Category: Featured Writers

Charles J. Rolls, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Jesus, Messiah, Yahweh

Infinite Love Is Revealed

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

The Corn of Wheat

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit (John 12:24).

Death, the experience which is fatal to most folk in destroying their influence, was to become the most forceful factor in promoting forever the prestige of Christ. The extent to which memory exercises its influence over the living is definitely limited. If a leader’s work is to develop extensively, it is not thought desirable that He should die in the prime of life. However, in this case it was otherwise. Because Christ as the Corn of Wheat fell into the ground and died, He became Administrator of the mightiest authority ever wielded over the minds of millions. He encountered the most odious instrument of death in the form of a crude Roman gibbet, but by virtue of that shameful death He overpowered the cruelest foe, the Devil, and overcame the strongest enemy, Death. Christ’s greatest honor arises from His deepest humiliation. He ascended from the zero of shame to the zenith of sovereignty.

Christ, crucified, has an irresistible attractiveness and has become the center to which all contrite hearts are drawn. His own application of this figure makes it crystal clear, “And, I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto Me. This He said, signifying what death He should die” (John 12:32, 33). Here infinite love is revealed stooping to die; immortal glory condescends to bear the blame of guilt; intrinsic holiness submits to being made sin for us that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21). When His body was buried in the tomb, it was not as the Romans considered it, a corpse, but what prophecy foretold, a seed; therefore resurrection was assured (Acts 2:27, 28). Likewise the sayings of the Savior when He was dying survive death and serve to stimulate all successive generations.

 Charles J. Rolls, The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G (Loizeaux Brothers, 1984).

Speak this as a personal prayer back to Jesus;

Death, the experience which is fatal to most folk in destroying their influence, became the most forceful factor in promoting forever your prestige Messiah Jesus. The extent to which memory exercises its influence over the living is definitely limited. If a leader’s work is to develop extensively, it is not thought desirable that he should die in the prime of life. However, in this case, it is otherwise; because you, Messiah Jesus, are the Corn of Wheat that fell into the ground and died, you became Administrator of the mightiest authority ever wielded over the minds of millions. You encountered the most odious instrument of death in the form of a crude Roman gibbet (cross), but by virtue of that shameful death Jesus, you overpowered the cruelest foe, the Devil, and overcame the strongest enemy, Death. Your greatest honor arises from your deepest humiliation. Father God raised you from the zero of shame to the zenith of sovereignty. Jesus, crucified, you now have an irresistible attractiveness and have become the center to which all contrite hearts are drawn. Your own application of this figure makes it crystal clear, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto Me. This you said, signifying what death you should die” (John 12:32, 33). Here your infinite love is revealed stooping to die; immortal glory condescends to bear the blame of my guilt; intrinsic holiness submits to being made sin for me that I may be made the righteousness of God in you (2 Cor 5:21), O wonderful Savior. When your body was buried in the tomb, it was not, as the Romans considered it, a corpse, but what prophecy foretold, a seed; therefore, resurrection was assured (Acts 2:27, 28). Likewise, what you said while dying survives death and serves to stimulate all successive generations.

(J3 Khai Restoration Ministries made Charles Roll’s devotion into a personal prayer.)

David Coffield, Featured Writers, Jesus, Testimonies

Jesus promised that He would build His church.

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

I hear people say that they want to be “like Jesus”.  We hold as our belief that God is working to conform us to the image and character of His Son Jesus.  We want to become more like Jesus in our mindset and our lives.

Yet Jesus says in John 8:28, “…and I do nothing on my own initiative…”  It is a common phrase with Jesus, and it is repeated by Him a number of times.

I don’t know how to pull it off.  I don’t know how to live as Jesus lived.  All of our lives we are exhorted to show initiative, to make things happen, to be intentional.  It suits our sin nature, to take pride and ownership in our accomplishments, achievements, etc.  To proudly say, “Look what I have done”.

Jesus is utterly incredible.  His desire was to do what the Father gave Him to do, say what the Father gave Him to say, go where the Father sent Him to go, to bring glory to the Father.

