Who is He?

By Rick Khol

_Who is He? The Titles of Christ_

Copyright © 2015 by Rick Khol

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without prior permission of Rick Khol.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982

by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Beginning and the

End

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, **the** **Beginning and the** **End** ,"

says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

_Revelation 1:8_

A long time ago, I was a senior in high school. Expectations and

standards were much higher back then. This was probably never clearer

than in gym class. For twelfth-grade boys, P.E. was every day and was

called "commando class." To just pass, everyone had to do 100 sit-ups,

100 push-ups, and 30 chin-ups. If you couldn't do these, you'd have to

try again the next day, and every day until the requirement could be

checked off. But this was not the worst part. Everyone had to run one

mile in six minutes or less!

Everyone hated the days scheduled for the mile run. That is,

everyone but Jamal. He was on the school's track and cross country

teams and always went to the state championships. He ran a mile in 4

minutes 15 seconds and ran "for fun." Every time they made us nerd

students try to get our one-mile running requirement checked off, he

would be there too. We would always get lapped by Jamal and were then

really pushed to get our one mile done before he would do two. No one

wanted that humiliation, so Jamal always became the first and the last,

**the** **beginning and the end**.

As the firstborn over all creation, Christ is **the** **Beginning** of all

things. "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that

are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or

principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for

Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist"

( _Colossians 1:16-17_ ).

As Consuming Fire, Jesus will judge the living and the dead and

bring human history to an **end**. This rebellious planet will melt away

with a fervent heat and new heavens and a new earth will have to be

created ( _2 Peter 3:10_ ).

If we look back at **the** very **Beginning** of time, the Lord Jesus is

there, **and** when we, through the lens of prophecy, see the consummation

of time, Christ is still creating at **the** very **End**.

**«** January 1 **»**

Lord Jesus Christ our Savior

To Titus, a true son in _our_ common faith: Grace, mercy, _and_ peace

from God the Father and the **Lord Jesus Christ our Savior**.

_Titus 1:4_

In the 405 titles of Christ that I have found in the Bible,

most occur only once or twice to emphasize some specific attribute

of the Master. Some titles are repeated many times and are the

most familiar. New titles are even made by linking shorter ones

together in order to magnify the Lord's greatness. Listed below are

the top ten titles Christ. - Please note that not included is Jesus'

Old Testament name (written YAH/ Yahweh/ Jehovah/ the LORD)

which occurs over 6000 times.

Top Ten Titles in the New Testament:

1. **Jesus** – 983 times

2. **Lord** – 652 times

3. **Christ** – 529 times

4. Son of Man – 87 times

5. Son of God – 73 times

6. Teacher – 49 times

7. King – 38 times

8. Master – 36 times

9. **Savior** – 26 times

10. Lamb – 25 times

When Titus was sent as a missionary to Crete, Paul wrote

to him a letter of encouragement giving him practical advice.

Although Titus observed and followed Paul for many years as his

disciple, he was also born and raised a pagan before converting to

Christ. Paul repeated the basics of the gospel and the purpose of

his mission to the Gentiles of that island nation. To do that the

Apostle chose a name made up of four of the top ten titles of the

Son of God. Titus was there to serve the **Lord Jesus Christ our**

**Savior**.

**«**

January 2 **»**

Grain of Wheat

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a **grain of wheat** falls into the

ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

_John 12:24_

Now, is this a title, or is it a parable? It's both. In context, this

verse comes right after the triumphal entry. The Lord has just told His

disciples that the hour had come for Him to be glorified. He had already

told them that He was coming to Jerusalem to die, and they didn't get it.

He now tries to get through to them by saying that He is going to be like

a **grain of wheat**.

Once a farmer sows his seed, there is no way to get it back.

Wheat is just a fancy grass, and there's a lot that can go wrong. If there's

too much or too little rain, it's too hot or too cold, or there are too many

bugs, it just won't produce. That's not even figuring in dust storms, hail,

wheat, rust, mildew, and rot. Hungry farmers throughout the centuries

have learned not to plow the last of their grain into the ground. If they do,

there's no guarantee that they'll have anything to eat later.

Most farmers I know are religious (I'm talking family farmers,

not big corporations). They have to believe that there is a power greater

than themselves that makes things to grow, and they trust Him to do His

job if they do theirs. It takes a lot of faith to take tomorrow's meal, bury it

in the dirt, and pour water on it.

Christ somehow had to convince His disciples that the capital

punishment He was about to receive was not just a senseless act of

injustice. He was going to be glorified by it, and they were the ones that

were going to benefit.

The disciples knew it was dangerous to go to Jerusalem, but He

went anyway. He had to go; He had to die. If He didn't go, there never

would have been eternal life. He could never have provided for their

spiritual sustenance. He first had to become a **Grain of Wheat**.

**«** January 3 **»**

Door

I am **the door**. If anyone enters by Me, he will

be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

_John 10:9_

Doors come in many shapes and sizes. It can be as simple as

a slab of ice that covers the opening to an igloo, or an inlaid ivory and

gold masterpiece before the throne room of the king. When all is said

and done, a door is just a device that allows easy access to a place that

was designed to keep other things out.

Some doors come equipped with locks or even armed guards

to determine who can go in and who stays out. A bank would be

worthless if everyone could go in and out anytime they wanted.

Heaven has a **Door**. His name is Jesus. In Luke 16, Christ told a story

about a very rich man (unlisted name) and a very, very poor man

named Lazarus. Lazarus was a believer and the other guy wasn't. In

the end, they both died. After his fancy funeral, the soul of the

billionaire was cast into Hades. Lazarus died full of sores on some

side street; no one paid much attention. That is, no one except for

Jesus.

When his body was cold, the angels of God carried his soul to

paradise and he was cradled in Abraham's bosom. When the rich man

saw that, he wanted to go there too – Not Allowed! Then, he wanted

that lowly Lazarus to bring him some water – Not Allowed!

People don't get to heaven just because they want in, or even

because they think they deserve it. The bottom line of the story is

explained in the chorus of the African-American spiritual, "Rock my

Soul in the Bosom of Abraham."

So high, you can't get over it

So wide, you can't get around it

So low, you can't get under it

You gotta go through **the Door.**

**«** January 4 **»**

Hope of Israel

O the **Hope of Israel** , his Savior in time of trouble, Why should You be like

a stranger in the land, And like a traveler _who_ turns aside to tarry for a

night?

_Jeremiah 14:8_

Jeremiah was given a tough message to preach. God's wrath was

going to fall on what was left of Judah. The nation of Israel was already

completely destroyed, and those in Jerusalem were soon to die of the sword,

sickness, and hunger. On the one hand, 99.9% of the population was going to

die, but the good news was that those who were dragged away into slavery

would survive, prosper, and return to build Jerusalem up again.

God's promises are a sure thing. When the exiles saw the

completion of God's judgment on the Jewish people in the Promised land,

they chose to believe that the second part would be true also. God's people

set themselves apart from idolatry in the land where it originated and clung

to the **Hope of Israel**.

True hope is much more than wishful thinking. It is an expression

of faith that is convinced of God's predicted outcome, even when

conventional wisdom would suggest otherwise. It is the belief that God's

Word is a sure thing even though the odds are stacked against you.

Today, Israel is surrounded by more than a billion enemies who

have sworn to kill them. Those radicals live in the lands rich in petroleum, so

they are able to buy bombs and weapons without hard work or a productive

economy. The little land of Israel survives by selling fruit grown in the desert

and by being on the cutting edge of technology. This is where the David and

Goliath story began. But now, even the United States is turning its back on

the apple of God's eye, and odds have never been worse.

Jeremiah addressed the **Hope of Israel** as a person (i.e., the Savior).

The problem is that Israel today has rejected her Messiah and, with that

denial, has also rejected the hope God offers.

God has called on His people to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. As

we do that, we also need to pray for great revival among the Jewish people

that they will receive Yeshua as their Messiah and cling to the **Hope of**

**Israel**.

**«** January 5 **»**

Shield

_As for_ God, His way _is_ perfect; The word of

the LORD is proven; He _is_ a **shield** to all who trust in Him.

_Psalm 18:30_

God is called a **shield** 24 times in the Old Testament,

including 17 times in the Psalms alone. To those who used them and

knew how they worked with armor, " **Shield** " was an appropriate title

for the Lord of Hosts. Much more than just something to hide behind,

a **shield** projected power as well as protected.

Most people today are almost clueless in regards to ancient

warfare. Most sword fights on television are without shields. In those

conflicts, if one of those contestants had just a buckler (a small,

10-inch shield), they would have a huge advantage over someone

without one. The curved surface is for deflecting the enemies' sword

or arrow. Instead of simply absorbing the force of a blow, a good

shield will knock the enemy's blade out of the way and make him

vulnerable.

The Christian life is fraught with conflict. Criticisms,

persecutions, physical sufferings, the stresses of modern life, and

even satanic oppression can attack the believer daily in one form or

another. The Lord Jesus is our **Shield** , but He doesn't just stand in the

way so bad things don't happen; He deflects them so we're not

brought down by them. We can continue to advance and overcome the

enemy – not hide and hope he'll go away.

_We rest on Thee, our **shield** and our defender! _

_Thine is the battle, Thine shall be the praise;_

_When passing through the gates of pearly splendor,_

_Victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days._

\- Edith G Cherry (1897)

(The song above was sung by the five missionary martyrs of Ecuador

just before they died in January of 1956).

**«** January 6 **»**

Living God

My soul thirsts for God, for the **living God**.

When shall I come and appear before God?

_Psalm 42:2_

The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and

breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and men became living beings

( _Genesis 2:7_ ). Only life can produce life. Try as they may, scientists have

never produced life from non-living parts. Every living thing on earth got

its life energy from the **Living God**. But humans were the only creatures

to receive the direct, life-giving breath of God. We're special.

But sin brought separation between people and their life source.

Because of that, birth kicks off the aging process, and everybody is

slowly growing old and dying. Something inside every person wants to

reconnect with the one who gave them their first breath. Call it a

"God-shaped vacuum," or call it a "hunger for righteousness," but there's

something in our Spirit that desires to know the **Living God** and eternal

life.

The problem is that it's not easy. In fact, it can be frightening. "It

is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the **living God** " ( _Hebrews_

_10:31_ ). He's Holy; we're not. He's sinless; we're mean and disobedient

to the core. We dare not approach Him in that condition.

A **Living God** Who is invisible and intangible doesn't seem real

or approachable. Since we can't go to Him, He came to us. "And the

Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the

glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John

1:14). The **Living God** also became a living, breathing man with skin on

the outside and muscle, bone, and blood on the inside. While we were

dead in trespasses and sins, he took the death that should have been ours

to give us His unending life.

The establishment executed Christ because He challenged the

powers of the ruling class and upset the status quo. Although the death

sentence was served, death never really took hold. How could it? He is

the **Living God**.

**«** January 7 **»**

YAH (YHWH) *

Behold, God _is_ my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; "For **YAH** ,

the LORD, _is_ my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.

_Isaiah 12:2_

Twice the title **YAH** appears in the New King James Bible (besides

the verse above, also Isaiah 26:4). Other versions employ the name

"Jehovah," "Yahweh," or "the LORD." In all these cases, the translators

looked for an English rendering of the Hebrew "tetragrammaton" –

**YHWH** (sometimes also written JHVH). That's not easy. Four consonants

without vowels make the word unpronounceable in any language.

Used 6,300 times**, **YHWH** is one of the three major titles for God

in the Old Testament.*** Most of the time, the NKJV utilizes the term "the

LORD." This is in keeping with Jewish tradition begun three centuries

before Christ. God's name was regarded to be so sacred by the pious keepers

of the Law that it was forbidden to be spoken in public. When the Hebrew

Scriptures were read out loud, the title "LORD" was substituted in its place.

Soon the original pronunciation was totally lost, and God appeared to be

more distant and unknowable than ever before.

People could forget how to call out to God by name, but He knew

every man, woman, and child on this planet by their names, and He reached

out to them. **YHWH** , the Creator God ( _Isaiah 43:1_ ) came in human form

( _Colossians 1:16_ ). The self-existent One, who had life in Himself

( _John 5:26_ ) became close and approachable, the visible manifestation of the

Great I AM ( _John 8:58_ ).

God became flesh and then came up-close and personal to Adam's

race. He was given the name that is above every name ( _Philippians2:9_ ), but

**YHWH** was always hard to pronounce, so in the New Testament, He was

called "Yeshua," which means "Salvation" in Hebrew. In English, we say

"Jesus."

*Christ's personal name in the Old Testament.

** _see also Genesis 17:1; Exodus 6:3; Psalm 83:18; Isaiah 6:1 plus_

_thousands of other references_

_**It is regarded by many to be the actual name of God and in essence_

_conveys the message "I AM" (Exodus 3:14)._

**«** January 8 **»**

Sanctification

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom

from God --- and righteousness and **sanctification** and redemption.

_1 Corinthians 1:30_

Today's title is an extremely important one, even though I

don't remember ever hearing anyone preach on it. Jesus not only

became our redemption and justification, He is also our

**sanctification**.

Too many Christians today are still spiritual babies. They've

been attending church for years, so they should be ready to teach

others – ain't gonna happen! Most don't have enough doctrine in their

head to fill a thimble, and far too few could even give a definition of

**sanctification** , must less tell you how it applies to Christ.

During the summer, I teach grade school kids at Christian

camps. When I ask them who knows how to spell " **sanctification** " all

the home-schoolers raise their hands. So my job is to teach the public

school kids. I lift up my hand and one by one put up a finger as I spell

" **sanctification** : C-L-E-A-N, **sanctification**." I'll do this three or four

more times during the lesson and when I'm finally done, the public

school kids have gotten it. The home-school kids, on the other hand,

just want to argue with me that the word starts with an S followed by

a whole bunch of letters.

The Apostle Paul describes a long list of nasty lifestyles that

typify those who are not going to heaven ( _1 Corinthians 6:9-10_ ). He

then goes on to say: "And such were some of you. But you were

washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of

the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God."

There is no way that we can save ourselves. It's a miracle,

and the Lord has to do it. In the same way, we can't clean up our own

act. Christ has to do that, too. The grace that saves is the same grace

that transforms a person from self-destructive behavior. Jesus is not

only our Savior, He's our " **Sanctification** : C-L-E-A-N,

**sanctification**."

**«** January 9 **»**

Mediator

Now a **mediator** does not _mediate_ for one _only,_ but God is one.

Galatians3:20

As Savior, Christ is the " **Mediator** between God and Man"

( _1 Timothy 2:5_ ), but He is a lot more than that. He brings everyone

together.

Politicians, educators, and advertisers spend a lot of their time

"disaggregating" the general population. People are broken down into core

groups where they can be pigeonholed and treated differently:

Race – Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, or Other

Age – Children, Teens, Middle-aged, Old, or Decrepit

Socioeconomic – Poor, Middle-class, Rich, or Filthy Rich

Gender – Male, Female, or something else

Satan has divided people since the dawn of creation, and the

desire to dominate those who are different is the motivation for war,

terrorism, and oppression. When someone is not like everyone else, he

can be marginalized and eventually controlled. God doesn't see divisions

as a good thing.

The Lord Jesus came to break down the barriers that separate

people from each other and bring peace ( _Ephesians 2:14_ ). Things like

gender, background, income, or education are irrelevant when people are

saved and all become one in Christ Jesus ( _Galatians 3:28_ ).

"Therefore, if anyone _is_ in Christ, _he is_ a new creation; old

things have passed away; behold, all things have become new"

( _2 Corinthians 5:17_ ). The old distinctions that separated us from others

should also pass away, and all that matters is being a new creation in

Christ.

Sometimes, I can't get along with people at work. Sometimes, I

disagree with my wife. Sometimes, I don't see eye to eye with fellow

Christians. That's when I could really use a good **Mediator**.

**«** January 10 **»**

Harmless

For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is

holy, **harmless** , undefiled, separate from sinners,

and has become higher than the heavens...

_Hebrews 7:26_

After reading verses like, " It is a fearful thing to fall into

the hands of the living God" ( _Hebrews 10:31_ ), or "Fall on us and

hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the

wrath of the Lamb!" (R _evelation 6:16_ ), and then coming across a

description of Christ as **Harmless** , I want to stop and wonder,

"Where did that come from?"

It all has to do with perspective. The feeling of standing

before an M-1 Abrams Tank that is coming at you at full speed is

very different than if you were sitting in the passenger seat of the

same tank. Likewise, there is a huge difference between standing

before the great white throne and standing beside it.

Titles such as "The Judge of the living and the dead"

( _2 Timothy 4:1_ ), "Mighty God" ( _Isaiah 9:6_ ), and "Lion of Judah"

( _Revelation 5:5_ ) demonstrate that the Lord of lords is to be feared.

He will come and execute judgment on this speck of a universe

that crucified the King of Glory. Christ-rejecters be warned!

But Christ has many roles to fill and as High Priest, He

intercedes for the saints. To believers who have been justified and

sanctified by His blood, there is nothing to be afraid of; He is

**Harmless**.

Human beings crucified Jesus, so collectively, we all have

blood on our hands. But the blood that condemns also saves. The

difference is faith. God's grace is either received or rejected. A

sinful life is either transformed or it isn't. The Savior is either

loved or despised. And on Judgment Day, Christ will either be

terrifying or **Harmless**.

**«** January 11 **»**

He Who Has the Sharp

Two-Edged Sword

And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,

"These things says **He who has the sharp two-edged sword."**

_Revelation 2:12_

This title calls to mind a terrifying vision of Christ that the

Apostle John had of the Lord on the Isle of Patmos. Everything seemed

on fire; His face and skin shone like the sun, and His feet glowed like

molten brass. He had seven stars in His right hand, and out of His mouth

came a sharp two-edged sword.

I've seen a number of paintings trying to depict this scene, and

they are all spooky. Some almost have a comic book superhero quality

about them. In the end, every human illustration is distracting, because it

doesn't paralyze the viewer in awe and fear.

To me, it doesn't matter if this description of Christ is literal or

figurative. Whatever John saw brought Him to his knees in submission,

and that was the desired effect. When Christ dictated the letter to the

church in Pergamos, He told them it was from **He who has the sharp**

**two-edged sword**. The Lord was trying to invoke the same fear and

trembling from a compromising Church. They were sacrificing to idols,

committing sexual immorality, and allowing false doctrine in the church.

The Lord was not happy.

The next time **He who has the sharp two-edged sword** appears

is in Revelation 19 when He is riding on a white horse with the host of

heaven behind Him to make war on the Beast and His armies. Again, the

sight of Him will bring terror to the hearts of the kings, captains, and

mighty men that dare oppose Him.

This battle is in the future, not very long from right now, but the

certainty of the outcome has already been written down for all to see. Not

to faithfully fulfill this prophesy would make God a liar, and that's not

going to happen.

He who has an ear, let him hear what He **who has the sharp**

**two-edged sword** says to the churches, "Repent, or else I will come to

you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth"

( _Revelation 2:16_ )

**«** January 12 **»**

Sanctifier

For both He who sanctifies and those who are

being sanctified _are_ all of one, for which reason

He is not ashamed to call them brethren.

_Hebrews 2:11_

The one who sanctifies is a **sanctifier**. Common sense will

tell you that, but common sense doesn't tell you what a **sanctifier**

does – He sets people apart for God's service, makes them holy, and

equips them for a holy work.

When the Apostle Paul gave instructions to his disciple Titus,

he told him that Christ "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us

from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special

people, zealous for good works" ( _Titus 2:14_ ). Salvation wasn't given

just to get us out of hell and into heaven; it was also with the purpose

of making us Christ-like.

In both the Old and New Testament, we're told to be holy,

because God is holy. The nation Israel couldn't do it, nor can we

without a **Sanctifier**. In the New Covenant, Christ puts God's laws in

our hearts and writes them on our minds ( _Hebrews 10:16_ ). Holiness

becomes the outward result of the Lord's sanctifying work in our

lives.

In Romans 12:1 and 2, Paul exhorts the saints (those

sanctified former sinners) to become a living sacrifice. Serving Christ,

then, is just a holy, acceptable, reasonable response to being saved. As

we agree with God and do what He wants us to do, we'll understand

that God's will is good, acceptable, and perfect.

All around us, there are dysfunctional people with broken

lives who desperately want to change. The problem is that many

druggies and alcoholics spend years taking only twelve steps, instead

of walking hand in hand with the **Sanctifier**.

**«** January 13 **»**

Lord of Glory

Which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they

known, they would not have crucified the **Lord of Glory**.

_1 Corinthians 2:8_

Lord, the title of power and dominion. Usually there is some

kind of modifier that goes with it to clarify exactly what the Lord has

authority over. If I were to say "my Lord," I'd be talking about my

boss, the one who tells me what to do and I do it. The phrase "Lord of

lords" refers to the highest authority, the one who orders around all

the rulers and very important people on earth.

So, then, the **Lord of Glory** is in charge of glory. He owns it.

It's His, and He reveals that glory to those who manage to get a

glimpse of Him.

Romans 3:23 says: "For all have sinned and fall short of the

glory of God." It's no wonder, then, that so many people are clueless

as to what glory actually means and show a surprising lack of

curiosity to understand it.

The word conveys a sense of beauty, majesty, and splendor.

Early Jewish rabbis coined the term "Shekinah" glory to explain the

presence of God on earth. God appeared to Moses in the burning bush

and then to the children of Israel in the pillar of fire in the wilderness.

The "Shekinah" was the supernatural light of God when He appeared.

It illuminated the Ark of the covenant and filled both the Tabernacle

and the Temple at their dedications. This special shekinah glory of

God was reflected on Moses' face and caused it to glow.

When Christ was born, an angel of the Lord appeared to the

shepherds "and the glory of the Lord shone around them" ( _Luke 2:9_ ).

It was terrifying and beautiful at the same time.

Heaven doesn't have night, dark alleys, or shadows. "The city

had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of

God illuminated it. The Lamb _is_ its light" ( _Revelation 21:23_ ). That

makes total sense. After all, Jesus is the **Lord of Glory**.

**«** January 14 **»**

Beloved Son

For He received from God the Father honor and glory

when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory:

"This is My **beloved Son** , in whom I am well pleased."

_2 Peter 1:17_

Context! Extremely important in interpreting scripture, but

absolutely essential in understanding the names of Christ. Who said it

and where it was said are sometimes more important than what the

title means. That is certainly clear in this verse.

Any title that matters is handed down from a higher power.

That's why almost all the names of Christ are God-breathed. Holy

men of God wrote them down as they were inspired by the Holy

Spirit. Normally, it's a quiet process. God dictated to a human writer

everything He wanted to communicate to Adam's race: Sometimes

through visions, sometimes through divine ideas that came into the

writer's head, but always the mind of God.

The context here is different. The voice of God thundered

from heaven, and all who heard it fell down to the ground and curled

into a fetal position. Impressive? It carried an impression that lasted

the rest of their lives. Peter continues, "And we heard this voice

which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy

mountain" ( _2 Peter 1:18_ ).

Actually, this supernatural, verbal affirmation that Jesus was

the well-pleasing, **Beloved Son** of God came on two separate

occasions: The first at His baptism (Matthew 3:17), the second at the

transfiguration ( _Matthew 17:5_ ). In both cases, God the Father was

proud to announce to the world, "That's My Boy!"

God could have used a lot of adjectives to describe His Son:

faithful, obedient, holy, wonderful, only; but He chose Beloved. God

the Father has a special relationship with God the Son, which is

rooted and grounded in love. Now, in Christ, believers can become

beloved sons and daughters of God, all because Jesus is and always

has been God's **Beloved Son**.

**«** January 15 **»**

Lord of Lords

These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will

overcome them, for He is **Lord of lords** and King of kings;

and those _who are_ with Him _are_ called, chosen, and faithful.

_Revelation 17:14_

**Lord of lords**. The idea is that Christ is the leader of all the

world leaders, the boss of all the big bosses.

Actually, this title is true in two very different ways. The

verse above demonstrates that Jesus is going to bring down all the

proud and mighty demigods on earth. They will be brought low,

broken, and forced to bow the knee before the **Lord of lords**.

The second application is better seen in Revelation 19:16:

"And He has on _His_ robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF

KINGS AND **LORD OF LORDS**." The scene is after the battle of

Armageddon. The Lord is ready to reign on earth with a newly

appointed group of kings and lords, and they're all good; they're the

saints of God who suffered and even died for the name of Christ.

The millennial reign of the Lamb of God will be 1,000 years

without war, injustice, and oppression. We would come to expect that,

if Christ is in charge, but all the national and local administrators will

also be holy and just. Coming from a day and age when the term

"honest politician" is an oxymoron, it is hard to believe that they'll be

public servants who actually serve the public.

Not everyone who is saved will reign with Christ. He gives

that responsibility to those who showed themselves faithful in little.

In the Parable of the Minas ( _Luke 19_ ), the Lord said to the servant

whose mina earned nine more, "Well done, good servant; because you

were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities."

I take seriously the promises of Christ, so I want to be faithful

to His will for me now, so that I can reign with Him in His kingdom.

If He someday makes me a lord, let it be known that Christ is already

my **Lord of lords**.

**«** January 16 **»**

Chosen

Coming to Him _as to_ a living stone, rejected

indeed by men, but **chosen** by God _and_ precious.

_1 Peter 2:4_

The CEO of a multinational company has many complex

and specialized jobs to do. He needs to have vision for building his

corporation and the leadership skills to get it there. He must

negotiate with clients, motivate employees, jump legal and

political hurdles, and take educated risks. The success or failure of

a big business depends on having the "right man" at the helm. For

this reason, selection committees will often spend millions of

dollars to screen all the candidates before that "right person" is

finally **chosen**.

The hundreds of titles of Christ show just how complicated

the job of God's Anointed really was. He had to be Savior,

Redeemer, Advocate, and Friend. He came to destroy the works of

the devil, console Israel, and willingly offer Himself as a substitute

for sinful mankind. No one less than God Himself could be

qualified for this position.

The Jewish religious leaders understood that their Messiah

was singled out for His mission of redemption. Standing at the foot

of the cross of Christ, the rulers of the Jews sneered at Jesus and

said "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the

**chosen** of God" ( _Luke 23:35_ ).

Only a very few of the titles of the Lord also apply to

believers. This is one of them: "...just as He chose us in Him

before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and

without blame before Him in love, ( _Ephesians 1:4_ ). How

wonderful is that! Before the creation of all things, the **Chosen** one

chose us to be His special people.

**«** January 17 **»**

Husband

For your Maker _is_ your **husband** , The LORD of hosts

_is_ His name; And your Redeemer _is_ the Holy One

of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.

_Isaiah 54:5_

Before there was ever sin in our world, God designed and

instituted marriage. Two people, although the same species, are male

and female, man and woman, and God made them **Husband** and

Wife. This wasn't a marriage of convenience, but a carefully arranged

union orchestrated by God. Since the whole human race would be

produced from Adam and Eve's DNA, God planned the wedding.

The Jewish Talmud (the oral tradition and teaching of ancient

rabbis) portrays a curious detail about the first marriage ceremony.

According to the legend, God Himself braided Eve's hair and

personally presented her to Adam. That would have been a nice touch

that would have added to the specialness of the relationship.

Contrary to the politically correct notions of today, men and

women are very different. They look, think, and act differently, and

part of the design for the continuance of the human race was different

roles for **husband** and wife.

When Paul wrote to the Ephesian church, he gave God's

orders for the Christian family. Addressing the men, he said,

" **Husbands** , love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and

gave Himself up for her." The Master shows Christian men a model

of what a loving, caring **husband** should look like. He is always there

to listen to us, provide our needs before we ask, and comfort us when

we feel alone and weak.

Yahweh of the Old Testament took on Himself the role of the

spouse of the children of Israel. In the New Testament, concerning the

church, Christ clearly presents Himself as her **Husband**.

**«** January 18 **»**

Guest

But when they saw _it,_ they all complained, saying,

"He has gone to be a **guest** with a man who is a sinner."

_Luke 19:7_

Titles given by enemies and critics always give an interesting

perspective to the character of Christ. Jesus invited Himself to

Zaccheaus' house for dinner, and the tax collector was thrilled. All the

respectable folks in Jericho were indignant. How could someone who's

spiritual be the **guest** of a sinner? The Lord came to earth to seek and

save those who are lost ( _Luke 19:10_ ). That's still what He does.

Jesus accepted lots of invitations and ate with friends, Pharisees,

and fishermen. Christ told Zaccheaus that He'd have lunch with him,

because He knew the little man was afraid to ask. It would be an honor

and privilege to show hospitality to the Savior, and the blessings would

by far exceed the time, effort, and expense. The critics of Jesus missed

out big-time.

Wow! Wouldn't it have been great if I could have taken in Jesus

to spend the night, taken Him out to a nice restaurant, or even made Him

a sandwich. Wait a minute! Wait a minute! I can still do that.

In His teaching about the end times, the Lord declared, "...for I

was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink;

I was a stranger and you took Me in" ( _Matthew 25:35_ ). He further

explains this to mean: "inasmuch as you did _it_ to one of the least of these

My brethren, you did _it_ to Me" ( _Matthew 25:40_ ).

The rule of Saint Benedict states, "Let all **guests** be received as

Christ." That's profound and involves a lot more than just offering a bed

and breakfast to some homeless guy. It means showing hospitality in the

form of a living sacrifice. It's giving food, lodging, time, housework,

honor, and respect to someone who wouldn't be able to reciprocate. It's

showing love, concern, and praying for someone/anyone God sends my

way. It's seeing Christ Jesus in that **guest**.

**«** January 19 **»**

Messiah

"Know therefore and understand, _That_ from the going

forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until

**Messiah** the Prince, _there shall be_ seven weeks and

sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall,

even in troublesome times. And after the sixty-two weeks

**Messiah** shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people

of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the

sanctuary. The end of it _shall be_ with a flood, And

till the end of the war desolations are determined."

_Daniel 9:25-26_

Wonderful, powerful, significant verses! ...Yet they are unknown

and unimportant to most Christians today; what a pity!

The translators of the King James and New King James Versions

saw the importance and translated the Hebrew word "Meshiach" as

**Messiah**. They wanted everyone to know that this prophesy was about

the Jewish **Messiah** ; that is Christ. The 38 other times it appears in the

Old Testament, it was translated literally as "anointed."

This prophecy is a time-line that begins with the "command to

restore and rebuild Jerusalem." Jewish people in the first century knew

the day, month, and year it took place. Even our history books tell us that

King Artaxerxes of Persia made that decree in 444 B.C.

Then come two time periods: "seven weeks and sixty-two

weeks." The term "weeks" literally means "sevens" and is actually

referring to weeks of years. So then "seven weeks" is actually 49 years

and "sixty-two weeks" is actually 434 years.

Forty-nine years after the decree to rebuild, Nehemiah actually

finished building the streets. 49+434=483 years. Exactly four-hundred

eighty-three years after Artaxerxes' command, the messiah was to be "cut

off" (March 30thof 33 A.D.) First-century preachers did the math and

believed that date to be the day of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

The anointed of God went to His own and His own received Him not. Four

days later (April 3rd) Christ was crucified - "cut off." When early Jewish

believers heard this, they also did the math and were convinced that Jesus

was their **Messiah**. **«** January 20 **»**

Refiner

"But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can

stand when He appears? For He _is_ like a **refiner** 's fire And like

launderers' soap. He will sit as a **refiner** and a purifier of

silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them

as gold and silver, That they may offer to the

LORD An offering in righteousness."

_Malachi 3:2-3_

Before the industrial revolution and mass production, everything

was done in small home workshops. Every town would have had a

blacksmith; all would have seen the **refiner** at work and would have

understood the process.

Small furnaces would be dug into the earth and lined with

bricks. Coal or very hard wood would fill the chamber along with silver

ore. Air would constantly be pumped in at the base to make the fire

intense. In the fervent heat, impurities would be burnt off and the liquid

metal would pool at the bottom of the furnace. A brick would be removed

and the molten silver would pour out, usually into molds. Ash floated as

a powder over the glowing metal, and tin or copper would separate from

the precious elements.

Most people don't realize how intensive the work of the **refiner**

was. Besides working the bellows almost non-stop, fuel would have to be

added frequently to maintain the extreme temperature. Although the

workshop would be hot, the **refiner** had to wear the ancient equivalent of

long sleeves. The refining process throws off UV-radiant energy many

times that of the sun. The whole process had to be repeated several times

in order to get pure silver or gold.

The refining process is an illustration of God's discipline in the

life of a believer. "If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with

sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?"

( _Hebrews 12:7_ ).

Too often we focus on what we have to suffer in order to be

purified for Christ. The emphasis should be the effort, energy, and

endurance the Master puts into us to carry out His role of **Refiner**.

**«** January 21 **»**

King of the Jews

Then Pilate asked Him, "Are You the **King of the Jews**?"

He answered and said to him, " _It is as_ you say."

_Mark 15:2_

The Old Testament prophesied repeatedly that the Messiah

would come to sit on the throne of Israel as a descendant of King

David. For this reason, early Jewish scholars used "Son of David" as

a Messianic title. The New Testament declares and affirms 17 times

that Jesus was, in fact, the **King of the Jews**.

The wise men from the East sought the newborn King and

even had a supernatural appearance of a star to confirm their faith

assumptions, but they never actually saw the fulfillment of the title

( _Matthew 2:2_ ).

Roman soldiers mocked the Savior and bowed the knee

feigning honor and respect to the **King of the Jews**. However, their

insincerity and unbelief didn't annul that the title was correctly given

( _Matthew 27:29_ ).

At His first coming, the chief priests and Jewish leaders

rejected Him as their leader and delivered Him up to Roman

authorities to be crucified. They protested when Pilate wrote on the

sign posted at the cross that He was **King of the Jews** ( _John 19:21_ ).

They resembled the crowd in Jesus' parable of the minas who said,

"We will not have this _man_ to reign over us"( _Luke 19:14_ ).

They were wrong. He was their king and will one day reign

on the throne of David in Jerusalem and fulfill all the promises of

God made to the Jewish people.

Most Christians are also wrong. It's not all about us. The

promises of an earthly kingdom centered in Jerusalem is for the

Jewish people. True, there will be other kingdoms during the

millennium, all subject to the King of kings, but first and foremost,

Jesus is the **King of the Jews**.

**«** January 22 **»**

Glorious in Holiness

"Who _is_ like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who _is_ like You, **glorious** **in holiness** , Fearful in praises, doing wonders?"

_Exodus 15:11_

After the children of Israel witnessed the total destruction of

the Egyptian army, Moses led them in a song of triumph: "I will sing

to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider

He has thrown into the sea!" Excitement and emotion filled the

multitude of escaped slaves because they saw the power and glory of

God.

The song continues for 18 verses in Exodus chapter 15. At

verse 11, two questions are asked: "Who is like You among the

gods?" and "Who is like You, **glorious in holiness**?"

To answer the first, Egypt had plenty of gods – even "puddy"

cats were worshiped – but none of them could save the Egyptian army

from the power of the living God. Nothing compares to the

incomparable Creator of the universe.

The second question concerns God's glorious holiness. Again,

no comparison. Glory is a hard concept to define, but it is pretty easy

to see the absence of it. Idols have no power, no splendor, no

supernatural qualities, and no glory. God's glory was not just

demonstrated in His power to defeat the ancient world's Number One

superpower; He showed it in His holiness. He not only neutralized the

bad guys – He obliterated them.

Christ is in all things the outshining of God's glory. He was in

the burning bush when Moses was commissioned, and He was there

when the waters of the Red Sea parted. John saw the glorified Lord as

he was exiled on the Isle of Patmos and was overpowered by the

vision. Certainly the Son of God is glorious in compassion, grace,

might, and authority. But above all these, we must remember that He

is **Glorious in Holiness**.

**«** January 23 **»**

Him Who is True

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an

understanding, that we may know **Him who is true** ; and we are in **Him**

**who is true** , in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

_1 John 5:20*_

Many years ago, when I was suffering from a case of buyer's

remorse, a wise man told me, "Salesmen are a part of everyone's practical

education." They teach you not to believe everything people say and or trust

that they have your best interest at heart.

Over the years, I've been scammed by telemarketers and have

bought things on the internet that weren't as described. However, the worst

are the "free downloads" for checking for computer viruses. With one click, I

once added dozens of pop-ups, malware, and advertisements, but was told

that I could get rid of them all for $29.99. The result of this practical

education is that I never do business over the phone, nor do I download

anything from the internet. It seems that you can't trust anyone anymore.

Salesmen, politicians, advertisers, and even preachers often lie or

twist the truth to gain advantage over people. At that point, I can only trust

**Him who is True**. I can believe Christ's promises and the Word of God.

When I'm in doubt, I go over in my head what I know for sure.

I know for sure, sin is destructive. No good ever comes from

pornography.

I know for sure, the love of money is the root of all evil. I don't

need get-rich schemes.

I know for sure, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the

humble. I don't need to glorify myself.

I know for sure, I should owe no one anything but love. I don't

want the loan "I deserve."

I know for sure, trials and tribulations are part of the Christian life. I

reject the health-and-wealth gospel.

Lord Jesus, you are the only One I can trust, because you are **He**

**who is True**.

_*see also Revelation 3:7_

**«** January 24 **»**

Lawgiver

There is one **Lawgiver** , who is able to save

and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

_James 4:12_

At first glance, I'd put this name of Christ in my folder of

"Who'da thunk it?" titles. After all, we're now under grace and not under

the law. This sounds more like the God of the Old Testament and not like

Jesus Christ of the New.

At second glance, it's my theology that needs reworking, and not

the classification of this title. There are not two Gods, one for each

Testament. We don't even have three, which is how some people

understand the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. There is one God who

always existed and never changes. Anything different from that is just

wrong.

**Lawgiver** is one name given to the LORD in the Old Testament:

"For the LORD is our Judge, The LORD is our **Lawgiver** , The LORD is our

King; He will save us"( _Isaiah 33:22_ ). The verse also mentions the LORD

as Judge, King, and the one who saves. All these belong to Christ.

It's true that grace is emphasized in the New Testament, but

grace was shown all the through the Old Testament (e.g., in Genesis 6:8

when it says "Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD").

Jesus clearly taught that He didn't come to undo the law, but

fulfill it ( _Matthew 5:17_ ). The Savior never sinned; He kept the whole law

and taught His disciples to keep the law and not to sin ( _John 8:11_ ). If we

have the mind of Christ ( _1 Corinthians 2:16_ ), we'll naturally want to do

what is right, because God's laws are written on our hearts and minds

( _Hebrews 8:10_ ).

It's dangerous to think that God's laws are ever optional. Christ

Jesus died on the cross to deliver us from the curse of the law, but He

wrote every law in the Book. In the New Testament, He gave us New

Commandments ( _John 13:34_ ), and we're told to fulfill the law of Christ

( _Galatians 6:2_ ). We're not saved from the law; we're saved from sin by

the **Lawgiver** Himself.

**«** January 25 **»**

Ransom

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,

but to serve, and to give His life a **ransom** for many."

_Mark 10:45_

As long as there have been villains who are willing to kill and

hurt innocents for profit, there have been wealthy people willing to pay

the bad guys off so that it doesn't happen. Since there is no standard rate

for a kidnapping, the size of the **ransom** doesn't depend on the value of

the victim as much as the bank account of the one paying the tab.

In 1932, Charles Lindbergh paid $50,000 to the kidnappers of

his son, only to discover later that they murdered the boy even before the

**ransom** was paid.

The **ransom** of Patty Hearst was $6 million in 1974. The

enormity of the sum shocked many people, but 22 years later, Hong

Kong tycoon Li Ku Shing, paid $134 million for the release of his son.

Historically, these prices are low. When Julius Cesar was 25

years old, he was captured by Sicilian pirates and ransomed for 8,522

pounds of silver. King Richard the Lion-Hearted was released by his

captors after 65,000 pounds of silver was paid – the modern equivalent of

$3.3 Billion. Atahualpa, emperor of the Incan Empire, was strangled by

Spanish Conquistadors after 13,000 pounds of gold and 26,000 pounds of

silver were paid for his release (roughly $34 billion today).

But none of these compares to the **ransom** paid by Jesus Christ

for the lost human race. There are no deeper pockets than those found on

the Creator of the Stars. He could have made a solid gold planet or listed

a galaxy on the real estate exchange, but none of these could " **ransom**

mankind" ( _1 Peter 1:18-19_ ).

In giving the only thing in heaven that couldn't be recreated,

God overpaid for the deliverance of sinful man. Jesus paid it all and for

all. He's not only the **ransom** for many; He's the **ransom** for all

( _1 Timothy 2:6_ ). Not everyone is saved, because not everyone responds

in faith to the salvation that is already paid for. What a pity!

**«** January 26 **»**

Living Stone

Coming to Him _as to_ a **living stone** , rejected

indeed by men, but chosen by God _and_ precious.

_1 Peter 2:4_

How do you tell the difference between a **living stone** and a

non-living stone? Ask it a question and if it doesn't respond, assume it is

dead.

Earth is a living sphere with organisms abounding on every square

inch of the planet's surface. Hundreds of millions of bacteria can live in a

drop of water, and scores of dust mites can fit on the head of a pin. Yet, if

you add the weight of every whale, elephant, insect, and all of the other

living things in the world, it would still be less than 1/1000th of 1% of

earth's total mass.

Most everything around us is inert matter. Rock, sand, water, air,

minerals, and magma are most of what this place is made of, and none of it is

alive. Heaven is a different story. I imagine life to be everywhere, even in

things that are quite dead down here. The old laws of physics and biology

won't apply in the New Jerusalem. After all, the Bible talks about **living**

**stones** and living water.

Probably 99.999% of all preachers will tell you that the verse above

is to be interpreted figuratively, meaning it's an illustration to help us

understand spiritual truth. Old Testament worship centered around the

temple in Jerusalem, which was built with massive, beautiful, quarried

stones. Under the new covenant, the church is not a building or even an

organization, but an organism. It's believers are edified together as **living**

**stones** on the foundation of Christ, who is the principal **Living Stone**. The

idea is to compare and contrast how things were before Christ died on the

cross and the change that happened afterwards. It's really not supposed to be

taken literally.

However, if you want to have a little fun with it, think outside the

box. John the Baptist preached that "God is able to raise up children of

Abraham from [...] stones" ( _Matthew 3:9_ ). If we're supposed to take this

power of God as literal, why can't I, with my wild imagination, see Jesus in

heaven somehow manifesting Himself as a real, honest to goodness **Living**

**Stone,** with the beauty of a ruby, the luster of a diamond, and the intricacies

of marble. Wow – that's no ordinary stone!

**«** January 27 **»**

He who Is

John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you

and peace from **Him who is** and who was and who is to come,

and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne.

_Revelation 1:4_

In the introduction to the book of Revelation of Jesus Christ, the

Apostle John begins with a benediction from **Him who is** , and who was,

and who is to come. The blessing came from Jesus Christ who occupies

all the aspects of the time-line.

The title " **He who is** " is significant in two distinct ways. The

first, in a very real sense, is a title of God. Yahweh told Moses that His

name was "I am" ( _Exodus 3:14_ ), and Jesus took this title for Himself on

a number of occasions ( _John 8:24 and 58, 9:9, 18:5_ ). Grammatically

speaking, the term is given in the first-person singular. The same term, to

be referred to in the third person, would be "He is," or a more literary

phrase, " **He who is**." John starts his book of Revelation focusing on

Jesus Christ the Divine.

The name communicates the same message as "I am," which is

that He is eternally present – always existing. His relationship with

Abraham was as fresh and contemporary as it was with Moses or the

Apostle Paul. Therefore, Christ's role as **He who is** means that He is also

there for me. The Savior doesn't grow old or get too busy.

The second aspect of the title is the reality of the Son of God.

Jesus is. He exists. He is here and now. He is real.

Too many people today regard Jesus as a myth. There are even

theologians who don't literally believe the miracles and stories of the

gospels, so are prone to mix fiction with these facts. Christ takes on the

personD of a folk hero who is famous and interesting, but not real.

The Lord was not only a historical figure who lived and breathed

2,000 years ago; He is alive and well today. Believers still walk and talk

with Him and can testify that He is real. In fact, just today I had a

conversation with **Him who is**.

**«** January 28 **»**

He who Was

John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you

and peace ...from **Him** who is and **who was** and who is to come,

and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne...

_Revelation 1:4_

Jesus was a historical figure. The fact that He existed and was

crucified by Pontius Pilate is almost universally accepted by all serious

historians. Flavius Josephus mentioned Him in his _Antiquities of the_

_Jews,_ written for the Emperor Domitian in AD 93, and the effect of

Christ's life and teachings on the Roman Empire and Western

Civilization are undeniable. Obviously, Christ is **He who was**.

Yet there is great debate on exactly who He was. Many refused

to believe that the founder of one of world's biggest religions was God

incarnate, the Son of God, King of kings, or the High and Lofty One. So,

beginning in the 1700s, scholars have pursued "quests for the historical

Jesus." They discounted the thousands of ancient manuscripts of the New

Testament as biased and unreliable, instead embracing any piece of

secular commentary to form their opinion. Views of who Jesus really was

range from heretic to healer to charismatic teacher, but none of these

extra-biblical searches concluded that He was anyone capable of

changing the known world or someone worthy to die for.

Herein lies the fallacy of their conclusions. Christ did change the

world, and millions of martyrs preferred death to denying their Lord of

lords.

Those who reject who Jesus says He was reject **Him who was**.

World scholars never undertook quests to find the historical Buddha or

historical Muhammad. Why would they? The leaders of these religions

also discount the deity of Christ, so they are basically in agreement.

The miraculous and supernatural aspects of the Lord Jesus can

never be proved to someone who refuses to believe, and "historical facts"

are really myths if they are written by critics of the Jewish Messiah or to

counter the Christian faith.

The gospels declare the life and teachings of the Christ, **He who**

**was**. Everyone eventually either accepts Him or rejects Him.

**«** January 29 **»**

The One Who is to Come

John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you

and peace from **Him** who is and who was and **who is to come** ,

and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne.

_Revelation 1:4_

__ I heard the angel of the waters saying: "You are righteous,

O Lord, **The One** who is and who was and **who is to be** ,

Because You have judged these things"

_Revelation 16:5_

Jesus always was, always is, and always will be. That's the main

idea in these verses, but timelines are a little blurred when it comes to Him

who is eternal. Christ existed before time was conceived and will be so even

when every clock and calendar have melted away. Therefore, things past and

things future are written in the present tense in the book of Revelation.

The Apostle John had a vision of angels pouring out bowls of the

wrath of God on planet Earth on the Day of Judgment and heard those same

angels praising Him who is to be. This future event is so sure that it's as if it

already happened. It's a done deal.

In the same way, the return of Christ is an absolute because He said

it would happen. "He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming

quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"( _Revelation 22:20_ ).

The imminent return of Christ was constantly on the minds of the

Apostles and the New Testament church. The church in Thessalonica even

thought that they blinked and missed it. During each of the ten major

persecutions of the Roman Empire, Christians expected the Lord to come at

any moment. Then, during the religious wars of the Reformation, and now

with Christians tortured and killed for their faith in the Middle East, true

believers expect the King of kings to return soon and very soon.

In C.S. Lewis' _The Voyage of the Dawn Treader_ , there is a dialogue

between Aslan and Lucy: "Do not look sad. We shall soon meet again," says

Aslan. "Please, Aslan," said Lucy, "What do you call soon?" "I call all times

soon," said Aslan; and instantly he vanished away.

The same Jesus **who is to be** is also **the one who is to come**.

**«** January 30 **»**

Just and the Justifier

To demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He

might be **just and the justifier** of the one who has faith in Jesus.

_Romans 3:26_

Many years ago, my family lived in a small Quichua village in

Ecuador, South America. Our house was separated from a Christian school

by a short path that ran about 500 feet through the jungle. I'd make the trip

from home to school several times a day, and even our two year old son,

Stephen, would often go back and forth.

Once as I was studying in my office, I heard my son give off a

horrifying scream. I instantly knew what was happening. Ants!!

I ran as fast as I could and saw him standing in a swarm of army

ants. I picked him up and immediately started ripping off his clothes as I ran

back to the house. As soon as I touched my son, the ants started biting me

too, but that didn't matter. Those ants could kill a toddler, but I planned on

hurting them more than they hurt me. We bathed my boy in cold water, and

then he cried himself to sleep. That was good; he was safe.

The next day, I went out with a five-gallon can of gasoline and

poured the liquid down every ant hill I could find around our house. When I

lit one hill, I could hear the flames moving back and forth under the ground

and then a plume of flame would shoot up from another entrance. I could

hear the fire working its destruction under my feet. I know that I killed

hundreds of thousands, if not millions of ants that day, but I felt no remorse

and no pity. Those ants had attacked and could have killed my son! They

tried to hurt me! They were not going to hurt my family again. What I did

was **just**.

My justice protected my loved ones, but nearly wiped out the

offending creatures. If I had love for the ants and could speak their language,

maybe I could have warned them of the fiery judgment that was coming. If I

could have saved them from their destruction, I would have been their

**justifier** because I would have given them a way to escape. Of course, that

part didn't happen, but that doesn't mean that what I did wasn't **just**.

The Lord Jesus Christ is both **Just and the Justifier** of the

believers. He not only has judged sin, but has also taken that judgment on

Himself, so that His people can escape the wrath of God to come.

**«** January 31 **»**

Master in Heaven

Masters, give your bondservants what is just and

fair, knowing that you also have a **Master in heaven**.

_Colossians 4:1_

In this day and age, it is hard to imagine that there were

ever slave owners who were true Christians. During the time of

the Roman Empire, when slaves comprised 75% of the

population, it would have been difficult to imagine that society

could function without the practice. Christianity changes

people, and from there, the civilization changes.

The Apostle Paul advocated for slaves, because many of

the early believers were considered the property of others. He

appealed to their Masters that they were Christ's slaves

( _1 &RULQWKLDQV 7:22_) and had a **Master in heaven**. They needed to

show mercy and respect to the men and women who served

them, if they believed that Christ would give them mercy and

forgiveness.

The applications of these verses are still valid today

even though the socioeconomic structure of our culture is very

different. In the modern church, there are business owners and

administrators who still boss people around and can make or

break those who work for them. They, too, need to be reminded

that they have a Boss in Heaven who is also watching them to

see how they handle their own human resources.

In the first century, sometimes slaves would be elders in

the church and teach their owners spiritual truths. God wanted

everyone treated with love and without partiality. The Christian

boss in the last-century church needs to realize that God is more

interested in just and fair treatment of employees than He is

about the business' bottom line. That employer needs to

remember that he also has a **Master in heaven**.

**«** February 1 **»**

He Whom God Raised Up

...but **He whom God raised up** saw no corruption.

_Acts 13:37_

It's not hard to understand that this verse refers to the Lord Jesus,

especially if it is read in context as part of a sermon that the Apostle Paul

gave at Antioch in Pisidia. Even so, those who purposely choose to

misunderstand something can and will do so, hoping to confuse others at the

same time.

False religious witnesses have been known to twist this verse to

teach what it does not say. They argue, "If Jesus is ' **He whom God raised**

**up** ,' then He can't be God, because the verse shows that they are different."

Actually, the verse doesn't show that, and here is the reason why.

The One, True God of the Universe can reveal Himself in three

distinct ways as the Father, the Son, and as the Spirit. The Bible calls each

God, and each had part in Christ's resurrection.

God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. "Therefore we were

buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised

from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in

newness of life." ( _Romans 6:4_ ). "Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through

man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the

dead)" ( _Galatians 1:1_ ).

God the Holy Spirit resurrected the Savior. "But if the Spirit of Him

who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the

dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells

in you" ( _Romans 8:11_ ).

Christ raised Himself up from the grave. Jesus said "Therefore My

Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one

takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down,

and I have power to take it again..." ( _John 10:17,18_ ). "Jesus answered and

said to them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up'"

( _John 2:19_ ).

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit brought back Jesus from the dead.

Confusing? It shouldn't be. Christ is **He whom God raised up**.

**«** February 2 **»**

Heir of All Things

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time

past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken

to us by _His_ Son, whom He has appointed **heir of all things**...

_Hebrews 1:1-2_

Since the theme of the Epistle to the Hebrews is the better

covenant that came through the Son of God, everything about Him

exceeds all that was in the Old Testament. The prophets of old were

servants of God who saw short glimpses of the glory of the LORD, but

Jesus was the **Heir of all things**.

As Heir, Christ inherits anything and everything that was

God's. Possessions, authority, dominion, power, abilities, attributes,

and the character of the divine now belong to the Savior of the World.

The promised Immanuel kept His promise, and God continued

abiding with His creation. Everything that had gone on for millennia

in the past was now obsolete and inadequate. What had appeared to

be very real, present, and relevant was revealed to be just shadows

and images of what was to come.

The term "all things" leaves nothing out. Even the unknown

assets of God that we have no clue about still are Christ's to use or

lose or give away, because He is the **Heir of all things**.

God, even in the Old Covenant, possessed all things, all

power, and all glory. What actually changes is access to the Holy One

of God. All distance, all obstacles, and all limitations are gone. Our

Great High Priest now intercedes for us so that we can approach that

which had been unapproachable since the lifetime of Adam.

It would have been enough to walk through heaven in the

same way a tourist walks through a world class museum: Look, but

don't touch. But here's the part of the New Covenant that boggles the

imagination: He who has become **Heir of all things** has also made us

joint heirs with Christ ( _Romans 8:17_ ). Who'da thunk it?!!

**«** February 3 **»**

Prince

Know therefore and understand, _that_ from the going forth of the

command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the **Prince** ,

_there shall be_ seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall

be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.

_Daniel 9:25_

The verse today comes from the famous 70 weeks prophesy in

Daniel. The short explanations of this portion is that 69 weeks of years

(i.e. 483 years) after King Cyrus' declaration to rebuild Jerusalem, the

Messiah would be cut off. After Christ's resurrection, early Christians did the

math and discovered that it came out to the very week the Savior was

crucified. The detail and precision of this Old Testament prophesy convinced

many that Jesus was, in fact, the Son of God during the early centuries of the

Christian church.

By adding **Prince** to the Messianic title, the focus is on the Lord's

nobility. Christ came from the seed of David and the root of Jesse. Being

born into that family made Him a **Prince**. Jesus' genealogy in the Gospel of

Matthew proved that He would have been in line to the throne of David if

Romans were not in power. A king in waiting by definition is a **prince**.

Kings without kingdoms have no palace, army, or right of decree.

As time and generations go by, those would-be kings need day jobs to

survive until the political pendulum swings back in their direction. Joseph,

Christ's adoptive dad, could trace his birthright back to David, but did

carpentry work to pay the bills. He and his wife Mary were so poor when

they started out that their little **Prince** was born in a stable.

Jesus preached of His kingdom, but few bowed the knee before

Him. Pilate brought him before the mob and declared, "Behold your king,"

but the crowd shouted Him down screaming, "Away with _Him!_ Crucify

Him!" ( _John 19:14,15_ ). The rejected king was still a **Prince**.

Peter reminded the chief priests of their rejection when he

addressed the Sanhedrin: "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you

murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand _to be_

**Prince** and Savior ( _Acts 5:30, 31_ ).

Very soon, Christ will return to Earth with an army of mighty angels

to claim His throne and kingdom. He will be hailed as the King of Glory and

will lay aside the title of **Prince**.

**«** February 4 **»**

Faithful Witness

...And from Jesus Christ, the **faithful witness** , the firstborn

from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him

who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood...

_Revelation 1:5_

The book of Revelation is a gold mine of names for Christ. Not

only does it hold many unique titles found nowhere else in scripture, but

verses often contain many of them in a row. Often, these titles are very

different from each other and focus on distinct aspects of the Lord. To

understand them, each should be studied separately.

The last book of the Bible was written roughly 100 years after

the birth of Christ and reveals not only a view of church history that has

been completed, but presents a detailed account of events that are still to

come. Verse one of the book states "The Revelation of Jesus Christ,

which God gave Him to show His servants --- things which must shortly

take place. And He sent and signified _it_ by His angel to His servant

John." The Lord Himself is taking the time to explain this.

It's obvious that the Apostle John wrote the book, but it's not his

revelation. If we were getting this information from John, it would be

unreliable, since the former first century fisherman would be describing

the digital age with a pre-analog brain. The bias of his culture and limited

worldview would misinterpret much of what still has to take place. For

this reason, Jesus took charge and took over. So then, John didn't just

describe what he saw; he wrote down what his Messiah told Him to

write.

The very first descriptive phrase of Christ in the book is

**Faithful Witness**. In Revelation 3:14, He's called the "Faithful and True

Witness," and in Revelation 19:11, He's called simply "Faithful and

True."

So why the repetition and emphasis in Christ's veracity?

Everyone knows that the Lord doesn't lie, right? Yes, but for centuries,

people have been explaining away all the prophesies in Revelation into a

gobbledygook of doublespeak and figurative language. They tell us none

of this means what it says. Wait a minute, I believe exactly what it says.

After all, Jesus said it, and He is the **Faithful Witness**.

**«** February 5 **»**

Hope of Glory

To them God willed to make known what are

the riches of the glory of this mystery among the

Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the **hope of glory**.

_Colossians 1:27_

Millions of people today hope they're going to heaven, but

they want nothing to do with the Lord Jesus, so it's sad to say that

they really have no hope. Biblical hope is waited for and expected,

but there is no guesswork to it. The contract has been signed; it's a

done deal.

Heaven is actually a small part of a believer's hope. Adoption

into the family of God, sins forgiven, being accepted in the Beloved,

rewards for service, and eternal life are all part and parcel of what

disciples look forward to in Christ. These things are their hope.

Many of the promises that come along with the fellowship

believers have with the Savior are fulfilled here on earth. True faith

results in a transformed life, temporal blessings, answered prayer, the

fruit of the Spirit, and the mind of Christ. Once these are experienced,

a Christian has no doubt that God does miracles and completes His

promises, so Christians are assured that He is also in charge of the

future.

The Holy Spirit is the "signing bonus" that God gives to

believers when they come to Christ through faith. It is the guarantee

of good things to come and the proof of their **Hope of Glory**.

Throughout the centuries, Christians have suffered and died

for their faith, but no matter how bad it got, Jesus was there all the

way. This is what is known as the "fellowship of His sufferings"

( _Philippians 3:10_ ). When the faithful suffer for their Lord, they can

sense His presence in a way unlike anything they would have known

when things went well. The realization that Christ is in them and with

them even at the point of death is their comfort in adversity. He is

their **Hope of Glory**.

**«** February 6 **»**

Man Attested by God

"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a **Man**

**attested by God** to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which

God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know."

_Acts 2:22_

Fifty days after Christ was crucified, the Apostle Peter preached

a powerful sermon to a huge crowd right on the temple grounds. On the

Jewish religious calendar, Pentecost was the next holiday after the

Passover where attendance was required. So basically, all the same

people were there for both. Certainly most were witnesses to the life,

ministry, and death of Jesus of Nazareth.

The old fisherman made it clear that everyone knew who Jesus

of Nazareth was, because He was a **Man attested by God**. The Father

put Christ to the test and Jesus aced the exam. Peter brought out the three

major ways that Christ clearly demonstrated the power of God that

declared the divine approval: Miracles, wonders, and signs.

Thousands of people experienced Christ's miracles of healing.

The lame walked, the blind could see, the dead were raised to life, and

the demon-possessed were set free. Many waited for hours to touch the

hem of His garment or to be touched by Him. No one had ever done the

miracles that this man had done.

But Christ's power went to a much higher level than mere

miracles. He altered the laws of physics and routinely defied nature.

Jesus could feed 5,000 men with a small boy's lunch and have a dozen

baskets of leftovers for later. He walked on water, calmed the waves of

the sea, and made a tree dry up and wither in a matter of minutes. When

people saw these, they were filled with wonder.

Supernatural signs go beyond just planet Earth. When Christ was

born at Bethlehem, the sky shone bright at midnight. The last hours of

the Savior's life, the blackness of midnight filled the early afternoon, and

the exact moment of Christ's death triggered an earthquake. On top of

this, that very night there was a blood moon. The Roman centurion,

seeing these signs, admitted that He was the Son of God. Coincidences?

Nobody thought so. Christ Jesus was the **Man attested by God**.

**«** February 7 **»**

Lord from Heaven

_The first man was_ of the earth, _made_ of dust;

the second Man _is_ the **Lord from heaven**.

_1 Corinthians 15:47_

Adam was a home-grown hero, first man on planet Earth, and

was even made of earth. The Father of every human being was one for

the record books, but his failures were also world-class and made every

human being after him grow up to be a loser.

God's Man project seemed to be going very poorly. After only

ten generations, the Creator wiped the slate clean and began with a new

forefather to be the root of mankind's new family tree. People after Noah

were almost as bad, and human history was once again filled with sin,

rebellion, and violence.

Time to start over with a new business plan. Human DNA,

whether it traced back to Adam or even righteous Noah, wasn't equipping

people to return mankind back to fellowship with God. The new model,

the Second Man, would have a definite spiritual element to Him. He

wouldn't be from around here or made with local materials. He would be

the **Lord from Heaven**.

The typical stereotype of someone that is born and raised in

Texas is that she or he boasts of the greatness of his or her state. If

another person talks about something very nice from where they're from,

the Texan interrupts to say whatever it is is bigger and better in Texas.

Anyhow, to be from heaven, how neat is that? The Lord Jesus

never made a big deal about his ethnic origin, but rather emphasized His

humanity, choosing to call Himself the Son of Man. But being both God

and Man, He was able to take Man's sinfulness on Himself and give

mankind His righteousness. Those who came to Christ are conformed to

the image of the Son of God (Romans 8:29), adopted into the family of

God (Ephesians 1:5), and are given citizenship in heaven (Philippians

3:20). Jesus is able to do this because, after all, He is the **Lord from**

**Heaven**.

**«** February 8 **»**

He Who is Over All

_...of whom are_ the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh,

Christ _came,_ **who is over all,** _the_ eternally blessed God. Amen.

_Romans 9:5_

The person who tells you what to do at work is your boss.

Whoever that person answers to is your boss's boss. And whoever the

CEO is accountable to is he/she **who is over all**.

All authority is traced back to God. Everybody is told what to

do by someone else, even presidents and kings. If they don't listen to

the higher-ups, the same thing happens as to any incompetent

employee: They get fired.

Many people see having authority as having great privilege,

since those in charge seem to have higher salaries, more power, and

what seem to be easier jobs. However, what is usually the case is that

being the boss requires more responsibility, longer hours, and greater

risks. Everybody would want the job of Chief Executive, if there were

only the perks and none of the effort.

Jesus Christ is **He Who is Over All**. In other places, the Lord

is called "Head of Every Man" ( _1 Corinthians 11:3_ ) and "Head Over

all Things" ( _Ephesians 1:22_ ). These, of course, are impressive titles,

but they are pretty much meaningless if He can't give someone

consequences for his/her actions or rewards for doing the job well.

Everyone gets called into the Big Boss' Office at the end of

their shift on earth. Those who never respected, obeyed, or

acknowledged their Creator must stand before Christ at the Great

White Throne of Judgment. All those who never had the Spirit of

Christ in them are let go - into the lake of fire.

"Believer of the month awards," crowns of righteousness, and

company-owned mansions are awarded at the judgment seat of Christ

to all those who have done well and are faithful. Some servants won't

get much because they never did much for **Him who is Over All**.

**«** February 9 **»**

King Eternal

_Now to the **King eternal** , immortal, invisible, to God who _

_alone is wise, be_ honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

_1 Timothy 1:17_

**King Eternal**. Now, that has a nice ring to it. It's very

descriptive and conveys greatness. I'm really surprised that it is

used only once in scripture. Christ Jesus is King. He is the King

of the Jews, King of the Saints, King of Glory, and King of

kings. Long live the King - forever! The Lord Jesus is **King**

**Eternal**.

Louis XIV reigned over 72 years in France. He was on

the throne much longer than the life expectancy of his subjects.

In fact, all his immediate heirs predeceased him, so he was

succeeded by his five-year-old great grandson, Louis XV.

Herein is the lesson: Although many of his subjects were born

and died during his monarchy, Louis XIV finally did die and

was replaced.

King Jesus won't ever have that problem. As **King**

**Eternal** , He reigns over time itself. He has no beginning and

has no end. As Creator, He made the stars and will make some

new ones when the old ones run out of fuel. As the I Am, all

time is present to Him, so He is never in a hurry.

Time changes things, but Christ never changes. That's

because Jesus outlasts time. Today, theoretical Physicists argue

about how many billions of years ago the universe began, but

they all agree it happened in a point of time. They also agree

that the Cosmos will grow old and die. The **King Eternal** will

still be in control when that happens. He'll then either create a

new universe, or do something else.

**«** February 10 **»**

Cover from the Tempest

A man will be as a hiding place from the

wind, And a **cover from the tempest**...

_Isaiah 32:2_

They call it a rainforest for a reason. By definition, a

jungle receives over 100 inches of rain a year. Where we lived in

Ecuador, South America, we got 200. Down there, we had a rainy

season and a rainier season. Actually, it rained every day. Most of

the year, it would rain 15-30 minutes/day, but in January and

February, it might rain all day long for days at a time.

The jungle people went barefoot or wore plastic boots.

They often used Elephant Ear leaves as umbrellas or covered

themselves with a six-foot square piece of plastic sheeting.

Nobody likes staying out in the rain, so even native South

Americans sought **cover from the tempest**. They generally stayed

in their thatched huts while it rained and wove baskets or made

hammocks.

We had sheets of galvanized roofing on our house. These

didn't have to be replaced as often as the woven palm branches of

the Indians' houses, but the metal roof was much noisier in a

storm. The sound would keep visitors from the United States

awake at night, but I found it to be relaxing. The steady pouring of

the rain drowned out the harsher noises and produced a great

calming effect as I realized that I was dry and warm inside while

the wind, rain, and cold were on the other side of the wall. Many,

many nights, I fell asleep listening to the falling rain.

Jesus is like that. There is a feeling of safety and security

while abiding in Him. The storms of life and winds of time wear a

body down, but enjoying fellowship with Christ dissolves the

stress and calms the soul. He is the believer's hiding place from the

wind, and **Cover from the Tempest**.

**«** February 11 **»**

Lord

Not everyone who says to Me, " **Lord** , **Lord** ," shall enter the kingdom of

heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

_Matthew 7:21*_

Abraham Lincoln is known at times to have asked his colleagues

"How many legs does a dog have, if you call the tail a leg?" - Do you know

the answer? According to Lincoln, the answer is four. "Calling the tail a leg

doesn't make it a leg."

Today, just as in the first century people, approach the Lord Jesus

using the right title, but their actions and attitudes deny that He has any

control or authority over their lives. In Luke 6:46 Christ asks his would be

followers, "'But why do you call Me **'Lord, Lord** ,' and not do the things

which I say?"

Calling someone **Lord** ascribes to him sovereignty and headship. It

means that the **Lord** has power to issue orders and see them obeyed.

Without the follow-through of obedience the title is meaningless. The

person who uses the title without yielding to the **Lord** lies.

In the upper room, the night Christ was betrayed, He said, "You call

Me Teacher and **Lord** , and you say well, for _so_ I am. If I then, _your_ **Lord** and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's

feet" ( _John 13:13_ ).

Judas Iscariot had his feet washed that night, but would have never

stooped to washing anyone else's feet. It's interesting that it's never recorded

that Judas ever called Jesus " **Lord**." That is probably because Jesus was

never really Judas' **Lord**.

The title **Lord** is used only sparingly of Jesus prior to the

resurrection, but it is exceeded only by "Christ" as the principle title after

Jesus rose from the dead. Thomas called out to Christ, "My **Lord** and My

God!" and he meant it. Church tradition tells us that Thomas the apostle

traveled as far as India preaching the gospel and was martyred there around

AD 52.

* This title is used 711 times in 657 in the New Testament referring to Christ.

**«** February 12 **»**

Bridegroom

He who has the bride is the **bridegroom**.....

_John 3:29*_

In a world filled with instant gratification and moral

deficiencies, waiting for marriage is considered a great burden.

It didn't used to be that way. When our society was a lot wiser,

living together was put on hold – often for years – until a proper

wedding and home could be provided.

Besides allowing time to acquire a more adequate

material base for establishing a home and family, the wait

provided an important ingredient for holding the marriage

together – longing. Anticipation builds desire, and desire leads

to bonding.

Christ used this theme repeatedly in His parables to

encourage the believers to be ready and waiting for the Lord's

coming. "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the

**bridegroom** is coming; go out to meet him!" ( _Matthew 25:6_ ).

In scripture, the church is presented as the bride and

Christ as the **bridegroom**. Right now, the groom is busy getting

living quarters ready ( _John 14:2),_ and also preparations for the

marriage supper of the Lamb. The honeymoon site is to be the

holy city, New Jerusalem. The bride is at work on her garment

of fine linen woven from the righteous acts of the saints. As the

big day approaches, both long to be united, all distance finally

ended, soon to be joint-heirs together, forever.

Even so come, Dear **Bridegroom**!

*Referring to Christ, the title is used 17 times in just ten verses

which are exclusively in parables of the Lord and found in the

four gospels.

**«** February 13 **»**

Altogether Lovely

His mouth _is_ most sweet, Yes, he _is_ **altogether lovely**. This _is_ my beloved, And this _is_ my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!

Song of Solomon 5:16

The daughters of Jerusalem asked the Shulamite about her

love for Solomon. She delighted at the opportunity to talk about

him, describing him in great detail.

Now, if they asked me the following question about Jesus,

this is how I would expand on the Shulamite's description:

What is your beloved more than another beloved?

•

My Beloved is white and ruddy, chief among ten thousand.

•

He is pure and unspotted, filled with the beauty of

holiness.

•

The unsaved world will never even begin to understand it,

but He is more precious to me than anything money can

buy.

•

My Beloved is highly exalted and has a name above every

name.

•

His love knows no measure for He loved me unto death,

even the death of the cross.

•

Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ – not

problems or opposition, circumstances or distress; His love

breaks through them all.

•

He is faithful and true, gentle, long-suffering,

unchangeable and always near.

Yes, He is **Altogether Lovely**. This is my Beloved, and this is my

friend.

**«** February 14 **»**

Man Christ Jesus

For _there is_ one God and one Mediator

between God and men, _the_ **Man Christ Jesus**...

_1 Timothy 2:5_

One classic illustration of the gospel shows two cliffs with

a wide canyon separating them. Man is on one side and God is on

the other, with sin being the gulf between them. Since the distance

is too far to jump, a bridge is needed to get from one side to the

other. A bridge shaped like a cross is put in the middle, and the

idea is that only Christ can bring a sinner to God.

Since the Savior is both God and Man, He is able to

reconcile the sin problem with fallen Man and the Holy God. In

studying the titles of Christ, I have seen dozens that emphasize His

deity. People need to know this. Understanding that God Himself

atoned for mankind's sins is an essential truth of the gospel.

The humanity of Jesus is often taken for granted, and there

aren't a lot of details apart from the obvious. He had a body made

of flesh, blood, and bone, was born in Bethlehem, and spent His

childhood and early adulthood in the town of Nazareth. Christ was

human, but He was also sinless, and sin is very much a human

characteristic. That raises questions about the **Man Christ Jesus**.

Did Jesus cry as a baby? Did He ever get sick? Did He

have a sense of humor? Did He ever work up a sweat? Did He

have body odor? Was Christ ever bitten by mosquitoes? The

answer to all of these questions is yes. The Lord Jesus experienced

everything that's involved in being human.

"For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize

with our weaknesses, but was in all _points_ tempted as _we are, yet_

without sin" ( _Hebrews 4:15_ ). The **Man Christ Jesus** knows what's

happening with us. He's gone through it all Himself.

**«** February 15 **»**

Great Prophet

Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, "A **great**

**prophet** has risen up among us"; and, "God has visited His people."

_Luke 7:16_

When Jesus and His disciples came to the town of Nain, a

funeral procession passed by. The dead man was the only son of a poor

widow and the Lord had compassion on her. He touched the open coffin

and said, "Young man, I say to you, arise" ( _Luke 7:12-14_ ). Christ then

presented him alive and well to his mother.

