New Year's Service: God's Promises

INTRO: NEW YEAR's resolutions...

What sort of resolutions or promises stick? What sort of things has the Lord asked of you to promise? Do they last? How many promises have you broken? How many promises has He broken?

Maybe He has a better record in keeping promises than we do.

When I look at the things in His Word regarding His Promises, I need to rehearse what it really means to my heart. If I am looking for good things all the time then I will miss out on some important pain. When we consider the pain of the Cross…we come up lacking.

I have known some physical pain. Kidney stones have attacked my body over eight times. I, of course, have never experienced Birth Pain, but I do have sympathy pains when I see women close to her due date!

I have experienced death in my family. Very hard to work with that: in the words of Martin Luther “We must view 'our' sufferings as part of Christ' 'own' sufferings and that Christ will also provide the strength to endure.” But when I see how Jesus dealt with pain and loss, I feel much better.

When He heard of the death of His good friend Lazarus, what was His response?

John 11:17~44
What did Jesus do with this situation? It wasn't a resolution but He did remind Lasarus' sisters of a great promise.

John 11: 25 and 26.
“Do you believe this?"

Do you believe this? We can cry over the deaths of our loved ones. We can miss them. We can also remember that Jesus had promised a great promise in that story. If you believe, you will live.

This is not based on your power of suggestion. It is not based on your family ties to the church. It does not matter how much you give to the work of God. It all depends on where your faith is based. Is it found in Jesus?

Have you ever had the Call of God on your life? Has He called you from the grave cloths and set you free?

If you were to die today, what evidence of a changed life would you show Him-(who'd know your life anyway!) What could you tell Him that would allow you passage into Heaven? If your life is based on Him and on His Death and His Resurrection, than you will be allowed in. If you have not put your trust in His Name, you are not allowed in.

It does not matter if you are well spoken or well read. Whether you have a good job or if you are homeless. If you had a hard life and now need some rest. It only matters IF your name is written on the Lamb's Book of Life!

We first read about such a book in Philippians 4:3. Very much connected to being in the work of the Gospel.

Revelation 20:11-15
Have faith in God.

Believe on the Name of Jesus and you will be saved. Another one of His Promised comes in the area of hanging in there. We are talking about Perseverance!

Perseverance is the steady and continued action or belief, usually over a long period of time and especially despite difficulties or setbacks along the way. A Biblical view is based on God's Grace and Mercy. It is all about His Work in us over a long steady period of time.

James 1:2-6
Again, there is a long walk of obedience over time, in some cases, plodding along, but ever moving toward the mark-toward the calling of God on your life. These must be a finishing of its work in our lives that will give Glory to His Name. Mature and complete. Over time/not over night. And then there is the one who deals with life during trials…

Look at James 1:12
Can you get your heart around this one? The promise is given to the faithful ones who stood the test over time. It is important NOT to give in-not to give up. Hang in there! Persevere to the end. He will hold you up. He will not let you down. And when you have hard times, remember Hebrews 12:7-
Endure hardship as discipline…

Ephesians 4:22
Who can trust the heart? The Evil one has been hard at work to bring us down. He has plans for our downfall. He knows our hearts as being the place where he once lived and had his being. His ways are in conflict with the Things of God yet they seem so close sometimes. “For my best interest.” “It is better this way…” “God wants me to be happy…” “I know that the Bible teaching this way but I know what is best for me…”

That is the way we USED to walk but not now. We are Children of the Light, so we need to walk as we are in the Light. Not as we used to do-for our own interest but rather for the interest and for the Glory of God. There is always a way of escape.

1 Corinthians 10:13
Not that He will take away the hard times, but He will be there with you. In your pain. In your fear. In your seemingly aloneness. You are His Son/His Daughter. He loves you with an everlasting Love. He is your resting place. Your Rock. Your fortress. Your Comforter or your Paraclete.

John 14: 26.
The Holy Spirit will teach us. This is His Promise. Paraclete means "one who consoles - a comforter" or "one who intercedes on our behalf - an advocate". Here in John, Paraclete may be translated in English as "Counselor", "Helper", or "Comforter".

John 14:16
Jesus says "another paraclete" will come to help His disciples, implying Jesus is the first Paraclete, the 1st real Helper.

Jesus was there to reassure Peter after Peter denied the Lord three times. He assures Peter that he will be brought back and help lead others to Jesus-so be strong.

He is not done with you. He will be there for us. He is our Helper in times of trails and pain.

His Promise is for Joy as well.
Hebrews 12:2
He found it to be JOY to be on the Cross? Was He feeling joy as in “happiness” there? No, it was joy in that He was doing JUST what the Father wanted Him to do. To be just where He wanted His Son to be. To be at the Work of the Father. It pleased the Father.

Does our life please Him? Are we were we need to be? If not, how do we get there? We can KNOW that He is ready to bring His Spirit into our lives as that is His Will for those who trust Him. Do we trust Him? Really trust Him?

His Promises never fail. Lamentations 3:33.
And: GOD DOES NOT MAKE PROMISES HE CANNOT KEEP. We can look at an OT account of Balaam and Balak, who wanted Balaam to curse Israel. He could not. Three times he tried so as to get a lot of material wealth. God sets the table straight. He says in Numbers 23:19 His Word stand! We are thankful for that. His Word never changes. His promised will hold the test of time.

He promises answered prayer.
Luke 11:9
Attitudes toward with your neighbor, spending time with Jesus and in prayer with the Father all matter when it comes to your prayer life. If you lack in either one, your prayers are affected.

We live in a community. Because of that, there is no room for falsehoods and lies. We know that but at times such things find their way into our fellowships and that brings trouble. He promises to stay with you.

John 15:7
The key is IF YOU REMAIN IN HIM. It takes work. It takes time, sweat and yet it does work! This does not happen over night! MY WORDS REMAIN IN YOU…This is the evidence of the Changed Life.

