Be Biblically Resolved

Now that 2012 is almost over, many people begin to think about resolutions or goals for the coming new year. That is a good idea. So here are a few ideas from Scripture.

Proverbs 3:5, 6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Psalm 119:58-60 - I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; be merciful to me according to Your word. I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies. I made haste, and did not delay to keep Your commandments.

Colossians 3:12-14 - Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;  bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

Philippians 4:6, 7 - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Mark 16:15 - Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Romans 12:1, 2 - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

These are just a few ideas of biblical resolutions for the new year. Make time to sit down with your Bible, read it and pray and ask God to guide you in selecting areas in your life where you would like to grow and become more like Christ. If you do this you’ll be on your way to a great new year. Expect great things from God and attempt great things for God. Happy New Year!

Papa Panov's Special Christmas

 

For your Christmas pleasure, here is a short story by Leo Tolstoy titled “Papa Panov’s Special Christmas.” God bless you! Merry Christmas!

 

“It was Christmas Eve and although it was still afternoon, lights had begun to appear in the shops and houses of the little Russian village, for the short winter day was nearly over. Excited children scurried indoors and now only muffled sounds of chatter and laughter escaped from closed shutters.

Old Papa Panov, the village shoemaker, stepped outside his shop to take one last look around. The sounds of happiness, the bright lights and the faint but delicious smells of Christmas cooking reminded him of past Christmas times when his wife had still been alive and his own children little. Now they had gone. His usually cheerful face, with the little laughter wrinkles behind the round steel spectacles, looked sad now. But he went back indoors with a firm step, put up the shutters and set a pot of coffee to heat on the charcoal stove. Then, with a sigh, he settled in his big armchair.

Papa Panov did not often read, but tonight he pulled down the big old family Bible and, slowly tracing the lines with one forefinger, he read again the Christmas story. He read how Mary and Joseph, tired by their journey to Bethlehem, found no room for them at the inn, so that Mary's little baby was born in the cowshed.

"Oh, dear, oh, dear!" exclaimed Papa Panov, "if only they had come here! I would have given them my bed and I could have covered the baby with my patchwork quilt to keep him warm."

He read on about the wise men who had come to see the baby Jesus, bringing him splendid gifts. Papa Panov's face fell. "I have no gift that I could give him," he thought sadly.

Then his face brightened. He put down the Bible, got up and stretched his long arms to the shelf high up in his little room. He took down a small, dusty box and opened it. Inside was a perfect pair of tiny leather shoes. Papa Panov smiled with satisfaction. Yes, they were as good as he had remembered- the best shoes he had ever made. "I should give him those," he decided, as he gently put them away and sat down again.

He was feeling tired now, and the further he read the sleeper he became. The print began to dance before his eyes so that he closed them, just for a minute. In no time at all Papa Panov was fast asleep.

And as he slept he dreamed. He dreamed that someone was in his room and he know at once, as one does in dreams, who the person was. It was Jesus.

"You have been wishing that you could see me, Papa Panov." he said kindly, "then look for me tomorrow. It will be Christmas Day and I will visit you. But look carefully, for I shall not tell you who I am."

When at last Papa Panov awoke, the bells were ringing out and a thin light was filtering through the shutters. "Bless my soul!" said Papa Panov. "It's Christmas Day!"

He stood up and stretched himself for he was rather stiff. Then his face filled with happiness as he remembered his dream. This would be a very special Christmas after all, for Jesus was coming to visit him. How would he look? Would he be a little baby, as at that first Christmas? Would he be a grown man, a carpenter- or the great King that he is, God's Son? He must watch carefully the whole day through so that he recognized him however he came.

Papa Panov put on a special pot of coffee for his Christmas breakfast, took down the shutters and looked out of the window. The street was deserted, no one was stirring yet. No one except the road sweeper. He looked as miserable and dirty as ever, and well he might! Whoever wanted to work on Christmas Day - and in the raw cold and bitter freezing mist of such a morning?

Papa Panov opened the shop door, letting in a thin stream of cold air. "Come in!" he shouted across the street cheerily. "Come in and have some hot coffee to keep out the cold!"

The sweeper looked up, scarcely able to believe his ears. He was only too glad to put down his broom and come into the warm room. His old clothes steamed gently in the heat of the stove and he clasped both red hands round the comforting warm mug as he drank.

