One More Disciple

Drive The World From Me...

2010-12-30T23:29:00.011-05:00

JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE

Recently I have been quite concerned about prayer and it's importance. I'm going to share with you a little of the background.

I am participating on a project at our local church where we are working on an initiative we have deemed "Prayer Partnership, Circle of Prayer". The goal of the Partnership is to encourage 100% of the congregation to participate in our missions endeavor. We believe we must support our missionaries first and God will meet all our church's other needs. Prayer is the one thing that EVERYONE can do.

But, I digress.

The initiative we are undertaking means that we're going to be asking the congregation to commit to praying for 1 missionary, each, daily. Example - if we had 300 people in the congregation and 15 supported missionaries that would mean each missionary would be prayed for by 20 different individuals, daily. The circle is then completed when each missionary agrees to pray for our church and the Missions Committee daily.

I should have been quite excited by this initiative, yet, I actually felt uneasy. I think it would be more accurate if I used the word vexed.

Vexed???

Why??

It took a few days of searching and asking God to help me understand. [Note: long ago I stopped asking "why" about things and started asking for understanding. I figure God has His reasons and I don't really need to know the why. So now I just ask for understanding.]

Ok, a few days into it, I'm praying and chatting with God and all of a sudden God brings up the verses and an image about Jesus clearing the merchants and money changers out of the Temple. Each gospel has an accounting, Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19 & John 2. Jesus was disturbed, to say the least. God impressed it on me that the "world" had entered the Temple and was using a place made for worship & prayer to transact business! Jesus called the Temple His Father's house. Here are the verses from John 2: 13-16 ESV -

(13) The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (14) In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. (15) And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. (16) And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade."

A lighted bulb appears above my head! I now knew why I was feeling the way I was. I have been concerned that we on the Missions Committee were not spending enough time praying & fasting as a group, seeking God's will and direction for our committee and the Missions outreach. In fact, it was a minimal amount of time, imho. God had allowed me to see that the Christian Church was being successfully assimulated into the world. [but that's another blog post for the future]

I was feeling like somewhat of a hypocrite. Here, we were going to ask the congregation to pray, in earnest, daily and we on the committee were not earnestly spending real time in prayer & fasting, as a group. Individually maybe, but not as a group. Oh, we would pray, but it was the kind of prayer where we did all the talking and none of the listening. Ever found yourself doing that? Bet you have. Having this realizaton, I asked God what the verses had to do with this? His answer -

"The reason you are bothered is because you know that prayer has not been a priority with you or the committee.You are being convicted by my Spirit." He continued... "omd, the world had entered My Temple, a place of worship and prayer." "They were carrying on worldly business as if they were in the marketplace." "Think about this." "There is now a new covenant as well as a new Temple." "omd, the new Temple is your body... it is each one of my children's bodies." "The Holy Spirit resides in each of you." "You are bothered because you now have realized there is much of the world left in you and it is contending with the purpose of my Temple." "Remember, you are only IN the world, you are no longer OF the world!" "There is no place for the world in you." "Jesus drove the world out of the Temple." "Now, I say to you, ask that the world be driven out of you!"

Gulp!! I had always been told to be careful what you ask for. 0=:o)

Now my prayer is, "Father, drive the world from me and each of your children & the believing church."

With 2011 just 1 day away I challenge each of my brothers and sisters in Christ to make their New Years resolution to be just this. "I resolve to beseech Jesus and ask that the world be driven out of me." Please make this your resolution, too. God is earnestly at work encouraging His children to pray and fast seeking His face and direction.

Happy New Year and I pray that God will prosper each of you & your families spiritually, financially, in good health, content and seeking Him. Let me know if you are willing to take this resolution.

I am a Fellow Christian Sojourner and One More Disciple of the Christ, Jesus

omd

Is Heaven a Free Gift OR Do You Earn Your Way In?

2010-06-03T23:53:00.015-04:00

Brothers, Sisters & Friends,

It's been a longer than expected hiatus from this blog for me. There's been much water under the bridge. I've had my struggles, trials & tribulations and I fight with procrastination. I just got stuck in life, is all!

Many years ago a wise older man gave me a tidbit of wisdom that has stuck with me. I must have been selling an excuse for something. His retort was; "My young friend, Life is what happens to you in-between your plans." - How very true! It's
too bad that there are times when we choose the happenings of life as an excuse to ignore our relationship with God.

What I'm posting today is a great article providing us with a good thumbnail sketch of the differences between Biblical Christianity and the other belief systems we humans may subscribe to. You will discover other works by the author by clicking on "The Berean Call" at the beginning of his article.

Hope you all enjoy. Here goes. OH, and feel free to post any thoughts you have regarding the article.
<><
OMD

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Thursday, June 3, 2010

The Works-Salvation Delusion

By T. A. McMahon
The Berean Call

I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come[s] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. - Galatians 2:21

When we compare biblical Christianity with the religions of the world, using the Scriptures to guide us, we see that the gap between them is unbridgeable. In fact, one is forced to the conclusion that there are really only two religions in the world: biblical Christianity - and all other religions. (Note: I refer to biblical Christianity as a "religion" only for comparative purposes: a religion is a manmade belief system, whereas biblical Christianity is what God has revealed to mankind.)

These two "religions" are set apart primarily by what they teach about salvation - how one can get to heaven or paradise or Valhalla or Nirvana or the abode of God, or whatever else people believe about the afterlife. Each of the two can be placed under one of two categories: Human Achievement and Divine Accomplishment - or, to put it simply, the religions of "Do" and "Done." I'm referring to the fact that either there are things you must do (Human Achievement) or there is nothing you can do because it has already been done (Divine Accomplishment) to earn entrance to heaven.

Biblical Christianity alone comes under the heading of Divine Accomplishment. All the other religions of the world must be placed under the label of Human Achievement. Let's first consider some of the major religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and certain denominations or cults that profess to be Christian.

Hinduism has about 330 million gods who must be appeased through some type of ritual. A couple of years ago I was given a tour of a massive Hindu temple just outside Chicago. The parking lot was filled with luxury cars. There was imported stonework from Italy. No expense was spared. Inside, doctors, lawyers, and engineers, among others, according to my guide, were serving meals to the idols, Hanuman, the monkey god, and Ganesha, the elephant god.

Hinduism is a system of works - things that one must do to reach moksha, the Hindu heaven. It involves the practice of yoga, which, contrary to what many have heard, has never been for improvement of one's health but is rather a means of dying to one's body in the hope of delivering oneself from the physical realm. This is supposed to yoke one to Brahman, the Supreme Deity of Hinduism. Reincarnation, a system that supposedly enables one to work one's way to heaven through many births, deaths, and rebirths, is one of the teachings of this religion.

Buddhism is also all about works. Buddha believed that the key to reaching Nirvana, which is allegedly the state of perfect peace and happiness, is through an understanding of the Four Noble Truths and by practicing the Noble Eightfold Path.

In essence, the Four Noble Truths declare that we endure suffering because of our desires or cravings. These "Truths" claim that suffering will stop when we cease trying to fulfill those desires. According to Buddhism, we can achieve this by following the Noble Eightfold Path, which has the elements of "right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration." This is all done by man's achievement, i.e., "doing things right" in order to reach Nirvana.