I suspect that the ability to pull this off is tied to the depth of our walk with God on a daily basis.  Our willingness to choose to walk with Jesus rather than having a “do” mindset.  You don’t hear this much today if at all.  We are exhorted to reach the lost, help people grow, build the kingdom, fill the pews, etc.

God has initiative.  Jesus promised that He would build His church.  It is the purpose of God to add people to the kingdom and to grow up the people in His kingdom.

He is not about to send people to do things who are likely to claim the credit, build their own “thing”, seek their own glory.  God doesn’t need people who think they have it figured out that they know what the purposes of God are and how He will work.  We have one Commander in Chief and all are supposed to serve him.  He will use those who are connected with Him, who are delighting in the relationship, and seeking His glory.  He is well able to speak to such people.  

I remind myself daily that God doesn’t “need” me, He “wants” me.

Charles J. Rolls, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Recommended Reading, Yahweh, Yehovah

The Confessor Before Pilate

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 6:13).

Our Lord was brought before Pilate as One who had made a claim to kingship. Standing as a prisoner, condemned, and without any visible palace, such a claim seemed preposterous. Altogether devoid of stately robes and courtly attendants and minus even crown or scepter, He nevertheless affirmed emphatically, “I am a king,” “My kingdom is not of this world.” Christ disclaimed the vainglory of a temporal diadem, but He did not deny His claim to crown rights of a nobler royalty than that shared by earthly rulers. Although He was betrayed, accused and mocked, yet with unflinching, undaunted courage He remained uncowed and uncompromising before the Roman regent; and by patient courtesy and perfect control, He vindicated the essential truthfulness of His superior sovereignty. Remember that within the confines of His Deity this Confessor dwells in light which no one can approach unto and which no man hath seen nor can see (1 Timothy 6:16).

If He deemed it wise and worthwhile to acknowledge His claim and right, soldiers of the Cross should learn a lesson from their Captain. “Though it doth not appear what we shall be,” let us be prepared to bear witness to the truth of the King’s return. Paul the aged, as he termed himself, had borne the burden and brunt of battle and was seeking a successor for his trusteeship. He admonishes Timothy to stick to his business and stand by His witness while focusing faith on the great File-leader. Confession of our faith in the truth of God is our solemn obligation and responsibility, likewise also confession of faith in Christ (John 18:37; Romans 10:9, 10). Jesus Christ as a confessor of truth is now glorified, and this fact should stimulate all of us to faithfulness in witness. The Savior testified concerning His kingdom of spiritual truth, of sovereign power, of steadfast righteousness and of sanctified citizenship. Said He, “For this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth” (John 18:37). Is this not the very cause and core of the campaign in which we are enlisted? Let us see to it, while our comrades march to face the foe, while our fighting forces shout in the field, and while our friends pray for us in all fidelity, that we often and openly commend and confess Him while the opportunity is ours.

 Charles J. Rolls, The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G (Loizeaux Brothers, 1984).

Featured Writers, Guest Post, Jesus, Mental Health

TWO DAUGHTERS

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23 and pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. 

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?'” 

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”   (Mark 5:21-34)

This record in Mark chapter five of God’s word tells of a contrasting pair of incidents in the ministry of Jesus featuring two different daughters.  One, the daughter of a prominent member of their community who came boldly to Jesus on her behalf to plead for her healing to save her life.  The other a lonely, rejected outcast who approached Jesus secretly in a desperate attempt to be healed also.  The plea in both cases was the same: please heal her body; but the needs were entirely different.

The father came confidently to invite Jesus into his home while the lonely woman sneaked up behind Jesus only hoping to touch his garment without daring to even speak to him.  Without friends or family to help her, ashamed to even be seen in public, struggling just get some relief from her pain and misery, never daring to hope for anything more in life.

And Jesus responded to the needs of both daughters, not exactly in the way they expected.  Yet he provided them with so much more than they sought.  Even though neither one of these situations were on the agenda for that day, Jesus stopped what he was doing to go to the father’s home and heal his daughter until he was interrupted again by that touch on his garment from a bleeding woman who couldn’t even dare to speak to him personally.

