Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from June, 2020

Faithful Shepherd

Our lives can at times seem like they are in flux, that everything is upside down and we don’t know what to do. It can even seem like God is being silent. It is in moments like these we must remember that Christ is a good shepherd who is watching over us, “ I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.  I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.  I have other sheep[a] that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it

Palmtree Message

Link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O3grDVbUeUs My mentor in Christ came across this video on the Palm Tree. It is a fascinating teaching by Pastor Valdimir. I recommend you watch it, he is a very clear teacher. Watch the video before reading my commentary below.  Commentary That our greatest success is we know Jesus and escape hell is very good. That our world’s defintion of success is not the truth, that you can have all the money and prestige but if you end uo in hell fire what good did it do you.? Very few people will preach on hell these days, even though as Vlad quotes, Jesus spoke of hell thirty-three times. So many pastors gloss over the Second Death (Revelation 20:10, 15) because they fear it will scare of congregants like Jonathan Edward’s “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God.”   His exploration of how the palm tree cannot graft other trees into it or it dies and in the same way we cannot graft the world into us is supported by these verses “Do not be con

Oldest Wooden Crucifix in Europe

The Oldest Wooden Statue in Europe is a Crucifix in Lucca, Italy. The statue dates from 770-880 A.D. It is 8 foot tall or 2.438 meters tall, which makes it a Rood. In the Middle Ages the statue was a major place of pilgrimage, and it was dubbed the “Holy Face of Lucca.” In fact, Dante mentions The Holy Face of Luca in His masterpiece, “Qui non ha luogo il Volto Santo!:"qui si nuota altrimenti che nel Serchio. Translation: "Here the Volto Santo [HOLY FACE OF LUCCA] has no place! Here you swim otherwise than in the Serchio"— in boiling pitch, rather than in the Serchio, the river of Lucca. ” (Inferno, Canto XXI / Canto 21). The Volto Santo was one of the most popular relic sites, possibly rivaling Canterbury in England. Even King William II of England made a vow to the Holy Face of Lucca.  Aesthetically The Holy Face of Lucca is a unique piece. Instead of the traditional corpus (body) of Christ which is nearly naked hanging on the cross, this piece has Jesus fully c

Jesus Died For All Races

Christ died for every soul. He died for Africans, Asians, Americans, Arabs, Brazillians, Europeans, Greeks, Hispanics, Indians, Jews, Slavics, Turks, Syrians, and every tribe and person. In a time of racisl tensions, look to the cross, to Christ upon it! He didn’t chose only one tribe thank God, He chose us all, “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes,” (Ephesians 1:4). When the world is dividing, and people are tribing, I say look to Jesus, He died for black and white, yellow and brown and every shade of human flesh! He poured out his Blood equally for each race and unites us through Him!, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28).      These times are dark, people are being torn asunder. It reminds me of when Pakistan broke off from India, families were torn in two as they had to chose which nation they resi

“The Universe Declares Your Majesty.”

The Stars in all their majesty, the planets in all their glory are designed by the Creator. Scientists say the universe keeps expanding, on until infinity which testifies of the eternal Trinity thay commands its expansion. The luminous orbs in the black space have always intrigued mankind. Sadly those who had fallen from the knowledge of the True Triune God began to worship the celestial spheres, ”And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven,” (Deuteronomy 4:19),  and “they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles” (Romans 1:23). We as Christians know the galaxy is full of God’s creation, that each star, planet and comet is forged by God’s hand like drops of paint on a canvas.     

Trinitas Supplicum: A Prayer For Our Times

Dear Father, Son and Holy Spirit, help us weather these turbulent times, when plague and protests shake the earth (Hebrews 12:27).  May we ever keep our eyes fixed upon you (Hebrews 12:2) as our world grows more lawless and loveless (Matthew 24:12).  Shelter us under your wings O Lord, that we may be shield from present darkness and foes in the spiritual realm. Arm us with your Word and help us to hold fast to the Scriptures, and not fall prey to the doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1).  May we shine your Light O Christ in this fog, helping others to come into your harbor. Strengthen all the saints across the world, that we may all preserve through persecution.  Saturate us in your holy and comforting presence O God, that from it we may draw sustenance to sustain us in these storms. Forgive us all our sins, and be our tower of defense against temptations.  Help us bear your fruit Holy Spirit, sowing peace, love, joy, gentleness, and exuding kindness, goodness, faithfulne

The Sign of The Son of Man is Here?!

In 2005 The Hubble Space Telescope took an image of a nearby galaxy. The blue circle of millions of stars has in its center a black cross! A cross! Even scientists have called it The Hubble Cross or Celestial Cross! I believe this cross is the sign of Jesus’ Return!  “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man (Jesus) in heavens.” (Matthew 24:30)  “And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:31)  We weren’t able to see this galaxy tell 2005! Martin Luther and others who predicted Christ’s return never had a sign of Christ in the heavens! This Celestial Cross is there, for all to see!  Our Lord Jesus said that the sign would be in the stars before He returns, “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what i

Guarding The Faith: Apologetics

Apologetics is often presented as something akin to philosophy, and that it requires doctors to explain. The truth is being an apologist is the duty not of the scholarly few but every Christian, “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15). We are called to give a defense of our faith at any moment. This is true not just among the unbelievers, but within the Church, for deceptive heresies can sneak into Christian communities, “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.” (2 Peter 2:1). We have to vigilant. If at a bible study or a gathering you hear heresy, someone espousing doctrines contrary to Scripture, you must be read

Preach The Trinity

When our Lord Jesus Christ began His ministry, The Entire Godhead, The Trinity appeared, “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.   And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17). This is significant, that at the beginning of Christ’s Ministry God reveals Himself as One God in Three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. At the very beginning, before The Crucifixion and Resurrection Christ reveals to all who were baptism, that The Lord God is One yet Three Divine Persons.  In the same way Christ at the end of His earthly ministry, before ascending into heaven, again emphasizes His Triune Nature, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mathew 28:19). There is a reason that at the beginning and end of Jesus’

When God Does Not Fix It

The most common prayer is when we are in need, when we beseech our Lord to fix our problem. We entreat with many pleadings, that God would change our circumstances. There are many times when Christ does intervene, He takes his wrench and turns the rusty bolt and stops the problem. But what about those times when He doesn’t fix it? What are we as Christians suppose to do if His answer is no answer and He refuses to use His wrench?   This is when the prayer of serenity typically is invoked, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” (Reinhold Niebuhr). Or the parable of the persistent widow is used, “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice

Whitewashed Tombs

Our witness as Christians is sorely lacking. The world sees a church more concerned with eloquent sermonizing when Paul said “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power,” (1 Corinthians 1:17), and 501C3 tax exempt status when Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24). Being neglected is the care for the saints in hardship as the rich and famous get the favoritism, “ My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.  Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand ther