RISEN - A MOVIE REVIEW

     I went to see the movie Risen last night, having high expectations.  I was not disappointed!  Risen is the retelling of the events of the resurrection of Christ, as seen through the eyes of a Roman soldier.  I tend to watch films that depict Biblical events with a very critical eye for accuracy.  The two or three inaccuracies I caught were so minor, they are not even worth mentioning.  The fact that the integrity of the events surrounding Christ's resurrection were protected by the plot and script is truly refreshing, especially after having wasted good money to sit through 2014's Son of God.  CLICK HERE for review of Son of God  

     Risen tells the story of an up and coming Roman soldier, Clavius(Joseph Fiennes), who, under the direct command of Pontius Pilate, is charged with bringing order back to Jerusalem after the death and resurrection of Christ.  Clavius witnesses the already crucified Christ, moments after His death and unwittingly participates in key elements of the Gospel narrative.  Pilate then entrusts the guarding of Jesus' tomb to Clavius, to ensure Christ's followers do not steal His body and claim a resurrection.  Once Christ does rise, Clavius is given the duty to locate the stolen body of Christ and enforce peace in Jerusalem which is on the brink of utter chaos.  While searching for the body of Christ, and the disciples believed to have stolen it, Clavius must confront issues he cannot reconcile in his mind concerning "the Nazarene".  

     Risen is a high quality production with fine acting, script and plot.  Fiennes is utterly believable in the role of Clavius and gives an award worthy performance.  While Clavius is obviously not part of any gospel narrative, his presence in the story changes none of the key elements of history, nor does it affect the overall message of Christ's sacrifice.  I almost had the feeling that Clavius was reading the Gospel accounts and imagining himself there and participating to a certain extant. Inserting a fictional character into an historical account is often disastrous in terms of maintaining the integrity of the historical event.  The makers of Risen do a fantastic job of telling a fictional tale within the confines of true history, without losing the accuracy of the history itself.  Kudos to the writers, directors and producers for finding a way to entertain and educate.  

     Risen is an inspiring tale that is suitable for all but the youngest of viewers as there is some graphic violence and disturbing scenes of dead bodies in various stages of decay.  The film is PG-13 and is suitable for ages 13 and up, in my opinion. 

    I highly endorse and recommend this film and plan on owning it when it comes out on DVD.  Go see Risen this Resurrection Day season, you will not be disappointed.  

JOHN ISENHOWER - ON OBEDIENCE

My good friend John Isenhower shared his thoughts on obedience and I felt compelled to share those thoughts here.

OBEDIENCE - BY JOHN ISENHOWER

    Obedience might be a thing we don't understand.  We have been brought up in a world where there is no accountability.  We are raised by our grandparents or a school system or babysitter, so our parents can both work 60 hours per week to maintain worldly standards.  Eventually, that causes unfaithfulness, and/or stress on the marriage, which ends in divorce.  Then we are down to a broken home, being bounced back and forth like a ping pong ball.  At that point, we are counting down the days until we are 18, and life will be so much better.  We reach this dream age and we realize, we haven't been taught one thing, except, it's all about us.  We don't know how to love, we don't know how to share, we don't know how to take care of ourselves, much less the child we are having with the girl we are not married to.  We move right to the government, who will continue to teach us to take, take, take.  This seems to be ok with people because they have not been taught anything different.  There is no model of right and wrong in the world.  God and His word has become so diluted that we, as Christians, are confused on what our lives are supposed look like.  We do not realize that we are supposed to be modeling obedience and accountability.  We are called to stand up and be different than the world, so those who don't know Christ can be directed to Him.
    Through our obedience, we need to be careful to realize that God has put us in His spotlight or others to see.  Not to see us, but Christ in us.  God created us for His purpose, not our own.  He should live in the driver seat of our lives, not the passenger seat. God should most definitely not live in the back seat, which is where He ends up most of the time.  This is the reason we spend so much time trying to justify sin, instead of guiding others in the direction of repenting of theirs.  I am thankful that God gave His Son to be a perfect example of the live we should be living.  There is no if, ands, or buts, about it.  If we truly look at the words of Jesus Christ for what they are, we either choose to obey or disobey.  There is clearly no in between.




John Isenhower is the director of the Knoxville chapter of Relevant ministries, a homeless outreach.  His passion for sharing the Gospel with the homeless has motivated me step outside my comfort zone, for which I am very grateful. John's true passion is evangelism and discipleship and I am proud to call him my friend.

