Look and Live

March 10, 2013 “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert (on a pole), so it is necessary that the Son of Man be lifted up on the cross” (John 3:14). The eye is a marvelous creation. It is an amazingly complex organ. A healthy eye can see for great distances yet see a tiny needle point. I have never been without any of my five senses but if I had a choice I think my sight would be the last one I would give up. Helen Keller, who was born deaf and blind, said she would rather hear than see. Maybe she said this because she had never experienced either and just didn’t know the thrill of seeing a baby and his smile of recognition. She never experienced the exhilaration of inhaling with your eyes the beauty of the woodlands and mountains in the autumn when the trees are wrapped in their golds, reds, yellows, scarlets and oranges. She never saw the grandeur of snow-capped mountains pasted on the horizon and framed with the azure blue sky. Nor did she ever see a western sky emblazoned with a sunset on the plains. As I am writing this we are traveling to the hill country to see our grandchildren. The hills and fields are already covered with wildflowers. How wonderful to be able to see them. I thank the Lord every day when I wake and look out my window at the wildlife eating or frolicking down by the lake or the bluebirds, chickadees and wrens building their nests for their soon-coming families. I am thankful I can watch the trees, flowers and grass come alive in the spring. But I am most thankful that I can hold, read, study and meditate on God’s Word with Its answers to all my questions, It’s encouragement and comfort, It’s Truth in every word. Because I have seen It with my own eyes and when I drink in Its Truth in every word and on every page, and then believe It and act on It – It changes me! I realize a blind person can read a Braille Bible and receive the same Truth, but I can’t help but think that being able to carry or pick up God’s Word and enjoy feasting on its Truth anytime and any place, is a glorious gift. Our spiritual eyes are even more amazing than our physical eyes. With our spiritual eyes we can hear as well as see spiritual things. Several times when Jesus was teaching he said, “He that has ears let him hear.” He was not speaking of the auditory receptors on the sides of our head but the spiritual (ears)eyes that grasp the Truth that Jesus spoke and accept it and apply it to our lives. Through the spiritual eyes and ears we can understand spiritual Truth, but only if we have accepted Jesus, and then we have the Holy Spirit to open our spiritual eyes. Before Jesus was living within us we were spiritually blind and were in darkness and could not see nor understand the Truth. Truth is Light – It illuminates our understanding. I have gone through two caves in my life. Both were so dark I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face, but once they turned on the light everything became clear and my sense of direction was returned. I have thought this must be how being blind is – you cannot see anything. I have known of blind people who had been blind from birth due to damaged nerves, etc. But through modern day medical science they were able to have surgery and, oh, the wonder of it all, when the doctors removed the bandages in a lighted room, they were able to see! I cannot imagine the indescribable thrill of seeing for the first time – they seemed to be born again! This is what happens when we are “born again,” we have spiritual surgery and our spiritual eyes are opened, we have new eyes and we can truly see – all things are new! Oh, the wonder of it all! Old things become new, we are new creations (II Cor.5:17). I have heard some who had just been “born again” say, “All of creation looked more beautiful. Colors became more vivid and everything became precious.” Numbers twenty one tells of how the Children of Israel had sinned by grumbling at the Lord’s provision so God sent “fiery serpents” to bite them and many died. The people confessed their sin and asked Moses to pray to God for relief. God told Moses to make a fiery serpent of bronze and set it up on a pole, and all who would look at the serpent would live (Num.21:5-8). Those who looked, lived. In John 3:14-15 God is saying the same thing, “Jesus, the Savior, had to be lifted up on a cross to buy our salvation, and all who would “look” (believe and trust) would live eternally!" We are given new eyes so we can see this Truth eternally. We see that spiritual death and darkness were replaced with new life and light. We now can see clearly that Jesus is our only Savior, we now see who our enemy is, Satan, the prince of darkness. Now we see that we are not living in spiritual darkness but in the glorious light of Jesus. Jesus offers to all of us an invitation to come to the cross, and to look and live. His word is “come” and His only requirement to receive His eternal life, is faith. His invitation is to “whosoever will – whosoever desires.” No one comes to the foot of the cross if they do not desire to be there and look so they can live. At this Easter season, if you desire to “come to the cross,” spiritually, and look and live, Jesus is waiting to give you a new life and new eyes to see the Truth. Just ask Jesus to open your eyes as you trust in Him. Look and Live William Ogden I’ve a message from the Lord, hallelujah! The message unto you I’ll give; ‘Tis recorded in His Word, hallelujah! It is only that you “look and live.” Life is offered unto you, hallelujah! Eternal life your soul shall have, If you’ll only look to Him, hallelujah! Look to Jesus who alone can save. Chorus: Look and live, my brother, live! Look to Jesus now and live; ‘Tis recorded in His Word, hallelujah! It is only that you “look and live.”

