NO LONGER A BABY

We are at the end of yet another year, and on the threshold of 2018, the year before us. Christmas celebrations have come and gone. We remembered once again the incredible provision of Almighty God for the redemption of Man from the eternal consequences of sin and rebellion towards Him - by sending His Son in human flesh to be born as a baby in an unlikely setting for a king - a dirty, dusty stable. As Rick Joyner of MorningStar Ministries states in his book, "The Harvest", That the Lord of Glory would choose such a place to make His entry into this world is one of his more profound revelations of his message to man.............Human reasoning would never lead us to a stable to find God.The only way He could be found was by revelation; only those who were led by the Spirit would come. That which is born of God is usually found in a place that is repulsive to the pride and presumptions of carnal men. As the apostle Paul stated it: "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He may nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God." 1 Corinthians 1:27-29
Jesus did not remain a baby. That baby grew up to be Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, who after three and a half years of ministry to all who would receive Him was condemned to death on a cruel Roman cross. Jesus, the sinless Son of God died in our place for our sins, so we could be reconciled to the Father. Romans 5:8 says: God demonstrated His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. If that was not good news enough in itself, the Lord Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, conquered the power of death and hell, rising triumphantly from the grave on that first Resurrection Sunday. 
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are not only recorded as actually taking place, in the bible. There have been scholars who have set out to disprove the resurrection of Christ, only to conclude, after honest research, that the events recorded in Scripture are historically verifiable. Two such scholars of note are Simon Greenleaf (1783-1853), a law professor at Harvard University, who became one of the forerunners of the discipline known as Christian apologetics - and Frank Morison, who also set out to disprove the "myth" of the resurrection, only to come to the conclusion, like Simon Greenleaf, that the Biblical record of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was true.
For forty days following his bodily resurrection from the dead, Jesus appeared to multitudes of people, including the eleven remaining original disciples. Judas Iscariot, the twelfth, betrayed Him and took his own life.
At one time, Jesus appeared to five hundred at once (1 Corinthians 15:6).
After commissioning the disciples, and telling them to wait in Jerusalem for the Promise of the Father, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father. On the Day of Pentecost, an annual feast commemorated fifty days after Passover, while waiting in the Upper Room, the 120 gathered were filled with the Holy Spirit, receiving the gift of speaking in other tongues - a gift which is still available to Christian believers today, along with other gifts of the Holy Spirit as listed in 1 Corinthians 12-14. Jesus said before His ascension to heaven that "You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be My witnesses" starting from Jerusalem and spreading to the farthest parts of the earth.
The ministry of Jesus in the world and in the church continues unabated today through the lives of Bible-believing Christians who have taken Jesus at His word to "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." He said to His disciples in John 14:12 that the works He did on earth they (and those who followed them down through the church age) would do and greater works than these they would do, because He was going to the Father.
Down through the Church age over the past 2,000 years, millions upon millions of lives have been transformed - many radically - by the same resurrection power of the Holy Spirit which raised Christ from the dead. The dead are being physically raised to life today. Miracles of healing and provision are occurring all over the world, where the name of Jesus is proclaimed as Lord. You won't hear about these happenings in the mainstream media, but they are happening. JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER! Hebrews 13:8
As we enter 2018, the contrast between light and darkness will increase. While evil men will grow worse and worse, Christians have the opportunity to shine more brightly than we ever have before.
If you would like to know how to become a Christian, go to www.vision.org.au Click on RADIO near the top of the page, then click on Grow Your Faith, then Looking for God. God Bless!

THE STABLE AND THE MANGER

Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

These are two of the best known and loved prophecies concerning the birth and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are often quoted in association with Christmas celebrations.
The town where Jesus, the Messiah was to be born was likewise clearly prophesied in the book of Micah, one of the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament. 

In Micah 5:2, we read: 

