Tag: salvation

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Hope Was Born This Night

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.  (1 Peter 1:3-4, NASB)

I began these essays with the purpose of providing hope to those who are in the same position as me:  Suffering from a terminal condition, and who might not have the same hope that I do.  While I don’t say the word “hope” that often, I mean to tell everyone that my hope is in my Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus is Hope!  In this passage from 1 Peter, the Apostle tells us of this same hope.  

Peter starts his epistle by praising God for His Plan of Salvation.  God’s “mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”  It’s up to each of us to acknowledge Jesus’ sacrifice for us to be “born again to [that] living hope,” for an eternity with God in heaven.  In this Christmas season, we prepare for the hope that Jesus will soon retain to us, just as He promised us! 

Worship:  “Hope Was Born This Night,” by Sidewalk Prophets

Our dear friend Alana Cole was here for Christmas dinner with Sue, and she shared this song with us.  It’s what Christmas should be about.  Here’s “It’s About The Cross,” by The Ball Brothers:  

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Advent VIII

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  ( Luke 2:10-11, NASB)

The night Jesus was born, a legion of angels descended upon some shepherds nearby to Bethlehem.  They had an announcement:  “I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  This was indeed good news, and of great joy!  The shepherds knew that God had promised them their Messiah.  Israel had long awaited for the Christ to come to the earth.  They quickly gathered, then went to Bethlehem to see the Baby. 

The shepherds left their flocks to worship the Spotless Lamb of God!  

The shepherds went to worship the Good Shepherd! 

These lowly servants hurried to worship at the feet of the King of Israel! 

We must also bow in worship to our King! 

Merry Christmas to you all and your families!  God rest ye merry! 

Christmas 2023.  “I AM smiling!”

Worship :  “Bethlehem Morning,” by Sandi Patty 

Worship:  “Stille Nacht, ” by Mannheim Steamroller 

Worship:  “Gloria (The King Has Come)” by Point of Grace 

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Advent VII

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  (John 3:16, NASB)

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, has come to Jesus stealthily by night.  He doesn’t want others to know that he is coming to Him.  They’re talking about eternal life, how we must be born again.  Nicodemus, rightfully, doesn’t understand.  What follows is the most famous verse in our Christian Bible.  

This is about God’s Gift to us on that first Christmas.  God loves us SO MUCH that He gave us Jesus, Who wiped away all of our sins.  Jesus loves us SO MUCH that He “gave Himself up for us.”  (Galatians 2:20)  God saved us, not because of who we are, and not because of what we’ve done, but rather because of Who He is, and because of what He’s done!  Now THIS IS LOVE! 

Love is also knowing that God WILL SEND JESUS AGAIN!  We must prepare our hearts for the Second Advent! 

SHA’ALU SHALOM YERUSHLAYIM! 


Worship:  “Love Has Come,” by Amy Grant 

Worship:  “Make Room,,” by Casting Crowns 

Worship:  “Noel,” by Chris Tomlin, ft. Lauren Daigle

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Advent VI

Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  (Psalm 51:7, NASB)

King David wrote Psalm 51 after his adultery with Bathsheba, and after he murdered her husband, Uriah the Hittite.  I’m sure that I wrote in my Bible in the margin next to Psalm 51, “How to pray when I blow it,” or something like that.  But this is why Jesus came to the earth:  To rescue us from our sins!  This is why we celebrate in this season of Advent.  Jesus has washed His people, so we “shall be whiter than snow.”  

Psalm 51:7 image.  Found at The Soaring Eagle
, https://thesoaringeagle.wordpress.com/2018/07/16/wash-me-2/.

Below is my favorite rendition of “White Christmas,” because of the ending. 

Worship:  “White Christmas”/”Whiter Than Snow, ” by Twila Paris 

Worship:  “Emmanuel,” by Chris Tomlin 
SHA’ALU SHALOM YARUSHALAYIM

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Advent V

So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.  (Exodus 19:16, NASB)

We continue our look at the Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”  The Bible scholar who Sue and I saw on The 700 Club linked the fifth stanza of the hymn with the verse above from Exodus.  The context has the Israelites cowering at the supernatural circumstances that they see and hear before them.  Moses is up on Mount Sinai, hearing from God!  Now for the fifth stanza of the hymn: 

” . .  O come, Adonai, Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,

In ancient times didst give the law

In cloud and majesty d awe . . . “

I’ve noticed that different versions of the hymn use different stanzas, probably for brevity.  This version should have all the stanzas: 

Worship:  “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” by The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge This fifth stanza implores God Most High to come down from heaven, just like when He did on Mount Sinai, at which He gave Moses the Ten Commandments.  It recounts the shock and awe that the tribes felt as they observed what was going on at Mount Sinai. 

I love this version of the hymn by Selah.  Throughout there are strains from the Israeli National Anthem, “Hatikvah.”

Worship:  “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” by Selah
I’m reminded that when Jesus returns to the earth, He will come through the clouds.  And He shall reign forevermore!  He is my Hope! 

Worship:  “He Shall Reign Forevermore,” by Chris Tomlin 

PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM, AND GOD’S PEOPLE ISRAEL!

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Advent IV

Let’s continue our study on the Advent hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”  Sue and I saw on The 700 Club a Bible scholar who explained that this hymn has its roots in the Bible. She linked the fourth stanza to two verses:  Isaiah 22:22, and Luke 21:27.  Here they are:

Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder. When he opens no one will shut, When he shuts no one will open.   (Isaiah 22:22, NASB)

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (Luke 21:27, NASB)

I believe that Jesus has “the key of the house of David on His shoulder.  When He opens no one will shut, and when He shuts no one will open.”  Jesus sits on the throne of the house of David.  He is Lord of all!

