Tag: colossians

ADVENT

Posted on by West Oaks Fellowship

Most everyone who has attended West Oaks Fellowship for a while comes to understand that when we approach the holiday season called Christmas (from Christ – mass), our spiritual emphasis shifts (similar to Resurrection Sunday vs Easter or Reformation Day vs Halloween) to a sincere focus on the many blessings of Christ’s first advent (coming), and the concepts of Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love that Jesus offers all humanity.  Our concentration, as believers on Advent (Greek – parousia, Latin – adventus) … meaning arrival, a coming, or presence … allows us an opportunity to celebrate and rejoice in the incarnation of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  John 1:14 declares:

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

(also see II Peter 1:16, Philippians 2:5-8)

Hopefully, we will all fully embrace the celebration of Christ’s coming into our world in the same manner as we consider His resurrection, the advent (coming) of God’s Holy Spirit (Pentecost), and His anticipated 2nd Advent (return to earth).  Nevertheless, as a serious student of history, Christianity, and God’s Word, I’m somewhat baffled by some of the silliness, traditions, and ungodly, heathen practices that have creeped into the church (the body of Christ at large) and many believing families’ Christmases. 

While I’m not advocating a cessation from celebrating Jesus Christ’s First Advent (coming), like not decorating your home, etc., etc. as some legalists/religionists would demand, I am asking all true believers to give careful consideration to their celebrations and traditions.  Just because everyone is doing it (as you may tell your teenage son or daughter) or because it feels good, that doesn’t make it right!  Romans 14:5-6a shines some light for us:

One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord.

Then continuing in verse 7-9,

For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.  For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

In essence, it’s absolutely essential, that faithful, committed followers of Jesus Christ know exactly why they are celebrating our Lord’s Advent in the manner they do, and should a question arise about one’s holiday practices, have a proper, biblically-qualified, spiritually-based answer that can be clearly articulated.

Now, I know some of you are already saying, “give me a break PF” … because you’re one that “loves” Christmas!  Indeed, I pray you love Christ, and wholeheartedly rejoice in His 1st Advent (coming)!  Nonetheless, as unpopular as it might be, please ask yourself what exactly is it that you love so much? 

Today, one of our fine, young-adult men messaged me a detailed question about believers using Christmas Trees – after his study of scriptures in Jeremiah 10:1-11. The modern-day Christmas tree was not introduced into America by Germans until the 19th century. The annual tradition of erecting a National Christmas Tree was not established until 1923 in Washington, D.C. – some 147 years after the birth of our nation, and 316 years after the first permanent English settlement in America. Ever wonder why?  Certainly, that’s a valid question for every believer to consider. 

Does one bring an idol into their home for any reason?  Well, if I was an archaeologist, and had excavated an ancient relic from a pagan temple in Israel, I would probably have it on display in my office. Unquestionably, I would use it as a tool to explain portions of the scripture and give testimony concerning the authenticity of the Bible.  However, at that point, someone could accuse me of having an idol in my home or office. The accusation would be true, but not be a genuine reflection of my faith or worship.  

While there is little argument about the following points concerning a typical American Christmas celebration on December 25, the key for each and every believer, as well as for each and every family, is simple obedience to Christ and His Word, coupled with the true spirit of any and every action/activity, etc.

  1. No biblical data exists, nor any early known written documentation referencing or establishing Christ’s birth in December or on its 25th day; however, there is insurmountable evidence concerning the dates of His death and the coming of God’s Holy Spirit at Pentecost (an annual Hebrew feast/celebration).
  2. The date of December 25th was a long-standing pagan holiday, “Saturnalia,” …the worldwide celebration of the re-birth of the sun-god (an anti-christ type – thousands of years before Jesus was born under various names – all commemorating variations of a false trinity consisting of a father, mother and child), and was intentionally highjacked by the early Roman church in 350 AD by Pope Julius.
  3. As late as 1855, Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists refused to recognize December 25th as a legitimate holiday in reference to Christ’s birth.
  4. Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 Ed., p. 253, tells us that as late as 1913, many States did not even recognize December 25th as a permissible holiday.

Certainly, each and every believer is free to celebrate Advent 2017 in their lives and families with meaningful and worshipful expressions of reflection, gratitude, ceremony, exaltation, and even jubilation! Nonetheless, Colossians 2:16-17 speaks plainly:

Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath (plural in the Greek text) day things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.

