Why Did the Wise Men Worship Jesus?

In Matthew chapter 2 we have the story related to us of the wise men who traveled from afar, seeking to find the newborn King ever since they had seen His star appear in the sky. They arrived in Jerusalem whereby they eventually spoke with King Herod, who feigned interest in finding the Child himself so that he, too, could come and worship Him. Once the wise men found the Child, they bowed down to worship Him, and they bestowed wondrous gifts upon Him of gold, frankincense and myrrh. However, the Lord warned the wise men in a dream not to let Herod know where the Child was so they then returned to their own country by a different route. In a rage at being fooled, Herod ordered the slaughter of all male children in and around Bethlehem who were 2 years and younger in an attempt to murder this Kingly rival, but Herod’s plot was foiled as an angel from the Lord warned Joseph to take his family and flee into the safety of Egypt. Just as in those days of old, wise men today still seek the Lord, and they will be able to find Him. As Paul said in Acts 17:27, “He is not far from each one of us.”
So why did these Magi, these wise men, worship Jesus? They did so because Jesus deserves our worship because Jesus is worthy of our worship. “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You did create all things, and by Your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)
There was a day when Jesus climbed a high mountain and took along with Him Peter, James and John, and right before their eyes His form changed. His garments glowed. Suddenly, two other individuals appeared with Him: Elijah and Moses, two towering figures from Israel's past. Peter, frightened and not knowing what to do, suggested making three sacred tents to recognize the awesome presence of these three: Elijah, Moses and Jesus. But it was at that point a cloud formed, and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son; listen to Him” (Mark 9:7). Peter and the others looked around and saw no one with them anymore, "except Jesus only" (Mark 9:8).
Jesus only. As the glory of Jesus was displayed for the disciples, as they saw attributes of His Deity expressed in physical form, Elijah and Moses came on the scene in supporting roles. Soon, they would be gone, and the disciples would see Jesus only. They saw Jesus only, because only Jesus was worthy of their worship. Only He is the beloved Son. Jesus is worthy of our worship because He is God. Jesus is absolutely sovereign, absolutely righteous and absolutely unchanging (Hebrews 1:12; Hebrews 13:8). The Magi knew that Jesus was, indeed, worthy of worship. Will you not recognize this, too, and bow down to worship Him today?
May the Lord bless you throughout this year!

No Mere Accident

I believe that it was no mere accident that God used four elderly people living under the Law of Moses to proclaim Jesus as being the promised Savior of the people, and two younger people living under the Law of Moses to be His parents. In the Gospel of Luke, Luke prepares us in this way for important issues to come: with the arrival of Jesus comes a new age and a new message among the Jewish people: the aged era of the Law and Prophets was passing away, behold, the new has come. Nevertheless, Jesus did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to complete them, to fulfill them by purchasing the redemption they offered and living the life they commanded (Matthew 5:17). Jesus finished His work at the cross, saying just before His life ebbed away from Him, “It is finished” (John 19:30). As the Hebrews writer tells us in Hebrews 8:13, the Old Law was on its last legs as the Destruction of Jerusalem was fast approaching, forever abolishing the old Jewish sacrificial system, by stating, “And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” Therefore, Luke is telling us that all the true saints of the Old Testament faith will welcome Jesus with open arms because He fits perfectly as the goal or climax of their faith. But the hypocrites will reject and persecute Him.

Luke wants us to see that an era is drawing to a close, the era of the Law and the Prophets. He shows us this by depicting the best representatives of that era as aged and at the point of death (Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon and Anna). They are passing away just like the era of the Law and the Prophets was passing away. The second thing Luke wants to illustrate is that there is no conflict between the Law and the Prophets and the new age of the Messiah. He shows this by depicting the most devout people under the old era as being the most receptive to the new era. Elizabeth and Zechariah and Simeon and Anna do not become resentful and angry that the Messiah has come, even though He will be a "light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32), a point which so troubled many of the Jews as the church began to grow. The true saints from the old era rejoice that the new has arrived! And we see this same attitude found within John the Immerser, too, who Jesus claimed to be the greatest of the Prophets, when John directed the people to follow Jesus, instead of him, when John said in John 3:29-30, “He that has the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, that stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is made full. He must increase, but I must decrease.” No longer do we live merely in the era of promise with the Law and the Prophets awaiting the consolation of Israel. Now we live in the era of fulfillment when the Kingdom of God is preached as present and powerful, albeit not yet fully consummated this side of eternity.

May the Lord bless you and your family!

Resolutions

Due to the waxing of the old year as we are fast approaching the start of a new, this is the time in which we start making resolutions in order to improve our lives. I am all for doing whatever is necessary to improve our lives, but I am a strong believer that we should always remember to do what our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, said in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” We should never fail to put God and His will first in our lives in everything we do.

The word of God is all about new beginnings: We have the Book of Genesis itself whose very name means “beginning,” and within its pages God shares with us the creation story and how with just His word the whole universe sprang into existence. We also see how sin first arrived in that perfect world, and how quick was God to offer a remedy for that sin by stating the very first prophecy of redemption regarding the Messiah in Genesis 3:15. A few chapters later we see the underpinning of the nation of Israel laid as God promises Abraham that from him would come peoples and nations and most importantly, the Promised Seed from Whom all the world would be blessed. At the conclusion of the Book of Genesis we see the foundation of God’s chosen people being created as Joseph protects his family from the famine that had ravaged the land, his family who were direct descendants of Abraham, in the land of Egypt.

In the Book of Exodus we see the beginning of the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people, come to fruition as God calls them out of bondage in Egypt as the Lord formed His covenant with them at Mt. Sinai. But shortly thereafter we witness the beginning of the long history of Israel’s rebellion against Jehovah, but He is steadfastly loving and patient and kind in His longsuffering, always maintaining a remnant for Himself.

In 1 Samuel we find the beginning of the monarchy created as God has Samuel anoint Saul as its first earthly king, once again resulting from the people rejecting their true King, Jehovah. It is in 2 Samuel we find the beginning of the Davidic line to the throne established, the line from which came Israel’s and our King and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Upon His arrival the Old Covenant gave way to the new, which is why the Hebrews writer tells us in Hebrews 8:13 just before the Destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, “And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”

Jesus Christ is all about new beginnings. Through Him we have forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14). Through Him we can have a new birth (John 3:3), and it is through this new birth that our old man dies and we are resurrected to be a new creation (Romans 6:3-5), and no longer at enmity with God (James 4:4). As Paul succinctly tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.” May you begin the new year right with Christ!

The Adoration of the Magi

Because of artists’ depictions of the nativity of Jesus throughout the centuries, most people believe the Magi, the wise men of Matthew 2, visited the Lord on the night of His birth. But is this an accurate depiction?

There is not one "smoking gun" passage of Scripture to point to that answers the question as to how old was Jesus when the Magi found the Lord, but the following can be ascertained which shows it could not have been the night of His birth. By examining what we do know we can lay out the following timeline with a fair amount of certainty.

“And at the end of eight days, when He was circumcised, He was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.’” (Luke 2:21-24) Being the righteous parents they were, Joseph and Mary had Jesus circumcised when He was eight days old, and when the 40 days’ time of Mary’s purification was completed they presented Jesus, their first born Son, to the Lord in the Temple in Jerusalem, keeping the Law of Moses (Exodus 13:2 and following; Exodus 22:29-30; Leviticus 12:1 and following; Numbers 3:13; Numbers 8:17).