Casting

February 25, 2013 Casting the whole of your anxieties, worries or concerns, once and for all, on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” (I Peter 5:7) From my window we look down the hill to our little cove on which we live. It is full of wildlife, on the land and in the water. We so enjoy watching the blue and white herons fishing with their long bills, from the bank and sometimes they get in the water (they must be dog-paddling). There is a big hawk that will sit very quietly on a branch of one of the trees close to the water or a “snag” where he watches the water for a “meal.” When his keen eyes spot his desired catch swimming too close to the top of the water, he quick as lightning, streaks down and with his strong talons pulls it out of the water, then off to share his catch with some babies waiting or just enjoy his success by himself. When our great-grandchildren come they love to fish, casting their lines from the bank. Oh, the joy they have when they catch a fish, big or little. Our two great-granddaughters came for a visit just before Christmas. The weather was beautiful and everything was optimal for two little girls and their stepdad and Papa to go fishing. Poles, lines, hooks and bait were all assembled and excitement was running high. They had been promised a fish dinner if they caught enough suitable sized fish. The problem at first was in casting, because these little girls were still too close to the ground, and their arms too short to be coordinated and still being novices to effectively and safely get that hook, with the bait, in the water instead of in the grass or someone’s skin. All these two little ones had was a cane pole, line, hook with bait and a lot of hope. Such as they had they used to give it their all. With a little “on the job training” They cast, with faith, and they caught (not many, but enough to satisfy their hope). In Mark 1:16, it tells of Jesus walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee and saw two fishermen brothers casting their net (what they had – an act of faith) into the water to catch fish. Mark 10:46-52 gives the account of a blind man casting off his coat and running to receive his healing. Because the blind man threw away every encumbrance he received his sight. The act of casting and throwing away everything that would stop him was an act of faith that brought results – his sight. We, also, need only to cry out in faith to Jesus in our distress, cast off our cares onto Him and He will take care of them all – then He will sustain us and never let us fall (Ps.55:22). You have seen pictures of people in slavery and in concentration camps who had to carry tremendous and overwhelming burdens. Picture a strong giant coming alongside of them and offering to carry their crushing burdens. What a relief and comfort that would be! Know that we have such a “giant” – Jesus. He asks and invites us to roll our all of our burdens off our proverbial backs onto His. He is El Elyon – “The strongest strong One.” He will care (carry) for us. Our grandchildren knew the only way to catch a fish was they had to cast and let go of all they had, the line, hook and bait, then wait on the fish to bite. If they never cast their hooks into the water, they would never catch a fish. In the same way, if we never cast our burdens onto Jesus’ strong back and trust Him with everything, we will never receive our answer – peace, joy and resolution. Remember, He is the One Who took all our sins and burdens at the cross. He is the eternal, faithful, all powerful, all knowing, all loving Father God, Who knows, cares and is able to do abundantly above all we could imagine, because of the power of the Holy Spirit that is working within us (Eph.3:20). So what are you waiting on? He has invited you and is waiting for you to cast. Cast all your cares on Him because He loves you and wants to carry your burdens and problems and work them out for your good (Rom.8:28). I Cast All My Care Upon You BenjieLyn Hemphill I will cast all my cares upon You, I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet. And any time I don’t know what to do, I will cast all my cares upon You!