In Islam, paradise is attained when Allah weighs a follower's good works against his bad deeds on a scale at Judgment Day. The Qur'an declares:

"For those things that are good remove those that are evil" (Surah 11:114).

It's a quantitative process. Good deeds need to outweigh or blot out evil deeds. From the Qur'an again:

"The balance that day will be true: Those whose scale [of good works] will be heavy, will prosper: Those whose scale will be light will find their souls in perdition" (Surah 7:8,9).

Here's an interesting example of what a Muslim faces to get into paradise: On April 3, 1991, the Egyptian magazine, Akher Saa, recorded a heated debate between four female journalists and Sheik Doctor Abdu-Almonim Al-Nimr, who holds a high position at Al-Azher Islamic University. One of the journalists asked him: "Is the hijab [veil or head covering] obligatory for women in Islam? If I do not wear the hijab, shall I go to hell in spite of my other good deeds? I am talking about the decent woman who does not wear the hijab."

Dr. Al-Nimr replied, "The ordinances in Islam are many, my daughter, Allah made us accountable to each. It means if you do that ordinance you earn a point. If you neglect one, you lose a point. If you pray, you earn a point; if you do not fast you lose a point, and so on." He continued, "I did not invent a new theory...for every man there is a book in which all his good and evil deeds are recorded...even how do we treat our children."

The journalist said: "That means, if I do not wear the hijab, I will not enter the hell fire without taking into account the rest of my good deeds." Dr. Al-Nimr replied: "My daughter, no one knows who will enter the hell fire...I might be the first one to enter it. Caliph Abu-Bakr Al-Sadik said: 'I have no trust concerning Allah's schemes, even if one of my feet is inside of paradise who can determine which deed is acceptable and which is not.' You do all that you can do...and the accountability is with Allah. You ask him for acceptance [Italics added for emphasis].

"In Judaism, heaven is attained by keeping the Law and its ceremonies. Obviously, that isn't consistent with what the Tanakh (the Old Testament) teaches, yet that has been the practice of Judaism for millennia. As Jesus said, "In vain they do worship [God], teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:9).

His words also apply to a number of "Christian" denominations and cults that stress works as necessary for salvation. Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh-Day Adventists, the Church of Christ adherents, Roman Catholics, Eastern and Russian Orthodox members, Lutherans, and many others all include something that needs to be accomplished or is necessary for salvation, whether it's baptism, the sacraments, or joining their particular organization and fulfilling their requirements.

Here is an example from the first 30 years of my own life as a Roman Catholic. I lived by a religious system of laws, many of which a Catholic is obligated to keep. It began with baptism. If one is not baptized, the Church says he can't enter heaven. It also says that although baptism is required, it is no guarantee. There are many other such rules that a Catholic must keep.

I have a book in my office called Code of Canon Law. It contains 1,752 laws, many of which affect one's eternal destiny. Sins recognized by the Roman Catholic Church are classified as either mortal or venial. A mortal sin is one that damns a person to hell, should he or she die without having had it absolved by a priest. A venial sin doesn't need to be confessed to a priest, but whether confessed or not, all sin adds to one's temporal punishment, which must be expiated either here on earth through suffering or good works or else be purged in the flames of purgatory after one's death.

There are obligations that a Catholic must fulfill regarding both beliefs and deeds. For example, one is required to believe that Mary was conceived without sin (an event called the Immaculate Conception). If a Catholic doesn't believe that, he commits a mortal sin, which carries the penalty of eternal damnation. The feast day of the Immaculate Conception is a holy day of obligation, a day on which all Catholics are required to attend Mass. Failure to do so could result in commission of a mortal sin.

All the belief systems that I've mentioned, and many others as well, consist of doing or not doing certain things to reach "heaven." All are based upon human achievement. But what about biblical Christianity? How is that different?

Ephesians 2:8-9 spells it out for us:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that [salvation is] not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast [emphasis added]."

That's pretty straightforward. Our salvation doesn't have anything to do with our achievements.

Verse 8 tells us that it is by grace that we are saved. Grace is unmerited favor. If any merit is involved, it cannot be by grace. It's the gift of God. So if it's a gift, it can't be of works. That should be obvious. Someone puts in a tough month of work and his employer comes to him with his paycheck and declares, "Good job, Joe, here's your gift!" No - Joe worked for what he was paid. No gift was involved.

Regarding a person who works, Romans 4:4 tells us that his wages are a payment for the debt his employer owes him, and his paycheck has nothing to do with grace or a gift. A worker who has done a good job can boast or feel a sense of pride in the work he has accomplished. Yet all of that is contrary to grace or a gift. Grace rules out any sense of merit, and a gift does away with any sense of something earned or paid for.

Paul's teaching in Ephesians is affirmed in his epistle to Titus, chapter 3, verses 4-7:

"But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

We can see that this is consistent with Ephesians 2:8-9. It's not by our works that we are saved - not by works of righteousness that we have done - but it's by His mercy that we are saved.

You may well imagine that, as a Roman Catholic conditioned by a life of Church rules and rituals, I had great difficulty believing that faith was the only basis by which I could enter heaven. It didn't make sense to me.

Well, not only does it make sense - it's the only possible way anyone can be saved. It is miraculously sensible!

First of all, what keeps anyone from heaven or eternal life with God? We know that the answer is "sin." Here is a small sampling of the applicable verses: All have sinned (Romans 3:23); the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23); sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2); the soul who sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:20); sin brings forth death (James 1:15).

Genesis 2, God explains to Adam the consequences of disobeying Him. Adam was told not to eat from a certain fruit in the Garden of Eden. It was a commandment that was related to obedience and love - not of God's withholding something from Adam, as the Serpent implied. Remember, Jesus said "If a man love me, he will keep my words," that is, His teachings (John 14:23). Our love for God is demonstrated by our obedience.

What was God's penalty for disobedience? Genesis 2:17:

"...for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."Adam and Eve loved themselves more than they loved God, because they didn't "keep [His] words." They disobeyed Him, and the consequence was death. "The day you eat of it you will surely die." In the Scriptures, death always involves separation, and in God's judgment upon them, two applications are found: 1) physical death (the degeneration of the body, leading ultimately to its separation from the soul and spirit), and 2) eternal separation from God.

Adam and Eve did not die instantly, but the death process began at that point for them and for all creation. However, their spiritual relationship with God changed immediately and forever. God's judgment for sin is eternal: separation from God forever. It's an infinite penalty. And God, who is perfect in all of His attributes, including justice, had to carry out the punishment. He couldn't let them slide by and just give them another chance. That would have meant that He was not perfectly true to His Word. The penalty had to be paid.

So what could Adam and Eve do? Nothing, except die physically and spiritually, which is to be separated from God forever. And what can the rest of mankind do, seeing that all have sinned? Nothing. Well, one might ask, what if we do all sorts of good deeds that might outweigh our sins, or if we go to church a lot, or get baptized, do religious things, receive the sacraments, and so forth? None of those things will help us. Why? Because they don't pay the penalty. So what can we do? There is nothing that we can do - except to pay the penalty ourselves by being separated from God forever.

Our situation would be absolutely hopeless except that God has some other attributes in addition to being perfectly just. He is also perfect in love and mercy! "For God so loved the world" that He sent His only begotten Son to pay the penalty for us (John 3:16).