COLOSSIANS 1:10 - WALKING IN A MANNER WORTHY OF GOD

  As I am embarking on the path of discipleship and disciple making, one of the most important things I must do is strive to walk in a manner worthy of my faith.  Colossians 1:10 states  so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.  This passage defines the Christian life.  My goal must be to put this passage into practice in every aspect of my life.  Each individual Christian must endeavor to live an uncontradictory  life.  We cannot have one persona at church and one persona at work and another with one group of friends and yet another with a different group of friends.  The true disciple of Christ is consistent in his behavior regardless of his surroundings.  The true disciple of Christ is uncomplicated and constant.  

WALKING IN A MANNER PLEASING TO GOD

     What does it mean to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord? Jesus told us to love God and love others.  Loving God and others takes the focus off of our own lives, our own wants, desired and perceived needs, and places it on serving God and helping others.  As I have written previously, discovering our spiritual gifting and operating in that gifting is a key component to fulfilling God's purpose and call on our lives.  We cannot be worthy of the Lord or please Him or bear fruit unless we are fulfilling His call.  For More on Spiritual gifts CLICK HERE  

      Many people find life unfulfilling. The pursuit of fulfillment, often times, leads to wasted efforts.  King Solomon lamented a life squandered by seeking fulfillment in the things of the world.  Solomon sought meaning in physical relationships, in wealth building, in monument construction and in knowledge, yet he concluded that all these things from which he sought meaning were meaningless.  Solomon's conclusion was fulfillment is only found in serving God.  

    How many times have we read about a well known personality, who has died in the pursuit of fulfillment, whether it be by accidental overdose, an accident brought on by intoxication or health problems caused by a decadent lifestyle?  Even sadder, how many celebrities, having realized the futility of their pursuits,  chose suicide?  To read more on this CLICK HERE  Like Solomon, there are some, who attain everything they believe should make them happy and fulfilled, only to realize that those things were not satisfying beyond the immediate gratification of attainment.  Once the initial thrill has worn off, the pursuit of the next thrill begins.  This is futility personified. 

    In Colossians 1:10 we find a key to fulfillment and purpose.  I cannot tell anyone what specifically to do to please God and bear fruit.  Your relationship with God is personal and tailor made just for you.  I can tell you that obedience to God, whatever that looks like in your life, is essential.  We know that God desires we spend time with Him in His word and in prayer. We know that God wants us to fellowship with other believers. We know God wants us to treat others well.  Beyond the basic commands to love God and love others, my rules from for obedience and holy living may not be the same rules for you.  My relationship with God is based on my calling, my gift, my weaknesses and my mission, as is yours.  Your personal obedience, beyond the basic commandments, can only be found by pursuing God and His will for your life.  

     ON BEARING FRUIT

     Bearing fruit is essential for every believer.  Luke 6:43-44a "For there is no good tree wich produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. for each tree is known by it's fruit"  Jesus condemned Israel for not bearing fruit as a nation, as demonstrated by His encounter with the figless fig tree.  We bear fruit by living under God's authority, following the prompting of His Spirit and serving Him in the capacity which He has enabled us.  Fruit bearing, on a personal level, does not mean having a dynamic ministry that brings in thousands, or even dozens, of people.  Fruit bearing is not having "success" in evangelism.  Fruit bearing, for the believer, is subtle and natural, just as a fruit tree, once established, bears fruit in season.  Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. True fruit in the life of a believer is born from within and manifests itself outwardly.  As we continue on as disciples of Christ, growing in faith and obedience, these things in Galatians will be natural by products.  When these fruits are manifested, our very lives become living testimonies of faith. 

INCREASING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
   One would assume that we need to increase in the knowledge of God before we can walk in a manner that is pleasing to Him and before we can bear good fruit.  One would assume wrong.  Once we are born again, we are new creations.  Born again believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and the fruit we bear is the fruit of the Spirit.  It is His fruit that is borne in us.  We increase in the knowledge of God so we can increase in our ability to please God and to bear good fruit.  Once we increase in our knowledge of God, it is essential that we put that knowledge into practice.  Scripture says James 1:23  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.   For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. Increasing in the knowledge of God initiates and perpetuates our sanctification.  Sanctification is the process of the Holy Spirit changing us into the image of Christ Himself.  Romans 8:29  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 

Colossians 1:10 provides us with a guide to holy living.  Discipleship is taking passages like this from the Bible and actively pursuing the application to our lives.  As born again believers, we should desire a closer walk with God and a deeper relationship with Him.  As we draw closer go God, our lives will begin to change and we will have opportunity to serve Him.   The goal is not to be busy for God, but to know God and allowing that knowledge to transform us into the image of Christ.  God is the one who does the work, we simply follow His lead and serve under His guidance and provision - Jesus said "my yoke is easy and my burden is light." This does not mean we will have an easy path to follow or that we will have no difficulties, it means we are yoked together with Him and He helps carry our burdens, while we are walking with Him.  Walking in a manner worthy of God is not work but surrendering to His will and allowing Him to guide our footsteps in life.

