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 |    We live much of life amid unique choices. Joy is anchored in The One beyond our life. |
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“There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians if we were more alone, waiting upon God, and gathering through meditation on His Word spiritual strength for labour in his service. We ought to muse upon the things of God, because we thus get the real nutriment out of them. . . . Why is it that some Christians, although they hear many sermons, make but slow advances in the divine life? Because they neglect their closets, and do not thoughtfully meditate on God's Word. They love the wheat, but they do not grind it; they would have the corn, but they will not go forth into the fields to gather it; the fruit hangs upon the tree, but they will not pluck it; the water flows at their feet, but they will not stoop to drink it. From such folly deliver us, O Lord. . . .” ― Charles Spurgeon “Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strengths.” ― C. H. Spurgeon “Hope itself is like a star- not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity.” ― Charles Haddon Spurgeon “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.” ― Charles Spurgeon “A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.” ― Charles Spurgeon “Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.” ― Charles Spurgeon “When your will is God's will, you will have your will.” ― Charles Spurgeon https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/2876959.Charles_Haddon_Spurgeon (Philippians 2:13, KJV)    |
| In archiving my previous post on Christmas Eve, I made what some might call a Freudian Slip of the fingers in typing. I wrote, "Christmas Ever." This is a concept I wish to explore. In becoming a Christian at age six, and in learning, that the fictionalized version of Nicholas, the sainted and godly Christian could never be possible without the permission and the assistance of the Lord Jesus, Himself, I have learned as an adult, that my very existence is inextricably tied to the core meaning of Christmas. 1. My very existence as a Christian would be impossible if Jesus had not been born as the Baby in Bethlehem's manger. 2. My very existence as a Christian would be impossible, if Jesus, Bethlehem's Baby had not emerged alive from the Garden Tomb on the third day. 3. My very existence as a Christian would be impossible if Baby Jesus, Death's Victor had not returned to Heaven to send the Holy Ghost to those, who would believe, receiving His great Gift. So, you see, Christmas Day and Resurrection Sunday Morning are forever linked to each other, just as I am forever linked to both. Both of these Singular Events in human HIStory (aka "His Story,") speak of Divine Strength, fighting in the defense of human weakness. Who else but Almighty God would ever attempt to relinquish the use of omnipotence for the highest of goals, the redemption of the most abject sinner to the position of being forever loved and honored by God Himself? Which of us humans in receipt of the position of "King of all Existence," (this being, obviously, a higher position than some fictional "President of the World,") would even dare to consider putting the power and authority of that position on hold for more than thirty years, while you or I lived among the lowest of the low in our kingdom for the purpose of elevating these poor benighted souls to the level of being co-heirs with you or me? Jesus did just that! 1. Jesus, Who controlled the breath in Mary's lungs and the very beat of her heart, dared to be placed in her virgin womb, trusting her to be able to take care of Him. 2. Jesus, Who knew the fragrance of Heaven, which is beyond the best aroma of roses, orchestrated His Own Birth in a stable, which for all practical purposes smelled like a latrine. 3. Jesus, Who created everything in the physical Universe reduced Himself to live in a human body, which required wearisome steps and time to travel from place to place in ancient Israel. 4. Jesus, Who created all of the physical Universe by the words of His mouth, was for more than 33 years reduced to making items of wood by the strength of two very human arms and hands. 5. Jesus, the reigning Judge of all of Existence, humbled Himself to be judged guilty of blasphemy by human judges, who "could find no fault in Him," yet who gave in to the will of the people, who offered nothing in the way of consistent testimony to establish His conviction. 6. Jesus, Who chose His own Bride from the Foundation of the Earth gave humans the ability to agree with Him or to reject Him, ultimately becoming members of His Bride by the words of their mouths. (Romans 10:9-10, 13; Philippians 2:13) Who else but God could make humans, then give humans the opportunity to care for Him without ever once worrying about the failure of this venture. How could Jesus be the Babe in the manger, while at the same time being the God, Who holds the life of every human in His Hands? The Answer is in the question. Jesus has always existed as God, and He always will exist as very God of very God. Jesus became a human at a point in Time, forever to exist as a human. Jesus is now completely God and completely human at the same time. This is where mystery takes over in the mind of finite humans, like me. How could Jesus maintain His ability as the Creator and the Maintainer of all of the physical Universe, while at the same time living in one of the smallest countries on one of the smallest planets in all of that Universe? "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:8, KJV) How could Jesus be "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," while at the same time being present at "the foundation of the world"? "1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (John 1:1-4, KJV) Here are the facts, that I know. 1. Eternity is completely outside of this linear existence, that we call Time. 2. Jesus is one of three eternal Persons. Therefore, Jesus, the God, lives outside of Time. This makes Him able to touch every moment in the realm of Time at the same moment of His Divine Existence. 3. Jesus, the Man, experienced every moment of His Earthly sojourn at the same rate of speed of as every one of His contemporaries. Jesus ate, slept, thirsted, felt pain in His torture and crucifixion the same as any other human, who had been tortured and crucified. This means, that at the moment Jesus created during the very first week of Earth's history, Jesus was, also, experiencing the pain and death of being crucified in the land of Israel. This, again, begs the question, "Was Jesus, the Man, created about 2000 years ago when He entered Mary's womb?" or "Was Jesus, the Man, created during Creation Week, while He was creating everything else in the physical Universe?" The answer is a resounding, "YES!" My finite human mind is starting to get very tired trying to comprehend the humanly incomprehensible, but I continue to try as I did when I was a small child. How many three or four-year-olds do you know, who try to comprehend concepts, like eternity? I did. It used to make me cry. It still does. Bottom Line: Whatever Eternity is,...I want to be there with Jesus. Is Christmas forever? Jesus is,...why not? by Jay O'Toole on December 25th, 2019 |
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