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,

Yet out of you shall come forth to Me

The One to be Ruler in Israel,

Whose goings forth are from of old,

From everlasting."
Micah prophesied in a similar time to that of Isaiah.
Jesus is the eternal Son of God, who together with God the Father, and Holy Spirit, make up the Godhead - referred to by Christians as the Trinity.
We were listening to Pastor Tak Bhana from Church Unlimited in Auckland in New Zealand - on Christian radio, speaking about the birth of Jesus. He said that Jesus chose the circumstances of His birth. He was the only human being who got to choose where He would be born, also how and when He would be born. Amazing! In fact, it's absolutely mindblowing.
Micah prophesied in the verse quoted above that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, which means House of Bread. Jesus said of Himself that He is the Bread of Life. The imagery in the setting of Jesus's birth doesn't stop there, though. The Bible tells us that when Jesus was born in a dirty stable, because there was no room for them at the inn, He was laid in a manger. A manger is an animal feeding trough, which would be kept filled with hay, so that the animals could feed from it at any time of the day.
The word "manger" is derived from the Latin manducate meaning "chewed", the past participle of manducare - "to chew, to eat". In fact, the French word for "to eat" is manger, the same as the word for the feeding trough. So, clearly the picture presented to us in the Christmas story in the Bible is that Jesus, the Bread of Life, was laid in a manger, an animal feeding trough. In John 6:35, Jesus says of Himself: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst". Bread is a universal food, eaten by people in countries all around the world, in all cultures and across all age-ranges. Jesus said in John 6:51 "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I give for the life of the world."
Jesus was in the last part of this verse speaking of His sacrificial death on the Cross at Calvary, dying in our place for our sins - in order that we might be reconciled to the Father God, from whom we would otherwise be eternally separated by our sin. 
Just as the manger was a place where animals could freely eat of hay for their sustenance, spiritual food is freely available as we feed on the Word of God. Jesus is called the living Word, as John 1:1,4 states: In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God.
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 
Verse 12 says But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.
English author, academic and Christian apologist, C.S. Lewis once stated: "The Son of God became the Son of man so that the sons of men could become the sons of God".
Jesus said to His disciples: Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. His food supply never runs out. The gift of salvation He offers to every man, woman and child on earth is freely available to those who would partake of the Bread of Life.

Much of what I have shared above was gleaned from a couple of radio programs in the series "Running With Fire" with Pastor Tak Bhana. If you would like to listen to these and other uplifting and challenging radio programs, please go to www.vision.org.au. Click on the RADIO tab near the top of the page, then click on Listen now, then hold and drag down to On demand Podcasts - where you will see a number of programs you may listen to, including "Running with Fire" with Tak Bhana. God Bless. Have a happy, holy and safe Christmas!

A VISION TO PONDER

This was given by the Holy Spirit to a woman of God in a Charismatic Baptist church where we were in fellowship at Deloraine in Northern Tasmania - just before the year 2000. Her prophetic words were welcomed and accepted by the then church leadership, as she was a stable, committed member of the church fellowship living a life of personal and spiritual integrity. We believe it still has relevance to the church today.

The King who was King over all things sent to the earth many, many diamonds. In every place, and in every kingdom of the earth He placed His diamonds so they could be treasured and polished and shaped. He had special places in His eternal kingdom for each diamond to return to . The king watched in pain as those He entrusted with His diamonds saw only how they could use them for their own pleasure and gain. Many of these were even blind to the beauty present in each diamond, seeing in them only a reflection of their own darkness and a target for their anger and greed. Some of the diamonds were smashed to pieces as again and again the entrusted ones hit them with huge rocks. Some were drilled through and put on necklaces as trophies to be worn.
The King looked further down the streets of the nations, looking for those He had made ready to come to the aid of the diamonds. He saw His redeemed people, His bride, sitting in shop fronts with big windows. Looking through the windows, it looked more like a pub. The people were drinking, taking drugs, laughing and eating. Every now and then they would look out of the window and say: "It's not very nice out there. Have another drink, friend." The longer they stayed, the foggier the windows became and the less they could see. Sometimes they seemed to stop for a few minutes and look at each other as if something had disturbed their activities. They looked confused but soon went on with what they were doing.
The King's pain increased as He watched His Son, the Risen Saviour, stand among His people and call them saying: "Worship Me! I am Righteousness and Justice." At times, one or two would hear His voice and see His tears and leave the shop front. This pleased the Lord and He cleared the fog from their eyes and minds and gave them assignments. Some of the assignments were to clear the fog from the window. This annoyed or amused the people inside.
The King watched. His pain increased until it nearly tore the universe apart. His anger burned as He watched. In the dark streets He saw that some of the redeemed had gone out and were forcing holes through the diamonds and making necklaces with them. Then they went to the evil one and who lived in the streets of the nations. They bowed to him, took off their necklaces and offered them to him to add to all the others he wore. The evil one was pleased and greedily snatched them.
The King called to His Son, "It is time. Smash the windows, shake My people. No longer will they sit and become blind, callous and oblivious to what is outside their fogged vision. It is time for them to rise up and see, to use their authority, to call on their Lord, to feel, to go, to pray, to love. It is time, My Son. Call them to pure worship, to see straight, to see Truth, to see Your Righteousness and Justice. My Son, call them."
The Son turned from the Father and pulled from its sheath a huge, brilliant sword. It looked like a bolt of lightning. The sword is to be used in response to the righteous prayers of the redeemed. Written on the handle are the words Righteousness and Justice Belong to the Lord. It is also a warning to the redeemed.The voice of the Son rang out around the nations, "Awake!"