Impressive? I should say so. A miracle of this magnitude hadn't

occurred in Israel for almost 900 years, going back to the time that Elisha

raised another young man from the dead. The crowd concluded that Jesus

of Nazareth was no ordinary rabbi; He was a **great prophet**.

Clearly Christ was a prophet, because He said the boy would

come back to life and it happened exactly as He said it would. The

greatness of the miracle put him up with two of the greatest prophets of

Israel, but the Savior was much more than that.

Old Testament prophets saw visions of things in the future that

they neither recognized nor understood. Often, short-term prophecies

were superimposed on other similar prophecies that would be hundreds

of years in the future. It's common to find descriptions of Christ's first

and second comings in the same passage. Chronological order seems to

be lacking with most of the major prophets, so seeing things in light of

the New Testament sorts out the context and makes it understandable.

The Lord Jesus' prophecies are not like that. He who knows the

beginning from the end has given clear and understandable explanations

of heaven and hell that were incomplete in Old Testament scripture.

Christ's predictions of the end times are unmistakably fulfilling 
themselves in the present. The last book of the Bible calls itself the

Revelation of Jesus Christ. Although symbols and types are used as in all

prophecy, there is a clarity and order of progression unlike anything in

the Old Testament.

Elijah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah were excellent men of God, but only

Christ Jesus was the really **Great Prophet**.

**«** February 16 **»**

Higher Than

the Heavens

For such a High Priest was fitting for us, _who_

_is_ holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners,

and has become **higher than the heavens** ;

_Hebrews 7:26_

Astronomy as a science has greatly developed since the time

the New Testament was written. Back then, nothing was known about

galaxies quasars, or black holes, so everything was based on what

could be seen with the unaided eye.

First-century conventional wisdom divided all that is celestial

into three levels. The first heaven included everything within the

earth's atmosphere. Clouds, mountain tops, and the realm of birds all

fell within this level.

Beyond that was the second heaven. This included sun, moon,

and stars. Technically, it would have been the visible stars of the night

sky, but the category would also include everything else that could be

seen with a telescope.

Above the known universe, one could encounter the third

heaven, which is the throne of God ( _2 Corinthians 12:2_ ). Both the

Apostles John and Paul were elevated to that level, either in a vision

or teleportation (they weren't really sure how they got there). In any

case, they were overwhelmed by the reality of its existence.

The Lord Jesus Christ is **Higher than the Heavens**. The

position of Christ is exalted, elevated, and superior to everything else

in both the known and unknown universes, in outer space, and even

the throne of God.

It's hard, if not impossible, to go past the limits of human

knowledge and imagination, yet that's where believers are called to

spend eternity. They – and we – will enter the third heaven and gaze

upward at the Savior who is **Higher than the Heavens**.

**«** February 17 **»**

Physician

_When Jesus heard it,_ He said to them, "Those who are well

have no need of a **physician** , but those who are sick. I did

not come to call _the_ righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

_Mark 2:17*_

Cancer, heart disease, and aging are as much a part of the human

condition as are sin, suffering, and self-destruction. That certainly wasn't

God's original plan for creation, but sin and sickness escalated through

the years, causing the misery index to soar. Life expectancy dropped

from over 900 years before the flood to somewhere between 30-40 years

during the first century. It is no wonder that when the Sun of

Righteousness finally arose over planet Earth that He had "healing in His

wings" (Malachi 4:2). The Lord Jesus was moved with compassion and

healed multitudes.

Christ was able to do things that modern medicine can't come

close to achieving. Lepers were instantly healed with a touch, and high

fever disappeared at His command. Muscles that had wasted away

through atrophy in the body of paralytics were immediately restored.

Even the dead came back to life. Such healings were proof that Christ

was the Son of God and had power over the consequences of sin.

Although not officially in scripture, for centuries, His people

have referred to Him as the "Great **Physician**." The Lord still heals

through answered prayer, and it's always exciting to see the modern

medical profession hard-pressed to give an answer for an unexplained

recovery of a terminal patient.

However, this sin-cursed world continues to be in rebellion

against its Creator and previously unknown diseases seem to appear

every year. Sickness and death are the direct result of the human sin

nature, and the main objective of Christ is and has always been to bring

sinners to repentance. His death on the cross enables each believer to

have eternal life and dwell forever with Him, free from disease and

disability. He is both the Christian's Savior and **Physician**.

_*also see Matthew 9:12; Luke 4:23, 5:31-32_

**«** February 18 **»**

Branch of Righteousness

_"Behold, the_ days are coming," says the LORD, "

That I will raise to David a **Branch of righteousness** ;

A King shall reign and prosper, And execute

judgment and righteousness in the earth."

_Jeremiah 23:5_

Branches are supposed to produce fruit, but crabapples

are a big disappointment for someone longing for a Red

Delicious. However, horticulture has solved this problem with

various grafting techniques. Hearty crabapple root stock is used

to support various branches from commercial apple varieties

that by themselves don't flourish well in certain environments.

The top and bottom of the tree have different DNA, but the

quality of fruit is what people care about.

David was a man after God's own heart who did His will

(1 Samuel 13:14), so God promised that the Messiah would

come through him. Yet, most of the descendants that came from

the "root of David" missed the mark concerning holiness. Even

David, who wrote beautiful psalms of praise to God, turned out

to be a murderer, deceiver, and adulterer.

The anointed of the Lord had to be not only a

descendant of David but also a **Branch of Righteousness** that

would bring back holiness to the Davidic dynasty. Since Mary,

the mother of Christ, was of David's bloodline, connection with

the root was established. Being conceived of the Holy Spirit

without a human father, the Righteous branch was grafted into

the character of the Savior. All the promises given both to the

Jewish people and to the Christian church have certainly been

fulfilled. The Lord Jesus is not only David's kin; He is God's

**Branch of Righteousness.**

**«** February 19 **»**

King over all the Earth

For the LORD Most High is awesome;

He is a great **King over all the earth**.

_Psalm 47:2_

Scary! That's what it felt like to grow up in the early 1960s.

The Cold War was at its height; the media focused on nuclear

annihilation, and Communism seemed to be an unstoppable force.

Cuba exported revolution to every country in South America, and

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev vowed to take over the world.

That, of course, never happened. Sometime in the early

1990s, the Soviet Union quietly dried up and blew away. Today, there

are whispers about the Illuminati clandestinely taking over the planet,

and radical Islam would also like to take a stab at world domination.

Just like emperors and despots of the past, there is no end of

candidates who want to attain the status of **king over all the Earth.**

The book of Revelation does foresee that this New World

Order is coming, but it won't be the utopia that many people are

hoping for. A terrible and cruel world leader that the Bible labels as

"the Beast" will control the wealth and souls of the planet and witness

the death of three-fourths of the human population in a seven-year

period.

All opposition to the Beast will be crushed and world

religions extinguished, because the Antichrist will become **king over**

**all the earth.** The good news to this is that the downfall of this evil

world leader is just as sure as his ascension to power. When all human

resistance is gone, and hopelessness grows to record proportions, the

Lord of Hosts will descend from heaven with a huge army of warrior

angels to defeat forever the Beast.

The real New World Order will begin. King Jesus will reign

in Jerusalem and all creation will acknowledge Him as **King over All**

**the Earth**.

**«** February 20 **»**

Intercessor

He saw that _there was_ no man, And wondered that

_there was_ no **intercessor** ; Therefore His own arm brought

salvation for Him; And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.

_Isaiah 59:16_

Isaiah chapter 59 starts off sad and then ends with great

promises for God's people. The sins of the people had separated

Judah from their God and no one was calling out for help. The Lord

God saw that there was no justice and no one to act as an **intercessor**

for them. That's when God promises to do that Himself.

The prophesy began to fulfill itself during Christ's earthly

ministry, but His full role of **Intercessor** is happening now as the

Savior pleads for His followers. "Therefore He is also able to save to

the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always

lives to make intercession for them" ( _Hebrews 7:25_ ).

If the Lord didn't hold back when He suffered and died to

save the human race, He will certainly do other things for us that

don't hurt ( _Romans 8:32_ ). The Apostle Paul asks the question, "Who

_is_ he who condemns? _It is_ Christ who died, and furthermore is also

risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes

intercession for us" ( _Romans 8:34_ ).

What kinds of things does Jesus bring before the Father?

Christ intercedes on an individual level for each believer, every time

they fall short of the glory of God. God the Father talks with the Son

about the believer's secret sins, trust issues, lack of spiritual growth

and the use or misuse of spiritual gifts. I'm not sure about everything

they discuss, but consequences, discipline and how each saint can be

better conformed to the Son must also be on the list.

If I were perfect, I wouldn't need an **Intercessor**. But since

I'm not, I'm grateful that the Lord Jesus is always there for me.

**«** February 21 **»**

Rod

_There shall come forth a **Rod** from the stem of Jesse, _

_And a Branch shall grow out of his roots._

_Isaiah 11:1_

What is a **rod** , anyway? A rod is a useful stick that comes in many

sizes and styles:

● Shepherd's **rod** \- A 2-4 ft.

●In Psalm 23, the sheep took comfort in

stick used as a club to protect

the Shepherd's **rod**. Believers can rest in

sheep from predators

the Savior's protection.

● Lightning **rod** \- A metal rod

● The wrath of God that was meant for

on a tall building that diverts

rebellious sinners fell on Christ, saving

lightning harmlessly to the ground believers ( _1 Thessalonians 5:9_ ).

● Curtain **rod** \- Held up the

● The moment Christ died on the cross,

Veil of the Temple in

an earthquake broke the **rod** and ripped

Jerusalem

the veil from the top to the bottom.

● Axle **rod** \- Keeps the wheels

● Christ is the axle and Christians are the

turning and the vehicle

wheels. As long as He is in the center,

moving forward

the ride is smooth.

● Fishing **rod** \- A long pole

● When the Lord called His disciples, He

with a line for catching fish

made them fishers of men

( _Matthew 4:19_ ).

● Leveling **rod** \- A surveying

● The Lord Jesus raises up a repentant

instrument used to measure

sinner from the dust of the earth to seat

distances in elevation

them with Him in the heavenly places

(Ephesians 2:6).

**● Rod** of correction - A switch

● Proverbs 13:24 says, "He who spares

or "spanking stick"

his **rod** hates his son." The New

Testament says, "For whom the LORD

loves He chastens, and scourges every

son whom He receives" ( _Hebrews 12:6_ ).

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for being such a versatile **Rod**!

**«** February 22 **»**

Righteous Servant

He shall see the labor of His soul, _and_ be satisfied.

By His knowledge My **righteous Servant** shall

justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.

_Isaiah 53:11_

The Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 is perhaps the clearest

description of the Messiah found in the Old Testament scripture.

Here, the Man of Sorrows is clearly portrayed as Rejected by men

and as the Lamb led to slaughter. The prophecy says He made His

grave with the wicked (the thieves crucified with Jesus) and with

the rich at His death (Christ was buried in a wealthy man's tomb).

Finally, it is noted that God was well-pleased with the job done by

His Anointed.

The detail that appears in this verse but is not found

anywhere else in the Bible is that Christ was God's **Righteous**

**Servant**. Typical adjectives that describe a servant might be loyal,

trustworthy, faithful, or hardworking. The term "righteous" doesn't

seem to be appropriate for domestic help and might appear more

fitting for someone higher up on the career food chain than a mere

servant.

The important point to remember with this title is the

Savior was God's servant, not man's. Righteousness is a divine

quality and part of this servant's job description. God's **Righteous**

**Servant** came to this world to justify many and bear their

iniquities. For this to happen, the Son of God had to be holy,

sinless, and blameless. Without doubt, He was **Righteous**.

A servant's job is to do the will of his master. In this case, it

meant being cursed, rejected, tortured, and killed. The skills

required for the task involved blessing the tormentors, rejoicing in

suffering, loving the unlovable, and dying in triumph. Anyone less

than a **Righteous Servant** would have failed at the task.

**«** February 23 **»**

Fearful in Praises

"Who _is_ like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who _is_ like You,

glorious in holiness, **Fearful in praises** , doing wonders?

_Exodus 15:11_

The scene of the parting of the Red Sea in Cecil B. DeMille's

epic film _The Ten Commandments_ is one of the most famous and

memorable special effects shots of classic cinematography. However,

standing on the beach with the children of Israel 3,500 years ago would

have been much more impressive.

The emotional swing from the terror of fleeing from a huge

Egyptian army to the elation of seeing all one's enemies totally destroyed

would have been intense. Being eye witnesses of God's awesome power

invoked a sense of gratitude that was spontaneously released in song: "I

will sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and

its rider He has thrown into the sea!" ( _Exodus 15:1_ ). There must have

been great joy, but also a little timidity in their voices while singing to

the One who is **Fearful in Praises**.

If God's triumph over Egypt was awe inspiring, Christ's victory

over sin, death, and hell at the cross was even more so. Satan and his

demon army were defeated forever, and they never saw it coming. The

awesomeness of this victory makes Christians of all centuries want to

sing:

_When He rolls up His sleeves_

_He ain't just putting on the Ritz_

_(Our God is an awesome God)_

_There's thunder in His footsteps_

_And lightning in His fists_

_(Our God is an awesome God)_

_And the Lord wasn't joking when He kicked 'em out of Eden_

_It wasn't for no reason that He shed His blood_

_His return is very close and so you better be believing that_

_Our God is ..." **Fearful in Praises** " _

adapted from Rich Mullins (1955-1997)

**«** February 24 **»**

True Light

That was the **true Light** which gives light

to every man coming into the world.

_John 1:9_

If there is **true light** , there must also be false light. What is that

like?

False light is light that is used to deceive. It is found in optical

illusions and the tricks magicians do with smoke and mirrors. However,

perhaps the greatest false light comes from the flash and sparkle of

Hollywood.

Hundreds of thousands of young people have been attracted by

the allure of their name in lights on a theater marquee. Being in the

spotlight and having name recognition seem so desirable and important

that they sacrifice everything to attain these goals. The sad thing is that

few even do get it, and even sadder is that most who acquire the fame are

unsatisfied by it.

Recently I Googled "actors that committed suicide" and found a

list of 227 men and 145 women who ended their own lives in despair.

The sheer numbers of "successful" entertainers that had nothing to live

for speak volumes about the fatal attraction of false light.

Contrast all this with Jesus Christ, the **True Light** who gives

light to everyone in this world. That light reveals truth - the good, the

bad, and the ugly. That's a problem, because people prefer delusion over

inconvenient truths. Men and women love darkness rather than light,

because their deeds are evil ( _John 3:19_ ). They don't want to hear about

sin, righteousness, or judgment and would rather that the god of this age

blind them to the "light of the gospel of the glory of Christ"

( _2 Corinthians 4:4_ ).

If a candle and a 100-watt light bulb are both burning 10 feet

from each other, the candle casts the shadow. Although the world seems

to glitter and glow, people need to get out of the shadows and into the

**True Light**.

**«** February 25 **»**

Light to the Gentiles

"I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, and will

hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a

covenant to the people, as a **light** **to** **the Gentiles**..."

_Isaiah 42:6*_

God promised Israel that He would send His Anointed to them.

Many details were given about the Messiah, so God's people knew what to

expect. Born of a virgin, He would be Immanuel, "God with us," who would

reign forever on the throne of David in Jerusalem. One additional fact was

repeated a number of times: He would be a **Light to the Gentiles**.

Hundreds of years went by without the prophesies being fulfilled.

Many of the Jewish people gave up waiting and re-explained the scriptures

to mean other things. Gentile nations occupied and controlled Jerusalem

without allowing a descendant of David to reign there. The prophesy seemed

impossible to fulfill.

However, one curious bit of ancient history was playing out that no

one expected. Ptolemy I, a general under Alexander the Great, ruled North

Africa and commanded a Great Library be built in Alexandria, Egypt. He

wanted a Greek translation of every book that existed in the world. Seventy

Hebrew scholars translated the Old Testament. It was called the

"Septuagint," which means "seventy." After that, this translation made its way into every synagogue of the Ancient Greek-speaking world.

Curious Gentiles read the prophesies of the Jewish Messiah, but the

word that was used in Greek was "Christos" or "the Christ." Educated

Greeks knew that this Christ was to come, and huge numbers responded

when they heard the message of the gospel, recognizing that Jesus of

Nazareth was the promised one of God.

Paul and Barnabas saw this supernatural response of the Gentiles

and paraphrased Isaiah's prophesy when they preached in Antioch of Psidia:

"For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have set you as a **light** **to** **the** **Gentiles** , that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.'"

( _Acts 13:47_ ).

The Jewish people had rejected their Messiah as king, so He'll come

at a later time to reign. The part of the prophesy that has been clearly

demonstrated already was that the Lord's Anointed became a **Light to the**

**Gentiles**. _*Isaiah 9:1-2; 49:6; Luke 2:32, Acts26:23._

**«** February26 **»**

Light of the World

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the **light of the world**.

He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

_John 8:12_

On the first day of creation, God (Elohim) said "'Let there be

light'; and there was light" ( _Genesis 1:3_ ). Before God invented it, light

didn't exist. After He made it, God's bright creation was obvious to

anyone with eyes. Actually, He also had to create eyes and the brain

software that converts light into images, so that others could enjoy what

He made.

When Christ came into the world, God began a whole new act of

creation. The Savior offered a wonderful, new upgrade for the human

race to change people into sons and daughters of God. The best part of it

was that it cost them nothing at all. "Therefore, if anyone _is_ in Christ, _he_

_is_ a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have

become new" ( _2 Corinthians 5:17_ ).

The difference between the new and old person is as clear as

night and day (or light and darkness). However, not everyone can see the

difference, because eyes of faith are necessary to see it. To transformed

people, Jesus became the **Light of the World.** Those who are unchanged

are blind as bats. They actually see just enough to know they want to get

away from His presence.

Most creatures of the night try to flee or hide from light.

Cockroaches, mice, and sinners don't want to be seen. The first two run

away because they don't want to be eaten by another animal. The last

group are ashamed of their deeds.

Jesus not only reveals what people do at their darkest moments,

but He also shows them who they are. The majority of sinners don't want

to see that they have fallen short of the glory of God, so they close their

eyes to the light. But as many as receive Him become sons and daughters

of light, because He is the **Light of the World**.

**«** February 27 **»**

Prophet from Nazareth

So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the

**prophet from Nazareth** of Galilee."

_Matthew 21:11_

Never had a title so much irony. It would have been funny,

if it weren't so sad. The setting of this verse was Christ's triumphal

entry into Jerusalem. Thousands were cheering, others shouting

"Hosanna" (literally, "save now"). People were cutting down palm

branches or throwing down articles of clothing so the donkey He

rode on could touch them and they could walk away with a

souvenir. It was a very big deal.

Some in the group were late-arrivers and didn't know what

was going on, so they asked "Who is this?" ( _Matthew 21:10_ ).

"This is Jesus , the **prophet from Nazareth** ," they replied.

At this point in His career, everyone had heard about Jesus of

Nazareth. Before Jesus was famous, everyone looked down on the

insignificant town in the rural hill country of Galilee. Now, He put

the obscure, northeastern outpost on everyone's map. He was the

healer, the preacher, the feeder of thousands. He should have made

his hometown folks all proud.

Yet, Jesus' neighbors and boyhood companions had

rejected Him and even tried to kill Him, because He wouldn't

perform miracles for them ( _Luke 4:21-30_ ). Christ was

acknowledged as a prophet everywhere, except with those who

grew up with Him.

When Nathaniel (i.e. Bartholomew) was first told of Jesus

of Nazareth, his first reaction was "Can anything good come out of

Nazareth?" ( _John 1:46_ ). When he finally did come and see the

Savior, he was changed by Him. He was ready to leave everything

he had to follow this **prophet from Nazareth**.

**«** February 28 **»**

Lord's Christ/Christ of God

And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he

would not see death before he had seen **The Lord's Christ**.

_Luke 2:26_

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

Peter answered and said, "The **Christ of God**."

_Luke 9:20_

These two slightly different titles are actually one and the same.

Jesus is the **Lord's Christ** /the **Christ of God**. Many Christians like to

think that Jesus belongs to them. He came to save them. He died on the

cross for them and God gave His Son as a gift to them. No one can take

that present away from them. He is "their personal Savior."

Although these statements may be true, this line of thinking also

misses a major truth. Jesus was the **Lord's Christ** , and He was under

orders from the Godhead to save Adam's sinful race. The Savior saves

sinners because it's in His job description. It is not because people are

worthy of salvation or deserving of God's grace; we're not.

Redemption, justification, and sanctification are all God-things,

and it's Jesus who does it, because He is the **Christ of God**. Christ is the

God-Man, but it is not His humanity that saves mankind, it's His deity.

Simeon was a devout and righteous man who waited for the

"Consolation of Israel." His faith and faithfulness set Him apart for the

thousands of other Temple-goers around him, so God gave him a special

promise: He was to see the **Lord's Christ**. When baby Jesus was eight

days old, God directed the old man to the newborn, and Simeon held

God's Messiah in his hands.

One time, the Lord Jesus was alone with His disciples and He

asked them who they thought He was. Peter answered without hesitation:

The **Christ of God**.

Every man, woman, and child must search out for themselves

who Jesus is. The right answer leads to eternal life. The wrong answers

mean hell.

**«** February 29 **»**

Lion of the Tribe of Judah

But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold,

the **Lion of the tribe of Judah** , the Root of David, has

prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals."

_Revelation 5:5_

Surprisingly, this well-known title of Christ occurs only once in

scripture. The popularity of this phrase is due to the images of power and

agility that it brings to mind. The Lion is the king of beasts, and a king

with a lion title (such as Richard the lion-hearted) is known for courage

and strength.

The Apostle John had a vision of happenings in heaven that are

yet to come. He saw a great multitude of celestial creatures waiting for

judgment to fall on the sinful planet. The Son of God had been crucified,

and earth and the human race had never been brought to justice. The

judgments had been written and sealed and were awaiting someone to

execute the Holy Writ. Sadness fell on the crowd when it was clear that

no one there was worthy to bring about such severe judgment.

Suddenly, everything changed. The **Lion of the Tribe of Judah**

appeared; He was worthy.

In Christ's first advent, He came as the Son of Joseph, the

Suffering Servant. In His next appearing, He will be seen as the great,

conquering King. In Jacob's blessings to his sons he said, "the scepter

will not depart from Judah," prophesying that Judah would be a kingly

tribe.

However, it almost appears that the scepter has departed from

Judah, because Jerusalem was destroyed and a descendant of David

hasn't been on the throne for over 2,000 years. It seems that this

prophecy isn't true but, of course, it really is.

Jesus came as the King of Glory, but His own people rejected

Him, and the scepter has been in heaven ever since. When the time is

right, Christ will come back with a roar. He will show Himself as the

**Lion of the Tribe of Judah** to execute judgment.

**«** March 1 **»**

High Priest of the

Good Things to Come

But Christ came _as_ **High Priest of the good things to**

**come** , with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not

made with hands, that is, not of this creation.

_Hebrews 9:11_

In A.D. 70, Roman legions destroyed the Temple and burnt

Jerusalem to the ground. There hasn't been a high priest on earth since

then.

Most Christians have a very limited understanding as to the

office or ministry of the high priest. Many consider it an Old Testament

thing with little or no importance to them, while others see the position

as a type of Christ. As such, it helps those believers understand better the

role the Savior has in atonement and intercession for the saints. When

Christians die or are raptured, they will lose their sin nature and finally

be completely conformed to the image of God's Son. Without sin, we will

no longer need Jesus to plead our case before a Holy God. We will no

longer need a high priest – or at least that's what I used to think.

Jesus is our **High Priest of Good Things to Come**. He did not

stop being High Priest after atoning for our sins on the cross, and He

doesn't get laid off once the job of intercession is done. Clearly, Christ is

"High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews

_6:20_ ), so He'll be doing something special up in heaven.

The book of Hebrews tells us that the Old Testament offerings

and rituals were types and shadows of good things to come

( _Hebrews 10:1_ ). For example, the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle was

a perfect cube (with the height, length, and width all equal). New

Jerusalem (the celestial city) is also a perfect cube, so in one sense, the

Tabernacle in the wilderness foreshadows heaven.

No one really can imagine all the great things that will happen

when we get to heaven, but two things are certain:

#1 Heaven is out of this world, and

#2 Christ will be the **High Priest of Good Things to Come**.

**«** March 2 **»**

Nazarene

And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth,

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by

the prophets, "He shall be called a **Nazarene**."

_Matthew 2:23_

Believing that the Bible is the inspired Word of God means to

acknowledge that it doesn't contain errors or contradictions. It also

means that there is no irrelevant details or useless information.

Everything in scripture is there for a reason.

Christ was called Jesus of Nazareth, even though He wasn't

born there and Matthew makes the point that He was called a

**Nazarene**. It wasn't coincidence that both Joseph and Mary hailed

from Nazareth, Jesus was born in Bethlehem and the family relocated

in Nazareth a few years later.

The Messiah had to be born in Bethlehem according to

Micah 5:2, but according to Isaiah 9:1-2, He would come from

"Galilee of the Gentiles." The city of Nazareth didn't even exist in

Old testament times, but in the first century it was a northern Roman

garrison.

Herein probably lies the reason Jesus needed to be from

Nazareth. Everybody disdained the place. It was the kind of town that

someone who was despised and rejected by men would come from.

When I was growing up, people would tell "Polack jokes,"

saying ridiculous things about folks lightly esteemed. Today, the

popular put-down is about "Rednecks." In Jesus' day, the Jewish

people probably told " **Nazarene** jokes." When Nathaniel asked "Can

anything good come out of Nazareth? (John 1:45), he might have

been voicing a popular cliché rather than expressing personal

prejudice.

In any case, Christ did what He always has done. He took that

which the world puts down and then lifted it up to glory. Today, it is

quite an honor to identify with the **Nazarene**.

**«** March 3 **»**

One Lord

"... **one Lord** , one faith, one baptism."

_Ephesians 4:5_

In today's Christianity the Lord Jesus comes in many styles

and sizes. There's a black Jesus, an Asian Jesus (with almond eyes), a

"cool" Jesus (with designer sunglasses), and a Catholic Jesus (still

nailed to a cross). Then, there are the political varieties. Sometimes

Christ is a Democrat, sometimes a Republican, but He's always very

independent. He might be opposed to any kind of war, abortion, or

gay marriage, but then again, He might be fine with one or more of

them.

In the beginning, God made man in His own image

( _Genesis 1:27_ ). Ever since then, Man has been seeing God in his own

image. Like God, people are spiritual beings; they can reason,

communicate, appreciate beauty, problem solve, and know the

difference between right and wrong. Unlike God, the human race is

sinful, petty, boastful, nasty, and especially divisive.

God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4) and He really enjoys it when

His people are one. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for

brethren to dwell together in unity!" ( _Psalm 133:1_ ).

Christ is the common denominator of every true Christian.

Certainly, there are attributes of this **One Lord** that aren't up for

discussion. He is sinless, divine, almighty, and loving. Every real

believer will recognize the real Jesus as soon as they see Him, but He

will also be different than the stereotype that they have built in their

minds.

The "distinctives" that are the bread and butter of the

thousands of Christian denominations and organizations will

disappear. Things that have separated blood-bought believers over the

centuries will be gone forever, and they will be left with one faith,

one baptism, and **One Lord**.

**«** March 4 **»**

Fortress

The LORD is my rock and my **fortress** and my deliverer;

My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield

and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

_Psalm 18:2_

I'm really into castles, though I've never really been to one. I've

taken virtual tours online and checked out books from the library.

Sometimes, as a kid, I'd lie in bed at night and fantasize about owning a

thick-walled castle. I'd pretend the enemy surrounded the place. They'd

be yelling, screaming and shooting arrows, but I saw myself reclining in

a four-poster bed away in some high tower. Then, I'd fall asleep.

King David had a thing for **fortress** es too, and they also helped

him sleep at night. Five times in the Old Testament, David calls God his

**fortress** and then adds on several other terms that communicate

defensive positions. David wasn't just paranoid; bad guys were really out

to get him, but the bottom line was that he felt safe when he was close to

God.

Living in a dangerous world, tragedy can come into everyone's

life at any time. Many people are afraid to leave their homes or meet new

people. Bound by fear, they are paralyzed to venture out past their

comfort zone. They can't be spontaneous; they're too afraid of what

might happen.

Believers who are "strong in the Lord and in the power of His

might" ( _Ephesians 6:10_ ) have Christ as their **fortress** and "fear no evil"

( _Psalm 23:4_ ). There is a peace and attitude of security, because they

know that God is in control. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can happen in

the life of a child of God that isn't His will. There's great confidence in

that. It enables us to live life to the fullest.

If, and when, bad things happen to good people, God is still in

charge and allows this for a greater good. Scoffers mock God when this

happens and say, "See, God can't save you from harm!" The fact of the

matter is that the Lord can and does protect His saints. The mockers will

never understand the peace that surpasses understanding ( _Philippians_

_4:7_ ), because they have never even spent one day in the security of Jesus

the **Fortress**.

**«** March 5 **»**

Refuge

The Lord also will be a **refuge** for the

oppressed, A **refuge** in times of trouble.

_Psalm 9:9_

How do deer and ducks know where the wildlife **refuge** is?

It's probably trial and error, but also clearly, experience. Once an

animal has been shot at, it soon learns to avoid people in those orange

vests. It can also sense when it is safe and not in a constant

life-or-death situation.

David, before He became King, would often go for days at a

time without eating or sleeping. Like a hunted animal, he was on the

run from his enemies. David felt the safest when he felt close to the

LORD. At times, even though physical circumstances didn't change

(King Saul, the Philistines, or the Amorites were still trying to track

him down), David would be at peace and could calm his troubled soul

because he felt at rest in God's **Refuge**. He had that sense of

well-being, knowing that the Almighty was in control and nothing

could harm him there.

The Hebrew word "Misgab," which is translated into English

as " **refuge** ," actually conveys the idea of something lofty or

inaccessible and projects the image of a hill fort. When there are bad

guys out to get you, it means safety, hope, and asylum (i.e. **refuge** ).

The word occurs only once in the New Testament and refers

to Christ: "we might have strong consolation, who have fled for

**refuge** to lay hold of the hope set before us" ( _Hebrews 6:18)._ In this

context, the enemy is sin and the prospect of eternal judgment.

Instead of fleeing to some high tower made of stone, the believer

approaches the Lord Jesus in His capacity as High Priest so He can

make intercession for him/her. The end result is the same feeling of

well-being that David had. "This _hope_ we have as an anchor of the

soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the _Presence_ behind

the veil" ( _Hebrews 6:19_ ). It is the feeling of security which comes

from being in a safe **Refuge**.

**«** March 6 **»**

Righteous Judge

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which

the Lord, the **righteous Judge** , will give to me on that Day, and

not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

_2 Timothy 4:8_

When Jesus wanted to teach His disciples about persistent

prayer, He gave them the parable of an unrighteous judge ( _Luke 18:1-6_ ).

The man neither feared God nor men, but gave justice to a poor widow

simply because her constant entreaties had become a nuisance and he

wanted to get her off his back.

In modern America, it is not hard to find examples of unjust

judges. Criminals are often released because of minor technicalities, and

major principles of justice are superseded by lesser laws. Since right and

wrong are hard to define, everything is determined by the interpretation

of the law. And since the law can be viewed in different ways, a judge

can legally execute the law and be found unrighteous before God.

Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. once

interrupted a freshman lawyer presenting a case, "Young man, let me

remind you that this is a court of law and not a court of justice."

Living in times like these, it is truly great to know that there is a

**Righteous Judge** and He will hear our case. He will give the bad guys,

the proud, and the unjust what they deserve, but to the faithful and true

he will give a reward – the crown of righteousness. Now, I don't know

what that looks like, but I do know that I want one. I also know that

putting up with the injustice on Earth and waiting patiently in obedience

for Christ's return is well worth the effort to be rewarded with that

heavenly garland ( _Romans 8:18-25_ ).

Christ's parable of the unjust judge ends with the exhortation to

be persistent in prayer without giving up. He then asks His followers a

question: "When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the

earth?" ( _Luke 18:8_ ).

My answer to the Lord Jesus is: "Yes, O **Righteous Judge** ,

please make me faithful until your return. I believe, please help my

unbelief."

**«** March 7 **»**

King of Israel

"Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the **King of Israel**!"

_John 1:49_

Most Christians remember Peter's bold declaration of faith, "You

are the Christ, the Son of the living God" ( _Matthew 16:16_ ), but

Nathaniel's equally strong affirmation that Jesus was the Messiah is often

over-looked, even though it was given a year or two before the other. It

might be because Nathaniel is called Bartholomew in the other gospels or

because " **King of Israel** " is not recognized for what it is: a messianic

title.

The Lord Jesus is a king many times over. When He returns to

this planet, He will have to sit through many coronation ceremonies.

He'll be crowned King of kings, King of Peace, King of Righteousness,

King of the Jews, and King of the Saints. However, before any of these

other honors can be bestowed, He will be given His long overdue

position of **King of Israel**.

When King David crossed back over the Jordan after fleeing

Absalom's rebellion, the tribe of Judah insisted that they be the first to

welcome back the king, because they were His kinsmen.

In the same way, the redeemed of every nation are ready to shout

Hosanna and crown their Savior, King of the whole earth, but first and

foremost the converted Jewish nation will receive their Messiah as the

**King of Israel**.

_Crown Him with many crowns_

__

_The Lamb upon His throne;_

__

_Hark how the heavenly anthem drowns_

__

_All music but its own._

__

_Awake, my soul, and sing_

__

_Of Him who died for thee_

_And hail Him as thy matchless King_

__

_Through all eternity._

Matthew Bridges (1800-1893)

_*see also Isaiah 44:6; Matthew 27:42; Mark 15:32; John 12:13_

**«** March 8 **»**

Faithful

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And

He who sat on him _was_ called **Faithful** and True,

and in righteousness He judges and makes war."

_Revelation 19:11*_

When the word " **faithful** " first came into the Middle English in the

thirteenth century, it meant "full of faith." Over the centuries, the meaning

has somehow morphed into "reliable, truthful, and true to one's promises."

The Lord Jesus is **faithful** , so He is all of the above. As author of

faith ( _Hebrews 12:2_ ), He is the source and supplier of the believer's faith.

Since Christ can be counted on and relied upon, He becomes a worthy object

of faith that results in the production of faith among His people.

Before anyone can understand being **faithful,** he must first

understand faith. Simply put, faith is agreeing with God in thoughts, actions,

and attitudes. It's saying to the Almighty God, "Yes Sir, that's right; let's do

it." True faith always demands a response.

Geometry is taught in Math class, but it is really an exercise in

logic. Nobody really cares about how long a line is or how many degrees are

in a certain angle, but everyone needs to know how to reach a logical

conclusion. This is where if/then thinking is taught. If A=B and B=C then

A=C. This makes sense in mathematics, and in the spiritual realm.

•

If we died with Christ, then we believe that we shall also live with

Him ( _Romans 6:8_ ).

•

If anyone _is_ in Christ, then he _is_ a new creation ( _2 Cor. 5:17_ ).

•

If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, then he is not His

( _Romans.8:9_ ).

•

If Christ _is_ in you, then the body _is_ dead ( _Romans 8:10_ ).

•

If [we are] children [of God], then heirs --- then heirs of God and

joint heirs with Christ ( _Romans 8:17_ ).

•

If God _is_ for us, then who _can be_ against us? ( _Romans 8:31_ ).

We can have total/obedient faith in the Savior, because above all

else, He is **Faithful**.

_*see also Hebrews 10:23_

**«** March 9 **»**

One Who Lifts up

my Head

But You, O LORD, _are_ a shield for me, my

glory and **the One who lifts up my head**.

_Psalm 3:3_

_Hang down your head, Tom Dooley,_

_Hang down your head and cry,_

_Hang down your head, Tom Dooley,_

_Poor boy, you're bound to die._

From an American folk song

We've all done things we are not proud of. Worry, guilt, and

shame are heavy burdens that bow us down before the god of this world,

who deceived us into thinking that sin is fun. Some people never get over

it. They go through their lives with their heads hung down as slaves to

their own self-destruction. Others come to Jesus, who is **the One who**

**lifts up their heads**.

Christ is the one who is above it all: Above the hustle and bustle

of modern society, above the pettiness of what other people think, and

above the circumstances that complicate our lives and pull us down.

Jesus is the "High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose

name _is_ Holy: " I dwell in the high and holy _place,_ With him _who_ has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to

revive the heart of the contrite ones" ( _Isaiah 57:15_ ).

The Apostle Paul totally understood it: "Therefore I take

pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in

distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong

( _2 Corinthians 12:10_ ).

Things don't always go my way. I even remember failures from

thirty and forty years in the past and shudder. But then, I also remember

that Jesus took away my sin and my shame. He is **the One who lifts up**

**my head**.

**«** March 10 **»**

Son of the Highest

He will be great, and will be called the **Son of the Highest** ;

and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

_Luke 1:32_

Unexpected guests can be a joy to receive, if they are dear

friends that haven't been seen in a while, but as a general rule, visitors

that just pop in are stressful and interfere with the daily routine. That

angst would be increased if the interruption was caused by a stranger, and

then would be magnified even more if it was discovered that he was an

angel.

Mary had a messenger from God in her living room, and he was

talking about personal things, uncomfortable things. She was probably a

young teenager who had an arranged marriage in her future, but Gabriel

was talking to her about having a baby. He even had the name picked

out: "Jesus" ( _Luke 1:31_ ). All of this was overwhelming to say the least.

One interesting aspect of the angelic announcement was the

revelation that He "will be the **Son of the Highest**." Since this title is used nowhere else in scripture, the question begs to be asked: "Who is

going to call Him this and when?" Hints to the answer are given

elsewhere.

A few more verses down the line, the angel Gabriel says: "...the

power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One

who is to be born will be called the Son of God ( _Luke 1:35_ ).

A similar title is used by another non-human in Mark 5:7: "What

have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" Here, a fallen

angel is addressing Christ using a similar phrase.

God calls Himself the "High and Lofty One who inhabits

eternity" ( _Isaiah 57:15_ ). This title for God would be used not only by

people, but also by all the celestial principalities and powers. Therefore,

the holy messenger was actually telling the mother of Christ how Jesus is

referred to in heaven: "the **Son of the Highest**."

**«** March 11 **»**

Branch of the LORD

In that day the **Branch of the LORD** shall be beautiful and

glorious; And the fruit of the earth _shall be_ excellent and

appealing For those of Israel who have escaped.

_Isaiah 4:2_

Prophecy scholar I am not. It's hard to sort through all the

pieces and get them in their proper place. It could be compared to

finding a bunch of little animal bones in a field and then taking them

home to discover what they are. For me, analyzing and interpreting

prophecy is just that kind of challenge, although I would much prefer

re-articulating a mouse skeleton any day of the week.

That having been said, I've had to search out and study the

Old Testament prophets in search of titles of Christ. Many times, it is

not immediately apparent if the name is Messianic or refers to God

the Father. The **Branch of the LORD** , however, is one of the very easy

ones. It is like it has a neon sign beside it saying, "This is the

Messiah."

Isaiah prophesied at a time when the nation of Judah was in

decline. The Assyrian empire had conquered the Northern Kingdom

of Israel and laid waste most of the land around Jerusalem. The

prophet looked forward to a day when the land would flourish again,

when God's anointed would come.

Just as a branch grows out of a tree, the **Branch of the LORD**

is just an extension of God that comes out of Him and produces fruit

on the earth. The title is a very strong affirmation of the deity of the

Messiah and was given to bring hope and faith to God's people in a

time of desperation.

In Jesus' teaching of the true vine, believers are compared to

branches that draw strength and sustenance from Christ Himself.

When examining a tree, it's observed that a branch forks and divides

and then forks and divides again. Young Christians receive spiritual

nourishment from more mature disciples, who serve as channels of

grace from the Savior, who is the **Branch of the LORD**.

**«** March 12 **»**

Unchanging Lord

"For I _am_ the **LORD, I do not change** ;

Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob."

_Malachi 3:6_

When people list the attributes of God, immutability is usually

there. That is the stuffy, theological word meaning "unchanging." God's

character never changes, and that's a good thing. People, on the other

hand, can become happy or sad depending on the time of day, room

temperature, or their degree of hunger. Mood swings can happen in an

instant depending on circumstances, so immutability is not a human

quality.

The book of Hebrews describes the Lord Jesus: "Like a cloak

You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same,

And Your years will not fail _**"**_ ( _Hebrews 1:12_ ). As our great **Unchanging** **Lord** , He can be counted on to always be holy, loving, approachable,

understanding, forgiving, patient, available, comforting, and real. The

exciting thing about this is that He'll be the same way tomorrow and next

year. "Jesus Christ _is_ the same yesterday, today, and forever"

( _Hebrews 13:8_ ).

In the Muslim religion, Allah can change his mind and act

differently with different people because he is "almighty" and answerable

to no one. Although at times some Christians feel God has become

distant and unresponsive, it is the human heart that changes and not the

**Unchanging Lord**.

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;

The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;

Earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away;

Change and decay in all around I see;

O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

\- Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847)

**«** March 13 **»**

Leader and Commander

Indeed I have given him _as_ a witness to the

people, A **leader and commander** for the people.

_Isaiah 55:4_

As **Leader and Commander** , Christ must be followed and

obeyed. He needs to take over and control a person's life, or no

transformation can take place. Unfortunately, some people just want

to "invite Jesus into their heart" and expect Him to be a quiet, polite

guest who minds His own business and leaves them in charge of daily

activities. The bottom line is that they're still lost, because they don't

have the faith to believe that He is the boss and they must obey Him.

Jesus is the Way to Heaven, which is great, since no one else

knows how to get there. He's also the Leader for those who trust Him

to lead them...

....from a lost condition into one of positive direction.

....from a sin-cursed world into the New Jerusalem.

....from sorrow into joy.

....from loneliness into fellowship.

....from pain into healing.

....from dryness of spirit to the still waters.

A **leader** also commands troops into battle, **and** that connects

with the second part of the title: **Commander**. Christians are on the

winning side of a spiritual war waged against the devil and his hosts.

Unfortunately, many battles are lost, because many in the Lord's army

don't obey their orders. Many so-called believers call themselves

independent Christians who feel that obedience is optional, whether

to church leaders or to Christ, their Commander-in-Chief.

Salvation by grace through faith is one of the basic tenets of

Christianity, but it must be understood that faith is agreement with

God. It is saying, "Yes sir, I'll do what you say" to the **Leader and**

**Commander** of the Universe.

**«** March 14 **»**

Head of the Church

For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is

**head of the church** ; and He is the Savior of the body.

_Ephesians 5:23_

Most people define "church" as the building Christians use to do

whatever it is that Christians do. Structures have to sit on property, so

somewhere there is a title to the land and, on the bottom line of that title,

the name of the owner. The church itself might be deeded to an

organization, so the CEO or bishop or pope or person in charge of the

group would be considered the **head of the church**.

This line of thinking makes sense to most Americans, but that's

not how it is presented in the word of God. There, the church is

understood to be an assembly of believers in a certain place. They can

meet in a building or have a picnic together in a park. The church is still

the people and not the place. The universal church is not only made up of

every true believer everywhere in the world, it is the sum total of every

Christian that ever lived in every century since the day of Pentecost.

The church might be people and not a place, but it still has an

owner. The Lord Jesus bought every believer with His own blood and

claims them as His own. That clearly makes Him the **Head of the**

**Church** , which also gives Him authority over it.

The problem with titles is that they must be honored and

recognized, or they are meaningless. When Pontius Pilate presented Jesus

as king to the Jewish leaders and people, He really was the King of

Israel, even though they shouted Him down to be crucified. He was

rejected by His own people, so was not allowed to reign over them.

However, He will come again to claim His kingdom and wear the crown.

In the same way, "Christians" who don't obey or honor Christ's

authority will one day be sorted out. The true believers will be separated

from the false ones, and Christ will be hailed by the saints of all ages as

the **Head of the Church**.

**«** March 15 **»**

He who Holds the

Seven Stars

"To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, 'These things

says **He who holds the seven stars** in His right hand,

who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.

_Revelation 2:1_

If there was a file folder for unusual titles of Christ, **He who**

**holds the seven stars** would certainly go in it. Not even strong

Christians understand this title unless they are able to recognize the

context of the verse. It comes from the letter Christ dictates to the

Ephesian church, which appears in Revelation chapter 2 and refers to the

Apostle John's vision of the Lord in chapter 1. Here, the Savior is seen

holding seven stars, which are later explained as being the angels that

minister to the seven churches of Asia Minor ( _Revelation 1:16 and 20_ ).

John had a special burden for these churches in the later years of

his life, and their well-being was on his mind and in his prayers. Even

though the circumstances of these local churches were historical, they are

also seen as representing different periods of church history throughout

the ages, as well as representing different types of churches that can be

found at every point in time.

The glorified Son of Man identified Himself to the church of the

Ephesians as **He who holds the seven stars**. This church was doctrinally

sound and doing great works, but they had fallen out of love with the

One who had loved them unto death. The idea of the title is that Christ

has them in His hand and won't let them go. The name speaks of

possession and fellowship.

In scripture, the number seven symbolizes completeness, so the

idea is that He has every church in His hand. If someone is playing

poker, he is dealt five cards; when dealing with churches, a full hand is

seven.

Christ has his finger on the pulse of every local church

everywhere in the world at every moment. We have a very small

assembly of believers that meets in our home, but the Lord Jesus is here

even when only two or three are gathered together ( _Matthew 18:20_ ).

Knowing that makes it hard to stop loving **Him who Holds the Seven**

**Stars**.

**«** March 16 **»**

He Who Has

the Key of David

"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things

says He who is holy, He who is true, _"_ **He who has the key of David** _,_ _He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens."_

_Revelation 3:7_

Titles are descriptive and informative, but too many are

cumbersome. If a formal introduction of Elizabeth Windsor was

given, she'd be presented as: "Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by

the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions

beyond the Seas, Queen, Defender of the Faith, Duchess of

Edinburgh, Countess of Merioneth, Baroness Greenwich etc. etc."

Actually, the Queen has several hundred titles; if all the titles were

given, it would fill several pages. Normally, however, only about a

half dozen titles are given at any occasion, and those are chosen as

being the most appropriate for the audience.

When the Lord addressed the small, suffering church at

Philadelphia, He used the titles that communicated that He had power

to meet their needs. The believers there were having their outreach

shut down by persecution and the opposition seemed to completely

hem them in. The odds against them were so overwhelming, it was

like sending a young boy to fight against a giant.

Oh, wait a minute, I just remembered David and Goliath, and

that's what Jesus wanted the church of Philadelphia to remember, too.

Christ is **He who has the key of David** , and He can open the prison

cell that believers are put in. The Lord of lords has the power to open

any unlocked door and the power to intimidate a host of bullies.

David grew up the youngest in a large, poor family, but God

chose him, used him, and gave him unimaginable victory. That's

important to remember at a time of great stress or opposition. Jesus is

not only the Lamb of God, He is the **One who has the key of David**.

**«** March 17 **»**

Gracious

...if indeed you have tasted that the Lord _is_ **gracious**.

_1 Peter 2:3*_

**Gracious** \- I'm not really sure I know what this word means

in English, much less how to define it in Bible-speak.

The dictionary says that it refers to the qualities of someone

who is kind and courteous, such as a **gracious** host. OK, it might fit,

but Jesus is a lot more than just a nice guy.

The word actually entered the language with Middle English

around the 1300s and was borrowed from the French. It meant "filled

with God's grace." Now, that seems to be more like it. Jesus was

certainly "full of grace and truth" ( _John 1:14_ ).

It occurs a lot referring to God in the Old Testament

especially in the Psalms. Here there is a long string of other character

traits that are linked to the **gracious** LORD.

"But You, O Lord, _are_ a God full of compassion, and

**gracious** , longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth"

( _Psalm 86:15_ ).

"The LORD _is_ merciful and **gracious** , Slow to anger, and

abounding in mercy" ( _Psalm 103:8_ ).

"Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; _He is_

**gracious** , and full of compassion, and righteous" ( _Psalm 112:4_ ).

"So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the

LORD your God, For He _is_ **gracious** and merciful, Slow to anger, and

of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm" ( _Joel 2:13_ ).

I think I've got it now. When I look at Christ with the eyes of

faith, I can very clearly see the Grace of God. The Savior is filled

with God's grace which obviously makes Him **Gracious**.

_*see also Psalm 111:4, 116:5; 145:8 and 17_

**«** March 18 **»**

Overseer of your Souls

For you were like sheep going astray, but have now

returned to the Shepherd and **Overseer of your souls**.

_1 Peter 2:25_

Hearing the word "overseer" brings to mind images of a

white guy with a whip sitting on a horse scrutinizing black slaves

as they pick cotton. Or perhaps it's a line boss supervising

hundreds of factory workers to make sure they stay on task. In any

case, it doesn't seem like a fitting name of Christ.

This title in the Old King James Version is rendered,

"Bishop of your souls," which also has its own drawbacks. Here,

the stereotype is of a cleric in fancy robes who has the control of

church leaders. Again, the image is off the mark.

The original Greek word sounds a bit like "bishop," so the

translators of the KJV transliterated it to be that. The actual

translation is "one who watches over," and this word is associated

with the job of a shepherd. In that light, the title makes sense.

Jesus is the One who is looking out for the believers; He is the

**Overseer of Souls**.

The Greek word is sometimes translated overseer and

sometimes bishop a total of eight times in the NKJV, but only once

referring to Christ. The other seven instances are regarding elders

in the church. If church leaders care for and shepherd the flock of

God, then, in the same way, the Chief Shepherd watches over the

progress and welfare of the church.

Before David became King of Israel, he felt abandoned

and alone while hiding in a cave. He cried out to God in Psalm

142:4, saying, "Look on _my_ right hand and see, For _there is_ no one

who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my

soul." But then, David never knew Jesus, the **Overseer of Souls**.

**«** March 19 **»**

He Who has the Seven

Spirits of God

"And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says **He**

**who has the seven Spirits of God** and the seven stars: "I know your

works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

_Revelation 3:1_

This is a hard one. Although indisputably a name of Christ, I've

never seen this one in any other listing of the titles of the Lord. That's

probably because it is difficult to explain.

The Apostle John reminds his readers of his vision of the Triune

God in chapter one of Revelation. "...Grace to you and peace from Him who

is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are

before His throne, and from Jesus Christ..." ( _1:4-5_ ). Here, the Trinity is

portrayed: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The imagery is repeated in chapter four where the throne room of

heaven is in focus. The four living creatures chant, "Holy, holy, holy" to "the Lord God Almighty" who is seen as the One who sat on the throne (Father),

the Lamb (Christ), and the "seven lamps of fire [...] which are the seven

spirits of God" (Holy Spirit) ( _Revelation 4:5_ ). Here again, the threefold

nature of God is revealed.

Yes, it is understood that Jesus is the second person in the Trinity,

but there is another problem. Does the phrase, "seven spirits of God" mean

that the Holy Spirit is a committee formed by several lesser spirits? That is

certainly not the case.

The idea that comes across is the fullness of the Spirit. Seven is the

number of completeness and gives the idea of everything that is there. Seven

days are one full week. When a sailor boasts of having sailed the Seven Seas,

he's claiming to have been everywhere in the one great worldwide ocean.

When Christ is presented as **He who has the seven Spirits of God** ,

He is linked to the Holy Spirit and His deity is affirmed.

The church of Sardis had a name that was alive but was actually

spiritually lifeless. Such churches certainly exist today. They go through the

formalism of religion without ever having been born again. They desperately

need the Spirit of life to indwell them, but first they need to come to **Him**

**who has the Seven Spirits of God**.

**«** March 20 **»**

Shepherd of Israel

Give ear, O **Shepherd of Israel** , You who lead Joseph like a

flock; You who dwell _between_ the cherubim, shine forth!

_Psalm 80:1_

The Lord Jesus is the **Shepherd of Israel**. The chief priest and

scribes said as much when the wise men came to King Herod seeking the

Christ child: " _But you, Bethlehem,_ _in the land of Judah,_ _are not the least_ _among the rulers of Judah;_ _for out of you shall come a Ruler_ _who will_ _shepherd My people Israel"_ ( _Matthew 2:6_ ).

Even though the Savior healed the demon-possessed daughter of

the Canaanite woman, He first stated, "I was not sent except to the lost

sheep of the house of Israel." ( _Matthew 15:24_ ). Coming as the Root of

David, He came to shepherd the flock, before He could reign as king. But

the flock of Israel refused to follow the Christ. Even so, this Good

Shepherd gave His life for the sheep ( _John 10:11_ ).

With less than a week before the crucifixion, the Lamb of God

still desired to lead His flock although He used a different metaphor:

"...How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers

her chicks under _her_ wings..." ( _Matthew 23:37_ ).

Before the **Shepherd of Israel** could lead His sheep to the still

waters, He was struck down and the flock was scattered (Matthew 26:31).

That means that the title has yet to be fulfilled. Before the Jewish

Messiah can bring peace and reign over Israel, the children of Jacob

must acknowledge the sin of rejecting the Shepherd who came to

save them.

450 years of idolatry led to 70 years of the Babylonian captivity.

But rejecting the promised Messiah resulted in nineteen and a half

centuries without a Temple or means for atonement. The nation of Israel

today still rejects Yeshua (Jesus) as Maschiach (Messiah) so lasting

Shalom (peace) is not possible.

Please pray for the Peace of Jerusalem and that the Jewish

people can finally receive the promised **Shepherd of Israel**.

March 21 **»**

Judge of Israel

Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops;

He has laid siege against us; They will strike the

**Judge of Israel** with a rod on the cheek.

_Micah 5:1_

This title is exceedingly sad. I wish it weren't there. But,

the prophecy _is_ there and the Jewish people who have rejected

their Messiah will be condemned by the **Judge of Israel** whom

they struck down with a rod.

Today, if you disrespect a sitting judge, he could throw

you in jail for a week and hold you in contempt of court. What

would he do if you threatened him with physical force or

actually hit him? It certainly wouldn't be good.

The Jewish people have suffered greatly because they

crucified the One that God made both Christ and Lord

( _Acts 2:36_ ). Soon and very soon, the Lord Jesus will come again

to this planet and at that time many of His titles will be fulfilled.

Many sons of Israel will look upon Him Whom they Pierced

(Zachariah 12:10) and acknowledge Him as Savior. He will

finally be received as the "Mashiach" (Messiah) and as

Shepherd of Israel. Those who still harden their hearts at His

coming will find Him to be the **Judge of Israel**.

Yes, it is true that on that day, Satan, the Antichrist, and

the unbelieving Gentile nations will also be judged, but I don't

feel sorry for them. Israel and the Jewish people have always

been the apple of God's eye, and God longs to re-establish

fellowship with them.

Christ wants to be the "Shalom" (peace) of Israel, not

the **Judge of Israel**. Please pray for revival to come to the

Jewish people. **«** March 22 **»**

Second Man

The first man _was_ of the earth, _made_ of dust;

the **second Man** _is_ the Lord from heaven.

_1 Corinthians 15:47_

Contrary to conventional wisdom, the theory of the evolution of

living organisms cannot be seen occurring today, nor can it be

demonstrated in the fossil records. However, there is an evolutionary

process that is clearly evident: the automotive industry.

I was in college in 1967 when the Chevrolet Camaro first came

out. It was a muscle car that immediately became popular, but the

demands of consumers changed over time and so did the Camaro. Today,

the "Fifth Generation" of this car is available in showrooms, which

means that the original design has gone through five major engineering

overhauls at General Motors. That included hundreds of thousands of

tweaks and adjustments. The hundreds of engineers who worked on the

project would argue that it was all accomplished by intelligent design and

nothing was left to mere chance.

God did an excellent job when He created human beings. Adam

was the first man, and that same make and model is still available

everywhere on the planet today. However, there is one major flaw with

the design - the sin problem. The good news is that the product has been

recalled and each one needs to go back to their Creator for an upgrade.

People are put together exclusively with dust, atoms, and energy

that come from a sin-cursed world - Earth. What is needed is a complete

core exchange that doesn't come from around here (i.e. it needs to be

heavenly).

Christ Jesus is the **Second Man** , and He is the Lord from

Heaven. He came to this world with the express purpose of fixing the

problem and making a permanent upgrade available to everyone who

requests it. "Therefore, if anyone _is_ in Christ, _he is_ a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new"

( _2 Corinthians 5:17_ ).

**«** March 23 **»**

Redemption

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became

for us wisdom from God --- and righteousness

and sanctification and **redemption**.

_1 Corinthians 1:30_

To modern Americans, **redemption** is little more than

buying back a wedding ring or set of power tools from the pawn

shop. There is not a lot of risk involved, and losses are not

disastrous. However, in past history, failure to pay off a debt could

result in years in prison, a lifetime of slavery, or worse.

In Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, Antonio, a

cash-poor but wealthy ship owner cosigns a loan from a

businessman who holds deep resentment towards him. The loan is

without interest, but if it isn't paid back in full by a certain date, the

adversary demands a "pound of flesh." Antonio loses his ships in a

storm and has nothing to pay with on the day of reckoning. Even

when others offer double the original sum, the lender is not

satisfied and demands that the contract be followed to the letter.

Satan wants far more than a pound of flesh from every

man, woman, and child. He wants their souls to suffer the torments

of hell along with him forever. Sinful man is the property, and the

**redemption** price is unimaginable torment and suffering. When

Christ was rejected by His nation, betrayed by a friend, mocked

and beaten by thugs, whipped until His back was raw, and then

nailed to a cross to die, He redeemed the whole human race. Our

freedom from hell and the bondage of sin wasn't cheap.

People blame God for eternal judgment in the lake of fire,

but He is not the responsible one. Sinners are debtors to Satan, and

he is the one who demands that the wages of sin be paid in full. It

is the Lord Jesus Christ, on the other hand, who offers to be their

**Redemption**.

**«** March 24 **»**

Righteous

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you

may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate

with the Father, Jesus Christ the **righteous**.

_1 John 2:1_

Absolute zero is minus 459.67 degrees on the Fahrenheit

scale - that sounds pretty precise, but no one has ever been able

to ever get something that cold, because it is the total absence of

all heat. It would make atoms completely stop moving.

To be totally free from sin is to be **righteous**. Living in a

sinful world with all the lusts and evil thoughts that abound

here, righteousness is a concept that is approached rather than

obtained. The Christian life is the process of working with God

to crucify the sinful human nature by working with God to live

righteously ( _Galatians 5:24-25_ ). This may be an impossible-to-

reach goal this side of heaven, but each believer is encouraged

to get as close to it as he can.

Christ is the only one who is truly **Righteous**. He never

had a bad attitude, flew off the handle, made poor choices, nor

snapped under pressure. Everything He thought, felt, or did was

totally right. As God, He could not do wrong, but even in His

human capacity, He chose to be sinless.

Believers become more and more **righteous** as they

progressively conform to the image of God's Son ( _Romans_

_8:29_ ). It's not easy to keep one's thoughts on everything that is

true, noble, just, pure, and lovely ( _Philippians 4:8_ ), but Jesus

certainly did. When Christians have the mind of Christ

( _2 Corinthians 2:16_ ), they are able to do that also. They begin

to be **righteous** even as He is **Righteous**.

**«** March 25 **»**

Minister of the

Sanctuary

Now _this is_ the main point of the things we are saying: We have

such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne

of the Majesty in the heavens, a **Minister of the sanctuary** and

of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.

_Hebrews 8:1-2_

Many ministers are overpaid and under-worked!...or at least

that's what some people think. They see the preacher give two or three

half-hour sermons each week and a few times a year speak at a

wedding or a funeral. They think that is all they do, and they wish that

they had it so easy.

Although there are lazy people in any profession, preaching is

just the tip of the iceberg for most Christian workers. Most of what a

true servant of God does never comes into the public view. Hours are

often spent discipling others, making phone calls, and doing

visitation. More time yet is spent in prayer, meditation, and Bible

study. What ministers do to be holy is the key to what they do, even if

it isn't seen or appreciated by others.

Christ Jesus, in His capacity as High Priest, atoned for the

sins of every believer on the cross. He continues to intercede on their

behalf and separate each believer for service for God. After this world

is dissolved, the Lord will become **Minister of the sanctuary** in the

New Jerusalem. What exactly He'll be doing isn't revealed, but Jesus

isn't lazy, and there will be much to do. Worship will be a constant

activity, and the True Tabernacle will be up and running. Whatever

will be done there was foreshadowed in the books of Exodus and

Leviticus regarding Moses' Tabernacle of meeting. A lot of the

imagery of the Old Testament will finally make sense in that coming

time and plac.

In heaven we'll be able to see the Throne of Grace, streets of

polished gold, and real-live cherubim. We'll also see our glorified

Lord and Savior there serving as the **Minister of the Sanctuary**.

**«** March 26 **»**

Head of Every Man

_But I want you to know that the **head of every man** is Christ, _

_the head of woman is_ man, and the head of Christ _is_ God.

_1 Corinthians 11:3_

Spoiler alert!! Today's meditation is clearly politically incorrect.

You may want to skip over it if you are easily offended, or if you don't

want your preconceived ideas to be challenged.

Most other commentaries on the titles of Christ put a period

where the first comma is and then leave off the whole rest of the verse.

That way, they can avoid controversy and explain the phrase out of

context without ruffling any feathers. They simply say that Jesus is

everybody's boss, whether male or female, and we all ought to obey Him.

I guess I can't argue with the conclusion, but that's not what it says in this

verse or chapter.

The section that the title comes from is dealing with male and

female roles in the Christian home. The man and woman in the verse are

husband and wife. The husband is tapped to be the spiritual head in the

family and submits to Christ, just as Jesus submitted to the Father when

he said "...not My will, but Yours, be done" ( _Luke 22:42_ ). When it says,

"the **head of every man** is Christ," it means that the father of the family is responsible for his household following the Lord and is directly

accountable to Him. The part that says, "the head of the woman is man"

means that the wife is to support her husband in building the Christian

home by submitting to him.

Obviously, this teaching rubs people the wrong way, even to the

point of having some churches teach that 1 Corinthians chapter 11 was

the culture of the day and therefore is not relevant to our modern society.

That's interesting, because they still accept 1 Corinthians 11:1 where Paul

says, "Imitate me, just as I also _imitate_ Christ."

If somebody is your boss, you do what he says; you don't just

blow him off by saying, "We don't do that anymore." The bottom line is:

the **Head of Every Man** is Christ.

**«** March 27 **»**

Head Over All

Things to the Church

And He put all _things_ under His feet, and

gave Him _to be_ **head over all _things_** **to the church**.

_Ephesians 1:22_

The Apostle Paul just finished a seven-verse, 166-word prayer for

the Ephesian church that was all contained in just one sentence. The old

missionary focused on the beauties of Christ as he asked God to reveal a

better knowledge of the Savior to the believers. It was the sentence prayer

that seemed to never end, and by the time he finally got to he period, Paul

still hadn't gotten to the bottom line. He added it in this verse: They needed

to know that Jesus was the **Head over All Things to the Church**.

Christ certainly isn't over all things to the world, because He isn't

their Lord. Satan is the god of this age ( _2 Corinthians 4:4_ ), but people also

follow a pantheon of lesser gods that include prosperity, power, passion, and

pride. It's no wonder that people today seem confused and pulled in different

directions.

It's not supposed to be that way for the body of Christ. The Lord is

**Head over All Things to the Church** and supplies and equips every believer

for every situation ( _Ephesians 1:23_ ). Jesus is the facilitator of every

committee, Head-pastor over the head-pastor, as well as the CEO over every

program, project, and person in the church. Well, it doesn't always happen

that way, but that is how it's supposed to be.

True, sometimes He is not acknowledged as **Head over All Things**

**to the Church**. Some local churches operate by tradition. They've always

done things a certain way so long, there's no need for Jesus to give them

direction now. In some places, the pastor does everything. Why should the

congregation have to do anything? "After all, that's what he is paid for."

Sometimes, even the preacher can go on for years recycling old sermons, so

no inspiration or divine guidance is ever needed.

That's probably why Paul had to remind the Ephesians that Jesus is

the **Head over All Things to the Church**. He's in charge; He bought it; He

directs it. It would probably be a good idea for those who are a part of it to

ask the Guy-in-charge what He wants them to do.

**«** March 28 **»**

Drink Offering

So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, a pillar

of stone; and he poured a **drink offering** on it, and he poured oil on it.

_Genesis 35:14*_

After Jacob had a vision of a ladder to heaven, he set up a rock as a

pillar and then poured oil on it as an act of worship ( _Genesis 28:18_ ). More

than 20 years later, Jacob returned to the same spot and again poured out oil.

This was long before Moses gave instructions for **drink offerings,** but in

every case, three aspects of sacrifice are always present.

1. Poured out - When a liquid is poured out on the ground, it never

can be retrieved again for anything useful. The world would look on this as a

waste, but the **drink offering** was a free-will offering given in gratitude to

God. The Apostle Paul poured out his life in service for the gospel of Christ

and considered it a sacrifice that he was joyfully willing to give

( _Philippians 2:17_ ).

2. Precious - Oil and wine are not cheap. A quart and a half of wine

was poured out every morning and every evening in the daily sacrifices and

then much more was given on top of that for feast days and public worship.

David once poured out water as a **drink offering,** because his three mighty

men risked their lives to break into a Philistine garrison to get him a jug of

water. David said that it represented the life's blood of his men and it was too

precious to drink. Instead, he poured it out in worship to God.

3. Praise - as a part of the grain offering, the **drink offering** was

included in the sweet-smelling sacrifices that the LORD delighted in. It had

nothing to do with sin and transgression and everything to do with worship

and appreciation. The liquid of this sacrifice was usually wine, which was

sipped and then had the rest poured out to God, as if both the creature and

the Creator were making a toast together.

The Lord Jesus Christ freely gave His life as a **Drink Offering** to

the Father. On the cross of Calvary, the Savior poured out His precious blood

to save the human race of their sins, for the praise of the glory of God.

_*used 66 times in various ways in scripture._

**«** March 29 **»**

Root of David

But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the

Lion of the tribe of Judah, the **Root of David** , has prevailed

to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals."

_Revelation 5:5_

A large variety of vegetation can be transplanted with just a small

piece of root. The new plant will have all the characteristics of its parent,

although the size and shape might differ greatly.

The Lord Jesus was the **Root of David,** and the parallels between

the two are remarkable.

**Characteristic**

**David**

**Christ**

**Birthplace:**

Bethlehem

Bethlehem

...for having both a

...for being thought to

**Gossip Material...**

prostitute and a foreigner in be conceived out of

family tree

wedlock

Shepherd of Israel

**Early Occupation:**

Shepherd of sheep

( _Matthew 15:24_ )

...by the prophet Samuel to ...by the Holy Spirit to

**Anointed...**

be King of Israel

be Christ of God

...by his disciple and

**Betrayal...**

...by his own son, Absalom close friend, Judas

Iscariot

The mob in Pilate's

Lived through two civil

court shouted for their

**Rejected King:**

wars (with Isbosheth and

King to be crucified

Absalom)

( _Matthew 27:22_ )

Is the well pleasing,

A man after the Lord's own

**Relationship to God:**

beloved Son of God

heart ( _1 Samuel 13:14_ )

( _Matthew 17:5_ )

Come O **Root of David** and reign on the throne of the son of Jesse.

_*see also Revelation 22:16_

_**«** _ March 30 _**»**_

Him Who is From

the Beginning

I write to you, fathers, Because you have known **Him who is from**

**the beginning**. I write to you, young men, Because you have

overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you

have known the Father. _1_

_John 2:13_

One of the few perks about being old is the right to say "been

there, done that." I went to school in the 1950s before ballpoint pens

were invented and we still used fountain pens. I ate at McDonald's

restaurants before they served 50 million, and I remember the

introduction of the Ford Mustang back in 1964. When young people

today think these things have been around forever, I feel like him

who's been around from the beginning.

The Apostle John addressed the church fathers as the oldest

and wisest men in the assembly. They had been around for a long time

and could certainly teach the young people a thing or two. But John

needed to remind them of their true sense of maturity; they knew **Him**

**who is from the Beginning**.

The Lord Jesus was around before the wheel and the campfire

was invented. He existed before the earth was formed and before the

very first star got fired up. Before time began, there were no reference

points to the universe, but things still happened back there. The

angels, principalities, and powers were created and God sat on His

throne. Christ was around back then too, but it is just called "Eternity

past."

When God finally got around to making matter and energy,

time was invented simultaneously. The moment that happened is

called "the Beginning." Christ got the clock ticking. He was **Him**

**who is from the Beginning**.

_*see also 1 John 2:14; 1:1_

**«** March 31 **»**

Foolishness

But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the

Greeks **foolishness** ,

_1 Corinthians 1:23_

Have you ever noticed that many people don't respond well to the

gospel of Christ Jesus? The Apostle Paul observed "For the message of the

cross is **foolishness** to those who are perishing, but to us who are being

saved it is the power of God" ( _1 Corinthians 1:18_ ). In other words, its folly,

nonsense, insanity, irrationality, idiocy, foolhardiness, silliness, indiscretion,

imprudence, and dumpidity! – That's OK, they're allowed to think about

Christ that way; but they are wrong.

The ancient Greeks were renowned for their philosophy and

intellectual debate. Even Paul was invited to speak at the prestigious

Areopagus when the Stoics and Epicureans got wind that he espoused a new

religion ( _Acts 12_ ). People who don't know the one, true God are usually on

the lookout for new and improved gods. The apostle's dissertation was going

well until he got to the part about Christ's resurrection from the dead. At this

point some members of the intelligentsia started to mock him and others got

up and left. They were too sophisticated to entertain thoughts that were

illogical or supernatural. They deemed it **foolishness**.

God must just "roll His eyes" when He sees men and women who

think that they are smarter than He is. "For it is written: 'I will destroy the

wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.'

Where _is_ the wise? Where _is_ the scribe? Where _is_ the disputer of this age?

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the

wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased

God through the **foolishness** of the message preached to save those who

believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom" ( _1_

_Corinthians 1:19-22_ ).

An awful lot of very smart people in this world believe that the only

way to know anything in this world is through empirical research, deductive

reasoning, or diagnostic analysis. Problem is, no one will find Christ or

eternal life that way. The Savior is only experienced through faith, so He is

considered as **Foolishness** to the academic elite. That's too bad, because they

will feel very foolish themselves at the Great White Throne of God.

**«** April 1 **»**

Chief Cornerstone

Have you not even read this Scripture: "The stone which the builders

rejected has become the **chief cornerstone.** _This was the_

_L_ ORD' _s_ _doing,_ _and it is marvelous in our eyes_?"

_Mark 12: 10, 11*_

**Chief Cornerstone** – a really important title – used eight times

in scripture – Christ quoted from the Old Testament to refer to Himself in

this way – I need to understand this one; I need to get it right!

After Peter and John healed the lame man in the temple, they

were arrested and taken before the Sanhedrin. Peter then tells them that

they crucified the Christ but God raised him from the dead. He then says:

"This is the stone which was rejected by you builders which has become

the **chief cornerstone"** ( _Acts 4:11_ ). The next verse is just as significant:

"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under

heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

The Jewish leaders rejected their Messiah, because He wasn't

like them and didn't fit their mold. Yet God, the grand architect of the

church chose the Savior to be the chief building block that pulled all the

other pieces together.

The modern concept of a cornerstone isn't exactly in the corner

and is not indispensable for the design. This image not only doesn't

work, it's confusing. A better comparison would be that of the capstone

of a pyramid. It is probably made first and laid last. It can't fit anywhere

else in the structure, yet the whole blueprint was engineered so that the

capstone could turn it into a Wonder of the World.

Christ's position as the **Chief Cornerstone** was planned before

the foundation of the world and He pulls together all the saints in every

country and every age to build the church. Without this "stone that the

builders rejected" everything would fall apart, because He is the

indispensable " **Chief Cornerstone**.

*see also Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:42; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11;

Ephesians 2:20; and 1 Peter 2:6,7

**«** April 2 **»**

Master

And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, " **Master, Master** , we

are perishing!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of
the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm.

