Our Glorious Inheritance

[Paul said], "I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance He has given to His people."

                                                                                                                                    Ephesians 1:18b

With so much turbulence in the stock market and national economies around the world, it is vitally important for us to understand the things we possess that can never be taken away. The lives we live on this earth are but a vapor and everything in this world will one day vanish and forever be gone. And yet, as believers in Christ, we have been graciously given an inheritance that is ours now and an additional inheritance that will be ours later.

When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we were adopted into His family and grafted into His lineage. This simple act of faith transitioned us from being outside of God's family to actually belonging to Him and His family. The book of Galatians tells us that we "are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:26).

Further explanation is given when the author adds, "And since you are His child, God has made you His heir" (Galatians 4:7). This means that all of God's children have privileges and a spiritual inheritance that are too wonderful for our minds even to grasp. To be included in God's family is life's greatest honor and our highest privilege. There is nothing or no one that can rival it.

Since Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant, He is the One wo assigns us our portion on this earth and eternally. God said to Him [Jesus], "Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your heritage, and the ends of the earth Your possession" (Psalm 2:8). Later, the Psalmist writes, "The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance" (Psalm 16:6).

We are the beneficiaries of Jesus' sacrifice. Because of what He has done for us, we inherit: the riches of His grace, patience, kindness, wisdom, mercy, glory, and power. He graciously gives us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).

Additionally, we are given a rightful place in God's family and a territory that is ours to manage. We become co-heirs with Christ.. When we are born into His kingdom through Jesus, we inherit all His promises given to us in His Word. We then use what God has given us to bring light and life to a dark and dying world.

The Holy Spirit is the "guarantee" of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14). He gives us the assurance of our eternal outcome as well as the guidance we need to lay hold of the inheritance God has for us now. He gives us the confidence that God will indeed perform what He has promised.

If these gifts were not enough, we also have an inheritance that we will receive later. This is what God promises to us:

                     *We will have no more pain, death, and suffering (Revelation 21:4)

                     *We get to be with God forever (1Thessalonians 4:17 and 5:12)

                     *We will be transformed to be like Christ (1 John 3:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18)

                     *We will be rewarded and given positions of service (Mark 9:41 and 10:38;

                       1 Corinthians 3:8; Hebrews 10:35; and Matthew 25:21,23)

                     *We get to share in Christ's glory (Romans 8:17; Colossians 3:4;

                       2 Thessalonians 2:14; 2 Timothy 2:12; 1 Peter 5:1)

None of these promises can be taken away from us! God has reserved them and will continue to protect them for us. We are told that "God has reserved a priceless inheritance for His children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay" (1 Peter 1:4).

While our eternal inheritance is secure, we must claim the inheritance God has for us here. We find an example of this in the Old Testament. After the Israelites had entered into the Promised Land, God had apportioned each of the twelve tribes a specific area of land and territory. Five of those tribes had claimed their inheritance, but seven of them had grown accustomed to their nomadic lifestyle and were willing to settle for less than what God had for them.

The land had been divided by Joshua based on the faithfulness of each of the tribes. The battles were over and the war had been won but there were still seven tribes who had not claimed their rightful inheritance. Joshua said to them, "How long are you going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land...[that God] has given to you?" (Joshua 18:3).

The difference between those who claimed their inheritance and those who did not was faith. If the same percentages were true today, that would mean that fifty-eight percent of believers would not understand their role as an ambassador of Christ because of a lack of faith and spiritual zeal. Passivity and decisions that are easier in the moment lead to a willingness to quit because of a lack of vision in what God is doing. Spiritual dryness becomes pervasive. While quitting may be easier in the short-term, it is definitely short-sighted when we see the glorious inheritance that God has prepared for us!

There are many contributing factors to spiritual dryness, but here are a few: unrelenting trials and temptations, sin, lack of prayer, pessimistic attitude, lack of involvement, lack of commitment, and disillusionment when God doesn't answer our prayers in the way we thought He would. If we are empty emotionally, physically, or spiritually, we will lack the zeal and fervor needed to persevere. If we do not persevere and claim our inheritance, our hearts will ultimately become extremely hardened.

