Talk of JESUS . com

Tag: Christ

  • Tribulation? Cheer up.

    Tribulation? Cheer up.

    2017: Keep on for Christ’s sake.

    I’m not invoking a phrase of cursing here, rather I call on the saints who hold fast to Jesus Christ to continue in faith. This is no new calling out in times of difficulty or anticipated times of trouble. We anticipate tribulation in the world.

    Solomon may have come up with this calming wisdom for some new year [about 2900 years ago]:

    History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. – Ecclesiastes 1:9 NLT

    We begin this new year of expectant change by those with troubling temperaments leading us into the unknown. Certainly Rome ruled with a harsh hand. When the Messiah Jesus knew that His drama of suffering was imminent, the Lord offered true hope to His followers.

    John 16:

    “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away…

    Jesus is not speaking to non-believers here, but to those followers, saints of the church. In fact, our Lord adds a vaguely familiar motive for these troubles ahead.

    Christians hung in Egypt 2015“… Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.

    The world sees and overlooks routine persecution in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and in the slums of our rich cities. (Nothing new under the sun.)

    [ctt title=”The world remotely headlines the very sufferings, persecution, expulsion and genocide of many who refuse to bow down to idol false gods and violent dead prophets.” tweet=”We pray for persecuted Christians, Jews and Muslims of the wrong sect in places controlled by hopeless men.” coverup=”2IbK7″]

    Tribulation Defined

    1,000,000+ victims
    South Sudan Nov. 2015

    Oxford defines tribulation (usually tribulations) as: 1 A cause of great trouble or suffering or 1.1 A state of great trouble or suffering.

    A look into the Greek root of Jesus’ word used here is more revealing.

    θλῖψις [thlipsis] – 

    1. a pressing, pressing together, pressure

    2. metaph. oppression, affliction, tribulation, distress, straits

    refugees driven from their cities in Syria & Iraq

    Photos of war and refugees define our present pressing in of evil. Distant news reveals affliction all too well, therefore the world’s loss of hope leads us to believe we cannot have peace – ever.

    Think about it: Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, offends those who deny God and perpetrate evil.

    [ctt title=”Followers of causes opposed to the LORD most often claim false gods, false traditions and false men offering false hope.” tweet=”GOD offends the godless!” coverup=”IbtST”]

    Life’s evils do and will again repeat themselves.

    “But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

    – John 16:4”

    Tribulations define a pressing in of sin by a fallen world opposed to God.

    • When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the LORD your God and obey his voice. – Deuteronomy 4:20
    • “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. – Matthew 24:9 

    Yes, Jesus, the incarnate Messiah of the LORD God, is hated by all nations, because the world hates the LORD. Tribulations for Christians and others will continue in the 21st century, as in the 20th and the first centuries. History of the church reveals the truth of Jesus’ warnings to followers. We do not have to look far to see those who refuse the Holy Spirit of the LORD God.

    Acts 14:19-22

    … they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city… they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples.

    … encouraging them to continue in the faith,

    and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

    The Pressing In

    As we anticipate the inevitable tribulation of this upcoming year, Christians would do well to heed the cheery advice of our Lord. Jesus has overcome the world and its troubles; therefore in Him we can have peace in our hearts.

    We have Gospel good news! God came to man in His own Perfect Image as a living perfect sacrifice for our sins. After Jesus returned to God the Father He sent the Holy Spirit of God to be with those who love the LORD.

    8 And when he [the Helper] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

    Christians and non-christians alike experience sin pressing in. Judgment, therefore, awaits every living soul and each deceased failed body of mortal flesh.

    20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy…

    … but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

    29 His disciples said… “Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”

    31 Jesus answered them..

    [And the Lord answers us as we anticipate with some trepidation of the year to come.]

    “Do you now believe?

    32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered…

    33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.

    In the world you will have tribulation.

    But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

    Welcome 2017

    2 Corinthians 1: NKJV

    To the church of God… with all the saints…

    2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

    3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

    4 who comforts us in all our tribulation,

    that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble,

    with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

    5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

    Beloved believer, cheer up; for Christ our saving hope from tribulation, from death and from judgment returns for those who love the Lord – for the chosen ones, saints for all time, this year and forever.

    Amen.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Voices of Angels for Shepherds near Bethlehem

    Voices of Angels for Shepherds near Bethlehem

    He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. – Isaiah 40:11

    In case you missed part 1 of our story, you can read about the shepherds of Bethlehem here.

    The Shepherds and the Angels

    Luke 2:

    8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

    13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

    14 “Glory to God in the highest,
        and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

    15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

    16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

    20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

    An angel of the Lord approaches from the night sky with a message of good news. How will you respond?