But her need was so great that Jesus stopped everything to help her.  The bleeding stopped as soon as she touched his garment according to verse 29, but she still had other needs.  So, Jesus called out for her to come to him.  He knew who she was, but he was going to introduce her to the crowd that day.  Note that verse 29 clearly states that “she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.”  It doesn’t say that she was healed.

Like many of us she still suffered from guilt, shame, rejection and neglect.  So, Jesus called her to him, gave her his undivided attention in front of the crowd, listened to her whole story and then gave her his approval and affirmation in verse 34.  (He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”)  Only then was her healing complete.

I believe the Holy Spirit inspired this record to teach us that we need to complete the healing process in our own lives by confessing the whole truth to Jesus about our lives and receive his blessing and affirmation after we have received his payment for our sins.  Freeing us from the guilt, shame, regret and despair we are keeping hidden from those around us.

As great as our eternal salvation is, there is still more that needs to be corrected in our lives to make us whole.  Making our transformation complete as children of God.  He doesn’t want to see us limping into eternity carrying the weight of the past with us.  He continues to call to us to come to Jesus and be set free from the chains of our own making.  Our offenses against our Heavenly Father may be gone but the damage of our mistakes and foolish choices remain until we confess the whole truth as that dear woman did.  Setting her free from the nightmare of her past once and for all.

Only when we bring everything to Jesus and release it to his loving mercy can we experience the true freedom and joy he is offering us.  A relationship with no hidden barriers or secrets that hold us captive to fear.  Trusting that he can heal us from it all.  That is the faith that will ultimately free us from the fear and despair that our guilt, shame and regret produce in our lives.  That woman’s bleeding may have stopped when she touched Jesus’ robe, but her healing didn’t come until she fell before Jesus and personally confessed everything to him, surrendering to all of his mercies.

And, yes, Jesus did go on to heal the other daughter that day in response to her father’s faith, even though she had already died.  In this case Jesus healed both daughters, freeing them from death and a living nightmare. Jesus met their needs  beyond the requests made that day in the same way that he stands ready to meet all of our needs today, if we just trust him.  

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us  (Eph 3:20)

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  (Heb 10:23)

By Gary DeRemer

Charles J. Rolls, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, J3 Khai Ambassadors, J3 Khai Restoration, J3Khai Ambassadors, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Recommended Reading, Yahweh, Yehovah

The Christ of God

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

The people answered Him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever (John 12:34).

Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16).

The Christ of God is the hope of glory, for He is the glory of our hope. The title means the anointed One, appointed of God to guard and guide the redeemed host. The rare qualities of the Christ ravish the heart, renew the mind and refresh the soul to the utmost repleteness of satisfaction, until we become complete in Him. Christ in His fairness incorporates the fullness and faithfulness of Godhead bodily. He is the Fountain of ceaseless freshness and compassionate forgiveness; He is also the Foundation of constant friendship and consistent fellowship. The Christ is eminently gracious, extremely precious and exceptionally glorious. He is the Judge of the brutish, but the Justifier of the believer. His anointing attests His kingship and affirms His priesthood, by means of which offices He regains all authority from the adversary and reigns unabatingly through the ages.

Christ is the supreme One in a special sense: He is indivisible in purpose, irresistible in integrity and invincible in strength. His ministry was governed by one superior motive. He was ever in perfect harmony with the mind of heaven, engrossed and enthralled by the Father’s will. His whole being was girded with glorious strength, He was anointed by almighty authority, robed in resolute righteousness and went into battle against the foe fully armed with the accouterments of moral valor and spiritual virtue. The enemy’s glamorous reserves of angels, principalities and powers were amassed in clamorous array to defeat Him. At the central arena of the conflict stood a brutal cross, the emblem of shame and contempt to which wicked hands had nailed Him. The amalgamated forces of evil were enlisted against Him, the power of death was in the hand of the enemy, the whole weight of infernal hatred, diabolical malice and fiendish enmity confronted Him in that crucial hour; but His armor was impenetrable. He triumphed gloriously and made a full exposure of the great adversary (Colossians 2:15), a conquest which entitled Christ to hurl the deceiver from the battlements on high (John 12:31). This Christ is our conqueror valiant in victory. His eternal triumph is attended with resurrection mastery, ascension glory and coronation majesty. The Devil is thoroughly defeated and completely vanquished.

