Exloring Life Eternal

BECAUSE YOU CAME

Into the gutters, the pits, and sewers of our sin He came -
hating our sin, but loving us He came!
He Who was clothed in light and glory came down -
Down into the gutter, the pit, the sewer of my sin He came -
And I will never be the same because He came!

When He came Angels chose to weep at Heaven¹s loss.
But no! He will have JOY announce His coming because
Mankind gains from Heaven's loss!
All the joy, all the glitter, all the glory, all the gloss -
And then we nailed Him to the cross!

You look at me and you see sin - enormous sin and slime and shame!
You see betrayal and death and dirt and I'm to blame!
You may not recognize me as His dear child
since I have crucified Him again and again, to my great shame!
But I am not what I might have been without Him!
I will NEVER be the same because He came!

Where's the glory? Where's the glitter? Where's the gloss?
Buried beneath the blood at the foot of the cross.
Still there is suffering; still there is pain;
Still it often seems there is nothing to gain.
There is an end. He brings us to the depths until we come to Himself.
He stooped that low that we must find Him by digging deeper.
And I cannot stop until I immerse myself in Him, whatever it takes!
I may not - I cannot - I will not be the same because He came!

The angels said, "Glory to God!" and I say "Glory" too.
There is no life without the life in You!
Where can I go? It's totally true
that no one has the Words but You!
You can't let me go and I can't stay untrue to You!
Let's make Christmas together in my heart and in my home
and we will never ever be alone!
Forgive me! No matter what it looks like I cannot walk away
and find another god or go another way - it cannot be!
I cannot EVER be the same - because You came!

- by Bill Hawkins, Christmas, 2005

Below is a letter that was shared with some friends about why I believe the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is a message of Peace:

Dear Brother _____,

Yes, I am quite familiar with the fact that Islam is by nature a religion
that is hostile to God & no-one can ever please God by the methods which it
espouses. It has much form of godliness, but no real power. I also am 100%
aware that Islam teaches, in essence, that the best way to win in this world
& the next is to be violent. I believe Islam is false when compared to
Christ & the cross.

However, my point was to clarify that I (& others?) preach & practice
"Christ & Him crucified." We will not see Muslims come to Christ just
because we return tit-for-tat with swords or bombs or laws. Nor because we
do nice & courteous things to Muslims. Rather, because we preach the Risen
Lord & are willing to follow Him to the cross.

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. If all muslims were miraculously
redeemed & then secure in Christ, would they then continue to wage war
against non-Muslims simply because _they_ were from a Muslim background? I
sure hope not. In otherwords, the dragon may deceive & satan may use lies,
but he will ultimately lie dead at the foot of the cross.

Our security is not in national boundaries either. The Lord is our Defense.
The name of the Lord defines who we are as a people. (I am under the
distinct impression that there are members of this forum & the Body of
Christ from political states other than the USA, correct?)

I am not advocating that all people from the West evacuate the Middle East.
Quite the opposite. We need to send more there who will go in the Lord's
name. Nor do I advocate/endorse the opintion that the USA stop supporting
Israel/mediating in the regional conflict. That seems both unwise & useless
to me. Though, the USA is a straw reed compared to the Man who suffered
outside the gates of Jerusalem.

Pray for me to be a better communicator & listener, my friend.

Peace in the name of Jesus,
Mert Hershberger
PTAP@srginc.org
S.E. Michigan

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Real nice expression of a wonderful Christian faith / walk!
N.

The more I read/hear/study/reflect upon the gospels, the more I am convinced that Jesus is not really trusted by many who would swear by their baptism otherwise:

In the final analysis, I believe in Jesus & therefore urge others to do the same.

1. Jesus was "homeless": Jesus had no regular place to sleep & dragged his followers along. From the time of his birth in Bethlehem to when he was buried in a borrowed tomb ... Jesus lived a transient life. Whenever he had an opportunity to settle down, he refused it ... to go to other villages. Jesus left His Father's house so that we might dwell with and in Him forever.

2. Jesus was "not rational": called at times a glutton, a crazy man because he didn't eat regularly, & a lawbreaker because he ate handpicked grain as he walked down the road on the sabbath: he ate the wrong thing at the wrong time with the wrong people. Jesus went crazy for us so that we might receive the wisdom of God.

3. Jesus was not "healthy.": he ate with dirty hands, he touched people with contagious diseases, he touched dead bodies, he was touched by women with menstrual flow, and used spit & dirt as part of the healing process. Jesus was regarded as a Physician who could not heal himself.

4. Jesus was "immoral": he was called a friend of sinners because of his willingness to accept party invitations from any & everybody, he permitted women of ill-repute to wash his feet with their hair, to talk with him alone, to receive forgiveness from him; he also invited taxcollectors to follow him, respected foreign oppressors, and helped hypocrites get right through friendly conversations. Jesus was indeed made sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God.

5. Jesus was "moody": he threw a temper-tantrum in the holiest building in the nation, he later cried aloud when he entered the same city though he was treated at the moment like royalty. Oddly, when Jesus was suffering humiliation & torture, he told onlookers to weep for themselves. Jesus was cursed so that we might be blessed.

6. Jesus was killed: he was killed as a traitor to the state, as a religious heretic, as an evil man in every way, even one of those who died with him cursed him; his death was a public spectacle, his last will and testament for his family was spoken on the cross & only written years after it had been put into effect, his burial was hasty, and his body wasn't in the tomb 3 days later. According to Jesus His death would lay the foundation, His Life of Love the final Light.

The question I am faced with then each day then is this:
Will I follow Jesus or not?

If I choose to accept the Lord's invitation each day, the steps along the path become crystal golden stones in the city streets.

How precious, how peaceful, how plentous, how purposeful!

The key is to praise & pray in times of pain & pleasure. Faith is indeed the victory.

Peace,
Mert