Reinvent Yourself-Don’t Be Afraid, I am With You Always…
Always reinvent yourself. God has so much for you to do in this life to be sitting waiting for things to happen. Don’t be afraid of the unknown. God has everything covered. All you have to do is take the first step.
But I am too young…God used Daniel as a teenager to be taken captive and later become one of the godliest of men or “greatly beloved”. Daniel 1:3-7, 9:23, 10:11 & 10:18.
But I am too old…He used Zechariah and Elizabeth to have John the Baptist. Luke Chapter 1
But I am not a great speaker… God used the stuttering Moses to lead the greatest exodus of His people out of slavery. Exodus 4:11-13
But I am sickly… God used a sickly man who changed the Roman Empire(Paul the Apostle). 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
I am proof that God can use anyone and I mean anyone! For when I have been weak, he has been strong. I have had the astonishment of seeing what God can do if one lets Him lead! 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
What are you waiting for? Go make the world a better place!!
Humble King-Priceless Love
12 Days & 12 Scriptures – Scripture 7 of 12:
Although we don’t speak of this prophecy as one for Christ’s birth, Our Lord & Savior was born from humble beginnings as a human being. This child that was born in a manger about 2000 years ago would feel the pain as three-quarters of the world does even today. He would grow up poor, his earthly dad would die early in His life. He would have to take on more responsibility at a younger age and because He was the eldest son of a widow.
Later on during his ministry, in the Gospel story of Luke chapter 9:58, this poor King would make a statement, “- Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”-
This Christmas, as we all open up presents and have get-togethers with our loved ones, may we remember that Humble Baby laying in the manger would 33 years later, leave this earth penniless & yet give all of humanity the priceless gift of Salvation.
Who believes our report?
To whom is the arm of Adonai revealed?
2 For before him he grew up like a young plant,
like a root out of dry ground.
He was not well-formed or especially handsome;
we saw him, but his appearance did not attract us. The Prophet Isaiah Chapter 53:
The Wise, Strong & Righteousness King
12 Days & 12 Scriptures – Scripture 6 of 12-
Jesus would come and fix the Kingly line of David. He is the Perfect, Wise, Understanding and Strong King of Peace. He is no longer the Prince but the King of kings. The Prophet Isaiah Chapter 11:
1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.3 And He will delight in the fear of the LORD,
And He will not judge by what His eyes see,
Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor,
And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth;
And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
Shiloh, The Prince of Peace
12 Days & 12 Scriptures — Scripture 5 of 12:
The Kingly Scepter would be taken when Christ (Messiah) would appear on earth. Jesus came and the right for Israel’s Council of religious leaders (Sanhedrin) to judge capital punishments was taken away. 6 miles away in a little town in Bethlehem, a baby was being born who would be King of kings and Lord of lords and bring true lasting peace:
10“The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes,
And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
“The Heavens Declare. Reflections of the heavens above from a lowly earthly view.”
“27 and yet, will God truly reside on earth? Look! Neither the sky nor the highest heaven can contain you! How much less this Temple that I have built!”
The Jewish Scriptures. Book of 1 Kings chapter 8 verse 27 NASB
The Lord is truly amazing. As I took Astronomy for the second time, I did not regret my decision First of all because the first time was in college in 1984.
Professor Andrew Vanden Heuvel’s lectures brought a multi-dimensional perspective. The last time I took the class, I was 18 and going to a secular college. I was just a few weeks into really knowing who God was in my life. Astronomy had always interested me to the point of me buying one of those cheap telescopes and looking up at the heavens.
Even in my ignorance, I knew there was something bigger than me. I was hungry to reach out and touch God. Yet, in none of the lectures at the college I was in , did God make an entrance. No word of His majesty nor of His powerfully active work still being done today was mentioned.
You see, the professor was a secular professor explaining his secular theories to secular kids who really did not want to be bothered by an entity in school. I call the trifecta of what has been going on in America for far too long.
When I finished this class back in ’84, I received a great grade. It left me asking more questions than before I took the class.