When the Magi came to worship Jesus, they brought with them expensive gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to give to the newborn King (Matthew 2:11). In Matthew 1:19 we are told that Joseph was a just and righteous man. It is inconceivable that a man who is called a just and righteous man by the Holy Spirit would then withhold this gift from the Lord and give the poor man’s sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons, instead of the normal requirement of a year old lamb. This alone proves that the Magi did not arrive the night Jesus was born. Therefore, Jesus was between 41 days and 2 years old when the Magi arrived, but they could not have arrived before day 41. The Magi had to have come after Jesus' presentation in the Temple, that is, after Jesus was 40 days old. Why is this? The answer is found in Matthew 2:13-15, which tells us that after the Magi departed, an angel of the Lord warned Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt, since Herod was going to seek to kill Jesus. This is future tense. According to Scripture, Joseph left that very night and went to Egypt, and they stayed in Egypt until the death of King Herod (Matthew 2:15), which occurred in 4 BC. This would have left no time or opportunity for the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, which we know happened according to the Gospel of Luke.

When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem, they sought information among the people regarding the newborn King, and news of their inquiries eventually reached the ears of Herod. By the time he found out, all of Jerusalem was troubled along with Herod. He then consulted the chief priests and scribes of the people to ascertain where the Messiah was to be born, and they informed him Bethlehem was where the Messiah had been prophesied would be born. It was at this point that Herod brought in the Magi to speak with him (Matthew 2:1-7). Herod asked the Magi when they had first seen the star (Matthew 2:7) and he used this information later to have all the male children killed in Bethlehem who were age two and under (Matthew 2:16). Therefore, it should be obvious that several days have transpired in these seven verses for all of these events to occur.

I believe the Magi saw the star appear the night of Jesus' birth to announce the arrival of the Savior, prompting these men to go on this quest. They were in another country when they noted the star’s first appearance, and it would have taken time for them to travel to Jerusalem. For them to have arrived the night Jesus was born would have meant they had to have already been in the very near vicinity. That would be irrational thinking based upon what is known, just as it would be irrational to believe that they arrived in the middle of the night, woke up all of Jerusalem, including King Herod, to trouble them all by asking where they could find the newborn King that very night. As we have shown, it would have taken time for the news of their arrival and what they had discussed with the King Herod to have circulated to the point that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar about it. What is not irrational is seeing that several days are transpiring in the first seven verses of Matthew chapter 2 with Matthew's account of the Magi visiting Jesus. It is the most rational of interpretations.

We do not know where Jesus was for sure when the Magi found Him other than in a house (Matthew 2:11), but we do know that there seems to be a second appearing of His star, for after talking with Herod the Magi "went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy;" (Matthew 2:9-10). Had the star been visible to them during all their journey to Jerusalem, there would have been no need for the Magi to go and speak with the people and Herod. They simply would have followed the star to Jesus. And this would explain why they "rejoiced with exceeding great joy" at the sudden appearance of the star again. They knew it would show them where Jesus was, and Matthew does not identify that place as Bethlehem. I believe, however, that it was in Nazareth or possibly even in Egypt where the Magi worshipped the Lord and gave Him their gifts.

Additionally, when the angel announces to the shepherds that the Savior had been born, Jesus was referred to as "the babe" or "a babe." In Matthew he is referred to as a "young child" and just “child” by the angel. It is this change in how He is referenced that makes me lean towards Jesus being a two-year-old child when the Magi came to Him, for even a 41-day-old would still be called "a babe," whereas a two-year-old is called a "small child."

Innovative Ends Season on High Note

The Innovative Staff Solutions first and second grade boys' basketball team ended the season with an impressive 45-18 victory over SKK. With the win, Innovative finishes the season with a won-loss mark of 5-2.

Donovan Ferguson started things off on the right foot for Innovative as he drove the length of the court on the opening possession for his only 2 points of the game. Donovan did not take another shot until the 4th period as he was content on working the ball to his teammates and setting excellent screen after excellent screen throughout the contest. He had a season high 4 assists in the game, but he easily could have had a dozen more. Donovan pulled down 5 rebounds, he had 2 blocked shots and he committed no turnovers in the game. As usual, Donovan played outstanding defense, leading the team with 6 steals.

(Isaac Ray and Donovan Ferguson in picture on right. Donovan Ferguson has his hands in the air. Isaac is setting a pick for Donovan, who is calling for the ball.)

Isaac Ray, cousin and best friend of Donovan, continued to take his game to a higher level as he had a season high 6 points as he connected on 2 three point shots, the first one coming on an assist and a pick from Donovan. Isaac also had a season high 4 steals while pulling down 2 boards. Isaac did not commit any turnovers, either, as Innovative took care of the ball at the offensive side of the game.

It really was a team victory as each of the players scored for the second straight game. Jackson Nichols led all scorers with 16 points. Lance had 5, including one 3 pointer, Myles had 6, Jordan had 8 and Landon Kasey had 2 to round out the scoring.

Donovan's stats for the season:

10.1 points per game
6.0 steals per game
8.0 rebounds per game
2.6 blocks per game
1.1 turnovers per game
1.4 assists per game

The Greatest Gift

William Sydney Porter, better known as the short story author O. Henry, said, “The magi, as you know, were wise men – wonderfully wise men who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents.” Although I enjoy the stories with their clever plot twists from the pen of O. Henry, in this instance I disagree with the conclusion of Mr. Porter. It wasn’t the wise men who invented the giving of "Christmas" presents, it was God Himself. He did so when He gave us His only begotten Son. This was the best "Christmas" gift ever. The wise men merely continued the tradition.

In Jesus, this supreme offering from the Father, we see the glory of God on display. But what is that glory? Did it come with a lot of pomp and circumstance, as Paul saw demonstrated as he declared his defense and the gospel of Jesus Christ before King Agrippa, Bernice and Festus? Did it come with fanfare? No. God’s glory is demonstrated through His humility. In Jesus Christ we see Someone Who was willing to put aside all the trappings of what it means to be God, the Creator of the universe, in order to reach out to us. And it is this humility that makes the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ such glorious events indeed. As Paul wrote so eloquently summing up the life and purpose of Jesus Christ, “…Christ Jesus: Who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8) In Jesus Christ we see God coming to Earth and being born in a lowly manger. The God of Heaven, even through the lowly birth He chose, demonstrated how He intended to live a life of service. As Jesus later on would declare, “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

In Jesus, God showed up as one of us. Even one of His names, Immanuel, means “God With Us”. The One Who made it all, the One Who holds it all together, the One Whom we call the Creator showed up humbly, served His entire life meekly, and gave His life freely, and all that you and I might lay claim to eternal life through His shed blood. Although there is much sadness and turmoil in the world, there is something awfully wonderful about being human. There is something amazing about being created in the image of God, being created to be in a relationship with God, and to be someone that God finds value. You do have great worth, indeed, for God saw fit to give you His Son!

May the Lord bless you today and every day!

Joseph: A Loving, Just and Righteous Man

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately. But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, `Joseph, you son of David, fear not to take unto yourself Mary your wife: for That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a Son; and you shall call His name JESUS; for it is He that shall save His people from their sins.'" (Matthew 1:18-21)

In Matthew chapter 1 we get a glimpse into the righteous and merciful character of Joseph in the passage we just read. God had really chosen a great man to be the earthly father to His Son when He picked Joseph. Matthew wrote, "And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately." Joseph was a righteous man. He knew he had never behaved untoward or inappropriately with the woman he planned to have for his wife, to be the mother of his children, but there she was, found to be with child! As far as Joseph knew, some other man had taken Mary and lay with her. Joseph must have felt crushed as any man in his situation would have felt.

How could this be? How could this have happened? Hadn't he and Mary grown to love each other during this time of courtship, this time of betrothal? Why had she agreed to be his wife if she had been harboring desires for some other man?

His heart aching, Joseph had a choice to make. Mary, in the culture of the time, really had no say so in the matter. Since she was merely a woman, she had no rights of which to speak. She had been her father's property, but since she had entered into the betrothal stage she was now the property of Joseph, and her fate rested literally in his hands.

