ENTERING THE NEW YEAR WITH CONFIDENCE....

             ENTERING THE NEW YEAR WITH CONFIDENCE

PROVERBS 28:1 DECLARES, “The wicked flee when no man pursueth:
but the righteous are bold as a lion.”

   NOT “BOLD” in the sense of “brash” “impudent” or “crudely forward.” But rather, as the Hebrew word denotes, “BOLD” as in “confident” or as seen in those with “strength of purpose.”

WHO ARE THE CONFIDENT ONES?

The text says “the righteous” are such.

Both those who are positionally righteous IN Christ Jesus (made such at salvation), and, those believers who day by day are becoming righteous BY Christ Jesus.

1.     Believers IN Jesus Christ ARE righteous, the righteousness of God imputed to them at salvation.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

2.     Believers in every day practice are becoming more and more righteous BY Jesus Christ.

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. ¹³ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:12-14).

*THE BLESSED TRUTHS OF SALVATION GIVE CONFIDENCE!

WHAT REALLY IS CONFIDENCE?

The Hebrew word batach (batah) signifies boldness, sometimes a reckless boldness. But, in the better sense, a boldness rooted in trust or grounded upon that which is undeniably trustworthy.

DAVID HAD SUCH CONFIDENCE FACING THE GIANT (1 Samuel 17:40-49):

^“And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. ⁴¹ And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. ⁴² And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. ⁴³ And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods….⁴⁵ Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. ⁴⁶ This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. ⁴⁷ And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands. ⁴⁸ And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. ⁴⁹ And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.”

*THE POWER AND PRESENCE OF GOD GIVE CONFIDENCE!

HOW CAN WE BE LION-LIKE WITH SUCH CONFIDENCE?

“Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;
 do no violence to his home;¹⁶ for the righteous falls seven times and rises     again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity” (Proverbs 24:15-16).  

WHY IS THIS SO????? Righteousness (obedience to the Word of God) unquenches and ungrieves the Holy Spirit who then fills the believer and gives confidence for life. The Bible says, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law” (Galatians 5:16-18).         

*THE ENABLING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES CONFIDENCE!                                                               

Dr. Dick D. Christen

WHEN JESUS WAS EIGHT DAYS OLD...

WHEN JESUS WAS EIGHT DAYS OLD

When Jesus was eight days old He was brought to the Temple by his parents. According to Old Testament law (Leviticus 12:1-8) he was to be circumcised on that day. In LUKE 2:22-35 an aged and godly man, SIMEON, took Him in his arms and said amazing things about Jesus. He said:

1.     Baby Jesus was “THE CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL” (v 25)

2.     Baby Jesus was “THE LORD’S CHRIST” (v 26)

3.     Baby Jesus was “THE CHILD JESUS” (v 27)

4.     Baby Jesus was the Father’s “SALVATION” (v 30)

5.     Baby Jesus was “ A LIGHT TO LIGHTEN THE GENTILES” (v 32a)

6.     Baby Jesus was “THE GLORY OF THY PEOPLE ISRAEL” ((v 32b)

7.     Baby Jesus was “DESTINED FOR THE FALL AND RISING AGAIN OF MANY IN ISRAEL (v 34b)

8.     Baby Jesus was “A SIGN  WHICH SHALL BE SPOKEN AGAINST (V 34c)

LEVITICUS 12:1-7a (THE JEWISH PROCEDURE REQUIRED AFTER THE BIRTH OF A MALE CHILD):  UNDERLINING AND EMPHASIS, MINE

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ² Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: THEN SHE SHALL BE UNCLEAN SEVEN DAYS; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. ³ AND IN THE EIGHTH DAY THE FLESH OF HIS FORESKIN SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED. ⁴ AND SHE SHALL THEN CONTINUE IN THE BLOOD OF HER PURIFYING THREE AND THIRTY DAYS; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. ⁵ But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days. ⁶ And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, SHE SHALL BRING A LAMB OF THE FIRST YEAR FOR A BURNT OFFERING, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, FOR A SIN OFFERING, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: ⁷ Who shall offer it before the Lord, and make an atonement for her…” (underlining and emphasis, mine)

LUKE 2:22-35 (SIMEON’S WORDS):  UNDERLINING AND EMPHASIS, MINE

“And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; ²³ (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) ²⁴ And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. ²⁵ And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for THE CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. ²⁶ And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen THE LORD’S CHRIST. ²⁷ And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in THE CHILD JESUS, to do for him after the custom of the law, ²⁸ Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
²⁹ Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart
in peace, according to thy word:
³⁰ For mine eyes have seen THY SALVATION,
³¹ Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
³² A LIGHT TO LIGHTEN THE GENTILES, and THE GLORY OF THY PEOPLE ISRAEL.
³³ And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. ³⁴ And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, THIS CHILD IS SET FOR THE FALL AND RISING AGAIN OF MANY IN ISRAEL; and for A SIGN WHICH SHALL BE SPOKEN AGAINST; ³⁵ (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

-dr.dick christen

WHO IS BABY JESUS?