Resistance is the call for perseverance. It is our obstacles that become our greatest teachers if we sincerely seek God in the midst of them. C.S. Lewis said, "God knows our situation; He will not judge us as if we had no difficulties to overcome. What matters is the sincerity and perseverance of our will to overcome them."

If you are currently in a spiritually dry place, please know that this is a normal part of every spiritual journey. We must, however, determine that we will not stay in its place. We have to push forward and take possession of our spiritual inheritance. Never, ever give up!

We are God's special treasure and He has great things in store for us! When we are in Christ and have received His Spirit, we have the power and strength to persevere to the end and receive our portion. He has given us His great and precious promises which enable us to thank Him even in the midst of adversity because we are guaranteed we will receive what He has promised and that, in Him, we have a glorious inheritance!

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward."

                                                                                                                             Colossians 3:23-24    

 

Hope In The New Year

"Hope refreshes faith, that it may not become weary. It sustains faith to the final goal, that it my not fail in midcourse, or even at the starting gate. In short, by unremitting, renewing, and restoring, it
invigorates faith again and again with perseverance."
                                                                                                       John Calvin, French Reformer




This new year started somewhat tumultuously for our family. Our youngest daughter, Abbie, was hospitalized for several days with facial cellulitis and an abscess. The treatment required days of  IV antibiotics, followed by a minimum of a ten day course orally. School was missed and flights were rescheduled, as were many patients in Brent's medical practice. In spite of our unexpected chaos, there were also many unexpected blessings that God had prepared for us along the way.

The first blessing came in the form of a Christmas present we had received from a precious eight year old girl named Jordan. She had made us a decoration that hangs on a doorknob in the shape of a candy cane. Written upon it was the verse that reads, "By His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). When her parents called us while we were in the Emergency Room, her Mom reminded me of that gift given and stated that it was a prophetic promise for us in this situation. Days later, God confirmed this word when Abbie's nurse unknowingly laid a candy cane on her belly while she slept. Yes, God can even speak through a sugary, striped confectionary.

The next blessing we received was through unexpected friends and family that unknowingly called and texted us that they were being prompted to pray for us. We literally could feel the prayers that were being prayed for Abbie. It was extremely comforting to know that others were praying for her that she would be healed and restored (James 5:16).

A third blessing came in the form of a daily Bible verse text. It arrived on a morning when Brent and I were exhausted physically from a lack of sleep. The verse said, "The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace" (Psalm 29:11). Strength and peace were exactly what we needed and strength and peace God did supply!

The last, and best, blessing that God gave to us was the chance to minister to a Jewish nurse that took care of Abbie. This nurse was diligent and had a heart of gold. She shared with us that her immediate family barely survived the holocaust in Germany, while her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were murdered. All of her family that survived today lies in Haifa, Israel. In the midst of every trial lies an opportunity in God's economy.

It is, however, in times like these that we truly find out where our hope lies. If it is inextricably linked to Jesus, our Rock, we will not be shaken. Everything we need will be given to us and our security will never falter.

Hudson Taylor, a nineteenth century missionary to China, sums up the sufficiency of Christ as follows: "'Christ liveth in me.' And how great the difference! Instead of bondage, liberty; instead of failure, quiet victories within; instead of fear and weakness, a restful sense of sufficiency in Another."

It is my belief that in this upcoming year the most important thing we can do is to completely find our sufficiency in Christ. If we look to the stock market for security, we will be shaken. If we look to the government, we are standing on sinking sand. Jesus is our true security and He is the Only One who "will never leave you or forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).

This is the Hebraic year 5776. The two predominant letters associated with this year are the ayin and the vav. The ayin has the numerical value of seventy and is symbolized as the eye. The vav has the numerical value of six and its meaning is the "peg, nail, or hook". When you combine these letters it means "to see the peg". The word "see" in this context means to "discern, understand, know".

Really knowing Jesus this year will keep us strong and peaceful in the midst of turbulence and increasing tensions in the world. Since this is also a political year in the U.S., it is safe to assume that the vitriol and deception will continue to escalate. Like never before we need to be rooted in the love of Christ and grounded in His Word because the tension between the work of God and the work of man (not of God) will  continue to mount.