And that is exactly what Jesus did on the Cross. It is incomprehensible to us that during those three hours of darkness (when He cried out "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?") He took on the sins of the world and suffered the wrath of His Father - for us. On the Cross He "tasted death for every man" (Hebrews 2:9), that is, He experienced and paid the infinite penalty for everyone's sins.

When that divine accomplishment ended, Jesus cried out, "It is finished," meaning that the penalty had been paid in full. It was a divine accomplishment because it was something that only God could do! God became a man and died physically, because physical death was part of the penalty. Yet, as the God-Man, he was able to experience fully the penalty that every sinner would experience - being spiritually separated from God forever.

God's justice demands payment. Either we pay the penalty ourselves or we turn to Jesus by faith and receive the benefits of His sacrificial atonement. What does Roman 6:23 say?

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

The Bible could not be more clear that salvation can only be "the gift of God" and that we can only appropriate that gift by faith.

Any attempt to merit salvation by our works is not just futile - it is impossible:

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10).

Worse yet, it is a denial of the infinite penalty that God imposed, a rejection of God's "unspeakable gift," and a repudiation of what Christ accomplished for us.

It used to be that most evangelicals would agree. This is no longer the case as the apostasy gathers momentum in these Last Days. Recently, a Pew Forum survey of more than 40,000 Americans found that 57 percent of those who said they were evangelicals believed that Jesus is not the exclusive way to heaven. Since Jesus is the only one who provides divine accomplishment, all that remains is the futile delusion of human achievement for salvation.

Job's Suffering... Why?

2008-04-22T08:38:00.014-04:00

I found this to be an intriguing question. Comments after the article. I ask a different question than Dr. Graham is answering.

OMD

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What was Job's Answer to the Question of Suffering? By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services

Q: I took a religion class in college last year, and one of our assignments was to read the book of Job in the Old Testament. Can you help me understand it? I read it through three times, and I never did figure out what Job's answer was to the question of suffering. -- K.H.

A: The Bible says that Job was "blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil" (Job 1:8). God had blessed him with great wealth, and also with a large family.

And yet in spite of his goodness and his devotion to God, God still allowed him to experience almost limitless loss and suffering: His family was destroyed, his wealth was taken from him, and his health was ruined. So terrible was his suffering that at times Job wished he had never been born. In spite of this, however, he never lost his faith and trust in God: "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" (Job 13:15, KJV).

Why did God allow Job to pass through such suffering? This is the book's central question -- and it's the question we ask when we experience loss and suffering. Job's friends suggested various answers, but in the end, the only answer Job discovers is that God is far greater than we are, and He can be trusted to do what is right -- even if we don't fully understand. Someday we will understand when we enter into God's presence -- but not yet.
But the Bible points us to the One who experienced far more suffering than Job ever did -- and that is Jesus Christ. He was without sin, and yet all our sins were placed on Him, and He took the sin and death and Hell that we deserve. Have you thanked Him for this by giving your life to Him?

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Send your queries to "My Answer," c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: http://www.billygraham.org/.

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I'm not putting myself anywhere near the class Billy Graham is in but I would like to comment on a different question.

Why DID God allow satan to torment Job?

It is my sentiment that God allowed Job to suffer for this reason.

Earlier in the story, if you remember, the sons of God [angels] had presented themselves before God and, satan, the accuser of mankind, was with them. I'm looking at Job 1: 6 - 12

6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.

7 The LORD asked Satan, "Where have you come from?"
"From roaming through the earth,"Satan answered Him, "and walking around on it."

8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? No one else on earth is like him, a man of perfect integrity, who fears God and turns away from evil."

9 Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nothing?

10 Haven't You placed a hedge around him, his household, and everything he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions are spread out in the land.

11 But stretch out Your hand and strike everything he owns, and he will surely curse You to Your face."

12 "Very well," the LORD told Satan, "everything he owns is in your power. However, you must not lay a hand on Job [himself]." So Satan went out from the LORD's presence.

Remember satan's nature is evil. He looks to devour. He looks to whip up trouble and perpetuate evil. He wants to destroy that which God has made. He wants to be equal to God or, even, be God. He rebelled against God, lost, and was thrown from heaven to Earth, he, and 1/3 of the angels that sided with him. So, while satan is 'roaming the earth and walking around' just what do you think he is up to? No good, is the answer. In verse 12 God placed everything Job owned in satan's power. BUT satan had to accuse God first, seen in verse 10 & 11.

Again the question I pose: Why would God allow satan to test Job and cause him to suffer?

My response is: To show satan and the rest of creation that a man, with a fallen nature, would still choose to trust in God and worship him even in the face of much adversity and suffering.

Job was a devout believer and God had richly blessed him in family and material wealth BUT Job also was a sinner as evidenced by his practice of burnt offerings. A man of great integrity, blameless & upright, yes, but still a sinner.

Of course we know that animal sacrifice [burnt offerings] was the custom used for the atonement of sin before Jesus established a new covenant with mankind when He, Jesus, became that atonement for sin.

Satan was allowed to test Job. Satan, as prosecutor, kept arguing his case before God [and maybe even accusing God]. Satan said if God removed His protection from Job, surely Job would curse God or even denounce God. We see that Job did not curse of denounce God even though advised to by his wife and friends. Through great adversity and suffering Job endured, losing EVERYTHING except his life & wife.

Job STILL chose to worship and trust God.

I pray I am never put to the test Job endured. I wonder, when I read Job, if I would have the same integrity and faith as Job exhibited. How about you that are reading this?

I'd be interested in your thoughts.

We are very blessed. There are millions around the world that endure Job like suffering. They persevere and are even martyred yet stay faithful.

"Father, I pray we may be found with the same integrity and faithfulness that Job displayed when we are tested or even tormented by satan" In Jesus name I ask for your strength and wisdom for us all." Amen and Amen

I am a Fellow Christian Sojourner and One More Disciple of the Christ, Jesus

OMD

..."Their sins and lawless acts...

2008-03-21T15:03:00.028-04:00

JESUS WAS BEATEN,SCOURGED, CRUCIFIED, DIED, BURIED, DESCENDED INTO HELL, RAISED FROM THE DEAD, APPEARED TO MANY, ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, THE FATHER, ALMIGHTY. FROM THERE HE WILL JUDGE THE LIVING & THE DEAD.

..."Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."... Hebrews 10:17

Even knowing who He was, in their hearts, their hearts were so bent on evil that they ordered His execution! IMAGINE!! They traded the truth for a lie and thinking they were wise they became fools. In the end ALL will bow and proclaim Jesus as Lord of All. Draw near to Him NOW while you still can. Waiting until judgement day will be too late.

A medical accounting of crucifixion

http://www.the-crucifixion.org

33 When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the

criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.

34 But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are
doing " And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him,
saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His
Chosen One."

36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine,

37 and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!" Luke 23:33-37

Jesus chose to die for us so we could choose to live for Him

Imagine, even from the cross, the most humiliating, cruel and painful way to be put to death, Jesus prayed for forgiveness for those responsible. I wonder if Barabbas realized that God took his, Barabbas', place? Did he ever realized That God saved his life, which gave HIM another chance to repent? I wonder what ever happened to Barabbas?

