Ringing In The New Year!

Depart! Depart! Go out from there,

touch no unclean thing; go out

from the midst of her, be clean,

you who bear the vessels of the LORD.

For you shall not go out with haste,

nor go by flight; for the LORD will go

before you, and the God of Israel will be

your rear guard.

Isaiah 52:11–12

            Yesterday’s blog was designed not to just impart some Greek language to anyone, rather it was to demonstrate that if one speaks and teaches other than what the Scriptures actually say; then they are not speaking or teaching truthfully. We must allow ourselves become so enamored by the beautiful oratory, or fancy teaching, rather we are to be prudent in all that is said to us. Many have succumbed to teachings that on the surface seem good only found bad and non–Scriptural. The goal as always is to teach us that we must ourselves change from the Inside/Out and this by the word of God rightly imparted. Isaiah’s words to “Depart!”
”Depart!” are words not only said to the nation of Israel, but to us, those of us who believe in the Bible as the inspired words of God. We are not to “touch the unclean thing,” and to “go out from the midst of her, be clean.” And this due to this fact; we are bearing the vessels of the LORD, His Gospel, and as His ambassadors we leave such things behind. Now it is this one thing that so entraps us and this is to be in a hurry to do things that we have come to believe must be done by us, but we are not in haste turn to those things that we have been instructed to leave behind. God will be with you and me and will be our “rear guard.” The Hebrew word ‘ףםא’ acaph, is translated in the New King James as ‘rear guard” and this is true. The word has a greater meaning and this is: to gather for any purpose, to bring objects, in this case you to a common point, and this refers to the end product and it is God who does the gathering. The word can also mean or represent a bringing to oneself as God brings His children to Himself and the word can mean that God bringing you to Himself and is withdrawing you or removing you of something. God who gathers and it is God who takes away, and God who destroys.

            We have come once again to the last day of the year, the year 2013, and are looking forward to the year 2014. You may be looking back on all that occurred in 2013 and we see things we wish we didn’t see, those things that we did that was not of God, and then, there are things we see whereby we see all that God has done for you. This may bring to you, those God things, and anxiety for the future and if not checked we may not allow those things of God, those memories of things we wish we did not do override God’s grace. God is God and is present in every age we live and while He allows those memories; He does so to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual culture for the future. This remembrance of the past and allowance by God is so as not to allow us, to fall into a shallow security in the present. God is going before you, He is not only your “rear guard,’ He is the One gathering you, and destroying those things that would destroy us if we do not turn to Him and allow Him to be our guide. God can and will, if we allow Him to do so, clear the past from our conscience, for it God Who is “going before you.” As we think upon the year 2014, do not become impetuous and forgetting those things, God did for you in the past. Do no allow the past and become thoughtless; rather go forward in patient power knowing that God of Israel is going ahead of you and those things of the past are irreparable, at least to us, they are what they are, but God can transform the past into a beautiful present and future. Let the past sleep, and let it sleep on the bosom of Jesus Christ. Once again: leave the irreparable past in His hands and then step out into the Irresistible future with Him.

            As you enter into this night and celebrate the New Year Day, do so with God, His Son Jesus Christ who you are an image of to lead you into that which is good. Take care, watch out for yourselves, there are those who care little about anything except there own pleasure and use this night as an excuse for excess. If, at all possible, join with others in your congregations, those brothers and sisters who would enjoy you company and are willing to celebrate this special day set aside as a memorial. There is a future and while God holds the future in His hands, we are the ones who are to demonstrate and exercise what the future will be for ourselves, our families, our friends, our nation, God goes before setting the stage, we are the actors setting forth for the world what God has set forth in us. Our yesterdays are yesterdays, past, not forgotten, but past, and they can by the help of God be that which impels us to live for God as we have never done so before. Not because we receive any reward for doing so, no, rather because God has saved you and deserves from us all worship. We have a mission, and that mission is to bring to our world the Gospel. What a pleasure that is and what a privilege it is, that God would give us this responsibility and go before us to aid us in our spreading of the Good news.