We must be secure in our salvation and know that it only comes through Jesus. Not religion. Not works. Just Jesus. We are told that "There is salvation in no one else [other than Jesus], for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Prophetically, Jesus is the peg or nail that secures our position and connects us to His Father. He is our prophetic promise of victory. This is how the prophet Zechariah explains, "Out of him [Judah] shall come forth the cornerstone, out of him the tent peg, out of him the battle bow; every ruler shall proceed from him. And they shall be like mighty men treading down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle, and they shall fight because the Lord is with them, and the [oppressor's] riders on horses shall be confounded and put to shame" (Zechariah 10:4-5).

Jesus is the Only One who has been given the authority and power to overcome the evil in this world. The Holy Spirit describes Jesus as "the Holy One, the True One, He who has the key of David, who opens what no one shall shut and shuts what no one shall open"(Revelation 3:7). He is the One who allows us to grow in grace, be strong in faith, and give glory to God through our lives.

If you are currently in a battle, it is prayer that will win the war. As we pray and declare God's Word, Jesus watches over His Word to perform it. Alert and awake, we will discern what God is saying during these turbulent times.

Moreover, there is a double blessing and a double portion that will be given to the people of God during this season. Double gates will be opened in front of us, unlocked by the key of David, and we will see answers to prayers that have long been prayed. As we rest in the sufficiency of Christ, things we have labored for in the past will come to us with less effort and more expeditiously than we expect. God will bring sweet unexpected surprises to His children.

This is not the time to shrink back. It is the time to conquer over our opposition as Jael did (Judges 4:21) and to "enlarge the place of your tent' (Isaiah 54:2). As our dreams are revived and we step out in faith, we will see that our "boundaries have fallen in pleasant places" (Psalm 16:6). God is good and so are His plans for 2016!

                                            HAVE A BLESSED NEW YEAR!!!!

"He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and contrary to us, and He took it out of the way, nailing it to the Cross. And having disarmed authorities and powers, He made a show of them openly triumphing over them by the Cross."

                                                                                                                               (Colossians 2:14-15)

Wisdom for the New Year...

                                          "Wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness."
                                                              Ecclesiastes 2:13




As we approach this upcoming year, it occurs to me that Christ followers need wisdom like we've never needed it before. Ensconced within a myriad of complexities, it becomes increasingly more clear that knowledge alone will never suffice. The book of Proverbs tells us that "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore,  [to] get wisdom" (Proverbs 4:7).

While many live in the pursuit of knowledge, this is vastly different than the pursuit of Godly wisdom. Knowledge will enable us to dissect a matter, but it is wisdom that brings things together through the application of God's truths to everyday situations.  Wisdom, therefore, becomes the heart of a matter and it will either radiate light or darkness. It is only the "wisdom from above" (James 3:17) that can bring true solutions to the chaotic world in which we live.

The problem we have is that the majority of people are seeking "worldly wisdom" instead of wisdom from God. Like petulant two-year olds, most of the inhabitants of this planet prefer to do things on their own. Unfortunately, we are living in extraordinary times that do not afford us such luxuries. The outcomes of "worldly wisdom" and Godly wisdom will vastly differ- one will produce worldly results and the other will produce true spiritual fruit that lasts.

The book of James clearly outlines for us the fruit that comes from Godly wisdom. It says, "the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, [and] without hypocrisy" (James 3:17). Then, James adds a qualifier. He says, "And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace"(James 3:18).

Therefore, if we opt for Godly wisdom, He will bless us with God-given fruit that brings life. This is the fruit that also has seeds within it, which continue to produce more fruit. As we sow righteousness and peace, we will also reap a harvest of righteousness and peace.

If, on the other hand, we sow "worldly wisdom" we will reap: trouble, envy, strife and confusion. This is what occurred when the descendants of Noah decided to build the Tower of Babel. The people blatantly rebelled against God's command to scatter across the earth. Instead, they thought it would be preferable to settle in Nimrod's city of Babylon (Genesis 11:8-12).

They also wanted to build a tower that touched the sky so they could make a name for themselves (Genesis 11:4). They conspired together and built what is known as a "ziggurat". Throughout the centuries, archaeologists have discovered several of these structures. Upon discovery, it has been learned that these structures were typically built as a shrine to a false god or goddess. The word Babel literally means "the gate of the gods".