The main point of the image is the intimate union of believers with Jesus. The disciple's very life depends on this union. As branches, believers either bear fruit and are pruned to bear more fruit or do not bear fruit and are thrown away and burned. Make this the year of fruit bearing. Get involved with Alpha, Grow Zone, Bible study, Parenting classes, etc.

Romans 4:13.
RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES BY FAITH: My responsibility in God's Promises is to look to them in Faith believing. Believing God for Salvation of family members, concerns, future, plans. GOD CAN BE TRUSTED!

The End is the Beginning: Die to Live

John 12:20-29 (New International Version) ヨハネによる福音書 / 12章 20節- 29節

~Just a word of announcement, there will be a Prayer Meeting held this Saturday, January 6 at 7:00 PM at ICCS. Come and pray for Revival in Japan and in our own hearts. If you cannot come this Saturday, please pray where you are. We need a fresh moving of God's Spirit in our midst. Come ready to do the WORK of PRAYER!

That's 7:00~9:00PM, 1/6/07 @ International Community Chapel of Saitama (ICCS), 6-16 Enoki-Cho, Tokorozawa-Shi, Saitama-Ken, JAPAN 359-1104~

Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to die. That is why He came. His death would allow mankind the only way to be forgiven for their sins as He would pay the price for their sin and their disobedience. This death would not be a suicide but a sacrifice. He would give Himself up willingly because of His great Love of His Father and for mankind, whom He had created.

On the first googled site for Suicide, there were over 5,300,000 hits to a site that encouraged people NOT to do it!

Suicide is the intentional killing of oneself. Ironically, in most countries and states suicide is a crime, but if successful there is no one to punish. However, attempted suicide can be a punishable crime (seldom charged against one surviving the attempt). "Assisted suicide" is usually treated as a crime, either specifically (as in the State of Michigan in the USA) or as a form of homicide (second degree murder or manslaughter), even when done as a kindness to a loved one who is terminally ill and in great pain.The frequency of attempted suicide is 20 times higher than actual suicide. Three times more women than men attempt suicide, and three times more men succeed. Men tend to use more violent methods like gunshot wounds to the head; women are more likely to take an overdose. Over 6,000 people in the USA use handguns to kill themselves each year. Knives, hangings or falling in front of trains are used in Japan. The highest suicide rate for both sexes is in the over-75. Suicide among people aged 18-24, although relatively infrequent, is the third leading cause of death, after accidents and homicides, in the UK.

Although considered a crime in most countries, some have considered it acceptable in the past, for example seppuku, or hara-kiri in Japan is a means of avoiding dishonor, and in India widows were thought to become deified or sacred by burning themselves on their husband's funeral pyre, a practice known as suttee.

Suicide rates vary considerably among countries. Estonia has the highest suicide rate (38% 1993), and Armenia the lowest (2.8% 1992). Rates are lower in Latin America than in North America, and lower in southern Europe than in other European countries. Suicide rates in Islamic countries are considerably lower than in Buddhist or Christian countries, and Roman Catholic countries tend to have lower rates than Protestant ones. Suicide rates in the European states of the former USSR are very high. There has been an increase in suicide among elderly men and adolescents since 1960. In the USA, for example, suicide rates for the elderly increased 226% for men and 110% for women 1960-92. The UK is the only European country with a clear decrease in old-age suicide among both men and women (60% and 55% respectively, 1992), although in 1985-95 the overall suicide rate in the UK increased by 71%.

China accounts for 40% of the world's suicides and it is the only country where female suicides outnumber male suicides…
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide

On Line, you can find such topics as: Types of suicide; History and methodology; History of suicide; List of suicides; Suicide methods; Views on suicide; Resources for dealing with suicidal thoughts; Suicide prevention; Crisis hotlines by country, and many more…

To live, that is exciting. But to die, that is the next adventure. In truth, I find that life has so much to offer. We are on this earth for 70-90 years for a purpose; to bring glory to the Father and enjoy Him forever.

Anything short of that is-well-short of real life.Yet, as we look at the passage today, I can see that there is something to be said for death.

To die so that you can really live. That is hard to hear, isn't it? I want to live but the teaching of Jesus shows me that I must really die first before I can really live. Let's look at this passage today as we consider what our life might be in 2007.

Some Greeks came up to Jerusalem to take part in the Jewish Feast of the Passover. These were special outsiders. These men wanted to become part of what God was doing in the Hebrew nation. They wanted to take part in the memorial feast and identify themselves not only with the Hebrew culture but also with the Hebrew God.

They sought out Philip. Why? Your guess is as good as mine but realize that sometimes outsiders may understand the mystery of God's love better than ones who are close to it all the time.

These guys were called proselytes-not fully into Judaism but close. They were Godly men who were attracted to Judaism. They had come to worship God with an open heart yet they could not take part in some of the activities. Their interest in the things of God leads them to approach Jesus.

Some had suggested that they came to Philip because they heard his name called and his name was Greek or that he might have had Greek style clothing on. They came to Philip because that is the kind of man he was. Remember back in John 1:46, it was Philip who told Nathaniel to come and see Jesus. That became a way of life/ministry for Philip. And these Greek men wished the best for themselves. “Sir” they said, “We want to see Jesus.”

This means they wanted to do more than look at Him. They wanted to give their attention to Him. They had the right attitude of a disciple. IS that your desire as well? Are you seeking to see Him in His fullness? Are you really ready for the 'stuff' He is going to send your way as you follow Him? Are you thirsty for Him? Are you hungry to be near Him and to learn from Him? Are you willing to seek Him above all else? If so, than go ahead and seek Him with all your heart! Take others with you!