A Fellow Christian Sojourner and One More Disciple of the Christ, Jesus

OMD

Easter in Romania

2008-02-23T14:27:00.034-05:00

Today I'm going to highlight a Missions organization by the name of Word Made Flesh [WMF]. Here is their vision statement:

Vision Statement:

"Word Made Flesh is called and committed to serving Jesus among the poorest of the poor. This calling is realized as a prophetic ministry for, and a holistic, incarnational ministry among, the world's poor. We focus our energy to make Jesus known among the poor while reconciling the Church with the poor."

"Our involvement for the poor is primarily through serving the Church as a prophetic voice articulating God's passion for the poor through Scripture and further educating them concerning the needs of the world. We seek to reconcile the Church with the poor as a means of communicating and testifying of God's redemptive work in our lives. This movement of bringing the Church and the poor together is done through Biblical preaching, teaching, discipleship, exposure experiences, music, media and other creative means. As we participate in this movement we pray that our lives will answer both the cry of God for the poor and the cry of the poor for God."

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At the end of this post I am also including a letter from a friend of mine "Rachel" who is a missionary in Romania with WMF.

As Disciples of the Christ we are called to participate in spreading God's message of hope and salvation. Part of this can be in the area of Missions. I don't mean you have to pack up your gear and quit your job or leave your family [unless you're called to].

We, as disciples, can participate and derive a great joy and blessing that comes from missionary support. THIS is the other way to participate! Whether it's praying or writing or sending monetary support, God will honor your participation.

Read in Philippians 2: 10 - 20. It is there that Paul is thanking the Philippians for their gifts [not that he was looking for one, though] It is in verse 17 where Paul indicates that their, the Philippians, gifts will be credited to their account [in heaven]. He goes on to say in verse 18 that their gifts are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, which is pleasing to God AND that "my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ, Jesus."

Now for Rachel's letter. She has served in Romania for sometime now, I think 6 - 8 years. Rachel left (I should say was called and she accepted) the comfort of her home to go to Romania and work with the street children.

Be listening for God's voice in your lives.

A Fellow Christian Sojourner and One More Disciple of the Christ, Jesus

Solis Deo Gloria

OMD

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WORD MADE FLESH

Hi friends,

Easter on the Orthodox Church calendar falls at the end of April this year, which has caused a little confusion for me as I think about observing a season of Lent. My Western calendar says I should have begun early in February, but that would mean two and a half months of observing Lent! Nope, I'll stick to the 40 days, thanks very much. Due to this difference of calendars, it feels early for me to share an Easter reflection, but I have an encounter that I am eager to share and I also know that most of you reading this letter are already well into the Lenten Season and will be celebrating Easter in March this year. The following is based on a journal entry from November 2007.

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I approached Ron and Audra's apartment building, puzzled by the police officer and medical vehicle parked out front. Two black printed words across the side of the yellowed-white station wagon announced: "LEGAL MEDICINE." The back trunk door was popped open, and I thought, "Funeral, at this hour?" The police officer, chatting with a slightly distressed middle aged woman in her long black overcoat and furry hat, rested his arms against his chest and casually watched me as I approached. When I passed by, I heard the officer utter in a low tone, "Let's see what she does." I pretended not to hear and proceeded on past the medical vehicle which was backed up to the front entrance of the apartment building. A single glance inside the opened back confirmed my fears – dead body. "But no," I thought, "That was just a blanket bundled up in the shape of a body. I've never seen a funeral without a casket, and never a body simply wrapped up in a blanket!"

As I entered the building, a solitary light bulb cast long shadows from an open apartment door beneath the stairwell. I quickly mounted the stairs to my second floor destination. Then I smelled it. That smell. The unforgettable smell of rotting human flesh, an odor of putrid decay. My stomach turned. I knocked on the door. No one answered. I knocked again, harder, louder. The odor of human decay wafted all around me as I took short, quick breathes, desperate for an escape.

Ron answered the door with a smile and I rushed inside, closing the door securely behind me. He seemed puzzled by my rapid, flustered entry, but I had no time to explain before I was tackled by his two little boys, full of stories and happy to see me. In an effort to protect the boys from the trauma outside their door, I said nothing until after dinner when I was alone with their parents and the boys were occupied with toys. I explained which apartment door I had seen open and Audra recalled having met an old man crawling on his hands and knees near there once before. She had asked another neighbor if anyone should help him but she was told to just leave him alone. Was he alcoholic? Probably.

Who was inside that blanket? How did he die? We could only guess that an old, lonely, possibly alcoholic man died in his apartment and was discovered later on by a neighbor or relative who called the police to investigate and take care of the body.

So here I was confronted with the putrid odor of a cold, motionless, lifeless body. This is a peculiar smell that one does not forget. And this was not my first encounter with the smell of death. Romanian funerals are traditionally three day events, and almost always open casket. Since my arrival six years ago, I have attended an average of one funeral per year. In 2006, I attended three funerals in the space of four months.

In Romania, after a person dies they are placed in an open coffin in a room of their home where family and friends mourn their passing for three days. After the three days have passed, an orthodox priest comes to the home and reads or sings the funeral liturgy. The open casket is then placed on a flat bed truck and a procession of mourners line up behind the slow moving casket, accompanying the deceased on their journey to a final resting place. As the procession nears the cemetery, the gate keeper rings a huge bell and the procession passes through the gate under the sounding bell. Gathered at the grave sight, the priest performs the final rites of the liturgy, the family is asked to bid their final farewell at which point the women usually wail and kiss the hands of the deceased. Finally the cemetery workers slide the cover onto the casket, nail it down on each corner with stinging blows, and lower the casket into the pit.

As I walked home that night my thoughts were flooded with scenes of flickering candles and funeral processions and the piercing cries of weeping mothers as four large nails are pounded into the coffin to secure the cover before lowering the dead into their grave.

But even as these painful memories swirled through my mind, my spirit was stirred by a peculiar hope. That very morning during chapel we had read through the entire account in John 11 of Jesus raising his good friend Lazarus from the dead. Resurrection!

Jesus arrived in Bethany four days after Lazarus' death. They warned him not to go near the tomb because of the smell -- the smell of death. Jesus wept. But then he went forward, refusing to listen to Martha's concern. "Lazarus, come forth!" And out he came. That was all, just three simple words, and the dead was restored to life. No putrid odor, no decay, no bodily fluids staining the ground. Just life. Lazarus, living and breathing and alive!

And this Jesus, this Restorer of life, He is our God and we are His friends. This one who raises the dead without fear of their odor, He is the one we serve. He is the God of life.

He says to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26).

And now Jesus is asking us the same question, "Do you believe this? Do you really believe that I have power over death?"

I believe He does. And I am convinced that if we truly believe in God's power over death we would live our lives much differently than those around us, not with fear or anxiety but full of hope, peace and joy. This Easter I am challenged to ask myself if my life reflects my belief in a God of resurrection, the God who weeps over the death of His friends but also restores them to life!

May the God of peace whisper words of hope to each one and stir our hearts to live in the light of our radiant resurrected King who is not afraid of the smell of death, our God of life who promises us life everlasting. May He have mercy on us and grant us peace.