SUPER DELEGATES - THE TRUE DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF THE AMERICAN VOTERS

   

As I watched the results for the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary, I was confused as to how Hillary Clinton had delegates before voting even started.  In Iowa, before the first vote was cast, Clinton had 3 delegates and Sanders had 0.  In New Hampshire, early results showed Sanders up by 20% and Clinton had 6 delegates and Sanders had 0.   I was perplexed and agitated, especially given the Clintons' political machine's penchant for playing by a different set of rules.  Hillary Clinton is a liar, so I figured she was probably a cheater as well.

     I researched how a candidate could possibly get delegates with no votes and discovered the Super Delegate. To become a Super Delegate, one must have held political office or be appointed by a party official.  The only super power the Super Delegate actually has is subverting the will of the people.  Normal delegates are awarded by votes from the electorate.  The citizens vote and the delegates are awarded to the candidate with the most votes.  Some states are winner takes all and some divide according to vote percentages.  The Super Delegate is not beholden to the will of the people.  The Super Delegate is free to choose whichever candidate he wishes, regardless of the vote.  There are over 700 Super Delegates nationwide, about half the number of needed delegates to nominate a candidate.

     Super Delegates exist because the Democratic party does not trust it's constituents to make the right choice.  Super Delegates are a safety net to ensure that the establishment's choice receives the nomination.  If you are a democratic voter, you are not trusted by your own party...  When George McGovern, a complete disaster of a candidate, won the nomination in 1972, the Democratic Party decided that it would never again leave the decision of who represents the party, in the race for president, to the people.  The Democratic Party decided that the people could not be trusted and the Super Delegate was born.

   This underhanded method of counting delegates explains why Sanders and Clinton, who finished in a virtual tie in Iowa, were not awarded the same number of delegates.  Three Super Delegates were given to Clinton before even one vote was cast.  Clinton picked up 6 Super Delegates in New Hampshire, where she was trounced by Sanders, giving her more Delegates than Sanders.   This is unbelievable.

     The same party that claims requiring an ID to vote disenfranchises voters has a built in system to ensure that the will of the people does not subjugate the will of the Party.  

SATISFACTION VS ABUNDANCE - PROVERBS 10 PRINCIPLES ON WEALTH

   As I was reading through Proverbs this week, I noticed, in Proverbs 10:2-3, principles on wealth that prompted me to share my thoughts.  Proverbs 10:2-3 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.  The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.  We, as a society, are geared toward amassing.  We try to amass wealth, honor, prestige, and other, often elusive things we believe will bring us satisfaction.  Who among us has never said, "If only I had..." believing  there is a thing, just out of our reach , which would bring us true satisfaction?  Even worse than craving the unattainable is achieving the object or our desire, acquiring the one thing  we just know will bring true bliss, and realizing  the satisfaction promised was not delivered.  To attain and yet not achieve is a hollow victory indeed.

     The acquisition of wealth, as the world sees it, is much like this.  The real question is, "how much is enough?"  Without the proper spiritual perspective, there is no such thing as enough, because satisfaction is elusive for those outside the will of God.  The list of famous people who have attained "the American dream" only to commit suicide is astounding.  In August of 2014, funny man Robin Williams joined the ranks of those who could not find satisfaction in what the world had to offer. read the Tragic Death of Robin Williams HERE   Williams, like many before him, realized the hollowness of attainment.  Being adored by millions, commanding millions of dollars for roles, having unlimited access to the excesses of life were not enough.  According to Proverbs 10:2-3, it is God's design that we not find satisfaction in these things.

