Jesus – the Word

December 1, 2014

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14

They had studied the scrolls, listened to the Prophets and heard the stories since their childhood.  Fathers passed along the message to the children.  The boys would study wanting to be a Pharisee.  The law had been given to Moses and had provided their structure and guided them over thousands of years.  The Romans had taken over in the lands of their fathers and pressed down upon them with taxes and laws of another kingdom.  They were looking for a King who would stand up for them, protect them and lead them.  They were looking for their Messiah.

If Jesus walked through the mall this week, would you know Him?
Many have come over the last 2000 years claiming to be the Messiah, the Way, the Chosen of God.  Millions have followed these people and still do to this day.  Why do you believe that you know who Jesus Christ is?  How would you know Him in the mall, in your church, in your place of work or in your school?

There are thousands of recorded examples in the last year of individuals seeing Jesus Christ face to face.  Many are of the Muslim faith, many are of the Taoism or Chinese Religion, many are of the Jewish faith and even many agnostic and atheists.  The stories are similar though.  “Jesus came to me in a dream, healed me, gave me love and a better understanding of God the Father.”  You can look it up, Google it, Bing it, do a little bit of research.  Are they making it up or is Jesus Christ actually appearing to these individuals one by one?

So what does this mean to you and me?  Do we really know Jesus?  Do we have a relationship with the Savior of the World, or do we have an arrangement of convenience?  You have a relationship with your spouse (if your married), your parents, your siblings, your children and your friends.  You could spot any of them walking through the mall or on a busy street, because you know them. You intimately know their characteristics, their behaviors, their style and their personality.  You are not confused when you see them, wondering if it is really them or not.

This relationship is just as important with Jesus as it is with the loved ones around you, if not more so.  But, a relationship is more than a cursory knowledge of someone, it takes effort, intent and desire on your part to want to know the other person.  It’s easy with another person, because you can meet them, have a cup of coffee, go for a walk and share your thoughts & feelings and vice versa.  You bond with another through spending time together.  Likewise, if you really want to know Jesus Christ, you need to spend time together.  It’s not a suggestion, it’s a mandate, to understanding and loving the Lord of your life, the King of Kings and Savior of the world.

John the Baptist knew Jesus was the Messiah without ever meeting Him.  The disciples knew Jesus was the Messiah when He called them to follow Him, having never met Him.  The Pharisees, Sadducees and Priests of that day denied He was the Messiah, because they were looking for royalty, for a stately King like David, Solomon and Saul from their past.  They missed the one true Messiah when He appeared.  Who are you looking for, and will you also miss Him when He appears?

Let this Christmas be a season of reflection, study and strengthening your relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Do not grow weary for there is no greater relationship you could obtain than this.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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Fundamental Truth – Immaculate Conception

November 17, 2014

“The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” – Luke 1:35

They say she was raped.  They say she was covering up an out of wedlock pregnancy.  They abandoned her, attempted to kill her.  They say she lied.  Take away the miraculous conception within Mary and the story falls apart.  For without the conception being perfect, holy and righteous; there is no Messiah, no Savior, no Deity. 

I have friends of the Islamic religion and they cannot, nor will even attempt to believe that a holy God would pro-create with a human.  This fundamental reason prevents them from accepting Jesus Christ as a Messiah and Savior, but more as a Prophet and Spiritual Leader.  I believe God, the Holy Spirit, conceived within Mary a Holy and perfect child. In doing so he broke the chain of sin in the world and provided a way by which all sin could be redeemed.  For without accepting the Immaculate Conception, the Christ-child cannot be perfect and holy.
 
You see mankind is sinful, all the way back to Adam and Eve.  Upon conception each new child born since then has likewise been sinful as the sperm fertilizes the egg with the chromosomes, DNA and blood of the father.  This blood comes from a sinful man, into a sinful woman, and therefore the fertilized egg is also sinful.

God, coming upon the virgin woman, through the Holy Spirit, conceived within her a child of holiness from the Father and thereby washing away the sinful nature of her past.  As the baby is born, it is born 100% Holy, Righteous and Perfect.  Through His life, He lives perfectly in alignment with God, the Father, unlike Adam; or any other human being up to that point.  It is because of this perfect Holy creation that Jesus Christ could become the Lamb of God, and the sacrifice for our sins.  I do not believe that the story of Mary’s incarnation is just a story made up for us to feel good, it is part of God’s miraculous path of salvation and a key to His holy plan of salvation.

Why would we question the authority of God to do whatever He chooses to do?  He is omnipotent and sovereign and all powerful.  There is nothing beyond His capability.  Right?

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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2014 – A Year for Sharing

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.  Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.  Relent, Lord! How long will it be?  Have compassion on your servants”  - Psalm 90:11-13

We will all end up 6 feet under.  You cannot avoid this fact, nor determine the time and location.  Be you a child, a teen, a college student, a young adult or a mature adult; your day is coming and the boat, house, car, TV, bike, bank account or color of your AMEX is going to change that fact.  Once it has come, your choice on eternal destiny is completed.  We look back at 2013 and mourn over those who passed away.  We mourn for our emotional loss, but have you considered that their eternal fate has now been sealed until the time of judgment and reconciliation.  You read the news of famous individuals that have passed away and feel sad that you will no longer see them on the “big screen”, speaking or singing from the stage, or even those who have entertained us through our televisions each week. 