_Luke 8:24_

**Master** : the title of a slave owner. We don't like to think of

Christ in that light, but it is what it is. Slaves obey their **masters** ; it's part

of their job description. When Jesus told the wind and waves to cease

raging, the elements immediately obeyed Him. He was their **Master**.

It is more politically correct to think of Jesus as a master teacher.

The title would be more like an academic degree than the designation of

a slave owner. But such is not the case. When a disciple vowed to follow

his **master** , he voluntarily became an indentured servant, giving up his

liberty; He had to obey whatever he was told to do. The **master** didn't

pay the disciple, but he'd provide for him and protect him. That is why

when the disciples were in a sinking ship, they cried out to their Master

to take charge.

In this analogy, if Christ is the **Master** , His followers are His

slaves. It is not a bad comparison, because everyone is a slave to

something. "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves

slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of

sin _leading_ to death, or of obedience _leading_ to righteousness?"( _Romans_ _6:16_ ).

A drug addict self-destructs, not because he or she has made a

wrong choice, but because s/he has no choice. Anger, bitterness, grief,

and depression are all terrible task-masters. The Lord Jesus would like to

buy us out and change ownership. "Flee sexual immorality. Every sin

that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual

immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your

body is the temple of the Holy Spirit _who is_ in you, whom you have from

God, and you are not your own?" ( _1 Corinthians 6:19, 20_ ).

What a wonderful truth this is! I can be enslaved by my

passions, greed and pride, or I can serve Christ who gave His life for

mine. It's a no-brainer. I'll go with the **Master** of the universe.

**«** April 3 **»**

Lord Jesus

Then they went in and did not find the body of the **Lord**

**Jesus**.

_Luke 24:3_

It may be just a curious piece of Bible trivia, but it is

interesting that although the title **Lord Jesus** is used 118 times

in 115 verses, it appears only once in the gospels, and that is

only after the resurrection.

The realization that Jesus was Lord didn't have its

fullest impact until after He conquered sin, death, and hell. After

that it was hard to say the name "Jesus" without owning Him as

Lord.

When I was growing up, there were certain words that I

never heard. I can't ever remember my dad saying "Sunday." It

was always "the Lord's Day." I also can't remember my mom

ever referring to Jesus. He was always "the **Lord Jesus**."

Mom slipped more quickly into Alzheimer's after Dad

passed away. The gracious lady who was known for saying "I

love you" to all the attendants who cared for her in the nursing

home eventually wasn't able to recognize family or friends.

Dementia took away her sharp wit, so towards the end, Mom

could say only three words: "Love," " **Lord Jesus** ," and "potty."

All the complexities of life were reduced to the bare

basics: The emotional, the spiritual, and the physical. The thing

that really impressed me in all of this, however, was that she

called out " **Lord Jesus** " as if it were one word. Her simple

mind got to the lowest common denominator and she could

divide it no more. In that, she taught me a great spiritual truth.

Jesus is nothing if He isn't Lord.

**«** April 4 **»**

Great High Priest

Seeing then that we have a **great High Priest** who has passed through

the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast _our_ confession.

_Hebrews 4:14_

Like presidents and popes, the position of high priest was the

highest station anyone could attain. Yet not everyone even had a chance

at the office. They had to be a descendant of Israel, a member of the tribe

of Levi and a direct descendant of Aaron. Still, out of the very few that

qualified, only one was anointed high priest.

Although the position was singular, scores of individuals have

entered this confraternity of supreme Jewish clerics over the centuries.

Even so, all of them together are nothing more than a copy and shadow

of Him who was to come: The **Great High Priest**.

There were no chairs in the temple or tabernacle for the high

priest to sit down. His was the duty of serving and not the privilege of

fellowship. Once a year without fail, the high priest needed to make

atonement for God's people. He would go into the Holy of Holies,

sprinkle the blood, and get out. What seemed to them an end in itself was

only a harbinger of better things to come.

When Christ offered His own blood to atone for the sins of the

world, He did it once and for all and then, sat down on the throne on

high. There would never be a successor. He is the **Great High Priest**.

_O God, we come with singing,_

_Because the **great High Priest**_

_Our names to Thee is bringing,_

_Nor e're forgets the least:_

_For us He wears the mitre,_

_Where holiness shines bright,_

_For us His robes are whiter_

_Than heav'ns unsullied light_

_Mary Bowley Peters (1813-1856)_

**«** April 5 **»**

High Priest

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such

a **High Priest** , who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty

in the heavens.....For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since

there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law;who serve the copy

and shadow of the heavenly things....

_Hebrews 8:1, 4, 5_

No one in the Old Testament got closer to God than the **High**

**Priest**. Endowed with great privilege and responsibility, he was allowed to

enter into the presence of the LORD once a year and advocate for a sinful

people before a most Holy God. The title is used 74 times in scripture, most

often in the Old Testament, but ten of those times the reference clearly

speaks of Christ and all of those occur in the Epistle to the Hebrews.

Hebrews explains how Temple sacrifices and rituals were

"shadows" (i.e. clues and illustrations) that help us understand what God is

doing on planet earth through Christ Jesus. So then, all seventy-four

mentions of **high priest** sheds some light on God's Anointed and the ten

direct references bring it into detailed view. The distinction is similar to the

difference of a man standing in the sunlight and the shadow that he casts.

Aaron and his high priestly descendants interceded for God's

people. That's what Jesus came to do. "Therefore He is also able to save to

the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to

make intercession for them. For such a **High Priest** was fitting for us, _who_

_is_ holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher

than the heavens: who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up

sacrifices first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once

for all when He offered up Himself"( _Hebrews 7:25-27_ ).

As **High Priest** , Christ was given the job to atone for our sins. He

did that well and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Now, He

continues to stand in the gap for His people and intercedes for us before the

throne of God against anyone who would bring a charge against God's cho-

sen people.

**«** April 6 **»**

Ancient of Days

I watched till thrones were put in place, And the **Ancient of**

**Days** was seated; His garment _was_ white as snow, And the hair of

His head _was_ like pure wool. His throne _was_ a fiery flame, Its

wheels a burning fire.

_Daniel 7:9*_

Jesus wasn't born yesterday. He didn't even come into

existence some 2,000 years ago. He always was as He is now.

The Bible never speaks of the origin of Christ. As the prophet

Micah put it, His "goings forth have been from old, from

everlasting" ( _Micah 5:2_ ).

To some the phrase the **Ancient of Days** summons up

thoughts of antiquity and being out of date, but that misses the

whole thrust of the title. The idea is not about age, but rather

about the ageless character of Christ. He never grows old,

impatient, or unconcerned. He is the same yesterday, today, and

forever (i.e. always young and lovely). As David said it in Psalm

110, "You have the dew of youth."

The Lord is as fresh as the sunrise, even though that too

has an ancient origin. Yet, Christ's energy will be just as strong,

long after the sun has run out of fuel. As **Ancient of Days,** He can

remember other suns long since extinct, but His own brightness

has diminished not at all.

The years are unkind to human flesh and the centuries

crumble away civilizations. But, to the Lord, "one day is a

thousand years and a thousand years one day"(2 Peter 3:8). Time

soon will become irrelevant. When everything in this world seems

to be in a state of flux, there is great comfort in knowing that the

Christian can go to One who never changes – **The Ancient of**

**Days.**

**«** April 7 **»**

Lord of Hosts

Therefore say to them, "Thus says the **LORD of hosts** : 'Return to Me,' says

the **LORD of hosts** , 'and I will return to you,' says the **LORD of hosts**."

_Zechariah 1:3_

Zechariah truly got it; this is an important title of God. Used 235 times in

the Old Testament, it conveys power and authority. The International Standard

Version translates this phrase " **LORD of the heavenly armies**." This view of God

sees him backed up by an innumerable force of fighting angels. No power in the

universe can stand against Him.

The title clearly belongs to God, but is it also clear that it pertains to God

the Son (a.k.a the Lord Jesus Christ)? Well...yes, of course. Just examine how the

name links to verses that obviously describe the Messiah.

"Then the moon will be disgraced and the sun ashamed; For the **LORD of**

**hosts** will reign On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before His elders, gloriously"

( _Isaiah 24:23_ ).

"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the **LORD of**

**hosts** : ' I _am_ the First and I _am_ the Last; Besides Me _there is_ no God'" ( _Isaiah 44:6_ ).

"'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says

the **LORD of hosts** , 'and in this place I will give peace,' says the **LORD of hosts** "

( _Haggai 2:9_ ).

"Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall

become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that

the **LORD of hosts** has sent Me to you" ( _Zechariah 2:11_ ).

When Christ comes at the final day of judgment with the assembled armies

of heaven, the whole world will acknowledge that Jesus is the **LORD of hosts.**

They bound the hands of Jesus

In the garden where He prayed;

They led Him thro' the streets in shame.

They spat upon the Savior so pure and free from sin;

They said, "Crucify Him; He's to blame."

He could have called ten thousand angels,

To destroy the world and set Him free.

He could have called ten thousand angels,

But He died alone, (alone), for you and me.

_****_ Ray Overholt (1924-2008)

**«** April 8 **»**

Branch

Then speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying:

"Behold, the Man whose name is the **BRANCH**! From His place He shall

branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD.'"

_Zechariah 6:12*_

As unusual as it sounds, **Branch** was a well-recognized term for

the Messiah, used four times by Old Testament prophets. First century

Jews understood the meaning, but last century folks like us usually

wrestle with the sense of it.

In an agricultural society the orchard is as important as the gar-

den or herds of livestock. Fruit, oil, nuts, and berries come from trees, so

caring for them is a basic life-skill. Planting, pruning, grafting, and

harvesting all involve knowing something about branches.

Isaiah 11:1 tells us: "There shall come forth a Rod from the stem

of Jesse, And a **Branch** shall grow out of his roots." Obviously a branch

is a living thing that grows out of a tree's trunk. **Branch** -like shoots also

come out of the roots to make new trees, but what is this idea that

a **branch** comes out of a rod?

I've learned a lot about the simple things of life having lived in

the Amazon rainforest for many years. In a land where rainfall can

exceed 200 inches of rain per year, literally everything rots. Leather

shoes grow mold within a week and fence posts decompose at the base in

less than six months. This is a problem, because the jungle people need

to keep their small herds of 6-12 cows fenced in to keep them safe. They

will take their machete and cut several pointy-ended sticks which they

will thrust into the damp ground. Within weeks those sticks have leaves

and roots and within a few months the long, slender, new trees are strong

enough to support barbed wire.

Jesus was the **Branch** that was cut down and cast away, but He

sprung to life again and produces fruit for all who believe.

_*See also Isaiah 4:2; 11:1, Zechariah 3:8_

**«** April 9 **»**

Him Who Spoke on

Earth

See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not

escape who refused **Him who spoke on earth** , much more _shall_

_we not escape_ if we turn away from Him who _speaks_ from heaven...

_Hebrews 12:25_

This verse comes across as a stern warning: "Listen to what

God says." In one way, this is the theme of Hebrews. The book opens

with, "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time

past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us

by _His_ Son" ( _Hebrews 1:1-2_ ). It goes on to say, "For if the word

spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and

disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we

neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by

the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard _Him_ "

( _Hebrews 2:2-3_ ).

The whole idea is that God held people accountable to listen

to and obey Him in the Old Testament, whether His message came

through prophets or angels. Now, the stakes are much higher. God has

given a new covenant, a much better deal, to the human race. Eternal

life and death are at stake, so God Incarnate came Himself to present

the offer. Not to listen would be a terrible mistake.

Yet millions of people rejected the message and refused **Him**

**who spoke on earth**. The writer to the Hebrews was concerned about

those who heard and ignored the Living Word of God while He taught

on earth. Their fate was already sealed, and it was too late for most of

them. How much worse the judgment on those who refused the

conviction of the Holy Spirit at a time when He was turning the world

upside-down!

God spoke and there was the Word. To reject Him is to reject

eternal life. To believe on Him is to listen to and obey **Him who**

**spoke on earth**.

**«** April 10 **»**

Creator

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

_Genesis 1:1_

__ "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on

earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities

or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him."

_Colossians 1:16_

God was from the very beginning; before anything else, before time

and space, and before matter and energy, there was God. That is the starting

point, not earth, not the universe. They came from God, not God from them,

so you start with God. He is the giver. He is the origin. He is **Creator.**

An atom can be weighed and a scientist knows how many nanos are

in a second. The starting point is what is known. From there, the unknown

can be extrapolated.

An Indian arrowhead is nothing more than an odd shaped piece of

flint. Each one of the hundred or so chips out of the rock could be formed by

a random act of erosion, yet no educated person would conclude that is what

happened. The size, shape, symmetry, balance, and material allude to utility

and function. The logical conclusion is that it was made by someone smarter

than the rock itself.

To say that the universe started with a Big Bang and gravity and

forces of nature formed it into what we can observe now is ludicrous.

Whatever was the supposed core of the Big Bang was never observed,

measured, or reproduced in the laboratory. It's unknown. What actually can

be proved is nothing comes from nothing (∅ ∅). If matter didn't exist

before the Big Bang, then gravity, inertia, and energy didn't exist either.

Scientists are forced to say that someone or something was out there before

the universe existed, but whatever it was, they don't want to acknowledge

Jesus as God.

Without trying to prove that God exists, the Bible states a simple

fact: "God created the heavens and the earth." We can also see in scripture

that Jesus Christ is God (John 1:1; Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 1:17; 3:16, etc.).

Therefore, if God is **Creator** and Christ is God, then Christ is also **Creator**.

As Colossians 1:16 confirms, "All things were created through Him and for

Him."

**«** April 11 **»**

The Just

But you denied the Holy One and **the Just** , and asked for a

murderer to be granted to you.

_Acts 3:14*_

Some time after Peter healed the lame man in the temple,

he preached a powerful sermon to those who gathered there to

marvel. All, or certainly most, of the crowd would have been

present to see the crucifixion just a few months before and would

have heard rumors of the resurrection. The former fisherman

turned evangelist pointed out that Jesus was really the Holy One

and **the Just** who they traded off for a murderer. More than a few

in that group would have been part of the mob that cried out:

"Away with _Him,_ away with _Him!_ Crucify Him!" Pilate said

to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered,

"We have no king but Caesar!" _(John 19:15)._

The title "Holy One" labeled the One whose blood was on

their hands as the Messiah and **the Just** meant He was innocent;

He was not guilty of any crime. The Holy Spirit must have used

those titles to convict them of sin and judgment which brought

many to faith in Christ and brought about a great conversion.

One tremendous truth in this title of Christ is that it is one

that can also be given to believers. Romans 1:17 declares " **the**

**just** shall live by faith." Those who were guilty of condemning the

guiltless to death could be forgiven and then made **just** (i.e.

justified) before God. Only Christ, **the Just** One, could do this.

Romans 3:25-26 declares: "...in His forbearance God had

passed over the sins that were previously committed, to

demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might

be **The Just** and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

_*See also Acts 7:52; 22:14; Romans 3:26_

**«** April 12 **»**

Carpenter

Is this not the **carpenter** , the Son of Mary, and brother of James,

Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" So they

were offended at Him.

_Mark 6:3_

Attitudes and opinions change over time and according to

culture. Here and now, **carpenters** are regarded as skilled professionals

that earn a better than average wage for a service that is in high demand.

Apparently, that wasn't the case when Jesus lived in Nazareth; "they were

offended at Him."

I think I understand why. Many years ago, I lived in a very poor

country and learned much about Third World life-styles. We lived in a

town where electricity was available for less than four hours a day, so

carpenters plied their trade with hand tools. There were no furniture

stores where we lived, so when someone needed a table, chair, or set of

drawers they hired a **carpenter**. These tradesmen usually lived in the

poorer section of town and often made furniture much nicer than they

could afford for themselves.

**Carpenters** also seemed to have the worst reputation among the

blue-collar workers. They all seemed to lie; their work was never ready

on time, and they usually charged more than the price they first quoted;

besides, most were alcoholics. Knowing that Jesus also worked with

wood, often led to jokes about Christ being the world's only

honest **carpenter**.

Christ must have been different. He would have been a skilled

craftsman, wasn't a drunk, and would have kept His word. His work must

have been in high demand and that's exactly where the problem was. I

can imagine the reaction of the wealthier class – "The nerve of Jesus

closing up shop to preach. I have a lot of things for Him to do. Who does

this **carpenter** think He is anyway?"

Jesus' neighbors never came to the realization that He was the

Son of God, the promised Messiah. To them He was just the **Carpenter**.

**«** April 13 **»**

Jesus Christ

The book of the genealogy of **Jesus Christ** , the Son of David, the

Son of Abraham,

_Matthew 1:1*_

**Jesus Christ**. To those who love Him it says all. It's His

name; it's His title; it's precious. This title combination is used more

than any other in the New Testament, beginning with the first verse

and then found in every book except 3 John. Peter preached it at the

birth of the church on Pentecost. Paul used it more than any other

apostle and finally, the last verse in the Bible ends, "The grace of our

Lord **Jesus Christ** be with you all. Amen."

**Jesus Christ**. To little children and the un-churched it's His

family name. They think He was called "Jesus Christ," His mother

"Mary Christ," and His step-father "Joseph Christ." They don't know

how special or how important He is. They're clueless and the worst

part is that they don't even know that they don't know Him.

**Jesus Christ**. To the God-haters and Christ-rejecters it's a

curse word. They use it to blaspheme the LORD. They see it as no big

deal, because in their eyes, He is no big deal. No other name on earth

is used as profanity. No one invokes the name of Buddha if he hits his

thumb with a hammer. The names of Mohammed and Krishna are not

used in vain. It is proof again that the name is so great and so special

that the enemies of God feel they need to put it down.

**Jesus Christ**. Peter concludes His second epistle with these

words: "You therefore, beloved, since you know _this_ beforehand,

beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away

with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of

our Lord and Savior **Jesus Christ**. To Him _be_ the glory both now and

forever. Amen." ( _2 Peter 3: 17,18_ )

_*(also in Acts 2:38; 3:6, 20; 4:10; total use: 186 times in 178 verses)_

**«** April 14 **»**

Christ Jesus

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are

in **Christ Jesus** , who do not walk according to the flesh, but

according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life

in **Christ Jesus** has made me free from the law of sin and

death.

_Romans 8:1-2_

Statistics can be a very useful tool in analyzing title

combinations such as **Christ Jesus**. It is interesting to discover

that of the 69 times the phrase occurs in the New Testament,

Paul uses it 66 times. It is used by the writer to the Hebrews

once and by Peter twice. The question that begs to be asked is,

Why? Why is this almost exclusively a Pauline idiom?

Whereas the other apostles followed the LORD during his

earthly ministry and often called Him Jesus to His face, Paul,

then known as Saul of Tarsus, was not counted among Christ's

disciples. Paul rejected the Nazarene as the Messiah and

persecuted the church. While the others found it more natural to

form the phrase "Jesus Christ" (because it emphasized their

close relationship) Paul could not.

Grace is another word that Paul dominates. He was

overwhelmed and humbled by the grace that saved such a sinner

and murderer of God's people. It was this same humility that

caused him to acknowledge the **Christ** title before saying the

name **Jesus**. Saul of Tarsus who rejected the Messiah was

transformed by the Savior and after he started using his Greek

name, Paul would openly acknowledge Him as the

LORD's anointed – The Christ. He then was a follower of **Christ**

**Jesus**.

**«** April 15 **»**

Christ

Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the **Christ** , the Son of the

living God."

_Matthew 16:16_

Without a doubt " **Christ** " is the quintessential title given to

the Lord. It is used 555 times in 552 verses of the New Testament

and is only surpassed in use by His personal name, Jesus (stated 983

times). It would be safe to say that one would not have a clue who

Jesus is unless he or she had some concept that He is the **Christ**.

Literally **Christ** means "anointed" and comes from the Greek

word "Christos." The Hebrew word "mashiach" (messiah) also means

anointed and was translated as "Christos" in the Septuagint. At the

most basic level the term **Christ** means the Jewish Messiah, the

anointed of God. In the first century, both the Greek speaking Gentile

world and Hebrews understood this word. "Pilate said to them,

"Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is

called **Christ**?" ( _Matthew 27:17_ ). The **Christ** was God's chosen one who was sent into this world.

The first time Jesus went to the synagogue after He began His

public ministry, He was given the book of Isaiah and read from

chapter 61. He announced "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,

because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has

sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are

oppressed" ( _Luke 4:18_ ). When **Christ** was finished reading, He

closed the book, sat down, and announced, "Today this Scripture is

fulfilled in your hearing" ( _Luke 4:21_ ).

The significance of this declaration is almost always missed

in our culture and generation, but they totally got it at the time He

said it. He was clearly saying that He was the LORD's anointed; He

was the Messiah; He was the **Christ.**

**«** April 16 **»**

Holy Fish

Although you won't find " **Holy Fish** " on most lists of the names of

Christ, this title has a very significant place in church history. As the second

century dawned, the emperor Trajan made the Christian faith outlawed in the

Roman Empire, so the faithful were careful not to call attention to

themselves. If two people were overheard talking about Jesus Christ, they

could be arrested. If an eavesdropper picked up a conversation about a fish,

however, the two people would be ignored.

IΧΘYΣ (Ichthys) is the Greek word for "fish" but it is also an

acronym for Iesous Christos, Theou Yios, Soter (English translation – Jesus

Christ, God's Son, Savior).

Iota is the first letter of Iesous (Ιησους), Greek for "Jesus."

Chi is the first letter of Christos (Χριστóς), Greek for "Christ."

Theta is the first letter of Theou (Θεοῦ), Greek for "God's."

Upsilon is the first letter of Huios (Υἱός), Greek for "Son."

Sigma is the first letter of Soter (Σωτήρ), Greek for "Savior."

At a time when to be identified as a Christian meant death, the

believer not only needed to know what he believed, but why he believed it.

This secret code word not only communicated the object of one's faith, but

also his doctrine.

•

Jesus was the personal name of the one they loved and worshiped.

•

Christ was God's chosen one who was exalted over everyone.

•

God's Son made Him equal with God. Crucifying God's Son is a

very serious matter. That is how the centurion that guarded Jesus at

the crucifixion saw it.

•

Savior is the only one who can save the sinner from the bondage of

sin.

Centuries have come and gone since Christ's early followers talked

in soft whispers of the "Holy Fish," yet pictures of fish can still be seen

carved in stone in the walls of ancient churches and in the Roman cata-

combs. Bumper stickers of a stylized fish

are also sometimes seen in

circulation today and with them the memory of "Ichthys," the **Holy Fish**.

**«** April 17 **»**

Advocate

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not

sin. And if anyone sins, we have an **Advocate** with the Father, Jesus

Christ the righteous.

_1 John 2:1_

The modern use of the word " **advocate** " communicates the idea of a

supporter or enthusiast, such as we use when we say, "he's a green

energy advocate." That's a long stretch from what the Greek word

meant. The original word here is "paraklesis" which means "a calling

to one's side" (para "beside"; kaleo "to call"). A "paraclete" would be

someone who you could call on in difficult times.

Although this word is translated as **advocate** in English it is

translated as "abogado" (i.e. lawyer) in Spanish. This translation is a

better description of the original word, since a paraclete was allowed

to stand with the accused at trial and defend him before the court.

When people stand before God on the day of judgment they

are not accused of lying so many times or stealing so much money.

They are brought as enemies of God and are accused of rebellion and

complicity in the murder of the Son of God. The whole human race is

guilty of crucifying an innocent man – God Himself. Our human

nature does evil instead of good and believes a lie instead of the truth.

The creation rejected, tortured, and put to death its Creator.

Our sins only prove that we would have done the same thing given

the opportunity. We are guilty because it is in our nature and the

evidence is stacked against us.

The only thing that you can say to a criminal who is clearly

culpable is "I hope you have a good lawyer." The good news of the

gospel is that believers do have a good one; He is "Jesus Christ the

righteous." He's not only the **Advocate** , He is the judge and the vic-

tim. So, if the Lord Jesus died in order to save someone, s/he is going

to walk.

**«** April 18 **»**

The One who is and who

was and who is to be

And I heard the angel of the waters saying: "You are righteous, O

Lord, **The One who is and who was and who is to be** , Because

You have judged these things."

_Revelation 16:5_

Because God is omnipresent, He is everywhere at once.

Because He invented time, He owns the patent to the time-space

continuum. Just as God made atoms and energy, He also created

time. Time didn't exist before creation, because there were no

reference points or mile stones. At the final judgment, time will be

no more, but God and his people will continue forever.

Revelation, the last book in the Bible, is a book of

prophecy. It speaks of things yet to come, but it uses the past and

present tenses to describe them. In the soon to come future, the

"angel of the waters" will pour out his bowl of wrath on planet

Earth and then he'll report to Christ that His orders are carried out.

He'll say "You are righteous, O Lord, **The One who is and who**

**was and who is to be** " ( _Revelation 16:5_ ).

Since Christ by nature controls past present and future, He

can now allow evil men to persecute His church, because their

coming judgment is just as sure as it was when it was written down

long ago. In the same way, those who are persecuted will be

greatly blessed, because that was his plan all along.

When time is irrelevant, the first century Christians will

not spend more time in heaven than believers today. The opposite

is also true; those who actually crucified the Savior will not spend

longer in hell than the twenty-first century Christ-rejecters.

Infinity plus 2000 years equals infinity minus 2000 years

(∞ + 2000 = ∞ - 2000). This makes sense not only to a mathe-

matician, but to the **One who is and who was and who is to be**.

**«** April 19 **»**

Good Shepherd

I am the **good shepherd**. The **good shepherd** gives His life for the

sheep.

_John 10:11_

Although this title occurs only in the tenth chapter of John, few

are as well known. The **Good Shepherd** is found in the name of

countless local churches and has been found in early Christian art from

the second century.

Depictions of a young shepherd carrying a lamb on his shoulders

have been found on the walls of the catacombs of Rome and are among

the most common symbolic representations of Christ. In those early

centuries of the church, believers hid in caves and risked death to be a

disciple of Jesus. Focusing on the **Good Shepherd** who loved them unto

death, surely was a comfort and encouragement in the darkness.

Most people in this modern urban society don't have a clue

about the details of a shepherd's job description. They certainly did in the

Roman Empire. Shepherds had the thankless job of caring for poor,

smelly, helpless critters that were too dumb to take care of themselves.

Left on their own, sheep soon die, because they can't find their own food

and water, nor can they protect themselves from predators.

Isaiah 53:6 connects the dots: "All we like sheep have gone

astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid

on Him the iniquity of us all." We are those stupid, stubborn animals that

Jesus, the **Good Shepherd** , gave His life to save and care for.

_The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want._

_He makes me to lie down in green pastures;_

_He leads me beside the still waters._

_He restores my soul;_

_He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake._

_Psalm 23:1-3_

**«** April 20 **»**

Teacher

Then they asked Him, saying, " **Teacher** , we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: Is it

lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

_Luke 20:21-22_

When Jesus taught His creation on this earth, many rejected him as the

Christ, denied Him as LORD and refused to accept that He was "God with us."

However, one title that even His critics and enemies had to acknowledge was

that he was a great **teacher**.

This sparks my interest as one who has been in the teaching profession

for over forty years. What was Jesus' teaching style? What kind of lesson plans

did He use? And how can I teach like the grand master?

In the portion above, it's clear that Christ had what every educator

eventually runs into, students that try to to get the teacher to say something that

can be used against him. It's the classic "student that comes, but doesn't want to

learn scenario." They complimented Him for being politically incorrect and then

baited Him with a loaded question that they hoped would bring Him down. Jesus

not only took their bait, He took the whole rod and reel and made their question

backfire on them.

Christ responded to their question with a question, "Why do you test

me?" showing that He saw through their ruse. Instead of side-stepping the issue

and avoid-ing the question, He took it head on. (In pedagogy, it's called a

"teachable moment"). They showed interest in something, so He'd tell them

something they didn't know.

"Show me a denarius," He added. This used many teaching techniques.

1. It got the student kinetically (physically) involved.

2. It made them put their tax money where their mouth was (i.e. showed

that they had the money to pay their taxes).

3. It produced a manipulative (i.e. a physical object to focus on).

"Whose image and inscription does it have" was His next "right there"

question. It was a simple question that anyone could get right and caused the

questioner to buy into the learning process. "Caesar's," they answered

acknowledging the obvious.

At this point the Lord hit them with the zinger, "Render therefore to

Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's"( _Luke_

_20:25_ ). The lesson came short and to the point, just like a really good teacher

does it.

**«** April 21 **»**

Jesus of Nazareth

So I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am **Jesus of**

**Nazareth** , whom you are persecuting.'

_Acts 22:8_ *

Everybody has a small list of names they go by: first name,

surname, middle name, nick name, pet name, maiden name, pen name as

well as aliases (also known as "a.k.a"). It can and does get confusing so

at some point, those in charge want to know your legal name.

**Jesus of Nazareth** was Christ's legal name. It is the name that

set Him apart from all the other Jesuses of His time. It was how friends

and enemies knew Him; it was the name brought up at His trial and the

name put on His death certificate. Legally, that's who the Savior was.

Family names have been around for only around 600 years. They

weren't necessary when people lived in small rural communities. If

people needed to differentiate between two people with the same

personal name, a by-name was added. This was a descriptive term or

phrase that would set that person apart from others. The name would

stick and people would be introduced with that moniker.

When Saul of Tarsus was struck down by a blinding light on the

way to Damascus, he saw a vision of the celestial. Someone was up there

talking to him, demanding answers for the persecution he was meeting

out. Saul wanted to know who this messenger of God really was. "I

am **Jesus of Nazareth** , whom you are persecuting," was the reply. Saul

then had no doubt who He was.

**Jesus of Nazareth** – the name on the accusation sign at the cross

**Jesus of Nazareth** – the name the Sanhedrin had made illegal to

mention.

**Jesus of Nazareth** – the name Stephen was executed for preaching.

**Jesus of Nazareth** – the name on the letters of authority that Saul carried

to arrest Jesus-followers in Damascus.

**Jesus of Nazareth** – the newly found Lord and Savior of Paul of Tarsus.

*used a total of 17 times in Matthew through Acts

**«** April 22 **»**

Defender

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout

for joy, because You **defend** them; let those also who love Your name be

joyful in You.

_Psalms 5:11_

I like titles that are clear and crisp, that are right there in

scripture so that they jump out at you when you read them in boldface. I

get a little bothered by other name-finders who invent titles from phrases

or ideas, thus making them equal to the obvious appellations of the King

of Kings.

I'll go with implied titles when I must, when it would be

blatantly obvious that it is missing and it would be irresponsible not to

include it. In Psalm 68:5, God (Elohim) is described as the " **Defender** of

the widows", but He is also the **Defender** of all who are poor and needy.

In Old Testament writings, the LORD defended Israel time and

time again, delivering them from overwhelming odds. The empires of

Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome (and more recently the Third Reich)

tried to annihilate the Jewish people, but God was their **Defender**.

The New Testament clearly portrays Christ as our **Defender**. He

defended the woman caught in adultery by writing her defense in the

sand ( _John 8:1-12_ ). Jesus defended his disciples when they were

surrounded by Judas' OLWWOHarmy in the Garden of Gethsemane. He spoke the

words, "I am" and all the bad guys fell down. He then commanded His

followers to be released and they were ( _John 18:1-8_ ).

Christ encouraged His followers in the sermon of the Mount of

Olives not to worry about what to say when they were persecuted and

arrested for His sake ( _Mark 13:9-13_ ). He would be their **Defender**.

Paul had first-hand experience with the **Defender** of the saints,

" _We are_ hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; _we are_ perplexed,

but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not

destroyed - always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord

Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body" ( _2_

_Corinthians 4:8-10_ ).

**«** April 23 **»**

Friend of Tax Collectors

and Sinners

The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a

glutton and a winebibber, a **friend of tax collectors and sinners**!'

_Luke 7:34*_

We have a very small home church. On a very good Sunday it

can push 25 in attendance but sometimes it isn't even half of that. We do,

however, have a lot of outreach. We had printed up 10,000 gospel tracts

with our name and address on them and went to places the un-churched

go. One man got a tract handed to him in a fast food restaurant and ended

up visiting us. It wasn't at all what he expected, so after the service he

tried to tactfully say why he didn't expect to come back. "No offense," he

said, "but you people definitely give the impression that you're a lot

bigger than you really are."

The comment was his way of saying that we were too small to

meet his needs. Although not exactly an insult, it was meant to be a

reality check for us, showing us that we missed the mark. No offense was

taken, because we considered it a great compliment. We were doing

things that even big established churches weren't doing.

The enemies of Christ really thought they put Him down by

showing to the world who His friends were – the low class and the dead-

beats. Wow! How neat is that! The King of kings can even be my friend!

The night Judas had betrayed the Master, Christ said to His

traitorous disciple, "Friend, why have you come?" ( _Mt. 26:50_ ). Judas had

de-friended his Lord, but Jesus remained the **friend of sinners**.

His is love, 'tis love unbounded,

Without measure, without end;

Human thought is here confounded,

'Tis too vast to comprehend!

Praise the Savior! Praise the Savior!

Magnify the **sinner's Friend**!

Thomas Kelly 1769-1854

_*See also Matthew 11:19_

**«** April 24 **»**

A Lamb

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth;

He was led as a **lamb** to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers

is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

_Isaiah 53:7_

I saw a **lamb** die. In fact, I killed it. I think I'll never be the same

again. The **lamb** I slaughtered didn't struggle or cry out. It didn't try to

bite or kick me. It quietly and without a fight just bled to death at my

feet. It was then I realized that God created a special species of animal

just for sacrifice.

Sheep are in a category by themselves when it comes to dying.

Their passive acceptance of death is contrasted by the survival instinct of

every other creature in the animal kingdom. Even evolutionists will have

to admit that natural selection should have weeded out sheep a long time

ago.

Pigs never die gracefully. In the open country, squeals can be

heard for a good half mile away on butchering day. They will thrash,

kick, and bite, making killing a hog a pretty risky business. Pigs were

never designed to give their lives willingly.

The universe was confounded at the thought of the Lord meekly

shedding His blood to redeem the human race. The angels must have

been confused and amazed to see the grace of God in action. This love,

too difficult to explain, needed an illustration, so the Creator formed a

little animal and sent it to earth. This creature is born for the purpose of

dying – the **Lamb**.

Wonderful,merciful Savior,

Precious Redeemer and Friend,

Who would have thought that a **lamb**

Could rescue the souls of men.

Oh, You rescue the souls of men.

Song by Selah

_*see also John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:19; Revelation 21:22, plus 21 other_

_verses._

__**«** April 25 **»**

The Lamb

And [they] said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us

from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of

the **Lamb**!"

_Revelation 6:16*_

Who'da thunk it! The whole world is going to be afraid of

the **Lamb**! He gave Himself as a willing sacrifice so that the wrath of

God would pass over those who trusted in Him. He died without protest

or struggle and had peace and joy which sharply contrasted to the hatred

of His tormenters. Jesus Christ was God's **Lamb** that would atone for the

sins of His people but He will also be God's instrument to bring

judgment on the God haters and Christ rejecters of this world.

A squadron of Roman soldiers scourged Christ and then

crucified Him. Some in that group repented. The rest will stand before

the Great White Throne before being cast into the lake of fire.

Throughout the subsequent centuries, followers of

the **Lamb** have been beaten, tortured, had property confiscated and were

put to death because they were guilty of having **lamb** -like qualities.

During Roman persecutions, they were crucified, fed to lions, or

burned alive while they prayed or sang hymns. During the Inquisition,

they were tortured with machines of death for possessing the Word of

God in their own languages. And in Jihads both past and present they

were either sold into slavery or beheaded.

"And they cried with a loud voice, saying, 'How long, O Lord,

holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell

on the earth?'" ( _Revelation 6:10_ ).

"These will make war with the **Lamb** , and the **Lamb** will

overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and

those _who are_ with Him _are_ called, chosen, and faithful" ( _Revelation_

_17:14_ ).

_*also mentioned 27 other times in Revelation_

**«** April 26 **»**

Our Passover

Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump,

since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, **our Passover** ,

was sacrificed for us.

_Corinthians 5:7_

For at least a week before the Passover ceremony, a Jewish

mother diligently purges the house of "leaven." Bread crackers and

anything else that might contain yeast is tossed in the trash. The

pantry is scrubbed with soap and water before storing the matzo

meal used in many of the Passover dishes.

Finally, on the night of the ceremony, the father takes a few

bread crumbs in full view of the others and drops them to the floor.

He then sweeps them up as a symbol that the house is clean and

ready for the Seder service to begin.

The Passover ceremony often lasts 3-4 hours and involves

everyone seated at the table. Beginning with the lighting of

candles, there is the washing of hands, the asking of questions, and

the reading of the Old Testament story of the Passover. On the

center of the table sits a bowl of salt water, a meatless lamb bone,

cups of wine, roasted eggs, squares of matzo, and some

horseradish. Each of these has its own special significance which

is explained and considered during the course of the evening. To

the Jewish people, the Passover is the festival meal that recalls

Israel's embittered bondage in Egypt and God's wonderful

deliverance.

For the Christian, **our Passover** is simply Christ. He is our

sacrifice that delivers us from the bondage of sin and brings us into

communion with God. We celebrate **our Passover** by

remembering who our Savior is and what He has done for us. This

is best done when the "old leaven" is first purged out, that is to say,

laying "aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares

us" ( _Hebrews 12:1_ ) so that we can truly show Him our

appreciation.

**«** April 27 **»**

LORD's Passover

And thus

you shall

eat it: _with_ a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in

your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It _is_ the **LORD's Passover**.

_Exodus 12:11_

Many Christians understand the historical significance of the Old

Testament observance of Passover and even know that the "Last Supper"

was actually Christ celebrating the feast with His disciples. Modern

calendars mark when the Jewish holiday occurs today, but few believers

have ever seen this Feast of the LORD celebrated.

John 6:4 describes Passover as a "feast of the Jews", but it is also

deeply Christian. 1 Corinthians 5:7 says: "For indeed Christ, our Passover,

was sacrificed for us." In order to better understand this expression of the

Savior, believers must grasp that this is the **LORD** ' **s Passover** and not just

the holiday of another religion.

Everything about the Passover belongs to the Lord, its history, its

symbolism, its message and even the dinner itself. The LORD himself told

Moses exactly what to say and do. A perfect lamb was chosen and then lived

with the family for four days before it was killed and the blood was smeared

on the headboard and sides of the doorframe. Judgment was to fall on every

household in Egypt, so the sacrifice of the lamb was to protect the children

of Israel who believed God's instructions. God declared: "Now the blood

shall be a sign for you on the houses where you _are._ And when I see the

blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to

destroy _you_ when I strike the land of Egypt" ( _Exodus 12:13_ ).

For over two millennia the Jewish people have celebrated

the **LORD** ' **s Passover** to remember what God did the night of the Exodus to

deliver them from slavery. But the celebration is more than just historical; it

was prophetic because it clearly illustrates the substitutionary death of the

Lamb of God on the 14th of the month of Nisan, which was the very day

the **LORD** ' **s Passover** was to be sacrificed.

If you ever have had the chance to attend a Passover Seder service,

go for it. It is well worth the price of admission (it usually includes a catered

meal). The program is an object lesson of God's faithfulness through the

ages, Jewish culture and the telling of the Passover story. A traditional

Jewish Seder service would be very edifying, but one with a messianic

congregation would be even more enlightening. There, it would be even

more evident that Jesus Christ is the **LORD** ' **s Passover**.

**«** April 28 **»**

Immortal

Now to the King eternal, **immortal** , invisible, to God who alone is

wise, _be_ honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

_1 Timothy 1:17_

Unger defines immortality as exemption from death and

annihilation, and with reference to humankind it is unending existence

beyond the grave. Sounds good! Where do I sign up?

The unfairness of death is a reality that most people have to deal

with before they themselves stop breathing. Why do some young people

get cancer and die while bitter old grouches make it to a second century?

Why does death have to be so final? Why can't we earn extra lives like in

computer games? Why?

Most religions propose one form or another of eternal life but

proof of life beyond the grave is woefully lacking. Sigmund Freud blew

off religion as a classic example of wish fulfillment, but he never offered

an explanation of why people would even _want_ to live forever.

Being made in the image of God, we long for things that the

animal kingdom is oblivious to. Humans are not just higher forms of

animal life. We can distinguish between right and wrong and even right

and left. We know beauty when we see it and attribute value to pieces of

paper or round pieces of metal. The most intelligent dog or dolphin can't

do these things and they don't aspire to live forever. Eternity isn't hard

wired into their brains as it is with people. Humans want to go back to

their roots, go back home to their Creator.

Jesus said, "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in

which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth ---

those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who

have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation" ( _John 5:28,_

_29_ ). Christ makes it clear that there is consciousness forever after the

body dies, even for those who don't believe in Him. If someone wants to

be with the Savior forever in heaven, he needs to believe the one who has

been there and done that. After all, He is the **Immortal**.

**«** April 29 **»**

Destroyer of the Devil

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He

Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death **He might**

**destroy** him who had the power of death, that is, **the devil.**

_Hebrews 2:14_

Emperors and kings are often given titles to celebrate conquests

or remember great exploits. When the Lord Jesus died on the cross of

Calvary, He conquered sin, death, and hell and broke Satan's power and

right to them. The prophet Isaiah had a vision of the devil's demise and

wrote about it in chapter 14:

"How you are fallen from heaven,

O Lucifer, son of the morning!

_How_ you are cut down to the ground,

You who weakened the nations!

For you have said in your heart:

'I will ascend into heaven,

I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;

I will also sit on the mount of the congregation

On the farthest sides of the north;

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,

I will be like the Most High.'

Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,

To the lowest depths of the Pit.

Those who see you will gaze at you,

_And_ consider you, _saying:_

' _Is_ this the man who made the earth tremble,

Who shook kingdoms,

Who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities,

_Who_ did not open the house of his prisoners?'"

Christ undid everything Satan accomplished on planet Earth and

made man's relationship with God even better than it had been before the

fall.

Hail King Jesus. He is the **Destroyer of the devil**.

**«** April 30 **»**

Our Great God and Savior

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all

men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,

we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present

age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of **our**

**great God** **and Savior** Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us,

that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify

for Himself _His_ own special people, zealous for good works.

_Titus 2:11-14_

Some preachers struggle with presenting the gospel in

just one hour. Others can adequately cover the main points in

about a half hour and maybe a few can get the job done in ten or

fifteen minutes. In Titus 2, Paul nails every important question

in only four verses.

1. What is the underlying power of salvation? The

grace of God.

2. Who can be saved? Everybody.

3. What are we saved from? The power and self-

destruction of our ungodly and worldly lusts.

4. What life changes should we expect as a result of

our salvation? We should live soberly,

righteously, and godly in the present evil age.

5. How did Christ save us? He gave Himself to

redeem us from our desire to sin.

6. Why did Christ give His life to save us from our

sin? It was the only way to purify us for Himself

DV+is own special people

7. (The last question is one that should be answered

in every meaningful presentation of the gospel)

Who is Jesus Christ?

He is **our great God and Savior.**

**«** May 1 **»**

Liberator

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do

not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

_Galatians 5:1_

You can't look up **Liberator** in a concordance and find this title

listed there. Yet, that is what He was. Christ set free more slaves than

Abraham Lincoln and liberated more oppressed people than anyone else in

history.

When Jesus preached his first sermon in the synagogue in Nazareth,

He opened the Isaiah scroll and said that He came ".....to proclaim liberty

to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who

are oppressed" ( _Luke 4:18_ ). What actually did He mean by this?

Those who were wanting a political **liberator** were openly

disappointed by Jesus. Obviously, the iron-fisted Roman government still

enslaved people, heavily taxed the occupied territory, and crucified

dissenters. Although that is true, all the Caesars are long dead. Other despots

that have come and gone throughout the centuries were also temporary.

Political dictators, by their nature, don't last long on history's stage.

Christ's liberation transcends the centuries, cultures, and world governments,

because He frees individuals from the internal tyrants of the soul.

Sin, certainly, is a huge self-destructive force that enslaves people

to life styles and conditions they hate. The drunk really doesn't look forward

to waking up again another day with a splitting headache and covered in his

own vomit. Few prostitutes, if any, feel they made the best career choice and

jails are full of people who don't want to be there. The Lord Jesus sets them

free by taking away the power and compulsion of sin.

What most people don't understand is that Christ, the **Liberator** ,

frees us from everything that enslaves us: guilt, anger, grief, addictions,

doubt, anxiety, and even the fear of the unknown. Talk to the Lord and turn

these over to Him one by one and one by one, the **Liberator** will take them

away. "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" ( _1 Peter 5:7_ ).

Note: If you are weighted down with grief, anger, depression, or addition

issues, go to www.tradingpain.com for Set Free Prayer Ministry. It can help.

**«** May 2 **»**

Commander of the

LORD's Army

Then the **Commander of the LORD's army** said to Joshua, "Take

your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand _is_ holy." And

Joshua did so.

_Joshua 5:15_

Joshua had been Moses' general. Now he was supreme leader

of all Israel. With more battle experience than anyone else, no one

dared to challenge him, at least, not until that day. He was alone on a

battlefield when a man approached him with a drawn sword.

"Friend or foe?" Joshua cried out.

"No," the man answered, "But as **Commander of the army**

**of the LORD** I have now come ( _Joshua 5:14_ )." Joshua fell on his face

to the ground and worshipped Him.

Theologians explain that this story is actually a theophany, a

visible manifestation of God to mankind. The **Commander of the**

**LORD's Army** had a human body but received worship from Joshua

and declared the ground on which He stood to be holy. His appear-

ance must have been remarkable because General Joshua immediately

humbled himself and surrendered as soon as he knew who He was.

Revelation 19 explains that Christ will come on a white horse

with the host of heaven to defeat the armies of the antichrist at the

battle of Armageddon. His appearance will be terrifying. His eyes will

be like flames of fire and his robe dipped in blood. A sharp sword will

come out of his mouth to strike the nations. Behind Him will be every

warrior angel and weapon in God's arsenal.

I'm glad that He is my friend. How terrible it would be to be

His foe. So, at the last battle in human history, Christ, the **Com-**

**mander of the LORD's Army,** returns. Even so come Lord Jesus!

**«** May 3 **»**

A Friend Who Sticks Closer

Than a Brother

A man _who has_ friends must himself be friendly, but

there is **a friend who** **sticks closer than a brother**.

_Proverbs 18:24_

By my own guidelines, this is not a name of Christ, because

it's pulled out of context. It comes from a proverb that gives broad

generalizations about friends and friendship. However, if I make the

rules, I can also make my own exceptions. Through experience, I've

found Christ to be **a** **friend who sticks closer than a brother**.

Brotherhood is a powerful bond; there's almost nothing like

it. Sharing childhood, growing up together, and discovering the world

at the same time are experiences that few can compete with. Even so,

brothers grow up, get married, and move away. Time and distance

take their toll, and the brothers settle into their separate lives.

A really good friend is harder to find than a brother, because

brothers often share the same bedroom; they're always right there. A

good friendship usually takes years to develop and must be cultivated,

especially at the beginning. But once it takes root, it is hearty and

continues through thick and thin.

I've been close to a big brother and to a very good friend.

Death took them both from me. Each time, I felt empty, alone, and

numb. The loss of a great relationship is a great loss.

I'm able to take complete comfort in the fact that I'll see them

both again. The truth of the matter is that we all have a mutual friend,

and we're going to meet at His place as soon as I can finish my last

breath.

In the meantime, Jesus is there for me. When I'm lonely, He's

there; when I'm tired, He pulls the load; when I hurt, He comforts me;

when I am frustrated, He listens. The best part of all is He'll never die.

He's already been there and done that. He is for me **a** **friend who**

**sticks closer than a brother**.

**«**

May 4 **»**

Sir

The woman said to Him, " **Sir,** I perceive that You are a prophet."

_John 4:19*_

Titles come in all styles and sizes, so it sometimes helps to sort

them out into categories to better understand how it applies to Christ. For

example, the derogatory titles were given to the Lord by His enemies in

order to put Him down (e.g. glutton and winebibber) A similar grouping

is what I call the "lightly esteemed" because these terms fall far short of

understanding. Labeling Jesus as a carpenter, a Nazarene, or even calling

Him " **Sir** " understates who He really is.

The woman at the well came to draw water and she assumed that

the stranger she saw sitting there was no one out of the ordinary. Even

when she saw some of His exceptionalities, the most she could imagine

was that maybe He was a prophet. There was nothing wrong or

disrespectful in addressing Christ as " **Sir**." If anything, it's the highest

courtesy and honor that you can give someone that you don't know.

In time and with interaction, faith grows and knowledge of who

the Savior is increases. At the end of the conversation, this Samaritan

lady acknowledged Him as the Messiah and no longer did she approach

Him as " **Sir**."

The significant point to be made is that this is an important pre-

faith title that can transition into a deeper relationship. " **Sir** " communi-

cates both respect and openness. Living in this world of God-haters and

Christ-rejecters, derogatory titles are often used and that often shuts the

door of our faith.

Mislabeling also misses the mark. Attitudes that frame the

incarnate God in images of "Jesus, my ol' buddy" or the "all-accepting

god" makes it hard to understand that His name is Holy. However, a

sinner who is searching for God, can probably find him if he has enough

faith to approach him as " **Sir**."

_*see also John 4:11, 15, 49; 5:7; 20:15_

**«** May 5 **»**

Gazelle

My beloved is like a **gazelle** or a young stag. Behold, he stands behind

our wall; He is looking through the windows, Gazing through the lattice.

_Song of Solomon 2:9_

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's, presents a vivid

description of marital love. Yet, through the centuries it has been under-

stood that the comments of the Shulamite about her "beloved" expresses

the sentiments of the believer about Him who is "altogether lovely."

Even Jewish sages for centuries have interpreted this passage as

referring to the Moshiach – the Messiah. Rabbi Yitzhaq Kaduri of

Jerusalem explained the above scripture as follows: "Just as

this **gazelle** can be seen and then hides itself, so the first Messiah

(Moses) revealed himself to the Children of Israel and then again hid

himself from them." The idea here is that "the second Messiah," who is

like Moses, will be seen in fleeting glimpses.

The attributes of a **gazelle** are its speed, agility, and

unpredictability. You might see one out of the corner of your eye and

then, when you turn for a better view, it's gone. The Lord Jesus can't be

analyzed in a test tube. He doesn't stay in one place to be calculated or

figured out by people. He's bigger than that.

In C. S. Lewis' _The Chronicles of Narnia_ , it was often

commented that the main character, Aslan, was "not a tame lion." In

viewing Christ with this title of **Gazelle** , it's clear that He is unlike any

farm animal. He would jump the fence or pen anyone could try and use

to contain Him. We can't conform the Lord to our own will; we must

conform our will to His.

Every encounter with Christ should be exciting, exhilarating. To

find Him boring, or see Him as ordinary only proves that the observer

was looking in the wrong place and never got a real good view of this

high-energy Savior. He's worth chasing after, because in really discover-

ing Him, there is adventure! After all, He is the everlasting **Gazelle**.

**«** May 6 **»**

The Bright and

Morning Star

I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the

churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, **the**

**Bright and Morning Star**.

_Revelation 22:16_

**The Bright and Morning Star** occurs only once in

scripture and is the last title that Christ ascribes to Himself. The

Book of Revelation ends with accounts of the New Jerusalem

surrounded by new heavens and a new earth. Truly a new day

will dawn, but we're not there yet.

Still to come is the Great Tribulation and terrible

judgments of God to be poured out on planet earth. The darkest

part of night isn't over just yet, but as the morning star is the

brightest light in the darkness, so Christ's presence will still be

with mankind for those who look up.

He is coming, coming for us;

Soon we'll see his light afar,

On the dark horizon rising,

As the **Bright and Morning Star** ,

Cheering many a waking watcher,

As the star whose kindly ray

Heralds the approaching morning

Just before the break of day.

Author Unknown

"If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall fall on me,' Even the

night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide

from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the

light _are_ both alike _to You." (Psalms 139:11,12)._

**«** May 7 **»**

Son of Abraham

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the **Son**

**of Abraham**.

_Matthew 1:1*_

Abraham was special. He had special promises, a special

relationship with God, and a special place in human history. It is not

surprising that he was a significant ancestor of the Messiah. Both

genealogies of Christ call Him the **Son of Abraham**.

The patriarch was promised "descendants as the dust of the

earth" ( _Genesis 13:16_ ). That means lots – too many to number. And

so it is today the true number could never be reached. Both the Jewish

people and Arabs proudly consider Abraham as their father (the Jews

through Isaac and Arabs through Ishmael). Both ethnic groups are

sons of Abraham, although they don't necessarily have the patriarch's

features.

God's promises to Abraham weren't really about billions of

people claiming relationship through some distant DNA, but being

conformed to the faith and actions of Abraham. Zacchaeus was

Jewish by birth but ostracized from Jewish society, because of his

political affiliation. When the little man came to Christ, the Savior

declared "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is

a **son of Abraham** " ( _Luke 19:9_ ).

In a very real sense this is what happens to believers when

their faith is life changing and they believe God's promises to be true

just like Abraham did. "Just as Abraham believed God, and it was

accounted to him for righteousness" ( _Galatians 3:6_ ), therefore know

that only those who are of faith are true **sons of Abraham**.

Because I have faith in Christ, I'm adopted into the family of

God and I become a **son of Abraham**. Sisters in Christ are Abraham's

daughters. This is one of the few titles that Christians can actually

share with their master. Praise God!

**«** May 8 **»**

Son of David

Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried

out, saying: "Hosanna to the **Son of David**!Blessed is He who comes

in the name of the LORD! Hosanna in the highest!"

_Matthew 21:9_

At the time of Christ, every Jewish person clearly understood

that "the **Son of David** " was a messianic title. This is why the chief

priests and scribes were so indignant that the crowd chanted the title

at Christ's triumphal entry ( _Matthew 21:15_ ). During the ministry of

the Lord Jesus, people wondered if the prophesy of the Lord's

anointed was being fulfilled in their eyes, so they asked one another,

"Could this be the **Son of David**?" ( _Matthew 12:3_ ).

The stated purpose of the gospel Matthew was to prove this

point. The book begins, "The genealogy of Jesus Christ, the **Son of**

**David** , the son of Abraham" ( _Matthew 1:1_ ). The verses continue to

show that Joseph (Jesus' adopted dad) was a direct descendant of

David and would have been king, if there had been the continuation

of Davidic dynasty.

Matthew presents Christ as the legitimate king of Israel and

so, used the title **Son of David** ten times (more than all the other

gospels put together). The two blind men outside of Jericho and even

the Canaanite woman with the demon possessed daughter cried out

for healing to Christ saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, **Son of**

**David**!" ( _Matthew 15:22; 20:30-31_ ).

The people assumed that like David, their Messiah would

defeat all the enemies of Israel and establish a lasting kingdom. The

prophesy certainly is true and Christ will do that at His second

coming, but they didn't understand that before He could defeat the

political and geographical enemies of Israel, He needed to defeat sin,

death, and hell by dying on the cross. In doing that, He proves His

right to reign forever as the **Son of David**.

**«** May 9 **»**

Holy One

But you denied the **Holy One** and the Just, and asked for a

murderer to be granted to you.

_Acts 3:14_

**Holy One**! What a powerful name to preach to those who had

just crucified their Messiah. Peter preached this name at Pentecost,

quoting from Old Testament prophesy: "For You will not leave my

soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your **Holy One** to see corruption"

( _Acts 2:27, Psalms 16:10_ ). The apostles saw how awful it was to trade

the Most **Holy One** for a murderer, and the listeners were convicted

of their sin. Three thousand converted at Peter's first sermon on Pen-

tecost and another five thousand after his preaching in chapter three.

To take that which is holy and desecrate it is an offense and

attack on God who is the source of holiness. Our present unholy

society uses the name of Christ as a swear word and defiles His image

in perverted art forms. Christ is not their Lord and certainly they don't

acknowledge Him as the **Holy One** of God ( _Mark 1:24_ ).

When many first century Jewish people realized what they

had done, they repented with fear and trembling. They realized the

seriousness of rejecting Christ. Those who would dare to profane

the **Holy One** can only expect the full wrath of God to fall on them.

In this context, Hebrews 10:28-29 is understood: "Anyone who has

rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on _the testimony of_ two or

three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose,

will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God

underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was

sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?"

Unfortunately even believers fail to keep this title fresh in

their minds. They live in open or hypocritical sin, but wear the title

Christian (i.e. Christ One) for the unsaved world to see. They make

the sacred profane, because they've lost sight that their Lord is also

the **Holy One**.

**«** May 10 **»**

High and Lofty One

...or thus says the **High and Lofty One** Who inhabits eternity,

whose name _is_ Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy _place,_ With

him _who_ has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit

of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

_Isaiah 57:15_

The year King Uzziah died, Isaiah had a vision of the

Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up ( _Isaiah 6:1_ ). Who

would that have been? He wouldn't have been God the Father,

because He is Spirit and invisible. Isaiah must have seen the

pre-incarnate Christ, since it's the second person of the trinity

that manifests Himself in physical form to the human race.

Before Bethlehem, Jesus was the King of Glory. The

splendor and majesty that surrounded Him, attended by myriads

of angels, is more than anyone this side of eternity can ever

really comprehend. Often believers lose sight of this. We

celebrate the baby Jesus at Christmas and are encouraged by the

fact that, as Great High Priest, He intercedes for us. As Man of

Sorrows we are comforted that He bore our grief and carried our

sorrows. We come to see Him in a very human way as some sort

of celestial friend and benefactor. Although this is true, we tend

to be guilty of what J. B. Phillips put in a book title: _Your God_

_is Too Small._

The Nicene Creed describes Christ as "very God of very

God, begotten, not made, being in substance with the father, by

whom all things were made (both in heaven and earth)." We

need to greatly elevate our view and appreciation of the Lord

Jesus, because He is the **High and Lofty One** who inhabits

eternity. From this high and holy place, He lifts up the sinner to

fellowship with Himself.

**«** May 11 **»**

Holy

For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity,

whose name _is_ **Holy** : "I dwell in the high and holy _place,_ with him _who_ has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of

the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

_Isaiah 57:15*_

God is **Holy**. It's not only His nature, it's also His name.

That's who He is. Holiness itself is defined by the character of

God. That which is godly is **holy**. If something is ungodly, it's

sinful and sinners can't stand before a **Holy** God. His holiness is a

consuming fire ( _Hebrews 12:29_ ) that would destroy a sinner

presumptuous enough to try to approach Him.

The scene in heaven revealed in Revelations 4:8 shows the

four living creatures worshiping God and chanting day and night:

" **Holy** , **holy** , **holy** , Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to

come." A triad of holies is lauded to the Triune God. After all, each

person in the Trinity is **Holy** : Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Because Christ is **Holy** , He voluntarily took on the sins of

the world Himself by becoming sin for us ( _Romans 5:21_ ). This is

why, when the **Holy** One of God died at the hands of sinful man, a

miracle took place. Instead of planet Earth melting away in the

universe in a torrent of divine wrath, grace was poured out,

transforming sinners into men and women set apart for God. They

became **holy**.

Peter writes, "but as He who called you is **holy** , you also

be **holy** in all your conduct, because it is written; Be **holy** , for I

am **holy** " ( _1 Peter 1:15, 16_ ). Just how neat is that? One of the most

sublime titles of Christ is extended to the child of God. Just like

the Redeemer, we can be h **oly**.

_*see also Hebrews 7:26; Revelations 3:7_

**«** May 12 **»**

The Way

Jesus said to him, "I am **the way** , the truth, and the life. No

one comes to the Father except through Me."

_John 14:6_

Buried somewhere in the more than fifty storage boxes

of object lessons and teaching aids that I have stacked in my

basement, I have a map of the universe. It starts by showing

where planet Earth is in our solar system and then shows where

the closest stars are in relation to our sun. This small cluster of

stars is found about three-fourths down one of the spiraling

arms of the Milky Way.

The map locates the closest galaxies to us and then,

shows us ten billion light years in each direction which is as far

as the Hubble Space telescope can see in any direction. The idea

is that if anyone gets that far, they can stop at a gas station and

get a new map.

The thing that interested me the most was that nowhere

on the map does it show where heaven or the throne of God is

located. I suppose it doesn't really matter, because no space craft

from earth has ever left our solar system to go someplace else.

Heaven exists and everyone wants to go there, but no

one can find it on the map. Even if someday astronomers can

get a sighting of the celestial city, the fact remains: We can't get

there from here!

Can we go somewhere that has access to Heaven? The

good news is that anyone can get to Jesus through faith and

Christ will lead him to paradise. Christ Himself said, "I am **the**

**way**...No one comes to the Father except through Me."

**«** May 13 **»**

The Truth

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, **the truth** , and the life. No

one comes to the Father except through Me."

_John 14:6_

Jesus Christ is **truth** and **truth** is necessary for those

who want to find the way to heaven. A map is useless if it

confuses north and south or gives a mirror image of the terrain.

Having the right information (i.e. **truth** ) is essential to

following directions.

No one comes to the Father except through the Lord

Jesus and it's **the truth** aspect of Christ that helps us get there.

The Savior of the world told the Samaritan woman,

"God _is_ Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in

spirit and **truth** " ( _John 4:24_ ). Makes sense. God hates lies and

no one can approach Him clinging to a lie.

Sin is a lie that leads to spiritual death. The drunkard

and the gang banger are offered wrong directions and false

ideas that never live up to what they hoped for or expected.

Many people are slaves to sin by nature but expect to go to

heaven. They have rejected Christ but sincerely believe that

everyone goes there when they die. Believing a lie with all your

heart doesn't make it true. The Bible says, "Let God be true but

every man a liar"( _Romans 3:4_ ). **The truth** remains that no one

will ever get to heaven unless they believe Christ.

The way is the right direction for those who are lost

and **the truth** is the right answer for those who tend to believe a

lie. Faith is agreeing with Christ that everything about Him

is **the truth**.

**«** May 14 **»**

The Life

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and **the life**. No one comes

to the Father except through Me."

_John 14:6_

Discrimination is alive and well in regards to dead people.

They're not allowed in any movie theater and they won't be served if

they go into a restaurant. Dead people make living people feel

uncomfortable and besides, they don't smell very nice. It shouldn't

surprise anyone that the spiritually dead don't go to heaven.

The apostle Paul told the believers in Ephesus: "And you He has

made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins" ( _Ephesus 2:1_ ). This

world is full of people who are physically alive, but dead to God. They

don't respond to anything He tries to communicate to them.

People can be very smart and have advanced degrees, but if they

are spiritually dead, they'll never understand things that are spiritually

discerned. There is far more evidence for intelligent design than there

ever was for evolution, but many scientists never see it, because they are

spiritually dead. They have eyes but can't see the advanced engineering.

They have ears but can't hear the still small voice of God trying to get

through. Their spirit is dead and they don't even know it.

Something that is dead can never decide to become alive,

because dead things can't do anything. However, if Christ, the giver

of **life** , chooses, He can give **life** to someone that has none. Just ask

Lazarus about it.

I have an old pair of leather gloves. It is nothing more than

pieces of a dead cow that someone has sown together. For the most part,

those gloves just sit in a box and do nothing, but if I want, I can give

them **life**. By slipping my hands in them, they begin to move, work, and

respond. There is now **life** in them, where there hadn't been any before.

When Christ enters a person, everything changes. Old things

pass away; everything becomes new. He moves from death unto **life** ( _2_

_Corinthians 5:17_ ).

**«** May 15 **»**

Firstborn among many

Brethren

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the

image of His Son, that He might be the **firstborn among many**

**brethren**.

_Romans 8:29_

My firstborn is a Navy SEAL. He was born for adventure and

grew up in the Amazon rainforest. Jungle Indians taught him how to

hunt, trail blaze, and spear fish. He, in turn, taught his seven brothers

how to be men, and more importantly, how to be a Khol.

The "Khol boys" had quite the reputation at Bible camp for

daring. They climbed the tallest trees, ate caterpillars, and thought

outside the box (truth is, they never even saw the box). My oldest taught

his brothers things I never could and he taught them well.

Only recently, I found out that when the boys were all young

they were taken to the top of a 30 foot cliff by their big brother. Each had

a choice. They could either jump into the swimming hole below (just like

he had done many times before), or get thrown in. The older boys

voluntarily followed their elder's example. But the four year old twins

needed special hands-on encouragement. He immediately jumped in

behind them to make sure everyone was safe.

Jesus is our big brother. He's the **firstborn among many**

**brethren**. Being God in human form, He made the transition from being

Spirit to having a physical body. Then, when Christ died and rose again,

He went from the mortal realm to return to the immortal. We don't know

how to do that now, but we will be able to do the same because our

Savior will show us how.

Before the world was even formed, God had a plan for his future

creation. After the inevitable fall, God would send Christ to earth to be

our example and enabler of righteousness. Without God's help, no one

knows how to be a child of God, after all, we are born as sons and

daughters of disobedience ( _Ephesians 2:2)_. Jesus is able to conform us

into the image of God's Son because He's been there and done that. Only

Christ has the right to do that; He's the **firstborn among many**

**brethren**.

**«** May 16 **»**

Bread of Life

And Jesus said to them, "I am the **bread of life**. He who comes to Me shall

never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."

_John 6:35*_

Americans are taught in school to work with metaphors. High

school English classes distinguish between the literal and figurative, and the

real and symbolic. In reading the verse above, no one would think that Jesus

was made out of flour or that people ate Him. Obviously, Jesus gives

spiritual life to the soul just as food gives physical life to the body.

This concept is not so easy to communicate in a primative culture.

Among the Quichua Indians of the Amazon rain forest the figurative and

abstract doesn't exist. Years ago, I spent many hours trying to prepare a

message on this portion of scripture. It became even more difficult when

read in context with 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 shall give for the life of the world."

I understood that faith was taking Christ into our lives, just as we

take in physical nutrients when we eat, but how could I get this message

through to a stone-aged people? I just bowed my head, thanked the Lord that

I wasn't a missionary to cannibals, and started working on another message.

Months later, I was at the Quichua Bible Conference in Conambo.

Since it was the biggest social event of the year, hundreds of Indians traveled

for many days up river or over a jungle trail to get there. The men of

Conambo had filled a shed full of baskets of smoked monkey meat, wild

boar, and fish. Huge pots of chicha (masticated,fermented manioc root) were

ready for drinking throughout the day. At night the thatched roof church

building was packed to overflowing as Quichua preachers shared the gospel

and I fired up a portable generator to show a Christian film. The meetings

during the day were different. A dozen old ladies, two old men and a

sprinkling of children were spread out in the big church hut. All the men and

most of the families were still hanging around the kitchen eating jungle meat

and drinking chicha.

On the third day of the conference, attendance to the morning ses-

sions was worse and I said to myself in frustration, "When these people seek

after Jesus as much as they seek after food, they will start to have real faith."

In an instant, I finally understood John chapter 6. When Christ becomes as

important to us as our necessary food, He becomes our **Bread of Life**.

**«** May 17 **»**

Precious

Coming to Him _as to_ a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but

chosen by God _and_ **precious**.

_1 Peter 2:4_

Human life is **precious**. They say you can't put a dollar value

on it, yet judges and lawyers do it all the time in wrongful death

cases. They're worth millions.

**Precious** gems are also worth a lot of money. Diamonds in

the rough look a lot like blobs of melted glass or chunks of rock salt

yet a small bag of diamonds can buy a hundred truckloads of salt and

still have money left over; they are just that **precious**.

Some things are so **precious** they're priceless. Some works of

art can never be replaced and yet if you know the right people, they

can tell you how much they are insured for.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the most **precious** entity in the

universe. "There is no salvation in any other" ( _Acts 4:12_ ); there's also

no real hope, peace, or joy outside of Him. If Christ didn't come to

die as a substitute for sin, we'd all still be lost and separated from

God. No amount of faith, obedience, silver or gold could do what He

has already done. Since absolutely nothing else can do or be what the

Savior is, the best that can be said is that He is **Precious**.

Every year, news sources have stories about how masterpieces

and rare antiques are sold at garage sales for a pittance. The reader

usually has some envy of the buyer and feels sorry for the seller for

failing to see the value of what he or she had. A sadder story is

repeated a million times a day as the Incarnate Creator comes to his

creation and is rejected by men. They don't have a clue that He

is **Precious**.

_*see also John 6:48_

**«** May 18 **»**

Root out of Dry Ground

For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a **root**

**out of dry ground**. He has no form or comeliness; And when we

see Him, _There is_ no beauty that we should desire Him.

_Isaiah 53:2_

Desert plants survive in conditions that would kill any

plant in the garden. They thrive on less than 10 inches of rain per

year, stand up to 110 degrees of direct sunlight and blistering

sandstorms with regular frequency. They were designed to grow in

these extreme conditions, endowed with such features as needles,

scaly leaves, thick waxy skins, and deep woody roots. The plants

themselves are usually short to the ground with gnarled limbs and

heavy taproots. Ornamentals they are not, but as works of plant

engineering they are marvelous.

The children of Israel were certainly familiar with desert

shrubs. In this treeless area of the world, they were often chopped

up for firewood including the roots which were exposed by the

shifting sand. This was not lumber for houses or furniture. It was

fuel that was burned and its ash scattered.

Like the desert root, Isaiah tells us that when the Messiah

came he had "no form or comeliness; And when we see Him,

There is no beauty that we should desire Him" ( _Isaiah 53:2_ ). John

tells us that "He came to His own, and His own did not receive

Him." ( _John 1:11_ ). How sad! Christ was consumed as a sin

offering and not appreciated until it was finished.

The good news is that it's not too late to appreciate the

uniqueness of the wonderful **Root Out of a Dry Ground**. "But as

many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become

children of God, to those who believe in His name" _(John 1:12)._

**«** May 19 **»**

God who Alone is Wise

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to **God who alone is**

**wise** , _be_ honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

_1 Timothy 1:17_

To **God** our Savior, **Who alone is wise** , _Be_ glory and majesty,

Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.

_Jude 25:25_

One familiar put down to someone who gives you unsolicited

advice is "you think you know it all." Even Job, frustrated at his

friends who mocked him in his sufferings, retorted, "No doubt you

are the people and wisdom will die with you!" Nobody likes a "know-

it-all" yet the Lord Jesus knows all and sees all.

Jesus came to this world to die to save us from our sins, but

the bulk of His ministry was spent trying to teach people how to live

in a sinful world. Admonitions of "turning the other cheek" or "going

the extra mile" are not just wishful thinking for the life principles of a

perfect world; they are the strategy for turning this evil world order

on its ear.

Conventional wisdom tells us that most of what the Teacher

taught won't work in our modern society. Yet it is conventional

wisdom that produced the breakdown of the family, relationships with

no commitment and the "every man for himself" philosophy that has

made this mess in the first place.

The biggest problem with ignorant people is that they don't

know that they are ignorant. The clueless are clueless that they are

clueless and the unteachable think they know more than their

teachers. They have ears but they do not hear and eyes but do not see.

It's great to admit that we don't make good decisions and

look for answers. That is when we are able to approach the Lord Jesus
Christ, who is **God Who Alone is Wise** and become wise ourselves.

**«** May 20 **»**

Firstborn from the Dead

And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning,

the **firstborn from the dead** , that in all things He may have the

preeminence.

_Colossians 1:18*_

The reality that Jesus rose from the dead is one of the most

important tenants of the Christian faith. Because Christ rose from the

dead, all true believers have the hope and assurance of resurrection,

which is based on the fact that the Lord is the **firstborn from the**

**dead**.

Unfortunately, many don't understand this title, because

Jesus wasn't the very first to rise from the dead. Both Elijah and

Elisha brought someone back from death and a cadaver also came to

life when it touched Elisha's bones. Christ also resurrected three

people before coming back to life Himself.

The title doesn't refer to chronological order but to legal right.

The firstborn is the heir. He owns it and can give it to others as He

wishes. Life, the power of resurrection, and immortality belong to the

Lord and those who rose from the grave before Jesus did so by His

power and authority. He always has the preeminence.

