As He Is

He Was…

Isaiah 53:2 (KJV)
² For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

He Is…

1 John 3:2 (KJV)
² Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

1.    As He is. He is walking in majesty in the midst of the Churches. “…who walks among the seven golden lampstands” (Revelation 2:1).
As He was. He was seen in humiliation, and in the midst of two thieves, crucified. “There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them” (John 19:18).

2.    As He is. He is seen in garments of glory, representing the glory of His person. …clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest” (Revelation 1:13).
As He was. He was stripped of His garments, and made a spectacle to men, demons, and angels. “When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts” (John 19:23).

3.    As He is. His eyes are as flames of fire―reminding us of His all-seeingness. “His eyes were like a flame of fire” (Revelation 1:14).
As He was. Those eyes lost their brightness in death, and closed under the load of sin. “…and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30).

4.    As He is. His feet are as burning and polished brass―telling us of His durability and deity. “his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace” (Revelation 1:15).
As He was. Those feet were nailed to the Cross. “See my hands and my feet…” (Luke 24:39).

5.    As He is. His voice is as the sound of many waters, reminding us of the power of His word. “his voice was like the roar of many waters” (Revelation 1:15).
As He was. His voice was hushed in death. “…they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead…” (John 19:33).

6.    As He is. His hand is mighty to hold, and to help us. “In his right hand he held seven stars” (Revelation 1:16).
As He was. Those hands were pierced, and nailed to the accursed tree. “…they have pierced my hands and fee…” (Psalm 22:16).

7.    As He is. Out of His mouth, goes a sharp two-edged sword―telling us of His power to destroy His enemies. “…from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword…” (Revelation 1:16).
As He was. He opened not His mouth, but was smitten by the officer over the mouth. “…so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

8.    As He is. His face is as the sun shining in his strength. “his face was like the sun shining in full strength” (Revelation 1:16).
As He was. That face was marred, spit on, the hair plucked from, and the rude hand of man insulted. “As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance…” (Isaiah52:14).

Source:

http://blogs.blueletterbible.org/blb/

The Father's Influence or Lack Thereof

Even the world is noticing the effects of a fatherless home. Its impact on society is overwhelming while its burden on the economy is astronomical. As gloomy as these statistics are, what an opportunity for the church of Jesus Christ to rise and shine in the midst of a great darkness. Godly fathers today will stick out like the proverbial sore thumb. It’s a reproach we need to gladly bear as a torch to illuminate a living gospel.  

• 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (US Dept. Of Health/Census) – 5 times the average.

• 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes – 32 times the average.

• 85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average.  (Center for Disease Control)

• 80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes –14 times the average.  (Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26)

• 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes – 9 times the average.  (National Principals Association Report)

Father Factor in Education - Fatherless children are twice as likely to drop out of school.

• Children with Fathers who are involved are 40% less likely to repeat a grade in school.

• Children with Fathers who are involved are 70% less likely to drop out of school.

• Children with Fathers who are involved are more likely to get A’s in school.

• Children with Fathers who are involved are more likely to enjoy school and engage in extracurricular activities.

• 75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes – 10 times the average.

Look at the price daughters pay as a result of no father.

Daughters of single parents without a Father involved are 53% more likely to marry as teenagers, 711% more likely to have children as teenagers, 164% more likely to have a pre-marital birth and 92% more likely to get divorced themselves.

Adolescent girls raised in a 2 parent home with involved Fathers are significantly less likely to be sexually active than girls raised without involved Fathers.

• 43% of US children live without their father [US Department of Census]

• 90% of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes. [US D.H.H.S., Bureau of the Census]

• 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger come from fatherless homes. [Criminal Justice & Behaviour, Vol 14, pp. 403-26, 1978]

• 71% of pregnant teenagers lack a father. [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services press release, Friday, March 26, 1999]

• 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes. [US D.H.H.S., Bureau of the Census]

• 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes. [Center for Disease Control]

• 90% of adolescent repeat arsonists live with only their mother. [Wray Herbert, “Dousing the Kindlers,” Psychology Today, January, 1985, p. 28]

• 71% of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes. [National Principals Association Report on the State of High Schools]

• 75% of adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes. [Rainbows f for all God’s Children]

• 70% of juveniles in state operated institutions have no father. [US Department of Justice, Special Report, Sept. 1988]

• 85% of youths in prisons grew up in a fatherless home. [Fulton County Georgia jail populations, Texas Department of Corrections, 1992]

• Fatherless boys and girls are: twice as likely to drop out of high school; twice as likely to end up in jail; four times more likely to need help for emotional or behavioral problems. [US D.H.H.S. news release, March 26, 1999] – Source: http://thefatherlessgeneration.wordpress.com/statistics/

Sobering isn’t it? For those who think a father is not needed in the home or thinks his role is defined by Hollywood sitcoms – better think again and start living in the real world!

Who is defining the Word?

1 John 4:16 (KJV)
¹⁶ And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

You will hear people such as homosexuals quote this phrase “God is love” in an attempt to qualify their behavior as God accepted. The problem lies in the definition of terms and phrases in the bible being redefined by unqualified people who are attempting to twist scripture to propagate their own agenda.  They define love as being tolerant of their behavior without any pointing out of its errant lifestyle according to the Word. In their view, I as a Christian, am to love them meaning I am to accept them and treat them nicely and not mention their sin as such. However, biblical love will look at that person and confront their sin – not with the attitude of satisfaction in finding fault with them. It is looking at them with compassion not being able to bear the thought that they could spend eternity in Hell, and as a result I warn them of their sin due to my true love for them. Jesus loved people enough to confront their sin. When reading the account of the Samaritan woman in John 4, we will read that before she could be free, he had to expose her sin. Once he confronted her sin, she became a liberated woman. Whose definition of love am I going to believe – the bible’s or…?

True Christianity

Reading this today and thought how true and how fooled many are today. Christianity is more than mere lip service and church membership but a lifestyle!

1 John 4:15 (KJV)
¹⁵ Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

[confess that Jesus is the Son of God] Much stress was laid upon this in the early church, because the Jews and many Gentile false teachers denied the reality of the incarnation. If one in those days accepted this, Christ's physical death to atone for sins, and the physical resurrection of Christ, he would likely accept Jesus as personal Savior. But in our day when Christianity is the accepted religion in our country such confession of Jesus as Son of God has become a mere form in many circles. People think that because they acknowledge this fact in public they are saved from sin and are true Christians. One can do this mentally and verbally many times a day without having a change in his life. One must believe from the heart as well as confess with the mouth (Rom. 10:9-10). If and when one does this he will be made a new creature in Jesus Christ (1Jn. 5:1; 2Cor. 5:17). True New Testament confession includes complete surrender of the life to God and consecration regarding future conduct that it will be according to the whole will of God as light is received (1Jn. 1:7-9; 2Cor. 7:10; Rom. 12:1-2).  - Dake's Annotated Reference Bible.