The High Priestly Prayer

In Matthew Chapter 6, Verses 9-13, Jesus taught His disciples the basics of prayer, saying, “Pray then in this way....Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name........” This became universally known as the Lords Prayer. It is uttered by the lips of thousands each and every day around the world. From this teaching, Jesus provided the matrix for His followers to build from, learning to pray effectively and personally to our Maker.

In the book of John, Chapter 17 we find another prayer, a powerful and beautiful pleading to His Father. This is the real Lord's Prayer. Its eloquence, honesty, and emotional dialog reveals, in my opinion, the most cherished and meaningful prayer ever spoken.

As we turn our attention to the hallowed season of the death, burial and resurrection of our Christ from the dead, read and absorb His words, His concerns and His requests being made of His and our Father in heaven. Fall in Love as Jesus prays for each and everyone of us who has believed.

Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

"I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

"I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me.

"I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them.

"I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.

"While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.

"But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

"For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

"The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

"Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

"O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

(Joh 17:1-26)

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

The High Priestly Prayer

In Matthew Chapter 6, Verses 9-13, Jesus taught His disciples the basics of prayer, saying, “Pray then in this way....Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name........” This became universally known as the Lords Prayer. It is uttered by the lips of thousands each and every day around the world. From this teaching, Jesus provided the matrix for His followers to build from, learning to pray effectively and personally to our Maker.

In the book of John, Chapter 17 we find another prayer, a powerful and beautiful pleading to His Father. This is the real Lord's Prayer. Its eloquence, honesty, and emotional dialog reveals, in my opinion, the most cherished and meaningful prayer ever spoken.

As we turn our attention to the hallowed season of the death, burial and resurrection of our Christ from the dead, read and absorb His words, His concerns and His requests being made of His and our Father in heaven. Fall in Love as Jesus prays for each and everyone of us who has believed.

Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

"I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

"I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me.

"I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them.

"I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.

"While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.

"But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

"For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

"The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

"Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

"O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

(Joh 17:1-26)

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

BE FAITHFUL, FINISH THE RACE

(Pro 11:18) ...He who sows righteousness gets a true reward.

"Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them. "The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.'

"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

(Pro 11:18) (Mat 25:19-21) (2Co 5:10) (2Ti 4:7-8) (Rev 3:11)sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

BE FAITHFUL, FINISH THE RACE

(Pro 11:18) ...He who sows righteousness gets a true reward.

"Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them. "The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.'

"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

(Pro 11:18) (Mat 25:19-21) (2Co 5:10) (2Ti 4:7-8) (Rev 3:11)sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

BE HOLY

And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME."

Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."He said also, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

"To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal?" says the Holy One. "For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. "I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no savior besides Me. But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

(Rev 4:8) (Psa 22:3) (Exo 3:5-6) (Isa 40:25) (Isa 43:3) (Isa 43:11) (1Pe 1:15-16) (1Co 6:19) (2Co 6:16) (Amo 3:3) sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

BE HOLY

And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME."

Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."He said also, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

"To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal?" says the Holy One. "For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. "I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no savior besides Me. But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

(Rev 4:8) (Psa 22:3) (Exo 3:5-6) (Isa 40:25) (Isa 43:3) (Isa 43:11) (1Pe 1:15-16) (1Co 6:19) (2Co 6:16) (Amo 3:3) sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Easter Reflections – His beautiful prayer

Republished from 2015

Easter is just a short time away. Before the joyous celebration of our risen Savior, there lies a time of pronounced grieving and horror as The Messiah completes His earthly mission, taking upon his shoulders and into His tortured body the sins of mankind forever.

Reading John chapters 16 and 17, Jesus shares with his disciples a special tenderness, an almost tearful plea for them to listen closely as he previews what is about to happen. His elect hangs on every word and nuance of His speech attempting to grasp a humanly impossible concept. In John 16:7, Jesus says “Nevertheless I tell you the truth, It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.”. The Helper here is the Holy Spirit that would soon reside in all believers who accept God's wondrous gift of salvation.

In His youth, Jesus certainly had opportunity to see first hand the terrible manner of death crucifixion presented to the victim. We can only imagine the emotional struggle in His mind as He tried to prepare not only Himself, but his followers for what was to come.

