Tuesday, November 30, 2021

The Name JESUS

 

The Name of Jesus by Dr. D. James Kennedy

Therefore God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name which is above every name, …

— Philippians 2:9

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he told specifically what the child to come was to be named: “you will … call his name JESUS” (Luke 1:31). The angel was but a messenger of God, who Himself chose the name of His one and only Son.

His name was Jesus. But why Jesus? Of course, to understand that, we would have to understand that Jesus is an English word. The New Testament and the Old Testament were not written originally in English, but in Hebrew and Greek, respectively. We get the name from the Greek.

His name was Jehoshua, or as we would say it, Joshua, meaning savior. That was the name of a great champion, a great hero of the Old Testament Hebrew people. It was the name of the great conqueror, the captain of the Lord’s hosts, who led the people of God into the promised land.

And so our Savior will lead us into the promised land.

At the name of Jesus, sorrow and sadness flees. At the name of Jesus, sinners are cleansed and converted. At the name of Jesus, saints are gladdened and strengthened. At the name of Jesus, evil is banished and fear must flee. At the name of Jesus, the wounded are made whole.

Disney Kowtows to China

 

Disney Kowtows to China, Removes Show Criticizing Chinese Censorship of Hong Kong

Monday, November 29, 2021

Do Not Fear

Do Not Fear by Bill Wilson

The phrase “do not fear” appears in 281 Bible verses. 1 Peter 3:14 says, “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” This is a reminder as the entire world is panicking about a new COVID variant--Omicron. Already, international governments are instituting more tyrannical shutdowns, travel bans, and mask mandates. 

COVID Czar Dr. Anthony Fauci used the media crisis as an opportunity to push COVID vaccinations: “So this is a clarion call, as far as I’m concerned, of saying let’s put aside all these differences we have and say, if you’re not vaccinated, get vaccinated. If you’re fully vaccinated, get boosted. And get the children vaccinated.” 

But, at the same time, he says they probably won’t work.

Fauci, making his rounds on weekend news talk shows, used a lot of dualistic fancy-talk to encourage everyone to get vaccinated while at the same saying the vaccines are likely to be ineffective against Omicron variants. 

On NBC’s Meet the Press, he said, “In other words, the profile of the mutations strongly suggests that it’s going to have an advantage in transmissibility and that it might evade immune protection that you would get, for example, from a monoclonal antibody or from the convalescent serum after a person’s been infected, and possibly even against some of the vaccine-induced antibodies. It’s not necessarily that that’s going to happen, but it’s a strong indication that we really need to be prepared for that.” 

In other words, getting the vaccine might make you feel safer, but it wasn’t designed to work against variants.

Fauci also said that anyone who criticizes him, especially Republicans, are liars. On CBS’s Face the Nation, Fauci said, “I’m just going to do my job and I’m going to be saving lives and they’re going to be lying…So it’s easy to criticize, but they’re really criticizing science because I represent science. That’s dangerous…And if you damage science, you are doing something very detrimental to society long after I leave.” 

But Fauci’s “science” dictated the use of remdesivir and ventilators to treat COVID 19. Fauci’s directive of remdesivir treatment was discontinued for Ebola in 2018 because it caused a 50%+ mortality rate, and currently FDA and CDC published studies indicate a 71-75% adverse events from its use. Ventilator treatment fatality rates were 45% among COVID 19 patients, increasing to 84% in older patients.

So much for Fauci’s “science” and his god complex of saving lives while labeling anyone criticizing him as dangerous liars. That may include Dr. Angelique Coetzee of South Africa, the first doctor who sounded the alarm about Omicron. Coetzee told the UK Telegraph that Omicron patients’ “symptoms were so different and so mild from those I had treated before,” having high pulse rate, fatigue, sore muscles and a slight cough. 

While it may be admirable that world health authorities are so concerned, their concern is accompanied by heightened increases in civil rights violations across the globe. 