Yes, the significant substance of any truly spiritually-centered celebration must be Jesus Christ (not a shadow – but the real thing). Therefore, we are compelled to ask, is our Christmas a spiritual, or cultural event?

The Hebrew people managed to get the practices of their culture and genuine spirituality and those things that were, “a mere shadow of what is to come” awfully confused and extremely complicated.  Perhaps that why the Lord declares in Jeremiah 6:20:

For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba and the sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable and your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me.

Have you ever wondered what the Lord thinks of an American Christmas? Perhaps we should humbly, and perhaps solemnly, consider the words Isaiah 43:24:

You have bought Me not sweet cane with money, nor have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices; rather you have burdened Me with your sins, you have wearied Me with your iniquities.

  Our Lord rejects, not their ceremonial service, but the substitution of it for personal holiness and morality. In addition, may we never forget Jeremiah 7:23:

But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’ Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.

(also please read Isaiah 1:10-17; Micah 6:6-8)

 

I Samuel 15:22 asks:

Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.

 What are our Advent celebrations, customs, traditions, … pagan rituals/practices coated in some form of Jesus-juice to make them seem/feel OK?  (ceremonial, ritualistic, theistic, existentialism) Are they done in/by faith and are they pleasing to our Lord?  I know, I know, too much!  Nonetheless, let’s agree on Colossians 3:17 for this ADVENT:

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Think about it, pray about it, act upon it.                                                              

— His & Yours, PF

WORLDVIEW

Posted on by West Oaks Fellowship

A Christian worldview is more than a religious belief system.  In fact, it is a complete and integrated framework through which one views the entire world from a comprehensive biblical perspective. Therefore, a faithful/committed Christian’s worldview is an integrated whole which is comprised of distinct, biblical elements that allows every believer to actively filter his or her life (thoughts and activities) through spiritual goggles, seeing the world in light of a harmonious set of biblical truths, beliefs, and assessments.

A biblical worldview resolutely affirms the existence of an intelligent, powerful, loving, just, and supreme being who exists in the trinity — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit — who is also the creator all things.

One of the single most important philosophical truths in the Christian worldview is that Jesus Christ is also the Word (Logos) and Truth (Psalm 119:160, John 1:14, John 17:17) and offers the explanation for the existence of the universe and everything in it … including humanity. One of the major charges against a biblical worldview in general, and Christian philosophy in particular, is that it is unscientific.

Nonetheless, Christians uphold that the doctrines of God, creation, the Word/Truth, intelligent design, purpose, law, order, and life are reasonable, and consistent with all the findings of factual and authentic science, history, and/or personal experience in a way that the philosophies of anti-god dialectical materialism and philosophical naturalism (aka materialism) will never accomplish.

According to a biblical worldview, God’s moral nature/character is an immutable (unchanging), unassailable absolute. God simply hates evil/sin and consistently loves good/righteousness.   As a result, God’s Word, the Bible, the Truth, is of supreme importance because it alone perfectly defines good/righteousness and evil/sin, as well as clearly and decisively distinguishes their differences. 

This provides a framework on which completely unambiguous ethics are established. Consequently, from a biblical worldview, ethical/moral relativism leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13). Christian/godly morals/ethics are inseparable from Christian theology for the simple reason that Christian ethics are grounded in the character/nature of God Himself.  Rather than believing in some ethical scheme bound to society’s ever-changing whims, an authentic Christian’s worldview has a specific moral order which is revealed to humans through both the general revelation of nature/creation and the special/unique revelation of the Bible/God’s Word/Truth, as well as in the person of Jesus Christ.

In addition, from the perspective of divine creationism, a biblical worldview can adequately account for the intelligent design displayed throughout all of nature.  It unequivocally postulates a Designer outside the realm of the actual creation itself — a law-giver, developer, architect, engineer, and builder, coupled with an orderly, methodical cause. The materialist can only, at best, hypothesize chance and randomness!  An honest, untainted biblical worldview holds that the creationist model as described in biblical text better fits the facts of science than any old earth/evolutionary model.  