Jesus prays a most eloquent and poignant prayer in Chapter 17. ….”Father, the hour has come”... Indeed, the final hours are rapidly evaporating as the cross looms in the darkness. Our Lord Jesus prays for himself, but more importantly, He prays for us! FOR US! Jesus Christ faces a most horrible death in just hours, and in this prayer He thanks our Father for giving Him all of the disciples, all of those who believe, all of those who have proclaimed and acknowledged Christ as the coming savior, the King of Kings. He proclaims that He was a good steward to those the Father provided, losing just one, and that was Judas Iscariot, who betrayed our Lord. This prayer was not just for those who were with Him in His time, but includes all of us who have been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. That is you. That is me!

Before Easter arrives, please take the time to sit quietly and read out loud and slowly John Chapters 16 and 17. Savor every word. Allow the words to roll off of your tongue. Taste the emotion. Imagine if it were you praying in the hours before your death on the cross. Share His strength, His compassion, His quiet anguish in knowing the wretched and unfathomable pain He will soon have to endure....in His incredible love........for us.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Easter Reflections – His beautiful prayer

Republished from 2015

Easter is just a short time away. Before the joyous celebration of our risen Savior, there lies a time of pronounced grieving and horror as The Messiah completes His earthly mission, taking upon his shoulders and into His tortured body the sins of mankind forever.

Reading John chapters 16 and 17, Jesus shares with his disciples a special tenderness, an almost tearful plea for them to listen closely as he previews what is about to happen. His elect hangs on every word and nuance of His speech attempting to grasp a humanly impossible concept. In John 16:7, Jesus says “Nevertheless I tell you the truth, It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.”. The Helper here is the Holy Spirit that would soon reside in all believers who accept God's wondrous gift of salvation.

In His youth, Jesus certainly had opportunity to see first hand the terrible manner of death crucifixion presented to the victim. We can only imagine the emotional struggle in His mind as He tried to prepare not only Himself, but his followers for what was to come.

Jesus prays a most eloquent and poignant prayer in Chapter 17. ….”Father, the hour has come”... Indeed, the final hours are rapidly evaporating as the cross looms in the darkness. Our Lord Jesus prays for himself, but more importantly, He prays for us! FOR US! Jesus Christ faces a most horrible death in just hours, and in this prayer He thanks our Father for giving Him all of the disciples, all of those who believe, all of those who have proclaimed and acknowledged Christ as the coming savior, the King of Kings. He proclaims that He was a good steward to those the Father provided, losing just one, and that was Judas Iscariot, who betrayed our Lord. This prayer was not just for those who were with Him in His time, but includes all of us who have been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. That is you. That is me!

Before Easter arrives, please take the time to sit quietly and read out loud and slowly John Chapters 16 and 17. Savor every word. Allow the words to roll off of your tongue. Taste the emotion. Imagine if it were you praying in the hours before your death on the cross. Share His strength, His compassion, His quiet anguish in knowing the wretched and unfathomable pain He will soon have to endure....in His incredible love........for us.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

THE K-I-S-S PRINCIPLE

(2Co 5:9) Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

In Home Bible study last night, our anointed leader (a truly Godly man) pointed to the simplicity of the gospel. A true, pure, and beautiful simplicity that is well demonstrated in Romans:

(Rom 10:9) that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

There was a short silence in the room as we all pondered what was quoted. It really does not get much simpler.

(Rom 10:10) for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Remember in school, or perhaps in the military the principle of K-I-S-S, Keep it simple Sam! (or what ever end word your branch used)? Humans have this compulsion to overlook the SIMPLE and go straight for the COMPLICATED. WHY? Why do we do this? It has taken me years to finally look to the simple, to the literal before unleashing the complicated.

In the simplest of terms, what is our job as followers of Christ? ANSWER: To please Him. WHAT?, you say, it cannot be that simple! I respond: yes, it truly is THAT simple.



Oswald Chambers has pointed out in his writings that pleasing God does not require extensive spiritual experience, or mighty college degrees (Man's creation) or the ability to quote from memory thousands of bible verses in order that you might impress others around you. Chambers writes:



It means holding one's self to the high ideal year in and year out, not being ambitious to win souls or to establish churches or to have revivals, but being ambitious only to be "accepted of Him." It is not lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but lack of laboring to keep the ideal right.