The writer of the above admonished the readers to ask the Lord to show the full meaning of this and what it requires of us.

Here is what she personally believed to be something of the interpretation:
The Diamonds represent the ones who have been lost because the church has been so blinded by seeing its own needs fulfilled, staying in comfort zones, and idolizing traditions of man. These ones are especially the millions of children in the world who are abused, in slavery, orphaned etc - also the millions who are helpless because of economic injustice. This is not an exclusive understanding because the Lord will speak different things to different people with a vision like this.

Re-posted 3rd December 2018

JOY TO THE WORLD

If you haven't already watched and listened to the above Youtube video of the popular Christmas carol "Joy To The World", why not do so now and be blessed as singer/ songwriter and worship leader, Chris Tomlin sings with the backing of the Watoto Children's Choir from Uganda in Africa.

The song echoes the wonderful news told to a group of shepherds tending their flocks in fields in Galilee, one night a little over 2,000 years ago.
Luke the Physician in his Gospel recounts the event:
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
"And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 
"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth, peace, goodwill to all men." (Luke 2: 8-14 NKJV)
Luke goes on to describe how the shepherds went to Bethlehem and just as the angel had said, they found the baby Jesus lying in a manger (in a stable) together with Joseph and his mother, Mary. The shepherds were so excited that they told many others of the revelation concerning Jesus' birth and how they had seen him. They then returned to tending their flocks, praising God for all they were privileged to see and hear.
In his popular book, "The Harvest" by pastor and author, Rick Joyner, Founder and Director of MorningStar Ministries based in Fort Mill, South Carolina, in one of the chapters, he has a section headed "God Was Born In A Stable."
Quoting from this passage, he writes: In Biblical times, the stable was a most offensive place...........By today's standards, they would not be fit even for animals. That the Lord of Glory would choose such a place to make His entry into this world is one of the more profound revelations of His message to man.
We would do well not to miss His point as He has not ceased to use such places to make His appearances.

Human reasoning would never lead us to a stable to find God. The only way He could be found was by revelation; only those who were led by the Spirit would come. This has not changed. That which has been born of God is usually found in a place that is repulsive to the pride and presumptions of carnal men. As the Apostle Paul stated:"But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
that no flesh should glory in His presence.
But of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God - and righteousness and sanctification and redemption - 
that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NKJV)
After His birth, Jesus was then raised in the most despised town in the nation. Even His physical appearance was such that no one would be attracted to Him (Isaiah 53:2)
He left this world after the most degrading torture and execution yet devised by the demented schemes of fallen men. This gospel is foolishness to the natural man and always will be. It will never attract those who live by human wisdom. Only those who love truth more than anything else in this world will walk with Him in the reproach of the true gospel.
The birth, life and death of Jesus put the axe to the root of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It is the most powerful message the creation has ever heard; it is the most profound testimony of the character and nature of God.When we embellish this gospel to make it appeal to carnal men, we destroy its power to set them free and we ourselves begin to drift from the path of life. For this reason Paul preached nothing but Christ and Him crucified. He knew that if one were compelled to come by any other message, it would be a false conversion.
Like the humble shepherd who had the revelation of the birth of Jesus, which would be Joy To The World to those who would receive Him as their Saviour and Lord, each one of us today has the wonderful opportunity afforded by our Creator God to be restored to fellowship with Him - a fellowship destroyed by the entrance of Sin into the world.
This Christmas, as we remember the birth of Jesus in a dirty barn in Bethlehem, over 2,000 years ago, let us also know that He is no longer a baby in a manger. He grew up and at the age of thirty three He hung on a Cross of wood for us with nails through His hands and feet,and a crown of thorns on His head. He suffered and died in our place, that, through His death, we might experience new life in Him. He rose from the dead the third day, defeating all the powers of sin and death.
He is the triumphant King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We are told by Jesus in Matthew 6:33 that our priority in life should be to: Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and everything we need will be added to us.
The apostle Paul in Romans 14:17 says: The kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
YES, the Lord is declaring at this Christmas season of the year that His desire for each one of us is that we would know His True Joy. BUT, deep abiding Joy comes out of our quest for Righteousness, becoming more like Jesus as we are changed by His life within us.
2019 is just around the corner. The time for compromise is over - for us individually and for the church of Jesus Christ. The King is coming! Let us be ready for His return.

If you have read this blog, and would like to know how you can become a Christian, I suggest you go to: www.vision.org.au Click on the Grow your faith tab, then "Looking for God" or livingwaters.com Click on the "Resources" tab then "Save Yourself Some Pain". Have a happy and safe Christmas!