     Proverbs 10:2 states that "treasure gained by wickedness do not profit."  Treasure is wealth, yet this passage says ill gotten treasure cannot profit.  How could wealth not profit?  If the goal of attaining the treasure is satisfaction, then the goal will not be achieved.  According to the above passage, the righteous will have needs met, while the wicked, though they may be wealthy, will crave.  What do the wicked crave, the one thing they cannot have - peace.  Wealth, fame and prestige cannot fulfill man's need for peace.  A right relationship with God, in which needs are met, is far more satisfying than great amounts of wealth that calls out for "just a little more."  Jesus stated it perfectly in Mark 8:36  For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?  

     Satisfaction is the real goal of all people.  We do not realize this because we are busy pursuing  things which we believe will bring satisfaction.  These things soon eclipse the underlying desire for satisfaction and our pursuit becomes misplaced on an object or status and the peace of true satisfaction is never realized.  The pursuit of satisfaction in material wealth can never end, as wealth, in and of itself cannot bring the peace and satisfaction that the soul of man craves.  The Spirit of God is the only one who can provide us with true and lasting satisfaction.  I Christ, we can have all our needs met, physical, spiritual and even emotional, by the power of God, irregardless of how much money, power or notoriety we may or may not have.

     Abundance of stuff does not indicate blessing.  The above passage reveals how treasure can be gotten through wicked means.  Surely the wicked are not blessed by God.  I am most blessed when I am walking in the will of God and that usually means I am giving of my resources, not getting.  I am never more at peace or more satisfied than when I am operating in the skill set with which God has gifted me.  By my stating this, you may correctly deduce that I am inferring that I am among the righteous. I unequivocally assert that I am righteous in the eyes of God, and yes this is a bold statement.  I also, just as strongly assert that my righteousness is not because I am a good person or because I have done anything good, I am righteous because Christ has made me righteous by His shed blood on the cross.  Christ imputed His righteousness to me, filling me with His Spirit and giving me the peace of satisfaction.  My only role is exercising the faith which God made available to me.

     I may never be a rich man, as the world defines wealth.  I am, however, blessed beyond measure because I have access to my Father in heaven and I know that He promises to provide all my needs out of the abundance of Christ.  I can be, and am, satisfied because He has made me satisfied by His Spirit.  If only those who endlessly pursue the unattainable would find the secret to true peace and satisfaction.  The wicked may amass and horde and attain, but they will never achieve the one thing that every soul craves... peace.            

PSALM 89 - MORE PROOF OF GOD'S FUTURE PLANS FOR ISRAEL

  Reform theology concerning the nation of Israel is poison to the Christian Church.  Reform, also known as replacement, theology falsely teaches the heresy that God has rejected Israel and the Church is now the recipient of all God's blessings and promises, replacing Israel as God's chosen people.  As I have previously written on this topic, for replacement theology to be true, much of the Old Testament has to be completely ignored, due to the fact that much has been foretold about God's future plans for the forgiveness and restoration of Israel.  click here to check out how EZEKIEL 20 disproves reform theology   How we view God's plan for Israel shapes our understanding of God's Word and our understanding of end times.  If God is done with Israel, the book of Revelation becomes irrelevant and meaningless.  Daniel's 70 weeks of years prophecy is worthless and every promise God made to Abraham and David must be broken.  If God breaks a promise, He is no longer God and all bets are off.

     Psalm 89 is one of a plethora of passages that prove the Replacement crowd wrong.  Psalm 89:1-4 A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.  For I said, "Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness."   You have said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:   'I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.'" Selah. 

     David was king of Israel.   At His Crucifixion, Jesus was ultimately charged with being King of the Jews.  If there is a throne, there must be subjects.  In relation to the Church, Christ is the Bridegroom, in relation to Israel, He is King.  Right now, for a time, Israel is estranged from God, as Jesus, Daniel and others foretold would happen.  As I demonstrated in my last blog on the subject, Israel will repent, in Jesus' name, and cry out to God for salvation during the 70th week of Daniel, a time also known as the 7 Year Tribulation.  click here to read how Psalm 80 foretells Israel's call for salvation  In order for God to fulfill His promise to David, Israel must be redeemed.  Eschatologicaly speaking, a renewed and forgiven Israel fits in with a literal view of scripture, especially prophetic scripture,

     In response to a Tweet I sent out, this week, a fellow Tweeter tweeted me with "Israel is done" and included some articles that showed turmoil in the promised land.  Included in the article were some references to Christians being tricked by Zionism.  Jesus promises to rule and reign from Mt. Zion, so yes, being on the side of Christ, I would consider myself a Zionist.  I do not believe Israel is currently right with God, nor do I believe that everything Israel says and does is automatically right, after all, they have been caught spying on America. Also, Tel Aviv is one of the most decadent cities on earth.  There is good reason why the events of the Tribulation will be so difficult for Israel, God will use great tumult to draw Israel back unto Him so the events of Psalm 80 are possible.