According to the Law of Moses under which they lived, the penalty for Mary's seeming indiscretion was death. Deuteronomy 22:20-21 says, "But if this thing be true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the damsel; then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has wrought folly in Israel, to play the harlot in her father's house: so shall you put away the evil from the midst of you." Joseph was very much within his legal rights to have had Mary stoned to death. She was pregnant, as anyone could plainly see, and it was not his baby! But something about his character made Joseph choose a more merciful way to handle his heartbreak regarding his betrothed and beloved Mary who was found to be with child. He chose to put her away privately.

Maybe because he loved Mary so much is why this righteous man chose to do what he could to protect her life and her reputation. When Matthew writes that "Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately," what this means is that he was not willing to expose Mary to public humiliation, shame, and possible death. Additionally, it means that he was also planning secretly to keep her condition hidden from the public. He was willing to do this to not only protect her, but also the baby she carried as well, a baby he knew was not his own. He was going out on a limb and freeing her to go and be the wife to the man he believed Mary had loved clandestinely!

We know Joseph was planning intently how best to achieve his goal of protecting this young woman he loved, as well as the child within her womb she carried, for Matthew tells us "…he thought on these things,…." In the original Greek this conveys the meaning of thinking deeply about the situation. But little did Joseph know that he had just passed the test! Just as Abraham was at his lowest moment as he was about to offer his promised son, Isaac, on the altar, when the Lord intervened, so too, was Joseph at his lowest point. And just as his forefather Abraham had passed his test, Joseph, too, passed his test.

He was living the type of life that God hoped we all would live, a life that put the welfare and needs of others above his own, a life that lived the principle of mercy, a life that lived that agape love! Joseph was not only a just man, he was just the man to be the father to the Lord's only begotten Son! He was the example of true manhood from whom God wanted His Son to learn! And so God intervened at the lowest ebb in Joseph's life, and He sent an angel to comfort and reassure this loving and righteous man that all was indeed going to be fine! Mary had not betrayed him! Mary, too, was a righteous and holy woman, blessed of all women on the Earth to bear the Son of the Living God!
These lessons were not lost on Jesus. When He was confronted with a woman who was caught in the very act of adultery, He did not call for her death, as He could have, but instead He chose to call her to her repentance. Could He have been hearkening back to His own mother and the mercy His earthly father had shown her when she had been discovered to be with child? Possibly…. Is it any surprise, then, with having the example before Him we have in righteous, loving and honorable Joseph, that on two separate occasions Jesus chose to quote Hosea 6:6 when He said, "But go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners" in Matthew 9:13 and "But if you had known what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless" in Matthew 12:7?

May we all learn the lesson of Joseph, and be as just and merciful as he was!

The Star of Bethlehem

“And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshipped Him; and opening their treasures they offered unto Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:10-11)

With the advent and influence of rationalistic thought that seeks to explain everything in the Bible through natural means, the acceptance of the miraculous is increasingly difficult to embrace as an explanation for biblical events, even among professed Christians. Nowhere does this seem to be so true as it does when addressing the case of the star of Bethlehem that announced the birth of Jesus Christ to these Gentile magi. All sorts of natural phenomena have been proposed to explain the occurrence of this star: it was Jupiter in Aries; it was Jupiter in Pisces; it was a supernova; it was Jupiter and Saturn in close proximity; it was a comet.

I, for one, in the case of the star of Bethlehem, am content to accept its appearance as falling within the realm of the miraculous, and leave it at that. As far as I can see from Matthew’s account, which is the only Gospel record which includes this event, the star is revealed only to these Gentile wise men. Herod’s men had not seen the star themselves, but they did understand that the King of the Jews was prophesied to be born in Bethlehem, in the city of David. Numbers 24:17, which is a Messianic prophesy, states, “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not nigh: There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of tumult.” So when Herod and the people learned that these magi have seen the star announcing the birth of the King of the Jews, they were troubled (Matthew 2:3).

Throughout the history of God’s direct interaction with people He has oftentimes appeared as a bright light of some kind. This is part of His “glory.” To the children of Israel He became a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21). At the transfiguration of Jesus Christ His face shone with a light as bright as the sun and with garments as white as the light (Matthew 17:2). When the Lord appeared to Saul while on the road to Damascus, Saul was blinded by the light which the others with him saw as well (Acts 9:3). When God was imminently present, a bright light was associated with His presence. Additionally, God has chosen in times past to have selective revelation to certain individuals. Why not in the case of the magi, these Gentile men who were so intent on joyfully seeking the Lord in order to worship Him? May it be said of us as it was of them that we rejoice with exceeding great joy as we fall down to worship Him!

Glory in the Highest to God

The Revised Standard Version translates Luke 2:14 thusly: “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Although I admire greatly the RSV, in this case I do not believe that this is the best or most accurate translation of this passage. A better rendering, I believe, is, "Glory in the highest to God, and on Earth peace among men of good will."

God did not send the gift of His Son to Earth because He was pleased with man, which is how the RSV appears to read. Had He been pleased with men, there would have been no need to send His Son. On the contrary, God sent us Jesus Christ because our sins had made us His enemy (James 4:4), and it is His will that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

What the angels were intending to tell us is that glory and praise of the highest magnitude are to be given to God because of Who He is, not merely because of where He is. As it is written in the RSV, one might be led to believe that praise is to be given to God merely because of the place (location) He is. There is nothing wrong with that, per se, but I believe it falls short of what is really being conveyed in this passage. What was being proclaimed is an affirmation from the heavenly host of why God should be praised thusly. The glory and praise bestowed upon God is to be of the highest caliber because only He offers salvation, only He offers peace, only He offers forgiveness of sins and only He offers reconciliation of His people through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. Through His boundless grace freely granted He offers this most precious of gifts to us not because of our goodness or our works (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9), but because He loved us so much and knew we were in need of His salvation (John 3:16).

The "peace among men of good will" will only come and be bestowed upon those who honor God with praise and glory of the highest magnitude. This only happens if we are men who are doers as well as hearers of His word (James 1:22). Then, and only then, will He be pleased with men, for we will have put to death our old man that the body of sin may be done away (Romans 6:6). We shall be conformed to the body of His glory (Philippians 3:21), no longer in bondage to sin (Romans 6:6). God will view us through the riches of His glory (Ephesians 3:16) that is His Son as we are now clothed in Christ (Galatians 3:27), our sins washed away through the redemption that is found in His blood (Acts 22:16; Ephesians 1:7).

May you and yours truly enjoy “peace among men of good will” as you give “glory in the highest to God”!

Everyone Scores! Innovative Wins Big

The Innovative Staffing Solutions first and second grade boys' basketball team defeated United Way 54-12 on Saturday, December 13, 2008. Everyone for Innovative got into the scoring column as the team clicked on all cylinders.

Isaac Ray got things started off quickly for the victors as he pilfered a steal just seconds into play, driving coast-to-coast for the first bucket of the game. Isaac ended up with 2 points on 1 for 5 shooting. He had 4 steals and 2 rebounds while only turning the ball over twice. Isaac did a really good job on defense, shutting down his opponents. But where Isaac did best was in his constant setting of excellent picks for his teammates, creating several scoring opportunities for his team.

Donovan Ferguson had 16 points in a balanced attack on 8 for 20 shooting from the field. It took him a while to warm up, but once he did there was hardly any stopping him. Donovan played very good defense as well as he garnered 7 steals while pulling down 10 boards, giving him a double-double for the contest. Donovan also had 1 assist to his partner, Jackson Nichols, who led all scorers with 22 points. Donovan committed only 2 turnovers.

It was really good to see the players pass up open shots down the stretch in order to work the ball to their teammates. It was this unselfish style of play which made it possible for all players to score as Landon Kasey had a basket in the final period of play.

The victory gives Innovative a 4-2 record for the season. It also assures them of a winning mark for the season as they have one more game left to play.

