August 2  2008

The Dedication of Christ

By: Timothy E. Davis

 “The child’s mother and father marveled at what was said about him.  The Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother,” this child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel , and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.  And a sword will pierce your own soul, too.’ Luke 2:33-36 (TLB)

  Mary and Joseph have gone to the temple to dedicate Jesus to the lord.  It was required by the law of moses that every firstborn son be dedicated to Jehovah.  Even though they knew of the future of their son, and who he was going to grow up to be, they still followed the Jewish laws on circumcision and female purity after the birth of a child.

 Surely their hearts would have been brimming with pride; hearing such glorious things being said by the prophets and their little baby, just eight days old.  The tiny Redeemer, messiah, King of kings, and the son of almighty god.

 But Mary also received the news that she would lose her first born son in a terrible and painful way. (A sword shall pierce your own soul, too. Luke 2:35 (TLB)    This foreshadowed the agony of Christ on the cross, as mary stood there and watched the life slowly fade from her tortured and abused son's Murder.  even as she wept, she took comfort in knowing his kingdom was not ending, but would extend for eternity.
 

Jesus bought your freedom at a great price.  Your forgiveness and right standing with God was paid for with his lifeblood.  It soaked into the arrid ground of Mount Calvary almost 2008 years ago, and has been cleansing the hearts of believers ever since.  There is one who stands between us and Paradise.  He is the Son of Almighty God, Jesus Christ.  Won't you ask Him to forgive your sins today?  You have no promise of tommorow.
 

 Daily Manna July 9

 

Walking Deep In The Shadows

By: Timothy E. Davis

 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

 

  Our lives are not guaranteed to be trouble free. You did not sign a contract with God in which He promised to only send you wine and chocolates.  To borrow from an old seventies song, Jehovah never promised you a rose garden. We will all  have seasons when we must walk in the dark and deep shadows.

We will feel abandoned by our King, alone, and uncertain.

 

But He has given us a promise for all eternity.  A promise that never expires, a covenant never to be altered.  In  Deuteronomy 31:8,  we are told "The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."   No, the Master has not promised we will never have to walk in the long, dark, shadows, but He has given His inalterable Word we will not be walking through them alone

    

 

   Jesus: The Key to Eternal Life

By: Timothy E. Davis

                                            
"I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am
alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death
and Hades."  Revelation 1:18 (NIV)

I think everyone has shared the experience of standing
in the rain, at night, going through the keys,
desperately trying to find one that fits the door.
You may have a lot of keys that look like the door
key, but they do not fit.  There is only one key that
is the right key, and, once you find it, you do not
have to look anymore.

Christ is the key to the gates of Heaven.  We are
issued this key after we do two things.  First,
accepting Messiah's death on the cross as the free
gift that reconciles us with the Father, and washes
away all our sins, with the blood of Jesus.  Secondly,
we must accept the Master's broken and beaten body, as
the clothes that cover our sinfulness.  Once these two
things are done, our standing with the Father is
reconciled, our sins are remembered no more. 

God scatters them as far away as the east is from the
west, and no longer sees us as sinners who anger him,
but as children that love him. Then we know that we
hold the key to the riches and glories of Heaven, and
we can stop wasting time with all the keys that don't
fit.

                                   


     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                            

   

 

 

 

 


 


 

                                                                                                                         

 

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                         

 

 

Luke Warm Christians

“I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking.  You’re not cold; you’re not hot-far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale.  You’re stagnant.  You make me want to vomit.”  Revelation 3:15-16 (The Message)

Like so many verses in the Scriptures, this one carries as much meaning today as it did when it was given to the Apostle John.  The world is full of people who do not fulfill the commitments they make.  But those of us who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb are held to higher expectations.

Our Deliverer has commanded us to teach the Good News to the four corners of the earth.  The Word of God does not instruct us to be spiritual bystanders.  Why, then, are our pews filled with far too many sitting in the “amen corner” with their feet up and far too few out looking for The Master’s lost lambs? 

It appears that a new denomination is attracting many converts from the body of Christ.  These “Christian Minimumalists “main doctrinal point is to do the absolute minimum for the Master they claim to love and follow.  They give Our Redeemer an hour on Sunday, drop some change in the offering plate, and congratulate themselves on their sacrifice.  Their duties to the King of Kings are forgotten again until 11 a.m. next Sunday.

Jesus does not try to sugarcoat what He thinks of the “Minimumalists” .Our Redeemer says they sicken Him.   The Lord of Hosts needs totally committed believers, who have cashed out their chips in this world and completely sold out to the Messiah.  The Son of God is recruiting Special Forces soldiers to battle against evil forces and dominions.  He is not looking for spiritual cowards.

Our Savior gave everything He had for you.  He did not hold back even His life, and you dare to give Him anything other than your best?  The Lamb of God will not accept second place in your life.  It is time for all of us to make a choice, to follow the King of Kings with all your heart, with all your soul, and with your entire mind or abandon Jesus completely.  He is tired of halfway interested followers and lazy disciples.

Copyright 2007 Timothy E. Davis

 

 

 

 

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