Philip does not bring these men right to Jesus. He takes the request to Andrew who in turn speaks to Jesus. (Sometimes you may need some help in bringing your request before the Lord.) No need to be afraid but this was the beginning of a new face for Jesus' ministry. The doors are going to be opened for the Non-Jews. The Doors of Evangelization to the World has begun to swing open. But, the fact remains, the passage does not ever speak of their meeting at all. It goes right into a response of giving the go ahead comment of the reason He had come. (23 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”) He does not speak to the Greeks directly but His words do open up the reality of allowing ALL men everywhere to come to Him.

He is going to be glorified. When that happens, all men everywhere will be able to see Him!

He spoke of their place in the Community of God's Family. He reveals that the time has come for His Death to take place. By this death of His, He will produce many seeds-allowing the non-Jew a place in His Kingdom. He will DRAW all men to Himself (later in v32). In a way, Jesus does answer them and gave them an audience for through His Death on the Cross, He will have opened the door to become accessible for them to the Living Lord.

What does Jesus mean by verse 23?

We know that God is love. We know that love is the key in laying down of one's life. 1 John 4:8, it reads: Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. Before that, in 1 John 3:16 a says: This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.

The Heart of God is seen most clearly in the Cross. It was once said: “Selfishness is the destruction of life while sacrifice, self-surrender, death, is the condition of the highest life.” So in that the Cross is not only a one time event to erase the stain of sin from our lives, though it certainly is that, it also becomes the pattern of how He wants us to love each other as well.

Now, here is the part that drives some people away from the Cross of Jesus. I can understand that, but I feel that most of you have the drive or desire to know Him better; to know Him better in the coming year than you ever known Him before. Here Jesus speaks of death and dying. The mystery of life comes through death. Jesus uses the common illustration of seeds to help us understand the meaning.

When a seed dies it can then live. The seed MUST fall into the ground and die in order for there to be any fruit at all. See the idea? One seed dies resulting in MANY seeds. That is the fruit of evangelism. Through the death and the resurrection of Jesus, the fruit that is produced will be evident in the lives of His followers. Their quality of life-now based on God's resources-is now filled with Divine Life.

He fills the life with forgiveness. Those things that we were doing before we met Jesus and before we invited Him into our lives have now becoming dead to us. They have no place in our thinking. No place in our actions. Those 'things' kept us in the dark to the Things of God. They were at war with the Truth. Now, it is time to come out from that covering of darkness and walk in the wonderful Light of the Gospel. The Gospel of sins forgiven.

Now, this is not easy to do nor is it easy to understand. To start out, we need to understand that He has and will give us EVERYthing we need for a godly life. All that we need is only found in Him. He calls us to a radical discipleship. The person who loves their life will lose it, while the person who hates their life in this world will live.

Oh, it gets harder… Matt 16:24~26

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange or his soul?”

Luke 17:33 Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

This word LIFE does not just mean physical life but the whole self of a person. We were created not to have ME be the center of my life but to be in union with the Creator God and to receive His LOVE from Him.

If the love of self is central to my life than that is the same heart of all sin and rebellion that was found in the Garden of Eden. That kind of choice-centered on myself-brought death then and it will continue to bring death today. UNLESS! When Jesus says the one who loves self will lose it, He does not mean 'misplace' it but rather have it 'destroyed.'

In the Bible there are lot of strange saying like: Unless you hate your Mother…you will have no part in Me… (Luke 14:26) He is speaking in terms of choices and attachments not in the meaning of to look down on, deny, reject or loathe the parents. We are to love our parents. That is one of the 10 commandments that are not just 10 suggestions! Jesus is speaking about this devotion and obedience to Himself must be so complete that nothing else can be distracted by it. Remember what He said about two masters?

Matt 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

What Jesus IS saying is that you can't have the cake and eat it too. We cannot have control of our lives or of our dreams AND forget His way with us. It must be in His Hands. At the heart of discipleship is love, and at the heart of love is sacrifice. And that is just what He did for us on the Cross.

If we are to serve Him, than we need to follow Him. Not just when things are going nice and sweet for us but also in the hard times. The times when it is the darkest. When we feel all alone. It is at those time MOST of all that He is the closest. We need to see with His eyes at that time. We need to encourage our own hearts as David did in Ziklag in 1 Samuel 30:6b But David found strength in the LORD his God. In the King James: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

How did he do that? Did he go to a seminar on cooping or read a book on how to improve his attitude? Did he depend on his small group? No, his group wanted to kill him! He rehearsed what he knew of his God and THAT encouraged him! And that is where we need to be as well. We would honor the Lord by being where we need to be in following Him. For where I am, My servant also will be. That is where I'd love to be. Close to Him with His strong Hand of comfort on my shoulder. That is a very good beginning of the end of selfish rule.

Psalm 91:1-2 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

And that all happened in one day. Turn with me to Zechariah 3:9 for a little looked at verse of Christmas.

Zechariah 3:9 See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua!
There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,' says the LORD Almighty, 'and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.

On the Cross, that happened!

This group of Greeks and fellow Jews all heard a Voice or sound. Some felt it was thunder while others felt it was angels. In truth, the sound was the Voice of God His Father. Those with ears to hear listen to the Spirit of God and join in the task of bringing Him Glory by our sweet surrender. Die to yourself and live for His Good and for His Glory. Lose yourself in His Love and find your rest. You can do it now-willingly-or later-being forced to bow to His Will.

Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the Name that is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

And how do we serve Him? By doing what He did. He prayed to the Father for workers of the harvest. We can be those workers. He spoke out the Gospel. We can spread the Good News. He healed people with prayers to His Father. We can pray for those who are sick. He said in John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

I want to surrender. I want to experience His life thru ME dying to myself.