_Yes! He came from heaven,_

_Suffered in our stead;_

_Praise to Him be given,_

_" **Firstborn from the dead**!" _

_Jesus, meek and lowly,_

_Come the lost to save;_

_He the victim holy_

_Triumphed o're the grave._

_Hanna K. Burlingham (1842-1901)_

_*see also Revelations 1:5_

**«** May 21 **»**

Alpha and Omega

"I am the **Alpha and the Omega** , _the_ Beginning

and _the_ End," says the Lord, "who is and

who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

_Revelation 1:8*_

By the time a child loses his two front teeth, he is

expected to know his letters from A to Z. This simple

achievement offers a lifetime of benefits. It is the vehicle

to a whole new world of literature, information, and ideas.

Letters combine to make words, words form language, and

language expresses the thoughts and feelings of the soul.

When Christ claimed to be the **Alpha and Omega**

(the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet), He was in

effect declaring Himself to be the whole revelation of God

– the divine communication medium to the human race.

Everything that we will ever know about the

Almighty is through Jesus Christ. He is the image of the

invisible God, the personification of divine love and the

supreme example of holiness. Glory, grace and

righteousness are only abstract concepts until they are

expressed to us through Christ. He says it all.

The world cannot contain the books that could be

written about the Lord Jesus. There aren't enough trees for

paper, or even enough carbon to make the ink. But heaven

contains the **Alpha and Omega** , and with eternity, there is

time enough to declare who He really is.

_*see also Revelation 1:11, 21:6, 22:13_

_****_**«** May 22 **»**

Joint Heir

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are

children of God,and if children, then heirs --- heirs of God

and **joint heir** s with Christ, if indeed we suffer with _Him,_

that we may also be glorified together.

_Romans 8:16,17_

OK, if you want to be technical, this title refers to Christians

and not the Lord. However, if we are **joint heir** s with Jesus, then He is a

**joint heir** with us. The title is a legitimate name of Christ.

The idea is that the children of God will share with Christ

everything that is God's. Now, if Jesus got 50% of the total and the rest

was divided between every believer, calculated out, that means even the

lowliest saint would at least get a galaxy or two.

That sounds great at first, but stars and planets would have no

worth if everyone had them. The title conveys that the Master shares with

us things that are of far greater value. He gives us His glory, His power,

and His position before God.

As **Joint Heir** , Christ shares with me His glory: "For I consider

that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy _to be compared_

with the glory which shall be revealed in us" ( _Romans 8:18_ ). "To them

God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this

mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory"

( _Colossians 1:27_ ).

As **Joint Heir** , the Lord shares His power: "So Jesus said to

them, "... if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this

mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will

be impossible for you" ( _Matthew 17:20_ ). "Most assuredly, I say to you,

he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater

_works_ than these he will do, because I go to My Father" ( _John 14:12_ ).

As **Joint Heir** , Christ shares with us His position with God:

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we

should be called children of God!..." ( _1 John 3:1_ ). "...by which He

made us accepted in the Beloved" ( _Ephesians 1:6_ ).

**«** May 23 **»**

Tried Stone

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: " Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for

a foundation, A **tried stone**...

_Isaiah 28:16_

Rocks differ from one another in color, hardness, and

composition. However, even the same variety of rock from the same

quarry can vary in quality. Unseen hairline cracks within a big block

of stone can eventually break it apart once it is part of a load-bearing

wall. For that reason, the huge building blocks that were to be used in

the Temple were shaped in one place and then transported many miles

to the construction site. The movement over dirt roads would jostle

and vibrate the heavy stones enough that the inferior building material

would never survive the journey. Each block that made it through this

testing was considered a **tried stone**.

When Christ came to this world 2,000 years ago, He didn't

arrive untested. Many times before, God had physically manifested

Himself to His people. The second person of the Trinity was in the

burning bush before Moses, appeared as the Commander of the

LORD's army to Joshua, and protected Shadrach and crew in the fiery

furnace as the Son of God.

Before the Jewish leaders rejected Him as their Messiah, He

demonstrated His power and authority to them. He did things that

only the LORD's anointed could do; the lame walked, the blind could

see, and the dead came to life again ( _Matthew 11:5_ ). But it wasn't just

his works that proved that He was the Christ. Other witnesses that

testified of the Son of God were John the Baptist, God the Father, and

scripture itself ( _John 5:36-47_ ).

The Lord Jesus became the cornerstone and sure foundation

of the assembly of God's people. He came not just stating His claim,

but proving to those who had ears to hear that He was the precious

and **Tried Stone** that Isaiah prophesied would come.

**«** May 24 **»**

Love

And we have known and believed the **love** that God has for us.

God is **love** , and he who abides in **love** abides in God, and God in him.

_1 John 4:16_

"Jesus **loves** me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so" (Anna B.

Wanney, 1860). Most everyone associates Jesus as one who loves, but

not everyone sees Him in the verse above. Many people, when they come

across the G word in the Bible, just assume it's talking about God the

Father and not the Son. God is **love** , but is it a name of Christ?

God is **Love** no matter how He shows Himself, but this verse

shows clearly that God the Son is the personification of **Love**. John said

that he had known and believed this **love** that God had for mankind. He

specifically chooses two words that he also uses repeatedly in referring to

Christ. This is called "linkage."

The Apostle talks about abiding in **love** and abiding in Christ.

This expression calls to mind the Lord's discourse of the true vine in

John's gospel chapter 15 where He says, "Abide in me, and I in you. As

the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither

can you, unless you abide in me" ( _verse 4_ ). Christ goes on to say "abide

in my **love** " ( _verse 9_ ). Referring to other writings like this is called

"allusion."

When 1 John chapter 4 is seen in overview, the pieces fit

together. "Everyone who **loves** is born of God and knows God" ( _verse 7_ ).

"In this the **love** of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His

only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him"

( _verse 9_ ). "Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides

in him, and he in God" ( _verse 15_ ). "And this commandment we have

from Him: that he who loves God _must_ **love** his brother also" ( _verse 21_ ).

When surrounding verses work together to establish a point, it's known

as "context." In this case, "God is **love** " = "Jesus is **love**."

Christ is the embodiment of **love**. When you look at Him with

the eyes of faith, you can see **Love**. Since **love** is emotion and feeling,

it's complex and difficult to define. However, if you know the Savior,

you truly know what **love** is, because Jesus is **Love**.

**«** May 25 **»**

Peace Offering

When his offering _is_ a sacrifice of a **peace offering** , if he offers _it_ of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before

the LORD.

_Leviticus 3:1*_

God enjoys celebrating with His people. He gave them feasts and

festivals and even today the Jewish people are known for their food. He gave

them a land of milk and honey, but it also produced great harvests of grains,

fruit, and livestock.

Without refrigeration, meat was hard to keep, so it wasn't on the

menu everyday; it was special. When an animal from the herd (beef) or flock

(goat meat or mutton) was to be slaughtered, it was taken to the Tabernacle

or Temple, because the blood and the fat belonged to the LORD. When the

fat sizzled on the altar it gave off a "sweet aroma" to God ( _Leviticus 4:31_ ).

The right foreleg was a heave offering to God, but the officiating priest got

to keep it as payment for his services. The rest of the meat was for the owner

to enjoy as he wished.

The **peace offering** was the most common and least

restrictive of all the sacrifices. It could be any clean animal without

defect (male or female didn't matter), whatever someone had a taste

for. Different kinds of breads were also a part of this fellowship

dinner. Since everything had to be eaten in two days (it wouldn't be

safe to eat it much more after that), the **peace offering** was a good

excuse for a party. Neighbors and friends would be invited and people

looked for excuses to celebrate. If I invited friends to help me eat 500

pounds of beef in two days, they would probably do the same for me

when they had a **peace offering,** That principal naturally nurtured

hospitality, generosity, and fellowship.

The Prince of Peace became our **peace offering** to enjoy with

the family of God. He is our Lamb of God, our Bread of Life, and our

Companion and friend "...therefore let us keep the feast..." ( _1_

_Corinthians 5:8_ ).

**«** May 26 **»**

Him who Endured

Such Hostility

For consider **Him who endured such hostility** from sinners

against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your

souls.

_Hebrews 12:3_

I don't like hassles, arguments or confrontations, so I avoid

them whenever possible. I even avoid potential problems, so I'll send

my wife in to get directions at the gas station or hand her the phone

when it's a telemarketer. Angry encounters are worse, because when

I'm yelled at, I usually yell back, so I lose the argument before it's

even begun.

Now, compare that with the Lord Jesus. He left the grandeur

of heaven, where He was worshiped, to come to a world filled with

injustice, violence, and greed. He was "despised and rejected by men,

a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" ( _Isaiah 53:3_ ). The Lord

refused to speak in court when he was falsely accused, so His

adversaries continued to curse, insult, and malign **Him who endured**

**such Hostility**.

This name of Christ reveals the great depth of character of the

Savior. He didn't put up with the verbal abuse of sin because he had

to; Jesus did it because He wanted to. That's a big difference.

Homeless people walk places not because they want to, but because

they have no choice. The Son of God wasn't a victim of the evil in

this world, but he chose to conquer wickedness by taking it on

Himself.

The writer to the Hebrews explains why Christ put up with

such antagonism from His own creation. He did it for believers, for

us. We all know how weary and discouraged we get when we become

the focus of loathing and disrespect. Jesus conquered all that by rising

above it. We can also overcome the insults, if we can just take the

time to reflect on **Him who endured such hostility** from sinners.

**«** May 27 **»**

Witness to the People

Indeed I have given him _as_ a **witness to the**

**people** , A leader and commander for the people.

_Isaiah 55:4_

A good witness not only speaks the truth, but reveals facts

and details that would not otherwise be known. The judge and jury

want to know what happened, so they rely on witnesses to enlighten

them about what went on. Without this information, people are

clueless and can't make an intelligent judgment. God is not from

around here. He is Spirit, and the laws of physics don't apply to Him

as they do to us. Invisible, infinite, and invariable, He's not at all like

us. The human race really needs someone who knows and has seen

God, so that He can explain Him to us. That's what the Jewish

Messiah came to do. He was given as a **Witness to the People**.

Christ not only explains the character and personality of God,

but He also makes the intangible, tangible and the infinite, finite. The

life and ministry of Jesus defines and illustrates such words as grace,

humility, and providence. The Old Testament gave clues and hints to

what God was like, but it took the incarnation to get the clear picture.

Many other titles of Christ express in other words this idea

that the LORD's Anointed is an explainer of the Divine. The Lord

Jesus is also called:

The express image of God ( _Hebrews 1:3_ )

The Fullness of the Godhead ( _Colossians 2:9_ )

God manifested in the flesh ( _1 Timothy 3:16_ )

The Image of the Invisible God ( _Colossians 1:15_ )

Immanuel, God with us ( _Matthew 1:23_ )

The Shadow of the Almighty ( _Psalm 91:1_ )

Word of God ( _Revelation 19:13_ )

If God hadn't revealed Himself, no one could ever know who

He actually is. It is through the person of Christ that God has become

a **Witness to the People**.

**«** May 28 **»**

Now a great sign appeared in heaven...

_Revelations 12:1_

Abbreviations come in handy when there's a lot to write down.

They're also helpful to keep from revealing a secret or a forbidden word.

Such is the case with this title of Christ.

The Greek letter for "ch" is Chi and looks like an English X. Rho

sounds like "r" but is written like an English P. They form the first two

letters of Christ.

During times of Roman persecution, Christians used symbols that

could be recognized by other believers and overlooked by the authorities.

The Chi-Rho,

, identified a person with Christ.

In the dawn of the fourth century, the Emperor Maxentius began the

last purge of Christians. Every believer in the empire was to be put to death

without mercy or exception. All provincial rulers had to enforce this edict yet

there was one who refused.

Constantine was a pagan, but his mother, Helena, was a Christian.

Since there was no persecution in Gaul, many believers fled there.

Constantine was summoned to Rome to answer for his disobedience and he

went, taking his troops. The little army left knowing that they were

outnumbered ten to one. On the way, Christian soldiers began swelling

Constantine's rank and by the time they got to Rome they were only

outnumbered three to one. The day before the battle, Constantine looked at

the sun and saw a

in the rays of light and tradition says he heard a voice

saying, "In this sign you will conquer". A

was painted on every shield.

When the battle was joined, Maxentius' huge army melted before

Constantine. Panic ensued as thousands of men retreated across a pontoon

bridge. The little boats that were tied together soon fell apart. Everyone wore

heavy armor, so when Maxentius and most of his troops fell into the Tiber

river, they soon drowned. The river killed more than the sword.

Constantine became the undisputed emperor of Rome that day and

persecution of the saints came to an abrupt end.

devout pagan had to admit that there was something special about the name

of Christ.

**«** May 29 **»**

King of kings

And He has on _His_ robe and on His thigh a name written: **KING OF**

**KINGS** AND LORD OF LORDS.

_Revelation 19:16*_

The Bible is the full revelation of God to His people, so that

all those who love the Lord also love His Word. I'm not surprised at

the great and precious things that I find fresh and new every time I

read the word, even though I've gone through the book many times

before.

One thing that does surprise me is some of the stuff that has

gotten in. God's written down some things that don't seem very

important to me and I don't know how to process it. Take Genesis 36,

for example, where the genealogy of Esau is given. These men

became chieftains and kings of Edom, dozens of them, all with names

that are hard to pronounce. These kings lived and reigned long before

Israel ever got to their promised land and since Edom was later cursed

by God, no descendants of that nation exist today. I mean, really, who

cares? Obviously God does, because He wrote it down in His book.

God keeps a lot of lists. Just read First Chronicles. There are

lists of Levites, priests, singers, and doorkeepers. In heaven, there's a

list of every person's sins and the Lamb's Book of Life catalogs all

those going to heaven. Somewhere in all that paperwork of heaven is

a complete listing of all the kings that ever lived on earth. Since every

king ultimately receives his power and authority from God, one day

they'll have to settle accounts with Him.

At the Great White Throne, will be kings of Edom, Rome,

Greece, Persia, and Babylon. Every monarch that ever lived will

be present and, when the signal is given, every one of them will bow

the knee and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the

Father. All the proud and mighty will humble themselves before the

true **King of kings**.

* see also 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14.

**«** May 30 **»**

God with Us

_Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His_

_name Immanuel,_ which is translated, " **God with us."**

_Matthew 1:23_

The given name on my birth certificate is "Richard"; it means

"strong leader." My wife's name is "Carol" which means "manly" or

"strong." If you told me what your personal name means, I probably

wouldn't care. There's usually not a lot of correlation between names and

what they are supposed to mean.

Immanuel is Hebrew for " **God with us**." That's not what it means;

it is the phrase all sounded out. But you wouldn't know that if you do not

know Hebrew. It is a description, not a name.

People who want others to know the meaning of their child's name

often use an English word for their moniker such as "Faith," "Hope," or

"Huckleberry."

Even so, putting a label on someone is no guarantee that they'll live

up to expectations.

Starting in the 1990's, hundreds of baby girls in this country have

been named "Unique." Since that name caught on, now none of them are.

Even with over 30 variations of spelling (which includes Uneek, Euneke,

and U'niq) a person's name usually is a classifier and not a describer.

The New Testament has been translated into more than 2,000

languages. In each case, Matthew 1:23 contains a transliteration of the word

"Immanuel"; the name is converted to the script of the native tongue so that

it can be sounded out to something that resembles Immanuel in English. That

text might be Spanish, Arabic, or Mandarin, but the result is mostly the

same; the reader comes across a hard to pronounce Bible name that means

nothing to him.

But then comes the translation " **God with us** " and its understood. It

doesn't matter if the person is an Eskimo from north of the Arctic Circle or

an Aborigine from Australia; it's explained to them in their own language.

Jesus Christ is " **God with us**."

**«** May 31 **»**

ELOHIM

Then God [ **Elohim** ] said, "Let Us make man in Our image,

according to Our likeness"... So God [ **Elohim** ] created man

in His _own_ image; in the image of God [ **Elohim** ] He created

him; male and female He created them.

_Genesis 1:26-27*_

The deity of Christ, far from being an obscure doctrine,

permeates the Bible, beginning in chapter one. **Elohim** , the

Hebrew word most commonly translated as "God" in the Old

Testament, clearly communicates the concept of the Holy Trinity.

The word denotes "Mighty One," but its grammar also

envelopes the idea of plurality within unity. Some English words

have similar structure. If someone requested a pair of pants and

some scissors, it would be clear that he wanted one of each, even

though these words are grammatically plural.

The universe is not run by a committee or a board of

directors. It is controlled by the one true God, **Elohim**

( _Deuteronomy 6:4_ ).

The one Almighty God is expressed to us in three persons.

God the Father fills every cubic inch of the universe ( _Psalm_

_139:1-16_ ). God the Son is the Most High revealed in physical

human form ( _1 John 5:20_ ). God the Spirit is the special presence

of the Holy One in the lives of believers ( _Romans 8;9_ ).

Just as I can be a brother, father, and husband all at the

same time, **Elohim** relates to His creation in distinct ways without

being divided Himself. One person of God is not the same as the

others, yet one manifestation certainly cannot deny the existence

of the rest **.** There is more to **Elohim** than a narrow view of God.

* _**Elohim**_ _is used over 2,500 times in the Old Testament_

**«** June 1 **»**

Glutton and Winebibber

The Son of Man has come eating and drinking,

and you say, "Look, a **glutton and a winebibber** ,

a friend of tax collectors and sinners!"

_Luke 7:34*_

Criticism – Who can escape it? Not even the perfect

man was free from the critical eye and negative comment.

Some critics judged Christ for the company he kept and

assumed that He was over-eating and getting drunk. After all,

that's what they would have done, given the same

opportunity.

Externals – Superficial things can become very

important in any society. Setting a fork to the left of the plate

is neither right nor wrong in itself, but can be used as a

measure to discern who is cultured and who is not. The

socially elite spurned the Lord Jesus for being at the wrong

party. They weren't seeking truth; they were seeking faults.

Pride – The desire to look good and feel important is

the source of every malicious remark and sarcastic comment.

It fuels envy and prejudice and opposes the Savior. No

wonder God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Example – The Lord was misunderstood for being a

friend of sinners. When disciples imitate their Master who

showed love to the unlovely, they too are put down and

criticized. However, what can be better than having the mind

of Christ?

_*see also Matthew 11:19_

**«** June 2 **»**

Man of Sorrows

He is despised and rejected by men,

A **Man of sorrows** and acquainted with grief...

_Isaiah 53:3_

He was born in a barn because there was no room for Him

anywhere else. Poverty demanded that only the minimal religious

offering be made at His dedication. He grew up being gossiped

about, because He was thought to be illegitimate. But they didn't

know the truth; they didn't know Him.

He healed the blind, the lame, and those with incurable

diseases, but wasn't paid for His services. He often slept outside

because He owned no house or even the money for a night's

lodging. He had a group of close followers, but one was a traitor

and the rest abandoned Him to His enemies.

He was a rejected king, without an army and without a

following. His soul felt troubled, weighed down by the seriousness

of His mission, yet He didn't weep for Himself. When He saw the

city of His execution, He wept for the lost and deceived folks

inside.

This **Man of Sorrows** endured the cross and despised the

shame because of the joy that was set before Him ( _Hebrews 12:2)_ –

the joy of finally wiping away every tear from the cheek of fallen

man.

" **Man of Sorrows** " what a name

For the Son of God who came

Ruined sinners to reclaim!

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

_-Philip P. Bliss (1838-1876)_

**«** June 3 **»**

Anointed

The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take

counsel together, Against the LORD and against His **Anointed**.

_Psalms 2:2_

... _The Spirit of the LORD_ _is upon Me,_ _Because He has_ **anointed** _Me_ _To_ _preach the gospel to_ _the_ _poor;_

_Luke 4:18_

This title is a "threefer." The one original Hebrew word is translated

three different ways into English. The base word is " **anointed** ," but it is also

translated as "Messiah" or "Christ," depending on the context.

To be **anointed** means to have oil poured on one's head in a public

ceremony. This was done to ordain priests, coronate kings, and designate

prophets. Christ was **anointed** by God for all of these positions; "Therefore

God, Your God, has **anointed** You With the oil of gladness more than Your

companions" ( _Hebrews 1:9_ ).

The Hebrew word for " **anointed** " or " **anointed one** " is

"Mashiach," which is written as "Messiah" in English. This was God's

special chosen one who wasn't **anointed** with oil, but with the Holy Spirit.

Every prophet, priest, and king in the Old Testament was _a_ mashiach.

However, God's special One was _the_ Mashiach, the Messiah.

When 70 Hebrew scholars translated the Old Testament into Greek,

the word "mashiach" became "christos," and then "Christ" in English. The

dispersed Jewish people built their synagogues all around the Greek-

speaking world and taught interested Gentiles about the God of the universe

and His promised Christ who was to come.

In our day and age we really don't get the concept of **anointing**. We

think, "Yuck! Who would want to get all greasy like that?" But in the Middle

East, oil was also used as a part of a healing process. In a land that is hot and

dry, skin and hair become dull and scaly; oil poured out is refreshing and

gives the body softness and shine.

Jesus is the Messiah of the Old Testament and the Christ of the New

because, for us, He became God's **Anointed**.

**«** June 4 **»**

Carpenter's Son

Is this not the **carpenter's son**? Is not His mother called Mary?

And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?

_Matthew 13:55_

This simple verse reveals volumes about Christ's childhood

and upbringing. When the people of Nazareth saw Jesus teaching,

healing, and doing amazing things, they were surprised and didn't

expect it. They recognized Him as the **carpenter's son** but hadn't

taken much notice of Him. They didn't take much notice of Joseph,

either, other than knowing him as the guy who fixed broken furniture.

Mark 6:3 tells us that Jesus had Himself been a carpenter, a

trade He obviously learned from His step-dad. It's assumed that the

creator of trees spent many long hours learning to work with wood.

Children from richer families would have spent more years in the

synagogue school and could have been discipled to become a Rabbi.

The **carpenter's son** , on the other hand, would have been expected to

work in the wood shop most of the day, sharpening tools and

preparing lumber.

By age 30, Jesus was a master craftsman, but He left it all to

begin his preaching ministry. I like that. Christ was able to earn a

working man's wage and had a skill that took years to develop. In

other words, He had firsthand experience in the basics of making a

living and had a message that everyday folks could identify with.

I was a school teacher for five years before going to the

mission field, and I've had other jobs ranging from flipping hamburgers

to mixing mortar. It definitely prepared me for serving the Lord.

People who work hard to survive really don't want to be preached

at by someone who has never gotten his hands dirty. They need

someone who is strong enough to lift their burden and carry the load.

Jesus reached the masses, the poor, and the needy. He wasn't

like other Rabbis or the higher-ups in the religious community. He

ruffled their feathers because He didn't seem refined or cultured like

them. After all, He was only the **Carpenter's Son**.

**«** June 5 **»**

All in All

...where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised,

barbarian, Scythian, slave _nor_ free, but Christ _is_ **all** and **in all**.

_Colossians 3:11_

What are the things that really matter in this life? Power? Great

wealth? Fame? Social standing? Houses? Cars? Electronic gadgets? The

truth is that none of these are worth diddily squat at the Great White

Throne judgment. All the great men and women of human history would

trade it all away in a heartbeat if they could just get their names written

in the Lamb's Book of Life.

True believers are the ones who really get it. Christ is **all in all**

and nothing else really matters. The apostle Paul put it this way: "Yet

indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of

Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and

count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ" ( _Philippians 3:8_ ).

To make this idea a little more contemporary, missionary martyr

Jim Elliot once said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to

gain what he cannot lose." True; all very true, but most Christians don't

really live it.

Sadder yet is all the stuff clutters things up and separates

believers from each other. Social status, nationality, cultural background,

and educational levels divide Christians for whom Christ shed His blood.

Divisions seem more justifiable when we can call them "doctrinal

differences." We become proud that we are right and our "weaker

brothers" are wrong.

Paul says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave

nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ

Jesus" ( _Galatians 3:28_ ). The Lord is trying to get through to His sleepy

church in these last days, wanting them to focus on what's important.

"And He put all _things_ under His feet, and gave Him _to be_ head

over all _things_ to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who

fills **all in all** " ( _Ephesians 1:22, 23)._

**«** June 6 **»**

Gift of God

Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the **gift of God** ,

and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would

have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

_John 4:10_

Gifts and excitement go together – or at least they do if the gift is

done right. Anticipation is a key element. Wrapping paper and ribbon turn an

ordinary object into a present. Secrecy adds suspense, and that makes it

special.

What distinguishes the best gifts from the ordinary ones is the love,

thoughtfulness, and effort that go into choosing them. The giver somehow

knows what you desire or need when you yourself don't. It is carefully

selected with you in mind, and that makes the gift personal.

The really great gifts you can't afford for yourself. Window

shoppers do it all the time; they look at things they could never really afford

and imagine what it would be like to have one of their very own. Every so

often, it actually happens: Someone gets you that thing you wanted so much

but always dismissed as unattainable.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above..."

( _James 1:17_ ). God knows a lot more about gift-giving than people do.

Heaven buzzed with fervent expectancy for hundreds of years before the

**Gift of God** was finally given. Prophets dropped hints about this perfect gift,

but no one guessed what it really was.

"...The **gift of God** _is_ eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord"

( _Romans 6:23_ ). Sinners need a Savior, and this sinful world was clueless

about it. People wanted to go to heaven but couldn't get there because sinners

can't get in. Jesus gives us what we want and need. He makes us new

creations; the old, bad stuff is all gone; everything is fresh and new

( _2 Corinthians 5:17_ ).

Our salvation cost more than anyone on earth could ever afford

"knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, _like_ silver or

gold... but with the precious blood of Christ" ( _1 Peter 1:18-19_ ).

"Thanks _be_ to God for His indescribable gift" ( _2 Corinthians 9:15_ ).

**«** June 7 **»**

Express Image of His Person

...who being the brightness of _His_ glory and the **express image of His**

**person** , and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by

Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

_Hebrews 1:3_

In a famous sermon illustration, a little girl comes home from

Sunday school and starts to draw a picture. "What are you doing?" asks

Mom.

"I'm drawing a picture of God," replied the little voice.

Mother responded, "Nobody knows what God looks like."

"Well, they will after they see my picture," the girl said with

confidence.

Humans are hardwired to get in touch with their Creator. This drive

often takes wrong turns toward false religions that superficially cover that

longing. Most Americans would jump at the chance to see God, if it would

take 10 minutes or less and cost little or nothing. Others sometimes call

themselves atheists and ignore or repress that drive, but that usually leads to

feelings of emptiness, hopelessness, or frustration. For this reason, idols and

images became popular, even during Adam and Eve's lifetime. The children

of Israel bowed down before golden calves and thought they were

worshiping the LORD. During the Middle Ages, praying to icons and images

was standard practice. Since this goes against the second commandment, it's

not the way God planned for knowing Him.

Jesus is the **express image of God**. This doesn't mean that He has

the same facial features as God or that He is a small version of a gigantic

human-like figure in heaven. Christ was a living, breathing object lesson that

demonstrated the character of God. His words, actions, and attitudes reveal

to us the true and living God, so much so that He could say, "If you had

known Me, you would have known My Father also" ( _John 8:19_ ).

It's interesting that one reason Christ came to save mankind was

that we would be conformed to His image ( _Romans 8:29_ ). In Genesis 1:27

"God created man in His _own_ image," but the resemblance was marred by

sin. Now, through Christ, we can be conformed to the image of the **Express**

**Image of God**.

**«** June 8 **»**

The-Lord-Will-Provide

And Abraham called the name of the place, **The- LORD-Will-Provide** ;

as it is said _to_ this day, "In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.

_Genesis 22:14_

Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for

righteousness. When God told him to go to the land of Moriah to sacrifice

his son, Isaac, Abraham said, "Yes, sir" and got ready for the three-day

journey. Arriving at the bottom of the designated hill, the old man unloaded

the donkeys and left them with the servants. As Isaac was carrying up the

equipment, he became curious. He turned to his dad and asked, "Look, the

fire and the wood, but where _is_ the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham's

answer was, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt

offering" ( _Genesis 22:7,8_ ).

When they got to the top, the Angel of the LORD had to stop

Abraham from obeying God. When Abraham looked up from the altar, he

saw a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. God had indeed provided the

substitute offering.

At that point, Abraham names the place **The-LORD-Will-Provide.**

This name in the Old King James Version is "Jehovah Jirah" and the God's

Word Translation calls it "Yahweh Yirah." It's easy to tell in these versions

that it is a name of God.

Both Jews and Muslims acknowledge that Mount Moriah is the site

of the temple mount. Originally, Solomon's temple was there, and after it

was destroyed, the second temple was built. Again, it was burnt down, and

this time the Dome of the Rock Mosque was constructed. This piece of real

estate is considered holy by Christians, Muslims, and Jews.

It's interesting that, according to the Bible, Abraham was sent to the

land of Moriah, where God would show him the exact place to offer his

sacrifice. Old-time gospel preachers routinely proclaimed that the place was

actually Mount Calvary, which lies only a quarter mile from Mount Moriah.

Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the

world. He is also the Angel of the LORD who provided the ram for Abraham.

Most of all, He is Yahweh Yirah, **The-LORD-Will-Provide**.

**«** June 9 **»**

Eternal Life

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an

understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who

is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and **eternal life**.

_1 John 5:20_

Biologists struggle with the definition of physical life. A living

thing must be able to grow, respond, metabolize, reproduce, and adapt. Yet

there's something else, something missing. Scientists still can't make a living

cell from undamaged parts of dead cells. Life is certainly much more than

the sum of its parts. It contains a spiritual component, although many PhDs

won't admit it.

Conventional wisdom dictates that **Eternal Life** would be harder to

analyze since it's spiritual and spiritual elements don't fit into a test tube.

Actually, it's easier. Life in the spiritual realm is both obtained and

demonstrated through faith; faith is based on knowledge, and knowledge is

revealed in the word of God.

What is **eternal life**? The simple answer is Jesus. According to the

verse above, Christ is the "true God and **eternal life**." Contrary to popular

opinion, **eternal life** is not just the ability to live forever. It isn't just

receiving a better body with cells that don't wear out or grow old. The

mystery of **eternal life** is "Christ in you the hope of glory" ( _Col. 1:27_ ).

When a person is saved, he doesn't just receive unending life; he

receives Jesus. Before salvation, there's no spiritual life. It's receiving the

Spirit of Christ in one's life that makes all the difference ( _Romans 8:9_ ).

I am in Christ and Christ is in me. I never said I understood it, but I

have experienced that it's true. "Therefore, if anyone _is_ in Christ, _he is_ a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new"

( _2 Corinthians 5:17_ ).

**Eternal life** is what happens when a person is transformed by the

grace of God. It's life that starts with an encounter with the Savior; it then

progressively gets better and lasts forever.

For me to live is Christ, and Christ is **Eternal Life**.

**«** June 10 **»**

Sower

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying:

"Behold, a **sower** went out to sow."... He answered and

said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man."

_Matthew 13:3, 37_

Parables were an important part of Jesus' teaching style,

and the parable of the **sower** is His most famous. Through the

years, I must have preached this parable dozens of times because

it's the basic outline of how the gospel is presented and how it is

received. In all my sermons, I'm the **sower** , but I would concede

that there are other evangelists out there that are also planting the

seed.

It wasn't until just recently that I realized that the Lord

taught that He is the **Sower**. That really opened my eyes. If He is

the **sower** , had I been usurping the Savior's place all this time?

The bottom line of a long thought process was, no, I hadn't

taken anything that wasn't given me. The gospel message is

Christ's, and He came to this world to spread this word. Some

people's hearts are so hard, nothing gets in. With others, it can be

difficulties or worldly wealth that keep the message from taking

root. When God uses people and circumstances to prepare the

heart, then the gospel seed can germinate in the human soul and

develop into a fruitful life.

This is one of the few titles that I can actually share with

the Master. It's always exciting to come across these because it is

evidence that I'm being conformed to the image of the Son. I can

teach what Jesus taught but the miracle of new life and spiritual

development is still God's to perform.

Sowing the seed of God's grace to the world makes

someone a channel of Christ's love to others. It's a great and noble

calling to be a **Sower** just like the Son of Man.

**«** June 11 **»**

Brother

For whoever does the will of God is

My **brother** and My sister and mother.

_Mark 3:35_

While Jesus was discipling His followers, Christ's family needed

to talk with Him. When He was informed that they were outside waiting,

he asked, "Who is My mother or My **brothers**?" Then, signaling with

His hand to those who circled Him and said, "Here are My mother and

My **brothers**!" ( _Mark 3:31-34_ )

The teaching here is about relationships. Being in the family of

God is more important and longer lasting than even being in Jesus'

bio-family. At the point in time of these verses, Christ's **brothers** weren't

believers. No matter how close a sibling group can be, it's still just a

tangible relationship, constrained by time and space. Those restrictions

don't apply to the spiritual family, which is intangible.

Christ declares that anyone responding to the Spirit's leading

becomes His **brother** or sister. The law of relationships makes the

reverse to be true; the Lord is their **brother**.

Although the family is a basic human unit, not everyone has one.

There are orphans from birth, orphans from neglect, and orphans with

unloving parents. The Savior can become a father to the fatherless

_(Psalm_ _68:5_ ) and a big **brother** to everyone who feels abandoned. He is the firstborn among many **brothers** ( _Romans 8:29_ ).

What can you do with an older **brother**? You can:

1. Talk about what's on your mind.

2. Share experiences

3. Ask for advice

4. Vent

5. Ask questions

6. Unload fears and worries

7. Get help

8. Enjoy his company

If Jesus is your Savior, then He's also your **Brother**.

**«** June 12 **»**

God Manifested in the

Flesh

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: **God** was

**manifested in the f lesh** , Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels,

Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in

glory.

_1 Timothy 3:16_

Without controversy, without argument, without doubt, the

mystery surrounding God's nature and outworkings are deep, very deep.

This having been said, the above verse sums up with the greatest

economy of words the mission of Christ to our planet.

First off, **God** was **manifested in flesh** ; the invisible God took

on human form. Jesus was and is the eternal Creator in a package of skin,

muscle, blood, and bone.

The next point states that he was Justified in the Spirit. The Holy

Spirit confirmed, revealed, and celebrated who Christ was. Those who

approached the Savior in faith heard that still, small voice within them

saying, "This is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Then, He was seen by angels. They had observed the Master

since the beginning of time, but this time they weren't looking up at Him

as the Great God of the Universe; they were gazing down at Planet Earth

to see God's grace and mercy revealed.

Preached among the Gentiles? Yes, preached to the whole world.

This **God manifested in flesh** , and the grace that brought Him here was

too great for just one nation or people. He had to be preached to all.

The result of that was that He was believed on in the world.

"When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

( _Luke 18:8_ ). The answer is yes.

Finally, **God Manifested in Flesh** was raised up in glory to

resume His daily running of everything that is matter and energy. We

can't see Him now, nor can we physically hear or touch Him. But one day

real soon, He will come to earth again, and then people will say, "There

He is: **God Manifested in the Flesh**."

**«** June 13 **»**

Worthy

Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice,

"Who is **worthy** to open the scroll and to loose its seals?"...

And they sang a new song, saying: "You are **worthy** to take

the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain,

And have redeemed us to God by Your blood

Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation..."

_Revelation 5:2,9_

The scene was before God's throne. All the host of heaven

were there: Archangels, regular angels, elders, cherubim, seraphim,

and living creatures. These were the witnesses when the question was

asked: "Who is **worthy**?" Who had the right to pour out judgment on

planet earth?

Everyone was sad. Even though all the Who's Who of the

universe were assembled, including all the owners and operators of

every star in every galaxy, it was clear that no one was **worthy** to do

much of anything.

Then, the Lamb came, and it was obvious: He was **Worthy**.

He died to save mankind; He redeemed Adam's race with His blood

and made people kings and priests to God. He's the only one who is

**Worthy**.

**Worthy** to take the scroll and open its seals.

**Worthy** to judge the world of sin.

**Worthy** to receive power and riches and wisdom.

**Worthy** of strength and honor and glory and blessing.

**Worthy** of praise and worship and thanksgiving.

**Worthy** of my love, respect, and obedience.

**Worthy** of my time, effort and energy.

**Worthy** of my car, house, and possessions.

**Worthy** of my here and now and future.

Jesus Christ in all things is **Worthy**.

**«** June 14 **»**

Crucified One

For I determined not to know anything among

you except Jesus Christ and Him **crucified**.

_1 Corinthians 2:2_

To the apostle Paul, the cross was the focal point of the gospel, and

that offended people. "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those

who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God"

( _1 Corinthians 1:18_ ). He presented Christ as the **Crucified One**. That either repulsed people or drove them to repentance.

In this day and age, preachers try to make the gospel as attractive to

as many people as possible; not so with Paul. He expected most of his

audience to be offended. The apostle said, "But we preach Christ crucified,

to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness" ( _1 Corinthians_

_1:23_ ).

It's O.K. to be offended. That's a clear indication that the person

heard the message and then rejected it. That's so much better than hearing

the message and remaining indifferent to it. Those people don't realize that

they rejected the Lord of Glory and, with Him, eternal life.

Paul pushed the people to make a clear decision: Accept the Lord

Jesus or reject Him. He presented Jesus as the **Crucified One**. Since Christ

was God's only Son, He should have been honored and well-received by his

creation. Instead, the Lord of lords was rejected by His own nation, betrayed

by His close friends, condemned to die by the religious elite, and executed in

the most terrible way that a world government could conceive. Since Jesus

was both God manifest in the flesh and the **Crucified One** , the human race

is in trouble. Christ is coming again soon and very soon to judge the living

and the dead.

The apostle made it clear that those who reject this message are lost

"but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of

God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than

men and the weakness of God is stronger than men" ( _1 Corinthians_

_1:24-25_ ).

How about you? What is your response to the **Crucified One**?

**«** June 15 **»**

Bread of God

For the **bread of God** is He who comes

down from heaven and gives life to the world.

_John 6:33_

Bread is a complicated concoction made up of precise

ingredients, a multi-step process, and time. Flour, yeast, salt, oil,

warm water, and flavoring in exact proportions are kneaded together

until the dough has a specific consistency. It is covered with a towel,

put in a warm place for half an hour, and let to rise. After that, it is

punched down, covered again, and let to rise for another half hour. It

is then put in a hot oven and baked at the right temperature until

golden brown.

Complicated? Yes, but it's also universal. Every culture has

its own recipe for bread, but in all of them, bread is considered a basic

staple of life. When I grew up, we had bread on the table for every

meal. My dad would say, "Fill up on bread, it's cheap!"

It's true that some primitive cultures don't have grains, flour,

or bakeries. In those places, some kind of starchy root vegetable

becomes the basic foodstuff of their diet. However, the principle still

holds that everyone has some kind of food that is indispensable.

Christ is the **bread of God** that has come down from heaven.

He is our sustenance that provides our spiritual need, just as bread

supplies our physical needs. To communicate this to tribal people,

some missionaries in New Guinea translate the title **bread of God**

into "Sweet Potato of God" and some African tribes know Christ as

the "Cassava of God."

Jesus doesn't have to be complicated. He is as simple as a

child eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He's good, satisfying,

and meets our needs.

Jesus Himself says, "This is the bread which comes down

from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die" ( _John 6:50_ ).

Fill me up, O **Bread of God**!

**«** June 16 **»**

Desire of All Nations

"And I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the **Desire of All**

**Nations** , and I will fill this temple with glory," says the LORD of hosts.

_Haggai 2:7_

Under Zerubbabel, the returned exiles from Babylon began to

rebuild the temple. Unfortunately, it had been sixteen years since the

foundation was laid, and the building was far from done. The prophet

Haggai rebuked the repatriated house of Judah for allowing personal

interests to usurp God's work. Everyone could see that the new temple

would never be as impressive as Solomon's. However, Haggai assured

the reluctant workers that God would fill this sanctuary with glory

because the **Desire of All Nations** would be there. It would, in fact,

surpass Solomon's glory.

When the Lord of Glory came to the second temple, a large

crowd shouted "Hosanna" and laid palm branches and clothes in His

path. If these folks failed to give Him glory, Christ said that the stones

would have immediately cried out. Immanuel had come, and it was a big

deal.

The arrival of the Messiah has shaken up the nations for almost

two millennia. In the first century, the mob in Thessalonica complained

that Christians had turned the world upside down ( _Acts 17:6)_. It took

three centuries for the Roman Empire to change from polytheistic to

Christian. Different cultures on all the continents have been transformed

by Christ through great revivals that have occurred periodically over the

centuries.

Today, the pendulum seems to be swinging the other way

around, and the **Desire of All Nations** doesn't seem to have His same

appeal. It's illegal to preach about the Savior in 37 countries. Church

attendance in the U.S. is going down. Materialism is the new paganism,

and this is just one more sign of Christ's return.

Even so, in Africa, South America, and on the Pacific Rim,

Christ's church is seeing tremendous growth. Anywhere there are

oppressed and needy people, the gospel message is still good news to

hungry souls. Folks still want to have their sins forgiven and to receive

eternal life. Men and women everywhere still seek the Savior. After all,

He's never stopped being the **Desire of All Nations**.

**«** June 17 **»**

The Lamb who Was Slain

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne,

the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten

thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with

a loud voice: "Worthy is the **Lamb who was slain** To receive power and

riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"

_Revelation 5:11-12_

The scene: In Heaven.

The cast: Hundreds of millions of holy beings.

The purpose: Praise.

The time: The soon future.

The focus: **The Lamb who was slain**.

Come, let us sing the song of songs

The angels first began the strain— To Him, enthroned by filial right,

The homage which to Christ

All power in Heaven and earth

belongs;

proclaim,

**Worthy the Lamb, for He was**

Honor, and majesty, and might:

**slain**!

**Worthy the Lamb, for He was**

**slain**!

Slain to redeem us by His blood,

To cleanse from every sinful stain,

And make us kings and priests to

Long as we live, and when we die,

God:

And while in Heaven with Him we

**Worthy the Lamb, for He was**

reign,

**slain**!

This song our song of songs shall

be:

To Him who suffered on the tree,

**Worthy the Lamb, for He was**

Our souls, at His soul's price, to

**slain**!

gain,

Blessing, and praise, and glory be:

**Worthy the Lamb, for He was**

**slain**!

_-James Montgomery (1771-1854)_

**«** June 18 **»**

Righteousness

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus,

who became for us... **righteousness**...

_1 Corinthians 1:30_

**Righteousness** is a Bible word. It is almost never used

outside of a religious context, so the unchurched usually don't have a

clue to what it means. As a youth speaker, I try to make very simple

definitions that young pagans can instantly understand and remember.

I define **righteousness** as "the opposite of wrongseousness."

Now, nobody has ever heard the word wrongseousness before, but as

soon as they have, they can understand **righteousness**.

**Righteousness** is not being wrong; it must be being and doing right.

If the truth be known, we're all wrongseous. "As it is written:

'There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands;

There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They

have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no,

not one'" ( _Romans 3:10-12_ ).

As we were growing up, my Dad had a rather crude but

pragmatic bit of advice for us kids: "Do the best you can! It will be

bad enough." The Bible says that "All our **righteousnesses** _are_ like

filthy rags" ( _Isaiah 64:6_ ). Even the very best we can do falls far short

of the glory of God.

The apostle Peter addressed his second letter "To those who

have obtained like precious faith with us by the **righteousness** of our

God and Savior Jesus Christ" _(2 Peter 1:1)_. We are righteous because

Jesus supplies us with His **righteousness**. The same grace that saves

us also changes us and makes us righteous.

The fancy, theological term for being made righteous is

"sanctification," and the process is summed up in 2 Corinthians 5:17:

"Therefore, if anyone _is_ in Christ, _he is_ a new creation; old things

have passed away; behold, all things have become new." We can

simplify this even more: If we're in Christ, we become righteous

because Christ Jesus is our **Righteousness**.

**«** June 19 **»**

Him Who Loved Us and Washed

Us from our Sins in His own Blood

To **Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His**

**own blood** , and has made us kings and priests to His God and

Father, to Him _be_ glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

_Revelation 1:5-6_

Coming in at fourteen words, this is the longest title of

Christ in the Bible. It's a mouthful, so most books on the names

of God don't mention it. I include it because the apostle John

uses it is his doxology in the first chapter of Revelation and I

can't find any way to condense it.

It all begins with love, Christ's love for us. To really

understand the Savior, we must understand his motivation. He

wanted to save Adam's fallen race because **He loved us** and

gave Himself for us.

Sinners are unable to go to heaven because they're

sinners. It's not so much what they've done, but who they are. A

homeless guy wouldn't be allowed to dine in a five-star

restaurant dressed in rags and smelling like manure, even if he

had a stolen credit card to pay the bill. At the very least, he'd

need a bath. In the same way, we're not fit for heaven. If we go

to heaven, it's because Christ cleaned us up **and washed us**

**from our sins**.

This love that saves and cleans up a sinner is Calvary

love. Sin doesn't come out with soap and water; it comes out

with blood, Christ's blood. Some forms of lymphoma are

flushed out with more than one hundred blood transfusions. In

the same way, sin is in our blood, and unless a donor with

sinless blood can clean us from the inside out, we're doomed.

But Jesus died on the cross to wash away our sins **in His own**

**blood**.

**«** June 20 **»**

Ruler Over the

Kings of the Earth

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn

from the dead, and the **ruler over the kings of the earth**...

_Revelation 1:5_

As a student of history and an observer of modern politics, I'm

unimpressed with world leaders whom others have labeled "Great."

Many have conquered the world or changed society dramatically, but

much of their power came from back-room deals, lies, and treachery. Too

often, this political axiom proves itself to be true: "Power tends to

corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely" (John Dalberg-Acton -

1832-1902).

Arrogance is another characteristic of these "Greats" that just

grates on me. To me, their blatant, unabashed pride of who they are and

what they've done is very off-putting. Adolf Hitler, Pol Pot, and Genghis

Khan never admitted any wrongdoing. Instead, they felt their actions

were noble and just. That's just wrong.

All the famous and powerful people of this world, both past and

present, would never be concerned about my opinion about them, even

though I know something they don't. That's why I take comfort in the

fact that Jesus Christ is the **Ruler over the kings of the earth**.

One day, Christ will come in His glory. On that day, the souls of

all these important people, whose names I had to memorize in history

class, will be brought before the King of kings. All of them will bow

down on their knees before Him, and every tongue will confess that Jesus

Christ is Lord.

I let my imagination run wild and can see Alexander the Great

trying to hide himself. I see Pontius Pilate trembling before the Lord. I

wouldn't be surprised to see Nero weeping for his sins or Mohammed

submitting himself to Christ.

As far as the world is concerned, I'm just another nameless,

faceless nobody that clutters up the planet. As far as Jesus is concerned,

I'm a child of God, and I'll be with Him on Judgment Day. I'm looking

forward to seeing all the somebodies on earth brought before the Great

White Throne when Christ reveals Himself as the **Ruler over the kings**

**of the earth**.

**«** June 21 **»**

Gate

Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through

them, and I will praise the LORD. This is the **gate** of

the LORD, through which the righteous shall enter.

_Psalm 118:19-20_

In the ancient world, real security could only be found in walled

cities. Marauding raiders regularly burned villages and plundered farms,

but were kept out by tall, thick walls. However, the walls were useless if

the city **gates** were weak and undefended.

The **gates** were a traveler's first indication of what kind of place

they were entering. If the **gates** were massive, made of durable materials,

had a drawbridge, and were surrounded by towers, the city was strong.

Beautiful **gates** that were aesthetically pleasing conveyed a city's culture

or religion.

Soldiers, customs officials, and judges sat inside the **gates** to

screen for undesirables, regulate trade, and settle problems. Historically,

these **gates** were not open doors that allowed indiscriminate passage, but

were processing centers that determined who was worthy to enter.

In Matthew 7:13-14, the Lord Jesus teaches: "Enter by the

narrow **gate** ; for wide is the **gate** and broad is the way that leads to

destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the

**gate** and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who

find it."

The world is like a wide-mouthed funnel that takes in everyone

from all walks of life. Once inside, each is squeezed into the world's

mold, and the outcome for everyone is the same destruction.

Now, if you turn that funnel around, you have an illustration of

Jesus, the narrow **gate**. You enter it by faith, by agreeing with Christ. You

throw out all your contradictory philosophies and lifestyles and simply

follow Jesus. What starts off seeming to be very narrow and restrictive

suddenly opens up into great freedom and opportunity.

It's interesting that the New Jerusalem (i.e., heaven) has twelve

**gates.** In a very real sense, each one of those is the Savior, the **Gate** of

the LORD, through which the righteous shall enter.

**«** June 22 **»**

Potentate

...He who is the blessed and only **Potentate** ,

the King of kings and Lord of lords.

_1 Timothy 6:15_

**Potentate** – Now, that is a word you don't hear much

anymore. In fact, it's almost gone out of use altogether. A hundred

years ago, Russia had its Czar, Germany had its Kaiser, and the

Ottoman Empire had its Sultan. The world had very potent leaders

who answered to no one; they were **potentates**.

Dictators are still around today, but it's not the same. They

usually rise to power by rallying the masses to revolution. Then, they

also have to appease the people, or they'll fall victim to a new regime

change led by new revolutionaries.

**Potentates** throughout the centuries brought fear and terror to

those who were oppressed by them, as well as neighboring nations

who were forced to pay tribute. These absolute rulers fared

sumptuously, lived in palaces, and were envied by 99.9999% of their

subjects.

Christ certainly will have unlimited power in His millennial

kingdom. After that, He'll become Emperor of the Universe for

eternity. His authority will exceed everything that all earthly

**potentates** ever obtained. But the Savior is no despot.

Jesus is the blessed **Potentate**. Instead of oppressing His

people and siphoning their wealth for Himself, He serves them, saves

them, and brings them increase. Christ will finally become the

benevolent dictator that humanity always longed for, but never

received.

He's also the only **Potentate**. There will be no political

opposition, nor wars of aggression, nor power grabs of lesser

kingdoms. The King of kings and Lord of lords will be the Supreme

Commander of everything that really matters. Every knee will bow

and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is the blessed and only

**potentate**.

**«** June 23 **»**

Galilean

When Pilate heard of Galilee,

he asked if the Man were a **Galilean**.

_Luke 23:6_

**Galilean** – not exactly a name for Christ – not really even a title.

It's more like a label you can use to pigeonhole people who are beneath

your dignity. Galilee was an insignificant region of an insignificant

province. Back then, **Galileans** were what hillbillies or rednecks are to

our culture today.

On the day of Pentecost, the disciples impressed everyone by

preaching the gospel eloquently in more than 16 foreign languages. The

amazement was even greater when someone said: "Look, are not these

who speak **Galileans**?" ( _Acts 2:7_ ). Since these were simple, backwoods

folk, people concluded that they must be drunk and ignorant of what they

were saying.

Flavius Claudius Julianus was the nephew of Constantine the

Great and the last emperor of the Constantinian dynasty. He is known in

history books as Julian the Apostate, although the title he chose for

himself was Julian the Philosopher. While Constantine and his sons

embraced Christianity at a time when the faith was growing in the

empire, Julian renounced the new religion when he ascended to the

throne and became the last champion of polytheism in Rome.

Julian despised Christians and always referred to them as

**Galileans**. They weren't educated or cultured like he was, and he was

distraught that so many of his subjects were abandoning the gods to

follow Jesus of Nazareth. He idealized the philosophy of paganism and

wrote books on the subject.

Initially, Julian had great success in battle, but on June 26, 363

he found his small Roman army surrounded by a huge Persian force.

After he was mortally wounded, his aides brought him back to his tent.

There, tradition tells us, Julian threw his blood towards heaven and

shouted "Thou hast conquered, O **Galilean**!"

Wow! Who'da thunk it? The emperor of the Roman Empire

glorified Jesus Christ with the most demeaning of titles.

**«** June 24 **»**

He Who Opens

and No One Shuts

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, "These things

says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David,

**He who opens and no one shuts** , and shuts and no one opens:

I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door,

and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept

My word, and have not denied My name.

_Revelation 3:7-8_

Many years ago, we brought into our home an eight-year-old foster

son who had been labeled "severely emotionally disturbed." The title was

well-deserved because he had been abused in the past and would go into

terrible rages.

During one such episode, he ran into his room and locked the door.

Using a hammer from the tool set he got for his birthday, he began to pound

holes into the walls and doors. I had a key and so soon opened the door and

asked him to stop. Defiantly, he told me he'd use the hammer on me if I tried

to touch him, so I quietly watched him trash his own room. After more than

200 holes in the door and drywall, he was exhausted and ready to stop. We

talked through the initial problem, but damage was already done, for which

there were natural consequences.

His hammer was now mine as partial compensation for property

damage, and the walls weren't repaired for about a year. However, the most

significant result of his outburst was that the door came off and was never

replaced.

When Christ addressed the church in Philadelphia, he called

Himself **He who opens and no one shuts**. Satan and worldly powers threw

up every obstacle they could to stop the little church from sharing the gospel.

They raged at the faithful Christians until they had no more energy left.

Then, God quietly took the door off the hinges, and there was nothing more

to say or do. The Philadelphians returned, sharing the good news with the

world around them.

"Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer

persecution" ( _2 Timothy 3:12_ ). The enemies of God will try to slam the door

of opportunity in the face of the faithful. But the Lord doesn't just open a

window; he knocks down a wall. After all, Jesus is **He who opens and no**

**one shuts**.

**«** June 25 **»**

Blessing

Blessed _be_ the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us

with every spiritual **blessing** in the heavenly _places_ in Christ.

_Ephesians 1:3_

**Blessing** has been defined as God's favor and protection, but it's

more than that, even though it's really hard to understand in this sin-cursed

world. Sometimes, when I don't understand something well, I look at its

opposite, and if I can comprehend that better, I just turn it around.

A curse is the opposite of a **blessing** and after the fall, all of creation

was cursed. Cancer, sickness, aging, and violence didn't exist in paradise.

Plants and animals were re-created to show the effects of the curse and since

then, it's been hard to focus on **blessing**.

The jungle is a beautiful place with hundreds of species of orchids

and a menagerie of colorful birds, but it's exactly where I'd go to demon-

strate the effects of the curse. There, most plants are poisonous, parasites are

numbered in the hundreds, and all the bugs are big, and bite.

In my opinion, the Bullet Ant is the personification of the curse.

These terrible predatory creatures are just under an inch long and inflict a

sting that is comparable to being shot with a bullet. On the 4 point Schmidt

sting pain index, they are rated 4+. Someone on the internet described it as,

"Pure, intense, brilliant pain. Like fire-walking over flaming charcoal with a

3 inch nail in your heal." This description is a little melodramatic but she

nailed what it feels like.

These ants are common in the jungle and wander alone, so they are

really hard to spot. If you haven't figured it out yet, I really dislike these

critters. One crawled up my pants leg and bit me three times before I could

kill it. I hurt so bad that I couldn't walk and had to crawl back to my house

just using my hands.

The extreme opposite of that is **blessing.** It is something planned

and perfected by God for the creation He formed in His own image. This is a

far cry from having good luck or good fortune; it is everything good that

God has given to a repentant sinner. The bottom line is this: Jesus Christ did

not come into the world to bring us **blessing**...He _is_ **Blessing.**

**«** June 26 **»**

Defender of Widows

A father of the fatherless, a **defender of widows** ,

Is God in His holy habitation _._

_Psalm 68:5_

We're told in James 1:27 that: "Pure and undefiled religion

before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their

trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." But this concern

for single moms...is it just a God the Father thing or is it something that

is part of Christ's character?

When Jesus went with His disciples to the town of Nain, He

observed a funeral procession go by. Scripture tells us that He had

compassion on that widow who just lost her fatherless son ( _Luke 7:11-_

_15_ ). He told her not to cry, raised the boy back to life, and reunited them.

Widows were remembered in Christ's teaching. An exploited

widow was the focus in the parable of the unjust judge ( _Luke 18:2-8_ ),

where the bottom line is that God answers prayer. The Lord also

denounced hypocrites who devoured widows' houses and for a show

made long prayers ( _Luke 20:46_ ).

Just a day or two before Jesus was betrayed, tension was

building as He taught in the Temple. A crowd gathered to watch Jesus

teach while the religious leaders tried to pull Him down. When no one

was looking, a widow put two cents into the collection box

( _Luke 21:1-4_ ). No one noticed her insignificant offering. No one noticed,

except the One who sees all things, and He blessed her for giving

everything she had. It doesn't say what happened next, but I expect that

He somehow provided for her. In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught

"that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your father who sees in

secret will Himself reward you openly" ( _Matthew 6:4_ ).

Since there's no mention of Joseph after Christ began His

ministry, it is generally assumed that he died, leaving Mary as a widow.

As the firstborn son, it was Jesus' responsibility to take care of her. Not

even the anguish of death allowed Him to shirk that obligation. While He

was hanging on the cross, He asked His disciple John to take her to his

home and provide for her. Even to the very end, Jesus was a **defender of**

**widows.**

**«** June 27 **»**

Our God and Savior

Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

to those who have obtained like precious faith with us

by the righteousness of **our God and Savior** Jesus Christ.

_2 Peter 1:1*_

Hold onto your hats! Here we go again, another God-title of

Christ. That's because accepting His deity is essential in knowing who

He is.

You don't have to look far to find Christians who disagree with

each other. Doctrinal disagreements happen frequently in the same local

church, but most saints congregate in groups of like-minded people. They

often do this so they can label those of other persuasions "the weaker

brethren." Since it is easier to divide than to prayerfully seek the truth,

Christendom is now broken down into more than 10,000 denominations,

organizations, and sects.

Many, if not most, agree on the basic principles of faith, but

others have major areas of contention. That's why sometimes members

of other churches seem way out in left field, but other times they appear

to be in another ballpark all together.

Christ is the God of the universe. To see the Savior as a Great

Teacher, Wonderful Man, Dear Friend, Archangel, or one of many Sons

of God, but deny His deity, is to totally change the game. In this case,

there cannot be common ground.

Everyone wants a Savior. Nobody wants to go to hell. But who

we come to is **our God and Savior** ; the offices must go together. God

didn't delegate our salvation to a super-human or mere archangel. He

came in a human body to take on Himself the sins of the whole world.

Our salvation is not only supernatural; it's divine. A Savior who

is less than God cannot destroy the works of the devil or reveal the true

power of grace. The bottom line is that to be saved, we must accept Jesus

Christ as **our God and Savior**.

_*see also Titus 2:10, 13; 3:4; Jude 25_

**«** June 28 **»**

Rock of Offense

Therefore, to you who believe, _He is_ precious; but to those who are

disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the

chief cornerstone," and "A stone of stumbling and a **rock of**

**offense**....."

_1 Peter 2:7-8*_

These verses point out obvious contrasts: Believers/Unbelievers;

Precious stone/Stumbling block. The first is two distinct groups of

people; the second is two aspects of the same rock.

Everyone at some point in their lives must focus on Christ. Their

perception of who He is will determine their reaction to Him. If

discovering the Savior is like finding a many-carat, flawless diamond in

a field, the response will be one of joy, excitement, and fulfillment.

However, if someone trips over that same piece of geology multiple

times, it becomes a **rock of offense** that produces resentment, frustration,

and anger.

Jesus gets in people's ways. He makes them feel uncomfortable

or inadequate, so they want Him to just go away. When He doesn't

(because He is everywhere), they try to run away. They go further from

the light, and the further down the tube they fall, the deeper they go into

the slime of sin. But that doesn't work either, because the Lord still

reaches with His nail-pierced hands toward the sinner to pull him out.

At this point, one of two things happens: 1. Faith takes hold of

the Savior's hand and everything changes, or 2. Nothing changes except

for intensity. Frustration and anger build, along with an acute sense of

being offended.

Few, if any, are truly indifferent about the Savior if they really

have known Him. To those whose lives He has transformed, He is

precious. To those who have rejected Him, He makes them mad and

offended. He is their " **Rock of Offense**."

_*See also Isaiah 8:14 and Romans 9:33_

**«** June 29 **»**

Jesus

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His

name **JESUS** , for He will save His people from their sins."

_Matthew 1:21*_

The Lord's human name occurs 983 times in the Word of

God. Two-thirds of these are in the gospels, where it is used most

often in the narratives and very rarely in direct address. " **Jesus** "

almost always appears in combination with other titles such as

"Christ" or "Lord" when found in the epistles. However, it appears

unadorned with any additional title all but six times in the gospels.

The most logical explanation for this is that the histories of

Christ's life focus on the reality of His physical presence while the

doctrinal books emphasize the relevance of His advent.

**Jesus** is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua and

literally means "Salvation." There was nothing unusual about this

common name in the Roman Empire. In fact, so many shared this

name that His detractors found it necessary to call him " **Jesus** of

Nazareth" in order to single Him out.

The same is true today. The name of **Jesus** is used as a

curse by Christ-rejecters, but speaks of a wonderful Savior to those

who love Him. The big difference is the reality of the encounter.

For those who do not know **Jesus** , His name means nothing at all.

To those who love Him, it's beautiful!

_How sweet the name of **Jesus**_ _sounds_

In a believer's ear!

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear.

_John Newton (1725-1807)_

_*see also John 12:21, 19:19, 21:25; Ephesians 6:24; 2 Peter 1:1;_

_plus 936 other references_

**«** June 30 **»**

Image of God

Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do

not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of

Christ, who is the **image of God** , should shine on them.

_2 Corinthians 4:4_

In the original blueprint of man's creation, the design called

for a creature made in the **image of God** _(Genesis 1:27)._ It was not

the physical distinctions of the humanoid form that set Adam apart

from the animals. After all, God is a Spirit and has no visible shape of

His own. What was really unique was his power to deal in abstracts

and reach conclusions.

A dog cannot see beauty or enjoy art. Right and wrong, or

even right and left, are far beyond the comprehension of even the

most intelligent ape. It is man's capacity to reason that allows him to

make intelligent choices. This is necessary to enjoy communion with

God.

However, something went terribly wrong after the die was

cast. The first man chose to disobey his maker, thus distorting the

divine likeness. As a result, he came to resemble the god of this age

more than the true God of the universe. Now, when human history is

recorded, its wars and injustices stand out above all else, showing

man's weakness and failure of character. The **image of God** had

become terribly flawed.

Christ is the **Image of God** , the highest example of the

Creator's plan for Adam's race. If holiness was too intangible a

concept for people to understand, it took shape in the person of Jesus

Christ. God's love and grace had physical form that could be seen,

heard, and felt by those who had lost sight of the original design.

Truth, justice, and mercy became solid realities that demanded to be

dealt with.

Man's marred **image of God** can be remade by the Savior.

The work of grace not only covers the ugliness of sin, but transforms

our behavior into the image of Christ. In this way, the old order of

how things were meant to be can be finally regained forever.

**«** July 1 **»**

Shadow of a Great Rock

A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, and a cover

from the tempest, As rivers of water in a dry place, as the

**shadow of a great rock** in a weary land.

_Isaiah 32:2_

One curious fact that I still remember from third grade geography

class is that in the Sahara Desert, it gets to be 120° F in the shade. "Boy," I

thought to myself, "I bet people try to stay out of the shade as much as

possible."

My impressions of the desert greatly changed when, as an adult, I

saw one for myself. On the arid wasteland, the sun is so intense you can fry

an egg on a rock. There's a lot of wind, but it doesn't cool. It just pushes hot,

dry air on your face. No trees grow anywhere, and the only shade that can be

found is what you bring for yourself.

The only relief from the hostility of the elements is found in the

mountains at the very edge of the desert. Great walls of rock rise high above

the burning sand and break the fury of the furnace-like air. Overhangs and

huge cracks in the stone capture the coolness of the previous evening, and

the **shadow of a great rock** can provide a place of refuge from the heat even

at noonday.

This sin-ravished world is like the desert. It's a hard and

unsympathetic place. We are like sun-scorched travelers who are burned by

their own ungodliness, as well as by the sinfulness of others. When the

burden gets really heavy and life seems almost unbearable, people don't

want religion or even reformation; they want rest. Jesus said, "Come to me...

and I will give you rest" ( _Matthew 11:28_ ).

Beneath the cross of Jesus

_I fain would take my stand,_

_the **shadow of a mighty rock**_

_within a weary land;_

_a home within the wilderness,_

_a rest upon the way,_

_from the burning of the noontide heat,_

_and the burden of the day._

_\- Elizabeth Clephane (1830-1869)_

**«** July 2 **»**

Author of our Faith

Looking unto Jesus, the **author** and finisher **of our** **faith** , who for

the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the

shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

_Hebrews 12:2_

Salvation is not for sale. You can't buy it by being good enough, going

to church or doing religion. It can't even be bought with a pound of faith (or

however you try measuring it by quantity).

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of

yourselves; _it is_ the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Nothing can save apart from

God's unmerited love. "Nothing" means just that - not good works and not even

faith.

It's true that faith is involved in the saving process, but it doesn't in

itself save. Think about a light bulb in your house. To turn it on, you need to flip

the switch, but that only works when the electrical energy is flowing through the

line.

God's grace is like the generator (the power source), and faith is the

switch (the connection). By believing the Word of God, you are simply agreeing

with Him, and that is the basis of fellowship. This then allows Him to save and

change your life.

Just as a person can't boast about lighting up a room when he turns on

the switch, so there is no reason to feel proud of his ability to believe. The

strange thing, however, is that people do just that. They impress themselves with

their capacity to trust and figure that they really made God's day because they

decided to believe Him.

How foolish. They don't realize that they're so totally destitute of the

glory of God that they don't even have faith they can call their own.

If you have any faith at all, it is because the Lord Jesus gave it to you.

He is the **author of** your **faith** , its source. Apart from Him, you have nothing.

Belief is born when you focus on Him. Looking to the person of Christ,

His death on the cross and the power of His resurrection are each part of the

activity of faith. It is not the technique of believing that matters; it's the object of

faith that's all-important. Where is the boasting then?

There is none. We can't boast because Jesus even installed the light

switch of faith in us. Remember, He's the **Author of Our Faith.**

**«** July 3 **»**

Finisher of Our Faith

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of

witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily

ensnares _us,_ and let us run with endurance the race that is set before

us, looking unto Jesus, the author and **finisher of our** **faith** , who for

the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame,

and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

_Hebrews 12:1, 2_

Most Christians know all too well what the Lord expects of them in

the Christian life - break with sin and follow the will of God. However, the

question that most people can't answer is how to do it.

Hebrews tells us that it's by "looking unto Jesus." If we keep Him

in view, the victory will come without striving for it. Unfortunately, a lot of

folks do just the opposite.

Books and even Christian counselors tend to put all the attention on

the problem at hand. However, when we focus in on the sin, we get a closer

look at it. Often it seems bigger, uglier, and more insurmountable than we

first thought, so some vices are simply not overcome.

The Bible says to forget the things that are behind and reach

forward to what's ahead - looking only to Jesus ( _Philippians 3:13_ ). Christ

provides the power to do it; it doesn't depend on us. Not only is He the

source and originator of our faith, He is also the **Finisher** of it. He makes it

perfect.

There's not one kind of faith for salvation and another to spiritually

grow. Faith is nothing more and nothing less than agreeing with God that

what He says is true. When we read in the Word that whoever believes in

Christ shall not perish but have eternal life, we respond by saying, "Yes,

Lord, I agree." When the Holy Spirit tells us that the sin in us makes us

worthy of hell, the answer is the same: "Yes Lord, I agree."

Our mind, actions, and attitudes need to agree with God. But how is

that done?

The Lord does it. It is He who gives us the power to simply believe.

If we can trust Him for our soul's salvation, we can also look to Jesus to put

the finishing touches on our faith. After all, He's the **Finisher of our Faith.**

**«** July 4 **»**

Angel of the LORD

When the **Angel of the LORD** appeared no more to Manoah and his

wife, then Manoah knew that He _was_ the **Angel of the LORD**. And

Manoah said to his wife, "We shall surely die, because we have seen God!"

_Judges 13:21-22*_

There is one God, but He is revealed to us in three separate ways.

So teaches the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Christ is the "second person" of

the Trinity. He distinguishes Himself from the Father and the Holy Spirit,

because He has visible, physical form.

Being God, the Lord Jesus has no beginning or end. He always

existed. So, what did He do with His time between creating the universe and

His advent at Bethlehem? Christ did what we know Him for today: He

visited His creation.

The Old Testament describes many physical appearances of God

that theologians like to call "theophanies." Since Jesus is the physical

manifestation of the Deity, then we can conclude that Christ came to earth

before He was born in the manger.

The most common theophany we come across is the appearance of

the **Angel of the LORD**. The title comes up on a dozen occasions in the Old

Covenant. In them, He speaks as God and identifies Himself as such.

It was the **Angel of the LORD** who appeared to Moses in the

burning bush when He called Himself the great "I AM" _(Exodus_ 3:2). The

very ground Where He appeared was Holy, so Moses took off his shoes.

When Abraham saw the **Angel of the LORD (** _Genesis_ 22:11 **)** , he

named the place "The-LORD-Will-Provide." Hagar called the spot of her

encounter "You-Are-The-God-Who-Sees" ( _Genesis 16:7-16_ ).

Christ appeared in angelic form to Gideon, David, and others. He

was not idle as He waited for the fullness of time to come. After being born

of a woman and redeeming the lost creation, He still is not idle. He makes

Himself known to men and women today in special ways. Many of them,

like Moses, fall down on their knees, for they know that the ground of their

meeting is Holy.

_*See also Genesis 16:9-13, 22:11, 15; Exodus 3:2; Judges 6:11-14, plus 46_

_other references_

**«** July 5 **»**

Word of Life

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,

which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon,

and our hands have handled, concerning the **Word of life**...

_1 John 1:1_

Words are not alive. To a bored teenager enduring English

class, words can be as dead as the inscription engraved in stone on

some ancient tomb. Even literature that is deemed immortal often

sits dead and dust covered for years until a reader takes it down

from the shelf and puts his own life into it.

On the other hand, Jesus Christ is the living, moving, 
**Word of Life**. Purpose and enthusiasm are gained from knowing

Him. From that perspective, life and living before the encounter

seem to have been a mere illusion.

Counterfeit Christianity seems dead by comparison to true

faith because it is dead. Knowing Christ produces a hunger and

thirst for His fellowship that ritualism can never imitate. The

redeemed of the Lord long to see their Savior because He is the

source of their existence. However, because of where we are right

now in God's present plan, the priority is faith over sight.

Believers cling to the written Word because it is a vehicle

for knowing the true living Word. Through scripture there is

communion with Christ, a defining of direction and a

strengthening of faith. The world can't understand it, but the Bible

isn't an normal book. It's the Reader's Digest version of the **Word**

**of Life**.

Sing them over again to me, wonderful **words of life** ,

Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful **words of life** ;

Words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty.

Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful **words of life**.

_\- Philip P. Bliss_

**«** July 6 **»**

Rock that is Higher than I

From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed;

Lead me to the **rock that is higher than I**.

_Psalm 61:2_

David cried out to God when he felt afraid. Yes, big bad David, the

giant killer, felt overwhelmed at times but He took comfort in something

much bigger than himself.

As strange as it might seem, I totally get what David is saying here;

been there, done that. Many years ago, I had my own secret place that no

one but God and I knew about. It was my own **rock that is higher than I**.

Sometime during my college years, I was walking along the

Chagrin River in a park just east of Cleveland, Ohio when I came upon an

interesting geological formation. A huge rock, maybe 25 feet high and at

least that much wide, had broken off from the cliff face behind it. A space

ranging from 3-6 feet was behind it. Front and backsides of the enclosure

went straight up, giving the impression of a well-lit cave. I fell in love with

the place as soon as I found it and since it was really hard to see that it was

anything special, few would ever find it. I scooped up candy wrappers and

cigarette butts from the dirt floor so that I could pretend that no one else in

the world knew about it, and I gave it a name: "Castle Rock."

It was really peaceful there. I could be alone with my God and just

think and pray. At the end of summer, just before both my junior and senior

years began, I was really stressed. College had become progressively more

challenging and I was afraid that I wasn't going to make it. I was

overwhelmed, so I would go up to Castle Rock (I even took lunch once) to

cry out to God and find peace.