The Three Witnesses

Having declared in the previous verses of this Epistle the Person and work of Jesus Christ, the beloved Apostle John now goes on to state the trustworthiness of our belief in Him as our Savior. In his continuing battle against the heresy of Gnosticism, John writes in 1 John 5:8, “There are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree.” Although the word of God should be sufficient for us as our basis of faith, He condescends to give us a threefold witness concerning the truth of His Word. First of all, we are told “the Spirit” of God bears witness to the truth that Jesus Christ is God and that He is the only Savior of the world. It is my contention that the first Witness, “the Spirit,” occurred when Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in His mother, Mary. This witness of the Spirit is found in the written Word of God.

Then there is the second witness, “the water.” I believe this refers to what happened when the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus as He arose out of the water at the baptism of the Lord in the Jordan River by John the Immerser. At that event, God opened the heavens and publicly announced, “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” Thus, God the Father added His own witness to God the Spirit concerning Jesus the Christ. It was at this point that Jesus assumed His position or office as Savior of the world, the purpose for which God the Father had sent Him into the world in the first place.

Finally, there is the third witness of “the blood.” This third witness occurred when Jesus Christ shed His precious blood through His sacrificial death upon the cross at the Place of the Skull as an expiation, or atonement, for the sins of the world. It was on the cross of Calvary that the Lord Jesus Christ bore witness concerning Himself that He was the Son of God. No one took His life from Him He said. He laid it down by Himself (John 10:17). If He were a mere man only, He could not have done this. “The blood” of the Lord Jesus Christ witnesses that the sin question had been settled once and for all to the satisfaction of the Godhead. All of “these three” witnesses “agree.” That is, they are united in their testimony concerning the perfection of the Person and work of Jesus Christ, Lord Immanuel, God With Us Who came in the flesh and dwelt among men.

The Bible student can see that it is only by knowing what John is attempting to correct, the heresy of Gnosticism, is it then possible to derive the correct interpretation of these passages in 1 John. But aside from these, the student of the Bible can be certain there are other passages in the Bible which become much clearer by understanding the doctrine of and struggle against Gnosticism in the early Church, and can see it whenever and wherever it continues to surface to this very day.

May the Lord bless you!

By Water AND Blood

“This is He Who came by water and blood – Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit Who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are Three that bear witness in Heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these Three are One. And there are three that bear witness on Earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.” (1 John 5:6-8)

There is a great deal of controversy and discussion that has arisen through the years over the meaning and interpretation of the words, “This is He Who came by water and blood.” Some believe that the “water and blood” refer to that which flowed from the Savior’s side in John 19:34 after the Roman soldier pierced Jesus’ dead body with a spear. Others contend that the “water” refers to the Spirit of God and that the “blood” refers to the blood Jesus shed on Calvary. Still others attach a more natural interpretation, believing this is a reference to His birth, where both “water and blood” were present. But when viewed with the purpose of battling the heresy of Gnosticism which denied the Deity of Christ, as John was doing in his writings, I believe there might be an even better explanation that can be put forth to explain accurately the meaning of this difficult passage.

The Gnostics believed that “Christ” came upon Jesus at His baptism and left Him before His crucifixion, pointing to the Garden of Gethsemane for this occurrence of separation. They would claim that Christ did not die on the cross, but Jesus the man did, robbing Jesus of His work of any atoning value for the sins of others. I believe that John is using “water” as an emblem of Jesus’ baptism and “blood” as a symbol of His atoning death. These were the two key points of His public ministry. Jesus said He was to be suffered to be baptized in order to fulfill all righteousness, and it is through His shed blood that we are washed clean in baptism.

John is telling us that Jesus was just as much the Christ when He died on the cross as when He was baptized in the Jordan River. Contrary to Gnostic teaching, here is the Person Who came by water and by blood – not just by water only – but by water and by blood. God was in the flesh and dwelt among men. Mankind is seeking constantly to rid itself of the necessity of the doctrine of the atonement. Men want Jesus as a good man, and maybe even a perfectly moral man. But John is making the case that Jesus is not only the perfect Man, He is also the perfect God, too, Who was willing to suffer baptism in the Jordan River to fulfill all righteousness and to live His life in such a manner that He could become that perfect sacrifice at Calvary. John is telling us that you cannot have the Lord Jesus Christ separated from His perfect redemptive work He accomplished on the cross.

May the Lord bless you!

Prepare the Way for the Lord

According to historical sources, it was customary in Old Testament times that whenever important persons would come into an area, a highway would be built with all the obstacles removed. It was designed to be as straight as possible with as little turning as could be managed, and a town crier would be sent ahead heralding, "Prepare the way." This is the meaning behind the prophecy found in Isaiah 40:3-4 which says, “A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.’”

As the Gospels tell us, John the Immerser was the fulfillment of this prophecy. His was the voice crying in the wilderness, preparing the people in his day to meet the coming Lord, Jesus Christ. And this is the word John the Immerser proclaimed to those people: Repent and remove the obstacles in your life and prepare the way into your heart, into your soul, and into your mind so that the Lord can come and make His habitation there.

Why did Jesus come to the Earth? As He said in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.” We were lost due to our sin so He came to restore us to a proper relationship with the Father. We were created in God’s image, and due to sin we are no longer able to approach God. Jesus, Who existed eternally with God, emptied Himself and came in human form in order to reshape the image of God in the depth of our own beings as we were originally intended. Upon self-examination we must always ask ourselves whether we are living according to God's plan, or our own willful way. How much love is missing from our hearts? What do we need to change in our life in order to be more like God? How many obstacles are in the way of our freedom we can have in Jesus Christ? What changes must we make in our lives that will help us to become images of God and the light to the world He would have us be?

I believe we all have a special responsibility to take a good look at ourselves, at our lives, at our thoughts, and at our hearts to make sure that the way to our hearts does not include an obstacle course preventing us from being with our Lord. That invitation is still being extended to you: "A voice cries out in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the path of our God to your own heart." Accept the Lord’s gracious invitation. Prepare your hearts for Jesus so that He may easily find you and enter in your heart. He Himself says in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

May God bless you as you prepare for the Lord!

A Suggestion for Achieving Congregational Spiritual Growth

Much of the New Testament writing is dedicated to the teaching of the building up and spiritual growth of the body of believers. Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:15-16, “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him Who is the Head, into Christ, from Whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love.” Paul also teaches us in Colossians 2:19 to hold fast to the Head (Jesus Christ) “from Whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.” The Apostle Peter, too, writes in 1 Peter 2:2-5, “Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation; for you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. Come to Him, to that Living Stone, rejected by men but in God's sight chosen and precious; and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

I believe there is a logical answer as to how a congregation can accomplish these goals espoused by these apostles, these chosen ones hand-picked by the Lord who were speaking through the inspiration of His Holy Spirit, and it is through teaching, both at home and while we are assembled together. I would also suggest that it is a good idea to have the congregation study the same material at the same time. Instead of each of the classes “going its own way,” all of the classes would be studying the same material at the same time at its age-appropriate level. The purpose of doing this should be obvious for all to see: It will keep everyone on the same page, and a congregation should be able to grow even stronger and united together as a congregation of God’s people dedicated to increasing in the knowledge and will of their Lord. Parents and grandparents will be able to know exactly what their children or grandchildren have been studying, for they will be studying it as well. Those who bring neighborhood children to the assembly will be able to discuss with these young ones what they have learned for they will know it, too.

Additionally, I believe it would be a good idea for the preaching to be delivered each Sunday morning on the same topics the congregation will be studying that week. This, too, should also be a way to reinforce what is being studied in the classrooms. This will take effort and planning, but it can be accomplished. Is God not worth the effort? Remember what Peter said in 2 Peter 3:18: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

May the Lord bless you and your family and your congregation on this journey together!