We get to choose whether to do things our way or to be led by the Holy Spirit. However, it is only the leading of the Holy Spirit that will last. Solomon succinctly summarized this notion when he stated, "There are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless, the Lord's counsel- that will stand"(Proverbs 19:21).

God is wise and all true wisdom can only come from Him. He is also good and all true goodness first comes from Him. His plans for us are good and when we follow His leading He will be glorified in our lives. We can trust Him to only do what is best for us and in us, even when we live during difficult times.

History has proven that when persecution of Christians increased that Christianity flourishes. this is because it is in the midst of darkness that the light shines the brightest. Daniel said that, "those who are wise (shall shine like the brightness of the firmament), and those who turn many to righteousness (to uprightness and right standing with God)[shall give forth light] like the stars forever and ever"(Daniel 12:3).

The word wise in the previous verse means to "teach, impart insight, encourage and strengthen others". This is what God is calling us to do in this New Year and new season. It may cost us more now as a Christian than it ever has before, but it is a crisis that will reveal to us who and what we really are. It is through difficulties that God shines brighter and brighter.

Knowing that this is also an election year compels us to pray for all the candidates and ultimately the final nominee. In this, we recognize that our new president will either be an instrument of mercy or an instrument of judgment for our country. Either way, we are commanded to pray for our leaders.

There is another verse in the book of Daniel that is a promise for believers who live in the midst of dark days. It says that, "the people who know their God shall prove themselves strong and shall stand firm and do great exploits [for God]" (Daniel 11:32). This means that God will be with us and He will show Himself strong in our lives.

It is possible to serve God like Daniel did. We can also possess the dignity, courage, and conviction in the midst of a culture that does not honor God or the "wisdom from above". I believe we will see God show up in ways that we have never seen before because God is  faithful to those who love and seek Him.

This is the time to genuinely esteem that which money cannot buy and death cannot steal from us. This is what will bring victory to our lives. The apostle John confirms this in the book of Revelation. He says, "And they overcame by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die"(Revelation 12:11).

These are both exciting and perilous times, but God is doing amazing things in the midst of them. It is my prayer that we will be wise and that we will know our God. Just as He is faithful to us, I pray we would be faithful to Him. He promises that He will be glorified in the earth and that He will do mighty things. More than ever, may we walk in Godly wisdom during this New Year!

                                              HAVE A BLESSED NEW YEAR!!!!
                                                                     2016

The Christmas Song...

"Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others- the armies of heaven- praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'"
                                                                                                                                   Luke 2:13-14




It was one angel that appeared to the shepherds, followed by a chorus of angels singing praise to God on the day that Jesus was born.  In my imagination, I can hear this beautiful anthem of praise rising up from the earth, as well as descending from the angelic choir in heaven.  In this stunning moment of time, Jesus' song echoed throughout heaven and earth, and reverberated rhythmically as it pierced through the darkness.

As the glad announcement was given, the song rang out and the glory of God returned to the earth.  This had not happened for centuries, but this was no ordinary day.  This was the day that the Prince of heaven came to earth to bring salvation to mankind.

It was curious that God would choose the shepherds to be the first witnesses of His glory.  Yet, immediately God's grace toward men was demonstrated in a tangible way. The shepherds were known as the outcasts in Israel. This is because their work made them ceremonially unclean, which kept them away from the temple for weeks at a time.

However, the message of the Gospel is that God comes to the poor and lowly.  The book of 1 Corinthians emphasizes this point when it says, "Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you.  Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise.  And He chose things that are powerless to shame those wo are powerful.  God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important" (1 Corinthians 1:26-28).

The symbolism of appearing to the shepherd first is astounding.  Jesus came to be both the Good Shepherd (John 10) and the Lamb of God (John 1:29), perhaps the shepherds were the most appropriate people to be first to hear the Good News.  Additionally, these were hard-working men, humble in heart, who were extremely practical in their thinking. Also, it was possible that God would even draw from their flocks to be sacrifices for the temple services. Whatever God's reasoning happened to be, the shepherds were the first to hear the Christmas song.

This begs the question as to whether this song and seeing the throng of angels brought peace or fear to their hearts? Throughout the Christmas story, the words "Fear not!" are used (Luke 1:13,30,74 and Matthew 1:20).  The Good News that was being proclaimed was a message of peace to a world who had known much war.  Even though, at this exact moment, Israel was not at war, that still did not bring the assurance that these men had peace.