Now here is where I will sound old- Back then, I did not know what I know now.
Now let’s fast forward to modern times!!
I just finished taking this Anatomy class at CLI. The instruction was not only as comparable as college courses but it brought home the meaning of Astronomy.
“To Him who rides upon the highest heavens, which are from ancient times; Behold, He speaks forth with His voice, a mighty voice.”
The Jewish Scriptures, Book of Psalms chapter 68 verse 33 NASB
Professor VH said,(sorry for being so informal on your name, but I feel like I personally know you almost to the point of going to your place and cooking you a BBQ!. Plus, if I had to write your full name, I would use up a few hundred words alone!!)
Back to my reflections on the class. This class was much more than the stars and galaxies. I can’t pick one class lecture because it would not do the class justice, just like I can’t just pick one thing I like in the bible because everything comes together in unity to declare God’s incredible majesty and power. But if I could take one lecture it would have to be the perfect number (Week) 7 lecture.
I remember in week 1, Professor VH explained the main reason for the class:
“The amazing universe points to the amazing Creator… The class is all about knowing God…This class is very visual. There are picture galleries of each class to see…that will give you the purpose of course. And that is knowing God and how to know God better through His Son the Word, His scriptures and through nature.
When I saw the solar flare and a scale sized Earth which was added get a better picture of how tremendous the power and size of the sun is, it made me have a Selah moment and think of the scripture:
“1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
4 Their voice is not heard And their utterances to the end of the world.…”The Jewish Scriptures, Book of Psalms chapter 19 verses 1-4 19 NASB
As professor VH continued explaining the sheer size of Gas Giants, I realized even that much more how God has a perfect synchronization and order throughout the universe.
When I learned that 1.3 million earths would fit inside the sun, just that in sheer numbers is beyond my scope of imagination. Yet, our sun is not the biggest in the universe:
“We know that the radius of CM is 2100 times larger than our sun’s. So the answer is about 9.3 billion suns can fit inside VY Canis Majoris.”
The above picture is of VY Canis Majoris. The small circle you see in blue, is outlining our sun and also the orbit of the earth.That is simply amazing and incomprehensible to see that our sun is a tiny dot in our galaxy the Milky Way!
Yet I can’t help myself for asking:
“What is a human being, that you make so much of him;
that you set your affections on him,
18 visit him every morning,
and test him continually? …”
The Jewish Scriptures, Book of Job chapter 7 verses 17-18. ISV“Adonai, what are mere mortals,
that you notice them at all;
humans, that you think about them?
4 Man is like a puff of wind,
his days like a fleeting shadow.
5 Adonai, lower the heavens, and come down; ..”
The Jewish Scriptures, Book of Psalms chapter 144, verses 3-5 The Complete Jewish Bible
What is man? Man is not the center of the universe. At least not in the scheme of the universe. Yet, God thought of men and women as incredibly important. As I sat watching the lecture, I couldn’t help myself. I became joyfully overwhelmed by God’s presence in my life. Instead of me getting sad and depressed on how minute we are in the vastness of space, I rejoiced that the Creator of this universe,the One that has this what seems infinite number of stars and planets, the Lord Himself, has taken time out to speak with me personally.
Even more incredible, that He has sent His Son Jesus, to die a horrible death for me. Me, little ol’ me! An insignificant smaller than a fly human being when you look at the vastness of the universe. Yet, in his ultimate sacrifice, the Son came and like Psalm 144 verse 5 says, God lowered or bowed or bent the heavens to bring His Son Jesus to earth. Our God is so powerful that He can roll up the universe and put it in his pocket! I know what you’re thinking, “ How can Oscar say this? Is God that powerful and big?
Well, just look at the following scripture in Isaiah chapter 40:
12 “Who has measured the waters of the sea
in the hollow of his hand
and marked off the heavens
by the width of his hand?
Who has enclosed the dust of the earth
in a measuring bowl,?”….
…..22 ”He’s the one who sits above the disk of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.