Charles J. Rolls, The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G (Loizeaux Brothers, 1984).

Personal Prayer:

Jesus you, the Messiah of God is the hope of glory, for you are the glory of my hope. Your title means the anointed One, appointed of God to guard and guide the redeemed host. Your rare qualities ravish my heart, renew my mind and refresh my soul to the utmost repleteness of satisfaction, until I become complete in you. Messiah Jesus your fairness incorporates the fullness and faithfulness of Godhead bodily. You are the Fountain of ceaseless freshness and compassionate forgiveness; you are also the Foundation of constant friendship and consistent fellowship. You are eminently gracious, extremely precious and exceptionally glorious. You are the Judge of the brutish, but the Justifier of the believer. Your anointing attests your Kingship and affirms your Priesthood, by means of which offices you regained all authority from the adversary and reign unabatingly through the ages.

Messiah Jesus you are the supreme One in a special sense: you are indivisible in purpose, irresistible in integrity and invincible in strength. Your ministry is governed by one superior motive. You are always in perfect harmony with the mind of heaven, engrossed and enthralled by the Father’s will. Your whole being is girded with glorious strength, anointed by almighty authority, robed in resolute righteousness and you go into battle against the foe fully armed with the accouterments of moral valor and spiritual virtue. The enemy’s glamorous reserves of angels, principalities and powers were amassed in clamorous array to defeat you. At the central arena of the conflict stood a brutal cross, the emblem of shame and contempt to which wicked hands had nailed you. The amalgamated forces of evil were enlisted against you, the power of death was in the hand of the enemy, the whole weight of infernal hatred, diabolical malice and fiendish enmity confronted you Messiah Jesus in that crucial hour; but your armor was impenetrable. You triumphed gloriously and made a full exposure of the great adversary (Colossians 2:15), a conquest which entitled you to hurl the deceiver from the battlements on high (John 12:31). Messiah Jesus you are my conqueror valiant in victory. Your eternal triumph is attended with resurrection mastery, ascension glory and coronation majesty. The Devil is thoroughly defeated and completely vanquished.

Note: The English word Christ means Messiah. I prefer to use Messiah, using it helps me better remember that Jesus is Father God’s Sent and Anointed One. 

Charles J. Rolls, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, J3 Khai Ambassadors, J3 Khai Restoration, J3Khai Ambassadors, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, The Daily Blessing, Yahweh, Yehovah

The Chosen of God

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

From Charles J. Rolls, The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G

And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let Him save himself, if He be Christ, the chosen of God (Luke 23:35).

My servant whom I have chosen (Isaiah 43:10).

Jesus Christ is assuredly preferred above all by the very heart of the eternal God; for He is distinguished beyond all others in the heaven of glory and is pre-eminently desirable because of His holiness in grace and goodness. This same Chosen of God is the One in whom we have been chosen for eternal companionship. What an honor! (John 15:16) To be thus initiated into such an association is one of the inestimable privileges of our relationship in the Beloved. Jesus Christ is God’s Elect, the stateliest of the sanctified, in whom the Father’s soul delighteth because He can never fail in fulfilling the eternal purpose and glorifies the immortal Majesty in all things (Isaiah 42:1).

Jesus Christ is the Chosen of God because of His comely character, because of His charming countenance, because of His changeless constancy, because of His crowning capability and by virtue of His complete conformity in discharging every obligation to do the will and work of God. What an object for our heart’s affection is this unmatched, unequaled, unexcelled chosen of God? We should take particular notice of the sacred simplicity, stately sublimity and the sterling sincerity that characterized all His actions.