~Rachel

WORD MADE FLESH

2008-02-13T09:38:00.004-05:00

I received this story from a person close to me. It sorta speaks for itself and what we are to be doing as disciples of Jesus. Enjoy the post and I'll be intrigued to read your comments about how God has spoken to you. I include a scripture at the bottom

A Fellow Christian Sojourner & One More Disciple of the Christ, Jesus

OMD

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse. But if you stop your car,or are walking by, you will notice something...

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen

not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.

This alone is amazing.

If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the

source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.

Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell.It lets the blind friend know where the

other horse is, so he can follow.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see that the horse with the bell is

always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and

then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting that he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, it stops

occasionally and looks back, making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear

the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are

not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even

brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God

places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their

way...

Good friends are like that... You may not always see them, but you know they are always

there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours.

And remember...Bekinder than necessary -

Everyone you meet is fighting somekind of battle.

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly....

Leave the rest to God

Scripture from Romans 8:31-39

...31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

33 Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies;

34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED."

37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There Goes the Neighborhood

2008-01-10T10:59:00.001-05:00

The American and Canadian governments have several things in common, including, it appears, the pursuit of radical hate speech laws.

As the U.S. braces for another round of hate crimes legislation this spring, our northern neighbors are already engaged in an all-out battle over free speech.

The latest victim is popular author and columnist Mark Steyn, who wrote the best-seller America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It.

Although the book was published by an American company, excerpts that later appeared in the Canadian press have become the subject of investigation by the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC). The book, which contrasts Islamic values with those of the West, was considered "a misrepresentation" of the Muslim religion by the Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC).

As a result of CIC's complaint, Steyn finds himself at the center of a controversial debate over the limits of public expression. Using charges of "discrimination" as a means of silencing opposition, the CHRC's investigation jeopardizes freedom in all of North America.

During an interview with The Washington Times, Steyn said, "Offense is in the eye of the beholder. The commissions aren't weighing facts but hurt feelings."

Ironically, when Christians or conservatives object to similar treatment, they usually find themselves on the losing side of the argument, or worse, completely overlooked.

Unfortunately, this is just a preview of things to come if the U.S. House is successful when the battle over new federal hate crimes resumes. As Mark Steyn can attest, nothing less than our first freedoms are at stake.

FRC Action: 801 G Street N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20001

P: 202/393-2100 or 888/372-2284

W: frcaction.org

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Well, we're back! Have had this bug that's going around since Christmas. This is the first day I've felt remotely normal since Christmas Day. I gleaned the article above from the FRCActionUpdate (Family Research Council).

As disciple's of the Christ we have been transformed from being "of the world" into simply being "in the world." Our primary responsibility is to be Ambassadors of God. We are to bring His message of Hope, Love, Grace, Forgiveness & Truth to a world desperately in need of Him, through Jesus.

Hate speech?? Who determines when someone speaks hatefully? It seems whoever cries foul!!

Does disagreeing with a position constitute hate? Seems that way.

Does making objective comparisons constitute hate? Apparently.

We already know that speaking or teaching from the Bible is considered hate by many. What other things can each of you think of that could be constituted as hate speech?

What are we as citizens do? Just stand idly by and look the other way? That's how we got into this mess!

Although we may be only "in this world" God tells us that we are to participate, to stand firm, to speak up.

The verb... Hate - Dislike intensely; feel antipathy or aversion towards.

The noun... Hate - The emotion of hate; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action.

It seems to me that the purveyors of hate are those that have hijacked the word "tolerance." Tolerance never meant you couldn't speak up on an issue in the arena of thought and ideas. Now it means if you disagree then you are intolerant and hate(v). So the objecting party's "hate"(n) now takes action based from an EMOTION. Rational thought is disallowed, it appears.

So remember, we "IN" the world, acting as ambassadors of God, are to bring "the truth" of God's word to the people "OF" the world and we should not be surprised when the world acts or reacts with negativity which is will be based on "emotion", instead of rationality, to the words and truths of God.

In Isaiah 55:8 God declares ~ "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

Jesus also taught about a Disciples' relation to the world in John 15: 18-19 ~ 18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." See, we have been chosen and we are to seek for the others that are chosen but don't know it.

My prayer for 2008 is, we that are in the world will become emboldened to present the hope of the Word of God to a drowning world. Let's stand strong and firm. We need not attack nor retreat BUT just Stand Firm. Let me know what your thoughts are.

A Fellow Christian Sojourner and One More Disciple of the Christ, Jesus

OMD

Re: It's Not About The Manger!

2007-12-25T12:42:00.000-05:00

From One More Disciple Ministries we wish all our readers Christmas cheer and the peace that surpasses all understanding, which is only received through our Lord, our God, our Risen Savior... Jesus, the Christ ~ "Abba, Father we are awed by the knowledge that you would walk among us in the person of Jesus, the Christ. Father we thank you for the greatest gift ever received and we give ourselves back to you. Each one of us being one more disciple of yours. We ask for wisdom, guidance and faith to enable us to reach those who are lost and seeking for Your word and Son. Thank you Father and we ask all these things in Jesus name." Amen

Today's post comes from Charles Colson's BREAKPOINT Commentaries. ~ Enjoy

OMD

P.S. Please feel free to post your comments to any or even all the articles that have been presented.

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It's Not about the Manger
By Chuck Colson

12/25/2007

Christmas and the Incarnation

What image does the mention of Christmas typically conjure up?

For most of us, it is a babe lying in a manger while Mary and Joseph, angels, and assorted animals look on. Heartwarming picture, but Christmas is about far more than a Child’s birth—even the Savior’s birth.

It is about the Incarnation: God Himself, Creator of heaven and earth, invading planet earth, becoming flesh and dwelling among us.

It is a staggering thought. Think of it: The Word—that is, Logos in the Greek, which meant all the knowledge that could be known—the plan of creation—that is, ultimate reality—becomes mere man? And that He was not born of an earthly king and queen, but of a virgin of a backwater village named Nazareth? Certainly God delights in confounding worldly wisdom—and human expectations.

Thirty years after His humble birth, Jesus increased the Jews’ befuddlement when He read from the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor . . . to proclaim release to the captives . . . to set free those who are downtrodden . . . ” Jesus then turned the scroll back and announced: “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

In effect, the carpenter’s Son had just announced that He was the King.
So, yes, the birth of Jesus is a glorious moment, and the manger scene brings comfort and joy and Christmas cheer. But it should also inspire a holy terror in us: that this baby is God incarnate, the King who came to set the captives free—through His violent, bloody death on the cross as atonement for us, His unworthy subjects.

It is through the Incarnation God sets His grand plan in motion. He invades planet earth, establishing His reign through Christ’s earthly ministry. And then Christ leaves behind an occupying force, His Church, which is to carry on the work of redemption until His return and the kingdom’s final triumph.

Do we get this? I am afraid most of us are so preoccupied, distracted by last-minute Christmas shopping and consumerism, that we fail to see God’s cosmic plan of redemption in which we, as fallen creatures, are directly involved.

The average Christian may not “get” this announcement, but those locked behind bars do. Whenever I preach in the prisons, and I read Christ’s inaugural sermon, Luke 4:18, and when I quote His promise of freedom for prisoners, they often raise their arms and cheer. The message of Jesus means freedom and victory for those who once had no hope. They are not distracted by the encumbrance of wealth and comfort.