All men long for true peace in their hearts, but I wonder how many actually have it? Did these shepherds? Did the wise men? Did Mary and Joseph? Do you?

The Hebrew word for peace is shalom.  This word means much more than an absence of battles or conflict. It means "peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare, and tranquility".  It represents a peace that is complete and brings with it a feeling of contentment and overall well-being.

Shalom can be experienced even in the midst of adversity.  This is because it has more to do with who we are than what circumstances we are experiencing. It is the person of Jesus that brings shalom in our lives because He is the Prince of Peace.

Throughout Scripture, songs erupt from a heart of praise or worship or to commemorate a joyful occurrence. When God created the world, the angels sang. The book of Job describes it as follows, "all the angels shouted for joy" (Job 38:7).

Once again, the angels sing at the birth of Jesus because of the new creation He would bring to mankind. The lowly manger became a Holy of Holies because Jesus was the One who occupied it. The glory that had departed from the earth because of sin was returning in the form of a newborn babe. 

The shepherds received by faith what the angels had told them.  This is how Luke tells their story,
"When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, 'Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'  They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in a manger. After seeing Him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them" (Luke 2:15-20).

The shepherds response to what they had heard was immediate obedience. They left their flocks to go and search for Jesus. Once they had found Him, they responded by sharing the Good News with others.

This is when the Christmas song rose in their hearts and they began glorifying and praising Jesus. He is the only One who gives us peace and puts a song in our hearts. Nothing or no one else can provide the melodious chords or the words to sing our own personalized, meaningful, and intimate Christmas song!

                                                    MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

"The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you; The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually)."
                                                                                                                       Numbers 6:24-26    

His Star...

"I see Him but not here and now.  I perceive Him, but far in the distant future.  A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel."

                                                                                                                                   Numbers 24:17


The first Christmas was filled with a myriad of miracles.  The blessed event began with God's plan for the redemption of humanity and culminated in the birth of a baby that was both one hundred percent man and one hundred percent God.  Prophecies were fulfilled and supernatural occurrences abounded in an effort to reveal to the world the Messiah that ushered in the presence of God into the midst of His people.

There were mysteries that perplexed even the wisest of men as they followed the star that shone in the East.  They travelled to the Jewish capital (Jerusalem) where they were intercepted by a wicked king named Herod.  They told king Herod that they saw a new star, meaning that nothing like it had ever been seen before.  It was Herod that then pointed them to Bethlehem where the star reappeared and led them to Mary and Joseph.

Speculation still surrounds the star of Bethlehem today, or, as Matthew calls it, "His Star" (Matthew 2:2).  The theories range from naturalistic explanations such as : a nova, a supernova, a comet, and a planetary convergence to supernatural events, such as the shekinah glory of God.  While the answer is still unclear, it is noteworthy that in Matthew's account of this story, the text implies that the star was only for the wise men to see and follow.

It is curious to me as to how the Maji interpreted the meaning of this star.  These men were most likely from Persia (and possibly other nations) and were known as astrologers, which was an accepted branch of science in their cultures.  Most likely, their religion was Zoroastrianism, which is still practiced in Iran today.

The biblical exposure they would have had would have come from the writings of Daniel, where he wrote, "Seventy weeks [or 490 years] are decreed upon your people and your holy city [Jerusalem], to finish and put an end to transgression, to seal up and make full the measure of sin, to purge away and make expiation and reconciliation for sin, to bring in everlasting righteousness (permanent moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) to seal up vision and prophecy and prophet, and to anoint a Holy of Holies.  Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem until [the coming of] the Anointed One, a Prince, shall be seven weeks [49 years] and sixty-two weeks [434 years]; it shall be built again with square and moat, but in troublous times" (Daniel 9:24-25).

Yet, these Maji were still able to correctly interpret these writings of Daniel and perhaps the prophecy written in the book Numbers that says, "I perceive Him but not here and now.  I perceive Him, but far in the distant future.  A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel" (Numbers 24:17).  They perceived the coming Messiah, but their revelation partial and progressive.

Another example of partial revelation can be found in the life of the apostle, Paul.  As he journeyed on the road to Damascus, he encountered a bright Light and that Light was the Lord (Acts 22:6-11).  While the people with Paul could all see the Light, it was only he that could understand the Voice within the Light.