    In the mean time, God's promise to bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel still stands.  Even when Israel was under God's heavy hand of discipline, the Father punished the nations that reveled in Israels demise. To get an idea of how God deals with those who hate Israel, check out Ezekiel chapters 25-31.  There is no question that God loves and protects Israel.  This was evident when a rocket fired into Israel, in Summer 2014, made it through Israel 's missile defense system and was supernaturally knocked into the sea before it could hit land and harm God's chosen people.  This event made headlines around the world you can read the article here - CLICK

      I stand with Israel because God stands with Israel.  Anti-semites in and out of the church would like to see Israel destroyed, evidenced by the Presbyterian Church USA's decision to side with Palestine over Israel by divesting itself from any company doing business in or with Israel.  you can read how PCUSA spit in God's eye twice recently -CLICK  This is dangerous ground, but can be expected from an organization that calls itself a church yet votes to recognize same sex marriage, a direct violation of God's word.

    Israel was, and is God's chosen people.  Israel is God's elect.  The church is grafted into Israel and falls under the promises and protections of Israel, the church does not replace Israel.

   We are commanded by scripture to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  That peace will not come until Messiah returns.  God promises to establish Israel forever.  In that promise is the blessed hope of salvation through Jesus, King of the Jews!

PSALM 80 - ISRAEL CALLING FOR MESSIAH IN TRIBULATION (JESUS IDENTIFIED IN OT SCRIPTURE)

      The book of Psalms is Israel's song book.  The book of Psalms is also filled with prophecy concerning Israel's future, specifically in the latter days.  Psalm 80 gives a view of the tribulation, with Israel calling out to God for salvation, specifically calling out for Messiah.  The opening verse gives reference to a time of judgment, alluding to the visions of the prophet Ezekiel.  Psalm 80:1  To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Testimony. Of Asaph, a Psalm. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.  Ezekiel had experiences with God which included encounters with Christ, seated on a platform, carried by Cherubim.  Chapter one of Ezekiel gives a detailed description of the Cherubim and what seems to be some sort of powered craft.  Ezekiel 10 identifies the "being" seated on the platform above the Cherubim as God.  Scholars agree that this figure must be Christ in a pre-incarnate appearance, also known as a Christophany.  

     The significance of the reference to Ezekiel is Ezekiel's ministry was to Israel during the Babylonian captivity, when the nation was being judged for it's disobedience toward God.  Ezekiel's early ministry was to warn Israel to repent for sin informing the nation of God's judgment being imminent.  Ezekiel's later ministry consisted of comforting the exiled Jews, encouraging them with God's promises to restore Israel and descriptions of the reign of Messiah.

       There will be another day when Israel experiences the wrath of God, when Israel will repent and call out for Messiah, specifically Jesus Christ.  This time is what we refer to as the Great Tribulation, also known as the "Time of Jacob's trouble" and "the 70th Week of Daniel."

      The Tribulation will culminate with Christ returning to rule over Israel for 1000 years, which we see vividly described by the prophet Zechariah who ministered to Israel after Ezekiel's ministry ended and the people came back into the land: Zechariah 12:9  And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.  "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. The people of Israel will recognize Jesus when He returns, and I believe,  will not only be expecting Him, but calling for Him, by name, to rescue them.  Psalm 80 gives us clues that this is the case.

     Verse 2 leads us to the understanding that the Psalmist recognizes  the Messiah will come from the line of David.  Psalm 80:2  Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might and come to save us!   Verse one references Joseph being led by the shepherd of Israel and here, in the next verse, we see reference to Joseph again, albeit through his sons Ephraim and Manasseh.  Also in verse two is Benjamin.  The reason these names are significant is because  A).Jacob counted Joseph(for a number of reasons) as his first born son, even though he was 11th born, thus rightful ruler over the descendants of Jacob and B). Benjamin was the tribe from which King Saul hailed, Saul being the first king of Israel chosen by God.  The Psalmist is reaffirming God's choice to reject these two tribes as leaders and establishing Judah, David's line, as ruler over Israel. The Messiah, Jesus, a direct descendant of Judah and David will rule over Joseph and Benjamin.