                WHO IS THE BABY BORN IN THE MANGER?

                                     (According to the Gospel of John)

DESCRIPTIONS OF JESUS:

     We struggle to adequately define and explain just who JESUS is. After all, He is the Infinite One living ages ago for a just a short time on earth. Even the Apostle John acknowledged this when he said, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." We define Him by what He did, but also have defining statements that closely tell us who He is. Teachers have given us some noble remarks such as these: 

     “Christ uncrowned Himself to crown us, and put off his robes to put on our rags, and came down from heaven to keep us out of hell. He fasted forty days that He might ‘feast’ us for all eternity; He came from heaven to earth that He might send us from earth to heaven.” – W. Dyer

     “A cloud over the sun makes no change in the body of the sun; so, though the divine nature be covered with the human, it makes no change in the divine nature.” – Thomas Watson

     “He is not the Great. He is the ONLY!”  - Carnegie Simpson

And then, in Holy Scripture itself, even in just one book, we have divinely inspired names for Him:

WHO IS JESUS? (As set forth in John’s Gospel)

1.     The Apostle John called Him “THE WORD…GOD” (1:1)

2.     John the Baptist publicly pointed to Him as “THE LAMB” (1:29)

3.     Andrew said He is “THE MESSIAH” (1:41)

4.     Nathaniel actually addressed Him as “RABBI…THE SON OF GOD” (1:49)

5.     Again, Nathaniel calls Him “THE KING OF ISRAEL” (1:49)

6.     The townspeople at Sychar said He is “THE CHRIST, THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD” (4:42)

7.     Thomas gasped “MY LORD AND MY GOD” (20:28)

     -dick christen

IT WAS A VERY SPECIAL STAR...

IT WAS A VERY SPECIAL STAR, Matthew 2:1-12

Charles Wesley penned: “Let earth and heaven combine, angels and men agree/ To praise in songs divine the incarnate Deity/ Our God contracted to a span, Incomprehensibly made man.”

The birth of Jesus, the very Son of God, is the most significant moment of human history! It was highlighted by God Himself by the appearance of THE STAR! The wise men, part of a caste who studied astronomy and astrology, saw it from the east, and learned it was God pinpointing Jesus’ presence.

1.     JESUS’ STAR WAS VISUAL (2) – “FOR WE HAVE SEEN HIS STAR”

This star was the Shekinah Glory, a light, often dazzling, that led Israel through its wilderness wanderings, and now led men to Jesus. Its frequent appearance throughout history was the very presence of God Himself.

2.     JESUS’ STAR WAS PERSONAL (2) – “FOR WE HAVE SEEN HIS STAR”

Just as all the Messianic prophecies focused on the coming Christ, so this star miraculously focuses upon Him.

3.     JESUS’ STAR WAS INFORMATIONAL (7) – “HEROD….DETERMINED FROM THEM WHAT TIME THE STAR APPEARED…”

King Herod wanted information from them so he could eliminate a competing King, thereby safeguarding himself and eliminating conflict with Rome.

4.     JESUS’ STAR WAS DIRECTIONAL (9) – “….IT CAME AND STOOD OVER WHERE THE YOUNG CHILD WAS…”

Just as the star indicated the way to Jesus, so Jesus would indicate the way to eternal life. He is “the way, the truth and the life.”

5.     JESUS’ STAR WAS FINAL (9) – “…IT CAME AND STOOD…”

The star led the wise men on their journey to where Christ was. It then “stood” over Him. Today, we must steadfastly insist that this Jesus IS THE ONE. He alone has the words of truth and life.

6.     JESUS’ STAR WAS EMOTIONAL (10) – “THEY REJOICED WITH EXCEEDINGLY GREAT JOY.”

These wise men didn’t know the carol JOY TO THE WORLD, but they sang its meaning just the same.

Joy to the world! The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room

And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the world! the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make
His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
Far as, far as the curse is found

-Dr. Dick Christen