Papa Panov watched him with satisfaction, but every now and them his eyes strayed to the window. It would never do to miss his special visitor.

"Expecting someone?" the sweeper asked at last. So Papa Panov told him about his dream.

"Well, I hope he comes," the sweeper said, "you've given me a bit of Christmas cheer I never expected to have. I'd say you deserve to have your dream come true." And he actually smiled.

When he had gone, Papa Panov put on cabbage soup for his dinner, then went to the door again, scanning the street. He saw no one. But he was mistaken. Someone was coming.

The girl walked so slowly and quietly, hugging the walls of shops and houses, that it was a while before he noticed her. She looked very tired and she was carrying something. As she drew nearer he could see that it was a baby, wrapped in a thin shawl. There was such sadness in her face and in the pinched little face of the baby, that Papa Panov's heart went out to them.

"Won't you come in," he called, stepping outside to meet them. "You both need a warm by the fire and a rest."

The young mother let him shepherd her indoors and to the comfort of the armchair. She gave a big sigh of relief.

"I'll warm some milk for the baby," Papa Panov said, "I've had children of my own- I can feed her for you." He took the milk from the stove and carefully fed the baby from a spoon, warming her tiny feet by the stove at the same time.

"She needs shoes," the cobbler said.

But the girl replied, "I can't afford shoes, I've got no husband to bring home money. I'm on my way to the next village to get work."

Sudden thought flashed through Papa Panov's mind. He remembered the little shoes he had looked at last night. But he had been keeping those for Jesus. He looked again at the cold little feet and made up his mind.

"Try these on her," he said, handing the baby and the shoes to the mother. The beautiful little shoes were a perfect fit. The girl smiled happily and the baby gurgled with pleasure.

"You have been so kind to us," the girl said, when she got up with her baby to go. "May all your Christmas wishes come true!"

But Papa Panov was beginning to wonder if his very special Christmas wish would come true. Perhaps he had missed his visitor? He looked anxiously up and down the street. There were plenty of people about but they were all faces that he recognized. There were neighbors going to call on their families. They nodded and smiled and wished him Happy Christmas! Or beggars- and Papa Panov hurried indoors to fetch them hot soup and a generous hunk of bread, hurrying out again in case he missed the Important Stranger.

All too soon the winter dusk fell. When Papa Panov next went to the door and strained his eyes, he could no longer make out the passers-by. Most were home and indoors by now anyway. He walked slowly back into his room at last, put up the shutters, and sat down wearily in his armchair.

So it had been just a dream after all. Jesus had not come.

Then all at once he knew that he was no longer alone in the room.

This was not dream for he was wide awake. At first he seemed to see before his eyes the long stream of people who had come to him that day. He saw again the old road sweeper, the young mother and her baby and the beggars he had fed. As they passed, each whispered, "Didn't you see me, Papa Panov?"

"Who are you?" he called out, bewildered.

Then another voice answered him. It was the voice from his dream- the voice of Jesus.

"I was hungry and you fed me," he said. "I was naked and you clothed me. I was cold and you warmed me. I came to you today in every one of those you helped and welcomed."

Then all was quiet and still. Only the sound of the big clock ticking. A great peace and happiness seemed to fill the room, overflowing Papa Panov's heart until he wanted to burst out singing and laughing and dancing with joy.

"So he did come after all!" was all that he said.”

The Four Gospels, Part 4

The last gospel is “The Gospel According to John.” This gospel is perhaps the most misunderstood of all the four gospels. I’ll explain in a moment. John was the son of Zebedee and Salome (Matthew 4:21). Jesus called John and his brother James the sons of thunder (Mark 3:17). And John, like Matthew and Mark was Jewish.  He is also the writer of 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd John and Revelation.

John’s gospel is the most misunderstood gospel because many people believe that John’s goal was to prove the deity of Jesus. But John’s purpose was not to prove that Jesus is God, but that Jesus is the Son of God. Indeed, he states this quite clearly. “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;  but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:30-31).”

Confusion has arisen due to a gross misunderstanding of the first three verses of John’s gospel. It reads, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made (John 3:1-3).” The way in which these three verses are translated from the Greek lead many Christians to hear in their minds something like this: “In the beginning was the Son of God, and the Son of God was with God, and the Son of God was God. The Son was in the beginning with God.”