Let Us Always Sing

I ran across a very interesting passage of Scripture the other day. It is in Psalm 137:1-9, which says,

1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
2 There on the poplars we hung our harps,
3 for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
4 How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.
6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.
7 Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. "Tear it down," they cried, "tear it down to its foundations!"
8 O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us-
9 he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.

I believe it is correct to say that one of the tests of an individual’s spirituality is whether or not one really has a song to sing in praise to God. This psalm we just read is a sad psalm because it is about a people who had let their circumstances dictate how they were going to feel, and they had lost their song. They lost their song because they had sinned against the Lord repeatedly and they had been placed in captivity.

Although the Babylonians may have been taunting the Jews, was that really an excuse not to take advantage of the opportunity to praise the Lord in front of their captors? Let us look at what happened with two other men who were taken captive as well and how they responded in Acts 16:22-33.

22. The crowd was against Paul and Silas. Then the leaders tore off the clothes of Paul and Silas and ordered to beat them with rods.
23. The men beat them many times. Then the leaders threw Paul and Silas in jail. The leaders commanded the jailor, “Guard them very carefully!”
24. The jailor heard this special order. So he put Paul and Silas into the inner prison far inside the jail. He locked their feet in wooden stocks.
25. About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God. The other prisoners were listening to them.
26. Suddenly, there was a great earthquake. It was so strong that it shook the foundations of the jail. Then all the doors of the jail quickly opened. All prisoners were freed from their chains.
27. The jailor woke up. He saw that the jail doors were open. He thought that the prisoners had escaped. So the jailor took his sword and was ready to kill himself.
28. But Paul shouted, “Don't hurt yourself! We are all here!”
29. The jailor told someone to bring a light. Then he ran inside. He was shaking. He fell down in front of Paul and Silas.
30. Then he brought them outside and asked, “Men, what must I do to be saved?”
31. They said to him, “Commit yourself to the Lord Jesus and you will be saved – you and all the people living in your house.”
32. So, Paul and Silas told the story of the Lord to the jailor and to all the people in his house.
33. It was late at night, but the jailor took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. The jailor and all of his people were immersed right away.

So as we have been shown from the word of God, it is possible to sing praises to God, regardless of what circumstances we are facing. It can be done. What is so ironic about this is that the men who had lost their song in the psalm we read earlier were where they were because they had done wrong. Paul and Silas, on the other hand, had done nothing wrong. But it was Paul and Silas who still had their song.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Follow my example, as I am following the example of Christ.” Maybe Paul was simply following the example of His Lord while he and Silas were in that jail. When Jesus Christ was facing His darkest hour, what did He do? He went and sang a song of praise in front of His apostles in that upper room! (Matthew 26:30) Jesus Christ had a song to sing! He did not let His circumstances influence how He felt about His Father.

If you cannot find a song to sing, then maybe it is time for you to reexamine yourself and your life in light of God’s word. It is when we are not walking in righteousness with the Lord that we will lose our song. As the beloved Apostle John said, “God is in the light. We should also live in light. If we live in the light, then we have a relationship of sharing with each other, and the blood of Jesus, God's Son, continues to cleanse us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

The Honor of Work

There was a time in our society when industriousness and providing for one’s own were the norm. But through the years things have changed, and many people now have a distorted view of work, believing wrongly that work is punishment, which has led to a sense of entitlement. It is true that after sin entered the world God told Adam, “In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, till you return unto the ground; for out of it were you taken: for dust you are, and unto dust shall you return.” (Genesis 3:19) But before Adam had sinned God’s word said, “And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the Earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.” (Genesis 2:5) Therefore, tilling the ground, sowing the seed and working the earth at his feet was always a part of God’s plan for man. Work is good for it is honorable, just as God had shown through His work in creating the universe. The godly woman of Proverbs 31 is a busy woman of whom is said, “She looks well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness.” (Proverbs 31:27)

An idle brain is the Devil’s workshop is not exactly Scripture (it is actually a quote from a man named H. G. Bohn in 1855), although it does teach a Scriptural message. The Wise Writer said in Proverbs 19:15, “Laziness plunges a man into deep sleep, and the sluggard must go hungry.” This agrees completely with what Paul told the church at Thessalonica when he wrote in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “If any will not work, neither let him eat.” Idleness was one of the sins specified by God in Ezekiel 16:49 that brought about the destruction of Sodom: “Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.”

I believe we overlook idleness, laziness and being a busybody to our detriment. Gossip is the result of an individual having too much idle time on his or her hands, and it is verbal violence committed against another. It is also soundly condemned in Scripture: “You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand forth against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:16) “He who goes about gossiping reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who speaks foolishly.” (Proverbs 20:19) “Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness and sin, of greed and hate, envy, murder, fighting, lying, bitterness, and gossip.” (Romans 1:29)

Idleness, not working, and gossiping all go hand-in-hand. Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 3:11, “For we hear of some that walk among you disorderly, that work not at all, but are busybodies.” And Peter shows just how grievous this sin is by comparing it to those who commit even murder when he said in 1 Peter 4:15, “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.” Work, what God always desired for mankind, is the cure.

May the Lord bless you and yours!

Being Thankful and Contented

With every day bringing what seems to be an endless parade of poor economic news, too many people are worried about the rainy day of tomorrow that they fail to see the sunshine of today. In spite of the negative outlook regarding the economy, there is still much for which we should be grateful and thankful as a nation and people that have been blessed abundantly by the Lord. As we are about to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, let us never lose sight of Who is the Source of all of our blessings.

The Apostle Paul certainly had his share of woes. All one needs to do to learn the truth of this is to read the 11th chapter of 2 Corinthians to find out how immensely Paul suffered. He had much in his life in which he could have complained. In spite of this, though, Paul was able to keep things in proper perspective and write the following while being bound in chains:

“I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him Who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:10-13) Paul was grateful for their gift to him but he wanted the church to know that he had learned how to be content in every circumstance. He wanted them to understand that his sufficiency is in the Lord and not in their ability to provide for him. What a valuable lesson Paul was giving the church in Ephesus, and to us by extension today. Contentment is not controlled by outside events. Contentment does not come from having an abundance of material possessions. Contentment and inner peace, “the peace that passes understanding” (Philippians 4:6), comes from the knowledge that we have a loving, gracious and merciful Savior, and this knowledge will invigorate our entire being, leading us to have a positive attitude about life. As Paul tells his young protégé, Timothy, in 1 Timothy 6:6-11, “If one is godly and content, there is great profit! We brought nothing into the world and we can't take anything out of it. If we have food and clothes, we will be satisfied with these things. But the people who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish desires that hurt them. These things drown men in ruin and destruction. Loving money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people want money so badly that they have wandered away from the faith. They have so painfully wounded themselves. But you, O man of God, run away from these things. Follow after faith, love, endurance, what is good, godly, and gentle.”

May the Lord bless you and yours as you give Him thanks for all of His blessings!

Cookies, Cappuccino and Cordiality

I want to share with you a true story that happened to me several years ago when I used to work as Manager of Strategic Marketing & Initiatives for the Western Region of a major airline. Yes, that was an impressive title to hold, (as well as quite a mouthful to say), but what it meant was that I got to travel to a lot of various parts of our beautiful western lands in order to call upon travel agencies and corporate clients. On one such trip I had flown out to call on accounts in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico area. Finishing my sales calls early, I went back to the airport to catch my flight back home. I had about two hours before my flight was scheduled to depart so I bought a bag of peanut butter sandwich cookies from a group of Girl Scouts who happened to be selling them at the airport. After purchasing the cookies, I put them in my carry-on bag. I then proceeded to purchase a cup of coffee from the Starbucks nearby. After getting my overpriced but tasty cup of cappuccino, I went and sat down at a crowded table next to a group of strangers who were also biding their time awaiting their scheduled departures to their various destinations. Being an avid lover of books, I then proceeded to open my copy of The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, taking the lid off of my steaming coffee and intently began reading my book.

