I JOHN 3:16

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."  (NIV)

Unselfish acts seem to be the opposite of what the world teaches us from birth.  We spend our infant years
literally crying for attention. And we quickly learn that the more we demand, the more attention we receive.  (That attention is not necessarily always good attention;  unfortunately our prisons are proof of the fact that many people never get past the infancy stage...)





As we grow older we are bombarded with advertisements, slogans, songs, and pictures - all advising us to "look out for number one". And, this is the way of the world... But then there is Jesus' way.  Sharing. Caring. Seeing another's needs and not turning away. Truly trying to help those in need.  This is what Jesus taught by example; and, this is what He wants us to do.

Jesus had a brother, James. (James was actually Jesus' half-brother;  they had the same mother - Mary; but, James was the son of Joseph the carpenter, while Jesus was the incarnate Son of God.)  But I digress... James wrote the book of James. James is quite outspoken about many things...controlling one's tongue certainly comes to mind when one thinks about James' writings.  Another of James' discourses, simply put, means that actions speak louder than words.  And, if you claim to be Christian, then you should be trying to be Christ-like.  And, if you are Christ-like, you will not be selfish:
     "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, 'Go,  I wish you well; keep warm and well fed.'  but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."  (James 2:14-17  NIV)

The passage following todays's  "3:16"   continues to describe the selfless attitude and actions of a true believer:      "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with action and in truth."                                  (I John3:17, 18)

If you are reading this and think you have nothing to give, you are wrong!  You might give money. Or you might give of your time to a good cause.  Or you might lend an ear to a lonely person.  Many people are out there, crying for attention, spiritual infants in a dead and dying world.

I PETER 3:16

"...keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander"   (NIV)


Written by the apostle Peter, this verse is the essence of Christlike behavior. Peter wrote this letter to offer encouragement and advice to fellow-believers who had been driven out of Jerusalem and scattered throughout Asia Minor. This was when Nero was Emperor of Rome and there was great persecution of Christians. (In fact, Peter was eventually executed during this time.)


In this scripture Peter is saying that our behavior should demonstrate the change in us that Christ has made.  Our faces should reflect His love. We can quietly demonstrate our faith by being polite in a bad situation, by leaving a good tip for the waitress, by patiently waiting in the checkout line... little things that can make a big statement.


In the previous verse, I Peter 3:15,  Peter advises:  "But in your heart set apart Christ as Lord, always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..."  We can always be ready to answer questions about our faith.  Be prepared to tell people what God has done in your life.  You don't have to be a preacher, or memorize oodles of scriptures, or be able to sing, or do anything special;  all you have to do is love the Savior and be willing to talk about that. The words will come.



But, do remember that the people asking the questions may not always like your answers!  Or, they may need time to ponder what you have said.  Peter's advice is to answer with gentleness and respect.  There may still be those who will be spiteful or hateful.  In those cases you can only maintain your standards as a Believer... and, trust that these people's criticisms and slanderous talk will not be believed.  This is definitely not easy, but when you are going through this, you are not alone...



"Jesus answered, '...Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.  I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.' "
(John 16:32,33)

I TIMOTHY 3:16

          

     "and without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world,  received up into glory." (KJV)

 Within this single verse, the apostle Paul fully describes and enumerates the one-and-only status of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.  The Son of God came to earth in a human body... He tabernacled among us. Jesus fulfilled many of the prophesies of the old testament at birth. Others, He will fulfill at His second coming. Here are seventeen prophecies from the Old Covenant (Testament),  their fulfillment in the New Covenant (Testament), and, the probability of this happening "by chance".  I am not going to write these out; it would make this post much too long and detailed; but, if the reader doubts any of these, please take the time to look up the references  provided.


     The Laws of Probability:  If you study statistics, you will find that there are mathematical laws and theories governing the odds of an event occurring.  The probability of a single event occurring is one chance in five;  the probability of a second event is also one in ten;  the combined odds of both events occurring together in sequence is five multiplied by ten. Therefore, the odds of the two events occurring in sequence is fifty.  If I toss a coin in the air - "heads or tails" - the odds are one out of two (50%) that I will get "heads".  But, suppose I toss two coins in a row.  What are the odds of my getting heads" twice? The answer is only one chance in four (25%). The combined odds are 2 x 2 = 4. Now, what if I tossed the coin ten times? What would the odds be that I would get "heads" all ten times?  Here is the calculation and the answer:
2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2  = 1,024.