            Enjoy the night. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Now beautiful upon the mountains

            Are the fee of him who

Brings good news, who proclaims

            Peace, who brings glad tidings

Of good things. Who proclaims salvation,

            Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

                                                Isaiah 52:7

Break forth in Joy: Our God reigns

Richard L. Crumb

Changing From The Inside/Out

And he said unto them, it is not for you

to know the times or the seasons,

which the Father hath put in his own power.

But ye shall receive power, after that the

Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall

be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem,

and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and

unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 1:7–9

(Stephanus text; 1550 A.D.)

           

            The Church began as a separate religion apart from Judaism when Jesus came and spoke to those men who were waiting as instructed by Jesus: “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:40). This power came upon those assembled in ways that are simply miraculous and hard to understand. In fact, there has and is much debate and misunderstanding about this event. I hope and pray that I can bring some enlightenment to those debates.

Here is the Greek words in Acts 2:1-12: 1 Καὶ and ἐν This word often translated “in” has a greater meaning and can and does mean as well, “during.” τῷ συμπληροῦσθαι when times have fully come or are completed τῆς the ἡμέραν  day τῆς the πεντηκοστῆς pentecost ἦσαν they were άπάντες a strengthen form of the word πάς and means, all, the whole ὁμοῦθυμαδόν together with one mind or one accord ἐπὶ in τὸ the αὐτό same (place), 2 καὶ and ἐγένετο came ἄφνω suddenly, or unexpectantly ἐκ out τοῦ of οὐρανοῦ heaven ἦχος a sound, and the Greek word so often used for sound, θωνή, is not used rather this word. ἦχος , references that this sound was a roaring or loud sound iὥσπερ so as too, or simply, “as” φερομένης to be under a moving influence, rushing πνοῆς breathe βιαίας  violent καὶ and ἐπλήρωσεν filled up ὅλον whole τὸν the οἶκον house οὗ where ἦσαν they καθήμενοι sitting, 3 καὶ and  ὤφθησαν appeared, that is that they could behold αὐτοῖς to them διαμεριζόμεναι divided into parts γλῶσσαι tongues or languages ὡσεὶ as of πυρός fire, this then admits that the tongues spoken of are not just languages, rather an appearance that came upon those in the room, καὶ and ἐκάθισεν and sat ἐφ' upon ἕνα one ἕκαστον each αὐτῶν of them, 4 καὶ and ἐπλήσθησαν they were filled up πάντες the whole, or all, πνεύματος spirit ἁγίου holy, καὶ and ἤρξαντο began λαλεῖν to speak άποφθέγγεσαι  to speak out γλώσσαις tongues or languages as will be shown in the following verses that it was a language that could be understood by those from foreign lands that spoke another language  καθὼς as τὸ the πνεῦμα spirit ἐδίδου gave ἀποφθέγγεσθαι to speak forth, or utter αὐτοῖς. them

^5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, ^fdevout men, from every nation under heaven. ^6 And when this sound occurred, the ^gmultitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language διαλέκτω (dialect). ^7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak ^hGalileans? ^8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own ³language διαλέκτω (dialect). in which we were born? ^9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and ⁱCappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ^10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ^11 Cretans and ⁴Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” ^12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”