Across the table from where I was seated sat a man who held in his hands a copy of that day’s USA Today newspaper. After a minute or two without taking my eyes from the page I was reading, I reached out and took a cookie. A few moments later I noticed in the corner of my eye that this man had reached out and took a cookie, too. I remember thinking to myself at the time, “How rude and audacious!” but I did not say a word.

A couple minutes later, while turning a page, I grabbed another cookie. A few moments after that I saw that man, that stranger, reach into the bag and take yet another cookie. I believe myself to be a reasonable man, but I found myself reddening as I was getting angrier by the minute. After all, these were not just your simple, ordinary, run-of-the-mill everyday cookies to be found in any market, these were Peanut Butter Sandwich Girl Scout cookies! How dare this man do this to me, and take advantage of my good nature! Could he not tell that I was Manager of Strategic Marketing & Initiatives for the Western Region of a major airline? Did he not realize just how important of a man I was? Still, in spite of his cheek and bravado, I composed myself and kept my silence. I remained calm.

After having a couple more sips of my brew I once again took another cookie. So did that stranger. There was no doubt about it now, I was really getting mad about this! And since by this time there was only one more cookie left, I admit I was fuming inside. It would seem that the man also realized there was only one cookie left now, so before I could say a word about it the man took that last cookie, he broke it in half, offered one-half of it to me, and he proceeded to get up and leave, grabbing his briefcase, newspaper and luggage with him. He nodded his head, gave me a friendly smile and, tucking his newspaper under his arm, he headed down the terminal and towards his gate, saying as he left, “Good day, sir!” But not one word did he say about those cookies he had taken!

“Of all the nerve!” I remembered saying to myself as I watched him disappear into the crowd. “Can you believe what people think they can get by with today?” Was I ever ticked off at him! I felt as if he had ruined my whole day, my whole trip even! So I finished my coffee in a huff, threw the empty cup into the nearby receptacle, and went to place my book in my carry-on bag. It was at that point that I made a heart-wrenching and humiliating discovery, for there inside was none other than my own unopened bag of Peanut Butter Sandwich Girl Scout cookies! I looked once again for the stranger, never seeing him again, and never being able to thank him for his cordiality!

As embarrassed as I was at that moment, I am thankful and grateful to God that He allowed it all to happen. “Why is that?” I am sure someone will ask. Well, I am thankful because it reminds me about how well God treats me even when I am not treating Him well or thinking all that kindly and graciously about Him. It has taught me to be a more patient man, and hopefully not one who jumps to wrong conclusions about others as quickly as I used to do. In other words, it was an opportunity for God to teach me how to grow in the fruit of the Spirit, for as Paul wrote to the church in Galatians 5:22-23, “ . . . the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.”

This encounter has also taught me to think about how, sometimes, I do not really appreciate what I have or act like I know where it has come from, where the true Source of all blessings flow. It serves as a kind of reminder to me, just as that reminder is found in reading from Deuteronomy 8:17-18. Moses, after telling the people of Israel how they will prosper in the Promised Land that they are about to enter, how, after so many years of slavery and then of wandering around in the wilderness, they will eat their fill, and have fine houses and large herds, and that their silver and gold will multiply, says this:

“Do not say to yourself, ‘My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, so that He may confirm His covenant that He swore to your ancestors, and as He swears to you today.”

It has been a constant reminder to me that what James, the Lord’s brother, says in James 4:10 is absolutely true: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

Innovative Falls 24-10 in Hoops Contest

The Innovative Staffing Solutions first and second grade boys basketball team fell to R. R. Donnelley's 24-10 on Saturday, November 15, 2008. The loss was the first of the season for Innovative, leaving them with a 2-1 record.

In spite of being much smaller than the Donnelley's boys, Innovative was much improved from the previous week in rebounding and defense. However, poor shooting and too many turnovers that led to easy baskets for their opponents were their downfall.

Donovan Ferguson was double and triple teamed often, which prevented him from scoring inside. He was limited to one basket deep from the outside as his only points of the game. Donovan, understanding that he was being doubled up virtually every time he touched the ball on offense, got the ball to his teammates but none of them could convert for the basket. Donovan played exceptionally well defensively, frustrating one of his opponents with his defensive pressure to the point that the boy threw two elbows at Donovan and play had to be momentarily halted. Donovan may have been shut down from scoring but he still brought his "A" game as he pulled down 10 boards while garnering 11 steals for his first double-double of the season. He also had 7 blocked shots, including three in succession with three different players. Donovan had only 1 turnover in spite of how closely guarded he was.

Isaac Ray, Donovan's cousin and best friend, was held scoreless while taking only one shot from the field. Isaac also had 1 blocked shot. He turned the ball over 6 times.

Isaac also must be about to lose a tooth because he was seen many times throughout the contest with his hand and fingers at work in his mouth. It is tough enough to play the game of hoops without having to battle loose teeth, too!

We Just Do Not Get the Enormity of God's Love

We have many passages in God’s word that speak to us of God’s great love, yet I do not believe we come even close to comprehending what that means. Consider this: In the beginning, before there was any creation, there was just God, only God, an infinite and mighty Lord. And God had an idea. It was just an idea, but as only God can do, He can look at an idea from every perspective imaginable and see every conceivable outcome. He can look at every individual possibility and understand all the millions of possibilities and outcomes emanating from that idea, and He can do so instantaneously. God had a thought, and that thought was, “I will create.” He envisioned all that He would do, and He knew it would be good . . . but He also knew that out of that goodness His ultimate creation, mankind, would choose the pathway of sin and death.

That was not such a good idea. What was He to do? Should God just forget the whole idea and chuck it all? Would that not be the best thing possible?

The Son, Who existed with God from eternity, saw the same idea of creation with all of its infinite possibilities because He shared that idea with His Father. And He looked at the idea and said: “I can rectify it. I can perfect that idea. I can make that love perfect. I can become part of it. You breathed Your Spirit into man and created Him in our image, so I will become a man in his image. I will live my life in a manner that will turn every sin into a virtue. I will become a fragrant offering and a sweet-smelling sacrifice to You. I will bear this willingly because of My love for You and Your love for Me and Our mutual love for Our creation.”

It was not an accident that Jesus came to the Earth and gave Himself to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2). When He was with the Father before creation He knew what would happen, and what He would be asked to do. He knew. Although He, being in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped, He knew the time would come when He would be called upon to empty Himself, and take upon the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are. And being in every way like a human being, He was humbler yet, even to accepting death, a death suffered cruelly upon a cross (Philippians 2:6-8). And still He did not succumb to sin, although He was tempted in all manner of temptations as we are, yet He committed no sin (Hebrews 4:15). And so God saw the idea with His Son being intimately involved in it, and He was ready to let the idea happen. All He had to do was utter the word. All He had to do was say the word and there would be a universe. He had to just speak the word and there would be myriads of stars, countless planets, and billions of galaxies stretching across trillions of miles of space. All God had to do was say the word and there would be Earth and there would be land and water and animals of all kinds. All He had to do was say the word and there would be man. And God was ready. And He said the Word and the Word God said was: Jesus. And it all happened because of God's love.