John the Baptist

#1: Old Testament prophecy:  He would be born in Bethlehem and be descended from the tribe of Judah. (Micah 5:2, and Genesis 49:10)   New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 2:1  Probability: 1 chance in 2400

#2: Old Testament prophecy: A messenger would precede the Messiah. (Isaiah 40:3)  New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 3:1,2    Probability:  1 chance in 20

To calculate the combined probability of these two predictions, we must multiply 2,400 x 20, which equals 1 chance in 48,000 that Jesus would fulfill both predictions by chance.

#3:Old Testament prophecy: He would enter Jerusalem on a colt. (Zechariah 9:9)  New Testament fulfillment:
Luke 19:35-37.  Probability: 1 chance in 50.

The odds of these three prophecies happening "at random" are 50 X 48,000 = 1 chance in 2,400,000 that Jesus would fulfill all three of these prophecies.

#4: Old Testament prediction: He would be betrayed by a friend. (Psalm 41:9)  New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 26:47,48    Probability: 1 chance in 10.

The combined probability for these four prophecies is 1 chance in 2.4 million.

#5: Old Testament prophesy: His hands and feet would be pierced. (Psalm 22:16)  New Testament fulfillment: Luke 23:33.  Probability : 1 chance in 100

The combined odds of these five prophecies being fulfilled by one person:  1 chance in 2.4 Billion

#6: Old Testament prediction: His enemies would wound the Messiah. (Isaiah 54:5) New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 27:26.  Probability: 1 chance in 10.

Combined probability =  1 chance in 24 Billion



#7: Old Testament prophecy: He would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. (Zechariah 11:12)  New Testament fulfillment:  Matthew 26:15.  Probability: 1 chance in 50.

Combined probability = one in 1 Trillion, 200 Billion against all seven predictions occurring in one lifetime.

#8: Old Testament prediction: He will be spit upon and beaten. (Isaiah 50:6)  New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 26:67.  Probability: 1 chance in ten.


Combined odds: i chance in 12 Trillion that these eight prophecies would be fulfilled by one Man.


#9: Old Testament prediction: His betrayal money would be thrown in the Temple and then given to buy a potter's field. (Zechariah 11:13)  New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 27:5-7.  Odds of this happening: 1 chance in 200.

Combined probability:  The combined odds against these nine predictions being fulfilled by one Man: One chance in 2,400 Trillion.

     To be continued with next post...

GALATIANS 3:16

      

 "The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.  The scripture does not say, 'and to his seeds', meaning many people, but, 'and to your seed', meaning one person, who is Christ."   (NIV)








Promises.  Easier to make than to keep.  Have you ever broken a promise? It makes you feel pretty bad, doesn't it? When you made the promise, you really meant it. But, circumstances changed, and you couldn't keep your word.  Later you felt so bad that you avoided the person you had disappointed... couldn't look him in the eye... didn't feel at ease around him... The burden of guilt over a broken promise can become a wedge between you and your friend.
Has anyone ever broken a promise to you?  It hurts, doesn't it? You were counting on that person. Or that favor. Or that money. Or the amount of time you thought you were going to spend with that particular person... Now you feel slighted, insignificant, let down.  Maybe bitter  and betrayed. Not good. Since you are human, both of these experiences have happened in your life. You have broken promises to others and you have also experienced the disappointment broken promises.

But God keeps ALL His promises. Every promise in the Scriptures has been, is being, or will be fulfilled. God's promise was of a Messiah - a descendant of Abraham. And that promise was fulfilled with the humble birth of Jesus of Nazareth.
As Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 40:6,  "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of God stands forever."
God never falters. Never fails.  God made a covenant with mankind. The same God Who spoke promises to Abraham fulfilled those promises with the birth pf Christ.  God continues to fulfill His promises to mankind.  We are part of the Abrahamic covenant;  God does not change.