When we speak of the shekinah glory of God, it denotes the visible, tangible presence of God.  It is a real, physical manifestation of God being near.  It is the actual dwelling place of God that transforms everything and everyone around it.

The Maji knew that Jesus' star revealed the Messiah, even before they were able to see Him with their eyes.  It is most likely that these wise men were kings in their own right, based on the following three Old Testament prophecies:

Isaiah 60:3 "And nations shall come to Your Light, and kings to the brightness of Your rising."

Psalm 72:10 "The kings of Tarshish and of the coasts shall bring offerings; the kings of Sheba and 

                      Seba shall bring gifts."

Psalm 68:29 "[Out of respect] for Your temple at Jerusalem, kings shall bring gifts to You."

Therefore, we have kings of the earth worshipping the ultimate King of heaven and earth.  Jesus extended the invitation to them, just as He does to you and I.  Jesus also provided the star to lead and guide them, just as He leads and guides you and I.  When you consider the question as to why the God of the universe singled out these men and extended His grace and salvation to them (as He does to you and I), perhaps his is the greatest mystery of all.

Yet, Jesus' mission on this earth was very intentional.  God sent Jesus to earth "because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, even when we were dead by our own shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and mad partakers of Christ's salvation.) And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).  He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-7).

God is constantly wooing men to Himself.  As we see the world reject Him more and more, we can know with certainty that this breaks the heart of our Lord and Creator.  He literally sacrificed everything for us to have an eternal relationship with Him and day to day He is with His people. The more the world disengages from Him, the more He will make Himself known through our lives.

This is the time to chase after God with abandon.  It is the time to be led and guided into the dreams God has placed within us and to pursue the godly passions we have been given.  It is time to fulfill the destinies that require divine intervention.  It is time for each one of us to throw off every encumbrance, take risks, and follow His star.

His star still shines brightly in the world for those who will come to it.  Just as He extended Himself to the Maji, He also extends Himself to us.  He wants a personal, committed, and intimate relationship with each one of us.  Just as His star led to a progressive revealing of who Jesus is, so our lives should continually grow in the knowledge and revelation of our Lord and Savior.  It was the purpose of His life and the purpose of His star.

"O, Star of wonder, star of night, star of royal beauty bright; Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light."

                                                                             Excerpt from We Three Kings of Orient Are

An Unholy Triad

                                   "It is always darkest just before the Day dawneth."
                                              Thomas Fuller, English Theologian



The family structure is designed by God to be a powerful entity.  If the members of the family are in line with biblical principles and understand and fulfill their God-given roles, it will be a force used for tremendous good in the earth.  If, on the other hand, the members reject God and pursue selfish interests, a family can also be used to bring untold destruction and calamity to the world.  Especially if it is a family who has been given a position of authority and the role of governance.

Such was the family of Herod the Great.  This family was brilliant and gifted in a myriad of ways, and yet all these talents were used to perpetuate evil and wreak unprecedented havoc in the lives of many.  The three family members that are the most notorious are: Herod the Great, Herodias, and Herod Antipas.  It was this evil trio that would continually serve as a battering ram in the life of Jesus and do everything within their power to end His ministry and His life.

Herod the Great was known as a genius and a schemer.  He took advantage of the Roman political unrest to claw his way to the top of the political ladder.  It was during a civil war that he gained favor of Octavian, who later became known as the Roman Emperor named Augustus Caesar.

Herod was a descendant of the Edomites, whose ancestors converted to Judaism.  He was born around 74 B.C. to an Idumean man named Antipater and a woman named Cyprus.  His mother was the daughter of an Arab sheik.

Herod the Great became a Jewish king who governed over Judaea.  Once he became king, he launched an ambitious building program in Jerusalem and in the port city of Caesarea.  He built theaters, ampitheaters, a port, temples, markets, housing, palaces, a wall around Jerusalem and aqueducts. He was a genius in commerce and trading and greatly strengthened Israel's position in the Arab world.

However, he was a tyrant.  He kept order in Israel by using the secret police and using an iron fist.  He kept order in his palace by murdering family members who did not appease his whims.  He killed his father-in-law, two of his sons, and several of his ten wives.  He was a ruthless, brutal murderer who was also known for killing many rabbis.

