POPULARITY
4 episodes with as king
3 episodes with as king
4 episodes with as king
2 episodes with as king
2 episodes with as king
2 episodes with as king
2 episodes with as king
2 episodes with as king
2 episodes with as king
1 Peter 2:7, "To you who believe, He is precious!" To the regenerate soul, Jesus Christ is the chief delight and treasure of the heart. The world may see no beauty in Him, but to the one born of God, Jesus is altogether lovely and worthy of all of our love, honor, and adoration. His preciousness lies first in His Person. In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and yet He took upon Himself true humanity. What mystery, that He who upholds all things by the word of His power, also humbled himself to become obedient to death--even death on a cross! Who can fathom such condescension? Who is like this glorious Mediator, who is both the Son of God and the Son of Man? Christ is also precious in His offices. As Prophet, He reveals the Father's will, teaching us the way of salvation with divine authority and tenderness. As Priest, He offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, and ever lives to intercede for us. As King, He rules over us with perfect righteousness and protects us from all our enemies. Each office meets our deepest need, and each one displays His surpassing worth. Further, He is precious in His benefits. Who but Jesus can give rest to the weary, peace to the troubled, righteousness to the guilty, and life to the dead? His blood cleanses from all sin. His Spirit renews the heart. His intercession secures both our perseverance and preservation. His promises are sure and sweet, and His presence is the joy of the believer's soul. All the infinite treasures of grace are found in Him! The more we grow in grace, the more Christ becomes our all. The soul cannot but long for Him, be satisfied with Him, and rejoice in Him above all things! This longing
As King, the Lord is Sovereign, He comes when He wants to come and He answers when He wants to answer and you cannot question that about Him. This causes you to wait on Him and to wait for Him because He makes all things beautiful in its time. It also makes you realize your insufficiency and utterly depend on Him as your sufficiency in all things. Discover more in this episode.Support the show
Vice President JD Vance says Russia is asking for too much in negotiations to end the war with Ukraine. AP correspondent Donna Warder reports.
Murder has a way of revealing secrets, and the investigation into Margarette Eby's brutal killing peels back layers of deception surrounding the prime suspect, Jeffrey Gorton.Detective Dave King follows the old Flint police adage: "If you got a case on the come, you gotta write it till it's done." His investigation begins with Eby's list of lovers and the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death—no forced entry until the bedroom, suggesting she knew her killer. As King dives deeper into Eby's life, he uncovers a complex woman: strong-willed, brilliant, and unconventional, who had previously reported an intruder in her bedroom just weeks before her murder.Meanwhile, we meet Jeffrey Gorton through the eyes of Brenda Fleming, who encounters him at a local bowling alley. Their relationship blossoms into what appears to be a perfect marriage. Jeff is generous, surprising Brenda with thoughtful gifts, such as an expensive bedroom suite, on their honeymoon. He becomes the ideal family man, coaching his children's teams, participating enthusiastically in family gatherings, and organizing spectacular Fourth of July fireworks displays. His only quirk seems to be his constant nervous movements—rocking and nail-biting that never stops.Yet beneath this carefully constructed façade lies a troubled past. Through his high school friend, Joe Contreras, and his first girlfriend, Dawn Theerback, we discover a different Jeff—one who desperately tried to escape responsibility when Dawn became pregnant at 16, even joining the Navy to get away. Dawn's heartbreaking diary entries reveal her desperate pursuit of Jeff and his eventual reluctant acceptance of fatherhood and marriage.The FBI's behavioral science unit, including famed profiler John Douglas (the inspiration for characters in "Silence of the Lambs"), provides a chilling psychological portrait of Eby's killer that begins to align with aspects of Gorton's personality and background. When Detective King receives a crucial tip connecting Gorton to Eby through a mutual acquaintance, the parallel narratives converge into a shocking revelation about the man behind the façade of the perfect husband.Listen now to discover how this meticulous investigation unravels the complex web of secrets surrounding Jeffrey Gorton and the murder of Margarette Eby. Send us a text Support the show
As King, the Lord is Sovereign, He comes when He wants to come and He answers when He wants to answer and you cannot question that about Him. This causes you to wait on Him and to wait for Him because He makes all things beautiful in its time. It also makes you realize your insufficiency and utterly depend on Him as your sufficiency in all things. Discover more in this episode.Support the show
The author of Hebrews uses the comparison between Melchizedek and Aaron to make a clear point. Jesus is our Great High Priest, but not in the order of Aaron. God separated the line of the kings and the line of the priests in Israel as a way of protecting the people from the failures and flaws of each role, and therefore, unlike all the other nations, no one could be a King/Priest. The priests were flawed, their lives were short, and their sacrifices insufficient to truly cover sin. Yet, Jesus is a better King/Priest, in the order of Melchizedek. As King, He is our King of Peace. As High Priest He offered Himself once for all. We do not have to come back again and again—the cross of Jesus makes us perfect and righteous, so that we, like the Son, are considered perfect forever.
"Yes, I can comfort you. If you wish, then be close to me. Do not pull away from my touch. Breathe more deeply. It is in my touch you will find your freedom. For I will never cage you."---Your kingdom has lost the war against his army. During surrender negotiations, your father has given you to him. As King, he accepts, but the more he discovers of your strength and beauty, the more he craves you to be more than someone he acquired in battle and conquest.---IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE FULL SPICY VERSION OF THIS AUDIO, YOU CAN LISTEN HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From shepherd boy anointed in secret as the next king, to Goliath-slayer, to court musician, to King's son-in-law, to public enemy #1, to rebel band leader (as he ran for his life from King Saul), to finally, some 17 arduous years later, King of Israel – David. (A thousand years later, James will encourage believers with: 'when it seems you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things. And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.' James 1:2-4, TPT.) As King, David composed songs (Psalms) which continue to bear out, for us in 2025, the validity of James' words. Psalm 16:1-11 1,2 – transforming _________________________________________________ 5-8 –comforting ___________________________________________________ 9a, 11 – explosive _________________________________________________ Joy is meant to be ours, a joy that is defiant in the face of this broken world. Our hearts are to echo the heartbeat of our joyous God. John Eldredge The most rapturous delights you have ever had – in the beauty of a landscape, or in the pleasure of food, or in the fulfillment of a loving embrace – are like dewdrops compared to the bottomless ocean of joy that it will be to see God face-to-face. That is what we are in for, nothing less. Tim Keller
Send us a textDive into the uproarious world of "The Antic Tales of Luke McGlue: The Dodge City Prankster" by Michael King! This electrifying blend of fiction and history whisks you back to the raucous early days of Dodge City, Kansas, a place bursting with mischief and mayhem. In this thrilling narrative, the notorious prankster Luke McGlue comes to life, drawing inspiration from real-life tricksters who kept the town buzzing with laughter and chaos. Imagine a time when Dodge City was alive with playful scoundrels—frontiersmen, doctors, lawyers, fraternity brothers, and gangsters all perpetrating elaborate ruses and clever jests! Luke McGlue, the ultimate master of mischief, takes center stage, orchestrating a whirlwind of antics that were not only entertaining but also designed to test the mettle of outsiders trying to join the exclusive Dodge City Gang. As King's vivid storytelling unfolds against this rich historical tapestry, you'll find yourself enthralled by the audacious pranks and the spirited camaraderie of a community where laughter reigns supreme. Get ready for a rollicking adventure that celebrates the playful spirit of Dodge City and the unforgettable character of Luke McGlue!If you're captivated by this gripping tale and eager for more thrilling escapades with Luke McGlue, you won't want to miss out! Dive into your next great adventure by grabbing your copy on Amazon—click the link in this podcast description. With seven exciting new chapters, your next reading journey is just a click away!Support the show
Today we're talking about the need for a writer to be resilient over the long haul of a career and my guest is A.S. KingA.S. King has been called “One of the best Y.A. writers working today” by The New York Times Book Review and is one of YA fiction's most decorated. She is the only two-time winner of the American Library Association's Michael L. Printz Award (2020 for Dig and 2024 for The Collectors) and has won the LA Times Book Prize for Ask the Passengers. In 2022, King received the ALA's Margaret A. Edwards Award for her lifetime achievement to YA literature and 2023, she accepted the ALAN Award for "artistry, courage and outstanding contributions to YA literature."Amy – which is her real name – has taught for years in MFA programs and is working on her PhD in creative literatureI wanted to talk to Amy because I heard from a mutual friend – Caroline Leavitt – that Amy's publisher had made a change to her promotional team just weeks before the launch of her newest book, Pick the Lock, which one reviewer described as "a punk opera, a primal scream, and a portrait of a family buried in lies."Many of our listeners are trying to get their foot in the door with their first book, or to get a career off the ground with their second or third and here is someone who has written 15 books, who is at the top of her game, and who still has things like this happen – which is to say things that go wrong, things that don't go her way.I thought a conversation about what it feels like at this stage in a career would be illuminating – and was I sure right. Let's get to it.Find A.S. King at AS-King.comHeads up!Join me—KJ—for Novelmber, which is very hard to pronounce but is my word for reclaiming my writing space in November. Think NaNoWriMo, our version—daily challenges and stretch goals, formatted by you, for you.There will be write-alongs, posts, a massive Google spreadsheet for sharing goals and updating progress, thoughts on how hard this is, and more than you want to know about why I need this regroup so badly. All writers, every genre, welcome.This is sign-up only—I don't plan to spam the whole #AmWriting community with my wails of writerly distress daily for an entire month—but it's also for everyone who wants in. I hope you'll join me—I don't want to go this alone.Don't worry, signing up is simple! Here's how:Click here to go to your #AmWriting account, and when you see this screen, toggle “Novelmber” from “off” (grey) to “on” (green).THAT'S IT!Once you set that up, you'll get all future Novelmber emails. Any audio or video will show up in those, along with write-along schedules.You'll also want to add yourself to the Google Sheet where we'll all record our overall goal, day's goals, daily progress and what we're feeling. I've started it off.Join me, help me, let's make Novelmber WORK! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe
Speaking after the 2-2 draw between Arsenal and Liverpool at Emirates Stadium, Gary Neville suggests that the result will help give Mikel Arteta faith in his squad and believes that Arsenal's recent form won't have a huge impact on the title race. Plus, with Manchester United losing 2-1 to West Ham, Gary suggests that Erik ten Hag is 'asking for trouble' and the pressure to get a result against Chelsea at Old Trafford is huge.
“As King of all creation, the Lord Jesus Christ deserves our complete allegiance. In today's sermon we'll explore the consequences of continued rebellion against Jesus and His righteous reign.”