Nowadays we are accustomed to contracts rather than covenants. With a contract all the persons involved must sign the statement, signifying that the statement is true, and agreeing upon what consequences will occur if the contract is broken. Thus, a contract is based on distrust and the assumption of failure. Nut a covenant is a promise made by all parties involved, and there is no contingency clause or "Plan B" in case of failure. The covenant is made with success in mind; it is built upon trust.




Only though a covenant with Christ will we find permanent solutions to our problems. Have you formed a covenant with Him? Or, are you settling for a mere contract with the world?

HOSEA

      The Lord said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, even though she is loved by another and is an adulteress.  Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes."      (Hosea 3:1    NIV)



     The book of Hosea doesn't have a "3:16", so I chose a verse that pretty well sums up the story.  Written by the prophet, Hosea, the purpose of the book is to express God's message that there is always hope of reconciliation with God - for those willing to repent and come back to Him.  No matter how far off the path of righteousness we have strayed, God's love remains steady. Like the Father in Jesus' story of the prodigal son  (found in Luke 15:11-32), God is standing with open arms , willing to take us back when we repent. It is a love story.
     In the story of Hosea, he is married to an unfaithful wife.  God ordered Hosea to take her back, to honor the marriage, to forgive her, to care for her as if nothing had happened. At the same time, Israel was being unfaithful to God - spiritual adultery.  "Eating the sacred raisin cakes" referred to offering certain cakes to fertility gods. God's chosen people had rebelled against Him, spurning God's love, worshiping false idols.  But God was willing to take them back, honor His sacred covenant with them, and care for them - just as He had instructed Hosea to do.  When God forgives, He  REALLY  forgives.  "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)

photo of Death Valley

     Sometimes before we can experience the joy of this true relationship with the LORD, we first have to spend time in the desert of despair.  The desert of despair is, of course,  of our own making, but it usually doesn't seem like it while we are going through...  We wonder, "Why me?", or "Why now?", or, just "WHY?"  But, upon honest examination, we find that we were the cause of our own misery all along. When we let God down, we bring ourselves down. Often, because we are so human, we don't listen very well until we are in the desert, down in a well, or lost in a valley...
  

photo - Valley of the Dry Bones

God speaks of this in Hosea 2:14, 15:  "Therefore I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.  There I will give her back her vineyards and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.  There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt."  (NIV)  The word "Achor" means "trouble".  So, to paraphrase, God is saying that He will speak tenderly to us while we are in the desert of despair and that He will turn the valleys of trouble into doors of hope.
     Romans 15:13 expounds on this idea:  "May the God of  hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Christ's wedding gift to us is His constant love, hope, and commitment to us, His Bride.

painting by mrschertin9, photobucket,com

          Now,  THAT'S  a love story!

SONG OF SONGS

         The Song of Songs does not contain a "3:16".  So, I chose a beautiful passage, which describes the commitment  God feels toward us:
     "Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm: for love ia as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave.  It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.  Many waters can not quench love; rivers can not wash it away.  If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned."     (Song of Songs 7:6,7 NIV)

art from www.allon.org

   The Song of Songs, like the book of Esther, does not mention the name of God.  Yet, God  makes His presence known throughout its pages. This book of the Bible is unusual in that it consists of love poems, describing the passions felt by a groom and his bride for each other. It is an allegory for God's love for His people, for His yearning that our souls come to Him   "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."  II Peter 3:9  (KJV)
     Of course, the allegory would not be complete without our love and yearning for Him.  Believers in Christ are His Bride.  Song of Songs is like a wedding song honoring marriage.  It contains some fairly explicit passages, and, some have said it should not be in the Bible. But, God wants husband and wife to enjoy each other within the confines of the marriage commitment.  Likewise, God desires that we continue in relationship with Him, loving and enjoying His company like no other...
     Over time feelings of loneliness, isolation, or indifference can come between the groom and his bride.  During these times careful communication is needed to renew the partnership and refresh the romance.  And, in our relationship with God, we sometimes need to have a long conversation (prayer) to recommit to Him. We need to be ready to be His bride!
 

      "Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: 'Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns,. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory"  For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.'"  (Rev 19:6,7 NIV)

     Are you ready for the wedding?