GLORY OF GOD AND GLORY OF CREATION
John wrote, “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” (John 1:1-3). At verse 14 we know that through the Holy Spirit John tells us exactly who this is referring to — that is Jesus. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (v.14).
Yes, Jesus was the One whom God created all things. Paul confirmed this in his letter to the Colossians, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or [e]principalities or [f]powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” (Col. 1:16). The speaks of Christ’s preeminence, or the fact of His surpassing all others in superiority.
Let’s hear of God’s amazing power, love and glory in His being, and His creation…
SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN CHRIST
NOT ALL OF GOD’S BLESSINGS ARE SPIRITUAL AND NOT ALL BLESSING ARE IN CHRIST.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” (Eph. 1:3). Paul stated that God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings “in Christ.” “In Christ” designates a relationship which the believer sustains to Jesus.
The Fulness of God: The blessings which God has for us in Christ are available in the church. The church is the body of people for whom Jesus gave His life (Eph. 5:26), “that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (5:27).
Many religions look for the fulness of God’s blessings at some future time when Jesus will return to this earth and rule on this earth for a thousand years. That is in conflict with what Paul revealed. He stated that Jesus is presently reigning over everything (1:20-21) and that the church is the fulness of God’s blessings to us.
We are not looking for a future earthly kingdom. We look forward to the second coming of Christ, the judgment, and our eternal home in heaven.
GOD IS REAL! And reason Proves God is Real and we’ll discuss a few in this lesson. Example, Thomas Aquinas’ Five Ways to Prove Through Reason that God is Real. Through His Creation Psalm 139:14, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” There is more…
THE GREATEST PROMISE FULFILLED
ANTICIPATION: “THE ACT OF LOOKING FORWARD ESPECIALLY : PLEASURABLE EXPECTATION…”
Israel waited in anticipation for 3,000 years, waited for their coming Messiah and in their error, for a King that would rule physically in Jerusalem, on king David’s throne, over powering all their enemies. This of course is found in Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
As for the word “bruise” we must not be confused with modern understanding for it is the same word is used by Job where speaking of God Job said, “For He crushes me with a tempest…” (Job 9:17).
The prophecy is an inveterate prophecy of war between the children of the devil and the children of God.
There are many promises made by the prophets – that were fulfilled in by Christ’s coming…
“1 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:1-5).
Now as we think about this psalm 103 of the healing and the forgiving and the crowning with loving kindness and tender mercies. Let’s read of such one from Matthew 26 beginning at verse 69…
“1 The [a]burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw. 2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save. 3 Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see [b]trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises.” (Habakkuk 1:1-3)
Why do the wicked prevail over the just? If God is just then how can God allow such evil to exist? Is it possible that the actions of the Babylonians (called the Chaldeans in this book) are beyond the control of the God of Israel? Habakkuk is not alone; he asks the kinds of questions which people in every age ask of God. I believe all of us can relate to Habakkuk when we look around at our world today.
Many to this day still question God…
In the first chapter of Genesis we read of the creation, with the first words from God, “let there be light”, (v.3). In this chapter we then see that the word was involved, the light was involved and life. These are three basic components that we see in the book of John chapter one. In verses 6 through 18 we read about “the light”. In this lesson we are asking, “Why Did the Word Become Flesh?” There are many answers, and we’ll investigate them beginning in the book of John. Notice the first answer in verse 12, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the [a]right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”. Jesus the Word came to gives man the right to become the children of God…
The Faith of the Nobleman Webster defines “miracle” as, “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs”. Oxford Dictionary says of miracles, “A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency”. In our time the word miracle…
SERENITY – WISDOM FROM GOD
In our lesson we want to talk about the simple practical things that we can and cannot change. We’ll begin at the end of the phrase with, the wisdom to know the difference between the two. This wisdom begins not with our own understanding, but with petition to God for His guidance and His wisdom to discern these things.
“5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:5-6). We all can ask God for wisdom Remember Solomon who could have asked for anything, any material thing in the world, but he asked God for wisdom, and that God gave him along with what he didn’t ask for. When we pray to God for wisdom it can come from many different sources, parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters in Christ, etc.
We will also talk about the serenity and peace that comes with wisdom, and knowledge, as we are guided by the wisdom from above…
CONTENTMENT
“11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to [a]be abased, and I know how to [b]abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need” (Philippians 4:11-12).
We will consider in this lesson the secret of contentment, have we learned that secret? Are we content with what we have? Our society trains us to want more of everything. So, how do we find contentment? Listen in and see.