How does this play out, this special event whereby miraculous things occurred? First, it must be admitted that this was a work of God to impress upon those gathered together that God was imparting to them a new thing. They were to carry out the mission, and so are we, that is, to take the Gospel, which is, the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ who came to pay the debt owed to God, sin. This is the work of the Church, and you are the ekklesia, or called out ones, the Church and you are to be ambassadors for Jesus Christ, His Gospel. Our desire is to be what God has called us to be, a mission oriented people, a Church that has its eyes upon taking the Gospel into the remotest parts of the earth. No, it does not mean that we are all called to be missionaries that go to foreign lands, but, we are called to missionaries wherever we are, at work, play, in our homes, to our neighbors, and in all we do. The debate, that has sidetracked this mission or has given rise to such theologies that are not present in the narrative given above. The “tongues,” a misleading term if not correctly understood, and Scripture is very clear. Two things happened on that first day of the Church. One, tongues as of fire stood above the head of those attendance as a representative of this new work. This new mission, and this new covenant, set forth by God towards His children. Two, they spoke in languages that others could understand, and if we are to understand this correctly then this is the only possible explanation and is not some “gibberish” spiritual sounds that some make as though God need to hear from them in this unexpressive manner, that which is unnecessary. This debate that separates brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ is so harmful and so misleading that it must stop and the Church must then begin to be what was set forth on the day of Pentecost. How will this stop for it is engrained in some theologies and people have claimed it to be the way, to have some “angelic” sound, or “tongue” and the Bible never speaks this way. It stops with taking time to read the Greek and this I attempted to do above, and to apply what Scripture states for the people of God.

As the New Year approaches take time to take inventory of your life, your beliefs, your theology and make the changes that are Scriptural so that as you Consider Your Faith, you will make the necessary changes from the Inside Out.

           

The Church or God must by one

            The Church finds it s unity

In One Shepherd: Jesus Christ

Behold, how good and how

            Pleasant it is for

Brethren to dwell together

            In unity

                        Psalm 133:1

Praise Him you servants of the LORD

Richard L. Crumb

---

Taking Inventory And Planning Ahead

For thus says the LORD to the men

Of Judah and Jerusalem:

“Break up your fallow ground,

and do not sow among thorns.

Circumcise yourselves to the LORD,

and take away the foreskins of your hearts.

You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,

lest My fury come forth like fire, and burn

so that no one can quench it. Because of the evil

of your doings.”

Jeremiah 4:3–4

            It is true that Jeremiah was writing to the Hebrews and that the first application of what he said was to them.  We must not forget that what ever was written in the Bible had it first application often in the immediate circumstances of the Hebrews life.  We must not forget that all written, inspired by God, has application to every Christian.  Therefore, we must examine what was written so that we can discover how to apply what was written in our lives.  Jeremiah makes it very plain and clear that what he was about to write where the very words of the LORD.  Take a moment and look back in all that occurred in your life, especially this last year, and you may find that your life included much that was stone upon rocky ground.  That there were many circumstances in your life that cause you trouble and seemed at times impossible to traverse due to the many thorns and pistols, and the many harsh tones, that seemed to make you stumble.  