In Christ, Of Christ, For Christ

 

Reconciled in Christ

¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, ²⁰ and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
²¹ And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled ²² in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— ²³ if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Sacrificial Service for Christ

²⁴ I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, ²⁵ of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, ²⁶ the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. ²⁷ To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which^[d] is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ²⁸ Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily

Christmas with ..The Slobz family.

(to be read with an English accent)

It was a few days before Christmas, the Slobz came for a visit.  Antwerp and Sally Slobz and their children Ima and Ura Slobz.  My heart dropped, as Sally hung her coat on the three foot tall glass Nativity scene by the door. Ima just threw his coat and boots under the tree.  "He's so cute." Said Antwerp.

"What's for supper?" asked Ura, as she came through the door.
"I'm hungry again!"  Demanded Ima.
"Here's three banana's, on the table." Sally gladly said, knowing they both would throw tantrums if they didn't eat every five minutes.
"Those were for my food for work."  My wife said.  "But you eat up."

"We were hoping you'd have those Christmas cookies you had last year." Antwerp said looking around the kitchen.
"Maybe she can make them tonight, and you can eat them here in the morning." Sally comforted him.
"In the morning?" My wife and I said together.
"Surprise!   We decided...look Ima has taken all of the Christmas ornaments off the tree."
"What" I said with heart dropping.
"He's so smart...Ima put all the blue ones together and pile the angels over in this pile."
"I'll stack the green bulbs on the fire place!" Shouted Ima.
"Okay but move all the other decorations to the side. ..He knows his colors."
"Where's Antwerp?" I asked worried.

Feeling right at home, Antwerp and Sally laid across the couches, while my wife sat in the chair from the kitchen, already worried about the morning.

"Ima stop shaking the Christmas tree!" Yelled Sally, as she handed Ura to my wife.
"I want to see the angel at the top." He moaned
"Well I'll get it for you!" She accommodated.
"Hurry, Hurry." He demanded.
"They just love Christmas." said Antwerp
My heart dropped again, when there was a knocking at the door.  I hoped it wasn't anyone that I knew.
It wasn't.

"We called and told the Messes, we'd be here. We thought we would play a game!  Isn't Christmas fun? Are you going to play?
"The radio just said there may be a blizzard.!!" Antwerp rejoiced.
"No. I'll not play.  I better go to bed."
                                                                           
To be continued;   Have a Merry Christmas!

Good News!

Born of a virgin, a Holy baby in a barn and feeding trough. Arriving into a dark dusty world. Born in the smells of sheep and donkeys.  No room for Him, then and none now.

Day after day, year after year, schooling, family, and the nation under the rule of another, this child grows and matures.  This is more than a teacher, Rabbi, or prophet, this is Holy God to man. A Holy God living in "submission" to His creation, in order to reveal Himself to them.....

....In order to save them and reconcile them to Himself.  His Holy birth made it a Holy life and a Holy cross. The Holiness made it a terrible cross.  Others had died on crosses.  But this was as the Roman soldier said;
"This is truly the Son of God!"

"But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." 
Romans 5:8

He said "IT IS FINISHED!"  He died, was buried and rose again.

"For if we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."
Romans 5: 10

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."-Jesus

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Romans 5:1.

Let's Do Life Together

Let's not do life alone. Or, Let's just hang out together from time to time!  If needed, we can encourage each other, be an welcome addition  You pray for me and I will pray for you!

We all live far away from one another so, I'll meet you here! 

                                                                                                     Tim

p.s You Rock!

Pray for one Another!

     We have those looking in today from; U.S. France, Ukraine, Brazil, Czech Republic, Israel and India.  Let's pray for each other right now.  "For God so loved the world..."

Biblical worldview

You may live in a different city, even continent than I do. We can agree we both live in a crazy, selfish, Godless world.  Knowing the Word of God and looking at this world in light of eternity, we are aware those attitudes and behaviors are not surprising.

As believers in Christ, as disciples empowered with His power and love, we are to live in the culture with a Biblical worldview.  You can know who you are, based on God's Word and principles.  You and I then, receive our direction from the Bible. Those with a secular worldview will be rolling their eyes about now. Yet we can stand on the truth with confidence and like Daniel of the Old Testament, we remain faithful to God, realizing true peace and righteousness. (promoted or Lions den).

Religious habit has nothing to do with it.  There has to be that love relationship. That we spend time conversing with God, while listening to His direction from His Word. This culture will attempt identity theft and indoctrinate you with their ideas. We read in Daniel, that he had "purposed in His heart" not to defile himself with the culture of the Babylonian empire.

This week, believer look into the word of God,  let it define who you are and what you have; in Christ! and it will direct us as we walk this society as Christian ambassadors,  in this foreign land. We can live with Biblical conviction based on Biblical principles.

Whether we leave for work, the family reunion, or the University, we can return home with our Biblical worldview intact.

At your first opportunity read the Letter to the Ephesians, written by Paul.

Welcome Home

  Another great man  is absent from the body, and now present with the Lord.  Through Church, I have known Carl Stokes since I was an elementary school student. I knew even then, he was in charge.  From the beginning he was a friend to our family and a great example to me as well.

 Carl was among some good men in our church body.  That might have added to his strength, not having  to go it alone.  Being a man among men, this was a  man of  God, family, and others.  He was the conduit through whom Gods' blessings would flow, as he shared his resources of;  time, finances, effort, and love.

I remember, in my young teenage years, announcing I was a follower of Christ. Soon I began going on church visits with  pastor or mostly Carl, visiting those who were;  faithful, shut-in and the indifferent.  We went to the homes of the flock, sheep, and some goats, as well.  Carl could engage with both.  I have seen him at the altar, both repenting and praising.

I'll always have great memories of him,  as  the coach of our church softball team.  Many that were teenagers and young men then, are now grandfathers themselves.  Men and women in the body of Christ, some still involved in Church work,  because of that church having a team and Carl as our leader. He did what good coaches do and attempted to develop us for life and disciples of Christ.

Now, his family are my friends and family as well.  They know he loved them. We all do not grieve, as those without hope. We shall meet again! 

The other day He gave Jesus a very firm hand shake, and when they broke from their hug, Jesus looked him in the eyes and said:  "Well done."