Therefore, believers must come to fully trust (which may mean working through one’s own questions and confusion) the authority of God’s Word and the Genesis declarations concerning creation, in the same manner Christ Jesus believed.  

Consider Mark 10:6: “But from the beginning of creation, God MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE.”

How about the message of Colossians 1:16:

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for Him” and John 1:1-3: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

While many in today’s church are unwilling to consider God’s design, and actually believe that science stands in contradiction or is even superior to God’s own revelation, true, un/non-politized science and research, void of unconfirmed presuppositions and theories concerning deity, actually demonstrate the compatibility and union of science and the Bible.  Thus, the biblical/Christian worldview declares in unison with the evidence of science that God undeniably “created all things!” (Ephesians 3:9-10).

The Bible text provides every believer who desires the TRUTH with information about the Lord God and His creation/universe, while science, in each and every realm, can only provide information about our God’s handiwork/creation/universe.         

Just study the TRUTH! –PF

RECKLESS

Posted on by West Oaks Fellowship

The word reckless, which appears 4 times in the biblical text, is an Old English/German word meaning to be utterly unconcerned about the consequences of some action; taking specific action without considering or caring about the consequences of that action; action or activity without any concern or caution; being or acting careless. (dictionary.com  and  merriam–webster.com)  

In Judges 9:4, one finds the Hebrew word “pachaz” translated in English as reckless, which is used to describe the worthless cadre hired by Abimelech.  A similar phrase, “pachazuwth,” is employed by the Prophet Jeremiah in 23:32 to describe the false prophets of his day.  In Zephaniah 3:4, “pachaz” is once again used, this time in reference to rebellious and defiled nations whose prophets are “reckless and treacherous” individuals. 

In the New Testament, the Greek word, “propetes” is translated reckless, along with a host of other carnal traits and behaviors in II Timothy 3:4, to describe the nature and character of human beings during “the last days.”

Recently, a new contemporary Christian song by Cory Asbury, has risen to enhanced popularity that employs the word “reckless” in reference to God’s love.  While he may offer an explanation for his use of the term in his song, this word used in reference to God’s love is absolutely ungodly, inexcusable, and in reality, a reckless theological error and heretical lie. 

Some will say, “that’s not fair, you’re judging him.”  NO! The truth is that God’s love is NOT reckless — no matter what the justification for use of the phrase may be, and those words should never be uttered by the mouth or flow forth from the lips of a genuine believer in Jesus Christ!  If some catchy song with a good hook in the chorus and a great rhythm said, “Jesus is a liar,” would you repeat that phrase?  Would you use that song during worship?  Would you sing along with your car stereo blasting?

Confusing, degrading, anti-God, heretical lies have occurred before in Christian music, both traditional and contemporary, and, in each more recent case, some lame exegesis of an excuse is offered in hopes of gaining popular approval and imploring the faithful to overlook the obvious doctrinal catastrophe.  In 1982, Leon Patillo brought forth a popular song, “Star Of The Morning” on his album entitled The Definitive Collection.  Who is the Star Of The Morning (Isaiah 14:12) as opposed to The Bright And Morning Star?  Sadly, no retraction or correction.  Then, Phillips, Craig, and Dean make the same blunder and declare the same heresy in the 2012 song, “When The Stars Burn Down!”  How can a clear reference to Satan himself be substituted for the one and only true Messiah, Jesus Christ, who, as The Bright And Morning Star, (Revelation 22:16) stands in direct opposition to the Star Of The Morning? 

GO FIGURE CHURCH!

While one may have been living a completely reckless life when they experienced the fullness of God’s love, that provides no foundation or possible justification for assigning such a characteristic to His love which is poured into our hearts (Romans 5:1-5), causing us to be more than conquerors (Romans 8:37-39), working to bring about unity (Colossians 3:14), perfect  (I John 4:15-21), and is manifested (displayed) among us (I John 4:9-11).   In fact, genuine Christianity is the only world religion that sets forth the Supreme Being as Love (I John 4:8)!

Just in case you were wondering, there is nothing reckless concerning the love of God for all humanity. In fact, just the opposite is true, because He is not, will not, and cannot be reckless about anything!  It is entirely and absolutely against His very nature and character.  In addition, our salvation is a strategic move/plan on His part, and the nature of who we are becoming in Christ Jesus is void of anything reckless!  For that I thank Him daily!  How about you?