He’s the one who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to live in,”…
The Jewish Scriptures, book of Isaiah chapter 40, verses 12 and 22 ISV
Our God is! Our God is the One that hold the universe in His hand. Our God is the One that thinks of humans as His precious love and joy!
Our God is the One that called you and me from our mother’s womb! He knows us. His Son Jesus saved us. His Holy Spirit guides us. His majesty declares and His presence confirms. He is Our God. Our God is the One that reigns! The universe screams out into sheer delight that God is the orchestrator of all creation. But even more wonderful, He is the perfecter of our faith. The One that will se us through this journey called life. Our God is the One! Suns and planets may begin and end. But They only begin and end with His command. Our God is the one that commands the heavens to move and they obey. There is nothing our God can’t do.
And our God is the One that does all this, just for us, men and women in this tiny, hole in the wall planet called earth. Yet, our God is the One that has called us from here to spread the Good News of His creation and of His love and salvation. Our God is the One, who chose the nation of Israel, the tiniest of nations on this planet.
Our God is the One that chose the lesser of brothers from each generation. Our God is the one who chose me, the least among people to proclaim the gospel!
Some may see the vastness of the universe as a negative. But I see God’s glorious fingerprint in the heavens for they declare that Our God is the One!
__________
References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFT7ATLQQx8&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoW8Tf7hTGA
http://education2.marssociety.org/the-importance-of-scientific-literacy-to-human-mission-to-mars/
https://www.christianleadersinstitute.org
Jesus our Passion
This week most of the Christian world will celebrate Passion Week. To those that may not know what this is, it is the culmination of Jesus the Jewish Carpenter who started His ministry at 33 years of age.
Why did I call him the Jewish Carpenter? B
ecause that is what most of the world knows him by.
You see unless you have intimate knowledge of who Jesus is, you will only know Him as a Jewish Carpenter, who was also a great Rabbinical teacher.
To me, He is much more than this. He is the Creator of the universe. He is the Savior of humanity. He is the One, who took the sins of the world. Through the sacrifice of His life on the cross, He once and for all, brought the spiritual balance of the universe back to where it once was.
Yes, the world is not perfect. Yes, it has gotten worse these last few years. Yes, the world could blow up into a third world war. There is violence on television in almost every news station. There are regional conflicts everywhere. Even in this country, we are divided.
But you see, my confidence in my faith tells me, that no matter what happens here on earth, there is a God’s spiritual world that supersedes it.
That spiritual world is still in chaos but what Jesus did by dying on the cross, was that He, from the day He died, brought back a balance that we are not able to see just yet. The balance was restoring mankind back into oneness in a personal relationship with the Creator of this world.
When Jesus of Nazareth died on the cross, He died for all men and women. He was telling us that He took the punishment that we all deserved and placed it on Himself. He took the brunt of the punishment in order for us to be back on His Father’s grace. The grace that now, is given freely to anyone that will ask for it.
You see, we could be good and try to do our best in our personal lives, but we would still fail God eventually.
Jesus came so that there would not be any question about getting back to God’s grace through His only Son.
We don’t deserve this grace but as this week is all about, Jesus died on the cross almost two thousand years ago so that our spiritual balance would be bought and paid for by Him.
If you are reading this today and are questioning how to get this free grace, all you have to do is ask God.
1. Tell God that you fall short sometimes and do things that are contrary to His ways.
2. Ask Him to take complete control of your life and that you welcome Him to guide your every step.
3. Ask Him to forgive you of all the wrongs that you have done throughout your life.
4. Thank Jesus for taking your sins away on that cross.
5. Stop all the things that you have done wrong in your life.
6. Find a church whose pastor teaches the Bible completely through, from the first book in the Bible which is Genesis to the last book which is Revelation.
I invite you to do this. You will find that Jesus is a great Forgiver. You will find that He is a graceful, loving God that will guide you through this tough journey we call life. You will also find a peace that you will not understand even when you are going through tough times…
