I was reminded today of a simple, yet powerful truth from Romans 4:24. Saving faith is faith in the Giver of miraculous life, demonstrated through the resurrection of Jesus. Paul goes on in 4:25 to remind us that, Christ's resurrection was because of our need for justification, as a proof of God's acceptance of His Son's sacrifice for as many who would believe and put their trust in Christ for salvation.
As Paul continued to write to the Romans in chapter 5, the doctrine of justification becomes his theme. For Paul justification (to render just or innocent, to be free, or to be righteous) is no sterile doctrine, but meant to be a source of blessing and freedom in one's life.
With that justification comes a life filled with rejoicing and the hope of glory with God and His Son. It is justification that stirs in me the desire to persevere in my walk with Jesus, and to endure in the faith. Through all of this I come to the daily realization that I have been reconciled with God through His Son Jesus Christ my Lord.

In the survey taken in early 1991, interviewees were asked, "Do you agree strongly, agree somewhat, disagree somewhat, or disagree strongly with the following statement: There is no such thing as absolute truth; different people can define truth in conflicting ways and still be correct." Only 28% of the respondents expressed strong belief in "absolute truth," and more surprisingly, only 23 percent of born-again or evangelical Christians accepted this idea! 

What a telling revelation! If more than 75 percent of the followers of Christ say nothing can  be known for certain, does this indicate, as it seems, that they are not convinced that Jesus existed, that He is who He claimed to be, that His Word in authentic, that God created the heavens and earth, or that eternal life awaits the believer? That's what the findings appear to mean. If there is no absolute truth, then by definition nothing can be said to be absolutely true. To the majority, apparently, it's all relative. Nothing is certain. Might be. Might not be. Who knows for sure? Take your guess and hope for the best! 

James Dobson, December 1991 letter, quoting George Barna, What Americans Believe.

As believers we need to rely upon the truth of God's Word to direct our lives. There is absolute truth and God has declared it in His word.  We have a responsibility to "Speak The Truth" and to "Walk In The Truth."

• Pr 12:19 The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
  
• Zep 3:13 The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness And speak no lies, Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; For they shall feed their flocks and lie down, And no one shall make them afraid.”
  
• Zec 8:16 These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;
  
• Mal 2:6 The law of truth was in his mouth, And injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity, And turned many away from iniquity.
  
• 2Co 12:6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.
  
• Eph 4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
  
• Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
  

"Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again -- until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other."   William Booth in The Founder's Messages to Soldiers, Christianity Today, October 5, 1992, p. 48.
I think William Booth had it right, step by step our faith produces the works of righteousness and obedience. James understood that faith without works is dead (non-productive). When I talk about faith I should be walking in faith. Faith is more than a theological concept, it is the very out-working of my salvation which was so lovingly provided for me through the finished work of Christ on the Cross.
Paul reminds us that our faith, though purchased by Christ, can't be bought or purchased by us, ".......it is the free gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8-9) So, in this age of reality shows and emotionalism, let us live in the present power of the Holy Spirit so our faith in God through His Son Jesus Christ might be our true reality.

In a recent blog that I was reading I came across this response from a reader. What I found interesting that it wasn't the words of the person blogging, but rather a response to a song that was mentioned in the blog, "Revelation Song." Here is what this person had to say after listening to the son!

"I'm an atheist but deep down I'm really beginning to wonder. Something violent but honest and true stirring in me. I think about my life and everything I've accepted and said was true and realize that whatever it was that seemed so important has come and gone, but I seem to endure. I wonder if all that is like the clouds coming and going, but what we really are is the sky to witness it all. I think about a name so much now. YAHWEH."

Sometimes the very power and presence of God is discovered in the lyrics of a son, or even in the melody that was given to a song writer, and yes even in the combination of both melody and lyrics. What I believe this individual was responding to was the fact that when we place Christ at the forefront of our lives and our daily endeavors, others are moved, not by what we are saying or even singing, but by God's presence in what we are saying and singing. I think Psalm 67 best describes what I am talking about:

Psalms 67:1 God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us, Selah :2 That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. :3 Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. :4 Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, And govern the nations on earth. Selah :5 Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. :6 Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us. :7 God shall bless us, And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.” (Psalms 67:0–7 NKJV)

In this Psalm, David reminds us that we are to focus on, "praising God." When we are actively doing that we can be assured, just as David reminds us that, "...our own God, shall bless us."

This is a recent article in Joel Rosenbergs Blog that I thought was important to the situation in Libya:BIBLE PROPHECY AND THE FUTURE OF LIBYAPosted: February 28, 2011 by joelcrosenberg 
>> Israel could still strike Iran, despite Mideast unrest — While chaos and change reigned supreme, Iran succeeded in repairing its uranium-enrichment plant after the cyber attack by the Stuxnet computer wormIt is so painful to watch the horror show underway in Libya right now. Estimates tell us that at least 1,000 Libyans are dead. Many more are wounded. Some 100,000 people have apparently fled Libya in recent days as the situation goes from bad to worse.