The last time I visited there was almost 50 years ago. If I went back

there, I know I'd find it again (assuming my knees would hold up on the

trail). That monolith isn't going anywhere and that's why I felt so secure

hiding behind it.

In the years that followed, I never found any other place that was

quite as special, but I've had the same feeling of tranquility many times since

then. Now, I just take shelter in Jesus. He's my **Rock that is higher than I.**

**«** July 7 **»**

Word of God

He _was_ clothed with a robe dipped in blood,

and His name is called The **Word of God**.

_Revelation 19:13_

Ask any Sunday school child, and unless he has

Attention Deficit Disorder, he should be able to tell you that

the Bible is the Word of God. The phrase is well understood

and the New Testament uses the term thirty-six times to refer

to scripture.

Fewer folks know that the book of Revelation also

gives Christ this title just before describing the great battle of

Armageddon. And yet there is no contradiction between these

two uses of the phrase. In one sense, they are two forms of

the same thing.

The Bible is the written **Word of God**. It was given to

reveal the nature and will of God to the world. Its essential

message is that since sin separates people from fellowship

with their Creator, God needs to provide a way for them back

to Himself. Jesus is seen throughout Holy Writ as the source

of salvation, redeeming men and women from judgment. In

story, symbol, and illustration, the Lord Jesus Christ is

presented over and over again. Even Old Testament law was

given to be a tutor to bring people to Christ so that they might

be justified by faith ( _Galatians 3:24_ ).

The Lord Jesus is the living **Word of God**. He is the

whole revelation of God in bodily form. When the elements

of the world finally melt away on Judgment Day, there will

be no need to preserve the Bible in scrolls, books, or on

computer chips. The **Word of God** will always be alive and

well, dwelling among the redeemed of earth in heaven.

**«** July 8 **»**

Brightness of His Glory

Who being the **brightness of _His_** **glory** and the express

image of His person, and upholding all things by the word

of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins,

sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

_Hebrews 1:3_

How do you go about describing color to a blind man? Words

simply can't do it, and the sense of touch is wholly inadequate to

relate what it is like. The only means to communicate this knowledge

would be to give the gift of sight, without which all theory about light

is meaningless.

How do you go about describing an infinite God to a finite

mind? A person born in a three-dimensional world cannot begin to

comprehend a Supreme Being who consists of neither atoms nor

energy, but is capable of creating both. God and His glory are totally

incomprehensible for mankind unless He chooses to reveal Himself to

them.

In ancient times, God used the vehicle of light to

communicate His presence. Created on the first day, light is not the

essence of God, but it is somehow always intricately associated with

Him. A pillar of light guided the Israelites through the wilderness, the

"Shekinah" glory glowed over the Ark of the Covenant, and Mount

Sinai flashed with God's holy fire. However, no matter how intense

light may appear, it's only a shadow of what His true glory is really

like.

Christ is both the effluence of divine radiance and the gift of

sight by which the creature can finally see his Creator. In Him, there

is no darkness at all.

The unconverted eye will never see God, because the

spiritually lost are totally blind. But those who are saved by grace are

given eyes of faith to see. For them, the focus will forever be on the

Lord, who is the **Brightness of God's Glory**.

**«** July 9 **»**

Dayspring from on High

Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the **Dayspring**

**from on high** has visited us; To give light to those who sit in

darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of

peace." _Luke 1:78-79_

Malaria is a terrible disease. I know; I had it. Look up the

symptoms in an encyclopedia: high fever, severe chills,

uncontrollable shaking, and sweat so profuse that you soak the sheets,

the blanket, and the mattress. However, the worst part of the illness is

never on the list. No one ever mentions it.

When I had malaria, I went almost three days without sleep.

One of life's simplest comforts was denied to me by this horrible

disease. By far, the worst part was enduring the nights. I heard every

tick of the clock and felt every beat of my heart. My mind raced, but

time stood still in the darkness and refused to move. I longed for

sleep, and when that was not possible, I longed for the dawn. When

an empty eternity finally passed away, morning broke on the horizon

and lit up the world. I felt easy. I could rest. There was great comfort

in that **Dayspring**.

At the birth of John the Baptist, his father, Zacharias, was

filled with the Holy Spirit and began to prophesy. He foretold that his

son would be a prophet of the Highest. More importantly, he

announced the coming of the **Dayspring from on High** : Jesus Christ.

The Jewish nation had passed through a long and agonizing

night. Four Gentile empires had ravished the Jewish people, yet no

prophet of the Lord had come forth to speak a word in over 400 years.

Herod the Great was the cruel and murderous despot who ruled the

land at that time. The faithful were weary from waiting for light.

The **Dayspring from on High** offered them peace and

comfort, just as He does today to all those who are tired and weighted

down with sin.

**«** July 10 **»**

Author of Salvation

And having been perfected, He became the

**author of eternal salvation** to all who obey Him,

_Hebrews 5:9*_

When it comes to salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ wrote the

book. He's its author. He thought it up. He is its source. He alone

saves. Without Christ, mankind is hopelessly lost.

Read the scriptures: "I, _even_ I, _am_ the LORD, And besides Me

_there is_ no savior" ( _Isaiah 43:11_ ).

"Yet I _am_ the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt,

and you shall know no God but Me; For _there is_ no savior besides

Me" ( _Hosea 13:4_ ).

"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name

under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

( _Acts 4:12_ ).

There is one Lord, one God, and one **Author of Salvation**.

Christ also defines the terms of salvation. It is eternal. Far

from being a mere escape from punishment, it is a condition that stays

in effect forever: " _But_ Israel shall be saved by the LORD with an

everlasting salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced Forever

and ever" ( _Isaiah 45:17_ ).

Oh! The height and depth of His boundless love,

And His mercy who can tell,

When He came to the cross from the throne above

To save our souls from hell!

_Salvation! Salvation! Vast, full and free;_

_Through the precious blood of the Son of God_

_Who was slain on Calvary._

_\- T.D.W. Muir (1855 -1933)_

_*See also Hebrews 2:10_

**«** July 11 **»**

A Worm and No Man

But I _am_ a **worm, and no man** ;

A reproach of men, and despised by the people.

_Psalm 22:6_

" **A worm and no man** " - how can this be a proper title for

the Lord of lords? It seems all wrong until we realize that Christ

took this title for Himself in the Old Testament prophecy. By doing

so, He let us know the depth of humiliation He encountered at the

cross.

Rejection by those one loves is a devastating experience.

The anguish of abandonment produces a pain that is difficult to

talk about for those who experience it.

Forsaken by the Father, deserted by His closest friends and

ridiculed by those He came to save, Jesus felt ultimate rejection.

The altogether lovely one was deemed as unattractive as a slimy

**worm**. We esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted

( _Isaiah 53:4_ ). The Creator was humiliated more than the creature

will ever understand.

Is it any wonder that "God resists the proud, but gives

grace to the humble?" ( _1 Peter 5:5_ ). He who called Himself a

**worm and no man** can lift up the dejected soul and elevate him to

heavenly places. The poor in spirit will discover that the Lord will

never leave them or forsake them _(Hebrews 13:5_ ), but

Christ-rejecters will be separated from God forever.

_Alas! and did my Savior bleed_

_And did my Sovereign die?_

_Would He devote that sacred head_

_For such a **worm**_ _as I?_

_\- Isaac Watts (1674-1748)_

**«** July 12 **»**

Arm of the Lord

Who has believed our report? And to whom

has the **arm of the LORD** been revealed?

_Isaiah 53:1*_

Some years ago, a picture appeared on the sports page of

the heavyweight boxing champion holding his newborn baby.

What was impressive about this photo was the man's arms –

massive, muscular, clearly instruments of hurt. Yet with all the

power they conveyed, they offered comfort and tenderness to the

tiny infant cradled within them.

The Old Testament mentions both God's "outstretched

arm" ( _Deuteronomy 26:8)_ and the "arm of His strength" ( _Isaiah_

_62:8)_. He can nurture and console as a compassionate father or

fight as an invisible warrior. How the **arm of the Lord** is revealed

depends solely on whether an individual is a member of the family,

or an enemy of God.

The gospel of John explains that Christ is the

personification of this ancient title. He has the power and might to

defeat the devil and all of His followers, yet He offers compassion

to embrace, uphold, and heal. Only at Calvary when these lovely

arms were stretched out in pain was the **arm of the Lord** most

fully revealed – conquering sin and death and loving mankind all

at the same time.

Under the shadow of Thy throne

Thy saints have dwelt secure;

Sufficient is **Thine arm** alone,

And our defense is sure.

_\- Isaac Watts (1674-1748)_

_*See also Isaiah 51:9, 62:8; John 12:38_

**«** July 13 **»**

Separate from Sinners

For such a High Priest was fitting for us, _who is_ holy,

harmless, undefiled, **separate from sinners** ,

and has become higher than the heavens;

_Hebrews 7:26_

**Separate from sinners** \- what does that mean, exactly? It can't

mean that Jesus was physically apart from sinners, because He wasn't. He

touched lepers, ate with those of dubious reputation, and graciously let a

repentant prostitute wash his feet with her hair. Christ was the Spiritual

Physician who did house calls for chronically sin-sick souls.

The Lord never sinned in thought or deed even though He came to a

world contaminated by sin. His holiness set Him apart in glaring contrast to

sinners around Him, and the closeness of His righteousness convicted them

of their sin and drove them to repentance.

When my wife and I first went down to South America as

missionaries, we lived in the small town of Shell Mera. There were a

missionary hospital, a Christian school, two missionary aviation groups, and

maybe 30 Christian workers. Five miles away was the city of Puyo, where

most of the shopping was done. In between the two places were three houses

of prostitution. The practice was legal there.

Since we would pass these places repeatedly in the time we lived

there, my wife, Carol, became very burdened for the souls of these women.

She asked around about what outreach had been done for these ladies of the

night, and none ever had been. She asked several missionary ladies if they

would go with her to give them literature and invite them to a Bible study,

but none would. They were worried about having an appearance of evil.

Finally, an older Ecuadorian lady, who was extremely poor, agreed

to go with Carol, and they met with several of the prostitutes in the Christian

woman's small wooden shack.

They met together a number of times before we received a letter

from our commending church in the States advising Carol to stop her visits.

However, the letter came too late; the damage was already done...to the

stronghold of Satan! Five of the "ladies" got saved, left their profession, and

returned to their homes. Praise God for slow international mail service!

(Postscript: _Very soon after that, we moved to an Indian village deep inside_

_the jungle, so no further outreach was done_ ).

**«** July 14 **»**

God

And Thomas answered and said to Him,

"My Lord and my **God**!" _John 20:28*_

The Lord Jesus Christ is **God**. The Bible clearly states this,

giving Him this title at least seventeen times. Yet there are those who

would still try to dispute this fact, ignoring the obvious. Even so, they

cannot deny that Christ possesses all the attributes that are uniquely

**God's**.

1. Creator – the ability to make something from nothing

(Colossians 1:16)

2. Eternal – from everlasting to everlasting (Revelation 1:4, 8)

3. Glorified – having a supernatural radiance (Revelation 21:23)

4. Immutable – never-changing character (Hebrews 13:8)

5. Infinite – without bounds or limits (Romans 8:38-39)

6. Object of worship – God alone should be worshiped (Mt. 28:9)

7. Omnipotent – all-powerful (Matthew 28:18)

8. Omnipresent – all-present (Matthew 18:20)

9. Omniscient – all-knowing (John 21:17)

10. Self-existent – having life in Himself (John 5:26)

11. Sinless – holy, pure, and without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21)

12. Sovereign – the supreme ruler of all (1 Timothy 6:15)

We need to come to Christ as Thomas did, bowing the knee

and confessing Him as our "Lord and **God**."

O for a thousand tongues to sing

My great Redeemer's praise,

The glories of my **God** and King,

The triumphs of His grace!

\- _Charles Wesley (1707-1788)_

_*see also John 1:1; Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 1:17, 3:16; Hebrews 1:8;_

_2 Peter 1:1 plus 10 other references_

**«** July 15 **»**

Almighty

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, _the_ Beginning and

_the_ End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and

who is to come, the **Almighty.** "

_Revelation 1:8*_

All strength + All power + All energy = **Almighty**. This title

focuses on the omnipotence of Christ, making every other mighty

thing in our experience appear feeble by comparison.

Strength – Man has magnified his own muscular strength

many millions of times through the machinery he is capable of

constructing. Big earth-moving equipment can literally move

mountains. The huge dragline cranes found in open pit mines can

scoop up and lift twenty tons of ore in a single bucket load. Very

impressive. However, the blue whale, a creature of the Lord's design,

hurls five times that weight into the air every time it leaps from the

ocean.

Power – The most powerful instrument at man's disposal is

the nuclear bomb, capable of reducing an entire city to rubble. The

thousands of such weapons found in arsenals around the world can

destroy human civilization many times over. However, even if every

one of these big firecrackers were to go off, they could only scorch

the surface of the planet. Christ has the power to melt down all the

elements of earth with just the words of His mouth ( _2 Peter 3:10)_.

Energy – Every form of energy found on earth can be directly

or ultimately traced back to the sun. It warms the world and energizes

living things. However, there are stars that are so gigantic that they

could hold one hundred million of our suns within each of them.

When these finally burn out, Christ can make more. After all, He is

**Almighty**.

_*also 48 Old Testament references, including 31 in the book of Job_

**«** July 16 **»**

Redeemer

"For I know _that_ my **Redeemer** lives,

And He shall stand at last on the earth."

_Job 19:25*_

Many ideas that were readily understood centuries ago are

almost entirely lost on modern man. Redemption cannot really be

understood without a knowledge of slavery. In Christ's day, with

over 75% of the Roman Empire being slaves, the principle was

very clear.

A slave was the possession of another. He was born

without rights, power, property, or independence. He would die in

that same state, and if he had children, the only inheritance he

could pass onto them would be his hopelessness.

The only way out of slavery was redemption. A freeman

with the cash could purchase the body and soul of a man and then

release him as if the money were no big deal. This almost never

happened, since the very rich are rarely concerned about those who

are not their equals.

Satan was the owner, and mankind was his slave. Christ

was the rich man, and since the devil had no use for the monetary

units of Earth, the price was life for life ( _Exodus 21:23_ ). We know

that Man was purchased with the blood of the **Redeemer**

( _1 Peter 1:19_ ), but why He would even want to do such a thing

will be a mystery forever.

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;

Redeemed through His infinite mercy,

His child, and forever, I am.

_\- Fanny Crosby (1820- 1915)_

_*See also Psalm 19:14; Isaiah 41:14, 60:16; plus 14 other_

_references_

__**«** July 17 **»**

Amen

"And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans

write, 'These things says the **Amen** , the Faithful and

True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God'..."

_Revelation 3:14_

When I was a kid, I thought that " **amen** " was the

final word in prayer. It was like a radio operator signing off

by saying, "Roger; over and out." My sister used to think it

was a code word meaning, "Open your eyes." Later,

someone told me that it's like the saying, "So be it." I can't

help but feel how few people understand the word, much

less visualize how Christ is **the** **Amen**.

The word really is an exclamation mark which the

Lord would use even at the beginning of His teachings.

Many times, Christ started His teaching by saying:

"Assuredly, I say to you." The same Greek word can be put

at the beginning or end of a statement.

Jesus chose " **Amen"** as the first and most weighty

of His credentials to present to the Laodicean church.

Believers there had become wishy-washy in their faith and

needed to refocus on the supreme authority of Christ.

**Amen** says it all; it is superlative. Everything Christ

says is true, and by necessity, the universe conforms to His

utterance. No one else can possibly add anything more or

dare claim this title for Himself. In being **the Amen** , Christ

calls the world to attention and is the final word for all

eternity. Assuredly, He who has ears – "Open your eyes."

**«** July 18 **»**

One of the Prophets

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He

asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the

Son of Man, am?"So they said, "Some _say_ John the Baptist,

some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or **one of the prophets**."

_Matthew 16:13,14*_

It was a title of unbelief spoken by those who still

didn't really know the Savior. It was a form of leveling that

put Jesus on par with other well-known religious men.

Yet for all the inadequacies of the title, it was true

nonetheless. He was a prophet. If they had only believed it,

they could have been saved.

Christ prophesied more about hell and eternal

judgment than any other preacher in the Bible. He clearly

told of His death on the cross and gave the signs of His

second coming.

At the great white throne, Christ can look down on

those faithless ones and say, "Your ears didn't hear the words

I said. I spoke of repentance, yet you didn't change. You

know that the Messiah had to suffer, but you were unmoved

at my death. I warned you that the Son of Man would come

without warning, yet you were unprepared. You called me a

prophet, and so I am. Out of your own mouth I will condemn

you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity."

How sad! At the very least, Jesus was **One of the**

**Prophets,** but people never bothered to listen to what He had

to say.

*see also Mark 8:28; Luke 9:19

**«** July 19 **»**

Lord Jesus Christ*

The grace of our **Lord Jesus Christ** _be_ with you all. Amen.

_Romans 16:24**_

The **Lord Jesus Christ** is the most complete of all the

titles given to the Savior because it speaks of both who He is and

what He has done.

" **Lord** " conveys His majesty and deity. It is a commanding

title of authority, position, and power. Every knee will bow before

the Lord, and obedience is to be given without question. It places

Him above all things and gives Him the preeminence.

" **Jesus** " was His personal name. From the birth of baby

Jesus in Bethlehem to the death of Jesus of Nazareth on the cross

of Calvary, the human experience of Christ is portrayed. His

disciples called Him by His name in the confidence of friendship,

yet He is no less approachable now than He was 2000 years ago.

" **Christ** " was anointed to fulfill a purpose. He came to

earth to destroy the power of sin and death and to restore mankind

to fellowship with God. It was only by being fully God and fully

man that full redemption could be attained.

**Lord Jesus Christ** , we seek Thy face;

Within the veil we bow the knee;

Oh, let Thy glory fill the place,

And bless us while we wait on Thee.

_\- Alexander Stewart (1843- 1923)_

_*The last title of Christ used in the New Testament_

_**1 Corinthians 1:7; Titus 1:4; 2 Peter 1:8; Revelation 22:21;_

_plus 90 other references_

**«** July 20 **»**

The Word*

In the beginning was **the Word** , and

**the Word** was with God, and **the Word** was God.

_John 1:1**_

" **The Word** " – What kind of title is that to give somebody?

It's not so much a description as it is a means to describe. A lot of

people might find that a little hard to understand.

Actually, the title denotes the Lord's mission more than His

person. Translated from the Greek word "Logos," the idea that

comes across is that of expression and communication. **The Word**

makes known the thoughts in the mind of a speaker. As such, Jesus

is the full Revelation of God as well as the Revealer of God.

Before time began, Christ was already the articulation of

all that God is, being God Himself. By coming to earth, He

became the embodiment of the divine message to Adam's race.

Just the fact that the Lord was there meant that God was making a

statement. The symbols and ceremonies that had served for

centuries were no longer needed. **The Word** became flesh, and

people could finally experience God with all distance gone.

Holiness, grace, and mercy passed from the realm of the

theoretical and were played out for all to see on the little hill of

Calvary.

Thou art the Everlasting **Word** ,

The father's only Son,

God manifestly seen and heard,

And heav'n's beloved One.

_\- Josiah Conder (1789-1855)_

_*This title was exclusively used by the apostle John_

_**See also John 1:14; 1 John 1:1, 5:7; Revelations 19:13_

**«** July 21 **»**

Savior*

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 **Savior** , who is Christ the

Lord. _Luke 2:10-11**_

Fear falls upon you suddenly when you come face to face

with the unexpected or unnatural. You don't need it or want it, but

that is never a consideration.

Shepherds stood minding their own business on a cold

winter's night when the darkness was broken with the glory of the

Lord. It would have been a privilege to behold such a sight, had a

warning be given, but to encounter the power of God when you are

unprepared only produces terror. Beads of sweat formed on the

sheep-keepers' brows, and their knees knocked together as they fell

down to the cold ground to hear the good news that the angel came to

proclaim.

"Don't be afraid, a **Savior** is born," they were told. It was the

only message that could have truly dealt with this fear.

Sin has been controlling mankind with fear ever since Adam

tried to hide himself from the LORD in the garden of Eden. Only a

**Savior** capable of conquering sin could be strong enough to bring

peace on earth.

**Savior** – a majestic title for such a tiny child...

Yet He Himself formed the wood

That now makes up His cradle,

And designed the tree

That will one day be His cross.

_\- Cindy Maddox_

_*the first title given to Christ at His birth_

_**see also Acts 5:31, 13:23; 2 Timothy 1:10; Isaiah 45:21; plus 32_

_other references_

**«** July 22 **»**

LORD Mighty in Battle

Who _is_ this King of glory? The LORD

strong and mighty, The **LORD mighty in battle**.

_Psalm 24:8_

Bible scholars consider Psalms 22-24 a Messianic trilogy.

Psalm 22 presents the agony and death of God's suffering Servant,

while Psalm 23 shows the love and care of the Good Shepherd right

now during the church age. Then comes Psalm 24, showcasing the

King of Glory sitting on the throne of David during the Millennial

Kingdom. Even the Jewish sages during the time of Christ regarded

this Psalm as referring to the Messiah.

The reason for starting this way is because some theologians

and groups deny that the above title does or could ever belong to

Jesus. This brand of Christianity is so opposed to war and violence

that absolutely nothing could ever justify it. Maybe they'd concede

that the title above belongs to the God of the Old Testament, but never

to their "Sweet Savior meek and mild, wouldn't hurt a little child."

Sorry, folks; the title is Christ's! He is the **LORD Mighty in Battle**.

In Revelation 19, there is a long description of how Christ

will come on a white horse leading the whole host of warrior angels

to judge and make war on earth "in righteousness" (verse 11). The

focus is on Satan and the Beast with his a huge army; they will be

obliterated. On that day, good will overcome evil, and the justice of

God will be evident.

Reality check – there are a lot of evil, rotten, no good, nasty

bad guys out there that would kill you as soon as look at you. They

don't need much of a reason. You're a Christian; you're an American;

you have more money than them; or they just don't like you. They are

God-haters who are waging war on Christ and His Church.

In times like these, we need to believe in and pray to the

**LORD Mighty in Battle**.

**«** July 23 **»**

Consuming Fire

For our God _is_ a **consuming fire**.

_Hebrews 12:29_

Two young boys straddled an old wooden bench pretending it

was their spaceship. Space suits woven with imagination enabled

them to explore "Jupiter" and "Mars."

"Now, let's fly to the sun," said one to the other. "It will be

fun to walk around in the flames."

A chuckle came from the other room, and with it the voice of

authority: "You're going to burn up."

"Don't worry, Dad," retorted the young voice. "Our space

suits are made out of that fire-proof stuff."

"That doesn't matter," came the final word. "The sun's so hot

that your whole spaceship would melt away before it came within a

million miles of the sun."

"OK," said the boy, "we will go to the moon."

Too often, God's holiness is also taken very lightly. People

seldom remember that He is completely unapproachable for sinful

man. He is a **consuming fire**. No sinner alive can even stand before

the glorified Christ. Both Ezekiel and John had short glimpses of

Jesus' fiery splendor, but fell down as dead men when they saw it.

When Christ came to earth as the Savior, He veiled His glory

for a short time to redeem fallen man. However, He will retain His

radiance for the rest of eternity, never again to lay it aside. It is only

because He clothes His ransomed creation with His own glory that

there will be fellowship in heaven forever.

To believers, Christ is our Refuge, Stronghold, and Fortress.

We have nothing to dread or fear. To those who refuse to believe, at

the great white throne, the Lord Jesus will be seen as a **& onsuming**

**)Lre**. Now is the time to be concerned and do something about that.

**«** July 24 **»**

Name Above Every Name

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and

given Him **t _he name which is above every name_** _._

_Philippians 2:9_

By its nature, fame is a fleeting thing that usually lasts

just until the present record or exploit is surpassed by

someone else. There are a few exceptions who stand head

and shoulders above the rest, finally achieving lasting

recognition. Their reward is the enshrinement of their name

as the symbol of greatness in the minds of men and women.

However, even the grandest of grand grow dim and lose their

luster when compared to the one whose **Name is Above**

**Every Name.**

Einstein

...Christ is smarter

Lincoln

...Christ liberated more slaves

Solomon

...Christ is wiser

Caesar

...Christ is more historical; He

divides human history

Nobel

...Christ gives better prizes

Rockefeller

...Christ is richer

Napoleon

...Christ conquered more

Mozart

...Christ has more talent

Schwarzenegger

...Christ is stronger

Aristotle

...Christ is more profound

Hilton

...Christ takes in more guests

Kennedy

...Christ is more famous

Windsor

...Christ is more noble.

"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of

those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the

earth" ( _Philippians 2:10_ ).

**«** July 25 **»**

King of Glory

Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted

up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory

shall come in. Who is this **King of glory**?....

_Psalms 24:7-8*_

The Psalmist asks a question of each man and woman

on planet earth. Everyone needs to know the answer, because

the most important test in anyone's lifetime will be given on

the final day of judgment. Do you know the answer?

Who is this **King of glory**?

\- The LORD strong and mighty.

\- The LORD mighty in battle.

\- The King of Kings.

\- The Lord of lords.

\- The LORD of the hosts of heaven.

\- The one who puts all His enemies at His feet.

\- The destroyer of death and the devil.

\- The one before whom every knee shall bow.

\- The one who is the fullness of the godhead in

bodily form.

\- The one every tongue will confess as Lord.

\- The one who illuminates New Jerusalem with

His presence.

\- The maker and sustainer of the universe.

\- Image of the Invisible God.

\- THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

He is the **King of glory**.

_*see also Psalms 24:10_

**«** July 26 **»**

Judge

For the LORD _is_ our **Judge** , The LORD _is_ our

Lawgiver, The LORD _is_ our King; He will save us.

_Isaiah 33:22*_

Few professions on earth are more God-like than that of a **judge**.

An artist may create something original on a blank canvas, and the

president is commander-in-chief, but a **judge** has the power to define

right and wrong and gives the final word. Politicians make laws and

policemen enforce them, but **judges** determine what they mean and

declare the winners in legal battles.

Christ is not only the Creator and Lawgiver; He is also **Judge**.

He will judge people on three different occasions to declare who is just

and who is not. No one will be able to dispute His verdict.

At the Great White Throne, the Lord judges the lost. The record

books will be opened and men and women will be judged according to

their deeds. Religious folks will be there as well as the notoriously sinful,

but none of them will have their names written in the book of life. To all

of them, He says in one way or another, "I never knew you; depart from

me, you who practice lawlessness" ( _Matthew 7:23_ ).

Christians are scrutinized in another way, because they all must

appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ ( _2 Corinthians 5:10_ ). Their

works will be reviewed and rewards given or lost. Christ desires that

each of His servants be found faithful.

When Christ returns to earth at the end of the great tribulation,

He will stand in judgment of the nations. He'll separate the faithful from

the unjust as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. The wicked

will go to everlasting punishment, but the righteousness into eternal life.

The word of the **Judge** is final, so the guilty should fear to face

Him. However, as long as the age of grace lasts, there is time to settle out

of court.

_*see also Matthew 7:21-23, 25:31-46; John 5:22-24; Romans 2:16; 2_

_Corinthians 5:10_

**«** July 27 **»**

Judge of the

Living and the Dead

And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is

He who was ordained by God _to be_ **Judge of the living and the dead**.

_Acts 10:42*_

"All rise!" ordered the bailiff. The courtroom fell silent as the

judge entered wearing a black robe and a dark expression on his face.

The mood was unusually somber because the fate of the man already

convicted of multiple murders and felonies was to be handed down. The

judge cleared his throat, repeated the seriousness of the crimes

committed, and then declared the sentence: Life plus 120 years without

parole.

That punishment, reported to be extremely stiff, only

underscores the inadequacies of the human justice system. At best, man

can only punish the living. A criminal with three consecutive life terms

can be out in a week if he dies in his cell.

In preaching the gospel, Peter called Christ the **Judge of the**

**living and the dead** in order to convict people of sin. The idea is that

either in this life or the next, everyone must answer to the Lord Jesus for

what they have done. The purpose is to evoke the fear of God that leads

to repentance. Godly fear can be a very healthy thing.

Sometimes it seems that people literally get away with murder.

They can either bury the evidence, bribe the witnesses, or find a loophole

in the law. They feel that if they can escape punishment before they die,

they somehow have won the game of life. Boy, are they wrong!

It's the job of a faithful witness to declare that true and lasting

judgment will finally come. Some may be successful at mocking human

justice, but no one can make light of the **Judge of the Living and the**

**Dead**. The message that must be proclaimed is "Behold, now _is_ the

accepted time; behold, now _is_ the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).

_*see also 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5_

**«** July 28 **»**

Good Teacher

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, " **Good Teacher** , what

shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

_Luke 18:18_

It's interesting! there must be hundreds of thousands of

Christian churches in the world that label themselves "the Good

Shepherd" but I don't think that I've ever heard of one called

"the **Good Teacher**." Likewise, I've seen many stained glass

windows and paintings of Jesus holding a shepherd's staff

surrounded by a small flock of sheep but I've never seen the

Master holding an apple and a bunch of books. That might be

because in our society, shepherds are better paid and more highly

esteemed than teachers.

That having been said, teachers are generally credited for

preparing people for life and the **Good Teacher** gets His followers

ready for eternal life. Jesus' parables tell believers about what they

don't know about the Kingdom of Heaven by beginning with

things and experiences that they do understand. Christ's Sermon on

the Mount began as a P.E. class; they had to climb up a mountain

and get their blood circulating, before they could understand the

spiritual exercise of faith. He used Old Testament scripture as His

text book, not only quoting from it, but by fulfilling it as the

Living Word of God.

However, more than anything else, the **Good**

**Teacher** taught by example. He washed His disciples feet before

asking them to do the same. Jesus was faithful to His calling even

though He was despised and rejected by men. Yet, He instructed

His followers that they needed to do the same. He called on men

and women to take up their cross and follow Him and then was

nailed to a Roman cross to show what He meant. The lesson stuck

long after the class was over.

And so it is: theory is turned into reality in the lives that

are touched by a really **Good Teacher**.

**«** July 29 **»**

Merciful and Faithful

High Priest

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like _His_ brethren,

that He might be a **merciful and faithful High Priest** in

things _pertaining_ to God, to make propitiation for the sins of

the people.

_Hebrews 2:17_

In order to have propitiation (i.e. in order for a sacrifice

to do what it was intended to do) all the pieces had to be in

place. There needed to be an acceptable altar, a qualified priest,

and an animal specifically created for sacrifice. But it was more

than that! The legal precedent had to be established whereby

there was a process for atoning for sin.

Therefore, the Aaronic priesthood and system for

sacrifices was not just cute symbolism or literary foreshadowing

of Christ on the cross, they were God's way of showing how

complicated it is to actually remove sin from a sinner.

The office of the High Priest was essential, both for

atonement of sins and for intercession for the sinner.

Unfortunately some high priests weren't worthy of the job.

Annas and Caiaphas were evil men that not only failed to

recognize the promised Messiah, they conspired to have him

crucified. It is hard to imagine that their offering for the people

on the Day of Atonement would be accepted, because they were

so far out of God's will.

The Lord Jesus on the other hand, is the **Merciful and**

**Faithful High Priest** He is highly qualified for the job and was

able to do what all His predecessors were unable to do: atone

for sin once and for all. He showed mercy by freeing His people

from the bondage of sin and now faithfully intercedes on behalf

of the blood bought people He redeemed. The altar was the

cross; the propitiation was the blood of Christ and the Minister

of the Sanctuary was our **Merciful and Faithful High Priest**.

**«** July 30 **»**

The Savior of the

World

Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of

what you said, for we ourselves have heard _Him_ and we know

that this is indeed the Christ, the **Savior of the world**."

_John 4:42_

No one would have expected anything of any importance to

have come from it. After all, it was nothing more than a casual

conversation with an imperfect stranger at a non-descript rest stop in

the middle of nowhere after a long, tiring journey - or so it seemed.

But Jesus was God and He knew the deeper, importance of all things

and was actually right there on purpose and for a purpose. The Lord

chose to be at that place at that time to reach out to a troubled woman

with the goal of setting her free from her sin.

The Samaritan woman not only recognized Jesus as the

Messiah, but proclaimed His coming to her whole neighborhood.

Conventional wisdom would not have expected any Samaritan to be a

seeker of the true God, much less an entire town. Probably hundreds

of people came to listen to Jesus and acknowledge Him as the

Christ. The half hour lunch break turned into two full days of special

meetings. In the end, that group of non-kosher Jewish wannabes gave

Christ one of His most significant titles - **Savior of the World**. Their

understanding of who the LORD's anointed was more insightful than

anyone else at this time. They realized that He was the One who

would not only savethe pure-blooded sons of Abraham, but everyone

else in this sin-cursed world that needed saving.

The experience must have had a lasting impression on the

apostle John, because he invokes the title again in his first epistle:

"And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son

as **Savior of the World.** " ( _1 John 4:14_ ).

It's the core of the gospel: "For God so loved the world [...]

that the world through Him might be saved" ( _John 3:16-17_ ).

**«** July 31 **»**

Coming One

And when John had heard in prison about the works of

Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, "Are

You the **Coming One** , or do we look for another?"

_Matthew 11:2,3_

The writings of Moses and the prophets included hundreds of

prophecies concerning the Messiah that was to come. Centuries had

passed since these promises were given, and then came another four

hundred years with no message from God at all. Yet the faithful to God

still awaited the " **Coming One**."

Then, on the day his son was born, old Zacharias the priest

prophesied concerning the Dayspring from on High that was coming.

Roughly six months later, both the honorable and just Simeon from the

temple and the prophetess Ana testified that they saw the Lord's Christ

come as a baby to be dedicated in the house of God.

John the Baptist lived his whole life set apart for the work of

God. When he baptized Jesus, he saw the heavens opened and the voice

of God Himself declare the Savior as the beloved Son of God. John had

strong affirmation that day that He was commissioned to be the voice

crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord. He was

convinced that the **Coming One** had finally arrived.

Yet circumstances and solitude have a way of raising doubts and

compromising firm decisions. So when John was thrown in prison and

the Messiah, the Son of David, didn't come to liberate him, he sent two

disciples to affirm his faith in the Messiah.

John had indeed perceived correctly; the **Coming One** had, in

fact, come. Two thousand years later, Christ is still the **Coming One,**

because He promised His followers that He would return. That's a long

time to wait, so just like the first time, some believers have started to

wonder, "Where is the promise of His Coming?" ( _2 Peter 3:4_ ).

The good news is that He is on His way, and He's right on

schedule. The signs of His coming laid down in Matthew 24 all check

out, so any time now we'll get to see the **Coming One.**

**«** August 1 **»**

The Name (Ha-shem)

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and

given Him **the name** which is above every name.

_Philippians 2:9_

The Hebrew name for God appears over 6,000 times in the Old

Testament. It is four consonants without vowels (roughly equivalent to

the English letters YHWH or possibly JHVH), so it is unpronounceable.

Christian Bible scholars who wish to give utterance to the name

of God pronounce it Yahweh or Jehovah. Devout Jews, however,

consider the tetragrammaton (those four Hebrew letters) as too holy to

even say. When they come to it during the Sabbath Torah reading in the

Synagogue, the word Adonai (the Lord) or **Ha-shem** ( **the Name** ) is

substituted in its place.

This is even seen in scripture. In Leviticus twenty-four, there is

the story of the son of an Egyptian man who cursed the LORD. Verse

eleven reads "And the Israelite woman's son blasphemed the name of the

LORD and cursed; and so they brought Him to Moses...." Then, in verse

sixteen, it goes on to say, "And whoever blasphemes the name _of the_

_LORD_ shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly

stone him, the stranger as well as him who is born in the land. When he

blasphemes the name _of the LORD,_ He shall be put to death."

The reason for examining these verses is to note that the phrase

" _of the LORD"_ is in italics, which means that it is not there in the original.

In Hebrew, this section reads that he "blasphemed **the name** and cursed."

To **blaspheme Ha-shem** is to take the sacred name of God in vain.

To the unsaved world, the name of Jesus Christ isn't sacred,

holy, or blessed. They use it as a curse. Our society doesn't stone people

for blasphemy anymore, and most Christians just tune it out or accept the

disrespect as normal. The problem is that when believers aren't offended,

God is. The least that a Christian could do is say to the offender, "Please

don't say that; it bothers me" or "Please stop that; you're cursing **the**

**name** I love." The church should never forget that God has given Jesus

**the name** that is above every name.

**«** August 2 **»**

Elect One

"Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My **Elect One**

_in whom_ My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon

Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles."

_Isaiah 42:1_

This Old Testament title is obviously a Messianic prophesy, so

we're able to examine a pre-incarnate name of Christ. The plan of

redemption was already in play 700 years before the Baby Jesus was

born in Bethlehem. The Servant of God had been chosen for the job.

The position of Savior of the World is not something someone

chooses for Himself; actually, it's an elected office. Qualifications for the

job included sinless perfection and the attributes of God. It's safe to say

that no one ran against Him in this election. Besides, who would have

wanted the position, anyway? The job required being mocked, jeered at,

spat upon, beaten, nailed to a cross, and abandoned by one's closest

friends.

This **Elect One** wasn't chosen by the people He came to save.

Frankly, they (we) rejected Him. He was elected by God, and the

surprising thing was, He accepted!

This brings us to why this title is so important. A willing

sacrifice had to be offered as a substitute for a rebellious creation who

willfully sinned. If an unwilling sacrifice was forced to suffer and die for

mankind's sin, there would be neither justice nor propitiation. Only

willful obedience could atone for willful disobedience.

Of the 23 times the terms elect or election are used in the New

Testament, only once does it refer to Christ. _"Behold, I lay in Zion_ _A chief_ _cornerstone, **elect** , precious, _ _And he who believes on Him will by no_

_means be put to shame"_ ( _1 Peter 2:6_ ). The idea here is that believers respond in faith to the **Elect One**.

Most of the other verses refer to Christians who were chosen by

God, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blame

before Him in love ( _Ephesians 1:4_ ). As God's elect, we're asked to be

obedient to our calling and follow the example of the **Elect One**.

**«** August 3 **»**

Samaritan

Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say

rightly that You are a **Samaritan** and have a demon?"

_John 8:48_

**Samaritan** – the word doesn't bring up any emotional

response or gut reaction in our day and age, but at the time it was

given, it was a put-down of the basest sort. Jewish people looked

down on their neighbors to the north because they were foreign

transplants to the land of promise and, even after centuries of living

there, were still unwelcome.

The term also had connotations of being a heretic, because

although the **Samaritan** s wanted to worship Yahweh, they did so at

the wrong mountain and in the wrong manner. By equating Jesus with

those undesirables, the Jewish leaders could switch from discussing

issues with the Master to simply dismissing any argument He could

give, because He was beneath them.

The main problem with trying to use racial slurs to insult

Christ is that He loved everyone, including the Samaritans. He

purposely traveled through Samaria to reach out to a wayward

woman, and then preached to her village, where He was hailed as "the

Christ, the Savior of the world" ( _John 4:42_ ). In Jesus' parable of "the

Good **Samaritan** ," the **Samaritan** was portrayed as the good guy and

the Jewish leaders as hypocrites. Finally, when the Lord healed ten

lepers, only the **Samaritan** in the group came back to give thanks.

Jesus commended him and told him "Your faith has made you well"

( _Luke 17:19_ ).

The Lord Jesus wears all His titles well, even the derogatory

ones. Bigoted men and women appear in every age and culture. They

would try to ignore Christ because they feel He is unworthy of their

time and effort. He still loves them all the same and wants them to

break through their hate and prejudice so they can approach Him in

faith as Savior of the World.

**«** August 4 **»**

Fullness of the Godhead

For in Him dwells all the **fullness of the Godhead** bodily; and you

are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

_Colossians 2:9,10_

Not 10%, not 50%, not even 90%, but 100% of the fullness of

the Godhead belonged to Christ. What does that mean, exactly? It means that

all that is God (i.e. His power, His majesty, His holiness, His character) was

bound up in the body of Jesus. Nothing was missing. He wasn't a condensed

form of deity; He was the real deal.

Having the **fullness of the Godhead** in bodily form took nothing

away from the Father, but allowed the Creator to touch and redeem His

creation in ways He couldn't do as a distant deity. "For it pleased _the Father_

_that_ in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things

to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having

made peace through the blood of His cross" ( _Colossians 1:19,20_ ).

True faith in the Savior includes and concludes that He is God. He

always was and always will be. There is only one True God, and the Lord

Jesus is the manifestation of that Supreme Being. The Son of God isn't

inferior to God the Father and never took away anything from the Father.

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the

form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God"

( _Philippians 2:5,6_ ).

The realization that Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead should

shake people up. It certainly did in the first century. Many of those who

shouted "Crucify Him!" or jeered at Him, or spit on His face, later fell down

on their knees with fear and repentance when they realized they allowed the

Prince of Life to be put to death.

Today, most people just don't get it. They either don't know that

Jesus is the **fullness of the Godhead** , or they really don't understand what

that means. They demean and reject Christ's sovereignty and control over

their lives by viewing Him as less than God.

Christ knows all, sees all, and has existed for all eternity. When He

lived and walked on earth, in His body was the **Fullness of the Godhead**.

**«** August 5 **»**

Most High God

This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying,

"These men are the servants of the **Most High God** ,

who proclaim to us the way of salvation."

_Acts 16:17_

The Apostle Paul and his evangelistic team were led by the Holy

Spirit to take their message to Europe, so they began preaching in

Philippi, one of the chief cities in Greece. This was a whole new territory,

and the satanic opposition was evident. Almost from the very beginning

of their time there, a demon-possessed girl followed them and became

very distracting. In her spirit-affected voice, she announced the

missionaries to be "Servants of the **Most High God**." Paul cast the

demon out, and the opposition just intensified.

It is a very curious thing to note that this title of Christ actually

came through demonic channeling. Demons are nothing more than the

fallen angels who were cast out of heaven by the Lord of Glory, so they

know who He is. When Jesus approached the demoniac in the county of

the Gadarenes, the man fell down before the Lord and the voices inside

him also recognized Christ as "Jesus, Son of the **Most High God** "

(Luke 8:28). This was no profession of faith on the part of the evil spirits,

but an acknowledgment that He was their God and would one day

condemn them to go into the abyss.

The Apostle James makes this point when he wrote: "You

believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe ---

and tremble!" (James 2:19). Actually, the dark host has a better response

to the Savior than the stiff-necked human race does. Demons

acknowledge Christ's deity, bow down before Him, and believe that their

punishment is sure. They, however, rebelled willfully against their

Creator, so the grace of God was never extended to them, and their doom

is a sure thing.

People on the other hand, were deceived into sinning, so God

provided a way to escape through the blood of the Crucified One.

Salvation is extended to those who approach Christ in faith, confessing

their sin, and acknowledging Him as the **Most High God**.

**«** August 6 **»**

Power of God

But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks,

Christ the **power of God** and the wisdom of God.

_1 Corinthians 1:24_

Many of the classic paintings of Christ from the Middle Ages

and Renaissance show an emaciated man with a pale face, scrawny

arms, and ribs showing through His skin. The idea was to show the

horrors of the crucifixion, but the Lord looks pathetic. It would make

one think, "How could this skinny guy be 'Savior of the World,' much

less the ' **Power of God**?'"

Certainly, "the weakness of God is stronger than men"

( _1 Corinthians 1:25_ ), but people tend to miss the strength of God

even when it's obvious. Jesus was no weakling. He walked through

the middle of an angry mob that wanted to kill Him in His home town

of Nazareth, and then the crowd just melted away at His boldness

( _Luke 4:28-30_ ). He called the Jewish religious leaders hypocrites to

their faces ( _Matthew 23:13-15_ ) and threw the buyers and sellers out

of the temple – twice! (John _2:14-15; Matthew 21:12-13_ ). He stood

up to Judas and his army of thugs and impressed Pontius Pilate with

His self-control at His trial. If He wanted or felt He needed them, He

could have summoned twelve legions of angels at any time, but this

powerful man had everything under control. He was the **Power of**

**God** on earth.

As Creator, He made both visible and invisible worlds by the

power of His Word and is, in fact, the force that holds the universe

together ( _Colossians 1:16-17_ ). He is the commander-in-chief of all

the good angels and has disarmed all the principalities and powers of

Satan and his demonic host ( _Colossians 2:15_ ).

Immanuel is God with us, man's very present connection to

the Almighty. Christ Jesus is the source of all energy, the force behind

the universe, the **Power of God**.

**«** August 7 **»**

Priest Forever

....You are a **Priest forever** according to the order of Melchizedek.

_Hebrews 5:6*_

Talk about job security – forever is a long time. As priest,

Christ has offered the sacrifice, atoned for the sins of God's people,

and interceded on our behalf to God. The perfect priest offered the

perfect sacrifice, so that part of His service is over; "It is finished"

(John 19:30). The intercession aspect of His ministry is ongoing.

The Lord Jesus pleads our case before God when we sin, fail

to see his revealed will, or are unthankful. He's also there to instruct

and encourage us, as well as set us apart for God's service. These are

wonderful and necessary things He does, but He won't be doing them

forever.

When the saints of God are called up to glory, our old sinful

nature will finally be destroyed and, entering heaven, we will be holy,

just as He is holy, never to sin again. We'll be with Him; we'll be like

Him. At that point, we won't need an intercessor.

Every time the title " **Priest Forever** " appears in scripture it's

always followed by the phrase, "according to the order of

Melchizedek." This added information is also very important, or it

wouldn't occur in the Bible five times.

Melchizedek was the Priest/King of Salem that greeted

Abraham after his victory over the four mighty kings of the east. He

blessed the Patriarch and received tithes from Him. He was God's

representative to Abraham and demonstrated power and authority.

Since the Savior is a **Priest forever** according to the order of

Melchizedek, He will bless God's people throughout all eternity. As

the King/Priest of the universe, He will reign over everything with

justice and raise up the banner of holiness.

_*see also Hebrews 6:20, 7:17 and 21; all quoting from Psalm 110:4_

**«** August 8 **»**

Him Who is Able to Keep

You From Stumbling

Now to **Him who is able to keep you from stumbling** , And to

present _you_ faultless before the presence of His glory with

exceeding joy,To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, _Be_ glory

and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.

_Jude 24 and 25_

It's very clear in scripture that grace is the power of God that

saves us. The same grace that saves also sanctifies and protects the

believer in his walk of faith. Since Jesus is the channel through which

grace reaches humanity, Christ is our Savior, Sanctifier, and " **He who is**

**able to keep you from stumbling**."

The very short book of Jude serves as a warning to Christians

that apostates (defectors from the faith) will try to throw spiritual

roadblocks in their path. He urges the saints to be strong and contend

earnestly for the faith.

Progress in the Christian life is like walking or running.

Anything thrown on the path, not just false doctrine, can cause a believer

to stumble. Believers can fall into sin, get tripped up by doubts, or be

sidelined by fears and depression. When a follower of the Lord Jesus

goes to Him in moments like these, it not only keeps him from

stumbling, but also presents him faultless before the presence of His

glory with exceeding joy.

Through the years, I have counseled many struggling believers.

Although their problems might be about doubts, fears, finances, or

relationships, sin is usually at its core. Drug addiction, alcoholism, and

pornography have huge holds on people, and rarely do generic advice

and a simple prayer ever work.

It takes time and a lot of hard work to rebuild trust and

dependency on Christ. It's easy to believe that, as Savior, Jesus can keep

you out of hell. It takes desire to grow deeper in the spiritual relationship

to trust Him to be your Sanctifier who sets you apart for the Master.

Finally, it takes a fresh, new revelation from God to see Christ as **Him**

**who is able to keep you from stumbling**. **** When you do, though, **** you ****

realize He can give you the power to break free from the things bringing

you down.

**«** August 9 **»**

Apostle (Sent one)

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling,

consider the **Apostle** and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

_Hebrews 3:1_

Simply speaking, an **Apostle** is a " **sent one**." Although this is the

only passage in the Bible that labels Jesus as the Apostle, He did call

Himself the **sent one** of the Father on several occasions:

"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but

the will of Him who **sent Me** " ( _John 6:38_ ).

"Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love

Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of

Myself, but He **sent Me** '" ( _John 8:42_ ).

"I must work the works of Him who **sent Me** while it is day; _the_

night is coming when no one can work" ( _John 9:4_ ).

"For I have given to them the words which You have given Me;

and they have received _them,_ and have known surely that I came forth

from You; and they have believed that You **sent Me** " ( _John 17:8_ ).

"And we have seen and testify that the Father has **sent the Son**

_as_ Savior of the world" ( _1 John 4:14_ ).

It is important to understand that the term **"apostle"** does not

refer to some high position in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, but rather to

someone simply sent on a mission. The Lord Jesus had twelve close

disciples whom He later sent out to every town and village in Judea to

teach and heal. It was this act of being sent out and, subsequently, doing

what they were sent to do, that made them a **postles**.

Christ was on a mission to do His Father's will. A plan was in

place before the foundation of the world to redeem mankind and define

love and grace to the angels that witnessed Satan's rebellion and fall.

Only God manifested in the flesh could do this, but no person capable of

feeling intense pain would come up with the idea of dying on a cross in

order to save the world. In Gethsemane, the Savior prayed "Father, if it is

Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but

Yours, be done" ( _Luke 22:42_ ). That's what an **Apostle** does.

**«** August 10 **»**

Image of the Invisible God

He is the **image of the invisible God** , the firstborn over all creation.

_Colossians 1:15_

How do you describe something that is indescribable? Do you

know the answer? Use a genre without words. Art and music can convey

thoughts and emotions that verbal communication can't. That's why

humans try so many forms of artistic expression. They want to imagine

the unimaginable and view the invisible.

Jesus Christ is the Creator's artist masterpiece in which He

presents to Mankind the **Image of the Invisible God**. The Almighty used

an art medium that every human being can connect with: flesh and blood.

He used it to communicate what can't be understood, the nature of God.

Planets, stars, galaxies, and light energy can be observed, so they

are proved to exist. However, scientists have studied the gravitational

forces of the universe and discovered that what we consider to be normal

matter and energy is actually less than 5% of the total universe. Some

invisible unknown reality is out there, and it's really big, making up over

95% of all that exists. This huge, mysterious something is called "dark

matter," together with "dark energy." Actually, just going by percentages, dark matter should be considered the normal and what we call ordinary

matter is really the aberration.

Maybe it's just me, but when people start speaking about some

huge force out there that fills the universe, I think of God. Some people

prefer to call Him Dark Matter, rather than Almighty Creator, because

they feel that they owe no obligation to a burst of unknown energy, but

would be beholden to God if it was proved that He designed them and

gave them life.

Christ came into this world so that ordinary people could know

the unknowable and see the **Image of the Invisible God**. He didn't arrive

composed of dark matter, but with skin, muscle, and blood. He showed

us what the invisible God is like, both in character and in nature. He also

came so that we can be made like Him and be transformed from the

mortal to the immortal.

**«** August 11 **»**

Wisdom of God

But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and

to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews

and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the **wisdom of God**.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and

the weakness of God is stronger than men.

_Corinthians 1:23-25_

A really wise chess master will sometimes make a move that

seems stupid to his opponent because it results in the loss of a bishop

or knight. Then, a few moves later, the chess master executes

"checkmate," thanks to the board position he gained from the

sacrifice. That's what is happening in these verses.

It doesn't make sense that the sinless Son of God should be

sacrificed on a Roman cross. It seemed that Satan and the God-haters

of the world had won, and all were pleased and proud of how it

played out. Christ is still rejected by the majority of the Jewish people

to this day, and some intellectuals still laugh at the ludicrousness of

the gospel.

The bottom line is that the celestial chess game was never

between God and mankind; it was between God and the devil. When

Satan and his angels rebelled against God, Satan seduced the human

race to join his cause. Planet Earth became the last piece of turf

Lucifer had in the whole universe. If God had just destroyed

everything, the Creator would have, in fact, lost the game. God's

plans would have been thwarted, and the creation +e made in His

image would have been cut off from fellowship forever.

Human history is full of wars, plagues, and natural disasters.

Chaos seems to dominate, and the devil seems to be the undisputed

god of this world. Everything, however, changes in the end-game.

Christ came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). He not

only restores mankind to the relationship they had before the fall, but

He also brings them into the family of God. Very smart move, and

Satan never saw it coming, because he was matched up against Jesus

Christ, the **Wisdom of God**.

**«** August 12 **»**

Merciful and Gracious

The LORD, the LORD God, **merciful and gracious**..."

_Exodus 34:6*_

Ugly and vicious, with hairy legs and a needle-like snout, she

comes upon the unsuspecting to suck their blood and spread disease.

Hidden only by the insignificance of her size, she strikes out with

impunity against those millions of times her superior. Attractive in

nothing, loved by none, a parasite indeed. So the tiny mosquito can be

described by those unfortunate enough to be her victims.

In my lifetime, I've swatted thousands of those pesky insects

without giving a moment for apology or remorse. Given the

opportunity, I'll kill many more. Mosquitoes deserve to die. They get

no mercy from me.

Mankind is even less deserving of mercy than the lowly

mosquito. Made in the image of God and given a mind to reason, man

would deny his Maker, preferring instead to think he is the product of

a mindless series of accidents called evolution. This creature refuses

to submit himself to his Lord.

When God sent His laws to earth, people broke them. When

warnings of judgment were given, they laughed at all that was Holy.

Finally, when God took human form to come to Adam's race, the

creation struck out at its Creator, wanting Him dead. The entire

human race is unworthy of mercy.

Seven times in the Bible, God is called **merciful and**

**gracious** in the same verse. This at first doesn't seem so remarkable

until one considers just how unlovely and undeserving people really

are. If I wasn't a hell-deserving sinner, I wouldn't need mercy.

However, since I am worthy of God's wrath, I am glad that I can go to

Him who is both **Merciful and Gracious**.

_*Nehemiah 9:31; Psalm 103:8; Joel 2:13 plus 3 other references._

**«** August 13 **»**

Mediator

For _there is_ one God and one **Mediator**

between God and men, _the_ Man Christ Jesus,

_1 Timothy 2:5_

A **mediator** is only effective when both sides have

confidence in their go-between. Divergent sides with no common

ground cannot be brought together unless there is someone standing

with one foot firmly in each camp. That person must be able to take

seriously the interests of both.

Job had many problems, but he was afflicted most of all by

his loss of fellowship with the living God. Feeling frustrated and

rejected, he cried out to his maker, "Nor is there any **mediator**

between us, _Who_ may lay his hand on us both" ( _Job 9:33_ ). Job longed

for a **mediator** who could get things settled.

Holy God and sinful man – a great gulf separated the two.

The vast expanse was uncrossable, so a cross was provided. The

Creator took on His creature's form and bridged heaven and earth at

the moment of the incarnation. Christ Jesus, having both the divine

and human natures, became the true **mediator** between God and man.

_God_

_Holy Omnipotent_

_All-seeing Ruling Judging_

_Jesus Christ Savior Lord_

_Feeling Searching Thirsting_

_Living Breathing_

_Man_

\- R. Khol

**«** August 14 **»**

I AM

Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly,

I say to you, before Abraham was, **I AM**."

_John 8:58_

Talk about a conversation-stopper. The Pharisees were

shocked. They couldn't believe their ears. Jesus of Nazareth had

just called Himself " **I AM**." Just moments before, He had said that

He was older than Abraham. Now, in effect, He was saying that He

was the God of Abraham. They immediately picked up stones to

throw at Him _(John 8:58_ ) _._

This was no inside joke or subtle allusion. Jesus had

blatantly applied one of the most powerful names of God to

Himself. They knew the scripture: "God declared to Moses ' **I AM**

WHO **I AM**.' And He said, 'Thus you shall say to the children of

Israel, **'I AM** has sent me to you.'" ( _Exodus 3:14_ ).

The Jewish leaders didn't believe the Lord. They refused

to have Him rule over them, and thus, they were guilty of the

crime of rejecting the Living God.

When Jesus calls Himself the great **I AM,** He calls all

humanity to respond to His claim. To reject or ignore the deity of

Christ is to choose not to believe the Master. Believing Him is to

praise, worship, and honor Him as the everlasting God.

_By the Spirit all pervading,_

_Hosts unnumbered round the Lamb,_

_Crowned with light and joy unfading,_

_Hail Him as the great " **I AM**." _

J.N. Darby (1800-1882)

**«** August 15 **»**

Invisible

Now to the King eternal, immortal **, invisible** , to God who

alone is wise, _be_ honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. _1_

_Timothy 1:17_

**INVISIBLE**. Now, isn't that an odd title to give to the Lord

Jesus Christ? After all, He is the second person of the Trinity, and by

definition, He has a real body and can be seen and even touched. It's

not surprising, then, that some preachers view this verse as a

doxology - a song of praise to God in general rather than to Jesus in

particular.

Wait a minute! These praises are addressed to the King

Eternal, and that's clearly a reference to Christ, who is the King of

Kings. Another thing: In the first chapter of 1 Timothy, the main focus

is the grace and mercy of Christ Jesus. By the time Paul reaches verse

seventeen, it seems like he just bursts into praise and thanksgiving for

his wonderful Savior.

But how is Jesus **invisible,** if He has a body? Well, He

doesn't stop being God even though He has a body.

The Lord Himself said, "Where two or three are gathered

together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" ( _Matthew_

_18:20_ ). Christ is the unseen guest at the table of every Christian

home. He is always there at prayer meeting, even when the numbers

are down, and His **invisible** presence is felt every time believers

remember Him in the Breaking of Bread.

When the Lord gave the Great Commission, He ended it with

the promise, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age"

( _Matthew 28:20_ ). That means the Master is very close at all times to

His disciples no matter their situation. He is there in the prison cell, in

the desert, or even with a saint who is lost in the woods. He is the

**Invisible** friend that is always near and dear.

**«** August 16 **»**

Son of God

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the **Son of God** ,

God abides in him, and he in God.

_1 John 4:15*_

The title is a statement of faith, the distinguishing creed of

all true believers. Peter admitted to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the

**Son of** the living **God** "(Matthew 16:16). Martha, Nathaniel, the

Roman centurion, and the Ethiopian eunuch also acknowledged

the same. In fact, no one can have true faith in Christ without

reaching this conclusion.

Phony Christians might employ the phrase in one way or

another, but they don't understand it, or at least they refuse to

accept its true meaning. That is because the title is a declaration of

the deity of Christ, and that is something counterfeit converts don't

wish to accept.

In Bible times, the phrase "son of..." clearly meant "being

one with", as in the "sons of the prophets" or "sons of the singers."

When Jesus declared, "I am the **Son of God** ," the Jewish leaders

were immediately offended and ready to stone Him for blasphemy.

To them, by saying God was His father, He was making Himself

equal to God ( _John 5:18_ ).

To call Jesus the **Son of God** is the same as acknowledging

Him as God, the Son. It concedes that He has power and authority

to judge and punish sinful man. Calling on the Lord by this title

implies submission and obedience to His will. It concludes that no

surrogate savior could ever redeem God's lost creation. Only God

Himself in human form could be capable of bringing complete

salvation.

_*Matthew 27:54; John 1:49, 11:27, 10:36; Acts 8:37; Daniel_

_3:25; plus 38 other references._

**«** August 17 **»**

Son of Man*

"I was watching in the night visions, And behold, _One_ like the **Son of Man** , Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And

they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and

glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve

Him. His dominion _is_ an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away,

And His kingdom _the one_ Which shall not be destroyed."

_Daniel 7:13,14**_

The husband was an American and his wife Canadian. The child

was both. He wasn't a little of each, but 100% a citizen of both countries.

Jesus Christ is the God-Man. Conceived through the Holy Spirit, He

is all that the Almighty ever was or is. Born of a woman, He is fully human

and is a credit to His race. Not half God and half man, the Lord Jesus

combines deity and humanity without diluting either.

As Son of God, Christ is of the family of God and the possessor of

God's nature. As **Son of Man** , the Lord couldn't have been more human.

There wasn't an emotion or experience that He couldn't feel.

Of the two titles, it was **Son of Man** that He chose to use the most.

It was such a special title that, with only one exception in the New

Testament, it always comes from the Lord's own mouth. The term is

powerful and most often refers to a time when the God-Man will reign

forever over the human race. However, the Savior made it very clear that the

**Son of Man** had to be lifted up, suffer, and die for His creation before this

would be possible.

_**Son of Man** , His incarnation_

_Opened first the tale of grace;_

_**Son of Man** , in new creation_

_Leader of a chosen race!_

_Well may glory, well may glory,_

_Give to Him the honored place!_

\- Thomas Kelly

* The favorite title of Christ for Himself.

** _see also Mark 14:62; Matthew 20:28; John 3:14; Acts 7:56 plus 80 other_

_New Testament references_

**«**

__

August 18 **»**

True Vine

"I am the **true vine** , and My Father is the vinedresser."

_John 15:1_

The Old Testament repeatedly refers to Israel as a vine.

After taking it out of Egypt and transplanting it in Canaan, God

labored to enable His tender plant to grow ( _Psalm 80:8,9_ ).

However, the experience was disappointing. Instead of something

worthwhile, the vine produced only wild grapes ( _Isaiah 5:2_ ). The

seed was good. God started with only the best, but somehow it

degenerated into an alien plant that had to be rejected

( _Jeremiah 2:21_ ).

Today, not everyone will understand the depth of meaning

in this imagery, but it was clear to the people in Bible times who

were very familiar with vineyards. They knew that grape

production was a labor-intensive industry and a worthless harvest

after years of effort would be more than disappointing.

For centuries, God nurtured and cared for Israel. He called

the nation His, giving it not only His blessing and protection, but

also His law, His prophets, and many works of wonder. Yet for all

this expense of concern, Israel's fruit was bitter and useless to the

owner. Every new effort to produce a crop of faithfulness resulted

in new regrets. Finally, it came time to uproot and cast off the wild

hybrid vine and replace it with something true and productive.

Jesus is the **True Vine** , and the Father will never be

disappointed in Him. He is the perfect fulfillment of the plans and

purposes of God.

When Israel sought life through law-keeping and

ceremony, they found none there. They became withered and

worthless. However, Christ Himself is the **True Vine**. He is the

source of life and grace so that all those who abide in Him can

expect to live a life that is fruitful and productive.

**«** August 19 **»**

The Vine

"I am **the vine** , you _are_ the branches. He who abides in Me, and

I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

_John 15:5_

Dismal! That's the best way to describe a vineyard in the

late fall. Contorted log-like trunks about six to eight feet long lie

on the cold, barren ground, stripped of limb, leaf, and presumably

even life. It's hard to believe that this place was fruitful just a few

months before. Only a very few would even expect that those

chunks of weathered wood could produce abundantly again.

Each of those naked stumps is a **vine** , and within them is

the promise of next year's harvest. In the spring, the empty field

turns green with life. **The vine** sends out branches, and then

leaves. The clusters of fruit that form are not so much a reflection

of the quality of the branches as they are a tribute to the

productivity of **the vine**.

When Jesus said that He was **the vine** , His disciples

understood that He claimed to be the source of fruitfulness to those

abiding in Him. Christ did not have material wealth, comfort, or a

large following while He was on this earth, so spiritual fruit can't

be construed as meaning these things. Rather, the character that

people saw in Him is what He offers.

The Lord Jesus told his followers: "As the Father loved

Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love" ( _John 15:9_ ). ""These

things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and

_that_ your joy may be full. ( _John 15:11_ ). "Peace I leave with you,

My peace I give to you" ( _John 14:27_ ). When a believer is very

close to Christ, the fruit of the spirit simply grows in his life like

grapes on **the vine** (Galatians 5:22-23).

**«** August 20 **»**

The Unknown God

For as I was passing through and considering the objects of

your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:

TO **THE UNKNOWN GOD**. Therefore, the One whom

you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you...

_Acts 17:23_

Not all heathens wear loin cloths and have bones in

their noses. Some, in fact, wear ties and have Ph.Ds. The common

bond between all pagan groups is that Christ is not their Lord and

they worship something that can neither give hope nor satisfy.

When the Apostle Paul was invited to speak at the

Areopagus in Athens, he addressed some of the greatest

intellectuals of his day. These philosophers delighted in debating

any new worldview. They were ready to take on Paul. The old

missionary accepted the challenge because he could see seekers of

truth among them. He didn't hesitate for a minute to tell these

learned men that they hadn't found the light, yet, but that he'd be

glad to introduce them to this **Unknown God** if they'd listen.

Many people today would take offense at Paul, feeling that

he was presumptuous to "push his religion off on others." For

some reason, they have the idea that the lost don't want or need the

Lord Jesus, because they already have something else.

Those people don't realize that many folks throughout the

world rejoice at the message of sins forgiven and eternal life. They

want more than anything to know the only true God. However,

until someone takes the initiative to tell them of Christ and the

salvation He offers, it all remains an **unknown**.

**«** August 21 **»**

Him Who is Able to Do

Now to **Him who is able to do** exceedingly abundantly above all

that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us...

_Ephesians 3:20_

After four years on the mission field in the jungles of South

America, we were ready to return to the United States on a four-month

furlough. Plane reservations were made (though not paid for) and

tentative dates set. However, the necessary funds just weren't coming in.

It looked like everything was going to fall through.

It wouldn't have been difficult to cancel the reservation for

tickets, or even send out a form letter explaining that we wouldn't be

coming back after all. The hardest part for me was telling my

five-year-old son that he might not get to see his grandmother.

That night my little boy prayed, "God, give us lots and lots of

money, just like Zacchaeus. But we're not going to give it to the poor

people, 'cuz we want to go to the States."

The very next day, the Mission Aviation Fellowship plane flew

into our village bringing mail, and with it, more than enough money for

tickets and expenses. I was elated and rushed to tell my son the good

news of God's faithfulness.

This was the child's prayer that night: "God, don't send any

more money, 'cuz now we have lots."

My first reaction to his words was the strong urge to cram a sock

into his little mouth. A little later, I was able to chuckle at his simplicity,

but now, the innocence of his wisdom just puts me to shame.

It was clear in the prayer that my son felt free to ask for more if

a need ever arose again. He demonstrated a greater knowledge of " **Him**

**Who is Able to Do** exceedingly abundantly" than I did at that time.

Over the years, my eyes have seen Christ do marvelous works time and

time again, but my little boy saw Him through faith.

**«** August 22 **»**

Full of Grace and Truth

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,

the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, **full of grace** and truth.

_John 1:14_

Jesus Christ is extreme grace. He is **Full of Grace** ; He is grace on

steroids. That having been said, most people don't understand simple grace

much less grasp its full concentration. To explain it, I'll use an illustration

that comes from the jungles of Ecuador.

Dangerous animals live in the rainforest. Anacondas, jaguars, and

scorpions come to mind, but few have heard of the most dangerous of them

all – stinging caterpillars. They're everywhere! Once I was walking on a

jungle trail when I brushed against some low hanging branches. A

"chinicuru," as the Indians call it, fell down my T-shirt and it rolled down my

back leaving a raised, painful burn that lasted for hours. I really don't like

these things!

On another occasion, I went to visit a Quichua family. When I got

to their thatched hut, the parents had already gone to work in the garden

leaving the twelve year old in charge of her five younger siblings. I came

unexpectedly, so I caught them in the process of torturing a chinicuru. They

had formed a circle with the coals from the kitchen cooking fire and they put

the caterpillar in the middle. Whatever direction it turned, it would burn off

the venomous bristles that covered its body.

As the only adult present, not to mention a missionary and

ambassador of Christ's love, I felt that I should say something, but I didn't. I

wanted to see the awful beast burn. Did I mention that I hate those things?

Now, if I wanted to save that ugly worm, I could have reached my

hand down and let it crawl up my finger to escape the danger. However, if I

did that I would have gotten burned, twice! Once by the fire and once from 
that stinging caterpillar. But I would never do that. I've been stung too many

times. Who would ever do that? The only one who could possibly do

something like that would be the critter's Creator. Saving it, He would allow

it to transform into the beautiful moth that it was designed to be. But if the

creator did that, He would have a love for the unlovely that would be so

intense, you'd need a new word to describe it – let's call it Grace.

The human race has rebelled against God and is much more

dangerous than stinging caterpillars, yet Christ died on the cross so that we

could live. Jesus is **Full of Grace**.

**«** August 23 **»**

Lamb without Blemish

Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things,

_like_ silver or gold, from your aimless conduct _received_ by

tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of

Christ, as of a **lamb without blemish** and without spot.

_1 Peter 1:18-19_

The Passover lamb was special, the most perfect of

the flock. First, it was examined for flaws in health and

appearance. Then, it had to be set apart for an additional four

days inside the family's own home for even more careful

scrutiny. Only the very best could be offered to God.

After the animal had passed the tests of wholesomeness,

it was chosen to die. Its white wool was stained red with blood,

and its perfect little body was roasted in the fire.

There was no benefit gained as long as the little creature

was alive and well. However, when the spotless lamb was

bruised and abused, it became a substitute for the sinner it was

sacrificed to redeem. God's design for the Passover feast wasn't

to create a mindless ritual, but rather serve as a clear illustration

of His provision of redemption.

Peter declares Christ to be the **Lamb without blemish**

and without spot. His nature and character were sinless. Even

the politician who signed His death sentence declared, "I have

found no fault in this Man" ( _Luke 23:14_ ).

"But He _was_ wounded for our transgressions, _He was_

bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace _was_

upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed" ( _Isaiah 53:5_ ). As

the spotless Lamb, He could blot out sin for the whole human

race. By becoming sin for us, He was the perfect substitute who

truly redeemed.

**«** August 24 **»**

Yeshua

She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him **Yeshua** , [which

means ' _Adonai_ saves,'] because he will save his people from their sins."

_Matthew 1:21 CJB_

Although I have no memory of it, shortly after I was born, my legal

name became Richard Khol. I know that because my birth certificate says

so, although through the years I've been given other names. As a kid,

everyone called me Rickey, and my baby brother called me "Racoo." When I

got to High School, I went by "Rick," and that's who I consider myself to be.

My name in South America was "don Ricardo." That's not who I

was, but it worked for Spanish speakers, and I was all right with it. While

there, I became close with an Ecuadorian pastor who expressed his

friendship by always addressing me as "Rrrreek." He didn't pronounce it

right, but at least he tried, and I appreciated it.

When Christ was born in Bethlehem, His legal name was probably

"Yehoshua," which we pronounce today as "Joshua." In Hebrew, it means

"God-saves" and was a common name in the first century. This four-syllable

word was shortened to three in the name " **Yeshua** ," **** which translates

"Salvation."

English speakers are usually clueless to both the meaning and

pronunciation of the Lord's name. When the New Testament was written in

Greek, the Savior's name, **Yeshua,** was transliterated to "ee-ay-soos", since there weren't equivalent letters in both languages. Then, in the 5th century,

the New Testament was translated into Latin, and for a thousand years His

personal name was "IESVS".

The Tyndale, Geneva, and early King James versions all used the

Latin spelling of the name. It wasn't until 1630 that the "J" was added and

pronounced "Yeh". Later, the "Yeh" sound was finally dropped and the "Jeh"

sound substituted.

"Jesus", then, is a transliteration of the Latin, which is a

transliteration of the Greek, which is a transliteration of the Hebrew.

O Lord Yeshua, please have patience with us! We'll get your name

right in heaven!

« August 25 »

Precious Cornerstone

_Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a_

_foundation, A tried stone, a precious cor_

_o nerstone, a sure foundation;_

_Whoever believes will not act hastily."_

_Isaiah 28:16_

The surest way to prove that an Old Testament title is a name

of Christ is to see it quoted in the New Testament referring to the

Savior. Peter paraphrases this verse calling Christ "a

chief **cornerstone** , elect, **precious** " ( _1 Peter 2:6_ ). Now the job is to figure out what it means.

Something precious is of great value such as precious metals

or precious jewels. A precious cornerstone would be very costly and

certainly would set itself apart from the ordinary stones around it.