We idolized them and held them on high while they were alive, and we mourn them now that they have died; but have you ever considered their eternal fate?  We will never know the truth of their relationship with Jesus Christ, the Savior and Lord, the Redeemer of our soul, the Son of God the Father.  We do not want to think about the fact that many of those who have passed away did not have this relationship and therefore have set a path for an eternity in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15). We believe that they lived a good life and were nice, compassionate and charitable to those around them, and therefore they must be going to heaven.  WRONG.

Just because someone is loving, peaceful, compassionate and honest, does not in any way redeem the sin they have experienced in their life.  Good works cannot overcome the fact that we are all sinful.  Good works are just that – good works.  Often times they benefit others in a very positive manner, but have no redemptive capability.  God demands perfection and sinlessness to enter into heaven.  The sin that is born into every man must be redeemed and reconciled before he is capable of entering into God’s eternal presence.  Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit in the womb of a virgin.  He was born without sin and lived a sinless life.  The blood that flowed through His veins was perfect from the Father above.  Therefore, His death on Calvary became the perfect blood sacrifice for mankind’s sin.  He was buried and rose again on the third day, resurrected from the grave to sit at the right hand of the Father.  He now mediates on your behalf to present you as a perfect son or daughter of the King, so that your sins are washed away, and you too may be resurrected from the grave on judgment day.

If one does not believe on Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, they are refusing His redeeming grace and taking the chance that they alone can live a life good enough to achieve redemption and entrance into God’s perfect eternal presence.  They will be sorely mistaken on judgment day when the Father casts them into the lake of fire.  As it is written in John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”  There is no other way into heaven, none.  Despite what man might say, God has spoken and stated the truth clearly.  Mankind will try to overrule God’s word to make it fit their desires and comfort, but it does not make it so.  Do not mourn for those that have passed away, for they have set their eternal plans in place.  Mourn for those who are your neighbor and have not accepted Jesus Christ, for they are destined for an eternity in Hell.  These are the ones who still have an opportunity for a glorious eternal life with the Savior. 

This is my hope for you and those you are able to reach in 2014.  Make this year a year of sharing His word and truth with your loved ones and your friends.  If you truly care for them while on this earth, than you should care even more for their eternal life.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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Oh Come, Oh Come Immanuel

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the virgin is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.”   – Isaiah 7:14

In Latin, the text was “Veni, Veni  Emmanuel” and it has been recorded and sung by dozens of artists since it’s origins in the mid 19^th century.  The lyrics of this Christmas Carol are hauntingly true over time as we cry out for our Savior to return.  Even before the days of the early Christian church the people of Israel would cry out to the Lord these very words.  The longing for Messiah was felt throughout Judea and the Jewish nations then and continues unto this very day.

I listen to this carol and my heart goes out to those who are in search of Immanuel.  Sent by God to save His people from their sins, as recorded in Matthew 1:21.  I truly believe that most people realize that this world is temporary and there is a greater Kingdom beyond what we see.  People are seeking something that is tangible, something that can be seen and touched and experienced.  They grasp onto whatever is trendy and in line with their lifestyle and convictions at any given moment.  What God sent in the man of Jesus Christ, was Immanuel.  Yet God’s plan of redemption through the sacrifice of this lamb for the sins of all mankind does not align with the understanding, logic and expectations of most people.  The desire is there to believe, but the understanding is not, most people struggle with the concept of God’s grace and love.  The world’s view is confused and generally unaccepting of Immanuel, because it requires faith in something intangible. 

Do we hear people in the street crying out for Immanuel these days?  In certain cultures and parts of the globe the answer is an absolute yes.  Are they calling out for the same reason and desperation that Israel had been calling out in 1^st century B.C.?  Yes, in some parts of the world they are desperate for God to save them from oppression, poverty, war and sickness.  Many of the Jewish faith continue to call out to God for Immanuel to come and save them.  Through their strife over centuries, the holocaust and  the historical and continuing wars over their land, they have endured upon the hope that God will send Immanuel to save them.  This prophetic verse is held close to the heart of many Jewish faithful as well as the Christian faithful.  We both long for the Messiah to come and usher us into heaven’s peace, love and glory.  As you hear this song through this advent season, lift up your prayers for the lost in the world, for your Jewish brethren and for God’s return.

Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Prayer:Loving Father,
in Your prophetic scriptures You have spoken to us about Immanuel.  We acknowledge the presence of Jesus Christ as Your deliverance and salvation by Your grace through His death and resurrection.  We thank You for providing a plan of redemption through the sacrifice of Your perfect spotless lamb.  Help us to be a light to others that they might also see Jesus Christ as Immanuel, Your presence with us.  In Your name we pray - Amen

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
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