The first sentence of a new Time magazine article asks, “Is it the End of Days for Libya?” The article looks at the rising death toll as Gaddafi continues using his army to slaughter the Libyan people desperate for change. It also asks the question of whether Libya will experience peace even if (or when) Gaddafi is deposed. Dirk Vandewalle, a Libyan expert at Dartmouth University, told Time: ”Both sides, both the population, and the security organizations, know exactly what’s at stake. If government militias [are to] win, they will have to kill many more, and if the security organizations lose, then the people, the regular people in Libya are going to take their revenge….Either way we’re going to see a terrible blood bath.” David Mack, a former deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs, told Time that the worst possible outcome would be a widespread lawlessness in which Libya degenerated into a kind of “Somalia on the Mediterranean.”

What does the Bible tell us? Libya is referred to numerous times in the Scriptures, both directly and indirectly.

• In Matthew 27, for example, we learn that it was a Libyan man — Simon of Cyrene (a part of ancient Libya) – who carried the cross for our Lord Jesus.
• In Acts chapter 2, we learn that God-fearing men from Libya were present in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost and heard the Apostle Peter preach the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. Some 3,000 people that days repented of their sins and became fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. It is likely that Libyans were among them since they are mentioned in the text.
• In Acts 11, we learn that Libyan (Cyrene) followers of Jesus Christ helped bring the gospel to Antioch, Syria, and made disciples for Jesus there.
• In Acts 13 we learn that a Libyan man — Lucius of Cyrene — becomes one of the leaders of the church at Antioch, helping send out Barnabus and Paul to take the gospel to Asia and Europe.

Again and again in the Scriptures we see that the Lord loves the people of Libya. He wants them to know Him and receive His free gift of salvation.

That said, Bible prophecy also tells us the government and many of the people of Libya will be engaged in great evil in the End of Days.

• In Ezekiel 38-39, we learn that Libya is one of the nations that joins the Russian-Iranian alliance against Israel in “the last days.” In this prophecy, Ezekiel uses the name “Put.” The first century historian Flavius Josephus wrote in his famous book, The Antiquities of the Jews, that “Put” or “Phut” is “ancient Libyos.” Ancient Libyos, we know, certainly included the territory of the modern nation state we refer to today as Libya, but also included Algeria and possibly Tunisia. This tells us the no matter what the near term outcomes of the revolutions underway in North Africa are, in the not-too-distant future Libya for certain and possibly her neighbors will have virulently anti-Semitic and anti-Israel leadership who will eagerly join a coalition bent on destroying the Jews and occupy the land of Israel. Gaddafi, of course, is already such a leader. Perhaps he will ride out this storm and stay in power. Perhaps someone worse will rise up after him. Hopefully Gaddafi will be deposed and a more moderate leadership will rise up for a season before the prophecy of the “War of Gog and Magog” comes to fulfillment. Either way, the Church should be using this window of time to do everything possible to get the gospel into Libya and to strengthen the persecuted believers in Libya before the country faces God’s judgment for attacking Israel.

• In Daniel 11, we learn that Libya is one of the countries that will be under the control and direction of the Antichrist in “the last days.” The Hebrew Prophet Daniel tells us that “a despicable person will arise” during “a time of tranquility” and will seize global power “by intrigue” and by “overflowing forces” in the End Times. This person, known in Christian theology as the Antichrist, ”will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done.” The Bible tells us the Antichrist “will enter the Beautiful Land” — that is, Israel — and “will stretch out his hand against other countries.” Eventually, the Antichrist will gain control of the entire world and force all people who haven’t received Christ as Savior and Lord to bow and worship him or be beheaded. But the Bible specificially notes that the Antichrist ”will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and Libyans and Ethiopians [the people of "Cush," which includes modern Sudan, Ethiopia and possible Eritrea] will follow at his heels.” It is not entirely clear why the Bible points specifically to “Libyans” and “Ethiopians” as among those who will follow and serve the Antichrist, but this is what the Lord tells us in advance will happen.

This is all the more reason the Church must seek to reach all of North Africa with the gospel of Jesus Christ before it is too late. Please be praying faithfully for Libya and all of North Africa at this critical hour.

There is a revealing story in 1 Samuel 18, where Saul tries to lure David into a trap. The situation is somewhat complicated, in that Saul wants David to marry his older daughter Merab. She is offered to David as his wife, but with Saul there is another motive. He sees this as an opportunity to get rid of David by the hands of the Philistines. I love Davids response, "who am I, and what is my life or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the King?" Davids response was one of total humility, showing that in his own mind he really wasn't worthy of the Kings daughter in marriage.