The affection of the Father had a perfect object in His Chosen and therefore He had no need to choose us; but we are nevertheless chosen in Him who is the Chosen of God, which reality is according to the good pleasure of His will. God is inconceivably pleased with His Chosen, because His and God’s blended interests form the essence of mutual harmony and their agreement is the very soul of affectionate accord and abounding amity. Herein we approach the fathomless mystery of Godhead and comprehend in some small degree the perfect consciousness of prevailing calm which abides the ages.

All resources are revealed in a Person, whether they be the realities of goodness, the riches of grace, the rays of glory or the rarest of gifts. All reach us through the Chosen of God. No spiritual blessing comes to us by blind chance but by divine choice. We are chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, we are called in Him, justified in Him and blessed in Him with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3–7). These stupendous verities magnify the amazing mystery of reconciliation which was wrought by one infinitely blessed. Who could doubt acceptance with God in One so acceptable? No one who selects the Savior as Surety and Substitute will ever regret the step taken. God rests in Him, in Him I rest, even “My servant whom I have chosen” (Isaiah 43:10).

 Charles J. Rolls, The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G (Loizeaux Brothers, 1984).

David Coffield, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Guest Post, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Testimonies, Yahweh, Yehovah

“but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven””

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

I have a sticky note on my desk speaking of Luke 10.  It struck me as I was reading through the gospel.  Luke 10:17-20.  Jesus sends 70 out and He gives them power over demons and to heal.  It would be the equivalent of waking up in the morning and discovering you had the powers of Superman or Spiderman.  What you could do was astounding, amazing, spectacular.  You were above mere mortals.

To that Jesus responds (my paraphrase), “You guys think that is something?  I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning”.  And then He says in verse 20, “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven”.

Our value and worth to God resides in our relationship with Him as sons and daughters, never in our abilities or strengths or accomplishments.  We are to rejoice in who we are to God, not in what we can do.

All of our culture, all of our upbringing, most of our experiences teaches the opposite.  People have value because they are important, intelligent, wealthy, beautiful, productive.  We have a book in the country entitled “Who’s Who”.  We have sports competitions, quiz shows, Mensa, Suma Cum Laude, advanced degrees, etc.

I don’t have to perform for God.  Not only do I not need to perform but there is nothing in me that can accomplish His work.  The Holy Spirit is the One accomplishing the building of the Kingdom of God.  He gives salvation, understanding, motivation, the desire to participate with our Father in what He is doing.  It is His desire to bring glory to Jesus and He is good at what He does.  

It is wonderful to rest in our relationship with Jesus.  It has been granted us by grace.  It can’t be earned, it can’t be bought, it can’t be lost.  We can get misguided, confused, and led astray which Satan delights in and works at.  But we can’t escape the loving hand of our Savior.  May the Lord give us grace to maintain that focus!

You remain daily in my prayers and on my heart,

Your brother,

David

David Coffield, Featured Writers, Guest Post, Jesus, Messiah, Yahweh, Yehovah

Called . . . Beloved . . . Kept

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Our couple’s study is working on Jude, and I was struck by verse 1.  “…To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ.”  This verse says nothing about our responsibility or actions—only the sovereign work of our Father.

“Called”.  Funny that I have never heard a group of Christians calling themselves “the called”.  It emphasizes the sovereign work and choice of God.  God doesn’t call those who are worthy because there is no one worthy.  He saves sinners.  We will be sinners until we stand in His presence and this body of flesh is done away with.  It is not about my works or efforts but about His mercy and grace.

“Beloved”.  This describes our relationship with our Father.  For some inscrutable reason, He has chosen to love us.  He can’t love us more than He does or less than He does.  He loves us perfectly and deeply.  We are always on His thoughts and in His heart.  I think we do a sad disservice when we teach people that our sin separates us in the relationship and causes the Father to be angry with us.  We end up living as Pharisees constantly concerned that we are not good enough and striving to do more and be better.