Were you redeemed as some part of a reckless adventure, or distinctly set apart by God, uniquely created and designed for a divine/holy/blameless relationship with Him through Jesus Christ from the very foundation of the world “according to the kind intention of His will?” (See Ephesians 1:3-6)          

His & Yours, PF

WHY ADVENT? PART 1

Posted on by West Oaks Fellowship

The word Advent means ‘Coming’ in Latin. In reference to our This is the coming of Jesus into the world. Christians use the four Sundays and weeks of Advent to prepare and remember the real meaning of Christmas. … Some people fast (don’t eat anything) during advent to help them concentrate on preparing to celebrate Jesus’s coming.

  • Embrace Change – just as the leaves change colors, reflecting the beauty of our Lord’s creation and design, so does life.  Almost every aspect of a genuine believer’s life is in a state of transformation as one’s grows spiritually, becoming more and more like Christ. (See II Corinthians 3:18; Romans 8:29, 12:1-2) We, as Christ’s followers, fully understand and comprehend that not all change is good.  Today, there is an awful lot of unwelcome and unwholesome change in our world. Moral and societal changes really bother us …  we see it everywhere, with almost no exceptions. On top of that, we are painfully aware that the children and youth of this era are growing up in a world far different from the one we experienced as children, youth and young adults.

Then there are those changes that impact us as individuals — children leaving home, the passing of dear friends/family members/loved ones, and even perhaps the slow, steady decline in our vitality and health. Sometimes we may even feel “outdated” at work.  But amidst all the changes, one thing, one Person, stays constant in His existence, purpose, and character … our eternal Lord! To fully embrace God’s purpose(s) in our lives genuinely requires significant, on-going modifications in one’s thinking, understanding, and actions/behavior. Therefore, as one looks upon the ever-present physical changes revealed in our world through Autumn/Fall, consider the marvelous, omnipresent work/molding Christ desires to accomplish in you.  Yield to His touch in the same way the leaves of the tree submit to His ultimate design and persistent resolve.

  • Let Go – just as the trees and grass are unable to hang on to their radiance from Spring and Summer (if rained upon and/or watered), maturing Christians must release the bonds of the past in order to fully participate in the adventures that Christ has prepared for His people to pursue and walk/live in.  (See Luke 9:62; Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 1:8-12; Philippians 3:13-14; I Corinthians 9:24; II Timothy 1:8-11) As one observes the variations in nature brought about by Autumn/Fall, perhaps one should ask the Lord what needs to break loose, be raked up, and intentionally/purposefully and permanently discarded from one’s life!  The past only comes back to haunt us if we make provision for it, and allow it impact our spiritual lives and progress!  As a new creature in Christ, are you allowing old things, particularly those things of one’s fleshly/worldly nature, to continually fall off, pass away, die? (See II Corinthians 5:16-17) Sadly, and yes, destructively, many genuine believers are having difficulty distinguishing the difference.
  • Be Grateful – you’ll never have everything you want and/or absolutely perfect unless the desires of your heart are completely modified by the Lord, and that your definition of good and/or perfect somehow comes into alignment with God’s definition of those things in your own life. Simply put, “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” — I Timothy 6:6-9.  I’ve continually found that individuals who are content, which doesn’t mean they are lazy or lack drive to be successful, are generally grateful for whatever they have. That’s proven to be true in my experience, with those who have an abundance, as well as those that may have little, or are lacking, as defined in the eyes of our western culture. In addition, I’ve also found many who have more than they could ever use or want to be ungrateful, as well as those that have little to sulk in their want and greed. Too often the formula of greed or covetousness resulting in poverty is forgotten.  Psalm 10:3 declares, “For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire (rather than the desires being birthed and shaped by the Lord), and the greedy man curses and spurns the Lord.”  Proverbs 28:22 makes it pretty clear, “A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth and does not know that want (poverty) will come upon him.”  While our God is certainly able to give us the desires of our heart (See Psalm 37:4-5). I suspect He is willing to do exactly that when and if our desires glorify Him and are conferring His purposes!