But is this really what the Greek text of John 1:1-3, is telling us? Not really and to understand the beginning of the gospel of John, I would encourage you to read point number three in the following study: (http://www.christianmonotheism.com/media/text/Chuck%20LaMattina%20--%20Twenty%20Biblical%20reasons%20why%20the%20doctrine%20of%20the%20Trinity%20is%20wrong.pdf). 

In showing us that Jesus is truly the Son of God, John’s gospel revolves around several statements showing how Jesus truly meets all of the needs in our lives. These statements are:

 

·         I am the bread of life – John 6:35

·         I am the light of the world – 8:12

·         I am the door of the sheep – 10:7

·         I am the good shepherd – 10:11

·         I am the resurrection and the life – 11:25

·         I am the true vine – 15:1

John’s gospel also features 8 spiritual signs. They are:

 

·         water turned into wine – 2:1-11

·         the healing of an official’s son – 4:46-54

·         the healing of a lame man – 5:1-18

·         the feeding of multitudes – 6:1-15

·         walking on water – 6:16-21

·         healing of a blind man – 9:1-41

·         the raising of Lazarus – 11:1-57

·         the miraculous catch of fish – 21:6-11

These signs and statements are provided to us so that we might believe that Jesus is God’s gift of love. Christ lived, sacrificed his life and was raised up from the dead for our salvation that we might have everlasting life (John3:16).

The gospels are four grand portraits of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They are all divinely inspired and written that we might believe in the Son of God and be saved. They were written that we might see the power and beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ. The lyrics to an old spiritual song say,

 

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conqu’rors we are!

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Merry Christmas!

 

The Four Gospels, Part 3

I’ve stated that the writers of the four gospels may be compared to four artists. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John each painted their own portrait of Jesus Christ. They painted with words, divinely inspired words (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). With warm hues Luke painted a portrait of Christ as thoroughly human; the man “par excellence.”

Luke was not Jewish like Matthew or Mark. He was a Gentile. Luke was also a physician (Colossians 4:14) a faithful companion of the Apostle Paul (Acts 16:10) and a very skillful historian.  Luke had never met Jesus, yet he chose to follow him. The evidence was compelling. Luke wrote, “Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed (Luke 1:1-4).”

Along with Mark’s gospel Luke was written for a non-Jewish audience. For example, he explained that Capernaum is a city in Galilee (4:31 and that the country of the Gerasenes is over against Galilee (8:26) and that the town of Emmaus is seven miles from Jerusalem. All of these things would have been known by those living in Israel. And it is unique in that it is the only gospel with a sequel: the book of Acts.

The name “Theophilus” is Greek and means “lover of God.” The designation “most excellent” signifies that “Theophilus” was a Roman dignitary, perhaps one of those individuals who had come to faith in Christ in Caesar’s household (Philippians 4:22). The Roman world at the time was desperate to understand the dignity of humanity. Therefore, Luke focuses upon Jesus as the perfect example of humanity; the ideal man.

 

·         Luke gives the most complete record of Jesus’ conception, birth and childhood (Luke 1 & 2).

·         Our historian traces the lineage of Jesus not just to David and Abraham, but all the way back to Adam (3:38), the first human being.

·         The compassion of Christ is seen as he weeps over Jerusalem (19:41).

·         His agony over the crucifixion is seen as his sweat is like great drops of blood (22:44).

·         And Christ’s dependence upon God is seen as Jesus is seen praying more in Luke then in any other gospel.

·         Luke’s gospel is also the first to inform the disciples to wait for the promised power from on high, gift of the holy Spirit which would be given to every believer (24:49; Acts 1:8). The same Spirit of God that enabled Jesus (Acts 10:38) would now empower his disciples.

Luke’s message is worldwide in its thrust. He mentions the angel, who at Jesus’ birth announced “good tidings of great joy which will be to all people (2:10).” He records the prophecy of Simeon, who declared that Jesus would be “light to bring revelation to the Gentiles (2:32). Most importantly Luke’s gospel shows that “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost (19:10).” The well-known parables of the lost sheep, lost coin and the prodigal son are all found in the 15^th chapter of Luke.

As I mentioned earlier, Luke had never seen Jesus Christ. But he researched all the information and set it in order in a book so “that you may know the certainty of those things” concerning God’s plan of salvation in Jesus Christ. Take the time to read the gospel of Luke and be assured of the goodness and kindness of God who offered His Son for our salvation and everlasting joy.