His ambition was all-consuming.  He was a jealous egomaniac who lived to build monuments to himself.  Over two thousand years later, there are still existing structures in Israel that Herod the Great built.  The most revered of these existing structures is the temple wall mount that still stands from the magnificently restored Jerusalem temple that Herod constructed during his reign.

Jesus was conceived during the rule of Herod and was a young child when he died.  The three wise men met Herod as they journeyed on their way to worship the newborn babe.  It was then that Herod tried to trick the wise men into revealing Jesus' location in Bethlehem when they returned home.  God warned the wise men in a dream to avoid the wicked king, so they chose an alternative route home.

When Herod learned that he was outwitted by the Magi, he was livid.  This is how Matthew describes the event: "Then Herod, when he realized he had been misled by the wise men, was furiously enraged, and he sent and put to death all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that territory who were two years old and under, reckoning according to the date which he had investigated diligently and had learned exactly from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 'A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they were no more" (Matthew 2:16-18).

After a thirty-seven yea reign, this would prove to be one of Herod's last significant acts.  This was his coup d'état, so to speak.  Not too long after Herod murdered all these innocent baby boys, he, himself, died in a gruesome and horrific manner.

However, his evil kingdom lived on.  It was divided among his three sons (that had not been slain by their father).  Herod Antipas was one of those three heirs.


Herod Antipas was definitely a villain like his father.  To make matters worse, he also had a villainous wife named Herodias.  Their vows were made on the shakiest of grounds because Antipas had decided to steal his own brother's wife.  Yet, bigamy was just the beginning for this diabolic duo.

The apostle Mark describes Herodias as  conniving and the instigator that plotted the beheading of John the Baptist. She actually convinced her daughter Salome to sleep with her husband (Herod Antipas) to make it happen (Mark 6:22-25).  Not only did she want John the Baptist's head, but she also wanted it served up on a platter.  Possibly this vendetta was because John the Baptist had confronted her regarding her sexual sin.

Later, during Jesus' ministry, some Pharisees came to warn Jesus that Herod Antipas was trying to kill Him.  This is how Jesus responded, "Go and tell that fox [sly and crafty, skulking and cowardly], 'Behold, I drive out demons and perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish (complete) my course'" (Luke 13:32).

Herod Antipas, along with his soldiers, treated Jesus "with contempt and scoffed at and ridiculed Him; then, dressing Him up in bright and gorgeous apparel, he sent Him back to Pilate" (Luke 23:11).  Ultimately, Herod Antipas would forever be known as the one who stood in judgment of Jesus and was instrumental in His crucifixion.

Before Jesus was ever born, God knew how diabolical this family would be and how Satan would use each one of them for his purposes.  And yet, God was sovereign over every bit of it.  Every prophecy would be fulfilled because God said, "I am watching over My Word to perform it" (Jeremiah 1:12).

No matter how devious, untrustworthy, and bloodthirsty Jesus' opponents were, they would never fully have the upper hand.  They would only have as much rope as God would give them- not a centimeter more.  While this was the darkness that preceded the ultimate Dawn, goodness triumphed over evil.  No demonic attempt could ever diminish the glory and power of God that would occur in the Resurrection.

The legacy of Herod the Great and his descendants will forever be one of atrocity and infamy, especially their unholy triad.  However, for us as believers who cling to the Holy Trinity as our Light and Salvation, we can find hope in knowing that our family legacies will be blessed.  Even if we currently have family members who are not in line with biblical principles and are not fulfilling their God-given roles, take heart, because the Son is faithful to rise in their lives.


                "Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good."
                                                                                                                       Romans 12:21

The Light of the World

"Nations will come to Your light, and kings to the brightness of Your rising."
                                                                                                           Isaiah 60:3




As we enter this Advent season, it seems that the contrasts around us grow more and more stark.  The good in the world appears to be more assertive and bold, while the evil continues to intensify in word and deed.  This scenario is eerily reminiscent of the day and time that surrounded the first coming of Jesus, our King.

As the world we live in grows darker, the issues that surround us grow increasingly complex.  The problems are not simple, and neither are their solutions.  Even as leaders of nations collaborate together, there are still problems and complexities beyond their grasp to solve.  It is by God's design that this is our current  world's reality.