My prayer is that God’s Autumn/Fall 2018 will speak loudly to each of us!  –PF  

WHY ADVENT? PART 2

Posted on by West Oaks Fellowship

The word Advent means coming in Latin. In our context as believers, Advent refers to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ into the world. At West Oaks Fellowship, we will use 4 Sundays in December to prepare and remember the value, as well the authentic meaning of Christmas. 

This year’s focus is “God With Us” and each Sunday we will use a young lady from our congregation to symbolically light a candle representing the specific emphasis of each worship service (Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love).  Then, at our candle light service, another young lady, in costume as Mary, will light the final “Christ” candle in the finale of our Advent celebration worship services.

Why young ladies?   According to Genesis 3:15, God, “put enmity” between Satan and Eve, as well as between her seed and that of the evil one. In that same prophetic statement, speaking of Christ’s 1st Advent, “He” – being Christ Jesus, will “crush” the head of Satan, while Satan will bruise His heel!  Therefore, as a reminder of God’s design to use a young lady (see Isaiah 7:14) without the concurrence of man to instigate His plan of humanity’s redemption, we choose young ladies to light each Sunday’s candle which distinctly represents the true Light coming into our world. (see John 1:4-9)   

  • HOPE – Psalm 33:17 declares, “A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.”  As believers, we become as foolish as those in the world when we place our hope (confident expectation), or strive to find hope in/from the things of the world! Proverbs 10:28 announces, “The hope of the righteous is gladness, but the expectation of the wicked perishes.” “How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.” — Psalm 146:5
  • PEACE – As far back as I can remember in my 64 years, I do not recall a time/season in our world absent from conflict.  Back in the “Jesus Movement” the Imperials, an early contemporary Christian Band had a song (during the Vietnam War peace movement) that declared, “there will never be any peace until God is seated at the conference table.” While Christ will certain maintain a Peaceable Kingdom after His 2nd Advent, the purpose of His 1st Advent was primarily attentive to reconciling the conflict between God and sin-separated humanity! “For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” – Colossians 1:19-20 Undoubtedly, Romans 5:1-2 offers some additional explanation, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.”
  • JOY – Christ’s 1st Advent bring a deep seated, lasting delight far beyond any momentary pleasure or happiness!  “The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.  Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.  Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”  – Luke 10:17-20 Now there’s a reason to continued celebration … after all, just as the prophet proclaimed, “the joy of the Lord is your strength!”  – From Nehemiah 8:10  
  • LOVE – “Is a many splendored thing” so the proclamation of a popular Billboard hit from 1955. In the essence of this song, book, and movie — love is indeed full of many magnificent features and/or marvels.  In reality, it is also a magnificent marvel that God is both able and desirous of genuinely loving all of humanity.  This love is demonstrated even in spite of all our corrupt thoughts and errant behaviors!   I John 4:10 articulates, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (full/complete payment) for our sins.” You may recall the old hymn lyrics, “How marvelous, how wonderful is my Saviour’s love for me.”  Indeed, God’s love for His most prized creation, humanity (made as no other in His image and likeness) is an everlasting, inexhaustible fountain of love flowing from the heart of God to the life and soul of human beings!  Indeed, “How will we escape if we neglect (Gk – ameleo: make light of, have no regard for) so great a salvation?” – Hebrews 2:3  John 3:17, “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge (or condemn) the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” 

Christ Himself brought all these things, Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, into the world and made them freely available to all who believe/trust in Him as their Lord and Saviour!  So, a simply answer to the initial question is another question … WHY NOT? 

“To them He gave the right to be children of God!” – John 1:12

ADVENT … more than just something to think about!              – His & Yours, PF 

ABRAHAM’S BOSOM

Posted on by West Oaks Fellowship

In Luke 16:22, one finds a distinct contrast in the temporary destiny of two individuals after each of their physical deaths. One, Lazarus – a poor man, is found in “Abraham’s Bosom,” while the other, a rich man, is found being tormented and bound up in a place called Hades (the place of departed souls or aka – hell).

According to verse 23, there is a great separation or distance  (a great, permanently-fixed chasm according to vs 26) between the rich man (who is experiencing on-going suffering and unquenchable, insatiable thirst … “in this flame” – vs 24) and Lazarus (who is resting in the comfort of Abraham’s Bosom – vs 25).