People in the developing world get it, too. Whenever I have shared this message with the poor and oppressed people overseas, I see eyes brightening. Stripped of all material blessings, exploited by earthly powers, they long for the bold new kingdom of Christ.
Today is Christmas: Go ahead and enjoy singing about, and celebrating, the birth of the Savior. Set up a manger scene in your home. But do not forget this earth-shaking truth: The birth of the Baby in the manger was the thrilling signal that God had invaded the planet. And that gives us the real reason to celebrate Christmas.

For all of the staff of BreakPoint, this is Chuck Colson, in Washington, wishing you and your loved ones a very merry Christmas.

Today's BreakPoint Offer

Please give a generous donation today to help Prison Fellowship, Angel Tree, and BreakPoint continue strong in the new year. Donate online or call 1-877-322-5527. Thank you!

For Further Reading and Information

Anne Morse, “No Room in the Inn,” The Point, 10 December 2007.
Catherine Claire, “RE: Unplugging Christmas,” The Point, 26 November 2007.
T. M. Moore, “The Jesus We Preach at Christmas,” Worldview Church, December 2004.
T. M. Moore, “Violent Night, Holy Night: Christ's Opening Salvo,” BreakPoint WorldView, December 2005.
Michael Snyder, “Holy Invasion,” BreakPoint WorldView, December 2003.
Catherina Hurlburt, “The Forgotten Mother,” BreakPoint WorldView, May 2004.
BreakPoint Commentary No. 041224, “Telling the Whole Truth: The Jesus We Preach at Christmas.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 041214, “The Naked Baby: A Postal Service Controversy.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 061225, “All We Like Shepherds: The Hard Truth about Christmas.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 051223, “The Truest Thing in the World: The Cry of a Tiny Babe.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 031224, “The Most Shocking Story Ever Told: The ‘True Meaning of Christmas’.”

He Has Raised Up a Horn of Salvation

2007-12-21T09:03:00.000-05:00

In a world enhanced by technology, communication, and prosperity, it's easy to believe that mankind is somehow better off now than it was 2,000 years ago. And while innovation has made life more comfortable, even it can offer no cure for the deepest of all human agonies--the bondage of sin.

These days, we often forget that the world wasn't saved by global diplomacy or self-sufficiency. It took a willing spirit. A primitive manger. And broken men who recognize that salvation lies not within themselves but with the baby born that quiet night to a dark and weary world.

Yet God's message of hope and redemption was just as threatening to rulers then as it is today. Like so many across the globe, our Chinese brothers and sisters are still paying a costly price for their government's ancient jealousy. This year, 70 of their bravest pastors will spend Christmas in prison because they dared to put their trust not in the government but in the Prince of Peace. They were arrested for believing that God is moving and working in their world, just as He was centuries ago, to fulfill the prophecies begun on Christmas day.

For their families and friends, the season is a time of holy and sacred reverence, celebrated in secret and observed in underground gatherings. Some will travel through dangerous countryside, risking their own capture, to commemorate their ultimate freedom through Christ. There they exchange the religious tumult of these times for the peace and tranquility of the manger. There they reflect on Bethlehem's truth that while tyranny may govern their lives, only God can govern men's hearts. And it is there, in this atmosphere of persecution and despair, that the Messiah's light shines its brightest--promising deliverance to all who believe. May they exult like Zachariah, who said:

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David... to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days." (Luke 1:68,74)

At Christmas, when we are so distracted by Christ's flashy competition, America has much to learn from the persecuted church. I pray that this year we humbly embrace the simplicity of the season and rejoice in the saving Love reborn each day.

From everyone at FRC, we wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Family Research Council's purpose is to "Defend Family, Faith and Freedom."The article above comes from Tony Perkins' "Washington Update" December 20, 2007

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Thoughts from OMD:

With out the Christ, Jesus, there would be NO Christmas. This could be just another day or maybe some sort of worship to a false or even non-existant god. Being it is man's penchant to have something or someone to worship, either by free will or forcibly e.g. Caesar, who knows what we would be doing for December 25th each year.

If you will ponder it for just a moment or 2... Each of us, nor anyone that has lived or will live after us, had no choice in the matter of our arrival here on Earth. Isn't it amazing to realize that only 1 (one) person arrived on Earth as a voluntary act? And, that one person was born of a virgin then went on to fulfill all the prophecies of the Old Testament with regard to the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior. He walked among us. He was with us "Emmanuel" was his name, God with us. He found 12 to teach and carry His message to the world.

Jesus tells us that this world will be full of trials and tribulations and that the world will hate those that follow Him simply because the world first hated Him. Isn't it evident around the world today that the mere mention of Jesus causes the world to spasm?

In many countries people are jailed and martyred. In the "free world" His name is under constant attack. It has become offensive to even say Merry Christmas. It's ironic that even those who complain and file law suits to push Christianity out of the public square will take the day off and celebrate Christmas, ahhh... I mean holiday. I wonder what holiday it is that they celebrate?

Jesus' message and his life, death & resurrection gives us the opportunity to become children of God. Yes! Children of God! Imagine... we can be a kings kid. Jesus chose to give his life for us. Now we can choose to live for Him.

Hark the Herald Angels Sing Glory To The New Born King. Peace On Earth And Mercy Mild GOD and SINNER Reconciled.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

A Fellow Christian Sojourner and One More Disciple of the Christ, Jesus

OMD

The Candy Cane Story

2007-12-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

The Candy Cane Story

Many years ago a candy maker wanted to make a candy at Christmas time that would serve as a witness to his Christian faith. He wanted to incorporate several symbols for the birth, ministry and death of Jesus.

He began with a stick of pure white hard candy; white to symbolize the Virgin Birth and thesinless nature of Jesus; hard to symbolize the solid rock, the foundation, of the Church; firmness to represent the promise of God.

The candy maker made the candy, in the form of a "J" to represent the name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. He thought it could also represent the staff of the Good Shepherd, with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

Unfortunately, the candy became known as a candy cane - a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the true meaning is still there for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.

We hope that this symbol will again he used to witness to the wonder of Jesus and his great lovethat came down at Christmas and remains the ultimate and dominate force in the universe today.

Author unknown

For Unto Us A Child Is Born...

2007-12-07T02:01:00.000-05:00

From my family to each of you and yours we wish you a very Merry, Happy, Holy and Blessed Christmas.

Joy to the world, the Lord has come!

Just think... the greatest gift ever given to each of us and mankind was God taking on human flesh to walk among us, then willfully bearing a beating & scouraging that barely left Him recognizable as a human being. [Read Isaiah 53]. Then He was nailed to a cross as a propitiation and substitute for each and everyone of us. He was born to testify to the Truth and He chose to die for us so we could choose to live for Him.

What a gift!!

He died and was laid to rest in a burial site. Three days later He had been resurrected. He's alive, He's alive & Heaven's gates are open wide!!

Hark the Hearld angels sing. Glory to the new born King. Peace on Earth and mercy mild GOD AND SINNER RECONCILED!!

Think about it.

For Unto Us A Child Is Born... Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth

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The virgin birth is foretold

Prophecy:

Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. He will eat curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right.

Isaiah 7: 13-15

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

Fullfillment:

Matthew 1:22-23

Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
"BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US."