Begin today by allowing yourself to give some serious thought and prayerful consideration to what God is saying to us as the old year ends and the new year begins. Don't be afraid that God might stretch you! That is exactly His will for your life. Our biggest challenge is to agree with God's purpose and let Him take us wherever He wants us to be. The key is for us to emphasize heart-readiness. Heart-readiness maintains us as fertile ground for God to bring increase in fruitfulness.

Let's spend a few min to consider WHAT the Spirit is telling us. Bow your heads and listen to Him. Let His Spirit speak to you. Don't start with lots of talking…let Him speak to you. Let His Spirit show you what to do with this message.

All Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®.

Christmas Is Community ~ His Story:

The Day Before Christmas

Becoming agents of reconciliation.

2 COR 5:17~21 The Ministry of Reconciliation

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the Righteousness of God.

The Apostle Paul wrote that “in the last days perilous times shall come.” (2 Timothy 3:1) And that is so true of today! All sorts of dangers and hurt everywhere. Hard times are all around us. Some of us are experiencing hard and painful times. Things seem to be getting worse. And with this bad news, comes a good message found in the meaning of Christmas. I believe that one of the messages we can live with coming from Christmas is that Christmas is Community.

As we read 2 Cor 5:17~21, I can hear the Christmas Message yelling at us! He came to bring us into a right relationship with the Father. The relationship was damaged because of our sin and that separated us from Father God. (He being Holy and Pure...) God's message to us today-those of us who are aware-is to respond to His Love Message and join in the work of bringing others into the understanding that He wants us to make peace with Himself. He will provide all we need for that peace move as well. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world as a baby-in the flesh-the Incarnation-who was pure and without sin so that in Him we might become the Righteousness of God.

In the middle of all the sounds, color, advertising, the giving and exchanging of gifts, let's make THIS a Christmas in which Christ is known. In one where others can hear and understand the message of reconciliation.

Christmas is a call of God:Called to Come Together ~ Like that of Jesus and His Father. Let's look into the past to the time when Jesus and His Father were talking. In fact, it was prayer. We were the main topic of that prayer. Let's look at it in John 17:20~23

20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. 22 I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one: 23 I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity tolet the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.

What we have here is the Christmas Message. In verse 23, we can see that this unity they that have and that they want us to have will aid in others knowing about His First Coming. If we, who are called Believers, would act in Unity and out of the same love Jesus and His Father had, the world will know about the Birth and the Message of reconciliation between Him and us.

Basically, He is calling all of us to unity. Called to unity. Called to Oneness (but not Jelly). With substance, with a back bone, with a purpose and with a future and a hope.

With back bone…The Word of God

With purpose…His Plan for reaching a lost world.

With a future (and a hope)…

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

This seems to be a promise! Do you read it that way? Next question is harder: Do you believe what God said in that verse? If so, then don't worry about next week or next year. We need to plan, yes. We need to make arrangements, YES! But we do not have to fear. His plans for us are for His good!

In this Christmas story, God called His Angels together to announce the Birth of His Son.

As we sing about the men and sheep on that hillside, it is kind 'a hard to think of what it was like for them. They had never been part of anything big in their lives. They were part of the lowest groupings of people in that society. Most likely, they were not well educated. They were not rich. They were outside watching their flock by night-as the song goes. And all of a sudden, Bam! Great light! Angels talking and singing to them. They were terrified and the Angel said to them: “Do not be afraid.” There was not even an exclamation mark! What would you have done? I would still be afraid! It is one thing to be told: "Don't be afraid.” Quite another thing of not being in fear. Yet, these men of wool, it is said of them in

Luke 2: 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

My guess is I would not have been so lax about it all, but to their credit, they not only went and saw but also went and told. And this message that they told was a message of Unity. They were of one heart and of one story. They spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.

UNITY in the Message.

In this Christmas story, God called the shepherds together to be witnesses to the Birth of His Son.

Even though the men could not give witness in a court of law, these commoners spoke in the common places around Israel. These men would be sure to tell others about what had happened that evening. It impacted their lives forever. How has the message of Christmas effected you conversations?

What was demonstrated in this was a UNITY in the Meaning.

In this Christmas story, God calls the world to taste and see the Wonder of the Birth of His Son. Here is where Isaiah comes in. He wrote about Jesus many years before Jesus was born. He spoke of Him in ways that gives us a flavor of who Jesus is now. See how it fits in today's world of pain/worry/hopelessness.

Isaiah 9: 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. 4 For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. 5 Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. 6 For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Look at our possibilities in the message! These Four Marvelous Names!

The First is Wonderful. Jesus' life was wonderful. He mixed things up with all sorts of bad people (sinners) yet was sinless. He walked with some very rich men and women but had no place to sleep at night. He associated with people called publicans who were tax collectors (usually shady men) and sinners yet never partook in their lifestyle. The people who became His enemies could find no fault in His character at all; He was beyond reproach. The Pharisees said. “We have never heard a man speak like this man speaks.” Even at His death on the Cross, a Roman soldier said of Him. “Truly this Man was the Son of God.”

Jesus was also wonderful in His death. His substitution death was a fitting end to His selfless living. He lived for others; He died for others. When people beat on Him, He did not open His mouth. People jeered and mocked Him, but He said, “Father, forgive them; for they don't know what they are doing.”

The great wonderful fact of His death was that His death brought about reconciliation between God and man. The crucified Christ became the risen Christ on that wonderful first Easter morning.

The second part of that phrase is having Jesus called Counselor. People need counselors today. People who can help others understand their roles and situations and console them thru the painful areas of life. Jesus is such a counselor. With the thousands and even millions of people all over the world who have accepted this Christ, they have found the Solution to their unsolved problems. He is the one who said He'd carry our burdens and lift our sorrows. He can be that for us. He is The Counselor.

“The heaviest end of the cross lies ever on His shoulders. It He bids us carry a burden, He carries it also.” Charles Spurgeon.