In this biblical text, Jesus is teaching within the framework and context of Hebrew / Jewish / Rabbinical understanding, which divides the place where departed souls abide … allowing only two very distinct categories.  One holding place is for the righteous — known as the Bosom of Abraham or Abraham’s Bosom, and one for the unrighteous … known as Hades, Hell, Death’s Domain, the Underworld and / or Realm of the Dead. Here, the lost await the 2nd resurrection unto judgment (the Great White Throne -Revelation 20:11-15) and ultimately, as well as finally, the Lake of Fire.

However, the New Testament presents a different perspective for genuine believers, with our souls departing to be in the presence of Christ (Philippians 1:21-23, John 12:25-26, 2 Corinthians 5:6-9, 2 Timothy 6:4-8) while awaiting the continuation / completion of the first resurrection unto life and reward.

Abraham’s Bosom is a place of rest and peace, with the idea being born out of genuine fellowship / relationship. The custom of reclining on couches at a table was prevalent among the Jews, as well as some other middle eastern cultures. This type of seating arrangement brought the head of one person almost into the bosom area of the one who sat or reclined above, beside, or behind another. Thus, to be in the “Bossom of Abraham” meant to be comfortably enjoying that arrangement / alignment in the happiness and rest of whatever event, celebration, or banquet had brought everyone together. In Matthew 8:11, Christ makes reference to this symbolic arrangement, “recline (or dine) at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.”

Each person leaned on his left arm, as to lay, in the bosom of the next.  The highest place of honor was this position in the bosom of the honored guest, or the master of the host house.

This is clearly depicted in John 13:23 –

There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.

To be in, lie in, or rest in Abraham’s Bosom, was a phrase illustrating the most highly-blessed repose in close nearness to the patriarchal father of the faithful at a feast / celebration in paradise!

This is a beautiful image for God’s people, but our promise as New Testament believers seems more delightful as we come to rest in the presence of the Creator (Colossians 1:15-20) … and that, my friends, is certainly something worthy of all our praise … and indeed, something to shout about! 

His & Yours, PF  

PASSION

Posted on by West Oaks Fellowship

PASSION – (pash’-un): “Passion” is derived from the Latin word “passio,” which actually is derived from the verb “patior,” with the root of “pat-.” These Latin concepts are similar and linguistically connected with the Greek root, “path-,” to form words found in Greek, Latin, and English languages and in our Bibles. For some reason, of which I have no clue, words connected with these Greek and Latin roots, pat-, path-, are often susceptible to a great variety of meanings. The word passion itself may have over 20 meanings as we use it in everyday communication, varying from a violent outburst of anger to suffering as a martyr, from strong amorous feelings to simple enthusiasm. Just consult almost any dictionary and you’ll see what I mean. However, the word “passion,” as it appears in English and Greek versions of God’s New Testament, only has three distinct meanings for believers to consider.

  1. In Acts 1:3, Luke (the author) gives testimony concerning Christ’s resurrection, “to whom He also showed Himself alive after His passion.” An actual Greek text might read, “after he had suffered,” instead of the one word passion used here in many English translations. The Vulgate (Jerome’s Latin Bible, 390 AD – 405 AD) reads, “post passionem suam.” This is the only place in the New Testament Scriptures where the word translated “passion” has this meaning, and it is used in contemporary English in the same way when referring to Christ’s suffering, i.e., “Passion Play,” etc.
  2. In Acts 14:15 and James 5:17, the word “passion,” also translated as “nature” refers to human emotions and feelings — “Elijah was a man with a nature (or passions) like ours.” A more literal translation of the Greek might read, “Elijah was a man with exactly the same human feelings and emotions that we have.”
  3. In Romans 1:26, Colossians 3:5, and I Thessalonians 4:5 the word “passion” describes any over-emotion, over-response, exaggerated or overly enhanced desire or feeling, sometimes with immoral sensual overtones. An “inordinate affection” or anything that serves to weaken or rob a person’s self-control/command is perhaps the best understanding of “passion” as used in these New Testament verses.

As Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday approach, I’d encourage you to embrace the thoughts of Christ’s passion. Don’t run from these “passions,” but instead embrace them, considering the magnitude and magnanimity of God’s sacrifice, as He offered His one and only Son, Jesus Christ in passionate demonstration of His love for us and all mankind.

Just Think About It! Hope to see you and yours this Sunday.