There is nothing good about sin.  Romans 6 gives 3 reasons not to be involved in sin.  1-We are dead to it.  2-God has provided something better.    3-Sin produces crap and who wants crap?  But if we live thinking that less “sin” (whatever that looks like) makes us more like Jesus we are deceived.  Walking with Jesus makes us more like Jesus.  We won’t walk with Jesus if we think He has something against us or if we think we aren’t good enough.

We can’t move out of the state of being beloved by the Father.

“Kept”.  People lose things all the time.  If you are a professional athlete, you know that you are only secure as long as you can perform adequately.  There is always someone younger, faster, stronger, etc.  We are held in the hand of the Jesus, and we are forever secure, not because we can perform but because He loves us.

Letter from David Coffield.

Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Jehovah, Jesus, Mental Health, Messiah, Recommended Reading, Sylvia Gunter, Yahweh

God is Able

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

You can sign up to receive Sylvia Gunters weekly devotional at: https://thefathersbusiness.com/devotion/god-is-able/

Able is the Greek word dunatos, related to dunamis, meaning ability, abundance, capability, mighty works, miraculous power, prevailing strength. “God is able” means God has the mighty power to do a miraculous work out of His abundance and strength. Romans 16:25 says God is able to establish you. Listen to the richness of the verse when read with its full definition “God has mighty power to do a miraculous work out of His abundance and strength to establish you.”

Bring your inability to the ability of God. As you read these verses drink in the bigness of God as you replace “able” with “has the mighty power to do a miraculous work out of His abundance and strength.”

God is …
Able to give much more. 2 Chron 25:9
Able to deliver from fire. Dan 3:17
Able to raise up children of Abraham from stones. Mat 3:9
Able to give sight to the blind. Mat 9:28-29
Able to destroy in hell. Mat 10:28, James 4:12
Able to perform what He promised. Rom 4:21
Able to graft in the Gentiles. Rom 11:23
Able to make you stand. Rom 14:4
Able to establish you. Rom 16:25
Able to make a way through temptation. 1 Cor 10:13
Able to make all grace abound to you. 2 Cor 9:8
Able to do exceedingly beyond all your asking. Eph 3:20
Able to subdue everything under His control. Phil 3:21
Able to keep all we have committed to Him. 2 Tim 1:12
Able to help the tempted. Heb 2:18
Able to save from death. Heb 5:7
Able to save completely, to the utmost. Heb 7:25
Able to raise men from the dead. Heb 11:19
Able to keep you from falling and to present you before His presence without fault and with great joy. Jude 24

To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 25

Be blessed in the name of God who is able.

© Sylvia Gunter, 2016, Prayer Essentials For Living In His Presence Volume 1,

David Coffield, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Guest Post, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Testimonies, Yahweh, Yehovah

How God feels about us is unshakeable.

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Dear Mike,

How God feels about us is unshakeable.  It is never dependent on how good we are or how poorly we behave.  

God looks at His children, clothed in the righteousness of His Son, and He is forever delighted.  Not a delight that I have ever deserved or earned or ever could deserve or earn.  Those who think they can merit God’s pleasure have no idea of His holiness nor their sin.

It leaves us in a wonderful place of being able to rejoice in our Father’s love and pleasure without worrying about our performance.

Does God engage with us to help us grow up?  Yes.  Does sin produce death?  Certainly.  Is all of our sin paid for on Calvary?  Yes.  I can never sin my way out of my relationship with Father.  I can affect the way that He deals with me.  He is always about growing us up into the image of His Son Jesus.

Hebrews speaks of “fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of faith”, Paul speaks of “not being drawn away from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Jesus.”  

Despite my brokenness, despite my failures, despite my weakness, foolishness, stupidity—I am deeply loved by my Father.  It leaves me in the posture of rejoicing in God’s love for me, settled and confident in who I am to my Father (regardless of what others or my performance is saying), and free to move forward in love.

Your brother,

David

David Coffield, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Guest Post, Jesus, Testimonies, Yahweh

What is the will of God for you?

