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APPEARANCE

Posted on May 5, 2022 by West Oaks Fellowship

The appearance of stars marks the end of the day . . . In Nehemiah 4:21, those rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem had to split their efforts between half standing guard and half diligently laying stones, both working long hours … “from the break of dawn till the stars came out.” One may recall that one of the reasons our Lord placed lights (including the stars) in the heavens was “to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” However, God uses the “star” and our “stars” throughout the scriptures for many distinctive purposes.

The OT shows awareness of the stars’ immense number, which many explain why so many humans looked to them for spiritual direction, or even worshiped individual stars and constellations as gods. Of course, consulting their alignment for spiritual guidance (astrology, not astronomy or geography) or worshiping them in any manner was strictly forbidden because it completely disregarded and rebelliously denied God’s purpose in their creation. (Perhaps one should take a moment right now just to consider how many other things in God’s creation have crumpled into this same type of demise.)

Stars were created by God … their task is only that which is established by God. They are totally subordinate to God, under His absolute authority and control, and intended for His glory/ purpose(s). (See Psalm 19:1-6) This status is tenaciously reinforced in Psalm 147:4:

He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.

Thus, their existence and destiny are completely according to His will, even including whether they shine or not! (See Job 9:7-10). Actually, they respond as creatures, in the same manner we as Christ’s followers, God’s children, should. While the language in Judges 5:20 is certainly poetic, stars fighting against Israel’s enemies clearly demonstrates that the Lord can deliberately and unreservedly use any and all the forces of the universe to accomplish His purpose(s). After all, whose universe is it?

Accordingly, throughout the universe, all stars are to “praise Him.” (See Psalm 148:3)

Is there any different calling for humanity?

Interestingly, in the Bible, perhaps because of their brilliance and glory, the word “star” is used symbolically of creatures, both enemies and servants of God, as well as individuals. In an unique play on words, according to Isaiah 14:12, the symbolic king of Babylon, Lucifer, imagining himself to be the “Day Star,” “son of Dawn,” or the “Star of the Morning,” was not satisfied with his dominant position, but sought to ascend above the stars (a place reserved for God alone). His desire to take the place of God presented a direct challenge to God’s authority and power.

As a result, the king was cast down in defeat (14:12-15). By the way, astronomically speaking, Venus is the morning star because it’s seen first from the earth’s perspective. Jesus Christ is not the “Star of the Morning” (that’s Lucifer/Satan), as presented by some biblically illiterate or confused Christian musicians, but He is undeniably the Bright Morning Star described in II Peter 1:19 and Revelation 22:16.

Jude 13 audaciously and fearlessly declares the opponents of God as:

wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.

Conversely, the OT compares the coming Messiah to a rising star and scepter in Numbers 24:17, and in one case, stars symbolize the glory of the resurrected life for true believers … Those who turn many to righteousness will rise in the resurrection, and will shine “like the stars for ever and ever.” (See Daniel 12:1-3). In addition, Paul compares the glory of a Christian’s exclusive resurrected body to the glory and distinction of the stars in I Corinthians 15:40-49.

Agnostic pantheist Carl Sagan, American astrophysicist, cosmologist, exobiologist, author (“Contact”) and TV host (“Cosmos”), stated, “we are star stuff.” However, the God who created the stars and their shine — the One who declared:

Light shall shine out of darkness, is the One who has shone in our (every true believer’s) hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (See II Corinthians 4:6)

Simply “star stuff” — or partakers and bearers of the True Light? God’s call, not ours or Sagan’s. See, knowing Him is knowing Truth … that’s GOD’S star stuff!

— Pastor Frank

DWELL

Posted on May 3, 2022 by West Oaks Fellowship

In Exodus 25:8 God said, “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.” Here one finds God’s heart — to dwell among His people! A similar statement is found in Exodus 29:45-46. Then in I Kings 6:13 … the Lord tells Solomon, David’s son, “I will dwell among the sons of Israel.” Shall we forget the incredible statement found in II Corinthians 6:16, “we (a clear reference to believers) are the temple of the living God?”