A Remarkable Story of God's Grace

In 2 Kings 20 we have the story of King Hezekiah being told by the prophet Isaiah that he was going to die of the deathly illness which afflicted him. Hezekiah had been a good king, and he accepted the word spoken to him by Isaiah, the Lord’s spokesman, but he wept bitterly, crying to the Lord, praying, “Remember now, O Lord, I implore You, how I have walked before You in faithfulness with a whole heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” (2 Kings 20:3) Upon hearing the pleas of Hezekiah, the Lord sent Isaiah back to Hezekiah to tell him, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; indeed, I will heal you; on the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life.” (2 Kings 20:5-6) Can you imagine the joy that King Hezekiah must have felt? Who of us would not be delighted to hear the Lord tell us that He was going to extend our lives several years just moments after we had been told we would not survive? The Lord kept His promise, and Hezekiah recovered from his illness just as the Lord had said. He did live an additional 15 years. But that, unfortunately, is not the end of the story, for we also learn from the word of God the following in 2 Kings 21:1-2: “Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.” This means that he was born in the last fifteen years of Hezekiah’s life. It was during those additional fifteen years of life that brought Judah one of its worst kings ever, King Manasseh.
As was said, Hezekiah was a very good king. I cannot help but believe that had he been able to foresee the wickedness that would come from his progeny given to him during those additional 15 years of life, I believe he would doubtless have had no desire to recover from his sickness. God’s word tells us just how wicked the reign of Manasseh was, leading the nation of Judah down a path that was even more evil than the nations had been whom Israel had originally conquered when they took the Promised Land, even forcing his own son to be sacrificed alive in fire (2 Kings 21:6). But once again, this is not the end of the story. We also learn from God’s word that no man, regardless of how evil he is or the greatness and depravity of his sin, is beyond the redemption of God. God’s grace and His love are more powerful. 2 Chronicles 33:11-19 describes a remarkable repentance on the part of Manasseh. Because he and his people would not listen to the warnings of God, the Lord allowed the Babylonians to bind King Manasseh and take him as a captive to Babylon. There, when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers (2 Chronicles 33:12) and God answered his prayer and restored him to the throne. Manasseh then proved that his repentance was genuine by taking away the idols and the foreign gods from Jerusalem, and he commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel (2 Chronicles 33:16).

Innovative Wins Nail Biter 22-20

The Innovative Staffing Solutions first and second grade boys basketball team eeked out a hard fought victory over Matt Romack Construction, winning 22-20. The victory was Innovative's second of the season, putting their mark at 2-0.

Donovan Ferguson scored 12 points for Innovative on 6 for 13 shooting from the field (0 for 2 beyond the arc). He had 5 steals and 9 rebounds while committing only 2 turnovers. Donovan had 2 blocked shots while also getting his firsts 2 assists of the season.

Donovan was held scoreless in the first half, but he exploded for all of his points in the second half as he drove towards the hoop instead of shooting from the outside.

Isaac Ray, Donovan's cousin, had 2 rebounds and 1 blocked shot. He was 0 for 1 shooting from the field.

Innovative's defense was not up to par this week as they gave up many easy shots as well as several second and third chance baskets as they failed time and time again to box out on the boards. They did a little better with their positioning at the start of the second half, but down the stretch they began getting out-rebounded which almost cost them the game. Additionally, they missed several lay-ups that could have given them a much bigger cushion, so this week's practice will be devoted to rebounding and lay-ups.

Basketball Is Back! Innovative Wins Big in Debut Game!

The Innovative first and second grade boys basketball team started off the fall season in spectacular fashion as they defeated Mars Pet Care 31-10 on Saturday, November 1, 2008.
Donovan Ferguson led all scorers with 13 points on 6 for 15 shooting from the field, including 1 for 2 from 3 point land. He also cleared off 7 boards while getting 2 blocked shots. Donovan committed 2 turnovers while garnering 5 steals.
Donovan's first cousin and best friend, Isaac Ray, ignited the team by getting two quick steals early in the contest. He ended up with 5 steals in all. He pulled down 1 rebound and he committed 1 turnover while shooting 0 for 2 from the field.
It was the team's defense that keyed the offensive surge. Donovan and Isaac were smothering their opponents like stink on skunk with their defensive pressure, leading the Mars squad to commit many turnovers that led to easy breakaway baskets for Innovative. The team is so defensively oriented that Isaac's tight man-to-man defense was seen to carry over even when he and his team were on offense!

Football and Soccer Season Come To a Close

Donovan had a very successful debut season playing soccer this fall. He turned out to be highly talented playing the game, with defense being his specialty. He scored a couple of goals while garnering four assists for his team that ended up with a 5-2 record, but it really was on the defensive side of play that Donovan shone. He played goalie most of the time, and he was probably the best goalie in the league.
I was surprisingly asked to coach this team as I am the first to admit that soccer is not my cup of tea. Baseball and basketball I know well and understand, but I had not been around soccer since I was in the fifth grade. I was quite good at it then, but that has been three and a half decades ago! So I was very pleased to have the kids finish with a 5-2 record. Although as I said soccer had not been my preferred sport, coaching it and watching my sons play it this season has made me come to appreciate it much more.

Damien's flag football team finished with a record of 5-0-1. They ended on a five game winning streak. Their only "blemish" was their first game of the year in which they gave up two touchdowns with under four minutes of play, settling for a tie.
Damien played very well all season. He was a stalwart on the defensive side, making many "tackles" that prevented the other teams from scoring. He also was one of his team's best blockers as can be seen in this photo to the left. He opened up many holes for his teammates to make several big plays.
Damien was also very good when he was used at quarterback, running back and receiver. He scored three touchdowns, one coming from each of these positions just mentioned, and he also scored on two point conversions twice, one while running the ball in and the coming from a completed catch of a pass. This was Damien's last year for flag football, and I he is looking forward to putting on the pads and suiting up for tackle football next year.

Daniel played soccer for the first time this year, foregoing American style tackle football in favor of soccer. I was a bit surprised when I learned that Daniel was not going to play football. I assumed he was going to play football again this year because he had such an outstanding season last year. I finally asked him why he did not want to play football, and he replied, "I felt I was going to miss church too much, and I did not want to do that." Our congregation assembles for mid-week Bible study on Wednesday nights, and Daniel would have had a few games scheduled for that time as well. I was quite impressed that he made this decision on his own. He is only 11, about to turn 12, but his commitment to the Lord is genuine and highly commendable.
Daniel had an outstanding season playing soccer. He had quite a number of goals as well as assists, but where he was most valuable was when he was playing goalie. His coach told me that he had never seen a goalie as gifted as Daniel was at his age. His team finished the season with a 6-1 record. They easily could have gone 7-0 but they lost their first game 7-6 after leading 5-1 at half time. Daniel played goalie in the first half, and he scored the team's only goal in the second half. None of the other games were even close as they ran the table after that initial disappointing loss.

The Cosmic Bubble

A few months ago I ran across an interesting story in which a new theory in the field of astrophysics was emerging, and it was that the planet Earth was possibly located inside of a gigantic "cosmic bubble." What intrigued me the most about this new theory was the following statement made by researcher Timothy Clifton of Oxford University in England:
"This idea that we live in a void would really be a statement that we live in a special place," Clifton told SPACE.com. "The regular cosmological model is based on the idea that where we live is a typical place in the universe. This would be a contradiction to the Copernican principle."

You see, the Copernican principle states, in brief, that our place in the universe is not special. When Nicholas Copernicus argued that it made much more sense for the Earth to be revolving around the sun than vice versa, it revolutionized science. Since then, most theories have to pass the Copernican test. If they require our planet to be unique, or our position to be exalted, the ideas often seem unlikely and are routinely rejected. Hence, theories involving ideas such as "dark matter" and "dark energy" have been postulated to try and explain the apparent acceleration of the universe as it is expanding. However, if the "cosmic bubble" theory is correct, then items in space could look farther away than they really are and there would be no need to rely on "dark energy" as an explanation for certain astronomical observations.

But if we happened to be in a portion of the universe with less matter in it than what is normal throughout the universe, then the space-time field around us would be different than it is outside of the "cosmic bubble," because matter warps space-time. Light traveling from an object such as a supernova outside our "cosmic bubble" would appear to be dimmer because the light would diverge more than we would expect once it got inside our void. "If we lived in a very large under-density," said Clifton, "then the space-time itself wouldn't be accelerating. It would just be that the observations, if interpreted in the usual way, would look like they were."