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Rejoice always, talk with God continually, and thank him for everything.

This is a letter from Dave Coffield, shared with you with his permission.

“Several of us are studying our way through 1 Thessalonians, and I am struck by 5:16,17,18.  ‘Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.‘ One of the guys in the study, Russ, suggested that all 3 verses represent God’s will for us.  I had never considered that before, and I am grateful for his input.

‘Rejoice always.’  It doesn’t say to be happy always.  Rejoice is a choice I make with my will to lift my heart to God in gratefulness regardless of the circumstances.  It is our ability to rejoice in hard and unpleasant circumstances that bear testimony to a watching world to the reality of God and our faith.  It is a compass heading.  I don’t always do a good job of it.

‘Pray without ceasing.’  We can pray without ceasing because our God is always present with us.  We are always in communication; the line is always open.  

Our sin doesn’t separate us from God.  In the early days I believed and taught that.  However, all of our sins have been forgiven on Calvary, past, present, and future.  All of them.  We don’t have to connect with God or regard Him, but He lives inside of us.  We carry Him around with us and Psalm 139 says He has intimate knowledge of us.  Every word, every thought, every deed.

So, the Lord and I talk all day long.  He is a constant companion, an ardent listener and deeply loving of us.  Incredible.  There is nothing that we can’t share with Him, nothing that He doesn’t know, and nothing that He doesn’t care about.  Incredible.  How lonely must be the life of an unbeliever!

‘In everything give thanks.’  We don’t have to feel thankful.  We don’t have to see the event as ‘good.’  We can give thanks because our Father is absolutely sovereign over this world and its smallest events.  So, what we see as an accident, an intrusion, a mistake, is all from the hand of our sovereign Father to accomplish His purposes.  We can give thanks because our Father loves us with a matchless, wonderful, profound love.

So, this is God’s will for us.  May our lives move in this direction.”

Babe, Christmas, Featured Writers, Manger, Messiah, Ukraine, Uncategorized, Veterans

Ukraine Military Family Christmas

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Dear friends.

It is now Christmas Day in Ukraine and at the same time it is the 668th day of Russian aggression against Ukrainians. Almost nothing has changed in this part of the world in the last 1000 years. Since the formation of moscovia, it has been waging aggressive imperial wars aimed at seizing neighboring territories and other peoples. For nearly 1,000 years, people living in the lands around Kyiv have been repelling these moscow attacks, sometimes successfully, and sometimes not. When the Ukrainians lost defensive wars, moscovia always seized Ukraine, terrorized us and went to war in Europe.

So, my wife and I live in Kyiv: in the church we praise God and sing about Christmas, and at home we worry about the news about war, think, pray and collect help for our militaries and chaplains.

On December 22, my wife, our third son and his wife, our fourth son and I went by car 70 kilometers to a military town in the Kyiv region on the way to Chernihiv. Members of our Church “The Way of Truth”, where I am a pastor, collected 85 Christmas gifts for children from military families. Therefore, we prepared a Christmas program and gifts and came to this military town. It has its own life support system, its own elementary school, and kindergarten, but the school and kindergarten have not been working for two years because it does not have an anti bomb shelter. Russian troops tried to capture this military town in March 2022, but failed, so they fired at it. The military has now repaired almost all the damage, but there are still holes in the asphalt and on the walls of the mark.

The leadership of the military town gathered the children in the building of the kindergarten, because they did not begin to gather in the military club due to possible Russian missile strikes. It was a good time when at the beginning of the Christmas holiday there was a moment of silence for the fallen soldiers, then the children sang for us, and the teachers showed a Christmas puppet show. Then I told the children the Christmas story, we sang the songs “Silent Night”, “Oh in Bethlehem” and others songs for the children, we played with the children and showed them a Christmas cartoon. We gave the children of the military our gifts, which we bought with our own funds. I had a very pleasant feeling in my soul when I gave my gift, which I had collected myself from the things that I had bought personally. Perhaps, I think that those of the American people who provide their personal assistance for God’s victory in Ukraine also feel in their souls the same pleasant feeling of belonging to God’s cause.