The feud between Prince Andrew and King Charles III has been a long-standing and complex issue, rooted in personal, financial, and public relations matters.Key Points of the Feud:Differing Personalities and Roles:Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, has always had a more flamboyant and controversial personality compared to Charles, who has been more reserved and focused on his duties as heir to the throne. Their differing approaches to royal life have often put them at odds.Disputes Over Roles and Titles:After Charles became King, tensions rose regarding the roles and titles within the royal family. Andrew, who had been stripped of many of his public roles due to his association with Jeffrey Epstein and the ensuing scandal, reportedly felt sidelined and sought to retain certain privileges and positions, which Charles was unwilling to grant.Financial Issues:Financial disputes have also been a significant source of tension. As King, Charles controls the purse strings of the royal family, and there have been reports of Andrew seeking financial assistance, which has been met with resistance. The issue of funding Andrew's lifestyle has been a point of contention, especially given his diminished public role.Public Scandals:Prince Andrew's involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal significantly damaged his reputation and, by extension, that of the royal family. King Charles III, along with other senior royals, has been keen to distance the monarchy from this controversy, leading to further estrangement between the brothers.Family Dynamics:Beyond their public roles, the feud is also fueled by longstanding family dynamics, with reports suggesting that Andrew feels overshadowed by his elder brother and resentful of his reduced status within the family hierarchy.Recent Developments:Since Charles became King, he has been focused on slimming down the monarchy, which has further alienated Andrew. The King has reportedly been firm in his stance that Andrew should not return to public duties, leading to a cold relationship between the brothers.(commercial at 9:27)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:King Charles, Prince Andrew had 'desk-pounding shouting match' over monarch's idea to downgrade nieces: author | Fox News
The feud between Prince Andrew and King Charles III has been a long-standing and complex issue, rooted in personal, financial, and public relations matters.Key Points of the Feud:Differing Personalities and Roles:Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, has always had a more flamboyant and controversial personality compared to Charles, who has been more reserved and focused on his duties as heir to the throne. Their differing approaches to royal life have often put them at odds.Disputes Over Roles and Titles:After Charles became King, tensions rose regarding the roles and titles within the royal family. Andrew, who had been stripped of many of his public roles due to his association with Jeffrey Epstein and the ensuing scandal, reportedly felt sidelined and sought to retain certain privileges and positions, which Charles was unwilling to grant.Financial Issues:Financial disputes have also been a significant source of tension. As King, Charles controls the purse strings of the royal family, and there have been reports of Andrew seeking financial assistance, which has been met with resistance. The issue of funding Andrew's lifestyle has been a point of contention, especially given his diminished public role.Public Scandals:Prince Andrew's involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal significantly damaged his reputation and, by extension, that of the royal family. King Charles III, along with other senior royals, has been keen to distance the monarchy from this controversy, leading to further estrangement between the brothers.Family Dynamics:Beyond their public roles, the feud is also fueled by longstanding family dynamics, with reports suggesting that Andrew feels overshadowed by his elder brother and resentful of his reduced status within the family hierarchy.Recent Developments:Since Charles became King, he has been focused on slimming down the monarchy, which has further alienated Andrew. The King has reportedly been firm in his stance that Andrew should not return to public duties, leading to a cold relationship between the brothers.(commercial at 9:27)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:King Charles, Prince Andrew had 'desk-pounding shouting match' over monarch's idea to downgrade nieces: author | Fox NewsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
The feud between Prince Andrew and King Charles III has been a long-standing and complex issue, rooted in personal, financial, and public relations matters.Key Points of the Feud:Differing Personalities and Roles:Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, has always had a more flamboyant and controversial personality compared to Charles, who has been more reserved and focused on his duties as heir to the throne. Their differing approaches to royal life have often put them at odds.Disputes Over Roles and Titles:After Charles became King, tensions rose regarding the roles and titles within the royal family. Andrew, who had been stripped of many of his public roles due to his association with Jeffrey Epstein and the ensuing scandal, reportedly felt sidelined and sought to retain certain privileges and positions, which Charles was unwilling to grant.Financial Issues:Financial disputes have also been a significant source of tension. As King, Charles controls the purse strings of the royal family, and there have been reports of Andrew seeking financial assistance, which has been met with resistance. The issue of funding Andrew's lifestyle has been a point of contention, especially given his diminished public role.Public Scandals:Prince Andrew's involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal significantly damaged his reputation and, by extension, that of the royal family. King Charles III, along with other senior royals, has been keen to distance the monarchy from this controversy, leading to further estrangement between the brothers.Family Dynamics:Beyond their public roles, the feud is also fueled by longstanding family dynamics, with reports suggesting that Andrew feels overshadowed by his elder brother and resentful of his reduced status within the family hierarchy.Recent Developments:Since Charles became King, he has been focused on slimming down the monarchy, which has further alienated Andrew. The King has reportedly been firm in his stance that Andrew should not return to public duties, leading to a cold relationship between the brothers.(commercial at 9:27)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:King Charles, Prince Andrew had 'desk-pounding shouting match' over monarch's idea to downgrade nieces: author | Fox News
We discuss:Five reasons we should ask for at least one thing a dayWhat are the personality types of children of alcoholics and what are their antidotesWhat are the three lessons I learned in our couples therapy sessionThrive With Leo Coaching: If you want to improve in the areas of health, wealth and/or relationships, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help.In the US:Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counselingThe National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386Outside the US:The International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.
Millsy and Karl discuss a dramatic wedding story where a UK groom nearly missed his wedding after landing in jail following a bucks brawl. The pair further discussed the risks of last-minute bucks celebrations and shared their hilarious stories from the days leading up to their weddings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As victorious King Christ ascended into heaven for our benefit.As King:- Christ rules over all things for our benefit.- Christ gives gifts to us his people.- Christ will come again to glorify us.Time:AfternoonMinister:Rev. Joe PoppeTexts:Heidelberg Catechism: Lord's Day 19Ephesians 1:15–23Ephesians 4:8–162 Thessalonians 1:5–12Series:The Heidelberg Catechism
As King, the Lord is Sovereign, He comes when He wants to come and He answers when He wants to answer and you cannot question that about Him. This causes you to wait on Him and to wait for Him because He makes all things beautiful in its time. It also makes you realize your insufficiency and utterly depend on Him as your sufficiency in all things. Discover more in this episode.Support the show
Chalk - "Asking" from the 2023 Conditions EP on Dutch Tilt Belfast-based post-punk trio Chalk reflect on past relationships on today's Song of the Day. As vocalist Ross Cullen explains in a press release, “It's a reaction to feelings of ours that look at the past and a longing for others who aren't in your life anymore. How we grow as people and those we leave behind as a result. We wanted 'Asking' to follow the recollection of someone whose memories are fading when trying to remember about someone in the past." The track appears on Conditions, their debut EP which was released last year. Their follow-up EP, titled Conditions II, was released earlier this month. Read the full story at KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The situation in Haiti, which is caught in the grip of a weeks-long outbreak of gang violence, is “90% chaos,” according to Pierre Stanley Baptiste, the managing director and co-founder of the co-working space Impact Hub Port-au-Prince. The Impact Hub is supported by Kay Tita, a Seattle-based social impact organization that supports Haitian entrepreneurs and small business owners.
When we confess, we admit guilt and acknowledge our sin. Repentance takes confession a step further. When we repent, we are asking for forgiveness and changing of direction, turning from evil and running toward good. Both confession and repentance are acts of love. Psalm 51 gives us a model of both confession and repentance. In David's song, we see how we too can be cleansed and restored. The psalm begins with David's plea to God for forgiveness (vv. 1–2). He appeals to the Lord's mercy, compassion, and love. As is common in Hebrew poetry and song, a similar idea is repeated, using different words. Taken all together, David's three verbs for “wash,” his three nouns for “sin,” and his three acknowledgments of God's character communicate a deep and total cry for God and confidence in His cleansing power. In verses 3–6, David admits what He has done wrong. He had sinned against God. David is aware of his wrongdoings and takes responsibility for them. No excuses. No justification. Just confession. He has sinned—not only against other people, in this case, Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Sam. 11–12). David has primarily sinned against God. He also acknowledges that his sin is rooted in his very nature and has been present in him since birth (v. 5). In the next section, David asks the Lord again to cleanse him and restore their intimacy (vv. 7–12), which is the source of true joy and sustainable strength. The Psalm finishes with a public proclamation. David's repentance and reinstatement are not for his sake alone. As King, he commits to teaching others this same path back to God. And he prays for Zion to prosper and Jerusalem to be rebuilt. In other words, he prays for God's people to be restored to their right standing with Him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As King, the Lord is Sovereign, He comes when He wants to come and He answers when He wants to answer and you cannot question that about Him. This causes you to wait on Him and to wait for Him because He makes all things beautiful in its time. It also makes you realize your insufficiency and utterly depend on Him as your sufficiency in all things. Discover more in this episode.Support the show
Legendary comedian Colin Mochrie joins the Steve Cochran Show to delve into being inspired by young talent, his close bond with Ryan Stiles, and his upcoming two-man improv show alongside Brad Sherwood at the Genesee Theatre on Thursday, January 11th.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In Revelation 19:11-18 is a description of Jesus that proceeds His reign on earth as promised King who will bring peace on earth. In our passage there are eight descriptions of King Jesus that highlight His authority and character as the Only One who is able to make what is wrong in our world right. Jesus is coming and will come to make peace in our world by waging war on the antichrist who is to come and all the peoples who will align themselves with Him. It will be the realization that perhaps there was some truth that all roads do in fact lead to God, with the major clarification that many lead to Him as judge and only one leads to Him as savior. All I want to do with the time that we have this morning is to show you who He really is. Jesus is a triumphant King. The color white does not symbolize purity here as it does when used to describe garments. The white war horse that Jesus descends from heaven on symbolizes His role as a conquering King, and what is impressive is that, in Revelation 19:1, the battle has not yet begun. Jesus is coming back. You dont have to believe it and you dont even have to live like it, but the fact of the matter is this: Jesus is coming again, and He is not coming to die like He did the first time He came, He is coming to judge! The Bible says, at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:10-11; see also Isa. 45:22-23). The Roman Senate had to give Julius Caesar permission to drive a chariot drawn by white horses through Rome to celebrate his victory in North Africa, but only after he defeated North Africa. When Jesus comes, He comes as a victorious King whose power will be demonstrated in such a way that every living creature will have no alternative but to bow before Him as the Lord. He rides a white horse signifying His victory because none can stay His hand. Jesus is a Faithful and True King (v. 11a). The second characteristic of Jesus is that He is faithful and true. When King Jesus comes to set up His kingdom, He will have no need to boast in a facade of faithfulness and truth because He is the very embodiment of faithfulness and truth. There is a lot of suffering in the world today. Every time there is a catastrophe in the world, governments rush with promises of help and often those who are left in the wake of tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, ethnic genocide, and the like, are left with empty promises of deliverance. Not so with Jesus! My dear brothers and sisters, many of you have been touched by divorce. Some of you have grown up with one broken promise after another. Some of you have been disappointed, have been hurt, have been mistreated, or perhaps taken advantage of. Take a look at verse 11 again, and permit me to ask you, Who is sitting on the white horse? Jesus is planning an eternity with His Bride, and He means to make a home for her that is characterized by holiness and righteousness. Jesus is a righteous King (v. 11b). When Jesus comes, He will come in righteousness to judge the nations. There will be no room to accuse Him as being harsh, rash, or unjust in the execution of His judgment. For many of you, the idea of righteousness and justice is something you have been thinking a lot about because of the politicking we are seeing on television. An election will be coming soon in the United States; promises will be made, and every candidate will claim some measure of integrity while maligning the other candidates. The wars we read about in our history books and the ones we hear on the news often leave a wake of injustice and suffering. Books have been written about The Just War. Whatever your views are concerning war and the one we may find ourselves in the future, one thing is sure: When Jesus comes to wage war on the nations, it will be completely and categorically just, for the Bible says of Jesus: Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, and He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make decisions by what His ears hear; but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the humble of the earth; and He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the belt around His waist. (Isaiah 11:15) Jesus is an all-seeing King (v. 12a). This is the third time in Revelation that Jesus is described as having eyes like fire (see 1:14; 2:18); every time He is characterized this way, it is metaphorical of His ability to see all things, including the human heart. As King, Jesus will execute justice on all those who have rejected Him as the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus does not have to pretend at being able to see all things; He is able to see all things; He is all knowing, and the entire world will be held accountable for what they do and think, both in public and private. When He comes to judge the nations, He will do so intelligently, there will be no civilian casualties. Jesus is the King of kings (v. 12b). In verse 12b, John notices something on Jesus head: many crowns. The Greek word for crown is also diadēma (we get the word diadem from it), it also means rulers crown. It is used only three times in Revelation. It is used to describe the crown worn by the dragon (12:3), the beast (13:1), and Jesus Christ. The point that is being made here is that the dragon (Lucifer) and the beast pretend to be what Jesus is. Their authority is temporary and given by God, Jesus authority is absolute and universal (This is why John records that Jesus had many crowns. The use of many is one way of saying innumerable). When Jesus comes, not only does John see many crowns on His head, but John also sees the title King of kings and Lord of lords on His robe and thigh. Every king or ruler that had been born into this world has had a temporal reign limited by age and mortality. When it comes to our lifespan, we are all like blips on a radar flashing on the screen of life and fading out just as quickly as we came in; James 4:14 asks, You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away. Jesus reign and authority is eternal and genuine, He does not need to pretend. Jesus is a One-of-a-kind King (v. 12c) There is a lot of debate and theologizing over what name Jesus has that no one knows. There are two things we know about the ancient world of Johns day that may help us understand why Jesus has a name that no one knows. First, it was common in the world of Johns day to believe that both the gods and humans had a hidden name that contained their true essence, that defined their fundamental nature. Second, it was believed that to know a persons name was to exercise some level of control over that person. What is revealed of the Rider on the white horse is that His revealed name is called, The Word of God and what is tattooed on His thigh is the title: King of kings and Lord of lords. What we see in Revelation 19:11-18, Paul described in Philippians 2:9-11, which I believe helps us understand the unknown name that only He knows: For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. What Paul wrote in Philippians 2:9-11 would have given his readers goosebumps because of what is written in Isaiah 45:22-23, Declare and present your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this long ago? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none except Me. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. (Isa. 45:2123) According to Isaiah, only Yahweh has the right to judge the nations, and it is to Yahweh that every knee will bow, and every tongue will swear allegiance. Yet, Paul tells us that it will be before and to Jesus that, every tongue will swear allegiance and every knee will bow. Revelation 19:11-18 described the day when that will happen. The name that Jesus has that no one knows is reveals his absolute authority as God in the flesh who will not nor cannot be manipulated. Jesus is a just and holy King (v 13a). Why is Jesus robe dipped in blood? Is His robe dipped in blood to symbolize what He did at Calvary? I do not think so. I think Isaiah 63:2-3 gives us a clue to the meaning behind what John sees, Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the wine press? I have trodden the wine trough alone, and from the peoples there was no one with Me. I also trod them in My anger and trampled them in My wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My clothes (Isa. 63:13). Jesus robe is dipped in blood to indicate how He intends to deal with the nations that conspire against Him. How will He accomplish this? Look at verse 15, From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron The justice Jesus will execute will flow out of His perfect holiness; it is the kind of judgment described in Psalm 2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, Lets tear their shackles apart And throw their ropes away from us! He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain. I will announce the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, You are My Son, Today I have fathered You. Ask it of Me, and I will certainly give the nations as Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware. (Psalm 2:29) Jesus, as the Word of God, is the Promised King. Jesus is the Word of God, a title that is not unfamiliar in the New Testament. It is fitting that John closes his description of Jesus with this title because it gets at the reason why Jesus is qualified to come and judge the nations: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it (John 1:15). However, while on earth, even with all the miracles that include His power over demons, disease, and even death (see Mark 5:1-43) the feeding of thousands with some kids five barley loaves and two fish (John 6:1-14), walking on water (6:15-25), and even His power over storms (Matt. 8::18-27), there were people who still refused to believe that He was the promised Messiah. This is why John continued in the opening statements of his Gospel account something to consider against the backdrop of what you have seen in Revelation 19:11-18, He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God (John 1:1013). Conclusion As I consider this sermon series for Adventespecially what we have reflected on in Revelation 19, I am reminded of the conversation Lucy had with Mr. Beaver in C.S. Lewis The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when Mr. and Mrs. Beaver tried to help Lucy understand who Aslan was (Aslan is Narnias Christ figure): "Is - is he a man?" asked Lucy "Aslan a man!" said Mr. Beaver sternly. "Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion, the Lion, the great Lion." "Ooh," said Susan, "I thought he was a man. Is he - quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion." "That you will, dearie, and make no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver; "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly." "Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy. "Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the king I tell you." The Lion of Judah is not safe, but He is good. Hes the king I tell you, and His name is Jesus Christ. The question I ask of you is simply this: Who do you say Jesus is and do you really believe it? Have you come to know Him? Do you really believe in His name? Is Jesus a religious icon to you, is He only a baby in a manger, or is He the King? Wherever you are in your thoughts and convictions about Jesus, I leave you with the last two verses of Psalm 2, Serve the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, that He not be angry and you perish on the way, For His wrath may be kindled quickly. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him" (vv. 11-12).
In Revelation 19:11-18 is a description of Jesus that proceeds His reign on earth as promised King who will bring peace on earth. In our passage there are eight descriptions of King Jesus that highlight His authority and character as the Only One who is able to make what is wrong in our world right. Jesus is coming and will come to make peace in our world by waging war on the antichrist who is to come and all the peoples who will align themselves with Him. It will be the realization that perhaps there was some truth that all roads do in fact lead to God, with the major clarification that many lead to Him as judge and only one leads to Him as savior. All I want to do with the time that we have this morning is to show you who He really is. Jesus is a triumphant King. The color white does not symbolize purity here as it does when used to describe garments. The white war horse that Jesus descends from heaven on symbolizes His role as a conquering King, and what is impressive is that, in Revelation 19:1, the battle has not yet begun. Jesus is coming back. You dont have to believe it and you dont even have to live like it, but the fact of the matter is this: Jesus is coming again, and He is not coming to die like He did the first time He came, He is coming to judge! The Bible says, at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:10-11; see also Isa. 45:22-23). The Roman Senate had to give Julius Caesar permission to drive a chariot drawn by white horses through Rome to celebrate his victory in North Africa, but only after he defeated North Africa. When Jesus comes, He comes as a victorious King whose power will be demonstrated in such a way that every living creature will have no alternative but to bow before Him as the Lord. He rides a white horse signifying His victory because none can stay His hand. Jesus is a Faithful and True King (v. 11a). The second characteristic of Jesus is that He is faithful and true. When King Jesus comes to set up His kingdom, He will have no need to boast in a facade of faithfulness and truth because He is the very embodiment of faithfulness and truth. There is a lot of suffering in the world today. Every time there is a catastrophe in the world, governments rush with promises of help and often those who are left in the wake of tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, ethnic genocide, and the like, are left with empty promises of deliverance. Not so with Jesus! My dear brothers and sisters, many of you have been touched by divorce. Some of you have grown up with one broken promise after another. Some of you have been disappointed, have been hurt, have been mistreated, or perhaps taken advantage of. Take a look at verse 11 again, and permit me to ask you, Who is sitting on the white horse? Jesus is planning an eternity with His Bride, and He means to make a home for her that is characterized by holiness and righteousness. Jesus is a righteous King (v. 11b). When Jesus comes, He will come in righteousness to judge the nations. There will be no room to accuse Him as being harsh, rash, or unjust in the execution of His judgment. For many of you, the idea of righteousness and justice is something you have been thinking a lot about because of the politicking we are seeing on television. An election will be coming soon in the United States; promises will be made, and every candidate will claim some measure of integrity while maligning the other candidates. The wars we read about in our history books and the ones we hear on the news often leave a wake of injustice and suffering. Books have been written about The Just War. Whatever your views are concerning war and the one we may find ourselves in the future, one thing is sure: When Jesus comes to wage war on the nations, it will be completely and categorically just, for the Bible says of Jesus: Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, and He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make decisions by what His ears hear; but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the humble of the earth; and He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the belt around His waist. (Isaiah 11:15) Jesus is an all-seeing King (v. 12a). This is the third time in Revelation that Jesus is described as having eyes like fire (see 1:14; 2:18); every time He is characterized this way, it is metaphorical of His ability to see all things, including the human heart. As King, Jesus will execute justice on all those who have rejected Him as the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus does not have to pretend at being able to see all things; He is able to see all things; He is all knowing, and the entire world will be held accountable for what they do and think, both in public and private. When He comes to judge the nations, He will do so intelligently, there will be no civilian casualties. Jesus is the King of kings (v. 12b). In verse 12b, John notices something on Jesus head: many crowns. The Greek word for crown is also diadēma (we get the word diadem from it), it also means rulers crown. It is used only three times in Revelation. It is used to describe the crown worn by the dragon (12:3), the beast (13:1), and Jesus Christ. The point that is being made here is that the dragon (Lucifer) and the beast pretend to be what Jesus is. Their authority is temporary and given by God, Jesus authority is absolute and universal (This is why John records that Jesus had many crowns. The use of many is one way of saying innumerable). When Jesus comes, not only does John see many crowns on His head, but John also sees the title King of kings and Lord of lords on His robe and thigh. Every king or ruler that had been born into this world has had a temporal reign limited by age and mortality. When it comes to our lifespan, we are all like blips on a radar flashing on the screen of life and fading out just as quickly as we came in; James 4:14 asks, You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away. Jesus reign and authority is eternal and genuine, He does not need to pretend. Jesus is a One-of-a-kind King (v. 12c) There is a lot of debate and theologizing over what name Jesus has that no one knows. There are two things we know about the ancient world of Johns day that may help us understand why Jesus has a name that no one knows. First, it was common in the world of Johns day to believe that both the gods and humans had a hidden name that contained their true essence, that defined their fundamental nature. Second, it was believed that to know a persons name was to exercise some level of control over that person. What is revealed of the Rider on the white horse is that His revealed name is called, The Word of God and what is tattooed on His thigh is the title: King of kings and Lord of lords. What we see in Revelation 19:11-18, Paul described in Philippians 2:9-11, which I believe helps us understand the unknown name that only He knows: For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. What Paul wrote in Philippians 2:9-11 would have given his readers goosebumps because of what is written in Isaiah 45:22-23, Declare and present your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this long ago? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none except Me. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. (Isa. 45:2123) According to Isaiah, only Yahweh has the right to judge the nations, and it is to Yahweh that every knee will bow, and every tongue will swear allegiance. Yet, Paul tells us that it will be before and to Jesus that, every tongue will swear allegiance and every knee will bow. Revelation 19:11-18 described the day when that will happen. The name that Jesus has that no one knows is reveals his absolute authority as God in the flesh who will not nor cannot be manipulated. Jesus is a just and holy King (v 13a). Why is Jesus robe dipped in blood? Is His robe dipped in blood to symbolize what He did at Calvary? I do not think so. I think Isaiah 63:2-3 gives us a clue to the meaning behind what John sees, Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the wine press? I have trodden the wine trough alone, and from the peoples there was no one with Me. I also trod them in My anger and trampled them in My wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My clothes (Isa. 63:13). Jesus robe is dipped in blood to indicate how He intends to deal with the nations that conspire against Him. How will He accomplish this? Look at verse 15, From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron The justice Jesus will execute will flow out of His perfect holiness; it is the kind of judgment described in Psalm 2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, Lets tear their shackles apart And throw their ropes away from us! He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain. I will announce the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, You are My Son, Today I have fathered You. Ask it of Me, and I will certainly give the nations as Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware. (Psalm 2:29) Jesus, as the Word of God, is the Promised King. Jesus is the Word of God, a title that is not unfamiliar in the New Testament. It is fitting that John closes his description of Jesus with this title because it gets at the reason why Jesus is qualified to come and judge the nations: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it (John 1:15). However, while on earth, even with all the miracles that include His power over demons, disease, and even death (see Mark 5:1-43) the feeding of thousands with some kids five barley loaves and two fish (John 6:1-14), walking on water (6:15-25), and even His power over storms (Matt. 8::18-27), there were people who still refused to believe that He was the promised Messiah. This is why John continued in the opening statements of his Gospel account something to consider against the backdrop of what you have seen in Revelation 19:11-18, He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God (John 1:1013). Conclusion As I consider this sermon series for Adventespecially what we have reflected on in Revelation 19, I am reminded of the conversation Lucy had with Mr. Beaver in C.S. Lewis The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when Mr. and Mrs. Beaver tried to help Lucy understand who Aslan was (Aslan is Narnias Christ figure): "Is - is he a man?" asked Lucy "Aslan a man!" said Mr. Beaver sternly. "Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion, the Lion, the great Lion." "Ooh," said Susan, "I thought he was a man. Is he - quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion." "That you will, dearie, and make no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver; "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly." "Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy. "Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the king I tell you." The Lion of Judah is not safe, but He is good. Hes the king I tell you, and His name is Jesus Christ. The question I ask of you is simply this: Who do you say Jesus is and do you really believe it? Have you come to know Him? Do you really believe in His name? Is Jesus a religious icon to you, is He only a baby in a manger, or is He the King? Wherever you are in your thoughts and convictions about Jesus, I leave you with the last two verses of Psalm 2, Serve the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, that He not be angry and you perish on the way, For His wrath may be kindled quickly. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him" (vv. 11-12).
