A Knight's Blog

  Christmas is almost here. The major retailers are making their final push on sales and many are getting ready to celebrate holiday traditions. In the middle of the festive ‘madness’ I think it behooves us as followers and friends of Christ to pause, and contemplate all that He has done.  The Birth of Jesus was a watershed moment in history, and not because He is the Living Water. Before God became human flesh, we were trapped in our brokenness. The Law could not help, it only made are wounds worsen by pointing out how messed up our lives are; how large the gap was between our sinfulness and God’s righteousness. Thank God for His Son, who filled that gap, exchanging our sin for his righteousness, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21), “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe,” (Romans 3:22), and “And be found in him, not having a righteousness of m...

  The Templars were once the Navy Seals of the Medieval World. They were a bizarre merger of monks and knights who devoted themselves to prayer and protecting pilgrims. Many Protestants feel inspired by them, tattooing their red cross on their body or wearing a Templar cross pendant. The problem is the Templars believed a false gospel. The red cross they wore stands for martyrdom, and their belief that if they die in combat for Christ they will inherit heaven. Jesus said believing in Him is enough, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). Martyrdom is not a requirement for salvation but insults the spirit of grace, “How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:29). Jesus Christ died o...

  When a person believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior, the first book in the Bible every scholar and layperson recommends the new believer read is The Gospel of John. The Apostle John was the closest disciple to Jesus, even knowing Judas was the traitor before everyone else knew in Gethsemane, “So that disciple (John), leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?”    Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into Judas. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”” (John 13:25-27). John was also the only male disciple and one of the Twelve at the Crucifixion (John 19:25-27). The Gospel of John is the most important Gospel because it show us Jesus as He truly is, The Loving Son of God come to save us, and God Incarnate.  What is more telling is that a man who had ...

  Our Lord and God Jesus was born. We celebrate this with Christmas, but the holiday is tied to Passion Week (Easter), for Christ came into world to die for it. This was the reason, to make us right before God, to cleanse us of all sin, and heal us spiritually. We all are aware of our shortcomings, even secular historians like Diamand McCulloch agree that one of greatest proofs of Christianity is Original Sin, because it experienced by humans and known to be real. Indeed, the blot of sin is seen by all, even pagans, but thanks be to God he sent His Son to pay for our sins and give us His righteousness, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  The glory of Christmas is God had to be born in human flesh so that he could grow up and have his flesh torn to cleanse ours! This is the message of Christmas, God came into world “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, ...

  The Moravian Brethren have an interesting custom at Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany in which they take a orange, place a taper candle in it, wrap a red ribbon around the orange, and four tooth picks with sweets to help it stand. The candle represents Christ, The Light of the World, the orange represents the world, the four toothpicks represent the four gospels, and the ribbon symbolizes Jesus blood, reminding us that his love flows for the whole world. This custom is called The Christingle. Christingle derives from germanic word Christkindl, which means “Little Christ Child.”  During the holidays the Moravians say holding the Christingle a lovely prayer, “We give thanks together for Jesus, the Light of the World. Glory to Christ, Son of Mary, born as a child, you are one with us: Glory to God in the highest. Glory to Christ, Son of David; born to rule, you reign in our hearts: Glory to God in the highest.”   Another lovely Christingle prayer:  “The orange repr...

  The Season is upon us! To commemorate and get us in the Spirit I have assembled some quotes that remind us of True Reason for the Season and others that recall our favorite memories at Christmastime. The first come from the inventor and founding Father who said, “How many observe Christ's birthday! How few, His precepts!” (Benjamin Franklin). There is a title for members in Churches  known as CEO: Christmas and Easter Only. Franklin’s words seem harsh, like blizzard to start with, however, it is worth pondering, why churches and family members in Christ are eager to celebrate Christ’s b-day, but few do what he says? I will say in rebuttal to Franklin, Christmas brings out the love in people and Jesus focal teaching was that we love one another, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35), and since Xmas mak...

  We are promised by Jesus Christ our Lord that we cannot be lost. He tells us, “However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them (drive them away). And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:37, 39). Here our God and Savior makes the promise He will never reject us or lose us! That we are forever sealed by The Father, Christ, and The Holy Spirit!  Jesus confirms this same statement again in a later passage, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29). Here he promises a third condition, that nothing can snatch you away from Him. So it begins with Christ will never reject you, He can never l...