The second Name Jesus was called was The Mighty God. When the wilds of the world were in need of taming, God sent The Might One to bring it all under his Feet. God did not send an army of Angelic Host to accomplish His divine purposes, He sent a Baby! This Baby was/is God/Man. The Incarnate One who is the Mighty God of the universe.Thirdly, Jesus was called The Everlasting Father. He is eternal. He had no beginning and He has no end. He always was and will always be. Eternal has a long-term sound to it, doesn't it? When He was born in that manger that was not His beginning; THAT was His incarnation. He was the designer of the entire universe. He told the crowds “Before Abraham was, I am!”

The fifth name given to Jesus was The Prince of Peace. The Apostle Paul wrote that “in the last days perilous times shall come.” There are wars and rumors of wars. Countries are at odds with each other. Marriages are falling apart. There will never be lasting peace on this earth until He comes again in Righteousness. But Jesus is the Prince of Peace in another way, too. None of us can have peace with our Creator apart from Jesus and the peace He made possible through the Blood of His Cross. (Colossians 1:20) We cannot have peace in our hearts apart from our relationship with Jesus. He will, in fact, give us His Peace today, this Christmas, if we put our trust and our hope in Him. “My peace I give you-not as the world gives you.”

UNITY in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Here is Community.

That is Christmas. In a nutshell: He came to bring us back to His Father. We would be absolutely lost without Him and without His Grace and Mercy to forgive us. He has given us the message of reconciliation to pass on to others. He has given us a united message of Hope to pass on to a world without hope. He has given us a message of being a witness of His Forgiveness. A message that gives us a satisfied heart. As we come under His leadership as our wonderful Counselor; as our Might God; as our Everlasting Father; our Prince of Peace. Know that peace today-as best as you know how-here is a prayer you can pray to open yourself to this forgiving heart of God.

“Lord Jesus, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life (take a few moments to ask His forgiveness for anything particular that is on your conscience). Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know to be wrong.

Thank You that You died for me on the Cross so that I could be forgiven and set free.Thank You that You offer me forgiveness and the gift of Your Spirit. I now receive that gift.

Please come into my life by Your Holy Spirit to be with me forever.

Thank You, Lord Jesus. Amen.”

If you prayed such a prayer, PLEASE contact us at iccsjapan@aol.com

May you all have a wonderful Christmas!

Christmas Is NOW! His Heart Gift.

Read Luke 2:1~20

Are you impatient? Last week, my brother told me of an incident at his doctor's office. It seemed that he needed to go into the building a different way because the 'old way' was under construction. A patient drove his car thru the door and into a doctor's office. A lot of damage. I guess either he could not find a parking spot or he was running late for the appointment.

Sometimes, our impatience runs amuck and results in many problems. Impatience causes anxiety and anxiety causes sickness and in some cases, sickness causes death. Other emotions also run the risk of hurting us. Unfortunately the list is long: Anxiousness, anger, depression, discouragement, fear, frustration, guilt, insecurity, jealousy, low self esteem, temptations, stress and worry. There are verses all through the Bible that help us deal with these emotions that plague our souls and our lives.

Some have said that they want patience and they want it right now! Some things, you have to wait for things. You need to wait for them! It would not be healthy any other way. The birth of a baby. It will NEED to take about 9 months for that to happen in a healthy way. Sometimes they come early and sometimes that come 'late.' It will take time.To get a degree, you need to study and take test and write papers and study and take test. It takes time.During Christmas, there is something that took time. In the real sense of the term, Christmas came just at the RIGHT time. Many people were waiting for this event!

Titus 1: 1-3 “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness- a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at His appointed season He brought His Word to light through … our Savior,”

2 Timothy 1:10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.

Galatians 4:4 But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law,

As it was with the Savior's Birth, it was now time. When you look at Scripture, many times, time is a factor. Such is the case in today's passage. Verse 2…in those days; v6…while they were there; v11…today; 12…you will find; v21…when it was time; v22…when the time.

It was time for this to happen. In the past, we have spoken about how the world was really set for this Message of God's Son to arrive. One language, one set peace plan in place, roads were well organized, education was extensive (many could read), and travel was common. The world was set to also hear of this Message. The Angels called it Great News. The Message was one of Grace and Mercy. It was one of Hope.

People at this time were prone to despair. Advice was to go and die for there was no real hope! That is one of the reasons this message in actuality took off. It gave people Hope.

You could almost read the newspaper headlines!

Hope Has Come!

Christmas Is Now!

Angels Proclaim Great News!

God's Son Is Born!

Few people were unmoved with that news. The shepherds were excited and told everyone. The Wise Men came and were moved to proclaim Him worthy of bringing Godly gifts of Gold; for a King, frankincense; for perfuming a body for the grave, and myrrh; assists in the healing process. An old man in the Temple later said to God that NOW he was ready to die because he had seen the Hope of Israel. Old lady Anna was waiting for this to come and praised God. King Herod ordered his men to kill all the babies in the area of Bethlehem because he felt this boy child a threat to his throne. And since that time, men and women, boys and girls-all-when they hear the Message of God's Great Gift to us, once they hear it with open ears, they too will say that it is indeed good news.

God came to earth in the flesh-the incarnation of God-to bring us salvation and forgiveness of our sins. To set us free.

Luke 13:12 When Jesus saw her (the woman who had been crippled for 18 years), He called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity."
John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Romans 6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Romans 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal.
Romans 8:2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Galatians 5:1 [Freedom in Christ] It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Hebrews 9:15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance-now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Now is the time for Salvation. For Decision, for New Life, Change, and an awareness of the needs of our hearts.So, here we have the report coming in that the Baby was to be born. Many post cards and Christmas art shows Joseph leading Mary, heavy with child, through the crowed village streets looking for a place-any place to have a baby. Someone 'let's' them use the stable because Joseph was not smart enough to make reservations ahead of time. But that is not how it is written.