Series: Christmas ‘23Title: “In crisis, what are you trusting in? Pt. 2Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-7Bottom line: We trust Christ in crisis by walking towards the Light, rejoicing in the Victor, embracing the God-child, as we anticipate His kingdom come. INTRODUCTION Seeing a crowd of condemned criminals being led up to execution, John Bradford (c.1510–1555), the English reformer, is said to have remarked: ‘There, but for *the grace of God*, goes John Bradford.'Via Nicky GumbelJohn Bradford was a prominent Christian reformer in England during the 16th century. Born around 1510, he became a preeminent preacher and writer, advocating for Protestant principles during the English Reformation. Bradford was a close associate of figures like John Hooper and Hugh Latimer. Known for his piety, he was committed to promoting the ideals of the Reformation, emphasizing justification by faith alone. Unfortunately, he met a tragic end when he was executed during the reign of Queen Mary I in 1555 for his Protestant beliefs. Bradford is remembered for his contributions to the early English Reformation and his commitment to religious principles. -ChatGPTYes, one of the well-known quotes attributed to John Bradford is from the time when he saw a group of prisoners being led to their execution. As he observed them, he reportedly said, "There, but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford." This statement reflects his humility and acknowledgment of the frailty of human nature. The phrase has since become a widely quoted expression of humility and gratitude for the grace of God. -ChatGPTAs we walk in this dark world, what are we trusting in?Last week we said God uses the crises of life to expose our true faith: If we do not stand firm in our faith in Christ, we will not stand at all.This week we are talking about how do we stand firm in our faith in Jesus Christ?We see him as he is and we see all that he's done. The we repent from trusting in whatever we were trusting to the God-child, Jesus Christ.Let's dig in.OUTLINE Main Idea: The deity and humanity of Jesus Christ and the nature of his kingdom are clearly predicted.Bottom line: We trust Christ in crisis by walking towards the Light, rejoicing in the Victor, embracing the God-child, as we anticipate His kingdom come. I. Walk towards the Light (9:1-2)II. Rejoice with the Victor (9:3-5)III. Embrace the God-child (9:6)IV. Anticipate His Kingdom come (9:7)A. The identity of the King: Jesus Christ (David's throne)B. The wealth of his kingdom: increase and peaceC. The nature of his kingdom: prophetic, secure,holy, and eternalD. The power of his kingdom: the zeal of the Lord AlmightyApplication We trust Christ in crisis byWalking towards the Light (another name for Jesus Christ),Rejoicing in the Victor (even more than the victory, another name for Jesus Christ),Embracing the God-child (who is amazing), and Anticipating the His Kingdom come (on earth as it is in heaven).When we respond like Isaiah says God's people of faith will respond, we'll respond to crisis victoriously and joyfully.Who are you trusting in crisis today?How will you respond?CONCLUSIONBottom line: We trust Christ in crisis by walking towards the Light, rejoicing in the Victor, embracing the God-child, as we anticipate His kingdom come. Transition:As we reflect on the greatness of the God-child, we are further amazed at his infinite sacrifice. We remember this as he commanded when we celebrate the Lord's Supper.Lord's Supper, 1 Corinthians 11:17-32“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.”1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NIV https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.11.23-26.NIVLet me invite you to do 3 things:Invited them to accept Christ.Invited them to join a group.Invited them to give.Text me at 843-830-2464 as needed.-Pastor Darien Lord's SupperExplainReadConfessGo out into the mission fieldPray.Other notesExalting Christ in Isaiah Discussion questionsReflect and Discuss1. How does this prophecy help prove the deity of Christ?2. How is Jesus a light for a people walking in darkness? What is the nature of that darkness? How does Jesus shine in this dark world?3. How is the defeat of Midian under Gideon a prophetic picture of Christ's victory over Satan at the cross Judg 6-7; Heb 2:14)?4. How does Jesus's resurrection victory bring joy like a harvest or mil-tary conquest? What is the spoil Jesus gives for his victory?5. How does the combination of son/ child and "Mighty God" prove the deity of Christ in verse 6?6. What is the significance of the title "Wonderful Counselor"? How does it point to the two great aspects of Jesus's earthly ministry: mighty words and amazing deeds?7. Does it seem strange to you to call Jesus "Everlasting Father"? How is Jesus like a father?8. How is Jesus the "Prince of Peace"? How would you relate this to Romans 5:1? How about Philippians 4:6-7?9. What does verse 7 teach you about the nature of Jesus's kingdom?10. What is the significance of the statement in verse 7 that "the zeal of the LorD" will bring this about? What is zeal? How is God the Father zealous to establish the kingdom of his Son? What does this teach you about their relationship?Bible Knowledge CommentaryIsaiah 9:1–7 (BKC): f. The future deliverance of the nation (9:1–7)In these verses Isaiah spoke of the coming Deliverer who will effect the changes in the nation of which the prophet had been speaking. The Messiah's coming will lead the nation into joy and prosperity, which had been lacking for years. His coming will fulfill the promises to Abraham and David about the prosperous kingdom. The “child” motif again is evident (v. 6; cf. 7:14–16; 8:1–4, 18). The Child will grow up to be the Deliverer (9:7), not a sign (8:18) of deliverance but the Deliverer Himself. He will effect the changes necessary for prosperity and spirituality to come to the nation.9:1. A time will come when gloom and darkness (8:22) will be a thing of the past. The gloom on the northern section of Israel came because of discipline. God humbled … Zebulun and … Naphtali for a while. Though Isaiah was probably using these two tribal names to represent the Northern Kingdom, it is striking that Jesus' upbringing and early ministry was mostly in that very area near the Sea of Galilee. His presence certainly “honored” that area. In 732 b.c. this northern portion of Israel became an Assyrian province under Tiglath-Pileser III, thus humbling the people there and putting them in gloom. Under Gentile domination, that area was called Galilee of the Gentiles.The way of the sea describes a major international highway running through this region. This is the only place where the Bible used this phrase, but it appears often in Assyrian and Egyptian records. The invading Assyrian soldiers took that route when they invaded the Northern Kingdom. From that area the Messiah will arise and will wipe away the gloom and darkness brought on by Gentile domination.9:2. With typical Hebrew parallelism the prophet described the effect of the Messiah on this northern part of Israel. The people were in darkness (cf. 8:22) and in the shadow of death. Then they saw a great light and light … dawned on them. Matthew applied this passage to Jesus, who began His preaching and healing ministry in that region (Matt. 4:15–16).9:3–5. You probably refers to God the Father, who will lead the people from spiritual darkness into light (v. 2) by sending the Child (v. 6), the Messiah. The light will increase their joy like the joy at harvesttime or the joy of winning a battle and dividing the plunder. “Joy” is another emphasis of Isaiah's, mentioned more than two dozen times in the book. This will be a supernatural work of God much like the nation's deliverance when Gideon defeated Midian (Jud. 7:1–24; Isa. 10:26). It will be like taking a burden off one's back (9:4). At that time, after the Child-Messiah will come, the implements of warfare will be destroyed (v. 5) because in His reign of universal peace implements of war will not be needed (cf. 2:4).9:6–7. Here Isaiah recorded five things about the coming Messiah.1. He was to be born a Child. The implication, given in parallel style, is that this Child, a Son, was to be born into the nation of Israel (to us) as one of the covenant people.2. He will rule over God's people (cf. Micah 5:2) and the world (Zech. 14:9). The government will be on His shoulders figuratively refers to the kingly robe to be worn by the Messiah. As King, He will be responsible to govern the nation. In Isaiah's day Judah's leaders were incompetent in governing the people. But the Messiah will govern properly.3. He will have four descriptive names that will reveal His character. He will be the nation's Wonderful (this could be trans. “exceptional” or “distinguished”) Counselor, and the people will gladly listen to Him as the authoritative One. In the kingdom many people will be anxious to hear the Messiah teach God's ways (2:3). He is also the Mighty God (cf. 10:21). Some have suggested that this simply means “a godlike person” or hero. But Isaiah meant more than that, for he had already spoken of the Messiah doing what no other person had been able to do (e.g., 9:2–5). Isaiah understood that the Messiah was to be God in some sense of the term.This Deliverer will also be called the Everlasting Father. Many people are puzzled by this title because the Messiah, God's Son, is distinguished in the Trinity from God the Father. How can the Son be the Father? Several things must be noted in this regard. First, the Messiah, being the second Person of the Trinity, is in His essence, God. Therefore He has all the attributes of God including eternality. Since God is One (even though He exists in three Persons), the Messiah is God. Second, the title “Everlasting Father” is an idiom used to describe the Messiah's relationship to time, not His relationship to the other Members of the Trinity. He is said to be everlasting, just as God (the Father) is called “the Ancient of Days” (Dan. 7:9). The Messiah will be a “fatherly” Ruler. Third, perhaps Isaiah had in mind the promise to David (2 Sam. 7:16) about the “foreverness” of the kingdom which God promised would come through David's line. The Messiah, a Descendant of David, will fulfill this promise for which the nation had been waiting.The Messiah is also called the Prince of Peace, the One who will bring in and maintain the time of millennial peace when the nation will be properly related to the Lord. Together, these four titles give a beautiful picture of the coming Messiah's character (Isa. 9:6 includes the first of Isaiah's 25 references to peace.)4. The Messiah, seated on David's throne (Luke 1:32–33), will have an eternal rule of peace and justice. His rule will have no end; it will go on forever (cf. Dan. 7:14, 27; Micah 4:7; Luke 1:33; Rev. 11:15). Following the kingdom on earth, He will rule for eternity. He will maintain righteousness (cf. Jer. 23:5), as His rule will conform to God's holy character and demands.5. This will all be accomplished by the zeal of the Lord Almighty. The coming of the millennial kingdom depends on God, not Israel. The Messiah will rule because God promised it and will zealously see that the kingdom comes. Without His sovereign intervention there would be no kingdom for Israel.Apparently Isaiah assumed that the messianic Child, Jesus Christ, would establish His reign in one Advent, that when the Child grew up He would rule in triumph. Like the other prophets, Isaiah was not aware of the great time gap between Messiah's two Advents (cf. 1 Peter 1:10–12; and see comments on Isa. 61:1–2).ChatGPT notes:“In the historical context of Isaiah, some scholars suggest that the child mentioned in Isaiah 9:6-7 might have had a proximate fulfillment during that time. It's often associated with a royal figure, perhaps King Hezekiah, who was born during a challenging period in Judah's history. So, in a dual prophecy sense, there could be an immediate and a future fulfillment.““During the time of Isaiah chapter 9, the king of Judah was likely Ahaz. Later in the book of Isaiah, particularly in chapters 36-39, the narrative involves King Hezekiah.”MAIN COMMENTARY HELP: Exalting Jesus in Isaiah by Andrew DavisPreaching the Word: Isaiah commentary by Ray Ortland, Jr. ESV Global Study Bible Bible in One Year by Nicky Gumbel Bible Knowledge CommentaryThe Outline Bible, WilmingtonGospel Transformation BibleNIV Study Bible