How do you learn how to please God? That part is simple too. Read your Bible. Don't look to others, look to Him only. Make it your full focus in this life to please God, to be like Him and share the experience with others. Keep it SIMPLE.



Oswald Chambers closes this missive with the following:



My worth to God in public is what I am in private. Is my master ambition to please Him and be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how noble?

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

 

THE K-I-S-S PRINCIPLE

(2Co 5:9) Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

In Home Bible study last night, our anointed leader (a truly Godly man) pointed to the simplicity of the gospel. A true, pure, and beautiful simplicity that is well demonstrated in Romans:

(Rom 10:9) that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

There was a short silence in the room as we all pondered what was quoted. It really does not get much simpler.

(Rom 10:10) for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Remember in school, or perhaps in the military the principle of K-I-S-S, Keep it simple Sam! (or what ever end word your branch used)? Humans have this compulsion to overlook the SIMPLE and go straight for the COMPLICATED. WHY? Why do we do this? It has taken me years to finally look to the simple, to the literal before unleashing the complicated.

In the simplest of terms, what is our job as followers of Christ? ANSWER: To please Him. WHAT?, you say, it cannot be that simple! I respond: yes, it truly is THAT simple.



Oswald Chambers has pointed out in his writings that pleasing God does not require extensive spiritual experience, or mighty college degrees (Man's creation) or the ability to quote from memory thousands of bible verses in order that you might impress others around you. Chambers writes:



It means holding one's self to the high ideal year in and year out, not being ambitious to win souls or to establish churches or to have revivals, but being ambitious only to be "accepted of Him." It is not lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but lack of laboring to keep the ideal right.



How do you learn how to please God? That part is simple too. Read your Bible. Don't look to others, look to Him only. Make it your full focus in this life to please God, to be like Him and share the experience with others. Keep it SIMPLE.



Oswald Chambers closes this missive with the following:



My worth to God in public is what I am in private. Is my master ambition to please Him and be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how noble?

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

 

ITS TIME TO WAKE UP

The Alarm clock is sounding

It seems to me that we are inundated around the clock with a non-stop supply of stories relating to hatred, vulgar speeches, nasty and violent demonstrations, be-headings, and the most vile language that I have ever heard or read.

My latest screen saver for my laptop shows a photo of a Bible with the statement afixed “ ..believe it or not; this book is being played out right before our eyes and the world doesn't even see it”...

In Luke, chapter 21, the apostles are asking Jesus about the signs of Christ's coming:

(Luk 21:12) "….... they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name's sake.

Europe looks as though they are now at the tipping point and Satan's mouth has started to drool with anticipation. Consider the following stories ripped from the headlines:

CBN News filed the following story this week about preaching being a criminal hate crime;

In what their lawyer calls a "modern-day heresy trial," a British court has convicted two street preachers of a public order offense for preaching the Bible in public.

The public prosecutor in the case claimed that publicly quoting parts of the King James Bible in modern Britain should "be considered to be abusive and is a criminal matter."

Michael Overd of Creech St Michael, United Kingdom and Michael Stockwell of Seldon, New York were found guilty under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 at Bristol Magistrates' Court.

Prosecutor Ian Jackson also told the court, "To say to someone that Jesus is the only God is not a matter of truth. To the extent that they are saying that the only way to God is through Jesus, that cannot be a truth."

Last month in another publication, Nick Hallett reported this incident;

A passage from the Koran that denies one of the central tenets of the Christian faith was sung aloud at a cathedral service in Scotland.

The passage from Surah 19, which specifically denies that Jesus was the Son of God and says He should not be worshipped, was sung during a Eucharist service at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow to mark the feast of the Epiphany.
A video was posted on YouTube showing a girl singing the passage in a typical Islamic style. It narrates the Islamic account of the birth of Jesus, which includes the claim that Mary was “ashamed” after giving birth, and the infant Christ miraculously spoke from the cradle – something not found in Christian scripture.
She then concludes by singing verse 35, which states: “It befitteth not the Majesty of Allah that He should take unto Himself a son,” and then verse 36, which has the infant Jesus saying: “And lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. That is the right path.”
The cathedral praised the reading in a Facebook post, calling it a “wonderful event”.