Luke 2: 3~ And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,”

The words to look at are: “While they were there…” Hate to wipe out images of a frantic new Dad, not knowing what to do! Joseph had a lot more going for him than most have given him. If an angel could tell him that his young wife was going to have a baby while she was still a virgin, he would have enough sense to prepare for the birth of that child. The inns at that time were used as a clinic as well as lodging. Take the story of the Good Samaritan. Where did he leave the injured Hebrew? In an inn. (From Luke 10:25-37)

This Birth was so very special. It had been spoken about for many hundreds of years. Not in the “wouldn't it be nice if…” sort of a story. It had been foretold to the finest details as to when and where. And in the fullness of time, He was born.

In the title of today's sermon, I used the words “His Heart Gift”. That is exactly what I mean. It came from His Heart and this birth was a gift. Let me explain.

John 3:16 is most likely the most known verse in the Bible outside of “Eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” Shall we look at that verse in light of Christmas being NOW? First, from the Old Testament book of Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 36:25-28 “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be My people, and I will be your God.”

What follows in this book is what is called The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones in which God's restoration of the people is described as bringing the dead men back to life (Ezekiel 37). What was needed back then was a new heart and a new life; that is, the Spirit must give birth to spirit (Jn 3:7). Only those alive in the kingdom of the Spirit by the Spirit will be able to recognize and enter that Kingdom. That same true truth is accurate for today!

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

For God --The Greatest All:

So loved--The Greatest emotion: Motivates His actions

The world --the greatest community

That He gave --The greatest sacrifice: He gave His ALL

His only Son --The greatest relationship: the Savior

That whoever --the greatest number: Open to all who believe.

Believes --the greatest adventure: based on Faith

In Him --the greatest Person

Shall not perish --the greatest separation

But have --the greatest opportunity

Eternal life --the greatest gift: the reward is Great!

One of the greatest gifts you can give to God is your attention. While you are giving Him your attention, you can ask Him any question you want. No matter how wild or forceful or even rude! If your questions are driven by open honesty, God is good to hear them. He is not afraid nor is He offended when we ask. That is how we learn. It is not just blind faith, but a series of questions that are answered to the point of satisfying our heart's need of answers. As we see from the poetry of King David in the Psalms and the wise sayings of his son Solomon in Proverbs, God is looking for people who are open. Open and honest. Open, honest and full of passion.

When was the last time you were passionate with God? When did you cry out to Him with your open hurt and express to Him your need for Him to know your heart? It is ALWAYS good to express your heart to Him IF it is from a position of openness. Blind anger has its place but few get answers going along in that vain.

Maybe the time of your encounter with the God of Christmas is NOW. Realize His Heart Gift for you is His Own Son and that He cares for you. The time for this is NOW!

All Scripture is from the NIV Bible.

Merry Christmas to all of you!

Christmas is Unique: We are His Workmanship

Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For it is by Grace you have been saved, through Faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

There is a new movie out in the States this month called “The Nativity.” It is supposed to be a rival to the Mel Gibson's film, “The Passion.” Your guess is as good as mine but the timing of the film is important as it gives 'the other part of the questions' “The Passion” made. That being:
Why?
Why did Jesus get in trouble and had to be arrested?
Why did Jesus get beaten up so badly?
Why did the Jewish leaders hate Him so much?
Why did He 'have to' die?
What was His crime?


I have not seen this new movie, of course, but I visited the movie's web site. You can guess the storyline. That can't be too hard for anyone! “The Nativity Story chronicles the arduous journey of two people, Mary and Joseph, a miraculous pregnancy, and the history-defining birth of Jesus.” -from the movies' web site: www.thenativitystory.com

First of all, you will need to ask what does 'nativity' mean? na·tiv·i·ty noun, meaning…
1. birth or origin, especially the place, process, or circumstances of being born
2. a horoscope based on the time of somebody's birth
Encarta® World English Dictionary © 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

The word also means delivery, labor, or even confinement. But the most important meaning comes at the very birth of the Son of God. How can this be? Is this the Uniqueness of this Christmas story?

Michael Card, a Christian songwriter sang a song as Joseph and asks, “How can I be the father to the Son of God?” What could Joseph teach his new son? How will this Son of God show Himself to the family? How do you correct Him? Would He need correcting? Will it be through His words, actions, and attitude?

The BIG story here is that God became a MAN!

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In Him was life, and that life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that Light, so that through Him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the Light; he came only as a witness to the Light. 9 The True Light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.

The Word became Flesh! THIS UNIQUE visitation of God into His creation has been the focal point of most of history from that point until now. I believe it is the most important event that ever happened in Human History.

As we think of the situation here, it almost becomes mind blowing! The Lord of ALL creation left that powerful seat next to the Creator and entered into the form of a baby-of an infant-of a human child. The concept of the Divine becoming human is not that uncommon among the world religions, but what is UNIQUE is of the kind of involvement that Divine One has with the creation.

Unlike Greek, so-called-gods, this God/Man is not prone to fits of anger or jealousy. He is not some one who is looking for a fight or revenge. He is concerned for the well-being of the creatures He helped to create. He LOVES the creation and has found the way to bring creation back to Himself.

As in Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the Name that is above every name, 10 that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This attitude of the appeal is to 'set your minds on the same thing' as in Romans 8:5-7. As someone well said: "Love begins when someone else's needs are more important than my own," which is precisely what Paul will urge in the explanation that follows. That is the reason for the Cross. God's love for the creation-you and I-was much more important to the whole plan of God than the comfort of His Son. Mankind needed a Savior and Jesus-His son, was the one and only way to get the wayward creation back to the Father. Not selfish ambition nor envy and rivalry that characterized those who were attacking Paul while he was in jail. But that He would make Himself nothing…for the good pleasure of His Father.

