Moving Onward and Upward—Our New Year’s Blessing

Moving Onward and Upward—Our New Year’s Blessing

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NKJV)
^“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

            As we move into this new year and new season in the Lord, I sense that the God is calling us into a time of radical change.  A radical change is one that is deeply seated.  It is a change that centers at the root of our being.  A radical change is more than striving to give up a bad habit.  A radical change includes a change and upgrade in our core belief system.  Paul wrote to the church in Rome declaring, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2 NKJV)  

            A radical change requires a change in our thinking.  An area in our thinking that most certainly requires an upgrade is our perspective of who God is.  When we know more fully who God is, we can, in the midst of the chaos of life, declare as Job did, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” (Job 13:15 NKJV).  

            God is love. Out of His love, He desires the best for His creation.  God, in His incarnate Son, suffered the agony of the cross to set us free from the eternal consequences of sin.  Therefore, because He is love, He hates sin. God hates sin because sin brings anguish, despair and suffering to those whom He loves.  

Because God is love, He is also holy.  In the Greek, the word translated as “holy” means morally blameless.  The English word “holy” means “whole” or “complete”.  The primary (pre-Christian) meaning  probably  was "that which must be preserved whole  and cannot be transgressed or violated," and was connected with Old English hal  and Old High German heil meaning "health and happiness.”  God is holy.  Therefore, He is whole, and in His wholeness, He is healthy and happy.  He wants the same for us. 

Because He wants health and happiness for us, He has declared us to be joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Romans 8:15-17 (NKJV) “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”   Loneliness, abandonment, fear, and shame are not what God has in store for us.  In Christ, we exchange loneliness for companionship and fellowship.  Our sense of abandonment is erased in the knowledge that God will never leave us nor forsake us.   That promise is reiterated at least seven times in scripture.  We can lay our fear at the foot of the cross and embrace His peace.  We can forgo shame and accept that we are who God says we are—His children.

We are also the Bride of Christ.  The “Song of Solomon” is an allegorical description of Christ’s love for His bride, the Church. “I am my Beloved’s and He is mine.”  “His banner over me is love.”   We are protected, sheltered and covered in His love.

Because we are His children, God has a destiny for us.  In Him, we have a future and a hope.  That destiny includes the fruit of the spirit manifested in our lives.  ^"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Galatians 5:22-26 NKJV)  Our future, our inheritance, includes the fruit of the spirit beginning with love.  

As Christians, we know the Holy Spirit indwells us.  What we don’t always understand is that indwelling includes the fruit of the spirit.  We do not have to sit and wait for God to shower the fruit of the spirit upon us.  We simply have to allow the fruit of the spirit to grow, to produce, and to flow out of our inner most being. 

When our perception of God includes a greater acceptance of His love, we can easily move into the second fruit of the spirit, joy.  God is calling His church into greater joy in the season ahead.  Greater joy will be the sign that we have undergone the radical change that God is calling forth in our lives.  

              During the troubled times of rebuilding Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity, Nehemiah encouraged the workers:  "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV)  God is not desirous of a weak, sickly, fearful Bride.  We are strengthened by rejoicing but weakened by murmuring and complaining. 

            Remember the words of Solomon in Proverbs: 

▪ Proverbs 15:13 (NKJV)
¹³  A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

▪ Proverbs 15:15 (NKJV)
¹⁵  All the days of the afflicted are evil, But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

▪ Proverbs 17:22 (NKJV)
²²  A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.

           

 During this new year, let’s begin a new season in the Lord.  Let’s bask more securely in His love; let’s allow His joy to flow out of our inner most being and refresh the world around us; let’s declare Isaiah 55:12 over our lives:

  "For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”  (Isaiah 55:12 NKJV)

Happy New Year!!

A Christmas and All-Year-Round Blessing

A Christmas and All-Year-Round Blessing

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Luke 2:13-14 (NKJV)
^“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

The army of heaven appeared at the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and proclaimed the first Christmas greeting, the first Christmas blessing. It is a three part, progressive, blessing:  glory to God, peace and, then, goodwill toward others.  The blessing is not only about what God has given to us in the incarnation.  It is also about what we are to give in return.

We give glory to God by meditating on who He is and on our relationship with Him. It is often too easy to become so embroiled in the affairs of the world that we forget that greater is He who is in us than he who is the world. (1 John 4:4).  While we must be prayfully aware of the trials and tribulations of life, we must also keep our minds set on the One who has the solutions. 

Paul wrote to the people at Philippi, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:8 NKJV)

God is true; God is noble; His actions are just, pure, lovely, good, virtuous and worthy of praise.  When we mediate on His Word and His intervention in our lives, our spirits are touched with His love and we sing as David sang,  “Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.” (1 Chronicles 16:8-12 NKJV)

The second step in the process of blessing is “Peace on earth.”  Peace on earth does not begin in the halls of Congress nor in the Oval Office.  It begins within the hearts of each of us.  “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12:18 NKJV).

Because God has given free will to all, we can choose to live peacefully even with those with whom we disagree.  While we don’t have to accept ungodly principles, we must recognize that others have the freedom to make those choices.  The Word of God is our line in the sand.  Just as we must allow others to have freedom of choice; they must make the same allowance for us.  When they don’t make that allowance, we can stand firm in truth and in the peace of God. 