The verse from Luke is Jesus speaking to His Disciples.  He’s telling them what to expect when He comes back for His elect. 

Now the lyrics for the fourth stanza:

” . . . O come, Thou Key of David, come

And open wide our heav’nly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery . . . “

I think that the link between “the key of David” is obvious.  The hymn implores God to send His Son, so that we’ll have a way to heaven, where those of us who love Jesus will spend eternity with Him! 

When Jesus returns for us, He’ll definitely “close the path to misery.”  What a time that will be! 

Jesus is my Hope!  Let’s prepare our hearts for His Glorious Reappearance!  

Worship:  “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” for KING & COUNTRY 

Worship:  “Veni, Veni, Emmanuel,” by Hayley Westenra

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Giving Thanks

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Oh let Israel say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Oh let the house of Aaron say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”  Oh let those who fear the Lord say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”  (Psalm 118:1-4, NASB)

We have much for which to praise and thank God.  On the very first Thanksgiving, the first settlers to Massachusetts gave thanks to God for keeping them safe after they crossed the Atlantic Ocean.  They made it a point to commemorate this every year.  President Abraham Lincoln decreed that Thanksgiving would be a national holiday to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November.  This Thanksgiving I’m indeed thankful for the following: 

Inline image
Psalm 107:1 image.  Found at PsalmsQuotes.com, https://www.psalmsquotes.com/psalm-107-1-thanksgiving.htm#google_vignette. 

I praise God and thank Him for His Plan of Salvation, and for MY salvation. 

I praise God and thank Him for ALL of His countless blessings and mercies which He has given to me, none of which I deserve, but essentially for sending Jesus and for sending His Holy Spirit. 

I praise Him and thank Him for my most precious earthly gift, my wife Sue; for my children (to include our in-law kids and our grandchildren); for family; and for friends. 

I praise God and thank Him for YOU! 

Oh let those who fear the Lord say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

SHA’ALU SHALOM YERUSHAYLAYIM! 

Worship:  “Salvation (Psalm 118),” by Teshuva

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Baptism

. . . having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  (Colossians 2:12-14, NASB)

Baptism brings us together with Jesus.  It’s a picture of His death and resurrection.  When we go down into the waters we are buried with Him.  When we come back up we are resurrected with Him.  Paul says that we “were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”  So it’s through our faith in God that renews us! 

Further, Paul tells us that when we were dead in our sins, then God gave us life again through Jesus.  It’s through our faith in Jesus that saves us from our sins, and from God’s wrath.  

https://agodman.com/our-old-man-buried-christ-resurrected-new-man-is-living-one-god/

Finally, Paul says that we had a certificate of debt that was wiped out when Jesus hung on the cross.  God “canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”  So by accepting Jesus’ sacrifice, God forgives us from all of our sins! 

What a God we serve!  He wants to have a relationship with us.  He loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to the earth to die for us! 

Worship:  “Behold the Lamb,” by Keith & Kristyn Getty 

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We Must Be Careful

The Apostle Paul, in his second letter to the church at Corinth (and to us), writes: 

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.  (2 Corinthians 6:14-18, NASB)

God is concerned about with whom we associate.  He wants us to remain pure and clean.  This is the main point in this passage from Paul’s letter.  Paul uses several comparisons to make his point:  “What partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols?”

Paul goes on to say that “we are the temple of the living God.”  Therefore, we must remain clean and undefiled.  We want the Holy Spirit to be comfortable and find real in His home! 

2 Corinthians 6:14 image.  Found at Darlene’s Ponderings
, https://darlenesponderings.com/2019/03/18/what-partnership   

Finally, for those of us who remain pure, God makes these promises:  “I will be their God, and they shall be My people . . . And I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me.”  

God doesn’t want us to hang around with unbelievers.  He’s concerned about the unrighteousness we’ll encounter.  Of course, we need to be around future believers, for we might be the ones who lead them to Jesus!  Jesus frequented with “sinners and tax collectors,” but He is God–He lived a perfect life, free from sin, for this was His mission!  God prefers that His people will fellowship with other believers.  He has promised great hope for His people who remain pure! 

Worship:  “Mercy Came Running,” by Phillips, Craig & Dean

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Paul Grieves for His People

The Apostle Paul , in his letter to the church at Rome (and to us): 

I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.  (Romans 9:1-5, NASB)

Paul is grieved at the idea that his people, the Israelites, have not recognized the Messiah, Who is Christ our Lord.  It’s Jesus Who fulfilled the prophesies of the Old Testament, and Paul is sorrowful that they didn’t see just Who He was.  Indeed, Jerusalem was destroyed, and God’s Temple razed, because of their disbelief.  Paul wishes that he could take their places in hell because of their unbelief. 

Romans 9:1-5 image.  Found at Redeeming God, https://redeeminggod.com/paul-hell-romans-9-3/

Paul says that his people had all the advantages of the knowledge of God:  “The adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever.”  But they failed to recognize their Messiah, Whom God had promised to them, His Chosen People. 

We, as followers of Jesus, should follow Paul’s example, and be grieved at all of the lost people in the world.  God desires for ALL people to be saved although it’s not His mandate.  We should want what God desires.  Whether Jew or Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist, we should do everything in our power to bring the Gospel of Jesus and the Love of Christ to them.  Jesus is Hope! 

SHA’ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM! (PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM!)

Worship:  “The Watchman,” by Paul Wilbur