There the scripture continues:

I will dwell in them and walk among them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Undeniably, this Old Testament quotation is drawn directly from Exodus 25:8 (above), but properly applied then and now to Christ’s New Testament Church and each of us as His individual disciples.

It’s a somewhat overwhelming thought to consider that God Himself fully desires and intentionally purposes to dwell with/among and in (within) His people. Consider, our God walked in the garden, having direct contact and communication with Adam and Eve before human sin severed the cherished connection. Therefore, from the very beginning, all the way to the very end of this world as we know it, His objective has been clear … “He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people and God Himself will be among them.” (Revelation 21:3-4)

In John 1:1 we read, “the Word was God.” In John 1:14, “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.” YES! This is the incarnation (a person who embodies in the flesh a deity – the union of divinity and humanity) … An event which is not about humans becoming gods, or a god – absolutely impossible – but instead, God adapting to the form of humanity (with God all things are possible). This almost incomprehensible, mind-bending, worship-inciting truth is profoundly proclaimed when we sing:

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail, the incarnate Deity. Pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel! (from Hark The Herald Angels Sing)

The English word translated here as “dwelt” is the Greek word “eskenosen” which means “to encamp” – “to pitch a tent” – “to tabernacle.” A quality literal translation of this text might read, “the Word became flesh and did tabernacle or tabernacled among us.” From the Old Testament, we think of the Tabernacle as the somewhat portable, divinely designed, yet humanly constructed, tent that provided the primary point of contact between God and mankind.

In the New Testament, and in our faith, Jesus Christ – the incarnate Son of God – who became flesh and “tabernacled” (dwelt) among us, is the one and only point of contact capable of bridging the great chasm between God and humanity.

In the Old Testament scriptures, the Table of the Bread of the Presence, the Lampstand, the Altar of Incense, and the Ark of the Covenant furnished the Tabernacle. These pieces of furniture all portrayed Christ and were a “type” or “shadow” of things to come. However, we now know Jesus as “the Bread of Life” – “the Light of the world” – “the great High Priest who intercedes for God’s redeemed Church” and He who abides (dwells) with and in His people.

God’s glory is also associated with the Old Testament Tabernacle. Exodus 40:34 states, “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” The glory of God expresses His worthiness and the honor due Him. Nonetheless, Jesus Christ offers the full expression of God’s glory for us to behold – “and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten from the Father.” II Corinthians 4:6 expresses:

For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Then, Hebrews 1:3 explains Jesus Christ as:

Being the radiance (brightness) of His (God the Father’s) glory and the exact representation of His nature (express image of God the Father as a person), and (the one who) upholds all things by the word of His power.

Continuing in John 1:14, we also learn that this “glory as of the only begotten from the Father,” is, “full of grace and truth.”

Consider this description of God’s glory from Exodus 34:6:

The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.

During His visit to earth, the incarnation, Christ demonstrates this grace and truth (from the Father) to the lost, the needy, and undeserving sinners. He extends God’s grace to people through His actions and His words … He cares for the outcast, heals the broken, feeds the hungry, embraces the lonely, and lifts the downtrodden from their pit. Not only were these demonstrations and manifestations irrefutable evidence of His divinity, but fully revealed His divine character … the very nature of God Himself on public display for all to see!

As He communicated God’s truth, lives were dynamically impacted and complete transformations occurred through the supremacy and potency of the very Word becoming flesh and tabernacling (pitching His tent and encamping) among/with us! Our Lord, Jesus Christ continues to show us the fullness of God’s grace and truth today – chiefly through the incorruptible message of His Word and the transforming effects of God’s Holy Spirit.

The Lord regenerates us into new individuals because

He’s living on the inside, roaring like a lion. (David Crowder – Like A Lion)

Jesus Christ is the all-glorious, incarnate God, and this alone is reason enough to trust Him as our one and only Savior, worship Him as our one and only Lord, and follow/serve Him as our one and only Master/King.

Are you living in this reality today? Don’t just think about. Don’t just talk about it.

Let’s just do it!

– Pastor Frank

WHY ADVENT? PART 2

Posted on March 22, 2022March 22, 2022 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 1^st 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 2^nd Advent, the purpose of His 1^st 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