But the LORD gives this command, “Break up your fallow ground,” and it is to be further noticed that God will not break up that harsh ground that you have been traversing.  God said, you are to be the one to break up that fallow ground.  Furthermore, God said; “do not sow among thorns.” You, and I, have this responsibility, we are to be watchful in all that we do and say so as to not too so our life amongst the thorns, that is, evil and unrighteous things.  How often is it that we expect God to do for us what we are to do for ourselves?  God will not do for us what we can do for ourselves and to think otherwise is to not think in godly terms.  For instance, one may be out of work and in need of work, and yet does not do anything: i.e., resumes sent to companies so that you may be hired.  God is like going to write those resumes, and God is not going to take you to the interview, you must do things for yourself.  We are to break up the fallow ground and not have apathy in our life.  Where do we start?  God once again gives us the answer: “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD.” What does this mean to be, circumcised?  Yes, Israel had the command that all boys by the age of eight days were to be circumcised.  In this physical act pointed to something greater than just the removal of the male prepuce.  God often uses physical action to point to something spiritual and in this case circumcision did just that.  It was more than saying that that boy was a Hebrew.  How would one know whether or not that boy was circumcised or not?  Was not that boy by birth already a Hebrew?  Yes!  Therefore, that physical act of circumcision pointed to something greater than the very act itself and that which it pointed to was for cleansing of a person’ heart.  We are to cleanse ourselves and not sow among thorns breaking up that foul ground that it has in the past caused us to do things that were against the will of God or to say things that were harmful, hurtful, and unrighteous.  What are those things that are hurtful towards God that would rouse his fury, it is that the foreskin, which has the meaning of evil thoughts and practices in our lives that needs to be removed are the very hurtful things that will cause God's fury to come upon a person like fire upon dry straw.  This fire is so hot, and reminds us of the words in Revelation where it is said that evil people will be thrown into the lake of fire a fire that cannot quench and this is done because of the evil that is in a person.  Do not allow yourself to become apathetic and tacitly approve of that which is evil whether it be in your life or in the life of others and stay away from those who would attempt in every way to turn you assign from the life from which you were saved by the birth, life, death, resurrection, and the ascension into heaven by Jesus Christ.  Yes it is true, we elect of God are already seated in heaven with God and no one can snatch us away from that but we can decide to either live for him or to suffer what God has planned for those who will not, even though he lacked, live for him: "If anyone's work is a burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire" (1 Corinthians 3: 15).  Yes, as we farm our land, that is, our lives, and Powell that fallow ground removing the thorns and pistols so that we can slow godliness amongst all that we do we then will build our lives on the very foundation which is Jesus Christ.  Paul writes: "For no other foundation can anyone lay band that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one is work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one is work, of what sort it is.  If anyone's work which he has built on it in yours, he will receive a reward" (1 Corinthians 11 -- 14).  Here is the crux of the matter, and we must not forget that this is at the very heart of what is being said in this blog: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you" (1 Corinthians 3: 16)?