Dissecting Psalm 23

February 21, 2013 Of all the promises and scriptures in the Bible the twenty third Psalm is the most all inclusive, encouraging and hopeful of any that I know. How powerful and meaningful is every word. “The” indicates there is one and only Lord, not one among many. “The Lord” comes from the Hebrew name, YHWY, Who is the sovereign of the universe. This Lord is my shepherd. “Is,” means a present and forever relationship, and indicates ownership. Is my shepherd. My good shepherd loves me as an individual. He guards me and protects me. He nourishes me and surrounds me with goodness. He is my provider of everything beneficial that I need (spirit, soul, & body). He makes me lie down in green pastures; with provision so appealing that I must rest and luxuriate in it. As I am spiritually thirsty, He leads me to the quiet and peaceful water that satisfies my spiritual thirst with Himself – “the Living Water.” When beaten down with “life” He restores my soul with hope and joy in Him. He guides me in paths that are right and good, not because I deserve it but because of His grace, love, mercy and for His name’s sake. His name is Jehovah Tsidkenu, our righteousness. He will never lead me in a wrong path. When I walk through the deep, shadowy valley of death, and when I am in peril, either physically or spiritually, I will not fear any evil, adversity or affliction because You are with me, (my Provider, Protector and Healer - that’s my Shepherd). Your rod (walking stick), which disciplines me in the way I should go, and Your staff of support keeps me from falling, when I lean on it. Both give me strength and wisdom to be trained by them. These bring me much comfort. My Shepherd prepares for me a table of abundance of peace, joy and security right in the midst of my enemies (all who would want to do me wrong or harm). He heaps His blessings on me even when my enemies are trying to destroy me. Surely, Your goodness and mercy will follow me, when I am in the right path, all the days of my life, and I will live in Your presence forever. So you see, I shall not want for anything because My Shepherd’s sufficiency is more than enough! (lightfrommywindow.blogspot.com)

Prayer For The Hurting

February 20, 2013 So much has been written about prayer that it seems useless to reiterate what so many have already said, but I had a call from one of my sister-in-laws who has physically hurt for so many years and the pain is getting progressively worse. She has consulted several doctors and is planning to go to another specialist for advice. The pain has disabled her to the point of hardly being able to walk, and she has requested prayer from family and friends for months. Why has she not been healed? (James 5:16) We all ask ourselves questions: 1) Do we not have enough faith? 2) Does God not care? 3) Is God not able to heal today? 4) If God is able and if He cares, why does He not heal now? 5) Will God keep His promises? Satan, our deceiver, brings all kinds of questions, doubts and fears to our minds to discredit God when we are in the throes of any kind of hurt. He accuses us of having “little faith,” but remember the story in the Bible when a father brought his son with a “dumb” spirit to Jesus to be healed. The father asked if Jesus could do anything, to which He replied, “All things are possible to him who believe.” The father responded with, “Lord, I believe but help my weakness of faith.” Jesus did heal the son (Mark 9:17-28). So how do we get more faith to believe for “all things?” Romans 10:17 tells us that, “faith comes by hearing what is told, and what is heard comes by the preaching of the message that came from the lips of Christ, the Messiah Himself” (Amp.). So we can answer question (5) with a resounding “yes!” He does keep His promises! “He is not like man that He would tell or act a lie” (Numbers 23:19). You see He is “YHWY, ELOHIM, the strong, faithful, covenant keeping God, and He Who promised is reliable and faithful to His Word” (Heb.10:21-23). Yes, God still heals today, “He is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Heb.13:8). He never changes (Mal.3:6). His Word never changes, “Heaven and earth may pass away but My Word will never pass away” (Matt.24:35). Nothing can stand against His Word. God Himself said that His Word is like fire that consumes all that cannot endure the test and like a hammer that breaks in pieces the rock of most stubborn resistance” (Jer.23:29). So pray the Word, repeat God’s promises back to Him, while giving thanks for answering. “God is merciful and kind and loves each of His children with an everlasting love; and His faithfulness and Truth endures to all generations” (Psalm 100:5). Yes God cares! So, we might ask, “Why doesn’t He heal me now when I am praying and trying to believe?” God’s thoughts and ways are not the way we think or would do things (Isa.55:8). His ways are so far above ours. We don’t understand His ways and His timing, but He is always on time and we must remember, “He makes all things beautiful in His time” (Eccl.3:11; II Chr.20:14-25). We must also trust Him to do His work not only in our lives but in the lives of all those who are observing our situation, our response to God’s promises and timing and our steadfast trust in a God Who will either heal us now (sometimes with the help of doctors and medications), or says to “wait” for His perfect time. Sometimes He gets more glory from perfecting our patience, hope and trust in Him while walking with us through our dark valley of testing (I Cor.10:13). His perfect time for our healing may be when we get to heaven - then we will have the perfect healing. Whether He heals us now or then I have found if we will praise Him for Who He is and thank Him “in” and “for” all things (I Thess.5:18; Eph.5:20; Ps.119:71) we can have “joy unspeakable and full of glory.” We just had a good friend die after two years of battling cancer, and we prayed all the two years. We saw some healings along the way and lived in hope of complete healing, but the Lord knew best. I never heard her say a negative or doubtful word about her condition but was always full of joy that God had kept her until then. She raised and bred sheep and trained her dogs to be sheep dogs. After she died, her husband expressed his trust in the Lord to have done what was best. He remarked to us that, “Jesus needed another shepherd up there with Him.” His response of praise and even joy toward the Lord for taking his wife Home has been such a strong witness of God’s keeping power through the greatest tribulation he would ever go through. Praising God in the middle of our “testing” will change us and grow our faith, and will change others who are watching. There was a song we had sung at our daughter-in-law’s memorial service that I think sums up what I have been trying to say. It is: When We Can’t Trace His Hand, Trust His Heart (Babbie Mason) All things work for our good Though sometimes we can't See how they could, Struggles that break our hearts in two Sometimes blind us to the truth. Our Father knows what's best for us His ways are not our own. So when your pathway grows dim And you just can't see Him, Remember you're never alone. Chorus: God is too wise to be mistaken, God is too good to be unkind. So when you don't understand, When don't see His plan, When you can't trace His hand, Trust His Heart He sees the master plan, He holds the future in His hand, So don't live as those who have no hope, All our hope is found in Him. We see the present clearly, But He sees the first and last. And like a tapestry He's weaving you and me, To someday be just like Him. Chorus: He alone is faithful and true, He alone knows what is best for you. When you don't understand, When you don't see His plan, When you don't understand, When you can't trace His hand, Trust His Heart.