When the Washington Monument was completed in 1884 a

3,300 pound marble capstone crowned the top. On top of this was a

nine inch apex made of 100 ounces of pure aluminum. At the time,

aluminum was worth more than silver and the tiny pyramid cost the

government $225.00. That might not sound like an extravagant

amount, but a worker on the monument earned $1 a day for ten hours

of work. The little ornament was worth almost as much as a working

man's salary for a year.

Before being placed on Washington's tallest monument, the

apex was displayed in the window of Tiffany's in New York City, as

the crown jewel of the nation's capital. The rare, rust-proof metal that

composed it made it architecturally unique; it was a **precious**

**cornerstone**.

Christ has always had a special and singular position for the

redemption of the human race. He fit into God's plan at the right time

and place and was worth more than a hundred galaxies. The Lord,

the **Precious Cornerstone** is the pinnacle of God's glory and will

stay remain for mankind and angels to praise for all eternity.

**«** August 26 **»**

Son of the Living God

Simon Peter answered and said, "You

are the Christ, the **Son of the living God**."

_Matthew 16:16_

"Denotation" and "Connotation": Two words that are

throw-backs to high school English class. The first is the dictionary

meaning of a word, and the second is what it means to the people who

hear it.

Technically, the word "Christ" means "anointed one." It could

refer to any prophet, priest, or king who had oil poured on him, but it

especially referred to the Jewish Messiah who held all three of these

positions.

When Jesus asked His disciples who they thought He was,

Simon Peter just blurted it out, "You are the Christ, the **Son of the**

**Living God**." Peter wasn't giving the theoretical or politically correct

definition of Christ; he was calling it as he saw it.

The Lord Jesus is the one and only **Son of the living God** ,

yet He adopts people into His family to make them children of God. It

is hard to understand why, but faith accepts it as a miracle of love and

grace.

C.S. Lewis once said, "The Son of God became a man to

enable men to become sons of God." What does that mean, exactly?

Each word can be defined and analyzed, but that is no guarantee that

someone will really understand what a new relationship with God is

all about.

When I was a boy, I heard a Scottish preacher explain it this

way: "It's better felt than telt." That nails it! Knowing Christ through

experience by far surpasses knowing about Him in theory.

Christ came into this world to save sinners, and this only

happens when people encounter Christ and experience Him to be the

**Son of the Living God**.

**«** August 27 **»**

God Full of Compassion

But You, O Lord, _are_ a **God full of compassion** , and

gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.

_Psalm 86:15*_

King David viewed the Lord as the strong and powerful God

who taught his "hands to make war" ( _Psalm 18:34_ ), but He was also the

**God full of compassion** who forgave him of his terrible sins. David

certainly feared the Lord, but even when he faced the wrath and

judgment of God for his willful transgressions, the king knew that God

would not utterly abandon him if he cried out to the God who was filled

with compassion and mercy.

This God that David knew was almost totally forgotten by the

children of Israel by the time Jeremiah began to preach. The prophet

begged the nation of Judah to humble themselves and repent so that God

could hold back His wrath and show them mercy. They refused, so the

promised judgment did fall and the nation was destroyed. Only a small

number escaped because they were taken captive. God is compassionate,

and yet He judges sin. ThHsH dual attributes are hard to understand, so

Christ was sent to be a clear and understandable object lesson.

Jesus saw the poor and downtrodden and reached out to them.

He fed the hungry, healed the sick, and raised the dead. But the problem

is that people still get hungry the next day, or fall victim to any one of the

thousands of diseases on another day. Even the resurrected just live to die

again. Since Christ was truly **God full of compassion** , He dealt with the

core issue, the sin problem.

People need to totally get out of this sin-cursed world and into

the presence of holiness, but that is not going to happen if they take their

sin with them. For that reason, Christ took on Himself the sin of the

world so the sons and daughters of God could take on His righteousness.

Now, when believers finally leave this planet, they can go to a place

where they will never again be hungry, get sick, or face death, and they

will live forever with their **God full of compassion**.

_*see also Psalm 111:4_

**«** August 28 **»**

Head

**...** who is the **head** \--Christ -- from whom the whole body,

joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according

to the effective working by which every part does its share,

causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

_Ephesians 4:15,16_

The scripture portion above is actually a small part of a very

long, complex sentence that lasts for six verses and goes on for 158

words. The theme of this section ( _Ephesians 4:11-16_ ) is spiritual gifts.

However, there is too much material to cover in a short devotion, so

I'll focus on the most vital; I'm going for the **Head.**

The Church is like a body that is made up of many different

parts and doing a variety of jobs. All are necessary, and every member

needs each other. Christ is the **head** of the body. Without Him,

nothing would be coordinated and nothing would get done. Heads

come in all shapes and sizes, but they all do the same thing –

command and control the rest of the body. Even the most primitive of

animals has a head. At first, the lowly earthworm seems like it has

two tails, since it's missing eyes, ears, and a nose. However, about a

half an inch behind the mouth on a night crawler and inside the

animal itself is a tiny structure, smaller than a pinhead, called the

central ganglia. If that is removed or even damaged, the worm

becomes brain-dead. It can't move or do the things worms do.

The pastor, the bishop, or the president of a denomination is

not the **head** of the Church; that is Christ's job alone. When each

member is in tune with the leading of the **head** of the church,

everything works together and great things can be accomplished.

When the connection is cut off from the **head** , the body is essentially

paralyzed and begins to die. This is usually the problem when the

church is unable to move forward.

"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

and you are complete in Him, who is the **head** of all principality and

power" ( _Colossians 2:9-10_ ).

**«** August 29 **»**

Thief in the Night

For you yourselves know perfectly that the

day of the Lord so comes as **a thief in the night.**

_1 Thessalonians 5:2*_

I really don't like thieves, but then, who does? No one really

wants their property taken from them. In my lifetime, I've had our car

stolen and our home burglarized. Both times, I felt a sense of

helplessness. Not only was I upset with the thief, I was upset with

myself; I should have done more. I could have and should have

locked the doors.

In the verse above, it is actually the Day of the Lord that is

called the **Thief in the Night**. However, when Christ addresses the

church in Sardis, He says, "I will come upon you as a thief, and you

will not know what hour I will come upon you" (Revelation 3:3).

Later in the book, the Lord again speaks: "Behold, I am coming as a

thief. Blessed _is_ he who watches" (Revelation 16:15). Therefore,

since Jesus is the one who is coming on the Day of the Lord as a

**Thief in the Night** , it is a legitimate name of Christ.

The Savior made it clear that he didn't come to earth to steal

or kill but to give abundant life (John 10:10). Although He warned

people repeatedly of His return, most haven't believed and aren't

prepared. Just like the aftermath of a home invasion, many will feel

unprepared and helpless on the Day of the Lord. For them, Christ will

have come as a **Thief in the Night**.

That is not the case for believers. The Apostle Paul says, "But

you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake

you as a thief" (1 Thessalonians 5:4). For Christians who are

watching and expecting the rapture of the church, Jesus comes

wearing the titles of the Lord of Glory and King of Kings. It is only to

the Christ-rejecters and those who scoff at His second coming that He

will be seen as a **Thief in the Night**. __

_*see also 2 Peter 3:10_

**«** August 30 **»**

Man

For _there is_ one God and one Mediator

between God and men, _the_ **man** Christ Jesus.

_1 Timothy 2:15_

With all the titles that affirm the deity of Christ, it almost

seems that the Holy Spirit felt it necessary to bring us down to earth

and remind us that Jesus was also a **man**. He had dual citizenship.

Existing before the creation of the world, He was clearly divine, but

having been born on planet Earth, He was also human.

Although He was born at a time when there wasn't the myriad

of bureaucratic regulations of today, every aspect of Christ's humanity

was documented. Jesus had a birth certificate.

Mary and Joseph made the 80 mile trek from Nazareth to

Bethlehem to register for the national census. When they got there,

Mary was in labor, and the job of having a baby took precedent over

everything else. By morning, mother and Child were resting, so

Joseph was able to take care of official business. He would have

registered Jesus as his firstborn on that very first Christmas day.

Jesus was also given a death certificate. When Christ died on

the cross, Pontius Pilate asked the centurion to confirm that Jesus was

in fact dead. That fact being established, the governor wrote an edict

to authorize His burial.

The life of Christ was historically documented. The

Romano-Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, confirmed the existence

of Jesus of Nazareth in his history book written in 93 A.D.

Christ Jesus is the perfect Mediator between a Holy God and

the sinful human race. He is the only begotten Son of God, so the

fullness of God was evident in His physical body. The Lord was like

us in every way, yet without sin, so He became a natural bridge

between God and people; He could only do that because He was

100% God and 100% **Man.**

**«** August 31 **»**

He Who has begun a

Good Work in you

Being confident of this very thing, that **He who has begun**

**a good work in you** will complete _it_ until the day of Jesus Christ;

_Philippians 1:6_

It's probably just me, but when I read the title and verse

above, the word "circumlocution" comes to mind. That means using a

whole lot of words to say something that could be said in just a few.

Now, it's not the same as rambling, because that usually gets

off-topic. Circumlocution is on-topic, but verbose.

With that said, I put a lot of thought into trying to condense

the title **He who has begun a good work in you** , and I couldn't come

up with anything that was an exact fit. The closest I got was "I.T.

guy."

An I.T. guy is a person who works with Information

Technology (i.e., computers) and sets you up with all the software

you need to get everything started. Once that's done, he's just a phone

call away whenever the computer crashes or gets sick with a virus.

You have confidence that he'll be there to complete the job until the

day the warranty runs out.

Christ began the good work of salvation in the lives of every

believer, but His work and relationship with each continues on a daily

basis. He cleans, sanctifies, and glorifies each saint as they go on in

their daily walk of faith. This relationship is not only continuous, but

progressively gets better until either the Christian dies and enters

glory or the church is raptured.

Well, my explanation of the title **He who has begun a good**

**work in you** has become somewhat circumlocutious, not to mention a

little garrulous and pedantic. I should have just given my paraphrase

of the verse instead: "Being confident of this very thing, that Christ's

got ya covered" ( _Philippians 1:6 RKV_ ).

**«** September 1 **»**

Last Adam

And so it is written, _**"** The first man Adam became a _

_living being **."**_ The **last Adam** _became_ a life-giving spirit.

_1 Corinthians 15:45_

Before we can understand the **Last Adam** , we must have a clear

understanding of the first Adam. Adam was the prototype of God's greatest

creation. Unlike the animal kingdom, the first human was a spiritual being

capable of language, reason, emotions, and discovery.

The engineering put into the human was amazing. The components

of the physical structure consisted of several inter-dependent systems that

caused the creature to move, turn raw materials into energy, increase in size

and abilities, as well as make more of the species. Each body system was

composed of microscopic, self-replicating parts called cells that could repair

themselves when damaged.

If the hardware was fantastic, the software was even more so.

Designed to be in the spiritual image of God, Adam #1 could love, show

empathy, have original thoughts, and solve complex problems. More

amazing yet was that he was capable of devotion, holiness, and fellowship

with God. Placed in the perfect environment, Adam and all his future

generations were designed to never die. However there was one flaw.

As long as there was no temptation, everything worked perfectly.

But as soon as there was an opportunity to sin, everything fell apart. Take all

temptations from people today and the human condition improves greatly.

Since a perfect world no longer exists, the **Last Adam** , Jesus Christ,

came in to fix the problem. Being both God and Man, the Savior became the

mediator between Adam's race and the Holy God.

In dying on the cross for the sins of men and women, the Lord

became a substitute replacing mankind's broken relationship with God with

the perfect fellowship that He had with the Father. Through faith in the

Crucified One, believers are accepted in the Beloved and the age old

problem of Sin is finally fixed. The flaws of the first Adam are done away

with and the world is offered a free, eternal upgrade through the **Last Adam**.

**«** September 2 **»**

Maker

"Woe to him who strives with his **Maker**! _Let_ the potsherd

_strive_ with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to

him who forms it, 'What are you making?' or shall your

handiwork _say,_ 'He has no hands'?"

_Isaiah 45:9*_

Absurd and ridiculous; something out of a cartoon - That's the

image of a lump of clay arguing with its potter and giving instructions

on how it wants to be made. Yet, that is a frequent occurrence

between human beings and their **Maker**. If the truth were known,

there's a greater disparity between the most intelligent man and his

Creator than between a human genius and a glob of dirt.

This verse pronounces a curse to those who would dare to

criticize God for making them the way they are. However, in this

"enlightened age," society sees nothing wrong with that. People

undergo hormone treatment, operations, and cross-dressing in order to

change their gender. Still, the DNA of every cell in their body would

argue otherwise. The Bible proves itself true by saying, " _There is no_

_fear of God before their eyes._ " ( _Romans 3:18_ ).

Faith is the process of agreeing with God. A believer agrees

with what God is, says, and has done. To argue with any of it is to not

believe.

The Lord Jesus Christ made the world and everything in the

heavens ( _Hebrews 1:2 and 10_ ). In fact, there is nothing made that He

didn't make ( _John 1:3_ ). As **Maker** of the human race, the Savior

customized every individual that ever lived. All were made for a

purpose and on purpose, so it dishonors the Creator to envy others for

their strengths, intelligence, or appearance.

Life has been given to each one as a joy and privilege, so

each man and woman should come to their **Maker** with thanksgiving

for the gifts He has given.

_*Isaiah 17:7, 22:11, 54:11_

__**«** September 3 **»**

Head of all Principalities

and Powers

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are

complete in Him, who is the **head of all principality and power**.

_Colossians 2:9-10_

During the Middle Ages, Thomas Aquinas proposed a system

of angelic hierarchy in his book _Summa Theologica_. He developed

and elaborated on an idea first suggested by late fifth century

Theologian, Pseudo-Dionysius. Aquinas' aggrupation of celestial

beings included three levels, or "spheres," each with a triad of angels.

Highest Sphere: Heavenly Counselors

1. Seraphim (listed from highest to lowest)

2. Cherubim

3. Thrones

Middle Sphere: Heavenly Governors

1. Dominions

2. Virtues

3. Powers

Lowest Sphere: Messengers and Soldiers

1. Principalities

2. Archangels

3. Angels

Aquinas based his hierarchy roughly on Colossians 1:16 and

Ephesians 1:21. He mentioned the Cherubim guarding the tree of life,

as well as Isaiah's, Ezekiel's, and Apostle John's descriptions of the

throne of God. Although the Roman Catholic church today still holds

these levels of angelic authority as church doctrine, there is little in

actual scripture to support this belief.

Although interesting, angelology is not elaborated on much in

the Bible. However, one thing is very clear: Jesus Christ is God. In

His body was the fullness of the Godhead. He is the **Head of all**

**Principality and Power** , and anything else anyone wants to add to

the list.

**«** September 4 **»**

Everlasting King

But the LORD _is_ the true God; He _is_ the living God and the

**everlasting King**. At His wrath the earth will tremble,

And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation.

_Jeremiah 10:10_

On September 9, 2015, Queen Elizabeth of the United

Kingdom became the longest-reigning female head of state in the

world, displacing Queen Victoria, who reigned 63 years, 216 days.

Sobhuza II of Swaziland holds the record for male monarch at 82

years, 254 days. A little better-known is King Louis XIV of France,

who sat on the thrown for 72 years, 110 days. In 1830, King Louis

XIX of France became the shortest-reigning sovereign with just 20

minutes on the job.

Over five millennia of human history have seen world leaders

and their governments come and go, none ever reaching a century of

being figurehead of their domain. Christ will outshine them all when

he rules 1,000 years on earth, after the Anti-Christ is destroyed. Then,

He'll reign in heaven as the **Everlasting King**.

Some might argue that this title is referring to God the Father

and not the Son. To clear that up, one would only have to go to 2

Peter 1:11, which says, "for so an entrance will be supplied to you

abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus

Christ." Simple logic then concludes that, if the Son of God has an

everlasting kingdom, He must be the **Everlasting King**.

Living forever without having to go through destructive

campaign cycles, political attack ads, regime change, revolutions,

coups d'état, wars and rumors of wars, it must be heaven. True

paradise will not have injustice, corruption, or oppression. This

certainly was impossible when men and women ruled the world, but

is very obtainable under Christ.

Hail King Jesus! – the **Everlasting King**!

**«** September 5 **»**

My Lord and my God

And Thomas answered and said to Him, " **My Lord and my God**!"

_John 20:28_

"Doubting Thomas" earned His nickname honestly. He asked the

Lord serious questions when he didn't know the answers ( _John 14:5_ ),

and He followed Christ sincerely, believing that he was the Jewish

Messiah. But when he saw his Master crucified and was overcome with

grief, he lost it: He lost his faith. Nothing made sense to him anymore.

All his assumptions and expectations were dashed to pieces, and he

wanted to be alone.

The resurrected Lord only appeared to believers. He appeared to

the women at the tomb, the ten apostles in the upper room, and two

disciples on the road to Emmaus. He didn't show Himself to Pontius

Pilate, the Roman soldiers that crucified Him, or the Sanhedrin. They had

rejected the Lord of Glory, and they would not be forced to believe.

Jesus, however, made one exception. He appeared to Thomas. A

week after Christ first appeared to the apostles, Thomas was in the upper

room and he really wanted to believe but couldn't. As soon as he saw the

risen Savior, he fell on his knees and cried out, " **My Lord and my**

**God**!"

Over the years, I've had many young people tell me they have

"given up" their faith. Actually, just like true salvation can't be lost, true

faith can't be given up. In any case, these doubters now want to shed

their Christian beliefs. Many have been active youth groups members or

counselors at Bible camp, but they have somehow become disillusioned

by some aspect of Christianity.

My heart really grieves for these spiritual drop-outs, and I pray

for them continually. The bottom line is that Christ never became their

**Lord and God**. My prayer for them is that they can be honest with

themselves and sincerely desire to make their faith real. At that point,

Christ will make Himself known to them in such an unmistakable way

that they drop to their knees and confess Jesus as their **Lord and their**

**God**.

**«** September 6 **»**

Peace

For He Himself is our **peace** , who has made both one,

and has broken down the middle wall of separation.

_Ephesians 2:14_

Jewish people have a real thing about **peace**. In Hebrew it is

called "Shalom." That's the way they say hello and goodbye, and it's

how they give a blessing. It's interesting that the highest

concentration of these **peace** -conscious individuals is in Israel, where

rocket attacks or bombings can occur at almost any moment.

The Savior came to bring them peace. He has reconciled both

Jews and Gentiles by breaking down the old wall of separation

between them. He continues to knock down barriers and "to reconcile

all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in

heaven, having made **peace** through the blood of His cross"

( _Colossians 1:20_ ).

Christ didn't come to this troubled world to bring us **peace;**

He _is_ our **Peace**. Sorrows, frustrations, trials, and tribulations melt

away when the Lord Jesus is in our hearts and we're trusting Him.

What happens, and how it happens, is rather difficult to explain. I

suppose that's why the Apostle Paul explained it as "the **peace** of

God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and

minds through Christ Jesus" ( _Philippians 4:7_ ).

To the world, peace is the absence of conflict. But what

Christ has brings **peace** into a conflict and overcomes it. While Christ

hung on the cross, even before He died, He rested in **peace.** This same

unexplainable **peace** has been given to the Lord's followers: " **Peace** I

leave with you, My **peace** I give to you; not as the world gives do I

give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"

( _John 14:27_ ).

**Peace** is who the Lord Jesus Christ is. When life gets really

overwhelming and the stress and anxiety begins to become

unbearable, flee to the arms of the Savior. Cast all your burdens on

Him, "and the God of **peace** will be with you" ( _Philippians 4:9_ ).

**«** September 7 **»**

Helper

"The LORD _is_ my **helper** ; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

_Hebrews 13:6_

I get really frustrated when I lose things. It can be my car

keys, my wallet, or something I just had in my hand five minutes ago.

I throw things around trying to find it, and I can't do anything else

until it is found.

Lately, my son Jeremy has had the audacity to interrupt me

while I was melting down to ask, "Have you prayed about it?"

Actually, I found the question to be quite offensive. After all,

I'm the preacher! I'm the spiritual one! I don't want to bother the Lord

of the Universe with anything so trivial as lost keys. If the truth were

known, I do eventually pray for my lost keys, but that's long after I've

also lost my temper, my peace of mind, and my sanctification.

The worst part of my son's advice is that he is right. I tried it

and it worked! I've found my stuff sometimes in a matter of minutes

and other times before I could finish the prayer. The time lapse is so

ridiculously short that it is obvious that God is trying to teach me a

lesson. I can almost hear Him say to me, "Of course, you'd rather

spend hours of fruitless frustration and bad attitudes than ask Me for

help!" I've been humbled not only before my son, but also before my

God.

Christ wants to be our **Helper** , but He also wants us to ask

Him for help. When we tell Him that we can do something by

ourselves and don't need His help, He just sighs and backs off. Joseph

Scriven nailed it in his hymn _What a Friend we have in Jesus_ when

he said, "Oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry

everything to God in prayer!"

"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for

us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"

( _Romans 8:32_ ). In other words, if Jesus wanted to die on the cross to

be our Savior, what makes us think that He doesn't want to be our

**Helper**?

**«** September 8 **»**

Living Bread

I am the **living bread** which came down from heaven...

_John 6:51_

Bread really isn't alive. It dries out or gets moldy if you don't

take care of it, it's a lot of work to make, and you need an oven to bake it.

Wouldn't it be great if bread could just grow on trees?

Actually, breadfruit does exist and, on paper, is the perfect food.

Its slightly yeasty odor and texture remind people of bread, and it is

actually very nutritious. It's a good source of energy and high in

vitamins, minerals, and fiber. One tree can produce over 400 pounds of

fruit a year, so it seems ideal. There is one problem, however: It's almost

tasteless. The food has never really caught on, so it fails as **living bread**.

After the Lord Jesus fed 5,000 people, they hung around until

the next day wanting Him to provide breakfast and lunch. He left that

place, so they searched for Him. When they finally found Him, though,

the eatery was closed. He wasn't there to make bread; He came to the

world to be bread, **Living Bread**.

The bread He offered wasn't the kind that filled men's bellies;

He came to feed their souls. Here, again, there's a problem with market

appeal. People would rather feed their faces than satisfy a hunger and

thirst for righteousness.

The fast-food and grocery industries have built multi-billion

dollar businesses counting on people to make poor nutrition decisions.

Food high in fats, sugars, and chemicals will kill you, but that doesn't

matter, as long they taste good.

People walked away from Jesus on the day He offered them

**living bread**. They wanted the kind of bread that can dry out or get

moldy, the kind of loaves that get eaten up today and need to be bought

again tomorrow.

**Living Bread** satisfies the emptiness within a sin-sick soul. It

costs no money, produces sustenance within the person, and keeps on

satisfying. That's a much better deal.

**«** September 9 **»**

Heavenly Man

As _was_ the _man_ of dust, so also _are_ those _who are made_ of dust; and as _is_ the **heavenly _Man_** _,_ so also _are_ those _who are_ heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the _man_ of dust,

we shall also bear the image of the **heavenly _Man._**

_1 Corinthians 15:48, 49_

In 1994, Danny DeVito starred in the motion picture

_Renaissance Man_. In the film, he uses many talents to motivate an

under-achieving bunch of army recruits to complete basic training.

Most of us, at some point in our lives, have experienced a

Renaissance Man or Woman (often a school teacher) who has inspired

us to succeed in areas where we considered ourselves failures.

The Lord Jesus is so much more than that; He's the **Heavenly**

**Man**. He lifts us out of the dust of planet Earth and gets us ready for

heaven. He's busy now getting our accommodations ready in heaven,

and since He is the Way, He's made the travel arrangements.

I fully expect to see Christ as soon as I get to heaven. My

main reason for even going there is to see Him. Without Him, I

wouldn't know where to go or what to do. How much do you tip an

angel for opening up the pearly gates, or do they even do that up

there? I have so many questions, but when you're visiting a strange

new place, it's always great to know someone who's already there.

Jesus is the **Heavenly Man** ; He's from around those parts and

is my contact in the afterlife. Traveling is always a little scary,

especially when you don't know the language, you're going to be

there a long time, and there are no plans to return home. But it's not

going to be that way for me. I know that hundreds of millions of

Christians will be there already, and probably thousands more will

arrive the same day I get there. All the same, the Lord will still have

time for me. After all, He always has. He's my go-to Man; He's my

**Heavenly Man**.

**«** September 10 **»**

He-who-shall-not-

be-named

But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten

them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name. So they called

them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

_Acts 4:17-18_

The arch-villain in J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" book series is an

evil sorcerer called Lord Voldemort. So terrible and intimidating is this

antagonist that most characters refer to him as " **He-who-shall-not-be-**

**named**."

After Christ's crucifixion, the Jewish Sanhedrin made the Savior's

name illegal. Peter and John were beaten and imprisoned for using it, and

Stephen was executed for preaching in that forbidden name. Throughout

church history, believers have had their property seized and have been

tortured, hanged, and burnt at the stake for mentioning " **He-who-shall-not-**

**be-named**."

Pakistan, March 12, 2014: the homes of over 200 Christian families

and a number of churches were burned to the ground by an angry mob. They

were accused of testifying to their faith in Jesus Christ by going to church.

Palmelkh, Saudi Arabia, April 7, 2014: A young Filipino girl

employed as a maid had her mouth and left eye sewn shut with fishing line

for the crime of saying that Christ Jesus was her Savior.

Islamic State-occupied Iraq, December 27, 2014: A spokesman for

ISIS announced to the remaining Iraqi Christians: "We will break your

crosses and enslave your women." Earlier in the year, hundreds of Christian

men and boys were executed for not converting to Islam, and 3,500 Christian

women were sold as slaves.

China, July 14, 2015: The Communist government continued its

program to remove crosses from government-licensed churches. Those who

refused had their churches bulldozed and their pastors imprisoned.

Soon and very soon, the Anti-Christ will set up his world kingdom

and then for a very short time, the name that is above every name will

become **He-who-shall-not-be-named**.

Oh Lord, how long!!? How Long!!? Even so, come Lord Jesus!

**«** September 11 **»**

Christ our Life

When **Christ** _who is_ **our life** appears,

then you also will appear with Him in glory.

_Colossians 3:4_

I really feel sorry for all those who have bought into the lie of

evolution. Instead of seeing the intelligent design that is woven into

every cell of every living thing, they are taught that life began by

accident, proceeds by accident, and ends by accident. That is not exactly

a message of purpose or hope.

The gospel message is different. People were made in the image

of God ( _Genesis 1:27_ ) and were put on earth for a reason, to give glory

and honor to God ( _Revelation 4:11_ ). People can know **Christ** _who is_ **our** **life** , and knowing Him leads to glory ( _Colossians 3:4_ ).

It's interesting that in the verse above, "who is" is in italics. This

means that those words don't appear in the original Greek, so the title

actually reads " **Christ our life**." Jesus Christ is the source of life, and

people don't really live until the Savior comes into their lives.

Jesus said, "...I have come that they may have life, and that they

may have _it_ more abundantly" ( _John 10:10_ ). Paul said, "For me to live is

Christ and to die is gain" ( _Philippians 1:21_ ).

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but

Christ lives in me; and the _life_ which I now live in the flesh I live by faith

in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me"

( _Galatians 2:20_ ).

"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the

glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the

hope of glory" ( _Colossians 1:27_ ).

When people believe that human life was not created on

purpose, then the only conclusion is that life has no purpose. However,

for the believer, **Christ Our Life** gives both direction and a reason to

live in this crazy world.

**«** September 12 **»**

Chief among Ten Thousand

My beloved _is_ white and ruddy, **Chief among ten thousand.**

_Song of Solomon 5:10_

The Lord Jesus is one in a million; actually, He's one in

several billion, since he surpasses anyone and everyone who was ever

born on earth. Calling Christ **Chief among Ten Thousand** seems to

be selling Him short. What does this verse actually mean?

The reference comes from Song of Solomon, in which the

Shulamite is describing her beloved. She goes on for a long time,

describing her feelings for her husband. For centuries, this passage

has been interpreted as describing either the sentiments of marital

love or the beauty of the Messiah.

The verse is a statement of personal opinion. How many

people does someone meet in a lifetime? Counting all classmates in

elementary school and then the higher grades, and figuring in friends,

family, work associates, acquaintances, and casual contacts, the

number would be in the thousands. Some people get a thousand

Facebook friends, but we really can't keep up with more than about

150, maximum. In a lifetime, people might interact with ten thousand

others at some level.

To the Shulamite, her beloved was better than anyone she

ever met or could possibly meet in the future; He was **Chief among**

**Ten Thousand**. The phrase communicates the idea of so far

surpassing the competition that there is no competition.

Christ loves us so intensely that He was nailed to a cross in

order to save us. He also wants us to love Him intensely in return,

even to the point that it surpasses the love we have for anyone else.

Jesus told His disciples: "He who loves father or mother more

than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more

than Me is not worthy of Me" ( _Matthew 10:37_ ). The question begs to

be asked of every Christian: "In my life, in your life, is the Lord

**Chief among Ten Thousand**?"

**«** September 13 **»**

Rabbi

"But you, do not be called ' **Rabbi'** ; for One is

your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren."

_Matthew 23:8*_

The Hebrew word "Rahbee" and its Greek counterpart "Hrabbi"

both mean "my teacher" or "my master." It was a term of respect and

authority given to men of renown who were teachers of the law.

Gamaliel is generally considered the first to officially receive the

title " **Rabbi** " around 30AD. To earn the title, one needed to be the

president of the Sanhedrin as Gamaliel was, or receive ordination from

that group. It is thought that since the Jewish counsel disapproved of

Jesus of Nazareth, they wanted to diminish what people called Him by

adding bureaucratic requirements for official recognition.

Christ may not have had a framed diploma or been given an

ordination ceremony, but that's what people called Him ( _John 6:25_ ). The

apostles all addressed Him as **Rabbi** because they were chosen by Him

to be His disciples. It was also the title of honor and respect that

Nicodemus chose to give Him when he visited the master by night.

Although Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin, he was also a

seeker of wisdom and truth and didn't rush to judgment about the

Galilean, as did the other council members.

Judas Iscariot also addressed Jesus with this title. It's never

recorded that the betrayer ever called Him Lord, Messiah, or Christ, but

" **Rabbi, Rabbi** " were the last words he spoke before betraying the

Savior with a kiss ( _Mark 14:45_ ). It was like saying, "Nothing personal,

but you're just my teacher and I'm dropping this class." Judas followed

Jesus as a means to a scholarly career. When that didn't seem to work, he

cashed in his chips and bailed.

Charles Darwin, Joseph Stalin, and other atheists have gone to

seminary. People can study the teachings of Christ without being

transformed by them. It's quite easy to call Jesus " **Rabbi** "; it's something

totally different to call Him Lord and Savior.

_*plus 14 other times in Matthew, Mark, and John._

**«** September 14 **»**

Rabboni

Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said

to Him, " **Rabboni**!" (which is to say, Teacher).

_John 20:16_

The difference between a Rabbi and a **Rabboni** is just a matter

of degrees. In American universities, there are three levels of academic

achievement: Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate. In the same way,

teachers of the Torah advanced in their scholarship.

The first level for a Jewish sage was that of a Rab (literally

Master). The origin traces back to the development of synagogues during

the Babylonian captivity. The Rab was the ruler of the synagogue and

was designated by the congregation through the laying on of hands.

The middle level was that of a Rabbi. It was developed after the

return of the exiles to Jerusalem. The title means "my master" and

referred to a master teacher who would attract disciples to him. They

would serve their Rabbi, and he would both teach and provide for them.

The highest level was **Rabboni** , meaning "my great Master."

Only the most respected sages who would see their disciples for a

number of spiritual generations were honored this way.

Mary Magdalene called her Lord " **Rabboni**." As a woman of

questionable reputation, she was not known for her scholarship. What she

was known for was that she was a sinner who was forgiven much. She

bestowed the high honor on the Risen Lord.

The only other mention of the title **Rabboni** was by the blind

beggar, Bartimaeus. Again, he was not a direct disciple of Jesus and,

being blind, he couldn't read, much less study the Hebrew scriptures.

However, he had great spiritual insight.

When Jesus was passing through Jericho, the blind man called

out the Messianic Title, "Son of David," to Him. When the crowd would

hush him up, he called out even louder. When Christ asked him what he

wanted, Bartimaeus replied, " **Rabboni** ," (My Great Master), "That I may

receive my sight" ( _Mark 10:51_ ).

**«** September 15 **»**

Greater than Solomon

The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this

generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to

hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a **greater than Solomon** _is_

here.

Matthew 12:42

Disparity? Do you think? Today, the 85 richest people on the

planet a higher net worth than 3.5 billion of the poorest (the lowest

50% of all humanity). The wealthiest 1% of the world own 99% of all

worldly goods. That's nothing! King Solomon made Israel's economy

so rich that silver was considered as stones. But, then, he only dealt

with gold; he controlled the world supply.

For decades now, the president of the United States has been

hailed as the "most powerful man in the world." However, Ol'

Solomon was the first to own that title, and his place in the history

books will remain long after the leaders of today are forgotten.

All that having been said, Christ Jesus is **Greater than**

**Solomon** in every aspect.

Wisdom...

Christ is the "Wisdom of God."

Wealth...

The Lord made all the gold and galaxies in

the universe.

Long-life...

Jesus is eternity years old and has another

eternity to go.

Power...

All the mighty ones on earth will flee the

wrath of the Lamb.

Victory over enemies ...The Savior has conquered sin, death,

and hell.

Holiness...

Solomon was bankrupt in this regard.

Disparity...

The Lord of Glory's great wealth and power

are shared with His joint-heirs.

Bottom Line: Christ is **Greater than Solomon**.

**«** September 16 **»**

Chief Shepherd

And when the **Chief Shepherd** appears, you will

receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

_1 Peter 5:4_

The verse above concludes an admonition by the Apostle John to

church elders that they "shepherd the flock of God" ( _1 John 5:1-4_ ). Just

like a shepherd taking care of sheep, the overseers of the local church

need to feed and care for God's flock (i.e. believers in Christ).The Latin

word for shepherd is "pastor," which is the origin for the English word

for a minister or preacher. Just as the church's pastor is responsible for

his spiritual sheep, he also must be accountable to the head Pastor, or as

it is in this verse, the **Chief Shepherd**.

This title of Christ is unique because it is only used in reference

to the leadership of the local church. There could not be a **Chief**

**Shepherd** unless there were also under-shepherds spread out in different

fields looking over literally hundreds of critters who were unable to take

care of themselves.

Pastors, elders, and people in full-time ministry sometimes feel

that the congregation is their flock, but the truth of the matter is that the

spiritual lambs belong to the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the

sheep ( _John 10:11_ ). With some degree of regularity, these under-

shepherds must answer to the **Chief6KHSKHUG V** questions: "How are my

sheep doing? Are they healthy? Is the flock growing? How many were

lost to the wolves?"

1 Peter 5:2 explains other areas in which the Head Pastor will

examine the assistant pastors: Attitude and motivation. "Why did you

even take this job? Do you feel you have to do it or do you want to do it?

Are you in it for the money or status? Or do you want to please me?"

I understand that not everyone will have to answer to the **Chief**

**Shepherd** , so they might not be interested in the title. Even so, I'm

scheduled to meet with Him at the judgment seat of Christ, and I want to

get all my sheep in a row. He has an unfading crown of glory to give me,

but that's not why I do any of this. All I really want to do is be pleasing

to my **Chief Shepherd**.

**«** September 17 **»**

Light

This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the **Light** ,

that all through him might believe. He was not that **Light** ,

but _was sent_ to bear witness of that **Light**.

_John 1:7-8*_

One theme that is increasingly apparent in the genre of futuristic

and fantasy literature is the theme of **light** versus darkness. It's not just

the idea of good guys against the bad guys, but about the vast power of

darkness swallowing up actual **light** energy. It's about noble warriors

fighting against overwhelming odds to restore **light** to the universe.

Something else is going on here: It's the battle of science fiction

versus science non-fiction. Imagination is often brought down by cold,

hard facts. The fact is that darkness, just like silence and vacuums,

doesn't even exist. They are just the absence of something that does exist

( **light** , sound, and matter).

If you were to go into a cave that hadn't been exposed to **light** in

100 years and then light a match, the darkness would quickly dissipate.

(When I say quickly, we're talking about the speed of **light** ). Darkness

can't hold a candle to it.

On the first day of creation, God made **light** energy; it hadn't

existed before. From that day forward, darkness had to yield to **light**.

They can't co-exist together.

There's no sun, moon, lamps, or flashlights in heaven because

Jesus is there and He is the source of all **light** (both physical and

spiritual). "Darkness" is a word that will forever be dropped from the

heavenly vocabulary.

Hell is described as a place of "outer darkness" ( _Matthew 8:12_ ).

Christ is not there, so there will be no **light**.

Jesus came to this world to be our source of **light**. "And the **light**

shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it"

( _John 1:5_ ).

_*Context John 1:1-9_

__**«** September 18 **»**

Consolation of Israel

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name

_was_ Simeon, and this man _was_ just and devout, waiting for

the **Consolation of Israel** , and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

_Luke 2:25_

It could have been worse, but then again, it could have been a

whole lot better. The year Jesus was born, most of the Jewish people

were living in part of the pagan Roman Empire, and those living in

Jerusalem were under the control of the wicked King Herod. He was an

Edomite, a descendant of Esau whom God had cursed, and not of Jewish

ancestry. He had allied Himself with Marc Anthony during the Parthian

war, so the Roman Senate declared him king and gave him soldiers to

seize the throne. Herod was paranoid of losing his power and executed a

number of his sons, whom he suspected of plotting against him. The

Emperor Augustus once joked, "It is better to be Herod's pig than his

son."

The glory years of Israel were a millennium in the past, and

there hadn't been a descendant of David on the throne for six hundred

years. The Jewish people felt forsaken and forgotten by God.

But God hadn't forgotten His people. He took note of a man

named Simeon who was actively praying and waiting for the Lord's

Christ, the **Consolation of Israel**. He wasn't satisfied with the status quo

and was ready for God to do something. The Lord was also ready to

radically change things, so He allowed Simeon to see and hold the baby

Jesus, the promised Messiah.

The Savior came to His own, but He became a rejected king.

Another two thousand years have gone by without the promises of God

to the Jewish people being fulfilled. It is true that the nation of Israel has

been reborn, but Jerusalem has no peace. Terrorism and the threat of

nuclear annihilation make many still long for the **Consolation of Israel**.

The Jewish people cannot really be consoled or comforted until

they acknowledge Jeshua (Jesus) as their Mashiach (Messiah). Christians

need to be continually in prayer for the peace of Jerusalem and the

salvation of the Jewish people.

**«** September 19 **»**

Undefiled

For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, **undefiled** ,

separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens.

_Hebrews 7:26_

After raising our eight boys, my wife, Carol, and I decided to do the

unimaginable and took in four foster sons ages 6, 5, 3, and 1. Since we're

both in our 60s, I blame the decision on senility; we truly forgot how hard it

was. However, the repressed memories started coming back after a day or

two. One such recollection was the smells and challenges of having two kids

in diapers at the same time.

Old Testament law mandated that anyone who touches human waste

is unclean and must separate himself from the rest of society until evening.

Wow! Families with toddlers back then would have been doomed to

long- term social isolation. I live at a time when I have certain-fit diapers,

baby wipes, and Lysol spray at my disposal, but the house still seems to

remain in perpetual defilement. It brings new meaning to the word "messy

house."

The ceremonial uncleanliness of Old Testament law was given to

establish the principle of separation from things that contaminate. The Lord

Jesus made it very clear what the real problem was: "Do you not yet

understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is

eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the

heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,

murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These

are _the things_ which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not

defile a man" ( _Matthew 15:17-20_ ).

As High Priest, Christ was required to be ceremonially clean in

everything. He would have kept a kosher diet and fulfilled the letter of the

law of Moses. His accusers looked at every detail of Jesus' life to find

something to charge Him with, but failed. They finally brought charges

against Him for healing on the Sabbath. However, there was a problem. He

had healing power that they didn't! He was **Undefiled!**

The Lamb of God was morally pure, without hypocrisy, and totally

righteous. All the fruit of the Spirit was ripe and constantly evident. He was

tempted in every way that we are, yet **Undefiled**.

**«** September 20 **»**

Friend

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know

what his master is doing; but I have called you **friends** , for all

things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

_John 15:15_

Friendship is a mutual relationship. The idea that "If you're my

**friend** , I'm your **friend** " was a well-established concept long before

Facebook. Christ calls believers friends and goes on to say that He lays

His life down for His **friends** ( _John 15:13-14_ ). Clearly, this is no

ordinary friendship.

Communication, shared interests, and companionship are three

aspects that bind **friends** together. The closer the friendship, the fewer

the secrets. Jesus told His disciples that He revealed to them the whole

counsel of God. He told them His plans, His schedule, and His method of

doing things. Angels don't know any of that; they're just servants. Christ

shares these things with us, because He's our **Friend**.

The Savior is the " **friend** of sinners" ( _Matthew 11:19_ ). He wants to save us and we want to be saved. Faith is nothing more than agreeing

with Christ that what He says is true and that we're going along with His

plan. We are not servants who earn our favor with the Master by doing

work for Him. No, He's our **Friend** , **** and we work together for a common

purpose.

He is the " **friend** that sticks closer than a brother" ( _Proverbs_

_18:24_ ), which goes far beyond casual friendship. We can cast all our

cares upon Him because He cares for us ( _1 Peter 5:7_ ). He's there when

we need Him and never seems to get bored when we ramble on in prayer.

Now, we get to the part that I don't understand. With such a

**Friend** like Jesus, why would anyone "de-friend" Him? Yet it happens

all the time. People stop praying, stop talking. They try carrying their

load of sin and grief by themselves instead of putting on the Master's

yoke. It boils down to losing faith: No longer agreeing with Him that

He's right. I hear what they're saying, but that doesn't mean it makes

sense. They just need to return to the Lord. He still wants to be their

**Friend**.

**«** September 21 **»**

Only Wise God

To the **only wise God** , through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.

R _omans 6:27 (NASB)_

In Isaiah 44:6 the LORD, the King of Israel declares, "I _am_ the First

and I _am_ the Last; Besides Me _there is_ no God." Two verses later He adds,

"You _are_ My witnesses," meaning that if people would only open their eyes,

this truth would be self-evident.

The prophet then focuses on the foolishness of man-made gods:

"Those who make an image, all of them _are_ useless, And their precious

things shall not profit; They _are_ their own witnesses" _(Isaiah 44:9_ ). People try to put themselves or things they love in place of the True God. They

woefully fail. If they were being honest with themselves, they would see

that, too.

But the general population is too proud and self-absorbed to admit

that they have created for themselves a pantheon of false gods, and they deny

the one and **only wise God**.

One of these fabricated deities is "Mother Nature." A number of

years ago, I visited a science museum that had an exhibit titled, "Mother

Nature is the Greatest Engineer." It showed the "intricate and remarkable

designs of Mother Nature" and man's attempts to copy "her" breakthroughs

in engineering. They said "she" perfected her blueprints over 4.5 Billion

years, and now scientists can learn from "her achievements."

There is even a new branch of science called Biomimicry in which

researchers do reverse engineering to see what makes plants and animals

able to do the marvelous things they do. Since God never patented his

creation, people feel free to steal His design and then credit Mother Nature

or the blind forces of evolution for the wonders of the living world.

It makes no sense that random mixing of chemicals could produce

any life, but it does prove what God said: "Professing to be wise, they

became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image

made like corruptible man --- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping

things" ( _Romans 1:22-23_ ).

Jesus Christ is our Great Creator ( _Colossians 1:16-17_ ) and the

**Only Wise God**.

**«** September 22 **»**

Beloved

To the praise of the glory of His grace, by

which He made us accepted in the **Beloved**.

_Ephesians 1:6*_

Falling in love is a beautiful experience. It's an

exhilarating departure from the commonplace and logical into

the excitement of emotional highs and the thrill of reaching out

to touch someone. Besides, it's a lot of fun. The marvel of being

in love is only surpassed by the wonder of being loved by

another.

Apart from being the lover of our souls and the ultimate

standard by which all love is measured, Christ is the object of

our love – the recipient of our devotion and desire. "We love

Him because He first loved us" ( _1 John 4:19_ ). We are our

**Beloved** 's and our **Beloved** is ours. ( _Song of Solomon 6:3_ ).

Although Christ may not need our love, He wants it and

desires it as earnestly as any husband would from his wife. He

is jealous and disappointed when other things crowd Him out.

Some people think that they honor Christ by putting

Him first in their lives. But that isn't what He wants at all. It

would be like me coming home and telling my wife, "Carol,

you're number one for me, but Alice is number two, Susan is

number three and Mary is number four." She wouldn't be happy

until all the competition for affection was gone.

When Christ is truly our " **Beloved** ," He will not just be

first in our lives; He will be only.

_*See also Matthew 12:18; Song of Solomon 1:16, 2:10, 8:14_

_plus 25 other times in the book._

**«** September 23 **»**

Him Who is Able to

present you faultless

Now to **Him who is able** to keep you from stumbling, And **to present**

_**you**_ **faultless** before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.

_Jude 24_

This verse makes me smile. Jesus is going to **present me faultless**

before God, and the Lord knows that I have many faults. It's been said, "to

err is human," but I guess I am more human than most. That doesn't really

matter, because some way and somehow Christ will conform me to His

image ( _Romans 8:29_ ).

Salvation is complicated. It isn't a matter of simply issuing a "Get

out of Hell Free" card to someone once they say a sinner's prayer. A sinner is

not just saved from the punishment of sin; he's saved from sin itself. The

Savior starts transforming him into a new creation; old things are passed

away and everything becomes new ( _2 Corinthians 5:17_ ). A soul's human

nature gets washed, sanctified, and justified ( _1 Corinthians 6:11_ ). Believers

are chosen by God to be adopted into His family and accepted in the Beloved

( _Ephesians 1:4-6_ ). The job isn't easy, but in the end, Christ is **able to**

**present them faultless** before the throne of grace.

This title applies to the Lord in His role as Intercessor where He

pleads for and purifies the saints: "Therefore He is also able to save to the

uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to

make intercession for them" ( _Hebrews 7:25_ ).

"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good

work in you will complete _it_ until the day of Jesus Christ" ( _Philippians 1:6_ ).

"That He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not

having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and

without blemish" ( _Ephesians 5:27_ ).

The Lord Jesus has been working in my life for over fifty years and

has polished out a lot of rough edges. I know I'm not Christ-like yet, but I'm

getting there. Please have patience with me, because I'm being re-created by

**Him who is able to present me faultless** before the presence of His glory

with exceeding joy.

**«** September 24 **»**

Sure Foundation

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: " Behold, I lay in Zion a

stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone,

a **sure foundation** ; Whoever believes will not act hastily.

_Isaiah 28:16_

Our home is built about 100 feet in front of a one acre

man-made lake. The house itself is about six feet higher than

the water to prevent flooding. In order to get that elevation

several dump truck loads of fill dirt were brought in. All was

done according to the architects plan, however, over the years

the ground settled and the porch has started moving away from

the rest of the house.

The main house has a very deep foundation and is in

good shape. The slab for the porch, however, was just poured

over the tampered ground, so never really had a **sure found-**

**ation**. The porch has gradually pulled away from the rest of the

house, leaving a 2 inch gap. I've filled in the crack with

caulking and concrete, but basically have only hidden the

problem rather than fix it. To really fix it, I would need to tear

out the porch and put in a new foundation.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the **sure foundation** for those

who choose to build their lives on faith in Him. The Savior

remains firm even though shifting sands of modern society pull

down the foolish ones who built their lives on the goals and

values of popular opinion.

How **firm a foundation** , ye saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!

What more can He say than to you He hath said

Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

_\- "Keen" 1787_

**«** September 25 **»**

Lord God Omnipotent

And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the

sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings,

saying, "Alleluia! For the **Lord God Omnipotent** reigns!Let us be

glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb

has come, and His wife has made herself ready."

_Revelation 19:6-7_

Wow! One of the strongest and clearest titles of Christ's

deity often goes unnoticed and therefore unused by a majority of

Christians. Perhaps because of laziness or not taking time to

understand the context, the casual reader assumes that this name is

given to God the Father when the verses clearly demonstrate that it

belongs to God the Son.

The timeline falls just before the Millennial Kingdom

begins. The Great Tribulation is over; Babylon the great has fallen,

and there is great rejoicing in heaven because the King of kings is

about to reign. The scene is reminiscent of Christ's triumphal entry

into Jerusalem just before His crucifixion. There is a huge

multitude shouting praises and alleluias, and the excitement is

intense. But this time the crowd is not saying "Blessed is He who

comes in the name of the LORD." Instead, they are acknowledging

that the Messiah is the **Lord God Omnipotent**.

The rejoicing moves into the marriage of the Lamb. Here

the church, the bride of Christ, has come to share in the celebration

of the All-Powerful One's victory over the devil, the world, and the

beast. Millions of saints have suffered persecution, torture, and

death throughout the thousands of years of church history. At this

point, it all makes sense; truth and justice overcome the forces of

evil. Finally, finally, Jesus Christ, the **Lord God Omnipotent**

reigns.

**«** September 26 **»**

Propitiation for our Sins

And He Himself is the **propitiation for our sins** ,

and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

_1 John 2:2*_

Propitiation – now that's a mouthful. The term is used four times

in scripture, and yet probably not one in 100 Christians can give an

understandable definition of the word. For over forty years, I've heard

preachers try to explain what it means, but have never gotten a definition

that I like. They're either too simplified or too complicated.

As a Bible teacher, I pride myself in making the difficult easy to

understand. I have for years sought to explain this word, but haven't

found an answer that is short and to-the-point. I can make it simple,

though.

In the Old Testament, many different kinds of sacrifices were

used for different reasons and at different times. Once a year, a ram was

sanctified on the Day of Atonement for the sins of the nation of Israel.

The High Priest sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat,

which was on top of the ark of the covenant. This atoned for the people's

sin for one year.

Actually, the term "mercy seat" is more a description of what the

cover of the ark was, and not a true translation of the Hebrew word

(Kapporet). A literal translation would be "propitiatory" or "place of

propitiation." Therefore, the blood of the ram was the propitiation, and

the mercy seat (propitiatory) was where it was placed.

When talking sacrifice, the propitiation is where the rubber

meets the road. It's what makes a sacrifice work; it's what actually takes

away the sin. In the case of Christ's sacrifice at Calvary for the sins of the

Human race, the cross was the propitiatory, and the Savior Himself the

propitiation. It's not just the blood of Christ that saves us, but that He

gave all of Himself without reserve to become the **Propitiation for our**

**sins**.

*see also: Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 4:10.

**«** September 27 **»**

Curse

Christ has redeemed us from the **curse** of the law, having become a

**curse** for us (for it is written, _"Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"_ ).

_Galatians 3:13_

If there is any title of the Lord Jesus that truly belongs in the

"Who'da thunk it?" file, it would have to be " **Curse**." Stranger yet, this is

not a title given to the Savior by His enemies; it's one that He chose for

Himself. But how is it that He who brought blessing into the world has

become a **curse**?

It all has to do with substitution. We were cursed, so Christ took

our place in order to redeem us from the **curse** of the law.

When the children of Israel came into the promised land, half of

the tribes stood on Mount Gerizin and the other half on Mount Ebal. A

blessing and a **curse** were set before the nation. Those on Mt. Gerazin

read from Deuteronomy about the blessings that result from obeying

God. The people on Mount Ebal listed the terrible things that result from

breaking the law; this is the **curse** of the law.

The Bible tells us that "all have sinned and come short of the

glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We're all under the **curse** of the law and

the only way to turn that around is to exchange our **curse** for His

blessing. Christ was sinless, so he gave us his blessing and took on

himself our **Curse**.

When Adam and Eve sinned, God cursed the ground and it

produced thorns and thistles. It was no coincidence that on the day of His

death, Christ was given a crown of thorns.

In crucifixion, the Savior was lifted up for all to see, and so the

**curse** of Deuteronomy 21:23 fell on Him: " for he who is hanged _is_

accursed of God." While Jesus was dying, His critics came to mock Him.

They spit on, taunted, and cursed the spotless Lamb of God. Even so, He

blessed His enemies by saying, "Father, forgive them, for they do not

know what they do" ( _Luke 23:34_ ). It's strange, but Christ could not have

blessed us if He had not first been made a **Curse**.

**«** September 28 **»**

Prince of Life

But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a

murderer to be granted to you, and killed the **Prince of life** ,

whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

_Acts 3:14-15_

After Peter and John healed the lame man at the gate of

the temple, a crowd formed, so Peter saw that it was a great

opportunity to preach. Only a few months had gone by since

Christ's crucifixion, and the events were on everyone's minds.

Peter clearly placed the guilt of rejecting the Messiah on those

templegoers, noting the irony that they chose a murderer to be

granted life, but cursed the **Prince of Life** to be murdered.

Contrasting Barabbas with Jesus shows both ends of the

human spectrum. Matthew calls the criminal a"notorious

prisoner," and Mark says he committed "murder and rebellion,"

while John just notes he was a "robber." On the other hand, the

**Prince of Life** was viewed by His enemies as a political threat,

and they saw that as much worse than someone who just went

around stirring up trouble and killing people.

Our sinful nature can justify any form of deviant

behavior. Psychologists have been shocked to discover that

most criminals in prison have an extremely high self-esteem.

They feel pretty good about themselves and have reasons for

doing the terrible things they have done. Others, of course, buy

into their lies, so every year the really notorious bad guys are

acquitted of their crimes, if they have powerful lawyers and a

high-profile case.

When the human heart rejects the Savior and justifies its

evil deeds, the trial of Jesus occurs all over again with the same

results. The guilty are exonerated and the **Prince of Life** is

condemned. **«** September 29 **»**

Gentle and Lowly in

Heart

Come to Me, all _you_ who labor and are heavy laden, and I will

give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am

**gentle and lowly in heart** , and you will find rest for your souls.

_Matthew 11:28-29_

Jesus could walk on water and, after His resurrection, He

could even go right through a locked door. He fed 5,000 men from a

little boy's lunch box, calmed storms, cured incurable diseases, and

raised the dead. With superpowers like that, you'd have expected both

D.C. and Marvel to offer Jesus His own comic book series. Christ

could have been the quintessential superhero, but He had one problem

– marketing.

When Jesus healed the leper, He told the man not to tell

anyone. He could have flown, turned rocks into bread, or jumped

from tall buildings, but He wouldn't do any of it. True, Christ fed

5,000 poor people in the desert, but He never advertised this. He

could have gotten government subsidies if he fed 5,000 soldiers or

bureaucrats. The man of God lacked a public relations agent.

His power over death and disease could have made Him

millions, and when you factor in His ability to bring peace to a

troubled heart, He could have had the world come knocking at His

door.

In the verses above, Jesus offers rest to the weary and heavy

laden. He offers His yoke to pull the load and supports His claims by

saying "I am **gentle and lowly in heart**." What kind of

self-affirmation is this? No modern faith healer or telH-evangelist

would ever come across so weak! And there you have the answer: The

Savior of the World knew who He was, so He never needed to

promote Himself. The miracles He did validated what He said, so that

everyone who believed would receive His promises.

In a world full of make-believe superheroes and superpowers,

there is still one who can do so much more – and for real – and He is

**Gentle and Lowly in Heart**.

**«** September 30 **»**

Beginning of the

creation of God

"And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These

things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness,

the **Beginning of the creation of God** :

_Revelation 3:14_

Titles that are misunderstood, misinterpreted, or misrepre-

sented certainly miss the mark regarding the truth that they were

intended to convey. Such is the case in the verse above which is

sometimes used by false witnesses to teach that Christ is a created

being. Nothing could be further from the truth.

God created atoms and energy. He thought them up. They

never existed before, but He brought them into existence. He owns

the physical universe. He has the patent.

God is spirit. He is before the material world and superior to

it. Although God can't be seen, He produced everything that can be,

evidently using materials that are also invisible. Our finite minds have

real trouble understanding this. For that reason, God manifested

Himself in a physical form to reveal Himself to His creation. He is

Christ, "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation"

( _Colossians 1:15_ ).

When the Lord presented His credentials to the wishy-washy

church in Laodicea, He called Himself the **Beginning of the creation**

**of God**. He was trying to impress them with who He was. Jesus is

before all things created; He is their Head. The NIV translates this

name of Christ as "the ruler of God's creation."

It was true that spiritually, the Laodecians weren't on fire for

the Lord, but they weren't stone cold either. The same can be said

about many churches today. And that's a big problem. How can

anyone remain mediocre to the one who is in charge of the whole

universe? The fear of God should grip every believer when they

realize that one day they'll have to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ,

the **Beginning of the creation of God**

**«** October 1 **»**

Mediator of the

New Covenant

And for this reason He is the **Mediator of the new covenant** , by means of

death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant,

that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal

inheritance.

_Hebrews 9:15*_

Israel had a great covenant with God; it was a deal made with

runaway slaves that was better than even the rich and mighty nations had

with God. Even Moses had to exclaim, ""For what great nation _is there_ that

has God _so_ near to it, as the LORD our God _is_ to us, for whatever _reason_ we may call upon Him?" ( _Deuteronomy 4:7_ ). It was more than they could hope

for, and certainly more than they deserved.

There was, however, a real problem with this relationship. Israel

was unable and unwilling to uphold their part of the bargain. They had made

a legal contract with God and they were in default. The penalty clauses were

kicking in; all the promised blessings were withheld and the long list of

terrible curses were being served.

The children of Israel needed a new contract, a new covenant, but

they could bring nothing to the table; they had nothing to offer. What they

really needed was the **Mediator of the New Covenant**.

Moses had interceded for the people on a number of occasions

appealing to God's merciful nature to turn away His wrath, but Moses was

incapable of appeasing the divine justice of God. The LORD of Hosts

Himself would have to provide His own go-between in the person of the

Lord Jesus Christ.

In dying on the cross and shedding the blood of a willing, righteous

sacrifice, He was able to demonstrate the grace of God and maintain the just

laws of the Ruler of the Universe. Christ's death on the cross was a game

changer. Since the righteousness and mercy of God were both represented, a

new contract could be written, but not just for Israel; it was for all people.

The blood of the Savior brought the Creator and the human race back

together. Christ had become the **Mediator of the New Covenant**.

_*see also Hebrews 12:24_

__**«** October 2 **»**

Shadow of the Almighty

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under

the **shadow of the Almighty.**

_Psalm 91:1_

The element Mercury is the only metal that is actually a liquid

at room temperature. Just like other liquids it can evaporate even though

the vapor is much heavier than air. Gaseous mercury is invisible but can

be seen under the right conditions. To view mercury vapor, an open

container of the metal is placed on a table. The lights in the room are

turned off and a single goose necked lamp is pointed towards the wall.

Since mercury as a vapor won't let light pass through, its shadow can be

seen slightly rising and then falling to the floor.

God not only is invisible, He is spirit, so He is not bound by the

laws of chemistry and physics as they are known today. **Shadows of the**

**Almighty** are sometimes seen in nature. The intricate workings of a

living cell demonstrate the complexities of the Creator and an F-5

tornado shows something of the power of the Omnipotent.

We can see the Lord Jesus with the eyes of faith and although

that image isn't crystal clear, it is a well-defined **Shadow of the**

**Almighty**. Aspects of the character of God that were unfocused in the

Old Testament became well defined in Christ. The grace and salvation of

God are brought to whole new levels when viewing the death of the

Savior as the Passover Lamb. The teachings of the Master outline to us

the mind of God and His way of life shows us the form of the father's

will.

O spotless Lamb of God, in Thee

The Father's holiness we see;

And with delight Thy children trace,

In Thee, His wondrous love and grace.

_\- Mary J. Walker (1878)_

**«** October 3 **»**

King

Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a **king** then?" Jesus answered, "You say _rightly_ that I am a **king**. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone

who is of the truth hears My voice."

_John 18:37_

The idea of **kings** and kingdoms goes back a long time to the dawn

of civilization. Presidents and prime ministers, in contrast, are the newbies to

world history; they've been around for just a couple of hundred years.

Belief in the divine right of **kings** is also ancient in origin. People

honored and obeyed the **king,** because they believed that either God or a

pantheon of gods put him into power and to rebel against the **king** was to

fight the will of Deity. The whole concept of monarchy was God's, because

one day Jesus Christ will be the "great **king** over all the earth" ( _Ps. 47:2_ ).

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of

Jerusalem! Behold, your **King** is coming to you; He _is_ just and having

salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey"

( _Zechariah 9:9_ ).

"And it shall come to pass _that_ everyone who is left of all the

nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to

worship the **King** , the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles"

( _Zechariah 14:16_ ).

"Behold, _the_ days are coming," says the LORD, " That I will raise to

David a Branch of righteousness; A **King** shall reign and prosper, And

execute judgment and righteousness in the earth" ( _Jeremiah 23:5_ ).

In the not so distant future a true new world order will transform the

planet we live on. A benevolent world leader will govern all nations with

equity and justice for all. No longer will billions of dollars be wasted in

divisive political campaigns nor trillions lost in bureaucratic

mismanagement. Politicians won't make deals in back rooms, nor will

special interest groups push through laws that exploit the majority.

The Lord Jesus Christ will bring lasting peace to earth. He won't be

a political activist, a community organizer, or career politician. He will

be **King.**

**«** October 4 **»**

Great Shepherd of

the Sheep

Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the

dead, that **great Shepherd of the sheep** , through the blood of the

everlasting covenant.

_Hebrews 13:20_

The Lord Jesus gave Himself the title of "Good

Shepherd" in John 10:11 saying that He gives His life for His sheep.

In the last chapter of Hebrews, He is called **the Great Shepherd of**

**the Sheep**. The first describes what Christ saw His job to be. The

second was the opinion of the sheep concerning their caretaker.

Members of the Secret Service are required to sign a paper

stating that they would be willing to sacrifice their lives in an attempt

to save the President or some other V.I.P. that they were ordered to

protect. I never heard of anyone willing to die for mutton on the hoof,

much less requiring dying for the sheep in the job description for

being a shepherd. Christ willingly gave His life so that His flock

could live. The sheep were deeply grateful and voted Him **Great**

**Shepherd of the sheep**.

Sometimes we forget that the Lord didn't have to do this. No

one would begrudge a shepherd boy for _not_ standing between a pack

of ravenous wolves and his flock. To do so would mean certain death

and, after all, a bunch of dumb, smelly animals wouldn't be worth the

sacrifice.

The angels in heaven must have wondered the same thing.

"Why would the King of kings sacrifice himself to save those stupid,

ungrateful human beings?" Probably even more perplexing was,

"Why did the LORD God Almighty have to become the Lamb of God

in order to be the perfect substitute for these 'sheepeople'?"

If Christ did not die for the sins of this world, God would

have still have been the God of the universe; He just wouldn't have

been the God of love and mercy that we know him now to be. The

fact remains that Jesus did give His life as a **Great Shepherd of the**

**Sheep**.

**«** October 5 **»**

Mediator of a Better Covenant

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is

also **Mediator of a better covenant** , which was established on better

promises.

_Hebrews 8:6_

Better is "more gooder." It's been improvised on, greater than, and

superior to whatever it is being compared to. Here, Christ is the **Mediator of**

**a Better Covenant** , so the new relationship He establishes with God out-

shines anything and everything involved in the old covenant of law keeping.

The nation of Israel was a privileged people. God revealed

everything He wanted them to do by giving them a written law. This

included a list of moral standards which established right and wrong (the ten

Commandments) and also gave a code of social and ceremonial laws. With

this spiritual contract came great benefits and responsibilities. God promised

to bless the Jewish people greatly when they obeyed His laws. Through

obedience they would be given military victories, exponential growth, and

wealth that compounded annually.

Disobedience, on the other hand, resulted in serious consequences:

military defeats, famines, plagues, climate change, poverty, captivity, exile,

and after that, things really got bad.

God's covenant of law only worked when His people heard what He

said and obeyed it. Since the human heart is hard, the years of God's blessing

were few and the years of cursing many.

The New Covenant that Christ ushered in changed all areas of the

contract for the better:

•

God's blessings are based on a person's faith, not a result of works.

•

Christ supplies us with grace which is His power to save and

transform.

•

Temporal blessings on earth are replaced with eternal life.

•

God no longer seems distant. He is Immanuel, God with us.

•

The emphasis isn't inheriting the land but being joint heirs with

Christ.

•

Christians have the promise of victory over sin and death and hell.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for being the **Mediator of a Better**

**Covenant.**

**«** October 6 **»**

A Prophet

The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are **a prophet**."

_John 4:19_

In English grammar, the little word "a" is an indefinite

article. That means that the noun it is linked to is nothing special or in

particular. When the Samaritan woman called Jesus _**a**_ **prophet** , she

was seeing Him as one among many religious professionals.

The woman at the well had never seen Christ before, and yet,

He knew all about her. He knew things that only God could know, so

she assumed that God had revealed the information to Him. No one in

that village had ever seen a man of God before, but seeing how extra-

ordinary this stranger was, she concluded that He must be **a prophet.**

The title was meant to be a compliment. After all, hundreds of

years had gone by without any prophet at all so, she was putting Him

into a very special category. Herein lies the whole problem; Christ is

in a class by Himself. In every group that people want to put Him in,

the Savior must have the preeminence.

In the minds of modern theologians, Jesus is **a prophet**. He is

a spiritual leader that formed a world religion and is on par with

Moses, Buddha, Confucius, and Krishna. But Christ is Lord of lords

and all others will bow the knee to Him.

In Islam, Christ is honored as **a prophet**. However,

Mohammed is considered to be "the Prophet" so the Lord of Glory at

best comes in second place. That's wrong! The Lord Jesus remains the

only "Way, the Truth, and the Life" ( _John 14:6_ ).

Whenever Christ is bundled to something else, He is

esteemed as less than the God of the universe, so people reject Him

for what he claimed to be. Many see Jesus as a way to God (among

many others) or a Savior for some people in the world. Unbelief likes

to use the indefinite article. It would be like calling Him **a prophet**.

**«** October 7 **»**

The Prophet

For Moses truly said to the fathers, " _The LORD your God will raise up for you a_ _Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever_

_He says to you. And it shall be_ _that every soul who will not hear_

_that_ **Prophet** _shall be utterly destroyed from among the people._

_Acts 3:22,23*_

Shortly before Moses died, he prophesied that another Prophet

would come after him that would be on the magnitude of Moses himself.

This meant the ability to do signs and wonders at the level that Moses was

able to do them, not to mention leading the people of God. Even before "the

Babe" was born in Bethlehem, Jewish sages recognized that Moses was

referring to the Messiah.

Synagogue leaders would have taught this in the Sabbath services,

so by the time Christ taught and performed His wonders, the title " **The**

**Prophet** " was generally acknowledged as a title for the Lord's Anointed.

After Christ miraculously fed 5000 men with only five bread rolls

and two sardines many remarked, "This is truly **the Prophet** who is to come

into the world" ( _John 6:14_ ). On another occasion Jesus stood up to the

Pharisees and chief priests so that the crowd marveled and exclaimed,

"'Truly this is **the Prophet** '. Others said, 'This is the Christ'" ( _John 7:40-41_ ).

Even King Herod's advisors discussed who Jesus was. The king feared Jesus

was John the Baptist come back to life, but some of his counselors

speculated that. "It is **the Prophet** , or like one of **the prophets** " ( _Mk. 6:15_ ).

The verses at the beginning of this mediation come from Peter's

sermon in the temple after the healing of the lame man. Again, a major

miracle was performed and still some people argued rather than coming to

the conclusion of faith in the Messiah. Peter reminded them that these very

people had seen the fulfillment of **the Prophet** coming, but they crucified

Him instead of giving Him glory.

The bottom line is that some people repented and embraced the

Savior while others rejected **the Prophet** and were utterly condemned just

like people today.

_*see also Deuteronomy 18:15,18; Mark 6:15; John 6:14, 7:40_

**«** October 8 **»**

Awesome

He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded

His covenant forever: Holy and **awesome** is His name.

_Psalm 111:9_

Sometimes there seems to be a total disconnect between how people

use a word and what it actually means. I've heard the term " **awesome** " used

to describe a pizza, a football game, a sunset, a double rainbow, and a party.

If I were to write a definition based on current use, it would be, "A

descriptive term that acknowledges an object or experience to be

distinctively better than mediocre."

Perhaps the closest usage of the word to its actual meaning came

when my son went skydiving for the first time. As I looked up at a small

aircraft against the cloudless, blue, Kansas sky, I saw a tiny speck eject itself.

Falling to the earth at 180 miles per hour I could clearly hear him yell,

" **Awesome**!" However, if this really was **awesome** , he wouldn't have been

able to speak at all.

The truly **awesome** is so terrifyingly intense that someone

experiencing it is unable to speak because he is awestruck. The Apostle

John's vision of Christ on the Isle of Patmos was **awesome**. When he saw the
Son of Man who had eyes like a flame of fire, a voice like many waters, and

a sharp sword coming out of His mouth, John fell down like a dead man.

There was just too much to process, so the mortal yielded to the immortal.

Moses climbed up a flaming mountain alone to encounter an

**Awesome** God. The writer to the Hebrews described it this way: "And so

terrifying was the sight _that_ Moses said, 'I am exceedingly afraid and

trembling'" ( _Hebrews 12:21_ ).

Soon and very soon, the Lamb will break the seals of God's

judgment on the planet that crucified Him. John foresees it this way: "Then

the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and

island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men,

the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free

man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains"

( _Revelation_ _6:14-15_ ). In that day when people experience **Awesome** , they'll be fleeing from the wrath of the Lamb and not thinking about pizza.

**«** October 9 **»**

Offering

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us,

an **offering** and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

_Ephesians 5:2_

In the Bible, sacrifice and **offerings** are often mentioned

together, but there are important differences. **Offerings** compromise the

broader category and refer to anything brought to the designated place of

worship that is presented as a gift to God. Sacrifices are a sub-group of

**offering** s and refer to food stuffs that are totally or partially burnt on the

altar.

Christ came to earth to sacrifice His life as a substitution for

mankind's sins. This wasn't something the Lord had to do because He

owed salvation to Adam's race but rather was a free will **offering**. Jesus

didn't have to save us; He chose to save us.

Since the focus was on giving a gift, all **offerings** are types of

Christ and they come in many varieties. The many variations of sweet-

smelling sacrifices were all voluntary and precious. Although a lame,

blind, or sick animal could be butchered for food, it could not be given to

God; it had to be without defect.

Sin and Trespass **offerings** fall under non-sweet-smelling

sacrifices, but also are Old Testament images of Christ. These were not

optional; they were required in order to atone for sins. The Lord Jesus

willingly became a sin **offering** in order to impute our sins as His own,

because we were unwilling and unable to reconcile ourselves to the Holy

God.

Scriptures also link tithes and **offerings**. A tithe literally means

10% of one's income and was compulsory for God's people. Actually,

there were three separate tithes required; one for the priests, one for the

feasts, and one for the poor every three years. Therefore, tithing would

actually come out to be between 20 and 30% any given year. Anything

on top of that was considered an **offering.**

Since Jesus Christ gave Himself 100% to free us from our sins,

He is the living embodiment of an **offering**.

**«** October 10 **»**

Sweet Smelling

Sacrifice

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us,

an offering and a **sacrifice** to God for a **sweet-smelling** aroma.

_Ephesians 5:2_

Many Christians today are functionally illiterate when it comes

to the Old Testament and practically clueless when it comes to

understanding the concept of sacrifice. The stereotypes of an Old Testa-

ment offering is that of an entire lamb burnt on a bunch of rocks. Most

people are unaware that there are five major categories of sacrifice, all of

which are Types of the Lord Jesus Christ. The big groups can be broken

down into sub-groups depending on the occasion and what was actually

burnt on the altar (even flour, oil, and wine were sometimes offered).

The five main offerings were actually sorted by God into two,

the **sweet-smelling** **sacrifices** and the non-sweet-smelling sacrifices. The

former included burnt offerings, grain offerings, and peace offerings; sin

and trespass offerings fell into the second group, and although they were

necessary, they were not something God delighted in.