            You may be taking time, and taking inventory of your life, to plan for the new year 2014, and this is a good thing.  Let me leave this blog with this good news: Jesus Christ came as a babe in arms, wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger, God himself came, not some angel, not some other person, but God himself to live as a man, to die as a man, a perfect man, to pay that debt that was all to himself, a debt he paid himself, and has now applied that propitiation for all of his children.  Praise God!

But we have renounced the hidden things of shame,

            not walking in craftiness nor handling

the Word of God deceitfully,  but by manifestations

of the truth commending ourselves to

every man's conscience in the sight of God.

                                                2 Corinthians 4: 2

Do not lose heart

Richard L. Crumb

Living As The Image Of Jesus

Then Jesus called a little child to Him,

set him in the midst of them, and said,

"Assuredly, I say to you, unless you

are convert to and become as little children,

you will by no means enter the kingdom

heaven."

Matthew 18: 2 -- 3

            Many people who come into the religion of Christianity do so by making a simple decision and belief by their making such a decision, believing salvation has come to them. This may be true, or, this may be untrue. Now, it is true, for many that at the beginning of their Christian life saved from their sins. This is true if converted and have not simply made a decision. There is a huge chasm of difference between a simple decision and conversion. When a person makes a decision they have made up their mind towards a difficult choice or a difficult decision and by their decision, they make a resolution towards themselves and feel that they have awarded themselves a victory and this may include their definiteness. On the surface, this seems needed, for one to receive salvation. Decisions with out conversion guarantees, to a person nothing for any decision made today, may be changed tomorrow. Therefore, something more is needed if one is to admit that they are a Christian and saved.  Conversion is such a state whereby a person is changed in character, in function, and is more than a simple belief or viewpoint.  It is more than a simple or even major change that is psychological, or even physiological. When there is a decision to believe in Christianity included as a necessary to conversion there must be more and that more is repentance. For one to be repentance he must review one's actions and feelings or conditions and have a feeling of contrition and regret for past wrongdoings. For one to be committed to their act of repentance there must be a personal change and that change can only come when one is converted and not simply making a decision. Repentance is more than simply making a confession true God in order to attain salvation.  It is more than a simple promise to not repeat past offenses. It is more than simply making some restitution for any wrongs you may have committed. No matter how guilty you may feel and guilt is a major part for a person to come to any knowledge that they must make so as to make decision and be converted.  Any decision or repentance at least in some form there will be a psychological healing that takes place.  We must not allow for piety to be replaced by simple psychological healing.In Biblical Hebrew, the idea of repentance is represented by two verbs: שוב shuv (to return) and נחם nicham (to feel sorrow). In the New Testament, the word translated as 'repentance' is the Greek word μετάνοια (metanoia), "after/behind one's mind", which is a compound word of the preposition 'meta' (after, with), and the verb 'noeo' (to perceive, to think, the result of perceiving or observing). In this compound word the preposition combines the two meanings of time and change, which may be denoted by 'after' and 'different'; so that the whole compound means: 'to think differently after'. Metanoia is therefore primarily an after-thought, different from the former thought; a change of mind accompanied by regret and change of conduct, "change of mind and heart", or, "change of consciousness" Jesus made it very clear soul that we cannot misunderstand what he was saying and how what he said applies to us: we must be converted. Our conversion is to live continually as one of God's children. We do not simply rely upon our own wits rather we rely upon God and his will knowing that God will hold us responsible.  Conversion means that we will immediately bring our bodies, our minds, our line, that naturalness of us, brought into the newness of life that old days the dictates of God.  This conversion or change in our lives and actions may start slowly and even have stumbling blocks a long way, but if we are truly converged, we will turn our lives to God who is willing to forgive us of our past sins and to give us all aid by his Holy Spirit to live according to his dictates.  You see we put a hindrance in our lives that life of Christianity, that spiritual life because we will not continually be converted because there are within us elements of obstinacy.  We deify independence, we wanted our way, we want to live autonomously, and this makes us to live in antinomy. Yes, it is true, we are weak, and yet God looked upon our weakness, that weakness so often we call strength. True conversion is one in which, even though it may come slowly, is one in which we continuously allow that conversion to take full control of our lives. Are we then to walk around as some of the monks in the past that even today do that is to live an ascetic life?  No! We are to live this life, the life that God has given to you and me, and should do so in obedience to God.  In chapter 18, Jesus continue to speak to the people and to his disciples telling them and us that do nothing should separate us from living the converted life to God.

            As we come to the end of the year 2013, take time to take inventory of your life. It is more than making a resolution to do better, to live more as a Christian, it is to simply turn your life over to him and allow the Holy Spirit that indwells all believers and children of God so that they can live a life of obedience.  Do you want to live a life of obedience? Do you want to bring glory to God the father who has saved you for eternity? Yes, we must make a decision that is part and parcel of conversion, and of repentance.  The truth of our conversion in repentance is that we become like little children and live according to our Father’s will. There is much ahead of us in the coming year and how we meet whatever comes our way will be determined by our character and our character if it is to be successful is one that is the character of Jesus Christ's being His image in us and our being the image of Him.

Then out of them shall

            proceed Thanksgiving

and the voice of those who make merry;

            I will multiply them, and they shall

not be small.

                                    Jeremiah 30: 19

You are the image of the Son of God

Richard L. Crumb

The Coming Of The Messiah

For there is born to you this day

in the city of David a Savior,

who is Christ the Lord.

And this will be the sign to you:

you will find a Babe wrapped

in swaddling cloths, lying in a

manger. And suddenly there was with

the angel a multitude of the

heavenly hosts praising God saying:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on

earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Luke 2:11–14

            This familiar narrative is one of the most important events recorded in the Bible; the first being the creation, the second the birth of the Messiah (Christ), the third the most important of all events; the death, burial, resurrection, and the ascension into heaven by this same babe in a manger born some 33 years before. It is His birth that we, Christians celebrate on this day, December 25^th, and it is on this day we are reminded of that night on a lonely pasture where shepherds lay watching their sheep that the angel of God appeared and announced the birth of the Son of God, and then a multitude of angels appeared singing; “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”(Luke 23:14). The word “Christ” is not a name of Jesus, it is not Jesus Christ, as in our names whereby we have a first and last name, and probably a middle name, this was not a name, it is a title, a title announcing that the Messiah, the long promised Messiah, the deliver, and savior has come into the world. Yes, it is true that it was the Hebrews that looked for this Messiah and not the world and yet it was for the whole world that Jesus was born and for whom He is the savior: “[H]e took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: ‘Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen You salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel’” (Luke 2:28–32). Yes, the babe in swaddling cloths came not only for His national people for He came for all His children that are in any and all nations, those chosen by God to be given to Him: “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are one” (John 17:11). Some will say that this prayer of Jesus just before His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane is only for His disciples. This prayer goes on to point out He was praying not only for His closest followers. It was and is for the whole world for this is the purpose of the life of Jesus and that purpose: bring salvation to the world. His love, this love of God, this love that is so great and not comprehended by our finite minds, may be in us, all who are the children of God: “An I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:26). This “agape” love, a love that has its foundation in that it expresses the deep and constant love and the interests of God towards those who are unworthy. It is this love brought to us by the birth of the Son of God, God’s very own Wisdom clothed in flesh and who came to live as a perfect man, and die a perfect man. He came not only to pay the debt of sin owed to God, a debt man cannot pay, for this babe came to bring salvation to the Children of God. You who convert to Jesus Christ are recipients of this love and salvation, and this is the real meaning behind this celebration: Christmas. Now, this is a fact that the more unbelievers pour scorn on Him, so much the more does He make, His Godhead evident. The things which they, as men, rule out as impossible, He plainly shows to be possible; that which they deride as unfitting, His goodness makes most fit; and things which these wiseacres laugh at as "human" He by His inherent might declares divine. Thus by what seems His utter poverty and weakness on the cross He overturns the pomp and parade of idols, and quietly and hiddenly wins over the mockers and unbelievers to recognize Him as God. Many today attempt to destroy this celebration as if they could destroy Christianity, and this world attempts to replace this special time with much commercialism and yet with all they do they cannot change history. Jesus Christ came, yes as a babe, and yes lived a life of poverty inasmuch as He did not accumulate wealth of goods, and yes, He died a criminal’s death. This cannot be denied, and His birth, life, and death changed the entire world, even those nations; i.e., China, and other far Eastern nations that believe in a form of Hinduism, or Buddhism, know about this babe, this man, Jesus Christ. Jesus did not come to set in place His kingdom on this earth: “Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here” (John 18:36). You, Christian, are part of His kingdom, and He went away to prepare a place for you so that you may be with Him for eternity. This is what we celebrate on Christmas Day, it is not just His birth, rather it is Him, God in the flesh and all that He has promised to His children are promises of assuredness. We believe, we are not responsible to do what He commanded; to be a witness for Him: “Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (John 18:37).

Do you believe? Then celebrate, pass out gifts, enjoy time with your family, relatives, and friends, and speak of this day not as a day of just fun and gifts, (good food, had to put that in), rather this day when God came to earth for His children: You!

On that day I will raise up

            The tabernacle of David,

Which has fallen down, and repair

            Its damages; I will raise up

Its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days

            Of old; that they may possess

The remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles

            Who are called by My name,

Says the LORD who does this thing.

                                    Amos 9:11–12

God Came To Plant You In His Land

Richard L. Crumb

The Coming Of The Messenger Of The Covenant

“Behold, I send My messenger,

and he will prepare the way before Me.

And he Lord, whom you seek, will

suddenly come to His temple, even

the Messenger of the covenant,

in whom you delight. Behold He

is coming.

Says the Lord of hosts.”