In fact, these free flowing words of Paul do indeed portray the deep caring mindset that is just the opposite of the world's. Jesus-in the form of God-very God-showed His Godlikeness in 'emptying Himself' so as to fulfill the Law in dying for the ungodly. He showed great HUMILITY.

Humility is not found often and is, in fact, uniquely found in Christian Virtue. This message of a Crucified Messiah stands in direct conflict with the teaching and practice of that day. As it is also found today. The Romans, the Greeks and modern man all found humility not to be a virtue but a gross shortcoming.

You will remember Jesus' teaching of being the one who turns His cheek when attacked.

Luke 6:28-30 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.

This is different from modern thought!

This is the goal Paul has been writing about here. That we would achieve that same mind-that same attitude-that was found in Jesus. Different from the world. Psalm 149:4 “For the LORD takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with salvation.” And in Isaiah 66:2 “Has not My hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the LORD. "This is the one I esteem: He who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My Word.” And Matthew 11:29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 18:4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

HUMILITY is sometimes mistakenly linked to being a pushover or a milktoast. We hear it all the time: “I'm no good for anything.” You are a special creation of God made for His purposes-for His Glory. You are good to save! We can't steal that from God. You are precious to Him. Whenever we hear others call us good for nothing, we need to speak out and say that is NOT TRUE! We are loved by God! His Spirit supports us and He longs to have fellowship with us. That is you are a person of importance!

We would do better to understand our proper stance before the Creator-both in our weakness and in our strengths. We are to be utterly dependent upon Him and totally trusting Him for all things. At that place, you can find a good balance: we are made in His Image. That position makes neither too much nor too little of either. True Biblical humility is not self-focused at all but rather, as Paul describes it, as considering others better than oneself. That does not mean that others are better than us. It does mean that their needs should not surpass my own.

We are not to seek their own good, but the good of others (1Cor 10:24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.) That is necessary as a community; to cut out selfish ambitions or vain conceit that is often found in our… fellowships. To boldly go where few have gone before! We are human after all!

Here is the challenge and a unique opportunity for this Chapel. It maybe easy to live with one another when we only see each other for over one hour a week. The unique challenge set before us today is for us to live in community with one another as Christ lived in community with His Father outside these four walls. This Oneness is THE factor that makes us unique. And the uniqueness of Christmas is that this shows us how to do that very thing.

Again, look at John 1:10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. The world needs to see Him alive in us so that they can be alive in Him! In the larger Christian community, people can get along with others because they do not HAVE to live with one another. The problem becomes even more acute when it is found in the Christian home. It is there that things are worked out on a daily basis with those who are closest to us.

The solution or cure is the same for the home as it is in a bigger community: in humility before God, each of us putting other's interest ahead of our own. We cannot keep looking for our needs to be met. How can I meet the needs of the person next to me? To the person who is not here this week? To the person who I don't see each week because I am infrequent? It, the Christian Life, is not about me. It is, after all, about Christ Jesus who left His Divine Nature and became like one of us to show us the only way to Him.

God, in His unique creativeness, is showing us the worker's manual in the Person of Jesus, who is THE Emmanuel. This same mindset is the eternal goal of the Father as He is at work in us to reproduce His Will in His People. We are His Workmanship…to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

This most unique message of the Nativity is that God became a man. John tells us that God became flesh and lived with us. Eugene Peterson put it this way in “The Message,” “he moved into the neighborhood.” Paul does a good job at saying the same thing in Col 1: 19 “For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him…”

In a very good method of teaching, rather than having simple TELL us what He was like, God came to us personally. He showed Himself to us. A picture is worth 1,000 words. And in this case, the Word became flesh. The INCARNATION! He opened His Heart to us and gave us more than an eye full; He gave us His Heart-full of His love.

I wonder now, how can we live any other way but for His good? Just as we received salvation by Faith, so should we live by Faith. It was by Grace that we were saved-this gift of God was not only given to us on Christmas but so that this gift could be understood and embraced every day of the year.

I want to celebrate His Uniqueness in how I live. In how I think. In how I relate to people inside this community and to those outside it. I invite you all to celebrate His uniqueness of His Gift to us by thanking Him! Would you bow your head and heart before Him now and talk to Him?

__Ideas for this sermon are from Johannah Reardon's article 5 Big Messages of the Nativity, ChrisitanityBibleStudies.com, and BibleGateway.com and IVP New Testament Commentaries are made available by the generosity of InterVarsity Press.
All Scripture used is the NIV unless stated.

The Gift of Christmas ~ Let Us Worship

I am sure that most of you enjoy receiving presents. In one-way or another, we give and receive different things from one another. Birthday, anniversaries, Christmas, St. Valentine’s Day, graduation, giving a cold to someone… Each of us were born and that was a present to the family. Some receive gifts well while others feel that it is too much and will not accept them. It may make them embarrassed. It might make them feel pressure to give a present back.

But there is ONE gift and ONE Giver that is way beyond our ability. Our Creator God, the God of the Bible has given us life. He created us. AND He knows all about us. The Scriptures tell us that our days are known by Him and they are even written down in His Book. Those who have put their trust in Him have their Names written down into His Book of Life. Those people have eternal life in His Name. It is a Gift of God. That is a great gift!

It is the time of the season to once again talk about the Gift of Christmas. What was this Gift? How was it given? Who was the Gift for? What can I DO to get the gift? What does it cost me?