This first marriage didn't work out, but there was a younger daughter, Michal, "...who loved David." So once again Saul begins to weave his deceitful web to try and get rid of David. During this entire story, David has one thing in mind, and that is to be nothing but a faithful servant to his king. Saul has his servants communicate to David his desire for David to be his son-in-law. Once again David's response is one of caring and great concern with total humility, "Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?" What happens next is the subtile trap of Saul, "Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’ ” But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 18:25 NKJV)

It is here that we see the deceitfulness of Saul, and his attempt to destroy David in any way possible. Sometimes in our attempt to serve others, and to minister with as much humility as we are capable of, still is not enough to change the heart and mind of someone who dislikes us or sees us as some kind of threat. What is most amazing is the willingness of David to be obedient to the wishes of his king. It says that, "...David arose and went, no hesitation on David's part, total submission to the will of his king. The one thing that truly reveals the wickedness and deceitfulness in Saul's heart is found in, “Thus Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him; 29 and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy continually.” (1 Samuel 18:28–29 NKJV)

Even when the Lord is with us, we can't please everyone. But, we can always desire to be well pleasing to the Lord. Even Saul recognized that the Lord's hand was on David. “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” (1 John 3:22 NKJV)

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gave some simple instruction to His disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” (NKJV) What we are left with our four very simple suggestions for those who comprise the church. We as believers in Christ make up the living, breathing organism known as the church. The Greek word for church is "ekklesia" a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly. Or, it can be further defined as, a company of Christians, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order's sake by the Word of God.
So when we use the word church we are not necessarily talking about a building, or even a specific location, but rather a gathering together of people who hold someone in high regard because of what that Person has done in their life. We are talking about Jesus Christ, who through the singular act of redemption has granted salvation to any who would believe in Him.
As a result of that act of redemption we come to Him through repentance with a willingness to confess our sin and receive Him as our Lord and Savior. What results from a singular act of faith and obedience is the culmination of many people recognizing the need to gather to worship, pray and find instruction in the Word of God. This is what we call "CHURCH." Then there is that passage previously mentioned, Matthew 28:19-20, which  carries with it the idea of accomplishing three important things:
[1]    A MANDATE- "....go therefore"
[2]    A MISSION - "...make disciples"
[3]    A MINISTRY - "...teaching them to observe"
All of these can be accomplished both in the Church and outside of the Church in the world. It reminds me of some of the last words spoken by Jesus to His disciples, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”” (Acts 1:8 NKJV)

In Deuteronomy chapter six we find what has been referred to as, "The Greatest Commandment."  Moses exhorts Israel to hear God, and to keep His commandments, which consist of some simple, yet powerful exhortations,  like loving Him with all your heart, not tempting the Lord, instructing your children to do the same.  Israel was getting ready to leave a forty year trek in the wilderness, and now to enter into the Promised Land.  In Deuteronomy chapter six there are a series of simple commandments that they were to follow.

1. Deut.6:1 - "...observe these commandments."
2. Deut. 6:2 - "...fear the Lord."
3. Deut. 6:3 - "...hear the Lord."
4. Deut. 6:5 - "...love the Lord."
5. Deut.6:6"...shall be in your heart."
6. Deut. 6:7 - "...shall teach them."
7. Deut. 6:8 - "...shall bind them."
8. Deut. 6:9 "...shall write them."

Then Moses cautions them against disobedience. As you read through this chapter you have a deep sense of the seriousness of following the commandment sof the Lord. What was God asking? What was God looking for from His people? I think it is best summed up with the word "DEVOTION." This was not hing new, God from the very beginning of giving the law to His people wanted them to remember the importance of devotion and dedication to following His direction for their lives. It is the same for us, that we would recognize this new year as in previous years the importance of staying in the closest proximity possible to God and His will for our lives.   

Long ago, there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about their hardships. Often he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar, and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ruler. One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. He ate the coarse food the poor man ate. He spoke cheerful, kind words to him. Then he left. Later he visited the poor man again and disclosed his identity by saying, "I am your king!" The king thought the man would surely ask for some gift or favor, but he didn't. Instead he said, "You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place. You ate the course food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself!" The King of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, gave himself to you and me. The Bible calls Him, "the unspeakable gift!"
Source Unknown.

When we think about the birth of Christ we always associate it with the Christmas season. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, better to put the emphasis on Christ than just the Holiday Season. As I ponder the importance of Christ birth, I can't escape the ultimate end of His life, the death on the cross, and His resurrection. Isaiah, speaking hundreds of years before Christ appearance, reminds us of the true gift that He gave to all of mankind that would be willing to accept His forgiveness and salvation.
“For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. :3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. :4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. :5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:2–5 NKJV)
Isaiah got it prophetically right, what was coming with the birth of God's Son, was the gift of forgiveness, salvation, spiritual freedom, and the healing that many so desperately need. WOW! Thank you Jesus.