The **sweet-smelling** **sacrifices** were always voluntary on the part

of the offerer and were expressions of worship and devotion. These ex-

pressed fellowship not only with God but also God's people. This is a

picture of Christ willingly sacrificing Himself to bring us into fellowship.

The peace offering is the best example of this because God, the

priest, and the worshipper all share in the sacrifice. Here, God's portion

was the fat. It was sizzled on the altar where it smelled great. The priest

received the right foreleg which he lifted up to God as a heave offering

and then used the meat to feed his family. The rest of the animal (beef or

mutton) was given to the offerer, so he could eat it in a communal meal.

The peace offering was a celebration with food, family, and

friends, but God was invited to the party. For Him it was a **Sweet-**

**Smelling Sacrifice**. When Christ died on the cross, He offered to both

God and Man a **Sweet-Smelling Sacrifice.**

**«** October 11 **»**

Burnt Offering

And you shall burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a **burnt offering** to

the LORD; it is a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.

_Exodus 29:18*_

"Holocaust" is a powerful word that evokes emotions and means

"great destruction." The most common use of the word today is to refer

to the Nazi genocide of European Jewry in WWII. It is interesting to note

that the word was used for the first time in this manner in 1965 (20 years

after WWII ended).

The word comes to English from the Greek word "holokauston"

which means "a thing wholly burnt." It was the word of choice for

" **burnt offering** " when the Septuagint was translated from Hebrew in the

3rd century BC.

The **burnt offering** was one of the three "sweet-smelling"

sacrifices that were well-pleasing to the LORD. It was set apart from

other oblations in three important ways:

1. Voluntary – the offerer _wanted_ to give this to God.

2. Act of Worship – It was a gift to God to show appreciation.

3. Totally Consumed – The entire animal was burnt to ash,

nothing remained.

The Jewish Holocaust fulfilled none of these criteria, but Christ's

sacrifice on the cross fulfilled them all:

1. The Lamb of God volunteered to give His life to save the

human race; no one made Him do it.

2. The Savior's sacrifice of love was clearly done to glorify God.

3. Jesus gave everything He had and held nothing back. He

suffered the shame and the torment without saying a word. He

was torchered and killed, but didn't resist.

God had no real pleasure when animals were burnt on altars in

the Old Testament ( _Hebrews 10:6_ ). However, He was thoroughly pleased

when the Son of God gave Himself as a **Burnt Offering**.

_*There are a total of 261 references to the **burnt offering** found _

_throughout the Bible._

__**«** October 12 **»**

Noble

Do they not blaspheme that **noble** name by which you are called?

_James 2:7_

The apostle James overflowed with contempt towards rich

Christians who flaunted their wealth and expected special seating in

meetings of the church. He made a rhetorical question to the saints to

make them realize what was going on: "Do not the rich oppress you and

drag you into the courts?" ( _James 2:5)._ He concluded that such behavior

blasphemed the **noble** name of Christ.

Often when we read in the gospels of Christ's birth in a stable, or

the fact that He didn't even have a roof over His head or that He was

buried in a borrowed tomb, we envision the Savior in His humanity and

forget that He is King of kings.

Jesus was of **noble** birth and could trace his lineage back to King

David. His ancestry went back to Adam who at one point had dominion

over all the earth. But His **noble** origin goes back further yet. He is God,

so He is also Lord of lords, the blessed and only Potentate, and King of

Glory.

The Lord came to this world to save sinners "and purify for

Himself His own special people, zealous for good works" ( _Titus 2:15_ ).

But of those whom He called there were "not many wise according to the

flesh, not many mighty, not many **noble** " ( _1 Corinthians 1:26_ ). Yet it is

the plan of the Savior that Christians hear "the word with a **noble** and

good heart, keep _it_ and bear fruit with patience" ( _Luke 8:15_ ). In other

words, He takes those whom the world esteems as lowly and brings them

to share in His nobility. He elevates us to be joint heirs.

As a result, we are called on to shed the weak and beggarly

elements of our human nature that we were born with and be transformed

by the renewing of our minds. The Apostle Paul admonishes believers:

"whatever things are true, whatever things _are_ **noble** [...] meditate on

these things" ( _Philippians 4:8_ ). In doing that we'll never forget that the

King of Righteousness is **Noble**.

**«** October 13 **»**

Shepherd

The LORD _is_ my **shepherd** ; I shall not want.

_Psalm 23:1_

This psalm might be the most well-known portion of the Old

Testament. It is commonly read at funerals, quoted in greeting cards, and

is set to music. But to most, it is just a pretty poem that doesn't fit the

reality of their lives. It says, "I shall not want," but they have plenty of

wants: money, things, power, fame, pleasure, and if they do get those

things they want even more; they are never satisfied.

The problem is that most people can't say, "The LORD is

my **shepherd**." To do so would be to admit that they were like sheep and

they needed to follow someone who actually knew the way. The prophet

Isaiah nailed it: "All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned,

every one, to his own way" ( _Isaiah 53:6_ ). A sheep that won't follow

the **shepherd** always gets lost, even if the **shepherd** brings it back to the

fold. Sooner or later that sheep becomes wolf food. Sheep really can't

take care of themselves, especially the really dumb ones who prides

themselves in their independence.

In 1868, Elizabeth Clephane wrote the following poem that later

became a hymn:

_There were ninety and nine that safely lay_

_In the shelter of the fold;_

_But one was out on the hills away,_

_Far off from the gates of gold._

_Away on the mountains wild and bare;_

_Away from the tender **Shepherd** 's care. _

The next three stanzas describe how the **Shepherd** searches and

suffers to find the sheep until it cries out for help. The last verse

concludes:

_And all through the mountains, thunder-riv'n,_

_And up from the rocky steep,_

_There arose a glad cry to the gate of heav'n,_

" _Rejoice! I have found My sheep!"_

_And the angels echoed around the throne,_

" _Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!"_

__**«** October 14 **»**

Servant

...But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form

of a bond **servant** , _and_ coming in the likeness of men.

_Philippians 2:7*_

Seven Hundred years before the Savior walked the hills of

Galilee, the prophet Isaiah spoke of the coming **Servant** of Jehovah

( _Isaiah 52:13-15_ ). Even the scribes and doctors of the law of Jesus' day

had serious problems with the prophecy. It was clear that God's **Servant**

was to suffer and be cruelly treated in order to justify many, but other

prophesies presented the Messiah as an all-powerful king. To explain the

apparent contradiction, some suggested that God would send two

different anointed ones.

The religious leaders failed to see the two separate missions of

Christ. Before He could reign and rule over Israel, He first had to stoop

to conquer. When the Lord came to die on Calvary, He was the Suffering

**Servant**. When He comes the second time, it will be as King of Kings.

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to

serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" ( _Mark 10:45_ ). He fed the

hungry, attended the sick, and washed dirty feet. Finally, when his time

of service was over, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the

point of death, even the death of the cross ( _Philippians 2:8_ ).

Men became slaves to the Devil by emulating their owner.

Lucifer is a prideful creature who has the power to hold in bondage all

those given to self-exaltation. It is deception to covet power and

authority at all cost. But it's bad business to gain even the whole world

and lose one's soul ( _Matthew 16:26_ ).

Our master told his disciples "If anyone desires to be first, he

shall be last of all and **servant** of all" ( _Mark 9:35_ ). Strange logic indeed it seems – until one realizes that there is nothing greater than being like

the Lord. Being conformed to the image of Christ is glorious.

_*see also Isaiah 42:1, 52:13, 53:11; Matthew 12:18; Acts 3:13, 26, 4:30_

**«** October 15 **»**

Rock

And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that

spiritual **Rock** that followed them, and that **Rock** was Christ.

_1 Corinthians 10:4_

Since the verse above is pulled out of context, it's a little

difficult to understand what it is talking about. Actually, the

Apostle Paul was making a reference to the Old Testament story of

Moses getting water from the **rock**. Actually, the miracle was per-

formed on many occasions.

**Rocks** by nature aren't very absorbent. There is no such

thing as a soggy **rock.** Also a huge amount of water would be

needed. Do the math. Most scholars agree that the Israelites

numbered around 3 million people and probably had hundreds of

thousands of heads of livestock. Calculating a gallon of water per

day per person with two gallons per day per animal, they'd need at

least 200,000 gallons of water per hour, ( or 55gal./sec.) everyday

day for 40 years. That's not allowing for baths, washing clothes or

spillage. Even if they got that much, it would have to be rationed.

In reality, the water coming out of the **rock** would have to

be a small river that would constantly flow and allow for water

seeping into desert sand. Once they found this kind of water

source, they wouldn't find another. But, they did leave it and then

found another water-producing **rock** and then another and then

another.

If the desert was full of these "gusher- **rock** s" then it

wouldn't be a desert. Truth is that God was performing a daily

(hourly) miracle to provide His people with water and this miracle

followed them as they wandered the wilderness for forty years. In

the verse above, Paul tells us that it was actually Christ in His

capacity of Creator that was producing the

₂

H O out of stone. It was

the Second Person of the Trinity come down from heaven to

follow His people and provide what they needed to live. This time

He manifested Himself as the **Rock**.

**«** October 16 **»**

Stumbling Block

But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a **stumbling block** and to the

Greeks foolishness.

_1 Corinthians 1:23_

The word **stumbling block** occurs 11 times in scripture but only

once does it refer to Christ. In the remaining ten verses, four times God's

people are told not to purposefully lay down obstacles for others, and six

times were told that sin trips us up. The Lord Jesus is neither sinful or

deliberately trying to bring down the Jewish people, so, how is the Savior

a **Stumbling Block**?

The New Testament quotes five times from Psalm 118:22:

"The stone _which_ the builders rejected Has become the chief

cornerstone." The fact that this verse was cited so many times

emphasizes the importance of the teaching. The Jewish teachers of the

law were those builders. Instead of embracing Old Testament prophesy,

proclaiming the arrival of the Messiah, they rejected Him; they discarded

the Holy One of Israel.

Obeying the letter of the law became more important than

honoring and having fellowship with God. Christ came to establish that

fellowship much deeper than it had ever been before by becoming the

mediator of a better covenant. The problem is that the rulers of the

Jewish people had become comfortable with observing the rules and

regulations they had added, and so rejected the King of the Jews.

God, on the other hand, highly exalted Christ and gave

Him a name that is above every name. Since the fourth century, the

Jewish people have seen the rise of Christianity and this dispersed people

have lived under the control of so-called Christian nations for centuries.

To this day, most of the descendants of Israel still stumble

and fall over the Key Stone that their ancestors threw away. Blessings

have become few and anti-Semitism is on the rise all over the world. Yet,

most of the Jewish people today don't understand what is happening,

because Christ is still their **Stumbling Block** rather than a Savior.

**«** October 17 **»**

Living Bread

I am the **living bread** which came down from heaven...

_John 6:51_

Bread really isn't alive. It dries out or gets moldy if you don't

take care of it; it's a lot of work to make and you need an oven to

bake it. Wouldn't it be great if bread could just grow on trees?

Actually, breadfruit does exist and on paper is the perfect

food. Its slightly yeasty odor and texture remind people of bread and

it is actually very nutritious. It's a good source of energy and high in

vitamins, minerals, and fiber. One tree can produce over 400 pounds

of fruit a year, so it seems ideal. There is only one problem, it's al-

most tasteless. The food has never really caught on, so it fails as

**living bread**.

After the Lord Jesus fed 5,000, people, they hung around

until the next day wanting Him to provide breakfast and lunch. He left

that place, so they searched for Him, but when they finally found

Him, the eatery was closed. He wasn't there to make bread; He came

to the world to be bread, **Living bread**.

The bread He offered wasn't the kind that filled men's bellies;

He came to feed their souls. Here again, there's a problem with

market appeal. People would rather feed their faces than satisfy a

hunger and thirst for righteousness.

The fast-food and grocery industries have built multi-billion

dollar businesses counting on people to make poor nutrition

decisions. Food high in fats, sugars, and chemicals will kill you, but

that doesn't matter as long as it tastes good.

People walked away from Jesus on the day He offered

them **living bread**. They wanted the kind of bread that can dry out or

get moldy, the kind of loaves that get eaten up today and need to

be purchased again tomorrow.

**Living bread** satisfies the emptiness within a sin-sick soul. It

costs no money, produces sustenance within the person, and keeps on

satisfying. That's a much better deal.

**«** October 18 **»**

Eternally Blessed God

...of whom _are_ the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh,

Christ _came,_ who is over all, _the_ **eternally blessed God**. Amen.

_Romans 9:5_

The Apostle Paul was hurting when he wrote this section of

Romans. He realized that the Jewish people were eternally lost because they

had rejected their Messiah and he was grieving the loss. They could be saved

if they repented of their denial of Christ and embraced Him as Lord, but for a

huge number of those who heard the gospel, it wasn't happening. How much

more serious could it be? The man they had crucified was God incarnate,

the **Eternally Blessed God**.

Herein lies the great irony. The Eternal God came to this world to

be able to bless Adam's sinful race with everlasting life. However, to reject

this gift of the Savior's sacrifice outright is to be cursed forever with

separation from God. The saddest part of all is that many of the early Jewish

leaders, who handed the Savior over for torture and death, did so thinking

they were doing the work of God.

As Paul preached the gospel in the pagan world, it wasn't usually

the polytheists who shouted him down, but the expatriate Jewish leaders

living in the Greek speaking world. Again, they convinced themselves of

their own righteousness and assumed they were doing the will of God. They

were tragically wrong and sadly deceived because they were following the

direction of the god of this world and not the **Eternally Blessed God**.

Just like Paul, Christians should feel sad and burdened that the lost

are going to hell, but they should be careful not to think it is not their fault

that they made bad choices. Just like ol' Pharaoh and Judas Iscariot, Christ-

rejecters don't flip a coin and pick wrong. They go through life, refusing to

acknowledge the sovereignty of God and respond repeatedly to their sinful

desires even though they generally reap bad consequences from these

choices. They have purposefully and methodically believed the "father of

lies" throughout their lives and resist the still small voice of God.

People are saved by agreeing with the **Eternally Blessed God** that

they are hopeless sinners, rather than trying to explain or justify their actions.

**«** October 19 **»**

Strength

The LORD is my rock and my fortress [...]; My God, my **strength** , in whom

I will trust...

_Psalm 18:2*_

King David never quite got over the experience of being a shepherd

boy alone in the wilderness responsible for the lives of many sheep. As a

young man in the desert, he faced wild animals that were stronger and faster

than he. As sovereign of Israel, he was surrounded by enemies with bigger

armies. Feeling weak served David well, because he ran to the LORD who

armed him with **strength** and made his way perfect ( _Psalm 18:32_ ).

The Prophet Daniel saw a vision of a "Glorious Man" who was

"clothed in linen," his face had "the appearance of lightening," and "his eyes

like torches of fire" (Daniel 10:5,6). Since the description is similar to

Ezekiel's view of the "Glory of the LORD "(Ezekiel 1:27,28) and the Apostle

John's encounter with the glorified Christ (Revelation 1:14,15), this vision is

often interpreted as an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ. Daniel

describes a dialogue between the two of them: "And he said, 'O man greatly

beloved, fear not! Peace _be_ to you; be strong, yes, be strong!' So when he

spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, 'Let my lord speak, for you have

strengthened me'" ( _Daniel 10:19_ ).

The Lord Jesus is not only the personification of **Strength** , He is

the source of **strength** for all those who are weak "For when we were still

without **strength** , in due time Christ died for the ungodly" ( _Romans 5:6_ ).

The Lord Jesus declares in 2 Corinthians 12:9: "And He said to me,

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My **strength** is made perfect in

weakness."

The weakness of God is stronger than Mankind at his prime ( _1_

_Corinthians 1:25_ ). When people are at their weakest, there is no **strength** to overcome the stressfulness of life. Only with God's help can one truly have

victory. The apostle Paul understood that he could rely on the Savior's

**strength**. "... For when I am weak, then I am strong" ( _2 Corinthians 12:10)_.

_*see also Isaiah 12:2, 25:4, 40:29; Revelation 5:12,12:10_

**«** October 20 **»**

Light of Men

In Him was life, and the life was the **light of men**.

_John 1:4_

Most Americans aren't into cartoons as they used to be. When

I grew up in the 1950's and 60's, most homes subscribed to both a

morning and afternoon newspaper. In the back of the last section

would be forty or so different comic strips. It's safe to say that the

"funnies" were the how and why I learned to read. They also taught

me how to recognize and interpret symbols.

If a comic strip character had smoke coming out of his ears,

he was angry; if there was a series of Z's over his head, then he was

asleep. When there was a light bulb in a bubble over his head, it was

clear that the figure had an idea.

Actually, I've seen this scenario played out in real life during

my forty years as a teacher. Every now and then, I presented a lesson

to a classroom of bored students, when someone actually got what I

was teaching! It's very noticeable. Their eyes lit up as if a light bulb

turned on in their head. They were truly enlightened. There is even a

term for this in pedagogy. It's called an "Aha moment."

The Lord Jesus Christ is the **light of men** in a world of

spiritual darkness. Just as sightless people don't have a clue about

color or sunsets, the unregenerate are clueless about righteousness

and judgment. The god of this age has blinded them who do not

believe, so they can't see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ

( _2 Corinthians 4:4)._ However, that veil of deception can come down

and the light of God's holiness can come into even the darkest hearts.

Through the years, I've seen many people come to know Christ as

Lord and Savior and I can testify that there is no greater Aha moment

then when someone realizes that their sins are forgiven and they have

eternal life. A great spiritual light bulb turns on in their soul when

the **Light of Men** comes into their lives.

**«** October 21 **»**

Just One

Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed

those who foretold the coming of the **Just One** , of whom you now have

become the betrayers and murderers.

_Acts 7:52_

Who said it? Now that's an important question to ask when studying

the titles of Christ. In this case, it was Stephen, the first martyr of the

Christian church.

Stephen was the kind of young person that every youth group

desires: energetic, servant's heart, eloquent, and on fire for the Lord. The

Sanhedrin had outlawed speaking about Jesus of Nazareth and there he was,

right inside the temple, preaching about Christ and making points that no one

could refute. He was hauled off to court and the book of Acts records his

own defense. Stephen preaches a sermon detailing the history of Israel,

pointing out that their ancestors had not only challenged Moses' leadership,

but the authority of every prophet God had sent. Then came the bottom-line:

those assembled in that room had betrayed and murdered the **Just One** of

God (a.k.a. the Messiah).

The truth hurts and convicting truth hurts a lot, so the courtroom

turned into a mob bent on really hurting Stephen. They dragged him outside

and threw heavy stones at him until his skull was crushed and he died.

There was another young religious zealot witnessing all this but he

belonged to the opposition. Saul of Tarsus would have thrown stones himself

if he had the chance, but was outranked by the more hateful clerics. Saul did

see the angel-like face of Stephen and the peace with which he died, but the

phrase **Just One** probably was what disturbed him the most.

This was probably on his mind while Saul was on his way to

Damascus to persecute the followers "of the Way" ( _Acts 9:2_ ). He saw a

blinding light from heaven, realized that Jesus of Nazareth was talking to

him and was told that someone would come to him with instructions. That

someone was an older believer named Ananias who told him "The God of

our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the **Just**

**One,** and hear the voice of His mouth." ( _Acts 22:14_ ). The same **Just** **One** that Stephen had preached had now became Saul's Lord.

**«** October 22 **»**

Worthy of More

Glory than Moses

For this One has been counted **worthy of more glory than Moses** ,

inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house.

_Hebrews 3:3_

Even today Moses holds a unique place in the hearts and minds

of the Jewish people. He was their deliverer and principal figure in the

foundation of Israel as a nation. However, although this man of God was

great in all he did, he pales in comparison to Jesus Christ, who is **Worthy**

**of more glory than Moses.**

Moses

Jesus

1. Name mentioned 797

1. Name mentioned 983 times in

times in the Bible.

the New Testament

2. Law of Moses ( _Joshua_

2. Law of Christ ( _Galatians 6:2_ )

_8:31_ ) called law of sin and

called law of Spirit of life ( _Rom.8:2)_

death ( _Romans 8:2_ )

3. Mediator of the First

3. Mediator of a Better covenant

covenant ( _Exodus 34:27_ ).

( _Hebrews 8:6_ )

4. Moses' face reflected

4. The body of the glorified Christ

glory of God ( _Exodus 34:29_ ).

shone ( _Revelation 1:14-16_ )

5. A prophet ( _Deuteronomy_

5. The Prophet ( _John 6:14_ )

_34:10_ )

6. Delivered the world out of the

6. Led the children of Israel

bondage of sin ( _Galatians 1:4_ )

out of bondage from Egypt

( _Exodus 13:3_ )

7. Built the foundation of the 7. Built the foundation of the

house of Israel ( _Hebrews 3:4_ )

church ( _1 Corinthians 3:11)_

In the very least Jesus Christ is **Worthy of more Glory than**

**Moses** , but on a much grander scale, He is worthy "to receive power and

riches and wisdom,and strength and honor and glory and blessing!"

( _Revelation 5:12_ ). Praise and worship be to the Lamb.

**«** October 23 **»**

Kinsman-Redeemer

(G Ʌ

â al)

'Now if a sojourner or stranger close to you becomes rich, and _one_

_of_ your brethren _who dwells_ by him becomes poor, and sells himself to

the stranger _or_ sojourner close to you, or to a member of the stranger's

family, after he is sold he may be redeemed again. One of his brothers

may redeem him.

_Leviticus 25:47-48_

...knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible

things, _like_ silver or gold, from your aimless conduct _received_ by

tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of

a lamb without blemish and without spot. _1 Peter 1:18-19_

This important name of Christ is very clear and observable in

the original Hebrew but is a little hard to grasp using only English trans-

lations of the Bible. Although it takes some effort to fully understand this

title, the effort is well worth it.

In the oriental law of kinship, the **gâ'al** (literally "next of kin")

was required to buy back a relative's lost property, marry his widow,

rescue him from harm, or avenge his death. Abraham acted as **gâ'al**

when he rescued Lot and his family from the four mighty kings of the

East with only 318 trained servants; and Boaz was Ruth's **gâ'al** , marrying

her and restoring her land.

The role of the **kinsman redeemer** is well-established in the

Hebrew scripture with the word **gâ'al** appearing 71 times. We miss this

in English because there is no direct translation. **Gâ'al** sometimes is

translated as redeem, redeemer, Kinsman, relative, close relative,

deliverer and even six times as "avenger of blood."

As a "friend that sticks closer than a brother," the Lord Jesus has

become our G **â'al**. He is our **deliverer** us from the powers of the devil,

sin, and death and restores us to the close relationship with the God that

Adam lost in the Garden of Eden. He redeemed us from the slavery and

self-destruction of sin and adopted us into the family of God.

As **Kinsman-Redeemer** , Christ sought us, bought us, and fought for us.

He is our **Gâ'al**.

**«** October 24 **»**

Holy One of God

Saying, "Let _us_ alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth?

Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are --- the **Holy One of**

**God**!"

_Mark 1:24_

It might seem obvious, but I've learned a lot from my twenty

year study of the titles of Christ. What started as a challenge to find a

name of the Lord for every day of the year ended with a deeper love for

and fellowship with my Savior. I also discovered things that I never

heard preached on before and I never knew were there. One example of

this is insight I've gotten from the "demonic titles."

Sometimes when Christ healed the sick, He also cast out demons

and a few of these carried on a conversation with Him. They addressed

Jesus of Nazareth by name without any formal introduction, because they

knew who He was. He cast them out of heaven before the foundation of

the world.

The thing that surprised me about the demonic titles is that they

all speak truthfully of who He is. These evil spirits address Him as

Christ, the Son of God, and even the Son of the Most High God ( _Luke_

_4:41, Mark 5:7_ ), but they never call Him Lord or Savior. The title **Holy**

**One of God** is never spoken except by fallen angels as if it were a phrase

they heard in heaven before Satan rebelled against the Lord of Hosts.

I find it interesting that demons never insulted the Son of God

nor made disparaging comments about Him as did His human

adversaries. Christ's dissenters called Him Beelzebub ( _Matthew 10:25_ ), a

Samaritan ( _John 8:48_ ), and a glutton ( _Matthew 11:19_ ), not knowing the

condemnation they were laying up for themselves. "But these speak evil

of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like

brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves" ( _Jude 10_ ).

The demons not only knew who Christ was, they knew that their

punishment was ready to be handed down and they begged Him not to

cast them into hell before their time. Although condemned and without

hope, they appealed to Him on the basis of who He is: the **Holy One of**

**God**.

**«** October 25 **»**

Door of the Sheep

Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am

the **door of the sheep.**

_John 10:7_

Sheep herding was a poor man's business at the time the

Bible was being written. It was labor intensive but required low

capital investment. Starting with just two sheep, a flock could be built

up over time and equipment was minimal. The rod and staff were

nothing more than short and long sticks and the sheepfold could be

made out of rocks. Israel has an abundant supply of rocks which are

everywhere in the desert, so stacking them to form walls is not

difficult. On the other hand, lumber to make a door and hardware to

make it open and close cost money, so that was generally left off. The

shepherd would sleep at the narrow entrance to the pen and would in

fact become the **door of the sheep**.

With the shepherd at the opening, the sheep couldn't wander

away at night, but more importantly, wolves and bad guys couldn't

get in to hurt the sheep. Everything had to pass by way of the keeper

of the sheep. That gave the flock a sense of security and discouraged

the predators, because the shepherd usually kept a camp fire going

and his two sticks could poke or hit them.

As **Door of the Sheep** , Christ cares for and defends His

flock. All the spiritual sheep must enter through the door and be

recognized as a member of the flock. In the first century, flocks were

generally small so shepherds could recognize their own charges and

often had names for each one. Jesus knows each of His followers and

interacts with every one. It is also extremely comforting to realize that

nothing bad can happen to a believer that doesn't first pass through

the Savior. If Christ allows it, then the Christian can be assured that

the strength and patience to overcome the trial will also be there.

Jesus is more than just the Good Shepherd; He's the **Door of the**

**Sheep**.

**«** October 26 **»**

Most Holy

... To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To

bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy,

And to anoint the **Most Holy**.

_Daniel 9:24_

Sometimes in the Old Testament it is difficult to determine if

a title of God is referring to God the Father or if it is actually a

prophesy of the Christ who was to come. This time it's not hard at all

because it is a part of Daniel's seventy-weeks prophesy. This section

is actually the only place in the Old Testament where the title

"Messiah" is given ( _David 9:25,26_ KJV and NKJV) and in the verse

above the One who is called the **Most Holy** is anointed.

Conditions in an operating room must be 100% sterile. To

arrive at that condition, antiseptics or antimicrobial devices are used

to kill bacteria on surfaces and in the air. These things are not only

100% sterile, they also make everything around them germ free.

Anything that is holy is free from sin. Since the term **Most**

**Holy** is superlative, it must be more than 100% sinless and is able to

sanctify whatever it touches. In the Old Testament, the phrase refers

to things that were used to atone for sin. The inner part of the Sanct-

uary ( _1 Kings 6:16_ ) and the bronze altar and its utensils were consid-

ered **most holy** ( _Exodus 40:10_ ). The priests who interceded for sin-

ners were set apart for service to God and the sin offering and other

offerings made by fire were **most holy** before God _(Leviticus 6:17_ ).

All of these Old Testament images are nothing more than

types and shadows of God's anointed, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He is

the **Most Holy** of all the **most holy** things that were ever used for

atonement. With His one and only sacrifice on the cross, He was able

to make an end of sins, make reconciliation of all mankind, and bring

everlasting righteousness to the earth.

**«** October 27 **»**

Foundation

For no other **foundation** can anyone lay than that which is laid, which

is Jesus Christ.

_1 Corinthians 3:11*_

Reinforced concrete makes up the majority of modern **found-**

**ations**. In ancient times, people dug through the top soil until they got

down to bedrock. Jesus explained in His Sermon on the Mount that those

who got down to the solid rock were wise, because storms and winds

won't bring down their houses. It's the lazy people that have no **found-**

**ation**. They don't put the effort into making something that will last.

Their houses won't stand the test of time, proving them to be foolish.

The Lord Jesus is the spiritual **foundation** of every believer and

it's the nature of **foundation** s to be built upon. Everyone builds their

lives on some kind of worldview. If a person has a philosophy of life that

lives for the moment and has no concept of God, judgment, or eternity,

then it's as if they had a **foundation** of sand and their destruction is sure

although maybe not immediate.

Belief in Christ and the Word of God opens potential for great-

ness that endures forever, but that's only if faith expresses itself in action.

Faith without sweat equity is like a big slab of concrete without a

building on it. The Apostle James put it this way, "Thus also faith by

itself, if it does not have works, is dead" ( _James 2:17_ ).

In God's eyes, obedience, fervent prayer, meditation in His

word, worship, and dedication are comparable to building materials made

of gold, silver, and precious stones _(1 Corinthians 3:12-13_ ) _._

When a Christian has the Savior as his sure **foundation** , but his

life is composed of incomplete obedience, hypocrisy, and materialism, it

is like building a ramshackle shanty made with cardboard boxes and

sheets of plastic on a footing made for a skyscraper. The wasted life

results not only in a great loss of reward for the believer at the judgment

seat of Christ, but is a terrible insult to the Son of God who laid down

His life to become our **Foundation.**

_*see also Isaiah 28:16; Luke 6:48,49; 1 Corinthians 3:12; 2 Timothy_

_2:19_

__**«** October 28 **»**

Lord of Peace

Now may the **Lord of peace** Himself give you peace

always in every way. The Lord _be_ with you all.

_2 Thessalonians 3:16_

Stress – Comes from rush hour traffic, crying babies, whining

toddlers, ungrateful teenagers, and nagging spouses. It compounds as bills

increase, the work-load becomes heavier, and the tyranny of the urgent

becomes oppressive.

Anxiety – The fear of not knowing what comes next; the unease

that stems from all the negatives of the status quo, and the worry that things

won't get better; they'll only get worse. Oh-oh, here comes the panic attack.

Frustration – Knowing what I want and not knowing how to get it.

Sometimes it's even not knowing what I want, but knowing that, whatever it

is, I don't have it.

Depression – That sense of hopelessness, heaviness, and weariness

and feeling all alone. It's sitting for hours in a dark room and not doing

anything except fighting a battle of ideas in the mind.

Nightly News – Poor economy, unemployment, racial tensions,

scandals, wars, terrorism, unrest in the Middle East, famines, epidemics, and

this year's storm of the century.

Humanity cries out for peace, but there is no peace. The world

wants problems to go away, but that doesn't bring peace, because more

problems just come to take their place.

Paul prayed that the Thessalonian church would experience the true

peace that only the **Lord of Peace** could give. That peace would cover every

category mentioned above and would last always.

The Lord Jesus wears many titles, but when all the little and big

things of life get us down, we need to approach Him as the **Lord of Peace**.

Christ gives peace to those who need it. He owns it. He's the boss of peace.

Where the Savior goes, peace has to follow.

So let stress, anxiety, frustration, depression, and the Nightly News

be put on notice. If you all come around to bother us, we're going to call

directly on the **Lord of Peace**.

**«** October 29 **»**

Our Guide Even to Death

For this _is_ God, Our God forever and ever;

He will be **our guide _even_** **to death**.

_Psalm 48:14_

The Amazon rainforest can be a scary place, with snakes,

tarantulas, and jaguars. And then there are the really dangerous

animals, like stinging caterpillars and bullet ants. Many people are

curious to see the jungle, so they employ tour guides who are

totally familiar with the territory and know everything there is to

know about the great unknown.

Death is an even scarier place, because once you go there,

you don't come back...or at least, almost no one comes back.

Christ has been there and done that, so is most wonderfully

qualified to be **our Guide even to Death**.

Jesus is the Way, and we can't get to heaven except

through Him. He is also the Door to anyplace worth going to. He's

the way to salvation, abundant life, and victory over sin. To get

there, He has to lead, and we follow. The Lord can also take us

through places that we don't want to go: Depression, persecution,

tribulation, and grief. There is also that experience we are

hard-wired to avoid at any cost: Death. In knowing Him, Christ

can be **our Guide even to Death**.

_He leadeth me! O blessed tho't!_

_O words with heav'nly comfort fraught!_

_Whate'er I do, where'er I be,_

_Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me!_

_And when my task on earth is done,_

_When, by Thy grace, the vict'ry's won,_

_E'en death's cold wave I will not flee,_

_Since God thro' Jordan leadeth me!_

Joseph H. Gilmore (1834-1918)

**«** October 30 **»**

Lord of Both the Dead

and the Living

For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be **Lord**

**of both the dead and the living**.

_Romans 14:9_

Not long ago, I saw a bumper sticker that read "Union Members

Vote!" Soon after that, I saw another one declaring "Christians Vote!" One

bumper sticker I've never seen is "Dead People Vote!" although that also

seems to be true.

After every election there are stories and editorials that reveal how

many deceased citizens cast ballots. Although their bodies are no longer

around, it seems that their political voices are not defunct. Actually, what is

happening is a form of voter fraud where a living person votes in the name

of someone they met in the obituaries.

Legally, dead people can't vote because the law says they have

ceased to be; they no longer exist. Actually that's not true. They've just

become non-residents, which also makes them ineligible to vote.

The true essence of a person is his/her soul and spirit. They are real,

but can't be measured or weighed. They aren't bound in a physical body

which can be seen, because it has mass and form. That body eventually

wears out or breaks down, but that person's everlasting soul remains even

after the body is buried. That spiritual person moves on to "the place of the

dead" (i.e. Hades, Sheol). State, local, and national governments don't have

jurisdiction there, but order and authority are still very evident.

Christ Jesus is the **Lord of both the Dead and the living**. He

reigns over the dead, because He's gone through death, established residency

there, and conquered it. He is the undisputed Lord of all that have gone

before.

It is safe to say that many more dead people acknowledge Jesus as

Lord than the living. Living souls worship other gods or things more than the

Master Creator, but one day that is all going to change. At the final Judgment

day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is **Lord**

**of Both the Dead and the Living**.

**«** October 31 **»**

Sun of Righteousness

But to you who fear My name The **Sun of Righteousness** shall arise

With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-

fed calves.

_Malachi 4:2_

Here is an astronomical title on the order of morning star and

dayspring. It makes us look to the heavens to see things we've seen many

times before and then relate that to the character of Christ.

The sun not only radiates light and warmth, but is the source of

life for everything on the green planet. Without the sun, plants would be

unable to carry on photosynthesis which produces food for all living

things and without global warming, all water would be ice and nothing

could survive. Sunshine is so intense that it will sunburn the retinas of

anyone who looks directly at it. Light also reveals the colors and patterns

of everything in God's creation.

Jesus Christ is hailed as the **Sun of Righteousness**. Just as

Earth's star is the source of all light, the Lord is the source of

righteousness to a world of sinful men. The Bible declares, "As it is

written: "There is none righteous, no, not one" ( _Romans 3:10_ ). Even the

little goodness we have on our own is gross in the eyes of God: "But we

are all like an unclean _thing,_ And all our righteousnesses are like filthy

rags ( _Isaiah 64:6)._

In the Old Testament, God told the city of Jerusalem, "For Zion's

sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest,

Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And her salvation as a

lamp _that_ burns" ( _Isaiah 62:1_ ). In the New Testament we see the source

of that righteousness; "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became

for us wisdom from God --- and righteousness and sanctification and

redemption" ( _1 Corinthians 1:30)._

Natural sunlight has great therapeutic value. Depression, scabies,

and even rickets greatly improve by going outside into bright light. Jesus

rises as the **Sun of Righteousness** with healing in His wings for a sin-

sick world, because He is able to disinfect our human nature by

irradiating it with His sinless perfection. That indeed is a glorious Son

Rise.

**«** November 1 **»**

Resurrection and

the Life

Jesus said to her, "I am the **resurrection and the life**. He who believes in

Me, though he may die, he shall live.

_John 11:25_

Words reveal the soul of a culture or civilization. The more words

that you have to describe things, the deeper and more complex a society can

be. Both English and ancient Greek has tens of thousands of basic non-

technical words, while the language of the jungle Quichua tribe has less than

one thousand. Even so, in all of these languages there is a word for

"resurrection". It would seem that rising from the dead is basic to human

understanding.

Ancient Egyptians not only had this concept, but had a god of

death, the afterlife, and resurrection (Osiris). Many people recognize Baal as

a renowned Canaanite god, but don't realize that he also was a god of dying

and rising again. Greek mythology describes the resurrections of Achilles,

Castor, and Hercules and both Eastern and animistic religions have

resurrection stories.

This is all made more interesting by the fact that none of these

people groups have ever really experienced a real return from death. Jesus

Christ is the one and only **Resurrection and the life** , so apart from Him,

everything else is myth or wishful thinking.

Human beings have a spirit; animals don't. Hardwired into that

spiritual consciousness is the desire for eternal life and resurrection from the

dead. Apart from the Savior there is no hope or possibility to defeat death,

even though billionaires today invest their fortunes trying to do just that.

Simple faith in the only One who died and rose again can guarantee

a believers victory over sin, because Christ promised: "And whoever lives

and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" ( _John 11:26)._

Jesus is alive and well and living within every true believer. The

Apostle Paul wanted the reality of the resurrected Christ to affect everything

he said and did. His credo was "that I may know Him and the power of His

resurrection" ( _Philippians 3:10_ ). To know the Lord Jesus is to know

the **Resurrection and the Life**.

**«** November 2 **»**

Morning Star

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to

heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and

the **morning star** rises in your hearts.

_2 Peter 1:19_

The lights of the big cities make even basic astronomy

difficult to observe. For that reason, modern man knows less about

the night sky than the average person did a century ago. One thing,

however, is still readily visible even for the least experienced

observer – the morning star.

Although three celestial bodies will share the title at different

times during the year, a **morning star** is the last star to be still seen

shining as the sun begins to rise. The brightest star in the heavens is

Sirius, found in the constellation Canis Major, but in July and August

it's hailed as the morning star. The planets Venus and Mercury also

compete for the title at other times during the year.

The Lord Jesus shines in the hearts of believers and that light

has gone into very dark places. Its brilliance can be seen through

depression and despair. Even during divorce or the loss of a loved one

the Savior can be seen. When other points of reference seem to

disappear, our **Morning Star** still shines in His full glory.

Who is this, who comes to meet me,

On the desert way,

As the **Morning Star** foretelling

God's unclouded day?

He it is who came to win me,

On the cross of shame;

In His glory well I know Him,

Evermore the same.

\- Gerhard Tersteegen 1697

* _see also Revelation 2:28 and 22:16_

**«** November 3 **»**

Stone of Stumbling

He will be as a sanctuary, but a **stone of stumbling** and a rock of

offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the

inhabitants of Jerusalem.

_Isaiah 8:14_

Wichita, Kansas was a wild west town that was settled in the

area just north of where the Big and Little Arkansas rivers come

together. Like most of Kansas this area is flat and since it lies between

two rivers, the sandy ground is about 40 ft. deep on top of the bed

rock. This was great for a pioneer settlement because it meant that the

water table wasn't deep and wells could be easily dug in the soft soil.

The section of the city with these cowboy roots is called Old

Town and we own a house there that is now 110 years old. It's not on

any historical register, but it is certainly on the city inspector's radar

for old buildings he wants to keep his eye on. On one such inspection

every house on the block got a notice to repair their sidewalks.

Shifting sands under the surface had made them buckle and the city

declared them dangerous. They were **stone** s **of stumbling** and the

powers in charge told us to remove them.

The Lord Jesus is and always has been a stumbling block to

those who reject Him. They find Him offensive, distasteful, politically

incorrect, and intolerable. They want Him gone from their sight and

their hearing. They'll use legal action if necessary to remove this

nuisance.

Churches and individual Christians are being sued in record

numbers, because enemies of the cross of Christ find it profitable to

bring those who would desire to live godly to financial ruin. They

want anything promoting the Savior removed from the public square.

They won't walk around it, they want Him totally removed, because

Christ Jesus is their **Stone of Stumbling**.

* _see also Romans 9:32,33; 1 Peter 2:8_

**«** November 4 **»**

Rejected by Men

Coming to Him _as to_ a living stone, **rejected** indeed **by men** , but

chosen by God _and_ precious,

_1 Peter 2:4_

Choosing and rejecting go hand in hand. Whether it's a new

car or a brand of deodorant, once a buyer has selected what he wants,

he's rejected all the competition. In matters of faith, it all comes down

to what a person is going to do with Christ: choose Him or reject

Him.

Judas Iscariot wanted money more than the Savior. The mob

outside the governor's palace demonstrated to get a murderer released

while shouting down Jesus. Pontius Pilate condemned an innocent

man to death, choosing political expediency instead. That's the way it

has been throughout the centuries. Multitudes have sold the Lord

short, choosing rather things of dubious value.

Making bad decisions always has consequences. Some people

pay thousands of dollars more than others for the same make and

model of car, because they trusted their salesman to be honest.

Believing a lie is usually linked with making bad decisions. This

world claims to offer more benefits than can be found in Christ Jesus,

but that is a deception that keeps people out of heaven.

The only real reason that people reject the Master for

something else is that they don't see His value; they don't know He is

precious.

The enemies of God lie to us about what really matters. They

have rejected Christ and the eternal life He offers. They go about

trying to deceive others, but don't understand that they themselves

have been deceived ( _2 Timothy 3:13_ ). How can they refuse the most

valuable gift in the universe? The answer is simple. They believed a

lie and rejected the truth. The Savior continues to be **rejected by**

**men**.

**«** November 5 **»**

True God

...That we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in

His Son Jesus Christ. This is the **true God** and eternal life. _1_

_John 5:20_

The Lord Jesus is the **True God** which is something that true

believers already know. However, to even need a title like this concludes

the existence of fake gods that would deceive people allowing them to

usurp the position of the **True God**.

In modern society it's anathema (an evil) to suggest that

someone else's religion is really a lie. For many, it is preferable to allow

someone to go to hell unchallenged, than to risk the chance of them be-

coming offended.

Recently, a kindergarten student was sent home from class

because he was having an asthma attack. Unfortunately, he died in the

hospital a few hours later. Before school the next day, the principal called

a teacher's meeting to discuss talking points concerning discussing the

child's death with students. If a teacher was to be asked, "Is he in heaven

now?" or other religious questions, teachers were instructed to say

"something non-denominational" such as, "Everyone has different ideas

and beliefs about what happens when we die. We don't really know what

'Johnny' (not his real name) and his family believe, but he was a good

person."

How sad! At a very teachable moment, Christian teachers are

forbidden to discuss anything about heaven and faith with students. With

many years of experience in public education, I've seen repeatedly that

it's only the Christian teachers that follow the rules and do what they are

told to do. Many atheist and agnostic teachers do what they jolly well

please and don't follow guidelines that they don't like. It is rules like

these that try to discourage any discussion of the **True God**. The lie that

anything anyone could ever choose to believe is valid has become the

official doctrine of modern society. To believe that only the Lord Jesus is

the Way, the Truth, and the Life cannot be allowed or tolerated by the

establishment, even if He is the **True God**.

**«** November 6 **»**

Lord and Savior

...but grow in the grace and knowledge of our **Lord and Savior** Jesus

Christ. To Him _be_ the glory both now and forever. Amen.

_2 Peter 3:18*_

In studying the combined titles of Christ, word order is very

important. **Lord and Savior** occurs four times in the New Testament and

interestingly enough, all are found in 2 Peter. In the Old Testament, three

times it says, "I, the LORD am your Savior" ( _Isaiah 43:3, 49:26, 60:16_ ).

Although exact wording varies slightly, there is an additional two times

that says "I am the LORD, besides me there is no savior" ( _Isaiah_

_43:11;Hosea 13:4_ ).

It's worth noting that the reverse order is not used even once,

although the phrase is popular in personal evangelism. Frequently people

are heard to say, "Just invite Jesus into your heart as Savior and Lord."

Although it might not be done consciously, the subliminal message that is

communicated here is that Jesus is sought after as Savior and then

somewhere down the line He may or may not become Lord. It can be

argued that those who put the term Savior before Lord are not really

shifting the spiritual emphasis. However, the part that is undeniable is

that many sinners are eager to make Jesus their Savior (they don't want

to go to hell) without any intention of making Him their Lord.

In one sense there is no chronological order to this title, because

Jesus is both **Lord and Savior**. At the same time, Christ instantly and

automatically becomes the Savior of everyone who owns Him as Lord.

As the Lord of lords, the Savior has power over sin and death

and hell, so He can and will save every sinner that comes to Him. Since

Christ came to suffer and die as a substitute for sinners, true faith

demands that He is loved, cherished, and obeyed as Lord.

That is why the two titles are actually one and Jesus is **Lord and**

**Savior**.

_*see also 2 Peter 1:11, 2:20, 3:2_

**«** November 7 **»**

Lord God Almighty

They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the

Lamb, saying: " Great and marvelous _are_ Your works, **Lord God**

**Almighty**! Just and true _are_ Your ways, O King of the saints!

_Revelation 15:3*_

Immediately after the miracle at the Red Sea, Moses and the

children of Israel burst into song: "Then Moses and the children of

Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying: " I will sing to

the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider

He has thrown into the sea!" ( _Exodus 15:1_ ). The singing goes on for

18 verses so it's unclear if they had a songwriter, if people made up

verses as they went along, or if God directed the choir.

A similar songfest is scheduled in the not so distant future just

as the Great Tribulation is coming to an end. All the emotion, thrill of

triumph, and pride of victory that was heard in the song of Moses will

be repeated here in the song of the Lamb. All those who endured and

overcame the terrible persecutions of the Anti-Christ will be gathered

on the glass sea before the throne of God to celebrate. Looking on at

the praise service will be the seven judgment angels with the last

bowls of wrath that will be poured out on earth.

The Lamb of God is being honored and worshiped as the

glorified saints cry out "Great and marvelous are your works, **Lord**

**God Almighty**!" Once again, the divine nature of the King of Saints

is shouted out for all to hear.

This song of the Lamb inaugurates the beginning of the end.

In the chapters that follow, all seven bowls of judgment reduce the

world's population to a small fraction. Babylon the Great falls and He

who is called Faithful and True descends to Earth with the host of

heaven to establish His kingdom.

That will be glorious. Hail King Jesus, King of kings, Lord of

lords, and **Lord God Almighty**.

**«** November 8 **»**

King of the Saints

They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the

Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous _are_ Your works, Lord God

Almighty! Just and true _are_ Your ways, O **King of the saints**!

_Revelation 15:3_

Since Jesus is the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings, and

Lord of lords, He rules over many diverse people and nations. He's the

King of Israel, King of Righteousness, King of Peace, and King over all

the Earth. But there is one distinction that really gets me excited. Christ

the Lord is **King of the Saints** ; He's going to be my monarch!

When Christ was on earth, enemy soldiers gave Him a crown of

thorns, mocked Him for being a king, and then spit on His face. Since

then, He was caught up to glory and believers through the centuries have

also suffered abuse as they waited for the return of the **King of the**

**Saints**.

Ten terrible Roman persecutions fell on the faithful; some were

crucified, some burned alive, and some fed to wild beasts. Still, they

waited for their Lord's return. The rise of Mohammed in the seventh

century brought Jihad, beheadings, and slavery to Christians who longed

for their coming King. Then the Crusades, Inquisition, and the rise of

Communism brought more torture, imprisonment, and death for the

saints. Still, they waited for their sovereign to come and bring peace.

The signs of the Lord's soon return are becoming more evident

every day. Terrorism clearly demonstrates "wars and rumors of war" that

fill every corner of the planet. Talk of a new world order as well as one

global community and government prepares the way for the Anti-Christ

and his minions.

The good news is that this may be the last persecution. If the

blood bought disciples of Christ can overcome one more reign of terror,

then it's over. Jesus is coming and those who served and suffered for the

Lord will reign with Him. Hallelujah!

Even so come, O **King of the Saints**.

**«** November 9 **»**

Lord of All

The word which _God_ sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace

through Jesus Christ --- He is **Lord of all---**

_Acts 10:36_

"All" is such a little word, but it sure includes a lot of stuff. It

has just three letters, one vowel, and one consonant, yet it contains

everything out there (rocks, trees, butterflies, and bees; planets,

people, pumpkins and peanuts; sun moon, stars, and galaxies; matter,

energy, ideas, and the vacuum of space). Come to think about it, "all"

is actually a very big word and Jesus Christ is **Lord of All**.

"Lord" is the chief, leader, president, king, emperor,

potentate, jefe, head honcho, and person in charge. So if the Son of

God is **Lord of All** , He's over everywhere, everything, and

everybody.

The context reveals that this was part of a message given by

the Apostle Peter in the house of a centurion named Cornelius. At that

time, Jewish people and Gentiles didn't mingle and accepting the

other's dinner invitation was unheard of. So Peter had to explain what

was happening. Since Jesus is **Lord of All** , He's not the God of the

Jews only, but of everyone in the whole world. That meant that the

apostle felt compelled to leave his comfort zone and share the Savior

cross-culturally.

Christ is not just the Redeemer of white, middle-class

Americans, He came to seek and to save the lost no matter where they

live. Arabs, Bedouins, China-men, Dutchmen, and Eskimos all need

to know the good news of sins forgiven and eternal life through faith

in Jesus. That's hard, because it is sooooo politically incorrect to

share Christianity with those that are obviously non-Christian.

We live at a time when Radical Islam makes no apologies

for trying to convert everyone to their religion through murder and

intimidation. I, therefore, shouldn't feel guilty or amiss for wanting to

win the world with the love of Christ who is **Lord of All**.

**«** November 10 **»**

Firstfruits

But now Christ is risen from the dead, _and_ has become

the **firstfruits** of those who have fallen asleep.

_1 Corinthians 15:20_

I really enjoy growing a garden and I'm not really sure even

why. Most years, my actual harvest is miserable and the other years I get

nothing at all. I've had my garden trampled down by boys playing hide-

and-go-seek at night and normal 110 degree Kansas summers are very

hard on vegetables. When I do get a tomato plant to flower and produce

fruit, I do everything I can to see that it reaches maturity. I go out every

day and watch the tiny ball slowly getting bigger, then finally turn pink. I

know that soon and very soon, I'll be able to pick and eat that very first

tomato. I don't even like tomatoes that much, but it is more than the

realization of my work, time, and anticipation that results in a harvest of

satisfaction. It's the joy of seeing fruitfulness.

Over the years, I've been able to strike terror in the hearts of my

sons, so they know that the very first red tomato is Papa's. They can have

any and all of the rest, but that first fruit is mine.

When God brought the children of Israel into the Promised

Land, He made it very clear to them that the Land was His. They could

use and enjoy it, but they were to bring Him an offering of the **first-**

**fruits** every year. God gave them the land, the rain, and the increase, so

the first part of every harvest was God's.

It was an act of faith to give God the **firstfruits,** because once

given, there was no guarantee that the rest of the crop would be harvest-

ed. A hail storm or plague of locusts could destroy all the rest. However,

obedience was the best guarantee of God's blessing and to not give God

His portion was stealing from the Almighty.

Jesus is the **Firstfruits** of those who would be resurrected from

the dead. Christ is dedicated to God and serves as a harbinger (promise

of good things to come) for believers who are awaiting the resurrection

from the dead and eternal life.

**«** November 11 **»**

Stronghold

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my

strength, in whom I will trust;my shield and the horn of my salvation,

my **stronghold**.

_Psalm 18:2_

King David was a man of war, so at times entire armies were out to

get him. However, he felt safety and security in the LORD. The many titles

above showcase the defensive nature of God to protect and comfort His

people. The shepherd-king felt strong, even invincible, knowing the Lord

was his **stronghold**.

During the middle ages, **stronghold** s actually became an offensive

weapon with the development of castles. If a nation wished to invade

another, they would often build a fortress deep into enemy territory at some

strategic crossroad or elevated checkpoint. Since fewer soldiers were needed

to defend a **stronghold** than to attack it, the invaders could build two or three

new castles while the enemy was busy with men and material besieging the

first. Little by little a nation would be overrun.

Satan builds **strongholds** of sin in the minds of men and women.

Even Christians feel the effect of this evil influence that only becomes

stronger the longer it is permitted to remain. The devil has many blueprints

of internal fortresses of influence, just to mention a few: fear, anxiety, sexual

impurity, addictions, bitterness, and deceit.

Only Christ has power enough to demolish them. "For the

weapons of our warfare _are_ not carnal but mighty in God for pulling

down **strongholds** ( _2 Corinthians 10:4_ ). Believers are given arms and armor

to engage in spiritual warfare such as the word of God, faith, the gospel,

truth, prayer, and assurance of Salvation. But more importantly than

anything else, Christians must feel the comfort and security of their own

strong tower.

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the believer's fortress and rock in

time of trouble. Church and Christian fellowship are certainly helpful but it's

only the Savior that will make the devil flee ( _James 4:7_ ). The LORD _is_ good, a **stronghold** in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him."

( _Nahum 1:7_ ).

**«** November 12 **»**

Stone which the

Builders Rejected

The **stone which the builders rejected** has become the chief cornerstone.

_Psalm 118:22*_

Builders are professionals who make their living putting houses and

other structures together, so they are confident in their abilities and know-

how. Once a contractor has built over one hundred homes, an architect's

blueprint can tend to be treated more like a guideline rather than a rigid plan

of action. Some new innovation or out of the ordinary design might be

overlooked or even rejected outright.

When Christ began His public ministry, the religious establishment

of His day was well entrenched. They built the spiritual temple of God in the

minds and lives of the Jewish people by using their own tradition and

interpretations for mortar. The Lord Jesus challenged the status quo, and

those in charge felt threatened. The rabbi from Nazareth was first ignored

and then criticized; they debated and than threatened Him. When that didn't

make Him go away, they conspired to murder Him by falsely accusing Him

of a capital crime. However, even after His death, He didn't go away. Christ

rose from the grave and became the **Stone which the Builders Rejected**.

This was certainly part of God's plan all along to build a new

spiritual temple made up of both Jews and Gentiles that are bonded together

with the cement of grace and truth. Those religious master builders rejected

and cast aside the most important piece of God's design for the salvation of

Adam's race.

Among my collection of science toys is a set of 25 hardwood blocks

that demonstrate the principle of the Roman arch. When properly assembled,

it makes a bridge that can hold the weight of a 200 lb. man. There are six

different shapes in the model but only one stands out as unique from the rest:

the keystone, which is shaped like a "home plate" in baseball. When the

piece is put in its proper place, it becomes an architectural marvel. When

taken away, everything falls apart, because it becomes the **Stone which the**

**Builders Rejected**.

_*see also Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7_

**«** November 13 **»**

Surety of a Better

Covenant

By so much more Jesus has become a **surety of a better covenant**.

_Hebrews 7:22_

Better" is a key word in understanding the Epistle to the

Hebrews. Although the words appear a total of 34 times in ten different

New Testament books, it occurs 13 times in 12 verses in Hebrews. Here,

Christ is presented as better than the angels and offers us a better hope,

better promises, a better sacrifice, and a better resurrection. The Savior is

also a **surety of a better covenant** , whatever that means.

Let's start with a better known word, covenant. The idea is an

agreement or contract. The Old Testament was a pact between God and

the descendants of Israel. In the arrangement, God would provide a land

for their inheritance, protect them from their enemies, and bless them

with prosperity. The Jewish people, for their part, promised to obey

God's law and worship Him at a designated place. However, in the end,

they refused to do their part, so the whole agreement broke down.

That's when Christ came offering a better covenant based on

better promises. This new deal was for everyone, not just the Jewish

people. It allowed God to unilaterally take care of the sin problem by

transforming the sinner into a child of God with changed actions and

attitudes. All people had to do was believe that Christ conquered sin by

dying on the cross. They needed to sign the contract by agreeing with

God that what He said was true.

Now comes the part that few people understand. Jesus is

the **Surety of a Better Covenant**. He's the guarantee that the deal is

going to go through. He's the signing bonus, the proof that everything in

the rest of the contract (i.e. eternal life, home in heaven, spiritual

blessing, etc.) will be honored. The Savior already died on the cross for

mankind's sin; that was the hard part; all the rest is easy by comparison.

"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how

shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" ( _Romans 8:32_ ).

Christ is faithful and true, because He is the **Surety of a Better**

**Covenant**.

**«** November 14 **»**

Stone Cut Out

Without Hands

You watched while a **stone was cut out without hands** , which struck the

image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.

_Daniel 2:34_

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon struck terror in the hearts of his

subjects and all those in the neighboring countries around him. His word was

law and his laws weren't always rational. One night the king had a disturbing

dream, but by morning he couldn't remember a thing, so he called all his

wise men and magicians. "You guys are supposed to be smart," Nebu said,

"Tell me what my dream was!"

When no one in the national think tank could do what the king

commanded, he went into a rage and ordered the execution of all his

advisers. A young, Jewish captive, named Daniel, had just started interning

for the wise men when he found out that he was also scheduled to die.

Concerned about his future, Daniel asked God to fill him in on the dream, so

that night, the Lord gave him the same vision as He gave to the king.

Daniel then related to Nebuchadnezzar what he saw in his dream.

There was a huge statue made with parts of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and

clay, but an even greater **stone cut out without hands** fell from heaven and

ground down the awesome image into powder.

The king also heard the interpretation of the dream. Babylon was

the golden head of the statue, which meant it was the richest and greatest.

Lesser kingdoms would follow one after another and each would have less

glory than the one it replaced. The young eunuch then explained the

pulverizing stone: "Inasmuch as you saw that the **stone was cut out** of the

mountain **without hands** , and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the

clay, the silver, and the gold [---] the great God has made known to the king

what will come to pass after this" ( _Daniel 2:45_ ). All the great empires of the world will come to nothing by the power of God.

Egypt once ruled the world. now it's a big sand box. Babylon the

Great lies desolate and uninhabited in the desert. Greece is bankrupt, Rome

is a tourist trap, and the Soviet Union has ceased to exist. Even the greatness

and power of the United Sates is waning in the shadow of the **Stone cut out**

**without hands** , the Lord Jesus Christ.

**«** November 15 **»**

Horn of Salvation

And has raised up a **horn of salvation** for us in the house of His

servant David.

_Luke 1:69_

The day John the Baptist was born, God gave his father,

Zacharias the priest, a special prophesy that not only related to his son

being chosen by God to be a "prophet of the highest" ( _Luke 1:76_ ) but

also of the coming Messiah. Filled with the Holy Spirit, the old man

proclaimed that God had risen up the **Horn of Salvation** from the house

of David.

The horn of a bull or ox was a well-established symbol of power

in the Old Testament (see _Deuteronomy 33:17; 1 Samuel 2:10; Psalm_

_75:10_ ). The bronze altar had horns at its four corners representing God's

strength available in every direction. The false prophet Zedekiah made a

set of iron horns to convince King Ahab to attack Ramoth Gilead saying,

"Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for

himself; and he said, "Thus says the LORD: 'With these you shall gore the

Syrians until they are destroyed.'" ( _1 Kings 22:11_ ). Truly the object

lesson was impressive, but the message did not come from God, so Ahab

was killed in battle just as the true prophet, Micaiah, predicted.

King David twice called the LORD the "Horn" of his salvation

( _2 Samuel 22:3; Psalm 18:_ 2) because he realized that it was God who

gave him his victories and delivered him from his enemies. The **Horn of**

**Salvation** also refers to God's mighty power to save a soul from sin and

death and hell. Jesus, whose very name means Salvation, was God's

instrument for thrusting through and bringing down the stronghold of

Satan.

Salvation seems so easy from the human viewpoint, even a little

child can ask for and receive salvation. However, most people aren't

saved, because the enemies of God (the world, the flesh, and the devil)

set up obstacles to faith to prevent them from ever being saved. The good

news is that there is no force in the universe that can stand up to Jesus

Christ when they are gored with the **Horn of Salvation**.

**«** November 16 **»**

Alive Forevermore

I _am_ He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am **alive forevermore**.

Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

_Revelation 1:18_

I'm not really into computer games, but I do know people who

are addicted to them. One particularly dangerous game is Candy Crush.

The idea is that as candy appears on the screen, the good stuff is

collected with a flick of the thumb without touching poison; that will kill

you. But not to worry, you're given five lives.

Technically, the game is free. The iPad app is free, playing time

is free, and additional lives are free. The loophole comes in the fact that,

if someone loses his five lives, there is a waiting period of one half an

hour before he can get another life. Since lives come five at a time, that

means being offline two and one half hours. That seems like an awful

long time when a player is almost to the next level, so for just 99 cents

automatically billed to the credit card, the gaming addict can continue

without the distraction of returning to reality.

One man was billed $236 in one month for all those extra lives,

and another man literally ruptured a tendon in his thumb for playing

"Crush" non-stop for days at a time. (He needed surgery to regain use of

his hand). People will pay a lot to continue to live just a little longer in

their own fantasy world, but they always die again and again.

People would pay millions to get another physical life, if that

was for sale, but they would still just die again another day.

Jesus lives and was dead. But that's not the amazing part. He

conquered death, drained it of its power, and is **Alive Forevermore**.

If medical science could stop the aging process and find a cure

for every disease that exists, everyone would still die someday. The good

news is that true life is not found in our feeble bodies; it's found in our

souls and spirits. Christ came to this world to bring us life in abundance.

Eternal life begins now, gets better every day, and lasts forever. Even

when the body breaks down and is buried, we, through the Savior, can

be **alive forevermore**.

**«** November 17 **»**

True Bread from Heaven

Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did

not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you

the **true bread from heaven**.

_John 6:32_

Jesus fed 5,000 people one afternoon because the crowd that

came out to hear Him was hungry, and being the Creator, He had the

power to make bread from thin air. The miracle didn't go unnoticed

and many decided to follow their leader to cash in on the free lunch.

However, there was a problem; he was gone the next day and they

took hours to find Him on the other side of the lake.

They wanted lunch, but since Jesus was a preacher, they

would ask in a way that sounded spiritual: "Moses gave our ancestors

bread from heaven in the wilderness for 40 years," they said, "What

can you do?" Some in the group were ready to make Him their King,

if in fact He could provide them with a food entitlement program.

However, by the time they got there, the cafeteria was closed.

Christ began His answer to them by declaring Himself the **True**

**Bread from Heaven**. This was to distinguish Himself from the false

bread from heaven (i.e. the manna that the Israelites ate). It's doubtful

that God made the angels bake sweet bread every morning and then

beamd it down to the Sinai desert. Like most of God's miracles, there

may have been some natural explanation for it, but what they missed

was the true miracle of God's provision.

The miracle the crowd missed the day before was not baskets

of food in a barren place, but that the Creator came down from

heaven and stood in front of them, providing for their need. The

would-be Jesus groupies were hung up on the all-you-can-eat fish

sandwiches they had eaten a day earlier and were clueless to the fact

that they had before them the **True Bread from Heaven**. Jesus tried

to direct their attention to the more important spiritual truth, but all

they could think about was, "Feed us! Feed us!" That is so sad,

because they not only walked away hungry, they were spiritually lost.

**«** November 18 **»**

Lord of Sabaoth

Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you

kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached

the ears of the **Lord of Sabaoth.**

_James 5:4*_

The names of Christ can be a little confusing if you don't expend

some effort to figure it out. For instance, a lot of people think that the

title above is just another spelling for "Lord of the Sabbath" which is

found three times in the gospels. That is certainly not the case.

**Lord of Sabaoth** has its root in the Hebrew name for God,

Yahweh Tsebaoth, which was transliterated into the Greek and then into

English. An actual translation would be "Lord of Hosts" or "Lord

Almighty." This name emphasizes God's absolute power over everything

in both the physical and spiritual universe.

The verse above comes from a section where the apostle James

addresses rich believers in the church in very unflattering terms. When he

reaches the point where he brings up the fact that they are defrauding

their workers of their wages, He presents the Lord Jesus as the **Lord of**

**Sabaoth**. Instead of using a title of Christ that might invoke thoughts of

love and mercy, the apostle tries to show how serious the offence was.

The Lord of hosts, the Lord Almighty is hearing the cries of the workers;

they should consider this and tremble.

The only other reference to **Lord of Sabaoth** is found in

Romans 9: 29 where it is quoting Isaiah 1:9. That Old Testament verse

reads "Unless the LORD of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, We

would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like

Gomorrah."

Again the writer is trying to invoke the fear of God into the

reader. Sometimes even blood-bought Christians forget who the Lord

Jesus is. He is not only our Savior, Redeemer, and friend; He is the **Lord**

**of** **Sabaoth** , the Lord Almighty.

_*see also Romans 9:29_

**«** November 19 **»**

Lord of the Sabbath

Therefore the Son of Man is also **Lord of the Sabbath**."

_Mark 2:28*_

When the Lord's disciples passed a grain field on the Sabbath

day, some of His disciples plucked a few heads of grain and started to

eat. Actually, the corners of the fields were left unharvested for this very

purpose, but that didn't stop the fault-finders who were watching and

waiting for Jesus to make a misstep.

According to the Pharisees, the disciples broke the law, the

fourth commandment to be exact, and since these were the Rabbi's

followers, they said He was responsible for their behavior.

Jesus answered their theological argument by citing that even

David technically broke the law when he ate the showbread that was

meant only for priests to eat. God allowed David's action in order to

meet the greater human need of hunger. He then cited the principle "The

Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath" ( _Mark 2:27_ ).

The point was clear; God gave this day of rest so people wouldn't work

themselves to death, not to make hoops for them to jump through.

After winning the debate against these Ph.D.'s of the law, Christ

added that He was **Lord of the Sabbath**. That just added fuel to the fire

and they were more determined to bring Him down. This time they

planted a man with a withered hand in the synagogue to see if the Master

would heal him on the Sabbath.

Christ recognized the trap that was set for Him, but he went

straight to the invalid and said, "Stretch out your hand" ( _Mark 3:5_ ). The

man was healed, the Pharisees were furious, but the Lord proved He

really was the **Lord of the Sabbath**. His critics couldn't cure the man if

they tried every day for a full year, but Jesus restored the hand as good as

the other even though His critics disapproved.

When people blindly follow rules, they feel that they are better

than those who don't. Here, men with academic titles even felt superior

to the **Lord of the Sabbath**.

_*also Matthew 12:8 and Luke 6:5_

**«** November 20 **»**

God-Who-Forgives

You answered them, O LORD our God; You were to them **God-Who-**

**Forgives** , Though You took vengeance on their deeds.

_Psalm 99:8_

Although this is an Old Testament verse, **God-who-forgives** is

very clearly a title of Christ. Of the 98 times the word "forgive" appears

in scripture, only 43 of those are in the Old Testament. Sometimes the

Old Testament talks about one person forgiving another, such as in the

case of Joseph's brothers asking him to forgive them ( _Genesis 50:17_ ).

But most often it is used referring to the sin offering and temple sacrifice.

In these cases God's forgiveness seems very conditional: "...So the priest

shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him" ( _Leviticus_

_4:31_ ).

Of the 55 times that "forgive" occurs in the New Testament, 41

are directly the words of the Savior. Jesus put a tremendous emphasis on

forgiving and being forgiven. "For if you forgive men their trespasses,

your heavenly Father will also forgive you" ( _Matthew 6:14_ ).

The Son of God freely forgave those who came to Him. "When

Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer;

your sins are forgiven you" ( _Matthew 9:2_ ). Regarding the sinful woman

who came in the Pharisee's house to wash the Lord's feet, He said

concerning her, "Therefore I say to you, her sins, which _are_ many, are

forgiven, for she loved much" ( _Luke 7:47_ ).

The gospel of Christ Jesus is the message of the **God-Who-**

**Forgives**. Paul certainly preached it: "And be kind to one another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you"

( _Ephesians 4:32_ ). "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and

conveyed _us_ into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have

redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" ( _Col.1:13-14_ ).

The Apostle John also preached it: "If we confess our sins, He is

faithful and just to forgive us _our_ sins and to cleanse us from all

unrighteousness" ( _1 John 1:9_ ), because Jesus is the **God-Who-Forgives**.

**«** November 21 **»**

Before All Things

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. And

He is **before all things** , and in Him all things consist.

_Colossians 1:15,17_

Big things, little things, fat things, skinny things, things that

wiggle and squirm; the Lord Jesus made them all. Whether by chrono-

logical order or by importance, Christ is before them all.

How did God work up to creating a universe from nothing? Did

He start with an atom or a star? Since neither existed before creation, the

LORD might have started with the idea and then applied the physics. But

gravity and laws of physics didn't exist either, so maybe He invented

those first. Did He make a rough draft of the solar systems or did he

experiment with gravity to get the mass to distance ratio just right?

One thing for sure, He had plenty of time to work get it right.

Eternity before creation is just as long as "forevermore" will be after the

earth melts with a fervent heat.

Before the universe began, God created the angels and heavenly

host, as well as establishing His eternal throne. Lucifer and a band of

renegade angels rebelled against the Almighty and they were cast out of

heaven. Oh yes, there's at least one other thing that happened **before all**

**things** , my name was written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Thank you,

Jesus.

As firstborn over all creation, Christ was there **before all**

**things** were made. "All things were created through Him and for Him"

( _Colossians 1:16_ ). He assembled the atoms and in Him "all things hold

together" ( _Colossians 1:17 NIV_ ).

As the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings and Lord of

lords, Jesus outranks everyone. It doesn't matter whether it's a president

or pope, seraph or cherub, principality or archangel, God the Son is **be-**

**fore all things**. It doesn't matter what that something is. It can be life or

death, angels or principalities or powers, things present or things to

come, height or depth or any created thing ( _Romans 8:38-39_ ): The Lord

Jesus is **before all things**.

**«** November 22 **»**

Forerunner

Where the **forerunner** has entered for us, _even_ Jesus, having

become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

_Hebrews 6:20_

The word " **Forerunner** " brings to mind images of the Ford

Model-T or the Commodore computer. They were cutting edge inno-

vations in their day, but gave rise to bigger and better things. That is

certainly not the case in today's title.

A better definition is the one who goes on before to prepare

the way for others to follow. Christ has paved the way for His church

in many ways. He is the Firstfruits, the Firstborn over all creation, and

a Guide even to Death. In each case, the Lord Jesus has gone before

His people to pioneer the way for them.

In the verse above, Christ became our **Forerunner** in His

capacity of High Priest. Since we have both the nature and practice of

sinners, we are in no way ready to come into the presence of a Holy

God. He is a Consuming Fire ( _Hebrews 12:29_ ), so we would not even

come close to Him, much less have fellowship with the Almighty. As

"Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek", He atones for

our sins, makes the substitutionary offering, and intercedes for us.

None of these things could we do for ourselves.

The Savior got everything ready for us to go to heaven. He

gave us citizenship in heaven by taking our sinful nature and making

us holy even as He is holy ( _1 Peter 1:16_ ). He went to Mount Calvary

and offered Himself as Propitiation, so our debt of sin could be paid

( _Hebrews 2:17_ ). As Great High Priest, Jesus has passed through the

heavens ahead of us to intercede for us, knowing full well our

weaknesses, and then allows us to approach the throne of grace boldly

to obtain mercy in time of need ( _Hebrews 4:14-16_ ).

Alexander Pope was first to coin the phrase "fools rush in

where angels fear to tread." If that's the case, then a wise man is one

who follows Christ Jesus as his **Forerunner**.

**«** November 23 **»**

Firstborn over All

Creation

He is the image of the invisible God, the **firstborn over all creation**.

_Colossians 1:15_

Long, long ago... there wasn't even a galaxy far, far away. There

was nothing as we know it now, not a planet, not a star, not a constel-

lation. But there was God and He had His own separate dimension filled

with Living Creatures, Cherubim, Seraphim, and a whole host of angels.

There was a celestial city where the throne of God was placed, but no-

thing more than that has been revealed.

At the starting point of time, God invented visible light and

probably the whole electromagnetic spectrum with radio waves, X-

waves, and gamma radiation. Our universe then officially started. The

Creator went on to make solids, liquids, and gases _and_ formed them in a

myriad of ways, making galaxies and nebuli. He must have had fun

making whole new worlds, because He made so many.

The Almighty is not matter or energy, but He played with them.

Often when He approached His creation on earth He would dress

Himself in light and people would refer to that as the Glory of the LORD.

After designing and constructing the male human prototype and his

female companion model, God put on physical form so He could walk

and talk with mankind.