_____________________________________________________

The birthplace of Messiah would be the little village of Bethlehem

Prophecy:

"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."

Micah 5:2

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

Fulfillment:

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." Matthew 2:1-2 (see also Luke 2:4-7, John 7:41,42)

_______________________________________________________

The promised Messiah would be rejected by His own people

Prophecy:

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not."

Isaiah 53:3

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

Fulfillment:

"Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they answered. "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked. They all answered, "Crucify him!" "Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"

Matthew 27:21-23 NIV (see also Mark 15:9-15, Luke 23:18-21, John 1:11)

______________________________________________________

We need a Savior because we are sinners, and the wages of sin is death... Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

Thanksgiving Day Proclamation of 1789

2007-11-21T09:48:00.000-05:00

General Thanksgiving
By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America

A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houfes of Congress have, by their joint committee, requefted me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to eftablifh a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and affign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of thefe States to the fervice of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our fincere and humble thanksfor His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the fignal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpofitions of His providence in the courfe and conclufion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have fince enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to eftablish Conftitutions of government for our fafety and happinefs, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are bleffed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffufing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleafed to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in moft humbly offering our prayers and fupplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and befeech Him to pardon our national and other tranfgreffions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private ftations, to perform our feveral and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a bleffing to all the people by conftantly being a Government of wife, juft, and conftitutional laws, difcreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all fovereigns and nations (especially fuch as have shewn kindnefs unto us); and to blefs them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increafe of fcience among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind fuch a degree of temporal profperity as he alone knows to be beft.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October,
in the year of our Lord, one thousand feven hundred and eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington

Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789

Survivor: The Womb Edition

2007-11-05T19:38:00.000-05:00

Having just witnessed the miracle of new life, I was amazed at the story of the Lord's protection over an unborn baby that doctors in the U.K. tried--unsuccessfully--to abort.

The child, who physicians claimed suffered from an enlarged heart that would likely be fatal in the womb, was a twin. Heeding their doctors' advice, which was to put the child out of his misery, Rebecca and Mark Jones reluctantly agreed to abort the baby in hopes of saving his brother.

Gabriel, as he is now known, had other ideas. When the medical team tried to sever his umbilical cord to cut off the blood supply, the cord was too strong.

Next they tried to divide the placenta in half "so that when Gabriel died, it wouldn't affect his twin brother." To everyone's amazement, Gabriel survived for another five weeks--long enough for Rebecca to deliver him. She and her husband now marvel that their babies are both alive and completely healthy. "No one could quite believe it," Rebecca says, seven months later.

In fact, the procedure that doctors thought would end Gabriel's life was later credited with saving it. The distribution of nutrients through the separate placentas helped give him the strength he needed to keep fighting. As moving as this story is, it does underscore just how vital it is for families to have pro-life doctors who share their worldview. Like the Joneses, we're often at the mercy of the medical community's opinion, and surely we all want their advice to be illuminated through a pro-life lens.

Family Research Council: 801 G Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001P: 202/393-2100 or 800/225-4008 W:

OMD Comment: Gabriel may have had other ideas but GOD certainly had other ideas! God knits us together in the womb. Psalm 139:13 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." He knows how many hairs we have on our head. We are wonderfully made and this story, gleaned from Tony Perkins Washington Update Nov. 5, 2007 edition, is evidence of divine intervention. Did you pick up on the fact that the docs couldn't cut the umbellical cord? AND that the divided placenta continued to nourish Gabriel? YOU TELL ME! Do you think God is making a statement here? May I suggest that you read the whole of Psalm 139? God watches over us ALL. Every Day! he wants to have a relationship with each of us.

45,000,000 babies have been aborted at the hands of doctors who took an oath to protect ALL life. The blood of the innocent cries out to God. "O Lord, hear their cries" Our hearts are groaning for the protection of the unborn, Father."

A Fellow Christian Sojourner and One More Disciple of the Christ, Jesus

OMD

What Does God Want Preached?...

2007-10-31T11:18:00.000-04:00

What a great question. Does God want us to talk about a fluffy feel good message or does He want the truth preached?

The post I'm putting up today is from a devotional written by another disciple and ordained minister name Rev. Russ & there is a subscription link at the end. I encourage all of you to subscribe and even support the endeavors God has placed in Rev. Russ's hands. The way he writes and formats the message is capturing.

As always please respond to what you read here. We are interested in hearing your thoughts of what you have read.

A Fellow Christian Sojourner and One More Disciple of the Christ, Jesus

OMD

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Daily Meditation

"A high-tech way to deliver God's Word."

What’s Going On?

2 Tim 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Yesterday I watched the news, and observed house after house be engulfed in flames, and within a few minutes, there was nothing but chimneys and other stone parts left standing.

"At least 13 fires blazed throughout the region, where thousands of firefighters struggled to contain flames that have reduced some 650 homes and 100 businesses to charred rubble, officials and reports said." One firefighter said yesterday, "If at least 2000 homes are not destroyed, I will be surprised."

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Heavy rain swamped New Orleans' streets Thursday, backing up traffic as pumping stations struggled to keep up.

"Unbelievable," said Pamela Borne, who waded in knee-high water with her daughter on her back to get to her house. "It's very disappointing, that just with an overnight rain of this magnitude, that the city is so ill-prepared."

And here in Georgia, our Governor said, "Drought is a natural disaster, and we are experiencing the single worst drought in Georgia's history."

And a few days ago in San Francisco, two homosexuals, dressed in outlandish garb, walked to the front of a church, to be served communion, as a mockery to God.

Now, what does that last paragraph have to do with what I’ve written before it? Have we forgotten what happened to "Sodom and Gomorrah?" "And the Lord said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.""(Gen 18:20,21)

"Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground."(Gen 19:24,25)

Billy Graham said, "If God doesn’t judge the United States of America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!" Now, I don’t claim to know what God is doing, but I do know He won’t stand by forever and do nothing, as we kick Him out of our schools, our Court Houses, public buildings and parks, and mock Him publicly and even inside our churches, as homosexuals are ordained to the ministry.

Is it possible that God allowed the horrific acts on 9/11, as a warning to us? How quickly we forgot! Is God going to have to completely destroy America, before we come to our senses?

Lest we have forgot, God said of Himself, "I am the Lord, I do not change!"(Mal 3:6) What was an "abomination" to Him then, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination."(Lev 18:22) is still an "abomination" to Him now!

But that’s just one, of a multitude of sins that are bringing judgement upon America! We’ve become a Nation of "more," "bigger," more "sensual," and less "work." I must give credit to the advertising agencies; they know what people want to see. So they use "short skirts," bare "bosoms," the "fastest car," the most "horse-power" and the "coolest hunk" to grab their attention.

If there’s something that is in direct contradiction to God’s Word, it will be front and center! It seems as our churches are in competition to see who has the softest seats, the latest in electronic equipment, sing the most worldly-sounding songs, dress the sloppiest, attract the latest celebrity and seat the most people. (I’m sure not writing to gain popularity, Smile)

I watched, for the second time in months, as a pastor of what I believe is America’s largest church, was interviewed on TV. One of the questions put to him, as did another famous interviewer, was, "Why don’t you use the Scripture more?" He awkwardly attempted to explain the he "kind of weaves it into his motivational talks." Oh, I’m sorry, I meant to write, "sermons." (Smile)

Apparently he, like advertising agencies, understands what people want to hear. But the question is, "Is that what God wants preached to a lost and dying Nation?" Where are the sermons/motivational-talks about the sins that God calls an "abomination?" Where are the messages that lead directly to the foot of the cross, and salvation?