Dear friends, we congratulate you on the Birthday of the Baby – Lord.

Glory be to God in heaven and peace on earth.

PS: I continue to look for a new area to conduct an English-language camp for teenagers from military families, continue to work at the Kyiv Theological Seminary as the director of the program “Pastoral Chaplaincy Leadership”, I also still serve as a pastor at the Church “The Way of Truth”, and of course, I have the honor to serve as the head of “Olive Branch” in Ukraine. But I have less energy lately. Remember us in your prayers.

Шановні мої друзі.

Зараз в Україні Різдвяний день і одночасно це є 668 день російської агресії проти українців. За останні 1000 років майже нічого не змінилося у цій частині світу. З моменту формування московії вона веде агресивні імперські війни, що спрямовані на захоплення сусідніх територій і інших народів. Біля 1000 років люди, що живуть на землях кругом Києва відбивають ці московські атаки, часом буває відбиваємося вдало, а часом буває ні. Коли українці програвали оборонні війни, то московія завжди захоплювала України, робила у нас терор або голодомор і йшла воювати далі у Європу.

Отак, я і Марина живемо у Києві: у церкві ми славимо Бога і співаємо про Різдво, а дома хвилюємося від новин, думаємо, молимося і збираємо допомогу для наших військових і капеланів.

22 грудня я, Марина, мій третій син Костянтин зі своєю дружиною Настя, мій четвертий син Марк поїхали за 70 кілометрів у військове містечко у Київський області по дорозі на Чернігів. Члени нашої церкви «Шлях істини», де я є пастор, зібрали 85 різдвяних подарунків для дітей з родин військових. Тому ми приготували Різдвяну програму і подарунки та приїхали у це військове містечко. Там є своя система життєзабезпечення, своя початкова школа, дитячий садок, але школа і садок вже два роки не працюють, бо не має бомбосховища. Це військове містечко російські війська у березні 2022 року намагалися захопити, але не змогли, тому вони його обстріляли. Зараз вже майже всі пошкодження військові відновили, але ще є дірки в асфальті та на стінах відмітини.

Керівництво військового містечка зібрало дітей у будівлі дитячого саду, бо у військовому клубі збирати не стали із-за можливих російських ракетних ударів. Це був добрий час, коли на початку Різдвяного свята була хвилина мовчання за загиблими військовими, потім діти для нас заспівали, а вихователі показали різдвяну лялькову виставу. Потім я розповів дітям Різдвяну історію, ми заспівали для дітей пісні «Тиха ніч», «Ой у Віфлеємі» та інші, ми пограли з дітьми і показали їм різдвяний мультфільм. Ми передали дітям військових наші подарунки, які ми придбали на свої кошти. Я мав у своїй душі дуже приємне відчуття, коли я дарував свій подарунок, який я сам зібрав з тих речей, що я купив особисто. Можливо, я думаю, що ті з американських людей, хто надає свою особисту допомогу для Божої перемоги в Україні також відчувають у своїй душі таке ж приємне відчуття приналежності до Божої справи.

Шановні мої друзі, ми вітаємо вас з святом народження малюка – Царя.

Слава Богу на небі і на Землі мир.

Я продовжую шукати нову територію для проведення англомовного табору для підлітків з один військових, продовжую працювати у Київський богословський семінарії, як директор програми «Пасторсько капеланського керівництва», також я ще служу як пастор у церкві «Шлях істини», і звичайно, я маю честь служити, як керівник «Оливкова гілка» в Україні. Але сил у мене в останній час стало менше. Згадай нас у своїх молитвах.


Valentin.

Valentyn Korenevych,
Colonel (retired)

President of the Public organization “Olive Branch” Ukrainewww.olivebranch.com.ua
Program director of “Pastors-Chaplains Leadership” of the Kyiv Theological Seminary
www.ktsonline.org
+38 097 9638406
This letter was translated by an electronic translator, so I apologize in advance for any errors that you may have noticed.