A WONDERFUL EVENT? From the pulpit of a church claiming to be representative of the Church of Christ? ARE YOU SERIOUS?

These are real events, real people. The stories are not made up and are just two of many that are beginning to become main-stream parts of where we are today. This is not a pretty picture, but as my Bible reflects, this is just the beginning.

Lord God, creator of all that is and all that will ever be, we are seeing with our eyes the start of the events laid out in the words of Holy Scripture. We know that Jesus is standing at the door. We are witness to His knocking, His invitation to come in and sup with all those who will open the door. We pray, Father, that the hardened hearts of the many might be softened allowing the wonderful light of salvation to enter. The time is now, Oh Lord, to say YES to your loving gift of forgiveness. Please let it be O' God, in Jesus name, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

The Alarm clock is sounding

ITS TIME TO WAKE UP

The Alarm clock is sounding

It seems to me that we are inundated around the clock with a non-stop supply of stories relating to hatred, vulgar speeches, nasty and violent demonstrations, be-headings, and the most vile language that I have ever heard or read.

My latest screen saver for my laptop shows a photo of a Bible with the statement afixed “ ..believe it or not; this book is being played out right before our eyes and the world doesn't even see it”...

In Luke, chapter 21, the apostles are asking Jesus about the signs of Christ's coming:

(Luk 21:12) "….... they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name's sake.

Europe looks as though they are now at the tipping point and Satan's mouth has started to drool with anticipation. Consider the following stories ripped from the headlines:

CBN News filed the following story this week about preaching being a criminal hate crime;

In what their lawyer calls a "modern-day heresy trial," a British court has convicted two street preachers of a public order offense for preaching the Bible in public.

The public prosecutor in the case claimed that publicly quoting parts of the King James Bible in modern Britain should "be considered to be abusive and is a criminal matter."

Michael Overd of Creech St Michael, United Kingdom and Michael Stockwell of Seldon, New York were found guilty under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 at Bristol Magistrates' Court.

Prosecutor Ian Jackson also told the court, "To say to someone that Jesus is the only God is not a matter of truth. To the extent that they are saying that the only way to God is through Jesus, that cannot be a truth."

Last month in another publication, Nick Hallett reported this incident;

A passage from the Koran that denies one of the central tenets of the Christian faith was sung aloud at a cathedral service in Scotland.

The passage from Surah 19, which specifically denies that Jesus was the Son of God and says He should not be worshipped, was sung during a Eucharist service at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow to mark the feast of the Epiphany.
A video was posted on YouTube showing a girl singing the passage in a typical Islamic style. It narrates the Islamic account of the birth of Jesus, which includes the claim that Mary was “ashamed” after giving birth, and the infant Christ miraculously spoke from the cradle – something not found in Christian scripture.
She then concludes by singing verse 35, which states: “It befitteth not the Majesty of Allah that He should take unto Himself a son,” and then verse 36, which has the infant Jesus saying: “And lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. That is the right path.”
The cathedral praised the reading in a Facebook post, calling it a “wonderful event”.

A WONDERFUL EVENT? From the pulpit of a church claiming to be representative of the Church of Christ? ARE YOU SERIOUS?

These are real events, real people. The stories are not made up and are just two of many that are beginning to become main-stream parts of where we are today. This is not a pretty picture, but as my Bible reflects, this is just the beginning.

Lord God, creator of all that is and all that will ever be, we are seeing with our eyes the start of the events laid out in the words of Holy Scripture. We know that Jesus is standing at the door. We are witness to His knocking, His invitation to come in and sup with all those who will open the door. We pray, Father, that the hardened hearts of the many might be softened allowing the wonderful light of salvation to enter. The time is now, Oh Lord, to say YES to your loving gift of forgiveness. Please let it be O' God, in Jesus name, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

The Alarm clock is sounding

Love in the Making

(Pro 3:12) For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

This old man has just come out of a period of reproof, also know as rebuke. I will testify that our Lord's love in His reproof wounds a man to his very core.