There was an ancient prophesy given to one of Jacobs sons by the name of Judah, but I share it with you, I want to tell you something about Judah. Judah grew up under the faith of his father Jacob. No doubt that he heard the stories of how God met him and wrestled with him all night and how afterwards changed his birth name to Israel. My guess is that when Judah was a child, he may have asked: Daddy, where did you get that limp? What we know of Judah, was that the faith of his mother and father was not enough; Judah needed his own encounter with God. What you need to know about Judah was that even though he was warned by his father that God forbade His people from marrying Canaanite women because they would turn his heart away from God, Judah married a Canaanite woman anyway (Gen. 38:1-2). Judah fathered three sons with his Canaanite wife who all grew up to be evil men. The oldest of Judahs sons was Er for whom Judah found a wife for by the name of Tamar. However, before Er and Tamar could begin a family together, God killed Er because of how wicked he had become; the same thing happened to Judahs second son. Tamar was without a husband and therefore in her mind, was without any hope; in the culture and time Tamar lived, to be childless and a widow essentially was to be left vulnerable with only two options: prostitution or death (read Genesis 38 for the full story). After Judahs wife died and Tamar heard that he was going up to Timnah to shear sheep, she dressed the part of a prostitute and sat in a place Judah would see her (v. 14). Tamars plan worked out as she hoped; Judah saw her and paid her for sex (vv. 15-16). What is even more disturbing about the whole encounter Judah had with Tamar was that she was believed to be a cult prostitute which gives us some sense for Judahs religious convictions. The result was that Tamar got pregnant by her father-in-law and gave birth to twins. To be fair, there is much more to Judah and Tamars story, and Judah eventually does the right thing after he found out that it was his daughter-in-law that was pregnant with his children, but what led up to the twins that were born to Tamar was one big mess! Yet, it was to Judah that God promised the following: As for you, Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your fathers sons shall bow down to you. Judah is a lions cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches, he lies down as a lion, and as a lion, who dares to stir him up? The scepter will not depart from Judah, Nor the rulers staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. (Genesis 49:810) Guess who is included in Jesus family tree? Perez, one of the twins born to Tamar. Seven generations after Perez, Boaz was born who would marry Ruth, and together they would have a son (Obed), whose grandson would be named David. If you examine Jesus family tree carefully, what you will discover are highly dysfunctional people who made a mess of their lives. If you think you made a mess of your life, you will find great company in the Bible of people who have done the same who experience a God who entered into their mess. The Type of House David Wanted to Build Of all of Israels kings mentioned in the Bible, David is the one king by whom all other kings are compared. David is the one king of whom God identified as, A man after My heart, who will do all My will (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22). Some of the highlights of Davids life include the courage to face the giant called Goliath when all of Israels army, including Saul as their king, were afraid to fight him; David fought the giant with a sling shot, five smooth stones, without any armor, and with one of the greatest lines in scriptures: You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a saber, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I will strike you and remove your head from you. Then I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that this entire assembly may know that the Lord does not save by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lords, and He will hand you over to us! (1 Sam. 17:45-47) David was just a teenager when he defeated Goliath; it would not be for another 10-15 years before he would officially be installed as king. As king, David made Jerusalem the capital of Israel, he brought back the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, and through war brought peace to his nation. The one thing that David longed to do but was not permitted to do was to build the temple that his son Solomon would eventually build in his stead. In 2 Samuel 7:1-16 we are shown that although David was a good king, he was not the king Israel, or the world, needs. It is Davids desire to build a house for God that sets up what is known as the Davidic Covenant. To see the significance of how 2 Samuel 7:8-16 helps us understand the point of Advent, we need to be aware of verses 1-7, Now it came about, when the king lived in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, that the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of God remains within the tent. Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you. But in the same night, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, Go and say to My servant David, This is what the Lord says: Should you build Me a house for My dwelling? For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; rather, I have been moving about in a tent, that is, in a dwelling place. Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, Why have you not built Me a house of cedar? Do you know what David is really requesting permission to do? In these verses, David is doing what all the other kings were known for doing. The kings of the nations believed that if they built a house for their god(s) then their god(s) would bless them by establishing the kings power, reign, and successes. Gods response to David shows us that Yahweh is not like the other gods of the nations. In fact, the God of Israel is very different! Every god of every other religion demands something of its worshipers that the worshiper has no power to achieve because for every other religion, divine blessing is conditional. This is the evidence that the gods of such religions are really not gods at all. The reason why God told David that he was not permitted to build a house for Him is ultimately because with Yahweh, divine blessing can only be unconditional. In other words, the blessing is entirely dependent upon Him because we have no power to do it ourselves. Timothy Keller in a sermon on this passage, pointed out something Eugene Peterson said about Davids request that makes sense of the unconditional promise of God that follows Davids request: I think David was just about to cross over a line from being full of God to being full of himself. If any of us develops an identity in which God and Gods grace is less important to who we are than our own action and performance, our ability to represent Gods kingdom is utterly ruined.[1] So, God said no to Davids request to build a house for good reason! God doesnt need a house like the other gods because Yahweh is the one true God! So, instead of building a house for God, God would instead build a different kind of house for David, and the building would not be a literal building but a dynasty where God will pour out His grace upon Davids descendants unconditionally. Timothy Keller said it this way: He says: I promise to make your descendants a dynastic kingship, and I will so graciously and unconditionally commit myself to them, regardless of their merit, regardless of their pedigree. I will so graciously and unconditionally commit myself to them that neither death, sin, nor time will break my commitment.[2] Do know how God will do it? According to 2 Samuel 7:1-16, God will do it through two principles that Timothy Keller called the Incarnation Principle and the Grace Principle. The Incarnation Principle: God does not need a building because He intends to dwell with His people. The Grace Principle: God will do what only God is capable of doing apart from any help from any other person. Thank God that He operates on these two principles and in such an unconditional way! Everything seemed to be going great for David up to 2 Samuel 7, but just four short chapters later he will commit a sin so horrible that had Gods covenant with David been conditional, all hope for an everlasting Kingdom would be lost (see 2 Samuel 11:1-12:31). David is only a shadow of the kind of king that would come, for the One to sit on Davids throne would indeed be the One to Whom belongs the obedience of the nations (Gen. 49:8-10), and He would come to reign forever (2 Sam. 7:14-16). The Type of House God Would Build The King promised to, and through, David, would not come for at least another 1,000 years. The mess David made of his life would be overshadowed by the greater mess Solomon made of his life. Within the years between Davids life and the news of Jesus birth were centuries of idolatry, exile, and the oppression of empires. About 500 years of silence would follow the last Hebrew prophet until a certain poor couple engaged to be married. Through it all, God was unconditionally committed to His promise of a King through the line of Judah and He was moving empires, cultures, and structures in His time, through our mess, to accomplish His purposes for our good and His glory! The news would first come to a virgin and then to her fianc, both were descendants of David. Gods principle of incarnation and grace would come together in one Person in a way only the true God was capable of doing, and the news would be delivered by an angel: And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end. But Mary said to the angel, How will this be, since I am a virgin? The angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God. There are seven qualities about the child who Mary would miraculously give birth to: He will be the Son of David. (v. 31) He will be the Savior of sinners. (v. 31) He will be great. (v. 32) He will be divinely the Son of God. (v. 32) He will be the King of kings. (v. 32) He will reign sovereignly over the nations. (v. 33) He will reign forever. (v. 33) So, what does advent mean for you? What does advent mean for the world? How is any of this the great news the Bible says that it is? Here are seven reasons why this is good news wrapped up in the news delivered to Mary by the angel: As the Son of David, Jesus is fully human. The mess that makes up His family tree serves as reminder of the kinds of people He was born to redeem. Jesus was born to enter into your mess not to leave you there but to deliver you from your sin. As the Savior for sinners, Jesus, a qualified and able savior to remedy the problem of mankind. Because Jesus is the Son of David, He qualifies to be the kinsmen redeemer as a member of the family that is the human race. Jesus, as the fully human savior, understands you more than you can ever know. Jesus is great because He is no ordinary king. He is the One of Whom the prophets spoke about long ago! He is the One of Whom Jeremiah wrote about: Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will live securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, The Lord Our Righteousness. (Jer. 23:5-6). Jesus brings to the table of your sin a grace greater than all of your offences combined. Jesus is divine because He is truly the Son of the Most High, not in the way you are a son or daughter, but because He proceeds from God the Father. Jesus is divine because before he took on flesh in Marys womb, He was for all eternity always the Son. The apostle Paul put it this way: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him (Col. 1:15-16). Jesus as the fully divine Son of God is not only willing to save you from your sins, but he is able to save you from your sins. Jesus is the King of kings in that He is truly the Son of David and at the same time the Son of God. He is the King of Israel and the redeemer because He is, the first and the last (Isa. 44:6-8). Jesus as the King of kings, calls those He saves to follow Him as the King over your life. Jesus will reign sovereignly over the nations; His Kingdom will not be limited to the twelve tribes of Israel, for it was prophesied long ago: There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace on the throne of David and over his kingdom (Isa. 9:7). Jesus, as the Sovereign One, is the only One who brings the kind of peace you were made for. Finally, Jesus kingdom will have no end in that He will reign forever and ever. As King over the nations, there will never be a moment when peace will recede, abate, or climax, for it will always increase as will the joy of His people. We are told that on that Day, the redeemed of the Lord will return and come to Zion with joyful shouting, and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away (Isa. 51:11). Jesus, who was born to redeem as far as the curse of sin is found, it the only One who can give you rest for your soul. Marys response to this news is understandable: But Mary said to the angel, How will this be, since I am a virgin (v. 34)? It is in the angels answer that we again see the principles of incarnation and grace at work: The angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God (v. 35). What is the incarnational principle? It would not be a temple God would build, but instead He would tabernacle among His people through and in the person of His own Son, which was the plan all along! God would enter into the mess of sinful humanity. What is the grace principle? There was nothing Mary brought to the table that obligated God to bless her with the Child promised long ago to Whom belonged the obedience of the nations. It was all unconditional grace through the powerful work of God the Father and the Holy Spirit in the person of Jesus Christ. [1] Keller, T. J. (2013). The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive. Redeemer Presbyterian Church. [2] Ibid.