Did I Hear A Shout And A Trumpet?

February 4, 2013 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first.”(I Thessalonians 4:16 (Amp.) Every day I wake up to a fresh realization that we are one day closer to the coming of Christ. The Word tells us to watch and wait. It also gives us hints as what to look for when Christ comes to catch us up. Tonight I hope it is this night, and tomorrow I will wake hoping it is that day, etc. The above scripture tells us how this rapture (catching up) will happen. Paul is writing to the Thessalonians to enlighten them about questions they had about Christ’s return for believers. In verses 13-17 of the fourth chapter of First Thessalonians, Paul tells believers not to grieve for those who die in Christ as those grieve who have no hope beyond the grave. Believers should know that even as Jesus died and rose again, even so when Christ returns for us, those who have died in Christ will be raised first to newness of life and precede us that are still living on earth. This is how it will happen: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life will rise first. Then we the living ones who remain on the earth, shall simultaneously be caught up along with the resurrected dead in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always through the eternity of the eternities we shall be with the Lord” (vs.16 & 17). So there is going to be a great delegation of believers who will meet Jesus in the air. I John 3:2 says that when we as God’s children see Him we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He really is. “The Lord Himself will ascend from heaven with a loud shout…” Have you ever speculated on what He will be shouting? I think He will be shouting, “Come on home, children! Come on up with Me! This is your homecoming. THIS IS THE DAY OF THE LORD!” I Corinthians 15:52 Paul tells us that this rapture will happen in “a twinkling of an eye.” I read somewhere that a twinkle of the eye was 1/50th of a second. What a mystery that is, because Revelation 1:7 tells us that every eye will see Him, even those who pierced (hurt and rejected) Him, and all peoples of the earth will look on Him and mourn and lament over Him (because they had rejected Him when they had opportunities to accept). What a wonderful day that will be for the believer, the day for which we are all looking! But for those who have rejected the One Who loves them and died for them so they could live with Him forever, it will be a sad and terrible day (I Thessalonians 1:10). Are you listening for the shout and the trumpet? What A Day That Will Be! Jim Hill “What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see, and I look upon His face - the One Who saved me by His grace. When he takes me by the hand and leads me thru the promised land, what a day, what a day that will be.”

