Winter In The Forest

God's Glory Displayed in

Winter Capped Trees
Sweden

For Many People When They Think

of The Book of Revelation it conjures up images of God's judgment upon a godless earth. However, a careful reading of the letters to the seven churches, recorded in the second and third chapters, reveal many wonderful promises that the Lord has made to those who are a part of his family.

The following is a list of these promises:

1. "To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God." (Rev. 2:7)
2. "if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life." (Rev. 2:10)
3. "Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death." (Rev. 2:11)
4. "To everyone who is victorious I will give some of manna that has been hidden away in heaven. (Rev. 2:17)
5. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it." (Rev. 2:17)
6. "To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end. To them I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots. (Rev. 2:26-27)
7. They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star! (Rev. 2:28)
8. "All who are victorious will be clothed in white. (Rev. 3:5)
9. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine." (Rev. 3:5)
10. "All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. (Rev. 3:12)
11. And I will write on them the name of my God and they will be citizens in the city of my God...And I will also write on them my new name." (Rev. 3:12)
12. "Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne." (Rev. 3:21)
    

When one reads such a list of promises the magnitude of it is simply overwhelming. Believers in Jesus Christ have the great expectation of being join-heirs with him throughout eternity!

Victory, position and citizenship is the eternal reality for those who by faith have trusted in the Lamb of God!

Copyright. Bruce January 2006

Note: All quotes taken from the New Living Translation Second Edition.

A Winter's Day in Sweden

Wet snow coating the
trees making for
a wintery fairyland

Do You Really Appreciate The Fact That

the mercy of God is shown "from generation to generation to all who fear him" (Luke 1:50). From God's perspective mercy is a key element in his plan for humanity. Without his mercy we would be doomed. In God's eyes death is the penalty for sin. At birth we enter the world already spiritually dead and in time physical death will be the reality for every person. If it were not for God's mercy all of humanity would spend an eternity in the terrors of hell away from the presence of the Lord. However, for those who put their trust in Jesus Christ he extends mercy.

From the moment of Adam and Eve's fall into sin (Gen 3:6) God's mercy has been evident. It was initially displayed when God did not immediately put them to death for their disobedience. Several verses later the first veiled reference to the redemptive work of Christ is recorded: "I will cause hostility between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head and you will strike his heel" (Gen 3:15). Satan would sense victory but Christ would strike the fatal blow to the head of the evil one.

God's mercy is seen throughout Scripture. The Israelites had been forced into slavery in the land of Egypt for many years. They were constantly mistreated by their task masters. One day, while Moses was working as a shepherd in the wilderness of Midian (Exodus 3:2) God appeared to him in a burning bush. The Lord indicated that he was aware of Israel's suffering "so I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians" (Exodus 3:7-8) and Moses, you are my chosen one for the job. In his perfect timing the Lord was about to extend mercy to his chosen people.

Jesus often showed mercy to those he came in contact with as he walked throughout the land of Palestine. For example a man approached Jesus asking for the extension of mercy towards his son who was troubled with seizures (Matthew 17:15). On another occasion 10 lepers cried out "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" (Luke 17:13). In both cases mercy was extended as healing was given.

God's extension of mercy in practical day to day issues is only of value in terms of time and space --- the here-and-now. His greatest mercy is extended in relation to the spiritual dimension of our existence. This is his willingness to extend salvation to those who believe upon the name of Jesus. The Apostle Peter brings this truth home in a powerful way when he states "It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead...and we have a priceless inheritance...that is kept in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:3-4).

Does the Lord extend his mercy to all people? The answer is no! God said to Moses "I will show mercy to anyone I choose and I will show compassion to anyone I choose" (Romans 9:14). Jesus makes it very clear that God's mercy is only extended to those who are elected when he stated "no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me and at the last day I will raise them up" (John 6:44).

When humanity fell God was not under any obligation to extend mercy to any of his creation. Everyone deserved the punishment of external separation and damnation. The remarkable thing is that the Lord has seen fit to extend his mercy to even the few who have believed.

Copyright. Bruce January 2006

Note: All quotes taken from the New Living Translation Second Edition.

The Canal's of Venice

Travelling the Canal's of Venice

while time stands still!

When Was the Last Time you Thought About the Holiness of God

and reflected on how it should affect the way you look at life? Mary in her song of praise in Luke 1:49 refers to God as being holy. Holiness is at the very centre of the nature of God. Yet it is something that we seem to take so much for granted today. Many are willing to acknowledge the love and compassion of God. It is, however, no longer politically correct to focus on his holiness because it has the potential to make us feel uncomfortable.

The problem with this perspective is that refusing to think about it does not negate the reality of this central characteristic of God. We are to stand in awe of the holiness of God. It is to have a powerful effect upon how we live our lives.

During their years of wandering in the wilderness, Moses and Aaron were commanded by the Lord to tell the Israelites that they "must be holy because I am holy" (Lev 11:45). God gave them no room for compromise in this regard. This truth is also taught in the New Testament by the Apostle Peter. In his first letter he tells his readers "you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy" (1 Peter 1:15).

The Bible paints a picture of how people in biblical times experienced and reacted to God's holiness. Moses, when confronted by God from the burning bush was told to "Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground" (Exodus 3:5). When the commander of the Lord's army (the pre-incarnate Christ) approached Joshua before the battle for Jericho, the leader of the Israelites' reaction was to "fall with his face to the ground in reverence" and ask "What do you want your servant to do?" (Joshua 5:14).

Scripture teaches that God's holiness, reflected in the brilliance of his being, was something that was to be feared. Moses, at one point, asked God to show him his glorious presence. The Lord responded by indicating that "...you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live" but I will "let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen." (Ex. 33:20,23). God lives in and radiates incredible holiness and glory.

God's holiness is also the central theme to the angelic hosts. We experience a glimpse of this in the book of Revelation as the angels are involved in heavenly worship. The angelic beings who are serving before the Father are presented as constantly saying "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty --- the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come" (Rev. 4:8).

Why do we feel so uncomfortable regarding God's holiness? It is because holiness is incompatible with sin. This means that God's holiness ultimately demands judgment.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden they were expelled from the garden and were cursed by God for their disobedience (Gen 3:16-19). When sin became so great in the time of Noah, God determined to destroy all life by a great flood except for those in the ark. One day in the future, God's judgment will fall upon all of unregenerate humanity during the time of the Great Tribulation. An angel describes God in relation to this Divine wrath as being "just...because you have sent these judgment...your judgments are true and just" (Rev. 16:5,7).

When one finally comes to grips with God's holiness we are confronted with the true essence of his divine nature. The result is a revolutionized understanding of God and how we must relate to him if we are to become more conformed to his holiness.

Copyright. Bruce January 2006

Note: All quotes taken from the New Living Translation Second Edition.

Winter In Winnipeg, Manitoba

A Cold Crisp Afternoon!
But Spring is Coming!