There was an ancient prophesy given to one of Jacobs sons by the name of Judah, but I share it with you, I want to tell you something about Judah. Judah grew up under the faith of his father Jacob. No doubt that he heard the stories of how God met him and wrestled with him all night and how afterwards changed his birth name to Israel. My guess is that when Judah was a child, he may have asked: Daddy, where did you get that limp? What we know of Judah, was that the faith of his mother and father was not enough; Judah needed his own encounter with God. What you need to know about Judah was that even though he was warned by his father that God forbade His people from marrying Canaanite women because they would turn his heart away from God, Judah married a Canaanite woman anyway (Gen. 38:1-2). Judah fathered three sons with his Canaanite wife who all grew up to be evil men. The oldest of Judahs sons was Er for whom Judah found a wife for by the name of Tamar. However, before Er and Tamar could begin a family together, God killed Er because of how wicked he had become; the same thing happened to Judahs second son. Tamar was without a husband and therefore in her mind, was without any hope; in the culture and time Tamar lived, to be childless and a widow essentially was to be left vulnerable with only two options: prostitution or death (read Genesis 38 for the full story). After Judahs wife died and Tamar heard that he was going up to Timnah to shear sheep, she dressed the part of a prostitute and sat in a place Judah would see her (v. 14). Tamars plan worked out as she hoped; Judah saw her and paid her for sex (vv. 15-16). What is even more disturbing about the whole encounter Judah had with Tamar was that she was believed to be a cult prostitute which gives us some sense for Judahs religious convictions. The result was that Tamar got pregnant by her father-in-law and gave birth to twins. To be fair, there is much more to Judah and Tamars story, and Judah eventually does the right thing after he found out that it was his daughter-in-law that was pregnant with his children, but what led up to the twins that were born to Tamar was one big mess! Yet, it was to Judah that God promised the following: As for you, Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your fathers sons shall bow down to you. Judah is a lions cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches, he lies down as a lion, and as a lion, who dares to stir him up? The scepter will not depart from Judah, Nor the rulers staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. (Genesis 49:810) Guess who is included in Jesus family tree? Perez, one of the twins born to Tamar. Seven generations after Perez, Boaz was born who would marry Ruth, and together they would have a son (Obed), whose grandson would be named David. If you examine Jesus family tree carefully, what you will discover are highly dysfunctional people who made a mess of their lives. If you think you made a mess of your life, you will find great company in the Bible of people who have done the same who experience a God who entered into their mess. The Type of House David Wanted to Build Of all of Israels kings mentioned in the Bible, David is the one king by whom all other kings are compared. David is the one king of whom God identified as, A man after My heart, who will do all My will (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22). Some of the highlights of Davids life include the courage to face the giant called Goliath when all of Israels army, including Saul as their king, were afraid to fight him; David fought the giant with a sling shot, five smooth stones, without any armor, and with one of the greatest lines in scriptures: You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a saber, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I will strike you and remove your head from you. Then I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that this entire assembly may know that the Lord does not save by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lords, and He will hand you over to us! (1 Sam. 17:45-47) David was just a teenager when he defeated Goliath; it would not be for another 10-15 years before he would officially be installed as king. As king, David made Jerusalem the capital of Israel, he brought back the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, and through war brought peace to his nation. The one thing that David longed to do but was not permitted to do was to build the temple that his son Solomon would eventually build in his stead. In 2 Samuel 7:1-16 we are shown that although David was a good king, he was not the king Israel, or the world, needs. It is Davids desire to build a house for God that sets up what is known as the Davidic Covenant. To see the significance of how 2 Samuel 7:8-16 helps us understand the point of Advent, we need to be aware of verses 1-7, Now it came about, when the king lived in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, that the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of God remains within the tent. Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you. But in the same night, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, Go and say to My servant David, This is what the Lord says: Should you build Me a house for My dwelling? For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; rather, I have been moving about in a tent, that is, in a dwelling place. Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, Why have you not built Me a house of cedar? Do you know what David is really requesting permission to do? In these verses, David is doing what all the other kings were known for doing. The kings of the nations believed that if they built a house for their god(s) then their god(s) would bless them by establishing the kings power, reign, and successes. Gods response to David shows us that Yahweh is not like the other gods of the nations. In fact, the God of Israel is very different! Every god of every other religion demands something of its worshipers that the worshiper has no power to achieve because for every other religion, divine blessing is conditional. This is the evidence that the gods of such religions are really not gods at all. The reason why God told David that he was not permitted to build a house for Him is ultimately because with Yahweh, divine blessing can only be unconditional. In other words, the blessing is entirely dependent upon Him because we have no power to do it ourselves. Timothy Keller in a sermon on this passage, pointed out something Eugene Peterson said about Davids request that makes sense of the unconditional promise of God that follows Davids request: I think David was just about to cross over a line from being full of God to being full of himself. If any of us develops an identity in which God and Gods grace is less important to who we are than our own action and performance, our ability to represent Gods kingdom is utterly ruined.[1] So, God said no to Davids request to build a house for good reason! God doesnt need a house like the other gods because Yahweh is the one true God! So, instead of building a house for God, God would instead build a different kind of house for David, and the building would not be a literal building but a dynasty where God will pour out His grace upon Davids descendants unconditionally. Timothy Keller said it this way: He says: I promise to make your descendants a dynastic kingship, and I will so graciously and unconditionally commit myself to them, regardless of their merit, regardless of their pedigree. I will so graciously and unconditionally commit myself to them that neither death, sin, nor time will break my commitment.[2] Do know how God will do it? According to 2 Samuel 7:1-16, God will do it through two principles that Timothy Keller called the Incarnation Principle and the Grace Principle. The Incarnation Principle: God does not need a building because He intends to dwell with His people. The Grace Principle: God will do what only God is capable of doing apart from any help from any other person. Thank God that He operates on these two principles and in such an unconditional way! Everything seemed to be going great for David up to 2 Samuel 7, but just four short chapters later he will commit a sin so horrible that had Gods covenant with David been conditional, all hope for an everlasting Kingdom would be lost (see 2 Samuel 11:1-12:31). David is only a shadow of the kind of king that would come, for the One to sit on Davids throne would indeed be the One to Whom belongs the obedience of the nations (Gen. 49:8-10), and He would come to reign forever (2 Sam. 7:14-16). The Type of House God Would Build The King promised to, and through, David, would not come for at least another 1,000 years. The mess David made of his life would be overshadowed by the greater mess Solomon made of his life. Within the years between Davids life and the news of Jesus birth were centuries of idolatry, exile, and the oppression of empires. About 500 years of silence would follow the last Hebrew prophet until a certain poor couple engaged to be married. Through it all, God was unconditionally committed to His promise of a King through the line of Judah and He was moving empires, cultures, and structures in His time, through our mess, to accomplish His purposes for our good and His glory! The news would first come to a virgin and then to her fianc, both were descendants of David. Gods principle of incarnation and grace would come together in one Person in a way only the true God was capable of doing, and the news would be delivered by an angel: And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end. But Mary said to the angel, How will this be, since I am a virgin? The angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God. There are seven qualities about the child who Mary would miraculously give birth to: He will be the Son of David. (v. 31) He will be the Savior of sinners. (v. 31) He will be great. (v. 32) He will be divinely the Son of God. (v. 32) He will be the King of kings. (v. 32) He will reign sovereignly over the nations. (v. 33) He will reign forever. (v. 33) So, what does advent mean for you? What does advent mean for the world? How is any of this the great news the Bible says that it is? Here are seven reasons why this is good news wrapped up in the news delivered to Mary by the angel: As the Son of David, Jesus is fully human. The mess that makes up His family tree serves as reminder of the kinds of people He was born to redeem. Jesus was born to enter into your mess not to leave you there but to deliver you from your sin. As the Savior for sinners, Jesus, a qualified and able savior to remedy the problem of mankind. Because Jesus is the Son of David, He qualifies to be the kinsmen redeemer as a member of the family that is the human race. Jesus, as the fully human savior, understands you more than you can ever know. Jesus is great because He is no ordinary king. He is the One of Whom the prophets spoke about long ago! He is the One of Whom Jeremiah wrote about: Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will live securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, The Lord Our Righteousness. (Jer. 23:5-6). Jesus brings to the table of your sin a grace greater than all of your offences combined. Jesus is divine because He is truly the Son of the Most High, not in the way you are a son or daughter, but because He proceeds from God the Father. Jesus is divine because before he took on flesh in Marys womb, He was for all eternity always the Son. The apostle Paul put it this way: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him (Col. 1:15-16). Jesus as the fully divine Son of God is not only willing to save you from your sins, but he is able to save you from your sins. Jesus is the King of kings in that He is truly the Son of David and at the same time the Son of God. He is the King of Israel and the redeemer because He is, the first and the last (Isa. 44:6-8). Jesus as the King of kings, calls those He saves to follow Him as the King over your life. Jesus will reign sovereignly over the nations; His Kingdom will not be limited to the twelve tribes of Israel, for it was prophesied long ago: There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace on the throne of David and over his kingdom (Isa. 9:7). Jesus, as the Sovereign One, is the only One who brings the kind of peace you were made for. Finally, Jesus kingdom will have no end in that He will reign forever and ever. As King over the nations, there will never be a moment when peace will recede, abate, or climax, for it will always increase as will the joy of His people. We are told that on that Day, the redeemed of the Lord will return and come to Zion with joyful shouting, and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away (Isa. 51:11). Jesus, who was born to redeem as far as the curse of sin is found, it the only One who can give you rest for your soul. Marys response to this news is understandable: But Mary said to the angel, How will this be, since I am a virgin (v. 34)? It is in the angels answer that we again see the principles of incarnation and grace at work: The angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God (v. 35). What is the incarnational principle? It would not be a temple God would build, but instead He would tabernacle among His people through and in the person of His own Son, which was the plan all along! God would enter into the mess of sinful humanity. What is the grace principle? There was nothing Mary brought to the table that obligated God to bless her with the Child promised long ago to Whom belonged the obedience of the nations. It was all unconditional grace through the powerful work of God the Father and the Holy Spirit in the person of Jesus Christ. [1] Keller, T. J. (2013). The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive. Redeemer Presbyterian Church. [2] Ibid.