The Bible talks about the GREATEST giver of the Greatest Gift of all time in the Person of God’s Son. We will be looking at that on December 17, Christmas Covered Dish Sunday.
For now, let’s look at Isaiah 9: 6

“For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”

That is a great gift! Luke 2:11-15 11

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace to men on whom His favor rests." 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

Unto You Is Born Today…

Response: The Angels sang His Praise
I find it very interesting that when time for Jesus’ birth to be announced, God, His Heavenly Father made the great announcement by way of His Angles. They had been waiting for this and really did not understand why. They were not the ones to be saved. They had not fallen. They were in the forever presence of the Holy Father.

THE RESPONSE OF THE ANGELS WAS ONE OF PRAISE. They went wild in the Heavens in bringing joy back to the Creator of the Universe. Glory to God in the highest!… as did the shepherds
These were the real outsiders of Hebrew society. Again, I find it wonderfully strange that the Lord of All sought out these men to give them this great message. God entrusted this wonderful message of all time to men who could not even speak at a court case; their testimony was not to be even heard. Yet, God chose the likes of these men with the greatest message of all time. And they too gave praise to God. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

The Gift of Salvation
Let’s open up this gift. What does it require? How is it given? What strings are attached? Open to ALL who believe and are called. Chances are, if you hear the message, you are being called. God does not desire anyone to die far from Him. His desire is for all people every where to come to know Him and to place their trust in Him.

The Offer Is Now. Found only on The Roman Road!
Roman Road: The Highway to a Relationship with God: The Roman Road was not just an organized way to build highways conjured up from the Roman Empire in the 1st Century. They had a saying back then was: All roads lead to ROME. But all roads do not all lead to God. Some say so, but they are wrong.

The Roman Road is also God’s Plan of Salvation found in Paul’s letter to the Romans. This is known as the Roman Road, the following is a collection of passages that build a beautiful and systematic approach of the Gospel of God’s Grace by and through the Personal Work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. This causes us to worship and to give Him the Glory that He is due. Follow along with me on this Roman Road.

Roman Road: The Gospel of Grace~ “Follow Me” It is THE Way to Jesus!
1. Romans 1:20-21: "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened." We must recognize God as the Creator of everything and accept our reserved position in God's creation.
2. Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.” We must all realize that we are sinners and that we need forgiveness. We are all in the same boat! There is nothing WE can do to change our position, but God has a plan…
3. Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Through Jesus, God gave us a way to be saved from our sins. God showed us His love by giving us the potential for life through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. He could do this because of the next verse.
4. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” If we remain sinners, we will die. However, if we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and repent of our sins, we will have eternal life. This is His Plan to save us all! He paid the price for our sin by dying in our place. He went to the Cross for that very reason!
5. Romans 10:9-10 “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” This sounds so simple. Can it be true? In can, indeed! Even the Children can understand this great Truth. As adults, we may think there are other ways to get this done BUT there is no other way. So, just confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved! Obey His Word!
6. Romans 10:13 “For whoever calls on the Name of the LORD shall be saved.” This is the Good News! It is called the Gospel. Gospel means Good News! And this plan was set in motion by God Himself. There are no religious formulas or rituals -- Call upon the Name of the Lord and you will be saved!
7. Romans 11:36 "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen." Determine in your heart to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life today. Receive this Great Gift of Christmas and really accept His Gift of Forgiveness. Now, we can really worship and give Him Thanks!

That is the Roman Road: Are you ready to accept God’s Gift of Salvation? If you truly believe the message of the Bible, and want to accept God’s gift of salvation right now, it's a matter of repenting of your sins and turning the rest of your life over to Jesus Christ. Again, this is not a ritual based on any specific words or prayers, but rather, a willful decision and a sincere step of faith.

8. Romans 10:13 "For whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." Will you now call upon Jesus to save you from your sin so that you can know God's love and forgiveness?

Pray like this: “Father God, I know that I have broken Your laws and my sins
have separated me from You. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward You. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was raised from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.”

When anyone calls on the Lord in this manner, that one is saved according to the authority of God's Holy Word. If you prayed a prayer of repentance and faith, you are saved! You have God's Word on it.
If you have prayed this prayer to receive Christ as your Lord and Savior, why not record your decision to follow Jesus as follows. Often times, a good place to write this would be inside the cover of your Bible:

Believing by faith that God loves me and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sin and arise from the grave to live in me, I, _______, do this day,________, repent of my sin and accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. According to the promise of God in Romans 10:13, I have called upon His
name and have His word for the assurance of my salvation.

"Repent, and let every one of you be Baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)
If you decided to receive Jesus today, welcome to God's family. Now, as a way to grow closer to Him, the Bible tells us to follow up on our commitment.

* Get baptized as commanded by Christ. Talk to us…
* Tell someone else about your new faith in Christ.
* Spend time with God each day. It does not have to be a long period of time. Just develop the daily habit of praying to Him and reading His Word. Ask God to increase your faith and your understanding of the Bible.
* Seek fellowship with other followers of Jesus. Develop a group of believing friends to answer your questions and support you and be a support to them in accountability.
* Attend to a local church where you can worship God.

And Really Worship: O COME LET US ADORE HIM!
To see an example of a Roman Road in Pompeii click on:
Source: http://www.neep.net/photo/italy/show.php?3390

How 'they' see us...

It was Saturday evening when I thought of the idea to give the young people at IC something to do in helping them understand the message. I went to my favorite web site for making puzzles and made a handout with 27 words and names that I would use in the sermon that covered the topic of Missionary Era. Names like CT Studd and Charles Spurgeon and words like reaffirming and restoring. The longest was von Zinzendorf! (A prize to the first to tell me who that was!)

One of the young teens finished the puzzle fast and drew me! I am glad I wore a suit on Sunday. Is this how they see me? I wonder how those outside the church see us? Here I am standing behind the Cross. Do people see Jesus?

Interesting that Stephen even drew the reflection on the floor. Another question comes to mind: Do I reflect my Savior that well?

Good job on the sketching, Stephen!