The Unique Word of God

Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, and for training in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose and action. (II Timothy 3:16 Amp.) To be unique is “to exist in only one known example – the only one, sole, peerless, matchless, incomparable, unprecedented, unequaled.” Every normal person is like many others in some ways – we are conceived and born in the same way; we have the same physical features such as: two arms, legs, eyes, ears and etc. But we are also unique in many ways – biological make-up, such as our DNA, our fingerprints and the irises of our eyes. And we have unique life experiences, relationships and etc. But the most unique one to ever live was Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He was unique in ways that no other is unique. No other who has been or will be born had an immaculate conception (virgin birth), lived a sinless life, Who was, and is, and always will be, the only Savior of the world. Even Jesus Christ’s Words were unique. “No mere man has ever spoken as He speaks” (Jn.7:46). Jesus was the “Divine Expression” of the Father - His Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself (Jn.1:1), the “Everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6). And this Word was made flesh and dwells among us as told in scripture (God’s Word) All scripture was Spirit breathed into and through man and translated into different languages. This infallible Scripture is our Bible – God’s Word. As E. MacLelland said it, “It is profitable to tell us what is right; it is profitable to reprove us and tell us what is not right; and it is profitable for correction to tell us how to get right; and it is profitable for instruction in righteousness, to tell us how to keep right.” Is it any wonder that David proclaimed in Psalm 119:11, “I will hide Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” We too must read It, meditate on It and then obey It because, “It is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe” (Rom.1:29). It is the Good News (the gospel)! So we must eat It, digest It and let It give us strength and wisdom to walk with God with clean hands and a pure heart. How unique a Word is that? God’s Word is unique in that when God speaks it is like when it rains and snows and waters the earth and causes it to sprout, then grow and brings a harvest for seed to plant again and for making bread to eat. God’s Word that goes out from His mouth will never return to Him useless without accomplishing the effect He desired – It will always prosper in the purpose for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:10-11). As we read God’s Word, meditate on and accept It’s Truth, then act on that Truth, It is powerful and will change us for good – our thoughts, words and actions and gives us a new heart and life. What other book can do all those things? The Bible (God’s Word) is the biggest “best seller in history” – why? Because God’s Word is eternal (Matt.24:35) and ever living (I Pet.1:23). God’s powerful Word created the heaven and earth and all that is in it (II Pet.3:5). Heaven and earth will someday pass away but God’s Word will never pass away – it is eternal. Many have tried to destroy the Bible, but because It is Truth (God’s Word) it can’t be destroyed. One of the Truths out of God’s Word is that Jesus is the True and only way to be saved from eternal destruction (Acts 4:12; John 3:16) and through His name, and all that It means – “Savior, Master, Lord.” The physical may be destroyed but the Truth of the Holy Bible will live on forever. The Truth of that unique book is free (Rev.22:17) – salvation, freedom from the bondage of sin, abundant life here and now, hope of eternal life and God’s everlasting love for us, all free. Excerpts from God’s Word are written on our government buildings and were the foundation of our U.S. constitution – from no other book. Now they want to remove those writings. It won't matter how much of this unique book they remove or destroy, the Truth of God's Word will never pass away! David Jeremiah encouraged us to look at the uniqueness of this Word of God, “The Bible was written in sixty six installments over a period of 1600 years in three languages on three continents. It has more than forty authors from all walks of life, writing under diverse conditions, and writing on hundreds of controversial topics. Yet it all fits together, seamlessly and without error or contradiction. When we hold the Bible in our hands, we aren’t holding an anthology or a bundle of scattered and miscellaneous thoughts. We’re holding one comprehensive, cohesive volume with a logical beginning and ending, telling us one story centered around one person – Jesus Christ. It’s as though a Master Author was behind it all, which there was. When we hear someone attack the Bible, we shouldn’t be too alarmed. The Bible has a habit of outliving all its critics.” This unique Book even tells us of Jesus’ unique death. For example; 1) no one could take His life – after completing the work the Father had sent Him to do, He chose to die then He dismissed His own spirit. “I lay down my own life; no one takes it away from Me. On the contrary, I lay it down voluntarily. I am authorized and have power to take it back again. These are the instructions which I have received as my charge from My Father” (Jn.10:17-18; 19:30). 2) His death was unique in the fact that it was “substitutionary” – He died for all so all could be offered eternal life. Some could offer their life for another so that one could live, but no one could offer eternal life (Col.1:14; 20-22). 3) His death was temporary in that on the third day he rose victoriously from the dead, in due time ascended into heaven to sit forever at the right hand of God the Father, forever to intercede for us (Rom.8:34). What a Word! What a God! How incomprehensibly unique! I have thought it was interesting why in Psalm 138:2; God magnified His Word above His Name. It think it is because all of God’s names are descriptive of the different facets of God’s character, but God’s Word is alive and full of power, making It active, operative, energizing and effective. It is like a two-edged sword, penetrating and dividing our very soul (mind, will and emotions) from our spirit (the deepest part of our nature), exposing, sifting, analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of our hearts (Heb.4:12). When God speaks things happen. He speaks the will and purposes of His heart, and will not return to Him without changing whatever He purposes to change (Isaiah 55:ll). What other book can claim this? How unique! Standing on the promises that cannot fail when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail; by the living Word of God I shall prevail - standing on the promises of God. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord, bound to Him eternally by love's strong cord, overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword - standing on the promises of God. (R. Kelso Carter)