Titles of the Christ, Part 3: King. As King, Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth - Matthew 28:18. Even the rolled dice of Yahtzee are under His authority - Proverbs 16:33. In this sermon Jesus' authority over creation, governments, Satan, sin and salvation is presented using lots of confirming Scriptures.
This week Andrew & Erica talk about getting married in the Italian countryside, Erica having his baby and why Andre 3000 is essential for the mind, body and soul. They also take the time for a mini deep dive on all things hair, Janet Jackson and get to all your 'Asking for a friend' dilemmas!Get in touch with us at hello@unapologeticthepod.comFollow us on socials:IG: @unapologeticthepodcastTikTok: @theunapologeticpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For the first time since in over 20 years CrossFit.com's Programming aka ".com". is going to host 'guest programmers' every other 2 weeks. This latest guest for .com's programming is Dale King. Dale King is the first affiliate owner to take over .com's guest programming. King served as an Intelligence Officer supporting the 10th Special Forces Group with multiple deployments to Iraq. Upon leaving the military, he returned to his hometown of Portsmouth, Ohio, to find it overrun by depression, poverty, and the growing opioid epidemic. King opened PSKC CrossFit in 2010 with the goal of building a stronger community by helping those in recovery find purpose and thrive. With more than 12 years of running and programming for PSKC, King has a deep understanding of the CrossFit methodology and the impact of programming for athletes of every ability level, inspiring not only improved fitness, but also a desire to push for growth in every aspect of life. As King puts it, “At some point in your life, you weren't afraid to die. Don't be afraid to live right now … We all need a challenge and we all need the ability to overcome.” Chase and Bill sit back and analyze the programming from both of them and walk through the potential patterns and processes they leaned on to create their workouts.
Jesus is King; that is the Gospel. As King, He brings benefits, like salvation, that are exclusive to His people. He also brings benefits, through His people, to all humankind. Finally, He brings cosmic benefits for eternity that come from His restoration of creation.
Series: N/AService: You Are From GodType: You Are From GodSpeaker: Scott Taylor & Tyler HallThe Bible describes the community of Jesus followers with several different images. As King, Jesus calls his followers to live as citizens of the kingdom of God. This world is not our home, and that shapes an eternal outlook on life and those we share it with.
AS King's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/as_king_/Pre-order the book: https://www.aaronsbooks.com/collectors Elias's Bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliasreads/ Books gifted by Penguin Random House Canada: Happy Place: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/704944/happy-place-by-emily-henry/9780593441275How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/203055/how-to-live-safely-in-a-science-fictional-universe-by-charles-yu/9780307739452What My Bones Know: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/658389/what-my-bones-know-by-stephanie-foo/9780593238127 Support The Podcast:Our beautiful merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/books-unboundJoin our patreon and become a Dust Jacket! patreon.com/booksunboundFollow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/books_unbound/ Need Info or Some Books?All the books we mentioned in this episode: https://www.booksunboundpodcast.com/booksSubmit your book requests at booksunboundpodcast.comUse our affiliate link to get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1! https://tidd.ly/3dyW1Xw Our Patrons:A special thanks to our Gold Foil Team on Patreon: Bellanora, Brittany, Bronte, Christina, Claire, Claudia, Haley, Hannah, Jessie, Jo, Jude, Karin, Luna, Maria, Mario, Meg, Nicole, Rebecca, Simon, Tamar!
Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 31--We continue a year through what we believe as Christians using the Heidelberg Catechism. This afternoon, we'll conclude the second large part of the catechism on the grace of God in Christ -Apostles' Creed - Sacraments-. At the very end of the questions about the Lord's Supper is a discussion about the -keys of the kingdom.--Introduction- The King - His Kingdom-o Jesus is---------------------o As King, he has --------------------- from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth--o He is establishing his kingdom---------------------as it is in heaven--o -All---------------------in heaven and on earth has been given to him--o From God's right hand, he---------------his church by the power of the Spirit-o These gifted representatives-apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers- have been given ---------- to open and shut the doors to the kingdom--The Biblical Imagery of Keys-- Isaiah 22-22-- Luke 11-52-- Revelation 1-18- 3-7 -- Matthew 16-13-20--Key of Preaching -John 3-31-36--1. How it opens-2. How it shuts--The Key of Discipline -1 Cor. 5-3-5- 2 Cor. 2-6-11--1. How it opens-2. How it shuts--Conclusion--- Then come-
Fatherhood: Priest, Prophet, King 1 Timothy 3:4-5 1. The Christian home in submission to God's design has been Satan's target all along. Jeremiah 6:16 2. Spiritual Ministries of Fatherhood a. As Priest: to represent his family to God b. As Prophet: to represent God to his family Deuteronomy 11:18-21 (from The Message edition) c. As King: he rules or governs his family on behalf of God Greek word for ‘to rule': to stand out in front, to stand at the head of Genesis 18:17-19 “In order to please God and have His blessing on my family, this is the way we're going to do it in our home.”
When God heard the cries of His people in Egypt under the harsh rule and oppression of their master, he sent Moses to bring them a message of hope and comfort. He had a plan not just to bring them out of there suffering but to draw them closer to Himself. He told Moses to tell the people that He would rescue them and redeem them with an outstretched arm.He said, “ I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under your burdens…” [Exo 6:7 ESV]Praise God that our listeners and subscribers grow every year, BUT naturally, so does the cost. So we decided to invite our listeners to partner with us to help cover the expenses to provide these resources for free.If you are interested in supporting this podcast and our daily prayer emailsPlease visit marriageaftergod.com/patron Also, if you haven't already, we would like to invite you to get our free daily prayer email. Please visit marriageprayerchallenge.com and sign up today. Share your fears, hurts and burdensDo you feel loved and closer to me when i share with you these types of things?[Psa 139:23 ESV] 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!Sharing your heart with God is making yourself known. Does he know all, yes but he still desires us to make ourselves know. To present our selvws before himShow appreciation, thanksgivingBeing thankful for your spouse is the antidote against discontentment and indifference. Being thankful to the Lord draws us nearer to him and keeps us near to him.[Psa 100:4 ESV] 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!Recognize the cost - veil was torn to let us in …matt 27 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Ask Him what he wants, his will[Act 13:22 ESV] 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.'Asking your spouse what they want to do, or eat, or would make them happy or would fill them up.Repentance[Rom 2:4 ESV] 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?God's love and kindness and patience is ment to lead us to repentance.Just like in marriage, true repentance from sins only build trust and intimacy.Having a repentant spirit, one that is not prideful or arrogant, will cause you to move toward God rather than away from himBe faithful - show up[Pro 20:6 ESV] 6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?[Act 11:23 ESV] 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose,But remember how God God is. Our love and devotion is based on His faithfulness not ours.[2Ti 2:13 ESV] 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful-- for he cannot deny himself.Never stop believing, and ask God to help you with any unbeleife like the blind man Jesus healed.Know him, his ways and to Trust him[Psa 37:5 ESV] 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.We must know what his word says in order to know him and trust him - take time to readSaying yes to him with opportunity that gets You out of comfort helps To trust himRomans 11:33 E"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" Worship and praiseMake worshiping a lifestyle,Music of coarseMusic can help us meditate on God's goodness and his word.Other creative avenues of worship - poetry, art, using your talents to honor himBut more than music and praise, worship is an act of surrender.Surrendering to him, submitting yourself before him.[Job 1:20 ESV] 20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.Worship is a heart posture of laying your life down before God. and recognizing that you are lowly and in need.Humility, reverence, awe.Dear Lord, Thank you for providing a way for us to have a real relationship with You, an intimate and close relationship. Thank you for tearing the veil and giving us a mediator so that we can stand in your presence. We pray we would worship you and honor you all the days of our lives. We pray we would share our hearts with you and pray often. Lord, help us establish a solid habit of prayer. Please help us pray with each other more regularly. We pray our marriage honors You. Please continue to draw us closer to You and help us to engage with you in deep ways In Jesus' name AMEN!
Aisha Del Rosario, a star of TVOne reality show 'Asking for a Friend,' shares aspects of her spiritual journey and a recent pivot in life. She also offers her perspective on the topic of women and ageism in the workplace. Instagram @alchem.ishatv; @according.2.aisha tvone.tv/show/asking-for-a-friend/ youtube.com/watch?v=y32wytznuWw
Pastor Mandy speaks on Matthew 21:1-7, the story of Palm of Sunday. He Is Riding Still: 1. As King 2. With Victory 3. With Salvation 4. With Compassion I Kings 1:33-35 Matthew 21:9 Colossians 5:55 Romans 10:9 Luke 19:41-42
When we say He is master and ruler to whom we owe obedience, we do not mean despot. He is a benevolent ruler who has laid down his life for us. As King he defeats our enemy and brings peace to his subjects. He then rders our life in harmonious proportion so that it is a content and beautiful life in the kingdom. He provides nurture and sustenance for his subjects. He feeds us a sumptous banquet. And not just in food but in treasure, as king He is a gift giver. Christ the King ascended on high and gave gifts to men.