                                         
     Verses 3-16 demonstrate that Israel is in distress and calling out to God for salvation :Psalm 80:3-16  Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!   O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?   You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure.  You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves.  Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!   You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.  You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land.  The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches.  It sent out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the River.   Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?  The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it.  Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine,  the stock that your right hand planted, and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.  They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your face!

       Here we see Israel acknowledging  they are in distress and under threat of total destruction.  Israel recounts the deeds that God has done on their behalf and also acknowledges that, even though the enemies of Israel have wrought destruction, it has ultimately come from the hand of God.  This acknowledgement is necessary for true repentance.  Finally, the Psalmist, speaking on behalf of the nation, or, most likely, recording future pleas from the nation of Israel, records the call to the God of Hosts for salvation.  The call from Israel is for help for the Vine that was planted by God's Right Hand.  We know, by virtue of the Gospel accounts, that Jesus Christ sits at the Father's right hand.  In this same passage is mentioned "the Son you made strong for Yourself"  In other translations the word Son is rendered branch.  Both of these are references to Messiah.  Isaiah 11 identifies the Messiah as the Branch of Jesse.  It would seem, at some point during the 7 year Tribulation, Israel will recognize their plight as judgment from God and  will acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ and call out for His salvation - both physical and spiritual.

     Not surprisingly, in the next verse, the Psalmist, and Israel by inference, cries out again, more emphatically for the right hand and Son of Man.  Psalms 80:17  But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!  For believers, hindsight is 20/20. We know Christ referred to Himself as The Son of Man.  Christ did this because He knew the religious leaders would understand He was bringing warning and judgment on Israel as the prophet Ezekiel had.  Ezekiel was called son of man by God.  We can see here Israel will one day call out for the savior and will recognize the savior is Jesus Christ, the self proclaimed Son of Man,

    Jesus Christ, who is seated at the right hand of the Father. Amazingly, at the time of this writing, the Psalmist had no concept of the Messiah being seated on the right hand of the Father or of His calling Himself the Son of Man.  These things are written purely by the inspiration of God and speaks of events in the future.  Very exciting when you think of the intricacies and subtleties of prophecy.  No word or phrase is wasted, every passage has significance.

                                         

     In the last two verses, we see Israel calling on God for salvation and restoration:    Psalms 80:18-19  Then we shall not turn back from you; give us life, and we will call upon your name!  Restore us, O LORD God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!   This is the final cry of Israel as a nation, this call brings them back to God once and for all, this call acknowledges  Jesus is the Messiah, and the nation's need for the salvation of God, through the sacrifice of Christ.

  God promised Israel to restore them and forgive them of all sin:   Jeremiah 31:31-34  "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,  not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD.   For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

     Jesus declared, "I am the Way the Truth and the Life and no man comes to the Father but by Me."  If God promises to forgive and restore Israel, and Jesus is the only way to forgiveness and restoration, we can conclude  Israel must, at some point, acknowledge Jesus as Messiah and repent before God.  I believe Psalm 80 is prophetically recording this event, when Israel acknowledges Jesus as Messiah, facilitating Christ's return to establish His 1000 year kingdom.

    Sometimes, very subtle clues in scripture have earth shaking ramifications! It is our responsibility to understand these clues.

Now, go live as Christ... and give the devil hell!

WHY OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO A HEALTHY CHURCH

   Every member of the Body of Christ is essential and every member has a spiritual gift, chosen by God, especially for them.  The health and proper function of the Body of Christ relies on every part... well, doing it's part.  Every member fulfilling their role.

 Our Pastor delivered a great message out of Ephesians 4:7-16, this morning.  He spoke about finding your spiritual gift and using it.  I can attest to the fact that I am never better than when I am operating in my gift.  I believe my main gift is teaching God's word and when I am doing that, I am at my best.  I am not the best Bible teacher, but I am the best version of me when I am teaching.  This has nothing to do with my ability or lack thereof, it has everything to do with being obedient to the calling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. I do not say any of this to draw attention to myself or anything I do, but to make the point of how important it is to be who God made you to be.

     This weekend I had the opportunity to participate in an outreach in the homeless community.  The two brothers I went with were gifted as evangelists. Being with then and listening to them naturally share with people made me realize how much I am not gifted in the area of evangelism.  I did not feel badly nor am I discouraged as I recognize my gifting is not in evangelism.(this does not excuse me from sharing my faith, as our Pastor pointed out)  I have a different gifting which is just as valid and important, as the gifts God has given to every believer.