Malachi 3:1

            We are just two days away from the great festival: Christmas. While this is first, and foremost a Christian festival it has become a time when non–Christians have commercialized it to the point that the Christian meaning is almost lost. It is lost when are motive for celebrating this festival is more about gifts, parties, etc., and not a time to focus on the event that it celebrates: the coming of the promise Messiah. Some may want to apply this verse to John the Baptist, but this is a poor understanding for it is the Messiah promised and is the Messenger of the Covenant. Matthew writes the words of Jesus Christ in relation to the question of John the Baptist in prison: “For this is he whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You” (Matthew 10:11). The words of Malachi, albeit that we have given chapter numbers and verse numbers, falls on the previous words where he admonished the Jewish people: “You have wearied the LORD with your words; yet you say, ‘In what way have we wearied Him?’ “In that you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them,’ “or, ‘Where is the God of justice?’” (Malachi 2:17). Yes, it is true that John the Baptist was the messenger that prepared the way for the Messenger of the Covenant, Jesus Christ and John the Baptist’ ministry called people to repentance a preparation of the people who repented for the coming of this long promise and prophecies of His coming was about to be fulfilled. Jesus then when answering John the Baptist now imprisoned and questioning about Him and what said about Jesus was answered and the prophecy in Malachi found it meaning in Jesus Christ. Jesus, the Messenger of the Covenant, prophetically foretold of His coming and His role as Messenger of the Covenant by Isaiah: “Thus says the LORD: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You as a covenant to the people, to restore the earth. To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages” (Isaiah 49:8). There are Churches that have ignored this warning to Israel about calling “evil” “good” and allow homosexuality in their churches, and adultery not addressed according to the command of God. Those liberal churches are a stain upon the Messenger of the Covenant who came as a babe, God in the flesh, to restore the heritage that was lost, first by Adam, then this loss was carried forth in greater sinfulness so that man in no way could restore himself to receive what God willed for man. Jesus Christ came to His temple, and I do not mean the actual, physical, building called the temple for the temple of God is His elect: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have form God, and you are not your own” (1Corinthians 6:19)? If we are to obtain favor from God, and from His Messenger then we must meet the Messenger in His temple, and since you are the temple of God, the temple that the Messenger comes to by means of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; then ought we not take time to cleanse the temple? Since we cannot do this alone, we have something so great as that the ministry of Jesus Christ prepares the sinner’s heart to be His temple, a temple cleansed, holy, and sanctified and this He does by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. God does not care about sacrifice. God desires us to be obedient to Him. This obedience shown by our conversion and cleansing of ourselves by adhering to the commands of God and this too, we have help to be able to do so. By your will you act, one way or the other, therefore it is by our will that we choose to follow the Messenger and be the temple in which He comes into and lives within. It by our will to follow Him, and by Him, we are separated from indwelling corruptions. This babe lying in a manger that, the One who will care for His people and refine them as is done in refining gold, or precious stones came to do just that, the One who will care for His people and refine them as is done in refining gold, or precious stones. It is by this babe laying in a manger in swaddling cloth that will by His grace, that grace that only God can give, makes us acceptable to God. This babe is not ordinary babe, no, for He is God, incarnate, and it is He the Messenger of the Covenant, the One who fulfilled all prophecies abut the Messiah who came to do His Father’s will, that is to die for sin, to pay the debt owed to the Justice of God. It his babe that by His coming that the way to eternal life is guaranteed to all those who believe upon Him. It is by this babe, surrounded by the trappings of a manger, the place where cattle, sheep would eat and sleep, that He would not only die by the will of the Father, He makes now eternal intercession for all those called by God.

            As you prepare for this great festival, do not allow this time of joy and happiness to override the real meaning behind all that we celebrate: the coming, dressed in human flesh, complete man by His mother Mary, and complete God, by being begotten by God who is His Father, and yet is Him, one in essence with the Father. Our joy is: God has come to save His children.

Yet from the days of your fathers

            You have gone away from

My ordinances and have not kept

            Them. Return to Me, and

I will return to you,

            Says the LORD of hosts.

                                    Malachi 3:7a

Give God Praise

Richard L. Crumb

Setting Our Minds

Bless those who persecute you;

bless and do not curse.

Rejoice with those who rejoice,

and weep with those who weep.

