30. #PrinceofPeace

"For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder...

And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

Our Prince of Peace. His birth is celebrated every Christmas. His death every Easter. This wonderful Counselor, Mighty God... is God's beloved Son - Jesus.

This baby, born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago is God.

Yes, Jesus is God.

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he Him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:26-27)

God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit created the Universe.

Jesus was always with God. The Holy spirit was always with God. For they are God.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.

In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not...

[Jesus is] the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.

He came unto His own [Israel], and His own received Him not.

But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name...

And the Word was made 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. And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared him...

The next day John sees Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

Yes, God incarnated himself as a little baby for the express purpose of redeeming men and women from sin, for "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

We can not - not sin. We were born with sin. Look at any two year old and tell me they are born sinless. You know, that sweet little face adorably staring you down as you are running toward them screaming no!!!!! grabbing their hand just before they defiantly try and poke a bobby pin into the light socket.

We can say we are good people, but are we really? Jesus laid it on the line when he said, "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Mathew 5:28) Uh-oh!

For the "self" righteous, this is a big blow.

"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man." (Mark 7:21-23)

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1John 1:8)

"For there is not a man upon earth that does good and sins not." (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

How many of us tell ourselves that we are good people. We try not to lie, or cheat or steal. So, just in case there is a heaven - we think we are qualified candidates because we are basically "good enough people" to be allowed entry past the pearly gates. But here is the rub...

We can not be good enough for a Holy God. For even our thoughts tell on us. I have yet to meet anyone - including myself - that can maintain holiness and righteousness. Not one person. The very ones who preach against sin - as if we ourselves have it in us to make ourselves be perfect - are the very ones who end up in unbelievably BAD sinful behavior.

Preaching against sin is foolishness. We are completely unable - within ourselves - not to sin. No one will be able to look upon God and pat themselves on the back and say - I have been a "good" person. Not even Mother Teresa. It is not a point system as in Karma. There is no such thing as little sin, for a little leaven, leavens the whole loaf. (1 Corinthians 5:6)

You are either perfect in all your ways (even your inner thoughts) or you are a sinner.

If you aren't perfect, then you need a blood sacrifice to atone for your sin. This is why Jesus is called the Lamb of God. In the past, you would bring a lamb without spot or wrinkle to the Priest. The Priest would then inspect the lamb, making sure that it had no blemish. Once the Priest was satisfied that the lamb was indeed spotless, he had the person lay their hands on the lamb's head signifying that all of this man's sins were being transferred to this innocent lamb and the lambs innocence would be transferred symbolically to the man. The lamb was then slain, taking on the punishment that the man deserved and the man would walk free from the wages of sin for one year, taking on the innocence of the lamb. This transference went on year in and year out. Man had to raise a little lamb, take it from it's Mother and have it killed for his own sins. This is a terrifying reminder of how much the price of sin is.

The price of our sin is so high that Jesus [God] came from heaven, taking on the form of man in order for Him to become the spotless, once and for all, Lamb of God. Jesus being innocent of all sin took on our sin at the cross and the punishment that should have been reserved for us, was poured out upon Him. He purchased our release. He died in our place. So that we would not be subject to hell and the second death.

He took our sins and in return we take on his innocence and righteousness. This miraculous transference happens the moment we accept the full and complete pardon that Jesus attained for us on that cross. You can not earn this salvation. It is impossible for you to attain righteousness by doing good works in the sight of a Holy God.

GOD GIVES YOU THE FREE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHEN YOU BELIEVE WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT HIMSELF AND WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED ON THAT CROSS FOR YOU.

"For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works , so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

The LAW, brought down the mountain from Moses (The Ten Commandments) is a mirror by which we can judge our hearts. We can see as we look into this mirror that we are wholly incapable of keeping His law perfectly. God knew this. He needed us to know this so we would come to the end of ourselves and admit to ourselves and to God that we can not earn our salvation from hell and death. That we can not attain righteousness without Him.

Our Salvation can only come by:

Grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ alone!

When we finally come to this end. To the final realization of our utter dependence for a SAVIOR.

GOD IS THERE.

WAITING.

FOR YOU.

THE ONE HE HAS BEEN WHISPERING HIS LOVE TO.

Confess your need for Him. Confess your sins to Him. Ask him to help you believe that it has nothing to do with you trying to be a good person. That He will impart righteousness to you as a free gift by acknowledging Jesus Christ as your Savior.

It is not hard. That is what the world want you to believe lest the light of His Gospel which is firmly thus...

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Would forever take you out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.

This world system would lose a citizen... This is why the god of this world tries so hard to keep you from this Amazing Grace...

"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Corinthians 4:4)

One day soon... Jesus will come and do away with this world system and all who follow it. He will set up His righteous, peaceful rule over this world...

"And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father...

PRINCE OF PEACE" (Isaiah 9:6)