God was never created and Jesus was over all Creation long 
before He was born in Bethlehem. The title Firstborn refers to

chronological order. By Christ "all things were created that are in heaven

and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions

or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for

Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist" ( _Colos-_

_sians 1:16-17_ ). In short, the Son of God is the **Firstborn of all Creation**.

False witnesses try to confuse Christians by saying that this title

means that Jesus was the first creature God created. Nothing can be

further from the truth, because the Lord Jesus is God. His deity is

obvious when the whole section is read in context ( _Colossians 1:9-18_ )

and the conclusion is "that in all things He may have the preeminence."

**«** November 24 **»**

Glory of the Lord

The **glory of the LORD** shall be revealed, And all flesh shall

see _it_ together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

_Isaiah 40:5*_

God is Spirit and therefore He's invisible to His human creation.

However, the presence of the Almighty was both seen and felt as the

"appearance of fire" ( _Ezekiel 1:27_ ). When Ezekiel was called to be a

prophet, he had an encounter with living creatures that brought him to the

throne of God. He saw a man on the throne with "the appearance of the

brightness all around it. This _was_ the appearance of the likeness of

the **glory of the LORD** " ( _Ezekiel 1:28_ ). Here the pre-incarnate Christ is

revealed.

The Prophet Ezekiel uses this title more than any other book

written in the Bible (nine times). His vision of the man on the throne of

God in chapters 1 and 8 parallels the vision of the Apostle John in

Revelation chapter 1 of the glorified Savior. In both cases, His thighs and

feet looked like glowing metal and His face shone brightly. The one

called the **Glory of the LORD** and the Son of God are one and the same.

The **Glory of the LORD** did not always have the appearance of a

man but just having a visible presence qualifies Him as the second

person of the Trinity. The **Glory of the LORD** rested on Mount Sinai

( _Exodus 24:16_ ), filled both the Tabernacle and the Temple ( _Exodus_

_40:35; 1 Kings 8:11_ ) and seen by the shepherds the day Christ was born

in Bethlehem ( _Luke 2:9_ ).

For most of His life, Jesus' glory was hidden from view of

everyone but the Father, but it did burst out at the Transfiguration: "and

He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His

clothes became as white as the light" ( _Matthew 17:2_ ). Peter described

that scene by saying "We [...] were eyewitnesses of His majesty (2 Peter

1:16). The Apostle Paul wasn't with the others to see the glorified Christ

on the mountain, but he saw Him with the eyes of faith; "But we all, with

unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the **glory of the Lord** , are being

transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit

of the Lord" ( _2 Corinthians 3:18_ ).

_*see all Isaiah 35:2; 60:1 and also 34 other verses_

__**«** November 25 **»**

Deliverer

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my **deliverer**...

_Psalm 18:2*_

Cowboys, such a big part of my childhood in the 1950's, have

almost disappeared from the American entertainment culture. If I mention

such cowboy icons as Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and Hoppalong Cassidy to a

young person today, I just get stares. Back then, television and movies were

all family oriented and all the best programs were westerns.

One theme that I've seen repeated many times in "cowboy pictures"

is the last minute rescue by the army. Story lines would vary slightly, but

towards the end of the episode, the hero with a small band of companions

would be surrounded and outnumbered 100 to 1 by a tribe of renegade

Indians. When things were hopeless and the movie star had only two bullets

in his gun, you'd hear a bugle call and hundreds of blue-shirted soldiers

would ride over the hill on their horses to save the day. That led to the

expression "Here comes the cavalry!" which was commonly used to apply to

any unexpected solution to a difficult problem.

King David was a warrior and he could defend himself well from

the top of a mighty rock or a strong fortress, but he also knew that sometimes

the battle became so overwhelming that the only thing that could help was

reinforcements. God was not only David's strength and shield, He was

his **Deliverer**.

Life gets rough and often nothing seems to go right. Smart people

have insurance policies for those hard times. However, experienced people

also know that sometimes even the best contingency plans don't work and

things can still continue to fall apart. It's at those times you feel helpless and

say "Lord, please help me out of this mess! --Just one more time!" The only

thing that can turn hopelessness around is a **Deliverer**.

The Apostle Paul was referring to Christ while he was quoting from

the Old Testament: "The **Deliverer** will come out of Zion, And He will turn

away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I

take away their sins _"_ _(Romans 11:26,27_ ). When troubles look their darkest, we can cry out to God and Jesus will come charging down from heaven to

deliver us one more time.

_*see also Psalm 40:17, 70:5, 144:2 plus five other verses_

**«** November 26 **»**

Fairer than Men

You are **fairer than** the sons of **men** ; grace is poured upon Your lips;

therefore God has blessed You forever.

_Psalm 45:2_

This somewhat obscure title comes from a glorious Messianic

Psalm full of the names of Christ. Monikers like "King," "Mighty One,"

"Majesty," and "Anointed" clearly establish that, in context, this title,

refers to the Son of God. Now, the job is to understand what it means.

The phrase " **fairer than men** " refers to physical attractiveness.

Other translations render this: "You are the most excellent of men"(NIV),

"You are the most handsome of all" (NLT), and "Thou art beautiful

above the sons of men" (Douay). That is an interesting concept, because

the Bible also says, " _There is_ no beauty that we should desire Him. He is

despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with

grief. And we hid, as it were, _our_ faces from Him; He was despised, and

we did not esteem Him" ( _Isaiah 53:2,3_ ).

Jesus was torn up after the crucifixion. His face was so beaten

and swollen that scripture says, "So His visage was marred more than

any man, And His form more than the sons of men" ( _Isaiah 52:14_ ). The

bottom line is it wasn't his facial features that attracted people to the

Lord, but His handsome character and the beauty of His love and grace.

Christ's lovely nature is the first level of interpretation. Now I'd

like to apply a rather "outside the box" application to the phrase " **fairer**

**than men**." I've often heard people complain that "life isn't fair" and

even "God isn't fair." That may be true in a lot of ways. Bad people often

exploit good people, the most qualified don't always get the job and

cancer afflicts both young and old. However, if God isn't fair, He's

certainly much **fairer than men**.

People tend to be nasty, vindictive, and unforgiving. They

remember wrongs done years ago and then bring them up just to hurt.

Jesus doesn't give us what we deserve. Praise the Lord!! We deserve

death and hell, but He gives us instead forgiveness, fellowship, and

healing of the soul. Thank God, Jesus isn't fair and yet, He is always

**Fairer than Men**.

**«** November 27 **»**

Our Hope

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our

Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, **our hope**.

_1 Timothy 1:1_

Words like automobiles seem to wear out and lose their value

over time. The modern definition of "hope" is very different from what it

used to mean when the Bible was being written. Today, the term conveys

wishful thinking, the desire for a certain thing to happen or wanting

circumstances to change. One could say "I hope I win the lottery" or

"Let's hope that no one is hurt in the tornado." People today hope for

things that have no guarantee and usually the odds are greatly against

getting what is hoped for.

Biblical hope is practically the opposite of contemporary hope,

because it's a sure thing. It is a feeling of trust based on the promises of

God and is the object of long term faith. True hope is extreme confidence

that everything God said will happen, will happen. This hope allows a

Christian to remain strong in his faith, even though some promises are

not fulfilled in his lifetime.

"Not only _that,_ but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,

even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the

adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope,

but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he

sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for _it_ with

perseverance" ( _Romans 8:23-25_ ).

Jesus Christ is **Our Hope** and all His promises are good as gold.

Salvation from the power of sin and immediate self-destruction begins

now, but much of what we have to look forward to is future (i.e. home in

heaven, glorified body, beholding the glory of God, etc.). Jesus said that

there will be trials and persecutions and they certainly have come and

they give credence that the rest of His promises will also be fulfilled. If

Christ came to this world to die in our place, all the other promises are

not that hard for Him to perform ( _Romans 8:32_ ), so the Lord becomes

**Our Hope** of glory ( _Colossians 1:27_ ).

**«** November 28 **»**

Root of Jesse

And again, Isaiah says: _" There shall be a_ **root of Jesse** _;_ _And He who shall rise_ _to reign over the Gentiles,_ _In Him the Gentiles shall hope."_

_Romans 15:12_

When pioneers came to Kansas before the Civil War, they found a

treeless prairie with a rugged climate. Summer days often got 110 degrees in

the shade, making the ground as hard as rock and with only 20 inches of rain

each year, grass was the only thing that grew there.

Today, people have transformed portions of the state into lush

gardens and orchards, but to do this, ground water had to be pumped up for

vegetation and the soil enriched. Even so, the land has never forgotten its

roots. What it once was will return to being grasslands again, if the gardeners

ever stop their hard work.

Buffalo grass keeps creeping into cultivated areas and pushes out

the flowers and vegetables. The native grass sends out runners in all

directions and then puts in a 10 inch woody root that goes straight down. It's

not enough to pull out the grass from the garden, the root needs to come out

also. If some of that root breaks off below the surface, prairie grass will

come up again just a little later.

Isaiah 11:10 prophesies that the Messiah would come from the **Root**

**of Jesse** and that the Gentiles would seek Him. According to scripture, the

Messiah was David's son, but Jesse was David's father, making the LORD's

anointed from Jesse's root.

Not much is said about Jesse, but it is known that he had eight sons

and Samuel the prophet thought that each of them had king like

characteristics. Jesse must have been a good parent and role model because

he taught his children the fear of the LORD.

It's not directly mentioned in scripture, but there must have been

something in Jesse's life that reflected a desire to have the one true God

known by even the pagans. Apart from the genealogies of Jesus, the only

mention of him in the New Testament is in the title of Christ, **Root of Jesse** ,

who would reign over the Gentiles. Jesse raised up good sons for the glory of

God and out of that hearty root even descended the LORD of glory.

**«** November 29 **»**

Pierced (One)

And again another Scripture says, _"They shall look on Him whom_

_they_ **pierced** _."_

_John 19:37_

Being **pierced** with a sword or a spear is not a natural way to

die. Certainly in ancient times it was common during a war, but 2,000

years ago was the era of the "Pax Romana" (Roman peace). The

Roman empire had conquered all its enemies, so there was no more

war. Even criminals who were put to death by crucifixion died over a

period of several days or had their legs broken to speed up the

process. It was very unusual that Jesus of Nazareth was **pierced** with

a spear.

However, the prophet Zachariah foretold that the inhabitants

of Jerusalem would look on their Messiah "whom they **pierced** "

( _Zachariah 12:10_ ). King David prophesied similarly when he wrote

of Christ: "They **pierced** My hands and My feet" ( _Psalm 22:16_ ).

So why is this title important? Who cares if the Lord

was **pierced** or not? This name of Christ matters, because God saw fit

to give us the details of the Savior's death over 1,000 years before the

Savior died. It proved that God foreknew what was going to happen

and that Jesus wasn't victimized because he was in the wrong place at

the wrong time.

The Jewish leaders should have known scripture and seen the

manner of death of the LORD's Anointed. After the fact, they should

have repented in sackcloth and ashes, but instead they bribed the

guards to lie about the resurrection.

On the final Day of Judgment, all the Christ-rejecters that

ever lived will stand before the Great White Throne. As their

sentences are being read, they will see the hands and feet of

the **Pierced One** and begin to tremble.

**«** November 30 **»**

Lamb of God

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said,

"Behold! **The Lamb of God** who takes away the sin of the world!

_John 1:29*_

Levitical law allowed that if any of the common people sinned

unintentionally, he would be guilty. However, atonement could be made by

sacrificing a spotless lamb as a sin offering. The sinner would lay his hand

on the head of the animal and confess his sin before slaying it. He would

then hand it over to the priest to be burnt outside the community. Since most

families rarely had more than two or three dozen sheep, the economic impact

of such an offering would be clearly felt.

The legal requirements varied according to who made the offering.

A priest had to provide a young bull, a ruler a male goat. The very poor

could substitute a pair of pigeons as their sacrifice. In every case, two

principles always applied, no matter who brought the offering:

1. A sin offering without imperfections was necessary for all.

2. The cost would be significant for those who offered it.

If God was to provide the sin offering for fallen man, what could

He give that would fulfill the law? He is not poor. He owns the universe. He

could offer a million spotless lambs. If that were not enough, He could create

an additional million sheep in an instant and never suffer loss.

No, the only thing that could serve as God's lamb was His own

spotless Son. The expense was so great that the banks of heaven would have

broken if His life could indeed have been taken from them. The sacrifice was

so sinless that it is superfluous to think that a sin offering would ever need to

be made again.

_When we behold Thee, **Lamb of God** , _

_Beneath our sin's tremendous load;_

_Expiring on the accursed tree,_

_How great our guilt, with grief we see._

\- Mary Walker (1878)

_*see also John 1:36_

**«** December 1 **»**

Light that Shines

in a Dark Place

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you

do well to heed as a **light that shines in a dark place** , until

the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

_2 Peter 1:19_

The rain forest is big on bugs. Actually it's big on big bugs. I

have an insect collection from the jungle of Ecuador, and several of

the specimens are over three inches long. However, the granddaddy of

them all is the South American Cave spider that measures 16 inches

from the end of its feelers to its back legs.

The critter is terrible to behold. It looks more like a space

alien than something you'd find on Planet Earth. The spider itself

with its long legs is about six inches long, but it has long antennae

that help it to find its prey in total darkness. This specialized arachnid

is totally blind, but then, it eats albino crickets that are also sightless.

When an insect trips one of the feelers, the spider springs on it and

catches it in big, bear-trap-like claws that contain long, sharp spines.

Normal people never see this species of spider because it is

only found far from civilization, veiled in thick darkness. They won't

come to you, so you need to go down into a cave to find them and

bring with you a **light that shines in a dark place**. Most of these

cave-dwellers go through their whole lives without even encountering

light, because they are creatures of complete darkness.

The Savior came to a world that was enveloped in spiritual

blackness. When the baby Jesus was born, the glory of the Lord

turned the darkness of midnight into the brightness of noonday. The

ministry of the Lord healed those who were physically blind and

enlightened those who spiritually were unable to see. Christ was the

**Light that Shines in a Dark Place** , **** and many demanded that He die

because they did not want His light to reveal the blackness of their

souls. "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the

world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds

were evil" ( _John 3:19_ ).

**«** December 2 **»**

Captain of Salvation

For it was fitting for Him, for whom _are_ all things and by

whom _are_ all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make

the **captain of their salvation** perfect through sufferings.

_Hebrews 2:10_

For those who are not into comic books, there are lots of

superheroes out there. There is Captain America, but there are also

Captain Britain, Captain Canuc, and Captain Universe. You can even

find Captain Atom, Captain Comet, Captain Video, and Captain

Marvel (a.k.a. Shazam). Calvin and Hobbs also had their own

superhero (Captain Napalm). Now we add to the list one more: The

**Captain of Salvation**. The only difference between this one and all

the others is that this superhero is real and the rest are pretend.

The Lord Jesus is a superhero in His own right. He conquered

the power of sin and death and hell by dying and then rising again

from the dead. He defeated His arch villain, Lucifer, crushing his

demonic army. The **Captain of Salvation** proclaimed His power

before beginning His first adventure: "The Spirit of the LORD is

upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the

poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty

to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty

those who are oppressed" ( _Luke 4:18_ ).

No one else can do what the Savior has already done "Nor is

there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven

given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). "Much

more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved

from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were

reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having

been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." (Romans 5:9,10).

Who is this guy who single-handedly rescues people from the

penalty of sin? He is the **Captain of Salvation**.

**«** December 3 **»**

Immanuel

_"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they_

_shall call His name **Immanuel** ," _ which is translated, "God with us."

_Matthew 1:23*_

Getting three wishes granted is the stuff fairy tales are made of.

However, in the real world, only two men since time began were given the

opportunity to have anything they wanted, and they had only one chance to

get it right.

Solomon was the first and he requested wisdom. This choice so

pleased God that the king also received power, long life, and fabulous

wealth. The second didn't expect much from God, so He turned down the

offer altogether.

The year was 753 B.C. and the political situation in Jerusalem was

desperate. The armies of Syria and Northern Israel had just made an alliance

to invade and conquer Judah. Just as there seemed no way out of a bad

situation, God sent Isaiah to the unbelieving King Ahaz with very good

news. The threatened attack would never take place. In fact, the powerful

Northern enemy would itself cease to exist in 65 years. To show the certainty

of deliverance, Isaiah told the King that the Lord would do any miracle he

desired ( _Isaiah 7:1-14_ ).

"No don't bother, I won't ask," was Ahaz's response.

"Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign," the prophet

declared, " **Immanuel** will come."

It was the greatest thing that anyone could ever wish for. **Immanuel**

means, "God with us," and that meant the distance between man and his

Creator would be gone forever. Born of a virgin, the God-man would be

totally unique and would come bringing deliverance for all people.

The sad thing was that Ahaz lost in every way. He never got his

heart's desire, and he never saw God's promise. Because of spiritual apathy,

even people today pass up life's most wonderful opportunity. They miss

knowing **Immanuel** and the deliverance he offers from destruction.

_*See also Isaiah 7:14, 8:8_

**«** December 4 **»**

Man Who is My

Companion

"Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against **the Man who is**

**My Companion** ," says the LORD of hosts. "Strike the Shepherd, and the

sheep will be scattered; then I will turn My hand against the little ones."

_Zechariah 13:7_

The night that the Lord Jesus was betrayed, He quoted the verse

above on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane ( _Matthew 26:31)_. The urgent

message that He needed to tell His disciples was that within hours, their

Shepherd would be taken and all of them would be scattered. Obviously, this

was the fulfillment of a Messianic prophesy, but hidden in this Old

Testament verse is another title of Christ: " **the Man who is My**

**Companion**." ****

In context, the Shepherd knew His sheep, but was also a companion

of the Lord of Hosts. Other descriptive titles of Christ are much better

known: For example, Son of God, Servant of God, and Glory of God. These

names emphasize the Lord's deity and are a stark contrast to simply being a

companion.

There is more to this title than initially meets the eye. The emphasis

here is the humanity of Christ. The Savior's equality with God

( _Philippians 2:6_ ) is unquestionable. He is the God/Man who came to restore

fellowship with His estranged creation. He reached out to multitudes, but He

established a true bond of friendship with twelve special men. Jesus was

more than just a rabbi, teacher, and shepherd to his disciples; He was a

companion.

Christ not only taught the apostles things about God, but also

demonstrated a relationship with God that was hard to even imagine. Clearly,

Jesus was the companion of the Almighty, and both the Father and the Son

delighted in the relationship. The Lord would be alone for hours communing

with God and the disciples also experienced the reality of this relationship.

When Christ died on the cross, He reconciled the world to Himself.

He restored the broken communications and communion with God, and He

allowed former enemies to become friends.

The bottom line is this: The Lord Jesus Christ is not only my God

and Savior, He is **the Man who is my companion**.

**«** December 5 **»**

Head of the Body

And He is the **head of the body** , the church, who is the beginning, the

firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

_Colossians 1:18_

Heads are basic equipment on animal bodies. Fleas, microscopic

dust mites, and even earthworms all have heads, although they may be hard

to see. The head is the controlling force in all of God's creatures, great and

small. The head is connected to the various systems by way of nerves, so it

can regulate the heart, lungs, and muscles. Every second, millions of bits of

information are sent back and forth between the head and different parts of

the body.

The Lord Jesus is **head of the body** , the church. That certainly

means that He is in charge and over the church, but the title is also used to

show that the church is more like an organism (a living thing) than an

organization.

The human perspective views the church more in terms of the

structure and hierarchy of an institution. This concept was vividly illustrated

for me in a mural painted on the back wall of the Catholic cathedral in the

town of Baños in Ecuador, South America.

At the bottom of the fresco, a poor peasant farmer is seen holding a

rosary and kneeing before a priest. Behind him are much bigger beads of a

huge rosary that forms a circle around the enormous painting. The

background rosary connects the viewer's eyes from the priest to a bishop,

and from a bishop to a cardinal, and then to the pope. As the rosary beads

continue around, they connect to the saints and then to the Virgin Mary and

then finally to Jesus. Viewing this made me so sad, because the lesson being

taught was that there is a lot of bureaucracy needed to get to the Lord. But

the worst part was that, in portraying Christ at the end of the line, He looked

more like the tail than the head.

Our Savior is the **Head of the Body** so is connected directly to each

part. In my body, if my little finger is cut, a message is sent directly to the

brain. It doesn't go to the hand, then the wrist, then the arm, then to the

shoulder. The head is aware of what's happening all over the body and

coordinates the parts to work together.

**«** December 6 **»**

Him who Knew no Sin

For He made **Him who knew no sin** _to be_ sin for us,

that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

_2 Corinthians 5:21_

Babies sin because it's their nature. No one needs to teach

them how to lie, steal, or destroy; they are born with that ability. In

fact, one of my sons' first words was a lie. He had recently turned one

and still wasn't walking or talking, but he could crawl everywhere,

stand up on his own, and understand lots of words.

As my wife was cleaning one of the bedrooms, she noticed

that the house was strangely silent and the toddler was nowhere to be

seen. As she moved towards the kitchen, she called out, "Stephen, are

you touching the stove?"

There were very few "no-no's" in the house, but that was

definitely one of them. The one year old was defiantly touching the

stove and began looking around to see if mom was around. When he

couldn't see his mother, he assumed that she couldn't see him, so he

proudly answered, "No!"

The sin nature might raise a chuckle when seen in a small

child, but it gets very ugly very quickly, and it is not a condition that

cures itself. That old nature has to die and a new nature has to come in

to replace it if sin is to ever lose its power over us.

Christ never had that addiction to sin. He certainly knew what

sin was, but had no desire to do it. He was sinless by nature, so on the

cross he swapped rap sheets with humanity. He gave mankind a clean

slate and took on Himself trillions of terrible sins, which he paid for

with His death.

Coming to the Lord Jesus in faith means that sin's power over

sinners is broken. Those who were trapped in a habitual cycle of

self-destruction receive a new desire to live in God's will. They are

changed, all because of **Him who knew no sin**.

**«** December 7 **»**

Son of Mary

"Is this not the carpenter, the **Son of Mary** , and brother of James,

Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" So they

were offended at Him.

_Mark 6:3_

The folks in Christ's hometown of Nazareth resented Him and

that caused real attitude problems: "Who does he think he is anyhow?

He's just a common laborer, a woodworker. He doesn't come from a

good family. After all, he's Mary's son; he was born out of wedlock."

People back then and there were judgmental just like they are

today. They felt anyone who they labeled as "illegitimate" could never

obtain greatness much less do anything for God. Being the **Son of**

**Mary** meant "bad blood."

The self-righteous are never so wrong as when they convince

themselves that they are better than others. Mary descended from royalty

and could trace her bloodline back to David, and then even back to

Adam.

Jesus has two genealogies recorded in scripture. Matthew traces

Jesus' birthright through His adopted father, Joseph, who could have had

title to the throne of David if they were still doing that kind of thing at

that time. One big problem with this succession of legal heirs is that it

included King Jeconiah who was cursed by God in Jeremiah 22:24-28.

The prophet said that "Coniah" and his descendants would be cut off,

meaning that the Messiah could not come through Joseph. This presented

a prophetic contradiction for the Messiah. Only the miracle of the virgin

birth could solve this problem.

People assumed Jesus to be Joseph's son, but the genealogy of

Christ in Luke 3 is actually Mary's. She was a descendant of David, but

not of Jeconiah.

Christ had all the legal rights to the throne of David, because

Joseph adopted Him and made him his own. He also had to have a hu-

man blood line back to David, without being Coniah's relative. The King

of Kings was able to fulfill scripture, because He was the **Son of Mary**.

**«** December 8 **»**

Son of Joseph

And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the **son of Joseph** , whose father and

mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from

heaven'?"

_John 6:42*_

When talking about the inspired word of God, there is no such thing

as a coincidence. Christ was the step-son of a man named Joseph. It could

have been Judah, Hezekiah or Zebulon, but it wasn't. Jesus was the **son of**

**Joseph**.

Joseph never made a big deal about adopting Jesus. That would

have just stirred up more gossip and disparaging remarks about Mary. He

took Mary's son as his own, provided for Him and made Him his legal heir.

That's why everyone knew the man as Jesus of Nazareth, **Son of Joseph**.

There is another very important **Son of Joseph** that doesn't appear

in the Bible, but was written about by Jewish sages long before the New

Testament was written. Rabbis and scholars earnestly searched the scriptures

awaiting the Messiah and were perplexed at what seemed to be contradictory

descriptions of the Lord's anointed. Sometimes the Messiah appeared to be a

majestic, conquering King. Other times He was like a suffering servant.

Their conclusion was that two Messiahs must be coming.

For the sake of discussion, these two were labeled "Moshiach ben

David" and "Moshiach ben Yosef" ("Messiah, son of David" and

"Messiah, **son of Joseph** "). Although most awaited the Messiah that would

put an end to Roman domination, just as David conquered Israel's enemies,

it was clear in much of Old Testament prophecy that the Messiah would be

like the patriarch Joseph who delivered his people through suffering.

Portions of scripture such as Psalms 22 and Isaiah 53 were believed to refer

to the Messiah, **son of Joseph**.

So when the unbelieving residents of Galilee called Him the **Son of**

**Joseph** , they only confirmed what their rabbi's taught them would come of

the Messiah; "He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and

acquainted with grief"( _Isaiah 53:3_ ).

What the first century Jewish people didn't understand was that

there weren't two Messiahs coming, but one who would come twice. The

first time He came as Messiah, **Son of Joseph** to redeem mankind through

His suffering. At His second coming, He will cause all enemies of God to

bow the knee and He will bring the Davidic dynasty back to the throne.

**«** December 9 **»**

Great Light

The people who walked in darkness have seen a

**great light** ; Those who dwelt in the land of the

shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.

_Isaiah 9:2_

The Lord Jesus is not a candle in the night; He's a floodlight,

searchlight, beacon, lighthouse – **Great Light**. That's a lot of light,

because there's a lot of darkness out there. Since people stumble

around in the blackness and live under the shadow of death all their

lives, a lot of light is needed to take care of everybody's problems.

It's really surprising how often Christ is associated with light.

He is, after all, the brightness of God's glory ( _Hebrews 1:3_ ), the

Dayspring (Dawn) from on high ( _Luke 1:78_ ), and the Morning Star

( _Revelation 2:28_ ). Add to this that He is the Light that shines in a dark

place ( _2 Peter 1:19_ ) and three times in the book of Revelation it says

that the glorified Christ has eyes that are flames of fire. Yes, that's lots

of light.

Once, I was driving on a country road in the desert of New

Mexico when my oil light went on. Those were the days long before

cell phones and GPS. At that time, I had no clue which way to turn for

help. I knew I passed a town about twenty miles back, but I could see

the glow of something on the horizon. It was the city of Roswell

about ten miles ahead. Eventually a car passed me and I got help, but

the main point is that the distant city lights let me know where I was

and that I wasn't alone in the desert. I had seen a **great light**.

The verse above in Isaiah comes before the famous Christmas

verse about a Child being born and a Son being given. It gives the

context of why the Savior came to this world to redeem mankind. The

human race was lost, scared, and groping around in darkness. He

came to bring hope, direction, and a **Great Light**.

**«** December 10 **»**

Child

For unto us a **Child** is born, Unto us a Son is given...

_Isaiah 9:6_

Why was Jesus born as a baby and then made to go through

all the indignities of childhood? He really didn't have to come that

way. The second person of the Trinity appeared as a full grown man

on a number of occasions before He was the Babe of Bethlehem.

The pre-incarnate Christ manifested Himself to Joshua as the

Commander of the LORD's Army when He ordered Joshua to take off

his sandals because he was on holy ground. He appeared as the Angel

of the LORD to Samson's parents and then ascended to heaven in the

flames of the altar. Finally, the Son of God was seen in the fiery

furnace with Shadrach and crew, which shook up the king.

Being born in the way all humans are left the Messiah

vulnerable to His enemies. Satan urged King Herod to try to kill the

**child**. After Joseph, Jesus' stepfather, was warned by God in a dream,

"he arose, he took the young **child** and His mother by night and

departed for Egypt" ( _Matthew 2:14_ ). Jesus needed care and

protection.

Why, then, did He even have to become a **child**? It's because

Christ was the Heavenly Man, 100% God and 100% human. He

needed to be of the Seed of the Woman to fulfill prophesy

( _Genesis 3:15_ ), but He also needed to be a Man born of woman to be

able to share the human experience and understand our failings. As

our Great High Priest, He is able to empathize with humanity.

Being a **child** meant going to school, learning to read, doing

chores, and being obedient to His parents. At age twelve, Jesus was

able to astonish teachers, but most of His youth He spent subject to

the authorities around Him. Mary's son was an exceptional **Child,** but

He was a **Child** nonetheless.

**«** December 11 **»**

Son

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, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of

Peace.

_Isaiah 9:6_

**Son** – Now that's a title that Jesus shares with half the human

race. At first glance, it doesn't seem very important or noteworthy yet

the title is among many prestigious designations that Isaiah gives to

God's beloved **Son** ( _Matthew 3:17_ ).

It used to be that when a baby was going to be born, no one

knew if it would be a boy or a girl until the day it arrived. Predictions

were usually made, but they were right only about 50% of the time.

But this prophesy of the **Son** being "given" was not a prediction at all,

because Christ was "given" before the foundation of the world – long

before the prophet even penned this verse.

God chose to manifest Himself as "the **Son** " to His human

creation. "For to which of the angels did He ever say: 'You are

My **Son**. Today I have begotten You?' And again: 'I will be to Him a

Father, and He shall be to Me a **Son**?'" ( _Hebrews 1:5_ ). God didn't

reveal Himself as some sort of all-powerful, fear-inducing giant. He

came as a little baby – "a **Son** was given."

In a normal pregnancy, people wait nine months for the child

to be born. But the world had to wait a really long time for a spec-

ial **Son** – God's **Son**. The gestation period for Isaiah's prophesy was

seven centuries. Finally, the Heir of God came in the fullness of time

to accomplish redemption for humankind and to bring from Adam's

race, sons and daughters that would be joint heirs with Himself.

"Kiss the **Son** , lest He be angry and you perish in the way

when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put

their trust in Him" ( _Psalms 2:12_ ). Amen!

**«** December 12 **»**

Wonderful

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** ,

Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

_Isaiah 9:6_

This well-known "Christmas verse" contains seven important titles

of Christ, most of which are unique to this verse. Perhaps the most

**wonderful** of all is **Wonderful**. It's not just my opinion of Jesus; it is one of His names.

In a world where people pay top dollar for entertainment,

production studios spend hundreds of millions of dollars to produce

mediocre films. Plot and character development take a backseat to flash and

dazzle. Most movie-goers are bored if a film doesn't have lots of

pyrotechnics, sensuality, and computer-generated imagery. It takes an awful

lot to impress the average American nowadays.

These entertainment addicted individuals are usually turned off by

religion and totally uninterested in the Lord Jesus Christ. Such a pity. He

offers the excitement they seem to crave and can transform them in real and

meaningful ways. They don't know Him, and they don't know that He is

**Wonderful**.

All I can say to those who are addicted to stimulus and troubled by

reality is that I can get them an appointment with a Great Counselor who can

set them free from their vices. To those who think they're all alone in their

world, I'd like to introduce them to the Mighty God. To those who are afraid

to die, I'd like to show them the Everlasting Father, and to them who have

given up on world peace, I know the Prince of Peace. Jesus is all these things

and He is truly **Wonderful**!

_**Wonderful, Wonderful**_

_Jesus is to me_

_Counselor Prince of Peace_

_Mighty God is He_

_Saving me keeping me_

_From all sin and shame_

_**Wonderful i** s my Redeemer_

_Praise His name!_

\- Haldor Lillenas (1885-1959)

**«** December 13 **»**

Counselor

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 [...] **Counselor**...

_Isaiah 9:6_

As my boys grew up, I would tell them Bible stories of David

and his mighty men, hoping that this would encourage them to

become men of God. I wanted to get across the necessity of faith and

courage – or at least that's what I had in mind.

In eighth-grade English class, one of the boys was studying

heroes and was given a writing assignment to tell of something heroic

that he wanted to do. He began his paper, "I want to kill 1,000 men."

He went on to tell about standing up to great odds like David's mighty

men and doing what was right in the face of danger, but that didn't

matter. The teacher read the first sentence and then marched my boy

off to the guidance **counselor's** office. For the next five years, he had

to make regular visits there, even after moving on to high school.

Although the whole situation was misinterpreted, I do

understand it. There are a lot of mixed up people in our world today,

and **counselors** are there to help them work through those issues so

they don't self-destruct or hurt others. However, human **counselors**

are limited in how much real help they can offer. Those taking anger

management classes or addiction seminars usually repeat these

courses many times.

Jesus Christ is the great **Counselor** and can set people free

from the emotional pretzels they get twisted into. Grief, anger,

depression, drug and alcohol addictions, and doubt can produce

physical and emotional pain that robs people of joy and peace. Christ

came to this world to take away the burdens that weigh people down.

By coming to Jesus in prayer, people are able to cast all their cares

upon Him.

Everyone who is overloaded with anxiety can find help for

their souls in the heavenly **Counselor**. No appointment necessary.

**«** December 14 **»**

Mighty God

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 [...] **Mighty God...**

_Isaiah 9:6_

In order to be born as the little Child in Bethlehem, Christ had to lay

aside His glory and authority, but He never relinquished His titles. Lying in

the hay of the stable 2000 years ago was the **Mighty God**. Only the angels

really knew that for sure, but that's who He was.

Jeremiah was given insight into who He was 600 years before His

Advent: " _You_ show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of

the fathers into the bosom of their children after them [...] the Great, the

**Mighty God** , whose name _is_ the LORD of hosts" ( _Jeremiah 32:18_ ). Isn't that what Jesus is, love and judgment bound together in the person of the

**Mighty God**?

Over the years, the church has lost its focus on just how strong and

powerful our Savior really is. However, the Apostle Paul never lost sight of

who He was because He boldly declared, "I can do all things through Christ

who strengthens me" ( _Philippians 4:13_ ).

Our all-powerful Creator reworks broken lives. "...if anyone _is_ in

Christ, _he is_ a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things

have become new" ( _2 Corinthians 5:17_ ).

Christ and the gospel were such a great, unstoppable force in the

first century that pagan leaders lamented, "These who have turned the world

upside down have come here too" ( _Acts 17:6_ ). Opposed on every side by the

powerful enemies of God, Paul knew that the ultimate victory was the

Lord's. "For the weapons of our warfare _are_ not carnal but mighty in God for

pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that

exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into

captivity to the obedience of Christ" ( _2 Corinthians 10:4-5_ ).

The world still attacks Christ by attacking his followers, but there's

precious hope. _"'For Your sake we are killed all day long;We are accounted_

_as sheep for the slaughter.'_ Yet in all these things we are more than

conquerors through Him who loved us" ( _Romans 8:36,37_ ). We must never

lose sight of the fact that Jesus is the **Mighty God**.

**«** December 15 **»**

Everlasting Father

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, Counselor, Mighty God,

**Everlasting Father** , Prince of Peace.

_Isaiah 9:6_

" **Everlasting Father**." How strange that this should be a

title of Christ, yet the reference is indisputable. Well known and

often quoted at Christmas, Isaiah 9:6 not only foretells of the birth

of the "child," but it also gives a list of the names of God's "Son."

Although the doctrine of the Trinity is not always easy to

understand, it becomes a lot more complicated indeed if the Son is

called the Father or vice versa. Nowhere else in scripture is Jesus

referred to as a father. He had no offspring of his own, and

believers don't become children of Christ. Rather, He is the only

begotten of the Father, and through Him men and women are

adopted into God's family. As a result they become joint heirs with

the Son.

How then is Jesus Christ the " **Everlasting Father**?"

The key to understanding the phrase is actually on the

word "everlasting." In his translation of the Bible, J.N. Darby

renders the title "Father of Eternity," expressing the truth that

eternity originates with Christ. He is its source.

The Lord Jesus is the One who inhabits eternity

( _Isaiah 57:15_ ), and His goings forth are from everlasting

( _Micah 5:2_ ). Never having been created, the state of being eternal

is an attribute of Christ. He is therefore, fully capable of bestowing

eternal life to those He chooses.

**Everlasting Father** is clearly a title of deity, and the Lord

Jesus Christ owns it. There is nothing everlasting apart from Him.

« December 16 »

Prince of Peace

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 [.....] **Prince of Peace**.

_Isaiah 9:6_

Of all the single verse names of Christ, **Prince of Peace** is

probably the best known. It's seen frequently on Christmas cards, heard

in Handel's _Messiah_ and always found in lists of the titles of the Lord

Jesus. Most Americans have heard the title, but not everyone understands

what it means.

All around us are wars, rumors of wars, terrorism, and even

Christians tortured and killed for their faith. If you look at history it gets

worse. World history is nothing but a series of wars, oppression,

revolution, and civil unrest; church history focuses on the persecution of

the church and divisions between those who call themselves Christians.

An honest man would have to ask himself, "So where's the peace?"

On the global scale, the peace hasn't come yet. Our planet is the

battleground between the forces of holiness and the forces of evil;

between God's people and Satan's. They don't peacefully co-exist. Jesus

tried to explain this: "Do _you_ suppose that I came to give peace on earth?

I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one

house will be divided: three against two, and two against three" ( _Luke_

_12:51,52_ ).

However, on a personal level, things are totally different. Christ

told His followers: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not

as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled,

neither let it be afraid" ( _John 14:27_ ). The world's definition of peace is

the absence of conflict. How the **Prince of Peace** defines it is calmness

and the absence of fear in the midst of conflict.

When people get tired and desperate from the consequences of

sin and fighting against God, life seems hopeless even when things seem

to be going well. They want the peace that passes understanding which

only comes from the **Prince of Peace**.

« December 17 »

Ruler

"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 5:2_ *

When Herod the Great discovered that the wise men from the

East wanted to worship the newborn Jewish Messiah, he called up

Bible scholars to find out what prophecy had to say. The chief priests

and scribes knew that the Christ was to be born in "Bethlehem in the

Land of Judah" (Matthew 2:6).

There is no doubt that this passage refers to Jesus because it

is quoted in Matthew concerning His birth. There is also no question

that this verse is linked to the anointed of the LORD,because it states

that He was pre-existent before His birth in the stable, and even

before the prophesy was given somewhere around 700 B.C.

Like most visions of the future, this prophecy is a

two-dimensional snapshot of events with no depth of focus. Many

prophesies lack chronological order, and this one lumps both advents

of Christ in the same verse. The fact remains that the babe of

Bethlehem has not yet become the **Ruler** of Israel.

The promised Son of David who was supposed to re-establish

the throne in Israel never had the chance to reign. "He came to His

own, and His own did not receive Him (John 1:11). Even the chief

priests who handed over the Messiah to their Gentile overlords

declared, "We have no king but Caesar!" ( _John 19:15_ ).

All that will change in the twinkling of an eye. Jesus will

soon return with an army of angels to reclaim what was denied Him

almost two thousand years ago. He will be hailed not only as **Ruler** of

Israel but as king of the whole earth.

_*see also Matthew 2:6_

**«** December 18 **»**

Scepter

"I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star

shall come out of Jacob; A **Scepter** shall rise out of Israel,

And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult."

_Numbers 24:17*_

Ol' Balaam was a nasty guy; he sold knowledge of the true God

for a price and showed King Balak how to bring a curse on Israel through

seduction by the women of Moab. I really don't expect to see him in

heaven.

That having been said, he was still a prophet of the LORD, and he

spoke words that God gave him. God does that sometimes – reveals His

word and will to unbelievers. The Almighty gave dreams to both Pharaoh

and Nebuchadnezzar to reveal the future. Caiaphas plotted to crucify

Christ, but prophesied in his capacity DVhigh priest: "It is expedient for

us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation

should perish" ( _John 11:50_ ).

Balaam had the reputation that those whom he blessed were

blessed, and those whom he cursed were cursed. His words were

probably recorded, and they may be what clued the wise men into

searching the heavens for a star.

When that star did appear in the East, they recognized that the

**Scepter** would rise out of Israel, and they were ready to greet the King of

the Jews ( _Matthew 2:2_ ). Herod tried to destroy the Christ Child, but God

preserved Him. The king is long since dead and his dynasty eradicated,

which points out a part of the prophesy that is seldom mentioned.

This **Scepter** that would come out of Jacob would battle the bad

guys and destroy the evildoers. As the Righteous Judge, Christ will sit on

the Great White Throne and pronounce judgment on the proud and

powerful who reigned on earth. Righteousness will have its final victory

over "wrongteousness."

_*see also Hebrews 1:8_

**«** December 19 **»**

Salvation

"For my eyes have seen Your **salvation**..."

_Luke 2:30_

Simeon waited all his life for God's promised Messiah. He'd ask

God about it every day. "How long, O Lord, until your Anointed will come?"

"How long until we see the Consolation of Israel?" "Lord, will it be today?"

In these daily conversations, Simeon demonstrated a faith in God's

promises that was extremely rare in his day. He expected an answer from

God, so the Almighty didn't disappoint him. The Holy Spirit revealed to him

in a way as clear as any message received by Abraham or Daniel that he

would see the Messiah before he died. Simeon was encouraged; he was old

and ready to die. He wouldn't have to wait much longer.

God's timing is always perfect. Christ came at just the right moment

in human history, and He made sure that Simeon was in the right place at the

right time to be part of it. Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple

to be dedicated, and God's spirit made sure Simeon was there.

The Babe's Hebrew name was"Yeshua," which means " **Salvation**."

The old man picked up the baby and began to prophesy:

"Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According

to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your **salvation w** hich You have

prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to _bring_ revelation to the

Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel" ( _Luke 2:29-32_ ).

God not only kept His promise to Simeon to show him the Messiah,

but He even showed him the Savior of the World.

In this day and age, another of God's promises remains incomplete:

Christ's second coming. While the world mocks at this, and even some

Christians have given up waiting, a few devout and righteous believers still

ask, "Lord, is He coming today?"

God is waiting for just the right time so with their own eyes they

will see the revealing of God's **Salvation**.

**«**

December 20 **»**

Christ the Lord

For there is born to you this day in the city

of David a Savior, who is **Christ the Lord**.

_Luke 2:11_

There are two unusual facts about this title. The first is that it

occurs only once in scripture. The second is that it came from a

non-human source.

Lots of preachers and hymn writers use the phrase **Christ the**

**Lord**. That makes sense since it is a title combination of two of the

most common names of God's Son. In the Bible, it is only proclaimed

at the birth of the Savior.

This announcement of the Messiah's birth emphasized the

most significant event in human history, or in the history of the

universe, for that matter. God Almighty took on human form and even

experienced childbirth to be able to reach his fallen creation. It made

sense that the angel of the Lord would announce it backed up by a

great celestial chorus. The surprising thing was that those who heard

the news weren't the movers and shakers of the world, but poor, cold,

and frightened shepherds. The Who's Who of the world weren't

worthy to receive the announcement that proclaimed a name found

nowhere else in the Word of God.

The heavenly messenger proclaimed that **Christ the Lord**

was born. The first part acknowledged that God's anointed had finally

arrived. By calling Him "Lord," the angel acknowledged that He was

the boss and commander-in-chief of every angel present that day.

**Christ the Lord** is risen on high!

Sing ye heav'ns, and earth reply

He endured the cross, the grave,

Sinners to redeem and save.

\- Unknown

**«** December 21 **»**

High Tower

Blessed _be_ the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands

for war, _and_ my fingers for battle my lovingkindness

and my fortress, my **high tower** and my deliverer...

_Psalm 144:1,2_

"Fortress" titles are common in the Psalms of David. The

constant running for his life kept David's adrenaline flowing

and stress levels high. The only way that he could cope was to

remember that he was in God's will and God was in charge.

Since that was the case, David was safe; he could rest in his

**high tower**.

Medieval castles were built in stages. The very first part

to be constructed was the "keep." This was a very strong, very

tall central tower located in the middle of what would be the

castle complex. Once it was completed, work on the outer walls,

gates, inner buildings, and moat could begin. This **high tower**

allowed watchmen to see enemies coming from a distance, but

was also a stronghold of defense even before more complete

fortifications could be established.

Believers are able to rest in the Lord Jesus, just like

David was able to trust in the LORD. Jesus said: "Come to Me,

all _you_ who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"

(Matthew 11:28). The stress and crush of the opposition of the

world is manageable because the Lord Himself is a wall to keep

the enemies of God from bringing down Christ's servants.

Abiding in the will of God allows the child of God to

see sin approaching from far away. This gives us plenty of time

to avoid it, along with all the heartache that comes with it. In the

**High Tower** of Christ Jesus, the believer is elevated up and

above the fray of the commonplace so that heaven itself doesn't

feel like it's that far away.

**«** December 22 **»**

Sin Offering

If he brings a lamb as his **sin offering** , [...] Then he shall lay his

hand on the head of the **sin offering** , and kill it as a **sin offering** at

the place where they kill the burnt offering.

_Leviticus 4:32-33_

My memories of the special children's gospel meeting in the

1950s was that all the evangelists wore suits and ties and did "chalk

talks," where they drew pictures at the same time that they preached.

One vivid image that I still carry in my mind is a picture of little lamb

lying dead on an altar of stones. A small river of blood flowed down

the rocks and onto the ground below. The preacher used special chalk,

so when the chapel lights were turned off and the black light came on,

the drawing changed. In the background, we could see a cross, and at

the bottom of the paper, the words " **Sin Offering** " were written in red

as if they were formed from the blood of the lamb.

As a child, I thought that only lambs could be used for a **sin**

**offering.** Later, I found out that bulls, goats, and even pigeons could

be used, depending on who sinned (priests and leaders had to give

more costly sacrifices for their sins). Another thing I learned was that

this ceremony only covered unintentional sin ( _Leviticus 4:27_ ). If a

person sinned willfully and knew that he was breaking God's

command, no atonement or forgiveness was given.

Perhaps the most surprising thing I learned from studying

Leviticus 4 was that the sinner had to kill his own lamb; the priest

didn't do it for him. The person would put his hands on the head of

the animal and confess his sins before killing his sacrifice. This would

make "the wages of sin is death"( _Romans 6:23)_ real and show the

sinner clearly that a substitute was needed so he could live.

Jesus Christ is our wonderful **Sin Offering** who took away

our sins: Past, present, and future. He took away the sins we did

without thinking, as well as those done in purposeful rebellion. The

Savior died so that we might live. Jesus not only deserves a "thank

you"; He deserves our willing obedience.

**«** December 23 **»**

Shiloh

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a

lawgiver from between his feet, Until **Shiloh** comes;

And to Him _shall be_ the obedience of the people.

_Genesis 49:10_

This curious title of Christ is taken from Jacob's blessing of his

sons shortly before his death. In affirming Judah, the patriarch promises

that he'll give rise to the kingly tribe and that position will continue until

the coming of **Shiloh** , the peacegiver. Long before the coming of Christ,

ancient rabbis acknowledged that this single reference to **Shiloh** was a

messianic title.

The word, however, does appear repeatedly in the Old

Testament, but in a very different context. **Shiloh** was the resting place of

the tabernacle after the conquest of Canaan. Burnt offerings were given

there and Days of Atonement observed. However, the supposed place of

peace was given over to immorality and idolatry, so God cursed it

(Jeremiah 26:6). The destruction of **Shiloh** was so complete, that its

location was forgotten for about 2,500 years. It was rediscovered by

archaeologists in the 19thcentury, but that **Shiloh** never brought peace.

Since **Shiloh** is an unusual title of Christ, Christians considered

it an interesting name to give to their churches. The most famous of these

was the **Shiloh** Methodist Meeting House of Pittsburgh Landing,

Tennessee. For two days in April 1862, Union and Confederate troops

fought around the grounds of the little log cabin church. 24,000 men

were either killed or wounded in what was the most tragic battle fought

in the Civil War up to that date. That **Shiloh** also brought no peace.

When the true **Shiloh** came to His own people the first time, He

was rejected; His own wouldn't receive Him. The cried out for the

crucifixion of the Prince of Peace and refused to let Him rule over them.

At that point, the scepter and the lawgiver departed from Judah. The

Middle East has been without a peacegiver for two millennia. Israel, the

church, and the world still wait.

Even so, come Lord Jesus. Come **Shiloh** , come.

**«** December 24 **»**

Babe

And they came with haste and found Mary

and Joseph, and the **Babe** lying in a manger.

_Luke 2:16*_

When my family lived in Ecuador, S.A., Christmas was a big

deal, especially in the underdeveloped rural area where we lived.

There, the people were so poor that no one got presents, but each

school child in the country received a small bag of candy sent in from

the governor of each province. Christmas there was not December 25,

but whatever day the grade-schoolers had their program and the

goodie-bags were handed out.

In the jungle, the schools almost always presented a living

Nativity. An open-front thatched-roof hut was made with bamboo

poles. The stable was full of animals (chickens, turtles, monkeys,

iguanas, and dogs). School children played the roles of Mary, Joseph,

angels, wise men, and shepherds, and the school teachers surveyed

the parents to find a suitable "volunteer" for baby Jesus.

The **babe** that was chosen was usually a newborn wrapped in

swaddling. This not only served as a diaper, but the tightly wound

length of cloth made the infant feel secure so he'd sleep for hours.

The new candidate for baby Jesus was laid in a box of fresh banana

leaves, where he lay quietly until the commotion of the program was

over. He was supposed to be the main attraction of the day, but was

almost forgotten when candy was given out.

Bethlehem's **Babe** , too, **** is often overlooked with all the

distractions of the holiday season. The focus of Christmas day is

usually under the tree and not in the manger, where the Savior of the

World was laid, where the incarnate God was sleeping. Angels

announced Him as Christ the Lord and shepherds worshiped before

Him. He was Immanuel, God with us, in the body of a **Babe**.

_*see also Luke 2:12_

**«** December 25 **»**

Seed of the Woman

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise

your head, and you shall bruise His heel."

_Genesis 3:15_

The words above come from the LORD's curse on the

serpent after the fall of Man in the Garden of Eden. The identification

of the " **Seed of the Woman** " with Christ Jesus goes a long way back

to at least the teachings of Irenaeus, a second-century church father

and apologist. For centuries, it has been hailed as the earliest

reference to the Messiah in the Bible and is considered a legitimate

name of Christ.

The interpretation of God's pronouncement of judgment on

the Devil was that the Savior dealt a death blow to the "old serpent"

at Golgotha, the place of the skull. Satan's doom was sealed at that

point, even though when Jesus died as a substitute for sinful man, the

Devil stuck Him at His heel when His feet were nailed to the cross.

Christ rose from the dead and broke the evil one's claim over death.

Lucifer has not and will never recover from his defeat at Mount

Calvary.

It's important to note that victory over the devil came

through the **Seed of the Woman** and not the seed of man or Adam's

seed. Jesus was virgin-born, and so had no human father. He was

God's Son. In giving this very first recorded title of Christ, God

eliminated every other man born on earth.

Verily God, yet become truly human

Lower than angels – to die in our stead;

How hast Thou, long-promised " **Seed of the Woman** "

Trod on the serpent and bruised his head!

\- H. D'Arcy Champney (1854-1942)

**«** December 26 **»**

Fountain

For with You _is_ the **fountain** of life...

_Psalm 36:9_

Several years ago, one of my boys gave me a small, ceramic

**fountain** for Christmas. It was in the shape of a mountain scene, with

water moving from a top pond down a three-inch waterfall, into a second

pool, and dropping another short distance into a third little lake. The

sound of it was relaxing, so I kept it in the corner of my office and let it

run, non-stop. However, the work of recycling a pint of water hundreds

of times a day was too much for the little electric pump, so it burned out

within a year.

This experience made me appreciate the engineering of ancient

fountains that had no moving parts, operated using gravity, and kept

running for centuries. Some **fountains** in Athens and Corinth operate

from aqueducts and date back to the 6thCentury B.C. There is evidence

that the Sumerian culture had them as early as 2000 B.C.

David plainly understood the **fountain** principle of a well-spring

of water shooting up and giving life and energy. The prophet Zechariah

also used a **fountain** analogy to foreshadow the Messiah: "In that day a

**fountain** shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants

of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness" ( _Zechariah 13:1_ ). The image

presented is God's abundant, overflowing provision to cleanse His

people from the contamination of sin. This provision was made available

by Christ's sacrificed death on a cross.

In the New Testament, Jesus asked for a drink of water from a

Samaritan woman He met at the well in the town of Sychar. He explained

to her: "...Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever

drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water

that I shall give him will become in him a **fountain** of water springing up

into everlasting life" ( _John 4:13-14_ ).

Only Christ can satisfy and fill the thirsty soul, because He alone

is the **Fountain** of eternal life.

**«** December 27 **»**

God of Peace

The things which you learned and received and heard and

saw in me, these do, and the **God of peace** will be with you.

_Philippians 4:9*_

"The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard

your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" ( _Philippians 4:7_ ). To know the

peace of God is to know the Savior. He is the **God of Peace**.

The earliest mention of the coming **God of Peace** came in Jacob's

blessing of his son Judah. The patriarch foretold that: "The scepter shall not

depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh [i.e.

the peacemaker] comes" (Genesis 49:10).

The peace offering was one of the five main Old Testament

sacrifices offered to God. Everything about it is a type of the Lord Jesus.

This freewill offering was an animal chosen from the flock or herd that was

without defect and given to God as an act of worship. The offerer would

receive a portion of the meat while enjoying fellowship with God (see

_Leviticus 3:1-17_ ). The Lord gave Himself freely to bring peace to men.

700 years before the Babe was born in Bethlehem, Isaiah

prophesied: "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given [...] and His

name will be called [...] Prince of Peace" ( _Isaiah 9:6_ ). Then, when the actual

fulfillment took place, a huge chorus of angels sang to a small group of

frightened shepherds, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace,

goodwill toward men!" _(Luke 2:14_ ).

When Christ was in the upper room with His disciples, He made a

promise to them: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the

world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be

afraid" ( _John 14:27_ ).

The Prince of Peace is hailed as "Our Peace" in Ephesians 2:14

because He has broken down the barrier that divided the Jewish and Gentile

peoples. He is also the Lord of Peace who is with us always and

continuously grants us peace in every circumstance _(2 Thessalonians 3:16_ ).

Jesus came into this world to give peace to the troubled of heart and mind.

He is the **God of Peace**.

_*see also Romans 15:33, 16:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; and Hebrews 13:20_

**«** December 28 **»**

Only Begotten Son

For God so loved the world that He gave His **only begotten Son** ,

that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting

life.

_John 3:16_

**Only Begotten Son** – One of the better known titles of Christ

because it is used in the most-memorized verse of scripture. Actually,

it occurs only four times in the Bible and was penned only by the

Apostle John. Although the phrase is very familiar, what does it really

mean?

Early in church history, there were heretics who reasoned that

if Christ was begotten, he had a beginning, so He is something less

than the eternal God. There are plenty of people who believe this

today, and they're still wrong.

To try to correct this, the Nicene creed, written in AD 325,

tries to define "begotten." This early doctrinal statement declares

Christ to be "eternally begotten of the Father and "true God from true

God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father." This refuted

the heresy that Jesus was merely a "God Jr." or "God, the Sequel."

Rather, Christ was the eternal God joined in a human body.

The word in the Greek for only begotten is "monogenes,"

which can also be translated "sole" or "one and only." The idea here

is that Christ is unique. He wasn't one of many sons of God, but the

one and only Son. The Word becoming flesh, God manifested in

flesh, and **Only Begotten Son** are three ways of describing this

unique miracle of incarnation.

False teachers today do what they have been doing

throughout the centuries. They redefine terms, plug a new phrase back

into the verse, and try to make it say what it doesn't. John 3:16 means

exactly what we thought it did the first time we heard it and believed

it. God loves us and gives us eternal life through His **Only Begotten**

**Son**.

_*see also John 1:18, 3:18; 1 John 4:9_

**«** December 29 **»**

Lord God of

the Holy Prophets

Then he said to me, "These words _are_ faithful and true." And

the **Lord God of the holy prophets** sent His angel to show

His servants the things which must shortly take place.

_Revelation 22:6_

Old Testament prophecy is hard to get a handle on. It is often

disjointed, mixing the first and second comings of Christ in the same

chapter, and sometimes even in the same verse. It often gives visions and

allegories that aren't literal, so the actual meaning is unclear. After the

prophecy is fulfilled, though, it can finally be understood. These prophets

got glimpses of things they didn't understand, but preached it or wrote it

down, even though they were clueless to its meaning. They were given

the sacred responsibility of conveying God's word to His people, so they

blindly obeyed out of fear of the Awesome God they served.

Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the others saw

images of God that the rest of humanity wasn't privileged enough to see.

The experience was sometimes so terrifying that they'd fall to the ground

like dead men. In many of these cases, they were seeing the pre-incarnate

Christ. He is the **Lord God of the holy prophets**.

Now that much of the prophecy is fulfilled and the whole canon

of scripture is given, believers today have a much better understanding of

God, His Messiah, His will, and what is going on in Old Testament

prophesy, than even the prophets who wrote it. Although those seers were

very privileged in their day, above all their peers, the average,

run-of-the-mill believer who came during or after the life of Jesus of

Nazareth was blessed to a far greater degree. The Lord Himself told His

disciples: "...Blessed _are_ the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell

you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and

have not seen _it,_ and to hear what you hear, and have not heard _it_ "

( _Luke 10:23,24_ ).

In the last chapter of Revelation, the Apostle John is touring the

New Jerusalem at the end of time. All the promises and prophesies that

were ever written in God's word are now fulfilled, and Christ stands

before the holy men of God who were used to record scripture. He then

reveals Himself to them as the **Lord God of the Holy Prophets**.

**«** December 30 **»**

First and the Last

I am the Alpha and the Omega, _the_ Beginning and _the_ End, **the First**

**and the Last**.

_Revelation 22:13*_

It's not a coincidence that Jesus Christ calls Himself **the First**

**and the Last** in both the first and last chapters of Revelation. He is there

when things begin to exist and when things are all played out. As Creator

He made the physical worlds and started the clock ticking for the

universe. As Consuming Fire, He will melt the elements and be present

when time is no more.

These are bold statements which no one but God can claim for

Himself. This title claimed by the Savior is just one more proof of the

deity of Christ. It is surprisingly easy to present this argument to any

false religious witness that is in denial that Jesus is actually God manifest

in the flesh.

Isaiah 44:6 states, "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and

his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I _am_ **the First and I _am_** **the Last** ; Besides Me _there is_ no God." When the name LORD appears written in

all caps, the reference is to Jehovah God. He claims to be **the First and**

**the Last** and besides Him there is no God. This claim is repeated twice

more in Isaiah ( _Isaiah 41:4; 48:12_ ).

Logic makes clear that there can't be two firsts and two lasts.

One would have to yield to the other which leads to only one of three

possible explanations for interpreting these scriptures:

1.The Bible contradicts itself.

2. Either Jehovah or Jesus is lying.

3. Jehovah and Jesus are different names for the same person.

Since explanations 1 and 2 are obviously wrong, we are left with

a pretty clear proof of the deity of Christ. There can only be One who is

both **the First and the Last**.

_*See also Revelation 1:11_

**«** December 31 **»**

Index

C

Captain of Salvation.........December 3

Carpenter..............................April 13

A

Carpenter's Son.........................June 5

Chi-Rho.................................May 29

Advocate...........................April 18 Chief among Ten

Alive Forevermore....November 17

Thousand.........September 13

All in All............................ .June 6 Chief Cornerstone.....................April 2

Almighty (The).................July 14 Chief Shepherd..............September 17

Alpha and Omega..............May 22 Child...............................December 11

Altogether Lovely.......February 14 Chi-Rho.................................May 29

Amen (The)........................July 18 Chosen..............................January 17

Ancient of Days (The)........April 7 Christ......................................April 16

Angel of the Lord (The).......July 5 Christ Jesus...........................April 15

Anointed............................June 4 Christ of God....................February 29

Apostle/Sent One.........August 10 Christ Our Life...............September 12

Arm of the LORD (The)....July 13 Christ the Lord................December 21

Author of Eternal

Coming One..........................August 1

Salvation (The)....July 11 Commander of the

Author of Faith....................July 4

LORD's Army.............May 3

Awesome...........................June 26 Consolation of Israel.....September 19

B

Consuming Fire (A).................July 24

Counselor.....................December 14

Babe.........................December 25 Cover from the Tempest...February 11

Before all Things.....November 22 Creator..................................April 11

Beginning and the End...January 1 Crucified One..........................June 15

Beginning of the Creation

Curse..............................September 28

of God............October 1 D

Beloved..................September 23

Beloved Son.................January 15 Dayspring from on

Blessing.........................October 9

High (The).................July 10

Branch.............................April 9 Defender.................................April 23

Branch of Righteousness

Defender of Widows................June 27

......February 19 Deliverer........................November 26

Branch of the LORD......March 12 Desire of All Nations...............June 17

Bread of God.....................June 16 Destroyer of the Devil............April 30

Bread of Life.....................May 17 Door (The)............................January 4

Bridegroom................February 13 Door of the Sheep..............October 26

Bright and morning star......May 7 Drink Offering......................March 29

Brightness of God's

E

Glory (The)...........July 9

Brother..............................June 12 Elect One.............................August 3

Burnt Offering.............October 12 Elohim.......................................June 1

Eternal Life..............................June 10

Eternally Blessed God.....October 19 God and Savior (Our).............June 28

Everlasting Father........December 16 God Full of Compassion....August 28

Everlasting King.........September 9 God Manifested in Flesh........June 13

Express Image of

God of Peace...............December 28

God (The).................June 8 God Who Alone is Wise.........May 20

F

God with Us...........................May 31

God-Who-Forgives.......November 21

Fairer than Men...........November 27 Good Shepherd......................April 20

Faithful................................March 9 Good Teacher...........................July 29

Faithful Witness..............February 5 Gracious...............................March 18

Fearful in Praises.........February 24 Grain of Wheat....................January 3

Finisher of Faith...................July 3 Great God and

First and the

Savior (Our)...............May 1

Last (The)....December 31 Great High Priest ...................April 5

Firstborn Among Many

Great Light..................December 10

Brethren.................May 16 Great Prophet..................February 16

Firstborn from the Dead.......May 21 Great Shepherd of the

Firstborn over all

Sheep....................October 5

Creation........November 24 Greater than Solomon...September 16

Firstfruits...................November 11 Guest.................................January 19

Foolishness............................April 1 Guide even to Death.......October 30

Forerunner...................November 23 H

Fortress..............................March 5

Foundation......................October 28 Ha-shem/ The Name........... August 2

Fountain.......................December 27 Harmless.........................January 11

Friend..........................September 21 He Who has Begun a Good

Friend of Tax Collectors

Work in You.....September 1

and Sinners..........April 24 He who has the Key of

Friend Who Sticks Closer

David....................March 17

than a Brother (A)....May 4 He who has the Seven Spirits

Full of Grace.....................August 23

of God...................March 20

Fullness of the Godhead....August 5 He who has the Sharp Two-Edged

G

Sword..................January 12

He who Holds the Seven

Gâ'al................................October 24

Stars......................March 16

Galilean...............................June 24 He who Is........................January 28

Gate.......................................June 22 He Who is Over All..........February 9

Gazelle....................................May 6 He Who is to Come..........January 30

Gentle and Lowly in

He Who Opens and No One

Heart............September 30

Shuts........................June 25

Gift of God..............................June 7 He Who Was...................January 29

Glorious in Holiness.........January 23 He Whom God Raised

Glory of the LORD....November 25

Up.......................February 2

Glutton and Winebibber..........June 2 He-who-shall-not-be-

God........................................July 15

named.............September 11

Head..................................August 29

God...................August 11

Head of all Principality and

Immanuel.......................December 4

Power...............September 4 Immortal............................April 29

Head of Every Man.................June 9 Intercessor......................February 21

Head of the Body.........December 6 Invisible...........................August 16

Head of the Church............March 15 J

Head over All Things to the

Church.................March 28 Jealous God...................September 5

Heavenly Man............September 10 Jesus......................................June 30

Heir of All Things...........February 3 Jesus Christ........................April 14

Helper...........................September 6 Jesus of Nazareth.................April 22

High and Lofty One.............May 11 Joint Heir...............................May 23

High Priest............................April 6 Judge......................................July 27

High Priest of Good Things to

Judge of Israel..................March 22

Come.....................March 2 Judge of the Living and the

High Tower..................December 22

Dead.........................July 28

Higher than the

Just (The)..............................April 12

Heavens...........February 17 Just and the Justifier..........January 31

Him who endured such

Just One............................October 22

Hostility..................May 27 K

Him who is Able to Do.....August 22

Him Who is Able to Keep you from King...................................October 4

Stumbling...........August 9 King Eternal..................February 10

Him Who is Able to Present you

King of Glory (The)..............July 26

Faultless........September 24 King of Israel......................March 8

Him who is from the

King of kings.......................May 30

Beginning...........March 31 King of the Jews..............January 22

Him who is True.............January 24 King of the Saints........November 9

Him Who Knew No Sin.December 7 King over All the Earth..February 20

Him Who Loved us and Washed

Kinsman Redeemer

[...] Own Blood......June 20

Deliverer..........October 24

Him who Spoke on Earth.....April 10 L

Holy......................................May 12

Holy Fish (The)..................April 17 Lamb (A)............................April 25

Holy One..............................May 10 Lamb (The).........................April 26

Holy One of God............October 25 Lamb of God.................December 1

Hope (Our)..................November 28 Lamb who was Slain..........June 18

Hope of Glory.................February 6 Lamb without Blemish ...August 24

Hope of Israel...................January 5 Last Adam.....................September 2

Horn of Salvation.......November 16 Lawgiver..........................January 25

I

Leader and Commander March 14

Liberator..........................January 18

I AM..................................August 15 Life (The)..............................May 15

Image of God...........................July 1 Light............................September 18

Image of the Invisible

Light of Men..................October 21

Light of the World..........February 27 Mediator...........................January 10

Light of the World..................May 2 Mediator between God and

Light that Shines in a Dark

Man...................August 14

Place.................December 2 Mediator of a Better

Light to the Gentiles.......February 26

Covenant............October 6

Lion of the Tribe of Judah...March 1 Mediator of the New

Living Bread....................October 18

Covenant..............October 2

Living God........................January 7 Merciful and Faithful High

Living Stone.....................January 27

Priest........................July 30

Lord................................February 12 Merciful and Gracious......August 13

Lord and God................September 8 Messiah............................January 20

Lord and Savior.............November 7 Mighty God..................December 15

Lord from Heaven (The)..February 8 Minister of the Sanctuary...March 26

Lord God Almighty........November 8 Morning Star..................November 3

Lord God of the Holy

Most High God...................August 6

Prophets.........December 30 Most Holy........................October 27

Lord God Omnipotent..September 26 N

Lord Jesus............................April 4

Lord Jesus Christ...................July 20 Name which is above every

Lord Jesus Christ our

name .......................July 25

Savior...................January 2 Name/Ha-shem (The)........ August 2

Lord Mighty in Battle............July 23 Nazarene..............................March 3

Lord of All..................November 10 Noble...............................October 13

Lord of Both the Dead and the

O

Living................October 31

Lord of Glory...................January 14 Offering..........................October 10

LORD of Hosts.....................April 8 One Lord..............................March 4

Lord of lords...................January 16 One of the Prophets...............July 19

Lord of Peace..................October 29 One who is and who was and who is

Lord of Sabaoth..........November 19

to be (The).............April 19

Lord of the Sabbath....November 20 One who Lifts Up my

Lord's Christ (The)......February 29

Head (The)...........March 10

LORD's Passover..................April 28 Only Begotten Son.......December 29

Love.....................................May 25 Only Wise God..........September 22

M

Our God and Savior..............June 28

Our Great God and

Maker...........................September 3

Savior.........................May 1

Man..................................August 31 Our Guide even to Death..October 30

Man Attested by God.....February 7 Our Hope......................November 28

Man Christ Jesus..........February 15 Our Passover.........................April 27

Man of Sorrows....................June 3 Overseer of your Souls......March 19

Man who is My

P

Companion....December 5

Master..................................April 3 Passover (Our)......................April 27

Master in Heaven...........February 1 Peace..............................September 7

Peace Offering.......................May 26 Samaritan.........................August 4

Physician......................February 18 Sanctification....................January 9

Pierced (One)...............November 30 Sanctifier.........................January 13

Potentate................................June 23 Savior....................................July 22

Power of God.....................August 7 Savior of the World (The).....July 31

Precious...............................May 18 Scepter......................December 19

Precious Cornerstone........August 26 Second Man......................March 23

Priest Forever...................August 8 Seed of the Woman......December 26

Prince...............................February 4 Sent One /Apostle.............August 10

Prince of Life...............September 29 Separate from Sinners............July 16

Prince of Peace.............December 17 Servant.............................October 15

Prophet (A).......................October 7 Shadow of a Great

Prophet (The).....................October 8

Rock (The).................July 2

Prophet from Nazareth...February 28 Shadow of the Almighty.....October 3

Propitiation for Our

Shepherd..........................October 14

Sins................September 27 Shepherd of Israel............March 21

R

Shield.................................January 6

Shiloh...........................December 24

Rabbi...........................September 14 Sin Offering.................December 23

Rabboni.....................September 15 Sir...........................................May 5

Ransom............................January 26 Son..............................December 12

Redeemer...............................July 17 Son of Abraham.....................May 8

Redemption.......................March 24 Son of David..........................May 9

Refiner.............................January 21 Son of God.......................August 17

Refuge.................................March 6 Son of Joseph................December 9

Rejected by Men.........November 5 Son of Man.....................August 18

Resurrection and the

Son of Mary...................December 8

Life.................November 2 Son of the Highest..............March 11

Righteous..........................March 25 Son of the Living God......August 27

Righteous Judge..................March 7 Sower.....................................June 11

Righteous Servant..........February 23 Stone Cut Out without

Righteousness.......................June 19

Hands.............November 15

Rock................................October 16 Stone of Stumbling........November 4

Rock of Offense....................June 29 Stone which the Builders

Rock that is Higher than I.......July 7

Rejected........November 13

Rod................................February 22 Strength...........................October 20

Root of David....................March 30 Stronghold..................November 12

Root of Jesse...............November 29 Stumbling Block...............October 17

Root Out of a Dry Ground...May 19 Sun of Righteousness......November 1

Ruler............................December 18 Sure Foundation.........September 25

Ruler over the Kings of the

Surety of a Better

Earth.......................June 21

Covenant.......November 14

S

Sweet Smelling Sacrifice..October 11

T

Salvation.....................December 20

Teacher..............................April 21 W

The-LORD-Will-Provide..March 27

Thief in the Night............August 30 Way (The).............................May 13

Tried Stone...........................May 24 Wisdom of God................August 12

True Bread from

Witness to the People.........May 28

Heaven..........November 18 Wonderful..................December 13

True God.....................November 6 Word (The)............................July 21

True Light......................February 25 Word of God (The).................July 8

True Vine........................August 19 Word of Life (The).................July 6

Truth (The)...........................May 14 Worm and No Man (A)........July 12

U

Worthy..................................June 14

Worthy of more Glory than

Unchanging Lord.............March 13

Moses..............October 23

Undefiled....................September 20 Y

Unknown God (The)......August 21

V

YAH (YHWH)....................January 8

Yeshua................................August 25

Vine (The).........................August 20

Rick Khol of

Wichita, Kansas

has worn many

hats through the

years. He's the

father of eight

boys, former

missionary to

South America, retired science teacher,

church elder, foster parent, and Christian

camp and conference speaker. Because of

his interest in church history, he has a Bible

museum in his basement. As Rick

progressed in his study of the names of

Christ, he felt drawn closer to "Him who is

true" and wanted to share this experience

with others. Hopefully, this devotional will

help to bring others to a deeper relationship

to the Lord of Glory.

_Access a daily blog post of each title at_

_WhoisHeWordPressCom.WordPress.com/_

# Document Outline

  * Titles of Christ
    * Titles of Christ
    * February March Edited Last
    * june july edited last
  * august september edited last
    *     * ...who is the head --Christ -- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:15,16