In the Old Testament, in the book of Malachi, the last prophecies of God are uttered, followed by a four hundred year silence.  These years were devoid of any messages from God until Zachariah (father of John the Baptist) broke the silence by prophesying the birth of Jesus into a similarly dark world.  He said, "Because of and through the heart of tender mercy and loving-kindness of our God, a Light from on high will dawn upon us and visit us to shine upon and give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct and guide our feet in a straight line into the way of peace" (Luke 1:78-79).

When times were incredibly daunting and dark, God chose to send the Light of the world to bring illumination.  Later, in Jesus' ministry, He reiterated this point.  He said, "I am the Light of the world.  He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life" (John 8:12).

In the Bible, Light is a description for God and His glory and darkness is a metaphor for spiritual blindness.  We are taught that it is even possible to have seen the Light and still live our lives as blind men.  The book of Romans tells us that even though "they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor or glorify Him as God or give Him thanks.  But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened" (Romans 1:21).

Whether or not we walk in darkness depends upon what we love.  If we love the Light, we will see ourselves as we truly are- sinners in need of a Savior.  While the truth may at times be difficult to swallow, it is worth the reward of knowing Jesus.  His love more than compensates for every hard truth we know of ourselves.

Unfortunately, if we are more attached to the world or our own selfish ways, we will either miss the Light or see it and turn from it.  The apostle, John, tells us, "The Light has come into the world and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19).

With darkened minds and darkened hearts, we will quickly be deceived.  This is when evil gets interpreted as good and good is interpreted as evil.  We are told that even "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light" ( 2 Corinthians 11:14).  Mostly, we find this exhibited by those people that either knowingly or unknowingly follow Satan.  It is Satan's servants that "also masquerade as ministers of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:15).

We see examples of this all around us.  The most recent example occurred in the Colorado shooting that happened at Planned Parenthood.  The deceived and deranged shooter is said to have stated that he was responding to the fact that Planned Parenthood was selling fetal body parts.  Once the full truth about him is considered, it is likely that he is simply deranged and psychotic and abortion had little or nothing to do with his reprehensible actions.  In truth, and in the very same vile spirit as the one that drives abortion, this shooter stole innocent lives and inflicted brutality and carnage on innocent victims.  

With all the blindness around us, it is no wonder that our world has been thrown into chaos and confusion.  This is daily compounded by the fact that the goodness and glory of God is profaned publicly, while evil deeds are esteemed and praised.  The good news is that spiritual blindness can never subdue the glory of God in Christ because darkness will never overcome the Light (John 1:5).

As followers of Christ, God delivers us "out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins" (Colossians 1:13-14).  It is God's love and Light and hope that sets us free.  When this love and hope penetrates our hearts, all darkness is chased away.

When Jesus walked this earth, He shared the exact same Light of God.  On the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus radiates the refulgent glory of God from within.  We are told that "His appearance underwent a change in their presence; and His face shone clear and bright like the sun, and His clothing became as white as Light" (Matthew 17:2).

With Christ in us, we, too, carry His Light.  Jesus tells us that we "are the light of the world" and that we are to let our "light so shine before men that they may see [our] moral excellence and [our] praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify [our] Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:14,16).

It is Jesus' Light that illumines our paths.  When we obey His commands and live by His principles, we cannot walk in darkness.  The book of Ephesians tells us that "the fruit (the effect, the product) of the Light or the Spirit [consists] in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart, and trueness of life" (Ephesians 5:9).  We are then admonished to "try to learn [in your experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to Him]" (Ephesians 5:10).

If we pursue the Light of Christ and pursue lives that are pleasing to Him, we will shine brighter and brighter in this perverse generation.  This is what will bring salvation to those who do not know Jesus and will illuminate paths that are darkened.  It is in this way that the Light of the world shines brightly in us and through us to a world that desperately needs to know Him.

If God chose the timing of a dark world for His first Advent, it makes sense that that could occur again for His second Advent.  Our role right now is similar to that of John the Baptist- we are to point others to the Living Christ.  Jesus is the only solution for our world today and the only true Light of the world!


"The Lord is my Light and my Salvation- whom shall I fear or dread?  The Lord is the Refuge and stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?"
                                                                                (Psalm 27:1)