication; but the quote is good):
“NOT TO SPEAK IS TO SPEAK. NOT TO ACT IS TO ACT.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”–John Piper
“When we think too lightly of sin, we think too lightly of the Savior.” –C.H. Spurgeon
“That cannot be politically right which is morally wrong.”–Abigail Adams
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” –George Santayana
“I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work He will give us to do.” –Corrie ten Boom
“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” –Harriet Beecher Stowe
“Our motto must continue to be perseverance. And ultimately I trust the Almighty will crown our efforts with success.” –William Wilberforce
“As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the world in which we live.” –Pope John Paul II
“The Lord’s mercy often rides to the door of our heart upon the black horse of affliction.”–Charles Spurgeon
“Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness.” –Mother Teresa
Recently, I was featured on the Scripture Memory Podcast, a ministry of Scripture Memory Fellowship. This episode includes testimony from my years competing in the National Bible Bee competition, as well as encouragement in memorizing Scripture for God’s glory. Check it out here!
Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
Here is something I wrote in my journal a few days ago–a reflection on several Scriptures that revolve around the same theme.
Be still…
You say, yet how can I be still?
When I am caught in my turbulent seas?
One moment–trusting, calm, content,
Filled with faith in Your promises
And hope for the future.
Next moment–doubting, anxious, discontent,
Filled with fear and discouragement for the future.
Yet You say, “Be still.”
You alone can calm the winds and waves,
Give this heavy-laden soul peace and rest in You.
Speak these two words to my raging storm.
Quiet me with Your love.
Command these tempests to cease…
Silence me to know
YOU ARE GOD
And You are perfectly,
Continuously,
Always
FAITHFUL.
Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV) 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.”
Mark 4:39 (NKJV) Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV) 28Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
13And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
A group of thousands of tired, fearful people huddle around an elderly man. Perhaps some of the women are weeping softly. Not far behind the people, one sees the dust of hundreds of speedily moving enemy chariots. Close in front of the people lies a huge body of water. Suddenly, the elderly man–the leader of this group–lifts his hand, holding his staff. “The Lord will fight for you!” His triumphant words ring across the water. Instantly, accompanied by the sound of rushing wind, the water rises up and parts. The people cry out in thankfulness and hurry toward the water–a dry path has been made between the walls of water.
The image of the Red Sea parting for the Israelites is so astounding and meaningful to me. A while back, I wrote a poem about that amazing event.
Part the Sea
Standing at the edge
Of the Red Sea.
Foaming, placid waters
Lapping at my feet.
How to cross this mighty sea
Stretching beyond my sight?
How to pass through it?
My heart is filled with fright.
Then, turning around, what horror!
With my own eyes I see
The massive thousands of thousands
Of Egypt’s great army.
Trapped behind, trapped ahead,
With no place to go,
I lift my eyes heavenward,
To the One Whose power I know.
“Lord, there’s nothing I can do,
Nothing in my might.
Please work a miracle;
Help me walk by faith, not sight.”
Powerful, yet gentle,
His answer returns:
“Don’t be afraid, child,
You will not be hurt.
Stand still and watch
My salvation–here–today!
I will fight for you;
I will make a way!
The only thing for you to do
Is to stand still and trust.
Wait quietly in My presence;
Your enemies will be crushed.”
I obey in awestruck silence
Waiting on the Lord.
The Egyptians push ever closer;
But I hope in His Word.
At the moment when I thought
It was much too late,
When I thought my heart
Could no longer wait,
The sea split in two,
Rising on each side.
The path in between
Was smooth and dry.
Words cannot describe
The parting of the sea;
Its majestic splendor
Was God’s path for me.
Rushing, gushing, foaming,
The depths broke in two.
Walls of raging water
Split the fathomless blue.
Monstrous floods of liquid
Held back by God’s hand,
Torrents of bottomless water,
Restrained by His command.
I step onto the path,
Firm and dry and sure,
Glancing timidly at the Sea
Parted by the Lord.
Raging water on right and left,
As if in the eye of the storm,
I’m on the miracle path given
By the Almighty Lord.
He did this wonder for me–
A simple, wretched fool!
He defied gravity
For me, His simple tool.
I doubted His power, discouraged
And even lost heart in prayer.
But now–looking at the water–
Is this how much He cares?
Tears fill my eyes as I walk
Carefully through the sea.
This marvelous wonder was worked
For doubtful, sinful me.
I cross to the other side
And watch the miracle reverse.
The sea rages back into place,
Drowning the Egyptians first.
I sing to my Lord!
He has done marvelous things!
He is Almighty and powerful–
The King above all kings!
The Creator is forever mighty–
Gravity can’t get in His way!
No matter how deep our seas,
His might will make a way.
No matter how wide the ocean,
His love is wider still.
No matter how tall the mountains,
He created those hills!
Our God is greater–He still parts seas!
Precious Lord, we pray,
Please part the sea for us.
Please fight for us today!
Isaiah 50:2 (NKJV) 2Why, when I came, was there no man? Why, when I called, was there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish stink because there is no water, And die of thirst.
Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103:1-5
I love Psalm 103. It is full of beautiful reminders of our Lord’s lovingkindness and compassion. The first five verses in particular have stood out to me recently.
We are reminded to bless the Lord and to “forget not all His benefits.” Too often, we tend to forget the many blessings our Lord showers upon us, pining over what we do not have. He has granted us so much, and we must tell ourselves over and over to remember all His blessings and His amazing goodness to us. He is always, entirely good! Everything He does is good and wonderous (Psalm 72:18).
The final verse of this section–verse 5–is so amazing. We learn that our Lord satisfies our mouth with good things! There are several things that come to mind as I think about this verse.
1. Our Lord fully satisfies! He is all-sufficient for us. If He were the only One we ever had on this earth, He would be enough. Psalm 107:9 says, “For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.”
2. Everything the Lord gives is good–even if it doesn’t seem like it! He withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:10-11), and He works everything out for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Thus, we can trust that everything the Lord allows and gives is good.
3. In order to receive the fullest blessing from the Lord, we must empty ourselves. Psalm 81:10 says, “I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” In order to receive God’s blessings, we must open our mouths. And to get the fullest of what He has for us, our mouths must be emptied of trivial things so HE can fill them. For example, picture someone stuffing his mouth with candy. The Lord has a large slice of cheesecake to offer, but the person has filled his mouth with candy and cannot accept what is so much better from the hand of the Lord. This example may sound funny, but it is so true. What the Lord has for us is so much better than what we think we need!
All in all, our Lord satisfies us fully. He renews our youth and makes us as strong as eagles.