     The two mistakes we often make is elevating some gifts above others, and expecting everyone to operate in one specific gift(usually evangelism).  In today's message, we saw from Ephesians 4:16 how every one of us, operating in our gift, is necessary for the body to function.  As I pondered this, I was reminded of 1 Corinthians  12:22-24  On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,  which our more presentable parts do not require.  There are essential organs and ligaments, without which, our bodies would cease to function.  These parts are protected by our skin and bones and are never meant to be exposed or displayed.  Just so, many believers have roles that are best carried out under the cover and protection of other believers.  This is a difficult thing, as many time, we destroy or banish the weak among us.  When we deem someone's gift or role as unnecessary or even a nuisance, we rob the body of an essential function. There are also parts of our bodies that we do not put on public display, parts we refer to as our "private" parts.  We protect certain areas of our body for modesty sake, yet we would not be willing to part with those parts...  In the body of Christ, some people may, by gifting, fall into the category of "private" part.  People who need extra care and attention, yet are vital to the healthy function of the Body of Christ.

     I have, in the past, been part of a church that valued only productive members and any one who became needy or "a burden" were marginalized and ultimately driven off.  This was a grave error and led to many broken lives and ultimately, the failure on the part of the pastor to achieve his goals.  Every member is vital and must be treated as such.  If you have ever had an appendectomy, you know the pain involved in losing a "non-essential" part of your body.  When we fail to recognize the unique and essential gifting of each member and when we fail to help each member recognize and operate in their gift, we are doing great spiritual harm to the Body.

     It is necessary for every believer to study and learn to use their spiritual gift(s).  Romans 12:4-8 is a great place to start.  I firmly believe that everyone has at least one gift on that list.  A spiritual gift assessment is also a great tool for discovering individual gifting.  TAKE AN ASSESSMENT HERE

     Discipleship is a key component in developing and using spiritual gifts.  Get involved with a meaningful discipleship program or start one of your own.  Feel free to contact me for a program I developed and implemented.  I would love to share the material free of charge.  If everyone operated in their gift, serving would be joyful.  You know the the good feeling in your body when everything is functioning normally and you are healthy, this is what happens for the local church and the Body of Christ when we all do our part.

     We must start viewing our brothers and sisters as vital and we need to assist each members we are gifted to assist.  At the risk of being vulgar, imagine if your hand refused to take care of personal hygiene in the restroom.  A nasty job, to be sure, but necessary for the proper health and function of the body.  The same goes for the church, someone has to help care for the parts that cannot care for themselves so they can accomplish their role properly.

    We are commanded, by scripture, to study to show ourselves approved unto God.  What better way to kick off the new year than by developing a deeper relationship with God, utilizing your spiritual gift(s) and fulfilling your role in the Body of Christ?  I promise you it will be a journey that you will never regret!

   

CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS - MOHAWKS, SINGING ANGELS?, AND MY SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

                                                   

   Christmas is upon us once more and we will be very busy with church events, singing Christmas trees, shopping, baking cookies and mailing cards, all Christmas staples in America.  We will have sung Hark the Herald Angels Sing so often that it will seem like gibberish, much like when you repeat a word over and over until it stops making sense. We will run out to stores, "one more time" to get "one more thing" numerous times and still feel like we left someone out.  Anyone with more than one child knows how hard it can be to balance gifts evenly, our family has 5+1 this year as we have the welcome edition of a new son(in law).

      I remember back when I was in high school, it was popular to shave the sides of your head, just "a little bit."  I asked my sister to shave my sides...just "a little bit"(it was the 80's), and as she worked at keeping both sides even, "a little bit" became more and more until I ended up with an unintended Mohawk!  Evening out gifts for 5 kids can be just like that.  Every year, my wife and I agree to keep Christmas simple. Everybody gets just "a little bit."   We have a set amount of money to spend each year and every year we second guess the amount of gifts we have for each child and every year we attempt to even it up until... well it's the equivalent that  Mohawk my sister gave me, by the time we are done.  We always seem to end up going much further than we ever planned.

   In the midst of all the hustle and bustle(what exactly is bustle, anyway?), we strive to keep the true meaning of Christmas at the fore front.  So easily, Christ, the namesake of Christmas, gets lost in the shuffle of events, get togethers, and gift giving.   Our family makes a birthday cake for Jesus, even though we are fully aware that He was definitely not born on December 25, and we have a time of prayer and Bible reading.  This seems like the least we can do amidst all the tearing of wrapping paper and consuming of foods in quantities we would never even consider, any other time of year.