No, I’m not just picking on just one pastor, but on multitudes of other Christians, who would rather talk about what is popular, than stand up for what is right.

I need your help my friend! I can only write the Daily Meditations; it’s you who must finance them, send them to the unsaved, as well as your friends, print them and take them to work, and any other means that you have to warn the lost and dying.

Are you going to attempt to avoid "ruffling any feathers?" Are you going to just say what is "politically correct?" Are you going to stand by and watch, as our great Nation is destroyed, or will you do your part?

Think about it!

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"You Have Been Called"

2007-10-27T19:03:00.000-04:00

Tony Snow Testimony:

This is an outstanding testimony from Tony Snow, President Bush's Press Secretary, and his fight with cancer. Commentator and broadcaster Tony Snow announced that he had colon cancer in 2005. Following surgery and chemo-therapy, Snow joined the Bush Administration in April 2006 as press secretary. Unfortunately, on March 23, 2007, Snow, 51, a husband and father of three, announced the cancer had recurred, with tumors found in his abdomen, leading to surgery in April, followed by more chemotherapy. Snow went back to work in the White House Briefing Room on May 30, but has resigned since, "for economic reasons," and to pursue " other interests."

It needs little intro ... it speaks for itself. I'd be interested in your thoughts about Mr. Snow's testimony.

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"Blessings arrive in unexpected packages, - in my case, cancer. Those of us with potentially fatal diseases - and there are millions in America today - find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God's will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence "What It All Means," Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations.

The first is that we shouldn't spend too much time trying to answer the "why" questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can't someone else get sick? We can't answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer.

I don't know why I have cancer, and I don't much care. It is what it is, a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out.

But despite this, - or because of it, - God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don't know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face.

Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through your system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes you. Your heart thumps; your head swims. You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family and friends. You fidget and get nowhere. To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life,- and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on this earth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many non believing hearts - an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away. Those who have been stricken enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live fully, richly, exuberantly - no matter how their days may be numbered.

Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease,- smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see, - but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance; and comprehension - and yet don't. By His love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise.

'You Have Been Called'. Picture yourself in a hospital bed. The fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet, a loved one holds your hand at the side. "It's cancer," the healer announces.

The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. "Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler." But another voice whispers: "You have been called." Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter,- and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our "normal time.

"There's another kind of response, although usually short-lived an inexplicable shudder of excitement, as if a clarifying moment of calamity has swept away everything trivial and tiny, and placed before us the challenge of important questions.

The moment you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. You discover that Christianity is not something doughy, passive, pious, and soft. Faith may be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But it also draws you into a world shorn of fearful caution. The life of belief teems with thrills, boldness, danger, shocks, reversals, triumphs, and epiphanies. Think of Paul, traipsing through the known world and contemplating trips to what must have seemed the antipodes (Spain), shaking the dust from his sandals, worrying not about the morrow, but only about the moment.

There's nothing wilder than a life of humble virtue, - for it is through selflessness and service that God wrings from our bodies and spirits the most we ever could give, the most we ever could offer, and the most we ever could do.

Finally, we can let love change everything. When Jesus was faced with the prospect of crucifixion, he grieved not for himself, but for us. He cried for Jerusalem before entering the holy city. From the Cross, he took on the cumulative burden of human sin and weakness, and begged for forgiveness on our behalf.

We get repeated chances to learn that life is not about us, that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by sharing in God's love for others. Sickness gets us part way there. It reminds us of our limitations and dependence. But it also gives us a chance to serve the healthy. A minister friend of mine observes that people suffering grave afflictions often acquire the faith of two people, while loved ones accept the burden of two peoples' worries and fears.

'Learning How to Live'. Most of us have watched friends as they drifted toward God's arms, not with resignation, but with peace and hope. In so doing, they have taught us not how to die, but how to live. They have emulated Christ by transmitting the power and authority of love.

I sat by my best friend's bedside a few years ago as a wasting cancer took him away. He kept at his table a worn Bible and a 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. A shattering grief disabled his family, many of his old friends, and at least one priest. Here was an humble and very good guy, someone who apologized when he winced with pain because he thought it made his guest uncomfortable. He retained his equanimity and good humor literally until his last conscious moment. "I'm going to try to beat [this cancer]," he told me several months before he died. "But if I don't, I'll see you on the other side.

"His gift was to remind everyone around him that even though God doesn't promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity, - filled with life and love we cannot comprehend, - and that one can in the throes of sickness point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms.

Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don't matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do?

When our faith flags, he throws reminders in our way. Think of the prayer warriors in our midst. They change things, and those of us who have been on the receiving end of their petitions and intercessions know it. It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know: Others have chosen, when talking to the Author of all creation, to lift us up, - to speak of us!

This is love of a very special order. But so is the ability to sit back and appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid, every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God.

What is man that Thou art mindful of him? We don't know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us who believe, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place, in the hollow of God's hand." T. Snow

Welcome to One More Disciple

2007-10-12T11:30:00.000-04:00

Grace & Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Christ.

Welcome, my friends, to this blog named One More Disciple©. My nickname is omd and I am simply one more disciple of the Christ, Jesus.

Through a series of circumstances there came a day in 1977 when my wife and I realized that the road we were traveling was leading to nowhere. Nothing was working. We were in financial ruin, eating popcorn for meals, evicted, vehicle repossessed, had a new son and relationship very strained. There's a saying "You can't save a drowning man if he doesn't know he's drowning."

We came to the realization that we were drowning and needed God's intervention in our lives, through Jesus. We cried out "Please save us God!", after hearing the gospel we had heard for so many years and ignored those truths that finally became evident to us. We asked for forgiveness for our sins and acknowledged Jesus for who He is. We were rescued, through Jesus, on the same day at the same time as we watched, listened & learned from a teaching on a new Christian t.v. program.

I can tell you this... What a road we have embarked on! Little did we know what dying to self and taking up the cross really meant. God has been changing our stubborn hearts one day at a time. I can't say that I/we are perfect Christians because we are not. I still find myself sinning, sometimes on purpose. I even have those sins that only God knows, and is dealing with me on a daily basis.How about you? The apostle Paul even addressed this same problem, in himself, when he wrote in Romans 7:15 ~

"For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate."

Ok, the purpose and intention of this blog is to present the truth of God to all those who seek, i.e. realize they are drowning, in sin, and need saving AND it's even for those who are not aware of the danger they are in, or are curious about who this Jesus is. I also want us to be able to pray for each other, remembering that we are ALL sinners who have fallen short of the glory of God.

Everyone that comes to Christ then becomes one more disciple of the Christ, Jesus.

Do You Want To Know Jesus, Today?

4 EASY STEPS TO TAKE [has audio]

That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by. Feel free to tell your friends about this blog. Let's put on our spiritual armor and stand firm together, in Christ our big brother the King of Kings and Lord of Lords

We ask Jesus' Blessing for each of you.

A fellow Christian Sojourner and One More Disciple of the Christ, Jesus

OMD