    Fear first? Certainly! But this messenger of the Lord says, “Fear not.”

    Shepherds have never seen the king, even those those who serve the king. Heavenly beings now appear to shepherds on a hillside near Bethlehem. Why have angels come to lowly shepherds to proclaim the birth of the Messiah?

    Then the Angels tell these shepherds to see the Lord Incarnate with their own eyes!

    By their first witness, these most humble among men announce the arrival of the Most Humble Lord of Lords and King of Kings, born of a humble virgin and laid in a manger used to feed animals in this same lowly place.

    It would have been the pinnacle event of their lives to have witnessed angels, singing to the glory of God. Yet even more, the lowest proclaim first the birth of the Highest One to men not privileged to behold our newborn Savior, Jesus the Messiah, born a son of man to a virgin in lowly Bethlehem of Judea.

    “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
    for from you shall come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’” – Matthew 2:6

    A lowly shepherd tells us, “I have seen the Lord.” The Messiah is born to us in a manger. How unlikely, that God should send a Son to be born and sacrificed for our sins. Yet Shepherds and Magi have witnessed the glory of angels proclaiming this moment…

    And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

    John 1:14

    For God So Loved the World

    [ctt title=”“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” tweet=”John 3:16-17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ” coverup=”8N4eb”]

    18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

    Where is your witness this Christmas? Is your love for the Lord this same worship of the angels of heaven and redeemed lowly shepherds of this earth?

    Glory to God in the Highest and one earth peace, good will towards men, though Christ Jesus, our Lord.

    Amen.

  • and new things I now declare – 2

    and new things I now declare -Advent 1

    A background to prophesy

    God’s chosen people defeated and the LORD’s city of Jerusalem faces destruction. The kingdom of glory won by the LORD for David and the Temple of King Solomon destroyed centuries prior, Isaiah cries out to the people 700 years before Christ, repent! “The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.” – Isaiah 24:5 

    Yet Isaiah offers hope for his people and on an appointed day in the future the Lord God will save them.

    Isaiah 25

    8 He will swallow up death forever;
    and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
    and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
    for the Lord has spoken.

    9 It will be said on that day,
    “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
    This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
    let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

    John the Baptist answers his critics, “I am a voice in the wilderness proclaiming the way of the Lord as predicted by the Prophet Isaiah.” John openly confesses he is not the promised Messiah.

    What else did Isaiah have to say generations before John preached by the Jordan about the Messiah, Savior of Israel? In fact, Isaiah describes the Messiah as a righteous king.

    A King Will Reign in Righteousness

    [ctt title=”Isaiah uses the Hebrew צֶדֶק (tsedeq) meaning righteousness 25 times & צָדַק (tsadaq), \’to be righteous\’ 7 times.” tweet=”Who IS righteous redemption for our sins? Only the One Messiah, Jesus.” coverup=”907aE”]

    Isaiah 32

    Behold, a king will reign in righteousness,
    and princes will rule in justice.

    3 Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed,
    and the ears of those who hear will give attention…

    5 The fool will no more be called noble,
    nor the scoundrel said to be honorable.

    A Righteous Savior

    Which King of Israel or leader of any country was ever righteous? Is it not power we seek in a king to save us from our enemies?

    Isaiah and John the Baptist wanted a king with power to rule in justice, a man to defeat their oppressors and followers of the Lord sought a man to place on the throne of their own self-righteousness. The word of Isaiah about a righteous savior may remain hidden to eyes too busy to read scripture.  Warnings to have ears to hear the Lord ring familiar to our 21st century ears filled with the distractions of our everyday sins.  Do we not choose between fools and scoundrels to lead the future of our nations? Yet none have ears to hear such prophesy.

    Fear Not

    You know the greeting of the angels to man: “fear not;” for fear would be our most immediate reaction to Almighty God. The Lord comforts his beaten-down and dispersed people and He speaks a declaration of His own righteousness through Isaiah:

    Isaiah 44:

    2 Thus says the Lord who made you,
    who formed you from the womb and will help you:
    Fear not, O Jacob my servant…

    Yes, of course the Lord made us from the womb, and the Lord promises to help. Yet to whom is this promise? ‘Jacob, my servant,’ the people Israel, specifically; yet even moreso the Lord’s word is to those of Jacob who have repented and are now willing to become servants to the Lord.

    6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel
        and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
    “I am the first and I am the last;
        besides me there is no god.
    7 Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.
        Let him declare and set it before me,
    since I appointed an ancient people.
        Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.
    8 Fear not, nor be afraid;
        have I not told you from of old and declared it?
        And you are my witnesses!
    Is there a God besides me?
        There is no Rock; I know not any.”

    and new things I now declare -Advent 2 – 2016 – To be continued..