Although it is true that the Earth does orbit the sun, the Copernican principle did give rise to the idea that the Earth was not a special world, but that it just "happened." This meant that mankind was also simply an "accident," and we held no place of honor in the universe. But all of this runs counter to what we are told in God's word. God says we are special because we were made in His image, and this world was given to us as a gift from Him. We were so special that God was made in the image of man in the form of Jesus Christ so that we can be redeemed by His shed blood.

Is it not amazing how often science actually confirms God's holy word, in spite of their best efforts to the contrary to deny His existence?

Planned Parenthood Caught Admitting Infanticide!

The following are links to YouTube videos in which a worker for Planned Parenthood ADMITS that babies born alive in an attempted abortion are left to die. This is a crime, people, and it cannot be glossed over and prettied up, anymore than what Hitler's goons did in the last century. This is the same organization lauded by Senator Obama, would-be President of the United States, and man who voted three times to deny medical assistance to babies who survived attempted abortions.

Is this REALLY the type of man we whould have as leader of our nation? If you are a Christian who is supporting Obama are you prepared to stand before God on Judgment Day and explain your support for this man?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnlHNbAh6xY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6wea065aYs&NR=1

A Voice in the Attic

The following is an original story for Halloween submitted by Damien Ferguson, age 10. I hope you enjoy it!

Taylor was alone in the house. She usually enjoyed staying home alone, but tonight was different. Taylor could hear a soft voice calling her from the attic. She could barely hear it, but Taylor could hear it! Then all of a sudden it started getting louder! Taylor was wondering, "What could it be?" Taylor was upset, so she yelled, "WHAT!!!" Then it said, "Come in the attic."

Taylor knew she could not go in the attic. Then it said again, "Come in the attic." But as you know, Taylor knew she was not allowed to go in the attic. Then - suddenly! - the door opened. She looked inside. All she saw was cobwebs. Then she walked inside.

She wondered why her mom and dad told her not to go in the attic. Taylor heard some noise. She saw something. She heard some laughing. She saw blood. A vampire said softly, "Come and join me!" Taylor said, "No!" The vampire replied, "Oh . . . do you have some red Powerade?" Taylor said in a creeped out voice, "Y-e-e-s, why do you ask?" He said, "My name is Apple Seed Dracula." Taylor asked him, "S-o-o-o-o, you know Count Dracula?" Apple said, "Yes, he is my father. He named me Apple because I did not bite him like other vampires." So Taylor gave him some red Powerade and watched as it trickled from the corners of his mouth and fangs.

She knew she would never drink red Powerade again!

Righteousness Exalts a Nation

Proverbs 14:34 makes the point that "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." If there is such a thing as righteousness, then Someone sovereign must determine what it is. Humankind has a varied idea of what constitutes righteousness. We could never in a million years agree on what is righteous and what is unrighteous. God, however, is an authority on righteousness, and fortunately for us, God tells us what righteousness means in His holy word. Psalm 71:19 says, “Your righteousness also, O God, is very high, Who has done great things: O God, Who is like unto You!” "All Your commandments are righteousness," says the psalmist in Psalm 119:172. Psalm 98:2 adds, “The Lord has made known His salvation: His righteousness has He openly showed in the sight of the heathen.”

It is a mark of a nation in decline that calls evil good and good evil. As Isaiah 5:20 says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” The "bad guy" is now the norm; the "good guy" is the potential hypocrite who bears watching and extreme scrutiny.

“Sin is a reproach to any people.” What is sin? Again, the Bible defines it: "Sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4).

Our society is in trouble because God’s laws are just as real as the physical laws of science. They are just as real as the law of gravity. A society that is lying and cheating and stealing and promoting what God clearly has called a sin, homosexuality, as a civil right, then that nation is sowing the seeds of disruption and the seeds of its own destruction of everything in it that is solid and that is real. For Jesus Christ is the ultimate arbiter of what is right, what is wrong, and what is true, for He said to Pilate in John 18:37, "You say that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth hears My voice." He also stated earlier in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one comes unto the Father, but by Me."

The Bible tells us, “By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.” (Proverbs 11:11) “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3) What we can do is turn to God as a people, and trust in Him. God tells us in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

May the Lord bless you, and may He continue to bless us as a people as long as we are a nation turned to Him!

To Worship God in Spirit and Truth

True worship, which is homage that pleases God, is to be in truth, as well as in spirit. Jesus said in John 4:24, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” What does it mean, then, to worship in truth? First, it would be prudent to define "truth." Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" The answer to that question is revealed in the prayer of Jesus in John 17:17, "Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is truth." The psalmist in Psalm 119:142 wrote, "Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is the truth." So when we speak of the objective truth, the truth of the Bible, we speak of God's word or His law.

Worship in spirit involves doing those acts that please God with the right attitude. It is possible for one to be physically present at a worship service and not be worshipping God because one’s attitude toward worship may not be correct. Thus, one is not worshipping God in spirit. So it is vitally important that we understand the characteristics of worship that is truly in spirit.

Worship in spirit must be with understanding. Paul taught this is 1 Corinthians 14:15: "I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." To worship with understanding, we must be able to comprehend what is said and done. We must appreciate the significance of each act of worship and think about what we are doing as we worship. For instance, we cannot be talking, daydreaming or sleeping during a prayer, sermon or song and be worshipping with understanding.

The phrase “in spirit” in John 4:24 indicated a mental, conscious, thought-out effort to offer something to God. If a person is not thinking about what is being done, that is, is NOT intending to make this offer to God, then it is not in spirit and it is not worship.

The Apostle Paul in Romans 12:11 urges us to be "fervent in spirit." This means we are to have an attitude of zeal. To worship God in spirit is to do so with the right attitude or from the heart. In the Bible the heart is our mind and includes our intellect, our volition, our conscience and our emotions. One's whole heart must be engaged in worship for it to be acceptable to God. In other words, one’s entire being. This is why Jesus said in Mark 12:30 that the greatest of all commandments was to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” As the psalmist sweetly sang, "I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation" (Psalms 111:1). It is my hope and prayer that we do no less ourselves.

May God bless you!

Facing the Inevitablity of Death

Many people come to the conclusion that the Book of Ecclesiastes is pessimistic and cynical. Why else would Solomon use the word “vanity” in relation to the good God has done if it was otherwise?

“And I applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under Heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to the sons of men to be busy with. I have seen everything that is done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind." (Ecclesiastes 1:13-14)

“There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God; for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the man who pleases Him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and heaping, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.” (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26)

I, for one, do not believe the Book of Ecclesiastes should be called pessimistic or even cynical. Instead, a better appellation would be to describe it as simply brutally realistic. Ecclesiastes makes the reader confront the full and dreadful significance of one’s mortality. Most people, whether or not they are religious, refuse to face what death really is. But when you get right down to it, death is a calamity that nullifies all of the achievements of one’s human existence. Ecclesiastes strips away the myths we employ, either consciously or unconsciously, to shield ourselves from this stark fact. In pointing out the dreadfulness and stark reality of death, the Book of Ecclesiastes helps us to see just how profound is our need for resurrection. More simply stated, this wonderful book drives us to seek Jesus Christ. The New Testament shares this perspective as well. Death is not a friend or even a doorway as it is popularly espoused, but a terrible, terrible enemy. It will be, however, a conquered enemy eventually. Listen to how it is described by Paul and John:

“The last enemy to be destroyed is death. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?’" (1 Corinthians 15:26; 54-55)

“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire;” (Revelation 20:14)

Face the inevitability of the enemy, death, with confidence. Face it with Jesus Christ! May the Lord bless you!