My prayer is that others will see the “peace that passes all understanding” in our lives and desire that peace in their own.    Our lives must be testimonies for the Kingdom of God.  We must be willing to "preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words." (Although this quotation is often attributed to St. Frances of Assisi, we cannot verify the origin.)

When we glorify our heavenly Father, when we walk in His peace, then goodwill toward others naturally flows from our inner being.  Instead of being sources for discontent and despair, we become conduits for peace and good will.

        May the light of God, found in salvation through Jesus Christ, fill our hearts, shine from our countenances and be spread throughout the world in our words and our actions.  Merry Christmas to all.

The Empowering Epic of the Birth of Jesus—Part 3

The Empowering Epic of the Birth of Jesus—Part  3

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Matthew 2:1-12 (NKJV)
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,  saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' "
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."
When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.”

            The Gospel of Matthew gives us all the Holy Spirit-inspired information we have on the Wise Men (Magi) who came from the east seeking out the Son of God.  We don’t know how many came.  We don’t know their names.  We don’t know their ethnicity.  We don’t know that they were Persian astrologers.  Most of us don’t know that they did not come on the night Jesus was born.  Most definitely, most of us don’t know the Bible history behind their coming.

            We have forgotten or, possibly, have never learned about the Babylonian and, later, Persian captivity of the Jews during the lifetime of Daniel.  For many, our Biblical knowledge does not include the historical accounts of Ezra and Nehemiah when only part of the Jews returned to Israel from Persia during the reign of Cyrus. In the Book of Acts 2:9, we find that Jews identified as Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, heard Peter’s sermon on Pentecost.  Parthia, Media and Elam were in ancient Persia.  Descendents of the Jews who remained in Persian are still living in Iraq and Iran today. 

           

Perhaps the wise men were not Persian astrologers or 3 kings from obscure countries to the east.  Perhaps they were Jews who had found favor in Persia as wise men just as Daniel had.  Perhaps they came not only to seek out the King of the Jews but also to celebrate one of the feast days in Jerusalem.

            Our study of the wise men must also include the prophecy of Balaam:  Numbers 24:15-17 (NKJV)
^“So he took up his oracle and said: "The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened; The utterance of him who hears the words of God, And has the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open: "I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.” 

            The wise men knew that the star indicated the coming of the conquering King of Israel. Therefore, they had to have been familiar with Hebrew prophecy.  They also knew about when to look for the star.  Daniel 9:24-27 indicates that there will be 69 X 7 weeks (years) from the command to leave Persian and rebuild Jerusalem until the time for the Messiah to be “cut off.”  History indicates that it was 483 years from the time the Jews left Persia to rebuild the temple and the walls of Jerusalem until the Crucifixion of Jesus.  Seeing the star was a sign to the wise men that the Messiah had come to earth.

            The wise men asked, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?”  They did not ask where he had been born. Perhaps they were familiar as well with the prophecy in Micah 5:2 that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

            Herod asked the priests and scribes where the Christ was to be born.  Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem.  In Bethlehem, they again saw the star. In my heart, I believe that in Bethlehem, they bowed down and worshiped their King and not just one that they recognized as a king.

            Are we, too, wise men?  Have we studied Bible prophecy and Bible history?  Do we accept Jesus as our King?  If we do not recognize the epic spiritual encounter of His birth, we relegate history to an insipid myth of a changling child surrounded by the creatures from the fairy land.  Let’s not forget Who Christ is, why He was born, and the climax of the epic story:

Revelation 19:11-16 (NKJV)
^“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

O  come and adore Him.

The Empowering Epic of the Birth of Jesus—Part 2

The Empowering Epic of the Birth of Jesus—Part  2

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

            Luke 2:1-14 (NKJV)
      “And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

“So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

“Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:  "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" 

Remember that an epic is “a long series of events characterized by adventures or struggle; impressive by virtue of greatness of size, scope or heroism”.  The epic birth of our Savior came at a time when the world was struggling under the oppression of the Roman Empire.  Christ's birth and later sacrifice make it possible for us to overcome in the ongoing spiritual struggle.  We are engaged in an epic battle. The enemy of our souls has fought through the ages to prevent our victory.   

Warfare in the heavenlies was taking place the night Jesus was born.  God sent a multitude of the heavenly host to protect the Child and to declare the purpose of God in the incarnation, that in Jesus Christ, we have peace and good will.

The angels who declared the glory of God to the shepherds were not a choir of lovely females with halos and harps.  They were the heavenly host, the army of God poised in strength, power and authority.  Throughout scripture, the host of angels refers to the mighty army of God.  The Hebrew word used is “Sabaoth” and refers to a large army.  Most descriptions of angels in the Bible describe them in military terms, such as encampment (Gen.32:1-2), command structure (Ps.91:11-12; Matt.13:41; Rev.7:2), and combat (Jdg.5:20; Job 19:12; Rev.12:7).

      Today, we seldom see angels pictured as the army of God. We have hidden the epic, heroic force of heaven under the cloak of the Celtic fairyland.  Most of our modern depictions of angels are taken from fairy stories and not from the Word of God.  Cinderella had a fairy godmother.  God has an angelic army greater than all the forces of hell, and that army stood guard over the birth of His son. Today, His army stands guard over the Church, the body of Christ.  Because of that protection, we can declare with the angels, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"