It doesn't take more than a few seconds; the time for your brain to recognize that what you just did or said was way out of bounds and unacceptable in His eyes; and His discipline results. God knows where you live! As a good father, He knows how to make you behave. When the Lord Almighty places you in a –TIME OUT-- He gets your full and undivided attention.

God's love for His people, the love Jesus has for His sheep, drives His desire to correct your behavior all while he walks along side you everywhere you go. Being yoked to your Lord is a most beautiful and comforting thing. Although painful to suffer His correction, when it is done, finished and His joy is poured out on you as on a child, you will find yourself whispering “I love you my Abba” In that very moment you are filled with His unending love.

(Joh 21:17) Feed My sheep.

OSWALD CHAMBERS:

This is love in the making. The love of God is un-made, it is God’s nature. When we receive the Holy Spirit He unites us with God so that His love is manifested in us. When the soul is united to God by the indwelling Holy Spirit, that is not the end; the end is that we may be one with the Father as Jesus was. What kind of oneness had Jesus Christ with the Father? Such a oneness that the Father sent Him down here to be spent for us, and He says – "As the Father hath sent Me, even so send I you."

Peter realizes now with the revelation of the Lord’s hurting question that he does love Him; then comes the point – "Spend it out." Don’t testify how much you love Me, don’t profess about the marvellous revelation you have had, but – "Feed My sheep." And Jesus has some extraordinarily funny sheep, some bedraggled, dirty sheep, some awkward, butting sheep, some sheep that have gone astray! It is impossible to weary God’s love, and it is impossible to weary that love in me if it springs from the one centre. The love of God pays no attention to the distinctions made by natural individuality. If I love my Lord I have no business to be guided by natural temperament; I have to feed His sheep. There is no relief and no release from this commission. Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by working along the line of natural human sympathy, because that will end in blaspheming the love of God.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Love in the Making

(Pro 3:12) For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

This old man has just come out of a period of reproof, also know as rebuke. I will testify that our Lord's love in His reproof wounds a man to his very core.

It doesn't take more than a few seconds; the time for your brain to recognize that what you just did or said was way out of bounds and unacceptable in His eyes; and His discipline results. God knows where you live! As a good father, He knows how to make you behave. When the Lord Almighty places you in a –TIME OUT-- He gets your full and undivided attention.

God's love for His people, the love Jesus has for His sheep, drives His desire to correct your behavior all while he walks along side you everywhere you go. Being yoked to your Lord is a most beautiful and comforting thing. Although painful to suffer His correction, when it is done, finished and His joy is poured out on you as on a child, you will find yourself whispering “I love you my Abba” In that very moment you are filled with His unending love.

(Joh 21:17) Feed My sheep.

OSWALD CHAMBERS:

This is love in the making. The love of God is un-made, it is God’s nature. When we receive the Holy Spirit He unites us with God so that His love is manifested in us. When the soul is united to God by the indwelling Holy Spirit, that is not the end; the end is that we may be one with the Father as Jesus was. What kind of oneness had Jesus Christ with the Father? Such a oneness that the Father sent Him down here to be spent for us, and He says – "As the Father hath sent Me, even so send I you."

Peter realizes now with the revelation of the Lord’s hurting question that he does love Him; then comes the point – "Spend it out." Don’t testify how much you love Me, don’t profess about the marvellous revelation you have had, but – "Feed My sheep." And Jesus has some extraordinarily funny sheep, some bedraggled, dirty sheep, some awkward, butting sheep, some sheep that have gone astray! It is impossible to weary God’s love, and it is impossible to weary that love in me if it springs from the one centre. The love of God pays no attention to the distinctions made by natural individuality. If I love my Lord I have no business to be guided by natural temperament; I have to feed His sheep. There is no relief and no release from this commission. Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by working along the line of natural human sympathy, because that will end in blaspheming the love of God.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion's mouth.

Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

(Gen 41:52) (2Co 1:3-5) (1Pe 1:6-7) (2Ti 4:17) (1Pe 4:19)sb

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion's mouth.

Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

(Gen 41:52) (2Co 1:3-5) (1Pe 1:6-7) (2Ti 4:17) (1Pe 4:19)sb

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?