Be of the same mind toward

one another. Do not set your mind

on high things, but associate with

the humble. Do not be wise in you

own opinion.

Repay no one evil for evil. Have

regard for good things in the sight

of all men.

Romans 12: 14–17

            The Greek word translated, “bless,” is not the same word Jesus used on the Sermon on the Mount, for the Greek word; εύλογέω, means to speak well, or to praise, to make happy, and is used to bless someone who is, as the Greek word, διώκοντας, means, the one who are pursuing you, those who may be desiring to acquire you, those who are malignity pursuing you to persecute you, and Paul makes this one thing clear, we are not to curse them, and we are to speak good words to them. That is not to say that we condone evil, or simply acquiesce to be persecuted, no, rather we are to speak well of them so as not to put ourselves in an unnecessary predicament. I will write more on this when I write on Romans 13, a place in the Bible that definitely has different opinions by Christians. Are we to rejoice with our persecutors? No! We rejoice with those who rejoice, and we weep with those who are weeping. Why? Because we are to care for our brothers and sisters, and we are to be the light of the world, and this light is spread abroad to all, even to non-Christians. Here is a problem, I have it, and you may too. Setting our minds on high things, for when we do this we lose sight of the humble and leave them alone to deal with life alone. Or, we become wise in our own opinions, those opinions that are not Scriptural. When we allow ourselves to not put on the whole armor of God, to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God then we are one step away to repay evil with evil. We are to set our eyes on things above and to do good towards all men, especially those who are God’s children. This is a time when many Churches hang banners that say peace and good will to all men, but for many this is only a good saying and not practiced in their lives. I pray that this is not true of you and me. We, as Christians have the obligation to live as Christians: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceable with all men” (Romans 12:18). Paul once again lays the responsibility for our action, our words upon us; “as much as depends on you,” Therefore you decide how much to say and do. So how are we to act? Paul writes: “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ (Deuteronomy 32:35), says the Lord. Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him, if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head’ (Proverbs 25:21–22). Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:18–21). Easy to say, or write, but hard to put into practice, and without effort it will never be anything more than a hardship. That is, if you do it for reasons other than you are doing what Jesus Christ did, and by doing so, out of your faith in Jesus Christ come works, a time that you being formed into the image of Jesus Christ. It is by the grace of God, that fact that Jesus Christ is God and that all things owe their being to His will and power and by Him all things are ordered and move. Furthermore, especially at this time of the year when we set aside time to celebrate His coming to earth to pay the debt owed to Him by Himself. We ought to be driven to do what we have just discussed; that is, to present ourselves acceptable to God, and this we do when we act in brotherly love, to our family of God, and extending to those who are not of the family of God. This great mystery of God, that the Word of God became man appearing in our midst, and due to this fact we adore Him, and love Him, and are devoted to Him. This growth in us may be slower for some and faster for others, but in all cases, we are to be growing closer and closer to Him. The world may scorn Him, as they often due at this time of year, even supplanting the word “Christmas,” with “Xmas,” and even attempting to make laws to stop saying “Merry Christmas,” or to have scenes of the birth of Jesus Christ displayed in public. We know that the evil ones will do evil, but we will not be moved to take action against them, any action outside of the law. We will bless them, say good things to them and by doing so: “you will heap coals of fire on his head.’” Don’t get caught up in the evil things, rather get caught up in the good, that which we celebrate, the coming as promised the Messiah, the one who redeems, the one who died for His children. This is a time of joy and we ought to be joyful, no matte what comes, no matter what attempts to take away this joy. We live, not for temporal things, rather we live for that which is eternal.

            I will not begin Romans Chapter 13 until after Christmas. This will be important to write about, as there is much division over what Paul wrote, and I do not want to take away from the joy of celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Thus says the LORD, the King

            Of Israel, and his Redeemer,

The LORD of hosts; ‘I am the First

            And I am the Last; besides Me

There is no God.

                                    Isaiah 44:6

Live for Your Savior

Richard L. Crumb