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Do not fear. We must keep our wits about us. Use your Holy Spirit power of discernment. And show the love of Christ to those who have the spirit of fear.

Light of the World

 

The Light of the World by Dr. D. James Kennedy

… the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.     1 John 2:8

Jesus did not say “I am one of many lights of the world;” He did not even say, “I am the light of the Jews;” or yet, “I am the light of the Gentiles;” nor did He declare “I bring unto you light.” But rather, He said without apology, “I am the Light of the world.” What a tremendous and bold statement.

The occasion that brought it forth was the Feast of the Tabernacles. Jesus took every opportunity to use that which was about Him to illustrate and make clear His teaching. 

One of the purposes of this ceremony was to remind the Jewish people of the pillar of fire, which had gone before them throughout those desert wanderings. They had set up in the outer courtyard (the Court of Women) of the Temple two giant candelabra. 

Maimonides tells us that they were fifty cubits high, which is seventy-five feet. There, thousands of women carrying torches formed a procession into the outer  courtyard from Jerusalem.   Around they circled to remind themselves of the presence of God in that pillar of fire centuries before.

God’s presence is not only symbolized by light, He is the “Father of Lights,” and into our dark world comes Jesus who declares: “I am the Light of the world” (John 8:12).

Sunday, November 28, 2021

ADVENT

 Advent was never intended for joy alone. ⁣

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Our culture seems to scream, "BE HAPPY! BE JOYFUL! It's CHRISTMAS!“ And it feels like the church can say the same…"Christmas is hard for some people…" which it alludes to an unspoken: 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦. ⁣
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Advent is the tension between joy and groaning. It's as if we are reaching back toward all we've been through while reaching forward toward all we hope for. ⁣
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"He announced a kingdom at hand and yet spoke of a reign to come. He gave his life as a ransom for many and yet pointed to a day of salvation in the future…. We who belong to him are a new creation, yet we groan for the day when the whole cosmos will obtain with us the freedom of glory. So we find ourselves in this time of now and yet to come. Advent dramatizes this tension for us… Paul too speaks of 'a glory to be revealed' but not without acknowledging 'the sufferings of this present time.'" - Bobby Gross⁣
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Guilt is always at the ready when we find ourselves facing the first Sunday of Advent - feeling ill-equipped, little-prepared, and overwhelmed with the weight of a too much, really hard year. Slamming into a *festive* season when we haven't processed the weight and traumas of the months we've flown through causes emotional and spiritual whiplash. ⁣
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But 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 is what advent is FOR. You don't have to *fix yourself before Christmas.* You don't have to get it together to make this the "best Christmas ever." You don't have to control how this season goes.⁣
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This season makes space - not for over-the-top Christmas schooling or 8 tubs of decor - but for looking into the past while holding hands with the hope that's ahead. Advent is a suspension bridge between our past experiences and our future hopes, held firmly and unfailingly by that babe in a manger. (𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.)⁣
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No matter what this year has held and no matter how whiplashed you feel by this "sudden" encounter with Advent, hope IS ahead. Peace has come. You don't have to GET the peace or make the peace. You simply have to accept that it's already here. Even when you don't feel it - advent is how we make space to experience it.


May be an image of 1 person, christmas tree and indoor

Hebrews 10:25

 "FORSAKE NOT THE ASSEMBLING OF YOURSELVES TOGETHER."  Hebrews 10:25


Today is Sunday.  The best place for you is in church.

Acts, Chapter Nine

 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

2And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

3And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

6And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

7And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

8And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

9And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

10And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

11And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

12And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.

13Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:

14And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.

15But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

16For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

17And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

18And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

19And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

20And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

21But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?

22But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

23And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

24But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

25Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

26And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

27But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

28And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

29And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

30Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

31Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

32And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.

33And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.

34And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.

35And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.

36Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

37And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.

38And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.

39Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

40But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

41And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

42And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

43And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.