Vine #atozchallenge

English: The Promised Land. View south west through the trees from SD51930209 near Promised Land Farm. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You transplanted a vine from Egypt;
    you drove out the nations and planted it.

Psalm 80:8

New International Version (NIV)

        The descendants of Abraham were enslaved in Egypt for centuries before Moses led them on their quest to find the Promised Land.   After forty years of wandering the Jews were brought to the geographical location of the land that God had promised to them.

         Though the land had been promised to the Jews, they had to win it by acting under the authority of God to drive out the nations inhabiting that land.   Battles were fought and Israel became the nation of the Jewish people.  

          The disobedience of Israel in regard to the previous nations resulted in intermarriage of the peoples and pollution of the traditions of the faith.  False gods were often worshipped.   Rebellion against God continually has resurfaced.  And even though the Jewish people have been scattered throughout the Earth, God's promise to them concerning the land of Israel remains.   No other nations or organized bodies can rightfully undo what God has promised.

            Jesus was a Jew born in Israel.  Like the vine of the Jews transplanted from captivity in Egypt to the Promised Land in Israel, Jesus is the human embodiment of God transplanted to Earth.    Jesus is the vine from which his followers are nourished..   God has promised a Messiah to deliver us from our enslavement to sin and that Savior has come in the form of Jesus.    

           The Messiah Jesus Christ will one day return and rule from Jerusalem in Israel.  The Promised Messiah in the Promised Land.  God works in mighty and wonderful ways.   We can do all things through Him.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing..."

John 15:5

New International Version (NIV)

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Jesus #atozchallenge

Palm Sunday 16 (Photo credit: Waiting For The Word)

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
    From the house of the Lord we bless you.
27 The Lord is God,
    and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
    up to the horns of the altar.

Psalm 118:26-27

New International Version (NIV)

        The Holy Bible is a book of many things--history, law, guidelines for healthy living, biography, poetry, and others.   Ultimately though it is the story of Jesus. Even the books of the Old Testament are setting up the coming of Jesus Christ.  The sages and prophets prior to Christ's coming knew that a Messiah was on the way.  They even described some of the specifics of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of the coming Messiah.

         When we study the Old Testament from the standpoint of the story of Jesus, many things become more understandable.   Concepts such as sacrifice make more sense.  Stories such as that of Jonah seem prescient.   The words of the prophets come into focus.

          During the time when Jesus walked this Earth the writings of previous generations were often mentioned as they were put into context of the times.  Jesus even told us in his own words.

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

Luke 24:44

English Standard Version (ESV)

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Where's My Messiah?

Name of Jesus 03 (Photo credit: Waiting For The Word)

Posterity will serve him;
    future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,
    declaring to a people yet unborn:
    He has done it!

Psalm 22:30-31

New International Version (NIV)

       From the beginning of creation the Messiah was part of God's plan.  The New Testament tells the story about the Messiah's time of teaching upon this Earth.  The Old Testament is the explanation by the examples of history of why a Messiah was needed and the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah.  Jesus appears on every page of the Old Testament if you look closely enough.  

       So what happened that so many people missed it when he came.  Even to this day people turn away from that Messiah who fulfilled the prophecies about him?   Is it our expectations?   From the beginning of creation people have rejected God's will.  They have willingly rebelled against the Creator and created their own laws and constructs for living.  They want what they want and don't understand when God says "No" to them.

       Call us stupid and you will be calling it as it is.  It's not that we lack intelligence, but we are rebellious.  We want a messiah, but we want him in the image that we create in our minds.   If our messiah says that he will give us what we want then we're sold.   When our messiah fails we look for the next one.   "Where's my messiah!" people cry in desperation.   The answer is clear in the pages of the Holy Bible, but sometimes the words of an old book just don't seem valid for the modern world.
  
         How wrong this assessment is!

          As we fret about the affairs of the world and blindly look for a savior, Satan wanders to and fro ready to take advantage of our insecure yearnings.  For two thousand years many have come in the guise of being The One and many have succumbed to their lies.   Leaders, prophets,and teachers of false doctrine look for their prey to lure them to hell.  Be careful!   Their words may sound like what you've been waiting to hear, but these are the words of people who will take your eyes off of the True Messiah--Jesus Christ.   Don't join the teachers of falsehood for they are on the road to eternal damnation.

For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.  It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15

New International Version (NIV)

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Why Do So Many Miss the Obvious?

English: Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
    From the house of the Lord we bless you.

Psalm 118:26

New International Version (NIV)

       Do you think that King David had any idea who exactly he was talking about in prophetic Messianic psalms?  Or what exactly would happen when the Messiah came?   The Psalms were certainly divinely inspired, but were they completely understood by the hand who wrote them?

      No doubt that David was a smart man, but he may have missed the message.   David might be excused for not completely seeing what would happen hundreds of years after he would die.  Over that span many more prophets added more information so that the signs of the Messiah were very well known among the Israelites.  

       The life of Jesus Christ on this Earth was like a play that had been scripted beforehand.  The people of that time fell into their roles and the stage was set just as had been foretold.   Were they blind in spirit?  They welcomed Jesus in the way it had always been predicted and watched him die and be resurrected just as had been prophesied.  

        I am befuddled how so many can glibly separate the things of the spirit from the worldly things and not be struck in awe by the things of God.  Instead we see that is that and this is this and right now this is more important because it is now.   

         Now?  

          If Jesus came to your town today would everyone be happy to see him?   Could they set aside what they were doing to rejoice in His being there?   Would they want Him to stay?

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.  They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Blessed is the king of Israel!”

John 12:12-13

New International Version (NIV)

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Hallelujah! 'Tis the Season For Handel's Messiah

Portrait of George Frideric Handel from the Royal Collection (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I will praise the Lord all my life;
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

Psalm 146:2

New International Version (NIV)

        The rousing strains of Handel's Messiah will be oft heard over the next few weeks in many venues as we near Christmas.   Though a work appropriate and inspirational for any time of year, the Messiah is a musical work that has become closely associated with Christmas.

            This year I will be joining an assemblage at my church for a performance of this sacred oratorio on Sunday December 2nd.  This choir will consist of a handful from the church that I attend, a few members of a Japanese men's chorus from the city of Torrance, some professional soloists hired for this performance, and a number of Koreans from a church that uses our facilities in Downey, California.  

            We've been practicing since July under the baton of one Ken Taguchi who originally came to us from Japan.  It's a wonderful assemblage of peoples from several parts of the world, professional and amateur, all gathering for one evening of worshiping God.  

            Surely this amazing musical composition is but one example of the music of praise that will be sung to God in Heaven.  Thank you George Frederick Handel for the oratorio.  And thank you Jesus for the inspiration.

            Hallelujah!  He shall reign forever and ever.

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

“Hallelujah!
    For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
 Let us rejoice and be glad
    and give him glory!

Revelation 19:6-7

New International Version (NIV)

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