"P" - "Precise Prince of Peace"

December 15, 2011 “He is the sole expression of the glory of God and He is the precise imprint and very image of God’s nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high. (Hebrews 1:3) Precise - this may sound like a strange word to use for an Advent writing, but our pastor used this word in a sermon and I immediately began to think of other words having to do with Advent that this adjective, “precise,” would describe. Webster says to be precise is to be “decisive, well defined, accurate, exact, inflexible and uncompromising.” What a wonderful adjective to describe Jehovah God, He is precise. He is decisive and uncompromising, He is the immutable God – He never changes. He has a precise plan for our salvation. That precise plan was for His Son to be born of a virgin, live as a man and die as our Savior, and send the Holy Spirit to live in us & empower us. Jesus never waivered nor was compromising from this precise plan. Jesus was the precise Person and precise Provision that would fulfill the precise plan, just at the precise time. The Father knew that man must have a perfect (exact, without a flaw) sacrifice for man’s sins. Jesus was the only perfect and precise Person that could satisfy God’s requirement for a holy sacrifice and bring us perfect restoration to man. The Father had a precise purpose, which was to pick us out for Himself in Christ, before the foundation of the world, and for us to be set apart and blameless in His sight, and be adopted as His own children through Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:4-6). His precise purpose was to give us peace, joy, healing, hope and all we could ask for, all of which comes to us by our salvation. The climax of God’s precise purpose was in the maturity of time to unify all things and consummate them in Christ, both things in heaven and on earth. In Christ we obtained an inheritance in accordance to His precise purpose, Who works out everything. God’s precise purpose was for those who had relied on Him to be stamped with the seal of the precisely promised Holy Spirit and all the gifts that He has for us (Eph.1:6-14). The Father’s precise purpose and plan was also that His Son would come to us as the Prince of Peace. “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called….”Prince of Peace” (Isa.9:6). A prince is the son of a king. Jesus was born into humanity as the “Prince of Peace, the Son of God.” He would some day be King Jesus – King of kings. But from being “Prince” to “King” Jesus had to do a lot of living as a human. He was tempted with all kinds of sins, like all humans are, but without falling into sin. Have you ever thought when Jesus was a child if He ever bickered and argued in anger like all other children do? Did He tell those childish “little white lies?” Did He disobey His parents and was He selfish and even at times was He hateful like other children – after all, He was human? The answer is no to all these sins – He was sinless from birth. Although He was born into a human body, He was born the God-man. Although human He retained His holiness (purity, separation from sin). The whole concept of the truth of Christ’s incarnation is incomprehensible to us. He was the first and the last sinless human. For this reason we can trust Him to cleanse us from all our sinfulness, to live in us and give us a perfect heart. He came as a Prince (Son) to bring peace to us who, because we were born “children of wrath” (born with a sin nature) and thus we have been at war with the Holy Father. There is no peace, nor rest like having the “war” ended. Only by accepting this “Prince of Peace” can we ever truly know peace of mind and heart. Jesus came as the Prince of Peace but having done His “work” for our peace, He now sits as the King of kings with the Father and desires that we rule and reign with Him in His kingdom of Peace. Wonderful Peace W.D. Cornell Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight rolls a melody sweeter than psalm; In celestial-like strains it unceasingly falls o’er my soul like an infinite calm. What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace buried deep in the heart of my soul, So secure that no power can mine it away while the years of eternity roll. I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace, resting sweetly in Jesus’ control, And I’m kept from all danger by night and by day – now His glory is flooding my soul. And I know when I rise to that city of peace where the Author of peace I shall see, That one of the anthems the ransomed will sing in that heavenly kingdom shall be: Peace! Peace! Wonderful peace, coming down from the Father above, Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray, in fathomless billows of love.