Harry Durgin: Sunset behind Mauna Loa; Mauna Loa road (near 9,500′) 7 December 2021 – 5:15pm

Newborn Jesus, Mary’s son, was (and IS) eternal God.

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

Mary, as the song says, kissed the face of God.

An unbelieving friend says: “That’s incredible.” Well, yes, but it is true.

Great is the mystery of godliness

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form. (Colossians 2:9)

By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)

God took on flesh and blood

He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:17-18)

Since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. (Hebrews 2:14)

Jesus, eternal God, is with us

Jesus proved He is God. He created, He healed, He controlled nature, He cast out demons, He served, He loved. He lived a perfect life.

As one of us, He grieved, He cried, He hungered, He thirsted, He hurt. He was tempted, but did not sin.

We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

As the perfect Son of God, He sacrificed Himself, taking our punishment, so that we, who believe in Him, might live.

Christ in us

When we have repented and believe in Christ, we receive Him as Lord and Savior. We are in Christ and Christ in us.

In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. (John 14:20)

He is ever-present in our lives. He is truly God with us.

Merry Christmas!

See also (God is with us)

tornado-noaa.jpg

I just watched video of the devastation in several states from tornados and straight winds. They don’t know yet how many people lost their lives, but it appears to be more than 100 in five states. Folks went to bed, or to work, but didn’t make it until the morning.

We have NO guarantee we will live to die peacefully at an old age.

We are warned

Jesus told a parable of a rich man who had so many crops he decided to build a bigger barn. He said to himself: I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” (Luke 12:19)

It is not man who controls death, but our Lord Jesus Christ.

I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. (Revelation 1:18)

And God said to the rich man who was planning to build a bigger barn: You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared? (Luke 12:20)

So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:21)

We are warned.

Our Guarantee

For those who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we are guaranteed eternal life with God. We are guaranteed to be presented to the Father holy and blameless. Some of those who died in the storms went to glory.

Thank You!

Becoming rich towards God

If you don’t know your relationship with God, or worry about a loved one, take heed. See Becoming a Child of God.

For those who are in Christ: Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. (Matthew 6:33)

Need Encouragement?

This has been a hard nearly two years. I’m tired. You may be as well. Constant trouble generally leads to physical fatigue and, often, spiritual fatigue. 

God’s word speaks to us about this, and shows us what to do to be encouraged.

David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. (1 Samuel 30:6) 

“Strengthened” is sometimes translated “encouraged.” David encouraged himself in Yahweh his God.

How do we encourage ourselves in the Lord? Here are seven sources:

God. God is a God of mercy, compassion, and lovingkindness. And you, if you have put your belief and trust in Christ, are His adopted child. You are sealed for eternity. Remember who He is and what who you are to Him.

Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement… (Romans 15:5) 

Christ. He died so that we may live. He constantly intercedes for us. He overcame the world so we can be of good cheer through this trouble. We are His family, His friends. Remember who He is and what you are to Him. 

The Holy Spirit. Because we have received Christ as Savior and Lord, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and guiding us to all righteousness. Remember who He is and what you are to Him.

The Scriptures. Read. Study. Meditate on God’s word. 

Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.  (Romans 15:4) 

Prayer. Pray for yourself. Ask others to pray for you (e.g., James 5:13). And pray for others as well.

Church. Be in a good church where you hear excellent exposition of God’s word, have godly leaders and can seek wisdom and advice.

Fellowship. Be in a community of believers. Have mature Christian friends. Be a friend to others. (e.g., Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

… that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.(Romans 1:12) 

~~~

Father, please help us grasp who You are and what we are to You. Please help us understand that You are sovereign over everything and everybody all the time, and that You bring good out of whatever happens in the lives of believers. Please give us mature Christian friends, and, likewise, help us be friends of others. Help us pray. Thank You for Your word. Help us walk in a manner worthy of You.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits. (Psalm 103:1–2) 

This Thanksgiving, let’s resolve to forget not His benefits.

Psalm 103 has a starter list:

            He pardons all your iniquities.

            He heals all your diseases.

            He redeems your life from the pit.

            He crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion.

            He satisfies your years with good things.

            Yahweh performs righteous deeds, and judgments for all who are oppressed.

And more!

You and I have our own lists of God’s benefits, both spiritual and earthly. I urge you, this Thanksgiving, to spend time remembering His benefits to you.

And be grateful.

Sunrise at home

God, Almighty God, through His providence, works all things according to His purpose, after the counsel of His will. 

We have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.  (Ephesians 1:11)

Whatever is in your life today is part of His glorious plan.  Whatever.

Although we are responsible for our sins, for our own thoughts, words, and deeds, God uses them to accomplish His plan. (For example: Genesis 50:20)

We (Christians) have the enormous privilege of being adopted by God (Ephesians 1:5), friends of Christ (John 15:14-15), siblings of Christ (Matthew 12:50), indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14), and serving our Lord (Ephesians 6:5-8).

We know that, for His children, He promises to work all things together for good (Romans 8:28).

Think about it!

We are beloved of God and part of His glorious plan. Whatever comes into our lives is controlled by God and will be used for our good and His glory. 

Let’s rejoice!

