Sherry and I went to a holiday party last night for our school faculty and staff. It was fun to chat with co-workers and get to know them and their spouses better. Did you know that WE are also “co-workers” with God and other believers as we preach the gospel to reconcile men and women back to God?
There is snow in North Carolina today. Sometimes it is rare here, but still very lovely. The Bible speaks of how important snow is to daily life, and how significant as a comparison to eternal affairs this frozen moisture is.
A new hymn based on scripture:
E. W. Bullinger has an appendix in The Companion Bible that shows how Genesis finds its complement in the Apocalypse. Thus, the Bible opens and closes with important truths about God’s plan for mankind in sending His Son to redeem us. Here are some parallels found in these two books, Genesis and Revelation.
Have you ever stubbed your toe because you had no “night light”? God wants us to see where we are going spiritually. Jesus told us about this.
I’ve applied for a teaching job in North Carolina where we are moving to. I want to teach because I love a learning environment and to see young people grow into noble and well-rounded adults. I also enjoy working with other educators who do the same. But whether or not I get this job doesn’t change God’s power, love, or kindness to me. I want to do His will, and I know that, as my loving Father, He will meet my every need. How do I know that? Because He promises it in Philippians 4:19: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
There’s an old saying: “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” That may be true in one sense, but when we do things properly—God is faithful to reward us. There are consequences [positive or negative] for what is done. That is never truer than in the case of Jesus Christ, God’s only-begotten Son, and his archenemy, Lucifer.
Recently my oldest sister sent me some morning glory seeds in the mail. I opened the letter, took out the seeds and stuck them in the ground. Now I have a beautiful vine that blossoms each morning with deep violet flowers. I do need to water them occasionally, but God designed all the work to be done by the seed itself. It’s the same with the gospel. We just sow it, and God gives the increase.
God our Creator and FatherIn the beginning, moved His hand
And built the world His love had planned,
A living, resting place for man,
Creator God and Father.
Then on the sixth and final day,
With earth and heavens fully laid,
From red earth forming Adam’s race,
Created in His image.
Not only flesh and bone and breath,
But with His spirit’s perfect rest,
Free from pain and sin and death,
Created thus to know Him.
Yet Satan tricked this primal pair,
With pride and greed, he set the snare,
Bringing loss and great despair,
Creation groaned in sadness.
But God’s first promise soon He said,
The woman’s seed, would crush his head,
A suffering savior, though made dead,
Creation’s hope arisen.
O Praise the Lord, our God and King,
To the Creator, voices ring,
He gave His Son, our life to bring,
Creator, now our Father.
From ages past, God’s holy ones,
Spoke of all, the Lord had done,
And how He would, send forth His Son,
His Word would be accomplished.
Noah, Moses, Jesse’s son,
Isaiah, Micah—every one,
Looked to the day, Messiah comes,
The Word made flesh to save us.
An angel told, a humble maid,
That she’d conceive, and bear by grace,
The one for whom, the prophets prayed,
Fulfilling His Word for us.
“God is Spirit,” Jesus told
A woman at the well of old,
As he fulfilled the ancient scrolls,
The living Word among us.
Each jot and tittle, ever true,
God-breathed and faithful, makes us new,
Born of His spirit, me and you.
The Word of Life—salvation.
What price could pay, the guilt of sin?
Could ever man, be whole again?
A second Adam, victory win?
God never will forsake us.
Cast from the garden’s, precious home,
Where evil spirits, haunt and roam,
Adam’s sons, seemed all alone,
But God would not forsake them.
The flood’s destruction, came at last,
When Noah stood, on God’s Word fast,
From his son, Shem, would come to pass,
The promise of a Savior.
Bearing all our sin and strife,
Never time, for home or wife,
Jesus lived a perfect life,
On the cross to save us.
What happened, that “accepted year,”
When Jesus’ voice, rang true and clear?
He overcame sin, death, and fear.
Our risen Lord redeems us.