30 October 2009

The message is Love.

Jesus Christ died on a cross for our sins, was placed in a tomb for
three days, was resurrected from death, and was seen by many witnesses.

The message of the cross is love. '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).' The message promises salvation, or everlasting life in the presence of God, for those who believe. 'For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:17).'
We need saving, 'for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).' Jesus took the punishment upon Himself for all of us because He loves us. All of us; the whole world; everyone. He loves you! Hear the message. Jesus Christ is God. Believe it and
you will be saved. Believe it and you will be forgiven. No more suffering, no more fear. No more searching. I know it's not an easy decision, but it is one that you have to make. Think about this: '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).' Take the leap and you will not be disappointed. God gave us free will. The choice is yours. Are you absolutely sure you have made the right decision?

Isaiah 53
1 Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 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.
3 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.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
9 And they made His grave with the wicked—
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.
11 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.
12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.
(NKJV)

22 October 2009

the cross demands a decision.

black or white. on or off.  in or out.  there is no middle ground.  the foolishness of man or the wisdom of God.  

philosophy searches for the truth and falls short.  what answers have been discovered that did not lead to further inquiry?  psychology attempts to explain what only God can understand: the heart and spirit of a man.  there are no secrets, no mysteries.  all necessary things have been revealed.  what remains is only fuel for idle babbling.  

man searches for answers through many different methods but all man's pursuits only approach success; never providing satisfaction.  our quests for knowledge leave us wanting, never quenching the endless thirst.  

I am not just an animal; more than pockets of varied fluids and masses of tissue.  I am a man created for a purpose. my song is my own.  I am unique.  

there is truth.  the search is over.  don't be left behind.  by all means continue your futile pursuits, but know that they are futile.  the timing is not yours, but God's.  He has found you.  you will come to realize you were never lost.  He knew you before your time.  God is outside of time.  He knows you.  the wisdom of man is foolishness to God.  He will not be denied.      

20 October 2009

Psalm 22

 1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
         Why are You so far from helping Me, 
         And from the words of My groaning?
 2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
         And in the night season, and am not silent. 
         
 3 But You are holy,
         Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
 4 Our fathers trusted in You;
         They trusted, and You delivered them.
 5 They cried to You, and were delivered;
         They trusted in You, and were not ashamed. 
         
 6 But I am a worm, and no man;
         A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
 7 All those who see Me ridicule Me;
         They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
 8 "He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him;
         Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!" 
         
 9 But You are He who took Me out of the womb;
         You made Me trust while on My mother's breasts.
 10 I was cast upon You from birth.
         From My mother's womb 
         You have been My God.
 11 Be not far from Me,
         For trouble is near; 
         For there is none to help. 
         
 12 Many bulls have surrounded Me;
         Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.
 13 They gape at Me with their mouths,
         Like a raging and roaring lion. 
         
 14 I am poured out like water,
         And all My bones are out of joint; 
         My heart is like wax; 
         It has melted within Me.
 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
         And My tongue clings to My jaws; 
         You have brought Me to the dust of death. 
         
 16 For dogs have surrounded Me;
         The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. 
         They pierced My hands and My feet;
 17 I can count all My bones.
         They look and stare at Me.
 18 They divide My garments among them,
         And for My clothing they cast lots. 
         
 19 But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me;
         O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
 20 Deliver Me from the sword,
         My precious life from the power of the dog.
 21 Save Me from the lion's mouth
         And from the horns of the wild oxen! 
         
         You have answered Me. 
         
 22 I will declare Your name to My brethren;
         In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
 23 You who fear the LORD, praise Him!
         All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, 
         And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
 24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
         Nor has He hidden His face from Him; 
         But when He cried to Him, He heard. 
         
 25 My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;
         I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
 26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
         Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. 
         Let your heart live forever! 
         
 27 All the ends of the world
         Shall remember and turn to the LORD, 
         And all the families of the nations 
         Shall worship before You.
 28 For the kingdom is the LORD's,
         And He rules over the nations. 
         
 29 All the prosperous of the earth
         Shall eat and worship; 
         All those who go down to the dust 
         Shall bow before Him, 
         Even he who cannot keep himself alive. 
         
 30 A posterity shall serve Him.
         It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation,
 31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born,
         That He has done this.

(NKJV)