~~~

Father, help us rejoice in Your Almighty, loving sovereignty. Help us be alert to how we might serve and glorify You this day.

A college basketball coach said many “sand lot” players had extraordinary skills, but that only some were coachable, and that only the ones who were coachable would play in college.

What a shame to lose developing that talent. They limited their futures from refusal to learn, failure to be coachable, inability to be teachable.

Unteachable people are found in both secular and spiritual arenas: Leaders who are derailed from inability to learn and/or apply; Athletes who don’t listen to their coaches and cannot get to the next level; “Ordinary” Christians who don’t grow. 

The Bible has examples of the unteachable and the teachable.

The Unteachable

But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. (Acts 7:57) 

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.  (Proverbs 26:12) 

How I have hated instruction! And my heart spurned reproof! I have not listened to the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to my instructors!  (Proverbs 5:12–13) 

The Teachable

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42) 

Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.  (Acts 17:11) 

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16) 

Learn and Apply

Knowledge of the Bible is necessary, but not sufficient, to walk according to the Spirit. We must apply what the Lord teaches us. 

We must not be wise in our own eyes, but humble. Humility is essential to learn.

In humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.  (James 1:21) 

We must apply what we learn.

Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. (James 1:22)

When we see something wrong in ourselves, and we will, we must accept reproof, confess, and prayerfully work to change.

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. … If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.  (1 John 1:8, 10) 

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

~~~

Father, please help us be teachable. Help us desire to know Your word and apply it. Please help us be willing to accept Your reproof. Help us be humble, not wise in our own eyes.

Someone I know had trouble with her freshman college roommates. She didn’t drink or run around and her roommates found that disgusting! The fact that she didn’t criticize them wasn’t enough. She didn’t do what they did. She wasn’t one of them.

In that situation, I think the roommates were appalled by her Christian beliefs and behavior. 

We shouldn’t be surprised if we (Christians who are walking according to the Spirit) are unacceptable to the world. Hated by the world.

He who is upright in the way is abominable to the wicked. (Proverbs 29:27)

For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. (2 Corinthians 2:15–16) 

If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. (John 15:19) 

Hang on!

Don’t be surprised. Be alert and ready.

Without compromising her Christian walk, she couldn’t make herself acceptable to her roommates. She just needed to stay faithful to the Lord.

God distinguishes between believers and those who have rejected Him. (1 Peter 2:6–8)

God promises to work all things together for our (Christians’) good. (Romans 8:28). 

Better times are coming! 

When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:4) 

Press on!

We are in the hard messy middle between salvation from sin’s penalty and being saved from the presence of sin.

We are learning how to walk according to the Holy Spirit and to reject living like the world. We are in the process of being saved from the power of sin.

The Bible doesn’t sugarcoat this. We are promised trouble, not ease.

We must determine to live a godly life in the messy middle

Our goal is to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, worthy of God, worthy of our calling. (Ephesians 4:1, Colossians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:12)

We must realize we are in a battle and determine to fight. (2 Timothy 4:7)

We should also know we have what it takes. (See Equipped for Purpose)

How can we live a godly life in this hard messy middle?

The Bible is full of commands about how to liv a godly life in the hard messy middle

Train yourself (1 Timothy 4:7)

Resist the devil (James 4:7)

Put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:13)

We must know it is hard work

We are in a battle. We must struggle against the powers, the world forces of this darkness, the spiritual forces of wickedness. (Ephesians 6:12)

We will learn how to fight evil as we follow our Lord’s instructions. We will get better at it over time a we obey.

Press on

We won’t arrive, but determine to press on. (Philippians 3:12-14)

See Becoming a Child of God

The World Began with Joy

When God made the world, there was singing and shouts of joy.

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? … When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?  (Job 38:4–7)

The World Ends with Joy

Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him. (Revelation 19:6–7)

Joy In Between

We are in the period in between the joy of the beginning and the joy of the end.

Whatever our difficulties, Christ came that our joy may be full, as we look to Him, and to the joy of heaven.

These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.  (John 15:11)

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. (1 Peter 1:8)

Joy Now is our Goal

Let’s determine to rejoice now.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)

But How?

Being able to rejoice in the Lord always is something we need to learn.

The first step is a steadfast determination that rejoicing always is our goal.

I’ll be reading and praying about “How?” in the coming days. Stay tuned.

And if you have tips, let me know!

Press on!