    Christmas Eve service, with at least one more rousing sing-a-long of Hark The Herald Angels Sing, is also an important part of our observance.  Oddly enough, though there is not one instance of a singing angel in the scripture, we sing a veritable stocking full of songs about singing angels every Christmas.  There is, however, something special and sacred about going to church on Christmas Eve.  Even people who only go to church once or twice a year find it important to attend church on the night before Christmas. This is also a great opportunity for the local church to love on visitors and encourage them to come back on Sundays.  In my self righteousness and pride, I once felt resentful toward the Christmas and Easter crowd, now, I am glad they come out and worship, and hope to give them a reason to come back and especially hope they make a lasting connection to Christ.

    To all my regular readers, I would like say THANK YOU! from the bottom of my heart, for taking the time to read my rants and rambles all year long.  I would also like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!  Thank you to those who comment and feedback on what I write.  Jesus loves you and I do what I do because He has given me so much and I know He has much to bless anyone who believes.  Looking forward to 2016 and seeing God's plan for His people!

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS - REVIEW AND COMMENTARY -- WARNING **SPOILERS**

         THE PERFECT MIX OF OLD AND NEW CHARACTERS                BRINGS BALANCE TO THE FORCE AWAKENS
                                     
                                               

 went to see The Force Awakens with my boys.  5 stars, two thumbs up, and any other A+ rating a movie can earn.  If you are hesitant to see the new Star Wars Episode VII, do not hesitate, GO SEE IT!  J.J. Abrams has recreated every thing you ever loved about the Star Wars universe and seems to have gotten it right on every level.  I liked Episode VII as much as, if not more, than Episodes V and VI. This is a very worthy sequel  to A New Hope.

      The Force Awakens feels like Star Wars and captures the magic of the original trilogy.  The opening scroll and large ship of the first minutes of the film made me feel as if I was visiting a place of nostalgia and gave me a warm feeling, immediately going into the film. The new characters are likable and well developed, while the presence of many of original cast "brings balance" to The Force Awakens.  J.J. Abrams has done for Star Wars what Peter Jackson did for Lord of the Rings.  While Lucas defecated on his own source material, Abrams stayed true to the original formula and gave the new Trilogy relevance where Episodes I-III are nearly complete throw aways.

     Story line wise, the plot if Episode VII has many similarities to the original Episode IV but the main plot of finding Luke Skywalker is fresh and keeps with the original plot of Episodes IV-VI, which were really the story of Luke Skywalker.  The humor is not overlplayed nor annoying but is a welcome break in the tension created by the new villain, Kylo Ren, grandson of Darth Vader.  The most shocking moment in the film is not discovering that Kylo Ren is Han Solo's son Ben, but that Ren so easily murders Han Solo.  Harrison Ford had campaigned to kill off Han Solo back in Episode V but Lucas did not want to harm merchandising opportunities. Ford finally got his wish in a very spectacular scene, here in Episode VII.

   
     TFA picks up a number of years in the future from ROTJ.  Solo and Leia have married and produce a child, Luke became a Jedi Master, training a new generation of Jedi until the evil empire re-emerges as the First Order and Ben Solo is recruited by the dark side of the force and kills all the young Jedi.  At this point, Luke does as his previous masters did before him, he flees to another planet to live in seclusion.  A young orphan and a renegade Storm Trooper team up and join the search for Skywalker.  Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2D2, C3PO, Luke, and even the voice of Obi Wan make a comeback and none disappoint.  Coming in at just over 2 hours and 15 minutes, TFA holds your attention throughout, even during my second viewing, right up to the last scene where we finally see Luke Skywalker in his seclusion.  Though the scene was completely predictable, it still riveted the viewers and garnered cheers from the sell out theater crowd.


      The Force Awakens brought old characters you know and love, while introducing new characters that do not annoy.  No Jar Jars in this film!  After the first viewing, I went 2 days later with my wife. Yeah, it was that good.

     When I first saw Peter Jackson's LOTR, I left the theater and went to the book store.  I could not wait 3 years to find out how LOTR ended.  I do not have that luxury with the new Star Wars films.  I have no choice but to wait as Abrams and Disney craft the rest of the films.  I am anxiously awaiting the next installment.  Abrams has restored balance to the Star Wars universe and revived a beloved franchise that was almost destroyed by it's own creator.  My wife said, after viewing TFA, that she is more of a Star Wars fan than ever before!