Brea and Mallory discuss figuring out your doghouse (and checking off one of the boxes from the Reading Glasses Challenge), review an old school book strap carrier, and decide which books we would like to read again for the first time. Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com!Maximum Fun Drive is March 20th - March 31st! Mark your calendars!Reading Glasses MerchRecommendations StoreSponsors -Dipseawww.dipseastories.com/GLASSESTrade Coffeewww.drinktrade.com/GLASSES Links -Reading Glasses Facebook GroupReading Glasses Goodreads GroupAmazon Wish ListNewsletterLibro.fmTo join our Slack channel, email us proof of your Reading-Glasses-supporting Maximum Fun membership!Mallory's New Book!Rustic Leather Adjustable Book Strap CarrierBooks Mentioned - A Handful of Earth, A Handful of Sky: The World of Octavia Butler by Lynell GeorgeLibro.fm Audio Version read by Adenrele OjoDead Dead Girls by Nekesa AfiaAnatomy: A Love Story by Dana SchwartzSaga by Brian K Vaughn, Fiona StaplesThe Nest by Kenneth OppelRachel Harrison books - Such Sharp Teeth, Cackle, The ReturnPriestdaddy: A Memoir by Patricia LockwoodA.S. King books - Dig, Please Ignore Vera Dietz
One of the first singles released from the long-time-coming 4th LP of Louisville, Kentucky band White Reaper, called Asking For A Ride, was the track “Pink Slip,” which laments: “Hard to believe us when we grow up so slow.” Sure, the eternal youth modeled and perpetuated by a thrashy, bratty, moshy rock band is alluring in even the best of times and we can all agree the times since their last record, 2019's You Deserve Love, have been anything but “best.” It would be easy and forgivable to disappear into disassociation, as artists and as fans, refusing to grow up until the world out there seems a little safer to grow up in. Webpost
'Asking forgiveness'
As King over all, Jesus can do what pleases Him. What pleases our benevolent King is to leverage all that He has for us and our freedom. GIVE HERE - https://awake.church/give
Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North Sermons - Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North
Introduction: Batman Nativity How is Jesus God's Ultimate Spokesman? (Hebrews 1:1-3) As Prophet , He has my Ear . (Heb 1:1-2a) As God , He has my Worship . (Heb 1:2b-3a) John 1:18 - No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. John 14:9 - Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. As Priest , He has my Love . (Heb 1:3b) 1 Corinthians 16:22 - If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. As King , He has my Obedience . (Heb 1:1-2a) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Hebrews 1:1-3What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Hebrews is written to Jewish Christians who are weakening in their faith due to trials. Why do you think trials make us struggle in our faith in God?How exactly does God speak to people today if He's not giving new revelation (Heb 1:1-2a)?How would you encourage a brother / sister in Christ to worship the Lord in the face of trials or a tragic circumstance?Why is obedience absolutely essential to a follower of Christ? How are obedience and love tied together? BreakoutPray for one another.
Tune in to Talk Cosmos, Sunday, Dec 4 at 1-2 p.m. PST as we revel about "Jupiter Thrives" with special guest Mark Jones from South Wales, UK joining the monthly panel Planet Buzz. “The largest planet, the entire solar system would fit inside Jupiter's gaseous realm. Jupiter's archetype of expansion relates to benevolence and generosity. As King of the Gods and Life, Jupiter energies involve strengths of potentiality, opportunity and hope along with the challenge of excess.” said Sue Minahan, founder, and host of the weekly show. “Jupiter's transit in Aries returns on the Winter Solstice.” Sue Rose Minahan of Kailua-Kona, Big Island Hawaii, Astrologer/Consultant, and founder of Talk Cosmos brings Planet Buzz panel member Dr. Laura Tadd of Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, with visiting guest Mark Jones, South Wales, UK for a powerful conversation sharing insights. Find their bios below and on the Talk Cosmos website. Connect and keep up with the changes! Subscribe! Follow us on Talk Cosmos YouTube Channel. Always heard on your favorite podcast, and on 1150kknw.com online/radio formats. LAURA TADD: A spiritually oriented psychological astrologer. She works as an astrological counselor, writer, teacher, and lecturer both in-person and remotely with people worldwide. -Holds a monthly virtual astrology salon where she discusses upcoming planetary alignments and their historical significance and patterning. -Teaches 6–8-week online courses on astrology and personal mythology. mythicsky.com -Board member of the International Association for Ethics in Astrology (IAEA) and has previously served on the Washington State Astrological Association (WSAA) board, the Steering Committee of the Association for Astrological Networking (AFAN), and the Planning Committee for United Astrology Conference (UAC) 2018. -Writes for The Mountain Astrologer, Celestial Vibes, and Tarot.com. -Laura lives in a wellness community south of Atlanta, GA, and holds a Ph.D. in Human Science. -Guest panel member of Talk Cosmos Planet Buzz since March 2020. MARK JONES: Astrologer, Psychosynthesis Therapist and Hypnotherapist based in South Wales and working with clients and students all over the world. Mark is a regular speaker and workshop leader in North America. markjonesastrology.com -Mark's first book explains his approach; Healing the Soul: Pluto, Uranus and the Lunar Nodes. -Mark's second book The Soul Speaks: The Therapeutic Power of Astrologyexplores the transformative power of the natal chart reading. -Mark's third book published in 2020 is called The Planetary Nodes and Collective Evolution. -email: mark@markjonesastrology.com SUE ROSE MINAHAN: Founder of Talk Cosmos, eclectic evolutionary astrologer consultant and certified color energy life coach. -Vice President of the Washington State Astrological Association, -Member of Kepler Astrology Toastmaster Club. -Has a Dwarf Planet University Diploma, and AA with Music degree. -Ardent mythologist. Artist, writer. Student of life. TalkCosmos.com Talk Cosmos is your opportunity to ponder realms of what Carl Jung called the collective unconsciousness that's shared through time to the present??all through the lens of Sue's lifetime of peering into astrology. “Thankfully, I discovered Evolutionary astrology. Its perspective points directly to our unique personal spiritual soul growth…driven by our aligned intentions. Its promising purpose of soul growth ignited an entirely alive Zodiac. Captured, I felt compelled to study the deep significance of astrological application,” said Sue. Sue is your guide to focusing the Cosmos kaleidoscope. In the words of Einstein, “Energy's never destroyed, energy only changes.” Discover the energy that is Talk Cosmos, every Sunday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. right here on Alternative Talk 1150! Contact https://talkcosmos.com for weekly schedule, blog, and information.
Isaiah 2:1-5 ● 2022-11-27 ● Advent Series: “Come, Lord Jesus” ● Print ● Listen ● Watch Peace talks. What do you think of when you hear those words? Maybe your mind jumps to excitement over progress in the world. Or perhaps, you find yourself a little cynical and don't see much use in those words … Come, Lord Jesus, …1) As King Read More »
Happy Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe! This is the last Sunday of the Church year which means we focus on the final and glorious things to come! It also means that next Sunday is already the First Sunday of Advent.When we say Jesus is a king, we mean a few things. First, He is our Shepherd. As our Shepherd He desires to lead us personally as a loving father would. He wants to enter our lives personally, intimately and carefully, never imposing Himself but always offering Himself as our guide. The difficulty with this is that it's very easy for us to reject this kind of kingship. As King, Jesus desires to lead every aspect of our lives and lead us in all things. He desires to become the absolute ruler and monarch of our souls. He wants us to come to Him for everything and to become dependent upon Him always. But He will not impose this sort of kingship upon us. We must accept it freely and without reservation. Jesus will only govern our lives if we freely surrender ourselves over. When that happens, though, His Kingdom begins to become established within us! And through us in the world. Additionally, Jesus does wish for His Kingdom to begin to be established in our world. First and foremost this takes place when we become His sheep and thus become His instruments to help convert the world. However, as King, He also calls us to establish His Kingship by seeing to it that His truth and law is respected within civil society. It's Christ's authority as King that gives us the authority and duty as Christians to do all we can to fight civil injustices and bring about a respect for every human person. All civil law ultimately gains its authority from Christ alone since He is the one and only Universal King. But many do not recognize Him as King, so what about them? Should we “impose” God's law upon those who do not believe? The answer is both yes and no. First, there are some things we cannot impose. For example, we cannot force people to go to Mass each Sunday. This would hinder one's freedom to enter into this precious gift. We know Jesus requires it of us for the good of our souls, but it must still be embraced freely. However, there are some things that we must “impose” upon others. The protection of the unborn, poor and vulnerable must be “imposed.” The freedom of conscience must be written into our laws. The freedom to practice our faith openly (religious liberty) within any institution must be “imposed” also. And there are many other things we could list here. What's important to point out is that, at the end of all time, Jesus will be returning to Earth in all His glory and He will then establish His permanent and unending Kingdom. At that time, all people will see God as He is. And His law will become one with “civil” law. Every knee will bend before the great King and all will know the truth. At that time, true justice will reign and every evil will be corrected. What a glorious day that will be!Reflect, today, upon your own embrace of Christ as King. Does He truly govern your life in every way? Do you allow Him to have complete control over your life? When this is done freely and completely, the Kingdom of God is established in your life. Let Him reign so that you can be converted and, through you, others can come to know Him as Lord of all!Most solemn Lord, You are the sovereign King of the Universe. You are the Lord of all. Come reign in my life and make my soul Your holy dwelling place. Lord, come transform our world and make it a place of true peace and justice. May Your Kingdom come! Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2022 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
The Importance of Looking BackAs we have been preparing ourselves spiritually for the dark, troubling times ahead, it is quite helpful to pause and take a moment and remember what we know to be true about Christ. This is the discipline of looking back. God commanded the children of Israel to make a pillar of twelve stones at their crossing of the Jordan River. Why? So when their children's children would ask them what the stones meant, it was a reminder to look back and remember how faithful God was to them then, and is still faithful today. It was a way God provided to grow the faith of His children as they entered the promise land. And it also works for us today. So let's look at some truths about the Lord and our relationship with Him that don't change with time. And in doing so, let's pray our faith will be strengthened for the days ahead. Here are a few things we know about God and His relationship with us. • God is Sovereign. • There is nothing greater or higher than God. • God created everything, including us, for a purpose. • Knowing God's purpose for creating us and serving our Creator is the most important thing we can do. • It is a great and indescribable blessing for a lowly creation like us to be able to have a relationship with their Creator. Yet that is what our Creator has allowed. • God is also a King and has a Kingdom. • As King in His Kingdom, He rules supremely. • We have been granted citizenship into His Kingdom. • And we have been granted this great gift on the basis of God's grace and mercy, and not on our own merit. • As citizens of the Kingdom of God, we have certain responsibilities and duties to our King. • And our King gives us the power to carry these out. • This amazing power comes from the King Himself, who has chosen to live in us, His citizens, in the Person of the Holy Spirit. • Therefore, the King is always with us. • He will not, nor ever has, left us alone or as orphans. • So we are empowered and protected by our King. • But our King also loves us. • So much so, our King has adopted us as His children, and has given us an inheritance as such. Ah, and it gets even better. God Wants Us to Know Him PersonallyMore than being simply a citizen of His Kingdom, God has better plans for those He loves. He wants us to know and experience Him as Father. • In fact God, our King, loves us so much that He wants us to know Him, not just as King, but as Father. • So, our God and King, is also our Father. • Which means we can know Him as Father. • And He invites us to come to Him as His children. • Jesus, God's Son, is the One who revealed God, our King, to us as our Father. • And in doing so, we became joint-heirs with Christ of all that belongs to our Father, the King. • Now, there is no fear in approaching God, for He is our Father and loves us as His children. • And as His children, we have access to Him. We can boldly come before His throne. • Since God is Sovereign and there is nothing greater than Him, it would stand to reason the greatest joy in life comes from finding our pleasure in Him. • And, like Jesus His Son, our greatest joy is to devote our life to doing the will of the Father (John 6:38) and the things that please Him (John 8:29). • Only then can we experience the blessings that come from being a child of God and a son of the King. • But there is a problem we each face. • We have an enemy. • There is a sinister creation of God that wants to destroy the work of God and deflect the glory of God to himself, and not where it rightfully belongs. • This enemy is...
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
